Pictures to entice you!

There will be no official meal plans created for the next two weeks due to all the yummy goodness that will be taking place of said meals during the holidays.  Therefore, this weeks post contains pictures of some of the meals I have made over the past few months. Make sure you have eaten, or you might be hungry when you are done looking.  I know...I need to do this more often. 

 Bahama-Mama Pork Chops  Yum!

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 Chicken, Shrimp, and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya 

It was so good, and we have major left overs!

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In the spirit of the season, I've made this sweet and tart cranberry sauce for
two years now.  It's perfect for both Thanksgiving and Christmas!

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From a fellow Recipe Nest blogger, this Chicken Broccoli Casserole really hit the spot!

 

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Cream Cheese Potato Soup

Shhh....this is a knock off of Panera's potato soup, and it is almost spot on! 

I made this last week, then went to Panera over the weekend and had their potato soup.  

The only difference was mine had more spice due to a few more crushed red 

pepper flakes.  Other then that, it was totally the same.  Plus, it is totally easy to make!

If you didn't end up using these the week of their original meal plan, 

now is the time to try them!

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Beware: Sweet Treat Below!

Continue at your own risk!  You are about to be temped by something so sweet and yummy that once you try it, there is no turning back!  Compliments for a colleague of mine, enjoy some Apple Dumplings!

2 whole Granny Smith Apples
2 cans of crescent rolls
2 sticks of butter
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 tsp of vanilla
Cinnamon, to taste
1 can of Mountain Dew

Peel and core apples.  Cut each apple into 8 slices.  Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll.  Place in a 9x13 buttered pan.  Set aside. 

Melt butter in a small pot, add sugar and barely stir.  Stir in vanilla, then pour over apples.  Pout Mountain Dew around edges of pan.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Serve with ice cream and spoon some of that sweet sauce over the top!

Now-not to rain on anyone's parade, but as you could probably guess, the calories on this sweet treat are up there!  Each serving is 495 calories!  Well...I experimented a little.  I used SmartBalance instead of butter, and I forgot to get Mountain Dew at one store, so I ended up getting a lemon-lime soda at another.  With these two changes, I was able to get the calories down to 439 per serving.  Still not great, but better!

If you are desperate to reduce the calories even further, I figured that replacing the butter with SmartBalance, the sugar with Splenda, and the Mountain Dew with Diet Mountain Dew, it would bring you to 372 calories per serving.  Almost 125 calories less. Now-that's pretty darn good!  I know there is the debate out on how good Splenda really is for you, or any sugar replacement, so you choose the option that is best for you!

Okay, okay!  Some pictures! 

  

Weekly Meal Plan #12

December 12 - December 18

Baby, it's cold outside!  Well, not quite that cold yet, but I couldn't resist opening that way. ;-)  But watchout...tomorrow night in Chicago the windchill is supposed to be 25 degrees below zero!  Yikes!  Bundle up out there! 

Weekly Shout-outs:  Happy Birthday to Marty, Joe and Danielle!  Congrats to the newlyweds, Jason and April!  Good luck to my 4th and 5th grade students this week on their music program! (No, no...none of them would know of this blog, but still want to wish them luck. :-))

Since it's supposed to be so cold, let's start this week's meal plan with a warm, yummy soup!

Sunday - Cream Cheese Potato Soup
Monday - Beefy BBQ Biscuits
Tuesday - Peanut Chicken (see below)
Wednesday - Artichoke Heart Pasta (see below)
Thursday - Turkey Taco Salad (see below)
Friday - Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Saturday - Broccoli-Sausage Pasta

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Peanut Chicken

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breats, cut in chunks

Marinade:
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 cloves minced garlic
8 minced cilantro sprigs
2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp chopped ginger

Combine all marinade ingredients in a blender.  Blend well.  Marinade chicken overnight.  Grill or broil and serve with vegetable of your choice!

