Meals for the week of...February 8, 2010

I love some of the recipes for this week and am excited to share them with you! The Red and White Pasta Bake was new one for me and will definitely become a family regular. The Enchilada Casserole is a quick meal that is easy to "dump and add" extra ingredients into. My husband is a fan of the BBQ Chicken Pizza and I like it because it gives a different twist on the regular pizza meal.

I have a new time saving discovery!!! The other day I was looking for rice at the grocery store and came across these pre-cooked rice plastic bags that all you have to do is microwave for 90 seconds and you have great rice. They have several varieties to choose from. I know it may cost more for convenience foods but sometimes (okay, really most of the time) I don't have the patience for cooking rice to have as a side dish.

This week involves using from previous meals so please read carefully in the recipe as I've tried to mention which ingredients are leftovers. For example, the hamburger buns for the chicken sandwiches become the bruschetta bread on Friday!

Have a wonderful week and please let me know how your meals turn out!

Monday: Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Wild

Rice, and Salad (from Real Mom Kitchen)

Tuesday: Red and White Pasta Bake and Bread Sticks (from Real Mom Kitchen)

Wednesday: Enchilada Casserole (from Gooseberry Patch - Meals in Minutes) and Quick Salsa

Thursday: BBQ Chicken Pizza and Salad (from RecipeGirl.com)

(use leftovers from Monday)

Friday: Tomato Bruschetta (from realsimple.com using leftover hamburger buns) and leftover Pasta Bake

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Wild Rice, and Salad

4-6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I used tenderloins)

1 (18oz.) bottle of barbecue sauce

1/2 cup prepared Italian salad dressing

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 T Worcestershire sauce

Hamburger Buns

Lettuce for Salad (plus additional toppings/veggies)

Wild Rice (I found a bag of 90 sec microwave rice in the pasta/rice aisle and it was actually really good - I think it was Uncle Ben's brand)

Place chicken in crock pot. In a bowl mix 2/3 bottle of the BBQ sauce, Italian salad dressing, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low (I cooked on low about 7 hours.). Remove chicken from crock pot. Pour juices from crock pot into a large bowl. Shred chicken (I diced instead to make the pizza making later this week a little easier) and place back in crock pot. Add remaining 1/3 bottle of BBQ sauce to chicken. Then add some of the liquid removed from the crock pot to make the chicken the wetness you like.

Red and White Pasta Bake and Bread Sticks

4 cups penne noodles

1 (15oz) jar Alfredo sauce (I used Ragu)

1 (24oz) jar Marinara sauce (I used Ragu)

2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Refrigerated Bread Sticks

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook and drain pasta according to package directions.

3. Mix the two sauces together in a large mixing bowl.

4. Add mozzarella cheese and combine. Add drained pasta.

5. Pour into a 9x13 casserole dish and bake about 20-25 minutes until hot and bubbly.

6. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and bake another 5 minutes. (I also added some basil to mine before serving.)

While the pasta baked in the oven I cooked our bread sticks according the package directions in our toaster oven.

Enchilada Casserole and Quick Salsa

15-oz. bag tortilla chips, divided (I usually use 1/2 of the tortilla chips and for the other half I use soft corn tortillas sliced up into about 1'' strips)

2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

10 3/4 oz can of cream of chicken soup

10-oz can enchilada sauce (I like Hatch)

16-oz can green chile sauce

Optional additions: black beans drained, canned corn, shredded chicken (cooked)

Arrange a layer of chips (or chips and tortillas strips) over the bottom of a greased 9''x13'' casserole pan; sprinkle one cup of cheddar cheese on top. Stir soup, enchilada sauce and green chile sauce together in a mixing bowl. If adding additional ingredients add those into the sauce too. Pour half of the sauce mixture over the cheese layer. Add another layer of chips; spread with remaining sauces. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Easy Salsa

3 cans of diced tomatoes, drained

1 can tomato and green chilies, drained (I use Rotel)

cilantro

Blend all three ingredients together in a large bowl. I've used a food processor or even a hand processor and they both do well with these.

