DailyDinnerDilemma...SOLVED!

2014-12-07T13:06:00.000-05:00

Gotttttaaaa get back on track with menu planning! I have been raising with monogramming and building my mascara business!

Sunday - Spaghetti

Monday - Grilled Chicken and Veggies

Tuesday - Chicken Bok Choy over Jasmine Rice

Wednesday - Creamed Tuna on Toast

Thursday - Eggplant Parm

Friday - Neighbor Christmas Party

Saturday - Work Christmas Party

This weeks Menu!

2014-09-01T20:30:00.002-04:00

Monday - Leftover Mandarin Orange, Feta, and Walnut Salad

Tuesday - Grilled Chicken and Veggie Skewers

Wednesday - Shrimp Stir Fry

Thursday - Buffalo Chicken Wraps and Broccoli Slaw

Friday - Grilled Chicken Sandwiches and Onion Rings

Saturday - DATE NIGHT!

Sunday - Left overs

2014-08-25T09:52:00.001-04:00

This Week's Menu! 2nd week of school and the afternoons are flying by! Football on Tuesday Nights and trying to fit in some exercise on the other evenings. Last week of the month - so I went semi- meatless to stay within my Grocery Budget.

Monday - Taco Salad - Spinach, Black Beans, Corn, Salsa, Yogurt Ranch

Tuesday - Creamed Tuna on Toast

Wednesday - Cheese Ravioli and Marinara Sauce

Thursday - Curried Chick Peas and Rice

Friday - Veggie Pasta Salad

Saturday- Football Saturday - SNACKS

2014-08-18T07:47:00.000-04:00

August 18-24 Menu Plan

Monday - Veggie Spaghetti

Tuesday - Chick Peas and Jasmine Rice

Wednesday - BBQ Chicken Sandwiches and Roasted Broccoli

Thursday - Left Overs

Friday - Steel City Pizza with Friends! Yay!

Saturday - Grilled Salmon, Roast Red Peppers with Feta

Sunday - Stir Fry - shrimp/veggies

Our Menu - August 11-17

2014-08-11T10:53:00.000-04:00

Mmmm!! Found some good stuff on pinterest this week! So, here I sit - planning my menu, ordering my groceries from Harris Teeter Online Shopping and sharing it so you can get some ideas, too!

Monday - Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins
http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/healthy-chipotle-chicken-sweet-potato-skins/

Tuesday - Egg Plant Parmesan
http://www.marthastewart.com/313564/baked-eggplant-parmesan

Wednesday (Meet the Teacher, YAY) - Tuna Melt with Sweet Potato Fries

Thursday - Chicken Enchilada Bake (with flour tortillas)
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/quick-and-easy-green-chile-chicken-enchilada-casserole/

Friday - Caprese Paninis and grilled zucchini

Saturday- Out to Eat

Sunday - BBQ Chicken Sandwiches and roasted broccoli

Menu Plan - August 3rd-9th

2014-08-03T09:27:00.000-04:00

So, my goal for this coming school year is to be organized!! Last year with my 3 boys in school (2 days, 4 days, and all day elementary school) we were so scattered and I was so worried I would forget someones snack day, project due date, or field trip money. This year I am on it! I already have my big ole day timer started with important dates and now I am getting back in to serious meal plans - breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All three boys will be in school this year (little one half days) and we will be starting Sports. Busy time!

So here's to hoping I can stick with it - First Menu Plan in quite some time:) Hope it helps! It helps everyone in the house to know what to expect and keeps me on budget. Nothing fancy here!

August 3-9

Sunday: Zucchini Parmesan
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/zucchini-parmesan/

Monday: Chicken Stir Fry
(Seriously- just chicken tenderloin sauteed in coconut oil and a bag of the Eat Smart Fresh Stir Fry Veggies in coconut oil, soy sauce, and mined garlic)

Tuesday: Veggie Fajitas
Various Bell Peppers and Onions sauteed in coconut oil, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper - add lime juice to cook down. Serve with tortillas, guacamole, cheese, and salsa. Boys usually opt for a cheese quesadilla which I whip up at the same time.

Wednesday: Pork Chops on the Grill and Honey Glazed Carrots

Thursday: Chicken Feta and Salad)- Chicken Breast (I get the thing ones - top with feta and basil and bake!

Friday: Homemade Pizza - we get the dough from the Publix Bakery - top with pizza sauce and your favorite toppings - we do cheese for the boys and mozzarella, basil, and cherry tomatoes for us.

