Weekly Menu 11/28/10-12/4/10

Not a bad week, of course it was centered around Thanksgiving.  The holiday was great, food was great, overall week went great.  Nice 5 day vacation, back to work tomorrow. 

Sunday-Spaghetti & Meatballs
Monday-Pork chops, side dishes etc.
Tuesday-Shake & Bake Chicken
Wednesday-Beef Stew in the crockpot
Thursday-Chicken
Friday-Beans & Hotdogs
Saturday-something from the freezer, we've got plenty right now

Funny Kid

While out shopping on Black Friday, inthe afternoon mind you, I didn't bring anyone with me when I was standing in line at Target at 3:30 am., I snapped this picture of Alex, because, well he's a goof ball.

Oh Christmas Tree!

Our tradition over the past few years is to buy a real Christmas tree Thanksgiving weekend.  We've purchased at the same place for the 3 years (over by Texas Roadhouse for those of you who are curious).  For the most part I think we've did well, the trees have been nice and we've only spent around $40.00.  We went over today to pick up the tree so it could sit overnight, with intentions of decorating it tomorrow.  We picked out a beauty of a tree, a Fraser Fir, we were told and then were told it was $80.00.  I mentioned I didn't have that on me only $50.00 so we would need to go to the ATM (really we were leaving, I was not spending $80.00 on a tree that will be by the curb in 5 weeks.).  We went back to the car and one of the guys from the lot came over and knocked on the window of my car.  It's Christmas, you can't leave without a tree you can have it for $50.00.  Sold!  Now according to Wikipedia it's the most popular type of tree for Christmas.  News to me, but it is gorgeous.  Here's a pic before we decorated.

Earrings

If you remember Rachel got her ears pierced over Memorial Day weekend.  That was in May, exactly 6 months ago.  When her ears were pierced they told us to leave the earrings in 6-8 weeks then they could be changed.  No dangly earrings or loops for at least 6 months.  With the exception of two incidents where the earring were either ripped out (not fun) or just fell out, Rachel's have not been taken out.  This was her choice.  She had no interest in letting us change them.  And for that matter has given us an extremely hard time cleaning them and whatnot.  It's gotten better, but still she was more than happy to leave the little pink gem stones in. 

This past Black Friday we ventured to the mall and stopped by the piecing pagoda.  While there we noticed them switching out another little girls earrings.  Apparently they do that if you buy the earrings there.  All of a sudden Rachel was interested.  It's fine for a complete stranger to change the earrings but not Mom or Dad.  Fine by us, we bought her a pair of dolphin earrings with little diamond specks on them and the girl at the Piercing Pagoda changed them.

Nantucket Cranberry Pie

I decided I wanted to bake a pie for Thanksgiving.  Originally I had planned on making a pecan pie but being that I am the only one who would have eaten it, probably was not the best choice.  Then I happened across this recipe.  Rachel and I made it Wednesday afternoon and let me tell you it was a big hit on Thanksgiving.  Not too sweet, a nice tang from the cranberries and the crust was to die for.

Ingredients


■Butter, For Greasing

■2 cups (heaping) Cranberries

■¾ cups Pecans, Chopped (measure, Then Chop)

■⅔ cups Sugar

■1 cup Flour

■1 cup Sugar

■1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted

■2 whole Eggs, Lightly Beaten

■1 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract

■¼ teaspoons Salt

■1 Tablespoon Sugar For Sprinkling

Preparation Instructions

*Adapted from a recipe by Laurie Colwin*



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.



Generously butter a cake pan or pie pan. Add cranberries to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle on chopped pecans, then sprinkle on 2/3 cup sugar.



In a mixing bowl, combine flour, 1 cup sugar, melted butter, eggs, almond extract, and salt. Stir gently to combine.



Pour batter slowly over the top in large “ribbons” in order to evenly cover the surface. Spread gently if necessary.



Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. 5 minutes before removing from oven, sprinkle surface with 1 tablespoon sugar for a little extra crunch.



Cut into wedges and serve with ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

Weekly Menu 11/21/10-11/27/10

So last week was great, stuck to the menu and stayed on budget food shopping, two major pluses.  This week is obviously focused around Thanksgiving, so the beginning of the week will be easy meals.  I am on vacation Wednesday-Sunday so I will be working some long hours on Monday and Tuesday.  Even more reason for easy dinners that Allen can start before I get home.

Sunday-Roast pork, oven browned potatoes, oven roasted broccoli & brussel sprouts
Monday-Spicy Oven Baked Chicken with sides
Tuesday-Shake & Bake Bork Chops with something
Wednesday-Chicken of some sort
Thursday-Thanksgiving dinner-I'm cooking!
Friday-Leftovers!
Saturday-More leftovers!

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Cutting Down a Tree

This past Veterans Day, when it was like 60 degrees out, we should have been raking the 400000000 leaves in our yard but I was being a brat and didn't want to .  Of course Allen jumped on that opportunity and decided to cut that tree down that was bugging him.  Now he's taken a couple down in the past, usually I leave the house when he does it and remind him to have his phone handy so he can call 911.  This time, for some reason I stuck around, that will teach me.  Well, it was a comedy of errors, and thankfully our kind neighbor, Mike came over to rescue us or well, we'd probably still be out there.

It started simple enough, Allen used his chainsaw to cut a chunk out, tied his ride on lawnmower to the tree (yes you are reading correctly) and planned on pulling it down.  The oak tree had other ideas and while he was cutting flexed back and caught the chainsaw up so it wouldn't move.  This is around when Allen enlisted my help.  Bad idea.  He's going to cut from the other side, with some other saw while I drive the mower.  Only problem is you need to be 100 percent in the seat for the mower to move but I can't reach the brake unless I sit on the edge.  Switch over to the Jeep, Mike is now in the yard helping, they are cutting from all angles, several ropes are now hooked up and instead of falling over the stupid tree snaps and jumps foward. 

