Monday, May 18, 2009

What's on your menu this week?


WoW..been awhile eh?
I promise.
We have not been eating Cream of Ketchup soup and stale crackers.
Or will we.
Ever!!

This week I will be feeding my family :


*grilled tandoori chicken & red onion skewers & Gazpacho salad
Upside down Shepherd's pie

*Slow-cooker chunky chicken chili
*Pasta with meat sauce
*enchiladas
*cheeseburgers with grilled onions




I know it can be frustrating finding a great idea and NOT have the recipe so, I tried to include as many links as I could find and pictures so you could see how YuMmy my menu is this week!!

For more Meal Plan Monday ideas click here


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Monday, March 16, 2009

Meal plan mondays

..usually, I do all my menu planning on Saturday and then I go grocery shopping!
Here is what we are going to enjoy eating this week!



Monday:Beef & Broccoli stir fry
Tuesday:Shipwreck dinner
Wednesday: Tortelloni Bolognese
Thursday: Noah's favorite pancakes with fresh berries
Friday:Meatball's and rice
Saturday: Chicken n green beans


Looking to join in on the fun?
Just Click here

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

menu plan Monday

You have got to be kidding me!!
I went through all the hassle grocery shopping on the weekend with my list in hand and I LOST it.
Yep. You read that right.
Gone.
Poof!

So now I have to start from Scratch all over again!!
GRR!!Yep, a day late and a dollar short...
but better late than never I always say!








So...
Monday: Pork Tenderloin with roasterd vegetables
Tuesday: Minestrone Soup with homemade buns
Wednesday: Tilapia with mango sauce and Jasmine rice.
Thursday: Rotini noodles with Marinara sauce
Friday: Roasted chicen with lemon and thyme with Spinach and Strawberry Salad

I am pretty sure that's NOT what was on my list..but it's on my NEW list!!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Royal Icing 1 Heather 1

Muahh!!
Take that evil royal icing that should have been called Glue!
I found a better..easier way to make you.
One that doesn't leave my hand mixer gasping for breath.
One that won't disappoint!
I found this:

Royal Icing Using Egg Whites:

2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

For Royal Icing with Egg Whites: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the lemon juice. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.

I made a trial batch before class just to make sure that my flowers would dry properly and it worked like a dream!!

For this class I learned how to make a few more blooms out of royal cing that will be on my final cake.
We made the Victorian Rose

** very similar to the rose that I learned in course 1 but the petals were a little more curved.

The next flower was the daisy:


(this one was really fun to make!!)

Next came the daffodil:


Next came the pansy:

This one was my favorite flower to make.
It looks hard but it was super easy.
The last flower of the night was the primrose:

The first time I tried to make this one it look just like the apple blossom that I had such a hard time with last class!
Woo hoo!!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Royal Icing vs. Color flow


For class tonight we needed to make a batch of Royal Icing and a batch of color flow.
I have renamed both... I feel "Glue" and "super glue" are more appropriate names for both.

Oh, how I miss thee Buttercream icing!
I miss the ease in mixing..the gentle sound my beaters made when I created you.
The fluffy white peaks that were ever so tasty and easy to make...
They weren't kidding when they called Royal Icing "glue".
My blender made this horrible whining noise which was followed by a puff of smoke that spewed out the back of my beater.
I had to finish the rest by hand.
I am convinced that counts as an arm work out.

Royal icing is "a smooth, hard-drying icing is perfect for making decorations that last. It is also useful as a "cement" to fasten decorations together. Royal icing is edible, but not recommended for icing cakes."
See..glue.
If it's this much fun to make I wonder how easy it will be to use...
Guess I will find out!
We will be using the Royal Icing or Glue as I am now calling it to making apple-blossoms

& violets
in class tonight.
I hope that they aren't as frightening as they look!!
**deep breath**
really, I was scared to death of the rose so this should be easy peasy!
Right?
We will be using the color flow to outline our bluebirds and bird house for our final cake.
**fingerscrossed** they are supposed to be kept in a safe place to dry...good luck in my house!

I Found these recipes too....
Royal Icing Using Egg Whites: (which I didn't make for class)

2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

Royal Icing Using Meringue Powder: (this monstrosity I did make for class)
4 cups (440 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar
3 tablespoons (30 grams) meringue powder
6 tablespoons (60 grams) water

Note: Food Coloring (I use Gel Pastes that can be found at cake decorating and party stores or else on-line)

I will add some pictures later of my "flowers" or what is supposed to be a flower!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Mums and rosebuds



How to make mums !!

I need to practice these ones.
Either my icing wasn't right or it was too warm but my peddles weren't as smooth as the ones in the picture above.

We also learned how to make a rosebud


These are my favorites so far but I need to practice these ones a little more to make sure that my pressure isn't too strong.
Go figure that I would use to much pressure!!
Can't wait until next class though...this sure is fun :D

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Back to menu planning...

Photobucket
As many of my friends know we are trying a new approach to money.
We are on a budget so we only have a limited amount of funds to use to pay for food each week.
Part of the challenge in making sure that you "get to the end of the week before you get to the end of the money" is to meal plan.
I know, I know.
Sounds scary and complicated but trust me on this one.
It's easier than even I thought.
I don't plan for the whole month.
I only plan for the week.
You surely can think of at least 5 things you want for dinner right?

Here is what we are having this week:
Menu:
*Lemon Thyme chicken with potatoes & rice
* Manicotti alla bolognes
*Chicken-Berry Salad
*Lemon dill fish with asparagus and rice
*Asian pork and noodle skillet
*Tacos

K, easy part done.
Now I have to go thru and make the list of items that I need to make the meals I have planned.
The list is important.
Not only will you NOT remember what you wrote on it when you are surrounded by all those delicious smells but you will overspend.
Which is not the idea!!
Got it?
Good...now get to it!