August Menu Plan

I can hardly believe July is already drawing to a close and it is time to start planning for August.  A couple of short weeks, and I will get to go check out the brand spanking new elementary school that my kids are going to be lucky enough to attend!  It should be interesting being there from the beginning at a new school and seeing how they get the ball rolling on everything, specifically, the PTO which is what I will be going for.

Looking at our menu, it looks very short on vegetables.  That is not the case though.  With vegetables, especially in the summer, I like to see what looks good in the garden or at the store each week and go from there.  I do one big monthly grocery trip for all the main courses and things you see listed, but I also do a quick stop each week to pick up fresh produce.  For me, this method ROCKS.  It means, I only need to get really organized 1 time per month, then we are ready to eat delicious meals all month without hardly a thought on my part!  When possible, I linked to my inspiration (if it is my first time making it or it just isn't on my blog yet).  Sometimes I make it exactly like the recipe it is linked to, others I just use it as a base and change it up to suit me and my family.

Dinners:
1st: Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta & French Baguettes  with Sicilian Butter
2nd: Chicken Parmesan Heroes 
3rd: The Original Loose Meat Sandwich  & Crash Hot Potatoes
4th: Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
5th: Shrimp Pasta in a Foil Package
6th: Homemade Pizza: 1 Pepperoni/Green Olive & 1 Wise Guy
7th: Cathy's Sherried Tomato Soup & Tomato & Basil Grilled Cheese
8th: Judge's Fantastic Shredded Pork & Sweet Restaurant Slaw 
9th: Ground Round Chicken Tortilla Soup
10th: Mini-Mac Sliders & Firehouse Taters
11th: Italian Zucchini Bake 
12th: Balsamic Glazed Salmon & Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto
13th: Gone for Pickle Packing Party;)
14th: Gone for Pickle Packing Party;)
15th: Oriental Fried Rice
16th: Fettuccine Alfredo & Grilled Chicken Breast
17th: Big Daddy's Dirty Rice
18th: Oven Ham Sammies
19th: Garlic-Skewered & Grilled Shrimp & Stuffed Baked Potatoes
20th: Taco Night
21st: Tangy Sirloin Strips & Zucchini Au Gratin
22nd: Butter Chicken  over Steamed Rice & Roasted Broccoli
23rd: Huli-Huli Chicken
24th: Beef Chimichangas
25th: Easy Calzones
26th: Panko & Herb Encrusted Tilapia & Cheddar Brushetta
27th: Homemade Pizza
28th: California BLT's
29th: Slow Cooker Buffalo Sandwiches
30th: General Tso's Chicken, Steamed White Rice, & Egg Rolls with Sweet & Sour
31st: Spaghetti & Meatballs, Garlic Bread, & Side Salad

Breakfast/Brunch Ideas:
*Muffins That Taste Like Doughnuts
*Make Ahead Muffins Melts
*Bacon Breakfast Pizza
*Banana Crumb Muffins
*Homemade Maple Syrup
*Herb &  3-Cheese Omlet

Lunch:
*Creamy Pimento Cheese
*Grilled Banana & Nutella Panini

Snacks:
*Monster Cookies
*Special K Bars
*Oatmeal Cream Pies
*Spinach & Artichoke Dip
*Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos
*Sex on the Beach
*Mexican Dip
*Antiquity Rose Rhubarb Upside Down Cake
*Hot Fudge Sundae Sauce
*Microwave Caramel Corn
*M&M Sugar Cookies

For My Spoiled Dog:
*Birthday Bones

Slow Cooker Shredded Buffalo Chicken

This morning, I made a delicious topping for these nachos pictured below.  I was hoping to make it more of a salad than nachos, but my garden lettuce looked too pathetic to use today:-(  Next year, I think I am going to space my lettuce planting out by a few weeks so I can enjoy it for more of the summer.  As a result, I had to use some shredded iceberg that I had picked up for tacos in a bag for Friday night (that is really the only time I use iceberg since there are tastier and healthier options out there).

Anyway, the buffalo chicken that I made to top this with was SO SO easy & very delicious.  It can also be a fairly healthy way of getting your wing "fix" depending on what you do with it.  You could also easily make a "sloppy" version of a buffalo chicken sandwich!

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts (frozen is fine!)

6 oz. Frank's Hot Sauce

Place frozen chicken breasts in slow cooker.  Pour Frank's hot sauce over the top.  Cook on low heat for 7-8 hours.  Shred with 2 forks and mix into juices.  

Great to use as a salad topping, nacho topping, to make a buffalo baked potato, wrapped in a tortilla, or on a bun.  

For my nachos, pictured above, I layered, in this order: Mission Tortilla Chips, Shredded Chicken, Shredded Sharp Cheddar, Shredded Iceberg Lettuce, Thinly Sliced Red Onion, Dollop each of Bleu Cheese Dressing & Guacamole.  

Menu Plan Monday

First off, please let me apologize for my poorly formatted blog right now.  For some reason, my blog became somewhat unformatted and I am working at getting it looking decent again.  I figured, I might as well have a little redesign, so I will most likely be experimenting with it for the next couple of days.  In the meantime, sorry if things are a bit of a mess around here!  


