Whats Cookin with GraceandGravy: Meal Planning Week #3

Posted on August 3, 2014 by [email protected]

It’s a Tuesday afternoon, I’ve been running errands most of day and trying to catch up on laundry for the few moments I have been home. Then I look at the clock and a uggggg sound comes out of my mouth. It’s already time for the husby to get home for work and I haven’t even thought about dinner. I run to the pantry to skim the contents, then head to the fridge only to remember I don’t have any meat thawing. Now what am I going to do? Supper is going to be late, and I can’t think of anything to throw together.

Does this sound like you? Do you ever have those days when you cannot think of another single meal to cook?

Well, your not alone, I think as wives and mothers we all have those days more often than we would like to admit. That is when I started Meal Planning. I used to just write a menu and tape it to the fridge, but then I decided why not share it with you guys.

So WELCOME to “What’s Cookin with GraceandGravy: Meal Plans Week #3

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Each Sunday I will share with you what my meals for the week will be.

Maybe we can help to spark creativity in each other for our nightly dinners.

I had Cheesy Potato Soup on the menu last week, but both my kiddos ended up going to my dads to spend some time with him. Husby and I decided there was no need and cooking a pot of soup just for us, so we grabbed a sandwich and saved the soup for a later day (: Perfect for a crock pot, after church lunch meal.

I love making Shredded Chicken BBQ Sandwiches. It’s one meal my whole family agrees on. Of course, like I said before,

sometimes your choice of bread will make all the difference so for our Shredded Chicken BBQ Sandwiches, I like to use Deli Style Hamburger Buns. Serve with a side of Homemade Potato Chips and Enjoy!

Tuesday my Church Connect Group, is having a Family Pool Party. We are all bringing finger foods to eat. I decided to make a Variety Pinwheel Platter to take. I will add the basic pinwheel, Bacon Ranch Pinwheel, Southwest Pinwheel and a Basil, Pesto Pinwheel. Be checking back for those great recipes!

I also decided to make Kid-Friendly Sushi, which is just Turkey and Cheese Roll Ups that I cut like Sushi. So much fun! And I think I will also make Mini Apple Pies for a quick bite size dessert. Can’t wait for a fun-filled night with friends!

Wednesday’s are also so rushed before I have to have the kiddos at Youth Group, so this week its Fast and Friendly Tacos. No frills, just plain ole beef tacos with a side of rice and beans. Can’t get with easier than that.

For Thursday I decided to cook a larger meal with the past couple nights before that wasn’t “big dinners”. I chose Roasted Lemon Pepper Chicken with Carrots and Potatoes, Mac-n-Cheese and maybe a loaf of homemade bread!

Friday is Take Out Night! This Momma needs a break (:

Saturday is quick and easy around here, so its Subs and Pasta Salad!

Chalkboard Image courtesy of Google Images

Would love to hear your meal plans for the week. And I hope you enjoy a few of my meals!

Whats Cookin with GraceandGravy:Meal Planning Week #2

Posted on July 27, 2014 by [email protected]

WELCOME Back Y’all to “What’s Cookin with GraceandGravy: Meal Plans” Week #2!

I hope everyone enjoyed some of the meals from last week. I know some of my families favorites this week were the Chicken n Dumplins and the Mexican Chicken served with Mashed Potatoes. Yum! In fact when I make Mexican Chicken I always make a large casserole dish because it is so well loved. I invited over a friend and her two boys to share with us because I know its one of her favorites as well.

If this is your first time here, every Sunday I will share my families Meal Plan for the week to help everyone stay organized and have some ideas on what meals to fix. No one likes coming home after work or being gone running errands all day, to realize you have no meat thawed for dinner, or you forgot to pick up noodles for your casserole.

So come aboard and share your meal planning for the week as well.

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This week I wanted to keep it simple. This week I still have a lot of canning to do, a new Bible Study starting on Monday and lots of yard clean up from a storm last week. I knew it was best to have easy meals with at least one good, hearty meal to last a few days.

I had intended to make toasted subs tonight, until we decided to have dinner with our pastors, which I cooked. They hosted at their house, but I brought the food. They are not only our pastors, but great, close friends. Our families have been so busy with vacations and church events lately that we haven’t had much down time just to relax and visit with one another.

I decided to bring my Homemade Chicken Alfredo because I know its a family favorite and my easy Strawberry Summertime Pie.

After dinner the kiddos walked next door to swim and then everyone came back for pie.

It was a great night, and a great first night of Meal Plans Week 2!

Would love to hear your meal plans for the week. And I hope you enjoy a few of my meals!

Arkansas Po-Boy Dog

Posted on July 25, 2014 by [email protected]

Here in the South, summertime is in full-swing. Hot humid days, cool and relaxing evenings. I so love sitting on the front porch swing sippin Lemonade, or my all-time favorite, Sweet Tea. There are some things I just wouldn’t trade for the world, and one of those is fireflies for city lights, old farmhouses for condos and country barns for skyscrapers.

