Supper Time: March 7-13th, 2010

*Disclosure*: Meals are subj. to change w/o notice due to unforeseen circumstances, change of plans, migraines or meltdowns!!
Note: try to use free-range organic or all-natural chicken and beef, and organic fruits and vegetables when possible...and always try to use organic dairy!!

For Sunday dinner I was planning on having my parents over for pot roast. Since we've been having such beautiful, spring-like weather here, they decided to head to the beach. (Oh, how I wish we could have gone!!) So my mom made up a Shepherd's Pie for us for an extra meal, and I had my sister's family over instead.

Sunday: Pot Roast with vegetables
Shepherd's Pie
Dinner rolls

Monday: Chicken and Wild Rice Cakes (OAMC)
Applesauce
Green Beans

Tuesday: Rigatoni with Broccoli
Homemade Bread

Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie

Thursday: Enchilada's
Corn
Salad

Friday: Meatless Lenten Friday
Pasta Bar
(homemade mac & cheese, alfredo, and vodka sauce)
Salad Bar

Saturday: Pizza
Salad

For more menu ideas visit orgjunkie.com

OAMC- Giving it a Try...

Well, I'm going to do it. I've been thinking about it for months, and I'm finally going to take the plunge and try OAMC (Once A Month Cooking). I do freeze several meals a month when I double certain recipes, but haven't ever dedicated a day or two to preparing them. I'll only be participating on Monday though, since I have doctors appointments the three days after that. (optomistic about my hearing!!)
I received my flyers for our supermarkets sales starting today, so I'll stock up on several inexpensive items, and our local market where we get our organic beef and all-natural, free-range chicken has ground beef on sale and chicken breasts at a discounted price when you make a $50 order. I don't have a $50 order for there, so I'll go in with my mother and sister to bring the total up to $50, and we'll all benefit! Combining orders when making purchases for freezer cooking or bulk purchases really works well...everyone comes out with a little more in their pockets...usually!!
The following looks quite vigorous, and I may not get to all of it! But having the past two days housebound with help (husband home!!) I have gotten a lot done around the house, and am therefore able to prepare for my cooking endeavor! We will see what I really get done!

Here's what's on my menu for Cooking Day:

Ground Beef:
Beef Porcupine Balls
Cheeseburger Pop-Ems or Bacon Cheeseburger Buns
Pizza-Pasta Casserole
Cheeseburger Pasta (Skillet Meal in a Bag)
Beef, Rice, and gravy

Pasta:
Creamy Tomato Pasta (Skillet Meal in a Bag)
Stuffed Shells (will post recipe soon)
Ziti
Rigatoni, Sweet Italian Sausage, Peppers, Sauce (Skillet Meal in a Bag)

Chicken:
Chicken Marsala
Maple Glazed Chicken
Chicken and Wild Rice Cakes
Chicken-Potato Cakes
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken, Rice, and gravy

LunchBox Lunches:
PB Jammerz (GREAT for school...and can be made with our HFCS-free bread, and organic ingredients!!)
Low Fat Tomato Chili (I have left over skirt steak I will use)

Sides:
Corn Flake Potato Casserole


Some great resources when Freezer Cooking:
Mom'sBudget / Recipes
30 Meals in 1 Day

Linked to: Money Saving Mom and Life As Mom Freezer Cooking Days

Hear ye! Hear ye! I'm "The Biggest Loser"

Okay...all bets are off people. I am a "Pantry Eating Challenge" loser. A dropout. I could not do it. Truth be told, I never started. I just could not get my act together after the holidays to sit down and focus on a month's challenge of meals...with the little we had in the house/pantry/freezer and no good deals on the horizon. (Unless, of course, we were going to eat from cans for the month since every store is now having "Can-Can Sales"). Chef Boyardee anyone?? No thanks. So, I've been restocking for the month, and I think I'm now ready to start the challenge...just about a month late.

Here are some of the great deals I've found this month to help stock up. Needless to say I stocked my fridge, freezer, and pantry to the max with these sales! I'm able to feed our family, and frequent dinner guests since it's that time of year and my husband is having his Seniors over every now and then for College planning.

Ground beef: $1.68/lb.
Boneless chicken breast: $1.99/lb.
Frozen organic veggies: 12 bags free with coupons
5lb. organic potatoes: $.78
Organic tomato sauce/pasta sauces: $.65
Whole grain pastas: $.78 box
2lbs. white and brown rice: $.77
bacon: $1.88/lb.

