CALLING ALL FOODIES!

I am making an earnest plea for help! There are literally hundreds and hundreds of recipes in my box but meal planning for the week just does not seem to be working. The only things that are sounding good are the calorie and fat laden recipes. This is NOT what we need to be eating!

In the spirit of Menu Plan Monday...I would like to do a little reversing today. If you have a really great low fat, low calorie recipe, would you please post a link for it in the comments? If you don't have a link to your recipe, then I'd be ever so grateful if you'd post the actual recipe in the comments! Weight Watcher recipes are of particular interest, and if you have the points, even better! However, I am desperate for any and all healthy recipes that you can offer!

Thanks so much in advance for your help ~ I know that I can count on y'all to help with this! There are a LOT of fabulous virtual chefs!

As always, thank you to Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie
for hosting this fabulous recipe carnival each week!

Obviously, you're not finding any great recipes here today,
but you can definitely find some by clicking the graphic!

For recipes from the Brownstone kitchen, click here.
(I actually do have some...just not today!)

CALLING ALL FOODIES!

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/04/calling-all-foodies.html

TOO HOT FOR SOUP?

This week Mercedes at Mercedes Rocks has asked us to post soup recipes for

Now don't get me wrong...I love a good soup as much as the next girl, but when the weather starts getting warm, a hot soup just does not sound quite as tasty! What's a girl to do?

If you've read through my blog, then you know that I love blueberries because there is a whole post dedicated to blueberry recipes! The blueberry is also the answer to my soup dilemma. This delightful little fruit happens to be the key ingredient in a delicious chilled soup! Just as a bowl of hot, steamy soup can warm you up on a cold, blustery night...a bowl of this soup is the perfect thing to cool you down on a warm Summer evening. (You know we don't have Spring here in the South!)

Please enjoy another recipe from my mom's recipe box!

Chilled Blueberry Soup

3 cups water

1 quart fresh blueberries

¾ cup granulated sugar
ground cinnamon, to taste
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
sour cream or yogurt, optional garnish (I prefer vanilla yogurt.)
mint leaves, optional garnish

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. In the meantime, remove stems from blueberries, then rinse and drain. Add blueberries, sugar, and cinnamon to water. Simmer for several minutes, stirring to dissolve sugar. (It is optional to puree the mixture in a blender at this point.) Set aside.In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and cold water to make paste. Stir it into the warm berry mixture, and bring to another boil. Let cool; then cover, and refrigerate for several hours.

Serve chilled. If desired, top each bowl with a tablespoon of sour cream or yogurt. You may also sprinkle with additional cinnamon, and/or decorate with mint leaves.

Enjoy!

For other great cookie recipes, click the graphic!

For other great recipes from the kitchen of Mrs. Brownstone (and my mom!), click here!

TOO HOT FOR SOUP?

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/04/too-hot-for-soup.html

LIKE TWO SHIPS PASSING IN THE NIGHT...

Such will be the week at the House of Brownstone!

Oh, mercy! We have a crazy busy week, with lots of fun activities planned for one and all. Dinners this week will have to be super easy to prepare, and the clean-up will have to be even easier.

MONDAY - We will be having baked ham, scalloped pineapples, corn-on-the-cob, and green peas. We will also have a Scout meeting and the final run-through and costume adjustments for the living museum book report that Tornado has on Tuesday. (See below for Scalloped Pineapples recipe!)

TUESDAY - We will have leftover ham to use for sandwiches, along with chips and fruit. I will not lie ~ there is a strong possibility that this could be a drive-thru night as well. Tornado has an activity that requires us to be gone from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. We also have another Scout meeting that afternoon. It might be hard to even make sandwiches! It's a good thing I like ham because that could be lunch for me for the rest of the week!

WEDNESDAY - We will be dining for $10 at our church! The menu for the night is Chicken Parmesan, Garlic Bread, Salad, and Chocolate Cake. Yum!!!

THURSDAY - I have Titus 2 Talks for the women's ministry at our church. I'll grab something quick before the meeting, and Mr. Brownstone and the kids get to have free-for-all!

FRIDAY - There is a really special Dad/Child activity at church that includes concessions, so that means it's Girl's Night Out for the other moms and me!

SATURDAY - We don't have too much going on of which we know...yet! The plan is to have Lemon Garlic Turkey Tenderloin, rice, and broccoli.

SUNDAY - I can't imagine that this Sunday will be different from any other Sunday...it is always a time for lunch and/or dinner with our friends, and I can't imagine it (or wouldn't want it) any other way!

