Monday, February 16, 2015

30 Day Challenge #3 and an Update

Yesterday was my final day on my 30 day Challenge #2.  It actually took me 2 months to finish and I ended up really doing it 1 1/2 times because of sickness and an injury, but I am finally done!  Wohoo!!!  These really are incredible.  I am so pleased with how far I have come in the last 3 months.  So, I finished doing the Push-ups and Buttock challenge.  I was also doing squats and sit-ups every day so I didn't lose what I gained with the last challenge.  It still only took me about 30 minutes or less each day to complete it.  After the 1st challenge, I had lost 8 1/2 inches collectively between my each of my legs and arms, my waist and hips.  I did not measure my butt of my neck with that challenge, but I did with this one because I could see and feel the difference.  I am once again happy to say, I lost another 5 inches bringing me to a total of 13 1/2 in 60 days of exercise!!!!  I still have only lost 1 more pound, but my sister Melanie keeps telling me, "it's not the number that counts, it's how you feel.  If you are seeing a difference, it IS making a difference!".  I will keep this in mind as I continue with my challenges.

This month I have chosen to do a Lunge Challenge and a different AB Challenge.  The Lunge Challenge is also through the 30 Day Fitness Challenges site.  It does not say specifically if you are to do each number it says per leg or total, so I am assuming it means per leg.  For instance, day 1 says 20 lunges.  I will do 20 on each leg.  Honestly, I will probably to 10 forward, per leg, and then the other 10 as side lunges, per leg.  That way it will strengthen each muscle and work on the inner thighs too!  Fun times.



ABS
For the abs, I am choosing to do the P90X ab workout each day for the next 30 day, plus 2 others.  I will list the order of the sit-ups for the P90X, just in case you do not have access to the DVD.  It should only take 14 minutes to complete this part.  You should be able to have the whole workout done in 30 minutes each day. You wll do each of these for 1 minute each.  Some you will do for 2, if it says  
 to switch sides.  Here is a site you can see Tony Horton (the maker of the P90X videos) doing all of the sit-up poses.  Down below is a description of them.

After doing this for a couple of days and not being able to complete any of these exercises for the full 1 minute yet, I have an easier option if you'd like to try it.  The first day, I did 15 of each of the exercises.  The second day I did 20.  From then on, I am just adding 1 more per exercise, per day until I can do the full minute.

If this is too easy after a few days, start adding an extra 5 seconds per exercise, per day and by day 30, you should be getting quite a good challenge!  

1.  In and Outs

  You will sit on your bottom, leaning back on your hands.  Your body will shape a V.  You will move your legs out straight (in the air, not touching the ground) then bring them back up towards your chin.

2.  Seated Bicycle

Stay in the same position you were just in for "in and outs".  Again, lean back on your hands.  The first round you will bicycle your feet forward, like you are peddling a bike.  The next round you will go backwards.  

3.  Seated Crunchy Frog

For this one, you will again stay in the same position as the first 3.  This will be like the "in and outs" with your legs moving straight out, the crunching back to your body.  Your arms, however, will wrap around your legs when they are in, and go out straight out to your sides when your legs go out.  It is really hard, but by day 30, you will be a master!

4.  Wide Leg Sit-ups

For this one, you will lay on your back with your legs spread out wide and straight.  Put one hand behind your head, the other one straight out.  Lift your body up and with your straight hand, reach across your body and touch the toe of the opposite foot.  Lay back down and switch arms.  Continue alternating until the time is up.  

5.  Fifer scissor

You will continue lying on your back for this one.  Both legs will be off of the ground; one just 2-3 inches off the ground, the other straight up in the air at 90 degrees.  You will alternate each leg while maintaining your lower leg off the floor.  

I will admit, the first few days of this, my lower foot will probably touch the ground off and on.  By the end, I know they will both be able to maintain their distance from the floor.

6.  Hips Rock and Raise

You start on the floor again for this one.  Your legs and knees will be "rocking" from just off the floor to 90 degrees in the air.  Both legs together, keeping your heels together.  When your legs go up, your bottom comes off the floor a little as well.

7.  Pulse Up

 Stay on your back again for this one, feet straight up in the air at 90 degrees and together.  You will raise your feet as high up in towards the ceiling as you can.  Your bottom will again come off the floor.

8.  Roll-up/V-up Combo

You will start out on your back, everything touching the floor.  You will sit up, arm straight out in front of you, touch your toes.  As you are lying back down, your feet will follow you up into the air.  You will raise your arms back up in the air to touch your feet again.  

I hope that makes sense.  You will basically be doing a full, straight leg sit-up, and then a half one following that when your feet are in the air.  

9.  Oblique V-up

For this one, you will be lying on your side.  Put the arm of the side facing up, behind your head.  Both legs will be together and off the floor.  You will do side crunches in this position with both legs and head off of the ground.

You will do this on both sides.  

10.  Leg Climb

You will lie on your back again with one knee propped up and the other leg straight in the air.  You will climb up your leg until you reach your straight up foot.  Grab the inside of your knee with one hand, the outside of your calf with the other hand, finally your foot with the opposite hand again. 

Repeat on the other side.

11.  Mason Twist

This one stinks, no way around it!  It would even stink at the very beginning!  

You will sit upright, knees bend, and legs off the ground.  With your arms, you will twist from side to side, touching your hands to the ground before switching to the other side.  Your feet will be off the ground for all of this!  OUCH.  

For the first few days, you may need to touch your feet to the ground for a period of time but at least try to keep them off.  

*******************************************************************************

My 2 that I also want to add are these.  This may be too much.  As I have never done this particular challenge all together, I do not know but I am going to try all of this together!

1.  Lower Ab Crunch

For this one, you will lie back onto your back again.  Bring your legs together until your feet touch (forming a diamond with your legs).  You will just do regular crunches from here with your hands behind your head.  Day 1, start with 20.  Add 5 more crunches everyday.  The final day you will be doing 150 of these.  You can take the same days off as the lunge challenge.  

2. Standing Side Crunch with a Weight

Stand you with your legs spread apart, at least as far as your shoulders.  Put one hand behind your head and the other down by your side.  I use a 10 lb weight, held in the one by your side.  You will stretch that arm down your side, until you hit your knee or a little lower.  The arm behind your head will then go the opposite way and crunch down the other side, almost touching your elbow to your side.  The farther down you go either direction, the more you will get out of it.

Day 1 you will do 30 on either side.  (Make sure to switch the weight to the opposite arm).  Each day increase by 1.  

Happy Challenge!!!  I'll share again after I finish this challenge.

~Stacy~

Friday, February 13, 2015

Great Family Movie Classics

    My family is really big on watching movies.  We watch one as a family about once a week, so we are always on the look out for movies or shows to watch together.  We love Netflix as our big source for the movies and do both  the streaming and the DVD mailers which allows us to get more of a selection.  Recently, I had the kids watch "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids".  They really did not want to watch it at first because, "it's an old movie".  I still made them sit down to watch it and within just a couple of minutes, it had both of the boys full attention.  As soon as it was over, my 7 year old wanted to watch it again.  We went in search of the spin-offs of this and also found, "Honey, We Shrank Ourselves".  It was also a classic.  A few days later, I noticed that because I had watched those 2 movies, Netflix was suggesting several other older movies for us to watch I wouldn't have thought of or searched for.  It has been really fun introducing my kids to these classics I loved as a kid and teenager.  Here is my movie list:

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Honey, We Shrank Ourselves
Honey, I Blew up the Baby







Cool Runnings














Mighty Ducks
Mighty Ducks II
Mighty Ducks III

Daddy Daycare














Flubber















The Sandlot














Little Rascals














Spy Kids I, II, III, and IV















Madagascar
Madagascar II, Escape to Africa
Madagascar III, Europes Most Wanted






All Harry Potter movies (I know some of them are a little scary, but they never really bothered my kids so I am suggesting them)















Mary Poppins














 We also really enjoy watching a series, either on Netflix or recorded from T.V.  We ideally would like to watch one that ALL of us want to watch, but a lot of times it ends up just me and the boys watch after school.  My favorite to watch with them is "Once Upon A Time".  I watched it by myself cleaning floors last year and then ended up making my youngest son watch with me, and then forced my oldest son also.  My youngest loved it from the beginning.  It took to the end of the 1st season before he would watch it without complaining, though he would sit through every episode.  Now, he still claims he doesn't love it, but he will watch every episode with us no matter how many times we have seen it.  He also looked forward to each new episode during the last season!  We also LOVE "Psych" and have now seen all 8 seasons.  It has a few episodes that need a little screening for the kids, but even if you skipped the whole episode, you would still be able to follow the show.  It really is clean with very little language too.  So our recommended shows are:

Once Upon A Time
















Once Upon A Time in Wonderland (although we have not watched this one, it is by the same creators/writers of "Once Upon A Time" that we love.)
















