A couple things I made for my Easter Decorations...
Ravioli Bake
This is a busy week for me, as you know. So the menu is specially formulated to maximize my time for my project and keep me out of the kitchen. The recipe for last night is about as easy as a girl can get and still offer a good, hardy meal. Enjoy!
*Notice my new Easter plates that are crooked in the shot?!?!? Set of 4 dinner plates, salad plates and soup bowls at Goodwill $5.30 :D*
Ravioli Bake
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup Italian Salad Dressing
1 1/4 cup Beef Broth
1 pkg. (24 oz) frozen cheese frozen cheese ravioli, cooked and drained
1 pkg. (8 oz.) shredded Mozzarella
2 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Mix spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, beef broth and salad dressing in the bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Add ravioli and stir gently to cover with the sauce mixture; cover with foil and bake.
Bake 30 min.; uncover and sprinkle top with shredded cheese and grated Parmesan. Bake 10 min. or until ravioli is tender and heated through. Let stand 10 min before serving.
Workin' Hard This Week
Next week I have a project due for my company Penned Design, but its also Spring Break. I am trying to finish the project this week so I can enjoy next week with just a few interruptions to fix a few little 'changes' that always happen closer to the show. *I technically direct a few shows a year at a Performing Arts Centre and also put together all of the graphics, videography and audio... its fun, but time consuming prior to the shows*
So while I am working I have music playing... I wanted to share my playlist for this morning with you! :)
Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
I refined this recipe because the little man didn't like the flavor combinations last time. As this is the EMITW (easiest Meal in the world) rated by this mom and time managing guru.... I had no issue trying again. This is a 15 minutes whole meal was on the table menu... believe me, I have NO problem fixing these sorts of meals! (15 ish minutes for the cheddar biscuits, 7 minutes for microwave potatoes and 8 minutes for these lovely tilapia gems!)
This one got 2 thumbs up by the little man... now I shall go and delete the other recipe I posted :D
Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
*12 oz of Tilapia filets (I used half of a 24 oz bag which was 3 filets)
*1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
*4 tablespoons mayonnaise
*2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
*1/8 teaspoon onion powder
*1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
*ground black pepper and salt
Preheat your oven's broiler. Use non-stick spray on your broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well and set aside.
Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan; season with black pepper and salt. Broil a few inches from the heat for 3-4 minutes. Gently flip the fillets over and broil for 2 minutes.
Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.
Mexican Chicken Casserole
I love this recipe... yeah, it could have been made better by having handmade flour tortillas, homemade salsa, and the like, but sometimes you need a quick, easy, hearty and tasty meal... this is definitely one of them. Think of it as an easy Mexican-type lasagna. :)
Mexican Chicken Casserole
*2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
*1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
*1 red pepper, chopped
*2 cups Salsa (no salt preferably)
*3 oz. cream cheese, cubed
*2 cans (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed
*2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
*4 flour tortillas, torn in half
*1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
Heat oven to 375ºF.
Cook and stir chicken and cumin in nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat 2 min.
Add red pepper; cook 2 min., stirring occasionally.
Stir in salsa; cook 2 min.
Add cream cheese; cook 2 min. or until melted.
Gently stir in beans and tomatoes.
Spoon 1/3 of chicken mixture into 11x7 baking dish; cover with tortillas and half each of the remaining chicken mixture and shredded cheese.
Top with remaining tortilla and chicken mixture; cover with aluminum foil.
Bake 25 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese; bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until melted.
RIP Dachshund Lover Elizabeth Taylor
She was one of my favorites... she was the epitome of class, style, and enthusiasm... and she was a dachshund lover, too!! She will be greatly missed.
Budget Cooking
As many of you know I am definitely a girl with budgeting in mind! I love to save pennies whenever and however I can. And, even in my weekly planning of food I will plan and carry out as best I can to make my small amount of cash go its farthest.
I am not a huge coupon shopper. The only places that will use computer printed coupons is Meijer and Kroger, and oftentimes the savings is not worth the travel to those stores. So I get around my budget in other ways.
When I do go shopping with coupons I get them from Coupons.com. They have coupons for those major chain, major company items which I cannot do without.
Instead of purchasing ready made mixes, I will make mine from scratch using recipes I have found at Mom Advise. ie why buy Bisquick when you can make it cheaper at home? Another great site for make at home items is Budget101.com.
Sign-up for Kraft First Taste, which will allow you to try never been seen before Kraft items, often free or with a huge discount.
But my number one thing is to stock my pantry with basic staples which will help you down the road when shopping. I have all of the things that Paula Deen says are 'necessities' and a few more of my own to suit my family's taste buds. Then when you go shopping, you really only need to pick up any special meats or veggies and any pantry basic on which you are running low.
Another great thing is to shop at Aldi. Aldi is an off shoot, with low prices, of Trade Joe's. Their foods are fantastic, and they offer a Double Guarantee... they will replace the product AND refund your money. I have never taken them up on this, as everything I have purchased is wonderful! Just take your own bags and load up on the savings!
These are my means of saving money each week...
This is my way of stretching my food dollar...
