ACK! I have been VERY LAX in my postings. And thus, for awhile, quite unorganized in my meal planning. November and December are terribly busy months for me as a music teacher!
Since the turn of the new year we have been MUCH better at planning. Therefore I will share with you our past month's menu.
Once again I cheat and use pre-made crusts by Schwan's for pizzas. One meal calls for crescent rolls etc. Also earlier this fall we were very fortunate to buy farm-raised beef. This time about 100 lbs of hamburger.
So here it is:
Week One: Beef Stir Fry (recipe from Cooking Light Magazine--amazing!)
Chicken Enchiladas (recipe from Daisy Sour Cream---once again amazing!)
Noodle Bowl (Racheal Ray recipe---also earlier in my blog)
Fish Tacos (look back at earlier posts for my recipe)
Homemade Pizza
Week Two: Minnestrone
Taco Roll (uses crescent rolls in a wreath pattern you can Google it)
Steaks, sweet potato fries and veggies
Pork tenderloin, potatoes veggie
Sandwiches (we were on the road that night)
Week three: Spaghetti (a staple at our house)
Peanut Chicken
Chef Salads
Fish sticks and Chicken nuggets (Daddy cooked that night)
Deli sandwiches
Week four: Sloppy Joes (I make mine from scratch) and avacado salad (earlier in my blog)
Pork Chops, hash browns and veg (broccoli)
Salmon, rice (I add sliced almonds, sliced fresh mushrooms, sliced scallions and craisins to mine)
Lasagna (frozen pre-made) I use the delay bake on my oven....
Friday? Nothing planned yet---
Have a great week!
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Monday, October 8, 2012
Weekly Menu for October 8-12
Well, the weather is getting cooler outside and warmer inside with this week's menu. This week is a super busy one and I am using a lot more convenience foods than I normally do.
Monday: Taco casserole
Tuesday: Breaded Chicken (using Fresh Take breading)
Wednesday: Wild Rice soup (bear creek brand) adding my own leftover chicken
Thursday: Lasagna (stouffer's brand)
Friday: we are eating out!!!!
Shopping List:
Produce: Salad (for Tuesday to go with chicken), onion, tortilla curls (in the salad toppings area by the croutons)
Canned aisle: Bear creek band wild rice soup, enchilada sauce- mild, canned diced tomatoes, black beans
General Groc: Pasta of your choice (I am using rotini)
Meat: chicken breasts (bread a few, cook two off for the soup), 1 lb hamburger
Dairy: Fresh Take brand breading, cheese (shredded Mexican)
Frozen: Stouffer's (or other brand frozen lasagna)
Taco Casserole recipe:
Brown hamburger with 1 small diced onion, meanwhile, prepare pasta to package directions.
I season my hamburger with salt, pepper, chili pepper, and Tastefully Simple's fiesta seasoning. Drain grease
Add to hamburger--black beans (drained and rinsed), 1 canned diced tomatoes juice and all, add the cooked and drained noodles, and the enchilada sauce mix together. Put in an oven safe dish. Cover with cheese and tortilla curls. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.
Everything else is pretty self explanatory. Have a great week!
Monday: Taco casserole
Tuesday: Breaded Chicken (using Fresh Take breading)
Wednesday: Wild Rice soup (bear creek brand) adding my own leftover chicken
Thursday: Lasagna (stouffer's brand)
Friday: we are eating out!!!!
Shopping List:
Produce: Salad (for Tuesday to go with chicken), onion, tortilla curls (in the salad toppings area by the croutons)
Canned aisle: Bear creek band wild rice soup, enchilada sauce- mild, canned diced tomatoes, black beans
General Groc: Pasta of your choice (I am using rotini)
Meat: chicken breasts (bread a few, cook two off for the soup), 1 lb hamburger
Dairy: Fresh Take brand breading, cheese (shredded Mexican)
Frozen: Stouffer's (or other brand frozen lasagna)
Taco Casserole recipe:
Brown hamburger with 1 small diced onion, meanwhile, prepare pasta to package directions.
