Meal Plan Monday

It's been a couple of weeks :) I guess I have a bit of an excuse with the Thanksgiving and what not...I am having a hard time getting back in the swing of things so hopefully writing this post will help!

Last week I decided to try some of the recipes that I have been pinning on pinterest.

We tried taco stuffed peppers, but I wasn't thrilled with them. First of all, I was really confused when I looked at this recipe and there was NO meat!! How do you make a taco with no meat....goodness. Anyhow, it inspired me to make my own rendition of it. I think they would have been pretty good if I would have used the regular taco seasoning (Old El Paso Or McCormicks) that I usually get at Kroger's, but I was at Central Market and they didn't have it so I got something they had there. I can't remember what it was .... but I am pretty sure it is what messed it up for me. I think if you want to do this, just make it like you make your regular taco and put in a pepper instead - a low-carb taco if you will. Easy peasy.

Anyhow, I think my next pepper stuffing recipe will be these:

No worries, there is definitely meat here. 

The other recipe that I tried was lemon chicken. I ended up seeing it on Pinterest but remembering that my sister-in-law said the Barefoot Contessa recipe was delicious, so I tried it - and we both agreed. Big hit!

Ok, so moving on to this week:

Monday: I am wanting something with seafood but this weather makes me want something hearty....so I think I am going to make this:

Probably not the healthiest thing but it sure looks delish!

Scratch that - all that taco talk before got me wanting tacos....so that's what we had :)

Tuesday: I feel like brussels sprouts are so trendy right now, I am seeing them everywhere! I don't recall ever eating them growing up but my mother-in-law made some last year and I loved them. This week No More To Go has a recipe and I am going to try...Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts! Yum! We will have Buttermilk Grilled Chicken and Baked Cheese Grits.  (from No More To Go)
Wednesday: Crock Pot Pulled Pork Tacos (from No More To Go)
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: Kevin's Christmas Party

Meal Plan Monday (November 7)

Once again I am late on last week. I am really trying to get better about that! I typically try and plan our meals during Ryan's nap on Monday (which is right now). I need to know what we are eating because when he wakes up we usually head to the store. I often find myself scrambling to do a lot of things during his Monday nap - well during all of his naps, it's seriously like ADD up in here. I start one thing and then realize that there was something else more important....goodness, it's a wonder I actually do get things finished! I am sure every mom out there knows what I am talking about. Anyhow, enough about that...on to the meals.


November 7 - 11
Monday: Asian Broiled Salmon, Ginger & Lemon Rice, and Roasted Asparagus
The Asian Salmon is a go to item for us. Kevin's parents made the salmon for us one time and we both fell in LOVE. It's delicious and really easy to make. It is a Barefoot Contessa recipe and you can find it here. I have even substitute the salmon for chicken and it still tastes great!
Tuesday: Crispy Tilapia & Spinach fettuccine (Recipe: No More To Go, Weekly menu November 7-11)
This was pretty delicious - the tilapia was actually crispy so I was proud of that.
Wednesday: Cheesy Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole and mixed greens
This was a recipe that I found in a book that my mother-in-law made for me as a gift when we got married. She and her friends compiled their favorite or "Go To" recipes together for me and I love it! I have found lots of yummy things to make including this casserole. Since I am feeling a little lazy and don't want to copy the recipe I googled one that is pretty darn similar and you can find it here. 
Thursday: Playgroup
Friday: Dine out

November 14 - 18
I can't seem to come up with much for this week (didn't love the meal plan for No More To Go, so I am on my own). Luckily we are busy so I only need to cook two nights....
Monday: Beef Stir fry (Recipe: Central Market)
Tuesday: Stella & Dot party
Wednesday: xxx (still thinking...)
Thursday: Dinner with friends
Friday: Leftovers/Order in

Ladies Lunch

On Saturday I hosted lunch for a few of my old co-workers. I hadn't hosted since the day Ryan was born so I was excited to have them over.  Sadly I didn't take any pictures while the ladies were here however, we had a great time catching up!