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Artichoke Heart Pasta

1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloved chopped garlic
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz of hot water
3 Tbs butter
2 Tbs of lemon juice
1 Tbs chopped parsley
1 can artichoke heart quarters
2 Tbs of parmesan or romano cheese   
1 lb fettucine or linguini

Mix soup and hot water in small bowl until smooth.  Set aside.  In large pot, brown garlic in olive oil.  Pour soup mixture into garlic and olive oil.  Stir.  Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.  Pour over noodle and serve.  

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Turkey Taco Salad

2/3 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbs cumin
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 can kidney beans
1 can corn kernals
1 lb cooked ground turkey
3 celery stalks
8 lettuce leave
2 cups tortilla chips

Brown ground turkey.  In small serving bowl, stir together salsa, sour cream, cumin, salt and pepper to create the dressing.  Set aside.  Drain and rinse kidney beans and corn well in a colander.  Dice celery into 1/2 inch pieces. 

In a large bowl, combine beans, corn, turkey and celery and toss.  Shred lettuce and divide among 4 plates.  Spoon turkey mixture on top of lettuce.  Garnish each plate with tortillas and serve with dressing.

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Feta-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

1 Tbs dried tomatoes
4 chicken breast halves
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 Tbs cream cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp olive oil

Place tomatoes in small bowl.  Cover with boiling water.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  Drain and pat dry; set aside.  Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket into each chicken breast by cutting horizontally through thicken portion, but not all the way through the opposite side.  Set aside.  

In a small bowl, combine feta, cream cheese, basil and tomatoes.  Spoon 1 rounded tablespoon into each chicken pocket.  If necessary, secure opening with wooden toothpick.  Sprinkle chicken with pepper.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add chicken.  Cook for 12-14 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink, turning once.  

Serve with a side of your choice.  

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The Grocery List 

Garlic
Lettuce
Sipped dried tomatoes, not oil packed
4 medium baked or red potatoes
2 medium onions
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch of parsley
3 celery stalks
1 large head of broccoli
2lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1lb ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
1 pkg smoked sausage
32 oz chicken broth
12 oz penne pasta
1lb fettucine or linguini
Chunky peanut butter
White wine vinegar
Soy sauce
Peanut oil
BBQ sauce
Lemon juice
1 can artichoke hearts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can kidney beans
1 can corn kernals
Salsa
Tortilla chips
1 pkg of cream cheese (low fat?)
1 pkg shredded cheddar cheese
Grated parmesan or romano cheese
Feta cheese
8 or 16 oz sour cream
Brown sugar
Red pepper flakes
Ginger
12 oz refrigerated flaky biscuits
Butter

Weekly Meal Plan #11

December 5-December 11

Happy winter!  December sure did come in with a snowy bang here in Chicago.  With 5 inches on the ground, it's hard not to be in the holiday spirit!

A quick shout out to my brother-in-law and his new wife!  Congratulations Jason and April!  They were married just yesterday in St. Johns.  With the snow here, they certainly planned that well!

Here is your meal plan for the week!  Enjoy! 

Sunday- Turkey Barbecue Meatloaf
Monday- Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese (see below)
Tuesday- Shrimp Fritters with Romaine
Wednesday- Slow Cooker Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup
Thursday- Bourbon Chicken
Friday- Southwest Flank Steak with Salsa
Saturday- Swiss Enchiladas

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Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese

I found an adaptation of this recipe that added slices of cheddar bratwurst.  Sounds pretty darn good!

