Saturday, October 30, 2010

IF YOU MADE ANYTHING FROM LAST WEEKS MENU, PLEASE BE SURE TO LEAVE COMMENTS...GOOD OR BAD ARE WELCOME!! THANKS!

Sweet Treats for the Week of 11/1/10

I have some friends that live out of town that I know would also like the recipe's for the Sweet Treats, so I will be posting them going forward!

Oreo Cheesecake Pretzel Bites~$3.00
7 whole Oreo Cookies
1 oz cold cream cheese
24 square pretzels
1 Cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips, melted
White Sprinkles
1. Place Oreos into a food processor and process until finely ground. Mix Oreo crumbs and cream cheese until dough forms. Pinch 1 Tablespoon of dough and form into a little square. Place onto pretzel then gently press top pretzel to close. Top with melted chocolate and white sprinkles. Chill until chocolate has hardened and serve.
12 Pretzel Bites

Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookies: $3.00 for 12
Recipe from My Tasty Treasures
1 stick softened butter
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cups flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
8 oreo cookies, broken into pieces
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat sheet or parchment paper.In a large bowl, beat together butter, white sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until creamy.In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt in large bowl and mix thoroughly. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and mix. Add chocolate chips and crushed oreos, stir until just combined.Drop by the spoonful onto the cookie sheet. Bake for 7–9 minutes, or until golden brown, but still soft. Let cool on baking sheet 3 minutes before transferring to cookie rack. Enjoy.

Banana Oatmeal Bread: $4.00
Original recipe by Cooking Light
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
1/3 cup of white sugar
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cups quick cooking oats
2 small, very ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup of low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup of canola oil
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray.
Combine all the dry ingredients together and mix well. Combine the banana, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and eggs together until mixed thoroughly. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until well combined. Poor the batter into the loaf pan. Place into the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and placing on a cooling rack for a few more minutes. Slice and slather with butter if desired. Enjoy.

Dinner for Week of 11/1/10

I thought I would get the weeks menu on here earlier then last week, since I know most people grocery shop during the weekend. On a side note you will see breakfast on our menu at least once a week possibly twice, we are big on breakfast for dinners!

MONDAY~Neapolitan Pancakes :Neapolitan (chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla) is one of my favorite flavors of ice cream so I thought I would try making my kids pancakes using those flavors. I normally whip up a batch of healthy pancakes using yogurt and whole wheat flour but I had hungry kids who wanted breakfast immediately so I used a pancake mix (Bisquick). I added some vanilla bean to the batter, then fresh strawberries and chocolate chips were added to the pancakes while they were cooking. These pancakes were a snap to make and my kids LOVED them - they gobbled up every single last bite.

Neapolitan Pancakes:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
2 cups of pancake mix (I used Bisquick)
1 cup of milk
1 egg
1 vanilla bean
Strawberries, diced into small pieces
Milk chocolate chocolate chips
Combine the pancake mix, milk and egg together in a bowl. Slice the vanilla bean down the center then using the dull side of the knife, scrape all the seeds out of each side of the bean. Add the seeds to the pancake batter.
Pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto a hot nonstick griddle or skillet. Top each pancake with pieces of the strawberry and chocolate chips
Cook 2 minutes or until the tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 2 more minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Served slathered in butter and topped with maple syrup. Enjoy.

TUESDAY~Steakhouse Kebabs:
Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Original recipe from Food Network Magazine ~ July/August 2010
1 1/2 lbs of steak
3 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
10 baby potatoes, boiled until tender, then sliced in half
10 button mushrooms, sliced in half
10-15 grape tomatoes
1/2 red onion