The menu was:
Garlic roasted butternut squash soup with gruyere croutons
Autumn chopped salad
Chicken salad sandwiches
Apple turnovers with vanilla ice cream

My table setting was very last minute but I was happy with it. The centerpiece (and runner) was made from stuff that I had around the house.  Late Friday afternoon I decided that I needed something else so Ryan and I heade to World market. I LOVE World Market! I found the place mats, napkins and rings at there. The turkey napkin rings are adorable!

The chicken salad was from Central Market.

The Autumn chopped salad was from a site called expressoandcream.com. 

The butternut squash soup was from rachel ray and it was delicious. Kevin (who got this bowl after the ladies left) actually gave this a 4.75 star rating...my highest yet! I have never had or made butternut squash soup so I really had no idea what to expect. I know Ryan is a fan of butternut squash but I myself wasn't too familiar with it. In fact, the whole butternut squash itself was a mystery but it ended up working out wonderfully. Plus I had a bunch of toppings and I love toppings. The toppings were caramelized onions, plain yogurt (which tastes just like sour cream) and cheesy bread....so yeah I was down with this. 

The luncheon was fun and we had a great time...but I am tired and need a break from cooking! Luckily Kevin was excited to grill burgers on Saturday night! They were delicious and just what I needed!

Meal Plan Monday (October 31)

Obviously I never posted my meal plan for this week on Monday so I will now.

Monday: Halloween - Block Party (No cooking!)

Tuesday: Rosemary Flank Steak, Sauteed Fresh Spinach and Au Gratin Potatoes (From No More To Go)
Review: The rosemary grilled flank steak is one of my favorites. It is super easy and delicious. We had made it before and loved it so I thought it would be perfect to cook while my mom was visiting. Kevin gives at 4.5 star (remember thats out of 5...still searching for that meal that will win a 5 star) and my mom LOVED it. The Au Gratin potatoes were also AMAZING - I was never a fan of them but I guess I am now! Yum Yum Yum!


Au Gratin Cheesy Potatoes (R2) SERVES 4
Ingredients: 2 lbs potatoes

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cups gruyere (or any cheese of your liking), grated 1/2 cups half-and-half kosher salt freshly cracked black pepper 1 teaspoons thyme

Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 2. Peel and dice the potatoes. 3. Parboil the potatoes 5 minutes in salty water. 4. Either spray a large baking dish with oil or rub it lightly with butter. 5. Drain and then toss the potatoes in the baking dish with the butter,

thyme, more salt and pepper. 6. Mix almost all the cheese (save some for the top) throughout the potatoes

and pour the half & half evenly over all. (should not completely cover the

potatoes) 7. Top the dish with the reserved cheese. 8. Bake for one hour or until the cheese is nicely melted, bubbling and turning a carmel color.

Wednesday: Tortilla Soup (From one of my favorite recipe sites: Our Best Bites) This is an oldie but a goody. The weather was getting a little cooler and this was the perfect meal for us!

Thursday: Chicken and Dumplings (Found on Pinterest)
Review: LOVED...this was delicious and I am definitely going to make sure I have all the ingredients on hand for a "snow" day this winter. It smells up your entire house with yumminess - you have to try! The recipe is easy peasy the only thing I did differently was add another can of chicken broth - it was too thick for my taste. 

Friday: Date night with the hubs. We have been so busy lately and haven't had much "us" time so we decided to hit the town and try a restaurant we haven't been before. The winner is Samar - all of our friends have said the atmosphere is awesome and the food is amazing! Can't wait to try!

Also, I am finally (it's hard to get everyone's schedule coordinated) hosting a luncheon with some of my old coworkers (the last one I did was the day Ryan was born!) I am excited to make some fun fall food for the girls! We will be having a butternut squash soup (still deciding between recipes and I might go a little crazy and combine two), autumn chop salad (found on pinterest) and chicken salad sandwiches. I am still debating on desert but it will be something easy!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

My sister-in-law introduced me to this yummy party pleaser! I made it for our Halloween party and everyone loved it.

