Meal Plan Week 2

Well as usual this is not a 'we'll eat this this day" type plan but the recipes that i'll have ingredients available to make over the next week or so.  When they get made tends to not change order- but we might miss making a meal.  We live out of town so trips into town and staying in town to save a second trip on a day happens a fair bit.

Day 1
Quinoa Mac & Cheese
Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

Day 2
Peanut butter Banana French Toast
Sweet potato curry

Day 3 
Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings  

Day 4
Red Wine and Brie Grilled Cheese

Day 5
Ranch pork chops and Potatos

Between left overs and staples on hand we should have meals for close to the week.

Recipes starting tomorrow after a trip into town for groceries!

I think we'll probably make some Popsicles this week too. Kids have been bugging for them.

Olive Garden Esque Alfredo

Oh this turned out really delicious! Will make again.  I went full fat this time with full whipping cream and butter.  Next time I will try it with a lighter cream and see how it results.  This did not thicken up much- I've seen recipes with a couple tbsp's of flour in it and that's an option too.

I paired it with fresh pasta delicous!

1 500ml Container whole cream
3/4 cup Shredded/ grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup butter
Garlic minced about 1 tsp
Parsley flakes

Melt in the pan stirring until mixed- then simmer for about 15 minutes stirring to prevent burning. Let cool a bit and serve over pasta.  Garnish with parsley and a bit more Parmesan

Servings: 8 (generous)
WW Points: 9 (Sauce only)

I look forward to trying to make this a bit healthier with my next attempts!

Jewelry Frames

I saw these on pinterest back around Christmas time.  In February I picked up the frames, chicken wire has been in the shed since we got the chicken coop but it still took us 5 minutes to get chicken wire on said frame.  So to not waste another 5 months before hanging them I got them up super fast and got my jewelry on them.  They don't work for everything- I need to get some S hooks so I can hang rings up on it too.  But the jewelry box is now much less cluttered and these really look great on the wall.

However I will say- when I first got them hung up there was an OMG I hate them moment.  Then I started placing Jewelry on them and now I really like them.

Yummmm Turkey Bugers- the fancy way

These turned out really delicious.  My mom is now on a low cholesterol diet and this was something she could have as well!

Recipe inspiration: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/mozzarella_stuffed_turkey_burgers.html

However I'm a bit lazy we did not make our own marinara sauce- which im sure would have made it way better- but I knew i wouldn't have time.  However it's BBQ season.
How I made them:

• 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoons basil
• 2 slices flat bread cut in half. 

Combined everything except the cheese, basil and flat bread.  Make 8 thin patties- place the cheese on top of one and cover with another.  There's no binder in these burgers and they do fall apart so handle with care.
We grilled on the burger and did take the time to oil the grill first- however these stuck like crazy so it did not seem to help at all. I do recommend grill with the lid down- they are quite thick and that helped get them cooking

 I took my store bought marinara sauce, heated up in a small pot while the burgers were grilling.  Toast the flat bread, pour on some marinara pop the burger on and top with a bit more sauce. We paired it up with a Caesar salad.
Servings: 4
WW Points: 5

Uh oh- are you wondering where our Olive Garden Alfredo recipe went? Well we didn't emd up making lunch- we spent too much time playing with the horses to make lunch.  Hoping to make it Monday or Tuesday.

French Toast yumminess

This is usually more then I pull out for breakfast- but so yummy.  Really this is brunch for us- we'll just have a snack at lunch time as we're having a BBQ this evening at the lake for DD's class year end party.

French Toast- sorry no big fancy recipe

• 6 slices bread (If I was really organized we would have had some home made ready to go) 
• 2 eggs (Fresh from our chicken coop in the back yard!) 
• 2 tbs milk

servings: 2
WW Points: 5

Fruit Topping

• 1 cup Fresh fruit (We used pineapple as we had a fresh one in the fridge)
• 2 tbs Butter
• 3 tbs Brown sugar 

Pretty easy- put in small sauce pan- cook on medium until fruit is softened. Takes place of the syrup!
Servings: 4
WW Points: 3

Taco night & Smoothies

Ok this isn't an exciting recipe- it' sorta recipe less if you want to get down to it. But our version of tacos. Missing tonight was fresh tomatoes- our garden needs to get going!

• 1lb ground beef 
• taco shells
• Light marble cheese shredded 
• romaine lettuce
• salsa
• light sour cream

On each taco there is 1tsp of sour cream and about 1tsp of cheese- i shread it super fine so it feels like more.  I admit these were so good I had two.
WW Points: 6/Taco (PS Two = 13 points!) 

Very Merry Berry Smoothies
Love my new Kitchen Aid immersion blender that my Mom and Dad got us this year. (It matches the mixer and toaster :) )

Easy recipe

• 3 cups berries
• 2 cups milk 
• 2 tsp Splenda
• a few drops of flavoring if you want- we put banana and coconut in

Tasty!!! It makes 3 cups- because those berries are frozen- there's lots of space between them to fill with milk.
WW Points:3
Servings: 3 

Simple Chicken Salad

This is the best chicken salad I've ever had.  Though I'll admit I just started to like chicken salad a couple years ago.  I have learned I like lots of pepper- my kids don't.  So I made it with less and added some into mine as I make a sandwhich.
First off a kudos to Real Mom Kitchen which is where I found this recipe via Pinterest

• 2 breasts chicken (you could use canned as well) 
• 1/2 cup Mayo or Miracle whip- i used Light
• 1 cup grapes halved
• 1 stalk celery diced
• 1 medium apple diced
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook the chicken breasts (or use canned) I baked mine the night before with supper. Dice, mix with all the other ingredients- voila done! awesome kept in the fridge- kids take it out put it on a toast or a in a wrap and voila lunch ready to go.
Servings 8
WW Points: 4

Mustard Chicken and Curried Veggies and the Yummiest desert around

It's Wednesday- my work has cancelled so meal plan day got pushed up and we headed to the grocery store.

Mustard Breaded Chicken

WHOOPS NO PHOTO
Sorry folks- one of my bff's phoned while i just finished cooking- i got eating before i realized WHOOPS no photo! So you'll have to imagine it.

I tweaked the recipe and made it as follows:

• 1/2 cup Sour cream- (I used light) 
• 1 tbs Mustard- Dijon or honey- i used honey because that's what's in the house
• 1/2 cup Bread crumbs- I used an Italian bread crumb mix that has some romano cheese and herbs in it. 
• 3-4 chicken breasts- skinless and boneless.

Mix the sour cream and mustard in a bowl and let the chicken breasts marinate for 15 minutes.  Then take them out, bread with the crumbs.
Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes until done. These were crispy on the outside moist on the inside. Not sure if this is my favorite recipe for breaded chicken- but it was interesting to try. If I could find Panko I'd try it with that for the bread crumbs. Kids loved it!
WW Point/breast: 8

Curried Veggies: 
Simple and decently good- next time more curry!
Head of Cauliflower (we also did some broccoli)
2-3 TBS Olive Oil
Curry powder to taste

So easy- toss them in the oil and curry powder- bake at 475F for 6 minutes until just getting brown and crispy- serve immediately!
Yeah yeah just like above- no photo sorry!
WW Points: 0!

Doughboy Cheesecake= Delicious! 
The idea for this desert came from here via Pinterest
However I tweaked it to bring down the points and well I'm lazy :) Next time if I think ahead I'll buy light cream cheese and use splenda in place of the sugar. Because this is GOOD and needs to be made again!
I did 1/2 the recipe and made it in a pie dish.

• 1 can crescent rolls
• 1 package (8oz) cream cheese
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• cinnamon/Sugar

Easy peasy this is.  Take 1/2 the container of crescent roll stretch it out and cover the bottom of the pie pan
Mix Softened cream cheese and sugar Spread over the crescent roll dough.  Take the other 1/2 of the crescent rolls- stretch out and cover the top.  Mine didn't cover it perfect- but that does not matter.  Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mix over top.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes until just lightly brown  I admit I overcooked just a bit.  Best served warm- but not hot.
8 servings
WW Points: 6

End of June Meal Plan

Well bear with me here but these most likely will never be a "sunday through saturday" type meal plans.  Instead I look about as far forward as I know my schedule will be. 

Wednesday
Supper:

• Mustard Breaded Baked Chicken Breasts
• Curried Cauliflower and Broccoli Poppers

Thursday
Lunch:

• Simple Chicken Salad 

  Friday
Supper

• Tacos
• Very Merry Berry Smoothie

Saturday
Brunch:

• French Toast

Sunday
Lunch:

• Olive Garden Alfredo
• Cesare Salad 

Supper:

• Mozza stuffed Turkey burgers 

I'll link these directly to recipes as I post the recipes up.
Where's the missing meals? Well folks- I work, I'm in school, my kids go to the grandparents often while I'm working.  Those meals are not being cooked by me.  If I make it- i'll post it.  Saturday this week we're having a BBQ at the lake for my daughters class.  Hot dogs, pop and everyone is bringing a dish. Nothing exciting there. 

What am I doing here?

Why oh why am I starting this blog? I have a few simple goals to start.  First my main goal with this blog is to post our meal plans for the week and then update with the recipes through the week. Why? I'm rediscovering my love of cooking and in an attempt to get away from last minute OMG what's in the pantry my goal is to work out weekly meal plans- one grocery shopping stops and keep it that way.  I'm also going to be posting the Weight Watchers points for each recipe.  This isn't about losing weight- although I am on weight watchers- it's about making healthier meals, expanding my families experiences with food and since I'm figuring out the WW points for myself I might as well post them on here too!

So here we go.... Who knows who's going to read this except me but let the journey begin.

Krystl