Ground Beef Tip

When I have some time, I like to cook several pounds of hamburger, and then divide it in to 1 lb. portions and freeze.  On busy nights- dinner can come together in a snap- just take the precooked hamburger out of the freezer, thaw in microwave for a few minutes and add to whatever hamburger dish you are making.  Some suggestions are, spaghetti, tacos, beef stroganoff, nacho's, taco salads- and the list can go on and on.

Menu Planning Monday

Monday: Dinner Out for Kile's Birthday!!

Tuesday: Sandwiches on Hard Rolls, Veggies/ Dip, Watermelon

Wednesday: Tossed Salad with Rotisserie Chicken

Thursday: Breakfast Burritos

Baked Potato Soup

Recipe and Photo by Our Best Bites


2 Tbs butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C flour
4 1/2 C low-fat or skim milk
1 14oz can chicken broth
4 medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds) baked*
2 C grated cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese, divided
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 C  light sour cream, divided
1/2 C chopped green onions, divided
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

*don't have time to bake potatoes in the oven?  Just pierce them with a fork a few times and then pop them in the microwave.  Cook in 5 minute intervals until a knife easily pierces through them.  It usually takes 5-10 minutes.  To bake in the oven, pierce each potato with a fork and place directly on oven rack.  Bake at 375 for 45-60 minutes.


Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat.  Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.  Add flour to pan.  Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps.  Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth.  Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low.  Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot.  Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps.  Add 1 1/2 C grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted.  Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 C sour cream, 1/4 C green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.
Rate It!
Jen: 8
Kile: 7
Kiley: 7.5
Madee: 8.5
Destrie: good

Maple Salmon

 

Recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients

*makes 4 servings

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound salmon

1. In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper.
2. Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once (never marinade salmon more than 30 minutes.)
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
4. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 265    Total Fat: 12.4g

Oh ya, we are back  on the "healthy boat" and will be trying to fit this healthy food back into our lives...yay : /

Rate It! (This rating is for the glaze-as everyone we are not a fan of salmon.) 
Jen: 8
Kile: 8
*the kids had cereal for dinner...and were happy to do so!

Fresh Peach Dessert

*Recipe from our friend Mary

**Take cream cheese out of fridge 1st thing & let it soften to room temp.**

Peach Layer

2 cups water
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 cup sugar
Boil until thick (about 15-20 minutes on med. to med.-high); stir (w/whisk) often. Add 3 oz. package peach jello; dissolve into thickened, boiled mix. Refrigerate until "set" (cooled and thickened some...not "set" like finished jello)...can put in freezer to speed up this process.

Add: 4cups thinly sliced peaches to the thickened jello mixture.


Graham Crust

Combine 2 1/2 cups (1 plastic pack = 1 1/4 c. crumbs) finely crushed graham crackers, 6 Tbsp. powdered sugar, 1 cube melted margarine.


Creamy Layer

Cream together 8 oz. softened cream cheese & 1/2 cup powdered sugar (in a bowl by hand with a spoon or fork is fine). Make up 2 envelopes of Dream Whip (as directed on packaging). Fold cream cheese mix & dream whip together.

Layer in 9x13 pan: 1/2 graham mixture, then jello & peach mixture, cream mixture. Top with rest of graham crust. ENJOY!!

Rate It!
Jen: 9.5 - this is soooo good!!
Kile:9
Kiley: 8.5
Madee: 8
Destrie: good!

Quick and Easy Spaghetti Sauce

 I had never made spaghetti sauce before and I was out of our usual stuff, so I whipped up a batch of this.  It is a chunky sauce and tastes very fresh- unlike our usual bottled stuff.

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
•   2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with roasted garlic and onion
• 4 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
•  1 can tomato  sauce
•   Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound cooked ground beef

Directions:

Add oil to pan.  Saute onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes.
Add remainder of ingredients except ground beef-simmer for 20 minutes.
Add cooked ground beef and simmer another 10 minutes.
Rate It!
Jen: 7.5
Kile: 6
Kiley: 7.5
Madee: 7
Destrie: good

Menu Planning Monday

Monday: Dinner out
Tuesday: Spaghetti with Tossed Salad and Ranch
Wednesday: Chicken, Baked Potatoes, Veggies
Thursday: Salmon and Roasted Veggies

Look for a peach dessert from our friend Mary that I will be posting later on in the week- my parents brought us fresh peaches, so I have to make this recipe that I hear is delicious!