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The Grocery List

2 onions
1 carrot
garlic
1 bunch of green onions 
1 lime
Romaine lettuce
1 bunch of kale
1lb of ground turkey
2 1/2 lbs of boneless chicken breasts
1lb peeled/deveined cooked shrimp
1/2 lb Italian sausage
1 lb flank steak
Bread crumbs
Elbow macaroni 
1 pkg cheese tortellini
2 pkgs flour tortillas
2 cans of diced green chilies
1 can of diced tomatos
2 cans Italian-style stewed tomatos
1 can condensed french onion soup
BBQ sauce
Worcestershire sauce 
Hot sauce
Mayo or salad dressing
Salsa
Eggs
Milk
1 can evaporated milk (6 oz)
2 pkgs shredded cheddar cheese
1 pkg shredded swiss cheese
Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Dry mustard
Flour
Seafood seasoning blend
Fajita seasoning
Honey

Weekly Meal Plan #10

November 28-December 4

 
Happy Belated Thanksgiving, everyone!  Still stuffed?  I hope you all had a great turkey day, full of family and good food.  We had two thanksgivings, which tends to become the norm when you are married.  Hubby and I celebrated with his family last Sunday, and with my family on actual turkey day.  This year, our brothers hosted thanksgiving!  Hubby's brother typically hosts, but this was a first for my brother.  He and his girlfriend made the most succulent, the most juicy, tastebud-defying turkey EVER!  It was, "Legend...wait for it....DARY!"

But alas, we are nearing the end of our leftovers.  So here we go again, embarking on another journey in meal planning.  This week is a mix of mostly oldies (recipes...not food), with one newbie, compliments of my school's PTO president.  She and I got to talking during the book fair about meal planning and cooking, and she was kind enough to print off a whole bunch of recipes her family enjoys.  Click on the links for the recipes or see any notes I make below the plan.  

Two wishes:  I wish you a quick recovery from your turkey day food hangover, and I wish my hubby a Happy 30th Birthday and quick recovery from his Texas de Brazil dinner tonight!  Mmmmm, mmmmm, mmmmm.

Sunday - Veggie BBQ Pizza (see below)
Monday - Creamy Linguini with Red Pepper and Zucchini (see below)
Tuesday - Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken
Wednesday - Loaded Baked Potatoes (see below)
Thursday -  Burrito Casserole
Friday - Linguini with White Clam Sauce (see below)
Saturday - Chicken Broccoli Casserole

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 Veggie BBQ Pizza

Ingrediants

       1 Boboli Thin Crust Pizza
       1 C Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce (or any kind you like)
       1 C chopped red onion
       1 C chopped sweet red pepper
       1/4 tbs of crushed red pepper
       1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
       1/2 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese


Directions

Preheat oven to suggested temperature on the Boboli package.  Spread BBQ sauce over pizza crust.  Top with red onion and sweet red pepper.  Sprinkle with crushed red pepper.  Cover entire pizza with mozzarella cheese.  Sprinkle cheddar cheese over mozzarella.  Bake for 10 minutes.   

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Creamy Linguini with Red Pepper and Zucchini

 
Ingredients

      1/4 C. olive oil
      1 large zucchini, diced
      1 large sweet red pepper, diced
      2 cloves garlic, minced
      1/2 tsp. salt
      1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
      1 (12 oz.) package linguine pasta
      1 C. 1% milk
      2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
      1 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

*You could also add 2 cooked, diced chicken breasts for protein.

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini, red pepper and garlic to hot oil, and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook, turning occasionally, until zucchini and pepper are slightly browned on all sides, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

Stir milk into zucchini, and simmer until it is reduced by about half, about 10 minutes. Add pasta to skillet, and stir well. Sprinkle parsley and 1/2 C. Parmesan over the top, and toss. Garnish with remaining

Makes 6 servings.

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Loaded Baked Potatoes

A few weeks ago, one of our teams at school hosted a luncheon that was like a Baked Potato bar.  They baked some awesomely huge potatoes, and provided an array of fixin's: butter, sour cream, chili, cheese, salsa, broccoli, french fried onions, etc, etc, etc.  It really hit the spot and I've been craving another one ever since.  So, just buy enough BIG baked potatoes for your family, whatever toppings you all enjoy, and load 'em up!

