What is for dinner this week: October 16 - 22

• Sunday: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
• Monday: P. F. Chang's Mongolian Beef
• Yummy 
• Tuesday: BBQ Chicken Rolls and salad
• use tortillas on this,  i used wontons and they were ok.
  
• Wednesday: Breakfast 
• Thursday:   Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast with vegies and rolls
• Yummy
• Friday:  Take Out
• Saturday: Leftovers
• Bonus Recipes:
• Guacamole Sauce
• I place this in water bottle ice cube trays & freeze.  DH really enjoys this on his wraps for lunch. 
• Spinach Walnut Pesto (I had leftover spinach)
• I use spinach because it is cheaper & better for you than basil.  I do throw some basil into the mixture to give it a more traditional pesto taste. 
• I use walnuts because they are cheaper than pine nuts.  Though I prefer pesto with pine nuts.  I freeze these also in the water bottle ice cube trays.  
• Chocolate Chip Scones
  

Party Food Ideas For Your Company Holiday Luncheon

 

For a scrumptious holiday luncheon, bring them to Buca, or bring Buca to them!

The holidays are a perfect time to lighten up and share fun with co-workers, but in the current financial climate many businesses are looking to save on entertainment expenses.  What’s an easy way to cut company party costs?  Have a holiday luncheon instead of a company dinner.
Ring in this year’s holidays with your office family under budget by bringing them fabulous food, enthusiastic good cheer and a long lunch from Buca di Beppo.  Whether your office party is onsite or at one of our festive restaurants with private rooms, Buca is your go to resource for to go menus AND eat-in delights.

Takeout that takes the cake!
Buca’s to go menu offers a diverse selection of yummy foods perfect for your holiday office party.  In addition to Italian favorites, Buca pulls out all the stops to bring you and your colleagues special seasonal dishes, such as roast turkey breast, whole-berry cranberry sauce and to-die-for desserts.  And these tasty treats are available for your office Christmas party in affordable, extra large pans to go, each of which feeds up to 20 hungry worker bees.

To add peace and joy to the season, many Bucas offer lunch delivery and dinner catering.
Every Buca location offers office party ideas, catering for parties and lots of extras from on-staff, experienced party planners. And many also offer lunch delivery and dinner catering for your convenience. Our experienced employees accept orders online or by phone for freshly made Italian takeaway for next month, next week, next day — even next hour!

Luncheon catering doesn’t get any better.
Our job is to make organizing your holiday company party easy so you and your guests can forget about your jobs, relax and have a great time.  Call in your same-day takeout order, and it’s guaranteed to be ready within one hour.  Give us a description of your vehicle when you call, and we’ll bring your holiday takeout food to you curbside — along with FREE plastic plates, serving and eating utensils, napkins and tablecloths. Or call one of our restaurants that deliver, and our fantastic staff will bring your freshly prepared order to the location of your choice, set it up and be ready for your crowd in just 3 hours.

For the easiest office party luncheon ever, bring business buds to Buca!
Every Buca consists of a series of party rooms and meeting spaces just made for a company party or festive business lunch.  Your guests will love the vintage photos and decorations, especially around the holidays when Buca comes into its own.  Have you ever noticed that Italian food is naturally red and green?  Think tomato, fresh basil, diced pepperoni, crisp salad greens – why, even the Italian flag features holiday red and green!

Plus, our party planners and award-winning staff can help you add your own decorations or gifts.  We’ll be happy to spread good tidings to all as we serve delicious food family style.  Guests at our catering restaurants can relax and enjoy sharing great food and each other’s company in surroundings that encourage lots of non-work-related conversation. It’s designed to turn your corporate party into a social, team building event to be remembered all year.

For restaurant catering at its best, contact Buca for your holiday office party.
For a casual gathering, order or make reservations at Buca online.  For a larger, more formal do — give us a call.  Just choose your local restaurant at bucadibeppo.com to find contact information, menus and all kinds of company event ideas for this year’s holiday luncheon.  Whether you’re ordering holiday takeout for your gang, looking for party catering or the perfect corporate venue, you can count on the folks at Buca to help bring you and your co-workers together for a good time.

October 9 - 15th

• Sunday: Spicy Chorizo Pockets
• OK....now I used the bread as the recipe indicated...DON'T DO IT!  Use croissant rolls.  You need 8 rectangles to make 4 pockets.  It will be easier using the croissant rolls. 
• These were SOOOO good!  I only put the jalapenos in DH's pockets.  If you don't like chorizo, you can do this with ground beef.  
• Monday:  Cajun Chicken Pasta
• This was very yummy!!!!   I didn't put the tomatoes in it, well, because I just really don't care for the little buggers.  It tasted very similar to the Cheesecake factories Cajun pasta dish I typically always get when we visit this establishment.  This will DEFINITELY be a make again!
• Tuesday: Grilled Balsamic London Broil with sauteed corn and carrots
• Wednesday: Whole Chicken Crock Pot with Sweet potatoes
• Well, my chicken was dry even though it was sitting in yummy juices.  I think it was because it cooked too long.  A slight problem when you aren't sure what time your husband will be home from work.  Our sweet potatoes were yummy.  I microwaved them and then added some butter with a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon & pecans.  MMMM. 
  