Another great and frugal find (don't know why I didn't look for these sooner...since I'm a loyal shopper there!!) at Sam's Club: Can't beat these deals with a stick!!
Bulk Yeast: 2 lbs: $4.16!!
25lbs All-Purpose Unbleached Flour: $7.83
So...I'll be baking up all of our rolls, breads, and pizza dough (when I make sicilian...we still have shells from Sam's which are still our fave for regular pizza!!)

I have all of the ingredients on hand to prepare the following meals. Here's what will be on my menu plan this month (and longer):
Many of these meals are Under $5!
Meatloaf
Bowties alfredo with grilled chicken
Penne Vodka w/ grilled chicken
Cheeseburger Pie
Shepherds Pie
Burgers on the grill (homemade rolls)
Lasagna
Stuffed Shells
Chicken Potato Pancakes
Chicken & Wild Rice Pancakes
Ziti
Stuffed French Toast
Penne/Cavatelli & Broccoli
Creamy Chicken
Potroast
Quiche
London Broil
Chicken, rice, gravy
Porcupine Balls/Mashed Potatoes
Teryaki Chicken, Vegetables & Rice
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Chicken Fried Chicken
Chicken Parmesan
Chicken Soup
Potato Soup w/ bacon & cheese
Beefaroni
Sloppy Joes (homemade rolls)
Grilled chicken, bacon & Cheese
Popcorn Chicken
Crispy beef & Broccoli (recipe to come)
Crispy beef & fried rice (recipe to come)
Chicken fried rice (recipe to come)
"No Es Mexicana" "Enchilada"
Ravioli
Chicken Alfredo Pizza
Pizza
Sicilian Pizza (recipe coming soon!!)

Side dishes of: veggies, rice, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, roasted potatoes.

I figure my weekly shopping lists will consist of: (Budgeting for $20 wk.)
cheese
milk
yogurt
fruit
veggies

An "Eating from the Pantry" challenge is a great idea...any month of the year! And doing it when I'm prepared, stocked, and ready Works for Me!!
Linked to: Works for Me Wednesday

Supper Time: December 28, 2009-January 2nd, 2010

Yes, yes, still alive here. I've had to take some time off in the Cozy Country to catch up on holiday happenings, for illness, parties, gifts, and teacher luncheons (Did I also mention it's basketball season around here??!!). The craziness has gone (somewhat), and I am eager to get back to business!
Which brings me back to meal planning. Boy do I ever need to be back on a schedule! I've gotten some great cookbooks for Christmas, and I'm eager to put them to work!!
Here's what's being served up this week:

Sunday: Dinner at my sister's. My other sister is headed back down south in the morning, so we're taking advantage of one last get-together.
Spaghetti and meatballs
Garlic bread

Monday: Daddy has a holiday tournament game so we're going to have an early dinner before he has to leave. Not quite sure we're going to get there, since little country-girl is now nursing what seems to be another cold!! How can that be possible??!!
Leftover Christmas dinner:
turkey
ham
mashed potatoes
cranberry sauce
corn
green beans
rolls

Tuesday:
Baked ziti
homemade rolls
salad

Wednesday:
All-American Cheeseburgers (Crock pot meal)
baked steak fries
corn on the cob

Thursday: (New Years Eve)
Hors d'oeuvres party
Cheesesteak Hoagie Ring (read here why this is an excellent choice)
Pigs in a Blanket
cheese fondue
homemade pizza
chips/dips

Friday: New Years Day Menu ~ Welcome 2010
MY 1ST BLOGGING ANNIVERSARY!!

Ham
Scalloped Potatoes
green beans

Saturday:
Creamy Turkey and Wild Rice Soup (From The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook...one of my gifts!!)
Homemade bread

For more meal planning ideas, visit Org. Junkie!

Supper Time: September 20-26th

Disclaimer: *Meals are subj. to change w/o notice due to unforeseen circumstances, change of plans, migraines or meltdowns!!

**Note: try to use free-range organic or all-natural chicken and beef, and organic fruits and vegetables when possible...and always try to use organic dairy!! We purchase our meats (chicken and beef) from an all-natural, grass fed local farm. All of our dairy and produce is organic. Our other meat items (hotdogs, sausages, ham, bacon) are nitrate-free organic purchased at the health-food store or supermarket. Check out the benefits of going all-natural/organic here.

I had a totally different menu planned for this week, but last night my little guy came down with croup...so, I'm not getting to the supermarket any time soon. And due to a game and Religious Ed. on Saturday, I didn't make it to the farmers market. It's times like this that I'm thankful I have enough stockpile to eat from the freezer and pantry! It pays off to be prepared!

