April 7-13, 2013

Sunday:  Lunch – Slow Cooker Pesto Ranch Chicken, Rice, Spinach Salad, & Bread

Slow Cooker Pesto Ranch Chicken

·          We all really enjoyed this recipe from Week99er.com.  My slow cooker cooks a little hot, so ours was easily done in under 4 hours.  I used chicken tenderloins – about 1.5 pound – and only about 2 cups of chicken broth (the recipe calls for 4 cups).  This was extremely easy to put in the slow cooker before leaving for church. 

Once we came home, I had lunch on the table in 10 minutes by using microwave brown rice and quinoa from CostCo, making up a tasty spinach salad with strawberries, feta, & balsamic, and toasting up some fresh whole grain bread under the broiler.  Yum!

Sunday:  Dinner – Pesto Ranch Chicken Toasted Sandwiches, Fresh Fruit Salad, & Chips

·          I used the leftover chicken from lunch to make some wonderful toasty sandwiches!  I bought King’s Hawaiian Sub Rolls (delish!) and spread on mustard – spicy for Chad and me, regular for the boys.  Then I placed the cut up chicken on top, added fresh baby spinach, and finally a slice of creamy Havarti cheese.  I had these all on a cookie sheet and put them under the broiler for 3 minutes.  The buns were nice and toasty, and the cheese was perfectly melty!  We also had a fresh fruit salad and chips.  I love when I use my leftovers in a new and yummy way!

Monday:  Italian Crescent, Spinach Salad with Strawberries & Feta, & Roasted Carrots

Italian Crescent

·         I’m not sure where this recipe came from, but I’ve had it as long as Chad & I have been married.  It’s so easy, and it’s made with Crescent rolls, so you know it’s tasty.  I haven’t made it in a year or two, and I’m not sure why!

1 lb ground beef

1 jar spaghetti sauce or 26 oz homemade sauce

1 bag grated mozzarella cheese (I bought a block and grated it myself)

8 oz sour cream

1 can crescent rolls

- Brown meat and drain.

- Pour in sauce and heat through.  Then pour in bottom of 9x13 dish.

- Mix together cheese & sour cream - spread over top of meat mixture.

- Layer crescent rolls on top.

- Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.

Roasted Carrots

·         Cut fresh carrots in half lengthwise and crosswise so that you have small sticks.  Toss with a little olive oil, salt, & pepper.  Roast at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until they start to turn slightly brown at the edges.

Tuesday:  Parmesan Crusted Chicken in Cream Sauce with Rice & Asparagus

Parmesan Crusted Chicken in Cream Sauce

·          I’ve also had this recipe for several years.   It came from a Kraft foods magazine I used to receive in the mail.  It’s quick preparation makes it a great meal for a weeknight or a busy mom.  I like to put some of the sauce on the roasted asparagus as well when I serve it.  Yum!

Wednesday:  Crock Pot Pinto Beans, Bisquick Garlic & Cheese Biscuits, & Sauteed Spinach with Feta

Crock Pot Pinto Beans

·          This was a crazy, cold day here in Frisco, so a warm pot of beans sounded just perfect.  I had frozen some of our ham from Easter knowing it would be wonderful added to a slow-cooked recipe of pinto beans.  They were delicious!  My mom gave me the tip once to wait to salt the beans until they are cooked so they don’t get tough.  So, once they were cooked, I turned my crock pot to warm and added salt, pepper, Tony Chachere’s, & garlic powder.  Usually we have cornbread with beans, but I saw these Bisquick Garlic Cheddar Biscuits and decided they looked pretty tasty!

Sautéed Spinach

·          The trick for sautéed spinach is to not overcook it.  Heat olive oil and garlic in a sauté pan.  Add the spinach - remember it wilts down to almost nothing, so add a ton!  Stir it around in the oil, add salt and pepper, then put a lid on your pan and leave it for 1 minute.  Stir it all around again, making sure all the spinach has some oil on it, put the lid back on, and wait 1 minute.  At the end of this minute, your spinach should be perfect!  I topped ours with crumbled feta...a fave!

Thursday:  Taco Calzones with Roasted Green Beans

Taco Calzones

·          This is a recipe that can be easily modified to use any meat and veggie ingredients you have on hand.  Making calzones just changes it up a bit from having a pizza.  J

½ lb ground beef

½ pkg taco seasoning (I used Homemade Taco Seasoning)

1 can refrigerated pizza dough

Pasta or pizza sauce

1 cup shredded cheddar

2 T chopped cilantro

1 T melted butter

Garlic salt

Cook ground beef.  Stir in ¼ cup water and ½ packet of taco seasoning.  Cook 4 minutes and set aside.  Divide dough into 2 squares and spread on sauce.  Divide meat, cilantro & cheese on each; fold over and seal.  Brush tops with melted butter and garlic salt. Bake on cookie sheet at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Friday:  Balsamic-Glazed, Grilled Salmon, Brown Sugar Carrots, & Roasted Broccoli

Balsamic-Glazed Grilled Salmon

·          It was a gorgeous afternoon and evening, so Chad was more than happy to grill for me.  I used this recipe from Hun…What’s for Dinner?  We just grilled ours rather than baking it.  I really liked the flavors of this, and the boys even ate it.  Salmon can have a strong flavor, but grilling it with this glaze balanced it nicely.  We enjoyed this wonderful dinner outside on the porch.  J

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

·          This is a recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.  The carrots are really nice and soft, with just the slightest brown sugar flavor.  Yum!  Another plus, they are ridiculously easy to make.

Saturday:  Slow Cooker Flank Steak, Rice, Roasted Zucchini & Squash

Slow Cooker Flank Steak

·          My mom & I went to see “Wicked” down in Dallas, so this was a great slow cooker solution so that dinner wouldn’t be too tough to throw together after I arrived home.  Chad actually put it in for me.  I’ve made this a few times, and I think the lower and slower you can cook it, the better.  Also, cuts like flank steak and skirt steak can be a bit tougher anyway, so that can make a difference too.  Still, the flavor is nice, and the steak is great with rice, in tacos, or even on sandwiches.

Roasted Zucchini

·          Zucchini is a great veggie to roast when you want dinner quickly.  We sliced ours very thin, then sprinkled it with olive oil, Season All, pepper, & a little Parmesan.  It will roast in a 400 degree oven in 10 minutes or less.