Menu Plan Monday

Before I begin my post about What's For Dinner?, let me first say Thank You, dear readers! Between your comments on this blog and on my Facebook page, I am now so motivated to keep blogging. I appreciate your kind words so much! I am about to write down every single suggestion that you made, and I will attempt to address each one over time. Thank you for all the great ideas!  :)

This week begins the first days of our new normal. We are now a family of four here at home. (I spent last week in Florida getting Clay settled in at college.) Leah and I have chosen new seats at our kitchen table so that the four of us are sitting close together on our big table for 10. We are sitting in the middle. It is also an adjustment in cooking. Most of the summer we had 8 people here eating lots of food! I am now buying less groceries and cooking in smaller quantities. I hope to someday get my freezer stocked with some meals to pull out on busy days. 

Baby steps. Adjusting a little at a time.

After a LONG hiatus, I am back to sharing my weekly menu on Menu Monday over at Org.Junkie.

I made a weekly menu that actually began Saturday.  I am sharing some of the recipes so I can access them easily when I want to cook these dishes again. I am trying several new recipes this week that were all found on Pinterest. Each meal is either a one pan meal (with a side of rice, salad, and/or steamed broccoli) or a crock pot meal. Since we begin XC practice this week on Tuesdays and Thursdays,  I am trying some new crock pot recipes so we will have supper ready when we get home. 

Saturday:

Roasted Parmesan Garlic Chicken and Vegetables

Sunday:

crock pot Italian chicken spaghetti

Monday:

Italian sausage and vegetables

brown rice

Tuesday:

crock pot honey mustard pork chops

brown rice

green beans

Wednesday:

pasta salad

fruit salad

Thursday:

crock pot honey sesame chicken

steamed broccoli

brown rice

Roasted Parmesan Chicken and Vegetables

(adapted from a Pinterest recipe)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half

6 Tbs. melted butter

1/2 tsp. garlic salt, divided

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

20 new potatoes, quartered

1 yellow squash, cut into small chunks

1 zucchini, cut into small chunks

2 Tbs. olive oil

Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place melted butter with 1/4 tsp. garlic salt in one shallow bowl. Mix the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and 1/4 tsp. garlic salt in another shallow bowl. Spray a large baking sheet with sides with non-stick spray or line with a non-stick mat. Dip each piece of chicken into the melted butter and then coat on both sides with the bread crumb mixture. Place coated chicken in the pan.

Toss the vegetables with the olive oil, and season with a little garlic salt. (I just sprinkled some on them.) Also add any of the melted butter and bread crumb mixture that you had left from the chicken. Spread the vegetables on another large baking pan that has either been sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with a non-stick mat. 

Bake both pans at 375 degrees for 45 minutes -1 hour or until the chicken is done. (I cooked this on the convection setting for about 40 minutes.)

***I bought my non-stick mats from Amazon (This is what they are actually called....I cannot make a direct link work...AmazonBasics Silicone Baking Mat 2 Pack)

 few months ago, and they have changed my cooking!  I cannot believe how easy the clean-up is when using these mats.

Italian Chicken

INGREDIENTS
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4oz fresh baby spinach (about 2 handfuls)
• 28oz can of tomato sauce
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
MA TERIALS
• 1 gallon-sized plastic freezer bag
PREP
1. Label your freezer bag.
2. To your freezer bag, add all ingredients.
3. Remove as much air from the freezer bag as possible, seal, and lay flat in your freezer.
COOK
1. The night before cooking, move frozen bag to your refrigerator to thaw. 2. The morning of cooking, pour contents of freezer bag into your crockpot. 3. Cook on “low” setting for 4-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.
Serve with spaghetti and a salad. 
(from New Leaf Wellness)


Italian Sausage and Vegetables

Ingredients

• 2 large carrots ~2 cups
• 2 red potatoes ~2 cups
• 1 small-medium zucchini ~2 and 1/3 cups
• 2 red peppers ~2 cups
• 1 head broccoli ~1 and 1/2 cups
• 16 ounces Smoked Italian Turkey or Chicken Sausage

