Monday, March 17, 2014

Menu Plan Monday: March 17th 2014

This week Joe and I are going full force on the nursery as well as our spring cleaning.  I've been working a little at a time to get rid of excess clutter as well as get things deep-cleaned before the baby arrives in just 4 more weeks!  Since I knew doing all of this while being 8 month pregnant was going to make me tired, I planned simple meals that I knew I (or Joe) could manage.  Here's what on the menu this week...

Breakfasts: Cold Cereal or Oatmeal for Me, Butterscotch Banana Bread for Joe (same recipe as link, but made with butterscotch chips instead of chocolate)

Lunches: Leftovers, or Deli Sandwiches with Chips

Dinners:
Sunday -  Bacon Cheeseburgers with Baked Onion Rings
Monday - Pasta with Red Sauce, Ground Sausage on Joe's, and Garlic Bread
Tuesday - Ham and Cheese Egg Scramble with Toast
Wednesday - Shake and Bake Chicken, Jasmine Rice, and Steamed Vegetables
Thursday - Working at Joe's grandfather's, so we'll probably eat out with him
Friday - Homemade Pizza
Saturday - Smoked Ribs with Baked French Fries

Extras: Homemade Butterscotch Chip Cookies

For more AWESOME Menu Plans, visit Org Junkie!

Tempt Your Tummy Tuesday: Pumpkin Streusel Bread

Pumpkin Streusel Bread is amazing, even if it isn't Fall!  This bread whips up quickly, freezes wonderfully, and stays deliciously moist.  It also takes ingredients that I keep in the pantry on a regular basis, and you probably do too.  Here's how you can make 2 loaves for yourself...

Batter:
1/2 c Butter, Softened
2 Eggs
1 c Brown Sugar
2 c Flour
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Salt
1/2 c Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
1 c Pumpkin Puree

Streusel:
1/2 c Flour
1/3 c Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
4 tbsp Cold Butter
3/4 c Chopped Pecans (optional)

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour 2 loaf pans, set aside.
2.) Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add vanilla and pumpkin, mix well.
3.) Mix together the dry ingredients, add them to the wet ingredients, and mix until just combine.  Add milk, mix to incorporate.  
4.) Pour batter into greased loaf pans.  
5.) Combine streusel ingredients in a bowl, combine using a pastry cutter, or two knives, until streusel is crumbly.  Sprinkle crumbs over batter in loaf pans.  
6.) Bake in preheated oven 40-50 minutes or until the center is done.  Cool in pans 20 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Store in an airtight container.  P.S. These freeze wonderfully as well.