Menu Monday - Brittany

Monday: Chicken Quesadillas and fruit
Tuesday: Baked Almond Crusted Tilapia, rosemary and garlic mashed potatoes, salad
Wednesday: Bbq Chicken Pizza and salad
Thursday: I have a R.S. activity so Denzil will probably make scrambled eggs and toast.
Friday: Creamy Chicken Taquitos, black beans and corn
Saturday: Pulled Pork Sandwiches, baked homemade fries, and carrot sticks
Sunday: Shauna's Autumn Roast

Thai Sesame Noodles

This is a really easy recipe!

Thai Sesame Noodles
1 lb chicken or shrimp
16 oz. bottle Italian Dressing
1/2 C. peanut butter
1/2 C. soy sauce
1/4 C. honey
4 tsp ginger
2 tsp crushed red pepper
16 oz. angel hair pasta
2 T. sesame oil
1 C. chopped green onions
1/2 C. cilantro
peanuts

Marinate meat in 1/3c. dressing for 1 hour(if using chicken, cut in strips before marinating). In small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, ginger, crushed red pepper, and rest of dressing. Set aside. After meat marinates, prepare pasta and drain. In saucepan over high heat, heat sesame oil. Drain dressing from meat; add meat and onions to oil. Cook until meat is done. In large bowl, mix everything. Serve hot or cold.

***I made this for a Sunday meal and it served 8 adults, 3 kids, and we had leftovers. So you may want to half it if you are feeding a smaller family.

Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies

Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 C. softened butter
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tarter
1 tsp. almond extract

Cream powdered sugar and butter. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract. combine flour, baking soda and cream of tarter and add to mixture. Add cream cheese and thoroughly incorporate it into the dough mixture. Place dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Flour and roll out 1/2" thickness. Bake for 10 minutes.

Frosting
3 C. powdered sugar
1/3 C. softened butter
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
Mix all ingredients.

Play Dough

Play Dough
(to be played with not eaten)

1 C. flour
1/2 C. salt
1 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. alum
1 C. boiling water
food coloring

Bring water to boil. Remove from heat. Add food coloring and remainder of ingredients. Begin stirring w/spoon, eventually knead with hands.

*I wait and put the food coloring in after the play dough is done. I divide it into 4-5 pieces, make a cave in each piece, drop some food coloring in each, and let the kiddos knead in the color and create their own.
I have been able to store it for a few months in Ziploc bags.

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
4-5 chicken breasts- cooked and cut up
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 c. sour cream
2 T Poppy Seeds
6 T melted butter
2 Tubes Ritz crackers- crushed

Mix chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and poppy seed. Crush crackers and add melted butter. Layer pan with 1/2 of cracker mixture. Add chicken mixture. Top with remaining cracker mixture. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip whipped topping thawed
¼ cup caramel topping
½ cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 (9 in.) round cake pans. Beat cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs, and 1 tsp. of the pumpkin spice in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour evenly into prepared pans. Bake 20 to 22 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add powdered sugar, remaining pumpkin, and ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice, mix well. Stir in whipped topping.

Remove cooled cake layers from pans; cut each layer horizontally in half with a serrated knife. Stack the layers on a serving plate, spread the cream cheese mixture between the layers. Do not frost the top layer. Drizzle with caramel topping and pecans. Store in refrigerator.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup rice
1 tsp cumin
1 can mexican style corn (we used a small can of regular corn)
1 tsp cilantro
1 cup salsa
2 tbsp lime juice
1 lb cooked diced chicken

Put chicken broth, rice and cumin in large pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and warm.
Feeds 4-6
Top with cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

Very easy, quick and a perfect meal for a rainy Grenadian day.

Artichoke Dip

8 oz. mayonnaise
8 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 garlic cloves

Mix all ingredients
Bake at 325 for thirty minutes

I thought it was a little strong on the may-o, so I added some mozzarella cheese and then grated more parm cheese to cover the top before I baked it. The artichoke hearts can be found on the very bottom shelf underneath the canned vegetables at IGA.

Oven-Fried Chicken Chimichangas

2/3 C. or more picante sauce
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 1/2 C. chopped cooked chicken
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, chopped
6 flour tortillas
2 T. margarine or butter, melted

Mix picante sauce, cumin, oregano, chicken, cheese, and onions. Place about a 1/2 c. chicken mixture in center of each tortilla. Fold opposite sides over filling. Roll up from bottom and place seam side down on baking sheet. Brush with butter. Bake at 400* for 25 minutes, until golden. Garnish with additional cheese and green onion. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Here in Grenada, I usually toss all the ingredients in the crock pot and let it cook to save on the heat in the house. Then I put in the tortillas and bake.

Black Bean Burritos

Ingredients
2 (10 inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Place onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapenos in skillet, cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally.
Pour beans into skillet, cook 3 minutes stirring.
Cut cream cheese into cubes and add to skillet with salt. Cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir cilantro into mixture.
Spoon mixture evenly down center of warmed tortilla and roll tortillas up. Serve immediately.

I know I have shared this recipe with a lot of you, but I thought I would post anyway. It is quick, easy, and delicious. You can put shredded chicken in it as well.

Asparagus Chicken

Sauce

¾ c. water

½ c. soy sauce

¾ c. brown sugar

¼ t. garlic

1/8 t. ginger

1 t. lemon juice

Simmer for 2 min.

Chicken breasts

Asparagus

Swiss cheese

Place chicken breasts in a casserole dish and pour sauce over top and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.Discard juice until you have about 1/8 inch on the bottom and cover with tinfoil. Cook chicken 375 for 15 min till chicken is almost done. In the mean time wash and steam enough asparagus 4 to every breast of chicken you have. Place 4 spears on each breast and lay one slice of swiss cheese on top of each breast of chicken. Return to oven uncovered and cook for 10 more minutes till cheese is melted and chicken juices run clear.

I use canned asparagus in Grenada and it has been fine. Fresh is better, but the canned is a good substitute.

Honey Mustard Chicken

HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN

8-9 Chicken Breasts
1 cup honey
1 tsp. curry powder
½ cup butter
½ cup mustard
Salt

Melt butter and whip in the rest. Cover chicken and bake at 375 for one hour.

This is a great recipe you can throw together with items you usually always have on hand. I 1/2 the recipe for our family and only cook it for 35-45 minutes and serve with rice. The sauce is really good to pour over the rice.