The following recipe is courtesy of my mom's recipe box:

Scalloped Pineapples

2 cups sugar
3 eggs
¾ cup butter, melted
¾ cup milk
1 large can crushed pineapple, drained
8 slices bread, crusts removed and cubed

Mix together all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 hours. Reduce heat to low, and cook one more hour. Eat hot as a side dish to ham, or poultry. Eat chilled with vanilla ice cream, or frozen yogurt.

Enjoy!!!

To see more recipes from the Brownstone kitchen and my mom's box, click here!

As always, thanks to
Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie
for hosting

each and every week!

Menu Plan Monday Participants

1. Tamy ~ 3 Sides of Crazy

2. annie

View More Menu Plan Monday Participants

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

LIKE TWO SHIPS PASSING IN THE NIGHT...

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/like-two-ships-passing-in-night.html

TRACK SPIKES, TENNIS RACKETS, AND CORN FLAKE MACAROONS!

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Mrs. Brownstone. (Well, she wasn't always Mrs. Brownstone, but that's neither here nor there.) She lived in a little place called Our Town. And by "little place"...well, let's just that actually means "little place".

Lots of people have asked her through the years if she ever wished she had grown up in the city; but Mrs. Brownstone always thinks about it for only a moment before shaking her head in a "no". She thinks Our Town was a great place in which to grow up and have experiences that might not have been as readily available in a big city. She got to do LOTS of things.

Through the course of her eighteen years before college, she was involved in at least three kinds of dance; learned to play six different instruments; participated in five sports for fun and a little competition; participated in five different Varsity sports for fun and serious competition; played in three different kinds of bands; learned lots of things in organizations like Girl Scouts, 4-H, and Future Homemakers of America; participated in lots of academic and literary competitions like poetry and prose reading and four different kinds of competitive writing; got to be an editor and a writer in journalism; participated in all facets of drama; was active in Student and Class Councils; and was a National Honor Society member, among other various activities and accolades.

Growing up in a small town afforded Mrs. Brownstone lots of opportunities, the most important of which was the opportunity to be well-rounded. She never had to choose only one thing in which to participate or excel, and there was never a great expense to participate, because Our Town needed every member! At the same time, there was never a lot of pressure to be the best! There were not a lot of other things to do in Our Town, so these things were considered more fun and play than work and responsibility.

Though Mrs. Brownstone excelled at some things (like running), she was certainly not the best at everything (like tennis). BUT...I'll tell you one thing ~ that girl could make a mean batch of Corn Flake Macaroons! One year Mrs. Brownstone entered this delight of the cookie family into a 4-H cooking competition. And GUESS WHAT!?!!
She won!!!

Amongst the medals and trophies...amongst the broken tennis rackets and nearly new swim goggles...she still has that beautiful little blue rosette ribbon. Maybe she should just bust that sucker out of the storage box and display it in her kitchen! In the hustle and bustle of city life, it might be a good reminder for Mr. Brownstone that she actually CAN cook!
(Or at least bake...)

Following is the prize-winning recipe, courtesy of her mom's recipe box:

Corn Flake Macaroons

2 egg whites
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup sugar
2 cups corn flakes
½ cup nuts
¾ cup coconut

Place egg whites and vanilla in mixing bowl; beat until foamy. Gradually add sugar while beating. Beat until stiff and glossy. Fold in flakes, nuts, and coconut. Drop by level tablespoon onto well-greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. Immediately remove from baking sheet.

Happy Baking!

Thanks to Mercedes at Mercedes Rocks
for inspiring this post through her

The theme this week was "cookies"!
For other great cookie recipes, click the graphic!
For other great recipes from the kitchen of Mrs. Brownstone, click here!

TRACK SPIKES, TENNIS RACKETS, AND CORN FLAKE MACAROONS!

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/track-spikes-tennis-rackets-and-corn.html

WHATCHA GOT COOKIN'???

The Brownstone Family has not done a good job of dining IN the past few months. Dining out? We've perfected it to a fine art. And quite frankly...we are all tired of it! While we do realize that dining out is definitely a part of our week, we are making a concentrated effort to eat at home.

Before my forced blogging hiatus, I was a regular contributor to Menu Plan Monday. Though a large part of my fall away from the kitchen was unavoidable, I must admit that another part of it was that I stopped planning ahead for the week. It was easier to just pick up something, or run to the nearest restaurant. But...too much of a good thing is not always a good thing!