BBQ Chicken Pizza and Salad

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1 cup cooked chicken, diced and 1/2'' cubes (leftover from Monday)

One 12'' pizza crust (I used Boboli)

2 T olive oil

1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup red onions, chopped

2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

Lettuce for salad and any additional veggies/toppings

1. Mix BBQ sauce and chicken and allow to marinate to a few minutes, or even up to 24 hours. (Since I used our leftovers from Monday it was already taken care of. Mine is a little less diced and more shredded since it's leftover but it still works well, maybe not a pretty looking.)

2. Preheat oven 400 degrees F.

3. Spread fresh pizza dough on parchment paper or pizza stone (no cookie sheet). Lightly spread with olive oil on the crust leaving about 1'' edge. Add mozzarella cheese. (Again, I used a Boboli crust as it saves lots of time.)

4. Evenly distribute BBQ chicken on top of the cheese. Top with onions and garnish with cilantro.

5. Bake on middle or top rack for 9-13 minutes and serve.

While pizza is baking put together salad.

Tomato Bruschetta and leftover Red and White Pasta Bake

2 hamburger or hot dog buns, split (I'll probably make a little more - leftover from Monday)

4 T olive oil

6 Roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded and diced

6 kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped (we might skip these and add diced red onion as I have leftover onion from the pizza)

2 T fresh oregano or basil, torn

kosher salt and pepper

leftover pasta bake

1. Heat broiler.

2. With a rolling pin, roll the bun halves until flattened.

3. Place on baking sheet and brush both sides of the buns with 2 T of the oil. Broil until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.

4. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives (or maybe red onion), oregano or basil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and the remaining oil. Transfer the buns to a platter and spoon the tomatoes over the top.

Meals for the week of...February 1, 2010

Can you believe it's February already? One full month of meal planning down! I'm loving coming up with the meals and planning ahead with the hope that it helps out by giving some of you ideas or even a full plan. I used to cook the same items that I posted but a few weeks ago I skipped ahead a week so I could take pictures to include with the recipes. I'm not a professional photographer (as you can tell) but I think a few pictures make the meals more enticing! Hope these meals get your February off to a great start.

Monday: Rotisserie Chicken, Baked Sweet Potatoes, and Vegetables

Tuesday: Fiesta Ravioli

Wednesday: Chicken Noodle Soup and Salad

Thursday: Toasted Pesto Bagel Sandwiches and Baked French Fries

Friday: Frozen Chinese Meal

Rotisserie Chicken Baked Sweet Potatoes, and Vegetables

Save the leftover chicken from tonight to use the chicken noodle soup for later in the week. Instead of baking the sweet potatoes I microwave them to save time. The veggies I made were some sort of frozen cheesy broccoli as I am trying to use up items I have in my freezer.

Fiesta Ravioli

1 package (25 oz) frozen Beef Ravioli

1 can (10 oz) Enchilada Sauce

1 jar (8 oz) Salsa

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 can (2.25 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained

Cook ravioli according to package. Meanwhile in large skillet combine enchilada sauce and salsa. Cook and stir over medium heat, until heated through. Drain ravioli; add to sauce. Top with cheese and olives. Cover and cook over low heat 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chicken Noodle Soup and Salad

2 boxes chicken broth

1 package family size frozen Egg Noodles

Rotisserie chicken, cut up into bite-size pieces (I'm using leftovers from Monday)

sliced baby carrots (steamed in the microwave for several minutes to soften)

sliced celery

lemon pepper

Pre-washed, pre-cut bagged lettuce and desired toppings for salad

(Sorry about the odd looking salad - I forgot to take the picture until after I started eating...oops! Please forgive me.)

