Hello for a Monday

So, are you continuing to follow your New Years Resolutions? So far, I'm still becoming more organized. It is going slow. It is great that my husband has been helping. Keeping a menu plan is not always easy but we did better this week. I even ate leftovers for lunch. This is our menu plan for the week:
 
Sunday: Buffalo Chicken (I made it.)
Monday:  Soup (My husband made tomato soup from a can.)
Tuesday: Chicken Bake (My husband made it.)
Wednesday: Taco Dish (We purchased sandwiches to go.)
Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner (My husband made eggs of choice.)
Friday: Chicken Dish (My husband made his Taco Dish instead.)
Saturday: Stuffed Pepper Soup (I made it.)

I think our three biggest obstacles about menu planning are:

1. During the week, we are tired and just don't feel like cooking.
2. We change our minds especially the kids. We don't want soup again.
3. I will notice another dish that I would rather make than the one I have planned which is really no big deal since we didn't purchase the groceries yet.

Italian Cream Cake

I finally made this cake. I have been wanting to make it for awhile. When I suggested it, my daughter said sure but my two guys were not interested. I didn't want to make a cake for only two people. Then we went to the store. The store had samples of different cakes to sample. I had my guys try this cake. They both liked it. Then I told them the name. So, they agreed I should make the cake. They told me that my cake was better than the one they had tried at the store. I love my guys. They say the sweetest thing to me. My daughter like it a lot too. The recipe calls for coconut but you can't taste it. I crushed the pecans small for my husband. He isn't the biggest fan of nuts. Also, I limited the pecan decorations on the cake so he could take them off and give them to me. If you want a taller cake, then I would double the batter but this size was perfect for us. I used 2 pans instead of 3 since I didn't want to rotate pans during baking it. 

Italian Cream Cake
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour two 9 inch baking pans. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well before adding the next egg.
5. Add the vanilla and combine.
6. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. 
7. Add a little of the flour mixture then alternating with the buttermilk. Combine well.
8. Fold in the pecans and the coconut.
9. Evenly distribute the batter between the two pans.
10. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
11. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powder sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. 
2. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. 
3. Beat until smooth. 

Recipe and frosting adapted from Taste of Home. 

One year ago...........................I made Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Two years ago.........................I made Sausage Wonton.
Four years ago.........................I made Burgundy Mushrooms. 

Did you already know........................
-Italian Cream Cake is a Southern Cake.
-Italian Cream Cake was published in the early 1900s.
-Italian Cream Cake tends to be three layers with a cream cheese frosting.

Next week: I'm posting Angel Food Cake!

Mexican Chicken Casserole

So, I received a calendar with recipes. I decided to hang it up in the kitchen. Well, my son saw it and asked if I would make the January recipe. So, I did. I had to adapt it since I couldn't find one of the ingredients. Plus I omitted the beans. We liked the dish. Anytime I make a dish with rice, it normally is a success. We will make this dish again.

Mexican Chicken Casserole
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup (8 oz.) corn drained from a can
2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
1 can (10 oz.) Enchilada sauce
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped fine
2 cups Mexican style cheese blend
Toppings: lettuce, tomato, salsa, sour cream, green onions, etc. 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Spray a 9 inch pie pan with nonstick baking spray. Set aside. 
3. In a large bowl, mix the rice, corn, chicken breast, and enchilada sauce.
4. Mix in the green onions, bell pepper, and 1 cup of the cheese blend. 
5. Spoon the mixture into the pie pan.
6. Bake the mixture for 30 minutes.
7. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the mixture.
8. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
9. Serve with desired toppings.

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.

One year ago.....................................I made Steak Fajita Quesadillas.
Two years ago...................................I made Winter Savory Chicken.
Three years ago.................................I made Bran Banana Muffins.
Four years ago...................................I made Lemon Frosted Cupcakes.

Did you already know..................
-Another name for corn is maize.
-An individual kernel of corn is a seed and the cob is the flower.
-The rows of corn on the cob should always be normal if grown in a normal environment.

New Year!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday. We did. We stayed home and relaxed. One of the things I noticed several blogs have started is posting a weekly menu. For the most part, I tend to compose a menu. Did you like how I wrote composed? Why? Because we never stick with it. 

Here was my menu for last week: 
Sunday: Meatloaf (My husband and I made it.)
Monday: Cheesy, Corn, and Kielbasa Chowder (I made it.)
Tuesday: Taco Bake (My husband did not make it so leftovers.)
Wednesday: Sandwich of choice (I made a BLT.)
Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner (We had takeout which was not breakfast.)
Friday: Chicken Dish (I made Mexican Chicken Casserole which I'll post later.)
Saturday: Spaghetti (I made it.)

Cheesy, Corn, and Kielbasa Chowder

As you can see, we start the week successful then it changes. We go grocery shopping every other day so it really is no big deal to change. Just some nights, we are tired and really don't want to cook. My husband is suppose to cook Monday through Thursday. Then I cook Friday through Sunday. I plan the meals on my days and my husband plans his meals. If you make a menu, do you stick to it? If so, what is your strategy so you make sure to follow it? 

Best of 2015

It seemed like this year was crazy when it came to time management. I really don't know where it went. I have been spending more time trying to get organized which could be what is taking up my time. One of my goals for next year will be to continue to become organize. Another goal will be to bake more. I'm going to try new recipes inspired from The Great British Bake Off except for next week. Next week, I'm going to post a recipe for Italian Cream Cake. I've been wanting to try baking the cake for awhile. Doesn't Italian Cream Cake sound good? Also next year, I'm going to do a repeat year. Many of the recipes I will be making for dinner will be past recipes I've posted. So, my plan is to post my menu for the week on Monday for which recipes I'm repeating. During the week, I hope to make a post but on Friday I will be posting new recipe I had told you about the previous week. Even if I have an epic fall, I will let you know even though we will still eat it unless it is burnt. Then only the trash will get to devour the creation. Also, I'm going to let the kids take more pictures. They really like doing it and it saves me some time so I can do fun things like become more organized! Just kidding. 

Favorite Breakfast:
 
Quiche Lorraine (My husband's pick was the PB pancakes but he was out voted.)
 
Favorite Meat:

Chicken Bastilla (crazy huh? But we loved it!) 
 

Favorite Bread:
 
Brotchen Bread (German rolls)
 
Favorite Pasta:

Yakisoba (Vegetables with Pasta)

Favorite Cookie:
 
Swig Sugar Cookies (Cookies with frosting is always a winner!)
 
Favorite Dessert:
 
Tuxedo Cake (My daughter keeps picking everything PB.) 

I'm wishing you a wonderful 2016!

Happy New Year!