Welcome to the weekly Home Matters Linky Party #516
A great place to come, share your blog posts and make new friends.
We are so glad you are here with us each week.
I am so excited to be a part of the Home Matters Linky Party Team! I have been participating for quite some time and am eager to make some more contributions to this party. A little about me – I’m a WFH Wife and Mom. My husband, four kids, 5 dogs and 15 chickens all currently live in the PNW, but we are embarking on a cross country move to Big Sky Country over the next 3 months to live out our dreams of being Homesteaders! Like the name implies – I love to make homemade meals every night of the week for my family. I care about what types of things we are eating and I like to try new things. This blog is all about sharing those journeys and adventures with you.
Now on to this week’s party! I can’t wait to see you there.
Please take some time to poke around and visit some of the other links.
Please take some time to check out your hosts and co-hosts on social media.
We appreciate the variety of blogs on the www; however, the Home Matters Party is for links on matters of the HOME. Please link accordingly.
We ask that you do not add other Linky Parties, Blog Hops, or Giveaways–unless you begin the party with a new project, recipe or post.
On the same note, please do not add links of an extremist, political or strong controversial nature. (The hosts and co-hosts read each and every blog post linked and will contact you directly if you have linked something that does not fit into the realm of the party.)
With your help, we can continue to grow the Home Matters Party! Thank you!
We are looking for Co-Hosts. Help us Rock this party! If you are interested, please contact Donna at radforddesignstudio@gmail.com.
Link Up!
By joining the Home Matters Linky Party you are giving permission for all hosts and co-hosts to use and share any part of your post, including pictures, for party promotion, as featured posts, in party photo collages, on blogs, across social media, etc. All credits will be given to the original source.
Thank you for joining in the fun and excitement at the Home Matters Linky Party. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. We look forward to chatting with you in the comments.
When it comes to classic comfort foods, Salisbury Steak is almost always on the list. It is somewhere between a meatloaf and burger patty and was invented by a doctor during the American Civil War that provided a high protein meal for the soldiers. There are many variations on the gravy served with the steaks, and this version is made with an onion gravy. If you want a true comfort classic dinner, then Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy is exactly what you want.
Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy
One key to the success of this recipe is to grate the onion. I just use my good ol trusty flat cheese grater. You will soon learn that you are basically liquifying the onion when you grate it, so don’t worry that it’s not coming out like cheese or anything. It allows the flavor of the onion to evenly spread throughout the whole of the meal. I do suggest that you grate the onion right into the bowl that you are using, as it does not really transfer all the easily.
Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy
I have included my recipe for rustic mashed potatoes, as they go great with this gravy. By rustic, I simply mean leaving the peels on. Not everyone enjoys this way, but my family does. They give a great texture and also keep the nutrients that are found in the peel – like potassium. If you prefer to peel your potatoes or use a different kind of potato, it will still come out great. If you want an alternative to potatoes, you can make egg noodles or rice with this recipe and it will also be great.
Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy
This is one of those “stick to your ribs” real hearty type meal. You are going to get full for sure. But if you need to stretch the meal or just want to add some veg – I would suggest just some steamed broccoli or green beans with a garlic butter to go along side. You could also got for a bread rolls – to sop of extra gravy.
Start water boiling for potatoes. (Salt, if desired).
In a mixing bowl, combine all Salisbury Steak ingredients, EXCEPT the ground beef. Then add ground beef and thoroughly mix together. Use a 2-inch food scoop to divide mixture into 12 even portions. Flatten and shape into ½ inch thick round patties.
Add potatoes to boiling water. Cook until fork tender (about 20 minutes).
In a large sauce pan over medium high heat, add formed steaks. Cook on each side about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and keep warm while cooking the rest of the steaks.
In a large measuring cup, add all onion gravy ingredients, EXCEPT the oil. Whisk together until completely combined.
In same pan used to cook the steaks, add oil over medium heat. While heating up, gently scrap up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Then pour gravy mixture into pan. Let come to a bubble, then whisk occasionally as gravy begins to thicken.
Drain potatoes and add to large mixing bowl. Add melted butter, salt, pepper and heavy cream. Smash and combine until desired level of smoothness.
In a bowl, add a portion of potatoes, and two steaks. Ladle pan gravy over top. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
Welcome to this week’s Weekly Wrap-up and Blog Link-up.
It’s a new year at the Pit Stop and it’s time to vroom-vroom to all the great posts that everyone is creating all around the the blogosphere! Scroll down to check out my Weekly Wrap-up along with my Featured posts from the previous Pit Stop!
What’s been going on at Homemade on a Weeknight?
I’m so excited that we have gotten out first round of seeds started in our newly built temporary greenhouse. It is built from pallets and the few trees that we have had to take down since we have been here. It is stuffed with hay to provide plenty of insulation, as it does not have any power to it. I am so thrilled that it is maintaining a decent temperature between 65 and 80 degrees. I have high hopes that the seeds will take and grow and flourish. Have you started any seeds yet this year?
