Displaying Your Childs Art Work

CarriesCooking's Home Recipe

My daughter loves to paint. I hate to throw them away but who has space for all those. My only solution is to display the artwork of my daughters choice in the playroom. I bought six document frames from my local dollar store. Check out what my daughter choose to display below.

Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken

CarriesCooking's Summer Grill Out

Welcome to my new Saturday feature that will have you itching to get the grill out.

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless halves

1/4 cup worchester sauce

1 tablespoon Lemon Pepper

Directions

1. Place chicken in a shallow dish.
2. Pour worchester sauce over chicken. (Turning the chicken to coat)
3. Sprinkle chicken with lemon pepper on both sides.
4. Allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes.
5. Place chicken on warm grill, turning once
6. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes depending on thickness of chicken (Be sure to check for doneness.)

Menu and Grocery List (June 8 - 14)

Menu

Monday
Sour Cream and Salsa Chicken
Broccoli
Dinner Roll
(Tuesday Prep - Defrost steak)
Tuesday
Flank Steak with Red Onion Marmalade
Baked Potato
Corn
(Wednesday Prep - Defrost and cook, if you have time, chicken)
Wednesday
Chicken Tetrazzini (Freezer Friendly)
Green Salad
(Thursday Prep - Defrost ground beef)
Thursday
Tacos
Refried Beans
Friday
Pizza
Breadsticks
(Saturday prep - defrost chicken)
Saturday
Sweet-and-Sour Chicken
Rice
Green Beans
Sunday
Free Day

First, I want to explain what I have called the 'free day'. I have used other meal planning services and found that there was always one day that my family would eat out. The free day is the opportunity for you to either eat out, catch up to my meals, if you are behind, or make something that you or your family loves.

Second, a great suggestion was made to have one meal a week that is freezer friendly. (Thanks Andrea, from MommySnacks) You can either make the meal and eat it, make it and freeze it, or double the recipe and do both. If you have the space, it is great having a few premade meals in the freezer. Just put the meal together, don't cook it, and freeze it. Then when it is time to eat it, defrost and follow the cooking instructions.

Grocery List

Bakery Item
Dinner Rolls (Suggested side)

Baking Supplies
3 tablespoons sugar (Flank Steak w/ Red Onion Marmalade)
1 tablespoon Brown Sugar (Sweet and Sour Chicken)
1 tablespoon Corn Starch (Sweet and Sour Chicken)

Basic Cooking Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil (Sour Cream and Salsa Chicken)
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil (Sweet and Sour Chicken)

Canned Goods
1 8 ounce can Pineapple Chunks, with juice (Sweet and Sour Chicken)

Condiments and Salad Dressings
3 tablespoons vinegar distilled, white (Flank Steak w/ Red Onion Marmalade)
1 tablespoon Vinegar (Sweet and Sour Chicken)

Dairy, Eggs, and Milk
1/2 cup butter (Chicken Tetrazzino)
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream (Chicken Tetrazzino)
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated (Chicken Tetrazzino)
3 tablespoon butter (Flank Steak w/ Red Onion Marmalade)
1/2 cup sour cream (Sour Cream and Salsa Chicken)
2 cups Cheddar Cheese Shredded (Tacos)
1 cup Sour Cream Suggested Topping (Tacos)

Ethnic Foods
1/2 cup salsa (Sour Cream and Salsa Chicken)
Refried Beans (Suggested Side)
1/4 cup soy sauce (Sweet and Sour Chicken)
Salsa (Tacos)
12 Taco Shells (Tacos)

Frozen Foods
Frozen Pizza (Pizza)
Broccoli (Suggested Side)
Green Beans (Suggested Side)
Breadsticks (Suggested Side)
Corn (Suggested Side)

Herbs and Spices
1 teaspoon salt (Flank Steak w/ Red Onion Marmalade)
1/4 teaspoon pepper coarsely ground (Flank Steak w/ Red Onion Marmalade)
to taste salt (Sour Cream and Salsa Chicken)
to taste pepper (Sour Cream and Salsa Chicken)
1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger (Sweet and Sour Chicken)
1 teaspoon Black Pepper (Taco Seasoning)
1 tablespoon Chili Powder (Taco Seasoning)
1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (Taco Seasoning)
1/4 teaspoon Dried Oregano (Taco Seasoning)
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder (Taco Seasoning)
1 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin (Taco Seasoning)
1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder (Taco Seasoning)
1/2 teaspoon Paprika (Taco Seasoning)
1 teaspoon Salt (Taco Seasoning)

