Menu Plan Monday: July 26th

This past week it was just the kiddos and me and we really stuck to our menu plans fairly well, with only a couple of minor adjustments. I don't know why it's harder for me to do that when Vince isn't home.

We have been enjoying yummy bruschetta this week with basil fresh from our garden. We also enjoyed some amazing biscuits with chocolate gravy. I thought I'd share those recipes with you this week. I tried a new-to-me biscuit recipe from Susan Branch and it was AMAZING! You have to try these!

(image from Google, because we ate ours too fast to take a picture)

Best Biscuits
(from Susan Branch)
2 cups unbleached flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1-1/4 tsp. salt
2-1/2 tsp. sugar
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
4 Tbsp. melted butter
*****
Preheat over to 425F. Put flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into mixing bowl~stir with fork. Slowly add cream, stirring constantly, just until dough comes together. Place dough on floured board and knead for 1 minute. Pat dough flat to about 3/4" thick. Cut with round 2" cookie cutter and brush both top and bottom with melted butter. Place the buttered biscuits 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15-18 min., till browned. I would imagine these would be good with just about any meal you could think of!

Chocolate Gravy
(from my friend Holley)
2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp. cocoa
3 Tbsp. flour
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter, melted
*****
Mix all dry ingredients very well. The key is to get all of the lumps out. Then mix in the liquids. Cook on medium heat while stirring constantly. Let it boil just until it thickens. If you let it cook too long it will become too thick (remember: the longer it sits the thicker it gets, too, even after you take it off the stove). Serve with hot biscuits. Just an FYI: it tastes great leftover, cold straight out of the fridge, too. Not that I've tried that or anything...

*****

As I sat down with my calendar to review what was already on the schedule for this week and also plan my menus, I realized it's going to be a very light cooking week. And I'm not complaining, it will be nice to take it easy a little.

Monday: Dinner at my parents' house
Tuesday: Mom's Nite Out with my homeschool group (kiddos w/Nana)
Wednesday: Tostadas
Thursday: {quick trip to visit my aunt & cousins}
Friday: {still visiting}
Saturday: A cookout at my aunt's (a different one) house

See? A very easy cooking week! Of course, there will be breakfasts and lunches to prepare, but those will most likely be simple.

I hope you have a fun and easy week, too!

P.S. I have been doing a little housekeeping here at my blessed life and have updated the recipe categories. Just look on the side bar to the right for the different categories or click here:

• appetizers
• breads
• beverages
• breakfast
• desserts
• main dishes
• miscellaneous
• salads
  
• soups
• veggies & sides
  

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.