All My Loose Ends » chicken recipes

Smokey Goodness (and Menu Plan Monday!)

Jamie — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Last summer, we bought Big Daddy a smoker. We smoked pork and brisket and it was good.

Big Daddy liked it so much, he bought a better, more efficient smoker and it was REALLY good. We’ve had smoked pork shoulders so delicious that I was actually sad that there were no left overs the next day. It was juicy and smokey and I think I might be in a relationship with it now. Had I not eaten it, of course.

This past weekend, Big Daddy got a little adventurous. We smoked hamburgers on Saturday evening (a really good week night meal from the smoker, because it only took 45 minutes on the smoker plus some browning time on the grill). Sunday evening, we smoked chicken. It was brined and smoked to perfection. Look at this, don’t you want to eat this??

If you don’t, that’s fine. More for me. We’re hosting Baby Bee’s second birthday party here next Saturday and we’ll be smoking pork shoulders and burgers for our party’s main course. I can’t WAIT.

I look forward to Mondays. Maybe because I don’t have to go back to work? I like the fresh start to the week and I’m LOVING summer right now (I reserve the right to change my mind on that come August). We’re filling up our days and nights with fun outdoor things to do, so I’m trying to keep dinners quick and easy

Monday-Grilled Chicken Brushetta, spinach salad (from our GARDEN!) and garlic bread sticks

Tuesday-Baked Creamy Chicken Tacquitos with Cilantro Lime Rice

Wednesday-Gnocchi and summer veggies with garlic bread

Thursday-Garlicky Lemon-Pepper Chicken, couscous and snow peas

Friday-Family’s coming into town, so our plans are up in the air.

Saturday-Baby Bee’s Birthday Party!

Sunday-Left0vers

Menu Plan Monday 2011-Week 21

Jamie — Mon, 23 May 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Can you believe that in a little more of a week, we’ll have lived in our new house, in our town in, in our own state for a year! While, there’s a post about that in here somewhere, it meant it was time to readdress my freezer.

Last summer, our chest freezer died. In the summer. With meat in it. In the summer. When we were gone for a weekend. In the summer. Yeah. Ewwww. Our in the house freezer is crammed full of stuff and I decided it was time to make lemonade and clear out the freezer. To eat up the things we’ve been amassing in there. Do you do that from time to time? Clean up and clean out? Our pantry should probably be next, but I can really only handle one of them at a time.

Monday

Garlic Cheddar chicken, Pasta Salad with Creamy Chive dressing and veggies of some sort. I know I make Garlic cheddar chicken a lot, but it really is THAT good. Have you made it yet? If not, you should. I also substitute panko for the bread crumbs and it’s just as good if not better. Really. I also reduce the amount of butter and cheese. It’s still delicious, but more healthy.

Tuesday

Grilled Mahi Mahi (with chicken nuggets for the two fish adverse children), grilled veggies and couscous

Wednesday

Grilled Turkey Burgers and Tex-Mex Sweet and Red Potato Salad

Thursday

Turkey Pilaf with chick pea flour flat bread

Friday

Dinner out!
Saturday

Smoked spare ribs (Big Daddy’s special recipe), watermelon and corn on the cob

Sunday

Locally made, German sausage (boiled in a good Irish beer, of course ;), foil potatoes and watermelon

Hey, it’s almost Memorial Day! What’s your favorite grilling recipe? We’re always looking for something yummy we haven’t tried.

Menu Plan Monday 2011-Week 20

Jamie — Mon, 16 May 2011 12:00:00 +0000

It was probably obvious from last week’s menu plan that we were out of town over the weekend and if I haven’t mentioned that May was going to be a very busy month for us, let me mention it now. We’re BUSY. Exceedingly. And after a rather whirlwind trip to Chicago for the wedding of a dear, dear friend (Congratulations!!)we’re home with another packed full weekend.

In addition to all of that, it has now occurred to me, that the Princess only has 11 more days of school and I’m not sure I’m ready for the summer, yet. The weather’s not sure either, because I’m pretty sure it’s only 40 degrees here this morning, which is just not right. I’m trying to think spring in my menu planning, but it’s pretty much stew weather.

Monday

Fusili with Caramelized Spring Onions and White Wine

Tuesday

Pressed Cubano sammies with sweet potato fries

Wednesday

Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs with roasted potatoes and a green salad

Thursday

Beef and Broccoli stir fry

Friday

We’ll have company? Maybe. But I’m not cooking anyhow

Saturday

Shower day!

Sunday

Spiedini of Chicken and Zucchini with Almond Salsa Verde, crusty bread with olive oil and salad

It’s Monday and that means….

Jamie — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:11:51 +0000

It’s Monday again. We had a busy week last week with the Princess’s birthday and an out of town trip to celebrate. I love the estivities, but it means that my usual weekend tasks of menu planning and grocery shopping have been put off until today.

This week, I’m going to be cooking from “Dinner Made Easy”. It’s a great service from Betty Crocker.com that focuses on getting dinner on the table quickly. I’ve been getting their e-mail newsletter for a while, but thought that maybe it was time to give a few recipes a try.

Monday
Southwest Chicken Skillet

I might serve it with spanish rice or corn (Littlebit’s favorite) but it really is a fairly complete meal.
Tuesday

Slow cooker pork chops with cherry apple stuffing and veggies

Wednesday
Chicken breasts with creamy mushroom gravy, asparagus and fresh bread

Thursday

Tamale Pot pie and veggies
Friday

Bacon wrapped filet mignon, crash hot potatoes and veggies and onion rings.

Saturday

Pizza Night!

Menu Plan Monday

Jamie — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:14:58 +0000

Can I say that Once a Month cooking rocks! I can? Sweet. It does and I just said it. I probably said it last week too,but I’m saying it again. I thought that spending two weeks cooking and doubling meals made the two weeks off worth it, but in truth, that was totally counter productive and a waste of work. If I was going to have another kid, I’d probably name her (because we don’t make boys) Once a Month Mom.

So, it makes my menu planning pretty easy

Monday

Chicken Marsala, pasta and asparagus

Tuesday

soccer practice

Beef Stew and fresh bread

Wednesday

Mexican cornbread casserole and salad

Thursday

soccer practice

Deconstructed broccoli stuffed chicken breasts and veggies

On the go with previous plans for the weekend.

Last week, I noted that we were having caramel apple pork chops for dinner. They were pretty. I wish I’d have taken a picture, but they were so good all of us sort of inhaled them. I guess 800+ reviews and an overall rating of 4.5 stars on allrecipes.com really does mean something. It means yummy.

What’s For Dinner-Week of July 19th

Little Mama — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:00:04 +0000

We don’t have so much summer bounty going on here. My homemade topsy turveys are growing but the plants look a little stunted so I’m not sure they’ll ever produce. We’ll see. The only thing I’m growing with any success is lavender and weeds.

Sunday- TBD, but something fresh on the grill
MondayItalian Style Pizza Potpie with Salad
Tuesday-Easy Chicken Scallopini and Orzo toss
WednesdayCrockpot Chicken and Dressing with sugar snap peas
Thursday-Lemony Chicken and Rice
FridayPizza and movie night
Saturday-The Princess goes to stay with my Dad and his girlfriend for a week, so we’ll meet them for dinner halfway between here and there.

We’re going to try making refrigerator pickles this week. My grandparents always had jars of these little beauties in their refrigerators during the summer time. I found this recipe on cookinglight.com and it seems pretty simple and sounds pretty good and makes me think of childhood summers. Because I love Big Daddy I might try the dilled green beans too. Thinking about trying Angry Chicken’s suggestion for iced too.