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Posts coming up this week include:

-how to make meals for vegetarians and non-vegetarians living in the same house

-a delicious granola bar recipe that can be used as a Christmas treat

 

Monday: Strawberry Chicken, Rice, Veggies

Tuesday: Steak, Fries, Veggies

Wednesday: Homemade Potato Soup, Homemade bread

Thursday: Pasta with tomato meat sauce and tomato lentil sauce (vegetarians and non-vegetarians for dinner!), garlic bread, and salad.

Friday: Sausages, Mashed Potatoes, Veggies

Saturday: Christmas Party - out for dinner

Sunday: It’s St. Nikolaus Day!  Roast, Yorkshires, Carrots, Potatoes, Peas 

 

What are you cooking for dinner this week? 

Over at Passionate Homemaking they’re hosting a Nourishing Crockpot Carnival!  Go there to join in, or leave a comment here with your own Crockpot recipes!

Life can be busy, and schedules are rushed and sometimes you need to use your crockpot in order to make sure you eat a healthy dinner, but in a timely manner!  I have two amazing soup recipes that I want to share that are perfect for quick assembly and delicious when you come home at night.  Don’t forget to make some homemade bread to enjoy with them!  

 This will help solve your problems for what to eat on a night where you know you’ll be rushed.

Corn Chowder:

10 slices of bacon (fry until crisp and chop), 1 medium chopped onion, 1 red pepper chopped, 1 cup diced potatoes and/or carrots, black pepper and salt to taste, 1 can of cream of corn, 1 can of mushroom soup (or any creamed soup), 1 cup of milk.

Fry the onions and then add the potatoes (only if fresh), red pepper, salt and pepper.  Cook all until tender.  Add cream corn, soup and milk.  Simmer for 1/2 hour or put in crock pot on low.  Can be left for several hours.  Serves 4. 

Squash Soup: 

2 tbsp. butter or coconut oil, 1 cup chopped onion, 2 cups chicken stock, 2 cups yellow squash mashed, 4.5 oz. apple sauce, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, sour cream or plain yogurt for garnish.

Put butter or oil into saucepan.  Saute onion until soft and clear.  Add remaining ingredients.  Run through blender and put into crockpot.  Simmer on low for several hours.  Garnish with a dab of sour cream or yogurt to serve.

Curried Squash Soup: Add 1 tsp. curry powder.  Simmer gently before serving. 

This week is a bit unusual as we are not eating at home a couple of times, and then from Thursday-Sunday we have company!  So here it goes…

Monday: Out for dinner

Tuesday: Chicken Bombay, Rice, Veggies

Wednesday: Ribs, Mashed potatoes, Veggies

Thursday: Chili, Homemade bread

Friday: Homemade mac ‘n’ cheese

Saturday: Spaghetti

Sunday: Leftovers

The fall inspires me to cook warm and hearty and delicious meals!  I’m sure we all have our favourites.  I asked friends of mine to give me input on different types of recipes they’d like to see, and so in honour of them I’m going to share some of my favourite fall recipes in the categories they requested!

Vegetarian:

Mac ‘n’ Cheese - This recipe is one of my absolute favourites!  My friend Tammy passed it along and we really enjoy it.  Especially on a day like today where it’s rainy and chilly and you just feel like something comforting!  To make it more vegetarian you can substitute soy milk for regular milk like I do. 

Sloppy Lentils - If you enjoy sloppy joes, then you’ll enjoy this vegetarian substitute!  It’s so yummy and filling and it’s another delicious comfort food.

Salads:

Alsace Salad - This one is a childhood favourite of Peter’s.  It’s so tasty and the dressing is light and always a nice change!

Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Sliced Egg, Salt, Pepper, 1.5 tsp. Dijon Mustard, 2 tbsp. vinegar, 5 tbsp. oil.  Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large salad bowl.  Combine the rest of the ingredients in a sauce mixing container (we got ours at the dollar store!).  Just before serving, toss salad with dressing.

Couscous Salad - This one is a good one on it’s own or delicious partnered with some middle eastern foods for a heartier meal.  It’s creamy and light and has a great middle eastern flavour!

Soups:

Pumpkin Soup - I LOVE pumpkin soup!!!  It’s so perfect for the fall.  If you enjoy all things pumpkin then try this!  It’s a nice starter for a fall meal, or nice on its own with some homemade bread.

