Cayenne Cinnamon Ribs with Maple Glaze

I changed up the menu plan a little this week, as Randal really didn't want the beetroot risotto, it will be back on next weeks menu plan though! I found this recipe over at Steamy Kitchen and Randal is already asking for me to make them again next week, and he says they are the best ribs I've ever made!



Pork baby back ribs
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 275
Mix together the brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, cinnamon, cayenne and salt. Place ribs on foil and sprinkle the rub over both sides, cover the ribs with the foil, place on baking sheet and bake for 4 hours. Pull back the foil and pour over the maple syrup, put back in the oven for 5 minutes.

Mint Pea Israeli Couscous

The original recipe for this mint pea couscous was made with sugar snap peas, but as I didn't have any of those I went with just regular frozen peas. I made this to go with Armenian beef kebabs and fatoosh salad.


1 1/3 cups Israeli couscous
1 cup frozen peas
1 3/4 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup fresh basil
2 tbsp fresh mint
Juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper

Bring water to a boil and add cousous and the frozen peas, reduce heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
In a blender, combine the mint, basil, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil, blend until combined.
Once the couscous has absorbed all the water, add the mint mixture, stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Swiss Chicken Casserole

I have been meaning to make this casserole for quite a while, and after hearing some really good reviews of it I finally got around to making it. Randal and I both liked this, but neither of us enjoyed it enough to make this again. There's nothing realy wrong with the recipe, I guess it's just not for us!


8 chicken tenders
6 oz shredded swiss cheese
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup with herbs
1/4 cup milk
2 cups herb stuffing mix
1/2 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350
Arrange chicken breasts in baking dish, top with the swiss cheese
Mix chicken soup and milk together, pour over chicken
Add the stuffing mix over the soup and pour melted butter over top
Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes

Spoon Rolls

I love fresh homemade yeast breads, and I really like this recipe because you can keep the mixture in the fridge for a week and bake just as many rolls as you need at a time, which makes it so easy to have homemade rolls with dinner!


4 cups self raising flour
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
1 package active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar

Dissolve yeast in warm water, leave for 5 minutes
Mix together the egg and sugar, stir in the melted butter and the yeast mixture
Mix in the flour, one cup at a time
Fill muffin tins 3/4 full with dough
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes, until browned
Cover and refrigerate the remaining dough for up to a week

Raspberry Beans

Randal tried these beans while grocery shopping at HEB last weekend. He liked them so much that he immediately asked for the recipe and bought the ingredients to makes them. These beans are very easy to make, with very few ingredients and we both liked these quite a lot along side cheesy beef enchiladas.


2 cans pinto beans
1/2 lb bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup raspberry chipotle sauce

Fry bacon until crisp
Remove bacon from pan, and fry onion in bacon fat until softened
Drain beans and add to the onion, stir in the raspberry sauce and the cooked bacon and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Cheesy beef enchiladas and raspberry beans

Tuesday: Swiss cheese chicken casserole, mashed potatoes and fresh green beans

Wednesday: Armenian beef kebabs and fatoosh salad

Thursday: Beetroot risotto with goat cheese (Randal will probably eat leftover enchiladas and beans)

Friday: Eating out

See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Lemon Potatoes with Courgettes

I made this side dish a few weeks ago, to go with steaks that Randal grilled. I kept some of the potatoes plain for the hubby as he doesn't usually eat courgettes, but even he liked this recipe, so we will definitely be making this again.


1 lb small red potatoes
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tsp dried marjoram, divided
2 courgettes
1/2 green bell pepper
1/8 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 400
Boil potatoes for 15 minutes, until tender
While potatoes are boiling, combine courgettes and bell pepper in a large bowl, add 1/2 tsp marjoram, 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper
Arrange vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until tender
Whisk lemon juice, shallot, garlic, 1 tsp marjoram in a small bowm and gradually whisk in 1/8 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper and set aside
When potatoes are done, drain and transfer to a medium bowl and add 1/4 tsp marjoram and 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper
When vegetables are done, combine with potatoes and toss with the oil and lemon mixture. Serve warm.

Indian-Spiced Butternut Squash

One of my favourite new cookbooks is Anupy Singla's The Indian Slow Cooker. This is the first recipe I have made from this book, but it definitely won't be the last, even Randal enjoyed this squash along side his chicken tikka.


2 Tbsp canola oil
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 brown cardamom pods
1 2-inch cinnamon stick
1 red onion, sliced
1 medium tomato, diced
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ground coriander
3 lbs butternut squash, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp garam masala
1-2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

In a small sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the fenugreek, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture sizzles. Add the onion and cook for another minute or two, stirring, until the onion browns slightly. Add to the slow cooker and turn it on high.

Add the tomato, turmeric and coriander, and mix well. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add the squash, and mix again. Turn the cooker to low and cook for 4 hours, stirring once each hour.

Add the jalapeño, brown sugar, garam masala, 1 tsp of salt, cayenne and lemon juice.

Cheesecake Pancakes

I wanted to make this pancake recipe as soon as I saw them on the front cover of the food network magazine. I think I have eaten american style pancakes 3 times in the 9years I have lived here, so why I had to make these I don't know, and they were good, but halfway through the first one I decided that pancakes still weren't my thing! thankfully the hubby liked them!


1 1/2 cups strawberries, sliced
2 tablespoons seedless strawberry jam
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 cups chopped frozen cheesecake
Cooking spray

Mix the strawberries, jam and 2 tablespoons warm water in a bowl.
Pulse the flour, buttermilk, egg, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheesecake pieces, keeping them whole.

Coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Working in batches, pour about 1/4 cup batter into the skillet for each pancake. Cook until bubbly on top, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook until the other side is golden brown, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the finished pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Serve the pancakes topped with the strawberry sauce.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Sweet corn tamale cakes

Tuesday: Creamy chicken picasso with jasmine rice

Wednesday: pork chops, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob

Thursday: Chicken tikka masala with jasmine rice

Friday: Eating out

See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Chicken tikka masala, jasmine rice and indian spiced butternut squash that I still haven't made

Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner - bacon, eggs and cheesy hashbrowns with cheesecake pancakes and fresh strawberries

Wednesday: We are having the house painted for the rest of the week, so Randal will bring dinner home

Thursday: Randal will bring dinner home

Friday: Eating out

See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie