Last week, my menu planning was an epic fail.  Long work days and a lack of preparation in the mornings led to a lot of haphazard, thrown together, often from the freezer meals that didn’t follow my “menu plan” at all.  Needless to say, several of the items on this week’s menu are repeats from last week.

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 Chicken tortilla soup – we LOVE this recipe and it’s so easy to throw together!  If you haven’t tried it yet, you really should!

Ingredients:
3 cans chicken broth (100% FF)
3 cans cream of chicken soup (98% FF)
3-4 chicken breasts
1 can Rotel
Mrs. Dash original seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock pot. Add Mrs. Dash’s seasoning to taste. Add broth and cream of chicken soup, and Rotel. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Shred chicken in crock pot.

To serve: (if frozen)

Defrost in refrigerator. Reheat on stove. Serve and top individual bowls with desired toppings (tomatoes, green onions, avocadoes/guacamole, cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, etc.)

WW points =  3 per serving – this makes a TON of soup (at least 8 servings for my family), the 3 points, of course, does not include any “toppings” such as cheese, sour cream, and chips!

MONDAY:  Cheesy Chicken biscuit bake ~ I found this recipe on Mom’s Plan last week.  I think it will be a hit with my kids, who have been especially picky lately!

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter (.25 cents)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (.10 cents)
2 1/2 cups whole milk (.50 cents)
2 heaping teaspoons mustard (more if desired) (.02 cents)
1 egg, beaten (.10 cents)
1 cup of cheese, grated (.50 cents)
1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
8 oz. frozen mixed veggies (.50 cents)
2 large chicken breasts, cooked (1.99)
1 container large biscuits (1.49 for a tube of 8, but only used 4–.75)

Directions:
4 tablespoons butter (.25 cents)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (.10 cents)
2 1/2 cups whole milk (.50 cents)
2 heaping teaspoons mustard (more if desired) (.02 cents)
1 egg, beaten (.10 cents)
1 cup of cheese, grated (.50 cents)
1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
8 oz. frozen mixed veggies (.50 cents)
2 large chicken breasts, cooked (1.99)
1 container large biscuits (1.49 for a tube of 8, but only used 4–.75)

Cook frozen veggies as instructed on package. (I boiled mine for 3 minutes and then drained.)

In a small bowl, beat egg. In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn. Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth. Add in cheese and stir to melt.Add salt. Taste sauce and add more salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.

Shred cooked chicken and put in cheese sauce along with cooked veggies. Stir together and place in a 2 qt. pan coated with non stick cooking spray.
Cook in the oven at 375 for 15 minutes. The refrigerated biscuits can cook right along side on a baking sheet.

Scoop up and put a biscuit on top. (You could cook the biscuits right on top of the chicken mixture, but they tend to get soggy this way, and we don’t like soggy biscuits.)

TUESDAY:  Cowboy casserole – We have left over roast beef from our french dip sandwiches, so I’m going to use that in place of the ground beef.  I’m also going to substitute Ranch style beans for baked beans.

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef (we use 93/7)
1 can (16 oz) baked beans
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
2/3 c. milk
2 c. Bisquick
1 T butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Heat over to 425. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until thoroughly cooked. Drain beef. Stir baked beans and BBQ sauce into beef. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Pour into ungreased 2 quart casserole.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, and butter until soft dough forms. Drop dough by 12 spoonfuls onto beef mixture. Bake uncovered 18-22 minutes (or until topping is golden brown). Sprinkle with cheese. Bake about 3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

WW points = 10 points/serving (we’ll serve with a green salad and green beans)

WEDNESDAY:  Parmesan Sage Pork Chops ~ I found this recipe on Food on the Table last week and it sounded yummy.  We can’t wait to try it!

