Meals for the week of...April 26, 2010

Monday: Fish sticks and veggies

Tuesday: Turkey Cranberry Sandwiches and Corn

Wednesday: Chicken Piccata

Thursday: Tilapia with Green Beans from the Food Network

Friday: Chicken Noodle Soup

Fish Sticks and Veggies

Frozen Fish Sticks

Steamable Veggies

Cook both according to package directions.

Turkey Cranberry Open Faced Sandwiches and Corn

1 package thinly sliced deli turkey

Sliced pepper-jack cheese

Jellied Cranberry Sauce

1 small jar Apricot or Peach Jam/Jelly (or something similar)

Hoagie Buns

Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees. Mix 1/2 jelly jar and 1/2 can cranberry sauce together in a bowl. Cut the hoagie buns in half lengthwise. On each half, layer with cranberry sauce mixture, sliced turkey, and top with pepper-jack cheese. Place all open faced sandwiches on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil in the oven to warm and melt the cheese - approximately 10 minutes.

Chicken Piccata

This is an awesome recipe from my sister-in-law. Problem is she and I cook more on a dump and taste method rather than measuring so I'm going to be estimating the amounts I used. It's an easy recipe and does not require precise measurements. If the sauce it too lemony add more wine or vice verse if it doesn't have enough lemon flavor.

4 Chicken breasts or 9-10 tenderloins

1 to and 1 and 1/2 cups flour

1/2 t salt

1/4. t pepper

3 T vegetable oil

3 T butter

2 lemons

1 Jar of Capers

1/2 cup white wine or cooking wine (may need more)

Angel Hair Pasta (about 1 package)

Salad and toppings

Heat butter and vegetable oil in a skillet (I like to use my electric skillet for this recipe). Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Pound chicken thinly and coat chicken in flour mixture. When oil/butter mixture is hot add chicken. Cook chicken thoroughly flipping only a few times during cooking. Remove chicken and keep warm once it's thoroughly cooked. Add white wine and juice of 1 and 1/2 to 2 lemons to skillet. Cook until warmed. Add capers and continue to heat. If you think you may need more sauce add any additional ingredients (butter, lemon juice, and/or white wine). Add chicken back to skillet and coat with sauce. Sauce with thicken while chicken is reheating. Serve chicken on top of pasta with lemon slices on top (for extra fanciness).

While making the chicken cook angel hair pasta according to package directions. Drain and add olive oil to keep noodles from sticking together

Tilapia with Green Beans

Tilapia with Green Beans

Chicken Noodle Soup

2 containers pre-cooked Chicken Noodle Soup from the deli section of the grocery store.

Prepare according to package directions.

Where are the meals?

I'm sorry for not having the new meals up this week but I do have something special to share. My little boy turned 2 last week and we had his birthday party this past weekend. I spent many hours decorating and preparing for the party. I wanted to share with you the cupcakes I made for the party. The theme was Sesame Street so I made Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Oscar cupcakes.

Meals for the week of...April 12, 2010

Monday: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Tuesday: Herb and Lemon Scented Tilapia and Rice

from Taste of Home Favorite Brand Name Recipes 2009

Wednesday: BBQ Beef Sandwiches and Corn

Thursday: Linguini with Herbs, Tomatoes and Capers

from Taste of Home Favorite Brand Name Recipes 2009

Friday: Dinner Out!

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.

Herb and Lemon Scented Tilapia and Rice

1 cup minced fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup minced fresh chives

3/4 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp pepper, divided

1 large lemon

1 pound tilapia fillets (large fillets if available)

butter or olive-oil-flavored nonstick cooking spray

4 tbsp butter, divded

1. Combine parsley, chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on a platter. Grate peel from lemon over herbs. Toss to combine. Reserve lemon.

2. Spray tilapia fillets with nonstick cooking spray. Press fillets into herb mixture to coat both sides.

3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add tilapia. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily when tested with fork. Transfer to serving platter. Keep warm.

4. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to skillet; melt over low heat. Cut lemon in half; squeeze juice from one half into skillet. Stir remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper into lemon-butter mixture. Pour over fish. Slice remaining lemon half for garnish. Serve immediately.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches and Corn

1/2 cup red onion, diced
pork roast (the size doesn't really matter - depends on how much you want for leftovers but plan on using leftovers for Thursdays dinner)
1 bottle BBQ sauce (or more depending on the size of the pork or the size of the BBQ sauce bottle)
Hamburger buns
Canned Corn

Put onion in the bottom of the crock pot or slow cooker. Add pork and bottle of BBQ sauce. Depending on how much BBQ sauce you like you may want to add a little more so the pork has enough moisture and flavor. Cook on low 6-8 hours until pork is done. When cooked through shred the pork and serve on hamburger buns as sandwiches.

Linguini with Herbs, Tomatoes, and Capers

1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated fresh linguine

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped tomoatoes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

3 tablespoons capers

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

1/4 salt

1/8 teaspoon

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Cook linguine according to package directions; drain well.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until tomatoes begin to break down and soften, basil. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Add linguine to skillet; toss with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

Dinner Out!

Enjoy!

Meals for the week of...April 5, 2010

Okay, it's Saturday night and I'm finally getting around to putting up this weeks meals. I'm sorry about the delay. We've had family in town almost all week working on finishing our basement remodel and they just left this morning. I'm just catching up on the necessary chores around the house and am finally getting this to post the meals. Since I had family in town my meals were a little different this week but still some great ones. We went out on Thursday so I am sticking in a recipe that is a good one I've made for years.

Monday: Flank Steak Lettuce Wraps

Thanks Katie for this great one!

Tuesday: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Wednesday: Tacos

Thursday: Pan-Glazed Chicken with Basil and Au Gratin Potatoes

from Cooking Light 5 ingredient/15 minute cookbook

Friday: Frozen Lasagna and Salad

Flank Steak Lettuce Wraps

This recipe can be made with chicken as well.

Flank Steak

Iceberg Lettuce

Shredded Carrots

Cucumbers - diced

Bean Sprouts

Hoisin Sauce

Sweet Chili Sauce

Grill flank steak until desired level of doneness. Once cooked slice into bite-size pieces. Peel lettuce pieces off head of lettuce so you have a little cups to hold the meat and veggies. Mix hoisin sauce and sweet chili sauce (both found in the Asian foods aisle in the grocery store) 1/2 and 1/2 in a bowl.

Take lettuce and layer with meat, veggies, and sauce. Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

1 lb ground hamburger

Spaghetti noodles

Spaghetti sauce

Brown hamburger. Cook noodles and heat sauce as directed on package.

Tacos

1 lb ground hamburger

1 package Taco Seasoning

Onion - diced

Lettuce - shredded

Tomato - diced

Cheese - shredded

Salsa

Taco shells

Brown hamburger and saute with diced onions. Add taco seasoning according to package directions. Serve taco shells and meat with desired toppings.

Pan Glazed Chicken with Basil and Au Gratin Potatoes

4 chicken breasts

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tsp olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over med/high heat. Add chicken and cook thoroughly. Stir in vinegar, honey, and basil, cook 1 additional minute.

Frozen Lasagna and Salad

Cook frozen lasagna according to package directions. Use any leftover vegetables to top salad. I had shredded carrots, snap peas, and broccoli I topped our salads with this week.