Of course, I completely understand if you were raised in the city how this would be reversed. And believe me I love to visit cities with bright lights, fancy stores and amazing restaurants, but after a visit I’m ready to come back home to the dirt roads, hay fields and stars in the sky. And it wouldn’t be the South in Arkansas that I love so deeply without good southern comfort food.

Here is Rural Arkansas we have a few staple foods. There isn’t any summertime meal complete with a side of coleslaw or baked beans. Whether its a weekend BBQ friends, a church potluck on Sunday afternoon or supper during the week, these two sides are always among the favorites.

I guess you can say along with our slower pace and a more laid back simple style of life, we still enjoy a little gourmet now and then. A couple weeks ago I was trying to think of an easy and fast mid-week meal but also something filling for my family. I had buns and hot dogs, and well really you can’t get any easier than that. Not only are hot dogs super fast but they are also super cheap. But in order to make it a complete meal I needed sides. Well of course I came back to cole slaw and baked beans.

As I was preparing the sides, I started thinking, why can’t I make a more elaborate meal out of what I have. If Chicago can have their own Chicago-Style Dog and San Francisco can have their own BLT Dog then shouldn’t Arkansas have their own dog? So I got to work.

First I made my cole slaw.

Grace and Gravy’s Southern Slaw

Ingredients:

1 Package of Pre-Shredded Cabbage Mix or a Head of Cabbage (to save time)

3/4 cup of Mayo

1/4 cup of Sugar

2 tsp of Lemon Juice

2 tbsp of Vinegar

1 tsp of Salt

1 tsp of Black Pepper

1 tsp of Paprika

How to Make:

1) Rinse your cabbage mix (remember this was supposed to be a fast and easy meal) and place in large serving bowl

2) In a separate bowl add your mayo, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper and mix well

3) Add your wet ingredients to your cabbage mix

4) Mix together well

5) sprinkle your paprika on top of slaw

6) Serve right away or place in fridge til serving time

Just enough sweetness and just enough tart!

Now it was time for my Baked Beans.

Grace and Gravy’s Southern Baked Beans

Ingredients:

6 Slices of Bacon

2 cans of Pinto Beans or 1/2 pd of dried Pinto Beans (Remember this was a fast, easy meal so I used cans)

1 can tomato paste

2 Tbsp Honey

1/4 cup of Brown Sugar

1/2 Diced Onion (I prefer white)

1/2 Bell Pepper Diced

3 Medium sized fresh Jalapeno Peppers

1/2 tsp Paprika

1/2 Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Ground Mustard

1/2 tsp Cummin (optional)

What to Do:

1) Fry your bacon in a skillet (I prefer to use cast iron for this recipe)

2) Remove bacon but leave the bacon grease

3) Add your onion, jalapeno and bell pepper to grease and cook til soft

4) Dice your bacon up and add to pan

5) Drain your beans and add

6) Now add your brown sugar and honey and mix well

7) In a small bowl add your dry seasonings and mix lightly

8) Add your seasonings to pan and stir

9) Simmer on low to medium heat for appx 15 minutes

10) Enjoy

I really love the sweetness of the brown sugar and honey with the spicy of the peppers!

Okay! Now that I had my sides done, I was ready for my dogs.

How I make my Dogs:

I really like to have deli style hot dog buns. I really like the flavor to them better than the packaged kind. Sometimes your choice of bread will make all the difference to your dog, hamburger or sub.

Here is the thing about being Southern, we think everything should be fried! Oh yes! The greasier the better. So fry up your dogs on a griddle or a skillet.

Oh Boy, its gettin good now!

When grilled you now have two choices! I suggest trying them both to see which is your style.

You can leave your dog whole and place in bun, or you can spilt in half so that your toppings fit better! Thats my choice!

Now your ready for toppings! My husby enjoys mustard, so its whatever you enjoy, then I add a big ole scoop full of baked beans, and a big ole scoop full of slaw! What could be better than this for a Good Ole Southern Meal!

So Easy, So fillings and will serve eight! Or four if you have big ole boys!

I really hope you enjoy my Arkansas Po-Boy Dog! Would love to hear your thoughts!

Whats Cookin with GraceandGravy:Meal Planning

Posted on July 20, 2014 by [email protected]

Does this sound like you? Do you ever have those days when you cannot think of another single meal to cook?

So WELCOME to “What’s Cookin with GraceandGravy:Meal Plans”!

Grab My Button

Each Sunday I will share with you what my meals for the week will be. Maybe we can help to spark creativity in each other for our nightly dinners.

My dad raises chickens for eggs. He recently had a few “heavies’ as they are called. I really felt sorry for these chickens. They were so heavy they could barely move, it was really, really sad and worse of all they weren’t laying. He made the decision to butcher them and asked if we would like the meat and of course I said yes. Free chicken for the family. They are so large they take up to much freezer room so I have been boiling them, and picking off the meat to put in freezer bags. I also have saved the broth. One chicken was large enough to make 4 meals. Ummm YES!

So needless to say, my family will be having a lot of chicken this week.