Hey all, here’s the lowdown on the best recipes I made for my August meal plan, with my own spins. These came from a bunch of places: Pinterest, Martha Stewart Cooking booklets, Taste of Home, and my recipe box (aka “No Idea”!)
If it wasn’t a “keeper”, I’m not including it here. Also, these turned out great at high altitude, so if you’re at sea level and they don’t work quite as well….that’s probably why.
First up – the “love child between a birthday cake and a brownie” (according to my husband):
Cake Batter Bars
These were a little tricky to find the perfect baking time. 32 min was the sweet spot for me. They were underdone and very doughy at 30 minutes, but perfect at 32. You might have to try a couple batches to get it right (luckily there’s enough cake mix in a box for 2-3 batches of these!). Also, the original recipe called for 3/4 C of butter. For me, this made them SUPER greasy, so I cut back a little with no adverse effects. These are so good, they probably won’t last more than a day or two – just warning you 
Peanut Butter Brownies
This one I got from my mom. It’s so good…I highly recommend white chocolate chips in it. These are pretty greasy (peanut butter, after all), but I think they’d qualify as a “high protein snack” for anyone with morning sickness. Also, no need to grease the pan, as the recipe says. The peanut butter does that for you.
Easy Chili Mac
Beef Barley Stew
This one makes a huge batch. The recipe called for one large portabella mushroom, but I used a container of pre-sliced mushrooms to make it easier. I also used bouillon cubes to make the beef broth, as that’s easier than keeping the boxed/canned version on hand. I also use minced garlic that comes in a jar. It’s 1/4 tsp per “1 garlic clove” called for in a recipe, and it’s just way easier than chopping up garlic and getting my fingers all garlicky.
Spaghetti with Butternut Squash and Brown Butter
Although I usually use margarine in place of “butter” in recipes, this one actually requires real butter to get the “brown butter” flavor. Also, I must be a total bumpkin, because I had/have no clue what escarole is, and I wasn’t in the mood for a scouting expedition through the produce department to figure it out. So, I opted for the more familiar green leafy veggie: spinach. (The prewashed kind!)
Beef Stroganoff
Sorry, no recipe for this one. I used 1 lb of stew meat, a packet of stroganoff seasoning (and the instructions on the back), egg noodles and the stuff the seasoning called for. I can’t remember now all the ingredients, but sour cream is obviously required. Beef stroganoff seasoning packets are a staple in my cupboard now. Tasty and easy.
Chicken Thigh Fajitas
I used thighs for this one, but chicken breasts would work just as well. You’d need about 1.5 lbs worth of whatever chicken cut you prefer.
Crock Pot Southwestern Chicken
I love crock pot chicken recipes because you can use frozen chicken! Whoo hoo for lazy folk like me!
Tater Tot Casserole
Nick loves this stuff. It’s not the healthiest, but served with a steamed veggie, it’s filling and a pretty square meal.
Hope you got some good ideas for dinner! Sorry for no pictures – it’s hard to remember to take a picture when I’m in a rush to get it on the table. Maybe I’ll do better with September’s recipes
Burbs & Blooms 