August 25-31, 2013

Sunday:  Lake Day with Friends!

Monday:  Basil Lime Chicken with Roasted Green Beans & Carrots

Basil Lime Chicken

·          We had Ranger’s first soccer practice on this evening, so I wanted a healthy meal to give him some good energy that was also easy to prepare.  I actually used pork chops because I didn’t have any chicken on hand.  Chad was able to grill for me, and I roasted up the veggies inside.  The sauce that you make up to pour on the meat when you serve it really makes it delicious!  (http://goodenessgracious.com/)

Tuesday:  Dinner with My Mom!

Wednesday:  Cheesy Enchilada Stack with Kale Salad

Cheesy Enchilada Stack

·          I made this several months ago, and when I happened upon the recipe again this week, I was reminded how much we enjoyed it.  It is actually pretty easy to make, and after preparing it, I remembered how much food it actually makes.  It would have fed my family plus another very easily!  The kids all ate it, which is always a plus!  I served ours with a fresh kale salad topped with slivered almonds, feta cheese, & balsamic dressing.  Yum!  (http://www.chef-in-training.com/)

Thursday:  Leftovers

·          Clearly we had enough from the night before!  J

Friday:  Texas Rangers Game!

·          The kids stayed the night with my mom while Chad & I enjoyed a Rangers’ game with friends. 

Saturday:  Sweet Chili Lime Chicken with Cilantro Couscous & Roasted Parmesan Broccoli

Sweet Chili Lime Chicken

·          This is one of my favorite recipes ever, and I’m not sure why I don’t make it more often.  I love the sweet-hot flavor alongside the crispness of the lime juice.  It’s a quick meal to put together, especially if you have your chicken cut up ahead of time.  I usually serve ours with roasted broccoli.  Couscous is a fun variation on rice or pasta, and it soaks up the sauce nicely.  The only downside is that Callen LOVES couscous, but his eating couscous ends up looking like he showered in couscous.  J  (http://www.grumpyshoneybunch.com)

August 18-24, 2013

Sunday:  Calzones & Broccoli Salad

·          We had a busy day, and CostCo came to the rescue for dinner!

Monday:  Spinach Artichoke Lasagna, Roasted Zucchini & Sweet Potatoes, & Whole Wheat Bread

·          On this evening I decided to pull a lasagna out of the freezer that I made a little while back.  It is one of my favorites.  I made the lasagna as usual, but added spinach and artichokes to the ricotta cheese mixture.  It’s a great addition to the lasagna, and it adds a few more vegetables to the meal.

Tuesday:  Breakfast for Dinner:  Waffles, Bacon, Eggs & Fruit

·          Ranger had again been asking for breakfast for dinner, so I obliged.  J

Wednesday:  Eat Out

·          Chad unexpectedly was not home for dinner, so the kids and I ran some errands and grabbed dinner out.

Thursday:  Chicken Parmesan Meatballs with Kale Salad & Bread

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

·          This recipe is delicious!  Ranger had been asking for meatballs, and I saw this one and knew we would enjoy it.  It’s an easy recipe, and I made them ahead of time, which made it even easier!  I plan to make these again, and double the recipe to add some to the freezer.  Yum!  (http://www.dinneralovestory.com/)

Kale Salad

·          I washed and chopped kale into bite-size pieces.  I added chopped up pecans, freshly-grated parmesan, & a dressing made of fresh lemon juice, olive oil, & fresh cracked pepper. 

Friday & Saturday:   Family Time

·          We were with family this weekend as Chad’s sister, Megan, & her sweet baby, Emily, were in town!

August 11-17, 2013

Sunday:  Pizza with Church Small Group

·          We were invited to a small group game night, and as a bonus, had a pizza dinner!

Monday:  Slow Cooker Brown Sugar & Garlic Chicken with Rice & Roasted Broccoli

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar & Garlic Chicken

·          I took the boys to Hawaiian Falls with my mom earlier in the day, so I knew there was a chance I wouldn’t be completely energized to cook dinner.  Slow cooking to the rescue!  I put this together and had it in the fridge.  Then, my sister-in-law (who was watching Payton for me), took it out and turned on the crock pot for me while we were gone.  Ta-da!  Dinner is (almost) ready!  This recipe is good, although it is pretty sweet.  The kids loved it, and Chad & I simply added some spice to ours to give it a kick.  There was quite of bit of this leftover, which worked well for my lunches during the week.  (http://kim-thislittlelifeofmine.blogspot.com/)

Tuesday:  Dinner with Another Family

·          A family from the church we’ve been visiting invited us over for dinner, and we happily accepted!

Wednesday:  Spaghetti, Diced & Roasted Zucchini & Sweet Potatoes, & Warm, Whole-Wheat Bread

·          In true 12-year-old form, I actually had braces put on this morning.  I’m definitely not loving them, but I know I will be glad when it’s all said and done.  This being the case, I needed something easy to eat that the family would also enjoy.  You can’t go wrong with spaghetti!  Adding in some small, diced vegetables that I roasted up rounded out the meal nicely.

