Menu Plan Monday

I have discovered Sisters Cafe, the next best thing to a neighbor who brings you food. And I have a 50 item-long list of recipes to try out. Break out the garlic!

Monday
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Steamed Broccoli from the neverending Costco bag
Rolls

Tuesday
Navajo Tacos
$1 to the person who can name the veggie...

Wednesday
Zucchini Tomato Bake
Garlic Chicken with Bow-tie Pasta (I think I'll adapt it for penne pasta)
Garlic Breadsticks (homemade! Love this bread class!)

Thursday
Crockpot Southwest Chicken
Homemade cornbread

Friday
Tuna Casserole--I know what you're thinking; I can read your suspicious little mind (see THIS post and THIS post), but don't be getting any ideas**.....

Saturday
Leftover Buffet (a nice way of saying that my kids will scavenge for themselves & probably end up eating cold cereal.)

Sunday
As always, Mike makes crepes. Yahoo!

** I mean it. Stop thinking it.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday
Ali's Crockpot Burritos
Steamed broccoli (that Costco bag never ends)

Tuesday
Homemade Pizza...I'm thinking chicken alfredo
$1 to the person who can name the veggie...

Wednesday
Cheesy Spinach & Artichoke Braid

Thursday
Ali's Chicken Spaghetti
Garlic Breadsticks (homemade! Love this bread class!)
Steamed broccoli

Friday
Janie's Chicken & Rice Casserole
Green Beans
Rolls

Saturday
Leftover Buffet

Sunday
Mike makes crepes. Yay!

* find more menus at orgjunkie's Menu Plan Monday

Menu Plan Monday & Turning Over a New Leaf

(No, I don't plan to eat the leaf.)

Monday
Crockpot roast w/ potatoes & carrots
Steamed broccoli--because I bought the ginormous bag at Costco
* I'll crock 2 roasts, shred one & save in the freezer to make Beef Barley Soup in December. Does this make me look organized? Don't fool yourself.

Tuesday
Oven baked french toast, sausage, scrambled eggs, OJ
(Thank you, Cathy, for this recipe. It ROCKS.)

Wednesday
Navajo tacos
scones for dessert

Thursday
Chicken Spaghetti
garlic bread
Steamed broccoli

Friday
Relief Society Retreat. Can't wait!

Saturday
Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Steamed broccoli
Fruit Salad
Rolls
Dessert Braid from this fabulous class. YUM.

Now. People. I'm not promising anything. Ever since somewhere in my 4th month of pregnancy when my personality leaves my body, I have not cooked to my normal standards. Little Jack is 4 months and I have yet to cook a dinner I would admit to. About, say, 4pm Monday afternoon I may scrap this whole menu and return to THIS and THIS.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday
Panda Express (it's Family Home Evening & we're going to the bookstore!)
Love that spicy Orange Chicken. Ahem. Where are the Tums?

Tuesday
Broccoli Cheese Soup (it's lowfat if you tell yourself that it is...)
Homemade Breadsticks

Wednesday
Asian Beef Stirfry
** (my latest pregnancy craving...so far I've been pining for it & haven't had the energy to actually make it. Will I ever return to my former love-to-cook self???)
Green Salad

Thursday
Chicken Enchiladas
Rice
Salad

Friday
Leftover buffet

Saturday
Out to dinner with my Visiting Teaching Ladies (pa-a-a-a-rty!)

Sunday
Mike's Crepes (dad's day to cook: love you, Mike!)
I've also wanting to try some of THESE. Maybe next week? I love Kate's recipes.

Thanks to Laura, our beloved orgjunkie, for hosting Menu Plan Monday each & every week. Go check out her Menu-Fest.

Menu Plan Monday (Tuesday?)

Monday
Breakfast for Dinner

Tuesday
Chicken Spinach Salad

Wednesday
Salsa Chicken Burritoes

Thursday
Asian Beef Stir Fry

Friday - Grocery Shop Day for next week (I do this EARLY, after the gym)
Crockpot Enchiladas

Saturday - Prep Day for next week
Leftover Buffet

Sunday
Mike's signature crepes (which my children devour like a pack of ravening wolves)

Thanks to Laura for hosting Menu Plan Monday!

