MPM 3-3-08

Last week I tried a new recipe for skillet lasagna. Actually when I got home from work my sixteen year old son had it all put together and all I had to do was serve it up once it was cooked. He has told me that if I give him a menu he will help me out on the days that he is not at practice. He loves to cook and would love to be a chef one day. Of course this is after his illustrious NBA career and being a FBI agent. He loves to cook and is good at it so I am going take him up on the offer!

This week we are having:

Monday: Oven fried chicken legs, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad (We are taking chicken legs and after giving them a good rinse and removing the skin we are going to pat them dry. Dip in an egg wash and then roll in a mixture of plain bread crumbs, a little flour, parmesean cheese, and Italian seasonings. Spray the cookie sheet with a little cooking spray and baked until nice and golden brown. My son and I have kinda made this up and we are not sure of times yet. I will post an update.

Tuesday: Santa Fe Chicken Soup and cornbread (it is a new crock pot recipe I am going to try out. I will post it next week if it is good.)

Wednesday: Eat at church

Thursday: Turkey Meatball Sandwiches and whole grain chips

Friday: Pizza Night

Saturday: Tortilla Soup and Quesadillas

Sunday: Crockpot Lasagna, salad, and broccoli

Tune in next week. I am going to post my smoothie recipe that I make at least twice a day and have since April. One day this week I am going to try and take pictures of the process. Stay tuned!

For more great menu ideas head over to Laura's blog at Orgjunkie.com.

MPM 2-25-08

Update: The skillet lasagna was a HUGE success!!! My 16 year old son got everything ready while I was still at work and we put it together upon my arrival at home. We used whole wheat noodles and regular Ragu sauce. It was DIVINE! My husband and sons especially have requested it again! I just wanted ya'll to know that it is scrumptious dillyumptious!

Finally, the illness seems to have run its course through our home and we are all on the mend. This week I hope to get back to my usual daily posting on my blog. I am excited to finally have a Menu Plan Monday!

Monday – Quick and Easy Turkey Lasagna
I saw a recipe in a advertisement in a magazine this weekend. I can’t recall the magazine but will update later on this evening if I find it. The gist of the recipe is that you can make lasagna quick and easy in a skillet. Boil your lasagna noodles as described on the box. I am planning on using whole wheat noodles. Then in a skillet cook an onion and garlic, add turkey meat (the recipe called for Italian sausage), seasonings, and then add tomato sauce (You could use Prego or Ragu). Once the noodles are cooked put some of the meat and sauce layer in a separate bowl for a bit. Add a layer of noodles, put on top a couple of scoops of ricotta cheese (I am going to mix mine with some parmesan cheese too) add sauce and repeat. Cook on top of the stove until nice and bubbly. I am anxious to try this and since I am a wing it type cook I am going to put mine together how I normally make lasagna and see how it goes. I will let ya’ll know next week!

Tuesday – Our old standby Tostadas with black bean and corn relish, salad

Wednesday – eat at church

Thursday – Turkey Burgers with oven fries, baked beans

Friday – Pizza Night!

Saturday – Potato Soup and cornbread

Sunday – Eat out with family

For more menu ideas head over to Laura’s OrgJunkie for more Menu Plan Monday!

MPM 2-11-08

Here is what I have planned for this week.

Monday – Turkey Patties, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Tuesday – Chicken Legs with Raspberry Chipotle sauce, brown rice, salad ( am going to bake the chicken legs with a coating of this new sauce I found at Sam’s!)

Wednesday – Eat at church

Thursday – Tortilla Soup with Chips, Salsa, and Guacamole, heart shaped individual cakes for the kids (hubby and I will eat out to celebrate Valentine’s)

Friday – Pizza night with salad

For more great menu plans and recipes head over to OrgJunkie.com!

Also check out Trish Berg’s Blast Out Blog tour I am hosting for her new book, Rattled-Surviving Your Baby's First Year without Losing Your Cool! Enter for a chance to win your own copy!