With encouragement from Rachel Anne at Home Sanctuary, I am jumping back into Menu Plan Monday with both feet. Rachel Anne's challenge for today is to plan out a five day menu. She reminds us that 1) cooking does not have to be elaborate to count; and that 2) some days are just destined to be days for takeout, or a restaurant...and that's OK! (This week, I am thankful for point #2 because even though we are officially back on the "eat-at-home" band wagon, we do have some dining out planned for special circumstances!)

Here's what's cooking in the Brownstone kitchen!

MONDAY - We will have a delicious meal of roast turkey breast tenderloin, rice, and steamed broccoli! This tenderloin is so easy to make. You literally take it from the package, put it in a dish, and bake it for an hour and a half. There is no hassle and no mess!

TUESDAY - For the month of "March Madness", we are in a "Tuesday Night Supper Club" with some friends. Weather permitting, we will be dining outside on $6 pizza, while the kids enjoy a free meal per paying adult. Now $12 might sound like a high price for pizza for two adults, but when you factor in that it feeds both of us for dinner, as well as lunch the next day, and it includes as many toppings as we want, as well as the free kids' meals...well, I call that a pretty great deal!

WEDNESDAY - We are having Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup. It will be something easy that I can throw into the crock pot the night before and then start simmering on Wednesday morning.

THURSDAY - We have a special family celebration, so we will be dining out that night!

FRIDAY - We are having Taco Soup! Two words ~ Yum. Yum. (See the recipe for Taco Soup below!)

SATURDAY - Tornado and Twister have been BEG-GING for homemade spaghetti sauce! We will have that with spaghetti noodles, of course, along with tossed salad, and Texas Toast.

SUNDAY - Easter Sunday is always a time spent with family, and there is always a ham or a brisket, potato casserole, hot rolls, green beans, and some form of yummy dessert. We haven't received our assignment yet, but the meal will be awesome, and the time with family ~ even better!

From my mom's recipe box:

Taco Soup

2 pounds ground chuck or turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 can Hormel chili
2 cans pinto beans, undrained
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes (your flavor choice!)
1 pound Kraft Velveeta Mexican cheese, cubed
1 16-ounce carton sour cream
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Brown the first two ingredients. Drain, and then place in a large pot. Add the remaining ingredients, and heat until cheese melts. Serve over Fritos Original Corn Chips.

Enjoy!!!

To see more recipes from the Brownstone kitchen, click here!

As always, thanks to
Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie
for hosting

each and every week!

And thanks as well to
Rachel Anne at Home Sanctuary
for hostingon Monday through Friday each week
and helping me (and a whole lot of other people) to make
"a little bit of progress every day"
in creating a wonderful home!

WHATCHA GOT COOKIN'???

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/brownstone-family-has-not-done-good-job.html

TO DINE...OR NOT TO DINE?

I grew up in a very small town...a town so small that you could count all of the restaurants on one hand. To be honest, counting them would not even require all of the fingers on that one hand! Needless to say, we ate at home ~ a lot!

Today, I live in a much larger town. It's not even a town really...it's more like a metropolis. Maybe it's city life, or maybe it's just this day and age, but people do not seem to eat at home as often anymore.

And I don't think it's just the Brownstones.

Everywhere you look, at almost anytime of day, cars are packed into the parking lots of fast food joints, fine dining restaurants, and all types of eating establishments in between the two.
Maybe it's the bright ~ sometimes flashing ~ neon lights of the whimsical signs that draw us in, promising a fun atmosphere.
Maybe it's the commercials on television with their catchy theme songs and tables of people talking and laughing over plates of colorful, steaming food that promise lots of great bonding over a delicious meal.
Maybe what lures us in is the thought of not having to prepare the meal, or clean up after it for that matter, promising lots of free time and a clean kitchen.
Maybe ~ just maybe ~ we are trying to keep up with Joneses.

Well, I'm telling you...the Brownstones have been on a roll the past few months! We have eaten at so many different restaurants I can't even begin to count them all. It would require all of my fingers. And all of my toes. Oh, let's just be honest here ~ it would still require additional body parts! Remember what I said earlier about growing up in a small town?

That might sound glorious to some of you. It used to sound glorious to me! But let me tell you what I have learned from it because it just doesn't work...