Cut the steak into bite sized cubes. Place the 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large zip lock back along with the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, minced garlic, thyme, garlic powder, and parsley. Shake well until combined, add the beef chunks and marinate for at least 2 hours.
Soak the wooden kebab skewers in water for at least 15 minutes. Boil the baby potatoes in water for 4-6 minutes or until tender. Drain the water and slice the potatoes in half once they have cooled.
Place the sliced potatoes, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes in a bowl then season with the remaining 1 tsp olive oil, sea salt, freshly cracked, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste. Toss until evenly coated.
Skewer the beef, potatoes, onion, tomatoes, and mushrooms on the skewers.
Place the kebabs on the grill and cook for 3 minutes before turning them over. Grill the kebabs until the meat is cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Remove from the grill and let the kebabs rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy

*WEDNESDAY~Creamy Italian Chicken:
combine in small bowl:
1/2 cup water
2 TB butter
1 can low fat cream of chicken
4 - 8 oz low fat cream cheese
1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing
Pour Ingredients over chicken in crock pot
3-5 Large Chicken Breast (I just use the frozen kind from Meijer)
Cook on low for 5-6 hours
Serve Over noodles or rice
From:http://iheartnaptime.blogspot.com/

THURSDAY~OVEN OMLET
8 eggs
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 Cup milk
1 Cup chopped ham or bacon
1 Cup diced onion/bell pepper blend
In large mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and all other ingredients. Beat until well combined and pour into 8×8 baking dish.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about forty minutes, or until it no longer wiggles in the middle when you shake it a bit.

FRIDAY~PHILLY CHEESE STEAK SANDWICH
The best Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich!
For 2 sandwiches you will need:
1/2 package of fresh baby bella sliced mushrooms
1 small to medium onion (I like sweet onions but white are fine)
Steak sliced rolls (these look like sub sandwich bread)
4 slices of Swiss cheese
1/2 pound of roast beef sliced from the deli

Heat griddle to 400 degrees (these sandwiches work best with a griddle but you could make one at a time in a frying pan). While griddle is heating up cut up onions into straws no more then about 1 1/2 inch pieces. Spray griddle with cooking spray. Put onions and mushrooms on griddle and use a spatula to move onions and mushrooms so they don't burn. Wait until the onions are almost translucent and add roast beef slices. It is easiest if you pull the roast beef slices apart into chunks before cooking. The roast beef doesn't need to be cooked so just wait until it turns a deeper brown then the pinkish color that it has. Mix it together with the onions and mushrooms and separate it into two equal rows. Place two slices of Swiss cheese on each sandwich and then put the steak roll on top like a tee pee. Hold the top like a hot dog bun and put a spatula under it. Gently turn over sandwich by trying to keep as much as you can inside the sandwich as you turn it. Anything left over scoop up and stuff inside. It doesn't have to be perfect. Then put whatever condiments you like on it. My favorites are Mayonnaise, tomatoes slices, red or green peppers and lettuce.Best part is it only takes 30 min to make- maybe even less.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Dinners for the week of 10/25

I can not guarantee ever week's menu will be this elaborate..sometimes I too get bored and lazy when it comes to cooking. Don't forget anything with a * can be ordered.

MONDAY~Bacon and Cheese Egg McMuffin Cups :whole english muffins, split
6 slices ready cooked bacon, not microwaved, just right out of package
1/2 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 large eggs
Pinches of kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Press english muffins carefully into bottom of a 6 cup Texas size muffin tin. Form a little circle with the bacon and place around inside of muffin. Sprinkle inside with cheese then top with a whole egg in each cup, keeping inside the bacon ring. Sprinkle with pinches of kosher salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until egg is cooked through, not jiggly
2. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

TUESDAY~Ghoulish Hot Dogs & Fries: Simple; Hot Dogs, crescent rolls rolled around the hot dog like a mummy two drops of mustard or ketchup for the eyes.

*WEDNESDAY~BBQ Chicken Crusted Smoked Cheddar Mac
1 lb mini farfalle pasta (use any pasta of choice)
5 Tablespoons butter
5 Tablespoons flour1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
4 Cups milk, I used 2%
5 Cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 Cups shredded BBQ Chicken
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
2. Melt butter into a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute stirring. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Increase heat to medium high, stir continuously until liquid thickens and comes to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in cheddar cheese until smooth then add cooked pasta. Pour mixture into a large baking dish then top evenly with BBQ chicken. Sprinkle with additional cheddar cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
3. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and serve.

