Weekly Meal Plan

That’s right…it’s back!!!! And a little early this week because we just moved into our new place and things have been so ABSOLUTELY crazy for the past week that I needed some order and normalcy back in my life before I completely LOST it. I am also sick and tired of pizza and cereal which is basically what we have been living off of this past week. I decided to sit down and make a grocery list and of course a MEAL PLAN so here we go!

ps. I plan on posting pics of the new place soon I just want it to look all nice and put together first!

Saturday – Chicken Scallopini 

Sunday – Taco Ring – I saw this on someones facebook status and had to try it!

Monday – Grilled Shrimp and Orzo with steamed veggies

Tuesday – Leftovers

Wednesday – Omelets and Bacon – Brian makes really yummy omelets!

Thursday – CrockPot Chicken Divan served over Brown Rice

Friday – We will be eating out with my Cousin Renee and her family who will be visiting from Michigan!!!!

Saturday – We will be attending Harper’s 3rd Birthday and eating some goodies at the beach!!

Sunday – Citrus Pork with Egg Noodles

**I am breaking my rule and cooking on Sunday’s due to the work schedule…gotta do whatcha gotta do sometimes

Weekly Meal Plan

Monday – Roasted Corn Quesadillas with Black beans and rice – I am just going to saute corn then put it on some flour tortillas with queso and salsa verde. I just heat the quesadillas in a large saute pan for a couple minutes on each side. (I got this idea from a magazine but I am changing it a bit.)

Tuesday – Pork Chops and Orzo. I bought 2lbs of Orzo last week so I am using the rest of that. I plan on baking the chops and drizzling them with a mixture of dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar.

Wednesday – Leftovers

Thursday – Order some pizza or something.

Friday – Stovetop Sausage Mac and Cheese – this is from cooking light even though it doesn’t sound like it

Saturday – Italian Bacon Drumettes – Brian loved these SO much I am making them again!

Sunday – Nothin’

Weekly Meal Plan

This is going to be the week of friend recipes! Since I am starting work this week and have been studying for my state boards, I didn’t feel like searching for recipes plus these recipes sounded really yummy!!

Monday – Tina’s Ritz Cracker Chicken with steamed veggies.

Tuesday – Cheesy Chicken & Veggies Soup – this isn’t Amy’s recipes but she suggested it and so I am going to give it a go!

Wednesday – Leftovers

Thursday – Katie’s Chicken Enchilada’s – I would share the recipe but she has never shared it on her blog so I don’t feel like it’s mine to reveal, but I think she should cause they are delicious!

Friday – I don’t know maybe family night at Chick-fil-a or something!

Saturday – Baked pork chops with red potatoes and a salad!

Sunday – Leftovers.

PS. I just noticed that this will be the 25th meal plan I have posted! My how time flies I can’t believe I have done that many!! I need to start pulling some out the archives to repeat them especially now that I’m a working girl

Weekly Meal Plan

Ok this week I am working 3 shifts at the hospital!! So I am going to make a couple things that will hopefully provide lots of leftovers.

 

Monday - Turkey and Artichoke stuffed shells  - I will be buying the sauce, I do not have time to be making my own sauce

Tuesday – Soy Bean Tortillas – I never made it to the health food store last week so we had sausage rigatoni instead. ps. I will be posting the recipe for the soy bean’s this week as requested

Wednesday – Hospital Day

Thursday - Sweet and Sour Chicken with brown rice

Friday- Black Bean Soup

Saturday- Hospital Day

Sunday – Last Day at the hospital! (until I get paid for it of course)

Not a real cook.

I was watching Jon & Kate plus 8 the other night and it was the episode where Jon made dinner and Kate said “your not a real cook if you have to follow a recipe” and I guess she was right because I attempted to make the recipe I listed in my weekly menu plan brown sugar chicken and it didn’t go so well. I followed the directions to a tee and that’s where I went wrong because the directions stated to cook the breast on low for 6 – 8hrs. First of all 6-8 hrs is a huge window I mean chicken cooked for 6 hours as apposed to 8 hrs is going to taste very different and second of all I had my doubts about cooking boneless breasts for even 4 hours in a crock pot but even with my doubts I decided that I should just follow the directions because obviously whoever posted this recipe must have made it and enjoyed it. Needless to say it was dry as could be, I mean not even edible. I guess a real cook would have followed their instincts. Anyway if you happen to read my blog and thought about making this…don’t! I will say the sauce was good so maybe just make the sauce as a marinade.

Another new summer recipe.

I love saffron. Its a subtle flavor but good. I found this recipe for saffron orzo and thought I would try it. It was really simple and really yummy! It is a Giada (from the food network show Everyday Italian) recipe. I love her food so I new it would be good. I did make a few changes to the original so here is my version

Saffron Orzo: 
5 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 pound dried orzo 
3 tbls extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, bringing the stock to a simmer. Add the saffron, stir, and allow the saffron to bloom, about 5 minutes. Return the heat to medium-high and the stock to a boil, then add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and parsley. Toss to combine.

For the chicken I just seasoned pre-cut chicken strips with salt and pepper then dredged it in egg and then panko breading. (Panko breading is a really crispy type of breading) I pan fried it for about 3-4 min. on each side and that’s it…very simple stuff!

(I also think the orzo would be really good with sauteed shrimp or any kind of white fish)

New Recipe

So I have been doing pretty good with making a new recipe every week but not so good about blogging about it. Tonight I tried this recipe from, and I know this will come as a shock, the pioneer woman cooks! It was yummy and the thing that I love about a casserole is that you can substitute just about anything to fit what you have in your pantry. For example this recipe called for

 1 “Cut Up Fryer” (Basically, one chicken that’s been cut into pieces) I didn’t have this but I did have boneless chicken breast which worked just fine.

 Spaghetti I didn’t have this but I had angel hair which worked just fine as well.

Cream of Mushroom soup I only had one can so I used cream of chicken or I could have used mayo.

onion; green pepper; pimentos I had all of these but I could have thrown peas or green beans or really any cooked green in place of the pepper!  I also sauteed the onions because I don’t enjoy raw onions and it still tasted great.

sharp cheddar cheese This I had and its essential, I’ve never met a casserole that didn’t require cheese but you could definitely change the kind of cheese you use but I prefer cheddar.

Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper I used these spices but this is always something that can be played around with. ie. celery salt, garlic salt, whatever you like.

 

 

Moral of the story: If you’re to lazy to go to the grocery store but not in the mood for leftovers just make a casserole!

What’s your favorite casserole??