"Nod to Cincinnati Chili"

When I was growing up, one of my favorite dinners was "Three-Way Chili" otherwise known as "Cincinnati Chili."

Did you know that Cincinnati Ohio has their OWN chili? They even have restaurants dedicated to this chili, called "Skyline Chili." I wish I could recommend that you go eat at one of these little diners the next time you are in Ohio but...from my experience, nothing beats homemade "Three-Way/ Cincinnati/ Skyline" Chili.

The reason is is called "Three-Way" is that you eat this chili on top of spaghetti and topped with cheese (Three components). There is also Four-Way (add beans) and Five-Way (add raw, diced onions). But the Arpke family always loved "Three-Way" the best. 

My dad makes the best Three-Way ever. In fact, I used to say that I wanted to eat this chili at my wedding. Considering my nick-name was "Slop-Slop" while growing up, it is a good thing that I chose NOT to eat this in my wedding dress when I got married.

The thing is, my current Meng family doesn't LIKE "Three-Way." It was too spicy for them and the spaghetti was just weird to my husband (Psh, husband!).  

 So this recipe is a "Nod"to Cincinnati Chili. There are a few secret spices that make me think of my dad's chili but otherwise, it is just an absolutely delicious (non-spicy!) meat, beans, and tomato chili.

Or, as I have been told at a potluck I took this chili to: "This is the best chili I have ever eaten!"

::blush::

 So here it is: My "Nod to Cincinnati Chili"

Ingredients:
1 large or 2 medium onions, diced
1 lb ground beef
1 lb sausage (breakfast? Sage? spicy Italian? your choice!)
3-4 cloves of garlic (minced) (or a heaping tablespoon from a jar of minced garlic) 
3 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans petite diced tomatoes, not drained
2 (8 oz) cans of tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
5 cups water

Spices: (here's where it gets special)

Magic Spices (not pictured: Brown Sugar).

3 TB Chili powder
3 TB brown sugar
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa power*
1 tsp cinnamon*
1 tsp ground cumin 
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp seasoning salt
1-2 bay leaves

See those stars above? It's the cinnamon and cocoa powder that give this chili the Cincinnati kick! If you want to make this chili with a packet of Chili seasoning from the store, go ahead! But don't forget the cinnamon and cocoa powder (and a bit of brown sugar!)

Make it! (start early in the afternoon so your chili can simmer away for a few hours)

Brown meat and onions in a large skillet over medium/high heat (or you can use your soup pot. I just find that it is easier to cook the meat in skillet). Drain fat and dump into a large soup pot. Key word: large.

Over medium heat, add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add beans, tomato products, and water. Stir.

Add spices in a small bowl and mix until combined. Or just dump them in the pot. I just like the step of stirring all the spices together and then pouring such a delightful mixture into the pot.

This is where the magic happens. Your chili will turn from a tomato-red to a deep, dark, delicious, chili red. The cocoa powder is the key here to such a rich, dark color.

Bring your chili to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cock a lid over the chili, allowing a vent and simmer that baby for 2-4 hours, stirring occasionally. Your chili should get nice and thick. Before serving taste and adjust salt if needed.

My chili is simmering away on the stove. See that deep color? Mmm!

(I have made this in a crock pot too (cook meat and onions first, then dump everything in) but it doesn't get as thick as simmering it on the stove. Still yummy though!).

Enjoy the way your house smells all afternoon as you breathe in the heavenly scents.

Serve your chili plain or, the way I like it:  topped with sour cream, shredded cheddar-jack cheese, and a handful of fritos.

Enjoy!

Meng Menu: Recipe for Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice casserole

Sunday: Homemade pizza night, salad,
Monday: Chili, rolls
Tuesday: Sausage and Kale pasta
Wednesday: Egg muffins, hashbrowns, fruit salad
Thursday: Helman’s chicken, Parmesan rice, green beans
Friday: Out to eat
Saturday: Chicken, rice and broccoli casserole (See recipe below!)

Sunday: Potato soup
Monday: London Broil, baked potatoes, green beans
Tuesday: Pork loin, stuffing, peas
Wednesday: Spaghetti, salad
Thursday: Sausage, kale and potato soup, rolls
Friday: Out to eat
Saturday: Fried rice w/ peas, carrots, and pork

Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole is a real crowd-pleaser. My family loves it; I've made it for company (very comfort-food-esque), and it is my go-to for taking a meal to friends who have had surgery, are going through sickness, had a new baby, etc.

