Meal Plan Sunday

Sunday- Braised beef with rolls

Monday- Taco Salad with corn salsa

Tuesday- Skillet Chicken

Wednesday- Ham with baked beans and veggies

Thursday- Ham Sandwiches

Friday- Out to dinner

Makes and Bakes:
Chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting

Black Magic Cake

I found this recipe for black magic cake from allrecipes.com. It has a cup of black coffee in it, so I wanted to give it a try (plus little missie wanted to bake something with me). The frosting recipe comes from one of my new favorite blogs Glorious Treats.

Black Magic Cake

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup strong brewed coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
2. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Batter will be thin, pour into prepared pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 cup butter room temp.
8 oz cream cheese (keep cold)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa powder (add before powdered sugar)
4 cups powdered sugar
1-4 tbsp heavy cream

1. Combine cream cheese and butter and whip. Add vanilla and cocoa powder. Make sure the cocoa powder is incorporated into the cream cheese before adding the powdered sugar. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Add 1-4 tsp of heavy cream to desired consistency.

Hoisin-Chile Shrimp

 Use a wok or skillet on high heat.

 This was sweet and spicy. I did not add all the chili-paste because of the kids, but I topped mine and hubbies with some Sambal sauce to add heat.

I recently received a new issue of my Clean Eating magazine and this recipe was in it. I love shrimp (and so does little missie) and this recipe was tasty. It is a quick and simple recipe.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp orange zest
1/4 cup 100% orange juice
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp low-sodium tamari
1/2 tsp chile-garlic paste (I used Sambal)
2 tsp sesame oil
1 1/2 lbs green beans (I used sugar snap peas and carrots)
1 lb medium shrimp
4 scallions thinly sliced
1/2 cup unsalted walnut pieces, toasted and coarsley chopped (I left these out since I am the only one that likes walnuts)

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk orange zest, OJ, hoisin, tamari and chili-garlic paste; set aside.
2. In a wok (which I used) heat oil on high. Add beans and stir-fry stirring frequently for 4 minutes. Add 3 tbsp water and cook 4 more minutes. Add shrimp, scallions and hoisin-chile sauce and stir fry until shrimp are juicy and just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Garnish and serve with rice.

Love This Recipe!

 

I made this recipe this past week and now it is one of my favorites. I added baby bok choy in the dish and the leftovers were even better!

Photo: Turkey and Vegetable Chow Fun Recipe

 

Turkey and Vegetable Chow FunRecipe courtesy Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 12 ounces wide rice noodles, pappardelle or fettuccine
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small Japanese eggplant, sliced into rounds
• 4 ounces mixed mushrooms, cut into pieces (about 1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3/4 pound ground turkey
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• Sriracha or other Asian chile sauce, for serving (optional)

Directions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; add the noodles and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 1/4 cups of the cooking water, then drain and rinse the noodles. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Mix the oyster sauce and vinegar in a cup; set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in large skillet over high heat. Add the eggplant and stir-fry until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until wilted, 1 minute. Push the vegetables to one side and add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the turkey and stir-fry until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir the turkey and vegetables together; add the scallions and half of the oyster sauce mixture and cook 1 more minute.
Add the noodles, 1 cup of the reserved cooking water and the remaining oyster sauce mixture and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Stir-fry until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Top with cilantro and serve with Sriracha, if desired.
Per serving: Calories 520; Fat 16 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 34 mg; Sodium 167 mg; Carbohydrate 72 g; Fiber 15 g; Protein 33 g
Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

©Television Food Network G.P.
All Rights Reserved.

Meal Plan Saturday

This is going to be an easy week for meals thankfully. I am super busy this coming week. I have 2 classes, student teachin on Thursday, volunteering in little man's class on Tuesday and the room moms (myself included) are making all the kids in little man's class t-shirts for their parade of places on Friday.

Saturday- Dinner at my sisters for my nephews 15th b-day

Sunday- Dinner at in-laws

Monday- Chile-hoisin shrimp and rice

Tuesday- Marinated tri-tip strips with artichokes and pilaf

Wednesday- Blackened salmon with fettucine alfredo and brussel sprouts

Thursday- Leftovers

Friday- Out to dinner

Chocolate Pudding Cake

Cake: (made 12 mini-bundt cakes)
1 package devils food cake mix
1 5.9 oz. package instant chocolate pudding
3 cups milk (for pudding)
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1. Make pudding with 3 cups of milk.
2. Mix all the ingredients together making sure it is well blended.
3. Pour into mini bundt cake molds or regular size bundt cake.
4. Bake 350 degrees mini bundts for 20-22 minutes, large bundt 55-60 minutes. Cool and top with chocolate icing (recipe follows).

Icing:
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla

Put into a microwave safe bowl and microwave 15-20 seconds, stirring afterwards. Do this until chocolate is melted and drizzle over cooled cake.

Meal Plan Monday

Monday- Chicken Taco Salad

Tuesday- Turkey and Vegetable Chow Fun

Wednesday- BBQ Chicken Sandwiches and Baked Fries

Thursday- Slow-Cooked Ham and Beans with Steamed Veggies

Friday- Out to dinner

Saturday- Celebrating my nephews b-day