Light the Grill...Meal #1

Our forecast says it will be sunny with occasional thunderstorms (which always happen when it is time to make dinner...), so I have been pulling out my cookbooks for the grilling recipes.  At my warehouse store I bought a large package of boneless chicken breasts which is good for two meals, a salmon filet, and a package of three ham steaks.  We will see how far that gets me.  I am hoping for a leftover night, but we will see.

Yesterday I grilled corn on the cob (without husks) which became our appetizer.  Then I mixed 1/2 C ranch dressing with 2 T french dressing and basted the chicken with it as it grilled.  (This idea came from Betty Crocker's Good and Easy Cookbook).  Everyone loved it and the chicken stayed moist and tender; and I am happy because I have two large bottles of ranch dressing to use up over the summer.  This recipe is a keeper.

My Best Friend

I have been given several homemaking tips over the years from homemakers far more skilled than myself. Many times this advice goes in one ear and out the other for a couple of reasons: 1) I am not in the homemaking mood (which is often) or 2) it is just too complicated or overwhelming or whatever. But, there are a few that I am oh so glad to have been taught and have remembered.

The following is a big one.

Meet my best friend:

Please note that this is Oxi Clean in its powdered form.

In my house, we are a sweaty people.  Those white undershirts?  With the yellow stains in the underarm and collar areas?  A good long soak in an Oxi Clean solution, then a good wash in the machine takes right care of that problem.  Blood stains (and any other bodily function stains)?  A good soak in an Oxi Clean bath will take care of those too.  Even stains that have been on clothing for awhile and have been dried in the dryer first.  Oxi Clean is very good on organic stains, i.e. coming from humans (blood, sweat, bathroom stuff) and food (although Dawn dish soap is my favorite for food stains since they so often come with grease).  

Here is what I do:  I buy this large box at my warehouse store.  I use a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with about 1 cup of oxi clean powder and hot water.  I can soak 7-10 undershirts at once.  Or a sheet.  I give it a good long time because I don't want to have to do it again (usually overnight or most of the day).  I could probably use less powder, but again, I don't want to have to soak it again, so I make sure there is a good amount in the water.  When it is done soaking, I squeeze the garments out, and throw them in the machine and wash as usual using warm water.  The stains are gone (for awhile anyway), and the whites are whiter too.

One Dinner At a Time

I tried to make a weekly menu.  I have been trying for awhile.  But I am finding it impossible.  People are always coming and going in our house, and I never know when I will have to go somewhere.  Today, for example, I have to take two of my kids to piano lessons.  We will be gone from 4:40-5:40 ish.  That makes it a little difficult to get a good meal on the table, and I don't care how quick a recipe claims to be, nothing takes less than an hour and more likely two hours, except hot dogs with deli salads and/or canned baked beans.  Or sandwiches.  The problem with either of these choices is that everyone eats at different times, which means that either I am constantly making another sandwich, or someone will come home and instead of making his/her dinner, will have a bowl of ice cream or some other horror instead.  Thursdays are even worse for me during the school year, when I have to take my son to scouts and then my daughter to dance.  Then we are all eating at different times.  Ugh.

Now that my rant is over (for the time being), here is what we will have tonight:

Kitchen Sink Quesadillas (I do not remember where I got this from, so I cannot give credit.  Grr)

1 15.5 oz can black beans, drained
1 11 oz can corn, drained
3/4 C salsa, drained
8 flour tortillas
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

mix beans, corn, and salsa
lay four tortillas on a foil lined baking sheet
spread 1/2 cheese
spread bean mixture
spread remaining cheese
lay four tortillas on top
bake @ 400 for 10 minutes

I will first make a batch of just cheese or cheese and chopped deli turkey breast (to use up) for the picky ones, which is everyone but my husband and myself.
This still won't be as quick as it sounds because my oven no longer preheats and I will have to give it 20-30 minutes, but that will give me time to throw a quick salad together of iceberg lettuce, celery, carrots, and chopped tomato.

Sandwich Toppers

Today I am eating a chicken sandwich with lettuce.

Lettuce is an okay sandwich topper, but over the years I have tried various vegetables, and have found that I have different favorites depending on the main ingredient.  And here they are:

tuna with sprouts (broccoli sprouts are the best)

turkey with thinly sliced cucumber

roast beef with green pepper strips (even better with sauteed green peppers)

peanut butter and jelly with banana

bologna with shredded iceberg lettuce

hamburgers with sauteed mushrooms and onions

hot dogs with sauteed onions

tomato is a welcome addition if it is garden fresh

Time To Renew

Today is my day off, and I was hoping to:

get my hair cut and colored

get week's groceries

vacuum

wash mega loads of laundry

run dishwasher

unload dishwasher

make dinner

This is what I have done so far:

slept

run dishwasher

Not looking too good.

So, while I was trying to compose a weekly menu, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed because I have a bunch of leftovers in the fridge and freezer, plus a lot of veggies that we haven't gotten to yet, and I decided that instead of everything rotting on me, we would eat them up. I know it is something no one has ever done before, but hey, that's what I am here for.

So I will have to go to the store and get our staples like milk and a few more things, but I am not going to worry about dinner. When we run out of leftovers (and we may run out before the week is over), I will think of something quick and grab it on my way home from work. Sometimes it is the way I have to roll. This way we will not be wasting food. So here it is:

This Week's Menu:

Leftovers

This Week's Menu

I have to make some changes because I will be starting tax season work on Monday, so Friday has to become my grocery shopping day. Also I am going to work as late as possible which will leave me with very little time to actually cook, so I have to be realistic, which I have a problem doing sometimes.

A couple of these recipes are linked to a site I discovered through google searching, and I am so excited! It's called Moms Who Think and has lots of stuff on there, but right now I am just interested in the recipes.

Friday: Chicken Confetti Soup (I have two cooked chicken breasts leftover from making someone else this soup this week so it should be quick. The problem is that it won't make enough for everyone, so I am going to make more broth and throw in the leftover egg noodles and potatoes in the fridge. It will be starchy but hearty.)

Saturday: Homemade New England Baked Beans, kielbasa, macaroni salad

Sunday: Sunday Roast Chicken, rice, maple carrots

Monday: Spaghetti and (premade) meatballs, salad

Tuesday: Chicken and broccoli divan, salad

Wednesday: Crock Pot Chili Coke Roast, , mashed potatoes (will try cutting up night before and putting in water and having daughter put on stove to cook), canned - yes canned - green beans.

Thursday: Chicken tortilla soup (recipe to come, if I like it), grilled cheese

This Week's Menu:

Monday: baked chicken parmesan (didn't get to it last week), pasta, salad, garlic bread

Tuesday: Blue Plate beef patties, mashed potatoes, gravy, zucchini, peas

Wednesday: Ham Dijon pasta, broccoli

Thursday: Chili beans with rice, salad

Friday: dinner out?

Saturday: pork tenderloin, oven roasted potatoes, green beans

Sunday: swiss chicken, egg noodles, french cut green beans, salad