Menu Mondays

Not much to report for this week's menu -- pretty standard week!

Saturday: Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken, Mashed Ptatoes, Green Beans and Corn (for MIL's birthday)
Sunday: Prep a breakfast casserole for work Monday, make DH bread for lunches
Monday: Steak, roasted or steamed broccoli, pasta
Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pie/Chicken and Biscuits (depending on time)
Wednesday: Skillet Noodle Lasagna
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Leftovers, OR, my Dad potentially coming to visit. We'll see!

Lemon Delight

I grew up eating this plain/simple dessert. It "feels" like a light dessert, but don't be fooled -- it still contains an entire can of condensed milk!

This dessert is especially good in the summer -- it's a frozen dessert, so it's a refreshing, and it keeps for a long time (A few weeks) in the freezer, so it's easy to have on hand.

Lemon Delight

(Family Recipe)

2 tbsp butter

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tbsp graham cracker crumbs for topping

- Melt butter and mix with graham cracker crumbs, then press into the bottom of an 8x8 dish

1 (21 oz) lemon pie filling

1 small can, Eagle Brand Condensed Sweetened Milk

1/2 cup "Real Lemon" juice

- Beat ingredients together until smooth, then pour the lemon mixture on top of the graham cracker crumbs

1 (8 oz) Cool Whip

- Spread Cool Whip on top of lemon mixture, and sprinkle remaining graham cracker crumbs on top

- Freeze for at least 3 hours before serving. To serve, sit out at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to make it easier to cut.

- To make it "fancy": slice lemons thinly and place on top of cool whip.

Velvet Crumb Cake

We've had some A-M-A-Z-I-N-G Florida strawberries in our local farmers market lately, and its such a nice pick-me-up from all the cold weather, snow, and ice. I think DH and I have been through 5 quarts in 2 weeks!

What with all of this happy strawberry deliciousness, I thought I should share my favorite way to eat strawberries...

I grew up eating strawberries and shortcake, like most people. But after I met my DH, his mother introduced me to Velvet Crumb Cake.

I've never looked back.

I scoff at your shortcake! Your shortcake has nothing on the velvet crumb!

This cake is amazing. The recipe was originally a whole cake that had nothing to do with strawberries (I'll post the Honey Crisp Topping that's supposed to go on it at the bottom of this post), but somewhere along the line, the cake-sans-topping became the most delicious accoutrement to fresh strawberries that I'd had in a long time!

I didn't photograph it the way I like to eat it, because it's not the prettiest thing: I like to put a slice of this cake in a bowl, top it with strawberries that have been sitting in some sugar, then pour about 1/2 cup of milk over the whole shebang, and top it with whipped cream.

Oh my god, it's sinful. And heavenly. All at the same time.

Velvet Crumb Cake

(Mother-in-law)

1 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp shortening (I use butter)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

- Heat oven to 350 degrees F

- Blend all ingredients in a large mizer bowl on low speed 1-2 minutes, scraping the bowl frequently

- Beat 4 minutes at medium speed in your mixer bowl

- Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8x8 (or 9x9) square pan

- Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

- (If using the Honey Topping listed below...) While warm, spread with Honey Crisp Topping

- (If eating it with strawberries like I do...) Cool, slice and serve.

- I store mine in the refridgerator to get more life out of it, but that's up to you.

Honey Crisp Topping

3 tbsp butter or margarine, softened

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup crushed Wheaties cereal

1 can (8.5 oz) crushed pineapple, drained

- Mix together and spread on warm Velvet Crumb Cake

Garlic Parmesean Roasted Potatoes

We definately struggle with side dishes in our household -- the same old sides just get boring!

I'm always looking for a new way to perk up an old favorite -- in this case, potatoes.

These are tasty, and SUPER simple to make for a weeknight meal -- that makes them woooooonderful!

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

(Picky Palate)

5 lb bag of potatoes (I used Idaho), washed and cut into 1" cubes

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

- Spread cubed potatoes on a large baking sheet and drizzle evenly with olive oil

- Sprinkle garlic salt, kosher salt, black pepper and parmesan cheese over the potatoes

- Using your hands, gently toss the ingredients together so the potatoes are well coated with olive oil and spices

- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender and golden brown

- Taste test, and add more seasoning if necessary.

Menu Mondays

Couple of items didn't get made last week, so this week has a few additions...

Saturday: "Shortcake" for some delicious Florida strawberries I picked up at the farmer's market, the last-week-referenced lemon dessert
Sunday: Homemade bread for DH's weekday lunches, stromboli for the superbowl (and dinner)
Monday: steak, steamed broccoli, pasta
Tuesday: chili with sweet corn and honey muffins
Wednesday: Last week's homeless count was postponed to this night. Pizza at the count with the other volunteers.
Thursday: Leftover chili and rice mixed with cheese and sour cream and wrapped up in a tortilla. Mmmm...
Friday: Spaghetti with meat sauce/ potentially eating out

Blogiversary Winners Announced Here!

Alright kids, I'm going to announce both giveaways in this post.

If you're the winner, please email me at enkeli224@yahoo.com so I can arrange for delivery of your prizes!

For the Local Cookbook....
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:3
Timestamp: 2009-02-01 16:11:21 UTC

#3's comment was left by...NINA!
Nina said...
congratulations on your blog-i-versary!!! love reading your blog, and your "crack dip" is a family fave now


For the Personalized Fruit Roll-Ups...
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:5
Timestamp: 2009-02-01 16:13:53 UTC

#5's comment was left by...ERICA!
EJacks said...
Mmmm.... I haven't had fruit rollups in years! :) I love these things. :p