Now it's hung up on another tree.  Back to trimming branches, sections of tree, more ropes, saws, driving the Jeep (you should see the hole in our yard), it's getting dark, it's getting cold out, the thing won't come down.  Finally, finally, it falls over, lands on our wood pile, half sticking over the fence into Mike's yard.  Allen finished cutting it up and I went in the house.  Not of course before I took some pictures.  Need to preserve this moment in photographic history.

these are just a sampling of the leaves we should have been raking.  By the way, raked on Saturday for a few hours, did about 5% of the yard and filled 15 bags.

This is the hole in the yard.  Try not to step in it, I warned you all it's there.

The Jeep while still attached to the tree

The kids were not allowed on that side of the yard, though they tried several times to see what all the hubub was about.

This is the tree after it jumped off the stump and is caught up in several pine trees.  Allen is attempting to cut the branches so that it will finally come down

I think he's yelling at me at this point to stop taking pictures, that's it's not helping.  Really?  I think it did. 

 

Happy Anniversary Mr. Bigglesworth

So just about 2 years ago we adopted our 3rd cat (yes we are becomming crazy cat people), Mr. Bigglesworth.  He's become a part of the family, he's totally chill and lovable.

Weekly Menu 11/14/10-11/20/10

Not bad last week, ended up eating out Friday and Saturday which was a nice treat but we will be staying in this week.....oops just forgot we are going out this Saturday as well.  So much for a budget.  Food shopping this week went great only spent $100 and that included the turkey for Thanksgiving, which is now taking up the majority of my freezer.

Sunday-Baked chicken and all the fixings, having Dad over for dinner
Monday-Spicy Baked Chicken
Tuesday-Ginger Beef & Pepper Stirfry w/rice
Wednesday-Punt Night, another late night for me so whatever Allen feels like whipping up
Thursday-Chicken of some sort
Friday-Crockpot Chili
Saturday-Kids Night Out at the Y, so we are Christmas shopping and eating out somewhere.

Spicy Oven Fried Chicken

Another new recipe to review.  This one was good, very easy, it may have been great but I was suffering from a serious head cold and really couldn't taste it.  However Allen thought it was great, so we will try it again at a later date.

Ingredients

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup hot sauce
1 cup crushed cornflakes (crushed cornflakes, not 1 cup of cornflakes then crush them)
1/2 cup flour
chicken

Mix the buttermilk and hot sauce together.  In another bowl mix the cornflakes and flour.  Dip the chicken in the wet mixture then the dry, place on a cookie sheet.  Once all chicken pieces are coated spray each lightly with some cooking spray.  Bake for 35 minutes in a 375 oven.

This was good.  I made once piece of chicken in just buttermilk and the dry mixture for the kids then mixed in the hot sauce and made the rest for Allen and myself.  Will make again soon.

Props!

Haven't done one of these in quite a while, that's too bad, apparently no one is wowing me.  Well a few people recently did so I felt the need to share. 

First off, Bada Bing in Methuen square.  Great pizza, and calzones according to Allen (I beleive him).  I would say on par with Stachey's which is not easy to be.  Nice selection of stuff, fries weren't so great but everything else was.

Second Choice, the Used Book Store on Rt. 28 in Salem,  Formerly home to Furniture World, nice to see something move in that lasted more than a week or so.  Extremely reasonable prices on books (both hard & soft cover), DVD's, and VHS tapes. 

Party Connection caterers is the last prop I'm giving out.  They recently catered an event at the Y, appetizers only, which were great and at an amazingly cheap price.  The setup-take dow staff were fantasic, they set up a ncie spread, not just throwing some chaffing dishes on a table like most places we hire (it was festive with little pumpkins and fall colored leaves).  Remember you eat with your eyes first (at least that's what everyone on the Food Network says).  Anywho give them a shot if you are looking to cater an event.

German Style Pot Roast Recipe

Made this last evening for dinner.  Came out good, nice different spin on a pot roast or roast beef.  It was easy too which is always nice.

Ingredients

1 cup ketchup
12 oz. dark beer
3 lb. roast
salt & pepper
1 Tbl. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325.  Mix ketchup and beef together and pour over a well salted roast in a dutch oven or other type of covered casserole dish.  Bake at 325 for 2.5 hours.  Once done remove roast from pan and put on burner.  Add brown sugar and simmer for 10 minutes.  Slice and serve with sauce. 

Weekly Menu 11/7/10-11/13/10

So last week was a mess, the good news is no take out, we used what was around the house regardless of how much we did not want to eat it (gotta love living on a budget-NOT!).  So I have perused the weekly flyers and the internet and have come up with the following for the next week.

Sunday-Either German Style Roast Beef (new recipe) or Baked Chicken
Monday-Spicy Oven Fried Chicken (new recipe) w/mashed potatoes & veggies
Tuesday-Honey Rosemary Chicken w/potatoes (crock pot recipe) (new recipe)
Wednesday-Punt Night-I am working late so Allen will have leftovers or whatever he feels like making
Thursday-Tamale Pie (new recipe)   decided not to make this, maybe hot dogs and mac & cheese or something else easy.
Friday-Baked ravioli & spinach w/garlic bread
Saturday-Pork Chops some way or another

So a lot of new recipes, which means new posts.  Need to make sure we have easy back up meals on hand so we don't buy take out if some of these tank.  Pretty confident  in all of them except the tamale pie-looks interesting but not sure how it will go over in the Becotte household.