THURSDAY~ Toasted Whole Grain Apple Panini
2 slices Whole Grain Wheat Bread, lightly buttered on 1 side each
1/2 Gala apple, sliced almost paper thin,
1/4 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
Side of Dijon Mustard for dipping
1. Heat a small skillet or grill pan to get the panini look over medium heat. Place buttered side of bread #1 down in hot skillet. Layer bread with half the cheese, the apples then the remaining cheese. Top with bread #2, buttered side up. Grill for 1- 1 1/2 minutes per side pressing on sandwich (to get grill marks) until golden brown on each side. Remove, slice, dip in Dijon and EAT!

*FRIDAY~Cheesy Stuffed Baked Ziti

1 lb ziti pasta noodles
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lb ground beef
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper1
26oz jar Classico Pasta Sauce1
15 oz container Ricotta Cheese
1 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ Cup grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch salt, pepper
2 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1. Cook pasta noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.2. Place olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Brown beef. Add pasta sauce, reduce heat to low and stir in noodles.3. Place ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, salt and pepper into a large bowl. Stir until well combined. 4. Place ½ pasta into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Spoon ricotta mixture evenly over pasta, covering entire dish. Pour remaining pasta over cheese, then sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
8 servings

*SATURDAY~PARMESAN RANCH CHICKEN
3/4 c. crushed tortilla chips
(I found these are the best "crumb" but you could also use ritz, corn flakes, breadcrumbs...)
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 1oz. package ranch dressing mix (dry)
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pound to even thickness)
1/2 c. melted butter
In a shallow bowl, combine the crushed tortilla chips, parmesan cheese and ranch. Dip chicken in butter, and then roll in cornflake mixture to coat. Place on a greased glass 9x13 casserole dish. Drizzle remaining butter and crumbs over all. Bake, uncovered, @ 375 for 40 minutes. You don't have to drizzle the remaining butter, but at least a little of it... (Butter make EVERYTHING better!)
Serve over brown or white rice.

SUNDAY~ Calling out for Pizza!!

Week of 10/31 Sweet Treats


Here are the following Sweet Treats offered this week:


* Rice Krispie Treats with Orange Sprinkles or Candy Corn cut into Pumpkins (Quantity: 12. IF more needed just let me know) $4.00.


* Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips~Mini Loafs. $2.00 per loaf.


* Witch Finger Chocolate covered Pretzels (Dark Chocolate and Green Colored Chocolate) Quantity 12 / $3.00


If you need delivered Saturday please let me know of your order asap. Sundays orders will be delivered no later then 4PM.

So Lets Try this Out!

Welcome to my Baking for the Fun of It Blog. I have a passion for baking and cooking, I love to challenge myself and learn some new things along the way. I hope my kids will remember there mom baking up sweet treats for them and pass this tradition onto their children!!
With that said I am now ready to share my treats with all of you.

Each week I will post a few Baked Goods / Treats to choose from if you like them or want to try them out...feel free to order. The Price's will be low and based on the Treats.

*Orders much be placed on or before Thursday Evening and will be ready for Delivery / Pick-Up Saturday or Sunday based on your preference.

Please e-mail all orders to the following: clinger418@comcast.net
My contact if there are any questions or concerns concerning my ingredient's or any other issues is 616-826-5066.
Make sure to book mark my blog for quick reference!!

I will also be posting a list of what my family will be eating for the week, since I hear allot of people struggle with new ideas. If the meal has a * listed next to it, I will be providing those also for orders.

*Each meal feeds 4-6 people
* Meals delivered ready to heat and serve or freeze
*Price of meals: $15.00
*Orders must be places on or before Thursday night for delivery on Saturday or Sunday.