Ingredients:
2 T all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 egg. lightly beaten
bone in pork chops (we are using 4)
1 T olive oil
1 T butter

Directions:
1. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. In another shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, sage and lemon peel. Place egg in shallow bowl. Coat pork chops with flour mixture, dip in egg, then coat with bread crumb mixture.
2. 2In a skillet, brown chops in oil and butter for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a greased 11 x 7 x 2 inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) for 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F (71 degrees C).

THURSDAY: Beef tips (slow cooker) – I found this recipe in Taste of Home Magazine. We have eaten it a several 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.

WW points = 6 per serving (add 2 points for 1/2 cup pasta/rice or 4 points for 1 cup pasta/rice)


FRIDAY:  Cream cheese chicken (slow cooker) – My family loves, loves, loves this recipe and if you haven’t tried it, you should because I promise your family will love it, too!!

Ingredients:
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 pkg. dry Ranch or Italian dressing mix (we usually only use one)
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. cream cheese – cut into cubes (I use the 1/3 less fat kind)
½ c. chicken broth

Directions: Brush chicken with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in crock pot and sprinkle 1 pkg. dry mix over all. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours. About 45 minutes before serving, add soup, second packet of dry dressing mix, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Cook until smooth.
Serve over rice or pasta.

WW points = 6 points/serving (add 2 points for 1/2 c. rice or pasta or 4 points for 1 cup rice or pasta)

SATURDAY:  Stacked green enchiladas – This is a modified version of a recipe my dad makes

Ingredients:
1 can green enchilada sauce
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use 98% FF)
1 can Rotel (drained)
3-4 chicken breasts
corn tortillas (one dozen)
monterrey jack cheese

I place the chicken breasts, enchilada sauce, cream of chicken soup, and Rotel in the crockpot on low all day. When I get home, I shred the chicken and add it back to the mixture. Then, you can either do stacked enchiladas (pour some of the mixture on a corn tortilla/add cheese and repeat for as many layers as you would like) or do rolled enchiladas (place some of the mixture in the corn tortilla, roll, and place in a pan….repeat 9 times…then, pour the remaining sauce mixture over the top and top with cheese and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes).

WW points = 8 per serving (makes 4 servings)

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

Most of my recipes are new this week and I haven’t had a chance yet to calculate points per serving. 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:  Perfect Enchiladas – I asked my husband what he wanted for dinner on Father’s Day and was surprised when this is what he chose.  Don’t get me wrong – these are yummy.  But, his “favorite” has always been my creamy chicken enchiladas.  The basis for this recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman, but she uses ground beef and I’m going to use chicken (I’ve used pork before and that was yummy, too!)  Marci posted the recipe on her blog awhile back and we have tried ti several times now and love it!

Our “filling” – I’m going to put 2 frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot on low with a can of enchilada sauce (red) and some taco seasoning.  I’ll shred the taco meat and that and some cheese will become our “filling”

The sauce (from Marci’s blog)
1 T. canola oil
1 T. flour/cornstarch
1 large (28 oz) can enchilada/red sauce
2 c. chicken broth
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
2 T. chopped cilantro

-In a large saucepan over med. heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a paste, cooking for 1 min.
-Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and cilantro, and bring to boil.
-Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 min.

I’m going to use 1 dozen flour tortillas.  Whenever I make enchiladas, I always put a little bit of sauce along the bottom of the pan to keep the enchiladas from stocking to the pan.  I’ll fill each tortilla with the shredded chicken breast and cheese, roll it, and place it in a 9X13 Pyrex baking dish. Then, I’ll cover the rolled enchiladas with the sauce and some cheese and bake it in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 350 until the cheese is melted.

WW points = 9 per serving for 2 enchiladas

MONDAY:  French dip sandwiches (slow cooker) – This is a family favorite and I love it because it is SOOO easy to make!

Ingredients:
beef roast
2 cans beef broth
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
4-6 hoagie buns
(we also add some swiss or provolone cheese)

Place roast in a greased slow cooker. Pour broth over the top of the roast. Add spices. Cover and cook on low heat 8-10 hours (or high heat 5-7 hours). Remove roast and save extra juice. With a fork, break the meat apart and serve on hoagies. Use excess juice for dipping sandwiches.