Seasonings

• 1/2 tablespoon EACH: dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon EACH: onion powder, dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated, optional
• 4 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• Optional: fresh parsley, salt and pepper

 Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil (easy clean-up) and set aside.
2. Prep the veggies: *It is important to prep the veggies according to directions to ensure they all cook at the same time*
3. Peel and very thinly slice the carrots.  Wash and (if desired peel, we love the peel on) chop the red potatoes. You want the pieces quite small here. (I halve the potatoes and then cut each half into 10-12 pieces)
4. Halve the zucchini and then cut *thick* coins of zucchini. Coarsely chop the broccoli. Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers and chop into medium-sized pieces. Chop the sausage into thick coins.
5. Pour all the veggies and sausage on the sheet pan.
6. In a small bowl combine all of the seasonings and salt and pepper if desired (I use about 1/8 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt) with the olive oil. Stir to combine.
7. Pour the seasoning & oil mixture on top of the veggies and sausage and thoroughly toss to coat.
8. Place in the heated oven for 15 minutes. Remove and toss around the veggies + sausage and return to the oven for another 10-20 minutes or until veggies are crisp tender.
9. Remove and top, if desired, with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

Serve on top of rice or quinoa if desired. (Also great plain!)

(from Chelsea's Messy Apron)

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup honey

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 1/4 cup ketchup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs • 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 

Place chicken in crock pot. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the top. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-7. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and serve with brown rice and steamed broccoli.

(from New Leaf Wellness)

Honey Mustard Pork Chops

1 pound boneless pork chops

1 pound frozen green beans

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (I'm using yellow mustard.)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground thyme

1/2 cup water 

Place pork chops and green beans in crock pot. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over. Cook on low 4-6 hours. 

(from New Leaf Wellness)

***Remember to visit Org.Junkie for more menu inspiration.

Homemade Granola Bars

Julie was our granola bar maker, and since she has gone to college, I am back to making them again.  I had to look up the recipe!  Also several people have asked me for our granola bar recipe recently.  The recipe I had previously published on this blog has been tweaked.  So, I decided to retype the recipe with all the changes that we have made.

Homemade Granola Bars

6 cups rice krispie cereal

6 cups old-fashioned oats

2 cups chopped nuts

1 12oz. jar natural peanut butter

1 21oz. jar brown rice syrup

3/4 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

2-4 scoops protein powder (optional)

Melt peanut butter, brown rice syrup, and chocolate chips on stovetop. Stir in salt, vanilla, and protein powder (if using). In a very large bowl, mix cereal, oats, and nuts.  Pour melted ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until well combined.  Spread mixture into two greased 9x13 baking pans.  Put bars into the freezer for 10-15 minutes.  Cut each pan into 20 bars.  Wrap each bar in a small piece of plastic wrap.  Store at room temperature.

***************

I need a little bit of blogger technical help.  I cannot remember how to access the "About Me" widget on the left upper sidebar of my blog.  I need to update the years I have been married, the children's ages, and my picture.  I have searched all over the blog account pages, I cannot find where to do this.  Can anyone help me? I have clicked on this widget under the "layout" tab, but it does not allow me to make any changes.

Thank you so much!

Menu and Miles Monday

It's been a long time since I shared my weekly menu.  However, we are still eating!  Kroger recently finished its rearranging of the store (still don't know why they did it), and I finalized my new shopping list while I was there on Saturday.  I had to completely redo my list.  I list items in the order that I see them as I go up and down the aisles.  I brought a new store directory home, color coded it, and created my new list.  I tweaked it while I was there, and now it's good to go.  I shrunk the font size so that I was able to put my monthly Walmart and Sam's list all on the same page as my Kroger list. I keep a list hanging inside our pantry door for people to highlight items as we run out of them.