Sunday: Last day of summer BBQ
Tomorrow is the first day of Fall, so my husband was craving one last summer hurrah BBQ. We enjoyed eating on the patio, but when the sun went down, we were shivering while eating in 58° weather!!
Burgers
Hotdogs
chips
fruit

Monday: Chicken tenders
brown rice with chicken gravy
broccoli

Tuesday: Brats and Potatoes
with red and green peppers
(I squirt ketchup in the skillet and mix all together...ymmmm!!)
(my organic potatoes are on their way out, so this is a delicious way to cook them up quickly!)

Wednesday: Beefaroni *recipe below
biscuits

Thursday: Game night...(hopefully...if all are healthy!)
Chinese Chicken (don't forget, when doing Chinese take-out, always specify no MSG!!)
broccoli

Friday: homemade pizza
salad

Saturday: Game day. Two possibilities. If we win, most likely we'll be hosting the coaches after the game and I'll have grilled pizzas and beer [ahem...beverages]. If we lose we'll probably still have the beer but this is what my family will be eating:
fried chicken
mashed potatoes with gravy
corn
peas


Easy Beefaroni:
Cook 1lb. ground beef in skillet until cooked through. Add homemade spaghetti sauce (about 2C.) or jarred organic, then simmer about 15mins. While simmering, prepare pasta of choice, about 3/4-1box. (We love spiral rotini and whole grain is a great pick!!) Drain pasta. Pour pasta into large bowl and top with meat and sauce. Toss to coat. Voila...dinner is served! On the table in about 20minutes!!

Linked to: Menu Plan Monday

Supper Time: August 23rd-29th

We started off this week with an "Olive Garden" themed "dinner party"...the endless pasta bowl with your choice of sauces. We were celebrating my parents 44th wedding anniversary. We've been trying for two weekends now to have a night that doesn't rain to take them to the boat club for dinner (sunshine needed for outdoor dining!!) But, just wasn't happening. We were going to go tonight, but then the skies opened up, again, this afternoon, so I put this dinner together. We were celebrating their anniversary, and my sisters children were away for the past two weeks, so we were also celebrating everyone being back together. Too bad my sister (who lives down south) couldn't be with us. We always miss her at these special meals! (She did call, though!!)
Counting down the last week of summer...the last full week before school starts. Bitter sweet. I loved having my husband home and I loved having my daughter to myself every day, but I am looking forward to getting back into a routine and more structure. I also will not miss the constant bickering between the children who tend to spend too much time together!
I will be trying some new recipes this week with vegetables from a friends garden (since our zucchini disappeared!!??). Green peppers and eggplant. Check back later in the week for Yay or Nay on the outcomes!!


Sunday: Make your own pasta bar
grilled pizza (appetizer)
Meat sauce with meatballs
Red sauce with sausage
Marinara
Alfredo
Bread and breadsticks
veggie platter
brownies/{free} Ben and Jerry's cups

Monday: Practice/cheer. uniform handouts and football practice/films/meetings
Leftovers from last nights feast

Tuesday: quiche lorraine (east recipe to come later)
hashbrown casserole
salad

Wednesday: steak fajitas
corn

Thursday: eggplant parmesan
pasta

Friday: Midget Football beefsteak(Mommy & Daddy)
kids Chinese chicken w/ babysitter (whoever that may be??!!)

Saturday: Midget football Pep Rally
BBQ there

Linked to: Menu Plan Monday

Supper Time: August 16th-22nd

Fail to plan...plan to fail, as my husband always says. Not having a plan at all wasn't really working for me, so I need to have some type of direction. I really could've used a menu plan for these past two weeks we've had. And with the weeks ahead of football triples and cheerleading practice, I need to prepare prior to 5pm each day! So I've hopped on the menu planning wagon again...let's hope I don't fall off!!

Sunday: BBQ
cheeseburgers and hotdogs on homemade buns
Fruit
chips

Monday: Sandwich bar at the pool
turkey, ham, cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and all the fixins for sandwiches
fresh bakery rolls
veggie sticks
chips

Tuesday: Chicken alfredo
salad
Italian bread

Wednesday: Meatloaf *recipe below
mashed potatoes
peas
homemade rolls

Thursday: ziti
salad
leftover Italian bread or rolls

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: Daddy's Red and White game (football)
Team BBQ

Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1lb. lean ground beef
1pkg vegetable soup mix
1 egg
1/2C. bread crumbs
1/2C. milk
1/2C. tomato sauce

Directions:
Combine first 5 ingredients. In foil lined loaf pan, shape beef mixture into loaf. Bake at 350° for 40mins. Pour tomato sauce over top and bake another 20mins.

