Menu Planning Monday: My menu for the week of 5/30

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. It’s the end of the school year for me, so I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it also means things have been super hectic, which means we have some carryover recipes from last week.

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

SUNDAY ~ We’re having a family cook-out and get together for my brother’s birthday.  This is what I’m bringing (I didn’t even bother calculating WW points on all of this…I did try to make “low fat” adjustments, but let’s face it – none of this stuff is “WW” friendly!)

Pizza pasta salad – I found this recipe on Favorite Family Recipes and it sounded really good, so I decided to try it out.

Ingredients:
1 bag colored spiral noodles 
¾ c. pepperoni cut into wedges 
¾ c. mozzarella cut into small cubes 
¾ c. fresh tomatoes, diced 
½ c. olives, sliced 
¼ c. parmesan cheese 
1 bottle Bernstein’s Restaurant Recipe Italian Dressing (I’m using Kraft low fat Zesty Italian dressing)

Mix together all ingredients and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving. 

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.

Layered bean dip ~

Ingredients:
Cream cheese (I use the 1/3 less fat type)
1 can refried beans, heated (I use the fat free)
Guacamole (see below for recipe)
8 oz sour cream (I use the light)
1/2 packet taco seasoning
Ground beef, browned (I use 1/2 pound, 93/7)
Grated cheddar cheese
Optional:  sliced olives or diced tomatoes

I layer as follows in an oval casserole dish:  cream cheese spread across the bottom, then refried beans, then ground beef, the guacamole, then sour cream mixed with taco seasoning, then cheese, olives, and tomatoes

Guacamole – mash 1 avocado in a mixing bowl.  Add 1 Tbs lemon juice, 1 Tbs lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt to taste.  Dice and mix in 1 small roma tomato.

MONDAY ~ BBQ chicken breasts (on the grill or baked in the oven) served with corn and fruit salad

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 (I’m going to try this with 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 according to the recipe, I haven’t tried this one yet)

WEDNESDAY ~ 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)

THURSDAY ~ Taco salad – This is a pretty basic recipe that my mom used to make all of the time when I was a kid – it sounds a little bit strange, but when you mix it all together, it’s yummy!

Ingredients:
Iceberg lettuce, shredded
Tomatoes
1 can light red kidney beans, drained
Ground beef, browned (I use 1/2 lb and mix mine with a little bit of taco seasoning as I cook it, I use 93/7)
Corn tortilla chips (crushed)
Shredded cheddar cheese (8 oz bag)
Thousand Island salad dressing (chilled, we use the “light” variety)

Mix all ingredients together and serve.

WW points = 7 points per serving (makes 6-8 servings)

FRIDAY ~ Honey glazed “dump” chicken – I saw this posted on the Orgjunkie.com Menu Planning Monday last week (unfortunately, I can’t remember which blog it was posted on)

WW points = 7 points per serving (makes 4 servings)

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