So Tired!

Ohhhh! I am sooo tired! It's the first day back from spring break....and I'm dragging.  I'm so glad that it's pick up pizza night tonight on the menu.  Sometimes, I really do a good job planning! sometimes, not so much! This week, I have a few tried and true menus planned so it's easy since I'm so busy!

Tonight, we're having pizza from Mazzio's, they have a pick-up special so I'm picking up.  Tomorrow, it's pancake and ham night with frozen blackberries from the garden.  I bought the ham and eggs for the pancakes with coupons on sale and will make from scratch pancakes.  So dinner is only a few bucks!  Wednesday is eat at church night! I love Wednesdays, I get to see my friends and chat, and I don't have to cook.  Bonus!  Thursday is my husbands birthday night so I'm crockpot cooking pork tenderloin, wild rice pilaf and salad with strawberry jello cake. That's his favorite. 

Friday, well friday is my daughter's slumber party! The boys are taking off to grandma's! She hasn't decided on pizza or hamburgers...but we're having veggies, dip, apples, grapes and marble cupcakes!  I don't thing anybody cares what the entree will be, they are having cupcakes with pink and black zebra cupcake liners.

Anyway, we've got the menu planned, the invites are being delivered today, the new family room will be ready for the girls, we may not have it completely done but the tv, the wii and the foosball table will be hooked up. They are all ready and really excited.....I am going to bed with ear plugs in that night.....I'm tired already!

September Menu Planning

I sat down and started my September menu planning.  Yes, I know, it's already September.  Well, with school starting, a new job, home schooling, dance and piano lessons starting, I've been a bit busy!

I'm beginning to transition out of summer foods and into fall dishes.  More pork and apples, less salads.  More pancake nights, less sandwiches. I even put chili and stew on the menu in late September ! We are eating the last of the Oklahoma peaches and are savoring each one.  I found a great sandwich recipe for ham peach panini.  I found it in the All You magazine.  I don't have a panini press and am not planning to purchase one.  What I have is a non-stick skillet and a cast iron skillet.  It works just fine.

Ham-Peach Panini

Bread, I've used regular sandwich or bagette; One section for each person
Sliced ham
Thinly sliced peaches, I don't peel them
honey mustard- the recipe called for dijon but I don't care for dijon.
Peach/Apricot jam or butter
cheddar cheese

On the bottom bread, spread the mustard and jam.  I go easy on the mustard and heavy on the jam.   Place sliced peaches on each bottom bread then cover with ham and cheese.  Top with the other piece of bread.  Grill in a little butter until browned then flip over and place the iron skillet on top to smash it down. 

So good, even my picky daughter ate it!

Menu for April

Sitting down and making my menu plan for April. The days are getting longer and I begin to take soups out of the menu and replace them with salads, sandwiches and grilled food. One thing I can never replace is pizza. We eat it a lot. I make a mean homeade pizza and the kids would eat it once a week. I like it more like every other week and never the same way twice. In the spring and summer, I like to lighten my pizza's up with fresh tomatoes and spinach and a little feta cheese. I will use more grilled chicken and less sausage in the spring too.

A favorite casserole recipe year round at my house is pizza casserole. This is good for those nights when everyone is inviting someone over. Every kid I've ever had around the table likes this dish and some even request it when they come over. It's a nice pantry/freezer dish that can be whipped up quick and you can double or split it and freeze one for later.

Puffy Pizza Casserole
Sauce:
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, cooked and drained (I keep mine in the freezer already)
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce or homemade- If you can or freeze homemade spaghetti sauce omit the onion and pepper.
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup green pepper, chopped (I leave this out, hubby HATES green pepper)
1/2 cup water
1 package spaghetti sauce mix
1 teap. crushed oregano
1 clove crushed garlic
dash of hot sauce
Crust:
1 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter/margarine
1 T cooking oil
2 eggs
1 cup flour (can be 1/2 whole wheat)

8 oz (4 cups) shredded mozzeralla cheese (I keep this already shredded in the freezer)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Mix tomato sauce, onion, pepper, water, spaghetti sauce mix, oregano, garlic, hot sauce and cooked hamburger. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Beat milk, butter, oil and eggs for one minute. Add flour and beat for 2 minutes more.

Turn meat mixture into a 13x9 inch pan.(If you're splitting this, it would be 8x9 or 9x9)

Sprinkle with mozzerella cheese. Top with the flour mixture. make sure to seal the edges of the crust over to the side of the pan. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. If you're freezing this for later, label and freeze. To bake later, just refridgerate until thawed and cook as normal.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until crust is done in the center. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

When you're ready to serve, turn it upside down onto the plates. It looks like a deep pan pizza. I usually serve this with a veggie tray of carrots, peppers and cucumbers and ranch dip because I usually have a bunch of kids eating!