February 12th, 2007
Dine Without Whine's Weekly Newsletter
An Extension of our Menu Planning Service
www.dinewithoutwhine.com
Publisher ~ Christine Steendahl
Read Past Issues In Our Newsletter Archives
~
Tell Your Friends About This Newsletter! ~
This Issue:
A Personal Note
Chicken Kiev Recipe
A Special Dinner For Your Valentine
A Personal Note
Wow, this has been a crazy week. Tuesday we got our big snow
storm. We ended up with about six inches with bigger drifts. The kids got out of
school at 1:30, but it was so cold out they really couldn’t play in it long.
Thursday we had two members of our congregation pass away. (for those of you who
are new to the newsletter, my husband is a pastor). They were both older
gentleman who were ill in the hospital. Tomorrow is the second memorial service
and then hopefully we’ll be able to relax a bit. The forecast is calling for
another big storm on Tuesday with possible blizzard like conditions. My
four-year-old is quite concerned and wants me to make sure to stock up on
groceries tomorrow. We read a blizzard book the other day and I think it freaked
him out. OOPS! I have to go in to town anyway, so I will do that to make him
feel secure. (not that we would starve – we have over 50 boxes of cereal in
storage. LOL - I like to shop the sales…)
I am still plugging along on my online store – it is getting
closer! Kid Approved Meals is also being revised – everyone who has already
purchased it will receive the revised version for free. If you have been on the
fence about buying – now is the time as you will end up with two 13 week menus –
the current one and the revised one.
www.kidapprovedmeals.com is the place to go for that.
I hope you have a wonderful week!
Christine
“The Menu Mom”
www.themenumom.com
Recipe of the Week
Exerted from this week's family friendly menu plan
and convenient grocery shopping list.
Have you tried our
sample menu?
Chicken Kiev Recipe
Makes 6 servings
1/4 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
1 clove garlic, minced
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup crushed cornflakes
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/3 teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup buttermilk
1. In a small bowl, mix butter, chives and garlic. Shape into a 3-in. x 2-in.
rectangle. Cover and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. Flatten each chicken breast to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut the butter mixture
crosswise into six pieces; place one piece in center of each chicken breast.
Fold long sides over butter; fold ends up and secure with a toothpick.
3. Combine cornflakes, parsley and paprika. Dip the chicken into buttermilk;
coat evenly with cornflake mixture.
4. Place chicken, seam side down, in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking
pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove toothpicks before
serving.
This Weeks Top Five Referring Sites
(These sites have a link
to DWW somewhere on their site and have sent the most visitors to
www.dinewithoutwhine.com this week)
http://girltalk.blogs.com
http://www.catholicmom.com/main
http://www.mealmadness.com
http://www.nossgalenbaby.com/twins_resources.html
http://www.themenumom.com
Kitchen and Cooking Tips, Articles, And Product
Reviews
A Special Dinner For Your Valentine
Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, perhaps you have decided to dine at home
this year. Sometimes eating in can create even more romance than going out. If
you have young children, how about serving them dinner at the normal time,
tucking them into bed, and then you can have a romantic dinner together after
they are in bed. Here are a few tips to help you plan for your special evening.
First, decide on what type of dinner you are going to prepare. Perhaps his
favorite meal would suffice, or maybe there is a new recipe you have been
wanting to try, or perhaps you plan to pick up your favorite food from a local
restaurant. Set the mood by setting your table for two with a red plastic
tablecloth under a white lace cloth. Have red and white candles in the center,
or on each side of a vase containing red roses. Take out your best china, as
well as red napkins.
If you plan to cook, if possible, choose a main dish that you can prepare ahead
of time, so you can enjoy the evening. For dessert, how about a cheesecake with
strawberries; or a chocolate fondue you can dip strawberries in; have your
favorite red wine ready in a bucket of ice; and you are set to go.
Now it’s time to decide what to wear. Perhaps you just purchased a special dress
for the occasion. Great! If not perhaps there is an outfit that he particularly
likes. Now just before your meal begins - change, light the candles; lower the
lights, and play your favorite romantic music. Open up the bottle of wine; and
you’re romantic evening is about to begin.
Valentine’s Day dinner doesn’t have to be fancy; the one you love will
appreciate anything you do to celebrate the occasion. It is a time to rekindle
the romance; remind each other how much you love each other; and live in the
moment. You don’t need ambience to express how you feel. Just being with each
other is enough. But, just in case you do intend to go all out; then by all
means enjoy every bit of it. Remember, it’s the little pleasures in life that
mean the most.
|