2 tbsp. butter

1 small onion, chopped fine

2 tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

2 cups of cooked, mashed pumpkin (either fresh or from a can)

2 cups of milk

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. thyme

Melt butter in a large pot.  Add onion and saute until soft but not brown.  Blend in flour and salt.  Add broth, pumpkin, milk and spices.  Cook stirring constantly until slightly thickened. 

Peanut Soup - This African inspired favourite is delicious.  I first tried it in a local cafe, but have since loved it in our home.  Be sure to try this one if you love peanut butter like I do!

Slow cooker:

Chicken Pot Pie - Pot pies are delicious and this one is even easier to make as you just have to assemble it all in your slow cooker!  It makes your house smell great while it’s cooking!

3-4 cups mixed frozen vegetables uncooked

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 small onion, chopped

2 or 3 pieces of cooked chicken, cubed

1 box of stuffing

Mix vegetables, onion, soup and chicken pieces together.  Prepare stuffing and put on top of other ingredients.  This can be cooked in the slow cooker or backed at 350F until soup bubbles (approx. 30 mins.).

Quebecois Chicken - Anyone who has tried this has loved it.  It’s a favourite of my husband’s! 

If you have a fall favourite that fits into one of these categories, please leave a comment with a link or the recipe!

Better late than never!!!  I’m trying to get caught up on blogging since going to Hong Kong!  Here is my menu for this week:

Monday: Out for dinner

Tuesday: Sloppy Lentils

Wednesday: Shake ‘n’ Bake Chicken, Potatoes, Zucchini

Thursday: Creamy Carrot & Apple Soup, Bread

Friday: Saucey Meat, Rice

Creamy Carrot & Apple Soup:

4 carrots, coarsely chopped

1 large potatoe, peeled and cut into chunks

1 large apple, peeled and cut into chunks

5 cups chicken broth

1 tsp. applie pie spice (or a combo of nutmeg and cinnamon)

1/2 cup half and half (or 1/3 cup of plain yogurt and the rest with milk works for me)

salt and pepper to taste

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large pot.  Simmer for 20 minutes until vegetables are fork tender.  Blend in food processor or blender until smooth.  Return to pot.  Whisk in cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Once blended it could be put in the crock pot to simmer which brings out the flavours!  Add the cream in at the last minute if you do that.

Saucey Meat:

4 pieces of meat, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup italian salad dressing

1 red onion, chopped (or other vegetable)

1 tsp. italian seasoning

2 cups broccoli florets (or other vegetable)

1/4 cup shredded cheese

Take meat with 1 tbsp. oil and 1/4 cup chicken broth and cook meat in hot oil in large covered skillet on medium-high heat for 5 mins. on each side or until browned on both sides.  Stir in dressing and seasoning until well blended.  Bring just to boil.  Reduce heat to med-low; simmer 3 mins. or until meat is cooked through.  Add vegetables and cheese; mix well.  Cook 2-4 mins. or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionlly.  Serve over a bed of rice.  Sprinkle with more cheese before serving.

What are you eating for dinner this week?  What food is tempting your tummy?

After weeks of being off-schedule, I am relishing the thought of being apart of a "normal" (whatever that means for me!) schedule this week.  Here is my menu plan:

Monday: Chicken Bombay, Rice, Veggies

Tuesday: Old Fashioned Baked Beans, Homemade Bread, Veggies

Wednesday: Chickpea & Rosemary Soup, Homemade Bread

Thursday: Easy Meatloaf

Friday: Pasta & Sauce, Veggies

Saturday: Costa Rican Beans, Rice, Tortillas, Veggies

Sunday: Leftovers

Old Fashioned Baked Beans:

2 lbs. dried beans

1 medium onion, sliced

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tsp. mustard

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 lb. bacon, sliced

1/2 cup Molasses

Wash beans and add enough water to come to 2 inches above the beans.  Boil until tender, put in deep casserole dish and mix other ingredients into the beans and bake until crisp and brown.  Serve piping hot or add all ingredients into a crockpot and cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Easy Meatloaf:

1 cup finely chopped onions

1/4 cup Italian dressing

2 lbs. ground beef

3/4 cup ketchup, divided

1 pkg. stuffing mix

1 cup water

2 eggs

1/2 cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375F.  Cook onions in dressing on medium heat for 8-10 mins. until golden.  Remove from heat; cool slightly.  Combine meat, 1/4 cup ketchup, stuffing mix, water, eggs and onions; mix well.  Place meat mixture in loaf pan.  Spread with remaining ketchup.  Bake 55-60 mins.  Sprinkle with cheese; bake 2 mins. until cheese melts.