Menu Plan Monday… May 12, 2008

I have every intention of making Pasta Bake this week. Last week just got away from me. We were out and about and by the time we got home, I just decided to make some homemade pizza instead. 

Monday - Three Cheese Pasta Bake

Tuesday - Tacos

Wednesday - Chicken & Spinach Calzones

Thursday - Sloppy Joes & homemade fries with cheese sauce

Friday - Baked Orange Chicken

Saturday - Eggplant Paremesan

Sunday - CORN (Clean Out Refrigerator Night)

Come share your Menu Plan here…

Menu Plan Monday… May 5, 2008

I need to go grocery shopping. In an if-I-don’t-we’ll-all-certainly-starve kind of way! Right now I have stuff for turkey stroganoff. And some apples. And maybe some boxes of macaroni and cheese. We don’t even have any bread - or bread products. Very disheartening to our carb-loving family! And the scariest part? We might not even have time to hit the grocery store today! We’re leaving early this morning for Springfield because we have a birthday to celebrate (Seth turned 3 last Friday but we were busy and Chip’s parents couldn’t join us). We’ll do Starbucks, Build-a-Bear, Dicks Sporting Goods (Kait needs a new ball glove), Toys R Us, and Chuck E Cheese and still somehow make it back for Kait to be at softball at 4pm and then Noah has tball at 5:30pm. But we still have to eat, so we’ll find time in there somewhere to go to the Kroger.

Monday - Turkey Stroganoff

Tuesday - Grilled chicken legs with

Wednesday - Hamburgers and homemade ovenbaked fries

Thursday - Spaghetti with garlic bread and salad

Friday - Homemade pizza

Saturday - Three Cheese Baked Pasta (this is our friend Karen’s recipe - I’m hoping it’s half as big a hit with our family as it is with hers).

1 lb uncooked pasta (I use mostaccioli)
1 lb ground beef
1 onion chopped
6oz mozzarella cheese
6 1/2 cups tomato pasta sauce (Use your favorite spaghetti sauce)
6oz provolone cheese thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheesePreheat oven 350 degrees. Brown ground beef and onion in skillet over medium heat. Drain meat. Stir in Pasta sauce. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, then drain. Lightly grease 9×13 inch pan/baking dish. Layer ingredients as follows: Half of the cooked pasta, all of the provolone cheese (layer evenly), all of the sour cream (spread an even layer), half the sauce, remaining pasta, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce. Top with grated parmesan cheese. Bake in oven 30 minutes.Sunday - CORN (Clean Out Fridge Night) because this momma isn’t cooking on Mother’s Day!

S - CORN (Clean Out Refrigerator Night)

Crockpot pizza… March 25, 2008

Is probably one of the easiest things you can make for dinner. I’ve never made it! ROFL

But we had it at a friends house for lunch on a Sunday afternoon and it was super simple to make. I’m going to try it tonight and my kids can’t wait.

Basically, you boil noodles (whatever kind i you want to use - we’re using rotini) until they are tender. Brown 1pound of hamburger. Gather the noodles, pizza sauce, cheese, and hamburger and whatever toppings you like on your pizza.

Spray down the crockpot with cooking spray or olive oil (I usually let my kids “paint” the inside with a pastry brush because I don’t like the chemicals in the spray stuff). Layer some noodles, some hamburger, whatever toppings you choose (we’re using turkey pepperoni and mushrooms - although they don’t know about the mushrooms yet) and then top with sauce and cover with cheese. Make another layer and another until you either run out of room or stuff.

Then turn on the crockpot for 30 minutes and go write your own blog entry, or play Scrabulous with me. We’re having this tonight with garlic bread and cottage cheese.

Menu Plan Monday… March 24, 2008

Which is really an idea that I only *thought* I’d come up with. We started doing it on a message board for mom’s that I’ve moderated. It made sense to do it on Mondays because menu starts with “m”. But then I found it over at Organizing Junkie (a new favorite blog) too.

Anyhoo, with my fridge packed out and the craziness of yesterday, I completely forgot about this until this morning. I’ll be back later with some links and recipes for some of these dishes…

Monday - Going out with friends to celebrate the wives birthdays that are coming up in the next two weeks.

Tuesday - Crockpot pizza

Wednesday - Chicken finger salad

Thursday - Spinach calzones

Friday - Meatball subs (which I think I had on the menu last week but never made)

Saturday - Breakfast for dinner (pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs, etc…)

Sunday - Spaghetti & Meatballs (or other various leftovers)

Menu Plan Monday… March 17, 2008

So, a new week is upon us. I tried really, really hard to come up with something Irish for dinner tonight. Know what I realized? We are sooo not the Irish food type of people. As a matter of fact, the only thing that I could find constant in Irish recipes were potatoes. So, we’ll have potato soup for dinner tonight. For a few minutes I considered adding a bit of green food coloring to it, but honestly I have too many food issues and just can’t eat green soup.

So, here’s my menu for this week…

M - Loaded Baked Potato Soup (potatoes are  Irish, right?)

T - Teriyaki Chicken Wings over rice (we had sloppy joes the night we were supposed to have this and then just didn’t eat tonight)

W - Spaghetti and Meatballs (which I make myself - no store bought meatballs here)

T - Turkey Stroganoff (like beef stroganoff, but made with ground turkey instead)

F - Baked Chicken with couscous and veggies

Saturdy - Enchiladas

Sunday - EASTER!!! I’m not sure what we’re eating or where yet. We’re either going to Chip’s parents house or eating out. Either way, I’m not cooking. Our day is going to start at 5am (sunrise service is at 6:30) and by the time church gets out at noon, I’m just going to be tired. And we’ll have leftovers for dinner/supper.

So, there you have it! Go do your own menu and then come let me know! I’m always looking for new recipes to try! And if there is anything you want a recipe for, let me know!

When Irish eyes are smiling… March 6, 2008

Ok, I’m not Irish, but we are getting ready to start a unit next week about Ireland and St. Patrick’s day. With my red hair and love of all things green, one might thing I have some Irish ancestory (which I guess I might possibly).

So, what I’m looking for are some tried and true Irish recipes. And corned beef is OUT! We tried corned beef and cabbage a couple years ago - and promptly threw it all in the trash! ICK!  I’ve never had one that I enjoyed.

So, I’m asking you - my tens of readers - do you have a “must have” for the Irish holiday that sports the wearing of the green? Or is it orange since I’m not Catholic? I’ll probably play it safe and wear both!

Friday September 14, 2007 September 14, 2007

It’s what’s for dinner!  We eat a lot of chicken in our house.  I’m not a huge fan of pork or beef and Chip’s not supposed to have a lot of red meat, so we eat a lot of chicken.  Recently, I found a new family favorite (although I went a little heavy on the spice last time - this time I’ll cut it in half).  Tonight we’re having Spicy Orange Chicken…

Spicy Orange Chicken
6 bonelss skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1.5 cups orange juice
1 medium green pepper, chopped (I did NOT use this)
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped (didn’t use this either)
1 can mandarin oranges
1 cup pineapple chunks
1/3 cup raisins (didn’t use these either - just seems weird)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I used about 1/3 last time - TOO MUCH!)
Hot, cooked rice (optional)

Cook chicken (I cooked it and then cubed it) in oil.  Remove and keep warm.
In small bowl, combine flour and broth until smooth; stir into skillet.  Add orange juice, peppers, oranges, pineapple, raisins, pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Return chicken to pan and heat through.  Serve over rice.

My family LOVES this recipe!  And I can’t wait to have it again tonight for dinner!