We are adding a little bit of wild caught fish and organic chicken and turkey to our menu.  I am serving these foods 2-4 times a week. I am always trying to eliminate more and more processed foods in our diet. It's hard!  Cooking from scratch takes so much time.

Menu:

• spaghetti, salad, bread
• great northern beans (cooked in crock pot), cornbread
• large green salad, baked sweet and/or white potatoes (potatoes in crock pot)
• honey garlic chicken, brown rice, green beans (I am doubling this recipe and taking some to a friend of mine who has cancer.  Our church family is providing meals for her and her husband 3 times a week.  What a blessing).
• hummus chicken, roasted vegetables, salad

I got the recipe for the hummus chicken from Leanna.  Here is my modified version:

Hummus Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

10-12 organic chicken strips (you can cut up breasts or buy the strips)

1 cup hummus (store bought, or make your own)

3 zucchini, sliced thickly

3 squash, slicked thickly

2 onions, cut into chunks

2-3 sweet potatoes, cut into small chunks

2 lemons 

salt, pepper, paprika

Spray two shallow baking pans with non-stick cooking spray.  Arrange the cut vegetables on the pans.  Season with salt and pepper. Spray the vegetables with non-stick spray, or drizzle a little olive oil on top. Layer the chicken on top. Carefully spread the hummus on top of each piece of chicken.  Squeeze the lemons over the chicken and vegetables.  Season with salt, pepper, and paprika.

Bake at 450 degrees for 25-30 minutes--until chicken and vegetables are tender.

I am serving this chicken dish for supper the night Olivia comes home from college for spring break (this Friday!).

Miles:

I am not current training for any race, so I am just trying to maintain my fitness.  It is SO COLD here, and I have not been able to run outside in about 2 weeks.  Last week I did my 10 mile run on my treadmill!  That is as much of a mental challenge as it is a physical one!  Leanna and I have a 10 mile run planned for Friday morning, but the temperature is predicted to be low 20s or upper teens at 6:00AM that morning.  I am not sure I am that brave!  It may be another treadmill week.

I ran 3.25 miles this morning.  I am trying to get a total of 20-25 miles each week.  I guess my next race is the Coke 10k on May 2.  I plan to run this race with Sam.

I am still sticking to my plan of no marathons for 2015!

Have a happy Monday!

"Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it;"

Psalm 127:1

Visit OrgJunkie for more menus.

Menu, Miles, MSU, and More

Menu:
stir fry vegetables
brown rice
homemade egg rolls

penne pasta with zucchini and red sauce
salad

homemade chicken noodle soup
homemade bread
salad

baked potatoes
salad

sauteed vegetable and hummus wraps
sweet and spicy sweet potato rounds

chili

You can visit OrgJunkie for more menu ideas.

Sweet and Spicy Sweet Potato Rounds

4 sweet potatoes

2 Tbs. brown sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. ground cumin

3/4 tsp. paprika

3/4 tsp. chili powder

2 Tbs. olive oil

Peel and slice potatoes thinly. Pour olive oil over potatoes in a large bowl, and stir to coat.  Sprinkle spices and brown sugar over potatoes, and stir again until all potatoes are covered.

Place on a greased or foil-covered and sprayed baking sheet, in a single layer.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender or slightly crunchy.

Miles:

This is the peak mileage week of our marathon training.  I ran 11 miles this morning, and I have 36 miles left.  One run will be my long run of 22 miles.  I am planning on meeting Leanna and Stacee for that run on Friday.  The rest of the week I will run 6, 4, and 4.  I think that adds up to 47!

MSU:

Sadly, Mississippi State could not pull off a win against Alabama.  However, we had lots of fun watching the game----good food, good friends, good fellowship.  We had four couples and 17 children at Leanna's house for the game.  It was a fun afternoon.

More:

My dryer stopped working on Friday, and so I spent Friday night at the laundrymat.  Fun!  I do love those huge washers and dryers though.  I got all of my laundry done in 1.5 hours.  Folded too.  The repairman is here this morning, and I will be washing, drying, and folding for the rest of today when he gets it up and running!  I am so appreciative for modern conveniences!