WW points = 6 points per serving (this does not include the cheese or the buns)

TUESDAY:  Cheesy Chicken biscuit bake ~ I found this recipe on Mom’s Plan last week.  I think it will be a hit with my kids, who have been especially picky lately!

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter (.25 cents)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (.10 cents)
2 1/2 cups whole milk (.50 cents)
2 heaping teaspoons mustard (more if desired) (.02 cents)
1 egg, beaten (.10 cents)
1 cup of cheese, grated (.50 cents)
1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
8 oz. frozen mixed veggies (.50 cents)
2 large chicken breasts, cooked (1.99)
1 container large biscuits (1.49 for a tube of 8, but only used 4–.75)

Directions:
4 tablespoons butter (.25 cents)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (.10 cents)
2 1/2 cups whole milk (.50 cents)
2 heaping teaspoons mustard (more if desired) (.02 cents)
1 egg, beaten (.10 cents)
1 cup of cheese, grated (.50 cents)
1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
8 oz. frozen mixed veggies (.50 cents)
2 large chicken breasts, cooked (1.99)
1 container large biscuits (1.49 for a tube of 8, but only used 4–.75)

Cook frozen veggies as instructed on package. (I boiled mine for 3 minutes and then drained.)

In a small bowl, beat egg. In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn. Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth. Add in cheese and stir to melt.Add salt. Taste sauce and add more salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.

Shred cooked chicken and put in cheese sauce along with cooked veggies. Stir together and place in a 2 qt. pan coated with non stick cooking spray.
Cook in the oven at 375 for 15 minutes. The refrigerated biscuits can cook right along side on a baking sheet.

Scoop up and put a biscuit on top. (You could cook the biscuits right on top of the chicken mixture, but they tend to get soggy this way, and we don’t like soggy biscuits.)

WEDNESDAY:  Cowboy casserole – We have left over roast beef from our french dip sandwiches, so I’m going to use that in place of the ground beef.  I’m also going to substitute Ranch style beans for baked beans.

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef (we use 93/7)
1 can (16 oz) baked beans
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
2/3 c. milk
2 c. Bisquick
1 T butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Heat over to 425. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until thoroughly cooked. Drain beef. Stir baked beans and BBQ sauce into beef. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Pour into ungreased 2 quart casserole.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, and butter until soft dough forms. Drop dough by 12 spoonfuls onto beef mixture. Bake uncovered 18-22 minutes (or until topping is golden brown). Sprinkle with cheese. Bake about 3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

WW points = 10 points/serving (we’ll serve with a green salad and green beans)

THURSDAY:  Parmesan Sage Pork Chops ~ I found this recipe on Food on the Table last week and it sounded yummy.  We can’t wait to try it!

Ingredients:
2 T all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 egg. lightly beaten
bone in pork chops (we are using 4)
1 T olive oil
1 T butter

Directions:
1. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. In another shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, sage and lemon peel. Place egg in shallow bowl. Coat pork chops with flour mixture, dip in egg, then coat with bread crumb mixture.
2. 2In a skillet, brown chops in oil and butter for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a greased 11 x 7 x 2 inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) for 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F (71 degrees C).

FRIDAY:  Creamy chicken, bacon, and mushroom – I got this e-mail from a Spark People recipe.

Ingredients:
8 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (2 lbs) – we’re only going to use 4
1 pkg turkey bacon
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
8 oz. sour cream (light)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (fat free)

Directions:
Wrap bacon around chicken breasts. Place in well greased 9 x13 pan. Put mushrooms over chicken. Mix sour cream and cream of mushroom soup together and put over chicken breasts and mushrooms. Put in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 60 minutes or until chicken is tender. Can place in crock pot and cook for 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high. (I’m using the crock pot, of course!)

