Our Favs From 2013

I can't believe 2013 is coming to an end! I am so far behind on my posting I'm not sure I'll ever catch up. That will now have to wait for 2014!

Breakfast:

Terry: Easy Yummy French Toast Bake

John: Mexican Breakfast Casserole

Appetizers:

Terry: Pico de Gallo

John: Best Ever Cheese Dip

Bread:

Terry: Naan Bread

John: Sausage Cheese Bread

Beef:

Terry: Meatloaf for People Who Don't Like Meatloaf

John: Manburgers with a Spicy Twist

Pork:

Terry: Sausage Potato Skillet

John: Venison Filet Mignon (it is wrapped in bacon)

Poultry:

Terry and John: Chicken Mole

Seafood:

Terry: Coconut Shrimp with Orange Sauce (the colossal version)

John: Crispy Mahi Fish Tacos

Vegetables and Sides:

Terry and John: Peach Habanero Slaw

Dessert:

Terry and John: Whoopie Cookies

Menu Plan 12.30.13

Today is our oldest grandchild's third birthday! Time is flying by and she is growing up sooo fast!

Really loved spending some time with her and momma over Christmas.

I really believe I have overdone this weeks menu and much of these items will be on next weeks menu, lol. For now this is the plan and I already see this changing since my plan for the weekend didn't quite go over. Also, I expect my schedule at work to change. Right now I am off Friday night but the other night clerk can't usually work Fridays, so I see that changing, which will also change date night.

Monday
Pork Chops with Apples and Stuffing and Salad

Tuesday
Salad with Panko Fried Chicken

Wednesday
Chili Dogs with Chips (L)

Thursday
 Burgers with Onion Rings (L)

Friday
Sausage with Veggies (L)
Dinner Out?

Saturday
Chicken Mole with Rice and Tortillas

Sunday
Crusted Shepherds Pie with Peas

Balsamic French Green Beans

I found similar recipes online but all using fresh green beans. I was wanting to dress up some canned green beans for our Christmas Eve dinner. This is what I ended up with:

10 slices bacon
3 cans french cut green beans, drained
8 green onions, chopped
1 lg red potato
3 T balsamic vinegar

Layer bacon slices on paper towels and cover with an additional paper towel to prevent splattering. Cook in microwave for about eight minutes.

Cut into one inch pieces and set aside. Micro-bake potato in microwave for five minutes and chop into small chunks.

In large skillet heat bacon for about two minutes, just long enough to finish cooking. Stir in onion and potato. Continue cooking for about three minutes. Add the green beans and balsamic vinegar, heat through.

Serve and enjoy!

Merry Christmas 12.23.13

I do not have an actual menu plan for this week. We arrived back home from our trip late Monday afternoon. Tuesday, Christmas Eve, our younger daughter will be coming over for dinner and to exchange gifts. We will be having ham and whatever other goodies I decide to throw together. Christmas day I am working a 12 hour shift so that one of the ladies who covered for me so I could be off this past weekend, can have the day off. For the rest of the week I have tamales, chicken, boudin, venison, soup - just whatever we decide we want that day, if it's doable, that is what we will have. Hope everyone has a blessed and merry Christmas!

Venison Filet Mignon

We have a freezer full of deer meat and are enjoying every bite! I have not cooked much venison in the past and never like this. According to my hubby this is the absolute best way to cook backstrap.

back-strap
2 cups milk
2 tsp hot sauce
bacon
2 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Cut back-strap into slices 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick.

Place in bowl. Add milk and hot sauce.

Cover bowl and let marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from milk and rinse off. Wrap each slice of venison with a slice of bacon.

Secure with a plain wooden toothpick. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add butter to an ovenproof skillet and begin to melt over low heat. Season each bacon-wrapped filet to taste with salt and pepper.

Increase heat under skillet to high. On a side note have it told you how much I love my PIC (preciscion induction cooktop). It is amazing! Ok back to the fillets - Add fillets and cook for two minutes to sear.

 Flip and sear other side for one to two minutes. Do not press down on or squeeze fillets. You may want to push them gently into the side of the skillet to allow bacon to sear. Place skillet in oven for 7 to 10 minutes, until desired doneness is reached.

I recommend well done for venison. Remove skillet from oven and allow fillets to sit for two minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Shared with:

My Turn For Us
Love Bakes Good Cakes

The Twins Have Arrived!!

Yesterday between 7:30 and 8:00 PM our newest grandbabies entered the world. Isabella arrived first weighing 4 lbs 11 oz and 17" long. Isaiah came in at 4 lbs 12 oz and 17 1/2" long. These are the first grandbabies that I have actually been able to be there when they were born. Mom and babies are doing well and dad couldn't be prouder! I will post pics when I have some decent ones - ones not taken through the nursery window.

Menu Plan 12.16.13

This looks to be a busy week, as well as next week. I am working all week, then leaving for Houston area Saturday morning with a stop in Bastrop. We will be staying in the Houston area until Monday visiting with our two kiddos and granddaughter that live in the area as well as our BFFs that live in Lake Jackson. Since we are coming back on Monday and I work Monday night, I'm not sure if there will be a menu plan for the week. At this point I'm not even sure when I'll get to do my grocery shopping for the week. So we will be playing it by year, I may just take a break from blogging for the week of Christmas. This weeks plan includes a no cook day. I will be doing an eight hour turn around at work, which means when I get off Wednesday morning at 7am I have to be back in 8 hours at 3pm for another shift. No cooking for sure that day! Here is the full plan for the week:

Monday
Christmas Soup with Mexican Cornbread

Tuesday
Spaghetti with Salad and Cheese Sticks

Wednesday
No Cook Day or YOYO - Your On Your Own

Thursday
Cheesy Fish with Fries

Friday
Taco Salad* with Chips and Guacamole

Saturday and Sunday
Out of Town

*New Recipe

Simple Slow Cooked Taco Soup

I pinned this recipe over a year ago from A Year of Slow Cooking. It makes quite a bit, so I had put off making it when we were just two. It was sooo yummy and simple! Ready for another pot!

2 16 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 15 oz cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.75 oz can cream style corn, no salt added, undrained
1 15.25 oz can whole kernel corn, no salt added, undrained
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 10 oz can tomatoes and green chilies, mild, undrained
1 1.5 oz packet taco seasoning, low sodium
1 .4 oz packet ranch dressing mix
1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
shredded cheese and avocado slices for topping

Gather ingredients.

Brown meat and drain off fat. Place in slow cooker. Top with both seasoning packets. Pour in beans, corn and tomatoes.

Stir. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours (high 4 to 5 hours). Serve topped with cheese and avocado.

Enjoy!

Menu Plan 12.09.13

Well we missed a couple of items last week so they will carry over to this week. I also had a special request from the hubby. That makes this weeks list rather easy since half of it is already planned, I just have to pick the day to make them!

Monday
Chicken Pasta with Salad

Tuesday
Chicken Fried Venison Steaks* with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Wednesday
Sloppy Joes with Fries

Thursday
Chicken Tostadas with Beans

Friday
Goan Shrimp Curry with Naan Bread

Saturday
Date Night

Sunday
Soup with Mexican Corn Bread

El Nuevo Mexico

This past Saturday we went to Bastrop to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. We stayed the night (actually in Austin, the Bastrop Hampton Inn had no rooms) and then met up with my mom, pops, younger sis and her hubby and their baby girl for lunch. Mom was in the mood for Mexican food and directed us to her favorite spot in the area: El Nuevo Mexico.

I've been here once before with mom. It's very yummy and I can easily see why mom loves it!

 John and I were not very hungry so we each had and appetizer of shrimp stuffed with jalapeno and cheese then wrapped with bacon and fried crisp.

 Pops and my brother-in-law Billy had the Chimichanga.

 Mom had the stuffed poblano pepper.

Sister Shanna had the cheesy enchiladas with chili sauce.

We all enjoyed our food and had a great time visiting some more. With so many people at mom's on Saturday, I felt as though we had hardly talked. We made up for that Sunday at lunch. Always nice to visit with the fam!

Menu Plan 120213

Had an awesome time in Bastrop this weekend with my family. We had our Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday and as usual mom outdid herserlf. Awesome food, great company, good times!

Seven of my youngest nieces and nephews and one great nephew. Nice looking bunch of kiddos!

Monday
King Ranch Casserole with Vegies

Tuesday
Pepperoni Sausage Pizza with ?

Wednesday
Chicken Pasta with Salad

Thursday
Sloppy Joes with Fries

Friday
Venison? with Red Potatoes

Saturday
Sausage Wraps with Chips

Sunday
Date Night

Mexican Breakfast Casserole

Pinned this recipe for Mexican Breakfast Casserole 10 to 11 months ago at My Turn For Us. I finally decided to make it and it was sooo yummy! I made a few changes to match the ingredients I had. It turned out to be a hit! Yummmy!!  I don't think I will get by with waiting anther 10 to 11 months to make this again.

1 14 oz can refried beans
4 corn tortillas, quartered
1 4 oz can green chilies
3 Tbsp wickles hoagie and sub relish*
6 strips of maple turkey bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 avocado, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Spread half of the refried beans into bottom of pan. Top with corn tortillas, spread second half of refried beans on top of tortillas.  In bowl scramble eggs, add a dash of salt and black pepper. Pour over tortillas and refried beans.

In small bowl mix together green chilies and wickles*. Spread over eggs and top with bacon pieces.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 10 minutes. Top with cheese and return to oven for five minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with avocado, tomato and sour cream if desired.

Serve and enjoy!

*wickles hoagie and sub relish is a yummy spicy jalapeno relish. Good on or in just about any dish. I love it in soup!

Creamy Slow Cooked Hot Cocoa

My MIL found this recipe posted on Facebook. I checked and followed it back to it's source - Creamy Crockpot Hot Cocoa @ Mrs. Happy Homemaker. It was very good and I will make it again although I don't see it being my go to recipe for hot cocoa. Two hours was longer than we normally want to wait for a warm cup of creamy, chocolaty, goodness. Maybe you and your bunch have more patience, if so you should def give this a try!

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
6 cups milk
1 tsp vanila
1 12 pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips (if you want it even sweeter you can use milk chocolate chips)

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for about two hours, stirring occasionally until heated through and chips are melted.

Serve with or without mini marshmallows and enjoy!

Menu Plan 112513

Dinner on Thanksgiving Day will be quite a simple one. I work that day, so we will be having my hubby's favorite Thanksgiving meal - Burgers! For his family here in Brownwood, I will at least bake a pecan pie the day after Thanksgiving but they are not too into the traditional meal and with my work schedule I really don't have the time to do the whole thing on my own. Then Saturday we will head to Bastrop to visit with my folks where we will enjoy a full blown traditional Thanksgiving dinner. We will take advantage of my awesome employee discount from Hampton and stay the night there Saturday night and head back to Brownwood Sunday! So far this is the plan for the week:

Monday
Slow Cooker Chicken Tator Tot Casserole with Peas

Tuesday
Beans with Cornbread
Dessert - White Chocolate Fudge

Wednesday
Butterflied Baked Chicken with Yams and Green Beans

Thursday
Burgers with Fries

Friday
Venison Chili*
Dessert - Salted Chocolate Pecan Pie*

Saturday
Thanksgiving Dinner with My Folks in Bastrop

Sunday
Something quick and easy? Maybe dinner out? We will see, it will depend on what time we get home.

*New Recipe

Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup

I pinned this recipe over at year ago at Beyer Beware. This recipe is soooo simple, I have no idea why I waited so long to try it! With cooler weather arriving, this soup really hit the spot and will be repeated over and over this winter.

1 9 oz pkg refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 cans tomato soup (I used one 15.2 oz can and one 10.75 oz can but you could use two 10.75 oz cans)
2 cups chicken broth
3 cups heavy cream (you could also use milk or half-n-half)
1 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 10 oz can chicken, drained
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup + shredded parmesan cheese
serrano pepper, chopped (optional)

Cook tortellini according to directions on pkg.

Meanwhile, combine the soup, broth, cream, tomatoes, chicken and seasonings.

Heat through, stirring often. Once tortellini is done, drain and stir into soup mixture. Stir in the 1/2 cup parmesan. Top individual servings with additional parmesan and chopped pepper if desired.

Serve and enjoy!

Shared with:

See Ya in the Gumbo - Ms EnPlace

Thursday Favorite Things - Katherine's Corner

Candy Corn Bark

I pinned this recipe for Candy Corn Bark from Diana Rambles a while back. There are so many different variations you could do with, many of them are posted on her blog. It is super yummy! I would however recommend that you use a cookie sheet liner rather than spraying the pan with a nonstick cooking spray. I used the spray and the bark stuck. If this does happen to you though just take a second pan and put hot water in it then set then pan with the bark on top of the hot water. The heat will loosen it right up.

1 sleeve +/- saltine crackers
1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
12 oz pkg semi sweet chocolate chips
candy corn
dry roasted peanuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line sheet pan with cookie sheet liner or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Arrange crackers to cover the bottom of the pan in  a single layer. My pan held one sleeve crackers perfectly (15 1/2" x 10" x 1"). You may need more or less crackers depending on the size of your pan. In small saucepan melt the butter, add brown sugar and boil for about three minutes stirring constantly. Pour over the saltines and put in the oven for five minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top.

Once the chocolate chips appear glossy, spread the melted chocolate chips evenly over the saltines.

Sprinkle with desired amount of candy corn and peanuts, press in place. Refrigerate for about one hour or until hard.

Break apart and enjoy!