• Sometimes we are overstimulated! Bright lights do not necessarily equal fun. It's harder to remember the glory of the simple things when we have to be entertained all the time.
• A catchy theme song does not always equal good food. It's easy to forget that the food in the commercial is the "star of the show", so it always looks perfect. The food we are ultimately served...well, that's real life food. And laughing customers do not mean there will be great conversation. Often it's really too loud to even talk ~ especially the kind of talking that we should be doing with our children over dinner. It's time to hear about their day!
• Sometimes taking the easy way out really isn't that easy! When you factor in the time that it takes to drive to and from the restaurant, to order your food, to eat, and to pay the bill, are you really saving that much time? My children finally came to the point of literally groaning if they knew we were going to a restaurant for dinner. They expressed to me that they just wanted to be HOME! That, my friends, was a well-deserved knock upside my head! Sometimes, we just need to slow down.
• And finally...in trying to keep up with the Joneses, will we ever actually be able to keep up with the Joneses? Probably not. Even if you eat only fast food, dining out gets expensive!

I also learned this...
There is definitely a time and place for dining in various types of restaurants. It is fun to meet friends over a carefree dinner. Some of my best memories from growing up are of eating at the local Dairy Queen every Sunday night after church. It was fun being a room filled with the laughter of so many people that we would not have all fit into one house. Though we opt for Sunday lunch instead of Sunday dinner, this is a tradition that we have carried on with our friends today! I have no doubt that some of my own children's best memories will be those of Sunday lunches with dear friends.

And dining out ~ when it's done occasionally ~ can be a really fun way to celebrate! We each get to choose our favorite restaurant, whether it be fast food or fine dining, to go and celebrate at some point during our birthday week. Those are special memories! I will never forget how one year Tornado picked McDonald's, and the very next year, the choice was Benihana!

But...there is nothing better than throwing together a simple meal at home and having your kids smell it and say,
"Mommy is cooking! We get to eat at HOME tonight!"
"We are having real food!"
"That smells soooo good!"
"This is the best thing I've ever eaten!"
"Mommy, you are the best. chef. ever!"

That best thing they've ever eaten? You can find it below the post. It's one of the easiest things I know how to make. It's also very inexpensive and very easy to clean up the kitchen. Now that works-for-me!

Back to the beginning of the story...Thing 2, Thing 3, Thing 4, and myself are all still very close. We are also still close to our parents. And we all still frequently enjoy meals at home together. We talk often, and laugh much...and we know what is going on in one another's lives. I think a big part of that is what our parents instilled in us when we were young through family participation in preparation and cleanup, as well as many fun conversations around the dinner table. And those memories are even better than the ones from Dairy Queen!

A final thought ~ the less we eat at home, the more we are teaching our children to do the same. Kitchens are meant to be used!!! It's OK if they aren't completely spotless all the time! It is great fun for kids to help in the kitchen, and it creates a memory that will last a lifetime...which is WAY longer than the memory of that meal that saved you so much time!

Hobo Dinners, or "The Easiest Meal I Know How To Make"

2 pounds ground chuck or turkey
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
4 potatoes, sliced
1 bag carrots, halved and then sliced lengthwise into quarters
salt and pepper to taste

Line a jelly roll pan with heavy duty foil. Form meat into patties, and place on pan. (If you really want to make it easy, buy pre-made patties, though this does up the cost a bit.) Season with salt and pepper to your taste preference. Add potatoes, and season again. Then add carrots, onion, and pepper. Cover tightly with foil, and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Enjoy super easy preparation, a tasty one dish meal with your family, super easy cleanup, and loads of compliments from your kids!

Happy cooking!

Visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer to see more

tips this week!

Click here to see my other Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips:

• "Backwards Edition" tips for shopping at CVS
  
• "Backwards Edition" tips for removing white spots/rings from furniture
• how we master math in the Brownstone household
• "Backwards Edition" tips for correct "tipping" etiquette in almost any situation
• how I get my kids (and Mr. Brownstone!) to try new vegetables and love them
• how we make traveling with kids easier

Click here to find out what works for us regarding chores and allowance!

Click here to see what other easy recipes are working for us!

TO DINE...OR NOT TO DINE?

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/03/i-grew-up-in-very-small-town.html

GETCHA HEAD IN THE GAME

Wow! I never really thought about how much menu planning helps until I neglected it for a week!!! Last weekend we went to the lake with friends; and then on Monday, we spent the whole day with my parents and my grandma. I never quite got around to the whole menu planning thing. Sadly, it showed. All week long we just ate a bunch of junk. Even on the nights we could have had a home-cooked meal, we ate junk. Everyone felt sluggish and yucky ~ not to mention grumpy ~ because we just ate junk.
Every.
Single.
Night.
Junk!

This week I made a vow to make a plan...to be more organized...to get my head in the game! I decided the best way to do this would be to participate in Menu Plan Monday. Even if we don't know each other, it's still got "accountability" stamped all over it! So...if you feel the urge to come here and call me out in the comments to ask whether or not I am following through with the plan, PLEASE DO! After the big fall off the proverbial wagon last week, I might need some help climbing back onto it.