SATURDAY:  Buttermilk “Fried” Chicken with Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes – I got this recipe from the latest Family Circle Magazine and it sounded yummy. It is more points than I like to use on a meal right now, so I’ll have to plan the rest of my meals on this day accordingly.

CHICKEN INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
2 T dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
4 lbs chicken breasts (I will probably only use 2 given the size of my family)
5 c. cornflakes (I will probably half this also)
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp paprika
Pinch Cayenne pepper
2 tsp vegetable oil

POTATO INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (I will probably only use 1 lb)
1/2 c. skim milk
6 T reduced fat sour cream

In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mustard, 3/4 tsp of the salt, 1/2 tsp of the garlic powder, 1/2 tsp of the pepper and the hot sauce. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat oven to 400. Coat a baking rack with nonstick cooking spray and place inside rimmed baking sheet.

Stir together crushed cornflakes, bread crumbs, remaining 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, the poultry seasoning, paprika and cayenne. Stir in oil until blended. Remove chicken from marinade and dip in crumb mixture, pressing to adhere.

Place chicken on rack and bake at 400 for 55 minutes or until instant read thermometer registers 160 when inserted in the thickest part of the breast.

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and return to pan. Add milk and sour cream. Mash to desired consistency.

WW points per serving = 11 points (makes 4 servings)

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

Most of my recipes are new this week and I haven’t had a chance yet to calculate points per serving.  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!

MONDAY:

Breakfast ~ Cold cereal

Dinner ~ Slow cooker chicken and gravy over rice – This recipe comes from Eat at Home and was posted on orgjunkie.com last week.  It sounded good and easy to make!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless chicken breast
1 onion, diced
2 cans cream of chicken soup
3 Tbs. soy sauce
black pepper, to taste
brown rice, enough for 6 people, cooked according to package directions

Place the chicken and onions in the slow cooker. Stir the cream of chicken soup, soy sauce and pepper together and pour over the top of the chicken. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 5-6 hours. Serve over hot, cooked brown rice.

This dish doesn’t have a strong taste of soy sauce. The soy just makes the gravy rich and flavorful.

TUESDAY:

Breakfast ~ Scrambled eggs and turkey bacon

Dinner ~ Family sized burrito – I saw this recipe on DeAna’s blog originally (she’s got great pictures of it all on her blog, so you should definitely check it out!). We tried it awhile ago and it was a hit, so we’re having it again!

Ingredients:
2 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded*
1 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp chicken taco seasoning mix
1 Tbsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp salsa
1 shredded cheddar cheese
4 burrito-size flour tortillas
1/2 can (9oz) bean dip
Toppings: shredded lettuce, sliced olives, sour cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F. Mix chicken with onion powder, lime juice, seasoning mix, garlic powder and salsa. Microwave chicken mixture 3-4 minutes or until hot, stirring occasionally.
Arrange tortillas in an overlapping circular pattern on a large pizza stone (you could use a cookie sheet as well), covering entire surface of baking stone. Tortillas will extend off edge by a few inches.

Starting in the center, spread bean dip over tortillas. Spoon chicken mixture over bean dip and cover with 3/4 cup of cheese.

Fold edges of tortillas up over chicken mixture in an envelope pattern. Arrange sliced tomatoes in rows over top of burrito. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Bake about 18 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges are browned.

Cut into rectangles; serve with assorted toppings and enjoy!

Notes: I put my chicken in the crockpot with the taco seasoning, spices, and salsa and then shred it. I also just use regular refried beans rather than bean dip.

WEDNESDAY:

Breakfast ~ Waffles

Dinner ~ Chicken lickin’ good pork chops (slow cooker) – I know today’s going to be a busy day, so I wanted something I could stick in the slow cooker that would basically be ready by the time I got home, and this recipe is perfect for that!

Ingredients:
6-8 lean pork chops, 1-inch thick
1/2 cup flour (omit if you don’t brown chops in skillet)
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp oil (omit if you don’t brown chops in skillet)
1 10.5oz can chicken & rice soup

Dredge pork chops in mixture of flour, salt, dry mustard & garlic powder. Brown chops in oil in a large skillet. Place browned pork chops in crockpot. Add can of soup. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3 1/2 hours. If I don’t brown the chops, then I just toss the salt, dry mustard & garlic powder in the crockpot instead of dredging the chops.

*Note: When making this meal, I use a can of family size chicken & rice soup and drain off some of the broth – it keeps the meat tender and there is more of the chicken & rice mixture for everyone! If you don’t have time to brown the chops first in a skillet, I’ve also just dipped it into the flour mixture and put it straight into the slow cooker and it works fine that way, too.

WW points = 6 servings, 7 points per serving

THURSDAY:

Breakfast ~ Cold cereal

Dinner ~ Creamy beef over noodles  – This recipe is from the “A Year of Slow Cooking” blog

Ingredients:
–2 lbs stew meat
–2 T butter
–1/4 cup soy milk
–1 T gluten free worcestershire sauce
–1 T black pepper
–2 T dried minced onion
–1/4 cup beef broth
–1/2 t kosher salt
–1 t herbs de provence
–1/2 block of cream cheese

Place the frozen meat into the crockpot. Add all other ingredients (with the exception of the cream cheese). Cook on low for 10-12 hours. Add in cream cheese and mix. Serve over rice or pasta.

FRIDAY:

Breakfast ~ Waffles

Dinner ~ Texas Kielbasa skillet – I originally got this recipe from a freezer swap and it has become a big hit with our family

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) CREAM OF CELERY SOUP (I use whatever cream soup I have on hand)
1 1/2 cups WATER
1 Tablespoon BUTTER
¾ cup uncooked LONG GRAIN RICE
1 pound SMOKED KIELBASA SAUSAGE, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 pkg. (10 oz.) FROZEN PEAS
½ cup SLICED MUSHROOMS
1 cup SHREDDED CHEDDAR CHEESE

Combine soup, water and butter substitute in a large skillet with a lid.  Bring to a boil. Add rice and sausage. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir in peas and mushrooms. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes,
or until rice is tender. Sprinkle with cheese and serve hot.

SATURDAY:

Breakfast ~ Breakfast pies– This was posted on a message board that I belong to and sounded yummy!

Dinner ~ Perfect Enchiladas – I asked my husband what he wanted for dinner on Father’s Day and was surprised when this is what he chose.  Don’t get me wrong – these are yummy.  But, his “favorite” has always been my creamy chicken enchiladas.  The basis for this recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman, but she uses ground beef and I’m going to use chicken (I’ve used pork before and that was yummy, too!)  Marci posted the recipe on her blog awhile back and we have tried ti several times now and love it!

Our “filling” – I’m going to put 2 frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot on low with a can of enchilada sauce (red) and some taco seasoning.  I’ll shred the taco meat and that and some cheese will become our “filling”

The sauce (from Marci’s blog)
1 T. canola oil
1 T. flour/cornstarch
1 large (28 oz) can enchilada/red sauce
2 c. chicken broth
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
2 T. chopped cilantro

-In a large saucepan over med. heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a paste, cooking for 1 min.
-Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and cilantro, and bring to boil.
-Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 min.

I’m going to use 1 dozen flour tortillas.  Whenever I make enchiladas, I always put a little bit of sauce along the bottom of the pan to keep the enchiladas from stocking to the pan.  I’ll fill each tortilla with the shredded chicken breast and cheese, roll it, and place it in a 9X13 Pyrex baking dish. Then, I’ll cover the rolled enchiladas with the sauce and some cheese and bake it in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 350 until the cheese is melted.

