Welcome! I fell off the wagon in the menu planning department last week and it was a disaster.  No planning = not so great meals or fast food.  One of my New Year’s “goals” was to eat healthier, and so I’m trying to incorporate healthier recipes all around into our menu plan. The plan listed here just includes our dinner menu and recipes. I have calculated Weight Watchers points values using the e-tools Recipe Builder, and points values this week are based on the new Points Plus program! You can see my spreadsheet with our lunch and breakfast foods here (recipes are not included, but points values are – if you want a recipe, let me know!!).  Both kids eat breakfast at home, but my son eats lunch at daycare, my daughter eats lunch at school, and my husband fends for himself!

Many of my recipes this week are coming from The Biggest Loser Cookbook: Budget Friendly Meals Your Whole Family Will Love.  The book really does have a lot of great, family friendly recipes and great pictures, too.  My kids had a great time helping me pick out menu options this week!  Whether you’re counting points or calories, this cookbook is awesome because it includes calories, carbohydrates, fat content, and protein.

If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, then you know that for the past two years, I have done a $40 weekly budget.  With the changes to our eating habits, I’m going to increase our budget to $50 per week and I’m really going to try to stick to that, but I’m not even sure that will be enough.  This will be a trial and error experience, so stay tuned!

If you’re new to menu planning or would like tips for getting started, check out this post here.

SUNDAY:  Peppered Steak – this is a family recipe that came from my mother in law

Ingredients:
3 cups hot cooked rice
1 lb lean beef round steak (cut into 1/2 inch thick strips)
1 T Paprika
2 T butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1 cup sliced green onions
2 green peppers, cut in strips
2T cornstarch
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 lg tomatoes (cut in eighths)

Pound steak to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 1/4 inch wide strips. Sprinkle meat with paprika. Let stand. Brown meat in butter. Add garlic and brother. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in onions and green peppers. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Blend cornstarch, water and soy sauce. Stir into meat mixture. Cook, stirring until clear and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir gently. Serve over beds of fluffy rice.

WW points = 7 per serving (makes 4 servings); add 5 points for 1 cup rice or 3 points for 1/2 cup rice

MONDAY:  Braised pork chops – I got this recipe from my mother in law awhile ago – I think she may have gotten it from a Martha Stewart magazine (or online)

Ingredients:
2 T. veg. oil
6 boneless center cut pork chops trimmed of fat are preferable (but any will do)
1 teas. Dijon Mustard
1T red-wine vinegar
2 T. light brown sugar
1teas. garlic salt
1 T. worcestershire OR soy sauce

Heat oil in a lg. heavy skillet over med. high heat.
Brown chops on each side 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, site together all other ingredients with 1/3 cup water. Pour over chops. Reduce heat, cover and cook until tender, about 1 hour.

Transfer chops to a serving dish. Raise heat to med. high and cook sauce until thickened….about 5 minutes. Pour over chops and serve.

WW points = 5 points per serving, add 5 points for 1 cup brown rice or 3 points for 1/2 cup brown rice
Sides:  carpese salad and green beans

TUESDAY:  Melt in your mouth meatloaf (slow cooker) – I’ve made this several times now for our family.  It’s easy to make and yummy!

Ingredients:
2 eggs
3/4 c. milk (we use skim)
2/3 c. seasoned bread crumbs
2 tsp dried, minced onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (we always make this with ground turkey instead and it’s yummy!)
1/4 c. ketchup
2 T brown sugar
1 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well (mixture will be moist.) Shape into a round loaf; place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon over the meat loaf. Cook 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

WW points = 5 per serving with the ground turkey, ground beef may be more (makes 6 servings)

Sides – Sour cream mashed potatoes (4 pts) and green beans (0 pts)

WEDNESDAY:  Balsamic chicken with mushrooms (from the WW site)

Ingredients:
2 tsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), crushed
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4-oz pieces
2 cup(s) mushroom(s), small, halved
1/3 cup(s) canned chicken broth
1/4 tsp dried thyme, crumbled

Instructions:
* In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil.
* In a medium bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar, the mustard and garlic. Add chicken and turn to coat.
* Transfer chicken and marinade to skillet. Sauté chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a platter and keep warm.
* Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in skillet. Sauté mushrooms for 1 minute. Add broth, thyme and remaining tablespoon of vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are deep brown, about 2 minutes longer.
* Serve chicken topped with mushrooms.

WW points = 4 points per serving
Sides = Baked asparagus with balsamic butter sauce (1 pt), spinach salad

THURSDAY:  Red Chicken Chili with Cornbread Muffies – Carrie posted this recipe on her blog (complete with pictures) and it looked yummy! I have seen lots of recipes for “white chicken chili” but this was the first recipe I have seen for “red chicken chili.” We tried it a few weeks back and loved it, so we’re making it again.  I’m going to put all of the ingredients in my crockpot on low for the day.

Ingredients:
1 bag sliced white mushrooms
1 can (15.5 oz) light red kidney beans, rinse and drain
1 16 oz jar chipotle salsa
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
3 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sour cream
6 oz American ale beer (I’m going to omit this)
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons minced garlic (not dried)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons flour

Boil chicken breasts in water for 40 minutes, shred with fork.

Combine all ingredients except flour. Mix flour with just enough hot water to make a paste. Add to ingredients. Bring to a simmer and continue for 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes. Top with extra cheese and sour cream.

Notes:  Since I made mine in the crockpot, I didn’t do the “paste” part.  I just dumped everything in the crockpot (including the chicken breasts, which were frozen) and let it cook on low for the day.  I shredded the chicken, mixed it all together, and let it cook on low for about 15 minutes before serving.

WW points = 8 points per serving (makes 6 servings), includes sour cream and cheese, cornbread muffins are 4 pts/each

FRIDAY: Baked Ziti w/ cucumber wedges (this is made with whole wheat pasta and comes from The Biggest Loser Cookbook: Budget Friendly Meals Your Whole Family Will Love)

*My daughter carried my cookbook off to her room and is still sleeping, so I will have to add the recipe later!

SATURDAY:  Beef Stew (slow cooker) – I got this recipe on orgjunkie.com originally

Ingredients:
*2 pounds beef chuck or stew meat, cut in 1? cubes (or you can even buy stew meat already cut up)
*1/4 cup flour
*1 1/2 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp pepper
*1 1/2 cups beef broth
*1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
*1 clove garlic
*1 bay leaf
*1 tsp paprika
*4 carrots sliced
*2 cans of potatoes (I have a few potatoes that need to be used up, so I’m going to just cut them up and throw them in)
*2 onions, chopped
*1 stalk celery, sliced

Directions: Place meat in cooker (no need to brown first). Mix flour, salt and pepper and pour over meat; stir to coat meat with flour. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Cover and cok on low for 10-12 hours or high 4-6 hours. Stir stew thoroughly before serving.

WW points = 6 (makes 6 servings)

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information.

Welcome to my first Menu Planning Monday post of 2011! One of my New Year’s “goals” was to eat healthier, and so I’m trying to incorporate healthier recipes all around into our menu plan. The plan listed here just includes our dinner menu and recipes. I have calculated Weight Watchers points values using the e-tools Recipe Builder, and points values this week are based on the new Points Plus program! You can see my spreadsheet with our lunch and breakfast foods here (recipes are not included, but points values are).  Both kids eat breakfast at home, but my son eats lunch at daycare, my daughter eats lunch at school, and my husband fends for himself!

Many of my recipes this week are coming from The Biggest Loser Cookbook: Budget Friendly Meals Your Whole Family Will Love.  The book really does have a lot of great, family friendly recipes and great pictures, too.  My kids had a great time helping me pick out menu options this week!  Whether you’re counting points or calories, this cookbook is awesome because it includes calories, carbohydrates, fat content, and protein.

If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, then you know that for the past two years, I have done a $40 weekly budget.  With the changes to our eating habits, I’m going to increase our budget to $50 per week and I’m really going to try to stick to that, but I’m not even sure that will be enough.  This will be a trial and error experience, so stay tuned!

