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In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

March 1, 2021 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy Leave a Comment

I haven’t shared what I’ve been up to in the kitchen in quite a while. But I’m still here. In the kitchen. Making dinner. lol I still make a weekly menu. It’s a sanity saver, for sure. If you don’t make a dinner menu, I encourage you to try it. It saves me from the what’s for dinner stress.

On Friday, we were given a lot of broccoli and cucumbers. And when I say a lot, I mean a LOT.

That’s like only half of what we had. I blanched and froze all of it. So expect to see broccoli on my dinner menu a lot. lol

I love how bright the green is after blanching.

Now that’s a LOT of broccoli! I forgot to count the packages before I put them in the freezer. I did some bags sized for a side dish, and some bags sized for casseroles, or when I will be serving more people.

I vacuumed seal most of the bags. I ran out, so had to finish 4 or 5 bags in regular freezer bags. I need a new vacuum sealer, I’ve worn mine out. It didn’t do as good a job vacuuming on some of the bags. Let me know what your favorite vacuum sealer is in the comments so I can start shopping.

We had 6 bags of cucumbers. We can eat a lot of cucumbers, since we like them for snacks, too, but can’t eat that many! So I started researching if I could freeze cucumbers. I found out you can! I made a batch of frozen cucumber salad to try. It tasted good before it went in the freezer, so we’ll see if we like it later this week. If so, I’ll make more!

I saw that you can freeze plain sliced cucumbers for putting in drinks, and for making dips. So I flash froze a large tray. Then repackaged in a bag when frozen. I froze the cucumber salad in bags, too, as they take up less room in the freezer than containers.

I read that the best way to store cucumbers is to wrap them in paper towels, and place them in the fridge in bags. so my husband helped me roll the cucumbers in paper towels and bag them. I left one bag alone, so I can compare them to see if the paper towel covered ones really last longer.

What have you been up to in the kitchen?

In the Kitchen with Linda

In The Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Monday – chicken or turkey –  Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Spaghetti with meat sauce, zucchini

Wednesday – Taco Night- Venison – not sure if it will be tacos yet though lol

Thursday – pork or chicken – Baked chicken, rice, beets

Friday – Quick & Easy  – Venison roast in slow cooker, with potatoes, carrots, and onions

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – Cheeseburgers on the grill with all the fixin’s, frozen cucumber salad, onion rings

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Potato soup with cheese and bacon, garlic bread

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

Filed Under: In The Kitchen With Linda Tagged With: dinner menu

In the Kitchen with Linda

January 11, 2021 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy Leave a Comment

*This post contains an affiliate link.

It was a busy week in my kitchen last week. Our daughter gaves us this big bottle of maple syrup that is made in the town where she lives. So pancakes were in order. The syrup is so good! If you find it at a store near you, I highly recommend it!

We had venison steak one night from a deer that my husband got. It’s always a popular dinner here.

venison steak

I made quinoa pilaf one night as a side. I cooked some onion in some butter then added some bouillon, the water and quinoa according to the package directions. When done, I stirred in some peas and carrots. It was really good. And a different way to eat quinoa.

quinoa pilaf

I had looked at the weather when I was planning the menu and picked a day when it was supposed to be a little a warm. If you count 40’s as warm. Except it didn’t work out the way I planned it ended up only being in the 30’s that day. I grilled hamburgers for dinner anyway. Because it was on the menu. lol

grilling

Photographic evidence. lol

It’s always worth cooking burgers on the grill. They taste so much better than cooking on the stove. And no mess in the kitchen!

I made a pork tenderloin that I had gotten on sale. I used a dry rub on it and it was so good!

And since I had to go out on Friday I planned ahead and put a venison roast in the slow cooker. Along with carrots, onions, and potatoes. It came out great as always.

I haven’t made any desserts since Christmas. Guess I was having a nice break from baking. lol I have making brownies on my to do list this week, though.

What have you been up to in the kitchen?

In the Kitchen with Linda

In The Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Monday – chicken or turkey –  leftovers!

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – OYO – I have all day appointments, so everyone is on their own!

Wednesday – Taco Night- Venison – not sure if it will be tacos yet though lol

Thursday – pork or chicken – Jag – a rice dish that is a family favorite

Friday – Quick & Easy  – Venison roast in slow cooker, with potatoes, carrots, and onions

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – We’re moving cabinets in the kitchen today, so probably take out!

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Potato soup with cheese and bacon, garlic bread

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission.

Filed Under: In The Kitchen With Linda Tagged With: dinner menu

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

November 2, 2020 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy Leave a Comment

*This post contains affiliate links



I haven’t shared what I’ve been up to in the kitchen lately. But rest assured I have been hard at work in the kitchen. Well, some days. Some days, I choose quick and easy. lol

 

 

We cleaned our freezer out and found quite a few packages of venison left from last years hunting season. So we moved those to the top of the freezer so we could use it up. I vacuumed sealed it all, so it’s all still just like it was when I froze it last year.