We plan to get our Christmas tree at the beginning of next week.  That is if the nursery where I buy my tree from each year has them.  I plan to get a SMALL tree this year.  Last year's tree grew on the way home from the nursery.  It was SO LARGE last year…..and a little bit lopsided.  It did not look like that at the nursery! So, I will be looking for a smallish tree--9 feet tall, max.

Happy Monday to you!

Cinnamon Muffins

These are Leah's favorite.  I made them this morning so I thought I would share the recipe before we begin school.

***You may substitute the flour with all-purpose flour.  I grind my own flours, and use those, but I am sure that regular flour will work great!  You can also use any kind of milk.  I use organic sugar (I think it's raw?…..it's pretty big brown granules…..I bought a 50 lb. bag from Azure Standard almost a year ago), but again, plain white sugar will do too. Oh, and instead of the ground flaxseed meal, you could substitute 2 eggs.

I think that is all the modifications.

Here is my recipe:

Cinnamon Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup oat flour

1 cup brown rice flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2/3 cup sugar

2 Tbs. ground flaxseed meal

2 Tbs. cinnamon

1 cup natural (unsweetened) applesauce

3 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

2 cups milk (I use 1 cup soy and 1 cup almond)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend dry ingredients thoroughly.  Add wet ingredients and stir until well combined.  Bake in greased ( I spray with olive oil spray) muffin tins for 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

Makes 16 muffins. 

An Easy Crock Pot Recipe

This time of year I have to use my crock pot to prepare supper on both Tuesdays and Thursdays because we have cross country practice until 5:00 or 5:30, and then we have to drive home after that. I found this recipe over the weekend on My Plant Based Family Blog, (click here for the original recipe). Below is my version of the recipe---I increased the ingredients a little bit, and the end result was perfect for my family.

Easy Crock Pot Mexican Casserole

• 1 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 12 oz. + 1 6 oz. can of tomato sauce (I am not sure of the ounces of those cans….it was one big and one small can)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp cumin
• 1 quart pinto beans (I used the beans that I canned this summer. You could use two store-bought cans of pinto or black beans, but drain and rinse them well before adding.)
• 1 bag frozen corn

Just dump all ingredients in the crock pot, stir to combine, and cook for 4 hours on high or 6-8 on low. I served this with tortilla chips, and if I had taken the time to make it, a salad would have been nice to have as well.

Enjoy.

Menu and Miles

Miles:
I am following a Marathon Build-up Plan.  I began it last week.  It is a 18 week running plan that slowly builds up your mileage to 35 miles/week.  And then you are ready to begin a marathon plan.   I don't have a marathon scheduled.  I actually don't have any race scheduled, but I needed to begin somewhere.  This week's miles are:  4,4,4,3.  Plus I plan to do a T25 workout two days this week too.

Menu:
I am not assigning days to the meals, but I have all the ingredients on hand to make the following suppers.

• hummus and vegetable pizza on homemade pizza crust.  Recipe here.
• black-eyed pea cakes, mashed potatoes, raw veggies and homemade dip.  Recipe here.
• quinoa salad and pasta salad (not everyone in my family likes quinoa salad, but I love it!)  Recipe here.
• minestrone.  Recipe here.
• taco soup
• baked fish, roasted potatoes (golden and sweet), salad
• stir fry vegetables and brown rice

Be sure to visit OrgJunkie for more menu inspiration. 

Holiday Baking

My project for today is to buy all the supplies needed for my holiday baking.  I already have purchased the containers to put the goodies in.  Olivia comes home tonight (yay!) and I want to have everything all ready for us to cook tomorrow!

Last night I began making my list.  However, I could not find all of my Christmastime recipes!  I had them all typed in one document and saved on our computer that crashed a couple of years ago.  I did have a printout of these recipes, but only 2 pages were in my recipe binder……I have no idea where the other pages are!  So, I searched the archives of my blog and found the missing recipes.  I am going to retype the recipes and save them on my laptop.  I am also going to post them below so that I will have them readily available.