I hope you try it and enjoy!

Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole


2-3 cups of cooked chicken, cubed or shredded (depending on how many people you are serving)
2-3 cups cooked rice (2 cups, serves 6-8. 3 cups 8-10)
1 can cream of chicken soup
Milk
1/3-1/2 cup sour cream
onion power
pepper
garlic powder
Smoked paprika (if you have it!)
Two cups lightly steamed broccoli florets (I used a bag of frozen, steamed in the microwave, or cut up a head of broccoli and steam it in the microwave for about 3-4 min).
1-2 cups favorite shredded cheese (cheddar, Colby jack, etc).

In a greased 9x13 casserole dish, layer rice, chicken, and broccoli.
Mix soup, 1 and ½ cans of milk, sour cream, and seasonings to taste. Whisk until combined and pour over rice/chicken/broccoli.
Using a spatula, make “pockets” in the rice mixture all over to let the soup mix get down to the bottom. Top with cheese.
Bake at 400 for 20-30 min until bubbly and cheese starts to brown.

Breakfast Puffs: Recipe

Have you ever made Yorkshire pudding? I hadn't even heard of it until I was watching Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives on Food Network a few weeks ago. A Yorkshire pudding is a savory bread-like dish that is simultaneously crispy, chewy, and all around delicious! 

I decided to make a sweet, breakfast version so here is my recipe for Breakfast Puffs!  They are a cross between a muffin, doughnut, and a pancake.

They are so easy that my son (who calls them "Hush Puppies"…go figure?) asked me to make them on a school morning and I easily agreed (granted, school starts at 8:35 for us so…we had a bit of time). 

Ingredients: 

1 cup milk

3 eggs

dash of salt

2 TBS sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

Vegetable oil 

Sliced strawberries

powdered sugar

Make it!

Preheat oven to 425 (key step!). 

Warm milk in microwave for 60 seconds. This helps bring all the ingredients (including the cold eggs) to room temperature for optimum PUFF while baking. 

In a blender, add milk, eggs, salt, sugar, vanilla, and then flour on top. Blend until smooth. Scrape down sides to incorporate all the flour and blend again if necessary. 

Carefully pour one teaspoon of oil into 10 cups of a regular muffin tin. Put the muffin on a sheet pan (to  catch any overflow while the puffs cook) and put the tin in the oven while it is preheating. You want the oil to get nice and hot (but not smoke! so keep an eye on it. I usually put the tin in when the oven is half way heated and the oil does just fine). 

Slice the strawberries and add a little sugar so they will make their own syrup. Set aside. 

When the oven is preheated, pull the muffin tin out and carefully pour the batter into the cups, filling 2/3 of the way full. This recipe makes 10 puffs. 

Put the tin back in the oven and set the timer for 25 minutes. 

This recipe is very entertaining to watch bake! The puffs start out as a really thin, unimpressive batter and then they quickly puff up as they cook. It is really exciting. (if you get excited about food. I do!) I have actually put a chair in front of my oven and watched them bake the entire time! (can you say "food nerd"?) This morning, though, I took a shower while they baked. Hey, it was a school morning, after all. 

When they are done, the puffs should be huge, (3+ inches above the tin) and golden brown. Loosen the puffs with a small knife and place them on a paper towel lined plate upside down to drain off some of the oil. 

Note: The ONLY downside to these puffs is that they are hard to get out of the pan. I have tired cooking spray + oil, butter, more oil, etc. and every method sticks. So…just be prepared. But they are worth it, I promise!

Sprinkle puffs with powdered sugar and top with strawberries. Serve to your hungry kiddos! 

Serves 4-6.

Yum! They are filling and delicious: crispy, chewy, and slightly sweet. Mmmm! 

Enjoy! 

The deliciously addictive snack crackers: Recipe

There is no way to describe this snack other than it is delicious and addictive. 

Oh, and easy too.

Yummy, yummy Snack Crackers

Ingredients:

12-14 oz package of oyster crackers (sometimes called "soup crackers"), large or small

1 oz package of dry ranch dressing mix

1 tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)

1/2 tsp dill weed

1/2 cup veg. oil

Make it!