Saturday: Out to eat / Take Out

Weekly Meal Plan (March 19-23)

2012-03-19T07:54:00.000-04:00

Monday: Shredded Pork Tacos

Tuesday: Salmon Burgers with Roaster Butternut Squash

Wednesday: Grilled Chicken with mashed sweet potatoes

Thursday: Shrimp Couscous

Friday: Pork Chops with warm broccoli and cauliflower salad

Weekly Meal Plan (March 4-12)

2012-03-04T08:27:00.000-05:00

Sunday:

Turkey Sliders and Warm Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Carrot Salad

Actually got this recipe off of the Turkey Meatlball Bag and can't wait to try it!

Turkey Meatballs are cooked in cranberry juice and served on a small roll with mayo, sharp cheddar, red onion, and a spinach leaf.

The warm salad - is a bag of fresh veggies, steamed and mixed with a little bit of mayo, salt, pepper, and garlic while it is still warm.

Monday:

Meatloaf and Spinach Salad

I do not eat red meat - so, my meatloaf is a mixture of ground pork, ground turkey, feta cheese, an egg and various spices.

Tuesday:

Sausage Squares and fresh fruit

Mixture of sausage, eggs, and cheese - doubling up so, I can take a batch to MOPS the following day.

Wednesday:

Rotisserie Chicken, Brown Rice, and Asparagus

Super simple - I like to pick up 2 Rotisserie Chickens each Sunday when they are on sale:)

Thursday:

Pork Tacos and pinto beans

Shredded Pork in a whole wheat soft taco shell with cheese and sour cream with a side of beans. Spice up the pork any way you like!

Friday:

Tilapia and Roasted Cauliflower

Baked Tilapia with Capers and Chopped Tomatoes on top - Cauliflower drizzled with Olive Oil and Garlic.

Saturday:

Chicken Chili

Rotisserie chicken Shredded, Northern Beans, chicken broth, onions in crockpot - topped with cheese.

Sunday:

Pork chops and Spinach Salad

Grilled or Baked depending on weather.

Lunch will be leftovers for the hubs, sandwiches for the boys, and I am doing a Boresha Shake. Breakfast will be hardboiled eggs for Hubs and I and oatmeal or cereal for the boys.

South West Batter Bake

2011-10-03T09:28:00.000-04:00

Just saw this recipe on a friends blog ( http://meetusinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/10/southwest-batter-bake-from-e-mealz.html) - this will be on our menu for this week:

South West Batter Bake

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chkn breasts

1/2 packet of taco seasoning

(4c cooked rice)

15 oz can pinto beans w/ some juice

1/2 bunch green onions, diced

1 large tomato, diced

15 oz can corn, drained

(Salsa, FF sour cream) optional

8 oz. box cornbread mix

(Egg sub, FF milk)

Layer in 13x9: rice, beans, green onions, tomatoes, chicken- (sprinkle with taco seasoning), corn, and then corn bread batter. Substitute egg sub and FF milk in cornbread batter. Bake at 350 for 25-35 min, until cornbread is done. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

MMMMM...Football Snacks!

2011-10-01T15:44:00.001-04:00

I don't know about you, but at our house during the Fall...Saturdays mean Football! On football Saturdays, we rarely make meals, instead we graze all day. We love to have boiled peanuts cooking and several dips. I love making dips and experimenting to find new recipes. Here are two dips we are having today:

Jalapeno Popper Dip
Ingredients:
2 blocks Cream Cheese
1/2 cup of Mayo
Box of Keebler Club Crackers
1 Jar of diced Jalopenos
1 Small Jar of Green Chiles
1 Cup of Cheddar Cheese
1 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup of melted butter

Directions:

Mix cream cheese, jalapenos, chilies, and cheddar cheese in a bowl and put in a casserole dish. Make a topping out of 1 sleeve of the crackers (crushed), butter and Parmesan. Sprinkle on top of mixture in casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with other club crackers.

Bacon, Ranch, Horseradish Dip

Ingredients:
Oscar Meyer Bacon Bits
1 Large tub of Sour Cream
1/2 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Mix
1 bunch of green onions (chopped)
3 tablespoons of horseradish

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and let chill for 1-2 hours before serving. Serve with Ruffles or Fritos.

Cream Tuna on Toast

2011-09-27T15:50:00.000-04:00

So, tonight we are having one of my husbands childhood favorites. Budget friendly and easy prep!

2 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
2 c. rich milk
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. flaked tuna, canned

2 hard boiled eggs

1 small onion, dices

Melt butter and blend in flour; add milk and stir while cooking until mixture is thick and smooth. Add salt and pepper, chopped hard boiled eggs, onion, and canned tuna. Serve hot on squares of toast.

Blueberry Chicken Salad

2011-08-25T11:54:00.000-04:00

Came across this while browsing this morning - and it sounds delicious - quick easy meal when it is still hot out!

Ingredients

2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup fresh blueberry
3 tbsp. reduced-fat red raspberry vinaigrette
1 tbsp. sliced almond, toasted
Bread of Choice

Directions

Stir the chicken, celery, blueberries, vinaigrette and almonds in a medium bow and divide the mixture among your bread - would be great in a pita pocket, too!