Monday: Frank's Red Hot Chicken Salad

Tuesday: Jaden's Beef with Broccoli, Steamed Rice, Egg Rolls

Wednesday: Barbecued Pork Chops & Garden Veggies

Thursday: Firecracker Shrimp & Garden Veggies

Friday: Tacos in a bag

Saturday: Ribeyes, Onion Strings, & Garden Veggies

Sunday: Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

BBQ Chicken & Cheddar Sandwiches

As you can probably tell, I just love BBQ sauce flavored meats, as does my husband.  Heck, even my kids do!  Therefore, I am going to share a recipe that is decidedly NOT the first sandwich recipe featuring BBQ sauce.  It IS somewhat different though, not to mention very easy and delicious!  Next time I make this though, I am going to need to make MORE.  There was some grumbling from a certain person that wanted another sandwich.

Note to self!  Master Bread Outlet has Onion Rolls!  Everywhere else in town has, apparently, lost their mind and quit carrying them!

BBQ Chicken & Cheddar Sandwiches

4 strips of bacon, halved crosswise

3 chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lbs.), cut into bite-sized pieces

salt & pepper

1 c. of your favorite BBQ sauce

1/2 chipotle pepper, optional ( I did not use because I didn't want to buy a can to use 1/2 of 1 pepper and they were fantastic without)

1/4 c. water

4 large onion rolls, split

1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Fry bacon in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes.  Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and pour off all but 1 Tbsp. of fat.  Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.  Cook chicken in bacon fat until browned on one side, about 4 minutes.  Flip chicken and add BBQ sauce, chipotle pepper (if desired), and water.

Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is slightly thickened, about 8 minutes.  

Place onion rolls on a baking sheet.  Divide chicken mixture amongst the onion rolls, placing the chicken on the bottom portion of the rolls, cut side up.  Top with sauce, cheese, and bacon.  

Bake open-faced sandwiches in the oven until cheese melts and the rolls are golden-brown, about 4 minutes.  Top each sandwich with a toasted roll top.  

Source: Thank you Recipe Shoebox for the delicious and easy recipe!

The Second Installment of Zucchini Invasion: Baked Zucchini with Mozzarella

I had a bit of trouble sleeping last night, so please excuse me if I am incoherent.  Every once and a while, I just CANNOT fall and stay asleep.  Last night was one of those nights:-(  I have almost made it through today, and I am hoping I saw some major logs tonight.

Anyway, I wanted to get my next newly found delicious zucchini recipe up (just in case anyone besides me has them coming out of there ears right now).  Everyone in my house really liked this one, except a certain 11 year old that decided he didn't like it (because it was zucchini) before he even tried it.  It reminded me of Garlic Bread (without all the guilt!)

Baked Zucchini with Mozzarella 

2 medium or 5 small, zucchini

Lawry's Garlic Salt with Parsley OR Johnny's Garlic Spread Seasoning & Salt

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Slice your zucchini up into 1/2 inch rings.  Lay them out flat on a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with Johnny's Garlic Seasoning and a bit of salt.  Now, I didn't have this seasoning, so I used some Lawry's Garlic Salt I had on hand and it worked great, but DO NOT add salt too if you do this!  

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender.  

Take the hot pan out of the oven and sprinkle the zucchini with mozzarella cheese.  Place the cookie sheet back into the oven, and let the cheese get all bubbly and a bit browned (3-5 minutes).  Watch carefully!  Things go from fine to burnt to a crisp quickly under the broiler!  

Source: Thank you so much for the recipe Jamie Cooks It Up!

Easy & Delicious French Toast

Don't you just love sharing a big weekend breakfast with your family?  I know I do.  Unfortunately, I also like my weekend mornings to be a bit lazy.  That is why this french toast is so perfect.  So quick and easy, yet one of my families very favorite thing to have for breakfast.  

Easy & Delicious French Toast

5 eggs

3/4 c. milk

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. ground nutmeg (sometimes I substitute vanilla extract to change things up)

12 slices Texas Toast bread (very thick sliced white bread)

1/2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat a large griddle over medium-high heat.  

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs.  Add the milk, cinnamon,  brown sugar, and nutmeg (or vanilla); stir well to combine.  

Dredge one side of the bread in egg mixture.  Flip and do the same to the other side.  You want it to be well coated, but NOT soaked through.

Spritz griddle with non-stick cooking spray.  Place french toast slice on griddle and leave until browned.  Flip and brown the other side.    

Menu Plan Monday

Thought I would get a jump on the week ahead and get my Menu Planning out of the way!

Monday: BBQ Chicken Cheddar Sandwiches & Garden Vegetable (**yes, these have been on the menu several times--I haven't made them yet because I have been SEARCHING every single grocery store in town for the certain onion buns that I want with them.  I am heading to the bread store tomorrow and if they do not have them there, I am giving up and finding a substitute.  Yes, I am crazy--I have looked for these at 5-plus different stores over the past few weeks.  WHY do places always stop carrying things I love?)

Tuesday: Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich & Garden Vegetables 

Wednesday: Firecracker Shrimp Kebabs, Potato Bundles, & Garden Vegetables

Thursday: Honey-Glazed Salmon, Baked Potato, & Garden Vegetables

Friday: Homemade Chicken Strips & Sundried Tomato Pasta

Saturday: Not sure, probably out for oldest son's birthday party

Sunday: Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Apricot Sauce