Tag Archives | meal planning

The Underestimated Mashed Potato

By on November 2, 2013 in Holiday Recipes, Recipes, Saving Money, Side Dish Recipes

Homemade Mashed Potatoes

A Stitch In Time Saves Nine. A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned. Waste Not, Want Not.

Probably one of the most versatile, frugal and efficacious dishes is the mashed potato.  Gracing our Thanksgiving dinner table each year, mashed potatoes are wildly overlooked for the remaining 364 days of the year.

At just pennies per serving, Homemade Mashed Potatoes are not only inexpensive, they’re one of the most versatile side dishes.  By adding a few cloves of fresh garlic during boiling and then mashing with the potato, the gourmet Garlic Mashed Potatoes are created.  By substituting milk with buttermilk, you have Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes.  And, Herb Mashed Potatoes can be made by adding some fresh or dried herbs like rosemary, thyme and parsley.

 

Rosemary Chicken with Herb Mashed Potatoes

Herb Mashed Potatoes

Five Recipes To Make with Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Homemade mashed potatoes can be cooked in bulk to freeze for future use, or stored for use in other recipes- or, like I call “Reincarnate The Leftover”.  Here are some of my favorite recipes using leftover mashed potatoes.

Potato Cake Recipe

Festive Potato Cakes Recipe

 

Bangers and Mash

Bangers and Mash with New Castle Gravy

 

Twice-Baked Cheesy Potatoes

Twice-Baked Cheesy Potatoes Recipe

 

Cottage Pie Recipe

Cottage Pie Recipe, is allegedly a favorite dish of Prince Williams-  a tasty version of the Shepherd’s Pie.

 

Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

 

A Stitch In Time

Homemade mashed potatoes freeze and reheat well, so I like making extra and storing for a busy day’s side dish.  I recommend using glass storage containers like Rubbermaid’s Glass Food Storage or Ziploc’s Versaglass that go from the freezer and into the oven or microwave to reheat.

Check out our Homemade Mashed Potatoes Recipe here:

Homemade mashed potatoes recipe

Homemade Mashed Potatoes Recipe

 

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts

By on November 1, 2013 in Gluten Free, Holiday Recipes, Recipes, Side Dish Recipes

Another Fall Favorite Vegetable

Brussels Sprouts are one my favorite Fall Vegetables, and not just because they create beautiful food photography.  Brussels Sprouts are so easy to prepare with no peeling or dicing required.

I simply slice each one in half, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt & pepper.  After roasting for about 10-15 minutes until crispy brown, they make a perfect side dish.

But to be honest, I eat them as a snack…. they’re so crunchy and delicious.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts are yummy!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with sea salt & pepper

Brussels Sprouts

in oven to broil for about 10-15 minutes

Roasted Brussels sprouts

Crunchy and Delicious Roasted Brussels Sprouts

 

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

  • fresh Brussels Sprouts- 1 lb
  • olive oil- 3 tablespoons (about)
  • salt & pepper- to taste (or, use McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning for an extra "kick")

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F
  2. slice sprouts in half and place in mixing bowl
  3. drizzle with olive oil
  4. season with salt & pepper (or Montreal Steak Seasoning)
  5. toss
  6. transfer to baking sheet
  7. cook until crunchy brown, approximately 30 minutes
https://tonispilsbury.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts/

 

The Perfect Holiday Side Dish Recipe

Brussells Sprouts recipe

Roasted Brussells Sprouts

 

 

As a side dish in this week’s meal plan from The Organized Cook, Roasted Brussels Sprouts are perfect paired with Chicken with Wild Rice.

Chicken with Wild Rice and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System

 

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Fall Pear Salads

By on October 31, 2013 in Holiday Recipes, Recipes, Salad Recipes

Two Salad Recipes for Fall Pears

Fall Pears make for the most beautiful and delicious salads for Thanksgiving or for any family dinner.  Here are two simple recipes to make the most out of this Fall fruit.

Fall Pears

 

Fall Pear Spinach Salad Recipe

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Pear Spinach Salad

Pear Spinach Salad

Ingredients

  • Fresh baby spinach lettuce- 16 oz.
  • Pears, 1 each (or any combination of) of Bosc (dark yellow), Red Anjou and Green Anjou- sliced
  • shredded Parmesan cheese- 2 oz.
  • Balsamic Vinaigrette, or Steakhouse Vinaigrette

Instructions

  1. Place spinach lettuce in your prettiest Fall salad bowl
  2. Top with sliced pears
  3. Drizzle with dressing and toss
  4. Top with cheese
https://tonispilsbury.com/pear-walnut-gorgonzola-arugula-salad/

 

 

Fall Pear Walnut Gorgonzola Salad Recipe

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Fall Pear Walnut Gorgonzola Salad

Fall Pear Walnut Gorgonzola Salad

Ingredients

  • Spring or Arugula Salad Lettuce- 16 oz.
  • Pears, 1 each of Bosc (dark yellow), Red Anjou and Green Anjou- sliced
  • Gorgonzola Cheese Crumbles- 4 oz.
  • Walnuts, chopped- 2 oz.
  • Balsamic Vinaigrette or Steakhouse Vinaigrette

Instructions

  1. Place lettuce in your prettiest Fall salad bowl
  2. Top with sliced pears
  3. Drizzle with dressing and toss
  4. Top with Gorgonzola cheese and walnuts
https://tonispilsbury.com/pear-walnut-gorgonzola-arugula-salad/

 

These salad are “peared” perfectly with our Fall Rigatoni:

Fall Rigatoni

Fall Rigatoni Recipe

 

Weekly Meal Planning For Busy Families

meal plan

Weekly Meal Plan from The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System

 

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3 Recipes To Make with Leftover Homemade Chicken Tenders

By on October 30, 2013 in Making Dinner, Recipes, Saving Time

Homemade Chicken Tenders

Probably the most versatile and most-loved by my family recipe is my Homemade Chicken Tenders.  By changing a few ingredients in the recipe, you can make different variations of Homemade Chicken Tenders, like using Panko breadcrumbs and Ranch Dressing Mix to create Crunchy Ranch Chicken Tenders.

Homemade Chicken Tenders Recipe

Homemade Chicken Tenders Recipe

You can also make gluten-free Homemade Chicken Tenders, by using gluten-free breadcrumbs, like Schar Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs.

Reincarnate The Leftover

There are many new dinner recipes that can be created, or “reincarnated” from basic Homemade Chicken Tenders, and here are three of my favorite.

Homemade Chicken tenders

3 Recipes To Make with Leftover Homemade Chicken Tenders

1.  Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Chicken Parmesan Recipe made with Leftover Homemade Chicken Tenders

 

 

2.  Chicken Katsu

Chicken Katsu Recipe

 

3.  Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Buffalo Chicken Wrap Recipe

 

Meal Planning

The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System

Homemade Chicken Tenders Recipe

start with some cracked eggs in a wide shallow dish

Homemade Chicken Tenders Recipe

flour mixed with breadcrumbs and seasoning

Homemade Chicken Tenders Recipe

after patting dry, chicken tenders are dipped in egg batter, then dredged in flour mixture

Homemade Chicken Tenders Recipe

fry in large non-stick skillet in oil until crispy brown

Homemade Chicken Tenders Recipe

turning once, until golden brown on both sides

Homemade Chicken Tenders Recipe

Homemade Chicken Tenders

 

Get Your Free Weekly Meal Plan Today!

For more Reincarnating The Leftover recipes and meal planning tips, sign up for The Organized Cook weekly email and receive your first free Weekly Meal Plan today!  Sign up here.

The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System

 

 

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