Menu Monday

MENU MONDAY and CHICKEN BOW-TIE SALAD

I think I've mentioned before that I have a great group of friends that I get together with once a month to share recipes, laugh and have conversations that thankfully aren't centered around Disney Channel shows and Wii games. We take turns hosting and coming up with a theme for the night. This month was Favorites for Easter/Spring. I knew exactly what I wanted to take as soon as I heard the theme. Chicken Bow-Tie Salad! If you don't like pasta salads because of the mayo, you really need to try this. Most of my friends were surprised at how much they liked it, thinking it was made with just mayo or Miracle Whip. I love to take it to family parties and pot luck dinners since it makes so much and because I think it's just pretty! What are some of your favorite dishes to take to family get-togethers?

Chicken Bow-Tie Salad

4 cups cooked chicken (or turkey), diced                         

5 green onions, chopped

1 20oz can pineapple tidbits, drained             

1 cup cashews

2 cups red grapes, halved                                
2 cups celery, diced
12 oz pkg tri-colored spiral pasta, cooked      
12 oz pkg bow-tie pasta, cooked
16 oz Kraft Cole Slaw dressing (I've tried a few other dressings, and Kraft is definitely the best for this salad.)                       
1 cup mayonnaise                   
Salt and Pepper to taste

Following instructions on package, cook pastas and drain.

Mix together Cole Slaw dressing, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

Combine dressing with cooled pasta and remaining ingredients. Mix lightly. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

And now for Menu Monday ---

MONDAY - Chicken Bow-Tie Salad
TUESDAY - Ham and Cheese Manicotti, Green Salad
WEDNESDAY - Leftover Buffet
THURSDAY - Ham and Cheese Casserole, Broccoli Salad
FRIDAY - Biscuits and Gravy, Fresh Fruit
SATURDAY - Tater Tot Taco Salad
SUNDAY - Pork Roast, Baked Potatoes, Honey Glazed Carrots, Rolls

Pineapple Mango Salsa and Sticky Buffalo Chicken

Pineapple Mango Salsa and Sticky Buffalo Chicken
When I went to pick up my Bountiful Basket order Saturday morning, I was a little worried about the 7 mangoes I was taking home. I had no idea what I was going to do with them all. So, I started searching Tasty Kitchen for mango recipes and found one that I knew I wanted to try. It was Pineapple Mango Salsa from The Pioneer Woman and Oh. My. Goodness. It was sooo good! I added an extra mango just because I was a little worried about them going bad before I could use them all, but we liked it so much I think I'm going to make more for an Easter get together this weekend. Go check out that there link and make ya some Pineapple Mango Salsa....yum! If you have a favorite way to use mango, give me a holler! I'd love some more ideas :)

The other day I realized that I had promised Buckaroo #1 that I would share the recipe for his favorite chicken right now. He loves his Sticky Buffalo Chicken and wishes I would make it every week. He doesn't usually like anything with any kind of a kick to it, so I was really surprised that he liked it so much. Maybe I'll start sneaking in a little more heat each time I make it and see if I can spice him up just a bit. Ü
I love how easy this recipe is...

Sticky Buffalo Chicken
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs Franks Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce- add more or less if ya want to
1 lb breaded chicken tenders (At my local grocery store, the meat dept sells bulk "chicken fritters" and they are more bite size pieces.)

Bake or fry the chicken according to the instructions on the package. (Just so ya know, I bake mine.)
In a sauce pan, combine the remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring until the brown sugar dissolves. Cook about 15-20 minutes until it starts to thicken.
When the chicken is done, transfer it into a large bowl and pour the sauce over the top. Carefully toss the chicken to make sure all the pieces are coated with the sauce.
Serve with extra sauce, ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing for dipping.
Tasty stuff I tell ya!

Before I get to carried away posting recipes, here's what I have on the menu this week...
MONDAY - Chicken Bow Tie Salad
TUESDAY - Evil Chicken and Rice, Green Beans
WEDNESDAY - Leftover Buffet
THURSDAY - Joyce Gale Casserole, Green Salad
FRIDAY - Belgian Waffles with Fresh Fruit and Whipped Cream
SATURDAY - Easter Picnic with family
SUNDAY - Easter dinner

Have a fun holiday weekend!

