Del Monico Potatoes

2.5 lbs. potatoes

1/4 lb. + 1/8 lb. butter

1 pint cream

Bread crumbs or panko

Parmesan cheese

Peel and boil potatoes until fork-tender. Refrigerate overnight. 

The following day, preheat oven to 375. Cube the potatoes and place in large pot. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the cream and 1/4 butter. Mix and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring every 5 minutes until sauce thickens. 

Pour into a 9x13 pan. Top with bread crumbs and grated Parmesan. Pour melted 1/8 lb. of butter on top. Bake until lightly browned, 35-45 minutes. 

More Menus! Week of January 26, 2014

After 4.5 years of practically forgetting that I'd started this blog, I'm dusting it off once again for my friends!

Here's what's on the docket for dinner this week:

Sunday: Broiled Salmon and artichokes
Monday: Burgers
We got an awesome gift of steaks and burgers from Omaha Steaks for Christmas, so we're going to grill 'em up. We just may go bunless and top them with chopped spinach, tomatoes and feta.
Tuesday: Smothered Sweet Pork Burritos
Wednesday: Classic Beef Tacos
Thursday: Crock Pot Soup
Friday: Chicken Chili
Saturday: Leftovers!

Summer Cooking

I love cooking on the grill in summertime! Here are a few favorites and ideas:

Hot dogs. A good dog is always better when grilled! We prefer Nathan's (skinless and Kosher) and Hillshire Farms Cheddarwurst or a good Bratwurst.

Burgers. Grilling is the best way to add flavor to a burger, but for an added kick, try mixing in some other flavors. Chopped spinach, crumbled feta, fresh ground salt and pepper, green onion and dill weed makes a super tasty combination.

Chicken. Marinate breasts, tenders, or skewered chunks for some tender, tasty chicken or just brush some good barbecue sauce on when they're nearly done. Grilled chicken served up with a fresh salad is one of the best quick summer dinners.

Steak. Sirloin, New York, Rib Eye or a filet, the trick is cooking it to perfection!

Salmon. Just brush with a little butter, squeeze on some lemon juice, top with salt and pepper and it grills up in no time. The kids love it too.

Vegetables. For anyone who claims to not love squash, peppers, onions or mushrooms just try them grilled and you might change your mind. Cut the vegetables into good-size chunks, brush with a little olive oil and top with salt and pepper and grill until tender.

Weekly Menu December 14-20

Sunday: Petite Sirloin Steaks with broccoli
Monday: Tacos
Tuesday: Roast Beef Sandwiches
Wednesday: Crock Pot Soup
Thursday: Chicken Burritos
Friday: Creamy Chicken with rice and asparagus
Saturday: Broccoli Cheese Soup

The Recipe Binder

Ever since I started cooking for a family, I've been gathering recipes. After a few years of sticking every random thing I'd collected in a binder, I decided it was time to organize it all in a more logical way so I could find what I needed without sifting through everything every time.

The first four sections of the binder are based on seasons. I love having recipes organized this way. Our eating and cooking habits really do vary by the season, so this has been a great tool to

remember what's worked well and when. The plan is to have at least 15 seasonal recipes for each one (main dishes).

After the seasonal sections there are sections for Salads, Desserts, Sauces and Dressings. You can always add a section for whatever you need. And make sure to use page protectors (if it weren't for those, most of the pages would be unreadable by now).

Some of the recipes, as you can see, are handwritten or printed off the Internet:


Others were torn from magazines or ones I've typed up:

Oh...and, one thing you must keep handy for those times you just don't want to cook. Inside the pocket of the front cover:

TAKE-OUT MENUS!

Weekly Menu November 2-8

Sunday: Chicken Casserole
Monday: Saucy Chicken* with sauteed mushrooms and asparagus
Tuesday: Beef Stew
Wednesday: Taco Soup
Thursday: Slow Cooked Ribs
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Hamburgers

*This time, on the saucy chicken, I seasoned the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder before topping wtih the sauce and baking. I also topped the sauce off with some parmesan cheese. It was more flavorful than usual.

The Costco List

I've finally established a sort of standard Costco list and stick to buying the stuff we use and need regularly.

- Tomatoes (I love the small tomatoes on the vine, they're priced well, nicely packaged, a good size and easy to use)
-Hearts of Romaine lettuce
- Milk
- Eggs
- Frozen chicken
- Cheese - a big block of cheddar and/or deli slices of provolone or havarti for sandwiches
- Pre-cooked bacon
- Lunch meat
- Real Butter
- Gregg's Ranch Dressing
- Cereal
- Bread (I always buy 4 loaves and keep them in the freezer)
- Fruit by the Foot, or other fruit snacks
- Granola bars, trail mix, dried fruit or some other snack for lunches
- Chips in the big box, which are great for packing lunches

The non-food items I get there (but much less frequently) are:

- Tide
- Bounce
- Glass cleaner (the kind that comes in a spray can, it works better than Windex)
- Toilet paper
- Paper towels
- Dish detergent