If you’re new to menu planning or would like tips for getting started, check out this post here.

SUNDAY:  Shredded lime tacos (slow cooker) – I got this recipe from Marci’s blog a few weeks ago.  We tried it and loved it, so it’s back again!

Ingredients:
* 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat – cubed
* 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
* 1/2 lime, juiced
* 1 teaspoon white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
* 1/2 white onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:
Mix together vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, onion, garlic and cilantro. Put in crock pot with chicken and cook on low 6 hours. Shred chicken apart with forks and serve in tacos with toppings of choice!

WW points:  4 points per serving (makes 6 servings).  I serve with 1/2 cup fat free refried beans (2 points), a whole wheat, low carb tortilla (4 points)

MONDAY:  Provolone wrapped chicken – This is a recipe from my the “$5 Dinners” cookbook that I got for Christmas last year.

Ingredients:
8-10 chicken tenderloins
2 T extra virgin olive oil (I’m going to try misting with a sprayer instead, which is a tip I got from the Biggest Loser cookbook!)
salt and pepper
4-5 slices provolone cheese (cut in half)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken tenderloins in an 8X8 inch glass baking dish and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (I will probably add garlic powder and onion powder, as well). Bake in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven. Carefully wrap half a piece of provolone cheese around each chicken tenderloin. The cheese will melt over the warm chicken strips.

WW points:  8 per serving  – makes 4 servings (this is with the 2 T of olive oil, so I’m thinking by spraying it on, it will be less points, but I don’t know how many)

TUESDAY:  Grilled chicken parmesan (from The Biggest Loser Cookbook: Budget Friendly Meals Your Whole Family Will Love)

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 4 oz each)
Olive oil (from a sprayer)
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup marinara sauce (preferably low fat, low sodium, low sugar)
6 T finely shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
2 tsp grated, reduced-fat parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Lightly mist both sides of the chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill the chicken, turning meat once, for 3-5 minutes per side (or until no longer pink inside and juices run clear).  Transfer to a baking dish.

Heat the sauce on low in the microwave until warm.  Top each breast w/ 2 T marinara sauce followed by 1 1/2 T mozzarella and 1/2 tsp parmesan.  Bake for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is just melted.

WW points:  4 points per serving, serve with whole wheat pasta (1/2 cup = 2 points) and green beans (0 points)

WEDNESDAY:  BBQ Bacon Meatloaf (from The Biggest Loser Cookbook: Budget Friendly Meals Your Whole Family Will Love)

Ingredients:
Olive oil spray
1 cup chopped red onion
4 slices extra lean turkey bacon
2/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup fat free milk
1 lb extra-lean ground chicken breast
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 c. BBQ sauce (<7 g carbs per 2 T)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly mist a 9X5X3 nonstick loaf pan with the olive oil spray.

Place a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Lightly spray the pan and add onions and bacon.  Cook, stirring, for 6-8 minutes, or until the onion is tender and the bacon is crisped.  Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool.

Combine the oats and milk in a medium mixing bowl and stir to mix.  Let the mixture stand for 3 minuets, or until the oats begin to osften.  Add the cooled onion and bacon mixture, the chicken,e gg whites, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and salt.  With a fork (or clean hands) mix the ingredients until combined.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread so the top is flat.  Spread the BBQ sauce evenly over the top.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through and no longer pink.  Let the loaf sit for 10 minutes before cutting into slices.

NOTE:  I think I’m going to let this one cook in my slow cooker on low all day.  I’ve done several other meatloaf recipes in there and I’m guessing it will be fine.

WW Points:  6 points per serving (2 slices), makes 4 servings

THURSDAY:  Braised pork chops – I got this recipe from my mother in law awhile ago – I think she may have gotten it from a Martha Stewart magazine (or online)

Ingredients:
2 T. veg. oil (to lower the points value, I’m misting the pan with olive oil…points reported reflect this change)
6 boneless center cut pork chops trimmed of fat are preferable (but any will do)
1 teas. Dijon Mustard
1T red-wine vinegar
2 T. light brown sugar
1teas. garlic salt
1 T. worcestershire OR soy sauce

Heat oil in a lg. heavy skillet over med. high heat.
Brown chops on each side 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, site together all other ingredients with 1/3 cup water. Pour over chops. Reduce heat, cover and cook until tender, about 1 hour.