Heat chicken broth to boiling. Following package directions, prepare egg noodles properly before adding to broth. Cook sliced baby carrots in microwave, slightly covered, to soften before adding to broth. When broth begins to boil add egg noodles, celery, carrots, chicken, and desired amount of lemon pepper for seasoning and cook until vegetables and noodles are soft.

Toasted Pesto Bagel Sandwiches and French Fries

This recipe is one I made up in college when I ate a similar bagel sandwich at a local bagel shop.

Bagels (I like the onion or everything)

Pesto sauce

Cream cheese

Deli sliced ham

Tomato

Clover sprouts

1 package frozen french fries

Toast bagel and spread cream cheese on one half of an open bagel and pesto on the other half. Add ham, tomato, and sprouts (and any other desired toppings) to bagel sandwich. While making sandwiches, bake french fries.

Frozen Chinese Meal

At our local grocery store I find lots of great Chinese meals that I buy when they are on sale. They make for easy, quick meals that are not your typical frozen entree.

Meals for the week of...January 25, 2010

Monday: Honey-Mustard Ham Steaks, Roasted Asparagus, and Crescent Rolls

Tuesday: BBQ Meatloaf, Corn, and Salad

Wednesday: Chicken Asian Stir-fry served on Ramen Noodles

Thursday: Spaghetti and Salad

Friday: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Honey-Mustard Ham Steaks - recipe from Betty Crocker's Best Loved Recipes

Unless you have two ovens, making both the asparagus and the rolls in the oven could be a little more time consuming. Good thing is that both the asparagus and the rolls only need about 10-15 mins each in the oven. My first step for tonight's meal is to get the rolls in the oven. After I get the rolls in I will start cooking the ham. When the ham is simmering for the 15 mins I will prep the asparagus and when the rolls have finished I will toss the asparagus in. As the asparagus is cooking I will finish up the ham and all should be ready about the same time. I may warm the rolls slightly by tossing them in the still warm oven after turning it off when the asparagus is cooking. I do have a toaster oven that I can cook the rolls in but I may give the shuffle a try to see how manageable it is.

Honey-Mustard Ham Steaks

1/4 cup water

2 T honey

1 T dijon mustard

1 pound fully cooked smoked ham sliced (about 1ch thick), cut into 4 serving pieces

1/2 cup sour cream

1 green onion, sliced

1. Mix water, honey and mustard in a 10-inch skillet. Add ham. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer about 15 minutes, turning once, until ham is heated through. Remove ham from skillet; keep warm.

2. Stir sour cream into mixture in skillet; heat 1 minute. Pour over ham. Sprinkle with onion.

Sides: Roasted Asparagus and Crescent Rolls

Roasted Asparagus - recipe from myrecipes.com

2 bunches asparagus (about 2 lbs)

2 tsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup packed freshly shredded parmesan

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Hold the end of an asparagus stalk and bend until it snaps off. Repeat with remaining stalks and discard woody ends.

2. Toss asparagus with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. Arrange asparagus in an even layer in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake until asparagus is crisp-tender and cheese is browned, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Serve hot or warm.

BBQ Meatloaf - recipe from Cooking Light's 5 Ingredient 15 Minute Cookbook

1 lb ground round (I've always used ground beef)

1/2 cup barbecue sauce, divided

1/4 cup frozen chopped onion, pressed dry (I've never found this item so I used dried minced onion)

1/4 cup Italian-seasoned dry breadcrumbs

2 egg whites

1/4 tsp pepper

Combine meat, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, onion, breadcrumbs, egg whites, and pepper in a large bowl; stir well.

Shape mixture into a 7x5-inch loaf on a rack in a roasting pan. (I've never done this - I just toss the meat mixture into a loaf pan.) Spread remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce over loaf. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or to desired degree of doneness.