I season my hamburger with salt, pepper, chili pepper, and Tastefully Simple's fiesta seasoning. Drain grease
Add to hamburger--black beans (drained and rinsed), 1 canned diced tomatoes juice and all, add the cooked and drained noodles, and the enchilada sauce mix together. Put in an oven safe dish. Cover with cheese and tortilla curls. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.
Everything else is pretty self explanatory. Have a great week!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Menu Ideas October
October 4, 2012
I have NO excuse! Life has been busy, school started, piano lessons started, therefore craziness!
Okay--over the past few weeks we have had-
stuffed peppers
slow cooker lasagna
chili (slow cooker)
breakfast for supper (waffles and bacon)
pork tenderloin
slow cooker beef pot roast
Meatloaf with potatoes
tacos
spaghetti (sauce cooked in slow-cooker)
On piano lesson nights (especially Thursdays) I make use of the slow cooker. This week I made spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker. It is really easy and then at night, when we get home, we only have to worry about noodles and quick cooking garlic toast.
The week previous, I made lasagna in the slow cooker...I will say that most recipes i found (online) only called for one jar of sauce, I found it took two. I was really lucky because I had gotten the sauce each for 99 cents and had bought a "meal deal" at Coborns one week and got the lasagna noodles for free
I also was extremely lucky earlier this fall when some co workers were cleaning out their gardens and brought in tons of peppers bell, banana and hot (jalapeno)
here is my stuffed pepper........
1/2 lb sage sausage ( I used Jimmy Dean)
1/2 onion diced
1 cup cooked rice
1 package of cream cheese
a handful of crasins
(some of the chopped hot pepper if you like)
Bread crumbs
I browned the sausage and onion together. I then combined all the ingredients ( I did thin with milk to help the cream cheese blend with the other ingredients)
I used an ice cream scoop to scoop the mixture into hollowed out bell pepper, topped with the bread toppings) I then baked them at 350 for about a 1/2 hour
We have had pork loin (Hormel marinated) twice, each time being cooked using the delay bake feature on our oven
Please fee to scroll through old posts for some ideas, shopping lists and recipes
I have NO excuse! Life has been busy, school started, piano lessons started, therefore craziness!
Okay--over the past few weeks we have had-
stuffed peppers
slow cooker lasagna
chili (slow cooker)
breakfast for supper (waffles and bacon)
pork tenderloin
slow cooker beef pot roast
Meatloaf with potatoes
tacos
spaghetti (sauce cooked in slow-cooker)
On piano lesson nights (especially Thursdays) I make use of the slow cooker. This week I made spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker. It is really easy and then at night, when we get home, we only have to worry about noodles and quick cooking garlic toast.
The week previous, I made lasagna in the slow cooker...I will say that most recipes i found (online) only called for one jar of sauce, I found it took two. I was really lucky because I had gotten the sauce each for 99 cents and had bought a "meal deal" at Coborns one week and got the lasagna noodles for free
I also was extremely lucky earlier this fall when some co workers were cleaning out their gardens and brought in tons of peppers bell, banana and hot (jalapeno)
here is my stuffed pepper........
1/2 lb sage sausage ( I used Jimmy Dean)
1/2 onion diced
1 cup cooked rice
1 package of cream cheese
a handful of crasins
(some of the chopped hot pepper if you like)
Bread crumbs
I browned the sausage and onion together. I then combined all the ingredients ( I did thin with milk to help the cream cheese blend with the other ingredients)
I used an ice cream scoop to scoop the mixture into hollowed out bell pepper, topped with the bread toppings) I then baked them at 350 for about a 1/2 hour
We have had pork loin (Hormel marinated) twice, each time being cooked using the delay bake feature on our oven
Please fee to scroll through old posts for some ideas, shopping lists and recipes
Monday, September 3, 2012
Sept 3-7
First week back!
First week back for the 2012-13 school year!
Our Menu for this week:
MONDAY--Bfast for supper (pancakes and bacon)
TUESDAY---Hamburger Mac-n-cheese Snack:go gurt
WEDNESDAY--Fish Tacos (feel free to surf through older posts for recipe) snack: carrots
THURSDAY --meatloaf and mashed potatoes snack: cereal bar
FRIDAY---spaghetti snack: go gurt
Nothing Fancy----the schedule is a little weird so I needed easy!