Transfer chops to a serving dish. Raise heat to med. high and cook sauce until thickened….about 5 minutes. Pour over chops and serve.

WW points:  4 per serving (6 servings total)

FRIDAY:  Baked Ziti (from The Biggest Loser Cookbook: Budget Friendly Meals Your Whole Family Will Love)

Ingredients:
olive oil spray
1 box fiber-enriched ziti or penne pasta
1 15 ounce container fat free ricotta cheese
2 large egg whites
8 ounces (4 cups) finely shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
3 1/2 cups marinara sauce (low fat, low sugar, low sodium)
2 T grated, reduced-fat parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450.  Lightly mist a 13X9 glass baking dish with olive oil spray.  Cook the ziti according to the package directions until al dente and drain.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, egg whites, and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella until well combined.  Add the garlic powder and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (I’m omitting this).  Stir in the cooked pasta until well combined.

Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared dish.  Add half of the pasta in an even layer over the sauce.  Top the pasta evenly with another 1 cup sauce.  Layer the remaining pasta over the sauce.  Spoon the remianing 1 1/2 cups sauce evenly over the top of the pasta, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and teh Parmesan over the top.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until the mozzarella is melted.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Cut into 8 pieces or spoon among 8 bowls and serve.

WW points: 9 points per serving (makes 8 servings)

SATURDAY:  Pizza (we’re going to try out Papa John’s whole wheat crust pizza, which is 7 points per slice)

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information.

My menu plan this week is not very exciting.  I was really bad about cooking last week, so several recipes are carry-overs from last week.

You can read more about my $40 weekly budget in this post here.

If you’re new to menu planning, check out my post about how I do my menu planning.

SUNDAY: leftovers!

MONDAY: vacation – no cooking!

TUESDAY: vacation – no cooking!

WEDNESDAY:  Provolone wrapped chicken – This is a recipe from my the “$5 Dinners” cookbook that I got for Christmas last year.

Ingredients:
8-10 chicken tenderloins
2 T extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
4-5 slices provolone cheese (cut in half)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken tenderloins in an 8X8 inch glass baking dish and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (I will probably add garlic powder and onion powder, as well). Bake in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven. Carefully wrap half a piece of provolone cheese around each chicken tenderloin. The cheese will melt over the warm chicken strips.

THURSDAY:  Shredded lime tacos (slow cooker) – I got this recipe from Marci’s blog a few weeks ago.  We tried it and loved it, so it’s back again!

Ingredients:
* 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat – cubed
* 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
* 1/2 lime, juiced
* 1 teaspoon white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
* 1/2 white onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:
Mix together vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, onion, garlic and cilantro. Put in crock pot with chicken and cook on low 6 hours. Shred chicken apart with forks and serve in tacos with toppings of choice!

FRIDAY:  FONDUE! Our New Year’s Eve tradition since we got married has been to have fondue. We use “kid friendly” fondue recipes. In addition to our fondue, we’re going to have “family game night” taking advantage of all of the great new games we got from the Amazon deals and we’re going to let the kids stay up a little bit later than usual!

Swiss Cheese fondue – I found this recipe in Family Fun magazine a couple of years ago – It is “kid friendly” in that it is milder than regular cheese fondue and uses milk as a base instead of wine.

Ingredients:
* 12 oz. Swiss cheese (or Cheddar, Gruyere, or a combination)
* 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
* 1/4 tsp. paprika
* 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
* 1 garlic clove
* 3 tbsp. butter
* 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups milk
* Juice from a lemon
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Dippers, such as French bread, carrots, peppers, broccoli or cherry
* tomatoes

Instructions
First, grate the cheese into a bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the flour. Set aside. Ask kids 10 and up to grate the cheese. Hold the handle firmly, grip the cheese, tuck fingers back and rub against the holes

In a separate small bowl, stir together the remaining 3 tablespoons of flour, paprika and nutmeg.