Sides: Canned or frozen corn and Salad

Chicken Asian Stir-fry served on Ramen Noodles

2 chicken breasts, diced

Teriyaki sauce (amount depends on how much flavor you like)

Soy sauce (amount depends on how much flavor you like)

Frozen/fresh vegetables, steamed

Ramen Noodles Beef (or similar flavor) cooked according to package

Cook diced chicken breasts in a wok or large skillet. Add teriyaki and soy sauce to chicken as it cooks. When chicken is cooked thoroughly add steamed vegetables and additional sauces for flavor. When warmed through add noodles only (drain from soup) to chicken and vegetable mixture.

Spaghetti and Salad

1 package spaghetti noodles

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 package pre-washed and cut lettuce

Cook noodles according to package while warming sauce. Add sauce to noodles and serve with salad.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Whole wheat bread

Butter

Sliced cheddar cheese

1-2 can Tomato Soup

Butter one side of each piece of bread. In a heated skillet, place bread butter side down and layer with sliced cheese and top with another piece of bread, butter side up. Cook until browned and flip to brown other side. While cooking sandwiches, heat soup according to directions.

Meals for the week of...January 18, 2010

Monday: Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast allrecipes.com

Tuesday: Basil-Parmesan Angel Hair Pasta

Wednesday: French Dip with Au Jus and Vegetables

Thursday: French Bread Pizza

Friday: Hamburgers and Sweet Potato Fries

I have Monday off so I thought I'd treat my hubby to a pot roast meal. He loves that sort of meal. I've tried several recipes I just haven't found one I really like yet. I did some more searching this week and found one that had rave reviews! I guess we all can also judge. The pasta on Tuesday comes from my sister. She found this recipe that is not only good tasting but also good for you! I've used this recipe to make a batch of this spaghetti on Sunday to use for my lunches during the week. It's nice and light! The left over hoagie buns from Wednesday will be perfect for the french bread pizza on Thursday. I've recently discovered sweet potato fries (even bought a massive bag from Costco) so I'm using them every chance I get, this week with hamburgers. Those of you who have a long weekend in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day...I hope you enjoy your extra day off!

Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast - allrecipes.com

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix

1 1/4 cups water

5 1/2 pounds pot roast

In a slow cooker, mix the cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix, and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture. Cook on high setting for 3-4 hours, or on low setting for 8-9 hours.

I'm going to add baby carrots and diced russet potatoes to the bottom of the slow cooker before putting the meat in. I read many reviews of this recipe and they all said it was great. The soup mixture makes a great gravy. Some people tried vegetables too and said they came out great.

Basil-Parmesan Angel Hair Pasta

1 package (16 oz.) angel hair pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 can (12 oz.) fat-free evaporated milk

2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

½ cup thinly sliced green onions

¼ cup minced fresh basil

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder or minced garlic

¼ teaspoon pepper

Additional fresh basil

12 lemon slices (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the pan. Add oil; toss to coat. Add the milk, Parmesan cheese, onions, basil, lemon peel, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through. Sprinkle with additional basil. Serve with lemon slices.

You can easily add meat to this dish by adding some rotisserie chicken or shrimp.

French Dip with Au Jus and Vegetables

1 package Hoagie style buns

Sliced roast beef from the deli

cheese (optional)

Au Jus sauce mix (found in the spice section of the grocery store with the packaged sauces/gravies)

Make Au Jus according to package directions. I usually heat the Au Jus and then warm the meat in the Au Jus before placing on the Hoagie Buns. My husband likes cheese on his so I melt the cheese in a toaster oven before adding meat to his sandwich.

Side:

1 package frozen vegetables

French Bread Pizza

Pizza sauce (or substitute spaghetti sauce)

Mozzarella cheese

Pizza toppings

Left over hoagie buns or french bread rolls

Slice hoagie buns lengthwise and top with pizza sauce, desired pizza toppings, and cheese. Bake in the oven or a toaster oven until cheese is melted.

Hamburgers and Sweet Potato Fries

Hamburger patties

Hamburger buns

Sweet Potato Fries

Cook hamburgers as desired (we buy the pre-made frozen patties from Costco and grill). Cook fries according to package directions.

