Happy Sunday!

Yep, always a Happy Sunday in my world. We made the trip yesterday to my favorite big grey box store and OH MY DANGER! Why is it we always spend way more money than intended at Costco?!?!? At any rate my formerly really empty deep freeze is once again happy, and really so am I :)

I will be posting my Superbowl menu later this week, look forward to Apricot shredded pork sandwiches, which I remember as being really yummy and am hoping that it was not just the beer, along with some other treats!

So my friends, another weekly menu from your favorite Meal Planning Mama

xoxoxo


Monday - Kung Pao Chicken  
Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
4 cups broccoli florets (I will be using "ZEN" frozen veggie mix)
1 tablespoon ground fresh ginger, divided
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped salted peanuts

Directions

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli/ veggies and 2 teaspoons ginger to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add water. Cover; cook 2 minutes or until broccoli/ veggies are crisp-tender. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in pan; add remaining 1 teaspoon ginger, crushed red pepper, and chicken. Cook 4 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned, stirring frequently.

Combine broth and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Return broccoli mixture to pan; toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts.

Tuesday - Spicy Shredded Beef 

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds boned beef chuck
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) chopped tomatoes
1 can (7 oz.) chipotle sauce (see notes), or 7 ounces spicy salsa
1 can (4 oz.) diced jalapeño chiles, drained
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons ground dried New Mexico chile or regular chili powder
1 tablespoon honey
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups beef broth

Directions

Rinse beef and trim off excess fat. Put in a slow-cooker (at least 5 qt.). Add tomatoes (with juice), chipotle sauce or salsa, jalapeños, onion, garlic, ground chile, honey, salt, and cumin; pour broth over the top.

Cover and cook on low until beef is very tender when pierced, 8 to 10 hours. If desired, remove lid for last 30 minutes to allow sauce to reduce and thicken.

With a heavy fork, transfer meat to a rimmed board or plate. Shred with two forks. Ladle out half the sauce and reserve (see notes). Return shredded beef to the remaining sauce in slow-cooker, cover, and let warm. Serve in sandwiches.

Wednesday - Mini Meatloves and salad 


Ingredients

1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground beef
2/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, cheese, oats and salt. Add the ground beef, mixing well, and form this mixture into eight miniature meatloaves. Place these in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Stir thoroughly and spread over each meatloaf.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 min

Thursday - Chicken Nuggets and Oven fries 

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into sticks
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs
3 chicken breast halves (1 1/2 lb.), cut into chunks
2/3 cup honey mustard ( you can make your own easily! 1/3 c. mayo, 1/3 cup mustard, 2tbsp honey)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, toss potatoes with oil and salt. Spread on an oiled baking sheet.

Place bread crumbs in a shallow pan or pie plate. In a large bowl, toss chicken chunks with salt and pepper. Stir in honey mustard to coat thoroughly. Place chicken chunks, several at a time, into panko and press on all sides to adhere. Spread on an oiled baking sheet.

Bake potatoes and chicken about 20 minutes, turning occasionally with a metal spatula. Increase heat to 450°F. Remove chicken after 5 minutes, once it's golden and cooked through; tent with foil to keep warm until ready to serve. Cook potatoes until golden brown and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes longer.

Friday - Pork Chops with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, and peas 
Ingredients

4 pork chops
seasoning salt
garlic powder
garlic salt
1 can mushroom soup

Directions

Heat skillet to medium heat. Put pork chops in pan and season tops. Cook until sides are browned and top becomes whitish, then turn over. Season other side. When pork chops are cooked, remove from pan. Pour soup into skillet add 1/2 can of water mix. Serve gravy on the side!

Saturday - Soy-glazed Salmon, wild rice and asparagus  

Ingredients

1 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic
4 pieces (about 6 oz. each) salmon fillet (see notes), skin on
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions

In a 1- to 2-quart pan, mix soy sauce, honey, and garlic. Stir often over medium-high heat until glaze is reduced by about a third, 7 to 10 minutes.

Pour 3 tablespoons glaze into a small bowl and reserve. Pour remainder into a shallow 2- to 3-quart baking dish. Set salmon pieces in dish, skin side up; let stand 15 minutes. Turn salmon pieces over.

Bake in a 450° oven until salmon has turned opaque at the edges but is still translucent in the center (cut to test), 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven.

Increase oven heat to broil. Brush salmon evenly with about half the reserved glaze and sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds. Broil 6 inches from heat until sesame seeds are toasted and salmon is opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 2 to 3 minutes.

Drizzle salmon with remaining reserved glaze. Use a wide spatula to transfer pieces to plates.



Sunday - SUPERBOWL!!!!! I will be posting my menu for this event later in the week so stay tuned. In the mean time check out Picky Palates oh so fun looking walking tacos! Don't these look fun....http://picky-palate.com/2010/01/31/how-to-make-and-eat-walking-tacos/

I may be in love with this woman.....

Sprinkle Bakes www.sprinklebakes.com BUT WAIT...the recipe actually comes from this site: http://keyingredients.com I know it's a lot of links for a Tuesday morning but SERIOUSLY.....red wine AND chocolate, a MUST for Valentines.
 

So much better than I was this morning.....

Well my friends another week has flown by. This week wasn't without its trials and tribulations but we made it through, don't we always??? I will admit I attempted to do this blog this morning but was way too 'under the weather', but after my two hour nap, I am in better spirits and STARVING. So my friends, another menu!


Monday - Sloppy Joes served with veggies and dip  

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
1 lb ground beef
4 buns


Directions

In a large, heavy skillet, saute onions in butter or margarine over medium heat. Add meat, and cook until browned.
Mix in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, and ketchup. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until sauce coats the meat. Serve hot.



Tuesday - Maple-Mustard Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Apples  
Ingredients

2 (1/2-pound) pork tenderloins
Cooking spray
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 medium Granny Smith apples, each peeled and cut into 16 wedges (about 2 1/2 pounds)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°.

Trim fat from pork. Place pork on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Combine mustard, 2 tablespoons syrup, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; brush over pork. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of pork. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink).

While pork is baking, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add apples, and saute 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Reduce heat to low, and add 4 tablespoons maple syrup. Simmer 10 minutes or until apples are tender, stirring occasionally. Cut pork crosswise into slices; spoon cooked apples over pork.


Wednesday - Mediterranean Chicken  
Ingredients
2 c fresh sliced mushrooms
1 small can of sliced black olives, drained
1 small jar of artichokes in oil, undrained
1 can of sliced stewed tomatoes (or just regular ol' chopped tomatoes), drained
3T tapioca
3 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 T Italian seasoning
1/2 t salt
3/4 c chicken broth
1/4 c white wine (I always use cooking wine, or you can substitute more chicken broth)

Directions
Combine mushrooms, olives, artichokes and tomatoes at the bottom of the crockpot; sprinkle with tapioca.
Place chicken on top of vegetables; sprinkle with Italian seasoning and salt
Pour chicken broth and white wine over the chicken
Cook on high for 3.5-4 hours
Serve over cooked fettuccine and sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.

Thursday - Steak Stir-Fry or leftovers if we have them....


Friday - Easy Baked Fish Fillets, green beans and rice  
Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds grouper or other white fish fillets (I will be using cod)
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, melted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place fish in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine lime juice, mayonnaise, onion powder, and pepper in a small bowl, and spread over fish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs; drizzle with butter. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Sprinkle with parsley.

Saturday - Baked Ravioli, garlic bread and salad  

Ingredients
1 jar (16 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup zesty Italian Dressing
2 pkg. (9 oz. each) refrigerated cheese-filled ravioli
1 cup shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. Combine spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, broth and dressing in 13x9-inch baking dish. Add ravioli; toss to coat. Cover with foil.

Bake 50 min. or until ravioli is tender.

Remove foil; stir. Sprinkle with cheese; let stand 5 min. or until melted.

Sunday - Nacho Casserole  

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 can corn
1 cup salsa
1 cup miracle whip
crushed nacho chips
shredded cheese (about 2 cups)

Directions

Brown beef. Add corn, salsa, miracle whip. Layer crushed nacho chips on the bottom of a casserole dish, then add meat mix, then cheese. Repeat. Bake at 350 for 30 mins!

So hungry....

Another week, another menu my friends! I am proud to say I followed each meal last week and we actually did not eat out once! Not a hard feat in Sparwood hahaha. Enjoy!