Today I am completely wrapped up with finished my book for book club. We're reading The Book Thief, as recommended by Jill, and I'm loving it! It's very different and interesting. Here is what she had to say about the book:

We all loved, loved, loved The Book Thief. It's Young Adult Literature, but doesn't read like it at all (I'd be hesitant to give it to a young adult to read, maybe high school aged kids). You'd think that since it deals with WWII in Germany and has Death as the narrator that it would be grim, but it wasn't. It was life affirming, funny, poignant, insightful, moving and clever. I highly recommend it.

This month's book club is at my house--tomorrow, in fact--so I'm sure I'll be up most of the night reading since I didn't get the darn book from Amazon until Saturday! (Unbeknownst to me, it sat in Mike's car all of Saturday and I didn't start it until yesterday afternoon. Ouch.) This afternoon will be a flurry of tidying up and making a treat for tomorrow night. I think I'll make these.

So. Here's the menu plan for this week.

Monday
Breakfast for Dinner (pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs)

Tuesday
BLT's & Caesar Salad

Wednesday
Garlic Lime Chicken
oven-roasted potatoes
steamed broccoli

Thursday
Nicole's Lemon Chicken with Rice & Artichokes

Friday
Pork Medallions with Apricot-Orange Sauce ~~~~~ GROCERY SHOP DAY FOR NEXT WEEK
Haricots Verts

Saturday
Chicken Spinach Salad ~~~~~ PREP DAY FOR NEXT WEEK

Sunday
leftover buffet

Menu Plan Monday

I fear I may be losing my flair for cooking. Do you think my (wannabe) talents will return after pregnancy? Since I've been expecting, I have no desire to do anything fancy. I just want to get through dinner and get it over with. Blech.

Monday
Mom's Swiss Steak & Gravy

Tuesday
Tuna Casserole (the weirdest pregnancy craving I've ever had)

Wednesday
Crockpot Boneless Turkey Breast
(thanks to Kelly for the recipe! And Kelly or Holly, if you're reading this, give us a review of the recipe in comments b/c I've never made it)

Thursday
Black Bean Enchiladas, brown rice, some sort of veggie if I can stand the smell

Friday
English Muffin Pizzas ~~~~~ GROCERY SHOPPING DAY FOR NEXT WEEK

Saturday
Crockpot Salsa Chicken, rice, broccoli ~~~~~ PREP DAY FOR NEXT WEEK

Sunday
leftover buffet or Mike's signature crepes

Menu Plan Monday

This week I have a baking project planned for each day, so dinner is going to be low key. I've organized which projects I'm going to do, shopped for ingredients, so...let the sprinkles fly! Check here for the Christmas baking festivities, beginning Monday night.

Monday
Grilled cheese & bacon sandwiches (thank you, Missy, for this stroke of genius)
Soup
Apple Pear Cobbler (I bought a case of pears at Costco...there are just a few left)

Tuesday
Crockpot Beef Stew
Baked potatoes

Wednesday
Rice-a-Roni (as a person who loves to cook, this chills me to the bone to admit I'm serving. Don't judge me ;)
Steamed Broccoli

Crusty wheat bread, skillet-toasted (some people have asked about this bread: Costco's Le Brea Whole Grain loaves! Slather slices with butter, skillet-toast (i.e., fry) & your kids will gobble them!)

Thursday
Chicken & pasta (big whoop: leftover chicken from freezer w/ egg noodles & white sauce. Easy-peasy & my kids scarf it.)

Friday
Tuna casserole (I crave it! See sidebar.)

Saturday
Whole wheat pancakes
eggs

Sunday
leftover buffet or Mike's signature crepes

Menu Plan Monday

This is my half-hearted menu plan; I'm just not into cooking this week. (gasp!) I will, however, be into BAKING. So check the food blog in a few days for goodies.

Monday
Soup
Grilled cheese
broccoli if i summon the energy

Tuesday
Beef Barley Soup over baked potatoes
broccoli

Wednesday
Baked Spaghetti
green salad

Thursday
Pork Chops with Brandied Cherry Sauce
roasted baby potatoes

Friday
Tuna toastwiches
crockpot soup

Saturday
Whole wheat pancakes
eggs

Sunday
leftover buffet

Menu Plan Monday...All PantRy

Thanks to Laura for this weekly event--I love Menu Plan Monday! Visit her for tons of other menu ideas from women all over.

Monday - Cubed Steak & Potatoes in Onion Gravy (crockpot), steamed broccoli
Tuesday - Leftover Taco Soup, crusty wheat bread
Wednesday - Whole wheat spaghetti, salad
Thursday - Rice-a-Roni, steamed broccoli, crusty wheat toast (my kids love this!) canned pears
Friday - Tuna Casserole (what's with this weird craving?)
Saturday - Black Bean Enchiladas, brown rice, broccoli
Sunday - Whole wheat pancakes, eggs

Welcome to this week's ALL PANTY MENU! Except for Monday's meal, which I'm taking to poor-pathetic-sick-Wendi, we're all panty around here this week.

(please link to previous post so you don't think too ill of me: I'm being a FRUGAL girl, not a FLOOZY.)

I am stocked with broccoli, eggs, etc. from last week's grocery shop, so all I have to get from the grocery store this week is tortillas. Cool! I'm still feeling like an Accidental Anorexic, so we'll see if the menu gets derailed this week. Sigh.

Speaking of my fridge contents, remind me to post about the Great Spinach Ball Challenge.

Menu Plan Monday

Well, last week's menu was derailed due to the fact that I have ZERO appetite for food lately and am now an Accidental Anorexic. (detailed post pending) So I'm trying again this week with a few of the meals I'd planned last week:

Monday - Navy Bean Soup (I've made this about every other week for 2 months running--it's so good...TRY IT!!!), crusty wheat bread, spinach salad
Tuesday - French bread pizza, salad
Wednesday (Halloween!) - Taco Soup in the crockpot w/ shredded cheese & chips
Thursday - Tuna casserole (I've been totally craving this! Why?), broccoli
Friday - Leftovers Buffet
Saturday - Breakfast Dinner (probably whole wheat pancakes and scrambled eggs)
Sunday - Chicken Oriental over rice, broccoli

Next week I think I will try an panty-only menu. I'm curious to see if we could eat solely from our pantry. That menu post will be entitled, "How useable IS Crystal's pantry that consists mostly of cake mixes and chocolate chips?"

Menu Plan Monday

I've decided that ramen 6 days a week was a little much.

Monday – blt grilled cheese sandwiches, noodles w/ shredded pork (leftovers)
Tuesday – crockpot chicken enchiladas, brown rice, steamed broccoli
Wednesday – Rosemary pork medallions, spinach salad, broccoli
Thursday – Navy Bean Soup, baked potatoes, crusty wheat bread
Friday – leftover buffet
Saturday - french bread pizzas, green salad
Sunday – crockpot chicken oriental, brown rice, broccoli

Head over to Laura's amazing blog to get hundreds of other menus. Thanks Laura!

Menu Plan Monday

It's "that" kind of week. I think someone's going to commit me to an insane asylum soon....

Monday - I'm still at my mom's (please feed my kids, mom!)
Tuesday - ramen
Wednesday - ramen
Thursday - cold cereal
Friday - ramen
Saturday - ramen

Menu Plan Monday

Can you tell it's time to haul out the crock pot? Autumn and crock pots just go together.

Monday - Black Bean Enchiladas, brown rice, steamed broccoli
Tuesday - Fragrant Lemon Chicken (slow cooker), spinach salad
Wednesday - Slow Cooker Chicken with Mushroom Wine Sauce, brown rice & asparagus
Thursday - Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup, baked potato, spinach salad
Friday - eat anywhere but my own house, food made by anyone but my own self
Saturday - leftover buffet
Sunday - grilled cheese sandwiches or breakfast dinner

Thanks to Laura for hosting Menu Plan Monday each week. Go check out her blog & get some great menus!

Menu Plan Monday

Monday - Asian Beef Stir Fry (p. 83 of Eating For Life
Tuesday - Zesty Italian Chicken (p. 80 of EFL)
Wednesday - Fish Tacos (can't get enough of these)...also the day i plan next week's menus
Thursday - Pureed Navy Bean Soup
Friday - Dinner Out for Date Night...FREE DAY!....also the day i grocery shop early after the gym
Saturday - Real Spaghetti & Meatballs...also the day I prep next week's meals & put them into meal kits*
Sunday - Leftover Buffet

*I haven't actually done the prep-ahead & meal kits for several weeks, so here's to hoping I can start up my habit again this week! I'll take pictures!