• Thursday: Mexican Chicken Pasta
• I cooked the whole box of pasta on Monday.  I threw 1/2 of it in a ziploc bag with a little olive oil.  In a pan, I heated some olive oil & onion.  I threw in a can of black beans, leftover chicken from last night, corn, cilantro paste, cumin, salt & cheese and heated.  It was nice & cook. 
• Friday:  Leftovers
• Saturday: Pork Chops with Risotto.   
• DH made the risotto with leftover chicken broth from the crock pot chicken.  It was YUMMY!

I have been given the opportunity to share with you the many ways you can utilize Buca Di Beppo to help alleviate your holiday craziness.  I will  be blogging about Buca di Beppo for the next couple of months. 

Holiday Dinner Ideas for Family & Friends

It's easy to host a holiday dinner with help from Buca and their large pans to go!

Not only is Buca di Beppo a great place to enjoy scrumptious Italian food, friendship and hospitality, it’s perfect for holiday celebrations. We have great ideas for dinner, lunch and special holidays with the family that will please every member of your group and – best of all – give you the chance to enjoy your own party! Buca has become part of the holiday tradition for many families, so we thought we’d share some easy dinner ideas you can use for your holiday meals.

Fresh Ideas for Dinner
If you’re making plans for holidays with the family, why not mix things up a little? Instead of cooking a traditional meal, look for easy holiday recipes – you can even make some in your slow cooker. A pre-cooked turkey or ham from your local grocery store is certainly convenient. Ask family and friends to bring side dishes, and all you’ll have to do is set the table!

Buca di Beppo also has delicious offerings for your crowd. Main dishes to sides, appetizers to desserts, Buca provides food you’ll be proud to serve. Whether you’re ordering a single course or an entire feast of delectable eats, our experienced caterers are happy to give you advice and suggestions on how to please all your guests.

Have a “Progressive” Holiday Dinner
To give your holiday dinner party that personal touch, have appetizers and festive cocktails in your home, then move to a new venue for more food and fun. You can go to someone else’s home, where they’ll serve the next course, or go to a restaurant everyone enjoys – like Buca, of course! The same idea works vice versa – you can meet at a restaurant for dinner, then take the party home for dessert. Want to make it really special? Set up a cookie-making assembly line and bake a few batches. Your guests can enjoy sweet treats then take the extras home!

Decorating for Holiday Celebrations
Put everybody in the mood for festivities with a beautiful centerpiece. You can create a visual feast with framed photos of holiday parties from the past; a collection of exquisite tree ornaments; small, beautifully wrapped gifts or candles with evergreen boughs and/or a potted poinsettia. Whatever you put together, arrange it on a tray so you can easily move it from place to place and keep pine needles and water droplets off your table.

One of the nice things about going Italian for the holidays is that red and green, as colors from the Italian flag, feature prominently. Order a Celebration Cake from Buca, and everyone will see holiday red and green layers when you slice it!

Gift Your Guests
It’s the time of year when everyone delights in receiving – and giving – gifts. The most appreciated presents are those that come from the heart. Think photographs (they can double as part of your centerpiece), holiday treats (which you can make ahead of time or during the party) or tree ornaments. Gift cards also make extremely popular gifts, especially when they have a thoughtful meaning. Consider gift cards for your loved ones’ favorite restaurant. You’ll be giving them the gift of an evening out for a delicious dinner with the family in a fun, relaxing atmosphere.

Planning a holiday celebration can be so much work that some people abandon the idea altogether. Creating the menu, preparing a holiday dinner party, and making a table centerpiece sometimes seems like just too much work. This is why Buca di Beppo is the perfect place to host your holidays with the family. The ambience at Buca is always festive, and we’re the best of the best at serving everyone at your crowded table great food, good cheer, and a fun time. Plus, our banquet managers offer you personal attention during the planning process. They’re delighted to respond to special requests and happy to set up everything your way.
Don’t be overwhelmed by the idea of a holiday dinner with the family. Let a fun, festive Italian restaurant help, and you can relax and let your heart fill with the peace and joy of the season!

Don't forget to also visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu plans. 

Enjoy your week, Be thankful for your blessings both big and small, Love your family, and don't forget to play with your food!

What is for dinner this week: October 2 - 8

Hi Everyone!
I hope you are having a wonderful Fall week.  This week we tried to cook, but with DH's schedule it has been a little hard.  Sorry I don't have recipes for you for each day. 

• Sunday:  Chicken Potstickers and Chicken Fried Rice 
• I never got around to making the pork potstickers a few weeks ago, so I needed to use the wrappers that I put in the freezer...
• TIPS: I used wonton wrappers instead and they worked great!   I used broccoli slaw instead of cabbage and worked fine.  This is a great way to get broccoli into people who don't like it, like me!  In the fried rice, we used low sodium soy sauce and we needed a bit more to get the typical flavor we were looking for.  Plus, next time I'll add some butter at the end of the fried rice cooking stage to get a more restaurant flavor.
• Monday:  Pancakes
  
• Tuesday: Steakhouse Pizza
• This was good.   DH says it was tangypizzalicious. 
• Wednesday:   Moms Chicken Noodles    
• This was really good!
• Thursday:  We picked up fried chicken from Kroger.
• Friday: DH & I attended a cooking class at Cooking at the Cottage.  We learned how to make cranberry almond scones.  Spinach Artichoke Dip & Pasta Carbonara. 
  
• Saturday: White Chicken Pizza from Target - it was very good!

Don't forget to also visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu plans. 

Enjoy your week, Be thankful for your blessings both big and small, Love your family, and don't forget to play with your food!