(I usually just serve it in the crockpot to it keep it nice and warm)

A few people requested the recipe so here it is:
2 chicken breasts (cooked & cubed)
1.5 cups buffalo wing sauce
1 cup blue cheese dressing
8oz cheddar cheese
2 pkg cream cheese

Throw it in a crock pot on high for 1 hr - stir a couple times and DONE! And its Yum! Serve with celery, bread or tortilla chips!

Meal Plan Mondays

So I guess that's what I am calling it these days. When Sunday rolls around I just don't have the gusto to plan our meals out AND make it to the grocery store. It's always way too crowded and they are always out of stuff so I wait until Monday. Ryan and I usually do something fun in the morning and then after nap time we head to Central Market to get food for the week. Ryan digs the carts with the cars on top and he also is a BIG fan of the balloons so it works out well. Plus CM always has a ton of yummy fruit and bread for him to snack on. Anyhow, here is what we are working with this week:

Monday: Chili-lime Tilpaia, Herbed Basamati Rice and Fresh Spinach.

Kevin and I were both pretty big fans - it was just what we needed after a weekend of not so healthy food. Kevin rated this guy a solid four starts.

Chili-Lime Tilapia (or any white flaky fish) Servings: 4 Time: 20 mins

Ingredients 6 tilapia fillets

1/4 cup olive oil 2 teaspoons lime juice 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions 1. Preheat oven to broil. 2. Place fillets in a baking dish. 3. Drizzle oil and lime juice on fillets. 4. Sprinkle with chili powder and salt. 5. Cook for about 10 minutes watching to make sure it doesn't overcook.

Herbed Basmati Rice Servings: 4-6 Time: 30 mins

Ingredients 1 1/2 cups basmati rice

3 cups chicken stock ( low sodium fat free) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 teaspoons parsley

1 teaspoon dill, dried 1 tablespoon fresh scallions, white and green parts 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions 1. Combine rice, stock and butter in a saucepan. 2. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat to low, stir once, and simmer for

15 minutes. 3. Add herbs, stir, cover and continue to cook for 5 more minutes.

Tuesday: Manicotti with Turkey Sausage and Mushrooms

Wednesday: Braised Beef Stroganoff

Thursday:  Halloween Party @ LCC

Friday: Dine out

Hope you have a wonderful week!

Asparagus Prosciutto Mushroom Saute

Ryan and I headed to Central Market to find something for dinner and we were successful! I found a yummy recipe and was excited to give it a try. After rounding up all the ingredients we headed home and got everything ready. I washed and cut everything, cooked the pasta and then just waited for Kevin to get home. Once he arrived I whipped it up super fast. The recipe is below.

1 Asparagus Prosciutto Kit (they didn't have this available so I just found everything myself - I wasn't sure on exact amounts needed so I just guessed) so this is what I got:

Extra virgin Olive Oil
Butter
Mushrooms (1pkg)
Garlic
Prosciutto
Basil
Salt & Pepper
Penne Pasta (I used linguini but I think I would do penne next time)

1. Heat saute pan over medium heat, add butter & allow to melt
2. Add shallots, allow to soften & then add mushrooms. Cook mushrooms until they begin to brown on both sides
3. Add olive oil with garlic, & then add asparagus. Season with a heavy pinch of salt.
4. Cover & allow asparagus to cook 2-3 minutes, or until tender
5. Remove lid & add prosciutto. Season with the salt & pepper & stir
6. Add pasta or rice (optional)
7. Finish with chopped fresh basil & serve immediately.

BTS Cake

Finally....I am finally posting the recipe to the BTS cake - yay! If you recall, I made this cake for Father's Day and for Ryan's actual birthday. It's always a big hit and it's super easy to make!