Menu Plan Monday

So my goal this week is to use up some of the frozen stuff in my freezer. I want to make room for actual meals; my plan is to double up my entrees and freeze one (Wendi's idea). I'm excited about this week's menu because it's all food that works WELL on my Body For Life quest.

(I'm in week 2, if anyone cares to leave cheers on my comments--go me! ) I've just completed a halfhearted 12 weeks that was actually more of a Weight Watchers program than a strict BFL, and it's Body For Life that works for me. That program gets RESULTS! But only if you actually do it. Which I did not. Hee. So I'm in week 2 of really, REALLY going for it.

But I digress! Here is the menu!

Monday - Beef enchiladas (filling from freezer), black beans & brown rice
Tuesday - Garlic Lime Chicken
Wednesday - Marinated Flank Steak
Thursday - Taco Soup in crockpot
Friday - Baked spaghetti, green salad
Saturday - Beef Stir fry (meat in freezer), recipe from Eating For Life (BEST book ever!!!)
Sunday - Pork Roast (one more to go from freezer! woohoo! i'm SICK of pork roast!)

Menu Plan Monday

Monday - Marinated Grilled Chicken, broccoli
Tuesday - Shredded Pork Salad w/ beans, rice & pita chips
Wednesday - Beef Barley Soup & Baked Potatoes, green salad
Thursday - Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas, brown rice
Friday - Roasted Pork Loin w/ spice rub, green salad
Saturday - Honey Dijon Salmon w/ Pecan Crust, green salad, broccoli
Sunday - leftover buffet

It's that time again! I'm a little late posting menus, but here they are:

Monday: Grilled turkey & cheese, steamed broccoli
Tuesday: Asian Beef Stir Fry
Wednesday: Fish Tacos (i have a secret crush on Bobby Flay...shhhh! That man can COOK.)
Thursday: Shrimp Scampi, haricots verts (i lightened up the recipe; ask in comments if you want it! So good!)
Friday: Garlic Lime Chicken (recipe below), got it from this amazing site (grocery shop day)
Saturday: Marinated Flank Steak (recipe below), making it into fajitas because I CRAVE THEM!!! (this is also prep-ahead day)
Sunday: Please would someone invite me to dinner! :) I'll bring dessert.

Garlic Lime Chicken
Serves 6

1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
6 boneless skinless chicken breast
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 tablespoons lime juice

On a dinner plate, mix together first 7 ingredients. Sprinkle mixture
on both sides of chicken breasts.

In a skillet heat butter and olive oil together over medium high heat.
Saute chicken until golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes on
either side. Remove chicken and add lime juice and chicken broth to
the pan, whisking up the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Keep
cooking until sauce has reduced slightly. Add chicken back to the pan
to thoroughly coat and serve.


Marinated Flank Steak
Serves 6


1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium if available)
1/2 cup red wine
3 cloves garlic -- pressed
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary -- crumbled
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 pounds flank steak

In a large, plastic zipper topped bag, mix together the honey, soy sauce, and red wine, garlic, rosemary, chili powder and pepper. Add the flank steak and marinate overnight in the fridge. Make sure you turn it at least once in the marinating process.

Light the barby and let the coals get medium hot. Grill the steak for 7 minutes per side for medium rare, or to desired doneness. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing very thin against the grain.

Menu Plan Monday

I've read a few blogs that participate in Menu Plan Monday, and I love getting all sorts of new ideas from everyone. I plan my menus each week anyway, so why not share?!I try to stay pretty organized with menu planning & here's what I do: I plan menus for the coming week on WEDNESDAY. I grocery shop on FRIDAY, early morning after the gym so I don't have to take kids. I pre-prep on SATURDAY for every single meal the coming week. If you haven't tried this, you absolutely should! Chefs call this the "mis-en-place;" everything you need for that dish is chopped, measured, etc. and in front of you before you begin. I can't even tell you how much simpler this makes life during the week. I get it all chopped, etc., and divided into plastic baggies, then each little baggie goes into one large ziplock which I call a meal kit. Wa-la! Dinner! It really doesn't take long on Saturday; i just do it when my kids are running around playing and then we go have fun after I'm done.

