Grilled Salmon

ANOTHER grill recipe!!

I love Copper River's grilled salmon!!  I don't however love the big dent it puts in my budget to have to go there to get it.  

So,  here's what I found:  It takes a little forethought,  but the recipe is pretty simple.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs salmon fillets

lemon pepper to taste

garlic powder to taste

salt to taste

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar,  water, and vegetable oil in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved.

Season the salmon fillets with the lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt.  Place the salmon fillets in a large resealable bag and pour 3/4 of the soy sauce mixture over them.  Place in the fridge to marinate for at least two hours turning occasionally to coat both sides.  Place the remaining soy mixture in the fridge as well until you're ready to grill.

Preheat your grill for medium heat.

Lightly oil the grill grate.   I used a smoked cedar plank that I got with a to go order from Copper River!!  (I only have one,  so I think it's time for another carry out order.)  Place skin side up for the first 5-6 minutes,  then flip the fillets.  Once the skin side is down,  use the remaining marinade to brush over the tops of the fillets for the remaining 6-8 minutes of grill time.

The fillets are ready when it flakes easily with a fork. 

Seriously delicious and so close to my favorite recipe at Copper River.  Serve with a side of the grilled sweet potatoes,  a baked potato, some buttered rice, or some fried rice.  Any way you choose,  it will taste great!!!

Menu Plan Monday April 29

What a weekend!!  I can't even think clearly to speak yet.

I'm trying to teach my children that ALL actions have consequences and most adults I know haven't even learned this lesson yet!! Maybe, those that have just don't care about the consequences!!  Someone is always there to excuse their actions and behaviors!!

But,  I digress!!  On to this week.  Thankfully,  it's a new day and a new week!!!

Here's the meal plan:

MONDAY - Lasagna (I didn't get to this Sunday)

TUESDAY - Hamburgers on the grill, mac n cheese, peas

WEDNESDAY - Homemade pizza (maybe even on the grill)

THURSDAY - Chicken Giardino

FRIDAY - chicken gravy biscuits, mashed potatoes, corn

SATURDAY - Grilled steak, roasted potatoes,  glazed carrots, and birthday cake (Baby Samuel turns 2)

SUNDAY - Crock pot chicken,  Crock pot sweet potatoes (new recipe),  green beans, homemade bread, and more birthday cake (We celebrate birthdays until the cake is ALL gone)

Here's to a better week than weekend!!

                                                                    

For more menu ideas and some incredible recipes,  visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Have I mentioned I love grilling? 

 I do believe I have, so I'll move on.  

This recipe is the perfect side dish to the grilled BBQ pork tenderloin.  

It's also VERY easy!!  You all know I LOVE easy!!!

Here's all you need:

2 large sweet potatoes

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Preheat an outdoor grill on medium-high heat.  

Cut the sweet potatoes into 1 inch cubes and place on a heavy duty piece of foil (or you could just double up the foil like I did).  Top with 1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp brown sugar, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg.  Fold the foil into a packet so nothing can leak out.  Place on grill.

 Turn the packets every 10 minutes for 20-30 minutes It took a bit longer on my charcoal grill, I like my sweet potatoes pretty tender.    

The final product tastes good and is mostly good for you.  It will be repeated this grill season!!

Grilled BBQ Pork Tenderloin

It's that time of year - GRILLING SEASON.

I love grilling for two reasons: 1 - everything tastes better on the grill,  2 - it get's hubby involved in the dinner process.  I get to hand over the tongs and spatula for the main course.  I've been looking into sides that I can grill so I can get hubby doing ALL of it (well except prep work, of course).

Here is a really great recipe I adjusted a bit from Publix Aprons simple meals.

Here's what you need :
        1 pork tenderloin (I used a 2 1/2 lb)
        2 tbsp brown sugar
        1 tbsp onion powder
        1/2 tsp kosher salt
        1/4 tsp pepper
        1/2 tsp turmeric
        1 tsp ground cumin
        1/2 tsp nutmeg
        1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's)
        1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (if using gas grill).  For charcoal grills,  you want the temperature around 350 degrees.

Combine the brown sugar, onion powder, turmeric, cumin, and nutmeg.  Rub the pork with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then coat with the spice mixture (use as much or little as you like).

Place pork on grill; grill 2-3 minutes on each side.

Reduce heat to medium (or move pork to coolest part of grill if using charcoal); place pork in foil,  use 1/4 cup of the BBQ sauce and pour over the pork,  cover and grill for 15 minutes.

We left one open and on the non lit side to get smoked.

Remove the pork from the foil and place back on grill, using the rest of the BBQ sauce, grill an additional 2-3 minutes each side while brushing the pork with BBQ sauce. *Times vary depending on grill type and temperature.  The pork is done when it's temperature is 160 degrees (for medium).

Delicious!!  This is by far the best pork tenderloin I have had.  Like everything else fixed on the grill, you don't want to leave it too long and make it tough and dry though.  

Menu Plan Monday April 22 - 28

Last week was full of fun with pappy here.  We spent a lot of time in the kitchen testing recipes that would be good for pappy's blood sugar.  I'll be honest though,  I threw in a few treat recipes too, just because!!
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Now, back to the routine!  It still involves me spending a lot of time in the kitchen.  

I also need to finish up the massive clothing switch out.  Spring is finally here,  and I've already started the process.  Of course, this week we're in for cooler temperatures.  It never seems to fail!  I start getting the warmer clothes out,  we have a week or two of cooler temps.  On the other hand,  I get the cold weather clothes out and it sparks a heat wave!!  Oh well,  I digress.

On to the menu plan for this week.  I'm thinking cheap and simple,  cause last week my budget just went out the window.