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Linguini with White Clam Sauce

Ingrediants

     1/3 C of butter
     2 cloves garlic, minced
     2 Tbs of flour
     1 2/3 C of clam juice
     1/4 C chopped parsley
     2 C of minced clams
     1 lbs cook linguini noodles

Directions 

Melt butter and garlic over medium heat.  Add flour and stir for one minute.  Stir in clam juice.  Add clams and parsley.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Pour over cooked noodles and serve.  Easy peasy!

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Grocery List

1 large red pepper
1 zucchini
2 large red onion
Garlic
Baked potatoes
1 large head of broccoli
Fresh parsley
Frozen or fresh boneless chicken breast 
**1 lb ground beef** (edit: added)
1 1/2 lbs of clams
1 package of taco seasoning
Flour tortillas
Boboli pizza crust
1 can refried beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup 
1 packge of stuffing mix
BBQ sauce
Italian salad dressing
Worcestershire sauce
Clam juice
2 packages of linguini
1 package of elbow noodles
Brown sugar
Flour
Butter
Sour cream
16 oz cheddar cheese
8 oz mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese


Enjoy!

Val

Weekly Meal Plan #9: New Recipes from Some New Friends!

November 14-November 20

This week I am happy to introduce to you some new recipes from some new friends on another blog that I contribute to.  It's called The Recipe Nest.  Please feel free to visit the site directly to see new recipes that are posted every day.  Below my meal plan will be made up of some of these new recipes and I've made a link to the recipe.  I'll be throwing in my own favorite that I shared on the blog as well...you know what it is!  As always, a grocery list will follow!

I can't wait to try some of these.  There are pics posted for most of these dishes and they have been making me drool all week!  Enjoy!

Sunday- Turkey Pasta Primavera
Monday- French Onion Chicken (the grocery list only includes the chicken, but try the side items too!)
Tuesday- Penne Fume
Wednesday- Broiled Feta Chicken Parmesan
Thursday- Easy Crockpot Chili
Friday- Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Saturday- Broccoli-Sausage Pasta

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The Grocery List

2lbs turkey breast tenderloins
12 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1pkg bacon
1lb ground beef
1pkg smoked sausage
1 large head of broccoli
2 medium onions
1 medium tomato
Fresh basil
16oa pkg frozen sugar snap stir-fry vegetables
1 bag frozen corn
2 bags frozen mixed veggies
1 can diced tomatoes
2 6oz cans tomato paste
8oz kidney beans
8oz pinto beans
2 cans cream of potato soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup
16oz jar of alfredo sauce
Yellow or dijon mustard
12oz penne pasta
12oz of spaghetti or linguine
French's fried onions
Breadcrumbs
1 pkg of McCormick's Chili Seasoning
1/2 pint of heavy whipping cream
16oz sour cream
Parmesan cheese
4oz feta cheese
Cheddar cheese
Skim milk

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Don't forget!  

Check the recipes directly for spices that you may need or already have.

Also-the amounts I've put for the ingredients on the grocery list should make about 4 servings total for each dish.  Adjust as needed!

ENJOY!

Crazy Casserole Week was Crazy Affordable!

I just got home from grocery shopping and it came to a total of $90.55!  That includes most items on the grocery list (I had a few things already), and other miscellaneous items like toilet paper, hand soap and shaving cream (probably one or two others too).  This is why I heart meal planning!  Crossing my fingers that you are just as successful! :-)

Weekly Meal Plan #8 - Crazy Casserole Week!

November 7 - November 13

Hello all!  Welcome back!  I took last week off because of a crazy weekend/week that didn't allow me to plan.  Wow-do I regret not being able to!  I was pulling meals out of my brain on a whim while shopping, and not having a list cost me more.  :-(   I heart meal planning!

This week, as I was searching for recipes, I came across several casseroles I wanted to try and decided to make this week into another theme...Casseroles!  Depending on the number of people you are feeding, you may find that you eat all of the casserole in one night, or have left overs.  If you think you might have left overs, you could plan to stretch those out through the week and not make as many meals, or freeze for future use.  Plan accordingly!