WW points = 9 per serving for 2 enchiladas

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

For those of you who may be doing Weight Watchers, I have included the points per serving calculations for most 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:

Breakfast ~ Scrambled eggs and sausage

Dinner ~ Pizza

MONDAY:

Breakfast ~ Waffles

Dinner ~ Chicken enchilada casserole – This is a recipe that my sister came up with. She uses canned chicken when she makes it. I came up with a little bit of a variation.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts (shredded) – or 1 can chicken
1 large can red enchilada sauce
corn tortillas
shredded cheese – I use reduced fat

Directions: (this is what I do) – I put my chicken and the enchilada sauce in the crockpot the night before and then shred it when I get up in the morning. If you are using canned chicken, you can just shred it as you are making the casserole. I spread some of the chicken/sauce mixture along the bottom of the casserole dish so it doesn’t stick. Break corn tortillas into four pieces and layer across the bottom of the casserole dish. Spread a layer of the chicken/sauce mixture and cheese. Add another layer of corn tortillas. Continue until you are out of the chicken/sauce mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

WW points = 8 points per serving (for 4 servings) – serve w/ green salad and fruit

TUESDAY:

Breakfast ~ Cold cereal

Dinner ~ Incredible Cheesy Turkey Meatloaf – This is a new recipe for us.  I saw it posted on someone’s Menu Planning Monday post last week (sorry, I can’t remember who the original poster was).  I’m a sucker for meatloaf these days and I’m putting this one in the crock pot with foil criss-crossed so it’s easier to pull out when it’s done (and so there’s less mess, too).

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:

Breakfast ~ Toaster strudel

Dinner ~ 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!

THURSDAY:

Breakfast ~ Scrambled eggs and turkey bacon


Dinner ~ Cream cheese chicken (slow cooker) – My family loves, loves, loves this recipe and if you haven’t tried it, you should because I promise your family will love it, too!!

Ingredients:
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 pkg. dry Ranch or Italian dressing mix (we usually only use one)
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. cream cheese – cut into cubes (I use the 1/3 less fat kind)
½ c. chicken broth

Directions: Brush chicken with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in crock pot and sprinkle 1 pkg. dry mix over all. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours. About 45 minutes before serving, add soup, second packet of dry dressing mix, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Cook until smooth.
Serve over rice or pasta.

WW points = 6 points/serving (add 2 points for 1/2 c. rice or pasta or 4 points for 1 cup rice or pasta)

FRIDAY:

Breakfast ~ Waffles

Dinner ~ Swiss steak (slow cooker) – When I was a kid, my mom used to make Swiss Steak all of the time, but it’s been years since I’ve had it.  I saw this Paula Deen recipe and it sounded yummy and easy to make, so I decided to give it a try!

Ingredients:
1 round steak (approximately 1 1/2 pounds), see note
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14-1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, cut into strips
1 medium bell pepper, cut into strips

Directions:

Cut steak into serving-size pieces. Season, to taste, with garlic powder and salt and pepper. Dust meat with flour. In heavy skillet, brown both sides of meat in vegetable oil. Transfer to Dutch oven. Combine garlic, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and 1 tomato-can measure of water. Pour over steak and simmer over low heat until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours adding water, if necessary to keep meat partially covered. Season, to taste, with additional salt and pepper. Hint: Cook this in a slow-cooker, according to manufacturers instructions, on low for a most fabulous dinner. Low heat on a slow cooker is about 200 degrees F and high heat on a slow cooker is about 300 degrees F.

Note: to ensure tenderness, it is necessary to have the butcher run the round steak through a cuber.

SATURDAY:

Breakfast ~ Lemon scones w/ sour lemon glaze – This recipe also comes from Tammy’s Recipes.