My neighbor Mica made this last year for her husbands birthday and I fell in LOVE with it. It's so yummy and super simple. It's actual name is "Better Than Sex" but I just simplified it and refer to it as BTS cake :)

The Cake:
Any yellow cake mix
1 package of instant vanilla pudding mix
3 eggs
1 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 water
1/2 bar of German chocolate - shaved
1 package of chocolate chips

Mix it all
Pour (should make 3 layers)
Bake 350 for 30 minutes

The Icing
1 block of cream cheese
1 stick of butter
1tbs vanilla
1lb of powered sugar

Creamy Burrito Casserole

I had a pound of ground beef in the fridge and no idea what to make for dinner, so what did I do? I googled....and I found something that peaked my interest. I thought the end product was ok - perhaps a little too creamy for me but Kevin thought it was great. Good thing, because it makes a lot! Here is the finished product! (recipe below)

1lb ground beef
1/2 med yellow onion
1 pkg taco seasoning
6 flour tortillas
1 can of refried beans
2-3 cups of shredded cheese
1 can of mushroom soup
4 ounces of sour cream
Salsa

1. Brown ground meat and onion; drain
2. Add taco seasoning and stir in refried beans
3. Mix soup and sour cream in bowl
4. Spread 1/2 sour cream mixture in bottom of casserole dish
5. Tear up 3 tortillas and spread over sour cream mixture
6. Put 1/2 meat mixture
7. Add a layer of cheese
8. Salsa layer
9. Repeat layers
10. Sprinkle cheese over top layer and bake at 350, uncovered, for 20-30 min

I think if I make again I might use black beans instead of refried and skip the cream of mushroom soup...if anyone tries a variation let me know how it goes!

Cilantro Lime Fish Tacos

So this is my super fast and easy "Go To" meal for us. I am sharing this with everyone and also linking up with Stafford Stories to share with other mommies! I don't have a picture of this now but will add one soon! Fish tacos are so yummy and fast and Kevin LOVES them! The fish and taco idea obviously isn't mine but I did come up with this sauce by myself. I am a HUGE fan of sour cream and always have it with anything Mexican. I also really dig lime and cilantro, so one night I decided to mix it all up and BAM! Here you go!

White fish (we usually use tilapia but really you can use whatever you want! Shrimp works too!)
Corn Tortillas
Cheese (Cheddar, Monterey jack...whatever you are feeling)
Lettuce/Cabbage

Sauce
Sour cream
Lime
Cilantro
Garlic salt

1. I usually make the sauce first - I use a mini cusinart food processor and basically just throw all the ingredients in and mix. Then I taste it and add more of whatever I think it needs. I know....it's not real scientific. You could even add a little jalapeno in the mix if you like things a little spicy!

2. Prepare fish as recommended. I usually throw some EVOO and a little salt before throwing them in a little frying pan. They don't take long to cook - so when they are white and not clear they are ready!

3. Heat tortillas and build your taco!

I usually serve this with some yummy mexican rice and/or black beans.

Stuffed Peppers Risotto

I am always looking for new recipes to try and yesterday I made this risotto stuffed red pepper and it was pretty darn tasty! I found it on the Yahoo homepage, but it comes from Better Homes & Garden.

ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked Arborio or long grain white rice
1-1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 small or 2 large sweet peppers
Salt and ground black pepper
3 oz. Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 cup 1-inch pieces asparagus or fresh broccoli florets
1 cup cubed cooked chicken
2 tsp. snipped fresh tarragon or oregano or 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon or oregano, crushed
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts, toasted, if desired

directions

For filling, in a 2-quart saucepan combine rice and broth; bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut tops off small peppers, or halve large peppers lengthwise. Remove membranes and seeds. In a 4-quart Dutch oven immerse peppers in boiling water oven for 3 minutes. Remove; drain, cut sides down, on paper towels. Place in a serving dish cut side up. Sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper; set aside.

With a vegetable peeler, shave 1 ounce of the Parmesan in thin strips; set aside. Finely shred or grate the remaining Parmesan; set aside. Stir asparagus or broccoli, chicken, and herb into rice. Cover and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in whipping cream, shredded or grated cheese, and nuts. Spoon filling into peppers. Top with shaved cheese. Makes 4 servings.
 
I also added kalamata olives to it - I love them and they tasted great!