Aaahhh, Super Bowl parties are behind us, the special meals of Valentine’s Day were cooked, and with no holidays in sight you can relax and just make some regular meals. Now after cooking 44 different meals since starting this blog I normally would be ready to start repeating some of those meals; especially since there were some very tasty meals posted. But, in my quest to post three months of different meals before we start repeating, I have been scouring my numerous cookbooks, my binder full of recipes and my cooking magazines! I have to say that I’ve been having fun going back and looking through older cookbooks and remembering when I made the different meals. Usually when I get a new cookbook I tend to read it through and book mark the recipes I’m interested in making. After I make the recipe, I date the page and leave a comment about the meal so when I look through it again I will know if the recipe was a hit or miss, if it was worth the effort to make again, etc. It's as if I have these additional scrapbooks that conjure up past memories of food. This week my mailbox has been overflowing with my March subscriptions and I have to say I am extra excited with what I’m seeing. While your making next weeks menu, I’ll be testing a group of new recipes for the week of the March 1st.
How do you like the new layout? It seemed a bit more relevant to my vision. Don’t forget that you can now just click the title of the recipe to access it. Throughout the week I’m sure I will continue to tweak the site as there is so much to learn about blogging successfully, which I'm guessing should be a goal for this site. Email me at mydinnerplaybook@aol.com with any suggestions, recipe ideas, or how I can take over the world with my blog, ha ha just checking that your still paying attention. I’d love to hear from you and don’t forget about my goal of having 100 followers, sign up today and send this blog off to family, friends and strangers! This week I'd also like some additional help, I need your “Sunday Dinner” recipes. Let me know about the meals that invoke those special memories that not only touched the senses of smell, sight and taste; but the sense of love that you knew came with all the effort. I would love to add them to my “Pass the Wine; I got all the time meals” section. As always, have a fabulous week!
Find this weeks Grocery List here
Quick Meal 1
This recipe was a random pop-up from the Food Network and I thought it looked easy enough to be a quick meal and a way to use a different protein this week. While I’m sure there will be people who wouldn’t categorize it as “real” dirty rice, it is a very tasty version and you will be able to create it quick. Personally, I felt the bell pepper was a bit overwhelming, and since our family isn’t a huge bell pepper fan I will probably omit it the next time I make it.
Quick Meal 2
This is a recipe I have had in my binder for a couple of years and one I have made on several occasions. When searching the Kraft Foods website I found that they now offer 6 foil pack meals; foil pack meals are great because the food is always moist, it’s fast and easy and there is virtually no clean up. The reason I like this particular one is that I get potatoes in addition to the chicken and I only need to add a veggie to have a complete meal. Now over the years I have made a few changes from the original recipe to give it less of a Mexican flavor; I omit the Taco Bell seasoning mix, as it’s a flavor I don’t care for, I use sharp cheddar cheese and I mix 2 tbs of Mayo and a 1/4 brick of cream cheese in with the salsa of my choice before spreading it over the chicken. Explore the different options they have to offer and decide which one will work for your family.
Got Some Time - Meal 1
I’m sure there are going to be those who say pizza is for the nights I don’t have time for anything else, or I have a favorite pizza joint that makes a pretty good pie, so I might as well dial 1-800-bringmeapizza. I admit I also do this occasionally but I really prefer to make my own. If I schedule it within my week then I treat it as pizza getting made for dinner. Over the years I have tried different crusts, different techniques for a crispy crust, different sauce and so on. So this recipe is a mash of what I think is a great pie. The crust and technique is a recipe that came from a Parents magazine years ago but the corn meal was something I added to give it a more authentic taste. The sauce is a blend of information I found in a Rachael Ray Magazine for the best pizza recipe; but I added spices I like to it (I have also used my sauce that I store in the freezer from my meatball and sauce recipe). The toppings are of course your choice, but if your budget allows, try fresh mozzarella sliced on top and you will be amazed. I’m sure that once you and your family try this recipe, you will ditch the 1-800 #.
Got Some Time - Meal 2
While I’m all for not repeating a recipe, I definitely need a burger more than once every three months. How many of you love burgers topped with sautéed mushrooms, but hate that when you bite into the burger the mushrooms always fall out? Well, I do so I figured out a solution, I created Bella Burgers. You are basically adding a portobello mushroom on top of your burger so that with each bite you will get that wonderful mushroom taste. Perfect, right? I know that once you add the portobello mushroom on top of the patty, and then the bun and condiments you are going to end up with a really big burger to get your mouth around, so here are few suggestions. 1. Share, I usually divide my burger with my little one and we both have plenty. 2. You can also use less ground beef and make the patties thinner, you will save $ on the grocery bill and still get a great burger with all of the taste. 3. If you follow that diet that doesn’t allow bread or pasta (which there is no way I could ever give up my pasta) you can just omit the bun and the meal will still be satisfying and filling.
Got Some Time - Meal 3
Once again I pulled a recipe from my big blue binder. This is a recipe that has been in there since 2004 and I have no idea who to credit for it, but whoever created it, thanks, I love it. This is a huge family favorite and I just add some garlic bread and a side salad. Yum! I'm sure your family is going to love it also.
Pass the Wine; I got all the time - Meal 1
How many of your receive the Williams-Sonoma catalog? I do and I have to say it is one of my favorites as I am a huge kitchen gadget junkie. While this catalog boasts some very cool cooking items for sale, it also tucks some wonderful recipes inside. I found this recipe about a year ago and it just begs to be in the “Sunday Meal” category. I’m sure that whoever created this recipe has some wonderful family memories to share and I promise that if you take the time to make this recipe you will not be disappointed.
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