What have you been up to this past week?
One of this last week’s most popular recipe was: Cowboy Pasta– a quintessential Homemade on a Weeknight dinner recipe.
Cowboy Pasta
In case you missed it, here are the recipes that I shared to the blog this week:
Have you had a chance to check out the new Facebook group Yum Hungry Hangout & Giggles? It is a place to share your foodie finds, funny facts and in general hangout and get to know each other more through out shared love of food. Please feel free to check it out and maybe join in the fun!
By joining the Senior Salon Pit Stop, you signify permission (EsmeSalon privacy policy) to share your posts and images here and receive an email reminder when our next Senior Salon Pit Stop is LIVE.
Show off your feature by adding the “I was featured at the Senior Salon Pit Stop” image to your post. Use this code:
A few simple rules for the Senior Salon Pit Stop Link Party:
For every post that you share – make one comment on someone else’s post. Help make their day a bit brighter.
Unlimited sharing BUT we ask that you visit one other blog post for each link you share.
Posts can be on any subject that is family-friendly.
Posts with direct sales, shops, or affiliates must contain relevant post content.
That’s it! Come and join the fun and let’s make it worthwhile!
If you are looking for more fun places to link up your posts – check out our Ultimate Handy Linky Party List – check back often as it’s always growing. And if we have missed your Linky Party – please send me a message and we will get it added in!
Planning out the week’s meals is something I do every Sunday for my family. I do this for a few different reasons – one it helps me get into the mindset of a new week ahead. Two it gives me the opportunity to look through the freezer, fridge and pantry to see what might need to be used up, what do I already have on hand, and what do I need to get from the store. I also try to think ahead of how can a double prep something one night to use another night, or say when a recipe calls for half an onion – I make sure to make something that needs the other half within a few days.
I also like to check in with the family to see if they have anything they have been specifically craving or wanting to try something new. Sometimes this is a fruitful ask and sometimes I get bupkitz. But I still try to ask because I also get the ‘don’t forget I’m going to dinner with a friend this night’ or ‘just please no more rice/pasta/whatever’. This is all valuable info for making a dinner menu plan for the week ahead. I also like to use a menu planner with a grocery list – like this one – to make things that much easier.
Tools You May Need
To have success with the recipes this week – here are few items that I think you may consider adding to your kitchen if you do not already have them.
Food Baskets w/ Liners – these are some of my very favorite ways to serve up meals. They do not just make clean up way easier, but it also just adds to the experience of the meal when serving things up like burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, sliders and more.
13×9 Glass Baking Dish – I use these baking dishes several times a week for casseroles, roasting and baking. They are very important for weeknight cooking.
Here is my plan for the week ahead. I have included the links to the original posts (you can find more info about substitutions, and processes in the full posts), as well as the full menu right here so that you don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to.
MONDAY
Dill Pickle Sliders – Nowadays you can find dill pickle everywhere – chips, ice cream, beer, pork rinds – literally everything! And I am totally here for it. I love pickles, in general, and dill pickles are at the top of that list. Dill pickles that delicious tang of vinegar with the divine flavor of dill and salt. If you love pickles like we do – you are going to love these Dill Pickle Sliders!
Combine the patty ingredients and portion into 18 balls. Press them down slightly between your palms to be slightly bigger in diameter than your buns. Place a cooking rack on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Line out patties and place in oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine mayo and relish.
Remove patties from oven and top each with a quarter slice of cheese. Return to oven for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven.
Build the slider – Smear bottom bun with relish mayo. Add shredded lettuce and onion slices, then add patty. Next a pickle chip and the top bun. Secure with long toothpick or wrap in food paper.
TUESDAY
Mexican Breakfast Bowls – Since we raise chickens, we always have a lot of eggs. So often, I find meals to utilize a large amount of eggs for dinner to make sure none go to waste. This recipe accomplishes just that – uses up a large amount of eggs and still counts as dinner. With the combo of beans, pork, bell peppers, cheese, and eggs, you are going to love this recipe for Mexican Breakfast Bowls.
In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add ground pork and half of the taco seasoning. Cook until no longer pink.
In a bowl toss onions, garlic and bell pepper with oil. Add to pan with pork. Let cook a few minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. Then add rinsed beans and remainder of taco seasoning. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.
In a separate pan over medium heat, add beaten eggs. Let cook – untouched for about 2 minutes. Then gently move the eggs around to allow to continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add salt, pepper and 1½ cup of shredded cheese, then fold in. Remove from heat once cooked to desired doneness. Remove from heat.
In a bowl, add portion of bean mixture. Add portion of eggs on top. Then add dollop of sour cream, sprinkle of green onions and a drizzle of Mexican gravy. Serve with tortilla (warmed if desired).
