The temps are in the 90's during the day, the sprinklers are hard at work this morning and our TV meteorologist tells us that there are already tropical storms out in the Atlantic . 

Summer is here!

Even though our normal school routine is over for a few months, summer is still a busy time and I still love using the slow cooker.  We also love to cook on the grill a lot during the summer months.  Grill cooking is a favorite of mine too, since it usually means that I have a helper willing to do the grilling for me!  :)

Here's this week's plan:

Monday:  Grain Burgers with all the fixins

Tuesday:  Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry

Wednesday:  Spinach & Swiss Quiche

Thursday:  Bayou-Style Pot Pie

Friday:  Smorgasborg Night (Leftovers)

Saturday:  Roasted Veggies & Fettucine

Sunday:  Crock Pot Roast Beef with potatoes & carrots

Have a blessed week and be sure to click over to Laura's Organizing Junkie website for more menu planning ideas and, this week - a free giveaway!

Welcome to My Kitchen

1.  Do you have magnets on your fridge?  Yes!  My favorites are a Curious George in a spacesuit and a poster on the side of the fridge of Phillipians 4:8 (which is the rule of our house).

2. Do you have a calendar in the kitchen and if so, what is it's theme?  I have a little card sized calendar on our fridge.  It has an encouraging scripture on it as it was a gift from the women's ministry at church.

3.  What is your favorite kitchen gadget or tool?   I have two...a little electric chopper that looks like a tiny food processesor and my K-tec mixer that I use to knead my bread dough.

4.  Are you lucky enough to have a pantry of some kind?  Yes!  I don't know where I'd put all our stuff without it!

5.  What is your favorite appliance?  The crock pots.  I have two and some days, they're both in use.

6.  Do you have an eat in kitchen?  Yes - we have a table & 6 chairs and a counter-top area with 4 stools.

7.  Do you have a bread box?  Yes.  It's light oak with a roll top front... a gift from the kids. :-)

8.  Do you have a picture of your kids on the fridge?  Of course!

9.  Do you ever cooked breakfast in your pjs?   Of course!

10.  Do you have a favorite cookbook?  I like my big Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.  Whatever I need to make, it's in there!

11.  Are you lucky enough to have recipes that were passed down from your mom and grandma?  Yes, a few.

12.  What's your favorite food?  Veggie calzone.

13.  What's your favortie thing to cook?  Bread...and whatever my family will eat!

14.  Is your coffee pot electric or stove top?  Digital electric. :-)

15.  Do you make your own bread?  By hand or bread maker?  Yes, using a whisper mill to grind the wheat and a K-Tec to knead the dough...the rest is me and the oven!

16.  Name one thing you have hanging on the wall in your kitchen.  A watercolor of apples done by my mom...beautiful!

17.  Is there a clock in your kitchen?  Three - the stove, the microwave and the coffee pot clocks.

18.  Do you have a bowl of fruit on your table or counter?  We have bananas hanging on a banana hanger on the counter.

19.  What type of canisters do you have?  Brown crockery - a wedding gift.  I've had them all these years and they've matched every kitchen we've ever had!

20.  Does your kitchen have a theme?  Sort of an eclectic mix of retro things along with modern stainless steel appliances and a slate backsplash that we installed ourselves. :-) 

21.  What's for supper tonight?  Crock pot chili.

22.  Do you have enough cabinet space?  It's very adequate, but I wouldn't turn down more!

23.  Does your family use paper plates?   Oh yes, usually for lunch items and snacks.

24.  Do you have a good set of china packed up?  No we don't.

25.  Do you wear an apron to work in the kitchen?  When I remember to, but I keep my favorite apron in my studio to wear when painting.

26.  Name one thing you would change about your kitchen if you could.  I'd rearrange things to where the fridge was easier to access.

My goal this week is to get back to some semblance of normalcy in everyday life after the tragedy our extended family has been through.    In our house, routine seems to bring peace - and who doesn't love a peaceful home?

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I keep a tablet on the fridge with the week's plan on it so that when I have a helper at suppertime (...it's such a blessing having teens that cook), they know where to start.  So here is this week's menu....

Have a blessed week!

