Menu Planning Monday: My Menu for the week of 2/21

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.

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!

SUNDAY ~ 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)

MONDAY ~  Sloppy joes (freezer meal) – I got this recipe from Christy’s Once a Month Cooking site -serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped (I use 1/3 Cup dried minced onion to make it quicker)
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon brown mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

TO Freeze: I brown and drain the ground beef, you can either sauté the onion with the beef or just add the minced dried onion without cooking it. I let the ground beef cool, toss in a freezer Ziploc bag, add the minced onion, and all the other ingredients, and freeze.

When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it, and reheat in a pan until it’s warmed up. If you’re just making it without freezing it, you would brown the beef and sauté the onion. Then add all the other ingredients and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until sauce has thickened and divide between 4 hamburger buns and serve. (We like it over “homemade” bread machine bread, instead of worrying about having hamburger buns around). Nice and easy! I like that! =) Hope you enjoy! =)

WW points = 4 points per serving for the meat mixture (add another 3-4 points for the bun)

Serve with corn and cantaloupe slices

TUESDAY ~ Creamy bacon chicken 
Ingredients:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 3 oz package precooked bacon bits (not artificial)
1 can roasted garlic cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. sour cream

Place chicken in slow cooker. Mix all remaining ingredients together and pour over chicken.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Serve over egg noodles or rice.

WW points – Makes 4-6 servings, 8 points for 4 servings, 5 points for 6 servings (add 2 points for 1/2 cup rice or pasta or 4 points for 1 cup rice or pasta)

Serve with green beans and green salad

WEDNESDAY ~ Kahlua Pork – I got this recipe from a BabyCenter Crock Pot Cooking board and am looking forward to trying it

Ingredients:
6-7 lb. bone in pork shoulder (I’m using a 4 lb boneless one that I have on hand)
1/2 cup soy sauce (we’re using low sodium)
1/4 cup worchestershire sauce
fresh garlic
salt
2 capfuls liquid smoke

Directions:  rub pork with garlic and toss it in the slow cooker with all the other ingredients.  5 hours on high, or 9 on low will create a super tender pulled pork, hawaiian barbecue tasting pork.  YUMMY!  I threw some rice in the rice cooker to accompany it or you can put the pork and some bbq sauce on a bun and have sandwiches

WW points = 7 per serving (makes 8 servings), add 2 points for 1/2 cup rice or 4 points for 1 cup rice

Serve w/ sliced pineapple

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.”  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 (I’m going to use my leftover homemade fresh salsa from last week)
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.

WW points = 5 per serving (I’m estimating 6 servings although I’ve never made this before, so I’m not 100% sure)

FRIDAY ~ Taco bar!  We’ll have all of the fixings for tacos and everyone can make their own.

SATURDAY ~ Bourbon chicken – I made this a few weeks ago thanks to a link Keli posted in my comments section.  We all loved it and I decided it’s time for a repeat!

Ingredients:
1 1/2-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite size pieces)
1-2 T olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 tsp ginger
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 c. apple juice (in the comments section on Recipezaar, some people substituted pineapple juice or orange juice)
1/3 c. light brown sugar
2 T ketchup
1 T cider vinegar (in the comments section on Recipezaar, some people substituted balsamic vinger or did half and half)
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. soy sauce

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned. Remove chicken. Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium heat until well dissolved. Add chicken and bring to a hard boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over hot rice.

NOTES: On Recipezaar, some people mixed cornstarch and water and added it at the end to thicken the sauce.

WW points = 7 points per serving (for 6 servings), add 2 points for 1/2 cup of rice and 4 points for 1 cup of rice


Serve w/ steamed broccoli or other steamed veggies