(At times I also throw in baby carrots and peeled, quartered potatoes alongside the meatloaf in a larger dish... this too is also delicious, and you have your sides already prepared!!)

Post linked to: Menu Plan Monday

Supper Time: Eating from the Pantry/Freezer/Fridge July 26th-August 1st

Out of the guilt of knowing there was no coach for my daughters flag football cheerleading squad (and being a former college cheerleader and varsity high school cheerleading coach myself), I now have a new position! My daugher is thrilled, and that's what it's all about, right??!! It's about that time again (football season) and this week we have "camp" every evening to learn the cheers and halftime routine. And while I'm busy with the girls, my husband is running camp for his boys...his high school football players. So starts our busy season around here!!
Which brings me to trying something new. This week I will be trying to "eat mostly from the pantry/fridge/freezer" since we have so much stocked up, the sales aren't too great, and I really don't have time to run to the store.

Things I have to use are:

cube steaks
ground beef
chicken
eggs
bacon
cheeses (american, mozzarella, swiss)
mashed potatoes (boxed)
scalloped potatoes (boxed)
baking mix
a ton of Hamburger Helper
rice (flavored and white)
frozen pie crusts
frozen pizza shells

These are some ideas I have planned for meals this week (give or take)...any ideas for the ingredients I have I'd love to hear them!!

BBQ (I have taken Amy's advice and loaded up the grill, so to have leftovers for lunch or in case we are running behind and we need a quick fix supper!)
Creamy chicken
Cheeseburger Pie
Quiche Lorraine (with frozen pie crust)
Hamburger Helper (any variety)
Macaroni Grill Kit
Homemade Pizza (or we may hit the pizza parlor on "cheap" night, take one to go, and go hang out by our little country airport on our way home and watch the parachuter's...a favorite of ours to do!!)
Chicken Fried Steak (or cube steaks prepared some other way)


Linked to: Menu Plan Monday

Supper Time: July 5th-11th. Last MPM...

We are absolutely exhausted after our wedding marathon weekend. Feasting on Chilean Sea Bass, Chicken Francaise, Chateaubriand, and Beef Wellington really takes a toll on your stomach...not to mention your waist line! It'll be nice to get back to eating normal, blander family meals.

And with the start of the month come changes with "Supper Time". I'll no longer be planning specific meals for specific days, and I won't be participating in Meal Planning Monday's anymore. To be quite honest, some nights I am the only one in the family who eats the meal I make. Most nights I prepare three meals. One planned meal that I'll eat, and most of the time my husband(often a new recipe I'd like to try or something I thought we liked), another for my daughter and another for my son (who for the past year feasts on mac & cheese...from the box...waffles, yogurts, grilled cheese, or Chinese chicken...yes...has to be from the chinese food restaurant!!). Mealtime has become a burden, a specific time of the day that causes me such frustration...which is sad because I love to cook so much! I end up wasting so much food, something I absolutely despise! FYI...for those of you who are saying to yourself "girlfriend, serve the kids only what you eat and if they don't like it, they don't eat"! I have been there, done that, and my son will go forever without eating anything! Believe me, I've tried it. He is that stubborn! I have tried it all. As for my six year old...she's a great eater. Lover of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, but not a big meat eater...beef or chicken. It's dependent on how it's prepared. Her favorite dish...whole grain penne with a touch of butter and sprinkled cheese and broccoli. Not bad, I guess. I just can't eat it every night.
So, from now on I will be doing my best to prepare meals that the majority of the family is in favor of to cut down on my stress level during dinner. It feels like a huge weight is off my shoulders. And as our pediatrician puts it...they don't appreciate my cooking skills...yet. So until they do, I will K.I.S.S. (keep it simple sistah!!)!
Thanks to all of the regular commenter's...I will still be visiting MPM for recipes, of course, and posting any new recipes I come across that is worth sharing...or something that even the pickiest of eaters (aka: my children) will eat!

Meals on the menu for this week:
buttered penne with broccoli, sprinkled cheese
homemade pizza
Chinese food takeout
pasta with grilled chicken
Church Picnic (potluck)...bringing Corn Casserole and Hashbrown Casserole (b/c it's my fave!!)

Until next time...best dishes!!
Visit MPM for more menu planning ideas!

Supper Time: June 28th-July 4th

We've got two weddings in two days this week, back to back, and my daughter is the flower girl in one of them. Throw in the rehearsal dinner, two family birthdays, Summer Enrichment Camp, and a Sweet 16 luau, and there's not much home cookin' going on! (We'll need the money we're saving on meals for the wedding gift...at $200 a pop, that makes for some expensive date nights!!)

Sunday: Welcome Home Daddy!!
Daddy is in the mood for some homemade food, and since this has been on the menu for the past few weeks but has never gotten defrosted, it makes for a good choice.
Chicken Fried Steak
mashed potatoes
corn
edamame

Monday: Chicken and Stuffing Bake
peas

Tuesday: Niece's Sweet 16 Luau
Swimming, BBQ, fun, fun, fun!!

Wednesday: Ravioli
Homemade breadsticks
salad

Thursday: Rehearsal dinner (out)

Friday: Happy Birthday "JonJon" (my nephew)
Wedding #1 (with daughter)

Saturday: Happy Birthday MB (my sister...my parent's "little firecracker"!!)
Happy Birthday America! Happy 4th of July!!
Wedding #2 (On the Hudson...for the fireworks!! No kids...just "Coach" and I!! So excited!!)

For some more menu planning ideas visit Organized Junkie!

Supper Time: June 21st-27th

Well, last week's weather was a dud and we had to cancel our yard sale! This week marks the first full week of summer vacation for us. We're going to go to a $1AMC movie this week, and Daddy is going to get in a golf tournament before leaving for the State University with his basketball team for three days for camp (And...my father will be there with HIS team!!). It's a nice feeling to have the week to be "settled" before summer enrichment, VBS, and trips occur! I'm looking forward to getting some projects done around the house (stay tuned!) AND I'm hoping for some nicer weather!

*Meals are subj. to change w/o notice due to unforeseen circumstances, change of plans, migraines or meltdowns!!

Sunday: Happy Father's Day BBQ!
London Broil
Baked potatoes
corn on the cob
salad
Cheese & Cracker platter
Cridite
Apple Pie
Brownies

Monday: Creamy baked beefaroni (halved recipe)
Salad
rolls

Tuesday: London broil on toast points (leftover from Sun.)
Corn on cob

Wednesday: Boneless Fried Chicken
macaroni and cheese
green beans

Thursday: Chicken parm (made from extras from Wed.)
pasta
salad
rolls

Friday: Homemade Pizza Hut Pan Pizza
Fruit salad

Saturday: Chinese Food
(if it's nice maybe head over to my sisters for a swim...and some company!!)

Linked to: Menu Plan Monday

Supper Time: June 14th-20th

Happy Flag Day!
I've been "flyin'-by-the-seat-of-my-pants" these past few weeks without menu plans, and boy have I been sorry. Although being in Maine and a last minute trip to the beach for a few days was really nice, I'm looking forward to being back "on track" in the meal planning department! Summer is just about here on the east coast, which for us means the last day of school and a yard sale at the end of the week, enrichment camp at the school, and summer camp starting soon! This week I'm looking for quick fixes, and I'm on the lookout for some new grill recipes to beat-the-heat as well!!

*Meals are subj. to change w/o notice due to unforeseen circumstances, change of plans, migraines or meltdowns!!

Sunday: Stuffed Shells
meatballs
homemade bread
salad

Monday: Teriyaki Chicken & Rice
broccoli

Tuesday: Omelettes
Pancakes
Hashbrown Casserole
Bacon
Biscuits

Wednesday: Chicken Fried Steak
roasted potatoes
peas
corn

Thursday: (cousins over to get ready for Yard Sale tomorrow)
Mickey Mouse shaped Chicken Patty Sandwiches
chips
watermelon

Friday: Yard Sale Day
homemade pizza
salad

Saturday: Yard Sale Finale
Using our profits (hopefully!!) for Chinese takeout

For more menu planning ideas visit orgjunkie.com

Supper Time: May 17th-23rd

*Meals are subj. to change w/o notice due to unforeseen circumstances, change of plans, migraines or meltdowns!!

This week will be a little hectic here in the Cozy Country...my sister's children will be in our care. So...I'll have teenagers down to a three year old! I know many of you can relate!!

Sunday: Niece's Sweet Sixteen!
Dinner Party at my sister's...

