The Weekend/Weekend Recipes

The weekend crept slowly. I loved (mostly) every lingering, quiet minute. It is our weekend to soak up. Ours to revel in. To enjoy in the purest, simplest ways.

Weekends are made for snuggling under white down blankets and fresh-ground coffee brewing at 3 p.m. My own soul finds renewal in Anne of Green Gables at 9 a.m. and a cool afternoon breeze through the balcony door.

As we celebrated our two-year anniversary on a tight budget, I grocery-shopped in our kitchen, cupboards and fridge.

Here's my weekend recipes.

Baked Salmon with Herb Cream Cheese

• 1 T butter
• a dash of rosemary, basil and oregano
• 1 t fresh minced garlic
• 1/2 cream cheese, softened

Marinade salmon in olive oil, garlic, salt and rosemary for at least 1 hours. Preheat oven to 400. Blend cream cheese and other ingredients and top each filet with cream cheese blend. (I had four filets prepared). Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Broil for last 3 minutes to crisp top of cream cheese. I served this with Green Bean Almondine and Dirty Rice. It was a hit with everyone!

Chicken Taco Chili
This is called "what are we having for dinner?" and I started adding ingredients into the Crockpot. It turned out really good and we've been eating it for leftovers as well. I think this is going to be a staple this fall!

• 1 L water
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1 can sweet corn
• 1 can black beans
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 1 large can tomato paste
• 3 chicken breasts, cubed, frozen
• half jar salsa
• 2 T sour cream
• half yellow onion, minced
  
• half green pepper, chopped
  
• 1/2 c. cubed colby/jack cheese
• a couple tsp garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste pepper
• 1 T or more of chili powder
• 1 T or more of taco seasoning
• dash of onion powder
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil

Dump it all in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 5-6 hours OR low 8 hours. Serve with sweet corn bread muffins!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread
straight from Betty Crocker herself!

• 1 c. water
• 2 T butter, softened
• 3 c. Better for Bread flour
• 3 T sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast
• 3/4 raisins

Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except raisins in bread machine, in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Add raisins at the raisin/nut signal, or 5 to 10 minutes before last kneading cycle ends.

Select Sweet or Basic/White cycle. Use medium or light crust color. Remove baked bread from pan and cool on wire rack.


Stuffed French Toast with Cinnamon Raisin Bread
I used the CR bread for this delectable breakfast. It was great! This made 4 thick slices of french toast. Enough for two + little one!

Stuffing

• half a block of cream cheese, softened
  
• 3 tsp sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Batter

• 4 thick slices of Cinnamon Raisin bread, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
  
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 225 degrees F. Blend together filling ingredients in small bowl until light and fluffy. Cut a small slice along the top of each piece, creating a pocket in the middle. Fill with a heaping tablespoon of filling. Mix together the eggs, half-and-half and vanilla. Dip bread in egg mixture and cook on prepared griddle until both sides are golden brown, being careful to keep filling in bread pocket. Place cooked slices on baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm.