Menu Plan Monday!!

Next week's menu is ready a little early!!  I am getting ready to head to the grocery store, and as I LOATHE grocery shopping, I figured it would be best to get everything I'll need (as long as it will stay fresh) in one trip!  So, this is our planned menu for the week of February 20-26!!

Monday: White Chicken Lasagna (I will be making a double batch to take some to a friend of mine who just had a beautiful baby girl!!)
Taco Tuesday: Tilapia with jalapeño coleslaw
Ash Wednesday: Spinach Ravioli
Thursday: Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken
Friday: Breakfast for Dinner -- CREPES!
Saturday: Leftover Buffet
Sunday: Stuffed Peppers

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach

I found this recipe on SkinnyTaste...it was a HUGE hit with the whole family!!  I added ¼ cup of cottage cheese & reduced the amount of mozzarella in the spinach mixture by 2ounces.  Then, I served it over whole wheat pasta with a spinach salad!  It will definitely be a menu regular!!

{fresh out of the oven before adding sauce & cheese}

{remove from oven when cheese is melted & sauce is bubbly}

{yummm!!!}

Menu Plan Monday!!

Monday: Lahvosh Pizza
Tuesday: Chicken Rollatini with Spinach
Wednesday: BBQ Chicken with mashed potatoes & roasted broccoli
Thursday: Chicken & Pineapple Quesadillas
Friday: Balsamic Chicken with Quinoa Pilaf
Saturday: Leftover Buffet
Sunday: Beef Stew

Menu Plan Monday!!

Monday: Leftover Buffet!!
Tuesday: Spaghetti & Turkey Meatball Soup (didn't get around to it last week, so it got pushed to this week!)
Wednesday: Leftover Soup
Thursday: Turkey Chili
Friday-Sunday: Momma's out of town, so Daddy's in charge!!

Slow Cooker Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin

(adapted from C+C Marriage Factory)

*2½ lbs boneless pork tenderloin
*2 tsp ground or rubbed sage
*1 tsp ground cumin
*½ tsp sea salt
*½ tsp black pepper
*2 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
*½ cup water

For the balsamic glaze:
*½ cup balsamic vinegar
*½ cup brown sugar
*2 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce
*1 Tbs cornstarch
*½ cup water

Combine sage, cumin, salt, pepper & garlic, & rub over pork. Place tenderloin in slow cooker with ½ cup of water, & cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3-4 hours. During the last hour of cooking, combine all ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan, & cook over medium heat until thickened. Brush pork with the glaze 3 or 4 times during the final hour. Serve remaining glaze on the side!

I served this sliced, drizzled with the remaining glaze, with green beans & roasted fingerling potatoes!

Cashew Chicken

*2lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips or bites
*½ cup mushrooms, sliced
*½ cup sweet bell pepper, chopped
*1 cup chopped broccoli or green beans
*1 cup cashews
*¼ cup all-purpose flour
*1 tsp black pepper
*1 tsp sea salt
*1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
*¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
*2 Tbs rice vinegar
*1 Tbs ketchup
*1 Tbs brown sugar
*2 cloves of garlic, minced
*1 tsp ground ginger
*red pepper flakes to taste (I think I used about a teaspoon, but I will definitely use more next time!)

Combine flour, salt, & pepper in a baggie, add chicken, & shake to coat. Heat EVOO in a skillet, brown chicken (about 1-2 minutes on each side), & transfer to slow cooker. In same skillet, sauté mushrooms & peppers until softened, & add to slow cooker. Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, & red pepper with a whisk, & pour over chicken. Cook on low 3-4 hours. During the last 30 minutes, add broccoli or green beans to slow cooker. Once it's done, stir in cashews, & serve over brown rice!

Garlic Parmesan Edamame

(adapted from 28cooks & served with the cashew chicken above!)

1 (16 oz) package frozen edamame in shell
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt to taste


Thaw edamame according to package directions.  If only cooking directions are available, reduce time to just thaw, so that edamame is not fully cooked, but no longer frozen.  Drain and set aside.

In a small food processor, combine olive oil & garlic. Process until well-combined. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add edamame and garlic oil, and sauté until warmed through (about 3-5minutes), stirring constantly. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, oregano, basil, parsley, & salt, add to edamame, and toss until well coated. Serve warm, & enjoy!!

Menu Plan Monday!!

Monday: Balsamic Glazed Pork with green beans & rosemary roasted fingerling potatoes
Taco Tuesday: Fish Tacos with jalapeño coleslaw
Wednesday: Leftover Buffet
Thursday: Spinach Ravioli
Friday: Ranch chicken with roasted broccoli & sweet potato tots
Saturday: Spaghetti & Turkey Meatball soup with Parmesan zucchini
Sunday: SUPERBOWL!!!

Sugar Cookies

I found a great sugar cookie recipe online here, modified it just slightly, & I L♥VE it!!  It's super-simple, & ridiculously tasty!!

1½ cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees  C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake 6 to 8 minutes, until edges just start to turn brown, in preheated oven. Cool completely before frosting.

Orange Glazed Biscuits

*1 cup orange juice
*¼ cup brown sugar
*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*6 biscuits (uncooked)

Preheat oven to 350°, and lightly coat a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter. Whisk together orange juice, brown sugar, & cinnamon. Use your favorite biscuit recipe (or use store bought), & cut prepared dough into six circles. Cut circles in half and soak in orange juice mixture, covering completely. Press biscuit halves into muffin pan, & pour remaining orange juice mixture over each biscuit (this will make the yummy, gooey glaze). Bake according to biscuit directions, or until biscuits begin to turn a light, golden brown (mine took 15 minutes). Let biscuits cool in the pan for a minute or two before turning out onto serving platter or plate, glaze side up. I used a large spoon to scoop these out of the pan. Serve warm!!

Super-Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This is, by far, one of my most favorite comfort foods!  It super-easy to make, and the whole family loves it!!

*4 medium potatoes (I like red), washed & diced
*2 cups cooked chicken, diced
*1 Tablespoon butter
*¼ cup chopped chives
*4 pieces of bacon (I'll use Turkey bacon if I'm trying to make it a little healthier), chopped
*2 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
*2 cups milk
*2 Tablespoons cornstarch
*1 Tablespoon dried rosemary
*½ cup shredded cheddar
*salt and pepper to taste
**1 head cauliflower, stem removed and cut into florets**

In a large stock pot, sauté chives in butter.  Add bacon pieces and cook until crispy.  Pour chicken stock & milk over chives & bacon.  With a wire whisk, mix in cornstarch, add potatoes & rosemary, and bring to a boil.  Boil until potatoes are soft (pierce with a fork to test for doneness...if the potato slides off the fork, they're ready!!).  While potatoes are boiling, steam the cauliflower florets until softened, & puree in a food processor or blender, with a few tablespoons of water, until smooth.  Once potatoes are softened, stir in mashed cauliflower, and then add chicken, cheddar, salt, & pepper.  Serve topped with a little more crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, and chives, if you dare!!

**UPDATE:  I recently found Gina's soup recipe here, & tried the cauliflower...genius!!  It gives the soup an AMAZING creamy texture, & I love sneaking in extra veggies every chance I get, so I have updated this recipe to include it!  I make mashed cauliflower at least once a month (in lieu of mashed potatoes), so I don't know why I didn't think of this before...thank goodness for Skinnytaste!

Chicken & Broccoli Fettuccine with Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo

*fettuccine noodles (we like Ronzoni Garden Delight-anything to add a few more veggies!)
*1 head of broccoli, stem removed & cut into florets
*2 cups cooked chicken, diced
*2 Tbs butter
*2 Tbs flour
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1 Tbs dried parsley
*3 tsp dried oregano
*½ Tbs extra virgin olive oil
*2 cups skim milk
*½ cup fat free cream cheese
*1 cup fat free cottage cheese
*½ cup shredded mozzarella
*1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained & chopped
*salt & pepper to taste

Boil noodles according to package directions. Add broccoli florets to boiling water during the last few minutes of cooking to soften (they should be bright green in color when done). Drain noodles & broccoli and set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, parsley, oregano, & flour, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Once roux appears almost foamy, add olive oil, slowly whisk in milk, & bring to a boil. Add cheeses one at a time, stirring constantly, until melted & fully incorporated. Reduce heat, add sun-dried tomatoes, salt, & pepper, & simmer 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Toss noodles, broccoli, & chicken with sauce & enjoy!!

*This makes 8-10 servings in our house, & can easily be halved for less or refrigerated & reheated for leftovers!!

Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta

(adapted from Ina Garten's Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes)

Ingredients:
*½ pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
*1 pound cooked chicken, diced
*Sea salt to taste
*Extra virgin olive oil
*1 pound ripe tomatoes, diced
*1 pound feta cheese
*6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:
5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
2 garlic cloves, diced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, julienned

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil according to the directions on the package. Drain well, and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl, and add the chicken, tomatoes, feta, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth. Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well!

Fish Tacos

*6 filets Cod or Tilapia
*2 Tablespoons butter, melted
*1 teaspoon cumin
*1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 450°.  Cut fish filets into strips or bite-sized pieces & spread into 9"x13" baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Combine melted butter, cumin, & garlic powder, and brush onto fish.  Bake 10-15 minutes, or until fish flakes when cut with a fork.  Serve warm in taco shells or over tortilla chips with your favorite taco toppings.  I usually add a jalapeño coleslaw!!  Enjoy!!

Chicken & Biscuits

Cook chicken and cut up into small pieces.

While chicken is cooking, mix the following ingredients in a large sauce pan:
1-2 cans of Cream of Chicken soup
1-2 cans of Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can of whole kernel corn
1 can of peas & carrots ( not a can of each, but rather, peas & carrots combined)

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and add cut up cooked chicken
Let simmer for a while.

While simmering, bake biscuits according to directions on packaging.

Once biscuits are complete, pour mixture over top of desired number of biscuits, and enjoy!