First week back for the 2012-13 school year!
Our Menu for this week:
MONDAY--Bfast for supper (pancakes and bacon)
TUESDAY---Hamburger Mac-n-cheese Snack:go gurt
WEDNESDAY--Fish Tacos (feel free to surf through older posts for recipe) snack: carrots
THURSDAY --meatloaf and mashed potatoes snack: cereal bar
FRIDAY---spaghetti snack: go gurt
Nothing Fancy----the schedule is a little weird so I needed easy!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Menu week Aug 27-31
I know my menu planning was haphazard over the summer, but that is how it is. Over the summer it is impossible to continually plan lunch and dinner, so we flew by the seat of our pants quit a bit! Now as a new school year is upon us, I need to be a bit more diligent with the meal planning.
1. You may ask if I always stick to the menu I make---not always. I will make adjustments---like switch nights around; we may end up going out so at that point I will "bump" a meal to the next week.
2. As the school year approaches we are trying a new method at our house.
-we used to eat between 5-6. I come home and scramble to get supper on the table.
-this year we are going to attempt eating between 6-7 with a snack for the kids when they get home
3. I usually always have one or two late nights, so they are going to be slow cooker meals, or ones I can throw on delay bake.
So here is our menu for the week
Snacks for the boys-
Monday-pudding snack pac
Tuesday-crackers
Wednesday-cereal bar
Thursday-carrots
Friday-fruit
Meals:
Monday-Sea Pack Popcorn Shrimp and Zucchini
Tuesday-Homemade Pizza
Wednesday-Beef Roast with homemade sweet potato fries
Thursday-Couscous with chicken and veggies
Friday-Steak Night
Shopping List-
Produce: Sweet Potatoes, cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, onion, zucchini
Meat: steaks, beef roast, chicken breast, pepperoni
Frozen, pizza crust, hash browns, popcorn shrimp
General-pizza sauce, any other pizza fixins, couscous, any kids snacks, Italian bread crumbs, canned mushrooms, onion soup mix
Monday--my way for zucchini--is slice it in discs, dredge it in egg and then the Italian bread crumbs and "fry" them on the stove top in about 1/4 inch of veg oil
Tuesday--knock yourself out.
Wednesday--We do our beef roast on the grill. I rub mine with dry onion soup mix, pack canned mushrooms and wrap in tin foil. depending on the roast it will take about 1 hour. Sweet potato fries: I cut them fry shaped. I place them in a gallon-sized zip lock and shake them with EVOO, season salt, garlic, parmesan cheese, sugar. I then shake it coating everything evenly and bake them in a 400 degree oven until GBD (golden brown and delicious)
Thursday--cook couscous according to package directions. Chop up cukes, tomato, onion, bell pepper and cook up one chicken breast and dice. Mix together and serve tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette.
Friday--steaks and hash browns yum. Possibly a side of garden fresh green beans?
Have a great end of summer!
1. You may ask if I always stick to the menu I make---not always. I will make adjustments---like switch nights around; we may end up going out so at that point I will "bump" a meal to the next week.
2. As the school year approaches we are trying a new method at our house.
-we used to eat between 5-6. I come home and scramble to get supper on the table.
-this year we are going to attempt eating between 6-7 with a snack for the kids when they get home
3. I usually always have one or two late nights, so they are going to be slow cooker meals, or ones I can throw on delay bake.
So here is our menu for the week
Snacks for the boys-
Monday-pudding snack pac
Tuesday-crackers
Wednesday-cereal bar
Thursday-carrots
Friday-fruit
Meals:
Monday-Sea Pack Popcorn Shrimp and Zucchini
Tuesday-Homemade Pizza
Wednesday-Beef Roast with homemade sweet potato fries
Thursday-Couscous with chicken and veggies
Friday-Steak Night
Shopping List-
Produce: Sweet Potatoes, cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, onion, zucchini
Meat: steaks, beef roast, chicken breast, pepperoni
Frozen, pizza crust, hash browns, popcorn shrimp
General-pizza sauce, any other pizza fixins, couscous, any kids snacks, Italian bread crumbs, canned mushrooms, onion soup mix
Monday--my way for zucchini--is slice it in discs, dredge it in egg and then the Italian bread crumbs and "fry" them on the stove top in about 1/4 inch of veg oil
Tuesday--knock yourself out.