Monday: Daisy Scout Trip...and pickup at three different schools. I need to get creative to get to all four places on time!!
Make your own pizzas
Corn
Fresh Fruit

Tuesday: Happy Sweet Sixteen to my beautiful niece!!
Linguini Alfredo with grilled chicken (Mac. Grill Kits)
Italian bread
Salad

Wednesday: Daddy's at West Point for a Football Clinic...
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Italian bread
Salad
Fruit

Thursday: Chicken Fried Steak
Mashed Potatoes
Corn
Green Beans

Friday: We leave for Maine early in the morning, so...
Make your own hoagie/grinder night
Coldcuts, cheeses, etc.
Chips
Fruit

Saturday: Maine Lobster!!
(We watch the lobster boats come empty the traps every morning from my parent's deck... We are really looking forward to some R&R!! Be back next week!)

For more meal planning ideas visit orgjunkie.com

Supper Time: May 10th-16th

*Meals are subj. to change w/o notice due to unforeseen circumstances, change of plans, migraines or meltdowns!!

Some of our plans changed last week and we didn't eat all meals that were on our menu, so I'm planning them for this week...

Sunday: Mother's Day BBQ with my sister and father (since my Mother was away)

Monday: Grilled Chicken
Outback Shrimp on the barbie
Outback bread (first time trying this particular recipe. I'm going to try it out in my bread machine...let you know how it goes!)

Tuesday: Class trip...
Creamy Baked Penne (had a pan frozen in the freezer from the last time I made it)
Italian bread
green beans

Wednesday: (Daughter is having a playdate...so I'll be helping the girls try a new recipe for snack!)
Pot Roast
Boxed Potatoes (either whipped or scalloped) I'm trying to use up what's in my pantry!!
peas

Thursday: quiche (recipe below)
salad

Friday: (Birthday party...gotta run daughter there, then pick up in two hours)
Homemade pizza
fuit salad

Saturday: Daisy Scouts Father/Daughter campfire
BBQ...hotdogs, hamburgers, grilled chicken sandwiches

Quiche:
Ingredients:
10 slices white bread decrusted and cubed into quarters
8 eggs
3C. whole milk
2 C. shredded cheddar
1/2 pkg. crisp bacon
1T. onion powder or flakes

Directions:
Line bottom of greased 9x13 pan with bread cubes.Sprinkle with cheddar.Beat eggs with milk slightly. Pour on top of bread and cheese.Sprinkle with onion flakes/powder.Cover and refrigerate overnight.In morning, crumble crisp bacon on top, cover with foil and bake at 375° for 40mins or until golden bubbly.

For more menu ideas visit organizing junkie!

Supper Time: May 3rd-9th

*Meals are subj. to change w/o notice due to unforeseen circumstances, change of plans, migraines or meltdowns!!

Sunday: Creamy Chicken (see recipe below)
green beans
white rice

Monday: homemade pizza
fruit salad

Tuesday: Cinco de Mayo
Frito Pie (see recipe below)
(for those non mexican food lovers...sloppy joes on english muffins, using the same meat)
corn

Wednesday: Sesame Chicken Strips
green beans

Thursday: Cheesy Chicken pasta Bake
bread

Friday: Cheeseburgers on grill
fruit salad
chips

Saturday: Outback Steahouse Shrimp on the Barbie
grilled chicken
baked potatoes


Creamy Chicken:
Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken breasts
2T. butter
1/4 C. grated parm. cheese (optional...sometimes I add it, others not)
2T. flour
1C. milk
1/2 C. grated swiss or about 4 1 in. cubes
1/4 C. bread crumbs (I make my own with leftover crusts or stale bread processed in my food processor)

Directions:
In lg. skillet, melt butter over med. heat.
Add chicken and cook, turning until well browned, about 10mins.
Preheat oven to 350.
Arrange chicken in baking dish.
In skillet whisk flour into drippings.
Cook, stirring constantly for about a minute.
Gradually add milk and cook until smooth and thick (stirring constantly!)
Remove from heat and add in Swiss cheese.
Pour sauce over chicken.
Top with parm cheese if you choose.
Sprinkle bread crumbs on top.
Bake for 45 mins. or until chicken is tender and juices run clear.


Frito Pie:
Ingredients:
1lb. ground beef, browned and drained.
1 bag Fritos
8oz. shredded cheddar cheese
jar tomato sauce/spaghetti sauce
1pkg taco seasonings if you choose (I do not use)
1pt. sour cream if you choose (I do not use)

Directions:
Mix ground beef with tomato sauce (and taco seasoning if you like)
In 9x13 cass. dish lay out a layer of Fritos, cover with ground beef mixture.
Sprinkle cheddar cheese over top.
Cover with sour cream if you like.
Cover again with another layer of Fritos, then cheese.
You can make this a multiple layer pie if you choose.
Bake at 375 ° until bubbly.
Serve with salsa and sour cream if you desire.