Here we go!

Sunday- Easy Bisquick Chicken Pot Pie
Monday- Mom's Baked Mostaccioli (see below)
Tuesday- Best Ever Beef Stew
Wednesday- Creamy Burrito Casserole
Thursday- Tuna Noodle Casserole
Friday- Beefy BBQ Biscuit Casserole (see below)
Saturday- Chicken, Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya

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Mom's Baked Mostaccioli

As the name suggests, this is my very own mother's recipe.  Extremely simple.

12 oz cooked penne noodles
16 oz jar of meat sauce
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook penne noodles as directed.  Drain and return to pot.  Mix in meat sauce.  Grease a 9in x 13in glass baking dish.  Fill dish with noodle and sauce mixture.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cover with a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Serve with garlic bread!

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Beefy BBQ Biscuit Casserole

To make this dish easier, try this:

Once done with beef mixture, grease a 9in x 13 pan and place biscuits throughout the pan.  Pour in beef mixture around biscuits, and bake!  I've only ever had it this way, not in individual muffin cups and it's so easy.

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Grocery List

2 lbs. of boneless chicken breasts
1/2 lb. of cubed stew meat
1 lb. of ground beef or turkey
3/4 lb. of ground beef
1 lb. of andouille sausage
1/2 lb. of shrimp
2 large potatoes
1 small head of cabbage
1 large onion
1 celery stalk
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 bunch of fresh parsley
1 bunch of green onions
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 package of frozen veggies
1 can of green peas
16 oz. of chicken broth
48 oz. of beef broth
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cans of albacore tuna
1 can of meat sauce
1 can refried beans
Long grain rice
12 oz .of penne noodles
1 package of egg noodles
1 small pkg. of bread crumbs
Bisquick mix
1 pkg. of flour tortillas
Flour
1 pkg. of 12 ready to bake biscuits
BBQ sauce
Hot Sauce
1 can tomato juice
Brown sugar
1 pkg. of taco seasoning
16 oz. of sour cream
1 pkg. of shredded mozzarella
2 pkgs. of shredded cheddar
Parmesan cheese
Milk
Eggs

It's a long list, but most items are pretty inexpensive, especially at Aldi or Target!  Enjoy!

Weekly Meal Plan #7 - ALL NEW RECIPE WEEK!

October 24-October 30
Alrighty-here we go, like I promised, with all new (or maybe just different) recipes!  I made use of some of the ingredients twice (the pesto), since some may not be a normal purchase for you.  I hope you enjoy this week's plan!

Sunday- Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken BBQ (how does slow cooker Sunday's sound from now on?)
Monday- Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers
Tuesday- Tater Tot Casserole
Wednesday- Apple Cinnamon Butternut Squash Soup
Thursday- Easy Fusili with Tomato-Pesto Sauce
Friday- Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich (recipe is for 1 sandwich, I'm multiplying by 4)
Saturday- Diner Meat Loaf Muffins

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The Grocery List

6 chicken breasts
2 1/2 lbs of lean ground beef
1 green pepper
3 red onions
Garlic
2 medium butternut squash
1 large apple
1 bundle of chives
1 large tomato
1 package of carrots
1 can of black beans
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 box of fusili (spiral) pasta
BBQ sauce
Italian salad dressing
Worcestershire sauce
Chili Sauce
Pesto Sauce
32 oz carton of chicken broth
Ketchup
Mustard
Brown sugar
Bread crumbs
1 loaf of italian bread
Saltine crackers
1/2 lb of slice provolone cheese
1 package of american cheese
Parmesan cheese
16 oz cheddar cheese
1 6oz container of fat free plain yogurt
Eggs
Milk
Butter (or substitute)
1 bag of frozen tater tots

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Spices you may or may not already have...
Chili powder
Cumin
Oregano
Cinnamon

