Menu Monday

Two busy busy weeks left of school. Steve was able to grill yesterday so we have some chicken and burgers in the frig. - just need a plan! I am trying to buy less processed food but did find a bag of frozen meatballs in the freezer. I think I will throw them in the crockpot with spaghetti sauce for meatball subs and have the leftovers with spaghetti or pasta. Our last "end of the season banquet" at school tonight - so this will be a night off from the kitchen.

burgers
chicken sandwiches, salads, wraps
Meatball subs
Pasta

We all enjoyed this yummy appetizer over the weekend. I love appetizers in the summer - so watch for some easy, quick, oven-free ideas coming in the warmer months ahead!

Raspberry Chipotle Dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
12 oz Raspberry Chipotle sauce
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
minced red onion
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 cup chopped cashews

Spread cream cheese over a large platter
add the remaining ingredients in order listed above
add cashews just before serving

serve with chips, crackers, toasted pitas, flatbreads,

I buy my Raspberry Chipotle sauce at Cub in the bbq sauce isle.

A Tote, A Tuesday

This large coffee tote would be perfect for a day of errands or a trip to the farmers market.

Shop Update

Some brand new items being added to ShaggyBaggy on Etsy.

Shades Case - perfect for just about any size sunglasses or eyeglasses.

Menu Monday

We did manage to fire up the grill once this weekend so I have some chicken grilled and shredded  for the week. I am anxious for the school year to be finished so I will have some help in the kitchen. With one night of leftovers this will get us through the school week!

1. Chicken Salad
2. Enchilladas
3. Chicken Broccoli Hotdish
4. Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli

Chicken Salad (6 servings)

3 1/2 cups shredded chicken breast
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1-2 celery stalks, chopped
1 cup nuts - almonds, cashews or walnuts
diced onion
salt and pepper
1/2 cup mayo with 2 tablespoons lemon juice


This is great on a bed of lettuce, in a wrap with a slice of cooked bacon and avocado, or stuffed in a pita with thin slices of cucumbers.

A piece of cake . . . .

This week's sweet treat comes in the form of muffins. Honey is the sweetener, along with bananas and blueberries. I made a few changes to this recipe from Comfy Belly. Here is my version:

Banana Blueberry Muffins
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup blueberries

heat oven to 350 degrees
mix all wet ingredients (except blueberries)
add all dry ingredients
fold in blueberries
spoon into muffin pan, lined with paper liners
bake 20-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

makes 12 large muffins

A Tote, A Tuesday

I have a few new style totes in my Etsy shop this week. All fabric with jute webbing as handles. Perfect for summer errands or a trip to the library.

Menu Monday

Yes, it is Tuesday and I am just posting my Menu Monday. We have a crazy week at school this week. My daughters last weekend of performances for the school year is Thursday through Saturday - so we'll be having quick meals that can be easily reheated or kept in the crockpot. Here is one of my favorites for many reasons: 1. frozen chicken! 2. Makes great leftovers served over chips or as a filling for quesadillas.

Cream Cheese Chicken

layer the following ingredients in crockpot:
2-4 frozen chicken breasts
1 can black beans
1 can tomatoes
1 16 oz. jar of salsa

heat on high 4 hours or low 8 hours
20 minutes before serving add a block of cream cheese
after cheese softens - stir to incorporate and shred chicken
serve over brown rice

A piece of cake . . . .

I made this very easy and guilt free cake this week. This is the first time I have made my own whipped cream. I used stevia, a natural sugar substitute. I think I am done buying "the tub".

http://www.simpleorganizedliving.com/ is one of my new favorite blogs. Lots of tips for living a simple life on a budget!

simple-angel-food-cake-recipe/

Easy Dinner

Very glad to find a taco bake in the freezer this week! I was able to put this together last week with leftovers from enchilladas. I have made it half way through the week without a run to the grocery store. The pantry is lookin a tad sparce - but I am determined to make do with what we have until the end of the week. We grilled italian sausage on Sunday - I have two in the frig. to have with pasta tomorrow.

Taco Bake

1 pound ground beef, browned
1 can black beans
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 can enchillada sauce
grated cheese
crushed corn chips

Combine first 4 ingredients
layer with cheese and chips in casserole
top with cheese and chips - bake 350 degrees until bubbly
serve with taco toppings if desired

Do you have a quick and easy recipe to share? email me!

A Tote, A Tuesday

I am loving all the new bright florals out there right now for spring. Here is another one - a tad more neutral with the gray - but I love the big flowers and the accent dots. The exterior pocket is a repurposed burlap coffee sack adding great texture.

Cake Pops - Success

Cake pops seem to be the rage lately.  They are $2-3 EACH at Starbucks! I made a batch for my mom for Mothers Day. Here is my version:

1 boxed cake mix
1 can frosting
1 package chocolate chips
sucker sticks ( bought Wilton brand at Michaels Crafts)
this recipe makes about 35-40 pops

Bake cake mix according to directions in a 9 x 13 pan and let cool
crumble half the cake until very fine - and combine with 1/2 can of frosting

Form this mixture into 1-2 inch balls and place on a wax lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
melt about 1/4 cup chocolate chips and dip the tip of each stick into the chocolate - then into the cake pop. This will help the stick stay in while dipping the entire pop later. Chill again.