As always, thanks to
Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie
for hosting

each and every week!

MONDAY - There is still no way around this being either sandwiches or the drive-thru. That will change in about seven more weeks, but for now...Monday night may be the designated "Junk Food Night".

TUESDAY - We will be away from home for the evening for a special event! Dinner will be at a restaurant or a concession stand. And while I love a big ole plastic tub of nachos as much as the next person...for my kids' sakes, I'm hoping for a restaurant!

WEDNESDAY - Wednesday night is dinner at church for a grand total of $10 for our family. The menu this week is Pork Tenderloin and Noodles and Chocolate Chip Pound Cake.

THURSDAY - We will be having Two Cheese Turkey Pie and steamed spinach. The turkey pie is a new recipe we will be trying courtesy of my friend Steph. (See turkey pie recipe below!)

FRIDAY - BOTH of our children have nighttime birthday parties on this night, so Mr. Brownstone and I will have a date night! I am pushing for Uncle Julio's!!! YUM!! My mouth is watering just thinking of the fajitas now!

SATURDAY - We have a family costume party with some friends from church. We are supposed to bring a "Scary Snack", which translates into an hors d'oeuvre.
***At some point this week, we have to come up with costumes, so if you have any great costume ideas, PLEASE let me know!!! AND...if you have any great "scary snack" ideas, please direct me to your blog if it's posted, or feel free to share it here in the comments section!

SUNDAY - Sunday is usually always lunch and dinner with friends. It's never a fancy place because there are nineteen kids between the seven couples, and an additional three when the preacher's family is able to join us. We also have two couples that join us whose kids are now in college. They might be gluttons for punishment, considering they could have a very nice child-free dining experience...but they are so wonderful with all of our kids and with us, too! I am so thankful for our friends!

Two Cheese Turkey Pie

1 pound ground turkey
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1 4½-ounce jar sliced mushrooms, drained
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 can refrigerated biscuits
1 egg
1 cup cottage cheese
1 teaspoon flour
1 tomato, chopped (optional)

Brown turkey and onion; drain. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Stir in mushrooms and pepper. Press biscuits into a greased pie dish to form a crust. Spoon in the turkey mixture. Blend the egg, cottage cheese, and flour until smooth. Spread over the turkey mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Garnish with tomato, if desired. You may substitute ground beef for turkey if you wish, but you might changed the name from "Two Cheese Turkey Pie" to "Two Cheese Hamburger Pie"!

For more recipes, visit:
My First Menu Plan Monday!
My Second Menu Plan Monday!
Not Another Sandwich!
It's Time To Fire Up The Grill, Y'all!
OR Summertime Blues?

Enjoy!

GETCHA HEAD IN THE GAME

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/10/getcha-head-in-game.html

NOT ANOTHER SANDWICH!

Well, it's Monday, so that means it is time to plan our meals for the week! Doing this has made dinnertime so much easier around here. Everyone knows up front what we are having, so there are few - if any - complaints, and it is also saving us so much money!

To be honest, we are getting a little bit tired of plain old sandwiches on Monday nights. So tired, in fact, that last Monday we blew off the plan AND the budget and went to McDonald's. Technically, that could still be considered "sandwich night", but it definitely did not save us time, calories, or money. Pizza night is getting a little bit old, too. Though the reasons we have for these two nights are still valid, we are just really craving some variety in our diet. My goal this week is to incorporate some creativity into both sandwich and pizza nights! In addition, we have one final kink for the week in our usual menu plan: there will be no $10 meal at church on Wednesday night due to "Giveaway Day", which I will post more about after the actual day occurs!

And now, without further ado...

Thanks again to Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie

for hosting Menu Plan Monday each week!

MONDAY - We are staying true to "sandwich night" because we really do need to keep things quick and easy, but instead of plain old sandwiches, we will be having Savory Crescent Squares. YUM!!! (See recipe below!)

TUESDAY - We are staying true to "pizza night" as well, but instead of greasy take-out pizza, we will be having Build-Your-Own-Pizza, using browned ground beef, mushrooms, black olives, onions, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, Pillsbury pizza crust, and a choice between Ragu or Contadina pizza sauce. I love this kind of pizza night! It's still quick and easy, but SO much more fun than take-out pizza!

WEDNESDAY - Arrrgh! This night is a toughie! We don't want to spend a lot of money, but it is the one day that I really do not have time to cook - ANYTHING! We also have a very small window of opportunity for dining between the time that Mr. Brownstone gets home from work and the beginning of church. If I remember to get it out of the freezer, we might have leftover Mexican Soup from last week.

