Monday, October 31, 2011
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 c whole wheat, 1 c all purpose)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 each ground nutmeg and ground cloves (I subbed 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare muffin pan.
Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water.
In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.
Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Menu Planning (Week 2)
Anyway, turning to the menu. Let's review last week's menu. From the list, I made chicken stock (about 12-14 cups worth), butternut squash soup, baked apricot chicken, unstuffed bell peppers, and slowcooker Moroccan Chicken. We also had turkey sandwiches, cherry and goat cheese salads, raviolis, and pasta w/mixed veggies. I didn't get around to making the zucchini cheese soup or muffin mixes so they will be carried to this week. Additionally, because they looked yummy, last night we had sweet and savory short ribs in the slowcooker with a baked sweet potato.
On the menu this week:
Main Dishes
1. Zucchini Cheese Soup (continued from last week)
Source: cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com via thefishie on Pinterest
2. Chicken Brown Rice Bake
Source: joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest
3. Turkey Spinach Lasagna
Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest
4. Black Bean and Rice Burritos
Source: skinnymomskitchen.com via thefishie on Pinterest
5. Spaghetti and Meatballs
Source: joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest
6. Ribs (using this rub and a bottled sauce I got while apple picking)
Source: fullbelliesmakehappykids.wordpress.com via thefishie on Pinterest
Other goodies:
1. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip bars
Source: twopeasandtheirpod.com via thefishie on Pinterest
2. Muffin Mixes
Source: goodcheapeats.com via thefishie on Pinterest
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Unstuffed Bell Peppers
Sorry for the poor picture. I'm still unpacking and have misplaced the digital camera.
Unstuffed Bell Peppers
1/2 lb ground turkey
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2-3 medium bell peppers (I used red and yellow), chopped
15 oz can of tomato sauce
1/3 c water (I eyeballed and used about 1/2 a can)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 c brown rice, cooked
1 c shredded cheese for serving (I used cheddar)
Saute onions and carrots in olive oil for 2 minutes or so until they begin to become tender. Add turkey, sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Continue cooking until turkey is browned and cooked through.
Add peppers and cook for a minute.
Add water, tomato sauce, and chili powder. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, on low for 10-15 minutes until veggies are tender.
Stir in rice and cook on medium-low until heated through, about another 10 minutes.
Serve with a sprinkle of cheese.
Serves 4.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Menu Planning! (Week 1)
Here's what we'll be eating this week, in no particular order:
Lunches
1. Zucchini Cheese Soup
Source: cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com via thefishie on Pinterest
Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest
3. Sandwiches/wraps (turkey w/cranberry sauce)
4. Salads (e.g. dried cherry with goat cheese, black bean w/chicken and cheddar)
5. Stuffed baked potato (bacon, sour cream, cheese)
Main Dishes
1. Unstuffed Pepper Skillet
Source: joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest
Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest
3. Slowcooker Moroccan Chicken
Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest
4. Raviolis (from Sam's Club)
4. Penne w/mixed veggies
Other Things to Make
1. Chicken stock (with leftover bones, if I remember)
2. Muffin mixes
Source: goodcheapeats.com via thefishie on Pinterest
Welcome to Northern Virginia!
Hello everyone, I know it's been over a month and I'm sorry for the long blogging silence. As you may know (or guessed from the title of this post), we've recently moved to Northern Virginia, just south of DC. After more than a month of living in-transit (with family and hotels), we finally are settling into a new home (with a ton of unpacking to do). All my furniture and stuff which was stored in Chicago has been delivered though we're still waiting on our stuff from Hawaii (which was picked up by the movers at the end of August!), but I'm happy for the breather in between.
I'm slowly adjusting to semi-suburban life, which has its pros and cons. Public transit-wise, we're just beyond the DC Metro system and thus are limited to commuter trains and buses. They're are some sidewalks, but like many suburbs, they tend to stop abruptly. However, I did make sure the sidewalks nearby go to all the important places--the gym, a grocery store (Super Walmart), and several little strip malls which house a CVS, 7-Eleven (with Citibank ATM), Dollar Tree, Five Guys (best burgers ever), Little Cesars (my husband's childhood fav), Applebees, a dry cleaners, and more.
Our new home for the present is a cozy apartment in a complex right across the street from the nicest Super Walmart I've seen, and thus far doesn't seem scuzzy at all. Somehow I've managed to live across the street from a market in every apartment I've rented in the mainland so I'm glad to continue this trend. Prices aren't as nice as the commissary, but they're close enough for many things. I'm going to do my first real bit of marketing there later today, so I'll get a better feel for the selection. (I'm not too worried, however, as there's Costco, Sam's Club, as well as Safeway and a bunch of little markets not too far away.)
I have the whole day to unpack so I'd better get moving. Check back later today to see what I'm planning foodwise for the coming days.