Making house a home: September 2009

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Meal Plan 10/1- 10/7

Thurs: sloppy joe turnovers
*cheesy broccoli and rice casserole

Fri: coconut shrimp
*green salad

Sat: 72 hour kits

Sun: 72 hour kits

Mon: oven fried picnic chicken
*fresh or frozen veggie
* 30 min rolls

Tues: leftovers or freezer meal

Wed: crockpot meatloaf
*carrots
*potatoes
*rolls

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

as i was gathering up some halloween inspiration, i decided to take a look in my other holiday inspiration files to see if it could be spookified. ( i think i just made up a new word) i might be a little out there but i think it could work.

instead of a red frame how about black with the word spooky

black glitter, orange glitter, purple glitter, green glitter the possibilities are endless. spooky, halloween, trick or treat again possibilities are endless. pair it with a black and white polka dot ribbon

how about a spooky black tree or even branches spray painted black with pictures of past halloween costumes on display. or with pictures of halloween silhouettes.

instead of ornaments how about small pumpkins and/or gourds may with some candy corn thrown in the mix

orange and black or black and white pom pom garland

how about some bats hanging from the ceiling in place of the ornaments. and for the candle jar filler some black and orange m&m's or jellybeans or candy corn

pumpkins and gourds

again pumpkins and gourds

how about orange and black pinecones or metallic pinecones: copper, gold etc.

i can see some halloween words: spooky, trick or treat, witches, etc.

trick or treat in place of let it snow or B O O

instead of a pincone wreath how about a black or orange feather wreath paired with a bowl full of small mini pumpkins

happy halloween garland

pumpkins placed in varied heights small containers

urn full of pumpkins and/or gourds maybe with some black or orange feathers for filler

halloween fabric or burlap flag banner

how about black and orange bandannas

Honey Glazed Chicken

photo source

Honey Glazed Chicken

2 lbs of diced uncooked chicken breast
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
5 TB butter
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. ground ginger
Cayenne Pepper to taste-depending on how spicy you like it

Heat oven to 350. In a shallow dish combine the flour and seasonings. Dip each piece of chicken in flour mixture and coat evenly.

Melt 2 TB butter in a shallow baking dish, large enough to accommodate chicken in a single layer. Arrange chicken in pan and bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt remaining butter and add honey, lemon juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger and cayenne pepper. Boil for several minutes until sauce begins to thicken.

After chicken has baked the 30 minutes, turn each piece over and pour sauce mixture evenly over chicken. Bake another 30 to 40 minutes basting frequently.

Serve over rice. I usually double the sauce ingredients to make more to serve over the rice.

recipe adapted from here and here
*suggested sides peas, rice

Monday, September 28, 2009

check it out

*how to make your own chicken stock

*bottling peaches

*personalized frame

*redo lamp shades

*how to build a paneled mailbox

*framed doilies

*pretty paper coat rack

*bathroom makeover

*octopus and rocket applique patterns

*playroom turned game room/lounge

*jute wreath tutorial

*thrift store plate mirrors
*little girls dress made from a sheet

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Menu Plan 09/24 - 9/30

Thursday: maple roasted chicken and sweet potatoes
*green salad

Friday: coconut shrimp
*green salad
*fruit
dessert: peaches n cream pie

Saturday: sloppy joe turnovers
*green beans

Sunday: broccoli and cheddar quiche
*hashbrowns
*fruit

Monday: honey glazed pork chops
*rice
*peas
fhe treat: lemon creme bars

Tuesday: leftovers or freezer meal

Wednesday: ranch house pork chops
*carrots
*mashed potatoes

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

a love letter...

Dear Target,

My love has grown for you more and more each day. Now that you have lowered your prices, and price match I can't stop thinking about you and wish you were here in my small town. I love your dollar section, I love your great clothes for a great price. I love your clearance selection and most of all I love your potterybarn look a like home decor. You have it all, you're everything I've been looking for great prices, groceries, clothes, home decor, clearance. I could go on and on.

Again, I wish you were here, but I understand my hubby might get a little jealous with all the time we would spend together. Not to mention Walmart would never see me again. I guess we will just have to continue our online love affair. If you ever decide to make the move to my small town, I'll be here waiting for you.

Until we meet again,

Megan

Mandarin Chicken

photo source

Mandarin Chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon of garlic powder

Mandarin Sauce-
2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger (minced)
¼ cup water
4 teaspoons cornstarch

Pound chicken breasts with a mallet to an even thickness and season both sides with sugar, salt, and garlic powder. Grill chicken 4-6 minutes on each side or until no longer pink inside. Remove from grill and cut into bit sized strips. Set aside.
In a bowl combine sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic and ginger. Pour into a wok or sauce pan. Heat the mixture until almost at a boil. Combine cornstarch and water. Once the sauce starts to boil add the cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened.
Add grilled chicken to the wok and coat with the sauce. Simmer until heated thoroughly. I served it over cooked rice

recipe source

*suggested sides: fresh veggie such as steamed broccoli

*this recipe was really, really sweet even for my sweet tooth so i am going to try it with less sugar next time.

*if you don't have a grill, just pan fry the chicken in a little butter or olive oil

Bajio Chicken

first of all i have to give a shout out to real mom kitchen. so far i have tried about three recipes from her site and they were delicious!! another reason i love her site is because you can do an ingredient search, which comes in real handy when planning my meals for the week. seriously you will love her recipes, she does not disappoint go check her out! here is one of the recipes i tried and it was soooo good and easy!

photo source

Bajio Chicken

5 chicken breasts
1/2 cup salsa
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 cup brown sugar (more to taste, I added at least an extra 1/8 cup)
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
6 oz. Sprite (1/2 can)

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crock pot and cook 1 more hour. Thicken the juices with a little cornstarch mixed in water.
Serve with flour tortillas, lettuce, cheese, black beans and any other taco fixings.
If you want it spicier rather than sweeter add a hotter salsa and more green chilies.

recipe source

*suggested sides: cilantro lime coleslaw, fresh corn

*i used fresh salsa in mine and it was sooo good, but i'm sure the store bought kind would be good too.