Menu Planning Monday: My menu for the week of 7/12

SUNDAY:

Breakfast/lunch – vacation (on the road)

Dinner – frozen pizza (DiGiorno thanks to the Kroger deals!)

MONDAY:

Breakfast – Eggos Bake Shop strawberry twists and blueberry muffin tops

Lunch – Turkey and cheese sandwiches

Dinner – Parsley parmesan chicken (we were supposed to have this last week, but it didn’t happen, so it was nice to be able to pull it out of the freezer to eat)

TUESDAY:

Breakfast – Cold cereal

Lunch – Mini pizzas (the kids love this – we use English muffins and they get to pick their own toppings and assemble them – since the English muffins are BOGO free at Kroger, it was perfect!)

Dinner – Chicken Penne Pasta Bake – I found this recipe on Our Little Somethings

1 pkg. whole wheat penne pasta
1 pkg. spinach leaves
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 jar spaghetti sauce (i used the bottom of a can that i had, and also a small can tom. sauce)
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded (I had cheddar and it was yummy)
Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375F. Cook pasta. Cook and stir chicken and basil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Dice chicken then add sauce and tomatoes; bring to boil. Simmer 3 minutes. (the original recipe adds 2 oz of cream cheese here, i’m sure it would be yummy, i didn’t use it). Add spinach (chop if desired) and let it cook down. Mix drained pasta and chicken mixture. Pour half of pasta into baking dish, sprinkle cheese. Add remaining pasta, sprinkle cheese. Add Parm. cheese as desired. I actually topped with some feta cheese. Bake 20 min.

WEDNESDAY:

Breakfast – Strawberry and Cream Cheese French toast – This one comes from Favorite Family Recipes (this has to be made the night before)

1 loaf french bread, cut into 1 inch slices.
Whipped cream cheese

Spread cream cheese between two slices of bread, place sandwiched slices in a glass pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Mix together:
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Pour over bread and let sit for five minutes, turn bread over and cover pan with saran wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Drizzle melted butter over the top and bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Whipped Topping:
1 pt whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. almond or amaretto flavoring

Top with strawberries mixed with sugar and the whipped topping.

Lunch – Baked chicken nuggets

Dinner – Steak Stroganoff (slow cooker)

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

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

THURSDAY:

Breakfast – Scrambled eggs & cheese

Lunch – Potluck/cooking group – I will be taking chicken enchiladas

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

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

Dinner –

FRIDAY:

Breakfast – Pancakes

Lunch – Cheese quesadillas

Dinner – Chicken divan

For dessert, I’ll be making banana pudding

INGREDIENTS

* 8 ounces sour cream
* 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
* 2 cups whole milk
* 1 (16 ounce) package vanilla wafer cookies
* 4 bananas, peeled and sliced

DIRECTIONS

In large bowl combine sour cream, whipped topping, pudding mix and milk. Stir well. In the bottom of a trifle bowl or other glass serving dish, put a layer of cookies, then a layer of pudding mixture, then a layer of bananas. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Refrigerate until serving.

SATURDAY:

Breakfast – Pop Tarts!

Lunch – eat out as a family? or sandwiches

Dinner – BBQ chicken sandwiches in the crock pot – This recipe comes from Recipezaar.com.

Ingredients:
1-2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1 (18 ounce) jar of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 medium sweet onion, sliced
4-6 hamburger buns

Remove all visible fat from the chicken and toss it in the crock pot. Place the onion slices on top of the chicken. Pour the barbecue sauce over top. Cook it on LOW for 8 hours or until the chicken is nice and tender. Shred the chicken with a fork and knife; scoop the mixture onto the bottom buns and top it with the top buns.