Psych
















Chuck (also has a little bit of language in a few episodes and some suggestive comments, but I felt they were easy to skip)















Cake Boss
















Burn Notice  (this one does take place in Florida and there are a LOT of bikini's and less than modest clothing in many episodes)
















America's Funniest Home Videos












~Stacy~

Friday, February 6, 2015

30 Days of Dinners




One of my New Years Resolutions this year was to have my meals planned out 30 days in advance.  I know this sounds really ambitious but I really need it in my life.  If I do not plan this way, it seems like every night around 5:00pm, I am frantically trying to figure out what to make for dinner and then we do not eat until 7:00 pm.  I know that would freak some of you out to eat that late but it is rather normal for my family, unless I have things planned out.  My ultimate goal for this year with meals, is to have 6 months all planned out and then just repeat them again in 6 months.  I also want to have a "try something new" day every couple of weeks so that my go to/staple meals will hopefully expand with the new things we try and like!

    I will say, I don't always go in the exact order I write them on the calendar because things will come up and one meal will just work out better for one day because of a sports practice, scouts, or a late night at the office.  I will provide links for all of the recipes down below.  This will be for this first month.  I haven't achieved the full 6 month meal plan yet, so I will just add one month at a time as I get it!  I really do get a lot of these recipes from our More Sister Stuff Blog and I truly do use my sisters recipes all of the time.  The others are from All Recipes, other blogs we follow, or have just been passed down from our family or friends. 

You will see most of these are really simple, quick and easy.  I may only have 3 kids, but we still have a very busy life and for me, I really do need to be able to have everything ready to eat in about 30 minutes, otherwise it just doesn't work.  Some of these are from scratch, and others are "Semi-Homemade".   
You may also notice recipes a few days after certain ones have ways you can use leftovers.  It is always a chore trying to get my family to eat leftovers, so I try to change the foods up a bit so it feels fresh and new each meals.  Enjoy.

Day 2-  Pizza Poppers
Day 12-  Tacos
Day 13-   Cafe Rio Burritos 
Day 15-   Chicken Pot Pie
Day 16-   Mexican Manicotti
Day 17-   Chicken Enchiladas
Day 20-  Taco Soup

Day 3-  Creamy Tomato Shrimp Over Pasta

This is one of the dishes we served at our Dad's "60th Birthday Party" that was a really big hit.  This recipe is from Heather.  It is really delicious, creamy, and rich.  You can omit the shrimp if you do not like them (like me), or even split the sauce in half, right before adding the shrimp to keep part of it plain for those who don't care for the sea food part.  

12 lg. tomatoes
3/4 c. butter
1/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
5 green onions
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 green peppers
2 lbs. large shrimp, cooked and deveined shrimp
16 oz. pkg. angel hair pasta

Clean and dice tomatoes.  In a large pot melt butter and gently stir in diced tomatoes.  Add sugar, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.  Let tomatoes simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Fold in heavy cream and sliced green onions.  Rinse green peppers and remove seeds; cut into small pieces.  Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet and sauté green peppers.  Fold in cooked shrimp and fry until the tips are golden.  Add to tomato sauce.  Cook pasta al dente according to directions on package.  Serve creamy tomato shrimp over pasta



Day 4-  Grilled Chicken, Augratin, Biscuits

   Chicken:
   For the chicken, either pick your favorite marinade and let it bathe in that for about 30 minutes or try something like this.  Use lemon pepper seasoning and sprinkle over the chicken.  Or, in a large ziplock bag, put about 1/2 c of olive oil, 1/4 c of vinegar, and about 2 tsp of poultry seasoning in the bag.  Put your chicken in there and close the bag.  Try to get as much of the air out as you can.  Allow the chicken to marinade in that for 30 min.

   Once your chicken is ready, fire up the grill and cook until the outside is a golden brown and inside is fully cooked.

Augratin Potatoes:
   I know some people probably don't consider this cooking, but I do.  I usually just use the "Betty Crocker" box and follow directions on that.  If I find a great recipe that is simple, easy, and yummy, I will post that later!

