What?!?!? A whole week at home???

Well the girls and I are home at last!  What a WONDERFUL weekend!!!  You know the saying "There are no friends like old friends"  well there is so much truth in that that I came away from this weekend feeling somehow a better person for having been able to reconnect with some old friends.  My heart is full, and coincendently so is my belly, yes still :)

Congrats again to Stephanie who won my first ever giveaway!  I am excited to send Sandi Richards' book to someone else to enjoy!

My challenges this week in planning are a) company and b) Miss Lu's birthday, but I have done my best.  I am also looking for ideas to plan my May long weekend meals for a big camping trip!  Any ideas you have would as always be appreciated.

Take care my friends!



Monday - Beefy Ranch Tacos
Ingredients

1 pkg flour tortillas
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg Taco Seasoning mix
Ranch dressing
Shredded lettuce
Shredded cheese
Chopped tomatoes
Salsa Sour cream

Cook ground beef in skillet until done. Add seasoning packet and however much water the packet calls for. Cook for another minute or two to reduce the sauce.  Heat tortillas in microwave and assemble toppings.  Put about 2 heaping tablespoons of beef on a tortilla and top with your choice of veggies/cheese. Top it off with Ranch dressing.


Tuesday - Mediterranean Pork & couscous...and some veggie
Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. garlic powder
2 1/4 tsp sage
1/4 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
4 thick cut boneless pork chops
salt and pepper to taste.

Cut small slits in each pork chop then pour mixture over the top. Slow cook on high for 4-6 hours. Pull it apart, serve over couscous!

Wednesday - Cheater Chicken Souvlaki, Roasted Veggies, Pita and Tzatziki
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)

Roasted 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

1/4 cup crumbled feta

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.
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).

Thursday -Prawn and Mango Skewers with rice
Ingredients
1 package frozen tiger prawns
1 bag frozen mango chunks ( or 1-2 fresh mangoes)
enough sweet Thai chili sauce to coat

Directions
Thaw prawns and mango chunks and marinade in sweet Thai chili sauce until ready to BBQ.  Grill until prawns are done (they will become pink in colour) Serve over rice, with dipping sauce!
Friday - Nachos (the birthday girls request!)


Saturday - Lettuce Wraps 

Ingredients
16 butter lettuce leaves
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons minced pickled ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Asian chile pepper sauce (optional)
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil

Directions
Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.
In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside to cool. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!

Sunday - 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.

Home!

We survived.  Not only did we survive our first camping trip of the year, but we had a great time.  Nothing better than chilling with my fam, oh and hitting up Costco.... :)

This week I am featuring a recipe from Budget Bytes.  A blog with amazingly yummy sounding dishes and cost effective to boot!  Go over and check out her blog, I promise it's worth the trip :)

Hope you all had a great Easter!  Happy Eating!

xoxoxoxo
Mealplanningmama

Monday - Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches

Tuesday - Guacamole salad   served in tortilla bowls found here
(Guacamole salad recipe courtesy of Budget Bytes)
3 medium ripe avocados
3 large roma tomatoes
1/4 red onion
1 clove garlic
1 small lime
1/4 bunch cilantro
1 whole (or less)jalapeno
1/4 tsp salt
about 10 cranks fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 can black beans

Dice the tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, garlic and cilantro and place them in a bowl. Dice the jalapeno, onion, garlic and cilantro very finely while leaving the tomato in larger chunks (approximately 1/2 inch square). Dice the avocado about the same size as the tomatoes. Save the avocado for last to minimize the time that it is exposed to oxygen and reducing the likely hood of it turning brown. Once the dressing is mixed in, the acid from the tomatoes and lime will keep the avocado from turning brown during storage.
In a small bowl combine the olive oil, juice and zest from the lime, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the diced vegetables and stir to combine!

 Wednesday -Choo's chicken marinade, basmati rice and roasted veggies
3/4 c. olive oil
1/2 c. soy sauce
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1/4 c. wine vinegar
1 t. parsley flakes
2 cloves garlic-mashed

Mix all ingredients together. Let your meat of choice (our favorite is chicken) marinade for 20-30 minutes or as long as 24 hours. 

