First posted menu

I have seen menu planning on several different sites and thought I would try my hand at it to stay organized with our food budget..I hope I stick to it,seems pretty easy!Everything I am planning is based on what we already have..I am trying not to go to the store at all this week,unless we absolutely have to..So here goes:

Monday-(breakfast for dinner)-scrambled eggs,sausage links,hashbrowns

Tuesday-baked raviolis,green beans,garlic bread

Wednesday-Trying a new recipe,if it comes out well,I will post pictures..http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-chicken-stroganoff/,egg noodles,broccoli

Thursday-Another new recipe,(http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1727,150169-224197,00.html)stuffing,buttered carrots

Friday-Frozen Pizza or take out

Saturday-Breakfast-home made waffles,bacon,

Dinner-baked chicken legs,macaroni and cheese, California vegie blend(my favorite vegetable blend!)

Desert-brownies or cookies

 

I hope you find some ideas from my menu!Let’s hope I stick to it!

Vanilla Cinnamon French Toast

Sometimes I like to make new recipes in the kitchen when its just me..Today I was by myself for breakfast so I decided to try a new twist on french toast.I love the combination of vanilla and cinnamon so I thought it would be great for french toast…So here goes:

First I started by scrambling two eggs,about a fourth of a cup of milk a splash of vanilla and some cinnamon..(sorry no measurements didn’t think I needed to be too precise for something like this)…

 

Then you let the bread soak up all the ooey goodness,and flip over to coat both sides:

 

After both sides are cooked,you generously butter a large frying pan and fry toast on both sides until golden brown.

 

Once cooked through serve on a plate with butter and large amounts of syrup..(I love mrs.butterworths brand)!!!

Enjoy!

 

Fried Chicken Wings

Every once in a while Sean and I like to make chicken wings.I never really liked wings because I thought they were only the barbecue sauce type.But Sean makes it with a breading that I like a lot more.We use a combination of flour,seasoning salt and paprika.The wings come out nice and crispy..I love the salty taste of the seasoning salt.

Here is how we make them using our deep fryer..

First you start by mixing flour,seasoning salt and paprika in one bowl:

 

Then you soak the wings in a bowl with milk..This just helps the breading to stick to the wings:

 

Then you coat the wings with the breading and set them aside on a plate while you wait for your oil to heat up:

 

We use a deep fryer to cook our wings..I know its bad for you but we rarely have them so when we do we like to fry them:

 

You fry them at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes,depending on the size of your wings and they will come out nice and crispy:

 

I usually serve them in a container like this so we have something to put the bones in..In the past we have also made garlic parmesan wings which are also good but I think my favorite kind is the seasoning salt breading..Hope you enjoy and make these some day!

Were Getting Married!!!

So I should have made a wedding post a while ago but I’ve been to excited and deep in wedding plans I just forgot to.But Sean proposed to me on Christmas Day.After church we were heading to his mom’s house.And right after we left my parents house he said he didn’t feel like going to his mom’s quite yet..So he pulled into the parking lot of the park we went to on our first date and we walked up to where they shoot off the fireworks and he asked for my phone..He made an app asking a few questions about me and the last answer was will you marry me,I looked at it and then noticed he was getting down on one knee and he asked if I would marry him..And I said yes right away of course!I was sooo excited!!!So we went back to my moms afterwards and I came in the living room and my brother was all like why are you back,then my mom looked at me and she knew and we both instantly started crying..(apparently she and my dad knew cause Sean asked my dad a couple days prior..)

So We are planning on getting married April of next year.We won’t know the exact date until this April 1st.The place where we are having the ceremony you have to reserve a year ahead of time on the first of that month..We want April 26th..So hopefully we’ll get that date..We originally wanted to have it in march because our anniversary is in march but the weather in Pittsburgh is to unpredictable in March so we went with April.

I’m sure I will be posting more in the future about wedding planning…

Ceremony will be at Heinz Chapel(if were able to reserve it)and reception in the hall of my parents church.I’ve been there before for my cousin’s wedding a couple years ago..Its a beautiful church..Here are some pictures I found off google images.

Well that’s all for now..Will try to update more often.

City Chicken

I grew up eating my gram’s city chicken..I didn’t remember how she made it so I asked my mom and she told me how to over the phone..Not very hard at all!They sell kits like this in grocery stores in Pittsburgh..It is made with pork because the recipe originated around the great depression and apparently pork was cheaper than chicken at the time so that’s what people used.Its a fun dish to make and would be good if your having company for dinner..

I couldn’t find the kits here so this is the kind of pork I had to use..

 

I started by cutting the pork into about 1 inch cubes.

 

Then you thread them onto skewers that are about 4 to 5 inches long..(I soaked mine in water for about 5 hours,but I suppose you don’t need to unless your grilling them)

 

Make a breading station with two pie plates(I find these work the best for breading)With eggs and seasoned bread crumbs.

 

Once all the skewers are breaded,you fry them in about 2 inches of vegetable oil for about 5 minutes per side.

 

 

Once you fry all the skewers place them on a lightly sprayed foil lined cookie sheet and cover with foil,then bake in oven at 350 for about 35 to 40 minutes so the pork becomes nice and tender.

 

Then plate them up and their ready to enjoy!

 

Felt Snowman Ornament

Over the weekend I made some felt snowman ornaments.I made the hat out of the finger tips of some old gloves and the body is rolled up felt.I found the idea from a youtube video I watched..

You start by cutting the fingers off the gloves..There were really cheap when I bought them last year at kmart..

Roll the ends of the fingers up a little to form the bottom of the hat.

Cut the felt into small squares for the body.

Roll up the squares and put a little bit of hot glue on the inside so they stick together.

Then put the hat on top.(it is tight enough that you wont need to use any glue.Then you can paint any kind of face you want on it and put a  little button on the scarf.

Aren’t they the cutest little ornaments!I just need to find a way to hang them.The lady in the video put a little pom pom on the hat  but I like them without.

Melt and Pour Soap

Last week I made some melt and pour soap and thought I would share with you how I make it!Its very simple and easy to do..It also makes great gifts around the Holidays!

This is how the soap base comes,you can get it in big blocks like this.I got these at Michaels,when I get them at Hobby Lobby I get them in bags in little blocks.I like that kind better..Next time we go there I will get pictures.

Gather all the ingredients before you begin,makes the process easier.

 

Chop the soap base in little pieces and put in a microwave save container

Microwave the soap in 30 second intervals until completely melted and add colorants and fragrance then pour into your soap molds.

You can see some bubbles that have formed on the bottom..I forgot to mention if you spray it with rubbing alcohol it will prevent the bubbles from forming.(The kind of soap I buy at Hobby Lobby doesn’t get as many bubbles which is why I prefer that kind..I wish I could remember the name of it.

It usually takes an hour or two before its completely set up,then pop out of the molds and you have some lovely home made soap.This was lavendar.I also got cucumber melon so I will be making more soon.Hope you enjoyed!