Julie and Julia

While the hubby is away, the wife will grab a bottle of wine, get cozy on the coach with the cats and dog, and get lost in a movie.  Julie and Julia was last night's theatrical entertainment of choice.  Especially because of my own blog, others have been suggesting I watch this movie forever!  It was definitely cute.  And I thought I was getting obsessed about cooking!  I look like a total amateur compared to Julie (both in cooking and blogging)...actually, I am an amateur.  So the movie made me wonder, should I have a more specific goal in creating this blog?  I quickly shot that down though because I could not handle the pressure that "Julie" went through.  This is totally for fun.  I want to keep this fun!

One way to keep it fun?  New recipes!!  Tomorrow I will post a meal plan for the week that includes completely different recipes from the ones I've posted so far.  Last week was "leftover/repeat" week, this week is "all new" week.  You know what, though?  It can get tiring browsing through the millions, and millions of recipes on the millions, and millions of recipes websites available on the internet.  (Ok, maybe not millions, but close to it...)  Unless a recipe has a review, you are kind of taking a shot in the dark.  I would love to hear from anyone who might be reading my blog if they have a special recipe they might like to share!  If you do, don't be shy!  Email me, or post it as a comment.  I sure hope you do!  Have a fantabulous Saturday, everyone! (Yes, I meant to say fantabulous!)

Leftover/Repeat week!

October 18-October 23

This week I will be posting just a few repeat meals, as we have a couple sets of leftovers I thought I'd pull at make use of.  This week is all about easy. As much as I LOVE cooking, it is still nice when you can take a break.  Of course, I know you might not have the same left overs, so you can make them from scratch again, or let me know what YOU come up with in their place! :-)


Sunday - BBQ Chicken
Monday - Leftover Cheesy Vegetable Soup
Tuesday - Chili using McCormick Chili Seasoning
Wednesday -  Leftover Garden-Style Lasagna
Thursday - Broccoli-Sausage Pasta
Friday - Salsa-Fied Turkey and Rice
Saturday - Veggie BBQ Pizza

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The Grocery List (including ingredients to make leftover meals fresh)

BBQ Chicken (half of whole chicken)
1lb ground beef or turkey
1lb ground turkey
1 package of smoked sausage
3 red potatoes
4 medium red onions
2 red peppers
Garlic
1 zucchini
1 squash
2 large heads of broccoli
1 package of frozen chopped spinach
1 Boboli thin pizza crust
BBQ sauce
Long grain rice (brown or white)
1 package of lasagna noodles (Creamette or Archer Farms don't need to be precooked)
1 package frozen veggies (california mix)
2 package shredded cheddar cheese
2 package of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package of shredded colby-jack cheese
16oz container of low-fat cottage cheese
Parmesan cheese
1 can cream corn
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of corn
1 can of red kidney beans
16 oz of chicken broth
8 oz of salsa
1 package of McCormick Chili Seasoning
Milk

Weekly Meal Plan #6

October 10-October 16

Today is a special day.  My dear friend and coworker, Dara, is getting married!  Congrats Dara and Steve!  Therefore, I do not really need to plan a meal for myself tonight, right?  I will for you, though! 

 

Sunday –  Creamy Linguini with Red Pepper and Zucchini (see below)

Monday –  B.L.A.T. Wraps

Tuesday –  Sautéed Chickpeas with Broccoli and Parmesan

Wednesday – Braised Herb Chicken Thighs and Potatoes

Thursday –  Fiery Fish Tacos with Crunchy Corn Salsa

Friday –  Bahama Mama Pork Chops

Saturday- Cajun Steak Sandwich with Sweet Potato Fries

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Creamy Linguine with Red Pepper and Zucchini

Ingredients

      1/4 C. olive oil

      1 large zucchini, diced

      1 large sweet red pepper, diced

      2 cloves garlic, minced

      1/2 tsp. salt

      1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

      1 (12 oz.) package linguine pasta

      1 C. 2% milk

      2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

      1 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

*You could also add 2 cooked, diced chicken breasts for protein.