Christmas Recipes

Neiman Marcus Cookies

2 cups butter

2 cups sugar

2 cups brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

5 cups blended oatmeal (measure oatmeal first, then grind to flour in a food processor or blender)

24 oz. chocolate chips

1 8 oz. Hersey bar, grated

3 cups chopped pecans

Cream butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in a separate bowl the flour, salt, baking soda and powder, and oatmeal flour. Slowly add to the butter/sugar mixture. Add chocolate chips, grated Hersey bar, and nuts. Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Bumpy Cookies

1 pkg. vanilla candy coating

3 cups mini marshmallows

2 cups crunchy peanut butter

1 jar roasted peanuts

4 cups rice krispies

Melt candy coating in microwave following package directions. Stir in peanut butter. Mix all other ingredients in a large bowl. Pour candy/peanut butter mixture over and mix thoroughly. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Allow to cool and set for about 30 minutes.

Rice Krisipe Goodies

1 cup light Karo syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

6 cups rice krispies

1 bag chocolate chips

1 bag butterscotch chips

Heat karo syrup and sugar over medium low heat until melted and blended. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Pour mixture over the rice krispies. Press into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in microwave. Spread over rice krispies. Place dish in refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Cut into small squares. Store at room temperature.

Reindeer Food

1 bag milk chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup butter

1 13 oz. box rice chex

3 cups powdered sugar

Melt chips, peanut butter, and butter in the microwave. Stir to combine. Pour over cereal, stirring gently. Pour powdered sugar over all and toss gently. Spread onto waxed paper to cool. After completely dry, store in air tight containers or bags.

Seasoned Oyster Crackers

1 box oyster crackers

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 package Ranch dressing mix powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. dill weed

1/4 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning

Mix oil and seasonings in a large mixing bowl. Add box of crackers and toss to completely coat.

Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup softened butter

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix. Gradually add the flour and baking soda. Divide dough into 4 discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Chill for at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375. Roll cookie dough onto a floured surface and use cookies cutters to cut into desired shapes. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Move to wire racks to cool. When cookies are completely cool, decorate with royal icing.

Icing

I follow the recipe on the back of the meringue powder can. You can buy meringue powder at Walmart or Hobby Lobby. All you need in addition to the meringue powder is water and powdered sugar. We divide the icing into small bowls and use food coloring or paste to color the icing a variety of colors.

Quinoa Salad

***This recipe is adapted from the recipe for "Ensalada Azteca" from The China Study Cookbook.***

Quinoa Salad

2 cans organic black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 small sweet onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 large tomato, diced

2 avocados, diced

3 ears fresh corn, cooked and cut off the cob

1/2 mango, diced

1 jalapeño, diced

3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

The Dressing

juice from 1 lime

1/2 mango, diced

1 TBS agave nectar

salt to taste

Mix salad ingredients gently to combine.  Place dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.  Toss gently with salad.  Salt to taste.

Serve immediately, or refrigerate for later.

I am taking this salad and pesto bow tie pasta to our family Bible study at Lynn's house tonight.  

The Last Few Days

I have gotten my schoolroom 99% ready for our upcoming school year.  The fresh coat of paint really brightened things up in there, and I rearranged the pictures and posters on the wall.  All I lack is one large painting--to be hung above the piano.

I also have our schoolwork just about ready as well.  I need to watch a portion of two IEW teacher videos and print out the lesson plans for one of the courses.  Everything else is all ready!  We begin our new school year on August 5.  I haven't decided which day we will have our Back to School Treasure Hunt.  I may do it on the first day!  I also haven't chosen what the treasure will be this year.  Any suggestions?