Ask your child to peel the garlic clove. Next, rub the cut clove on the inside of a medium-size saucepan until the bottom and sides are completely seasoned (a fun job for kids).

Melt the butter in the pan over medium-low heat and stir in the flour mixture until it is smooth. Explain to your children that this is called a roux (pronounced roo) and serves as the base that will help the fondue thicken. Add the milk, 1 cup at a time, and stir constantly until the creamy sauce is warm.

Next, add the grated cheese by the handful, stirring well after each addition. Continue until the cheese is used up and the sauce is thoroughly combined. Once the cheese has melted, stir in the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, prepare the dippers for the fondue. Cut the bread into cubes. Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces and steam for a few minutes, if desired, to bring out the flavor.

Arrange the vegetables on a large platter and the bread cubes in a basket or bowl. Pour the fondue into a fondue pot. Invite everyone to spear the bread or vegetables on their fondue forks, then dip into the cheesy sauce. Serves eight people as an appetizer or four as a main course.

Chocolate Marshmallow Fondue – This is another fun, easy recipe from Family Fun which has been a hit with my kids!

Ingredients

* 3/4 cup milk
* 1 (6-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips
* 3/4 cup marshmallow cream

SUGGESTED DIPPERS
* Hulled strawberries
* Banana slices
* Apple wedges
* Fresh pineapple chunks
* Graham crackers
* Pretzels
* Vanilla wafers

Instructions

Heat the milk in a medium saucepan until it just starts to simmer. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Add the chocolate chips and let them stand for 1 minute to soften. Then stir until they’re melted and the mixture is well blended.

Stir in the marshmallow cream. Then whisk the sauce until smooth.

Pour the sauce into a fondue pot and set the flame to keep it warm. Serves 4 to 6.

SATURDAY:  Creamy chicken enchiladas – These have been a family favorite for a long time!

Ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use the 98% FF kind)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use the 98% FF kind)
2 cans green enchilada sauce (10 oz)
1 8 oz-16 oz. tub of sour cream (depends how spicy you want the enchiladas)
2-3 chicken breasts, shredded (if I’m in a hurry, I use canned chicken)
8 oz cheese, shredded
1 dozen flour tortillas (you could use corn also)

Add cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and enchilada sauce to a pan. Cook on medium low heat, stirring occasionally. When sauce is will mixed and starts to thin, add sour cream. Continue stirring occasionally until the sauce is well mixed and thinned out. Place a layer of the sauce along the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish. Fill each tortilla with the shredded chicken, sauce, and cheese. Roll and place in the baking dish. When you have filled all of the tortillas (this should make 1 dozen), pour the remain sauce over the top of the enchiladas and then cover with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is well melted.

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information.

Enter to win a Hamburger Helper prize pack (includes Tim McGraw’s latest CD) – ends 12/20

Enter to win a Mozaik “Party in a Box” prize pack (great for holiday entertaining!) – ends 12/10

The new Weight Watchers “Points Plus” system that was released last week has thrown me for a loop.  Most of my recipes now require new calculations in e-Tools online.  So, I will update my posts to reflect the new points values each day as we eat these meals (I haven’t had a chance to do it sooner).

You can read more about my $40 weekly budget in this post here.

If you’re new to menu planning, check out my post about how I do my menu planning.

On weekdays, my posts don’t include lunches.  My son eats lunch at daycare, most days I take lunch or eat a Lean Cuisine/Smart Ones/Healthy Choice meal, I pack a lunch for my daughter, and my husband fends for himself!

SUNDAY ~ Peppered Steak this is a family recipe that came from my mother in law

Ingredients:
3 cups hot cooked rice
1 lb lean beef round steak (cut into 1/2 inch thick strips)
1 T Paprika
2 T butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1 cup sliced green onions
2 green peppers, cut in strips
2T cornstarch
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 lg tomatoes (cut in eighths)

Pound steak to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 1/4 inch wide strips. Sprinkle meat with paprika. Let stand. Brown meat in butter. Add garlic and brother. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in onions and green peppers. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Blend cornstarch, water and soy sauce. Stir into meat mixture. Cook, stirring until clear and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir gently. Serve over beds of fluffy rice.