For more meal planning ideas visit orgjunkie.com

Supper Time: April 26th-May 2nd

*Meals are subj. to change w/o notice due to unforeseen circumstances, change of plans, migraines or meltdowns!!

Sunday: "Chickies" (great freezer meal)
Buttered Rice
Steamed Broccoli

Monday: Sloppy Joes (in the crockpot...since it was 101° yesterday, and it's supposed to be as hot today!)
French Fries
Green beans

Tuesday: Ravioli parmesan
pizza rolls
salad

Wednesday: Parmesan chicken bite BLT wraps
corn on cob

Thursday: penne vodka w/grilled chicken
salad
homemade bread

Friday: Family Fun night...Friday for a change.
Out to eat!!

Saturday: Mommy & Daddy to a football beefsteak...
Cousins over for taco casserole and make-your-own tacos!

For more menu ideas visit Organized Junkie

Supper Time: April 12th-18th

*Meals are subj. to change w/o notice due to unforeseen circumstances, change of plans, migraines or meltdowns!!

Easter Sunday: At the beach...out at a restaurant
Happy Easter!

Monday: Chicken fried steak
mashed potatoes
corn on the cob
peas

Tuesday: Friends over for dinner
On the menu:
Bruschetta and cheese stuffed chicken breasts
roasted potatoes
green beans
Chicken nuggets and fries for kids
Homemade rolls or bread

Wednesday: Chinese Food..."take out" at home
Tempura Chicken
white rice
broccoli

Thursday: "Spring Fling" BBQ here
If the weather's nice we'll be having some friends over for a BBQ...It's "Spring Break" here this week!
On the menu:
Grilled chicken
Hot dogs
Burgers
Oriental chicken salad
Corn on the cob
baked beans
chips, dips
fruit salad

Friday: Primanti cheesesteak wraps
french fries
salad

Saturday: Family Fun...
My nieces Confirmation (I'm her sponsor)
We'll be at a party in her honor to celebrate!

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Supper Time- March 22nd-28th

*Meals are subj. to change w/o notice due to unforeseen circumstances, change of plans, migraines or meltdowns!!

Sunday: Family Fun Day at the State Park (resch. from yesterday)

cheeseburgers

hotdogs

fried chicken

watermelon

brownies

sweet tea, lemonade

Monday: Daisy Scout Investiture Ceremony (family dinner at home after)

Spaghetti with meat sauce

Homemade breadsticks with cheese

salad

Tuesday: bruschetta and cheese stuffed chicken breasts

roasted potatoes

green beans

Wednesday: chicken fried chicken

macaroni and cheese (from a box...my three year old is in a phase that he will only eat what comes from the blue box. I do buy the whole grain kind!)

homemade rolls

Thursday: Cheesesteak wraps

salad

organic french fries

Friday: Meatless...Lenten Friday

Homemade pizza

fruit salad

Saturday: Family Fun...Happy Birthday A&A!!!

A Birthday Party for two little family friends...their bashes are huge, so they'll have plenty to eat there!

Note: try to use free-range organic or all-natural chicken and beef, and organic fruits and vegetables when possible...and always try to use organic dairy!!

For more menu ideas go here...

Supper Time- March 15th-21st

*Meals are subj. to change w/o notice due to unforeseen circumstances, change of plans, migraines or meltdowns!!

Sunday: Crockpot Smothered Meatloaf (*recipe below) I added organic baby carrots to this tonight
homemade bread

Monday: Pasta alfredo with grilled chicken (didn't end up making this last week so I'm going to make it tonight)
broccoli
cheesy breadsticks

Tuesday: St. Patrick's Day ...Erin Go Bragh!!
Shepherds Pie
Irish Soda Bread (I'll probably buy this)
Irish Vanilla Sponge Cake or Dublin's Finest Caramel Apple Cake (not sure which one yet...they're both so delicious! We don't have any of the Vanilla cake left from the weekend, and it was so good, but I can always make the apple cake for breakfast (I do omit the alcohol...btw!!! I sub. almond or vanilla extract), that way we can have both in one day!! It's a day of celebration, right??!!

