2024 Preparedness - Week 44: Calendar Week 43

October 28 week 43

Monday:

Fruit Salad Italian Style

Ingredients

1/3 C whole milk Ricotta cheese                               

½ C whipping cream                                                              

3 Tbsp. sugar                                                                

2 C strawberries sliced                                                           

1 C fresh blueberries                                                             

1 C fresh boysenberries or raspberries                     

1 Tbsp. sugar                                                                

Tbsp. fresh lemon juice        

1.   Wash all fruits

2.   Slice strawberries

3.   Measure strawberries and other fruit and place in a bowl

4.   Sprinkle with lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon of sugar

5.   Mix well

6.   Combine ricotta cheese and 2 Tablespoons of cream in a bowl

7.   Beat with a mixer until smooth

8.   In another bowl beat the remaining cream and sugar

9.   Fold cream into cheese mixture

10. Place fruit in 4 dessert dishes

11. Top with cheese and cream mixture

12. Serve immediately

Tuesday:

Hot Pockets

Hot pockets are easy to make, a great way to use up leftovers, easy to freeze for a quick meal later, and perfect to take for lunch at work or school.

What you will need:

Frozen bread dough

Leftover meats, vegetables, and favorite cheeses

1. Roll out dough as you would for a thin-crust pizza.

2. Cut into 6-inch rounds.

3. Place fillings in half, fold over, and crimp the edges with a fork.

4. There is no need to let the dough rise before baking. Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Suggestions for fillings:

•          Leftover ham and cheese with honey mustard dressing.

•          Leftover spaghetti sauce and meatballs with mozzarella cheese.

•          Leftover taco meat with cheese.

•          Leftover stew, just drain off the liquid.

•          Leftover beef, sautéed green peppers, sautéed onions, and cheese for a Philly steak and cheese.

•          Leftover ham with pineapple, mozzarella cheese, and spaghetti sauce.

•          Leftover chicken, cheese, and barbecue sauce.

•          Leftover Alfredo sauce, chicken and broccoli.

•          Leftover breakfast sausage, cheese and veggies.

•          Leftover bacon, chicken, tomatoes, and ranch dressing.

•          Leftover chili and cheese.

Wednesday:

Soda Cake

1 box moist-style cake mix (15.25 - 18.25 oz.)

One 12-oz. can soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Combine cake mix with soda in a large bowl.

2. Whisk thoroughly and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray. (Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate bake time.)

3. Bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

*Best Flavor Combo: Yellow cake mix + cream soda, lemon cake mix + lemon-lime soda, devil's food cake mix + cherry soda, white cake and root beer, white cake and orange soda.

*Can also be made in a bunt pan

Thursday:

Dinner in a Pumpkin (A favorite for Halloween)

1 small to medium pumpkin seeds & pulp removed.

1 onion chopped                                                        

1 ½ C cooked rice

1 ½ - 2 C ground beef browned and drained

1 can green beans drained

2 T soy sauce                                                  

2 T brown sugar

½ C sliced mushrooms                                               

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 C water  

In a large skillet sauté onion and mushroom. Add meat and brown. Drain. Add soy sauce, sugar, and soup, water, and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients and spoon into a cleaned pumpkin. Replace pumpkin top and place on cookie sheet.  Bake for 1 hour or until inside pumpkin meat is fork tender.  Bake 350°. Be sure to serve some of the pumpkins with the casserole, yummy.

* To make this truly from the pantry, substitute: Dehydrated onion for fresh, canned beef for ground beef, and canned mushrooms for fresh.

Friday:

Halloween is over so it’s time to think Thanksgiving, pumpkin season!

Pumpkin Brownies

brownie mix

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon butter, softened

½ cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon flour

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Grease a 9x13 pan

3. Prepare brownie mix according to directions.

4. Pour into prepared pan.

5. Beat cream cheese and butter.

6. Add sugar and beat until well blended. 

7. Beat in egg, pumpkin, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger until combined.

8. Randomly spoon pumpkin mixture onto the brownie.

9. Using a knife swirl into brownie mix. Do not over-combine.

10. Bake for 45 minutes or until the center is set when the pan is jiggled.

Saturday:

This may be the most important election of our lifetime. Please vote and please vote based on policy not on personality or prior party loyalty. This election will affect our children and grandchildren now and for decades to come.

Twice "Baked" Potatoes 

Leftover mashed potatoes

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

4 strips bacon

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1. Cook bacon and set aside to drain. Cool and dice.

2. Combine 3/4 cup of grated cheese, sour cream and green onions.

3. Combine warm potatoes and cheese mixture

4. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

5. Spoon potato mixture into cups making a small well in the center.

6. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and diced bacon.

Bake 325º until warmed through and cheese is browned.