Weekly menu: December 27-January 2

Sunday, December 27
Oatmeal & raisins
Sandwiches
Turkey enchiladas

Monday, December 28
Cereal
Leftover enchiladas
Pork fajitas

Tuesday, December 29
Pancakes
Cheese quesadillas
Chili & cinnamon rolls

Wednesday, December 30
Cinnamon rolls
Leftovers
Frito pie

Thursday, December 31
Scrambled eggs & bacon
Leftovers
Appetizers and party!

Friday, January 1, 2011 HAPPY NEW YEAR
Cereal
Leftovers
Leftovers, or frozen pizza

Saturday, January 2
Chocolate pancakes
Ham sandwiches and chips
Pork roast and potatoes

Easy desserts

My mom loves holiday baking. Growing up, Christmas memories always include heaping stacks of goodies filling the countertop. Cookies, divinity, peanut brittle, peanut clusters, 7-layer bars, melted circle candies, hard candy, oyster crackers, chocolate covered everything...Yum! And that's just the desserts! Even for someone who doesn't like chocolate or peanut butter, my mom's kitchen was and still is the place to be for Christmas.

Well, now I have my own kitchen and my own brood to pass on the Christmas baking traditions. I prefer to make things that the girls can help me make, and it's a little more challenging, what with Maggie's sucrose and lactose intolerance. But, my countertop is getting more and more loaded. Here are two of the favorites from tonight:

Thin Mints

1 cup Nestle dark chocolate and mint chips
1 sleeve Ritz crackers

1. Melt the mint chocolate chips in the microwave, following the directions on the bag.
2. Drop a cracker into the melted chocolate, completely coating the cracker.
3. Place the coated cracker on a sheet of waxed paper. Let cool and set up completely.

Forgotten Cookies (Thanks, Alison, for the recipe)

1 egg white
1 pinch of salt
1/3 cup Splenda or sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites and salt until foamy.
   
3. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until whites form stiff peaks.
   
4. Fold in the vanilla and chocolate chips.
   
5. Spoon onto the prepared cookie sheets.
6. Place the cookies into the preheated oven, shut the door and turn off the oven immediately.
7. Let cookies sit in the turned off oven for 5 to 6 hours or overnight.

Weekly menu: December 20-26

Sunday, December 20
Pancakes and eggs
Leftovers
Pizza rolls

Monday, December 21
Breakfast burritos
Cranberry salad
Sweet and sour meatballs

Tuesday, December 22
Cereal
Leftovers
Leftovers

Wednesday, December 23
Oven puff pancakes with apple pie jam
Leftovers aka clear out the fridge
Fast food

Thursday, December 24 CHRISTMAS EVE
Donuts
Appetizers
Broccoli cheese soup and chili

Friday, December 25 CHRISTMAS DAY
Happy Face Pancakes
Potluck lunch
Leftover supper

Saturday, December 26 JAY'S BIRTHDAY
Waffles
OUT
whatever Jay wants to eat :)

Apple Pie Oatmeal Bars

One word: delicious! Jay found this recipe on one of his garden forums and adapted it to use his own jam.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oatmeal
3/4 cup butter
2 cups Jay's Apple Pie Jam

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix together flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and quick cooking oatmeal in a medium bowl. Cut in 3/4 cup butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Pat two-thirds into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
4. Spoon apple pie jam evenly on top.
5. Sprinkle the top with the remaining crumb mixture.
6. Bake for 45 minutes, or until crispy brown on top. Cool before cutting into bars.

Homemade Chinese Food: Jay's Broccoli and Beef

I give up. Round steak and I don't get along. No matter how I make it, it chews like beef jerky. Then, Jay decided to try a new recipe, just for kicks. And, WOWZA. Yum. Tender, and fast.

Beef and Broccoli

3 Tablespoons corn starch, divided
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons water
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 pound boneless round steak, cut into 3-inch strips
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups broccoli florets
1 small onion, cut into wedges
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
hot cooked rice

1. In a bowl, combine 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 2 Tablespoons water, and garlic powder until smooth.
2. Add beef and toss.
3. In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, stir-fry beef in 1 Tablespoon oil until beef reaches desired doneness. Remove and keep warm.
4. Add remaining Tablespoon of oil to the skillet or wok. Stir-fry broccoli and onion in oil for 4-5 minutes.
5. Return beef to pan.
6. Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and remaining cornstarch and water until smooth. Add to the pan.
7. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Weekly menu: December 13-19

Sunday, December 13
Waffles
Ham & sweet potatoes
Ham fried rice

Monday, December 14
Scrambled eggs
Leftover rice
Ham pockets

Tuesday, December 15
Cereal
Apple-Almond Salad
Spaghetti

Wednesday, December 16
Toast & fruit
Leftover spaghetti
Pork Stir Fry & rice

Thursday, December 17
Cereal
Leftover stir fry
Pizza Roll

Friday, December 18
Waffles
Pizza rolls
Beef enchiladas

Saturday, December 19
Pancakes
Pork burgers & chips & salad
Leftovers

Breakfast with some love

I love this recipe. It's easy, it gets oohs and aahs from the girls, and it gives them protein. This recipe can be down-sized, or up-sized, for any family. For us, it means 6 servings.

6 pieces of sandwich bread
6 eggs
Aluminum foil
Cooking spray
Shredded cheese, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil.
3. Using a cookie cutter, cut a shape out of each slice of bread. We use hearts, but then again, we are a house full of little girls.
4. Spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray.
5. Place the bread on the foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
6. Crack an egg into each slice of bread.
7. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes, or until egg is set.
8. If desired, sprinkle cheese on hot egg-in-toast and let melt.

Weekly menu: December 6-12

Sunday, December 6
Sausage gravy & biscuits
Leftover soup
Homemade pizza & salad

Monday, December 7
Cereal
Leftover pizza
Tacos

Tuesday, December 8
Cereal
Cheese quesadillas
Broccoli Cheese Soup

Wednesday, December 9
Breakfast burritos
Leftover soup
Lasagne

Thursday, December 10
Oatmeal
Sandwiches
Tuna casserole

Friday, December 11
Waffles
Tortilla roll-ups
Leftovers

Saturday, December 12
Donuts from Tasty Pastry
Hot dogs and Mac-N-cheese
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Chocolate popcorn, mixed reviews

I came up with a new snack; the girls love it, but Jay says eh. :) Since Maggie can't handle table sugar but still has a sweet tooth, this is way to let her have chocolate flavor with very little sugar. Let me know what you think of it, or ways to improve it:

Chocolate popcorn

1 bag microwave popcorn
1 individual packet instant hot cocoa mix

Pop one bag of microwave popcorn. Carefully open it at one end. While it's still hot, pour one packet of hot cocoa mix. Shake well for about a minute, to make sure the chocolate mix is evenly distributed. Enjoy!