Review of Menu 4

REVIEW for the Menu for Week 4:

*There were some really YUMMY meals to think about making!

·         Pad Thai

o   http://allrecipes.com/recipe/a-pad-thai-worth-making/detail.aspx

o   REVIEW:  This was my first attempt at making this much loved dish.  We have had our fair share of Pad Thai from a range of restaurants.  I figured buying the specific ingredients for the dish would pay off since I would most likely try the dish again.  Overall, I think I will get better at the timing of cooking the dish.  As with many “stir fry” dishes, the hot wok makes for some quick cooking.  I didn’t have everything quite set up to just throw in as I went (and I had to keep referring to the recipe) which ate up time and ended in up my chicken and shrimp to be over cooked. 

o   Did we like it?  YES!  Will I make it again?  YES!  I think that I will get better at timing the dish and it will go more smoothly next time.

·         Crockpot Italian Chicken with Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread

o   http://www.crockadoodledo.blogspot.com/2012/04/italian-chicken.html

o   http://amandathevirtuouswife.blogspot.com/2012/03/garlic-parmesan-pull-apart-bread.html 

o   REVIEW:  The crockpot chicken recipe was delicious and different than most of the typical creamy dishes that I end up making in the crockpot.  I added celery and mushrooms to the recipe because I am a sucker for veggies.  I didn’t have Italian dressing on hand, so I made my own powder mix which I then mixed with oil and vinegar and added it to the crockpot.  The Italian dressing recipe made more powder than needed, so I have it saved in a little container in the spice cupboard for future use.  The bread was different enough, and very simple that I would probably make it again as well.

o   Did we like it?  Yes.  Will I make it again?  Yes.

o   CHANGES:  I made my own dressing to add to the crockpot chicken. ITALIAN DRESSING RECIPE: 

·         1 tbs garlic salt

·         1 tbs onion powder

·         1 tbs white sugar

·         2 tbs dried oregano

·         1 tbs black pepper

·         1 tbs dried basil

·         1 tbs dried parsley (which I didn’t add bc I didn’t have it)

·         ¼ tbs celery salt

·         2 tbs salt

Use 1-2 tbs of the mixture and add to ¼ c white vinegar, 2/3 c oil (veg or canola), and 2 tbs water.  *Store the rest of the seasonings in a dry, sealed container.

·         Chicken Fajitas

o   REVIEW:  A staple in our house since it is so easy and we often have the ingredients on hand.

·         CHEAP AND EASY:  Tuna Melts and Kraft Mac and Cheese

o   REVIEW:  Really!?!?!  Yes, we always enjoy our cheap and easy meal!  J

·         Macaroni and Beef and Cheese 

o   http://ruhlman.com/2010/05/macaroni-and-beef-with-cheese-%E2%80%94-childhood-love/

o   REVIEW:  I actually made this dish after work (which was a concern because I was pushing time to get it done for dinner).  I got the meat browned and tossed it all together pretty quickly and then was able to sit down and play with my daughter for a bit before dinner time while it cooked in the oven.  Overall, we enjoyed this for two nights in a row.  I changed the spices; I just couldn’t decide what flavor I wanted, so I made it up!  It was great.  My husband said that the meat tasted like meat pie. 

o   Did we like it? YES!  Will I make it again?  YES!

o   CHANGES:

·         SPICES:  I added 1 tbs salt, 2 tbs chili powder, 2 tbs dried basil, 1 tbs cumin, and 1 tbs curry powder was added to the browning meat.
  

·         Dessert: Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Crust Pie

o   http://www.restlesschipotle.com/2012/03/peanut-butter-pie-with-pretzel-crust/

o   REVIEW:  OH MY GOSH!!  This pie is killer!!  I made it and took it to a friend’s house for dinner.  Everyone loved it!  It is so worth making and really wasn’t difficult.  SO WORTH IT!!!

Review of Week 2's Menu

Review of Menu for Week 2:

 

Week 2 was a bit more of a push since summertime got the best of me and we had more un-planned meals thrown in (going out to dinner with friends and we had a housewarming party which made LOTS of leftovers).  So, with that being said, I did not complete two of the meals this week--Artichoke Spinach Lasagna and the Grilled Chicken with a Vegetable Tian didn't make the cut or fit the timeline.  Since the majority of the Artichoke Spinach Lasagna are dry or frozen goods, this will be a good meal to use another time since I will have most all of the supplies on hand.

 

So, here are my reviews for the week 2 menu.  The dishes were good and I think there are some keepers here.  Please add comments if you've tried any of the meals listing what you thought of it and/or any changes/suggestions you have for them.  THANKS!!

 

·         Broiled Tilapia Parmesan with Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes:  The tilapia was SUPER easy and could be done very quickly.  The parmesan sauce that you put on top of them and then broil them with was really tasty.  The Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes (as I mentioned before) were delicious--tedious, but company-worthy. 

  Did I like it?  yes.  Will I make it again?  yes.  Changes?  I had to broil the tilapia a little bit longer once I put the parmesan dressing on the fillets to get them to brown and bubble like I wanted.  It didn't cause any problems though. 

 

·         Artichoke Spinach Lasagna:  Did not make.

 

·         Grilled Chicken with Summer Vegetable Tian:  Did not make.

 

·         Taco Pie with Grilled Corn Salad:  I thought this was very interesting since you make the "crust" with mash potatoes.  Overall, I wasn't too impressed, but my husband thought it was one of the best dishes so far. 

 Did I like it?  It was okay....my husband loved it!  Will I make it again?  Yes, since it was enjoyed so much.  Changes?  Not really.  I made a homemade pico salsa to go with it since peppers and tomatoes are prevalent this time of year.

 

·         Crockpot Coca Cola BBQ Chicken with corn bread:  We made this on a night that I knew my in-laws were coming over for dinner.  It was easy and my father-in-law doesn't care for crazy meals or strange foods....he'd prefer to keep things simple.  I added a can of baked beans to complete the meal.  The chicken breasts I used were on the small side and I should have thrown more in there.  It was good enough that people went back for seconds and we didn't have enough...I think we would have eaten more if it was there.  We didn't care for the lemon in it since some pieces or parts of a piece had a very strong lemon flavor. 

Did I like it?  yes.  Will I make it again?  YES!  It was so easy and tasty.  Changes?  No lemon. 

 

·         No-Bake Boston Cream Pie:  I'll be honest....when I looked over this recipe before I added it, I didn't fully comprehend what was going into making this dish.  I didn't realize that I would be making my first custard!  Oh well.  I came, I saw, I tempered, and I conquered!  I thought this was one of the best desserts ever...but then again I'm a dessert girl.  It would be great for a party or gathering.  I would say that it would be best to make the night before serving.  My husband (and his tummy) said that it was a little too rich for him.  Oh well...more for me!

Did I like it?  YES.  Will I make it again?  yes.  Changes?  None.  Yum! 

 

 

*Sorry again about dropping two of the dished on the week's menu.  Please share if you made any of the dishes and what you thought about them.  Enjoy!