Notes
Taco Seasoning
WEDNESDAY
Pizzadillas Supreme– I can be indecisive sometimes – do I want pizza…do I want quesadillas? How about both of them made into one amazing meal. My favorite type of pizza is red sauce with Italian sausage crumbles, pepperoni, bell pepper and red onion – so that is exactly what I put in these Pizzadillas Supreme. Along with this super easy homemade Marinara – perfect for dipping.
Keyword bell peppers, Italian Sausage, marinara, mozzarella, pepperoni, pizza, quesadilla
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 40 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
6Tortillasextra large burrito sized
3cupsMozzarellashredded
1lbItalian Sausageremove from casing if needed
1Green Bell Pepperdiced
½Red Oniondiced
½lbPepperoniquartered
1tbspItalian Seasoningsee recipe below
For Marinara
215oz can Tomato Puree
1tbsItalian Seasoningsee recipe below
1tspRed Pepper Flakes
1tbspDried Minced Onion
1tspParsley
1tbspHoney
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
In a saucepan over medium heat, add marinara ingredients. Stir to combine and cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer until ready to serve.
In a bowl, combine green peppers, red onions, pepperoni, and Italian seasoning.
In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add Italian sausage. Cook and crumble until no longer pink. Add to pepperoni mix and toss to combine.
Preheat griddle to high. Build quesadillas: Add ¼ cup cheese, spoonful of pepperoni mix, then ¼ cup cheese to half of tortilla. Fold over and place on griddle. Cook for 5 minutes on each side. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Cut each quesadilla into thirds. Serve with ramekin of sauce and 2 or 3 quesadillas triangles per serving.
Notes
Italian Seasoning
Planning out the week’s meals is something I do every Sunday for my family. I do this for a few different reasons – one it helps me get into the mindset of a new week ahead. Two it gives me the opportunity to look through the freezer, fridge and pantry to see what might need to be used up, what do I already have on hand, and what do I need to get from the store. I also try to think ahead of how can a double prep something one night to use another night, or say when a recipe calls for half an onion – I make sure to make something that needs the other half within a few days.
I also like to check in with the family to see if they have anything they have been specifically craving or wanting to try something new. Sometimes this is a fruitful ask and sometimes I get bupkitz. But I still try to ask because I also get the ‘don’t forget I’m going to dinner with a friend this night’ or ‘just please no more rice/pasta/whatever’. This is all valuable info for making a dinner menu plan for the week ahead. I also like to use a menu planner with a grocery list – like this one – to make things that much easier.
Tools You May Need
To have success with the recipes this week – here are few items that I think you may consider adding to your kitchen if you do not already have them.
Food Baskets w/ Liners – these are some of my very favorite ways to serve up meals. They do not just make clean up way easier, but it also just adds to the experience of the meal when serving things up like burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, sliders and more.
13×9 Glass Baking Dish – I use these baking dishes several times a week for casseroles, roasting and baking. They are very important for weeknight cooking.
Here is my plan for the week ahead. I have included the links to the original posts (you can find more info about substitutions, and processes in the full posts), as well as the full menu right here so that you don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to.
MONDAY
Dill Pickle Sliders – Nowadays you can find dill pickle everywhere – chips, ice cream, beer, pork rinds – literally everything! And I am totally here for it. I love pickles, in general, and dill pickles are at the top of that list. Dill pickles that delicious tang of vinegar with the divine flavor of dill and salt. If you love pickles like we do – you are going to love these Dill Pickle Sliders!
Combine the patty ingredients and portion into 18 balls. Press them down slightly between your palms to be slightly bigger in diameter than your buns. Place a cooking rack on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Line out patties and place in oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine mayo and relish.
Remove patties from oven and top each with a quarter slice of cheese. Return to oven for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven.
Build the slider - Smear bottom bun with relish mayo. Add shredded lettuce and onion slices, then add patty. Next a pickle chip and the top bun. Secure with long toothpick or wrap in food paper.
TUESDAY
Mexican Breakfast Bowls – Since we raise chickens, we always have a lot of eggs. So often, I find meals to utilize a large amount of eggs for dinner to make sure none go to waste. This recipe accomplishes just that – uses up a large amount of eggs and still counts as dinner. With the combo of beans, pork, bell peppers, cheese, and eggs, you are going to love this recipe for Mexican Breakfast Bowls.
In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add ground pork and half of the taco seasoning. Cook until no longer pink.
In a bowl toss onions, garlic and bell pepper with oil. Add to pan with pork. Let cook a few minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. Then add rinsed beans and remainder of taco seasoning. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.
In a separate pan over medium heat, add beaten eggs. Let cook - untouched for about 2 minutes. Then gently move the eggs around to allow to continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add salt, pepper and 1½ cup of shredded cheese, then fold in. Remove from heat once cooked to desired doneness. Remove from heat.
In a bowl, add portion of bean mixture. Add portion of eggs on top. Then add dollop of sour cream, sprinkle of green onions and a drizzle of Mexican gravy. Serve with tortilla (warmed if desired).