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini, red pepper and garlic to hot oil, and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook, turning occasionally, until zucchini and pepper are slightly browned on all sides, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

Stir milk into zucchini, and simmer until it is reduced by about half, about 10 minutes. Add pasta to skillet, and stir well. Sprinkle parsley and 1/2 C. Parmesan over the top, and toss. Garnish with remaining

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The Grocery List

1 large zucchini

2 large sweet red peppers

Garlic

Fresh Parsley

1 avocado

2 large tomatoes

Romaine lettuce

3 red onions

2 large heads of broccoli

1 ½ lbs small red potatoes

1 jicama

Cilantro

1 lime

I bunch green onions

I package of whole carrots

8oz Rib-eye steak or boneless beef top steak

4 pork chops

2 lbs chicken thighs (8 thighs)

1 package of bacon

6 tilapia fillets

1 package of linguini

2 packages of flour tortillas

1 10.5oz can of chickpeas

1 can of tomato based chili sauce

16oz chicken broth

8oz can of pineapple chunks

Ranch dressing

Raisins

Brown sugar

Sour cream

Parmesan cheese (shaved)

Milk

Dry white wine

1 package of frozen sweet potato fries

4 ciabatta rolls

 *Don't forget to take quick glance at the recipes for any other spices you might need that you don't have.  There are a few other ingredients I left off as well because you most likely still have some from other weeks.

Weekly Meal Plan #5

October 3rd - October 9th

I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to top some of last weeks meals, but I'll definitely try!  We really enjoyed the shrimp fritters and the cheesy vegetable soup.  The soup was a perfect way to welcome to chillier whether today.  I hope you enjoyed those as well, and here we go with Week 5.  There's a repeat this week, because hubby specifically requested it.  Can you guess which one?  :-)


Sunday - Spicy Thai Slow Cooker Chicken
Monday - Beef Stroganoff
Tuesday - Pita Pizzas
Wednesday - Broccoli Sausage Pasta 
Thursday -  Salsa Chicken and Rice 
Friday -  Cajun Corn, Rice and Red Beans
Saturday - Apple Glazed Cornish Hens

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Pita Pizzas

Be as creative as you want with these!  Just find some medium/large size whole wheat pitas, add tomato sauce/pizza sauce and top with your favorite toppings!  Pop in the oven for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees.

You know one I might try?   A pita, drizzled with olive oil, topped with sliced tomatoes and basil, sprinkled with mozzarella cheese.  Mmmmm.  I'm looking forward to Tuesday.

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Salsa Chicken and Rice

This one is EASY!  You need 4 chicken breasts, your favorite salsa and white or brown rice.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray (or coat with thin layer of olive oil), lay chicken breasts flat and season with salt and pepper.  Cover chicken breasts with 1 to 1/2 cups of salsa.  If you do this an hour ahead of time, the chicken can marinade for increased juiciness! Bake chicken for 30-35 minutes, or cooked through.

Meanwhile, prepare white or brown rice.  In the name of being easy, go for instant!  Serve rice and chicken side by side with some salsa drizzled on top.

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Grocery List

2 medium red onion

Garlic

1 large head of broccoli

1 large green pepper

1 large red pepper

15oz can of red kidney beans

1 lemon

Favorite pizza toppings

Chicken breasts (10 breasts)

1 lb cubed beef stew meat or chuck steak

1 package of smoked sausage

4 Cornish hens

1 bottle Asian-style toasted sesame salad dressing

Thai chili paste

Ginger garlic paste

Cajun seasoning or chili powder

Cinnamon

Cornstarch

Peanut butter

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Tomato or pizza sauce

16 oz jar of your favorite salsa

1 can of vegetable broth

1 package of egg noodles

Penne pasta

Brown or white rice

1 package of medium/large whole-wheat pitas

16 oz container of sour cream

1 package of frozen corn kernels

12 oz unsweetened frozen apple juice concentrate

Holy Shrimp Fritter Goodness!