MONDAY- taco night

TUESDAY - spaghetti and meatballs

WEDNESDAY - hamburgers, french fries, fruit

THURSDAY - grilled shrimp and salmon, fried rice

FRIDAY - crock pot roast, potatoes, carrots

SATURDAY - grilled chicken and veggies

SUNDAY - crock pot lasagna

For more menu ideas visit Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie.

Sausage Mini Quiche

One of my goals this week was to find nutritious, protein packed breakfast recipes for my dad while he was here.  This one I found on the Jimmy Dean site was by far the favorite.  Did I mention, it was also easy?  You know how I like easy.  So simple,  my dad will be able to make it.

Here's the version my kiddos will eat:

           1 pkg Jimmy Dean Regular Flavor Pork Sausage Roll

           10 eggs

           1/4 cup milk

           1/4 tsp ground black pepper

           1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

Add the following to make it like it's suppose to be:

            1 cup fresh chopped mushrooms

            1/2 cup green bell pepper (I used the sweet red bell peppers)

            1/2 cup sliced green onions ( I just used a sweet onion)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook sausage, mushrooms, and bell pepper in large skillet (I did the onions in this too) over medium-high heat 8-10 minutes or until sausage is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently: drain.

          

Beat eggs, milk and black pepper in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended.  Stir in sausage mixture, cheese, and onion (if you didn't cook with the sausage).

Line cupcake pans with foil baking cups or spray muffin cups with cooking spray.  Spoon mixture evenly into baking cups.  It made 12 mini quiches with just the sausage mix and 15 when I added the mushrooms, onions, and peppers.  

 Bake 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  My oven took a full 25 minutes,  but check them at 18.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

One of the best things about this for my dad was you can put them in the fridge and just warm them up when you want more.  Since it's just him,  he can make a batch and eat all week.  

This recipe was a winner and definitely will be repeated here at my house and at my dad's.

Menu Plan April 15 - 21

It's going to be a fun and great week here.  Pappy has arrived.  The kiddos have been anxiously awaiting his visit for about a month now, and he's finally here!!!!  

I've got a lot of simple recipes planned for this week as I am trying to get Pappy to eat healthier and find a few things he might be comfortable fixing on his own.  We're going to be spending a lot of time in the kitchen.  He's doing pretty good (all things considered),  but needs some help with foods that are better for his blood sugar and heart.  We're also going to try a couple new recipes I found for breakfast foods: sausage mini quiche, apple-cinnamon baked oatmeal,  and a blueberry crumb coffee cake.  I'll be sharing those with you in the next couple weeks.  

So,  here's the plan:

MONDAY - Spaghetti and meatballs (this was a request from Mini-Me since she was sick when we had it last)

TUESDAY - Meatloaf,  mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, green beans

WEDNESDAY - Grilled BBQ pork tenderloin, grilled pineapple, grilled sweet potatoes, baked beans

THURSDAY - Grilled chicken, grilled squash and zucchini, pasta salad

FRIDAY - Grilled salmon, rice

SATURDAY - Baked chicken, mashed potatoes/gravy, green beans, corn, rolls

SUNDAY - Crock Pot roast, potatoes and carrots. 

I'm linking up with Menu Plan Monday over at Organizing Junkie.  I find a lot of new ideas and recipes there.  Give them a visit.  

Menu Plan April 8-14

A little late,  but hey better late than never!  Right?  It's been a crazy couple of weeks complete with a round of the stomach virus, and I got out of the routine for a while.  Hopefully things will get back to normal or at least our normal.

Spring weather has finally arrived and we're loving it.  It's time to break out the grills!  Everything seems to taste better on the grill.  

I'm planning to have a couple of meals from the grill this week.

MONDAY - Sausage gravy biscuits

TUESDAY - BBQ chicken sandwiches, chips, fruit

WEDNESDAY - hamburgers, french fries,  pasta salad

THURSDAY - spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread

FRIDAY - grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, green beans, corn

SATURDAY - Grilled BBQ pork tenderloin, mac n cheese, peas, crescent rolls

SUNDAY - Lasagna, homemade bread

For more meal planning ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie.

It's Time for Ultimate Blog Party 2013

It's time to PARTY!! And what's a party without food?  I'm having some homemade strawberry and cream cheese toaster strudel.

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They are delicious.  So grab yourself a snack and let's get to know each other.

I'm Jennifer, wife, mother, homemaker, home schooler, and part-time nurse.  I am married to my high school sweetheart for 19 years this August.  Life has been one blessing after another with struggles and trials mixed in.

We have 6 children, three boys and three girls. Their ages are 23 months, 4 yrs, 8 yrs, 10 yrs, 13 yrs, and 14 yrs.

So,  what can you expect when you visit?

Mostly family stuff - I started the blog to share our lives with friends and family far away who don't get to see us much. I love taking pictures and this was a way to share our family with them.  I also share life with a big family; packing, our struggle with a grocery budget,  my attempts at frugal shopping, etc.  

I also post some recipes.  I enjoy cooking;  the clean up, not so much (but hey, I have a crew to help with that, right?).  With the size and various tastes of my family,  I do a lot of experimenting with recipes I find.  I try to share the favs (though I'm often in such a hurry I forget some of the pictures)!!  The menu planning has helped tremendously with food prep since I also DESPISE grocery shopping.

As I mentioned before,  I home school the crew.  One of my goals for next school year is to document the year blog style - a blogging yearbook!! I think that sounds like such fun.

Any other questions,  just ask.  Believe me,  I don't mind.  Here's a post with some of the most asked questions.  Leave a comment and introduce yourself.  I love meeting new people in the blog world and  I love getting new ideas to try on my family (they love it too).

Thanks so much for stopping by and have fun at the Ultimate Blog Party 2013.