Now melt the rest of the chocolate (I used half semi sweet chips and half milk chocolate). I also add 1 tbs. Crisco shortening for each 2 cups of chips. This keeps the chocolate smooth and easier to work with.

Dip each cake pop into the chocolate. I stored my standing flat on a sheet pan with the sticks up - I did this for ease and space management in the frig. As a result the "top" of my pop was flat - but once you wrap in plastic you can't tell anyway! If you don't want the flat top then craft foam will hold the pops unright while chilling.

Chill again til the chocolate sets. Wrap in plastic "bag" and tie with decorative ribbon. (Again, I bought Wilton brand bags at Michaels Crafts.)

Menu Monday

No menu this Monday. We have an incredibly hectic schedule of evening events this week - all the end of the year events for school are starting and we'll have a crazy month as we wrap up the school year.

As a result, I am going to skip my "big" trip to the grocery store and make do with pantry and freezer items. I just emptied the veggie drawer in the frig this morning and made a great black bean dip. I will get out today and pick up some fresh fruit so we'll have some healthy snacks as we "eat on the fly" for the beginning of the week.

Black Bean and Mango Salsa

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
1 diced green pepper
2 diced green onions
1 diced tomato
1 diced mango
3-5 diced black olives (not a fave at this house)
pinch of salt
1 T. cider vinegar
1 T. olive oil

Mix all ingredients together and serve with chips, toasted pita wedges or baked flat bread.

Bargain Shopping

As the price of gas creeps up toward $4 a gallon I am trying to keep driving to a minimum. Was able to score this great deal at Walgreens this week while running errands after dropping a teen at the pool. 12 razors for $2.24 plus $2 coupon for my next visit. Did anyone else score a great deal this week? Please share.

Spring Planting

Not much longer and I can fill my summer "planter". Last year I filled this vintage wagon with petunias. They were gorgeous and bloomed all summer! Any ideas for this year? comments always welcome.

Dinner x 2

Managed to stay on my meal plan this week - plus have one dish in the freezer for next week!
Last night I made enchilladas - by mixing 1 pound of ground beef with rice and black beans I was able to stretch the extra meat filling into a taco bake for next week!

Enchilladas

1 pound ground beef, browned, drained
2 cans of enchilada sauce
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheese
8-10 tortillas

Combined ground beef, 1 can enchilada sauce, beans, rice and cheese

I quickly warm my tortillas in a fry pan with a bit of oil brushed on them. This makes them more pliable to work with and easier to cut after they are baked. This works great for tacos too!

I spray a large casserole pan along with a light layer of enchillada sauce to prevent sticking. Now fill the tortillas, wrap and lay in your baking pan. Top with the remaining sauce and some grated cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees til hot and bubbly (30-45 min.) Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, etc.

I am off to make cake pops for my mom for mothers day. Check back for the results.  It is also prom night for one of my teens, so I am off to charge the camera and heat up the hot rollers!

St. Paul and Around Town

Several shopping events happening today and this weekend. It sounds like a beautiful spring weekend is FINALLY coming to Minnesota. Get out and enjoy it -- take your mom if you can!

Thursday, May 5 - Spring Sale at W7 in St. Paul
W7 on facebook

Saturday, May 7 - North St. Paul Spring Soiree. Check the Design Vertigo website for more info:
Design Vertigo

The Chickadee Boutique - Shoreview, MN. Two weekends left for this amazing seasonal boutique (lots of ShaggyBaggy items available here!)
Thursday through Sunday May 5-8 and May 12-15
Chickadee Boutique

A Tote, A Tuesday

I love when a good idea comes together.
I try to start every Monday with a quick tidy of the sewing room. This week I want to sort through my fabric stash and use up some miscellaneous pieces that are not big enough for an entire tote. This is what I came up with Monday - and I am thrilled with the result.

Today is also the last day for 20% off a bucket to fill for Mothers Day! What would your mom like in her "bucket o' love"?
ShaggyBaggy

Menu Monday

I am actually posting my menu on MONDAY this week! I hope this is a sign of a smooth, productive week at home.

Teen requests this week seem to be following the Cinco De Mayo theme. 3 requests plus a night of leftovers and a night of grilling should get us through the week!

Chicken Fajitas
Beef Enchilladas
Chilis Chicken Pasta

Granola

In an attempt to buy less things in a box/processed I having been making different versions of homemade granola. This is the best version so far - but I am going to try it with only 1 tablespoon of sugar next time and hope no one notices. It has become a great after school snack. My kids use it to top yogurt and fruit for their cold lunches too! We make our own yogurt cups by layering plain yogurt with frozen fruit - by the time they eat at school the fruit is thawed but all is still cold - top it with granola for a bit of crunch and its better than pizza from the cafeteria!

Granola

3 cups uncooked oats
1 cup nuts (I use almonds)
1 cup dried fruit (I use cranberries)
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon vanilla
dash salt
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (I use less-just enough to moisten
but more than 1/4 cup)
2 Tablespoons brown sugar

Combine all ingredients and layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes or until lightly brown.