Menu of the Week

Our family enjoyed some new recipes this week. A few of these were requested to be "regulars" from now on. Keep reading to find out which we loved the most... Company Pot Roast from Ina Garten, Smoked Samon Tartines and Crab Cakes, Spaghetti Carbonara, Crawfish Pie, Mini Pizza's and Salisbury Meatballs over Egg Noodles.

Crawfish Pie

Have you ever heard of Crawfish Pie? Me neither until I saw one put together on Farmhouse Rules, a cooking show filmed on a farm in the Hudson Valley.

I was intrigued, enough to jot down the bones of the recipe and then go out and create my own version. We loved this take on a seafood dinner. Harper wouldn't touch it - mostly because it wasn't a PB&J sandwich.

Salisbury Steak Meatballs

When I was a child I remember hearing adults say how so-and-so is photogenic but so-and-so is not photogenic. I didn't understand what that meant until I started blogging and realized how some foods don't photograph well - no matter how scrumptious it may be, the picture looks like a regurgitated version of it's former self.

 

Trust me this is a before picture.

 

Salisbury steak is a dish made from a blend of ground beef and other ingredients, which is shaped to resemble a steak, and is usually served with gravy or brown sauce.

 

Menu of the Week

 

Another week of delicious meals brought to you by Home with Mandy! We began our week with one of Jim's most favorite sandwiches, the Marlboro Man Sandwich. I created a copy cat recipe from a local restaurant - probably cost me a quarter of the price to recreate. Lots of great ideas this week, enjoy!



Menu of the Week

Here is another full Menu of the Week from our home. The top three favorites this week were the Spicy Tilapia with Olive, Zucchini and Tomato Relish, Sloppy GI Joes and the Roasted Shrimp with Feta. Keep reading for links and photos.

Skirt Steak with Cilantro Chimichurri and Carrot-Citrus Hash

This recipe card from plated.com is bent, torn, stained ... all proof that this is an awesome dinner. I have made it probably once a month for the last six months and if you know me, you know I don't repeat recipes very often.

There is something about the sweet citrus carrots and the addictingly hot chimichurri sauce that seeps down over the steak. Jim and I clean our plates!

Menu of the Week

Cheesy Gnocchi Casserole

This is going to be a super quick post on a random dinner I threw together tonight after being inspired by THIS recipe on Food Network.

My recipe turned out nothing like Food Network intended. The Home with Mandy version is full of veggies, thick ham, soft gnocchi, all swimming in a creamy cheesy sauce. Yes, this is MUCH better!

Flattened Pork Chops with Greens and Mustard Pan Sauce

I can't wait to get this up on the blog! I had pork chops in the freezer and wanted to try a new way to prepare them and so I picked this recipe from epicurious.

The recipe's success may have been such a shock to me because the entire time I was cooking I was thinking about what a terrible recipe this was and how much I was screwing it up. I even apologized to Jim before I even served it. Woooah, apology redacted!

Even though I didn't have shallot and used onion, and even though I thought the pan sauce would taste burnt, and even though I thought the mustard/pickling flavor would be off-putting....it was AWESOME and I will definitely repeat this meal.

Easter Treat: Monkey Bread Muffins

My favorite little sous chef helped me make some Easter breakfast treats last week. Yes she is wearing headphones plugged into an iPad. She just got the headphones as a gift and wants to wear them all the time. Sometimes the cord just drags behind her as she plays in the house. I saw a funny meme on facebook with a toddler doing something silly and it read, "Motherhood, when you stop asking questions." So true!

Baked Tilapia With Coconut-Cilantro Sauce

 

The original recipe from Food Network was appealing to me because you blend all the ingredients in a blender and then bake everything together. It sounded super easy...and it was!

Menu of the Week + Salmon in Lemon Brodetto and Pea Puree

 

It was another great weekly menu at our house with some repeated favorites and a couple new recipes that will be making a comeback.

 

The Chicken Tacos are one of those easy meals good for several days of lunches.  I take frozen chicken breasts and put them in a crock pot with a jar of salsa and a package of taco seasoning. Set the slow cooker on low all day (5-8 hours) and then the chicken easily shreds with a fork inside the crockpot. I buy tortillas, a block of cheddar cheese to grate at home and we call that a great dinner. I serve with black beans and sometimes Mexican rice. Super easy, really yummy. I feel like this isn't even a recipe at all which is why I have not featured it on HWM. Maybe I should throw it up on here next time I make it so I at least have a picture to reference when it shows up on our weekly menu.

 

On Monday we had the usual Salmon but this time I decided to try a Giada recipe from Food Network. This Salmon in Lemon Brodetto and Pea Puree is a perfect dish for spring. I've got the full recipe with pictures below.

Crunchy Tilapia with Veggie Orzo

 

This Crunchy Tilapia reappears on my weekly menu often. I usually have everything on hand and can whip it up for the family on nights that I get home late and don't have a lot of time. Harper even loves it!

Menu of the Week + Pork Chops with Kale, Polenta and Anchovy Gravy

This turned out to be a great meal plan, pulling from both my HWM archives and some recipes I’ve previously made with Plated.

The Pork Chops with Kale, creamy Polenta and Anchovy Gravy is a repeat dinner in our house. Jim loves pork chops but I’m kind of indifferent towards this cut of meat. I love polenta however, and by incorporating kale into the meal – this dish is a winner for all. Keep reading for the step by step instructions on how I did it.