Meats, Fish, and Seafood
4 chicken breast boneless, halves, cooked (Chicken Tetrazzino)
1 1/2 pounds flank steak (Flank Steak w/ Red Onion Marmalade)
4 chicken breast skinless, boneless, halves (Sour Cream and Salsa Chicken)
1 pound Chicken Breast Boneless, halves, cubed (Sweet and Sour Chicken)
1 pound Ground Beef (Tacos)

Pasta, Rice, and Beans
8 ounces spaghetti (Chicken Tetrazzino)
Rice (Suggested Side)

Produce
2 (8 ounce) cans mushrooms drained (Chicken Tetrazzino)
2 medium red onion thinly sliced (Flank Steak w/ Red Onion Marmalade)
Potatoes (Suggested Side)
Green Salad (Suggested Side)
1 cup carrot strips (Sweet and Sour Chicken)
1 clove Garlic minced (Sweet and Sour Chicken)
1/2 cup Green Bell Pepper Sliced (Sweet and Sour Chicken)
Lettuce Suggested Topping (Tacos)
1 large Onion (Tacos)
1 Tomato Suggested Topping (Tacos)

Soup
2 (10.75 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup condensed (Chicken Tetrazzino)
1 10 3/4 ounce can Tomato Soup Condensed (Tacos)

Be sure to check your refrigerator and pantry for any of these items that you already have. Also, don't forget to add items for breakfast, lunch and every day items. Going grocery shopping is much easier if you have a list of everything you need. Check out the Master Grocery List to make sure you aren't missing anything.

Lemon and Garlic Linquine

Ingredients

16 oz linguine

1/2 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons parsley

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions
2. Drain pasta and place in a serving bowl.
3. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes.
5. Add lemon juice and pepper.
6. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute.
7. Add sauce to drained pasta and toss well.
8. Add cheese and parsley and toss again.

The Magic of The Dry Erase Marker

CarriesCooking Tips

I think I have mentioned this before but my family includes some big eaters.  My husband is a big eater, my kids (although 1 and 3) can be very big eaters, and I am a big eater.  Even though we might eat more than what is technically considered a serving size we almost always have some leftovers.

I always package the leftovers up and put them in either the freezer of refrigerator depending on what it is and how much is left.  When I package the leftovers I try my best to put it in a reusable container.  (I do this as not to create excessive trash and because it is cheaper.)

Confession time.  Although my goal is to clean out my refrigerator once a week of leftover and any spoiled food it really doesn't happen that way.  Then when I am looking for a quick lunch I wonder how long has this leftover been in the refrigerator or freezer.  

My solution, since the cleaning clearly isn't happening, is the dry erase marker.  I write what the leftover is and when it was first made.  Then I clearly know if the food is good enough to still eat.  I find that I eat leftovers more often this way!  This is great as it means less food going in the trash, which I just hate.

So the next time you put leftovers away, get out your dry erase markers and get writing!

Apple Spice Cake

Baking with CarriesCooking

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups flour

4 cups apple sauce

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Mix flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, spices and salt well in a large bowl.
2. Mix in apple sauce just until blended.
3. Pour into 9x13 inch pan that has been greased and floured.
4. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Place on rack until cool.

Check out other baking recipes here.

Starting next Tuesday, just in time for summer, check out CarriesCooking's Summertime Desserts!

Cooler For The Car

CarriesCooking's Home Recipe

These days whenever I leave the house I pack a little cooler.  Below is a picture that I took of the cooler today at a park where I took my kids to play and have lunch.  I take it with me everywhere.  As you see there is a pink ticket in it from Sunday's trip to a local amusement park.  It also has a weed that my daughter picked for me at the park.

What do I keep in this cooler?

• snacks
• drinks
• sunblock
• wet wipes
• band aids

With 2 kids ages almost 4 and almost 2 they are always hungry or thirsty.  It is best if I have something on hand.  It is also handy for unplanned trips to the park.  (The one in the picture was planned!)  It also helps to prevent trips to or thru fast food joints.  I have come to depend on my cooler.  I don't leave the house without it.