Wednesday: Ravioli
Italian bread (won't make this as it's on sale for .99cents this week)

Thursday: Quiche (leftover from a breakfast playdate I'll be hosting...recipe below)
salad

Friday: Lenten Friday...meatless
homemade pizza
watermelon or fruit salad

Saturday: Family Fun
BBQ in celebration of National Wildlife Week
Cheeseburgers on homemade rolls
watermelon
sweet tea and lemonade
brownies

Crockpot Smothered Meatloaf
Ingredients:
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 pound lean ground beef
1C. breadcrumbs (I make my own)
1/4C. parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 (12-ounce) can condensed Cheddar soup, divided (I make my own using this recipe...adding in shredded cheddar)
1 (10-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup (I make my own, but instead of mushrooms I just add 1T. beef bouillon seasoning)
1T. onion powder divided
1t. garlic powder

Directions:
Place potatoes in the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker and sprinkle with 1/2T. onion powder.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, the rest of the onion powder and egg. Set aside.
Add cheddar soup to meat mixture. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands mix thoroughly and form into a loaf. Place in slow cooker on top of the potatoes. Make sure meatloaf does not touch the sides of the slow cooker.
Stir together remaining cheddar soup with cream of mushroom soup. Pour over meatloaf.
Cover and cook on HIGH setting for 1 hour. Reduce the temperature to LOW setting and cook for an additional 5 to 6 hours.

Quiche:
Ingredients:
10 slices white bread decrusted and cubed into quarters
8 eggs
3C. whole milk
2 C. shredded cheddar
1/2 pkg. crisp bacon
1T. onion powder or flakes

Directions:
Line bottom of greased 9x13 pan with bread cubes. Sprinkle with cheddar. Beat eggs with milk slightly. Pour on top of bread and cheese. Sprinkle with onion flakes/powder. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In morning, crumble crisp bacon on top, cover with foil and bake at 375° for 40mins or until golden bubbly.
This is absolutely delicious and can be a breakfast, lunch, or dinner meal served with a green salad!

Note: try to use free-range organic or all-natural chicken and beef, and organic fruits and vegetables when possible...and always try to use organic dairy!!

Go here for hundreds more inspiring menu ideas!

Supper Time: March 8-14th

*Meals are subj. to change w/o notice due to unforeseen circumstances, change of plans, migraines or meltdowns!!
Note: try to use free-range organic or all-natural chicken and beef, and organic fruits and vegetables when possible...and always try to use organic dairy!!

Sunday: grilled flank steak
baked potatoes
corn
green beans
Boston Brown bread

Monday: Chicken parmesan
(Made chicken fried chicken last week, since we were in the mood, and froze some extras. I'll be using that chicken for this meal, topped with tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella, put in oven to bake)
spaghetti and sauce
salad
homemade bread

Tuesday: Crockpot cheesy chicken
(I will be making my own cream soups using this recipe) I will *try* to make a substitute for cheese soup for a healthier choice, or if that fails, I will use organic shredded cheddar.
rice
green beans
bread (leftover from Monday's meal)

Wednesday: Cheeseburger Pie
salad

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Meatless...Lenten Friday
Linguini Alfredo
broccoli
homemade bread

Saturday: Family Fun...St. Patrick's Day Parade
We'll be having a get together after the parade at our house with family that afternoon. (We're a big Irish family) I think I'll be making Irish chicken and dumplings and an Irish Cake- not sure which one yet, either an Apple Cake, Irish Vanilla Sponge Cake (traditionally for Christmas, but it's so yummy) or a layer from a traditional Irish Wedding Cake made into a bundt)

Irish Chicken and Dumplings:
2 cans (10.75 oz. each) cream of chicken soup (I'll be making my own using this recipe)
3 cups water
1 cup chopped celery
2 medium onions, quartered
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 whole chicken breasts (4 halves), boneless
5 medium carrots, sliced
1 package (10-12 oz.) frozen peas
4 medium potatoes, quartered
3 cups baking mix (e.g., Bisquick)
1 1/3 cups milk

Directions:
In large, heavy pot, combine soup, water, chicken, celery, onion, salt, poultry seasoning, and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat about 1 1/2 hours. Add potatoes and carrots; cover and cook another 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pot, shred it, and return to pot. Add peas and cook only 5 minutes longer. Add dumplings.
To make dumplings: Mix baking mix and milk until a soft dough forms. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto BOILING stew. Simmer covered for 10 minutes, then uncover and simmer an additional 10 minutes.
Makes 4 -6 servings

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