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 (we had lots of family things going on this weekend, so I didn’t have time to calculate all the recipes – I will try to have the points added in for the others by the end of the day). 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 have blogged a menu plan for the week (or even just a favorite recipe), please feel free to comment and share your link. I’m always looking for new ideas and inspiration and will be happy to share a link to your blog if we try your recipe! Check out hundreds of other meal plans at orgjunkie.com!

SUNDAY ~ Frozen pizzas – Friday night, I only got 4 hours of sleep because I was up pricing things for our garage sale and between the garage sale and birthday parties on Saturday, I didn’t even make it to the grocery store and I had no energy to cook, so we had frozen pizzas! (some days are just like that)

MONDAY ~ Taco rice (freezer meal) – This is a carry over from last week

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
3 cups Chicken broth (I use 100% fat free)
8 oz. Tomato sauce
1 pkg. Taco seasoning mix
1-1/2 cups Brown rice, uncooked
1/2 cup Red or Green Pepper
1 can of corn
(1 can red enchilada sauce ~ this is my personal addition)

On Hand:
Shredded cheddar cheese

Optional Ingredients:
Tortilla chips, flour tortillas, tomatoes, lettuce, salsa, etc.

Assembly Directions:
Mix everything in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until rice is done (about 40-50 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Freezing Directions:
Allow rice mixture to cool. Place in appropriate sized containers. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in microwave until warm. You can also reheat it in a saucepan if you add a little bit of water before heating. Sprinkle cheese on top and serve with tortilla chips.

Comments:
This is a big favorite around our house. This time around, I substituted red enchilada sauce for the tomato sauce. I thought it would give it more zip, but I didn’t really notice a huge difference. My entire family loves this and it makes a LOT. We use it with nachos or as filling for tacos/burritos.

WW points per serving = 5 points/serving (this does not include toppings or “extras”)

TUESDAY ~ Meatloaf on a bed of potatoes (slow cooker) – simple to make and totally kid friendly!

From BabyCenter Cooking for Your Family

By: Sandy~Bettyinthekitchen

2 T olive oil
3 large russets, cut into 1 to 1-1/2” chunks
2 lb ground sirloin
2 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup crushed saltine crackers
3/4 cup ketchup
2 T dehydrated onions (optional)
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Topping
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Combine oil and potatoes in crock pot, toss to coat. Spread in an even layer on the bottom of the crock.

In a large bowl, combine beef, eggs, crumbs, ketchup, onion, salt and pepper. Mix gently, do not compact. Shape into oval or round, place on top of potatoes. Spread with topping.

Cover and cook on High for 1 hour. Reduce heat to Low and continue to cook for 6-7 hours, or until a meat thermometer reads 160º to 165ºF.
Sandy’s notes: I used plain ketchup for the topping since that is my family’s preference. To make the meatloaf easier to remove: Take two long pieces of foil and fold them into two strips. Place them across each other over the potatoes and set the meatloaf on top. Use as handles to remove when the meatloaf is done.

**My notes: When I make this, I sprinkle parsley and Mrs. Dash seasoning over the potatoes.

WEDNESDAY ~ Chicken tortilla soup (slow cooker)

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!

THURSDAY ~ Country Style Pork Loin (slow cooker)

Country-Style Pork Loin
Katie (Katiedid) from Taste of Home

1 boneless whole pork loin roast (3 pounds)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Hot mashed potatoes, optional

Cut pork roast in half. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, onion powder and mustard. Add pork, one portion at a time, and shake to coat. In a large skillet, brown pork in oil over medium-high heat on all sides. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Pour broth over pork. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until tender. Remove pork and keep warm. For gravy, strain cooking juices and skim fat; pour 2-1/2 cups cooking juices into a large saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice pork; serve with gravy and mashed potatoes if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

*This recipe was SOOOO yummy! Even my kids loved it. It is definitely a keeper at our house!
 
FRIDAY ~  Pasta Carbonara – I found this recipe on the Babycenter Cooking for Your Family board (the original poster of the recipe was Elyselovesherboys)

Ingredients:
3 cups uncooked penne pasta
6 slices bacon, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 1/4 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened & cubed
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp.
Remove to paper towels, reserve 3 Tablespoons drippings,
Sauté garlic and onion in drippings until tender.
Add the milk, cream cheese and butter; stir until smooth.
Stir in the Parmesan cheese and bacon; heat through.
Toss with pasta.
Serve.