Meals for the week of...January 11, 2010

Monday: Tostadas with Mexican Rice

Tuesday: Runner's Beans and Corn

Wednesday: Catalina Crock-Pot Chicken and Rice with a side of Mixed Vegetables

Thursday: Breaded Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing and Crescent Rolls

Friday: Baked Potatoes with Cheesy Vegetables

On Monday you'll need to brown 2 lbs. of meat. One for Monday night and the other to be used Tuesday night. You can use either ground beef or turkey but I prefer turkey for the Runner's Beans. The Runner's Beans and the Catalina Crock-Pot Chicken will make enough for leftovers either for lunch or later in the week/weekend.

Tostadas with a side of Mexican Rice

1 package tostada shells

1 lb ground turkey or ground beef + 1 additional pound of meat for tomorrow night.

1 can refried beans

lettuce

cheese

sour cream, guacamole, and/or salsa (all optional)

Tonight you will be browning 2 lbs of meat but will only be using 1 lb for the tostadas. Brown turkey/hamburger until cooked thoroughly. Once the meat is browned, remove half and save in the refrigerator until tomorrow night. Add refried beans to meat mixture and heat in skillet. In the mean time cook the Mexican Rice (microwaveable) and if desired toast the tostada shells in the oven for a few minutes until lightly browned. Top tostada shells with meat/bean mixture and desired toppings.

Side dish:

1 package frozen Steamables Mexican Rice

Cook rice according to package directions and serve along side of tostadas.

Runner's Beans with a side of Corn

1 lb ground turkey (or ground beef)

1/2 cup red onion, diced

1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained

1 15 oz can great northern or butter beans, drained

1 28 oz can vegetarian baked beans (I like the Bush's brand)

1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I usually add about 1 cup as we like BBQ sauce)

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 T apple cider vinegar

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Brown turkey and onion in a large skillet until meat is thoroughly cooked. (Since the turkey is already cooked this time I am going to brown the onion and then add the turkey after the onions are browned to heat through.) Add remaining ingredients to the skillet and mix well. Transfer meat and bean mixture to a 9 x 13 baking dish and bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes. (Thank you Kate for sharing this with me.)

Side dish:

1 can or package corn

Cook corn and serve along side of Runner's Beans casserole.

Catalina Crock Pot Chicken and Rice with a side of Mixed Vegetables

4 frozen chicken breasts (add more if needed for a large serving)

1 bottle Catalina Salad dressing (do not use the light version)

1 package Lipton Dry Onion Soup mix

1 can Cranberry Sauce

In a crock pot, add frozen chicken breasts, Catalina dressing, dry onion soup mix, and can of cranberry sauce. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.

Side dish:

White rice

1 package mixed vegetables

Cook rice and serve chicken on top of the rice along with a side vegetable.

Breaded Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing and Crescent Rolls

1 bag pre-washed salad

Breaded chicken tenders (or you could use grilled chicken instead)

Vegetables you like to add to your salad

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing (my husband likes Asian dressing on this salad)

Cook chicken following package directions. Once cooked, slice chicken into strips and place on top of salad with desired vegetables. Add honey mustard dressing to salad.

Side dish:

1 package crescent rolls

Cook crescent rolls following package directions and serve with salad.

Baked Potatoes with Cheesy Vegetables

Russet potatoes

1 jar Cheese Whiz (Salsa con Queso is nice for a little spice)

1 bag frozen California Mix vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots mix)

Cook potatoes in microwave by piercing with a fork before cooking. Cook until a fork stuck into the middle feels soft. Steam frozen vegetables on the stove. When the vegetables are thoroughly cooked add 1/2 to 3/4 cup cheese mixture and heat over low heat on the stove. If needed add a little milk to thin the cheese. Cut bakes potatoes and top with cheesy vegetable mixture.