Reading Lately and a menu! Finally! Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas, Crispy Onion Chicken, Tilapia Fish Sticks, Pasta Carobanara

What have you been reading lately???  My husband puts up with a lot from me.  One of my lastest quirks is my constant reading.  The books go with me wherever I go.  I read when I'm putting makeup on, doing my hair, brushing my teeth, while the kids are napping, when I'm riding in the car...I. can't. stop.  I have to have a really good book if I'm reading at this rate. 



A few years ago I was given a book called Summer by Karen Kingsbury.  I knew it was the second book in a series and I hadn't read any of the other books, but I read it anyway and LOVED it.  I always meant to read the other books, but just didn't find the time to get them in my hands.  Then my church just happened to have a library, which had almost every single one of the books by Karen Kingsbury.  It was my heaven on Earth.  If you choose to read her books, begin with the Redemption Series, then move to the Firstborn Series, and then the Sunrise Series.  13 books later you will find yourself totally in love with the characters and feel like if you were to visit Bloomington, Indiana (where the books' settings are) you would run into any one of them.  Every book has a lesson to be learned about your walk in faith with God.  I have learned so much from these books and will forever be changed by them!  Go check them out.

On another note, I haven't posted a menu in a LONG time.  Try some of these recipes this week:  Black bean and corn quesadillas, crispy onion chicken, tilapia fish sticks, pasta carobanara.  Leave some nights for leftovers or to go out as a family! 

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas:  These were so good!  My husband has caught on and is now more interested in cooking and often asks, "What's in these?"  When he asked me this time, I responded, "I don't want to tell you."  He said, "Oh, there's no meat in them."  Occasionally, we will have a meatless night, just so I don't have to spend part of my grocery bill on meat.  These were so worth it!  I found this recipe during one of my many pinterest perusings.  And while you are chowing down on these check out the blog these came from!  http://mostlyhomemademom.com

8 burrito sized tortillas
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, do not thaw
1/2 red onion
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
salsa
shredded lettuce

In small food processor, (or just with a knife, who wants to wash a food processor?), chop parsley and red onion.  Dum diced onion and parsley into a large mixing bowl.  Mis in black beans, frozen corn, taco seasoning, and cheese until well combined.
Place 1/2 cup filling on half of a tortilla and fold.  Cook over medium heat on a non-stick griddle.  Flip when cheese has begun to melt and cook an additional 2 minutes.  Repeat for remaining tortillas and filling.  Allow to cool slightly, adn slice each quesadilla in half.  Serve with shredded lettuce, salsa, sour cream, etc.  Serve with a side salad or fruit and you are set!

Shopping list:  tortillas, black beans, frozen corn, red onion, parsley, taco seasoning, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, salsa, lettuce


Crispy Onion Chicken:  This recipe is from the same blog, http://mostlyhomemademom.com .  I had stocked up on chicken breasts when Kroger had them for 50% off and needed to find a different way to cook them.  I liked how simple and kid friendly this recipe was!  We liked it, but I had forgotten to season the chicken before doing all the steps in the recipe.  Don't ever forget to season with salt and pepper!  It makes a huge difference!

1/2 cup melted butter (I think I did 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon Worcestshire sauce (one of my fave ingredients)
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
6 oz. pouch french fried onions
4 boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness, or if you are like me, just cut them in half through the middle of each half.  There.  No pounding needed.

Combine melted butter, Worcestshire sauce, ground mustard, and galic salt in a bowl.  Crush french fried onions in the pouch and place in a separate bowl.  Heat skillet to medium heat on stove.  Dip chicken one at a time in the butter sauce and then in the crushed onions coating both sides.  Cook chicken in skillet until both sides are brown.    Preheat oven to 350.  Put browned chicken on a foild lined baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through.  Use a thermometer if you can to check doneness.

Serve with roasted potatoes tossed in oil, salt and pepper, garlic and rosemary, with a side of a steamed veggie, and you have a simple dinner the kids will love!