Biscuits:  
    Again, this may not be cooking to you, but I am just terrible at making bread of any kind, so this is what I do. . .  Get the "Pillsbury Home Style Biscuits" and use one of these 2 versions.
   1.  Melt about 2 tbsp of butter in a pie pan at 350°.  Once it is melted, sprinkle some garlic powder over the top of it.  Take the biscuits one at a time, stick in the butter, then turn over and leave.   Do this to all of them until all 10 are in the pan.  Sprinkle the tops with parmesan cheese.  Cook for about 10 min.
   2.  Do the same thing as in version 1, but do not add the garlic powder or the parmesan cheese.  You can add jam at dinner or just eat them plain like this.  
    Either version is really good so you won't go wrong.



Day 5-  Ham and Swiss Sliders

When our little sister, Melanie got married about 2 1/2 years ago, she had made these for her reception and they were so yummy, I had to try them at home.  The recipe I used was from www.mychocolatetherapy.com, which my server is telling me is no longer available.  I want to give credit where credit is due though!    

For this you will need:  

12 good White Dinner Rolls (Hawaiian Rolls are fantastic)
12 small pieces of deli cut Honey Ham
12 small slices of Swiss Cheese
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
1/3 cup Miracle Whip

Poppy Seed Sauce
1/2 tbsp Poppyseeds
1 1/2 tbsp Yellow Mustard
1/2 C. Butter, melted
1 tbsp Minced Onions
1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

In a small bowl, mix together mayonaise and miracle whip.  Spread onto both sides of the center of each roll.  Place a slice of ham and a slice of swiss cheese inside of each roll.  Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet.  Place very close together.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the poppy seeds sauce ingredients.  Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches.  Let sit 10 mintues or until butter sets slightly.  Cover with tin foil and bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and tops are lightly hard.  Uncover and cook an additional 2 minutes.  Serve warm.

**Sandwiches can be assemble a day ahead and kept in the fridge, ready to bake.
(The original lady who posted this said what makes it is the combo of miracle whip and mayo.  I don't usually buy miracle whip but I did for this.  I don't know that it is truly necessary.  None of the other recipes I saw had this requirement.  I do usually just mix up what it calls for and leave the remaining in an air tight container in my fridge until the next time I make it.)



Day 6-  Flat Bread Pizza

  These are so incredibly easy and good.  My kids and I love them.  We tend to have them when he is not home because they are not his favorite, but they are definitly kid friendly and I personally like them too!

You just need:
 Pita bread (I love the Greek Pita bread at Costco.  You can get 12 of them there for $3.00.  You can buy it other places, it is just at least 2x's as much and you only get like 6).
Pizza Sauce (or spaghetti sauce)
Cheese
Pepperoni
(any other toppings you would like)

I like to turn my cookie sheets over and put the flat breads out on the bottom side of them.  It makes for easier cutting.  Add about 2 spoonfuls of the pizza sauce and spread it around.  Add the toppings you have chosen and bake in the oven at 350° for 10 min.  This truly is so easy, my 10 year old was making them for lunch by himself last year when he was 9.

These are only about 330 calories for the cheese pizza and about 470 for the pepperoni.  They are very filling.  We never eat more than 1 per person.  Great little personal pizzas.




Day 7-  Parmesan Chicken and Pasta

Chicken  
This is another one that is simple and I am sure one of my other sisters has a more elaborate recipe.  Here is what we do though.  I just get the frozen breaded chicken patties and place them in a 9X13 pyrex dish.  I use maybe 1/4 cup of spaghetti sauce (what was leftover from the night before), and put that on top of the chicken patties.  Cook for about 20 minutes on 350°.  Pull it out long enough to put a slice of cheese on top.  I have used all varieties so choose your favorite.  Bake for another 2-3 minutes until it is melted.

Pasta
While that is baking, boil your water for your pasta and cook the pasta.

Beans
In another pan, cook your beans.  I like to put the whole can of beans (water included), about a tbsp of butter, and about 1 tbsp of dried onions in the pan and let it cook until all of the water is gone on medium heat.  This is all ready in about 20-25 minutes.




Day 8-  Salisbury Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Cooked Carrots

Mashed Potatoes
   I discovered a delicious twist to mashed potatoes about 2 months ago, totally because I was out of milk.  Here is what I did. . .  After boiling about 6 medium potatoes until tender, I mashed them in my bosch.  I added about 2 tbsp of butter.  I went to go add milk to make it creamy and saw I was out of milk.  I did have some sour cream though.  I added about 1/2 cup of sour cream.  I was very skeptical about how they turned out, but they were incredible!  So you can do the traditional mashed with milk in them or try sour cream.
   Another thing I like to do is just add a packet of ranch dressing powder if I am feeling to lazy to make gravy.  It is also really good.