I don't know about anyone else, but hubby and I just thoroughly enjoyed the Shrimp Fritters that was on the menu for tonight.  Mmmmm, mmmmm, good!  I thought a pound of shrimp would just be too much for us, so I only got 3/4 of a pound.  I wish I had gotten the other quarter...next time for sure.

Weekly Meal Plan #4

Hello Mayhem Friends!  How was your week?  Did you especially enjoy any one of the meals?  Hubby and I loved the Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese.  I added parmesan and mozzarella to it.   We love cheese.  We've also become fond of the grilled chicken and tapenade sandwiches.  What about you?


This weeks plan includes a little bit of everything, from pizza and seafood (not together), to soup and beef. Almost all of it includes veggies in some form!  Adding more veggies to your meals is a great way to cut back on the cost of groceries.  They are healthy and filling!  


September 26-October 2 


Sunday – Veggie BBQ Pizza (see below)
Monday – Crispy Baked Cod
Tuesday - Pasta  (see below)
Wednesday – Shrimp Fritters with Romaine
Thursday – Cheesy Vegetable Soup
Friday – Beef Tostadas
Saturday – Garden Style Lasagna (see below)

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Veggie BBQ Pizza

After enjoying one of these at a restaurant several months ago, I attempted to recreate it.  So, here is my version...

1 Boboli Thin Crust Pizza

1 C Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce (or any kind you like)

1 C chopped red onion

1 C chopped sweet red pepper

1/4 tbs of crushed red pepper

1 C shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to suggested temperature on the Boboli package.  Spread BBQ sauce over pizza crust.  Top with red onion and sweet red pepper.  Sprinkle with crushed red pepper.  Cover entire pizza with mozzarella cheese.  Sprinkle cheddar cheese over mozzarella.  Bake for 10 minutes.   

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Pasta

Another one of those, "you know what do!" meals.  Everyone enjoys their pasta differently, so whether it's penne, spaghetti or elbow macaroni, top it with your favorite sauce and enjoy a classic easy dinner.  

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Garden Style Lasagna

So, I made this meal back in May.  My husband was not around.  He was out for the night.  That was probably a good thing.  This was the most involved and time consuming meal to make...ever.  But that is because I was stubborn and chose to do everything fresh and in the moment.  Take the advice of the recipe and, buy already chopped vegetables or chop them ahead of time.  Also, you can buy lasagna noodles that you do not have to precook!  I think they are by Creamette.  This will greatly cut down on the time it takes to prepare this meal.  But I want you to try it!  This turned out so good that the headache I had from making it was completely worth it.  I know, I'm making this sound so inviting, huh?  Just do it.  :-)  

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Grocery List

3 large red onion

2 medium sweet red pepper

Fresh parsley

1 lemon (need to grate the lemon rind)

garlic

green onions

1 lime

Romaine lettuce

celery

1 large zucchini

1 yellow squash

1 package of whole carrots

1 large head of broccoli

1 16oz package of frozen mixed veggies

1 10oz package of frozen spinach

6 cod fillets

1 lb of peeled and deveined cooked shrimp

1 lb lean ground beef

1 package of lasagna noodles

ther pasta noodles

1 Boboli thin crust pizza

Panko or regular bread crumbs

Tostada shells

Pasta sauce

BBQ sauce

Flour

Honey

Nutmeg

Mayonnaise (or light)

1 can creamed corn

Chili sauce

Chipotle sauce

Taco seasoning

Guacamole

1 package mozzarella cheese

2 packages of sharp cheddar cheese

1 package of shredded Mexican cheese blend (or just use the cheddar)

Fresh grated parmesan cheese

16oz 1% low-fat cottage cheese

8 oz sour cream

Eggs

Milk