Saturday I ran my long run (15 miles) with the Lunatic Fringe runners on Hwy. 350 in Corinth.  We had about 25 runners, ready to run those hills at 5:55 AM!  Jimmy rode his bike and took pictures (he currently has a tough case of plantar fasciitis, so he cannot run), and Olivia, Julie, and Clay ran their long run of 8 miles with the group.  I met and made a new friend, and I ran 5 miles with her.  I wish we could have run all 15 together!  The other 10 miles I ran alone, and I ran most of them too hard.  The last mile was the hardest of all, because I had run too fast in the middle.  Live and learn.  After the run some of the runners enjoyed breakfast together.

Saturday afternoon we joined Russ, Megan, Millie Janalee, and many other family members and friends to celebrate sweet little Millie Janalee's first birthday!  It was a spectacular party!  Lynn and I agreed that it was Pinterest Perfect!  You can visit Megan's blog to read all about the fabulous party.

Yesterday I finished up working in my schoolroom and caught up on many loads of laundry.  AND--
I went to the dentist to have my temporary crown put on.  My root canal was back in early June, but I just now have been able to schedule this follow up dental appointment.  I have two wonderful dentists!  My primary dentist is my brother, Dr. Simmons.  His office is located about 1.5 hours from my house. Rhett does Jimmy's, Olivia's, Julie's, Clay's and my basic dental care.  He also has done one crown for me and one or two for Jimmy.  He fills cavities, but refers us to an endodontist when we need a root canal.  My second dentist is Dr. Ritter.  His office is located about five minutes from my house, and he does all of Leah's and Sam's dental care along with "dental emergencies" for both Jimmy and me.  We love both of our dentists!  Dr. Ritter has been the dentist for my recent tooth problem, and he has taken very good care of me.  Yesterday's procedure was painless!  He and his office staff were super sensitive to my dental anxiety, and they went above and beyond to try to make me comfortable.  I go back to see my brother in a couple of weeks, and then a few days after that, back to Dr. Ritter to get the permanent crown put on.  Then I will be through!

Today I am finishing up my errands for the week (I hope!), and then I have another batch of tomatoes to make into salsa.  And then can them.  My hairdresser asked me this morning why it was called canning when actually you processed the salsa (or whatever) in jars.  She thinks it should be called jarring!  Ha!  So I am going to jar salsa today, but not as much as last week.  I am predicting 15-20 pints.

Someone asked me about canning spaghetti sauce.  I make large batches of spaghetti sauce, but I don't can it, I freeze it.  In 2 cup portions in quart size zip lock bags.  I am pretty sure I have posted my Spaghetti Sauce recipe before, but here it is again.

Spaghetti Sauce

1 chopped onion

6 oz. tomato paste

1 28 oz. can tomato puree

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 cup water

2 cloves garlic

2 bay leaves

1 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 Tbs. fresh parsley (or 2 tsp. dried)

1 tsp. salt.

Saute onion in a little bit of olive oil, water, or broth until soft.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer until desired thickness (about an hour or more).  You can also put it in the crock pot after cooking the onions and cook on low all day.

If you are using fresh tomatoes, I would use about 5 cups of chopped tomatoes (with their juices).

Salsa Recipe for Canning

This a slightly different recipe than the one I used last year.  I had such a large quantity of tomatoes (52 large, some very large tomatoes), that I had to tweak my recipe a little bit.  The following recipe is based on 10 cups of peeled and chopped tomatoes.  I had 30 cups of tomatoes yesterday.  For the first time I chopped my tomatoes in the food processor rather than by hand.  This saved me a lot of time, but my salsa is soupier than last year.  It is the consistency of what you are served in a Mexican restaurant (at least what we are served in Mexican restaurants where I live).  If you want a chunkier salsa, then you have to chop the tomatoes by hand.

One note:  I had to buy a 6 gallon bucket to mix my salsa in!

I ended up with 27 pints of salsa at 11:30 last night!  Here is the recipe:

10 cups peeled, chopped tomatoes

5 cups bell peppers

5 cups onions

1/4 cup jalapenos, seeded and chopped

3 cloves garlic

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. cumin

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

4-6 Tbs. sugar

Wash jars in hot soapy water.