Simple Gravy
   This is if you do not have drippings from a meat or if you don't have enough drippings, you can supplement with this. . .
   Take about 1 cup of water and 1 bullion cube.  You can use beef or chicken depending on what you fixed for dinner.  Make sure the bullion cube gets either smashed by you or desolves completely in the water.  Bring this to a boil.  While it is warming up, put 1-2 tbsp of all-purpose flour in a cup and add water until it makes it just runnier than a paste.  I would use a fork or wisk for this part so you make it smooth.   If it is still sticking to your fork or wisk, add just a little more.  One the broth is boiling, add your mixture into it and stir with your wisk until it becomes thickened.  It will only take a minute or two.  If it does not get thick, repeat the flour/water step and make a little less watery.

Cooked Carrots
   In a skillet, add however many carrots will feed your family.  I add about 2 cups for my family of 4 1/2 (my baby doesn't eat a whole lot yet).  Fill the skillet with water until it is just above the carrots.  Add just about 1 tbsp of butter, salt and pepper.  Turn the stove on medium and cook until the carrots are tender.  Drain out the rest of the water and serve.




Day 9-  Breakfast Burritos

8-10 Tortilla shells- taco size works great
8 eggs
8 slices of bacon (I use Turkey bacon.  They are only 35 calories each and taste just as good as pork)
Tator Tots- enough to fill the bottom of a pie pan or 8X8 pan
Shredded cheese- about 1 cup

1.  Start to bake the tator tots in the oven at 450 for about 18 minutes.  I like to add a little seasoning salt to
      them before I put them in the oven.
2.  Cook your bacon strips.  If you have a griddle, it is wonderful for this.  Just lay your slices out and turn it
      up to 300°.  Cook until both sides are evenly cooked.  Take off and lay on a separate plate to cool.
    -If you do not have a griddle, you can line them up on a microwave safe plate, separate each level with a     
     paper towel or napkin to absorb any grease or cook in a skillet on the stove.
3.  After the bacon is cooked, spray your griddle or pan with cooking spray and add your scrambled eggs to
     it.  Add salt and pepper to taste and cook until done.
4.  Warm up your tortilla shells for about 1 minute.
5.  About this time, all of your items should be finished cooking.  Pull your tator tots out and smash into the
    eggs.  Crumble up the bacon into the eggs.  You can either add shredded cheese now, or after you dish
    each tortilla up individually.  I have one child who doesn't like cheese, so I do it individually.
6.  Dish about 1 cup of the food onto your tortilla shell, fold it up, and serve.




Day 10-  Mashed Potato Bowl

Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Canned or Frozen Corn
Popcorn Chicken
Shredded Cheese

This is a fun meal to use up any left over Mashed Potatoes and Gravy from Day 8.

1.  Cook your popcorn chicken pieces at 450° for about 20 minutes.
2.  Cook your canned corn in a microwave safe bowl for about 3 minutes just before the chicken is done.  If
     you are doing frozen corn, empty your package in a medium sauce pan and add water.  Cook until all of
     the corn is thoroughly hot.
3.  Warm up your mashed potatoes and gravy, or follow directions from Day 8 to make fresh ones.
4.  Once everything is warmed up, just start adding it to your bowl.  Mashed potatoes, popcorn chicken,
     corn, cheese, then gravy on top.  Just the way KFC serves it!




Day 11-  Lemon Pepper Chicken, Baked Potato, Salad

Baked Potato
  These are so easy to make and delicious.  Just scrub as many potatoes as your family will eat.  Either warp in aluminum foil, or place directly on the racks in the oven.  Bake at 250° for about 2 hours, or 350° for about 1 hour.

Salad
   There are really so many creative ways you can make a salad so you are not eating the same boring thing all of the time.  My favorite is just to add dried cranberries, blueberries, and creamy poppyseed dressing.  Yum!




