Menu Plan Monday

Snow is on the ground, Thanksgiving is only days away, and it's a great week to have a menu plan in place! Here's what we're eating this week:
Sunday--Roast beef sandwiches, fries, veggies
Monday--Spaghetti
Tuesday--Chicken/rice/broccoli dish
Wednesday--Breakfast for supper
Thursday--Thanksgiving feast
Friday--Thanksgiving leftovers
Saturday--TBD

Menu Plan Monday

We have a busy week ahead with my sixth grader's first band concert, parent-teacher conferences, and a community garage sale. I'm glad to have a menu plan in place this week!
Sunday--Ham, scalloped potatoes, cooked carrots
Monday--Chicken and rice, acorn squash
Tuesday--Sloppy Joes, baked beans, raw veggies and dip
Wednesday--Cheesy ham and potato soup, biscuits
Thursday--Tacos
Friday--Pizza
Saturday--TBD

Pumpkin Pancakes

Adapted from allrecipes.com


2 cups pancake mix
3 T. brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 T. vegetable oil
2 T. vinegar

1. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the pancake mix, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Zucchini Cookies

From allrecipes.com.

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (I left this out)
  
• 1 cup raisins

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg then stir in the zucchini. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir into the zucchini mixture. Mix in raisins. Cover dough and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet. Cookies should be about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven until set. Allow cookies to cool slightly on the cookie sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Use It Up Tip: Squash

I had some leftover butternut squash, so I decided to use it up by making squash soup. I didn't really follow a recipe, just took some ideas from recipes I had looked at. I love the V8 Campbell's Butternut Squash Soup--especially the little spicy kick it has--and was looking to make something similar. I used
2 cups cooked squash
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
Sprinkle of nutmeg
Bit of cayenne pepper (for that kick I was looking for)

I heated all the ingredients together, pureed in the blender, and topped with a bit of diced Granny Smith apple. Yum!

Peanut Butter and Honey Popcorn

I got this recipe from Prudence Pennywise.

8 cups popped lightly salted popcorn (low-fat microwave popcorn is fine)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Place popcorn in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and honey. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until smooth. Add vanilla, if using. Pour peanut butter syrup over popcorn. Stir and serve. (You can place the popped popcorn in a large paper bag, then pour over the syrup and shake.)