Notes
Taco Seasoning
WEDNESDAY
Pizzadillas Supreme– I can be indecisive sometimes – do I want pizza…do I want quesadillas? How about both of them made into one amazing meal. My favorite type of pizza is red sauce with Italian sausage crumbles, pepperoni, bell pepper and red onion – so that is exactly what I put in these Pizzadillas Supreme. Along with this super easy homemade Marinara – perfect for dipping.
Supreme Pizzadillas
Pizzadillas Supreme
All the yumminess of a supreme pizza inside a quesadilla with a homemade marinara dip.
6 Tortillas (extra large burrito sized)
3 cups Mozzarella (shredded)
1 lb Italian Sausage (remove from casing if needed)
1 Green Bell Pepper (diced)
½ Red Onion (diced)
½ lb Pepperoni (quartered)
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning (see recipe below )
For Marinara
2 15oz can Tomato Puree
1 tbs Italian Seasoning (see recipe below)
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 tbsp Dried Minced Onion
1 tsp Parsley
1 tbsp Honey
In a saucepan over medium heat, add marinara ingredients. Stir to combine and cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer until ready to serve.
In a bowl, combine green peppers, red onions, pepperoni, and Italian seasoning.
In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add Italian sausage. Cook and crumble until no longer pink. Add to pepperoni mix and toss to combine.
Preheat griddle to high. Build quesadillas: Add ¼ cup cheese, spoonful of pepperoni mix, then ¼ cup cheese to half of tortilla. Fold over and place on griddle. Cook for 5 minutes on each side. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Cut each quesadilla into thirds. Serve with ramekin of sauce and 2 or 3 quesadillas triangles per serving.
Everyone needs a sweet treat every now and then. And to be honest I don’t think there is a better flavor combo for a sweet treat than peanut butter and chocolate. You get the sweetness and the saltiness all in one. These Peanut Butter & Chocolate Treats are so easy to make and going to be gone in a flash!
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Treats
These are like rice krispie treats to the next level. We all know the traditional and very simple butter, marshmallow and rice krispie treat. This takes things on a little trip to delicious town and adds in peanut butter and chocolate to the mix. They really are super good and super rich. Which means you are likely to be satisfied with just one. But don’t tell the my boys that – they all wanted to eat the whole tray in one sitting!
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Treats
You will note that I specifically say Chunky Peanut Butter. The little bits of whole peanut add texture and extra peanut flavor to these treats. That said – you can use smooth or creamy peanut butter if that’s your preference or simple what you have to hand. Same goes for the semi-sweet chocolate chips – this keeps the sweetness in check, but if you prefer or have milk chocolate on hand, that will work just fine to.
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Treats
Once thing you do not want to skip is putting the Parchment Paper in the 13×9 baking dish before transferring the rice krispie mix. This isn’t just to make clean up easier – it’s also so that you can make even and straight cuts on the treats once it’s all set. You can simple lift the whole of it out on to your cutting board. Slice it up into the 20-24 pieces and then transfer it right bake to the baking dish. This makes it easy to portion and you get pretty squares.
Add parchment paper to 13×9 baking dish and set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Then add karo syrup and bring just to a bubble. Then add peanut butter and stir until fully incorporated. Pour mixture over cereal and quickly stir together.
Transfer cereal to baking dish and use a spatula to press into a even layer in the baking dish.
In a small microwave save bowl, add chocolate chips. Cook in microwave for 30 seconds then stir. Continue to cook at 15 second intervals, stirring each time, until fully melted. Then immediately pour over top of cereal mixture and use a spatula to spread out evenly over entire pan.
Place in refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours. Remove and cut into 16 bars.
Serve right away or store in airtight container.
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
I gotta tell ya – I love a good jalapeno popper. The mix of the spicy with the creamy is just so super good. While I do enjoy the deep fried variety – I also really like it smoked, and wrapped in bacon! And that is why my very favorite kind of popper – Smoked Jalapeno Poppers are a game changer! Speaking of games…these are the perfect game day snack too!
Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
When you are picking your peppers for this, you want to use a little bit of care. Don’t pick ones that are too curved – it makes them hard to wrap with the bacon. If you want these to be really spicy – select peppers that have lots of little lines (they almost look like stretch marks). They are also called Heat Cracks and the more cracks you have the spicer the pepper is going to be.
Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
As for the bacon -you really want to use a thick-cut bacon for this particular recipe. If you use a regular or thinner bacon, it will not hold up to the smoking and broiling. You can play with applewood or hickory smoked or peppered bacon as you like. Just make sure it’s on the thicker side of the bacon scale. This is smoker recipe – so it does require some sort of smoking unit. I, of course, love my Traeger for all my smoking needs. If you do not have a whole smoking unit – you can turn almost any grill into a smoker using a smoker box.
Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
These are perfect as an appetizer at your next party or backyard bbq. They are also great for game day parties, showers and potlucks! I do like to have these with a little bit of ranch – like my Homemade Ranch – or you could got for a blue cheese dressing as well.
In a small bowl, add cream cheese, shredded cheese, salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Spoon mixture into each of the halved jalapenos. Then wrap each with a half of bacon strip. Secure with a toothpick.
Add prepped poppers to an aluminum baking tray and cover with foil. Place in smoker at 200degF for two hours.
Preheat broiler on oven.
Remove poppers from the smoker and carefully transfer each to baking rack over a baking tray covered with parchment. Place in oven and broil for 5-7 minutes (until bacon is to desired crispiness).
Remove toothpicks and serve.
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
Welcome to the weekly Home Matters Linky Party #515
A great place to come, share your blog posts and make new friends.
We are so glad you are here with us each week.
I am so excited to be a part of the Home Matters Linky Party Team! I have been participating for quite some time and am eager to make some more contributions to this party. A little about me – I’m a WFH Wife and Mom. My husband, four kids, 5 dogs and 15 chickens all currently live in the PNW, but we are embarking on a cross country move to Big Sky Country over the next 3 months to live out our dreams of being Homesteaders! Like the name implies – I love to make homemade meals every night of the week for my family. I care about what types of things we are eating and I like to try new things. This blog is all about sharing those journeys and adventures with you.
Now on to this week’s party! I can’t wait to see you there.
Please take some time to poke around and visit some of the other links.
Please take some time to check out your hosts and co-hosts on social media.
We appreciate the variety of blogs on the www; however, the Home Matters Party is for links on matters of the HOME. Please link accordingly.
We ask that you do not add other Linky Parties, Blog Hops, or Giveaways–unless you begin the party with a new project, recipe or post.
On the same note, please do not add links of an extremist, political or strong controversial nature. (The hosts and co-hosts read each and every blog post linked and will contact you directly if you have linked something that does not fit into the realm of the party.)
With your help, we can continue to grow the Home Matters Party! Thank you!
We are looking for Co-Hosts. Help us Rock this party! If you are interested, please contact Donna at radforddesignstudio@gmail.com.
Link Up!
By joining the Home Matters Linky Party you are giving permission for all hosts and co-hosts to use and share any part of your post, including pictures, for party promotion, as featured posts, in party photo collages, on blogs, across social media, etc. All credits will be given to the original source.
Thank you for joining in the fun and excitement at the Home Matters Linky Party. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. We look forward to chatting with you in the comments.
Rice bowls are one of those staples of weeknight meals. You can make a large variety of cuisines just starting with a simple bowl of rice. It can be the types of proteins you put on top, the types of veggies, the sauces or even the way you season the rice. For this rice bowl I have put together a sauce with a Korean BBQ twist that is used to both marinate and glaze the chicken. KBBQ Chicken Rice Bowls are going to be a real hit on your dinner table.
KBBQ Chicken Rice Bowls
The one ingredient of the KBBQ sauce that might be a little outside your normal pantry items is the gochujang sauce. This is a red chili paste that has a spicy and sweet flavor to it. Made from fermenting red chili paste, glutinous rice, and soy bean paste. The spicy comes from the chilies while the sweetness comes from the starchiness of the rice. While it used to be difficult to find this product, most grocery stores carry it now. You can usually find it in the condiments aisle or in the Asian section of the International foods aisle. If you cannot find it, you can substitute Sriracha.
KBBQ Chicken Rice Bowls
As I mentioned above, part of making a rice bowl fit all the way into this dish, you want to make sure to season it. The vinegar is a big part of the flavor you want from this type of rice. The garlic and ginger powder also give a depth of flavor that you will really enjoy. I have selected broccoli, carrots and white onions as the veggies but you could use a whole variety of veggies. Bean sprouts, cauliflower, snap peas, bok choy, cabbage….these would all work.
KBBQ Chicken Rice Bowls
This is a pretty filling dish, with all the bases covered. If you need to stretch this a little further or want leftovers for lunches – you could add some Crispy Fried Wontons on the side. Speaking of leftovers, you could also make a whole batch of this specifically for meal prepping. You can divy the rice, chicken and veggies up into some meal prep containers and let them come to room temperature. Then cover and store in the refrigerator. They will reheat nicely in the microwave.
Combine sauce ingredients. Add half of the sauce to a zippered gallon bag along with chicken. Let marinate for at least 4 hours (up to overnight). Cover the remaining sauce and keep in refrigerator until ready to prepare the rest of the meal.
In a pot over medium heat, add rice, water, vinegar, salt, ginger and garlic. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat but do not remove the lid.
Remove chicken from zippered bag. Pour remaining sauce into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the additional sauce from earlier. Allow to simmer while preparing the rest of the meal.
Add chicken breast to a grill pan over medium high heat. Cook for 7 minutes then baste with sauce and flip. Baste again with sauce and let cook for another 7 minutes. Check with meat thermometer and remove from heat once it has reached 165degF.