Monday - Kickass Roast Beef Sandwiches & Oven fries  
Ingredients
Garlic Bread

1 large loaf of Italian bread
1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
1/2 cup butter softened
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Green peppers and onion topping

1 red bell pepper cut in thin ¼ inch strips lengthwise
1 yellow bell pepper cut in ¼ inch strips lengthwise
1 small onion sliced thin
1 tablespoon garlic oil

Leftover roast beef, sliced thinly or you can use Steak

1 1 – 2 inches thick whole Sirloin steak with good marbling
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons mixed Italian dried herbs
2 cups mixed spring lettuce


Directions
Garlic Bread

Slice the baguette lengthwise.
In a medium bowl; mix together the garlic, butter, parsley, salt and pepper. Spread mixture all over the bread.
Wrap bread in foil and heat for 4 minutes in the barbeque warming rack when you are ready to grill the steak.

Green peppers and onion topping

For the peppers and onions:
Place the peppers and onions in a bowl. Drizzle with garlic oil, salt and pepper.
Place the vegetables directly into a fry pan. Cook for approximately 3-4 minutes. Stir occasionally during cooking.


Roast beef/ Steak

Preheat barbeque for high heat (475°F-500F) (246C-260°C). Oil grill to prevent sticking.
Rub beef all over with olive oil, pepper, herbs and salt.
Place strips of beef on grill and cook until nice char marks are achieved about 5-6 minutes.
Remove from grill, cover with foil and allow the meat to rest 10-12 minutes.
Slice steak into thin slices across the grain and pile on bread, add the peppers and lettuce. Close baguette and cut the loaf into 2 inch pieces.

Tuesday - Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. (225 g) extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup each chopped green and red peppers
1 can corn
1 can refried beans
2 cups salsa, divided
1/2 cup Tex Mex Shredded Cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. calorie -wise Zesty Italian Dressing
8 flour tortillas (6 inch)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. Brown meat with peppers in large nonstick skillet. Stir in 1 cup salsa, corn and beans; simmer 5 min., stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 cup cheese.
Spread 1/4 cup of the remaining salsa onto bottom of greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Brush dressing lightly over both sides of tortillas. Stack 4 tortillas; wrap in large sheet of waxed paper. Microwave on HIGH 10 to 20 sec. or just until warmed. Immediately spoon 1/3 cup meat mixture down centre of each warm tortilla; roll up. Place, seam-side down, over salsa in dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and meat mixture; top with remaining salsa. Cover with foil.
Bake 20 min. or until heated through. Uncover; top with remaining cheese. Bake 2 to 3 min. or until melted. Top with cilantro.


Wednesday - Chicken Satay, Spinich Salad & rice 

Ingredients

4 to 6 bamboo skewers (can be found in gadget section of grocery store)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in cubes (1 1/2 lbs or 675 g)
4 to 6 jumbo shrimp
2 large plastic re-sealable bags
1 cup bottled peanut satay sauce (or Szechwan sauce)

Directions

Soak skewers in warm water while you’re preparing the meal. It makes it a lot easier to skewer the meat.
Toss chicken cubes in a re-sealable plastic bag. Pour peanut satay sauce all over. Close bag and squish together. Let stand in fridge.
Set oven to broil.
Spray a broiler pan with cooking spray.
Skewer chicken onto skewers, leaving a small space between each piece of chicken.
Simply place the cubes onto the broiler pan if you don’t have timer to skewer them.
Turn chicken cubes as they brown watching them carefully. Chicken is ready when the inside of the largest piece is white.

Thursday - Chicken & Pepper Quesadillas 


Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, diced
1 packet fajita seasoning
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon bacon bits
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Grease a baking sheet.
Toss the chicken with the fajita seasoning, then spread onto the baking sheet. Place under the broiler and cook until the chicken pieces are no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the green bell peppers, red bell peppers, onion, and chicken. Cook and stir until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.
Layer half of each tortilla with the chicken and vegetable mixture, then sprinkle with the Cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and Monterey Jack. Fold the tortillas in half and Place onto a baking sheet.
Bake quesadillas in the preheated oven until the cheeses have melted, about 10 minutes.

Friday - Pizza....yes a frozen one....

Saturday - YAMAGOYAS with my Book Club girls!