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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways acknowledge Him and He make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5,6

Grain Burgers*

1 onion, 1 stalk of celery, 2carrots, 1 green pepper, 2 cloves garlic - finely chopped   (you can just toss these in a blender together)                 

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp chicken or veg broth

1/2 tsp dried basil

3 cups cooked brown rice

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

2 Tbsp olive oil

     Saute first 5 ingrediants in broth until tender.  Season with Worchestershire sauce and basil.

     Blend oatmeal in blender for 1-2 minutes until it resembles flour.  Add oatmeal and rice to vegetables and mix well.

     Add egg whites, mix well, and form into 12 patties.  (At this point, you can place patties on a cookie sheet, put in freezer, and freeze until firm.  Remove, individually wrap, and freeze for later use.)

     Heat 1 Tbsp oil in large nonstick skillet and cook patties til browned on both sides.  Add other tablespoon of olive oil as needed.

     Serve with a bun and all the fixins!

Yield:  12 servings

     *From Cooking for Life by Gordon and Laura Tessler

I always double this recipe for my bunch!
 
 
2lbs. assorted fresh veggies, cut into 1" chunks (I like to use:  zucchini, yellow squash, red, green or yellow bell peppers carrots, celery onion and mushrooms)

1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Savory Herb with Garlic Soup Mix

3 Tbs Olive Oil

1/2 c. light cream (half & half)

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

8 oz. fettuccine or linguine, cooked & drained
 
 
Preheat oven to 450*F.  In 13x9" baking dish or roasting pan, combine veggies, soup mix and oil until evenly coated.  Bake uncovered, stirring once, 20 min. or until veggies are tender.  Stir in light cream and cheese until evenly coated.  Toss with hot fettuccine.  Serve with additional grated Parmesan and ground black pepper.  Makes about 2 main-dish or 4 side dish servings.
 
 

This takes about a 1/2 hour to make and I double the recipe (did I mention I have 4 ravenous teens?)
 
 

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped (We love, love, LOVE vadalia onions, and have a 10 lb. bag that we're working on right now...you can use any kind though)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1-1/2 tsp minced garlic

8 oz boneless skiless chicken thigns, cut into 1" pieces

1 can (14-1/2 oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained (Herein lies the reason for this recipe today...I have a pile of tomatoes that were given to me that I NEED to use today!)

8 oz fully cooked smoked sausage, thinly sliced

3/4 tsp hot pepper sauce or to taste

2-1/4 c. buttermilk baking mix

3/4 tsp black pepper

2/3 c. milk  
 
 

1)  Preheat oven to 450*F.  Heat oil in med. ovenproof skillet over med-high heat until hot.  Add onion, bell pepper and garlic.  Cook 3 min. stirring occasionally.

2)  Add chicken and cook 1 min.  Add tomatoes with juice, sauisaage and hot pepper sauce.  Cook, uncovered, over med.-low heat 5 min.

3)  While chicken is cooking, combine baking mix thyme and black pepper.  Stir in milk.  Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls in mounds over chicken misture.  Bake 14 min. or until biscuits are golden brown and cooked through and chicken mixture is bubbly.  
 
 

Yummo!!

My "Traffic Light" Peppers

Sunday:  Summer Movie Night Tacos at Church while watching Night with the King.  :-)

Monday:  Roasted Veggies and Fettucine 

Tuesday:  Pepper Steak & Rice

Wednesday:  Spinach & Swiss Quiche

Thursday:  Bayou Style Pot Pie

Friday:  Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry

Saturday:  Grilled Burgers and all the compliments - including an array of desserts!!  We're having a family reunion for dh's side of the family here at the lake! 

We have wild blackberries growing all along our road and they're ready for the picking.  So the girls and I got busy.

We picked a bucket-full and washed them up...

...and enjoyed a nice warm cobbler!

Have a delicious day.

From nancyskitchen.com: 

BLACKBERRY COBBLER
1 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. blackberries

Combine flour, baking powder, 1/2 cup sugar, milk and salt in a bowl. Pour into greased 9x16x2 inch baking dish. Heat blackberries and 1/2 cup sugar in saucepan until it boils. Pour over batter. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown.