Menu Monday

I'm sad to say that Halloween was not much fun for us this year. It rained like crazy most of the afternoon and evening so the kids didn't get to do much Trick or Treating and poor Buckaroo #4 has a cold and didn't get to go out at all. At least I don't have to worry about too much sugar overload since they're bags weren't overflowing.

Here's what's cookin' at our house this week:

Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - German Pancakes, Bacon, Fresh Fruit
Wednesday - Cheesy Bacon Chicken (from Better Than Burgers), Mashed Potatoes, Mixed Veggies
Thursday - Potato Soup, Bread Sticks
Friday - Chicken Alfredo, Green Salad, Bread Sticks
Saturday - Tator Tot Taco Salad
Sunday - Roast Beef, Roasted Parsley Potatoes, Mixed Veggies, Rolls

Have a great week!

FRESH SALSA

For some reason, I never have a problem growing tomatoes. In fact I always have an over abundance of them each year. I decided this year I wasn't going to let them go to waste and had really good intentions of canning salsa, spaghetti sauce and enchilada sauce with my little red friends. But then my past interfered. I HATED canning when I was younger. It was hot, sticky and messy. I wasn't very excited to get started. Especially with the thought of The Littlest Cowgirl and Buckaroo #4 trying to "help"! So once again, I chickened out was left trying to figure out what to do with them. (The tomatoes, not the kids.)
I started researching a few ideas on the Internet and decided to make salsa...and freeze it. I know it sounds weird, but I found out that it should only make it a little bit "juicier". I think maybe I can deal with a little extra juice in my salsa if I don't have to go through the whole canning process. I also decided to use my own fresh salsa recipe and to use my food processor instead of cutting it all by hand. The result was a delicious, restaurant style salsa. I usually prefer my salsa a little chunkier, but everybody else around here said they liked this a lot better. So I guess it all worked out in the end.

Fresh Salsa
5-6 tomatoes, chopped ( I usually like Romas the best, but you can use what you have on hand)
4 green onion, chopped
1 small yellow onion, diced 1 small can diced chilies
2 Tbs lime juice (it has to be lime, not lemon)
1 tsp cumin (or more if you'd like)
Salt to taste
Cilantro (optional)
Jalapeno peppers (optional)

Like I said, you can cut it all by hand or use a food processor depending on how chunky you like it.

Menu Monday for October 25 to October 31

Is it just me, or does time go faster during the fall months. It's hard to believe that Halloween is just a week away.
The day after we get to celebrate Buckaroo #1's 10th birthday. I can't believe he's that old already.
Then before you know it Thanksgiving and Christmas will have crept up on us too. Ahhhhhh.... my brain is starting to hurt!

Before I get too crazy here, I'll tell ya what we're havin' this week...

Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Tomato Soup
Wednesday - Buckaroo #2 has been begging to male Pizza again, so Pizza it is.
Thursday - Eggs in a Basket, Sausage, Fresh Fruit
Friday - Halloween Party with my side of the family. I'm taking White Chicken Chili.
Saturday - HALLOWEEN! Going to The Trail Boss' parents' for dinner.
Sunday - Cheese Enchiladas, Smokey Refried Beans, Green Salad with Salsa Ranch Dressing

Have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Menu Monday for October 18 to October 24

Wow, yesterday kinda got away from me. I totally forgot to post my menu for this week. Sorry about that.
I just have to throw out that the Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes were such a BIG hit that Buckaroo #1 has requested them for his birthday in a few weeks instead of the usual fancy, store bought cake. (I know, it's a convenience thing.)
Ya' really gotta try 'em!!

Here's what we're munchin' on this week:


Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Taco Pie from Mommy's Kitchen
Wednesday - Buckaroo #1 is making Ham & Cheese Casserole, Carrots
Thursday - Fried Potatoes with Kielbasa, Creamy Scrambled Eggs
Friday - Baked Pork Chops & Rice, Green Beans
Saturday - Chicken Tortilla Soup
Sunday - Grilled Dijon Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, Jell-O Salad, Rolls

Have a great week everyone!

PUMPKIN SPICE CUPCAKES

Tomorrow is the 4-H Halloween Party and one of the games is a Cake Walk. And since I have 2 kids in the club, I had to make 2 cakes. Grrr... But, I decided to go against the grain (imagine that) and made cupcakes instead. I found this recipe for Spicy Pumpkin Cupcakes at Tasty Kitchen added by Pretty.Good.Food. (and I didn't even change it...at all).
The Littlest Cowgirl couldn't wait for the frosting, so we tried one without it. THEY WERE DELICIOUS! And then with the frosting...I don't even have the words!
I can't wait for the 2 older Buckaroos to get home from school. They're gonna think I'm the bestest Mom EVER when they try one of these little babies!

