August 29, 2010

Hotdog Buns

For those that love the ease of making artisan bread like me, don't forget that you can make buns out of the doughs too! I've made plenty of hamburger buns, but since we rarely eat hotdogs I hadn't made hotdog buns before today. Homemade buns made the bratwurst amazing. So much better than store bought!

For those that need step by step instructions, check out the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day website blog. They've also got hamburger buns on there along with a lot of videos and other ways to expand on what's in their books.

August 28, 2010

Menu: 8/29 - 9/6


Sunday:
Bratwurst and cooked carrots (did not eat from last menu)

Monday:
Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs, spinach side salad

Tuesday:
Southwest Chicken Sandwiches and steamed broccoli

Wednesday:

Thursday:
Hamburgers, cooked carrots, and pasta side

Friday:
Grilled Chicken Salads

Saturday:
Cinnamon Rolls (I'm being lazy, they'll be store bought lol)
Leftovers/menu make up day/frozen meal/out to eat

Sunday:
BBQ with friends

Monday:
Ribs, sliced grilled squash, drop biscuits, and mac n cheese

Nothing exciting this menu. Just cooking a few things that we haven't had in awhile!

August 23, 2010

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Adapted from Crock-Pot Best Loved Slow Cooker Recipes

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (4 oz) chopped mild green chilies, drained
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup corn, frozen
1 cup black beans (not dried)
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
crushed tortilla chips or sliced corn tortillas

Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine tomatoes, chilies, onion, garlic, 1 cup chicken broth, and seasonings in a bowl. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or until chicken is tender.
Remove chicken. Shred with forks. Return to slow cooker. Add corn and black beans. Add more broth if necessary. Check seasonings. Let slow cooker remain on high until soup is hot.
Top each serving with cheese and tortillas.

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August 22, 2010

Menu: 8/22-8/28

Sunday:
BBQ chicken pizza (slightly adapted for us) and spinach side salads
Mixed berry cobbler (I would post recipe, but I wasn't 100% satisfied with the results.)

Monday:
Chicken tortilla soup

Tuesday:
Slow cooker pepper steak

Wednesday:
Baked tilapia (still debating how lol), zucchini, herb pasta

Thursday:
Velveeta spinach and pasta dinner

Friday: 
Bratwurst, frozen veggie blend

Saturday: 
menu make up day/out to eat

A couple of new recipes for me again this week! Will post them after I try them and make sure they're edible. ;)

August 18, 2010

Chicken for Tacos, Taco Salads, and Stuffed Burritos

This is a slow cooker recipe! Easily changed based on your needs.

chicken breasts (frozen or fresh, however much you need)
diced tomatoes with no salt added, 1 can (or 2 if doing a full pot worth)
taco seasoning, 1 packet (or 2 if doing a full pot)

Throw chicken (no need to cut it up) into the slow cooker. Combine taco seasoning with diced tomatoes. Pour on top of chicken. Cook on low all day or on high for about 3 hours (depends on how much chicken you have). Right before dinner, remove chicken. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Throw back into slow cooker and stir well.


Homemade Taco Seasoning
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 ½ teaspoon dried cilantro
4 ½ teaspoons cumin
2 ½ teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons black pepper


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Beef Pot Roast

This is a slow cooker recipe!

2 1/2 to 3 lbs boneless beef chuck pot roast
12 oz tiny new potatoes or 2 medium potatoes or sweet potatoes
1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 onion cut into wedges
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt

Trim excess fat from meat. Thinly slice vegetables; places vegetables in a 4 or 5 qt slow cooker. Cut roast to fit; place on top of vegetables. Combine the 3/4 cup water, worcestershire sauce, bouillon granules, basil, and salt. Add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 5-6 hours.

For Gravy:
After meat is cooked, measure juices and skim fat. If necessary, add enough water to juices to equal 1 1/2 cups. Place juices in a pot. In a small bowl stir 1/2 cup cold water into 1/4 cup all-purpose flour. Stir into juices in pan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. If desired, season with pepper.

***
I personally find that the vegetables cook too much if left in for the full time. I'd recommend waiting to add the vegetables (mostly potatoes and carrots) till half way through the cooking time (unless you prefer really soft falling apart vegetables).

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August 15, 2010

NEW MENU!

We finally moved into base housing at our new location last week. This is the first week that I've gone back to planning meals beyond the "what am I going to eat tonight?" and "is the commissary even open?" (I'm having trouble adjusting to a smaller base where things are not open everyday for long hours. lol) Having a kitchen again with all my stuff is completely exciting for me though! I have a ton more pantry space, but less counter space....and an old, scary oven (at least it's gas, which I love). I have one new recipe for this week too, I'll post it up soon. :)

Menu: 8/15 - 8/21

Sunday dinner:
Red beans and rice

Monday dinner:
Beef pot roast w/ sweet potatoes and carrots

Tuesday dinner:
Salmon w brown sugar glaze, steamed broccoli, whole wheat pasta

Wednesday dinner:
Chicken soft tacos, black beans, zucchini

Thursday dinner:
Spiced beef kabobs and grilled corn

Friday dinner:
Grilled chicken salads

Saturday dinner:
Out to eat/menu make up day