Menu plan monday - June 29th

Monday: Beer battered fried chicken, potato salad and corn on the cob

Tuesday: Salmon burgers and fruit salad

Wednesday: Mango-lime pork chops, jasmine rice and corn

Thursday: Chicken pastry bundles with red pepper and cream cheese with a green salad

Friday: Going out to eat

See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos

This is a Pioneer Woman recipe, it's simple but so very good, and actually the hubby is the official maker of the jalapeno thingys in our house, and he's pretty good at it too! the red sauce is a homemade version of the bronco berry sauce that Arby's serves with their jalapeno poppers. The hubby has always loved this sauce so when we started making these wrapped jalapenos he wanted to try and find a recipe for the Arby's sauce and everytime we serve them at a party we get tons of compliments and people asking for the recipe.


Ingredients:
Bacon
Cream cheese
Jalapenos

Cut jalapenos in half and remove seeds and white membrane
Fill each half with the softened cream cheese
Wrap each jalapeno piece with half a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick
Bake on a pan with a baking rack at 375 for 20-25 minutes

Bronco berry sauce:
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
3 tablespoons pectin
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vinegar
50 drops red food coloring
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
dash cayenne pepper
dash garlic powder
dash paprika
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced canned jalapeno peppers

1. Combine all the ingredients except the bell and minced
jalapeno peppers in a small saucepan. Whisk well.

2. Set saucepan over medium/high heat, uncovered. Add peppers
and bring mixture to a full boil, stirring often.

3. Reduce heat and simmer sauce for 5 to 7 minutes, or until
thick. Remove from heat and let sauce sit for about 10 minutes.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Another recipe I made for the party...


3 tablespoons butter
1 (10 ounce) package regular marshmallows
1/2 cup peanut butter
6 cups rice krispies Cereal

In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until smooth.
Add the cereal. Stir until well coated.
Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

Cherry Almond Coconut Cookies

I am a little obsessed with coconut right now, so when I saw this recipe over at Sugar Duchess I just had to make them, and they are so very good!


1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 jar maraschino cherries, drained and halved

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in coconut.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Place a cherry half in the center of each. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-13 minutes. Immediately remove to wire racks to cool.

Samoa Bars

I absolutely love the samoa girl scout cookies, so when I saw this recipe for homemade samoa bars at Baking Bites I knew I had to give it a try, and the neighbourhood party gave me the perfect opportunity to do so.



Link To Recipe

Special K Cookies

Last weekend we had a bbq block party in our neighbourhood, and I made a number of desserts, one of which was these special k cookies (I'll be postng all the other recipes soon) I found the recipe for these cookies at Adventures In The Kitchen I didn't have original special k, so I used what I had which was the special k red berries. These cookies are very good and very crunchy!

1 cup flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg, beaten
3 cups Special K cereal, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl mix butter, sugar and vanilla together, beat in egg

In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients together. Add to the butter mixture along with 2 cups of Special K

Roll into 1 tsp balls and roll the balls into remaining crushed Special K cereal and place on a cookie sheet

Bake until golden brown 8-10 minutes

Menu Plan Monday

After planning/shopping/cooking for our neighbourhood block party last weekend, I have absolutely no desire to step foot in the kitchen at all this week, but the hubby has to eat so I'm keeping it very simple and bringing out the crockpot to make things a little easier.

Monday: Crockpot mango chutney short ribs with mashed potatoes

Tuesday: Spag bol and salad

Wednesday: Chicken tomato and lemon israeli cous cous

Thursday: Leftovers/fend for yourself night

Friday: Going out to eat

See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Cheese and Bacon Fondue

2 tbsp vegetable oil
5 slices of bacon, chopped
1 onion finely chopped
1 clove of garlic
4 oz button mushrooms
1 tbsp cornstarch
10 fl oz milk
3/4 lb mature cheddar
3/4 lb monterey jack
1 tsp worcester sauce
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp hot pepper sauce

Put oil in pan over medium heat and fry the bacon until crisp, set aside to cool

Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms to the pan, and cook for 4-5 minutes

Sprinkle over the cornstarch and mix well, gradually add the milk, mixing until smooth. Slowly add the grated cheese, stiring constantly until melted

Add the worcester sauce, mustard powder and hot pepper sauce and most of the bacon

Transfer to fondue pot/crock pot to keep warm, garnish with remaining bacon

Serve with cubes of crusty bread, cherry tomatoes, celery and apple slices

Armenian Beef Kebabs

I managed to convince the hubby to give these a try (he's not a fan of mint) and amazingly he really liked them!


1lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup fresh mint
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients together, divide into 8 equal portions, form into a long sausage type shape around a skewer.

Place skewers on broiler pan, broil for 8-10 minutes turning once.

We served ours with tabbouleh and crusty bread.

