This week for dinner

A return of the ol' { This week for Dinner} posts. I love to have a record of what I have been feeding my family. I feel like I get into a rut with our dinners and sometimes it's nice for me to look back at past menu's for inspiration.

Sunday: Burgundy and peppercorn marinated Tri tip, twice baked potatoes and steamed artichokes
Monday: Salsa Salmon stakes, couscous and steamed asparagus
Tuesday: BBQ chicken tenders, rice-a-roni, streamed broccoli
Wednesday: Crock Pot Beef Strogenoff over egg noddles and fresh peas
Thursday: Homemade Mac and Cheese ( Cooper and I will be in Salt Lake City so this is a nice treat for Daddy and Taylor)
Friday: Homemade Pizza: Lily is working late so this will be a fun project for her and Taylor

Mustard Sauce

I am so excited to share this recipe with you. My lovely sister Caitlin is going to be sharing some of her favorite recipes on the Pickled Bean. Caitlin is an AMAZING cook, it truly is her passion and she  has some phenomenal  recipes. Taylor and Cooper adore her. The picture above is from the Trolley Ride at Allies Wedding, isn't she beautiful?!?  You will love her as much as I do!!

{Photo from Caitlin}

2 tablespoons butter and flour

2 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons of prepared horseradish

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in sauce pan, add the flour and whisk until flour taste is cooked out about one minute.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.  Then add mustard, Worcestershire sauce and horseradish and salt and pepper.  Let it come to a boil.  Let it simmer for about 20 minutes.   Serve over chicken, beef or fish.   I used Frozen Chicken Cord on bleu.  Enjoy

I can personally attest that this sauce is amazing, very easy to make and my kids love it ( almost as much as I do) Thanks Caitlin!!!!

Hot Chocolate

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• This is the hot chocolate recipe I use, from post below. 
• How cute is that little chocolate stash on Taylor? 
• (Adapted from All Recipes)
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• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/4 cup white sugar

• 1 pinch salt

• 1/3 cup boiling water

• 3 1/2 cups milk

• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
• 
  
• Combine the cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn't scorch. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil! Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Crockpot sour cream and bacon chicken

(adapted from: mom's with crockpots )

I found this recipe originally on Pinterest. and adapted it to fit our family. Are you on Pinterest? You should be... and you can follow me there as well! Find the link to my Pinterest page on the right hand side of this blog.

My kids loved this recipe. Word to the wise, it is seriously rich. and ohhh so stinkin tasty. The kind of recipe that is only served every once in an effort to preserve your waistline. I think that you really only need 1/2 a chicken breast per person. 

Serves 4 large portions or 8 small portions

Ingredients

• 8 bacon slices
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 (10 oz) can golden cream of mushroom soup ( don't make this unless you have the golden 
• one package brown mushrooms
• fresh chives chopped
• 1/2 cup fat free sour cream
• 1/4 cup flour (all purpose or gluten free blend)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat until  fat is rendered. Be sure that the bacon is just crispy enough to still wrap around the bacon. Drain on paper towels, drain 1/2 of the grease, reduce the flour to 1/4 cup in the other 1/2 of dripping.
2. Then wrap 2 slices of bacon around each boneless chicken breast and place in a 4-5 quart crockpot.
3. In medium bowl, combine condensed soup, sour cream, and flour and mix with wire whisk to blend. Pour over chicken.
4. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 6 or 7 hours until chicken and bacon are thoroughly cooked. You might want to check around 5 hours.
5. Slice and Saute the mushroom in a small fry pan 
6.  Remove the chicken from the cockpot and unwrap some of the bacon from the chicken. Chop bacon in to small bite size pieces 
7. Beat the sauce with a wire whisk until it is very well blended. It will be lumpy when you take the chicken out but will smooth out.
8. Add mushrooms, chopped bacon 
9. Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle with chives.

I served this with Egg Noodles, and steamed broccoli . Enjoy! I know you will love it.

Thanksgiving menu

Thanksgiving is my ALL time favorite holiday. Family lots of food and wine, football and NO gifts. {Perfection}

This year we are going to have a small group of family and then we are delvering dinner to some friends who are going through a hard time.

I linked the recipes that I will be using for dinner for you to enjoy. Rassmussen salad is a salad that my mom makes that is AMAZING. I will get to all the recipe and post it to the blog soon.

Roast Turkey with truffle butter
Mashed Potatoes and turkey gravy
Wild mushroom stuffing : I add sweet Italian sausage and omit the nuts.
Roasted Brussel Spouts: I add with crispy bacon and shallots
Classic green bean casserole
Sweet Potato Souffle
Rassmussen Salad
Homemade Roles
Pumpkin Pie
Chocolate Cream Pie

This week for Dinner

Sunday: SKYLINE CHILLI: thanks to Grandpa E. Amazing!
Monday: Quiche, hash-browns and sausage
Tuesday: Stuffed peppers and garden salad
Wednesday: Shrimp Po Boys &  Tater Tots
Thursday: Southwestern Chicken Salad and garlic Bread
Friday: Left Overs
Saturday: Date Night!