Day 12-  Tacos

This are so incredibly easy.  They only take about 10 minutes.  Here is what you will need:

Hamburger or Turkey burger- browned
Taco Seasoning
1- 6oz can Tomato Sauce
1/4 C. Water
Tortilla Shells
Shredded Cheese
Shredded Lettuce
Sour Cream (optional)
Salsa (optional)

1.  Brown your hamburger meat.  (You can substitute with Turkey burger for a healthier choice).  Drain the
    grease.
2.  Add water, tomato sauce and your taco seasoning.  If you buy the packets, add about 1/2 and see if that
   is flavorful enough.  I think the full packet is too much, but you may like it.  Cook about 5 minutes until this
   is warm and slightly bubbling.  Remove from heat.
3.  While the meat is cooking, cut your lettuce into 1/4" to 1/2" shreds.  Warm your tortilla shells.
4.  Serve with your toppings of choice.  You can substitute the sour cream with low fat or fat free to make it a healthier option.

*We also like to use the Greek Pita flatbreads sometimes to make Gorditas.  They are really good this way too.
**Also, by the way.  Apparently not everyone uses the tomato sauce.  I guess it is a family secret I am sharing!  The packet actually does say just to add water, but the tomato sauce just makes it way more delicious!




Day 14-  Flat Bread Turkey, Bacon, Ranch Sandwiches

Greek Pita Flat Bread
Deli Slices Turkey- 4 slices
Turkey Bacon- 2 slices
Lettuce
Sliced Cheese
Ranch Dressing
Mustard

Warm up your flat bread for about 30 seconds in the microwave.  Spread 1 tbsp Ranch Dressing over bread and put mustard on one half of that (unless you really like mustard, then you can spread it over the whole thing).  Add your meat to 1/2, cheese on top of that, bacon next, then your lettuce.  LOVE IT!




Day 18-  Lasagna, Green Beans, and French Bread

Lasagna
1 lb Hamburger Meat, browned (substitute turkey burger for a healthier option)
28 oz Tomatoes
4-n 8oz cans of Tomato Sauce
1/2 C. Sugar
1/4 C. Spaghetti sauce mix
16 oz Cottage Cheese
1 Egg
2 Tbsp Parsley
2-3 C. Shredded Cheese
16 oz Dry Lasagna Noodles (you probably won't use all of these)

1.  Preheat the oven to 375.
2.  Mix the hamburger meat, tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, and spaghetti mix in a medium size mixing bowl.   Set aside.
3.  Mix cottage cheese, egg, and parsley in another mixing bowl.   
4.  Spray a 9x13' glass dish with cooking spray.  Put a thin layer of sauce on bottom of the pan, enough to cover the bottom.  Next, add a layer of dry lasagna noodles, another layer sauce, then cottage cheese, and shredded cheese.  Repeat 2x's but leave off the last layer of cheese.  Add this last layer of cheese after the lasagna is cooked.  
5.  Bake at 375° for 1 hour.  Check to make sure noodles are cooked through.  If it is all done, add the last layer of cheese and put back in for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese.



Grilled Green Beans
1.  All I did for those was pull out about 2-3 cups of frozen green beans and put them in 
an 8X8" glass dish. 
2.  I put 1 tbsp of olive oil over the top of them and made sure they were all covered with it.  
3.  Then I salt and peppered them.  
4.  Finally, I just put them on the grill when I put the steak out there.  I left one of the burners off and just placed the pan over that burner so they weren't getting direct heat.  I stirred it when I turned the steak over and took them off just prior to taking the steak off the grill.  DELICIOUS!




Day 20-  Taco Soup

This was one of my favorite meals that my mom used to cook for us and I still love it.  It is also one of the few soups my husband likes.  BONUS!!  It is another simple recipe that only takes about 5 minutes to throw together and about 30 minutes to simmer.

1 Can of corn (if you have leftovers from a previous meal, add them here)
1 can olives
1 can kidney beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 Large Can Diced Tomatoes
1 Can Chili (with beans)
1 lb Hamburger meat, browned (you can substitute with Turkey burger for a healthier choice and it's good too)
Taco Seasoning to taste (about 1/2 packet or 2 tbsp
Sour Cream
Tortilla Chips
Shredded Cheese

In a large pot, combine hamburger, corn, olives, chili, tomatoes and taco seasoning.  Turn stove onto medium high and let simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, and broken up tortilla shells.