Meatball Tortellini Soup

I was really surprised how much we all liked this recipe, Harper included. Although it's not as quick of a meal for a weeknight, there are ways to prep on the weekend to speed up the time spent standing over the stove. It's perfect for a Saturday or Sunday because it can feed an army or you can plan to eat this for lunch during the week like I do.
The recipe has three main components: Soup, Tortellini and Meatballs. I used this recipe from Food Network as my inspiration, but called on a couple other blogs and recipes I've made in the past as I went along. Keep reading to find out how it all came together.

Menu of the Week + Chicken & Dumplings Update

Our menu of the week consist of one of Jim's most favorite meals: Chicken and Dumplings. There were two other stars on the menu that I guarantee will be making a comeback on our menu board in a few weeks. The Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree was amazing. Keep reading for links to recipes.

Thai-Style Tilapia with Coconut-Curry Broth

This recipe is so "blog worthy" I can't stand it. Super easy to pull together, so full of bold and fresh flavor, this Thai-Style Halibut with Coconut-Curry Broth is going to be a re-occurring dish on our menu board.

 

Weekly Menu + Lasagna Roll Ups

Here is another menu for the week at our home. Chicken Tacos is always a winner. I make it in the crock pot with frozen chicken breasts along with a jar of salsa and a package of taco seasoning. I mean, this could not be easier.

 

The Asian Grilled Salmon with Quinoa recipe came from Ina Garten and it was just okay. It was a "popular" recipe on Food Network but it lacked that WOW factor that the Barefoot Contessa usually has in all her recipes. You basically mix up Dijon mustard, olive oil, soy and minced garlic. This goes on the salmon before you bake it and you add more before serving. It was okay, but not amazing.

 

The Thai Tilapia with Coconut Curry Broth was AMAZING. Click the link to see my step by step photos of this wonderful meal that I can't wait to make again.

 

Lasagna Roll Ups was a conglomeration of several recipes I read online. Giada's rendition is what inspired me first but I knew that I could improve to better fit my family's taste.  I had the idea to make these lasagna rolls instead of one large pan of lasagna so I could freeze them in smaller portions. This is the recipe I want to share with you today.

 

My idea worked brilliantly and I really like the way these turned out. I cut some corners, making this easy enough for a week night meal - and better yet, I have three pans of this in the freezer!

Weekly Menu + Bacon & Bean Soup

 

This is like a "throwback Thursday" post since this was Superbowl week. Game day was an easy cooking day at our house. We had family over and everyone brought a dish to share. We let the kiddos run around while we snacked casually until we were full.

Menu of the Week and the Terrible Peanut Shrimp Dinner

This menu of the week consist of some super easy meals. Shrimp tacos didn't happen on Sunday, instead we ate out with friends. Pot Pies and rice on Monday? I know, crazy right!? Monday was a holiday so our "Monday" was on Tuesday which is why Tuesday we had our traditional salmon meal.

Pan Roasted Chicken Caprese Salad

"Two salads and two fish," that is one rule of our weekly meal planning I'm trying to stick to. It's not too difficult to have a salad entrée when you focus on tried and true flavor combinations. Fresh is best, and this caprese salad with pan roasted chicken brings bold flavors while sparing us from an unhealthy meal.
  

Menu for the Week: 2 Salads, 2 Fish

Here is our menu from last week. You will see some of the same dishes as the previous week and that is because we had to skip a night so I carried Turkey Meatloaf over. Our new goals are to have two salad entrée nights a week and at least two fish nights a week. I feel like this menu meets all of our criteria.

Back to School Thank You Gift

It may be too late this year, but you can bookmark this idea for your child's teacher next year. I was looking for a simple, but creative craft I could replicate SEVEN times for Bryce and Harper's teachers at the daycare they attend. Yes, there are many wonderful helping hands at the school and I wanted each of them to have something handmade from us.

7 Tips for Serving Dinner 7 Nights a Week

On Monday I go back to work full time after being on maternity leave. Oh boy, this is going to be an adjustment. I've been asked how I'm able to cook every night for my family and so I thought I would put a couple thoughts down on the blog.

1. For one, I don't think I would do this if I didn't enjoy it. I absolutely love cooking, it brings me peace and makes me happy.
2. Make a plan. You don't have to stick to it, but making a plan the week before and shopping for everything you need will make pulling dinners together every night possible.
3. Stick with what you know. I add maybe one or two new recipes a week but mostly stick to recipes I've made before so I don't get slowed down following a recipe or trying a new cooking technique.

Repurposed Pajama Pants into Toy Storage

 

I've started 2015 off on a crafty foot. This project has been rolling around in my head for some time. I snagged one of the legs on these cute pajama pants about a year ago and put a huge hole on one side.  The fabric was too cute to throw out so I salvaged them long ago and tucked them in my sewing bin.

 

My original plan for these was to make shoe bags, for when I travel. I just hate putting dirty shoes on top of clean clothes in my suitcase. I thought it would be super easy to sew a few bags out of the legs of these pj's.

 

But then I had kids and well, things change! For Christmas this year, Harper received some great building blocks, but they were packaged in a cardboard box that didn't make a great storage container. My options were to find a bin (like everything else in the house) but then I would need to find a home for the bin on a shelf.

 

So here we go, I've photographed on my iPhone a quick tutorial on making a simple storage bag that we will use for Harper's building blocks.