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, ranch mix, and seasonings. Add crackers and stir well. Stir every 15 minutes for an hour to ensure thorough coating and all the seasoning soaks into the crackers. Store in an air tight container. 

ENJOY.

Seriously, ENJOY. 

I dare you to eat just one. 

Spinach-Bacon Mac and Cheese: Recipe

I posted on my FB status that I was making Spinach-Bacon Mac and Cheese for dinner tonight. Here is how I did it. I used this recipe for inspiration but I changed a lot of things to make it my own. 

Ingredients

2 cups short pasta (macaroni, penne, etc.; I used rotini) 

1/2 lb bacon, cut in small pieces

3 TBS butter

1/2 large or 1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced (or to taste; I really like garlic)

1/2 tsp dried mustard

1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste

1 tsp dijon mustard

3 tbs flour

2 cups milk (I had 1 cup half 'n half so I used that)

2 cups favorite sharp cheese (I used a Kraft 3 cheese blend with the "touch of Philly")

10 oz box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid

1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used 2 slices of bread and zapped them in my Magic Bullet and added some salt/pepper/garlic/Italian herb mix)

1 tsp olive oil

Make it!

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta for 4-5 minutes (it will continue cooking in the oven) and drain. Meanwhile, cook bacon. Let drain on paper towels and set aside. 

While bacon is cooking, melt butter in medium saucepan. Sauté onion until tender. Add salt, pepper, and mustards. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add milk and stir constantly until thickened and simmering. Melt in cheese. Add spinach and stir to contribute evenly in cheese sauce. Taste and adjust salt and spices as needed. Remove from heat.

Spray 8x8 casserole dish with cooking spray. Add pasta and bacon and then pour cheese sauce over the top. Stir to combine. 

Toss breadcrumbs + spices with olive oil. Sprinkle on top of pasta. 

Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. 

The verdict? 

I really liked it! It had tons of great flavors going on with the smoky bacon, creamy cheese sauce, the tang of the spinach and the sweetness of the onion. Yum. 

Micah and Silas seemed to really like it. 

Aaron thought there was too much spinach but overall, tasty. 

Benji had a good attitude about eating it but it took him a while. 

Personally, I can't wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow for lunch! 

Enjoy!

Meng Menu + Recipe for Broiled Asian Pork Strips

Monday: London Broil, mashed potatoes, salad

Tuesday: Skinny Chicken Florentine

Wednesday: Pizza roll, salad

Thursday: Fried pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans

Friday: Spaghetti, salad

Saturday: Broiled Asian pork strips, rice, broccoli 

I have not missed the irony of having Skinny Chicken Florentine on Tuesday and Fried Pork Chops on Thursday. Maybe they will balance each other out. ;) 

Pork loin is on sale this week for 1.99 a pound! I always buy it when it goes on sale. I slice it up and freeze it; we usually get 5-6 meals out of a pork loin. Score!

Sometimes I get tired of just having pork chops though so I came up from this recipe that is delicious and FAST!

Broil Asian Pork Strips

Pork loin strips: I usually cut 1 inch pork "chops" off of the pork loin and then cut each chop into 3-4 strips length-wise. Cut as many strips for your family as you need. 

Marinade: 

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 TBS olive oil

2 TBS apple cider or red wine vinegar

2 TBS brown sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced (or to taste. I really like garlic)

Chili pepper or cayenne pepper to taste (chili pepper for milder palates) 

1 quarter of an onion, sliced or 2 tsp onion power (to taste)

Mix all ingredients except for the onion until combined. Add in onion and pour into a zip lock bag. Add pork strips, seal, and squish around. Marinate for at least 4 hours (overnight is better). 

To cook: Place oven rack 4-6 inches from broiler element. Preheat broiler for 5 minutes. Line a baking sheet (with sides) with foil (easier clean up) and place a baking rack on top of foil. Spray baking rack with cooking spray and place pork strips on baking rack. Broil for 7-8 minutes. Pork will be slightly caramelized on the edges. 

Serve with rice and broccoli or green beans. If desired, boil reserved marinade for 5 minutes until reduced and serve over pork and rice (make sure you boil to kill any bacteria from raw pork!). 

We love this recipe! It is so flavorful and fast. 

Enjoy!

Meng Menu + London Broil Recipe

Sunday: Broccoli Cheese Soup, bread

Monday: Pizza roll, salad

Tuesday: Sloppy Joes, baked fries, green beans

Wednesday: Asian marinated pork strips, rice, broccoli

Thursday: Cheez it chicken, mashed potatoes, kale

Friday: London broil, baked potatoes, salad

Saturday: Breaded pork chops, mashed potatoes/gravy, corn

Here is our menu for the week. I have been including London Broil in our weekly meal plans pretty frequently lately. It is a really easy meat to prepare and it is budget friendly too. I usually pay $6-7 for a London Broil that is a little over a pound. It feeds our family of 4 with leftovers. Here is how I prepare it:

London Broil

Let the meat come up to room temperature for around 30 minutes. 

Set your oven rack about 6 inches from top heating element and set oven to broil. Preheat for about 15 minutes or so until nice and hot!

Line a baking sheet with sides with foil. 

Drizzle London Broil with olive oil on both sides. Season liberally with Seasoning Salt, pepper, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Rub in thoroughly on both sides. 

Broil for 6-8 minutes on one side. Turn and broil for 5-7 minutes on the 2nd side. This cooking time will produce  a medium-rare to medium steak, depending on how long you leave it in. 

Remove from oven and let rest on a cutting board for 5-7 minutes so the juices won't run out when you cut it. 

Slice very thinly with a sharp knife and serve! We like to have this with baked potatoes (microwave!) and green beans or salad. Yum! The whole meal comes together in about 20 minutes. Delicious and fast! 

Meng Menu + MEGA school supply savings!!!

I was on a literal shopping high after going to Kroger today. I knew Kroger had some sales on a few items that were on the boys' school supply lists (ziplock bags and kleenex) so I was planning on buying a few things.

Well, I bought EVERYTHING on their lists today (except their nap mat and backpack) and my total for groceries AND school supplies was ONLY....

$128.13

WOO HOO!

Here is what I bought in total for the boys:
(I got several items REALLY discounted due to Kroger's Mega Sales event this week--buy 10 items, get an extra 50c off per item--so I got Kleenex lotion tissues for 99c each and the ziplock bags for 99c each)

4 boxes of Crayola crayons (24 in a box)
2 box of Crayola washable markers (8 in a box - large size)
2 bottles of Elmer's Regular Glue (not school glue)
4 glue sticks
6 boxes of tissues
4 containers of baby wipes
4 boxes of Ziploc bags (2 gallon and 2 quart size)

My total for school supplies BEFORE Kroger savings was $53 (and change)

AFTER savings total: $24.88

So, in total today, I saved $52.97 with Kroger card savings and coupons. YES!!!!!

Then I filled up with gas for $3.17 a gallon with 20c off per gallon with my Kroger card. (Wow....I sound like a spokesperson for Kroger. Really though, if you are a loyal customer, you can get some good deals).

Anyways, I am really happy. :D

Here is our menu for the week

Sunday: Sloppy joes, oven fries, veggies and dip
Monday: Pork chops, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans
Tuesday: Stirfry w/ pork and chicken, rice
Wednesday: Potluck (jello salad)
Thursday: Cheeseburger soup, bread
Friday: Pizza roll, salad
Saturday: Party at Bell’s (jello salad)

We have a potluck and a party this week so I am making my ol' stand-by: Jello Salad. It is super simple, cheap (shhh! Don't tell anyone!) and a crowd pleaser. Here is the "recipe":

Jello Salad

2 small boxes of jello (I like to use complimentary flavors like strawberry/peach)

3 cans favorite fruit in 100% fruit juice

Fresh or frozen fruit

Make it:

Mix jello in 2 cups hot water until dissolved. Drain fruit juice from canned fruit in measuring cup to make 2 cups. Add to jello and pour into a 9x13 dish (I use my pyrex dish that has a lid and carrier--perfect for a party!) 

Slice fruit into bite size pieces (I use pears, peaches, and fruit cocktail usually). Add fresh or frozen fruit if desired (I got strawberries and grapes this week. Frozen blueberries are great too!). DO NOT add pineapple because the jello will not gel. Sad....

Stir fruit to mix (dish should be very full). Let salad gel in fridge for 6 hours or overnight. 