 

 

I used just over two pounds to make venison jerky in the dehydrator. I sorta followed a recipe, sorta didn’t. lol  All the guys liked it so I guess it was ok. I don’t usually eat jerky, but I tasted this, and I thought it was good, too. I’ll share the recipe soon. 

 



With the 2 pounds of meat, I got a quart jar and a half, loosely packed. For longer storage, I vacuum seal it. But since I haven’t made any jerky since last year, I won’t have to worry about long term storage with this batch. lol





I had some prepared taco meat in the freezer, along with a bag of hash browns. So they became a Taco Hash Brown Casserole that my family loved! Recipe coming soon!





I played with my Sausage Pasta Skillet Dinner recipe to make the sauce separate from the pasta. It came out ok, but not just right. So I’ll try again another time. I want to perfect it as a sauce so the recipe can be made gluten free.



I made a venison stew in the pressure cooker over the weekend. It came out great! I made some homemade biscuits to go with it. The perfect dinner for a cold, windy, fall day.

In the Kitchen with Linda

In The Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Jag

Monday – chicken or turkey –  Herbed chicken with potatoes and carrots

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Cincinnati Style Chili, cornbread, green beans

Wednesday – Taco Night- Steak, rice, beets

Thursday – pork or chicken – pork roast, fried rice

Friday – Quick & Easy  – leftovers

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – I can’t decide! Guess I’ll let him pick that day lol

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission.

Filed Under: In The Kitchen With Linda Tagged With: dinner, menu

My Favorite Cookie Recipes!

October 1, 2020 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy Leave a Comment

*This post contains affiliate links

 

All my favorite cookie recipes in one place! Enjoy! And let me know which recipes you try!

 

My Favorite Cookie Recipes

 

My Favorite Cookie Recipes

 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Cookies

 

The cinnamon chips can be a little hard to find. Hershey’s makes them, but I haven’t been able to find them in my local stores for a couple of years. They are so good! It’s worth looking for them, or buying online.

 

pumpkin cinnamon chip cookies

 

Ginger Snaps

 

Can also be made gluten free!

 

Ginger Snaps Recipe

 

 

Sugar Cookies

 

My family’s favorite. We make them every year for Christmas. And other times, too. lol

 

Sugar Cookie Recipe

Make Your Own Colored Sugar for Decorating Cookies

 

 

Chocolate Cookies

 

So good! The sprinkle of sugar on top is optional. But I recommend using it. lol

 

chocolate cookies

 

 

Chocolate No Bake Cookies

 

Boy, is this picture horrible! lol Guess I need to make these just so I can take pictures! lol

Just ignore the picture. These no bake cookies are always a favorite no matter who I make them for, or where I take them.

 

chocolate no bake cookies

 

 

No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

 

Similar to the no bakes above, but no chocolate. Just all peanut butter.

 

No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

 

 

Gluten Free Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

 

Can be made with wheat flour, too!

 

Gluten Free Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission.

Filed Under: In The Kitchen With Linda

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

September 21, 2020 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy Leave a Comment

Well, looks like I haven’t shared a menu in a few weeks. Disappointing, especially since I remember to take some pictures. lol So here are some of the pictures I took over the last couple of weeks. In no particular order.

 

I made a big pan of brownies. Again. The family loves brownies. Now that most of my kids have flown the coop now, this is a lot of brownies. lol I put them in a freezer container between layers of waxed paper. Then we can take out brownies whenever we want, or need, them. Yes, sometimes brownies are a need. lol This time, I put some of the caramel sauce on half the pan before baking. So good! If you look close, you can see the squiggly lines in the brownies. Next time, lol, I’ll do larger sections of caramel.

 

caramel brownies

 

These Cheesy Ranch Pork Chops are a family favorite. They are soooo good!

 

Cheesy Ranch Pork Chops

 

We’ve cooked out a few times since the weather is still nice here in Kentucky. Cheeseburgers are always a winner. I even made caramelized onions to go on them! Served with my stuffed (deviled) eggs, grilled zucchini, and homemade potato salad. Yum!

 

cheeseburger zucchini

 

And because they turned out so pretty, another picture of my stuffed (deviled) eggs. With bacon and chives from my herb garden on top. Eggs don’t last long around here!

 

deviled eggs

 

When I make baked potatoes, I always make extra. They are great for making easy side dishes later in the week. Like these fried potatoes.

 

fried potatoes

 

I bought several pounds of hamburger on sale, put most of it in the freezer. I used some for spaghetti one night, kept some for tacos the next night. I put 3 bags in the freezer, one with spaghetti sauce.

 

hamburger for freezer

 

With the rest of the hamburger I got on sale, I made meatloaf. Once pan for dinner that night, and 2 more for the freezer.

 

meatloaf

 

We even stopped for ice cream one night while we were already in town!

