Febuary Menus

1. Chicken in balsamic cream sauce, noodles, broccoli
2. Ribs, corn, mashed potatoes
3. Beef roast, rice, peas
4. Chicken curry
5. Chicken breast, stuffing, cauliflower
6. Duck, roasted potatoes, carrots
7. Ham, cheesy potatoes, peas
8. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, broccoli
9. Pepperoni chicken, roasted potatoes, corn
10. pork chops, mashed potatoes, carrots
11. Shake and bake legs, mac and cheese, green beans
12. Seafood, rice side, carrots
13. Stuffed shells, garlic bread
14. Valentines Day
15. Peanut Butter Chicken, rice, broccoli
16. Potato Soup
17. Lemon chicken, rice, carrots
18. Eggs Benedict, fried potatoes
19. wings, fries, cauliflower
20. Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, peas
21. Turkey and Barley soup
22. Enchiladas and rice
23. Quesadillas, rice side, corn
24. Chicken Curry
25. Cornish Game Hens, Rice Pilaf, broccoli
26. Pizza, corn
27. Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots
28. Carbonara.

The Duck Chronicles---Part 2

I have been searching the internet and asking everyone I know how to go about cooking our lovely duck. Several cookbooks have stated that roasting a whole duck is more work than necessary. Hmm doesn't seem right to me. I have heard several people say to fill the cavity with something. Some say to pierce the skin and some say not too. After much research I think I have an idea of what I will do. I am going to roast it like a chicken, with a few differences. I figure it is best to stick with something I know. Stay tuned for more Duck Chronicles....

The Duck Chronicles---Part 1

I went grocery shopping today. As I was walking down the isle of frozen meats I was faced with a new and exciting prospect. DUCK!! Yes, quack quack! Matt has always commented on wanting to try duck. Well now is his chance. Duck is definitely a new ingredient for me. YIKES!! What will I do with his new piece of poultry? Will it taste okay? Will duck be a new treat for us? Stay tuned as we continue The Duck Chronicles!

January Menus

One of my goals for the new year is to blog more regularly. So lets get this blog started with the menus for January (even if they are a little late). The items in bold are new to our family and will be reviewed later on the blog.

1. Chicken Curry, Rice
2. Pizza Party
3. Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, peas
4. Chimichangas, rice side, corn
5. Grilled chicken, sesame noodles, broccoli
6. Potato soup, peanut butter sandwhich
7. Lemon chicken, rice, Lima beans
8. Ham, scalloped potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes
9. Ribs, carrots, cauliflower
10. Split pea soup, grilled cheese
11. Mexican lasanga
12. Pork chops, mashed potatoes, peas
13. Omelets, potatoes
14. Cube steak, mashed potatoes, corn
15. Satay chicken, rice, broccoli
16. Cheesy shells
17. Roasted chicken and veggies
18. Gen's chicken in a biscuit
19. Crabby patties, fries
20. Penne alla panna
21. Chicken cigars, fried potatoes, peas
22. Pizza, corn
23. Pork roast, veggies
24. Chicken legs, rice, corn
25. Stir Fry
26. Pork chops, fried potatoes, broccoli
27. Meatloaf, mac and cheese, peas
28. Matt's B-Day...haven't decided yet.
29. Shrimp Scampi
30. Peanut butter chicken, rice, peas
31. Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, stuffing, Lima beans

Recipe of the Week 10/05/09---Rice Pudding

Why is it that when you order Chinese food you always end up with tons of left over white rice? I have the perfect use for all this leftover rice. Pudding!!

Ingredients


Leftover rice
Milk
Sugar
Vanilla

Put the rice in a sauce pot. I used about three cups.

Add 1/2 cup sugar. You can also use splenda.

Add milk. Around three cups.

Hmmm. I feel like coconut rice pudding. Add a handful of coconut.

Now bring to a boil and then lower back to a simmer. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until the rice has absorbed most of the milk and is creamy. Make sure to stir often. You can add rasiens or cinnamon.

October Menus

1. Pork roast, sour kraut, mashed potatoes
2. Pepperoni chicken, mac&cheese, reas
3. Satay chicken, rice
4. Hamburger Helper
5. Taco's, Rice
6. Chicken Curry, rice
7. French toast, bacon
8. Shrimp, corn on the cob, potatoes
9. Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots
10. Cheesy Shells
11. Chicken Noodle Soup
12. Smothered meatloaf, green beans
13. Lemon Chicken, rice, broccoli
14. Ham steak, cheesy potatoes, peas
15. Pizza HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX!!!
16. Mexican Lasanga
17. Eat out for Alex's B-Day
18. Crispy chicken wraps, pasta salad
19. Pork chops, potatoes, lima beans
20. Crabby Patties, fries
21. Shake and Bake chicken, mashed potatoes, peas
22. Eggs, fried potatoes
23. Spaghetti, Meatballs, Sauce
24. Chimichangas, rice
25. Corn Dogs, Baked Beans, Carrots
26. Cream cheese chicken, noodles, peas
27. Chicken cordon bleu, broccoli, rice
28. Potato soup, PB sandwhich
29. Salmon Cakes, mac&cheese, peas
30. Pork chops, rice, cali blend
31. Lasanga, Garlic Bread

Recipe of the Week 09/05/09----Pasta alla Carbonara

Ingredients
1lb linguine pasta
4 eggs
1 pound bacon (pancetta would be good to if you have access to it)
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese
8-12 cloves of garlic
1 large onion
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup white wine (I use more stock because of the little ones)
1/2 stick of butter
1 handful of parsley
1-2 tablespoons black pepper




Slice up one pound of bacon in about 1 inch pieces. Yummy bacon.


Toss the bacon in a pan to cook.


While your bacon is cooking put your water onto boil for your pasta.

Chop one onion.


Make sure you check on your bacon so it doesn't burn. Burnt bacon is NOT good.


Once the bacon is cooked pull it out with a slotted spoon and reserve it for later.


Put the diced onion into the bacon grease to cook for a couple of mins.


While your onions are cooking slice up your garlic into thin pieces.


Throw the garlic in with the onions to cook. Do NOT put the garlic in with the onions at the same time. The garlic will burn before your onions cook.


Check your pasta water. It should be boiling by now. Add some salt and the pasta. Cook about 9-12 mins. Check the package for instructions.


Remove onions and garlic and reserve with the bacon.
(Oops forgot to take a picture of this)

Discard the bacon grease, but do NOT clean the pan. Place pan on high heat and de-glaze with wine or stock. De-glaze is a fancy word for pouring liquid in a pan and scraping up the yummy bits.


Whisk until all the brown yummy bits come up from the bottom. Add another cup of stock and the bacon, onions, and garlic and let simmer over medium heat.


In a large bowl (it is going to hold all of your pasta so make it a big-un) crack four eggs. Add parmasean and chopped up parsley (I didn't have fresh so it is dried for me). Mix it up.


Drain pasta.


Add pasta to egg mixture. Don't panic the heat from the pasta will definitely cook the eggs.


Add the bacon mixture on top of the pasta.


Then add 1/2 stick of butter on top of that. Hey back off I never said this was a healthy recipe.


Mix it all up together with lots of black pepper.


Yummy stuff. Pasta alla Carbonara is like heaven on a plate. WOW!! Seriously this is one of my favorite meals ever. It is, as you can see, not very healthy. Definitely a sometimes food as Elmo would say. I sure hope you enjoy this as much as my family does. I threw in some picture of the boys so you can see just how much they love it. Happy Eating!!!