WW points = 7 per serving (makes 4 servings); add 5 points for 1 cup rice or 2.5 points for 1/2 cup rice


MONDAY ~ Lemon chicken saute – This recipe has come to be known as “Grandma’s chicken” around our house because it was a recipe from my husband’s grandmother that his mom used to make for them

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (this is what we need for our family, adjust accordingly for yours)
3 T all purpose flour
PAM no-stick cooking spray
1/3 cup butter or margarine (we use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter)
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
3 T lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp sugar

Roll chicken in flour to coat. Spray large skillet with Pam or other cooking spray. Add butter and melt over medium heat. Add chicken breast and saute till lightly browned on one side. Turn and brown on second side, 5-7 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove chicken and set aside. Stir teriyaki sauce, lemon juice, garlic and sugar into skillet. Return chicken to pan and simmer 3 minutes. Turn chicken over, and continue cooking until fork tender (2-3 minutes)

Serve over cooked rice.

Serve with Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce – I got this recipe from Marci’s blog and it is YUMMY!

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh asparagus
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. butter (We use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter)
1 T. soy sauce
1 t. Balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Snap ends off of washed asparagus and place on baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 minutes or until tender. Melt the butter in a sauce pan or in the microwave. Stir in soy sauce and Balsamic vinegar. Pour over baked asparagus and serve.

TUESDAY ~ Steak stroganoff (slow cooker) – This is a family favorite!

Ingredients:
2T flour
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 3/4 lb. boneless round steak
2 cans 10 3/4 oz cream of mushroom soup (I use 98% FF)
2 c. water (or 1 can 100% FF beef broth for more flavor)
1 envelope beef stew mix
4 oz can mushrooms, sliced and drained
1/2 c. sour cream
1 T minced parsley

Combine flour, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika in slow cooker. Cut meat into 1 1/2 inch strips. Place in flour mixture and toss until meat is well coated. Add soup, water, and stew mix. Stir until well blended. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours. Stir in mushrooms, sour cream, and parsley and then cook on high 10-15 minutes until heated through. Serve over egg noodles. (Depending on the consistency of the sauce, you may need to add cornstarch to thicken or add more water/broth to thin)

To freeze: Pour into gallon freezer bags (I used Ziploc containers for this one). Allow to cool before freezing.

To reheat: Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Warm on stove and serve over rice or egg noodles. (Add sour cream when warming if you left it out of the initial recipe)

WEDNESDAY ~ Monterey Chicken

Ingredients:
4 (5 oz.) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts1/4 Cup Barbecue Sauce
1/4 Cup Hormel Real Bacon Bits
1 Cup 2% Colby and Monterey Jack Shredded Cheese*
1 (14 oz.) Can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, drained (I’m just going to use regular diced tomatoes)
Sliced Green Onions
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pound out the chicken breasts to flatten.  Season each with a little pepper.  Cook the chicken in a skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray over medium-low heat until no longer pink.

Place each breast onto a baking sheet and top each breast with 1 tablespoon of barbeque sauce, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/4 cup tomatoes, green onions and 1 tablespoon of bacon bits.  Place into the oven and bake until the cheese has melted (about 5 minutes).

Per Serving: 263 Calories; 8g Fat (29.0% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 108mg Cholesterol; 840mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

THURSDAY ~ Beef tips (slow cooker) – I found this recipe in Taste of Home Magazine. We have eaten it a few times now and my whole family (even my picky eater kids) loves it!

Ingredients:
1 beef top sirloin steak (1 pound), cut into 1-inch cubes
2 to 3 medium carrots, chopped
1 to 1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed golden mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 to 1 cup white wine or beef broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Hot cooked egg noodles

Directions:
In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the beef, carrots, celery, onion, soup and wine or broth. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until meat is tender.

Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into cooking juices. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened. Serve with noodles. Yield: 4 servings.