Take to your party! I almost NEVER have any leftover. 

Serves 8-10

Meng Menu + Sauteed Kale with Bacon and Onion Recipe

Sunday: London Broil, smashed red potatoes, garden salad

Monday: Crispy pan fried cod, parmesan rice, green beans

Tuesday: Frozen pizza, salad

Wednesday: Chicken pot pie

Thursday: Grilled pork chops, smashed potatoes, sauteed kale w/ bacon and onions (RECIPE below!)

Friday: Sandwiches, veggies, chips

Saturday: Homemade Biscuits and gravy, fruit salad

Wow. I haven't done a Meng Menu post in a while. The 5 day power outage we had at the beginning of July really threw me off. 

But I am back today! I stayed at budget at $125 today. We were actually given the London Broil by Aaron's aunt and uncle who are embracing a vegetarian diet. Win for us! The original price on the broil was $17! I would NEVER spend that much on a piece of meat so I am very happy to have it (and I have another one in the freezer too)!

We have been enjoying Kale from our garden this summer. Here is how I make it frequently:

Sautéed Kale w/ bacon and onions

Serves 4

Ingredients 

20 stalks of kale (or more), washed, removed from stalks and torn into bite sized pieces (This may seem like a lot but Kale, like all greens, cooks WAY down)

1/2-3/4 cup Chicken stock (fresh or use a 1/2 TSP chicken bullion)

2 slices of bacon, chopped into small pieces

1 TSP minced garlic

2 TBS minced onion

Salt

Pepper

1/2 lemon, juiced or 2 TBS red wine vinegar (if desired)

Make it!

Saute bacon pieces in a large skillet (that has a lid) until crispy. Remove from skillet, reserving drippings. Add onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute (or less). Add chicken stock and stir briefly. Stuff  kale in skillet and turn in liquid with tongs. Cover and braise for 5-10 minutes (until desired doneness), stirring 1-2 times. Add bacon back in. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon/vinegar (if desired). Cook and stir for 2-3 more minutes. 

Enjoy! 

Recipes: Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love soup. I am always sad when the weather gets warmer because it means that "soup weather" is almost over. It has been pretty warm in VA this week but as I am pregnant, I am entitled to eat anything I want so I made a huge pot of this Chicken Tortilla Soup, just for me, because my husband doesn't like it and it is a little too spicy for my boys. HA! Go me!

I looked at several recipes and then just made up my own: Here it is:

Ingredients:

2 bone in chicken breasts
7 cups water, divided

2 tbs olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tbs Chili powder
2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregeno
Red pepper to taste
Salt to taste (I used seasoning salt)
1 can favorite tomatoes, un-drained (chopped, sauce, rotel, etc. My can of tomato sauce went missing after I bought it at the store so I used a leftover jar of pizza sauce. LOL! It turned out fine!)
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen sweet corn

In a pot or skillet, bring 5 cups of water to a boil (I added onion, garlic, a tsp of salt, and pepper). Boil chicken breasts, covered, for 15-20 min or until done. Let chicken rest/cool. Strain chicken broth and set aside. 

Saute chopped onion in 2 tbs olive oil until tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. 

Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, 2 cups of water, beans, spices (not salt) and rice. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until rice is done. 

Shred chicken. Add corn and chicken to soup and simmer, covered, for another 5-10 minutes. Taste and season with salt. 

Serves 8.

Serve with shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips and sour cream (or any other toppings you like!)

YUM! 

I have eaten it every day for lunch this week.

So go ahead and make yourself a pot of this yummy soup! Who cares if it's not soup weather? 

Meng Menu: Thanksgiving +(Recipe for Apple Sausage Stuffing!)

Sunday: Calzones, salad

Monday: Ham, roasted herbed red potatoes, green beans

Tuesday: Stuffed Shells w/marinara sauce, greek salad

Wednesday: Cheeseburger Soup, rolls

Thursday: Thanksgiving = Turkey, Apple Sausage Stuffing (RECIPE BELOW!), Mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, Cressent rolls, blueberry pie

Friday: Turkey Pot Pie

Saturday: Turkey Sandwiches, leftovers

So, I had such a hard time coming up with menu planning this week before Thanksgiving--I had turkey on the brain! We are just doing Thanksgiving alone this year (sniff!); our plans to go to FL fell through due to copious medical bills....oh well. 