THURSDAY - Because I AM going to remember to thaw out the Mexican Soup leftovers, I will remember to thaw out the pork chops, too! We will be having the Fiesta Pork Bake and broccoli that we were supposed to have last Friday! We totally forgot that our friends' band was playing at a local BBQ restaurant. We had a really fun time sitting on the back porch in the beautiful weather, while eating good food, listening to good music, and hanging out with good friends!

FRIDAY - We are having Tilapia With Garlic Butter, summer squash, and baked zucchini. (See tilapia recipe below!)

SATURDAY and SUNDAY - We will be at the lake with friends! I'm sure we will dine on things like hamburgers, hot dogs, and S'MORES!, but we have not been so organized as to already have a menu plan together for the ten or so families that will be in attendance! It won't matter what we eat, though...we will be with friends, and dining with friends makes ANY meal worthwhile!

The following recipes are courtesy of my mom's recipe box. She is a fantastic cook!

Savor this.....

Why these are called squares, I'll never know. Square, or not, they are so good! They are also very quick and easy.

Savory Crescent Squares

3 ounces cream cheese
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted - divide 2 tablespoons and 1 tablespoon
2 cups cooked, finely cubed chicken
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
8-oz. can crescent rolls
chicken-flavored stuffing mix

Blend the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of butter/margarine until smooth. Add the next 5 ingredients. Separate crescent rolls into 4 rectangles. Spoon 1/2 cup of chicken mixture onto the center of each rectangle. Bring the 4 corners of dough to the center and twist slightly; seal the edges. Roll these in the remaining butter/margarine, and sprinkle with stuffing mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Serves 4.

Tilapia With Garlic Butter

2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
dash pepper
dash salt
pinch of dried dill weed or parsley
dash paprika
4 tilapia fillets

In saucepan, combine butter, garlic, pepper, salt, dill weed, and paprika. Heat over low heat until butter is melted and starts simmering. Remove from heat. Brush a little of the butter mixture in the bottom of a shallow baking dish (line baking dish with foil, if desired); then place tilapia fillets on the buttered area. Brush top of each tilapia fillet with the seasoned butter mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until tilapia flakes easily with a fork.

Serves 4.

For more recipes from my mom's box, visit here, here, here, or here!

Enjoy!

NOT ANOTHER SANDWICH!

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/10/not-another-sandwich.html

MY SECOND MENU PLAN MONDAY!

Previous Entry: Something For Sunday

Well, my first week of actual blogging was not as painful as I had feared! It's actually quite fun, and I have so thoroughly enjoyed making my first friends in Blogland! Thank you to all of you that were so warm and welcoming. I appreciate the kind words and support!

And now for the featured item:

Thanks again to Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie
for hosting Menu Plan Monday each week!

Our schedule has not really changed in the last week and will not be changing for at least five more weeks before the first change occurs and then another six weeks before the next change. Ahhh...such is life!

As far as last week goes, we did have sandwiches on Monday night. On Tuesday night, we had pizza, but we just bought frozen pizza from the grocery store instead. YUM! Wednesday night, I got a horrible migraine headache, so I slept through dinner and church, while Mr. Brownstone and the whirlwinds ate from the $1 menu at McDonald's. To be honest, Thursday and Friday just sort of fell apart for me because the reality of the news we received on Monday was hitting me pretty hard, leaving me a bit disorganized and finding myself retreating to this blog or a book. Sadly, we brought in take-out (burritos and tacos) on Thursday night. Friday, Mr. Brownstone and the whirlwinds had a pizza buffet, and they brought me a hot sandwich and some chips. On Saturday, we got back on schedule - sort of - and had Taco Salad with friends. It was fun and relaxed to combine our food and just be at the home of great friends. Sunday went absolutely as scheduled with dining with our tween youth group for lunch and dinner with friends that night.

This week, we really do hope to dine in more...the kids, Mr. Brownstone, and myself are happiest when we can just chill out around the kitchen table. We also find that it is where our kids open up the most (next to bedtime) about what is going on in their lives.

MONDAY - For the next eleven weeks, Mr. Brownstone and I have a weekly obligation that falls in an awkward time frame. It's too early to eat a big meal before we leave and too late to eat a big meal when we get home. We will be having sandwich night until this commitment is completed.

TUESDAY - This is also an awkward night for us for the same reasons as Monday...we leave too early, and we get home too late. Tuesday nights will have to be $5 pizza night for now until this particular season of kids' sports is finished, which is five more weeks.