SATURDAY ~ 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 = 5 per serving (makes 4-6 servings)

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 (we had lots of family things going on this weekend, so I didn’t have time to calculate all the recipes – I will try to have the points added in for the others by the end of the day). 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 have blogged a menu plan for the week (or even just a favorite recipe), please feel free to comment and share your link. I’m always looking for new ideas and inspiration and will be happy to share a link to your blog if we try your recipe! Check out hundreds of other meal plans at orgjunkie.com!

SUNDAY ~ Perfect Enchiladas – We were supposed to have these yesterday, but it was my son’s birthday and he decided he wanted hot dogs instead (go figure!) so we’re having them today.  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

MONDAY ~ Bacon-wrapped apple BBQ chicken (slow cooker) – This recipe came from All You Magazine and Marci posted about it on her blog complete with pictures

Ingredients:
1/2 c barbecue sauce
2 apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and grated
juice of 1 lemon
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
8 slices bacon (I’m going to use turkey bacon)
salt and pepper

Directions:
-In a small bowl, combine bbq sauce, grated apple and lemon juice.
-Wrap 2 pieces of bacon around each chicken breast half. Place wrapped chicken in slow cooker and top with bbq-sauce mixture.
-Set slow cooker to low and cook for 8 hours.

TUESDAY ~ 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.

WEDNESDAY ~ Black bean and chicken burritos (slow cooker) – This is another family favorite that is SUPER easy to make!

Ingredients:
1 taco/fajita seasoning packet
2 cans black beans, drained
2-3 chicken breasts
1 can green enchilada sauce

Place chicken breasts in bottom of the crockpot and then add remaining ingredients. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Shred chicken before serving and serve in tortillas. We add cheese, sour cream, etc. to the tortillas. We sometimes add rice (cooked rice to the mixture once we’re ready to serve, not in the crockpot!). This is also really good if you use beef instead of the chicken!

Side:  Cilantro Lime Rice (this recipe also comes from Marci’s blog!)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter (I use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter)
1 1/2 cups rice
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 large lime (juice and zest)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions:
In a skillet, melt butter and add rice. Let cook for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except cilantro) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 18-20 minutes. Add cilantro with a few minutes before done. Fluff with fork and serve.

WW points = 3 points per serving (makes 4 servings)

THURSDAY ~ Creamy Ranch Mushroom Pork Chops – This was originally posted by Astrid on the BBC Cooking for your Family board. The recipe is similar to a cream cheese chicken recipe I make, which is a family favorite, but I had pork chops on hand this week, so we’re having this instead.

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops
1 packet ranch seasoning
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can chicken broth
1 block cream cheese

Spray a crockpot with cooking spray, and put all ingredients but cream cheese in. Cover, and cook on low “all day” (I did 10 hours, but you could do less). Before serving, stir in cream cheese until melted. The sauce is also delicious with veggies!


FRIDAY ~ 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 = 5 per serving (makes 4-6 servings)


SATURDAY ~ Taco rice (freezer meal)

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
3 cups Chicken broth (I use 100% fat free)
8 oz. Tomato sauce
1 pkg. Taco seasoning mix
1-1/2 cups Brown rice, uncooked
1/2 cup Red or Green Pepper
1 can of corn
(1 can red enchilada sauce ~ this is my personal addition)

On Hand:
Shredded cheddar cheese

Optional Ingredients:
Tortilla chips, flour tortillas, tomatoes, lettuce, salsa, etc.

Assembly Directions:
Mix everything in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until rice is done (about 40-50 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Freezing Directions:
Allow rice mixture to cool. Place in appropriate sized containers. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in microwave until warm. You can also reheat it in a saucepan if you add a little bit of water before heating. Sprinkle cheese on top and serve with tortilla chips.

Comments:
This is a big favorite around our house. This time around, I substituted red enchilada sauce for the tomato sauce. I thought it would give it more zip, but I didn’t really notice a huge difference. My entire family loves this and it makes a LOT. We use it with nachos or as filling for tacos/burritos.

WW points per serving = 5 points/serving (this does not include toppings or “extras”)

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 (we had lots of family things going on this weekend, so I’m playing “catch up”). 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 and see my shopping trip for the week here.

If you have blogged a menu plan for the week (or even just a favorite recipe), please feel free to comment and share your link. I’m always looking for new ideas and inspiration and will be happy to share a link to your blog if we try your recipe! Check out hundreds of other meal plans at orgjunkie.com!