MPM 2-4-08

This flu like bug that half of us have had is now making its way through the other three. I have no idea what the week will be like. Here is what I plan on having:



Monday - Crock Pot Baked Potatoes with all the fixins, salad, fruit



Tuesday - Turkey patties with brown rice, green beans, and salad



Wednesday - Eat at church



Thursday - Quick meal due to daughter's performance tonight - probably Tostadas



Friday - Pizza (trying out a whole wheat crust that was emailed to me)



Saturday - Pulled Pork sandwiches and chips for the kids; date night for us



Sunday - Trying Laura's Lemon Chicken



For more menus head over to Laura's at Orgjunkie.com

MPM - 1-28-08

This post will be short but I do not know how sweet it will be. I have been sick and have a child that has the stomach virus, one that is sick with the flu like virus, and praying the other two and my husband do not get sick. Here goes:

Monday - Turkey Patties, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Green Salad, Jello

Tuesday - Whole Wheat Rigatoni with Alfredo Sauce (low fat), Chicken, and Broccoli, Salad

Wednesday - Eat at church

Thursday - Pizza and Salad

Friday - Homemade Chicken Enchiladas OR Chicken Totasdas with sour cream sauce, salad, and brownies

Saturday - Crock Pot Chicken and veggies

Sunday - Not sure yet.

Last week I posted what my husband and I have been eating on our vegetarian plan but tonight I am aching and just want to go to bed. So, I may update it tomorrow.

For more menu plans, please head over to OrgJunkie.com!

MPM - 1-21-08

This week on Menu Plan Monday, I am going to add what I fix for my teenagers and then try to give a little insight into what my husband and I eat each week. It is not the same menu....we changed our eating habits last March and since then I have cooked for my kids and made our meals too.

This week the teens will be having:

Monday - Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo bake with whole wheat rigatoni

Tuesday - Tostadas with salad

Wednesday - eat at church

Thursday - Chicken in the crock pot and mashed potatoes, green beans

Friday - Homemade Pizza

Saturday - We may not be home for dinner due to family activities today

Sunday - Potato Soup and cornbread

My husband and I will eat:

Monday - black bean/chili tomatoes/corn salsa with spinach salad, triple berry fruit smoothie

Tuesday - large spinach salad with spring greens, grilled Tilapia, couscous with artichoke hearts

Wednesday - eat at church, salad bar

Thursday - large salad, fresh broccoli, carrots, hummus, and sauteed onions, mushrooms, and red peppers, triple berry fruit smoothie

Friday - whole wheat pita bread pizzas with mushrooms, onions, tomato, spinach broiled in the oven

Saturday - bean soup made in our Vitamix, whole grain Ezekiel bread

Sunday - large salad with chicken, balsamic dressing, peppers, onions, mushrooms sauteed, brocooli and hummus

We are following Dr. Joel Furhman's Eat to Live plan. It has been such a huge help to both of us. We were gone this weekend and ate things we have not eaten in almost a year. Tonight we are both MISERABLE! We got off of red meat, dairy (we went to soy), and most meat. We eat a lot of fresh veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, beans, nut butters, some fish, whole grains, oatmeal, etc. I have been trying to make up a lot of recipes as I go along and will try to pull them out and begin to post them here. It is a huge change of mindset. It has changed my blood levels and cholesterol, blood pressure, sugar levels, etc. Coupled with exercise it has radically changed our lives.

I have been in a rut and have been seeking new recipes so if you have great vegan or vegeterian recipes leave me a comment. We are on the hunt for them!

If you need more ideas for menu planning see Laura at OrgJunkie.com

MPM - 1-14-08

The university I work at started the spring semester today so I have several weeks of not being able to leave for lunch and will be stuck on campus (due to terrible parking problems) so I will be busier than normal and not have that precious hour to go home and do things around the house and/or run errands. My menu is very sparse and quick this week.
Monday – Sweet and Sour Shrimp with Couscous, veggies and salad
(pre-cooked shrimp, defrost, add sweet and sour sauce, mix the shrimp into the couscous and viola! A quick an easy meal.

Tuesday – Crock Pot Enchiladas

Wednesday – eat at church

Thursday – Turkey Chili and cornbread (posted previously)

Friday – Homemade Pizza and Salad (I am going to use Crystal’s recipe)

Saturday – Zach’s birthday dinner out with friends

Sunday - Family celebration for Zach’s 15th birthday – meal of his choice
For more menu ideas see Laura at Orgjunkie.com

MPM 1-7-08

This week I will back at work after a two week absence. The kids are all back in school but our oldest, who will be back in session next week. We have a lot going on the next seven days and my husband is working some very crazy hours. I think he will more than likely have worked 85 hours by this time next week!