Thursday -steak caesar wraps

1 head romaine lettuce
4 whole wheat tortilla shells
1 large or 2 small steaks, sliced THINLY
1 cup croutons
parm cheese

Grill steak until desired doneness, Slice thinly.  Take tortilla shell, spread caesar dressing on shell, add lettuce, steak croutons and sprinkle with parm!  Wrap and ENJOY!


Friday - Steak & crab legs (for Mr M) , roasted asparagus and baby red potatoes


Saturday - Wasabi and Panko-Crusted Pork chops
Ingredients
2/3  cup  panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1  large egg white, lightly beaten
4  (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1  teaspoon  peanut oil
Cooking spray
1/8  teaspoon  salt
1  tablespoon  bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
1/3  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2  tablespoons  sake or dry sherry
2  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce
2  teaspoons  sugar
1  teaspoon  wasabi paste
1/3  cup  thinly sliced green onions

Directions: 
Place panko in a shallow dish. Place egg white in another shallow dish. Dip pork in egg white; dredge in panko.
Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat; add pork. Cook for 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove pork from pan; sprinkle with salt.
Reduce heat to medium. Add ginger to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Combine broth and the next 4 ingredients (through wasabi) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in green onions. Spoon sauce over pork.

Sunday - Nacho casserole!

Food is good.

And so is this weeks meal plan! I am really looking forward to trying the Buttermilk chicken recipe sent to me by a good friend (and brilliant hairdresser!)

We have company arriving Friday, so I am not sure how the end of this week will carry out, but hopefully we will round it up with some yummy pork tenderloin! Feel free to let me know how you cook it, I need some ideas!

Take care,



Monday - Buttermilk Chicken, rice and carrots

Buttermilk Chicken:

Chicken Drumstick, or Thighs, (kids love the drums)
Buttermilk, enough to  have chicken swimming
5 whole garlic cloves ..squashed
Cumin..1 tbsp
1/4 cup maple syrup
salt
pepper
1 large zip lock bag

Put chicken in the ziploc bag.  In a separate bowl, mix all ingredients,
pour mixture into bag, mush and squish until all covered....leave in fridge to have chicken embrace all flavours.
Sometimes I will leave it overnite for more tender chicken

Pan fry chicken, until lightly cooked, then put into a hot oven, 350..until done
The ingredients themselves, can change in amounts depending on if you like more garlic, more cumin, ect..
 
Tuesday – Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
16 butter lettuce leaves
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons minced pickled ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Asian chile pepper sauce (optional)
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil

Directions
Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.
In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside to cool. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!

Wed – Greek Pitas
2 chicken breasts
1 cucumber
2 tomatoes
1 red onion
olives (if desired)
1 cup crumbled feta
4 -6 pita pockets

Dice chicken and cook in a skillet over medium heat.  Season with "greek seasoning"  When done toss in a bowl with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, olives (if desired), red onion, and feta.  Stuff pita pockets!


Thu- Chicken w/ bruschetta and feta, couscous

Heat oven to 400, place chicken in a shallow baking dish, sprinkle with bruschetta and feta cheese.  Bake 25 mins or until juices run clear. 

Fri – Out!

Sat- Turkey Tacos
Ingredients
1 lb lean ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1tbsp chili powder
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2tsp each salt and pepper
4 green onions, chopped
¼ cup sweet chili sauce
1cup shredded lettuce
2small plum tomatoes, chopped
1cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2cup light sour cream
1small avocados, peeled, pitted and chopped

Directions:
In large nonstick skillet, sauté turkey over medium-high heat, breaking up with fork, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Drain off fat.
Add garlic, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper; sauté over medium heat to blend flavours and evaporate liquid, about 6 minutes. Stir in green onions and chili sauce. Scrape into serving bowl.
Meanwhile, heat taco shells in microwave oven at medium (50% power) for 30 seconds.
Serve meat mixture and bowls of lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream and avocado for everyone to spoon into taco shells.


Sun – Pork Tenderloin - not sure yet how I will prepare it, but I will keep you posted!