We budgeted at total of $300 for groceries for this week and last week because of Thanksgiving shopping but I am proud to say that we didn't need the extra $$! I spent $122 last week ant $119 this week! YEA! Plus, included in the $119 was shampoo and conditioner, paper towels, a brining bag for the turkey, plus a few extra "yummies" like root beer, goldfish crackers, and egg nog! YUM!

I am looking forward to holiday food--we are still trying to figure out how we are going to cook our turkey: fried or smoked? 

I am looking forward to a break from school this week--relaxing, crafting, holiday decorating, painting the livingroom, and cooking (oh, and grading...:P) coming right up!

Apple Sausage Stuffing

Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

2 stalks celery, finely diced

3 small (or two medium) apples (I used gala), peeled, cored and finely diced

1 red onion, finely diced

1/2 pound mild sausage

3-4 TBS butter

One bag Pepperidge Farm herbed stuffing

2 cups hot chicken stock

Make it:

1. Brown the sausage in a large skillet. Drain and set aside.

2. In the same skillet, melt the butter and add the veggies and fruit. Saute for 5-8 minutes, or until tender-crisp. 

3. Pour stuffing into a 9 x 13 casserole dish and add veggies/fruit and sausage. 

4. Pour chicken stock on top and mix everything together. 

5. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cover with foil if you like a soft stuffing, or leave uncovered for a crispy top. 

Enjoy! And Happy Thanksgiving to you all! 

Mint Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Doesn't that title just make your mouth water? 

Christmas is coming and these are the PERFECT cookies for all those holiday parties! Plus, they are fast, super easy, and taste AMAZING!

Ingredients:

Devil's Food Cake Mix

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

 Mix the cake mix, oil, eggs and peppermint extract. My mixer is broken so I just used a spoon. A spoon works fine but you gotta bring your big-girl guns as this dough is really thick. 

After the cake mix is throughly incorporated, stir in the chocolate chips.

 Form walnut size balls (about a tablespoon) and roll in powdered sugar

 Place on a greased cookie sheet (mine are exceptionally craptastic so I cover them with foil. My cookie sheets came from my husband's dorm before we got married. You don't want to see what they look like under the foil).

Bake for 11-13 minutes. The tops should be cracked and but not wet-looking. The cookies will be very soft when you bring them out. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes and then remove to a rack to cool. 

Sprinkle with more powdered sugar if your little heart so desires.

Mmm! They are SO good! Crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle with the decadence of the devil's food and chocolate chips and just a hint of mint. 

These are my go-to Christmas cookies this year!

Meng Menu + Mexican Fajita Casserole Recipe

Saturday: Hot Dogs, pretzels, jello salad

Sunday: Cheesy Italian chicken and pasta with spinach

Monday: Mexican Fajita casserole (RECIPE!)

Tuesday: Frozen Chicken Alfredo meal (thank you freezer section), salad

Wednesday: Pan seared pork chops, baked potatoes, steamed broccoli w/ garlic butter

Thursday: Soft Tacos, refried beans

Friday: Bierocks, salad (had left over meat from last week!)

I did not stay in budget this week. Pooh. Total was $138. BUT, in my defense, I spent almost $30 in non-food items (deodorant, foundation, trash bags, upholstery cleaner, etc, etc.). So...ya win some, ya lose some. 

I feel like I might have to defend how many times "Hot dogs" are on our menu--lol! Here's why: Aaron really likes hot dogs and so do the boys. I do too (not as in-love as the men in my family though). I feel like I try to "redeem" the hot dogs by buying the Hebrew National reduced fat ones. And they were on sale this week. Score. 

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I am always trying to think of something easy and fast  because I am exhausted after work and don't want to cook. This week I have a frozen meal (Stouffer's I think) for Tuesday and then I am going to pre-cook the taco meat and get all the fixin's ready on Wednesday night so dinner will be easy for Thursday night. 

Oh! And the bierocks were a HUGE success! They were so yummy! In fact, I had planned to eat them for two meals last week and we ate so many (lunches) that there weren't enough for dinner. So we ended up eating out on Friday night. No complaints there. :) But I did have leftover meat to make more so I am going to make some more dough and make more for Friday night.