My menu is very simple this week:

Monday - Brown rice with black bean/corn/chili tomatos and onions, and Avocado seasoned with Cumin, Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipolte Seasoning, and a splash of Lime Juice. Salad and fruit for dessert.

Tuesday - Quick meal of Tostadas with Fat Free Refried Beans, Cheese, and Salsa, a big green Salad. Daughter's musical program at school tonight so meal needs to be quick and easy. I take tortillas and slather them in fat free refried beans, add a little cooked ground turkey on top, cheese, enchilada sauce, and broil them in the oven until bubbly and brown. Add a quick salad and one of my children's favorite quick meals is served. My boys have several of these and they like to fold them in half and eat them much like a quesadilla. Our daughter puts jalapenos on hers and then adds more hot sauce. She loves things spicy!

Wednesday - eat at church

Thursday - Soup night - Taco soup with homemade green chili cornbread. Take Jiffy Corn Bread and mix as directed. Add a can of chopped green chilis, a handful of cheese, and some of the great Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipolte seasoning mixture and bake as directed.

Friday - Homemade pizza night. Veggie for me and sis and usually candadian bacon or turkey for the kids.

Saturday - Taco Salad with ground turkey instead of beef.

Sunday - Chicken Penne Pasta with Broccoli and fat free Alfredo Sauce, always a salad

For more menu plans see Laura at OrgJunkie.com

MPM

Since we are having another holiday week my menu plan is going to be much different than say the next week when I will be back at work and the kids back at school.

This is what is on the menu for this week:

Monday - New Years Eve

Family tradition to have snack food or junk food, which I never keep on hand except for special times in our household. Tonight will be Totinos Pizza Rolls. I will be making a big batch of Queso to have with chips. We usually have snack things like crackers, cheeses, sandwiches, and I make cookies or brownies.

Tuesday - New Years Day

Pot of beans in the crock pot and cornbread

Wednesday - Tostadas with refried beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato, salsa, and guacamole

Served with a salad and black bean salsa

Thursday - Quick and Easy homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Several cooked chicken breast or you can use two large cans of chicken breast meat.

2 cans of Veg-all canned veggies, 1 can Cream of Chicken soup; a little thyme (around a 1/4 teaspoon) and pepper to taste. Mix all the ingredients together. Crust: I use the roll out crust or you can use a prepared pie crust. We use two of the roll out crust - one for the top and bottom. Fit one pie crust into 9-inch pie pan; pour vegetable mixture into pie crust. Crimp the edges to seal, and prick top with fork. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes at 375 degrees (on lower rack) or until crust is golden brown and filling is hot. Let the pie to cool slightly before cutting into wedges to serve.

Since we have six people in our family, with three being young men, we always make two of these pies. I just double the recipe. I may try using a Rotisserie chicken this time and see how that turns out. My 11 year old nephew made one by himself a couple of days before Christmas. He did an excellent job and I wished I would have taken a picture of it. It looked like a professional had crimped the crust! My sister was gone to run an errand and he made it to surprise her (with supervision from my brother in law).

Friday - Family night with homemade pizza

Saturday - Turkey Chili

Sunday - Roast Chicken and veggies

For more menu ideas go check out Laura's OrgJunkie.com

Menu Plan Monday for Christmas Week

I decided to go ahead and post my menu since I will indeed be having to plan meals this week. However, I do get off pretty easy since it is Christmas.

Monday - Attending a Christmas Eve Family party after church services. We will be eating there. I only have to bring ice, soft drinks, and chex mix.

Tuesday - Christmas dinner with my family and leftovers for the evening meal. I am not sure what I am to bring as of yet. Probably a dessert in the form of a pie since my sister in law broke her wrist during the last ice storm. She is our resident pie maker in the family.

Wednesday - Quick and Easy Potato Soup and Salad

Thursday - Night out on the town with my daughter (Hubby and the boys are headed to Dallas to attend the Mavericks and Cavaliers game)

Friday - Homemade Pizza night with Salad

Saturday - Quesadillas with chicken, avocado, and onion plus black bean salsa

Sunday - Chicken and veggies in the crockpot.

