Menu Plan July 25, 2011 - July 31, 2011

I am only planning a one week menu plan. I have family in town so the next two menu plans will be different.

Breakfast:

Pancakes

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Cereal

Bagels

Lunch:

Pizza

Deli wraps/pasta salad

Mac and Cheese/fruit

PB and J

Cheese quesadillas 

Dinner:

7/25 - Taco's/Homemade Mango Salsa

7/26 - Sweet and Sour Chicken (Aimee's)/rice

7/27 - Baked Ziti/bread/salad

7/28 - Balsalmic Chicken sandwiches/fruit/pasta salad

7/29 -Out for pizza :)

7/30 - Hamburgers/hotdogs/Paula Deens mac and cheese/veg

7/31 - Lunch -Crockpot Chicken/potatoes/carrots    Dinner- meatball subs/veg/fruit

The Best Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 onion
• 1 large chicken

Directions

1. Combine the dried spices in a small bowl.
2. Loosely chop the onion and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Remove any giblets from the chicken and then rub the spice mixture all over. You can even put some of the spices inside the cavity and under the skin covering the breasts.
4. Put prepared chicken on top of the onions in the slow cooker, cover it, and turn it on to high. There is no need to add any liquid.
5. Cook for 4 – 5 hours (for a 3 or 4 pound chicken) or until the chicken is falling off the bone. Enjoy!

Craft for Kids - Build Your Own Cupcake (vol25.typepad.com)

I found this on a blog today and thought it would be a fun craft to do. I added the link so you can download the pdf file. I can't wait to try this with the kids. 

Enjoy!

Homemade Lemonade (Women's Day)

I made this the other day and it was so good. Tart! So if you like it sweet you may want to add more sugar. 

 Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 10 lemons)
• 2 lemons

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer (do not stir) until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

2. In a large pitcher, combine the lemon juice, cooled sugar syrup and 4 cups cold water. Taste the lemonade for tartness: If it’s too tart, add 1 to 2 cups more cold water (keep in mind that you’ll want to add ice, which will dilute the lemonade). Refrigerate until chilled.

3. Just before serving, thinly slice the lemons or cut into wedges, stir them into the lemonade and add ice.

Bunny Bread

It has become a tradition in our family that my dad and my kids make "bunny bread."  I hope this will continue over the years. So cute. 

2009

2011

Making pizza, a blast from the past.

I just found these old pics of Sienna and Eli making pizza for the first time. Wow, time goes by too quickly. This was so much fun. They had a blast making their little pizzas. I love my little cooks. :)

 Sissy perfecting her sauce technique. :)

 Eli making his little pizza. Seriously, can it get any cuter?

 Sienna could hardly wait until the pizza came out.

 Soooooooooooooo good!

Sienna waiting for me to cut it up for her. ;)

Grilled Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing (For the Love of Cooking)

Ingredients:

• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 2 ripe avocado
• 1 can of corn
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

 Slice the tomatoes in half. Dice the avocado and chop the cilantro. Add corn.


In another bowl mix Honey Lime Dressing.

Honey Lime Dressing:

• Juice of 1 lime
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Dash of cayenne pepper

Add all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Add to corn and avocado mixture,  be careful not to mash the avocados. Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes to let flavors mingle. Enjoy.