FRIDAY ~  Easy enchirito – I saw this recipe, I think on orgjunkie.com last week and it sounded YUMMY so I decided to try it this week! (the recipe was originally posted on Blessed with Grace)

Ingredients:
* 1 package burrito-sized flour tortillas (I used the smaller ones)
* 1 package burrito OR taco seasoning (OR your best homemade version)
* 1 lb lean hamburger meat
* 1 can re-fried beans (I used fat-free.)
* 1 15 oz can Enchilada sauce (I only used 3/4 of this can.)
* 2 cups shredded cheddar (I used Mexican blend)
* 4-5 green onions, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven 350. Prepare 9×13 casserole dish with non-stick spray.

1. Brown hamburger meat and season, per package instructions, with the burrito seasoning packet.
2. Make one burrito by spreading re-fried beans on one tortilla. Then layer with the seasoned hamburger meat and a small portion of cheddar cheese. Wrap the burrito and place in casserole dish.
3. Repeat step 2 until the casserole dish is full.
4. Pour enough enchilada sauce to completely cover the burritos.
5. Add a layer of cheddar cheese.
6. Finally, top with chopped green onion.
7. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes.

SATURDAY ~ Church Christmas dinner

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**Make sure you check out my Cheerios Prize pack giveaway!! (it includes a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card)

Hooray for Thanksgiving (and a break from work!)  Here’s my “plan” for the week (I sure hope I’m able to stick with it!).

For those of you who may be doing Weight Watchers, I have included the points per serving calculations for some of my recipes this week. I used the “Recipe Builder” feature on the WeightWatchers.com e-Tools program to input all of the ingredients and calculate the points, so it should be pretty accurate.

You can read more about my $40 weekly budget in this post here.

If you’re new to menu planning, check out my post about how I do my menu planning.

On weekdays, my posts don’t include lunches.  My son eats lunch at daycare, most days I take lunch or eat a Lean Cuisine/Smart Ones/Healthy Choice meal, I pack a lunch for my daughter, and my husband fends for himself!

SUNDAY: Creamy potato soup (slow cooker)

Ingredients:
5 lb of potatoes, peeled, raw, and diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cans chicken broth
1/2 pound cooked bacon (I used real bacon pieces)
1 package cream cheese
1 onion (I omit this)

Grease slow cooker. Place diced potatoes on bottom. Cube the cream cheese and place the pieces on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle the bacon on top. Add the cream of chicken soup and chicken broth. Cook for 7-8 hours in crock pot on low.

MONDAY:  Lemon chicken saute – This recipe has come to be known as “Grandma’s chicken” around our house because it was a recipe from my husband’s grandmother that his mom used to make for them

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (this is what we need for our family, adjust accordingly for yours)
3 T all purpose flour
PAM no-stick cooking spray
1/3 cup butter or margarine (we use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter)
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
3 T lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp sugar

Roll chicken in flour to coat. Spray large skillet with Pam or other cooking spray. Add butter and melt over medium heat. Add chicken breast and saute till lightly browned on one side. Turn and brown on second side, 5-7 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove chicken and set aside. Stir teriyaki sauce, lemon juice, garlic and sugar into skillet. Return chicken to pan and simmer 3 minutes. Turn chicken over, and continue cooking until fork tender (2-3 minutes)

Serve over cooked rice.

WW points – 5 points per serving with chicken; 2 points for 1/2 cup rice or 4 points for 1 cup with rice, 1 point for the asparagus recipe below

Serve with Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce – I got this recipe from Marci’s blog and it is YUMMY!

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh asparagus
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. butter (We use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter)
1 T. soy sauce
1 t. Balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Snap ends off of washed asparagus and place on baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 minutes or until tender. Melt the butter in a sauce pan or in the microwave. Stir in soy sauce and Balsamic vinegar. Pour over baked asparagus and serve.