(sidenote: i refuse to clean or go grocery shopping on saturday, so I have time for meal kits anyway. I haven't done a big "clean the house day" on Sat. for several years now, thanks to Flylady.)

I also work it so we have a Leftover Buffet on Saturday or something VERY easy, since that is Prep Day. Once in a while, i do a crock dinner on saturday that can be used as planned-overs in another meal.

So here's what's going on at our house this week:
Monday: Taco Salad, corn on the cob
Tuesday: Chicken Enchiladas, haricots verts
Wednesday: Shredded pork burritoes w/ beans & rice, steamed broccoli
Thursday: Fajitas, steamed broccoli (make extra chicken for cold chicken wraps lunch later in week)
Friday: Roasted pork tenderloin, haricots verts
Saturday: leftovers
Sunday: Navy Bean Soup, grilled cheese, steamed broccoli
(can you tell I have the HUGE broccoli pkg from costco???)

I'm doing the Body For Life program, so I also plan for 6 meals a day, all week! Sounds like a ton of work, but it's really doesn't take much more thought and then I know exactly what to plan for.

For great menus, recipes and organizing tips visit Laura right here.

Here are the recipes:
TACO SALAD
ground beef w/ taco seasoning
kidney/black beans
diced tomatoes
olives
i usually whip up a vinaigrette instead of ranch or catalina dressing

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 c salsa or picante sauce
2 pkgs powdered McCormick Enchilada Sauce
2 cans (8 oz) tomato sauce
4 ounce can chopped black olives, drained
2 1/2 c shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tsps lime juice
10-12 flour tortillas

Put breasts in slow cooker, cover with salsa and cook on low 1 1/2-2
hours or until thoroughly cooked. Shred chicken and put back into slow
cooker.

Cook enchilada sauce as directed on package (along with tomato sauce).
Next, mix together 1 c enchilada sauce, 1 c monterrey jack cheese and
olives with the shredded chicken. Replace lid on slow cooker; simmer 30
minutes on low.

Add lime juice to chicken mixture and stir. (Don’t add lime juice until
ready to place chicken in tortillas)
Place chicken mixture in tortillas, roll them up and arrange in 9X13 pan.

Cover with sauce and mixture of cheeses. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.
* I try to go easy on the cheese (the Body For Life thing) or use mozzarella (lower in fat)

ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN
2 pork tenderloins
1-2 large garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 tbs oil
2 tsp rosemary
s & p to taste
Cut 5-6 small slits partially through each tenderloin. Try not to cut all the way through. Insert slivers of garlic into each slit. Place tenderloins in a roasting pan & drizzle w/ olive oil. Crush rosemary leaves & sprinkle over pork. Season w/ salt & pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes at 425, or until cooked through (I usually only roast mine for 15-20 mins).

SWEET ONION PORK CHOPS
4 boneless pork chops
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 2/3 large sweet onions (vidalia are best), thickly sliced
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup white wine; or use white grape juice w/ splash of vinegar
In large hot skillet, brown pork chops in oil on each side over med-high heat. Don't worry about cooking through--they'll cook later; you just want them nicely browned on the outside. Remove chops from skillet & place in slow cooker. Saute onions in skillet until nedely browned, about 2 mins per side, then place on top of chops in slow cooker. Add chicken broth & wine to skillet, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan; pour liquid over pork chops & onions. Cover & cook on low for about 8 hrs.
*I've also used boneless chicken or a pork roast instead of pork chops
*The onions just DISINTEGRATE when this is done cooking; whisk them up right into the juices (after removing the chops) and it makes THE BEST SAUCE. I've even given them a whirl in the blender to puree.

NAVY BEAN SOUP
2 cups great northern beans, soaked overnight in 5 cups water
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 cup canned tomoatoes
Drain the beans & place in sauce pan w/ lid. Add 6 cups fresh water & all remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil over med-high heat. Reduce to a simmer, cover & cook until beans are very tender; about 2 1/2 - 3 hrs. Check water level & stir occasionally to make sure mixture is not scorching.

When beans are cooked, remove from heat & preee entire mixture in blender. Check for seasonings & add more s&p if needed. Reheat prior to serving.