WEDNESDAY - We normally eat at church for only $10! The menu for this night is Spaghetti and Peanut Butter Bars. We love getting to dine with our church family on this night, but this week we decided to forgo the meal. There are some things that are harder to eat when somebody else is cooking them, and spaghetti is one of them! We will probably eat at Whataburger on this night because it's close to church, and I am gone all day long. It's also the day of my grandmother's surgery - I think I might be a mess that day.
****If you are a praying person, please keep her in your prayers.****

Bringing us to my three cooking nights...last week's planned Italian Pork Chops and Vegetables, though very tasty, are not calling out to me this week. Neither is the Spaghetti and Homemade Meat Sauce, or the Build-Your-Own Fiesta Salad. Those will all be wonderful for another time...just not this week!

THURSDAY - I have a Club 56 planning session for most of the day, so it will be nice to have a one-dish-clean-up! We will be having Mexican Soup. (See recipe below!)

FRIDAY - We are having Fiesta Pork Bake and broccoli. (See recipe below!)

SATURDAY - We will have brisket, along with corn-on-the-cob (my FAVORITE!) and green beans, as well as King's Hawaiian Bread.

SUNDAY - We almost always dine out with all of our friends for Sunday Lunch AND Sunday Supper, and I suspect that is what we will do on this particular Sunday. What a wonderful blessing to have close friendships ~ we are making so many fond memories during these special times with friends!

That about wraps up our week. I hope you enjoy the following recipes, courtesy of my mom's recipe box!

Mexican Soup

1½ pounds ground beef, browned
1 can hominy
3 can beans, any kind, mix 1 of each (I use pinto, black, and kidney.)
2 cans Ro-tel, or stewed tomatoes, any combination (I use one of each.)
2-4 cups water
1 package taco seasoning
1 package ranch dressing mix

Mix all ingredients together. Bring to a boil; simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Serve over corn chips (I use Tostitos), and top with grated cheddar cheese.

Fiesta Pork Bake

6 pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 large green pepper, diced
1 cup uncooked rice (I use long grain Comet, white.)
½ cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups boiling water
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Spray 2-quart casserole with cooking spray, or coat with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper. Arrange in casserole. Top with soup mix, green pepper, and rice. Mix ketchup and water, then pour over top. Cover, and bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes, or until done. (Additional ½ cup water can be added if rice becomes too dry.) Remove from the oven, and top with cheese. Cover, and allow dish to stand for 10 minutes.

For more recipes from my mom's box, visit here, here, OR here!

Enjoy!

MY SECOND MENU PLAN MONDAY!

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/09/my-second-menu-plan-monday.html

MY FIRST MENU PLAN MONDAY!

Today I am making only my second ever published blog post! I've had a blog for a few months now, but no posts have made it out of draft form before this past Saturday! You can read about my fear of posting here since I've actually begun publishing some of my original posts. I will be gradually freeing all of my posts from "draft prison" but am still working up the nerve! :)

In my new found independence of actually posting what I blog about, I decided to join in the fun of:


Menu Plan Monday is one of my most favorite finds in the world of blogging. Thank you to Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie for hosting this great carnival each week! I've thoroughly enjoyed reading through the great ideas from everyone and am so happy to be adding to them.

Sadly, we don't have much time for cooking on the first three days of our week for the next few weeks, but we will get to enjoy some great family time and good food in the latter half of the week. During the school year, I try to cook three or four nights a week. We then have leftovers available (and of course dining out) for the other meals.

MONDAY - For the next twelve weeks, Mr. Brownstone and I have a weekly obligation that falls in an awkward time frame. It's too early to eat a big meal before we leave and too late to eat a big meal when we get home. We will be having sandwich night until this commitment is completed.

TUESDAY - This is also an awkward night for us for the same reasons as Monday...we leave too early, and we get home too late. Tuesday nights will have to be $5 pizza night for now until this particular season of kids' sports is finished.

WEDNESDAY - We eat at church for only $10! The menu for this night is Hawaiian Hay Stacks and Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Thankfully, we will finally enjoy an actual home-cooked meal for the first time all week!

THURSDAY - We have a Curriculum Night at school, so it will be nice to have a one-dish-clean-up! We will be having Italian Pork Chops and Vegetables in the slow-cooker. (See recipe below!)

FRIDAY - We are having Build-Your-Own Fiesta Salad. I will double this and freeze some for a later date.

SATURDAY - We will have Spaghetti and Homemade Meat Sauce with Texas Toast and salad. I will double the sauce and freeze this as well.

