Menu Plan Monday 53

Last week was my 52nd Menu Plan Monday entry--a whole year's worth of menu plans! Here's what we're eating this week:
Sunday--Ham, scalloped potatoes, corn
Monday--Turkey breast, leftover scalloped potatoes, carrots, stuffing
Tuesday--Chili, corn muffins
Wednesday--Fish and sides
Thursday--Tacos
Friday--Pizza
Saturday--TBD

We don't really celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but I did make Irish Soda Bread last week.

Irish Soda Bread

I made this last week for St. Patrick's Day. The house smelled amazing while it was baking! I adapted this recipe from allrecipes.com.


1/2 cup white sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups raisins (I used less, a little less than 2 cups)
1 tablespoon caraway seeds (I did not use caraway seeds)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (I used milk with lemon juice instead of buttermilk)
1 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch round cast iron skillet or a 9 inch round baking or cake pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour (reserving 1 tablespoon), sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, raisins and caraway seeds. In a small bowl, blend eggs, buttermilk and sour cream. Stir the liquid mixture into flour mixture just until flour is moistened. Knead dough in bowl about 10 to 12 strokes. Dough will be sticky. Place the dough in the prepared skillet or pan and pat down. Cut a 4x3/4 inch deep slit in the top of the bread. Dust with reserved flour
3. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 65 to 75 minutes. Let cool and turn bread onto a wire rack.

Menu Plan Monday 52

Still chilly up here in Minnesota, but the snow is slowly melting. I'm anxiously awaiting spring! Here's what we're eating this week:
Sunday--Tater tot hotdish
Monday--Fish, rice, veggie
Tuesday--Pork roast, red rosemary potatoes, veggie
Wednesday--Parmesan chicken, mashed potatoes, veggie
Thursday--Brats and sides
Friday--Pizza
Saturday--TBD

Quinoa with Carrots and Raisins

We tried quinoa for the first time last week. This recipe is from allrecipes.com.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced (I used 1/2 of an onion)
2 carrots, grated
1 1/4 cups raisins (I used about a cup)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cups quinoa
3/4 cup chopped cilantro (I did not use cilantro)
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, carrots, raisins, and pumpkin pie spice until onion becomes golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in quinoa and cilantro and allow to toast for a few minutes. Pour orange juice and water in and stir well, bringing to a boil. Reduce heat cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, then add walnuts. Fluff with a fork and serve.

I like this okay, but it probably won't be a regular at our house. The orange juice and raisins were kind of a strange combination with the onions. I look forward to using quinoa in other ways!

Menu Plan Monday 51

March already this week! Here's what we're eating this week:
Sunday--Homemade vegetable soup, rolls
Monday--Shepherd's Pie
Tuesday--Turkey roast, baked potatoes, veggie
Wednesday--Fish and sides
Thursday--Beef stew
Friday--Pizza
Saturday--Spaghetti

Huevos Rancheros

I based these on the recipe from Melissa D'Arabian from Ten Dollar Dinners on FoodNetwork.com.

• 8 flour tortillas (5-inch) (I used whole wheat flour tortillas)
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• Salt and pepper
  
• 1 cup prepared chunky salsa, divided
• 3/4 cup cooked black beans
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar, pepper jack would be good, too)
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the outer edge of each tortilla and remove so that the tortillas fit snugly into the muffin tin cups. Brush both sides of the tortillas lightly with the melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Press the tortillas into the muffin tin, creating little tortilla cups. (I had larger tortillas and cut each into quarters, fitting two quarters into each muffin section. I did not brush with butter or sprinkle with salt, but did spray each tin to prevent sticking.)

In a small bowl, mix half the salsa with the black beans and season with salt and pepper. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the mixture into each tortilla cup. Crack an egg into each of the eight cups. Bake until barely set, about 8 minutes. Top with cheese, cover with aluminum foil (I did not cover), and then bake for 6 to 7 minutes more. To serve, spoon sour cream and remaining salsa on top of the eggs.

We ate this with cornbread (I use the recipe on the Quaker yellow corn meal container) and orange slices.

Rival Bars

This recipe has been in our family since I was a kid. I've also seen these called rebel or revel bars.

Crust/Topping:
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 cups oatmeal

Filling:
1 pkg. chocolate chips (12 oz.)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 T. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

For crust: Mix together butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking soda and oatmeal. Pat 2/3 of mixture onto bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Reserve remaining mixture.

For filling: Melt chocolate chips (in double boiler or microwave). Add sweetened condensed milk, butter, salt and vanilla. Pour over the oatmeal layer. Drop pieces of remaining oatmeal mixture over the top. Drop with teaspoons. Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.