Day 21-  Coconut Chicken, Rice, and Black Beans

2 Cups White Rice
2 Cups Water
2 Cups Coconut Water
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
2 tsp Vinegar
3 tsp Sugar
1 Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 Cup shredded Chicken
3-4 Green Onions, chopped (optional)
Spring Lettuce Mix
Tortilla Shells (optional)
Ranch Dressing

This works really great in a rice cooker if you have one.  If not, use a large sauce pan or a pot.  Combine rice, water, coconut milk, salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar, black beans, green onions, and chicken.  Let this cook on medium heat (on stove) until rice is fully cooked, or until rice cooker is finished, stirring occasionally.

Serve either in a tortilla shell with lettuce and ranch dressing, or just over lettuce as a salad.




Day 23-  Sausage, Rice and Corn

This is another meal so may not think is cooking, but it is fast, easy, and the kids like it and will eat it.  Sometimes you can't ask for much more!

You will need:
Hillshire smoked sausage (the big long link)
A box of Rice-a-roni (flavor of your choice)
Canned or Frozen corn

1.  Follow the directions on your rice-a-roni box and make your rice.  This takes about 15 minutes so start it first.
2.  Cut the sausage into smaller 2" sections, then cut in half length wise.  When your rice has about 10 minutes left to cook, place these in a skillet or on your griddle.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes per side and flip.  Once cooked, turn down to warm until the rest of the meal is ready.
3.  Put your corn in a medium pan and cook for about 5 minutes.
** That's all there is to it!  Simple, 15 minute dinner.



Day 24-  Spaghetti, Edemame, and French Bread

This spaghetti sauce is Rachel's recipe.  We also served it at our Dad's "60th Birthday Party" and it was so delicious too.

Spaghetti Sauce
1 pound ground beef cooked and drained
2 quarts tomatoes (Drain some water, squish them – I use a potato masher)
2-3 cans tomato paste
4-5 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 ½ tablespoons dried onion
4 tablespoons parsley flakes
1 teaspoon oregano
Mix all together and simmer in a pot 3-4 hours or 6-8 hours in a crockpot.  It seems like the longer it cooks the better it tastes and it also thickens it up more the longer it cooks.

Edemame
 1.  Warm your oven to 350°.  
 2.  Empty your packet of edemame beans or pods into a pie pan.
3.  Pour 1-2 tbsp olive oil over the top of the beans
4.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper
5.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese
6.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese turns a golden brown.



Day 26-  Premium Chicken Wrap

Frozen Breaded Chicken Patties
Tortilla Shells
Spring Lettuce Mix
Tomato
Cucumber
Ranch Dressing
Shredded Cheese

This was my creation after the McDonald's Chicken wrap.  

1.  Cook the chicken patties in a 9X13 glass dish at 450° for about 20 minutes.  Once cooked, use a pizza cutter to slice into narrow strips.
2.  Warm up your tortilla shell
3.  Lay the strips on the tortilla shell.  Add LOTS of lettuce and tomatoes.  You can add cucumbers too if you'd like. Add a little shredded cheese and ranch dressing, roll up and eat with a smile on your face!



Day 28-  Chicken Roll-ups, Peas

This is a meal I got from my sister Heather when we were in college.  It really is something I have cooked for the past 15 years.  My family all likes it.  My youngest son even asked if I could make it everyday a while ago.  I don't think I would still like it if I had to eat it EVERYDAY, but it is wonderful in my rotation of meals.  I also determine the quality of a recipe on if my family, especially my husband will eat leftovers, and this is one of the meals he will eat as a left over.  So, it passes!

Roll-ups
1 Can Homestyle Biscuits
8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 can Olives- chopped up
3-4 Green onions, chopped
2-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 tbsp melted butter
1 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs

Warm your oven to 350°.  Spray a cookie sheet and set aside.  Grab 2 separate smaller bowls and put melted butter in one, italian bread crumbs in the other and set aside.   In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, chicken, olives, and green onions.  On a separate plate, take one biscuit and flatten out.  Stuff the biscuit with a large spoonful of the chicken mixture.  Fold up the edges and pinch closed.  Set on cookie sheet.  Once all of the biscuits are stuffed, dip each one into the melted butter, followed by the bread crumbs and place back on the cookie sheet.  Once this is done to all of them, put them in the oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.


Sauce
1 Can Cream of Chicken
1 Cup Sour Cream

While the biscuits are cooking, in a small sauce pan, combine the cream of chicken and sour cream.  Cook on medium-low until it is boiling, then reduce to low until the biscuits are ready.  Serve warm with the sauce over the top.


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