Category Archives: Nico in the Kitchen

May 1

May 2009 Monthly Dinner Menu

Wow! April flew by, and it is time to plan for another monthly menu. I hope that May brings warmer Spring weather, and plenty of delicious treats from the Farmer’s Market. I grabbed my calendar and planned out the menu for May. Here is what I’ll be making for dinner this month:

  • 5/1/09: Butterfly Shrimp and Fries
  • 5/2/09: Pasta with Meat Sauce and Black Olives
  • 5/3/09: Beef Stroganoff and Mashed Potatoes
  • 5/4/09: Angus Burgers and Fries
  • 5/5/08: Salmon Cakes, Corn, and Rice
  • 5/6/09: Chicken Chow Mien and Chow Mien Noodles
  • 5/7/09: Grilled Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Corn
  • 5/8/09: Sloppy Joe’s and Fries
  • 5/9/09: Beef Stew and Homemade Bread
  • 5/10/09: BBQ Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Pasta Salad, and Corn
  • 5/11/09: Nacho Night
  • 5/12/09: Spaghetti and Garlic Bread
  • 5/13/09: Pop-corn Shrimp, Macaroni & Cheese, and Fries
  • 5/14/09: Bean & Cheese Quesadillas, Tortilla Chips, Salsa, and Cheese Dip
  • 5/15/09: Chicken Nuggets, Corn, and Macaroni & Cheese
  • 5/16/09: Lasagna and Garlic Bread
  • 5/17/09: Salmon Cakes, Corn, and Rice
  • 5/18/09: Angus Burgers and Fries
  • 5/19/09: Spaghetti and Garlic Bread
  • 5/20/09: Chicken Fajitas, Re-fried Beans, Tortilla Chips, and Cheese Dip
  • 5/21/09: Grilled Chicken, Corn, and Rice
  • 5/22/09: Dinner Out! James and Nico in K.C.
  • 5/23/09: Fish Planks, Macaroni & Cheese, and Fries
  • 5/24/09: Pot Roast and Potatoes
  • 5/25/09: Grilled Hot Dogs, Potato Chips, and Dip
  • 5/26/09: Pop-corn Shrimp, Macaroni & Cheese, and Fries
  • 5/27/09: BBQ Beef Sandwiches, Potato Chips, and Dip
  • 5/28/09: Chicken Nuggets, Corn, and Macaroni & Cheese
  • 5/29/09: Salmon Cakes, Corn, and Rice
  • 5/30/09: Hamburger Helper Lasagna, and Garlic Bread
  • 5/31/09: Chicken Chow Mien and Chow Mien Noodles

Happy cooking in the kitchen for the month of May!

Apr 30

Bake and Bake and Bake and Bake

A few weeks ago, a friend asked me just how often I bake something for my family. I came up with about 5 times a week, but this week is one of those exceptions. I have been baking non-stop since Monday. I’m helping out my hubby with 3 days of baked goods for work, I’m bringing snacks for preschool on Friday, and I had a request for cake pops from a few of the preschoolers. Oh yeah 2 MOPS Mommies and I are bringing breakfast for Friday, so that means more baking to be done… Basically I have been living in the kitchen, but it has been a blast making all of these goodies.

This week I’ve baked:

  • Chocolate Sheet Cake for Cake Pops
  • 2 Batches of Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
  • 2 Batches of Banana Muffins
  • 2 Batches of Brownies
  • 1 Batch of No-bake cookies
  • 1 Batch of Chocolate Chip cookies

Today I’ve still got to make:

  • Cherry Pie
  • Dutch Apple Pie
  • 2 batches of muffins for MOPS
  • Chocolate Bundt Cake
  • Oreo Pie
  • Peach Bundt Cake
  • Double layer Vanilla Cake
  • Chocolate dip all of those cake pops

It looks like it is going to be another busy day at Nico’s kitchen!

Apr 11

Easter Plans

This is looking like it is going to be another busy weekend… I was thinking about taking the kiddos out of town to an Easter Egg hunt, but waking up to 34 degree weather made me change my mind. Oh well, we will be making a run to Walgreens later today to see the Easter Bunny, and see if Dylan will want to be in the Easter picture too. He isn’t a fan of the Easter Bunny or Santa just yet. Thade can’t wait to go though.

This afternoon I’ve got to remember how to hard boil eggs so we can dye two dozen eggs for Easter. This is an activity that everyone looks forward too, and I hope to get some pretty good pictures too. Even James has fun dying eggs.