Grocery Totals - June 14th

This week was much like last week, where we ended up going to a number of stores.
Kroger - had to get the last of the paper plates for our neighbourhood party this weekend, and while I was there grabbed a few other great deals on deodorant and cheese
Central Market - The hubby wanted to get some strawberry rhubarb danish spread that we can only get there, and I'm certainly not going to turn down the chance to shop at central market!
Target - I needed to get some starbucks coffee for my tassimo and Target has the best price, picked up some strawberries for $0.99 and a great deal on Hefty green bags
Walmart - I really don't like shopping at walmart, the one by my house is pretty dirty and I always get hassle about my coupons, but it's the only store that I have found over the moon milk at and I had $1.50 off each one coupons to use and I finally used the free kashi coupon
HEB - The hubby wanted to get some beef short ribs and HEB has the best price for those and he stocked up on some other meats while we were there

Kroger:


Shelf price : $28.03
OOP : $6.69
Saved : $21.34
Pct : 76%

3 x Hefty plates
3 x Sure deodorant
3 x Suave deodorant
3 x Kraft 2% shredded cheese

Central Market:



3 x bananas
Red seedless grapes
Red bell pepper
Apple
4 x potatoes
1/2 lb button mushrooms
4 x Texas peaches
2 x nectarines
1 bunch fresh mint
1 bunch fresh chives
1 lb shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 lb shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 lb beemster cheese
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella bocconcini
Rothchilds farm horseradish sauce
Strawberry rhubarb danish spread
Whole milk
Ciabatta bread
6 x bagels
Tabbouleh
Spicy chicken curry couscous

I can't find my reciept but I know the total was around $60.00 or so

Target:

Shelf price : $46.87
OOP : $22.34
Saved : $24.53

Hershey bliss chocolates
Iceberg lettuce
1 lb strawberries
Starbucks tassimo coffee
Naproxem sodium tablets
2 x hefty green bags
Hefty bags
Ziploc containers
Pedigree dentastix
2 x pedigree canned dog food
Fathers day card
canned green beans
Archer farms yellow curry mix
Cottonelle

Walmart:

Shelf price : $9.37
OOP : $3.19
Saved : $6.18
Over the moon fat free milk
Over the moon 1% milk
6 white onions
Kashi frozen meal

HEB:

Unsweetened iced tea $1.99
Fresh pineapple $3.99
2 x green bell peppers $1.00
Red onion $0.97
Celery $1.49
3 x black plums $1.25
Watermelon quarter $1.49
Pork loin roast $5.24
Short ribs $3.09
Short ribs $3.09
Short ribs $3.87
8 x beef patties $7.55

Total: $33.02

See other grocery deals at The Grocery Cart Challenge

Menu Plan Monday - June 15th

Monday: Armenian beef kebabs with tabbouleh

Tuesday: Bacon cheese fondue with crusty bread, cherry tomatoes, apple slices and celery to dip

Wednesday: Coronation chicken salad on english muffins with fruit salad

Thursday: We have our monthly HOA board members meeting, so we will be grabbing something quick after that

Friday: Orzo and beef stuffed peppers with salad

See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Grocery Totals - June 7th

This week I ended up shopping at 3 different stores, and not because there were deals I couldn't pass up. I did the usual Kroger trip, a quick stop at Whole Foods and then a trip to Central Market just because I was feeling down, and that's where I go when I need cheering up!

Does anyone else find grocery stores calming? the Hubby finds it completely strange that going to the grocery store can make me happy, and especially when it comes to Central Market. I remember just over a year ago, we had some devastating news from an immigration interview, and mid panic attack I made the hubby drive me to the nearest store as I needed to calm down.

Anyway, it was the hubby's idea to go to Central Market this weekend, simply because he could tell I was a little down and even though it is definitely more expensive than the regular store, I truly do not care and love every minute of shopping there. I love all the unique and interesting things you can find there, I love how fresh and delicious their produce is and I especially love the British cheese section.

Kroger:


Shelf price : $93.34
OOP : $38.92
Saved : $54.42
Pct : 58%





3 x 20 count Bayer aspirin crystals
Iceberg lettuce
3 x Bananas
8 x nectarines
1 lb Strawberries
2 x Lysol
2 x Lysol neutra air
Oust spray
Thomas English muffins
4 x A1 steak sauce
2 x velveeta shells and cheese
Velveeta cheese block
Chili beans
Jar of sliced jalapenos
Grands biscuits
Kitchen gloves
Swiffer cleaning solution
McCormick sea salt grinder
McCormick pepper grinder
2 x Pedigree dog food cans
Sea-bonds
3 x Purina kitten chow
Digorno frozen flatbread
6 x 2ltr pepsi bottles
A&W 2ltr root beer

Central market:

There aren't really any deals to be had there, although they do frequently send out free item coupons and have now started doing meal deals like HEB does. The deals I got this time, included free 1lb of potato salad and 1lb of slaw when you bought a rotisserie chicken, free yogurt when you bought granola, free pound of chicken breasts when you spent over $40, and $1.50 off their organic ice cream.


