Morris Family Menu Week of October 24th

So, over the past few weeks, I've been revamping my menus because I started Weight Watchers. It's time to knock off the last of this baby weight. I have done WW before, about this time after Carter was born. The points concept really works for me and I love the extensive recipe database that WW has. I am just doing the online program because they don't offer meetings out here :(, but the good news is it has forced me to explore the online program. I can enter my favorite recipes and it will automatically tally up the points. I can also find variations of my favorite meals that make it more waistline friendly.

I'll try not to bore you with lots of details, because if you aren't on WW, all of the points talk can be kind of a beating. But, let me just say that I drastically changed my usual order at Jason's Deli after I learned that it was worth 54 POINTS!!! Yes, the Plane Jane potato should be called the Pudgy Jane Potato, packing 2,000 calories. Ugh!


Ok, so here is this weeks menu (I know we usually start on Sun or Mon, but I was inspired, ok?) :)

Saturday: Southern Slow Cooker Chicken and Grits (this was really good and easy!)
Sunday: Grilled Chicken Breasts with Red Pepper Rissoto (Target/Archer Farms mix) and green beans.
Monday: Pot Roast (recipe below)
Tuesday: Green Chile Enchiladas (recipe below)
Wednesday: dinner @ church
Thursday: dinner in Austin
Friday: Mom's Christmas Chili and Cornbread
Saturday: Leftovers & Candy
Sunday: Beef patties, sweet potato fries (I love the Alexia's brand), oven roasted squash and garlic.

Pot Roast
I make mine in the crock pot filled 1 cup with beef or chicken broth and 1cup full of water. 1 chopped onion, 1 clove of garlic, and coat the top with Cooper's BBQ Seasoning. I usually throw in some carrots and potatoes about half way through. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Mom's Christmas Chili
We have this every year on Christmas Eve, hence my naming it Mom's Christmas Chili.

1 pound ground beef

¾ cup chopped onion

1 garlic glove, minced

2 tablespoons Mexene Chili Powder

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon salt/2 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon sugar

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce (I add at least twice that)

1 cup water

• Brown together the ground beef, onion, and garlic
• Drain excess fat.
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Mix well.
• Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
• Makes 4 servings (about 2/3 cup each)

I always double or triple this recipe adding tomato sauce, sometimes some diced tomatoes, and the last couple of years I’ve added a can of Rotel.

You can make this into a fun chili barr with a pot of pinto beans, bowls of onions, cheese, jalapenos, and Fritos to add.

Green Chile Enchiladas:

This is a recipe I intend to create and make for the first time, who knows what will actually happen. Here is what I plan to use.

Cookwell & Company Two Step Mix Green Chili Stew (my aunt found this for me at HEB)

Sour Cream

Monterrey Jack Cheese

Corn Tortillias

Cilantro

Sauteed Onions

I'm not sure yet if I'm going to make enchilada stacks or rolled enchiladas. I'm sure you all will be sitting on the edges of your seats ;)

Everything Cookies

These cookies got their name because they have "everything" in them. I got this recipe from my good friend Melisa about 5 years ago. They have become a staple in my kitchen and I make them all the time. Don't let the ingredient list scare you. If you bake you probably have most of this on hand.

Just the usual players: flour, brown sugar, butter (I use the butter flavored Crisco equivalent in this particular recipe because I prefer the texture ) eggs, vanilla, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, oatmeal, raisins, chocolate chips, and coconut


Mix butter and sugar together, add eggs and vanilla and mix well; add flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. Now add your fun ingredients and mix till combined; form tablespoon size balls about an inch and a half apart on an ungreased cookie sheet (shout out to parchment paper...I never bake cookies without it)

try to keep your 5 year old away from the raw cookie dough.....

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, let cool on cookie sheet about 1 minute then remove to cooling rack

try to keep hubby from taking the hot cookie off the cookie sheet

Makes about 3 to 4 dozen "Lucas Family" size cookies......or more if you prefer smaller cookies

the scoop........

2 c brown sugar
1 3/4 sticks butter (or the butter flavored Crisco equivalent)
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 t cinnamon
2 c oatmeal
1 c raisins
1 c coconut
1 c chocolate chips, semisweet

Lee Household Week of 10/5/09

Monday: Leftover Chicken Tortilla Soup and Corniest Corn Muffins
Tuesday: Chicken Alfredo (stealing Valeries recipe), Green Salad, Garlic Bread
Wednesday: The boys are going camping, so I'm leaving this night open
Thursday: Crockpot Lasagna
Friday: Dinner with my parents
Saturday: Dinner with my parents
Sunday: Vegetable Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup -- I love this version. I eat it with lots of avocado and tortilla chips. Sometimes I also throw in some black beans because I love them! Garnish with anything you like - cilantro, cheese, sour cream, etc.