Place in 300 degree oven until ready to use.

Cook salsa on stovetop for 30 minutes or longer (on simmer setting). I just cook mine while I am getting everything else ready.

Wash bands and rings in hot soapy water. You can reuse rings, but you must buy new lids every time you can.

Simmer in a pot of water until ready to use.

Bring water in canner to boil. Once water in canner is boiling, fill hot jars with salsa, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Use a plastic knife to remove any air bubbles. Use a clean wet washcloth to wipe the lids of the jars. Place lid on jar, tighten lightly with a ring.

Remember: hot salsa, hot jars, hot lids!

Process for 30 minutes. My canner will hold 9 pints at one time. Place on dish towel to cool. Cool for at least 12 hours. If bands do not pop down, store in refrigerator and eat within a few days.

Menu and Miles

On the Menu This Week

• pasta salad
• Southwestern green salad, homemade bread
• roasted vegetables with a sweet balsamic sauce, brown rice, spinach
• spaghetti, salad, bread
• baked potatoes, salad

This recipe is from last week's menu.

Quinoa Salad
***recipe adapted from a Fatfree Vegan Kitchen recipe***
(This blog has lots of yummy recipes!)

Quinoa:
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed
3 cups water
1 Tsp. minced garlic (from a jar)
1/2 tsp. salt

Cook quinoa in water with garlic and salt, following package directions.  Fluff quinoa and allow to cool.

Vegetables:
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
kernels of 2 ears of cooked corn on the cob (I microwave mine in the husks for 4-5 minutes.  Let cool and then peel and cut corn off the cob.)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 green green onions, chopped (if desired)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 avocado, chopped
salt, pepper, cumin (about 1/2 tsp.) to taste

2 limes, squeezed

Combine all veggies in a large bowl.  Add quinoa and mix well.  Squeeze lime juice over salad and add salt, pepper, and cumin to taste.  Stir to combine.

Enjoy!

Miles This Week

This week marks week one of my half marathon training (well, actually the race is 14.2 miles, which is 1.1 miles longer than a regular half marathon).
The miles:  5, 4, 6 (including hills), 5, 8.  Total 28

Be sure to visit OrgJunkie for more menu ideas.

Menu and Miles

This week's menu:

• black eyed pea cakes, mashed potatoes
• quinoa salad
• sauteed peppers and onions, Mexican rice, homemade refried beans--served on soft or crunchy tortillas or over tortilla chips
• lentils, brown rice, roasted asparagus
• vegetable lasagna, salad

Black Eyed Pea Cakes

(adapted from the Everyday Happy Herbivore)

3 15 oz. cans black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup ketchup

1 Tbs. onion powder

1 Tbs. Cajun seasoning

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/3 cup oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray.

Mash beans with a fork until they are mostly mashed.

Mix beans with remaining ingredients.  Shape into 12-15 patties.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through and slightly crispy on the outside. 

Sauce for serving on top of cakes

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. agave nectar

2 Tbs. mayo (I use vegan mayo)

1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning

Blend all ingredients and serve on top of each cake.

This week's miles:  5, 5, 4, 3, 9.  For a total of 26.  I begin my half-marathon training next week, so this is just to get me ready!  I have not run that much since the Boston Marathon, so this is the week I am getting back on track!

Have a super Monday!  And visit OrgJunkie for more menu inspiration.

Homemade Hummus Pizza

The recipe for the pizza crust is from my friend Ginger, who got the recipe from our friend Anita.  The only change I made was to omit the 1Tbs. of olive oil.

Pizza Crust

1 cup lukewarm water
1 T. active dry yeast
2 t. sugar or honey
1 T. olive oil
1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I use the flour that I grind).

In a two-cup measuring cup, mix water, yeast and honey.  Let sit to proof.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  When yeast has proofed add to the
bowl.  Add the olive oil.  Mix with a heavy spoon (or with a heavy duty
mixer/food processor).  When mixed well, knead by hand or machine. Hand
knead on a flour coated surface for about ten minutes or by machine for 5.
Check for elasticity by poking with your finger.  It shouldn't be too dry
nor too sticky.