Don't have time to cook the chicken? Use canned breast meat.

Frugal Vegetarian Meal

2011-08-22T14:16:00.000-04:00

So, in order to trim our monthly grocery budget...we decided to go meatless 2 nights a week. Those 2 nights would be meals under $5 - which is a pretty big savings overall considering at least 8 meals a month could feed a family of 5 for under $5 a meal. One night we are having beans and rice - as I have posted before - yellow rice and some seasoned pinto beans - or any combination you can imagine - and then the other meatless night being a vegetarian Ramen Noodle stir fry..yes, I said Ramen!

We just boil 4 packs of noodles and stir fry a bag of frozen mixed veggies (deluxe stir fry) and top with some soy sauce. It has become one of our favorite meals and my boys actually love it!! Give it a try - quick, cheap, and easy!

Ham and Cheese Roll Ups

2011-08-07T07:31:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:
2 cans of biscuits
Sandwich ham
Shredded cheese (1/2 bag)
Directions:
Open the tube of biscuits. Take two at a time and roll them out fairly thin on a cookie sheet. Place a slice of ham in the center and add some shredded cheese. Roll up the biscuit and dip the rolled biscuit in the shredded cheese. Place the roll cheese side up and bake until browned slightly, about 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with mustard to dip and some fresh fruit or coleslaw.

Your kids will love this and it is just $5 to feed a family of 4 to 5!

Baked Chicken and Rice

2011-08-06T08:24:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:
1 c. plain white or brown rice
1 large pkg. of chicken pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 envelope of dry onion soup mix
2 soup cans of water
Directions:
In a large greased covered casserole, place 1 cup plain ole white rice. No instant, no parboiled, just plain rice. Add a layer of chicken parts. Pour cream of chicken over the chicken and rice along with the envelope of dry onion soup mix, and almost 2 cans of water. Use the soup can to measure.
Bake at 35o degrees for 1.5 hours

$7 meal and super tasty and kid friendly! Add a bag of broccoli in the mixture or on the side for your greens.

South West Grilled Cheese and Fruit

2011-08-05T07:33:00.018-04:00

Ingredients

1 14-ounce can pinto beans, preferably low-sodium
3 tablespoons prepared salsa
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt
3 scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
8 slices of your favorite bread

Preparation

Combine beans, salsa and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Mash the beans with a fork until they begin to form a paste (some can remain whole). Combine cheese, yogurt, scallions and cilantro in a small bowl. Spread some of the bean mixture on each of 4 slices of bread. Top with a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture. Cover with the remaining slices of bread. Add butter or pam to your sautee pan and cook until lightly browned on both sides and cheese in gooey and melted.

This is a $7 meal and is a great kid friendly meal idea. Serve with some fresh sliced pineapple.

Chicken Pasta & Spinach Casserole

2011-08-04T07:30:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:
Penne Pasta
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
1 28 oz. jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 3 oz. package cream cheese
2 cups fresh baby spinach
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Pour into prepared baking dish.
Heat oil in a large saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chicken, seasonings, half of the spaghetti sauce and the drained tomatoes. Let simmer for a few minutes.Add cream cheese cut up into small peices. Add to chicken and tomato sauce mixture. Simmer until cream cheese is melted.Stir in spinach. Cook until spinach wilts slightly. Pour chicken mixture over pasta, mix well. Top with one cup of the shredded mozzarella. Top with the remaining spaghetti sauce, remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes.

This is a $12 meal and will last you 2-3 meals (Can be frozen, tooo!). The pan is packed when you make this one! So good!!

Cranberry Chicken and Grilled Zucchini

2011-08-03T06:21:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:

8 oz Can jellied Cranberry Sauce

¾ Cup Dijon Mustard

6 Pieces of Chicken, Thighs and Legs or Breasts if you like

Zucchini

Olive Oil

Directions:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir cranberry sauce and mustard blended and smooth. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, Grill (or broil) Chicken for about 20 minutes or until juices run clear. Brushing with sauce during last 10 minutes of grilling. Slice zuchinni long ways and coat with olive oil - you can grill or broil these along side the chicken.

This is and $8 and you are likely to have last overs for tomorrows lunch:)

Sweet and Sour Chicken Kabobs

2011-08-02T06:18:00.000-04:00

Got this one from http://eatathomecooks.com/ - super yummy!