FOR THE CUPCAKES:
¾ cups Unsalted Butter
1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
1 cup White Sugar
3 whole Large Eggs
1 cup Pumpkin Puree
½ cups Buttermilk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 cups Sifted All-Purpose Flour
1-½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoons Freshly Grated Nutmeg

FOR THE FROSTING:
1 pound Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
2 sticks Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
4 cups Confectioners Sugar (sifted)
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Preparation Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans with unsalted butter, or line your cupcake pans (24 count) with liners. If you decide to make a cake rather than cupcakes, I highly suggest greasing and flouring the pans. Use unsalted, softened butter then a handful of flour. Tap out the excess flour, and your cakes will pop right out!
Cream softened (not melted) butter until smooth in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed. Add the sugars and mix until smooth.
Add room temperature eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the sifted flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg and set aside.
In thirds, alternately add the dry mixture and wet mixture to the butter mixture, blending well after each addition until smooth.
Fill cupcake molds ¾ of the way full and bake for approximately 21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Note: I’ve found that using an ice cream scooper gives you nice equal sized cupcakes.
If making cakes, pour batter into the prepared pans and bake until done, approximately 35 to 40 minutes.
Allow your cupcakes, or cakes, to cool completely before frosting. Don’t get anxious and think they’re ready when you know deep down it’s too early. You’ll end up with crumbs in your frosting or worse, a melty mess.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the butter and continue to beat for 2 to 3 minutes more. Slowly add the confectioner’s sugar 1 cup at a time and beat until smooth and no lumps of sugar are visible.
Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
Makes 5 cups of frosting.

Menu Monday for October 11 to October 17

We've had a fun week at our house decorating and getting all ready for Halloween. We get to have our first Halloween Party this week and the kids are so excited! It's been a bit of a challenge for me though. The party is with our 4-H club and the two oldest Buckaroos have to dress up...with their horses. Buckaroo #2 decided in a second that he wanted to be The Headless Horseman from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. That wasn't too bad...dress him all in black and paint his head/face to look like a scary pumpkin. Buckaroo #1 on the other hand has had a terrible time coming up with a costume. Since we were running out of time, The Trail Boss started giving him ideas. One of which was to go as Ichabod Crane and Buckaroo #1 freaked out. There was no way he wanted to have a big ol' Adam's apple (like I could figure out a way to make him have one). But, The Trail Boss finally got him to agree to it, but now he has to be Brom Bones. Ahhh...should be a fun night!

Well, here's what's cookin' at our house this week...
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Tortellini Alfredo, Green Salad, Bread
Wednesday - Buckaroo #2 Decided to make Pigs in a Blanket, Mac & Cheese, Corn
Thursday - Bird's Nest Breakfast, Bacon
Friday - Red Mac & Cheese, Bread Sticks
Saturday - Cheeseburgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Baby Carrots
Sunday - Ham, Hashbrown Casserole, Fruity Jell-O, Cornbread

Have a great week!

FRENCH WAFFLES

We LOVE French Toast at our house. We LOVE Waffles, too. So when I saw recipe for French Waffles (from Better than Burgers), I knew I had to try 'em. There hasn't been a recipe yet from their blog that I've tried and we didn't like!
I didn't even tweak the recipe, at least not much. I'll tell you what I changed below. I mostly changed it because of calories and just because I needed to use up what I had in my fridge.
I  also LOVE that we inherited The Trail Boss' Grandma's waffle iron. For some reason they just taste better.


1 loaf of bread
1 1/2 cups Egg Beaters (BTB used 4 eggs)
1 cup evaporated milk (BTB used 1 pint of heavy cream or half-n-half)
1/2 cup water
2 t. vanilla
3 Tbs Splenda (BTB used 3 Tbs sugar)
1 tsp cinnamon
Butter flavored pan coating (any type will work, I just like the butter flavor)
Your favorite toppings


Mix Egg Beaters, evaporated milk, water, vanilla, cinnamon and Splenda together. Spray your waffle iron with pan coating. Dip slices of bread into Egg Beater mixture and place onto the waffle iron and put the top down. Since you've probably made waffles before, I'm sure you can take it from here. I did cook them on a little bit lower temperature setting so they were sure to cook all the way through.
 We just had good old Mrs. Butterworth's on top and they were DELICIOUS! If you have any leftover (notice I said IF) throw 'em in the fridge and stick 'em in the toaster the next morning.
Quick and easy!

Menu Monday for October 4 to October 10

FALL is definitely in the air and I LOVE it. I think it's gotta be my favorite season. I love the weather, the smells, the colors and especially the food. Of course you could cook with apples and pumpkin any time of year. You can make soups and comforting casseroles whenever you want. But to me, it just makes FALL that much more special.
I tried a great recipe for White Chicken Chili from my backyard neighbor a while ago, and I think I may have changed a few of my guinea pigs' family's minds about beans and chili. (You can find Trinna at Adam's Apple Pie. Yummy stuff over there!) Of course Buckaroo #1 still thinks beans are from the devil, but the rest of them chowed down. It does my ♥ good to see 'em eat like that. I'll have to get the recipe up soon, 'cause it sure is a keeper.

Well, I'll shut up now and tell ya what we're having this week...
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Chili Cornbread Casserole (Mommy's Kitchen)
Wednesday - Buckaroo #1 is baking some Ham & Cheese Manacotti, Green Salad, Cheese Bread
Thursday - German Pancakes, Bacon, Fresh Fruit
Friday - Cheatin' Sweet & Sour Chicken, Rice, Green Beans
Saturday - Spaghetti and Garlic Bread
Sunday - BBQ Chicken Packets, Rice, Green Salad

Hope ya'll have a wonderful FALL week!