For more menus, see Laura at Orgjunkie

Menu Plan Monday

This week is crazy busy at work and home. Here is what my plan is for this week:

Monday – Taco Soup
Tuesday – Mexicali Chicken and Brown Rice
Wednesday – eat at church
Thursday – Holiday party (making Broccoli Salad to take to pot luck meal)
Broccoli Salad
I take two big bunches of fresh broccoli and cut off the flowerets and chop some of the tender stems.
I add ½ of a red onion chopped to equal about a ¼ cup
4 celery stalks chopped
Craisins (I add at least a half cup or more, really depends on my mood)
Sunflower Seeds – dry roasted variety. I add at least a ½ cup but only right before serving
4 slices of crisp bacon but I use a jar of the Hormel Real bacon bits.

Dressing for Salad
Low fat Mayo – ¾ cup
Red Wine Vinegar, 3T
Sugar Substitute like Stevia (the original recipe calls for the 1/3 sugar) but we only use a tiny bit of Stevia (2 tablespoon) to give it a little flavor.
Mix all together and pour over salad and mix well
Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Add sunflower seeds and serve. It is crunchy, sweet, tart, and very good!!

Friday – Family Pizza Night
Saturday – Holiday Party
Sunday – Roast Chicken and the fixin’s

For more menu plans visit Laura at OrgJunkie for Menu Plan Monday.

Monday - Chili Pasta by request of my children. Since we were having an ice storm yesterday, I made a HUGE pot of my chili. My family loves it when I have leftovers of chili to add it to whole wheat pasta. So today we are having Chili Pasta with lots of great shredded cheese and then a salad to accompany the meal.

Tuesday - Easy Mexican Casserole
2 lbs of ground turkey
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can chili w/beans
1 can Ro-Tel Tomatoes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 bag taco flavored tortilla chips
8 oz. of Velveeta cheese thinly sliced

Brown turkey with onion in skillet, stirring until it is crumbly; drain. Stir in large bowl the can of chili, Ro-Tel and soup; mix well. Pour meat into the bowl and mix it well. In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish or deep casserole dish, layer tortilla chips, meat mixture and Velveeta cheese, 1/2 at a time. End with last layer being the cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. 8 servings

Wednesday - Roasted Chicken in the Crockpot with carrots and potatoes, salad

Thursday - Cheesy Potato Soup

Friday - Vickie's Crock Pot Enchiladas
1 lb Hamburger (We use Turkey meat now and I increase the meat to 2 lbs)
1 Onion, chopped
1 4 1/2 oz Can chopped chilies
1 can Mild enchilada sauce
10 1/2 oz Golden mushroom soup
10 1/2 oz Cheddar cheese soup
10 1/2 oz Cream of mushroom soup
10 1/2 oz Cream of celery soup
1 package Doritos chips
Brown hamburger and chopped onion, pour off grease. Put all ingredients in crock-pot except Doritos chips. Mix and cook low 4 to 6 hours. Last 15 minutes before you are ready to eat, add Doritos chips and stir.

Saturday - banquet to attend

Sunday - Out to lunch with friends

Menu Plan Monday

Monday Rigatoni with Red Pepper, Almonds, and Bread Crumbs (I use whole wheat spaghetti instead of the rigatoni. My teenagers love it! This is requested at least once every single week. I have used packaged Italian bread crumbs that I had on hand in the recipe instead of the croutons. My grocery store regularly has awesome garlic croutons on sale for under $1 as well as the Italian blend bread crumbs. I have used both.)

Tuesday Turkey Chili with cornbread
Wednesday Rotisserie chicken, roasted potatoes and green beans, salad
Thursday Tostadas, Salad, black bean, corn, and tomato relish with avocado, fruit
Black Bean Relish
Drained black beans, drained whole kernel corn, Can of Chili Tomatoes with Onions, about a teaspoon of Cumin ( I use the palm of my hand to measure), slice and chop one Avocado, splash of Lime or Lemon juice, liberal amount of Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipolte seasoning (depending on your families taste. I have four Texans in my family and they love things spicy)
I usually double this and use two cans beans, corn, tomatoes since my family loves it so much.
Friday Pizza Night
Saturday Black beans and brown rice w/cilantro, pineapple salsa, salad
Sunday Potato Soup with fresh whole grain bread
For more dinner ideas and Menu Plan Monday participants, please visit Laura of I’m an Organizing Junkie.