Dining on the Diva

I put a lot of thought into the menu for our trip, anticipating nutrition, dietary sensitivities, volume, flavor preferences, shelf life of produce, environmental climate (soup in Florida?  I don’t think so!), prep area limitations and potential post dining after effects (pew-ee!).  One thing I never considered was physics.  It’s really hard to cut tomatoes when the boat is under power in the ocean going up one wave and down the other.  My kitchen at home hardly ever rocks like that.

The boys have been very pleased and grateful to have a meal ready when the day is done.  I’m channeling my inner Greg.  Maybe you have a friend that can take a dish from okay to amazing with a dash of this and a dash of that, and create a yummy but never to be duplicated flavor?  Yeah, that’s me this week with dollar store spices.  I’ve even earned a new nickname – “Cookie.”  The tender/sappy side of me thinks the name can mean so many things but mostly it means Bruce is hungry.

Just in case you’re wondering what we’ve been eating, I’ll post and update the menu with links where available.

*YOYO means You’re ­On Your Own

Sunday, May 22:

Dinner - Sirloin Steak with Garlic Butter, roasted red potatoes, spinach salad, red wine (Thanks for leaving it behind, Hans!)

Monday, May 23:

Breakfast – YOYO

BREAKTIME! - Cherry coffee cake (Bruce’s favorite!  Recipe below)

Lunch – Assorted sandwiches

Dinner - Grilled Marinated Shrimp/Chicken

Tuesday, May 24:

Breakfast - YOYO or Pancakes

Lunch – Assorted sandwiches

Dinner – Auntie Jen’s World Famous Chicken Fajitas (recipe below)

Wednesday, May 25:

Breakfast – YOYO

BREAKTIME! – Tropical Treat Muffins

Lunch – Assorted sandwiches and leftover fajitas

Dinner - Grilled Pork Chops with Fresh Nectarine Salsa and Grilled Asparagus (would have been better if I hadn't overcooked the chops, darn it!)

Thursday, May 26
Breakfast - French Toast with Bacon
Lunch - Assorted sandwiches and Chicken Salad
Dinner - Marinated Steak tips with mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and green salad (favorite meal so far they said!  Steak and potatoes!)

Friday, May 27
Breakfast - YOYO
BREAKTIME! - Blueberry Cake (muffin-ized.  Recipe below)
Lunch - Assorted sandwiches and Chicken Salad
Dinner - Pizza night!  Choose your toppings: cheese, sausage, pepperoni, bacon, fresh tomatoes, onion garlic, black olives, feta, spinach and whatever else is in the cupboard.

Saturday, May 28
Breakfast - Bacon and Eggs
Lunch - Assorted sandwiches and Chicken Salad
Dinner - Chef's Surprise (clean out the fridge!)

Sunday, May 29
Breakfast - YOYO (note to chef: Chef's Surprise for dinner makes for hungry boys in the morning!)
Lunch - Assorted sandwiches
Dinner - Barbeque Ribs with broccoli salad and mashed potatoes

Monday, May 30

Breakfast - YOYO 

Lunch - Assorted sandwiches - mmmm!  Tuna!

Dinner - Hamburgers, hot dogs and fresh corn on the cob!

Crew favorite snack - frozen grapes.  Like bite sized popsicles.

Tuesday, May 31
Breakfast - Bacon, eggs, homefries
Lunch - Assorted sandwiches
Dinner - Coinjock Marina Restaurant, home of the 32 ounce prime rib!

Chocolate chip cookies from a yellow cake mix!  I added nuts, too.

Wednesday, June 1 (June?! HOW did that happen?)
Breakfast - YOYO
Lunch - Tuna sandwiches and snacks (it was a snack kind of day!)
Dinner - Baked apricot chicken with green beans and rice (had to use seedless strawberry since I couldn't find apricot!)

Thursday, June 2
Breakfast - French Toast
Lunch - Grilled cheese
Dinner Chili with rice

Friday, June 3
Breakfast-YOYO
Lunch - Tuna sandwiches
Dinner He-Man Chicken with Corn and Zucchini Medely

Chocolate cookies from a chocolate cake mix!  I added 2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 cup macadamia nuts

Saturday, June 4
Breakfast - Cinnamon Struesel Muffins
Lunch - Tuna sandwiches
Dinner - Smoked Sausage Soup with cheesy garlic bread (hamburger and hot dog rolls!)

Sunday, June 5
Breakfast - YOYO
Lunch - Pepperoni Pizza
Dinner - Hot dogs with lots of potatoes and broccoli! :)

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Mongo's Favorite Cherry Crunch Coffee Cake

Topping:

½ cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. butter

1/3 cup nuts

Cake:

1 ½ cups flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

¼ cup melted butter

½ cut milk

1 can cherry pie filling

Combine topping ingredients and blend to look like meal.  Set aside.

Combine dry cake ingredients in bowl.  Combine eggs, melted butter and milk in separate bowl.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until well blended.  Spread half of batter into greased  9” x 9” pan.  Spoon pie filling over batter.  Top with remaining batter.  Sprinkle with topping.  Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes.

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Fajitas

1 1/2 lb meat (chicken breast)
1/4 cup veg/olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 teas sugar
1 teas oregano
1 teas chili powder
1/2 teas garlic powder
1/2 teas salt
1/4 teas black pepper.
tortillas (burrito sized)
peppers
onions
Additional toppings:
canned refried beans, sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, guacamole, black olives

Slice chicken into thin strips.  Combine wet ingredients and spices, pour over chicken and marinate for a bit.  Slice peppers and onions when you're not out to sea.  In a hot skillet with a tiny bit of oil, stir fry veggies until al dente.  Remove from pan and add chicken with marinade.  When chicken is nearly done, add veggies and toss to coat.  Heat beans separately.  Serve on tortillas with the beans and toppings of your choice.

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Blueberry Cake

1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup crisco
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup milk
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup (or more) blueberries
extra sugar, optional

Cream sugar, eggs and crisco.  Add vanilla and milk.  Combine dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients.  Sprinke a little extra sugar over top.  Bake in greased 9"x9" pan 30-40 minutes at 375°  (For muffins, yield 18, 20 minutes-ish)

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Smoked Sausage Soup

4 ½ cups water

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 package (9 oz) frozen cut green beans

3 small carrots, sliced

2 celery ribs, sliced

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon oregano

1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 lb fully cooked smoked sausage or kielbasa cut in bite sized pieces

2 ½ cups frozen shredded hash browns.

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