Shelf price : $106.28
OOP : $73.23
Saved : $33.05



5 x Texas peaches
English cucumber
Blackberries
4 x Shallots
1 bulb garlic
2 x baking potatoes
1.5lbs Yellow dutch potatoes
2.8lbs Red creamer potatoes
Organic vanilla ice cream
Organic butter pecan ice cream
1lb Chicken breasts
1/2 rack chipotle bbq ribs from deli
Beijing roti rotisserie chicken
Bulk coarse black pepper
Bulk israeli toasted couscous
Granola clusters
1lb vanilla almond granola
Cascade vanilla yogurt
2 x bagels
1lb potato salad from deli
1lb coleslaw from deli
Spicy chicken couscous from deli
Native Texan bby sauce
Promised land 2% milk
2 x Central Market organic vegetable broth
Creme brulee from bakery
Pot de creme from bakery

Whole Foods:

My final stop was at Whole Foods and I only stopped there to get my latest food obsession - vanilla chobani. Now, I would never usually spend $1.69 on one yogurt, but I am in love with this stuff, and combine it with granola and I can't get enough of it. So, even though I wouldn't pay $1.69 for a 4 pack of yogurt at Kroger I pay it for my chobani because it is so worth it.


7 x Vanilla chobani $11.83

See other grocery deals at The Grocery Cart Challenge

Menu Plan Monday - June 8th

Monday: Leftover prime rib that the hubby made yesterday, with baked potatoes and green beans

Tuesday: Mexican lasagna and grilled corn with jalapeno garlic butter

Wednesday: Chinese barbequed pork with fried rice and egg rolls

Thursday - Chanal dhal, jasmine rice and naan bread

Friday - Going out

See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Grocery Deals - May 31st

I did a little better in terms of percentage saved this week, and I was really pleased with my total being $47.59 considering that $10.50 of that ws 5lbs of ground beef which I did not have a coupon for, and I impulse bought a magazine at checkout for $4.99, oh and I also got a few more drink mixes and paper plates for our neighbourhood block party in a few weeks.
I also managed to get some really great deals on pork. I had $3 off fresh pork coupons and Kroger had some pork chops and ribs on markdown to $3.49, $4.00 and $3.20, so after coupons I only paid $1.69 for all 3 packages.
I also got $2 back in cats for buying the country time drink mixes and the mac and cheese, plus I have a rebate to mail in for the price of the digorno flatbread pizza.


Shelf price : $120.29
OOP : $47.59
Saved : $72.70
Pct : 60%





Cooking magazine
5lbs ground beef
Hefty foam plates
Digorno frozen flatbread
2 x velveeta shells and cheese
Pork country ribs
Pork baby back ribs
Pork chops
3 x A1 sauce
3 pack fresh corn
4 pack tomatoes
Iceberg lettuce
Cucumber
10 lbs potatoes
2 x weber seasonings
Kraft mayo
Pace queso
2 x Mr clean magic erasers
Country crock
Sour cream
2 x country time lemonade mixes
2 x monterey jack shredded cheese
American cheese slices
Cream cheese brick
Hamburger buns
3 x Purina kitten chow
2 x Alpo dog food cans
Pedigree dentastix
Chocolate magic shell ice cream topping
18 count large eggs
2 x Wholly salsa
On the border tortilla chips
Wholly guacamole

See other grocery deals at The Grocery Cart Challenge

Menu Plan Monday - June 1st

Monday: Shredded bbq pork sandwiches, corn on the cob and salad

Tuesday: Tacos, spanish rice and guacamole with chips

Wednesday: Lasagna, green beans and salad

Thursday: Black pepper chicken, jasmine rice and sugar snap peas

Friday: Going out to eat

See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers

A few weeks ago I got some really cheap poblano peppers, and as the hubby loves stuffed bell peppers so much, I thought I would try making stuffed poblanos for him. They turned out great and the hubby loved them!

4 poblano peppers
1 large chicken breast
1 onion
1 box of mexican rice
1 can of rotel
1/4 tsp chili powder
Pinch of ceyenne pepper
Monterey jack cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream for serving

Preheat the oven to 375
Cut the tops off the peppers and clean out the seeds
Prepare the mexican rice per instructions on the box
While rice is cooking, cut chicken breast into chunks and brown in skillet with a little oil
Add diced onion, the tops of the peppers diced, the chili powder and ceyenne pepper
Let cook for a couple of minutes, then add the rotel and the cooked mexican rice
Fill each pepper with the chicken and rice mixture and place in baking dish
Bake for 30 minutes
Remove poblano peppers from the oven and cover with as much shredded monterey jack cheese as you like
Bake for an additional 10 minutes, serve with sour cream