Meal Plan Monday

I took a blogging hiatus for the last few weeks in order to get my home organized. After a new baby, several trips away this summer, things around the house have been put on the back burner. I have used my blogging time to clean out drawers, organize the kids clothes for the fall and steam clean carpets and chairs.

I look forward to sharing some of the things that are going on around here. Like discovering Fruit My Cube, Valentine's Day in August and celebrating Double D's 2nd Birthday.

Monday - Easy Shepherd's Pie

Tuesday - Ham and Bean Soup with Cornbread

Wednesday - Spanish Chicken and Chorizo

Thursday - Leftovers (Tonight is My Sweetie's Fantasy Football Draft, so he will be gone)

Friday - Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Saturday - Chinese Take Away for Double D's Second Birthday Dinner

Sunday - Roast Chicken and The Neely's Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw

Fresh Tomato Bruschetta

What should you do with all those tomatoes and basil growing in your garden, make bruschetta of course!

I have been using this recipe for the last 15 years and even my friends (and hubby) that despise tomatoes, always come back for second helpings.

I originally got this recipe from Pampered Chef, but after searching the Internet, I could not locate it. Maybe because the recipe is older, but to me this recipe is the best and using only fresh ingredients will do!

Indigents:
3 Ripe medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 Small onion, diced
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, snipped
1 Garlic clove, pressed
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Ground black pepper
24 Slices of French Bread, cut 1/4-inch thick
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut tomatoes and onions and add to a bowl. Add snipped basil and pressed garlic to the tomato mixture as well as the salt and pepper. Set tomato mixture aside.

Place bread slices on baking sheet and brush surface of bread lightly with olive oil. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.

Remove bread from oven, scoop tomato mixture onto toast slices and serve immediately.

Enjoy! This is the perfect fresh summer appetizer.

Meal Plan Monday

After a fun filled and somewhat of an adventurous weekend, I am happy to be back in my own home with the kids back on their schedules.

This past weekend we headed to Columbus, Indiana for a family reunion. I had a wonderful time seeing family especially some that I haven't seen in over 20 years! Yikes, that is a long time. Saturday night we spent the evening at a local hotel there and everything was fine...until I got the giggles because Double D was still talking at 2:30 am and saying the funniest things! Well that lead to every one else carrying on and laughing and somewhere in the midst of being way too tired and laughing...Sissyboo got sick. I mean, really sick. So sick I should have left the maid a $20 for the clean up! My poor girl. Needless to say none of us went to sleep until somewhere around 4:30 in the morning. It was a LONG trip home too. What takes 4 hours seems to drag on for eternity.

But we survived and I am happy to report everyone here is happy and healthy and we are all rested!

Here is the menu for this week:

Monday: General Tso's Chicken

Tuesday: Grilled Marinated Flank Steak with Blue Cheese Schmear and Bruschetta

Wednesday: Clam Chowder and leftover french baguette

Thursday: Baked Rigatoni

Friday: Cobb Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing

Saturday: Cool Veggie Pizza

Sunday: Roast Chicken and Stewed Tomatoes

Kips (Kale Chips)

KIPS...what my little man calls kale chips. If you want a fun and healthy snack for your kids, try kale chips. By the time the oven is heated, I have a tray full of kale ready to go in and within ten minutes, the crispy kale chips are baked.

I make these several times a week for my little family for a mid morning snack.

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Directions:
1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or tin foil.
2. Remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.