Here is the complete menu and shopping list for the following dishes.

Honey Chicken

Chicken Enchiladas

Cheesy Tortellini

Fettuccini Alfredo

Waffles

Biscuits

 Menu #12 Recipes and Shopping List

One of the great things about winter time is all the yummy comfort food! This is one of those hearty, warm, tasty soups that make winter worth it. (did I say warm?) After making this, my family wanted to make sure I would know where the recipe was so that I could make it again–it was a huge hit with my family–something familiar but a little different!

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 2 (10 ounce) cans ro-tel tomatoes with diced green chilies
• 1 7 ounce can diced green chiles
• 2 yams, peeled and cut into 1/2 pieces
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 1/2 t. ground cumin
• 1 t. dried oregano
• 6 cups chicken broth
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 can corn
• grated cheddar cheese and tortilla chips for serving

Combine all ingredients except the corn, cheese and chips. Add the corn at the end, and use the cheese and chips for serving. You can cook this in a big pot on the stove or in your slow cooker, depending on how much time you have. I would let it simmer for 1-2 hours on the stove, or 4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low in the slow cooker. You just want the meat nice and tender. Add the corn 10-15 minutes before serving and serve with your cheese and chips–yummmmmmm!!!

One of the things my family thoroughly enjoys is eating breakfast for dinner.  Whether it’s pancakes, waffles, biscuits (especially with gravy), or eggs there aren’t typically complaints about that menu.  So I thought I’d share a few of our favorite breakfast recipes.  I will often sneak in a bit of wheat flour in both the waffle and biscuit recipes.  I usually use wheat flour for about 1/3 of the amount of flour.  It just adds something nutritious and especially in the case of the biscuits it adds to the flavor.   As far as the waffle picture goes, we usually don’t go this fancy.  Syrup is the norm.  The picture was taken when one of our daughters had some friends over for waffles.  I am putting the syrup recipe we use in this post.  It is so easy and yummy!!  After making it I put it in a salad dressing cruet (use a funnel to avoid spills) which is perfect for pouring.  I bought the cruet at Walmart in the aisle with the salad dressings.  It comes with  “Good Seasons” brand salad dressing packets.  You will need an additional container as well (I use a glass jar) because the cruet isn’t big enough to hold it all.  The cruet is perfect for warming the syrup in the microwave but make sure you take off the plastic lid prior to warming it.  The lid might melt.  I store extra syrup in the refrigerator.  Enjoy the recipes!!!

Waffles

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 tsp. salt

4 tsp. Baking Powder

1 1/2 T sugar

1/2 cup dry milk

2 1/2 cups water

3/4 cup veg. oil

2 eggs

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Bake in a waffle iron.

Syrup

4 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 1/4 cups water

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. of maple flavoring

Combine sugars and water in pot.  Bring to boil , stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat – add flavorings.  Store in refrigerator to minimize sugar crystalization.

Biscuits

2 cups flour ( I like using some wheat flour – use about 2/3 cup wheat and remainder white)

1 TBS baking powder

1 tsp salt

4 TBS shortening

2/3 -3/4 cup water or milk

Preheat oven.  Mix dry ingredients.  Cut in shortening.  Mix in water or milk.  Roll out dough on floured surface.  Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut into circles Place on baking sheet.  Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

Here are two great pasta dishes.  Serve one at the beginning of the week and the other at the end of the week so your family doesn’t get pasta overload – or serve them one right after the other if pasta is your thing.  Either way, these dishes are great and should bring rave reviews.  The tortellini is a crockpot dish.  Since ground beef and sausage typically come in 1 pound packages, I brown up the whole pound of each meat and then divide the meat, freezing one portion to use for a second recipe of the tortellini.

Cheesy Italian Tortellini

(Can also be used as a spaghetti sauce if tortellini is omitted)

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 pound Italian sausage

1 medium onion diced- optional (I highly recommend using it)

1 (24 oz) jar spaghetti sauce (I use Prego brand – Fresh Mushroom flavor)

1 (4.5 oz) can sliced mushrooms ( I use fresh- just as many as you want)

1 (14.5 oz.) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (9 oz.) packaged refrigerated or fresh cheese tortellini- not the dry.

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Crumble the ground beef and sausage (onion) into a large skillet.  Cook over medium high heat until browned.  Drain.  Combine  meat, marinara sauce, mushrooms, and tomatoes in a slow cooker. Cover, and cook on LOW heat for 7-8 hours.  Stir in tortellini, and sprinkle the cheeses over the top.  Cover and cook for 15 more minutes on low, or until the
tortellini is tender.  You can top with fresh Parmesan and basil.

Olive Garden’s Fettuccini Alfredo

Sauce:

1 pint heavy cream

1 stick butter

¾ cup parmesan cheese (grated or
shredded)

1 minced garlic clove or 1 tsp garlic
powder

2 ounces cream cheese

Melt butter over low heat and add garlic and cream cheese.  Turn heat up to medium and add cream.  Stir and let thicken.  This takes about 15  minutes.  Add parmesan cheese about 5 minutes before serving.  Turn heat back to low.  Serve over fettuccini noodles

After this parade of recipes you are probably ready for the shopping list! Here is a printable copy of the recipes and the shopping list to go with it. This week I’m posting both the word doc and the pdf file so you can use it however works for you! Have a great week! Happy cooking!

Menu #11 as a Word doc

Menu #11 as a pdf