 Place dough in a greased bowl to rise for about 20 minutes.

Punch down.  Divide in half.  Shape onto lightly greased
pizza pans, pinching up a collar around the edge to hold the filling.  Prick
dough in about 6 places.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Let dough rest for about 10 minutes while the
oven preheats.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Top with your favorite pizza sauce and
add other toppings.  Bake for 15 more minutes . Serve immediately.

I spread our cooked pizza crusts with hummus. (Just use enough to cover the crust as thick as you prefer.)

Hummus

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. salt
1-2 Tbs. vegetable broth
1 Tbs. chopped garlic

Blend all ingredients in a food processor.  Sprinkle the top of the hummus with paprika if you like.  You can also add 1-2 Tbs. tahini. 

Saute the Vegetables
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 orange pepper
1/2 red pepper
1 zucchini
1/2 onion
1 pkg. mushrooms
vegetable broth
salt and Cavender's Greek Seasoning to taste

Slice all vegetables and saute in broth until tender.

Place vegetables on top of hummus and bake the pizza another 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Menu and Miles

I have had a few questions over the past couple of weeks (left in my comments) and I hope to answer all of those questions and share the requested recipes in the next day or so.

Here is this week's menu.  

Sunday:  white chili, tortilla chips or rice

Monday:  minestrone, homemade bread

Tuesday:  BBQ bean and corn wraps, oven "fried" onion rings

Wednesday:  roasted vegetables, potato stuffed bell peppers

Thursday:  honey lentils, mandarin broccoli, salad

Friday:  pasta salad, fresh fruit salad

Minestrone

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup baby carrots, chopped

1 large zucchini, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 tsp. chopped garlic (from a jar)

2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp. oregano

1 cup whole wheat pasta, cooked (measure and then cook)

Saute onion and garlic in a tsp. of olive oil.  Add a little bit of the vegetable broth if it begins to stick.  Add zucchini, carrots, and the rest of the broth.  Simmer for about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes.  Simmer about 5 minutes.  Then add beans and oregano and simmer while you cook the pasta.  When pasta is done, add it to the soup.  Simmer for another 5-10 minutes.  

Here are my miles for this week.  Getting last week's miles was tough!  I hope my runs are easier this week (mentally).

Monday:  6 (already done!!)

Tuesday:  4

Wednesday:  3

Thursday:  10

Saturday:  20

Please visit OrgJunkie for more menus.

Menu and Miles

Miles This Week:

Monday--18

Tuesday--rest

Wednesday--9

Thursday--6

Friday--4

Saturday--4

Sunday--rest

Menu This Week: (I have some meals that I planned for last week that we did not eat.....one day we visited a college and ate out, and another day I had several errands to run late in the day, I had done my long run that morning, and I was too tired to cook supper!  So I picked up an Olive Garden salad and breadsticks for our supper)

Monday--lentil loaf (recipe below), mashed potatoes, English peas, cooked kale

Tuesday--(taking a meal to a friend on bedrest--doubling everything so we can eat too!)--roast, green beans, roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower

Wednesday--taco soup

Thursday--potato gnocchi with marinara sauce (both bought from Costco), salad

Friday--penne pasta with baked tomatoes, salad

Lentil Loaf

1 1/2 cups lentils, cooked

2 cups brown rice, cooked

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped

2 cups fresh spinach

1 15oz. can diced tomatoes

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

2/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

Saute onions and mushrooms in vegetable broth or olive oil.  When tender, add spinach and cook until spinach is wilted.  (I chopped the onion, mushrooms, and spinach in my mini chopper)  Add tomatoes, drained lentils, rice, salt, and garlic powder.  Put into a 9 x 9 glass baking pan.  Mix ketchup and brown sugar in small bowl.  Spread over the lentil loaf.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Please visit OrgJunkie for more menu inspiration.