Add the broccoli, carrots and white onions to the same pan, along with half a cup of sauce. Saute until fork tender.
Add a portion of rice to the bottom of a shallow bowl. Then add a portion of the mixed veggies. Slice each chicken breast into strips and add to rice. Spoon more KBBQ sauce over the top and then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
Welcome to this week’s Weekly Wrap-up and Blog Link-up.
It’s a new year at the Pit Stop and it’s time to vroom-vroom to all the great posts that everyone is creating all around the the blogosphere! Scroll down to check out my Weekly Wrap-up along with my Featured posts from the previous Pit Stop!
What’s been going on at Homemade on a Weeknight?
‘ve had a few folks inquiry about our Chicken Flock – and let me tell y’all, do not fret over our chickens! They are living their best(-ish) life here in rural Montana. While their actual coop may have shrunk in size, they are free to range over several acres of our land. Eventually, we will build them a much larger space, as well as add to their flock size. One day we hope to be raising turkeys, geese, and quail. And we will, of course, get ducks back in our flock. It’s a whole new world for us all and we are all taking to it pretty well. The weather is posing the biggest hurdle, but we are learning and growing and managing. Now that it’s been a few weeks, we are starting to get some fresh eggs again. I think we can safely say the girls have survived the move!
What have you been up to this past week?
One of this last week’s most popular recipe was: Quick Breakfast Wraps– these make a great on the go meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Quick Breakfast Wraps
In case you missed it, here are the recipes that I shared to the blog this week:
Have you had a chance to check out the new Facebook group Yum Hungry Hangout & Giggles? It is a place to share your foodie finds, funny facts and in general hangout and get to know each other more through out shared love of food. Please feel free to check it out and maybe join in the fun!
By joining the Senior Salon Pit Stop, you signify permission (EsmeSalon privacy policy) to share your posts and images here and receive an email reminder when our next Senior Salon Pit Stop is LIVE.
Show off your feature by adding the “I was featured at the Senior Salon Pit Stop” image to your post. Use this code:
A few simple rules for the Senior Salon Pit Stop Link Party:
For every post that you share – make one comment on someone else’s post. Help make their day a bit brighter.
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Another week means another week of dinner plans need to be made. While it can sometimes be a daunting task, once you have established it as a habit, it becomes something to look forward to. You will find yourself coming up with ideas throughout the week and thinking ahead to how you can utilize ingredients in different ways. While I would be thrilled to find out that you are using all seven recipes shared here, if you only use a couple to fill in your own dinner plans, that would be great too. When it comes to menu planning, I do have a little secret. I have a handful of recipes that I ALWAYS have the ingredients to hand to make. This is basic spaghetti, homemade pepperoni pizza, chicken & rice and Ham & Grilled Cheese. You should have a collection of things that your family will always eat, and are easy to make.
I also like to check in with the family to see if they have anything they have been specifically craving or wanting to try something new. Sometimes this is a fruitful ask and sometimes I get bupkitz. But I still try to ask because I also get the ‘don’t forget I’m going to dinner with a friend this night’ or ‘just please no more rice/pasta/whatever’. This is all valuable info for making a dinner menu plan for the week ahead. I also like to use a menu planner with a grocery list – like this one – to make things that much easier.
Tools You May Need
To have success with the recipes this week – here are few items that I think you may consider adding to your kitchen if you do not already have them.
A Grill Pan – I use this to give those beautiful grill lines to sandwiches, meats, and tortillas. It’s just that something extra.
Here is my plan for the week ahead. I have included the links to the original posts (you can find more info about substitutions, and processes in the full posts), as well as the full menu right here so that you don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to.
MONDAY
Spaghetti & Meatball Soup – I didn’t think you could make the classic comfort food of Spaghetti & Meatballs even more homestyle – but turns out you can! Spaghetti & Meatball Soup is like a warm hug in a bowl of hearty goodness. The mini meatballs are the perfect addition to this tomato broth, along with some bell peppers and pasta. So if you are looking for an extra comforting, feels like home meal, this is the one for you.
Homemade mini meatballs with spaghetti and a delicious tomato broth.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword beef broth, beef meatballs, bell peppers, green bell peppers, ground beef, ground beef recipes, hearty soup, meatballs, red bell peppers, soups, spaghetti, spaghetti soup, tomato, white onion
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
2tbspOil
½White Oniondiced
1Red Bell Pepperdiced
1Green Bell Pepperdiced
1tbspMinced Garlic
2tspOregano
2tspBasil
1tspSalt
1tspPepper
1½qtBeef Broth
315oz canTomato Sauce
2tbspHoney
1lbSpaghetti broken into fourths
For the Meatballs
1½lbGround Beef
½cupBread crumbs
½cupParmesan Cheesegrated
1tbspMinced Garlic
1tspRed Pepper Flakes
1tspBasil
1tspOregano
1tspSalt
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375degF.