Sunday - Baked ham, mashed potatoes & corn

As promised, Tzatziki!

Ok so I cheated for tonight's dinner and bought tzatziki. I taste tested it yesterday and IMMEDIATELY regretted buying a dip. Not because it sucked, it was meh...ok i guess, but no where near as good as this recipe! So try it, you will not regret it one bit...I PROMISE.

TZATZIKI  

1 long english cucumber grated and juice drained through a colander
1 cup sour cream
2 cups plain yogurt
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp dill, finely chopped (fresh if possible)
1/2 tsp mint (optional)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl. combine ingredients and mix well.

ENJOY!

Houston, we have a problem......

TOTALLY DECADENT.
CHOCOLATE-Y GOODNESS.
Sinful...truly sinful...

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe 


Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
few shakes of salt
about 2 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to counter top or cooling rack! ***** I don't use cooling racks as I find they make the final cookie less moist*****

Yummy for the Tummy

Happy Sunday Everyone! Time for yet another weeks full of meals! I am starting to wonder where the time goes, because that week flew by! I didn't end up making the Minestrone soup as we ordered in Chinese for Mr. M who was recovering from surgery. So I will stockpile that recipe for later.

A good friend of mine started her own blog this week, inspired by my cajones hahaha, so I will feature a recipe of hers from time to time, and for those of you who want to check it out, FRESH IDEAS, is looking mighty yummy so far... http://fresh-gal.blogspot.com/

One of the major struggles I encounter with meal planning in my soooo soooo small town is lack of ingredients. I am unsure if I can get one of the ingredients needed for my first recipe but I am hoping because it sounds delicious! So without further ado, Happy Eating everyone!

Monday - Italian White Bean, Pancetta, and Tortellini Soup (From Giada De Laurentiis Everyday Pasta) 

**********NOTE**********
I had to make the following substitutions due to lack of ingredients in my lovely (please note the undertones of sarcasm) local store, Overchargey. BUT even with the substitutions the soup was GREAT, Lu even ate it!

fava beans instead of cannellini beans
thick-cut bacon instead of pancetta
red chard instead of swiss chard

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 lb. pancetta, chopped (thick-cut bacon also works)
3 shallots (or, 1 small yellow onion), chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch of Swiss chard, chopped
6 c. chicken broth
2 c. water
1/2 lb. ( 1 package) fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
Salt and pepper
:

Directions
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta, shallots/onion, and carrot and cook until the vegetables are soft and the pancetta is crisp, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, beans, chicken broth and water and bring up to a boil over high heat. Toss in the Swiss chard and let it wilt, about 3 minutes.

Add the tortellini and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the tortellini are tender (about 4 minutes for fresh, 8 minutes for frozen). Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

Tuesday - Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms  

Ingredients:
4 servings
15 min 5 min prep
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced (or more!)
4 (4 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
2 cups small mushrooms, halved,or quartered if using larger mushrooms
1/3 cup chicken broth or white wine
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crumbled

Directions:

In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil.
In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, the mustard and garlic.
Add the chicken and coat both sides with the mixture.
Transfer the chicken and mixture to the skillet; saute until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
In the skillet, heat the remaining teaspoon of oil.
Saute the mushrooms about a minute; add the broth/wine, thyme and remaining tablespoon of vinegar.
Cook stirring until the mushrooms are deep brown, about 2 minutes longer.
Serve the chicken, topped with the mushrooms.

Wednesday: Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Casserole recipe from FRESH IDEAS 

INGREDIENTS
1/4 Cup Butter
1/4 Cup Flour
1 Onion*
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper
2 1/2 Cups Milk
1/4 Cup Bacon Bits (I use leftover bacon from the weekend)*
2 Cups Grated Cheese (Sharp Cheddar is best, but I use a mixture in a pinch)
½ tsp Worcestershire Sauce
½ tsp mustard
2 Cups Macaroni (dry)

Topping:
½ Cup Bread Crumbs
2 tbsp butter
2-4tbsp Grated Cheese (I like fresh Parmesan)
Pinch Paprika

DIRECTIONS

*Onion and Bacon bit are optional

Cook macaroni noodles until tender firm. Melt butter in a sauce pan, add onion (if using) and sauté until transparent. Add flour, salt and pepper and stir until bubbling. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until smooth and thickened. Add cheese and stir until smooth; mix in mustard, Worcestershire and bacon bits. In a casserole dish (1.5 quart) mix together cheese mixture with cooked macaroni noodles. Meanwhile, melt butter for topping in a small sauce pan, add bread crumbs and grated cheese. Place topping mixture on macaroni and cover. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes; uncover and bake for 10 minutes at the same temperature.