SUNDAY ~ Easter dinner – my mom is cooking the “main” ingredients. I’m taking deviled eggs and dessert.

Banana chocolate snack cake – this is a recipe from Betty Crocker – it’s super easy and very yummy!

Ingredients:
2 very ripe medium bananas
1 1/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place bananas in ungreased 8-inch square pan; mash with fork. Stir in remaining ingredients except chocolate chips. Sprinkle chocolate chips over batter.
2. Bake 35 to 37 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.

Philadelphia 3 step cheesecake
Ingredients:
2 packages (8 ounces each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese (I use the 1/3 less fat and it works fine)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 Honey Maid graham cracker pie crust

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Stir in fresh lemon juice and grated lemon peel. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool and refrigerate 3 hours (or overnight). I add a can of cherry pie filling on top.

MONDAY ~  Balsamic Chicken (slow cooker) – This recipe was posted by Holly on the Simply Clean Living blog.  We tried it once before and it was a hit with our family.

Ingredients:
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves – approx. 1.5 to 2 lbs.
½ C. Olive Oil
½ – 1 C. Balsamic Vinegar – depending on how tangy you like the recipe
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
3-4 cloves of garlic minced or pressed
2 t. crushed dry oregano

Combine all ingredients in Crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken with a fork and serve chicken and sauce over rice or angel hair pasta. The consistency and taste of the sauce is sweet and tangy like an Italian barbeque sauce.

WW points = 11 per serving (add 2 points for 1/2 cup pasta or rice or 4 points for 1 cup pasta or rice); NOTE:  cut the olive oil to 2 Tablespoons and it cuts this recipe to 5 points per serving!

Side:
Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce – I got this recipe from Marci’s On My Menu blog recently and we loved it!

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh asparagus
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. 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 ~  Chicken Pot Pie – This is my trusty “Bisquick” recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup cut-up cooked chicken
1 bag (12 oz) Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup fat-free (skim) milk
1 cup Bisquick Heart Smart® mix
1/2 cup fat-free (skim) milk
1 egg
(I also add 1-2 potatoes, diced)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400°F. In ungreased 2-quart casserole, mix chicken, vegetables, soup and 1/2 cup milk. Microwave on High 4 minutes; stir.
2. In small bowl, stir Bisquick® mix, 1/2 cup milk and the egg with fork until blended. Pour over vegetable mixture.
3. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

WW points = 5 points per serving (add 1 point more if you are using the potatoes)
Serve w/ fruit salad

WEDNESDAY ~ 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.

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

Serve w/ green beans

THURSDAY ~ Chicken and stuffing (slow cooker)

Ingredients:
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup milk
1 pkg (6 oz.) chicken-flavored stuffing mix
1 2/3 cups water

Directions: Place chicken in greased slow cooker. In a separate bowl, combine soup and milk, then pour over chicken. Combine stuffing mix and water. Spoon over chicken and soup mixture. Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hours. Makes 4-6 servings.

WW points = 6 points/serving

(serve with a side of mashed potatoes – 2 points per 1/2 cup and parsley parmesan asparagus)

FRIDAY ~ Country ham and macaroni casserole – This recipe was originally posted by Sandy (Bettyinthekitchen) on the BBC Cooking for Your Family board. It has since become a favorite for my family and it’s super easy to make!

1 lb country ham slices or regular smoked ham in one piece
1 large onion, diced (we omit this)
1 lb elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz) – we use reduced fat
1 cup sour cream – we use reduced fat
1 can cream of chicken soup – we use 98% fat free
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine, melted – we use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
1 cup dry plain bread crumbs

1. Heat oven to 400º.
2. Bring 4 quarts water and ham to boiling in large pot. Once water begins to boil,
remove ham to a plate. Add onion and macaroni to pot. Return water to boiling; cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Coarsely chop ham, discarding any fat and bones.
4. Drain macaroni and onion and return to pot. Add ham, cheese, sour cream and soup. Scrape into a 13x9x2 baking dish. Pour melted margarine over top. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
5. Bake in heated 400º oven 30 minutes or until heated through and top is golden brown.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Note: Prepare in two 8×8 casserole dishes, bake one and freeze one (unbaked) for another day. If freezing, top with crumbs and margarine right before baking.

WW points = 7 points per serving (makes 8 servings)

Serve with green beans and a salad (check out my “weekly salad bag” post)

SATURDAY ~ Perfect enchiladas – 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

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 (my internet access was down all weekend, so I’m playing catch up and didn’t have time to calculate the points for all of my recipes). 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 and see my shopping trip for the week here.

