All my babies are in school 5 days a week.
I agonized all summer over putting Mr. N. in PreSchool. He told me, daily, he wanted to go to school like his bothers and sisters. I kept thinking, he's sooo young, is he really ready?
We decided to put him in for 2 days a week, and see how he did. I was sure as thrilled as he was when we told him he was going to go to school, that the second the door closed and he realized, "I'm going to school, with out mom?!" I was sure he would break down be nervous, maybe even cry.
Turns out it was just me. Me, walking away from the class room, ready to cry, because my baby went off to preschool and is just fine, with out his mommy.
In fact he has done so well, and he is so very happy being able to play, with other kiddies his age, that I gave in and we enrolled him for the 5 day program.
He's loving it!
With everyone in school, and Rob back to work and getting ready to start a full load of night classes again I got a bit over ambitious with my meal planning.
Instead of cooking for the week, I cooked for most of the month.
It was 2 solid days of cooking but has paid off big time so far and I know it will continue to through out the month.
It was quite a bit so I'm only going to post a couple of recipes but if you see something you want to try just let me know and I'll share the recipe.
So here is what I made....
Pork Verde
Pork chops smothered in Mushroom bacon Sherry Gravy
red Chicken enchiladas
Sour cream and green chili enchiladas
Apple meat loaf
Mexican meat loaf
Pizza dough 3 enough for 3 meals
A huge batch of Tomato Sauce
Meatballs
Chicken Chili
Corkscrew Pasta with Chicken and Fire roasted tomato cream sauce
Ground Beef
Oven Roasted carnitas (enough for 4 meals)
4 whole chickens ready for more recipes
Peach cobbler
Blue berry scones
All of these were prepped and frozen ready for the month!
Pork Verde Trying to figure out how my mom use to make it. My own recipe
~Any cut of slow cooking pork will work I used about 4-5 pound of country style pork ribs Cut into chunks
~Veggie Olil
~1-2 pounds fresh tomatillos ( depending on how much pork you are using) Husks removed washed and dried
~2 good size mild green chilies, I used Anaheim, Pablano would work well to ~1 jalapeno (skip if you don't like spicy food)
~1 medium spanish onion chopped
~6 cloves garlic minced (I use a garlic press)
~chicken stock
~salt
~pepper
Turn your broiler on to high.
Line a cookie sheet with foil lay out tomatillos and chillies in a single layer and place under the broiler. Broil them until the skins begin to blacken in spots and they soften. (turn them half way through)
Once they are done remove the tops of the chilies and place all of them in blender or foodprcessor. Add a bit of salt to taste and blend till they are just slightly chunky. Taste test for salt and to be sure it's not too spicy for your family. Set this aside.
Next in a large dutch oven or heavy bottom stock pot add a bit of veggie oil. Just enough to coat the bottom.
Salt your pork and add it to the pan. Brown your pork over Med-high heat on all sides then remove from the pan and set aside.
You should have some fat mixed in with the oil left in the pan but if you need more add a bit more veggie oil. Add your onion and saute till tender. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add the pork back to the pan.
Add the green chili tomatillo mixture, then enough Chicken stock to just cover the meat.
Simmer until fork tender. (cooking time will vary depending on the cut and size of the meat) Simply poke a larger piece with the fork and turn the fork, it should pull right apart.
My batch took 2 hours.
To freeze cool completely, place in a freezer safe dish and freeze. To reheat, thaw in your fridge and re-heat in a pot.
Pork chops with Mushroom-Bacon-Sherry gravy
another spin on something my mom use to make. my own recipe
~8oz Bacon (about 6 strips)~1 small to medium spanish onion (brown onion)
~sliced button mushrooms I used 16oz for 8 chops.
~8 bone in loin chops
~Flour 2-4TBSp
~chicken stock 2-4cups
~salt pepper to taste.
~Sherry (not cooking sherry the real stuff) you can skip the Sherry if you don't like the taste or don't feel like investing in a bottle. But it really is so yummy with the mushrooms.
Cut your bacon into little pieces. I use my kitchen scissors to do this, makes it so fast.
In a large skillet cook your bacon till crisp
Remove the bacon but leave all the fat in the pan.
Add your pork chops and brown on both sides.
Remove your pork chops and place in a bowl.
Add your onions and caramelize. (cook till soft and turning brown but no burned)
Remove your onions.
Add your mushrooms and saute (if you need more fat in the pan add a bit of butter)
Remove your mushrooms.
Add the flour to the fat left in the pan (if you need more add a bit more butter...Hey I never said this was a diet recipe!)
Make a rue,
Add in about a 1/4cup of sherry and scrape up the browned bits in your pan, add in the chicken stock and any liquid that is in the bowl with your pork chops, , and bring to a boil, cook till bubbly and thickened.
Lay your pork chops in a baking dish, cover with onion and mushrooms, cover in the "gravy"
If you plan to eat for dinner then cover with foil and place in the oven at 375 for about 20-30 minutes (until your pork chops are cooked through)
If you plan to freeze, cover in foil, cool completely, when you are ready to eat place in your oven
at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot through and pork registers at the proper temperature.
Chicken Enchiladas with Red sauce My moms recipe (mom my is an awesome cook!)
~cooked chicken shredded I used a whole chicken that I steamed~sour cream
~green onions chopped
~sweet red pepper chopped
~sweet yellow pepper chopped
~corn tortillas
~Red Enchilada sauce
~veggie oil
in a bowl, combine chicken with sour cream enough to coat all your chicken
Add in your green onions and peppers
salt to taste
set aside.
In large frying pan add enough oil just to coat the bottom.
on med-high heat cook your tortillas so they are softened but not crispy. This keeps them from falling apart when you roll them.
In a large baking dish pout a little of the red sauce in the bottom to coat it.
Dip each tortilla in the red sauce so they are coated (lots of coating in this one ;)
Fill with the chicken mixture and roll.
Place in baking dish seam side down.
Repeat until you have ans many enchiladas as you need. I made 2 pans of 24. Enough for 2 meals of 3 enchiladas each. My kiddies eat alot.
Cover the tops of your rolled enchiladas with more red sauce and cheese. I use Cheddar and Jack.
If freezing cover in foil and store To reheat take from freezer place in oven @ 350 35-40
If cooking right away cook at 350 until hot through and cheese is melted.
Hope you enjoy :)
If you would like any of the other recipes from the list above just ask!
xoxo
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