Menu Planning Monday: My menu for the week of 8/1

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.

Get more inspiration by checking out the hundreds of menu plans posted every week at orgjunkie.com!

NOTE: I sometimes get e-mails expressing “concern” that there are no fruits and vegetables included in our meal plan. I typically only include our “main dish” items and not our “side/snack” items unless there is a really yummy recipe that I want to share. If you want to know more about what my $40 weekly grocery budget includes, check out this post.

SUNDAY:

Breakfast ~ Cold cereal

Lunch ~ Leftovers

Dinner ~ Enchilada bar – I had my whole family over for dinner and made three different kinds of 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

Creamy chicken enchiladas – These have been a family favorite for a long time!

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 (10 oz)
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)
8 oz 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.

WW points = 6 points per enchilada

Honey lime enchiladas – This was originally on my menu last week, but it didn’t happen, so we’re adding it back to the menu this week. I originally got this from Marci’s blog. When I make this, I cook the chicken in the crockpot the night before and then just put it all together that morning so I just have to throw it in the oven when I get home!

Ingredients:
6 T honey
5 T lime juice (1 large lime)
1 T chili powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used leftovers from my slow cooker chicken)
8-10 flour tortillas (I used 12 corn)
1 pound Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

Directions:
-Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour.
-Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan.
-Fill tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas.
-Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade (I didn’t have any extra marinade).
-Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.
-Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Dessert ~ Cheesecake brownies – my original dessert plans fell through (I forgot to pull Cool Whip out of the freezer), so these were quick and easy to make and a hit as well!

MONDAY:

Breakfast ~ Waffles

Lunch ~ Leftover enchiladas

Dinner ~ Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells – I got this recipe from All You Magazine and decided to try it out. My husband loves manicotti, but I don’t make it often because I hate stuffing the shells. This is basically the same thing but SO much easier. It was a hit with everyone and my daughter declared that “It’s a keeper.”

Ingredients
* 24 jumbo pasta shells
* 1 15-oz. container ricotta
* 2 cups shredded mozzarella
* 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
* 1 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* Salt and pepper
* 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
* Pinch of ground nutmeg
* 1 26-oz. jar spaghetti sauce

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Mist a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cook pasta shells according to package label directions; drain and set aside to cool. While pasta cooks, in a large bowl, stir together ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, egg, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and nutmeg.

2. Spread 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce over bottom of baking dish. Stuff shells with cheese-and-spinach mixture and place in dish. Spoon remaining sauce over shells and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella.

3. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake about 10 minutes longer, until bubbly and cheese begins to brown.

WW points = 11 points per serving (makes 6 servings)

TUESDAY:

Breakfast ~ Scrambled eggs w/ cheese and sausage

Lunch ~ Grilled cheese, tomato soup, and goldfish crackers

Dinner ~ Free Whataburger!

WEDNESDAY:

Breakfast ~ Eggs Florentine

Lunch ~ Quesadillas

Dinner ~ Monterey chicken – I was in a recipe rut and came across a thread on a cooking board on Babycenter.com called “Need good chicken recipe ideas” – someone posted this one and it sounded delicious, looked like it was easy to throw together, and I had all of the ingredients on hand! (The “original poster” of the recipe there was Mommy2Beth&Sarah) This came together just as smoothly as I had hoped, and even my normally picky kids gulped it down. This one will definitely be a “keeper” in our house!

Ingredients:
4 (5 oz.) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts1/4 Cup Barbecue Sauce
1/4 Cup Hormel Real Bacon Bits
1 Cup 2% Colby and Monterey Jack Shredded Cheese*
1 (14 oz.) Can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, drained (I’m just going to use regular diced tomatoes)
Sliced Green Onions
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pound out the chicken breasts to flatten. Season each with a little pepper. Cook the chicken in a skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray over medium-low heat until no longer pink.

Place each breast onto a baking sheet and top each breast with 1 tablespoon of barbeque sauce, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/4 cup tomatoes, green onions and 1 tablespoon of bacon bits. Place into the oven and bake until the cheese has melted (about 5 minutes).

Per Serving: 263 Calories; 8g Fat (29.0% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 108mg Cholesterol; 840mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Weight Watchers points = 6 (makes 4 servings)

THURSDAY:

Breakfast ~ Puffed Pancakes – I got this recipe from Marci’s blog awhile ago and tried it out. My whole family loved it and it’s super easy to make!

Ingredients:
1/2 cube butter (not margarine)
6 eggs
1 cup Milk
1 Cup Pancake Mix (or Bisquick)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 Degrees. Place butter in a 9 X 13 inch pan. Put in preheating oven until butter is melted. In a blender, combine eggs, milk and pancake mix. Pour batter into baking dish. Bake for a bout 15 – 18 Minutes until pancakes are puffy and lightly browned. Do not open oven while pancakes are cooking. Top with sifted powder sugar.

Serve with warm maple syrup or fruit toppings.

Lunch ~ Meat & cheese skewers

Dinner ~ Ham to go biscuits – I got this recipe from my sister in law. She actually calls it “chicken to go biscuits” but we have some ham I want to use up, so it’s “ham to go” for us

Ingredients:
2 T butter/margarine (we’ll use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
2 T flour
1/4 t salt
1/2 c milk (we’ll use skim)
2 c. cubed ham (the original recipe calls for chicken)
1 1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c (4 oz) chopped/sliced/drained mushrooms
1 can Pillsbury Grands biscuits
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 c. cornflakes

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt & pepper until well blended. Add milk, all at once. Cook about 1 minute until thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in ham, cheese & mushrooms. Set aside.

Separate biscuits into 8. Roll and pat into 5 inch circles. Put 1/2 mixture on top of 4 biscuit rounds. Place other 4 rounds on top of mixture and wrap around mix. Press edges to seal.

Dip roll into egg, then coat with crushed cornflakes. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

FRIDAY:

Breakfast ~ Cold cereal

Lunch ~ Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches

Dinner ~ Teriyaki chicken – 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!

WW points = 8 points per serving (add 2 points for 1/2 cup rice or 4 points for 1 cup rice)
(We will serve this with rice and steamed broccoli)

SATURDAY:

Breakfast ~ Strawberry crepes – This is a Taste of Home recipe that I originally found posted on The Junk Drawer. I’ve never made crepes before, but the recipe sounds easy enough and it’s low in points, too!

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups fat-free milk
3/4 cup egg substitute
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup strawberry spreadable fruit
3 cups chopped fresh strawberries
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar

In a large bowl, combine the milk, egg substitute and vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar and salt; add to milk mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Coat a 7- or 8-in. nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium heat. Pour about 2 tablespoons batter into the center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to evenly coat bottom. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to plate; keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, coating with additional cooking spray as needed. Spread each crepe with about 2 teaspoons spreadable fruit. Top with about 3 tablespoons strawberries. Roll up. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Yield: 8 servings.

WW points = 1 per crepe or 3 points for every 2 crepes (I don’t know why it works out that way, but it does)
Lunch ~ Chicken nuggets w/ carrots/broccoli/celery and ranch dip

Dinner ~ Date night!