If you have blogged a menu plan for the week (or even just a favorite recipe), please feel free to comment and share your link. I’m always looking for new ideas and inspiration and will be happy to share a link to your blog if we try your recipe! Check out hundreds of other meal plans at orgjunkie.com!

SUNDAY ~ Taco bar

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.

TUESDAY ~ Chicken licking pork chops (slow cooker)

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

WEDNESDAY ~ Shepherd’s pie (slow cooker) – This recipe comes from the 101 Things to Do With a Slow Cooker cookbook

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
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.

FRIDAY ~ Teriyaki chicken (freezer meal) – if you are wanting to get started with freezer cooking, this is seriously the EASIEST freezer meal to put together and a great one to start with!

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup pineapple juice
4 chicken breasts

Directions:
Mix marinade ingredients together and throw in a freezer bag with the chicken breasts. If you use it as a freezer meal, just defrost and cook as you please when ready to eat!

SATURDAY ~ Country Style Pork Loin (slow cooker)

Country-Style Pork Loin
Katie (Katiedid) from Taste of Home

1 boneless whole pork loin roast (3 pounds)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Hot mashed potatoes, optional

Cut pork roast in half. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, onion powder and mustard. Add pork, one portion at a time, and shake to coat. In a large skillet, brown pork in oil over medium-high heat on all sides. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Pour broth over pork. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until tender. Remove pork and keep warm. For gravy, strain cooking juices and skim fat; pour 2-1/2 cups cooking juices into a large saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice pork; serve with gravy and mashed potatoes if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

*This recipe was SOOOO yummy! Even my kids loved it. It is definitely a keeper at our house!

If you’re new to meal planning or trying to cut your grocery budget, I’ll be sharing a “frugal” or “from the stockpile” recipe several days this month (at least that’s my goal!). To help me with this task, I’ll be having guest posts (if you’re interested in sharing a guest post/frugal recipe, e-mail me!) from some of my favorite frugal bloggers, too!

For those of you who may be doing Weight Watchers, I have included the points per serving calculations for each 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 and see my shopping trip for the week here.

If you have blogged a menu plan for the week (or even just a favorite recipe), please feel free to comment and share your link. I’m always looking for new ideas and inspiration and will be happy to share a link to your blog if we try your recipe! Check out hundreds of other meal plans at orgjunkie.com!
My menu plan this week starts on Monday.  I had “plans” for dinner last night, but it didn’t quite work out like I had planned and we ended up eating frozen pizza.  Here’s my menu plan for the week:

MONDAY ~ Chili (slow cooker) – this was on our menu last week, but we ended up using a gift card and going out to eat instead, so this is a “carryover”

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (brown in skillet and then place in crockpot)
1 can dark kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can Ranch style beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 packet chili spices

Mix all ingredients in crockpot and cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours. Sprinkle cheese on top.

WW points = 7 points per serving (6-8 servings) – cheese and any additional toppings are “extra”

TUESDAY ~ Cream cheese chicken (slow cooker) – this is a family favorite

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)

WEDNESDAY ~  Melt in your mouth meatloaf (slow cooker)

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 (I use ground turkey instead)
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)

THURSDAY ~ Chicken licking good pork chops (slow cooker)

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

FRIDAY ~ Ritzy chicken –  Misty posted this recipe on a message board I belong to and several of the ladies that tried it have RAVED about it, so I can’t wait to check it out this week!

Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream (I use reduced fat)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons celery salt
1 teaspoons paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned and halved (I’m going to use boneless, skinless)
1½ cups crushed Ritz crackers
½ cup butter
top with poppy seeds (optional)

Combine sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper, with chicken breasts. Marinate at least 15 minutes but up to 24 hours refrigerated. Remove the coated chicken from the mixture and roll in cracker crumbs. Arrange in a single layer baking pan. Melt butter and pour half over chicken. Bake uncovered 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Spoon remaining butter over the chicken, sprinkle with poppy seeds and cook 15 minutes.

WW points per serving = 8 (makes 4 servings)

SATURDAY ~ Pork fajitas – these are already seasoned and just need to be cooked – we will serve with homemade guacamole (I’ll have to post the recipe later)

If you’re looking for a way to organizes the recipes you find, to do lists, books to read, restaurants to try and everything else you can think of all in one place (online), check out Springpad – it’s totally free and I love it!