Monday, March 16, 2015

March 8-14, 2015

Sunday:  Dinner with Small Group


Monday:  Chicken Ravioli with Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce & Bread



Chicken Ravioli with Creamy Cauliflower Sauce
·          I have had the recipe from Pinch of Yum pinned for Creamy Cauliflower Sauce for a few months now, but I just never took the plunge and gave it a shot.  We typically don’t eat much alfredo sauce around here, so I didn’t think about it much.  But, I had some chicken ravioli from Costco that needed to be eaten, so it seemed like the perfect time to give it a shot!

I think I was hesitant because I thought it would be difficult.  However, it couldn’t have been any simpler!  It takes almost no time to prepare!  I laughed while reading the author write about how much she enjoys it and how she wants to put the sauce on everything now.  But, once we ate it, Chad and I both agreed that it would be good on anything from pasta to potatoes to chicken fried steak!  J  I did add about 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese to our sauce before I blended it, but it would taste great without it, I think.  It made quite a bit, so we had plenty to use in another meal later in the week, and I put a bit in the freezer for a rainy day!  The kids even ate their pasta up and said they really liked it, so I’ll definitely be making the Creamy Cauliflower Sauce again.


Tuesday:  Cheeseburger Mini-Muffins with Apples & Broccoli



·          Chad’s mom shared this recipe from Taste of Home with me, knowing how much our kids LOVE cheeseburgers!  Ranger, in particular, might eat one every day if I allowed it.  J  This seemed like a fun, new way to have a cheeseburger that the kids might really enjoy.  I didn’t have all-purpose flour on hand, so I used whole wheat.  I forgot that whole wheat is much denser, so they were a little drier than I would have liked.  If I use whole wheat flour again, I’ll remember to use less, or even use only half whole wheat, half all-purpose to balance everything out.  I also think I’ll add in a few more seasonings the next time. 

So, the verdict?  We liked them, but didn’t love them.  The boys, Chad, and I ate them, but we each had our own dipping sauces to give a bit more flavor.  Payton didn’t really eat hers, but she ate her broccoli and apples, so I wasn’t worried about it.  Still, I froze what was left and will pull them out for quick kid lunches or dinners because, hey…it’s a muffin, after all.  J


Wednesday:  Beef, Quinoa, & Creamy Cauliflower Sauce Stuffed Bell Peppers



Beef, Quinoa, & Creamy Cauliflower Stuffed Bell Peppers
·          We had ½ a pound of cooked ground beef leftover from last night’s dinner and also the creamy cauliflower sauce from Monday’s dinner.  I had 3 bell peppers in the fridge with no purpose in mind, so I thought a stuffed bell pepper could be really wonderful with the ingredients I had on hand.  Chad, my mom, and I really loved them!  We also had chips and guacamole.  I didn’t even try to feed them to the kids, though.  They had some rotisserie chicken, veggies, and fruit.  I mean…the stuff bell pepper battle wasn’t really one I felt was super important to fight.  Ha!  Here’s the recipe:

½ pound cooked ground beef (turkey or chicken would also be great!)
2 cups quinoa (I used the frozen, microwave ready kale & quinoa from Costco)
1 cup (ish) of creamy cauliflower sauce from Monday’s meal (I didn’t really measure)
Bell peppers, stems cut off, seeds scooped out, and sliced into halves or thirds

Mix the first 3 ingredients together and spoon inside of your prepared bell peppers.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Add some freshly-grated cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.  Yum-0!




Thursday:  Leftover Stuffed Peppers with Chips & Salsa


Friday:  Grilled Venison with Roasted Potatoes & Asparagus



·          Earlier in the day, I asked if Chad would grill some venison for our dinner.  He has time on Friday and Saturday nights to do a little cooking, which I very much appreciate!  He made a ranch and horseradish sauce to go along with venison.  I roasted fingerling potatoes that I had halved and quartered with a little olive oil and season salt, and also some asparagus.  The asparagus takes much less time than the potatoes, so don’t put them in the oven at the same time.


Saturday:  White Chicken Chili with Garlic Cheese Biscuits




·         This was actually some leftover White Chicken Chili I had in the freezer from the last time we ate it.  I thawed it enough to be able to pour it out into a sauce pan and added some homemade chicken broth and a little fresh rotisserie chicken.  Then I warmed it all on low for about an hour and a half.  Chad and I topped ours with tortilla chips, sour cream, and a little tomatillo salsa. I had some Red Lobster Garlic Cheese Biscuit mix, so I made those as well, which of course, were the kids favorite part of the meal.  Callen and Payton didn't eat much, but Ranger cleaned his bowl.  Some days, one of three isn’t bad.  J

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