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in the butter.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, cream, and egg.
3. Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients, just until a dough starts to form. Knead a couple times until the dough holds together.
4. On a lightly floured surface, gently press dough into a circle, about an inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges (I use a pizza cutter to quickly and neatly cut the wedges!).
5. Place scones on an ungreased baking sheet, not touching each other, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let rest on the sheet for 5 minutes.
6. Prepare the icing by mixing the powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to make a drizzling consistency. Add a drop or two of yellow food color if desired.**
7. Place scones on a wire rack. Drizzle or brush icing over warm scones. These scones are delicious hot, but I think they taste even better the next day, when the lemon flavor has permeated the scone even more!
Dinner ~ Pasta (not sure what yet!)

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

HAPPY MONDAY! One of my Facebook friends posted that there are only 13 more Mondays (after today) until Thanksgiving break.  Somehow that makes it a big more manageable!  Plus, I’m excited for fall to start kicking in with cooler temperatures and fun decorations!  Some of my recipes this week are “carry overs” from last week.  I spent most of the week sick, so most of the things on my menu didn’t even sound good (all I wanted on my birthday was chicken noodle soup, which my hubby made “from scratch” for me!) and I didn’t have the energy to cook much anyway.  Thankfully, I’m feeling MUCH better this week and ready to re-join the land of the living!

For those of you who may be doing Weight Watchers, I have included the points per serving calculations for most 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:

Breakfast ~ Cold cereal (I usually cook a big breakfast on Sunday and I had planned to make strawberry crepes, but I got a great deal on Cinnamon Toast Crunch at Randalls this weekend and my kids were so excited and that’s all they wanted!)

Lunch ~ Ravioli

Dinner ~ Farmhouse chicken, mashed potato casserole, and green beans

Farmouse chicken – I got this recipe from Tammy’s recipes awhile ago and had bookmarked it to try, but hadn’t gotten around to it.  The sauce and chicken were really good, but my stuffing got dried out in the oven.  It says to cook it uncovered, but I think next time I will try cooking it covered.

Yield:  4 servings

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cup milk
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 ounce package of stuffing mix

Instructions:
1. Saute onion, and prepare stuffing mix according to package directions and set aside.

2. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and then add flour. Stir until bubbly, then cook one minute. Slowly add in milk, stirring continually to avoid lumps.

3. Add chicken, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 5-10 minutes, until chicken is done and celery is starting to get tender.

4. Pour mixture into an 8×8-inch casserole dish. Top with stuffing. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Mashed potato casserole – I got this recipe from Hoosier Homemade awhile ago and she reposted it last week and it sounded soo good that I just had to try it…it was absolutely DELICIOUS and a hit with the entire family!

Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup French onion dip (refrigerated) – I used Ranch dip
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
2 cups water
1/2 cup margarine
3 cups instant mashed potato flakes

Directions:
Spray 13×9 pan with nonstick spray, set aside. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, onion dip, eggs and milk until smooth. In a medium saucepan, combine the water and margarine, bring to boil and remove from heat. Add the instant potato flakes, mix well. Pour the potatoes into the cream cheese mixture. Beat until smooth. Pour into the baking dish evenly. Cool, cover and refrigerate.

Cooking Directions:
Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, uncover and bake for 30 – 40 minutes.

MONDAY:

Breakfast ~ Waffles

Dinner ~ 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
* 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.

Serve w/ green salad

TUESDAY:

Breakfast ~ Cold cereal

Dinner ~ Tator tot casserole

Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground beef
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 (14.5 ounce) can French style green beans
1/2 (32 ounce) package tater tots
shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef and drain fat. Stir in condensed cream of mushroom soup, water, garlic salt, cheese, and green beans. Pour the mixture into a medium-sized casserole dish and layer with the tater tots. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until tater tots are browned and crispy.

WW points = 8 points per serving
Serve w/ green salad and fruit salad

WEDNESDAY:

Breakfast ~ Toaster strudel

Dinner ~ 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.