Wednesday--We do our beef roast on the grill. I rub mine with dry onion soup mix, pack canned mushrooms and wrap in tin foil. depending on the roast it will take about 1 hour. Sweet potato fries: I cut them fry shaped. I place them in a gallon-sized zip lock and shake them with EVOO, season salt, garlic, parmesan cheese, sugar. I then shake it coating everything evenly and bake them in a 400 degree oven until GBD (golden brown and delicious)
Thursday--cook couscous according to package directions. Chop up cukes, tomato, onion, bell pepper and cook up one chicken breast and dice. Mix together and serve tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette.
Friday--steaks and hash browns yum. Possibly a side of garden fresh green beans?
Have a great end of summer!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Menu July 23-27
We have been quite busy. Triathloning the training that goes with it! Plus trying to choose meals that satisfy that aren't going to kill us!!! We like to eat a variety of food and some of the best food for training isn't the best summer food--spaghetti, casseroles etc. Also, when the past few days have gotten near 100 degrees it is difficult to even have an appetite!
Here is what we are having at our house this week:
Monday: chicken bacon ranch sandwiches with sweet potato fries
Tuesday: Pork Roast with potatoes and fresh green beans
Wednesday; "Mediterranean Platter"
Thursday: hot dogs, brats and chips ( and whatever you like with cook out type food)
Friday; steak night
Shopping list:
Produce: red potatoes, fresh green beans, lettuce,tomato, red onion a variety of fruits and veggies.
Meat: pork roast, bacon, chicken breasts, hot dogs and brats, (deli area for a variety of cheese, meat, etc.), steak
frozen: sweet potato fries (or you could make them yourself)
General grocery: hot dog buns, ciabatta bread, chips, provolone cheese
Monday:
Prepare the sweet potato fries according to package directions. Meanwhile.....
Chicken bacon ranch sandwiches: Grill one chicken breast for every two people. Fry the bacon. While the meats are cooking prepare the ciabatta buns by spreading the top with ranch dressing, slice a tomato, and red onion (omit if you aren't an onion fan) and prepare lettuce. Arrange the tomato, lettuce and onion on the buns. When the bacon in finished, put one- two slices on each prepared sandwich and add the provolone cheese to the bun so when it hits the hot chicken it will melt. When the chicken breasts are ready cut them in half so that in the cooking terms you are BUTTERFLYING the chicken breast but the end result is two pieces that look like really flat chicken breasts. Put one half each on the prepared sandwich and enjoy.
Tuesday: Grill up some pork tenderloin according to package directions (I use either farmland or Hormel when I don't have farm fresh) cook up some baby red and fresh green beans.
Wednesday "Mediterranean Platter" this simply is going to be a couple platters of meat and cheese--we got some havarti, fresh mozzarella, prosciuto (the nicer stuff from the deli if you can manage it, if not just regular cold cuts and cheese is fine) and a platter of fresh fruits like, peaches, nectarines, cherries, watermelon, blackberries--(whatever turns your wagon wheel) and a plate with some olives, pickles and veggies. This is a good time to serve up any leftover ciabatta if you have it.
Thursday: Self explanatory
Friday: steak night. Prepare how you like. We usually make homemade hash-browns with ours and serve up a nice green salad
Here is what we are having at our house this week:
Monday: chicken bacon ranch sandwiches with sweet potato fries
Tuesday: Pork Roast with potatoes and fresh green beans
Wednesday; "Mediterranean Platter"
Thursday: hot dogs, brats and chips ( and whatever you like with cook out type food)
Friday; steak night
Shopping list:
Produce: red potatoes, fresh green beans, lettuce,tomato, red onion a variety of fruits and veggies.
Meat: pork roast, bacon, chicken breasts, hot dogs and brats, (deli area for a variety of cheese, meat, etc.), steak
frozen: sweet potato fries (or you could make them yourself)
General grocery: hot dog buns, ciabatta bread, chips, provolone cheese
Monday:
Prepare the sweet potato fries according to package directions. Meanwhile.....
