April 14-20, 2013

Sunday:  Lunch – Flank Steak Quesadillas & Nachos

Flank Steak Quesadillas & Nachos

·      We used the meat leftover from the night before to make nachos for us and quesadillas for the boys.  It made a great lunch for all of us, and it was easy to throw together after church.  We added some fresh fruit and had a delightful lunch on our back porch.

Sunday:  Dinner – Cinnamon Raisin French Toast with Fresh Strawberries, Scrambled Eggs, & Bacon

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

·      We had this a few weeks ago, and I was excited to have it again.  It’s just so good!!  Breakfast is also such an easy meal to put together, and the boys enjoy helping me crack the eggs.  They always clean their plates on breakfast night!

Monday:  Slow Cooker Three Envelope Pot Roast Sliders, Green Salad, & Carrot & Cucumber Sticks

Slow Cooker Three Envelope Pot Roast Sliders

·      This recipe is actually a combination of Six Sisters’ Three Envelope Pot Roast Sliders and You’re Too Crafty’s Best Pot Roast Ever.  I saw the Six Sisters recipe first and liked the idea of having pot roast sliders rather than traditional roast with sides.  But, I didn’t want the flavor of salsa, so I used a Coke instead, as suggested by You’re Too Crafty. 

So, I put my roast in the crock pot.  Then I mixed 1 packet of onion soup mix, 1 packet of Italian dressing mix, & 1 packet of Au Jus gravy mix with 1 cup of water.  I poured that on top of the roast, then poured a Coke on top of that.  I cooked it on high for 2 hours, then on low for 3-4 (my slow cooker cooks pretty hot).  It was SO, SO GOOD!  The house smelled amazing all afternoon!  Seriously, the gravy is so ridiculously delicious that I could have downed it with a straw.  J 

I used King’s Hawaiian Rolls, spicy mustard, & Havarti cheese to make our sliders.  I put the gravy in small bowls so we could dip our sliders into it.  I’m not kidding…these are DELISH!  Make them!

Tuesday:  Loaded Baked Potatoes Topped with Three Envelope Roast

·      We really enjoy leftovers when we can eat them in a completely different way than the night before.   I used the delicious roast left over from last night’s dinner and made tasty loaded baked potatoes.  Chad and I both love the loaded baked potatoes from Rudy’s BBQ, so this is our own “at home” version.  The roast was still amazing and went wonderfully on top of slow-baked potatoes with all the fixings.  This was a very filling way to make good use of scrumptious leftovers!  I poked holes in the potatoes with a fork and then rubbed the potatoes with olive oil, salt, & pepper before wrapping in foil and baking at 300 degrees for 3 hours.  The potato skin was just right and so tasty!

Wednesday:  Honey Lime Tilapia, Brown Rice with Quinoa, Balsamic Green Beans & Mushrooms, & Warm Buttered, Whole Wheat Bread

Honey Lime Tilapia

·      I haven’t made tilapia in quite a while, and I came across this new recipe and thought it sounded great.  It was actually quite yummy!  It’s incredible easy to make, and can be prepped a few hours ahead of time.  It had a really delicate flavor, which was just perfect for a warm, Spring evening.  (Thanks to http://www.melskitchencafe.com/)

Balsamic Green Beans & Mushrooms

·      This is just a different way to kick up roasted green beans a bit.  Chad really likes mushrooms, and adding the balsamic flavor gave it a new twist!  (http://www.kalynskitchen.com/)

Thursday:  Turkey Macaroni & Cheese, Roasted Broccoli & Carrots, Buttered Whole Wheat Bread

Turkey Macaroni & Cheese

·      I found this recipe on Pinterest (of course) and thought it was worth a try.  It’s actually really similar to a beef and macaroni dish that I have made several times that we all enjoy.  This one takes much less time, and I used turkey instead of beef.   I’ll say that this was enjoyable, and everyone at the table ate it (Chad’s parents were over too!), but I actually prefer the other recipe.  However, this was certainly fast, so for a weeknight meal, it’s a good one.  (From http://www.realmomrecipes.com/)

Friday & Saturday:  No meals at home 

·      We had the pleasure of having family in town this weekend, so we didn’t eat at home either night.