Ingredients

For the kabobs:

1 1/2 – 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast (depending on the size of your family), cut in 1-inch pieces On Sale $2.99/lb. at Publix or $1.99/lb. at Kroger
2 tablespoons sugar $0.50/1 C&H Granulated Sugar Product, exp. 9/30/11 (RP 06/26/11), $0.50/1 Imperial Granulated Sugar printable
3 tablespoons soy sauce $1/1 Kikkoman Product printable or $0.55/1 Kikkoman Soy Sauce, exp. 12/31/11 (SS 05/15/11)
1 garlic clove, minced or crushed
1 green pepper, in chunk sized pieces
1 onion, in chunk sized pieces
1 can pineapple chunks, drained with juice reserved $.50/2 Dole Pineapple Chunks
rice $0.50/1 Mahatma or Water Maid Rice, exp. 8/31/11 (RP 05/01/11)

For the dipping sauce:

Pineapple juice from the can of pineapple
3 tablespoons vinegar $0.50/1 Heinz Vinegars printable
3 tablespoons brown sugar $.50/1 Imperial Brown Sugar or $0.75/2 Domino Sugar Product, exp. 7/31/11 (RP 05/22/11)
2 tablespoons soy sauce $1/1 Kikkoman Product printable or $0.55/1 Kikkoman Soy Sauce, exp. 12/31/11 (SS 05/15/11)
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions

Place the chicken pieces in a bowl. Mix sugar, soy sauce garlic together and pour over the chicken, coating well.
Refrigerate chicken for anywhere from 3o minutes to several hours
Thread the meat, veggies & pineapple on the skewers, and grill over medium heat, turning frequently. Cook until chicken is done (no longer than 15 minutes.)
Meanwhile, mix dipping sauce ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to a boil until thickened some, and serve with kabobs & steamed rice.

Burger and Tots

2011-08-01T09:39:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:

1 pound of ground beef or turkey
lipton onion soup packet
buns
frozen tator tots

Directions: Everyone loves burger night! Mix up your meat with a packet of lipton soup and grill while your tator tots are cooking! Cheap and Easy:)

Crock Pot Chicken Curry

2011-07-31T07:32:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:
4 -5 chicken breast cut into bite size chunks
1can cream of chicken soup
2/3 cup Mayo
2/3 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon curry powder

1 bag frozen broccoli

White or Brown Rice

Directions:

Add all ingredients to crock pot - cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.

Serve over rice cooked according to package.

This is a $8 meal - you can use sour cream left over from this weeks taco casserole. I keep mayo and curry on hand as this is my husbands favorite meal!

2 Truths, 1 Lie Revealed

2011-07-30T20:57:00.001-04:00

Thanks to all who participated in the 2 Truths, 1 Lie Blog Game! I enjoyed checking out all the blogs you posted as well. Always looking for more to follow!

A couple of you guessed right - my lie was #3...I am not an extreme couponer - Itry to save money on groceries when I can and make meals that will stretch. I do enjoy getting a good deal and am very budget minded when making menu planning decisions. As for my truths, I DID have 3 children within 35 months and I am very thankfully a stay at home mom and enjoy the excitement they bring to life! My other truth - I do not eat red meat - as been something I have done for 12 years now, my reason for starting was a little strange and came from raising cows on my family's farm, and I just got used to not having it in my diet.

Thanks to http://randomosityblog.com/ for starting the game!

2 Truths, 1 Lie

2011-07-30T08:55:00.001-04:00

Playing a little Blogging Game tonight - started by www.randomosityblog.com . 2 truths, 1 lie - also known as an Icebreaker. Leave a comment with your guess as to which one is not true! I will post the answer tomorrow -Bloggers leave a link to your blog, so I can check it out.

1. I had three children within 35 months.

2. I do not eat red meat.

3. I am an extreme couponer.

Classic Spaghetti

2011-07-30T08:28:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:

1 pound ground italian sausage (or meat of choice)
1 jar of Garden Spaghetti Sauce (grab whats on sale)
1 box of thin Spaghetti Noodles

Directions:
Cook noodles as directed and brown meat. Add sauce to meat once browned and drained. Serve over noodles. You can spice this up any way you want...adding garlic, onions, or mushrooms, but this makes a frugal dinner that can be reheated for lunch the next day or dinner in a couple nights!

Serve with green beans or garlic bread for a $7 meal!

Taco Casserole

2011-07-29T09:10:00.001-04:00

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
1 package taco seasoning
1 can) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can tomato sauce
1 can Mexican-style corn or whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup coarsely crushed tortilla chips
Your Favorite toppings, such as sour cream, sliced green onions, shredded lettuce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat. Drain. Stir in Seasoning Mix, beans, tomato sauce and corn. Bring to boil then simmer. Put in 13X9 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and tortilla chips. Bake until cheese is melted. Add toppings if you like - our kids prefer it plain, I add sour cream and onions for my hubby and I.

This is a $10 meal and also lasts us 2 meals. This one is a favorite of my youngest 2 boys!