Shopping list:  butter, Worcestshire sauce, ground mustard, garlic salt, french fried onions, chicken breasts, potatoes, veggie of choice

Tilapia Fish Sticks:  One thing I do every week is peruse my grocery store's weekly ad to see what's on sale and to plan my meals based on the sales.  Tilapia was on sale and I was looking for a fun and different way to serve it up for the fam.  The kids eat fish sticks at preschool and day care and apparently love them, so I figured why not try my hand at them?  These were simple, easy, and yes, delicious.  The kids loved them.  You can find this recipe and many more at www.epicurious.com

1 pound tilapia filets
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp cajun seasoning
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Thaw the tilapia filets if not done already.  Mine were still a bit frozen, but that just made it easier to cut into stick like shapes.  Slice the filets so that you get about 4-6 sticks per filet.  prepare the breading station by collecting three bowls.  In the first bowl, combine the flour and cajun seasoning (or salt, pepper, any other seasonings).  In the second bowl whisk two eggs.  In the third bowl place the panko bread crumbs.  (I don't usually have these on hand.  But I do save the heels of my loaves of bread and freeze them.  I put two or three of these heels into the food processor and use those bread crumbs instead.  LOVED them.)  Bread the tilapia sticks by coating in the seasoned flour then dipping in egg and finally coating in panko crumbs.  Place the breaded sticks on a plate until all of the sticks have been breaded.  Heat a large skillet with 2 tbsp of veg. oil over medium/high heat.  When the pan is very hot it is ready for the fish.  You will know it's hot when you put a wooden spoon handle into the oil and the oil bubbles, or it will sizzle when you flick water onto it.  Place half the sticks on the pan and cook on each side until golden brown in color.  Drain the fish sticks on a plate covered with a paper towel.  Wipe out the pan, add the rest of the veg. oil and cook the second half of the fish sticks in the same way. 

You can visit the site www.budgetbytes.com to see step by step instructions in photos. 

I served this with homemade macaroni and cheese and sliced cucumbers.  I was going to make a cucumber salad, but ran out of time and energy.

Shopping list:  tilapia, flour, cajun seasoning, eggs, panko breadcrumbs, vegetable oil, boxed macaroni and cheese dinner or macaroni pasta, shredded cheddar cheese, milk, cucumber


Pasta Carbonara:  Another cheap way to cook is by cooking with recipes that have eggs or bacon in them.  If the recipe has both, then you are in for a delicious treat.  I have made something like this before and loved that I found it on a site called www.cookingwithcaitlin.com  It can be calorie dense, so just don't fill up an entire plate with it!  Eat in moderation!

1 pound pasta
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream (I used milk watered down to cut back on the calories)
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan
3 eggs beaten (I only had 2 on hand and it turned out fine!)
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-2 teaspoons fresh cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound bacon

Fill one pot with water and place over burn on high heat.  Slice the bacon strips into little pieces and cook in a non stick saute pan until the bacon is golden brown and crispy.  Set aside.  Add pasta to boiling water and cook as box instructs.  Combine cream, parmesan, eggs, parsley, minced garlic, dried oregano, pepper and salt.  When the pasta is finished cooking, drain the water, add the pasta bak to the pot, toss in your bacon and, stir in cream mixture.  Serve the pasta hot.

Have a side salad and you have a great, homey, comfort food meal!

Shopping list:  pasta (rotini, linguini, etc.), heavy whipping cream, grated parmesan (not the kind that comes in the green conainer), eggs, parsley, garlic, dried oregano, pepper, salt, bacon.

Finding time to cook

Dempsey is finally getting on a schedule, so I am hoping to find some time to cook.  Here's the schedule I am using for him that we also used for Tessa.
6 a.m.:  Wake him up and feed 5 oz. bottle
6-8:  Keep him up by playing, talking to him, tummy time
8-10:  nap
10:  wake him up and feed 5 oz. bottle
10-12:  Keep him up by playing, talking to him, tummy time
12-2:  nap
2-4:  Keep him up by playing, talking to him, tummy time
4-6:  nap
6-8:  Keep him up by playing, talking to him, tummy time, bathtime, books, prayers, bedtime at 8
8-10:  bed to sleep
10:  wake him up to give him one last bottle to help get thru the night
He will usually sleep until about 2 or 3 and we'll get up to give him another 5 oz. bottle. 