I hope to get a jump start on tomorrow’s Easter Dinner, and start prepping what I can today. I’ve got cru-de-te to make, and Apricot Pie filling too. I need to check with everyone and see how many guests we are having this year too. I think I’ll also make a big batch of Homemade Cinnamon Rolls for tomorrow’s Easter breakfast too.

Tomorrow we’ll be going to the second service at Church, that way the kiddos have plenty of time to hunt for Easter Eggs around the house. I’ll make a quick lunch, and then get to making dinner before the guests arrive.

Here is the menu for tomorrow night:

  • Turkey
  • Stuffing
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Scalloped Pineapple (Nana is bringing)
  • Green Bean Casserole
  • Sweet Tea
  • Crescent Rolls
  • Cherry Pie
  • Apricot Cream Cheese Bars
  • Cru-de-te, Cheese and Crackers for snacks

I think I’ll be in the kitchen for the next two days… I hope that everyone has a wonderful and very Happy Easter!

Apr 1

April’s Monthly Menu

After my madness in March, I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to plan another menu… This month I decided to add in a few take-out nights and give myself a break from the kitchen. So here we go, April’s Monthly Dinner Menu:

  • 4/1/09: Dinner Out!!!
  • 4/2/09: Beef & Broccoli Stir-fry with Rice
  • 4/3/09: Popcorn Shrimp and Fries
  • 4/4/09: Pizza Night
  • 4/5/09: Beef Stew and Homemade Bread
  • 4/6/09: Chicken Fajitas, Tortilla Chips, Re-fried Beans, and Cheese Dip
  • 4/7/09: Fish Planks, Macaroni & Cheese, and Corn
  • 4/8/09: Grilled Chicken, Corn, and Broccoli Rice Casserole
  • 4/9/09: Chicken Chow Mien, Chow Mien Noodles, and Rice
  • 4/10/09: Salmon Cakes, Corn, and Rice
  • 4/11/09: Pizza Night
  • 4/12/09: Easter Dinner! Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Bean Casserole
  • 4/13/09: Angus Burgers and Fries
  • 4/14/09: Nacho Night
  • 4/15/09: Turkey Leftovers and Sides
  • 4/16/09: Sloppy Joe’s and Fries
  • 4/17/09: Fish Planks, Macaroni & Cheese, and Fries
  • 4/18/09: Pizza Night
  • 4/19/09: Pot Roast and Potatoes
  • 4/20/09: Bean & Cheese Quesadillas, Tortilla Chips, and Cheese Dip
  • 4/21/09: Popcorn Shrimp and Fries
  • 4/22/09: Chicken Enchiladas, Re-fried Beans, Tortilla Chips, and Cheese Dip
  • 4/23/09: Spaghetti and Garlic Bread
  • 4/24/09: Grilled Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Corn
  • 4/25/09: Nico is out of town! James is in charge of Dinner, so probably McDonald’s
  • 4/26/09: Turkey Noodles and Mashed Potatoes
  • 4/27/09: Angus Burgers and Fries
  • 4/28/09: Chicken Chow Mien, Chow Mien Noodles, and Rice
  • 4/29/09: Sloppy Joe’s and Fries
  • 4/30/09: Salmon Cakes, Corn, and Rice

Time to get in the kitchen and get to cooking.

Mar 29

Not Going Out in March Week #4 Review

Wow, I can’t believe that we are almost through the month of March, and we are also reaching the end of our challenge. We made it through week #4, and this week went a little smoother than week #3. James is really proud of us, and he is determined for us to make it through the next few days, but we are definitely celebrating on the first day of April!

Week 4 brought many tasty meals, and I restocked the freezer with a few staples for future meals. I made a Turkey on Sunday night, and that made for really simple lunches and dinners during the week. I also made 6 quarts of Turkey Stock that I will use for Turkey & Noodles, or Chicken Chow Mien in April. I also made homemade Broccoli & Potato Soup for fast lunches for me. I treated the kiddos to Kid Cuisine before their Doctor’s appointment on Friday, and Thade was thrilled.

To keep James co-worker’s from bringing in Donuts on Friday, I baked a double batch of Banana Muffins, and they were a big hit. I don’t think anyone missed take-out donuts on that day.

I’m really proud that we are almost finished with the month, and so far my family is still speaking to me. Dylan even gave me a great big hug, thanking me for his favorite meal on his birthday, or maybe it was thanking me for the batch of birthday brownies.