In a large stock pot over medium high heat, add oil, onions and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes then add bell peppers, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Saute another 3 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium low and add beef broth and tomato sauce. Let simmer while meatballs cook.
Start water boiling for the pasta. Salt as desired.
In a bowl, combine meatball ingredients. Using a 1inch scoop, portion out the meat mixture. Roll each into a round ball between the palms of your hands. Line them out on a baking rack over a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Place in over to bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately add to soup.
Add broken pasta to boiling water and cook to desired doneness. Drain in colander.
To serve, add portion of pasta to bottom of a shallow pasta bowl. Then ladle soup mixture over top of pasta. (Approximately 8 meatballs per bowl).
TUESDAY
Crispy Korean Beef Tacos – If you have been here for a while, you know that I’m celebrating #TacoTuesday basically every week. And you know that my tacos are not always traditional. This goes around. I’m making some Korean bulgogi inspired tacos with these Crispy Korean Beef Tacos. The marinated them fried beef strips have so much flavor and meld so well with the veggies and homemade spicy mayo.
Combine ingredients for steak marinade into gallon sized zippered bag. Add sliced steak. NOTE: If you slice the steak when it's slightly frozen, you can get thinner and more uniform strips. Let marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours (up to overnight).
Combine ingredients for spicy mayo. Transfer to squeeze bottle if desired.
Add enough oil for ½ inch depth in a saute or frying pan. Heat to 350degF.
Add cornstarch to zippered bag with marinating steak. Smoosh around evenly coat and combine. Once oil is hot, start adding individual strips to oil in batches and fry for 45-60 seconds on each side. Remove to wire rack over paper towel covered pan. Repeat until all steak is fried.
In another frying pan over medium high heat, toast up each side of each tortilla for about 45 seconds.
Build the taco by add portion of coleslaw mix and red onions to toasted tortilla. Next put 4-5 strips of crispy beef. Drizzle with spicy mayo and garnish with cilantro and jalapenos.
WEDNESDAY
Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese– My family loves my homemade Mac and cheese, so sometimes I try to make a while meal out of it. This time, I added in some roasted chicken and Buffalo hot sauce to kick things up a notch. What’s best about this recipe is how easy it is to put together on a weeknight. Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese needs to be on your next week’s menu plan
Delicious roasted chicken added with buffalo hot sauce to a classic mac & cheese
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword buffalo chicken, buffalo hot sauce, cheddar cheese, mac & cheese, mac and cheese, ranch seasoning, roasted chicken
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
1½lbElbow Pasta
6Chicken Thighsbone-in, skin-off
2tbspRanch Seasoningsee recipe below
1tbspOil
3stalksGreen Onionchopped
For the Cheese Sauce
4tbspButter
1tspGarlic Powder
1tspOnion Powder
4tbspFlour
2cupsMilk
1tspSalt
1tspPaprika
1tspGround Mustard
1cup Heavy Cream
3cupsSharp Cheddar Cheeseshredded
1tbspRanch Seasoning
½cupBuffalo Hot Sauceplus more for garnish
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400degF.
Add chicken thighs to a bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss to coat then sprinkle with ranch seasoning. Toss again. Line out on a baking rack over a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Add to oven and roast for 40 minutes.
Start water boiling for the pasta.
Add pasta to boiling water and cook as directed on the package. Drain in a colander and return to pot away from heat.
In a sauce pan over medium high heat, add butter, onion powder and garlic powder. Once melted whisk in flour. Let cook for two minutes then whisk in milk and let cook for two minutes then whisk in remaining seasonings and cook another two minutes. Add in hot sauce then whisk in heavy cream and cook another two minutes. Then add in cheese, a handful at a time, whisking until it's melted in.
Remove chicken from oven. Remove meat from bones and then chop chicken.
Add cheese sauce to pasta and stir to thoroughly combine. Then add chopped chicken and stir again.
Add portion of mac & cheese to serving bowl. Drizzle with hot sauce (if desired). Top with green onions.
Notes
Ranch Seasoning
THURSDAY
Ham & Potatoes au Gratin – Whether you are looking for a recipe to use up holiday ham or just a simple casserole for a weeknight dinner, you have come to the right blog post. This casserole is super easy to put together but packed with flavor. Ham & Potatoes au Gratin combines a simple cheese sauce with golden potatoes, and ham chunks for a great casserole.
A creamy and velvety homemade cheese sauce over thin sliced potatoes and chunks of ham.
Course Casserole, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword casseroles, cheese sauce, cheesy potatoes, golden potatoes, Ham, potato
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour15 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
8Medium Golden Potatoespeeled and thin sliced
4tbspButter
1tspGarlic Powder
4tbspFlour
2cupChicken Broth
1cupHeavy Cream
3cupCheddar Cheeseshredded, divided
1½cupMozzarella Cheeseshredded, divided
2tbspDried Minced Onion
1tspParsley Flakes
¾lbHamthick sliced and rough chopped
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Prepare all of the ingredients. Preheat oven to 350degF.
