december meal plan

i'm back...left-overs are all used up, as are nearly all the frozen meals i had stock-piled. time to start all over!

spaghetti
swiss spinach strudel, mixed veggies and fruit on side
burgandy beef stew
grilled chicken, broccoli and gruyere gratin

hamburgers, sweet potato fries
cheese ravioli with pumpkin sage sauce
taco bake
chicken noodle soup

vegetable curry
slow cooker pork chops, fresh green bean casserole, skillet potatoes
vegetable risotto with shrimp
lasagna

brupper
slow cooker minestrone with grilled cheese sandwiches
pan-seared tilapia with citrus vinaigrette, steamed broccoli and carrots
spinach/mozzerella chicken sausage, green beans, sweet potatoes

bug's sweet potato casserole

2 c. cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c. milk
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla

topping:
1 c. light brown sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. flour
1 c. finely chopped pecans

1. mix sweet potatoes, eggs, milk, sugar, butter, and vanilla together.
2. place mixture in large, shallow baking dish.
3. to make the topping, mix butter with flour and sugar, using fork or pastry blender. add nuts and mix together.
4. sprinkle topping on mixture.
5. bake for 25 minutes in 350 degree oven.

notes: seriously, one of two casseroles from jamie's family that made me want to join the family!! little ol' me, the just-say-no-to-casseroles girl (i generally like my food simple and separate thankyouverymuch). and to think, i didn't even think i liked sweet potatoes before this dish was introduced to me some 10-12 years ago! :)

if using whole, cooked sweet potatoes, you'll generally need about 3 average-sized ones to get to 2 cups. canned ones work fabulously, too, and are much easier, but you have to make sure you get plain sweet potatoes (not in syrup) and that can be hard to find sometimes.

if making the recipe as is, put in 9x9 square pan. if doubling, put in 9x13, but don't double the butter and don't double the topping.

sausage cheese balls

1lb pork sausage in a roll (jimmy dean, etc.)
3 c. bisquick
1 lb shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. add all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. form small balls and place on a cookie tray.
2. bake 15 min. at 325 degrees, flipping half-way

notes: perfect, easy appetizer. always a crowd favorite!

crawfish etouffee

recipe from chad

3 sticks butter
1/3 c flour
2 small yellow onions, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2/3 c bell pepper, diced
1/4 c green onion bottoms
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp garlic, diced
3 tbsp chicken boullion
1 lb crawfish tails
2 tbsp parsley
1/2 c green onion tops

1. make roux with one stick of butter and flour. cook for three minutes.
2. in large pot, melt 1 stick of butter and add all seasonings except green onion tops and parsley. cook until veggies are soft.
3. add 1 quart of water. bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
4. stir in roux. cook on medium for 3 minutes.
5. add crawfish, onion tops and parsley.
6. add last of butter and cook on low until ready to serve. serve over rice.

notes: this is de-li-cious! we always serve it over zataran's rice (it's an extra long grain and always cooks up perfectly).

okay,

i know it looks like i'm slacking and like i haven't made any food for my family in a long time. sorta true. ;) my last monthly menu actually extended into november thanks to left-overs, and i've been working on emptying the freezer of my frozen meals, too. it's almost half-way through the month and i still have the ingredients to make a recipe or two on my list and a few things to defrost. not terribly exciting but sure is nice on the grocery budget.

homemade pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves (appx 2 packages), packed
1/2 cup freshly shredded parmesean or romano cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts (i have to leave these out)
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper

1. combine basil and nuts, pulse a few times in food processor (if not chopped, chop nuts first). add garlic and pulse a few more times.
2. slowly add olive oil, cheese, and salt and pepper.

notes: definitely much fresher tasting than the store-bought kind.

quattro formaggi with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes

recipe courtesy of buitoni; serves 2

start to finish less than 10 min...woo-hoo!

1 package buitoni quattro formaggi pasta, prepared according to package directions (boil for 4-6 min)
2 tbsp refrigerated/canned pesto **
1 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
1 tbsp thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes (i added more b/c i like a lot)

1. combine prepared pasta, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes and cheese in large bowl
2. toss gently.

notes: definitely double this particular recipe as it doesn't make much. i usually use bow-tie pastas, but splurged on the raviolis this time. we love pesto dishes here and so it sucks that i can't just buy some already made pesto, add it to pasta and be good to go like i used to. i made my own for the first time (without walnuts or pine nuts) and it was actually pretty good.

slow cooker: vegetable curry

recipe from slow cooker cookbook shared by friend, a.

prep time: 15 min; 8-10 servings

ingredients:
16oz package baby carrots
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
15oz garbanzo beans, drained
28oz canned crushed tomatoes
3 tbsp minute tapioca
3 tsp curry powder
2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup boiling water
2 tsp chicken bouillon granules (or 2 cubes)
1 lb green beans (if canned add towards end)
basmati rice

1. combine veggies in large bowl. stir in tapioca, curry and salt.
2. dissolve bouillon in boiling water. pour over veggies. mix well.
3. spoon into large cooker. cover. cook on low 8-10 hours or high 3-4 hours.
4. serve over basmati rice.

notes: this recipe makes tons so either 1/2 it or plan on enough to freeze. i usually do the latter. this is a great way to get the veggies in and the kids can't seem to get enough. it's not at all spicy (i think some curry dishes can be?)...and not terribly ethnic tasting (my taste buds are pretty simple)...mostly just a tomato vegetable dish served over fragrant rice.