SUNDAY - We are dining with the Tween Youth Group we teach on Sundays. Usually we dine out with all of our friends for Sunday Lunch AND Sunday Supper. We we still be dining with half of them, as there are four couples total that teach this youth group! What a wonderful blessing to have close friendships!

That about wraps up our week. I hope you enjoy the following recipe, courtesy of my mom's recipe box!

Italian Pork Chops and Vegetables

1 16-ounce bottle Italian salad dressing
4 pork chops
4 potatoes, sliced or cubed
6 carrots, thinly sliced (You can use whole baby carrots if you prefer. I do sometimes.)
1 onion, sliced

Place chops and vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover with salad dressing. Cover. Cook on high for 6-8 hours.

You may omit the vegetables if you want just the chops. We like to eat both, though! It's easy to prepare and easy to clean.

Enjoy!

MY FIRST MENU PLAN MONDAY!

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/09/my-first-menu-plan-monday.html

IT'S TIME TO FIRE UP THE GRILL, Y'ALL!

Summertime is in full swing, and considering that we're having a milder one in this area than the scorcher we had last summer, people are wanting to spend more time in the great outdoors, and we are...but a lot of that time is spent under the old umbrella. It's always a great time for friends and family to gather in the backyard, set up the volleyball net, take a dip in the pool, and of course, eat. If you are invited to a barbecue this year (be it in a backyard, or huddled around a George Foreman grill in someone's cozy, dry kitchen), and you just don't know what to bring, try one of these recipes I got from my mom:

The following isn't your typical creamy, white coleslaw. It's really good, and it looks really pretty!

Marinated Slaw

1 large head red cabbage, shredded
2 onions, sliced in rings
¾ cup sugar
1 cup vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 cup vegetable oil

Alternate layers of cabbage and onions in a serving bowl. Cover with sugar. In a saucepan, combine vinegar, salt, celery seeds, and mustard seeds. Bring to a boil. Add oil, and bring to another boil. Pour mixture over cabbage and onions. Cover, and refrigerate.

And these aren't your typical baked beans!

Calico Beans

1/3 pound ground beef, browned
½ pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup chopped onion
1 large can pork-n-beans
1 can lima beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
½ cup ketchup
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mustard
2 teaspoons vinegar

Mix all of the ingredients together. Pour into a large casserole dish. Bake at 350* for 40 minutes. Double the recipe for a large crowd.

Have fun outside this summer! Oh!! And don't forget to wear SPF 45, a hat, and sunglasses. Drink at least 64 ounces of water daily. Light citronella candles to avoid mosquitoes possibly carrying the West Nile virus (or some other potentially dangerous affliction). Quickly refrigerate food after serving. Wash your hands before, during, and after all food preparation. Use caution when lighting the grill... Always wear a flotation device when swimming; and for Heaven's sake, get out of the pool if it starts thundering and lightening! :)

Seriously, enjoy your summer!

Once again, I have to give my mom credit for both recipes. She is an awesome cook!

IT'S TIME TO FIRE UP THE GRILL, Y'ALL!

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/06/its-time-to-fire-up-grill-yall.html

SUMMERTIME BLUES?

Or summertime blueBERRIES!

The often over-looked blueberry is showcased in this beautiful salad. Though it is easy to toss together, there are two steps before you actually make the salad. It is, however, worth the effort!

Summer Fruit Salad with Blueberry Vinaigrette

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup fresh strawberries, halved
2 nectarines, sliced
8 cups mixed salad greens
Blueberry Vinaigrette - see below
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted (optional)
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (optional)

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Cover, and chill for 1 hour. Drizzle 1/3 cup of Blueberry Vinaigrette over the salad, tossing to coat. (If using chicken, add to salad before to tossing.) Sprinkle with almonds if desired.

Blueberry Vinaigrette

¼ cup Blueberry Chutney - see below
¼ cup minced onion
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup vegetable oil

Whisk together first 5 ingredients. Gradually whisk in oil until well-blended. Refrigerate leftover vinaigrette for up to 2 weeks.

Blueberry Chutney

1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
½ cup sugar
½ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ -½ teaspoon dried, crushed red pepper
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Bring first 7 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until apple is tender. Stir in blueberries and vinegar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes, or until thickened.

May also be served as a condiment with grilled chicken or pork.

ENJOY!!

This three-part recipe was courtesy of my mom's recipe box. I don't recall ever having it growing up, but it sounded so yummy I tried it anyway. I think she got it from a magazine, though which magazine I will never know!

SUMMERTIME BLUES?

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/06/summertime-blues.html