In a saucepan over medium heat, add butter and garlic powder. Once melted, whisk in flour. Cook for 3 minutes then whisk in chicken broth. Cook for 2 minutes then whisk in heavy cream. Cook for 2 minutes then whisk in 2 cup of cheddar, and 1 cup of mozzarella. Once fully melted in, whisk in dried onion. Then stir in ⅔ of the chopped ham.
In a 13×9 baking dish (or 2 8×8 baking dishes), pour ⅓ of the cheese sauce into bottom. Add half of the sliced potatoes in a even layer. Pour ⅓ of the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Add second half of potatoes in a even layer. Pour remaining cheese sauce.
Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and ham. Sprinkle with parsley flakes. Place in oven and bake for 60 minutes. Let rest at least 5 minutes before serving.
FRIDAY
Spicy Chicken Sandwiches – Sometimes you just a need a big ol’ chicken sandwich for dinner (or lunch). I like to layer a crispy fried chicken breast with some fresh veggies on toasted bun. This particular chicken sandwich has got a real kick from both the spicy chicken breast and the homemade spicy mayo. This recipe for some Spicy Chicken Sandwiches is sure going to add a little fun to your weekly menu plan.
Set up a dredging station – Tray 1: one cup of flour, half a teaspoon of chili powder, one teaspoon salt and one teaspoon pepper. Tray 2: eggs, one teaspoon salt and one teaspoon pepper. Tray 3: remaining flour, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder. Coat each piece of chicken (tray 1, then 2, then 3).
Preheat oven to 400degF.
In a large frying pan over medium high heat, add enough oil to be half an inch deep. Fry each chicken breast for 3 minutes on each side. Place on baking rack over a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Once all pieces are fried and on the rack, place in oven to bake for 20 minutes.
On a separate baking sheet, split each hoagie roll and layout face up. Place in oven for last 5 minutes of chicken baking. (You can spray with oil or melted butter if you want extra crispiness).
In a small bowl, combine coleslaw mix with pickle juice.
Spread each side of the roll with spicy mayo, top with chicken, tomato, coleslaw mix, and pickles.
A perfectly spicy mayo for your burgers, wraps, sandwiches and even as a dip!
Course Dip, Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword mayo, sandwich spread, spicy mayo
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Servings 1cup
Ingredients
¾cupMayonnaise
¼cupSweet Chili Garlic Sauce
1tspPaprika
1tspSalt
½tspCayenne Pepper
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Combine ingredients in a sealable container. Use right away or store (sealed) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
SATURDAY
Cheesesteak Burritos – If you’ve been around the blog for a bit, you know how much I love to turn any classic flavor profile into a burrito – or taco or burger or sandwich for that matter. There are so many quintessential flavor combos that work no matter what. I already turned the Philly Cheesesteak into a Pasta and then a Lasagna and now I’m turning it into a burrito. My recipe for Philly Cheesesteak Burritos is going to blow your mind.
Combine ingredients for marinade in a gallon zipper bag. Add in sliced meat. Seal bag and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours (8 is better). NOTE: If you cut the steak when it is still partially frozen, you can get much thinner pieces.
In a small bowl, combine mayo ingredients thoroughly. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to build burritos.
In a medium bowl, combine peppers, onion, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat.
In an large saute pan over medium high heat, add steak strips. Cook for about 8 minutes (or until desired doneness), while stirring occasionally. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add vegetable mixture to same pan and saute for 5-10 minutes and remove from pan.
Place tortilla on flat surface. Add 3 slices of provolone to the center. Spread with horseradish mayo. Then add a portion of steak followed by a portion of vegetables. Fold the sides of the tortilla into the middle then roll the tortilla from the bottom up. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Spray each with cooking spray.
Heat grill pan to medium-high. Once hot, grill each tortilla (starting on the seam side), for roughly 3 minutes on each side. Let rest for a few minutes before cutting in half to serve.
SUNDAY
BBQ Pork Meatloaf – When you are looking for some Sunday Supper recipes, meatloaf almost always lands near the top of the list of ideas. And while a classic ground beef meatloaf is always good – I wanted to try something a little different. That is how I came up with this BBQ Pork Meatloaf recipes. It has such a great flavor and goes perfectly with some smashed potatoes and garlic roasted green beans!.
In a mixing bowl, add pork, seasonings, egg, crushed fried onions and ½ cup of BBQ Sauce. Use hands to thoroughly combine.
Press meat mixture into 9×9 glass baking dish. Spread remaining BBQ sauce evenly over the top. Cover with foil and place in oven for 50 minutes.
In the last 10 minutes of bake time, remove the foil. Once times up, remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting up and serving.
Do you have any tips for making a dinner menu plan each week? Which one of these recipes do you plan to add to your dinner menu plan this week?
Now Let’s Get Cookin’!
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