So, you can see he eats every 4 hours and takes three 2 hour naps during the day.  We are working towards this schedule and he's doing pretty well.  We're trying to get him used to soothing himself as best he can and not putting him to sleep by holding him.  This is easier said than done!  But, we're getting there!

I'm hoping to use his 4-6 nap to get dinner ready.  I will be trying to make the following meals:  Oriental Chicken, Super Sloppy Joes, Sesame Orange Pork Chops, and Chicken Sausage Quesadillas.

Oriental Chicken:  This recipe is adapted from Once a Month Cooking.
2 tbsp sweet butter
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 cup cooked, diced chicken
1 tsp pepper
1 5-ounce can chow mein noodles

Melt butter in a medium saucepain over low heat.  Add flour and stir over medium heat until bubbly.  Add broth, water, soy sauce, garlic powder, chicken, and pepper; simmer for 5 minutes.  Serve over chow mein noodles.

I would also like to serve egg rolls with this dinner.  Maybe I'll find some that are already made to serve alongside.

Super Sloppy Joes With Deviled Potato Salad:  Courtesy of Rachel Ray (Don't use that canned stuff!  Make your own sloppy joes!)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend, such as McCormick brand Montreal Seasoning
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 crusty rolls, split, toasted, and lightly buttered
• Garnish: sliced ripe tomatoes, pickles, Deviled Potato Salad, recipe follows

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and meat to the pan. Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and combine. When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, pile sloppy meat onto toasted, buttered bun bottoms and cover with bun tops. Serve with your favorite sides or sliced tomatoes seasoned with salt and pepper, dill pickles and Deviled Potato Salad. Have plenty of napkins on hand!

Deviled Potato Salad:

5 all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced

Coarse salt
1/4 onion
3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise, eyeball the amount
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon hot cayenne pepper sauce (recommended: Tabasco or Frank's Red Hot)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Boil potatoes in water seasoned with coarse salt until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain cooked potatoes and return to the warm pot to dry them out. Let the potatoes stand 2 minutes, then spread potatoes out on to a cookie sheet to quick-cool them.
In the bottom of a medium mixing bowl, grate 1/4 onion using a hand grater. Add mustard and mayonnaise, paprika and cayenne pepper sauce to the grated onion and stir to combine. Add potatoes to the bowl and stir to evenly distribute dressing. Season potato salad with salt and pepper and taste to adjust your seasonings. Top servings of salad with chopped scallions.

Sesame Orange Pork Chops:  My awesome cousin, Heather Dixon, uses the site, Moms Who Think, to get a lot of crock pot recipes.  I checked the site out and loved it!  Here's a crock pot recipe to try.

Ingredients:
3 pounds pork chops
2 cups orange juice
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 cans mandarin oranges drained, (11 ounces each)
1 can pineapple tidbits drained, (8 ounces)
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Place pork chops into the crock pot.  In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar with the orange juice until well combined. Pour orange juice mixture evenly over chops.
2. Cook on  low 6 to 8 hours.
3. About 30 minutes before serving add the oranges and pineapple, warm for  20 minutes.
4. Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly over each pork chop.  Serve with rice or broccoli.

Chicken Sausage Quesadillas:  Chicken Sausage is on sale this week at our grocery store and I have a coupon!  This should be an easy weeknight meal.

Ingredients:
12 8 inch flour tortillas
1 pkg. Johnsonville Chipotle Monterey Jack Cheese Chicken Sausage, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
3 cups colby jack cheese, shredded
Salsa

Place 3 tortillas on a large greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle each with sausage, red pepper, green onion and cheese.  Top each with a tortilla.  Place baking sheet on center rack in oven.  Broil for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Cut into wedges.  Repeat with remaining ingredients.  Serve with salsa.