TUESDAY:  Incredible Cheesy Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients

2 pounds ground turkey
1 cup milk (I’ll use skim)
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 pound Colby cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (after reading some of the comments online, I’m going to use shredded)
1/2 cup ketchup (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a bowl, mix the turkey, milk, bread crumbs, and eggs by hand. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the cheese cubes into the mixture. Transfer to a loaf pan, and top with ketchup.
3. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). (Mine will be cooked on low in the slow cooker all day)

WEDNESDAY:  Peppered steak – this is a family recipe that came from my mother in lawIngredients:
3 cups hot cooked rice
1 lb lean beef round steak (cut into 1/2 inch thick strips)
1 T Paprika
2 T butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1 cup sliced green onions
2 green peppers, cut in strips
2T cornstarch
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 lg tomatoes (cut in eighths)

Pound steak to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 1/4 inch wide strips. Sprinkle meat with paprika. Let stand. Brown meat in butter. Add garlic and brother. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in onions and green peppers. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Blend cornstarch, water and soy sauce. Stir into meat mixture. Cook, stirring until clear and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir gently. Serve over beds of fluffy rice.

WW points = 7 points/serving  (add an additional 2 points for 1/2 cup rice and 4 points for 1 cup rice), this makes 4 servings.

THURSDAY:  Thanksgiving!  My mom is cooking the main meal.  I’m bringing rice stuffing, a veggie tray, and pumpkin cheesecake!

Rice stuffing – I got this recipe from my mother in law. It is a Thanksgiving tradition in my husband’s family!

3 c. water
1 t. salt
3 beef bouillon cubes
2 c. minute brown rice
1/2 c. butter
1 c. white onion
1 c. celery
1/4 c. minced parsley
2 c. pecans
1/2 t. salt
1 t. thyme
1/2 t. poultry seasoning
1/2 t. pepper

To 3 cups of water, add 1 t. salt and 3 beef bouillon cubes (I usually omit the salt). Bring to boil. Stir in 2 cups minute brown rice. Reduce heat to low and cover for 15 minutes. In another pan, saute 1/2 c. butter, white onion, celery, parsley, pecans, poultry seasoning, pepper, and thyme. Mix together with rice in a casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

FRIDAY:   Turkey enchiladas – I substitute leftover turkey for chicken in my enchilada recipe

Ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use the 98% FF kind)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use the 98% FF kind)
2 cans green enchilada sauce
1 8 oz-16 oz. tub of sour cream (depends how spicy you want the enchiladas)
Leftover turkey (diced or shredded)
1 lb. cheese, shredded
1 dozen flour tortillas (you could use corn also)

Add cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and enchilada sauce to a pan. Cook on medium low heat, stirring occasionally. When sauce is well mixed and starts to thin, add sour cream. Continue stirring occasionally until the sauce is well mixed and thinned out. Place a layer of the sauce along the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish. Fill each tortilla with the shredded turkey, sauce, and cheese. Roll and place in the baking dish. When you have filled all of the tortillas (this should make 1 dozen), pour the remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas and then cover with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is well melted.

SATURDAY:  Steak stroganoff (slow cooker) – This is a family favorite!

Ingredients:
2T flour
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 3/4 lb. boneless round steak
2 cans 10 3/4 oz cream of mushroom soup (I use 98% FF)
2 c. water (or 1 can 100% FF beef broth for more flavor)
1 envelope beef stew mix
4 oz can mushrooms, sliced and drained
1/2 c. sour cream
1 T minced parsley

Combine flour, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika in slow cooker. Cut meat into 1 1/2 inch strips. Place in flour mixture and toss until meat is well coated. Add soup, water, and stew mix. Stir until well blended. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours. Stir in mushrooms, sour cream, and parsley and then cook on high 10-15 minutes until heated through. Serve over egg noodles. (Depending on the consistency of the sauce, you may need to add cornstarch to thicken or add more water/broth to thin)

To freeze: Pour into gallon freezer bags (I used Ziploc containers for this one). Allow to cool before freezing.

To reheat: Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Warm on stove and serve over rice or egg noodles. (Add sour cream when warming if you left it out of the initial recipe)

WW points = 7 points/serving, 6-8 servings (add 2 points for 1/2 c. cooked pasta or 4 points for 1 cup)

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