THURSDAY:

Breakfast ~ Scrambled eggs

Dinner ~ Spaghetti with garlic bread, green beans, and a green salad (not very exciting, I know, but it was a request from the kids)

FRIDAY:

Breakfast ~ Waffles

Dinner ~ Broccoli chicken bake – I got this recipe on my Babycenter message board – we’ve tried it once before (it’s not my husband’s favorite because of the broccoli, but the kids liked it and it’s easy to make)

Ingredients:
1 bag (14 oz) frozen broccoli florets
1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup – I’ll use 98% fat free
1 package stuffing mix (6 oz)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 c. water
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan w/ foil.   Mix broccoli, soup, stuffing mix, 1/2 cup cheese and water together in a large bowl until wet and blended.  Spread evenly in foil-lined pan.
Top with chicken.  Sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until chicken reaches 170 degrees F and juices run clear.  Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.  Cover with sheet of nonstick foil; let stand until cheese melts.

Number of Servings: 4

WW points = 9 per serving

SATURDAY:

Breakfast ~ Lemon scones w/ sour lemon glaze – This recipe also comes from Tammy’s Recipes.

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in the butter.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, cream, and egg.
3. Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients, just until a dough starts to form. Knead a couple times until the dough holds together.
4. On a lightly floured surface, gently press dough into a circle, about an inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges (I use a pizza cutter to quickly and neatly cut the wedges!).
5. Place scones on an ungreased baking sheet, not touching each other, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let rest on the sheet for 5 minutes.
6. Prepare the icing by mixing the powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to make a drizzling consistency. Add a drop or two of yellow food color if desired.**
7. Place scones on a wire rack. Drizzle or brush icing over warm scones. These scones are delicious hot, but I think they taste even better the next day, when the lemon flavor has permeated the scone even more!

Lunch ~ Chicken BLT taco salad – I got this in an e-mail from Betty Crocker recently and it sounded so yummy that I added it to my “must try” list

Dressing (I’m just going to use Ranch)
1/2 cup Old El Paso® Thick ‘n Chunky Salsa
1/2 cup French dressing

Salad
8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
6 cups torn romaine or iceberg lettuce
1 medium yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into thin wedges
1 1/2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey-Jack cheese blend
1/4 cup sour cream, if desired
1 cup small triangular tortilla chips

1. In medium bowl, mix dressing ingredients until well blended.
2. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towel; reserve 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Add chicken to skillet; cook and stir over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes or until browned and no longer pink in center. Cool slightly. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until chilled.
3. In deep 3-quart salad bowl, layer lettuce, chicken, bacon, bell pepper and tomatoes. Top with dressing. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 24 hours.
4. Just before serving, top with cheese, avocado, sour cream and tortilla chips.

WW points per serving = 7

Dinner ~ Perfect Enchiladas – The basis for this recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman, but she uses ground beef and I’m going to use chicken (last time I used pork and that was yummy, too!)  Marci posted the recipe on her blog awhile back and I finally got around to trying it a few weeks ago and it was a hit, so we’re having it again.

Our “filling” – I’m going to put 2 frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot on low with a can of enchilada sauce (red) and some taco seasoning.  I’ll shred the taco meat and that and some cheese will become our “filling”

The sauce (from Marci’s blog)
1 T. canola oil
1 T. flour/cornstarch
1 large (28 oz) can enchilada/red sauce
2 c. chicken broth
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
2 T. chopped cilantro

-In a large saucepan over med. heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a paste, cooking for 1 min.
-Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and cilantro, and bring to boil.
-Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 min.

I’m going to use 1 dozen flour tortillas.  Whenever I make enchiladas, I always put a little bit of sauce along the bottom of the pan to keep the enchiladas from stocking to the pan.  I’ll fill each tortilla with the shredded chicken breast and cheese, roll it, and place it in a 9X13 Pyrex baking dish. Then, I’ll cover the rolled enchiladas with the sauce and some cheese and bake it in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 350 until the cheese is melted.

WW points = 9 per serving for 2 enchiladas

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