Chicken bacon ranch sandwiches: Grill one chicken breast for every two people. Fry the bacon. While the meats are cooking prepare the ciabatta buns by spreading the top with ranch dressing, slice a tomato, and red onion (omit if you aren't an onion fan) and prepare lettuce. Arrange the tomato, lettuce and onion on the buns. When the bacon in finished, put one- two slices on each prepared sandwich and add the provolone cheese to the bun so when it hits the hot chicken it will melt. When the chicken breasts are ready cut them in half so that in the cooking terms you are BUTTERFLYING the chicken breast but the end result is two pieces that look like really flat chicken breasts. Put one half each on the prepared sandwich and enjoy.
Tuesday: Grill up some pork tenderloin according to package directions (I use either farmland or Hormel when I don't have farm fresh) cook up some baby red and fresh green beans.
Wednesday "Mediterranean Platter" this simply is going to be a couple platters of meat and cheese--we got some havarti, fresh mozzarella, prosciuto (the nicer stuff from the deli if you can manage it, if not just regular cold cuts and cheese is fine) and a platter of fresh fruits like, peaches, nectarines, cherries, watermelon, blackberries--(whatever turns your wagon wheel) and a plate with some olives, pickles and veggies. This is a good time to serve up any leftover ciabatta if you have it.
Thursday: Self explanatory
Friday: steak night. Prepare how you like. We usually make homemade hash-browns with ours and serve up a nice green salad
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Ahh summer! It has been so beautiful this week. sorry I didn't post the week it was 150 degrees outside (ha ha) lots of salad and grilling out here! One thing we like to do in the summer is stock up on fresh crunchy veggies and we ALWAYS have a veggie tray with ranch dip (I make mine from greek yogurt and Hidden Valley) handy in the fridge and bring it out at almost every meal. The kids love fresh veggies because of this and quite often they skip the dip part and just eat the yummy organic carrots, green onions, cucumber, etc.
So here it is Menu Ideas for the week!
Monday-- Fish Fry (beer battered) and beet salad
Tuesday--grilled burgers and cantaloupe
Wednesday--Pasta Salad
Thursday--Ribs and hash browns
Friday--Chef Salad (or have your MIL cook that is honestly what I am doing)
SHOPPING LIST:
Produce: salad makins', cantaloupe, onion (one red one white) beets with greens still attached, bell pepper
Meat: already prepared ribs (for example Lloyds or Farmland) fish--if you don't catch them yerself, hard salami, pillow of pepperoni, hamburger
General--good seasons Italian dressing packet, dry onion soup mix, pasta (such as spirals or penne), olives
black and/or green
Frozen--hash browns,
MONDAY-- take about 1 1/2 cup flour and mix it with beer to the consistency you like for batter. Then take about 1 cup flour and mix in salt, pepper and ground garlic to taste. Batter up the fish in the wet (beer batter mix) the dredge it in the dry and drop into the preheated oil (this is so light and flaky and wonderful!!!!!) We do our oil in a cast iron dutch oven on the burner or our grill outside. I'd say depending on the size of your fish fillets about 4 minutes or until golden brown and delicious.
Beet salad--I went out on a limb here but it was SO YUMMY!!!! if you are not a beet fan, I don't know many, at least try this recipe Trim the greens off and keep them and also trim the bottom off. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and bake at 350 for an hour or until knife tender. Meanwhile, rip the greens (removing the rib) as though you are preparing a salad. I ripped mine and then washed them in the salad spinner.
Make a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
While your roasted beets are cooling to the point where you can handle them, saute about 2 cloves minced garlic and one sliced (small) red onion. When the onions are caramelized add in the beet greens and cook them til they are wilted. While they are wilting--cut your beets into bite-sized pieces. When the greens are wilted add in the beets, toss and add a couple splashes of balsamic vinegar (not the dressing yet). Remove from heat and let cool about 10-15 minutes. The toss with the vinaigrette dressing.
TUESDAY--Grilled burgers--here is where the onion soup mix comes in. I use one packet per 2 lbs of hamburger, if you are only making 1 lb use half a packet. Mix dry mix into the hamburger with a little water Not much you can add more if needed, mix with your hands and patty up the burgers. Very moist and flavorful burgers!!!!!!!