Menu Monday and a Breakfast Parfait

I know that there are a lot of kids out there who could eat cold cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Buckaroo #3 would AND snack on it all day, if I let him. Buckaroo #1 on the other hand is very pick about eating so much cold cereal. He freaks if it gets too soggy. But breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? I'm not saying that cold cereal bad. It totally has a place on my menu. Monday mornings are always a pain at our house, so cold cereal it is. Thursday mornings, Buckaroo #1 has to be to school 45 minutes earlier than Buckaroo #2 for guitar lessons, so it's a cold cereal day. Then we have Saturday. Once again it is on my menu as a backup if mom hasn't rolled out of bed yet and they need to get their own breakfast. (Although, most Saturdays The Trail Boss makes them their favorite, Ham and Egg Sandwiches.) As for the rest of the days of the week, I try to mix it up a little, but still keep it simple. I used to feel a little bad about feeding them frozen or prepackaged stuff, but they take a healthy home lunch 4 out of 5 days, a balanced dinner at home and healthy snacks, so I try not to feel to guilty about it. Besides, my sanity is a bit more important when I'm trying to get everybody off to school on time! :)

Here's what a typical week of breakfasts look like on my menu...
MONDAY -Cold Cereal, Fresh Fruit
TUESDAY -Frozen Waffles (cut into strips for dipping) or leftover Pancakes or French Toast, Syrup, Fruit
WEDNESDAY -Instant Oatmeal, Fruit
THURSDAY -Cold Cereal, Fresh Fruit
FRIDAY -Fruit, Granola and Yogurt Parfait or Yogurt, Fresh Fruit and Toast
SATURDAY -Cold Cereal, Fresh Fruit
SUNDAY -Hot Cooked Breakfast

Their favorite new addition to the menu is the Breakfast Parfait. It a fun, healthy way to change things up a bit. It's also EASY to throw together when you make a little assembly line. Change the flavor of the yogurt, the granola/cereal or the fruit and it can be a whole new creation each time. Here's a pic of one of The Trail Boss and Buckaroo #2's favorite combinations.

It has Mandarin Oranges, Sunbelt Berry Basics cereal and Vanilla Yogurt. Buckaroo #1 and The Littlest Cowgirl like sliced Bananas, Sunbelt Banana Nut Granola cereal and Yogurt. There's just so many possibilities!

Give it a try and let me know what your favorite combinations are!

Menu Monday - Short & Sweet

This is going to be sorta' short & sweet today. Short because as I was getting ready to walk the two oldest Buckaroos to school last Thursday, I tripped over one of the dogs trying to catch the other one before he ran out of the gate. To make a long story short, I'm now wearing a splint on my right hand and typing has turned out to be pretty awkward and time consuming.

So here's a peek at what I have on the menu this week...
MONDAY - Tortellini Alfredo, Green Salad, Garlic Bread
TUESDAY - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & Tomato Soup
WEDNESDAY - Leftover Buffet
THURSDAY - Pizza
FRIDAY - Ham Cheese Mini Frittatas, Fresh Fruit
SATURDAY - Sticky Chicken, Sweet Potato Fries, Fresh Veggies & Dip
SUNDAY - Chicken Cordon Bleu, Alfredo Pasta, Green Salad, Rolls

Now for the sweet... One night The Trail Boss decided that he was needing a sweet snack. He called his mom, made a few scribbles on a piece of paper and then whipped up this yummy little treat.

CARAMEL POPCORN
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup mini marshmallows
2 qts popped popcorn (we used 2 bags of Jiffy Pop Homemade style popcorn)
2 cups mini marshmallows
Nuts, M&Ms, Chocolate Chips, Butterscotch Chips or whatever other fun add-ins you can come up with.
(We used mini M&Ms)

Place butter and brown sugar in a large glass mixing bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir and add 1 cup mini marshmallows. Microwave for 1 more minute.
In a large bowl, combine popcorn, 2 cups mini marshmallows and whatever else you decided to throw in.
Pour syrup over popcorn and mix lightly.
At this point the recipe says to shape into balls, but ours has never made it that far. There's always too many little hands grabbing at the bowl.
Have fun with this one next time you're lookin' for an easy Sweet Treat!