Here is the Recipe for the Mexican Fajita casserole.  I made this a lot when we first got married and we got a little burnt out on it. But I think that it is time to bring this recipe out of retirement. (do you have recipes like that? Used to be a favorite and you made it so much that it got boring? I'm excited to make this one again! It's a winner.)

Mexican Fajita Casserole 

Ingredients:

2 Cups cooked rice

1-2 TBS olive oil

1 red pepper, cut into short strips

1 green pepper, ditto above

1 small red onion, ditto

minced garlic to taste (I love me some garlic)

Salt and pepper

Chili powder, to taste

Cumin, to taste

2 medium chicken breasts, cut into cubes

Cream of Mushroom soup

1/4 cup milk 

2 cups Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese 

Make it:

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add peppers and onions and saute until tender-crisp. Add garlic. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from skillet and keep warm. 

Add a bit more olive oil to skillet. Add cubed chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Add chili power and cumin to taste. Add any other herbs that you think will taste delish in this dish (a little oregano? hot red pepper flakes? Go for it!) Brown chicken on all sides, about 5 minutes (you don't want to cook it too much because the casserole is going into the oven). 

Add peppers and onions back into skillet. Add Mushroom soup and milk. Cook until bubbly and then remove from heat. 

Assemble it:

In a two quart casserole dish, layer rice, chicken mixture, cheese. Repeat and end with cheese on top. Bake in a 375 oven for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly browned on top. 

Cool slightly and serve! 

This makes a ton of food. It will easily serve 6-8 hungry adults and it is really good left over. 

Enjoy!

Meng Menu + Fried Rice Recipe

Saturday: Homemade Eggrolls (never made these before! Excited!), Raman noodles (kickin' it old school!)

Sunday: Fried Rice w/ pork and asian veggies (Recipe below!)

Monday: Hot dogs, chips, corn on the cob (Happy Labor Day!)

Tuesday: Sloppy Joes, baked fries, carrot sticks

Wednesday: Calzones, salad

Thursday: Parent Night at Preschool (out to eat)

Friday: Chicken Pot Pie

Grocery shopping victory!

I spent $106 today which included pull-ups AND sherbet AND cake mix (those little extras!) YES! Plus I wanted to try to cook something new this week (eggrolls) and I bought  a lot of fancy-schmancy ingredients (can you say "oyster sauce"?) to make them and I STILL didn't break the bank! YEA!

See? you don't always have to deprive yourself of treats or cooking new things to stay on a budget. You just have to cook smart--like I am making Calzones two weeks in a row because I have most of the ingredients leftover. Plus they are yummy! Want to make your own? Here is the recipe!

And here is another recipe:

Fried Rice
Serves 4-6 (big portions)

This recipe is a great way to use up leftovers, it is quick, tasty, figure friendly (despite the name "Fried Rice" there is very little oil in this recipe), and kids love it--and so will you!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice (make extra one night and this recipe will go even quicker!)
2 cups diced cooked meat (I have used left over pork loin but chicken, steak, or shrimp would be great too!
1 egg
1-2 TBS vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil (I have this on hand but you could leave it out if you don't have it. It adds a wonderful asian flavor in the background though)
Frozen asian veggie medley OR leftover veggies in fridge (green beans, carrots, broccoli, whatever!)
2 green onions, greens diced
1 tsp minced garlic (or to taste)
Powdered ginger (to taste)
Ground mustard (to taste)
Hot sauce or red pepper (to taste)
2-3 TBS + one dash soy sauce (or to taste)

Make it:

Heat large (as big as you've got) skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray when hot.

Scramble egg with one dash of soy sauce. Pour in hot skillet and scramble with a wooden spoon until cooked and resembles little crumbles/ribbons. Egg will cook quickly! Remove from skillet.

Add vegetable and sesame oil to skillet. Throw in frozen veggies and toss to coat.  Add 1/4 cup water and bring to boil. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until tender. Add garlic.

Add meat, green onions and egg back into skillet (if using leftover veggies, simply heat oil and throw veggies in with meat, etc). Stir frequently until warmed through.

Add rice (if using cold leftover rice, warm in microwave until warm/hot before adding). Before you stir in the rice into the veggies/meat, add soy sauce, ginger, ground mustard, pepper on top. Stir everything in and heat through.

Serve!

My husband and kids love this--and so do I! You will too!