Cantaloupe as a side dish.
WEDNESDAY--Pasta Salad--I cook my pasta according to package directions
Meanwhile I chop up red onion, bell pepper, open a small can of sliced black olives, slice up some green olives, chop up some cucumber, a few radishes (if I have them), I take a stack of about 12 pepperoni and quarter them. I also take about 4-5 hard salami slices and cut them into eighths. (Another thing you can toss in that is excellent is the faux crab) I then toss this all with the prepared (drained and rinsed cool) pasta and use the Good Seasons Italian dressing that I have prepared--to me this dressing is the best on the salad in my opinion.
THURSDAY--grill up the ribs according the package directions (I am lazy and not really a huge rib fan so I let the grocery store do the work for me here).
I make my hash browns with diced bell pepper and onion, so i guess technically they are a potatoes o'brien.
FRIDAY--Chef Salad--your way!
So here it is Menu Ideas for the week!
Monday-- Fish Fry (beer battered) and beet salad
Tuesday--grilled burgers and cantaloupe
Wednesday--Pasta Salad
Thursday--Ribs and hash browns
Friday--Chef Salad (or have your MIL cook that is honestly what I am doing)
SHOPPING LIST:
Produce: salad makins', cantaloupe, onion (one red one white) beets with greens still attached, bell pepper
Meat: already prepared ribs (for example Lloyds or Farmland) fish--if you don't catch them yerself, hard salami, pillow of pepperoni, hamburger
General--good seasons Italian dressing packet, dry onion soup mix, pasta (such as spirals or penne), olives
black and/or green
Frozen--hash browns,
MONDAY-- take about 1 1/2 cup flour and mix it with beer to the consistency you like for batter. Then take about 1 cup flour and mix in salt, pepper and ground garlic to taste. Batter up the fish in the wet (beer batter mix) the dredge it in the dry and drop into the preheated oil (this is so light and flaky and wonderful!!!!!) We do our oil in a cast iron dutch oven on the burner or our grill outside. I'd say depending on the size of your fish fillets about 4 minutes or until golden brown and delicious.
Beet salad--I went out on a limb here but it was SO YUMMY!!!! if you are not a beet fan, I don't know many, at least try this recipe Trim the greens off and keep them and also trim the bottom off. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and bake at 350 for an hour or until knife tender. Meanwhile, rip the greens (removing the rib) as though you are preparing a salad. I ripped mine and then washed them in the salad spinner.
Make a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
While your roasted beets are cooling to the point where you can handle them, saute about 2 cloves minced garlic and one sliced (small) red onion. When the onions are caramelized add in the beet greens and cook them til they are wilted. While they are wilting--cut your beets into bite-sized pieces. When the greens are wilted add in the beets, toss and add a couple splashes of balsamic vinegar (not the dressing yet). Remove from heat and let cool about 10-15 minutes. The toss with the vinaigrette dressing.
TUESDAY--Grilled burgers--here is where the onion soup mix comes in. I use one packet per 2 lbs of hamburger, if you are only making 1 lb use half a packet. Mix dry mix into the hamburger with a little water Not much you can add more if needed, mix with your hands and patty up the burgers. Very moist and flavorful burgers!!!!!!!
Cantaloupe as a side dish.
WEDNESDAY--Pasta Salad--I cook my pasta according to package directions
Meanwhile I chop up red onion, bell pepper, open a small can of sliced black olives, slice up some green olives, chop up some cucumber, a few radishes (if I have them), I take a stack of about 12 pepperoni and quarter them. I also take about 4-5 hard salami slices and cut them into eighths. (Another thing you can toss in that is excellent is the faux crab) I then toss this all with the prepared (drained and rinsed cool) pasta and use the Good Seasons Italian dressing that I have prepared--to me this dressing is the best on the salad in my opinion.
THURSDAY--grill up the ribs according the package directions (I am lazy and not really a huge rib fan so I let the grocery store do the work for me here).
I make my hash browns with diced bell pepper and onion, so i guess technically they are a potatoes o'brien.
FRIDAY--Chef Salad--your way!
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