 

Ice Cream

 

This is not the most flattering picture, but it tasted much better than it looks. lol I had some extra oranges that weren’t getting eaten, so I sliced them and put them on top of the salmon before cooking.  They gave the salmon a lovely orange flavor.  I’ll be doing that again. As well as remembering to turn the oven temperature down so I don’t get all that white fat on the salmon!

 

Orange Salmon

 

Ok, this is a kitchen fail. Yes, I have them right along with everyone else. lol I didn’t hear the beep on the pressure cooker and left the eggs sitting there too long. They tasted fine, just looked horrible. My husband used these for snacks, and he doesn’t care if they look pretty. lol So they didn’t go to waste.

 

pressure cooker hard boiled eggs

 

And I am now setting another timer to be sure I hear the pressure cooker timer. lol

 

 

In the Kitchen with Linda

 

In The Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Cheeseburgers on the grill, stuffed eggs, fries, peas

Monday – chicken or turkey –  Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Chicken, rice, green beans

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Spaghetti with meat sauce, green beans

Wednesday – Taco Night- Taco salad with all the fixings, homemade taco sauce, baked potato for my mother

Thursday – pork or chicken – Smoked sausage, peppers, onions on the grill, Mac & Cheese,

Friday – Quick & Easy  – leftovers

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – I can’t decide! Guess I’ll let him pick that day lol

 

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

Filed Under: In The Kitchen With Linda

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

August 31, 2020 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy Leave a Comment

 

I remembered to take pictures last week! lol

 

This Chicken Pasta Salad has been a family favorite for years. It’s that good!

 

 

Chicken Pasta Salad

 

I didn’t feel like cooking one night, so I was rummaging for something easy. lol I found a package of pre made hamburgers that I had got on clearance. Perfect! We had a very simple meal for burgers and zucchini on the grill. The family didn’t seem to care that I picked easy that night. lol

 

Burgers Zucchini

 

Sausage Pasta Skillet Dinner is another family favorite. It’s easy, too. I love it when family favorites are easy on me. lol

 

Sausage Pasta Skillet Dinner

 

So…. don’t hate me for making easy meals last week. lol Here’s another one. I got the starter on sale at the grocery store for 99 cents. I added chicken, some rice, corn, and beans to the mexican style sauce.

 

Mexican Style One Pot Dinner Ingredients

 

Another one pot wonder that my family loved. I served it with cheese and sour cream. Even my picky 20 year old ate it, and had seconds. And no, I don’t cater to him. He usually has leftovers or makes his own food (that he buys) if he doesn’t like what I made.

 

Mexican Style One Pot Dinner

 

While grocery shopping this past Saturday, my husband and I saw this weird looking thing in the produce department. Turns out it’s a Jackfruit. I’d heart of it before, but never seen one in person. This one was huge. That’s my husbands large hand in the picture. this fruit was at least 15-18 inches long. I didn’t pull out my measuring tape. lol

 

Jackfruit

 

We didn’t buy it. After reading the tag, and all the steps involved in getting it ready to eat, it sounded like too much work. lol

 

Have you ever tried a Jackfruit? Is it worth all the prep required?

 

 

In the Kitchen with Linda

 

 

Dinner Menu

 

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

 

 

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Steak on the grill, homemade cole slaw, yams – Husband picked the steaks lol

Monday – chicken or turkey –  Salmon, baked potatoes, squash

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Spaghetti with meat sauce, green beans

Wednesday – Taco Night- Taco salad with all the fixings, homemade taco sauce, baked potato for my mother

Thursday – pork or chicken – Cheesey ranch pork chops, rice, beets

Friday – Quick & Easy  – leftovers

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – Going to a housewarming party, peoples choice if they want to eat before we go

 

 

 

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

 

 

Filed Under: In The Kitchen With Linda

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

August 17, 2020 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy Leave a Comment

*This post contains an affiliate link

 

When I went to download my pictures, I found that I only took one food related picture last week.  Guess I need to hang sticky notes in the kitchen to remind me. lol

I made a large batch of taco meat and sloppy joes last Wednesday. We had some of each for supper, and put the rest in the freezer.

2 meals size bags of each.

 

tacos sloppy joes

 

They are both on the menu again this week. lol

 

 

 

In the Kitchen with Linda

 

 

Dinner Menu

 

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

 

 

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Cheeseburgers with all the fixings, carrots

Monday – chicken or turkey –  Chicken tenders, fried potatoes, green beans

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Chicken & Spinach Stroganoff in the slow cooker, broccoli

Wednesday – Taco Night- Sloppy joes, and taco salad with all the fixings, homemade taco sauce, for my husband who doesn’t like sloppy joes

Thursday – pork or chicken – Kielbasa with peppers & onions, homemade mac & cheese, peas

Friday – Quick & Easy  –This day is shaping up to be a busy one, so I’m planning on leftovers, as I think there will be plenty

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – Going to our daughters we’ll buy dinner out

 

 

 

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

 

*This post contains an affiliate link. If you click the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission.

 

Filed Under: In The Kitchen With Linda

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For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

John 3:16-17 NKJV


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