Thursday - Cheater Souvlaki with Pita, Tzatziki and Grilled Vegetables   (courtesy of Sandi Richard Fixing Dinner)Ingredients

4 cloves cloves of garlic
Heavy freezer bag (large)
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 large large chicken breasts (approx 1 1/2-2 lbs / 675-900 g)

Tzatziki ( I will probably use a store bought one, or the recipe from Whitewater cooks at home which I will post later)
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon dried dill (fresh is better if you have it)
1 teaspoon garlic (in a jar)
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning

Veggies
1 small zucchini
1 red onion
1 stalk celery stalk
7 mushrooms (quartered)
1 green pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Italian Seasoning
Prepared marinated chicken
1/4 cup crumbled feta
2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes (from a jar) (optional)

4 ( 8”) pita pockets


Directions
Smash garlic cloves with the back of a wide knife. Peel and finely chop.
In a strong freezer bag, add the following ingredients; chopped garlic, oregano, olive oil, wine and lemon juice. Swish the ingredients around to combine.
Cut chicken into large chunks, adding to bag as you cut. Before closing the bag, massage the sauce into the chicken pieces while holding the bottom of the bag.
Lay the bag on the counter, holding the open side straight up. Fold toward you and seal. Place in fridge, flat, until you are ready to serve dinner.
Prepare tzatziki in a small bowl with lid, combining the following; sour cream, dill, garlic and spice. (If and only if I have the time, I chop up fresh garlic.
Cover and place in fridge.

When you’re ready to make dinner…
Heat oven to 450°F (230º C).
Cut veggies in large chunks (so kids can pick out what they don’t like) tossing into a large cake or lasagna pan as you cut.
Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with spice. You can use any veggie that grills nicely.
Pour the bag of chicken with marinade into another cake or lasagna pan.
Place both the chicken pan and veggie pan in the oven at the same time. Set timer for 20 minutes. When the timer rings, remove veggies. Drain part of the liquid from the chicken pan.
Put the chicken back into the oven on a low broil. Toss veggies into a bowl with feta and sun dried tomato. When chicken starts to get a few brown edges, remove from oven and stuff the pita pockets with whatever components you like (or eat it all separately).

Friday - Leftovers!

Saturday - Out! We have company coming.....

Sunday - Roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, veggie and garlic mashed potatoes 

ROAST BEEF
1 roast
1 bulb garlic
garlic salt
garlic powder

Cut up garlic and place slices in the roast (take knife and make a slit push garlic into roast) season with garlic powder and salt. Cook for 1-1 1?2 hours at 350F in oven.

Yorkshire Pudding ****the trick to getting the puddings to rise is to have the eggs and milk at room temperature when you make the batter*****

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour
1 cup egg (about 4)
1 cup milk
salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to hot (425F/220C/Gas 7)
Put a teaspoonful of oil or dripping in each of several muffin tins or, to be truly Yorkshire, a couple of tablespoonsful in a larger roasting tin and place in the oven until the fat is really hot and beginning to smoke. Meanwhile combine the rest of the ingredients and beat to form a batter of the consistency of double cream.
If you wish you can add mixed dried herbs to add a savoury flavour.
When the fat is smoking take the tin out of the oven and place it over a low light so that it doesn't cool as you add the batter.
Pour in the batter If you're using muffin tins don't over fill.
Remember that the puddings will rise and puff up.
Put the tin back into the top of the oven as soon as possible and leave for about 20-25 minutes by which time they will be puffed up and crisp.

Yeah!

I have 3 followers, I feel so popular! That's all. Happy Friday!

Yummy Muffins!

Ok, I HAD to share these muffins we made the other day.  I made 12 and they were GONE before the day was over. Whenever I find a new recipe I always make as directed, then I try substitutions later. There are endless possibilities to changing up this muffin recipe, so play around!

HEALTH NOTE: For healthier muffins substitute whole wheat or spelt flour for all purpose, sub splenda for sugar, and apple sauce for butter!

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
a few generous shakes of cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add milk and flour mixture. Beat until combined. Stir in blueberries
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes.

Blogger Help???

Since I am a newbie at this, does anyone know how I can set up direct links to my recipes? You know like archive the recipe anywhere on my blog for easy finding later on? Could you leave me a comment or email me at mealplanningmama@gmail.com ? THANKS!!!!!

A New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!!! I hope it was exactly what you wanted it to be. I am kicking off the New Year with a healthy-ish meal plan and one that requires a little less cooking for some days as i know many of us will be back to the grind. Both of the slow cooker meals can be made in a large pot on the stove, so do not fret if you do not have a slow cooker, but trust me they are a great investment!

Monday - Burgers 

Ingredients
1lb ground beef
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons minced onion
a few good shakes of oyster sauce
a few good shakes Montreal steak spice
a few good shakes Garlic Plus
bread crumbs (to fill it out)
1 egg

Directions
Mix ingredients, shape into patties, BBQ until desired doneness! Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato, cheese and your favorite burger condiments

Tuesday - Make your own Pizzas 

I have half a steak cooked and sliced that I threw in the freezer so I am planning on using this.

Ingredients
1 premade pizza crust
1 thinly sliced steak
1/2 thinly sliced green pepper
1 bulb roasted garlic
1 jar tomato sauce
2 cups grated pizza mozzarella
Any other toppings you enjoy on a pizza!

Directions

Preheat oven as per crust directions. Spread sauce evenly over pizza crust. Top with steak, peppers, garlic and any other toppings, cover with shredded cheese. Bake until crust is brown and cheese is bubbly (9-13 mins at 425)
I also made ham and cheese for the kiddies

Wednesday - Crockpot Taco Soup 

Ingredients
1pound (500 g) hamburger
1 package taco seasoning
1 package dry ranch dressing
1 14 oz cans of kidney beans
1 14oz can brown beans
1 can Niblet corn or frozen corn
1 14 oz can tomato sauce
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 14 oz can water
1 bag cheese flavored nacho chips

Directions
Brown ground beef in on stove, add taco seasoning and water. Drain and add to crockpot. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer on high for 3 - 4 hours or low for longer. Serve topped with cheddar cheese and crushed cheese taco chips.

Thursday - Leftover soup

Friday - Autumn Vegetable Minestrone Soup  & homemade dinner rolls

Ingredients
2 14.5oz cans of Veggie broth
1 18 oz can crushed tomatoes - undrained
3 medium carrots - chopped
3 small zucchini - sliced
1 medium yellow pepper - cut into 1/2" pieces
8 medium green onions
2 cloves garlic
2 cups shredded cabbage
2 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Parmesan

Directions
Mix all ingredients except basil in a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 6-8 hours or until veggies are tender. Serve garnished with fresh basil and parm!

Dinner Rolls 
Ingredients

1 cup water (110 degrees F)
2 packages yeast (Do not use the quick rising in this recipe)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/4 cups flour

Directions

Combine water and yeast in lg bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. With wooden spoon, stir in butter, sugar, eggs and salt. Add flour, 1 cup at a time and beat in as much as you can, you will probably be able to use all the flour. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
Grease a 13x9 baking pan. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Divide into 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth round ball. Place in rows in prepared pan.
Cover and let rise for 1 hour; until doubled. Heat oven to 375*. Bake until golden brown, about 17 minutes.

Saturday - Leftovers

Sunday - Foil Packet Chicken Fajita Dinner 

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
1-1/2 cups hot water
1 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning Mix
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1 each green and red pepper, cut into strips
1/2 cup Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1/2 cup Mexican Style Finely Shredded Taco Cheese

Directions

Heat oven to 400ºF. Fold up all sides of each of 4 large sheets of heavy-duty foil to form 1-inch rim; spray with cooking spray. Combine rice, water and taco seasoning; spoon onto foil. Top with remaining ingredients.
Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal each packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place in 15x10x1-inch pan.
Bake 30 to 35 min. or until chicken is done. Let stand 5 min. Cut slits in foil to release steam before opening packets.