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves
1 medium jalapeno pepper
1/2 medium green pepper
4 chicken breasts
4 cups frozen corn
1/2 c dry white wine or water
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
4 cans chicken broth
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato sauce

*Saute onion, garlic, jalapeno and green pepper in the olive oil until soft in a large pot
*Add remaining ingredients to pot and bring to a boil
*After about 15 minutes, remove chicken and shred
*Return chicken to pot and simmer for 45 minutes

Corniest Corn Muffins (from "Baking ... from my home to yours" by Dorie Greenspan, a fabulous cookbook about baking)

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
6 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional -- I never add)
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons corn oil
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup corn kennels (add up to 1/3 cup more if you'd like) -- fresh, frozen or canned (in which case, they should be drained and patted dry)

Preheat oven to 400. Prepare muffin pan (spray, butter or use paper cups).
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg, if your using it. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, oil, egg and yolk until well blended. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and with the whisk or rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Batter should be lumpy so don't be too thorough. Stir in the corn kernels. Divide among the muffin cups.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from the pan. Makes 12 muffins.

Vegetable Soup
1 lb ground beef
Bag of frozen vegetables
2 cans tomato sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes
2-3 cans of water
4-5 red potatoes, cubed
Lawry's season salt

Brown ground beef in a soup pot. Add tomatoes, frozen vegetables, water and potatoes. Season to taste with Lawry's season salt. Cook long enough for the potatoes to cook and soften.

Monday - Pioneer Woman's Simple Sesame Noodles, I'm going to de-simplify them a bit and throw in some chicken and broccoli...I hope it works out.

Tuesday - Chalupas & mexican Rice - from Jill's recipe!

Wednesday - Dinner at the church

Thursday - Out to Dinner

Friday - Chicken and Rice Crockpot - I'm trying to find a recipe that I used before. It calls for French Onion Soup mix and it was so good. And Easy!

Saturday - Baked Ham, Corn Casserole (didn't get this made last week)

Sunday - Pot Roast. I make mine in the crock pot filled 1 cup with beef or chicken broth and 1cup full of water. 1 chopped onion, 1 clove of garlic, and coat the top with Cooper's BBQ Seasoning. I usually throw in some carrots and potatoes about half way through. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Oh yum! Tres Cocos Cake!

So, I haven't made this yet, but I can't wait to go to the store next and get the ingredients!

Tres Cocos Cake (Three Coconuts Cake)
(printable Version)

1 white or yellow cake mix, prepared per the package instructions (with eggs, oil, and water)
1 cup coconut milk
1 15 oz can Cream of Coconut (such as Coco Lopez sold in the aisle with Pina Colada drink mixes)
8 oz can crushed pineapple (undrained), refrigerated
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 3.5 oz box of coconut cream instant pudding mix
1 8 oz container of whipped topping
1 1/4 cups shredded, sweetened coconut – toasted

Prepare and bake the cake per the package instructions. Let cake cool in the pan for 45 minutes.

Whisk the coconut milk and cream of coconut together. Pour 1/2 cup of the mixture into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. You will need this reserved mixture later for the topping.

After the cake has cooled 45 minutes, poke holes all over the cake (I use a chopstick). Slowly pour the remaining coconut milk mixture all over the cake. Allow the cake to rest for 10 minutes then cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours (but preferably overnight).

After the cake has fully chilled for several hours, toast the coconut per the package instructions. Spread the toasted coconut onto a large plate or sheet pan and allow it to cool completely.

In a bowl, whisk the chilled crushed pineapple, lemon juice, instant pudding, and the 1/2 cup of reserved coconut milk mixture. Place the bowl in the fridge for about 5 minutes to allow the mixture to firm up some then fold in the whipped topping until no white streaks remain. Spread the topping over the cake and sprinkle on the toasted coconut in an even layer. You may not wish to use all of the toasted coconut depending on how thick you want the top coconut layer to be. Refrigerate at least 1 additional hour (and preferably longer) to allow the topping time to firm up. Keep refrigerated.