Thursday:  Sprouts’ Dinner:  Spinach & Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts, Twice Baked Potatoes, & Sauteed Spinach with Blue Cheese

·         My mouth has been pretty sore, so I truly didn’t feel much like preparing a meal.  So, it was off to Sprouts for some help.  J  I picked up their chicken and potatoes, as well as some frozen spinach that I prepared and flavored with butter & blue cheese.  (The boys even ate their spinach…but it took about 45 minutes.)

I didn’t really mean for us to consume quite that much cheese in one meal, but it looked good, and most-importantly, easy for me to eat.  Here’s hoping that this time next week I am able to eat a bit more normally.  J  On nights like these, I’m grateful to the grocery stores in our area that provide some tasty options for a quick dinner at home.

Friday:  Sliders with Oven-Baked French Fries

·          This meal has been so common this summer that I’m sure those of you looking for new meal ideas are pretty bored with it.  It just goes over so well with everyone in the family, we’ve had it in the rotation A LOT.  We had such nice, unseasonably cool weather this weekend that it seemed a shame not to fire up the grill and enjoy our dinner outside!  Still reeling from the braces, I ate my slider with a fork.  Lame…but still delish!

Saturday:  Grilled Orange-Soy Chicken, Roasted Green Beans & Carrots, & Warm, Whole Wheat Bread

Grilled Orange-Soy Chicken

·          I’m not kidding when I say that our weather this weekend was RIDICULOUS.  It was so much cooler than the typical August weekend here in Texas that we pretty much lived outside.  I tossed chicken in a ziplock bag and added, orange juice, soy sauce, minced garlic, pepper, & olive oil and let it sit in the fridge for about 3 hours.  Then, it was easy for Chad to grab and grill when we were ready for dinner.  I roasted up some green beans and thin-sliced carrots at 425 for about 20-25 minutes.  All 5 of us enjoyed a healthy and yummy dinner on the back porch!

August 4-10, 2013

Sunday:  Papa Murphy’s Pizza Night!  J

Monday:  Lemon Chicken Romano with Rice & Roasted Asparagus

Lemon Chicken Romano

·          I saw this recipe on Pinterest and thought it looked delicious.  We all really enjoyed it!  All the kids ate this chicken without hesitation or negotiation, which pretty much automatically makes it a repeat recipe in my house.  We served ours with rice and roasted asparagus for a tasty and complete meal.  (Recipe courtesy of http://www.cookingclassy.com/)

Tuesday:  Cheeseburger Quesadillas & Spinach Salad

Cheeseburger Quesadillas

·          We had some ground beef and tortillas that needed to be used, so we had cheeseburger quesadillas for dinner.  I added a spinach salad topped with apples, feta, and dried cranberries with a fresh raspberry balsamic dressing for a complete meal.

Wednesday:  Chicken Gloria with Rice, Roasted Broccoli, & Carrots

Chicken Gloria

·          I really wanted to love this recipe.  It sounds so delicious, and the pictures made it look ridiculously good.  But, I didn’t have sherry wine, so I used red cooking wine instead.  I think it added a bit of the wrong flavor to the mushrooms.  Nevertheless, we all ate it, but we didn’t love it.  I’ll try it again sometime and use a better wine.  (Recipe courtesy of http://www.cookingwithsugar.com/)

Thursday:  Mooyah!

·          My mom and I took the boys to Jump Zone! to play after naps, so we decided that Mooyah would be the perfect ending to our fun afternoon.

Friday:  Breakfast!  Cinnamon Raisin French Toast with Sliced Strawberries, Scrambled Eggs, & Bacon

·          Breakfast for dinner is a major fave around here, and it had been a while, so we all pretty much stuffed ourselves.  Delish!

Saturday:  Hot Dogs, Chips, & Fruit

·          Some friends came over to play and have a movie night!

July 28 - August 3, 2013

Sunday:  Dinner with my Mom  J

Monday:  Pioneer Woman’s Sour Cream Noodle Bake, Spinach Salad, & Bread

Pioneer Woman’s Sour Cream Noodle Bake

·          I’m a fan of almost anything from Pioneer Woman, and this recipe is so simple, it was easy to tell that we would enjoy it.  It’s really similar to another pasta dish recipe that my friend, Jamie, makes.  The egg noodles change this one up a bit.  I made it earlier in the afternoon and threw it in the oven before dinner.  Yum!

Tuesday:  Leftover Pioneer Woman Noodle Bake, Roasted Zucchini & Sweet Potatoes, & Bread

·          The noodle bake made more than enough for us, so we had it again the next night with some delicious roasted veggies and more warm, whole wheat bread. 

Wednesday:  Girls Dinner!

·          On very rare occasions, I actually go out and eat with my girlfriends!  The boys were staying the night with their Grammy & DadDad, so Chad & Payton took care of their own dinner.

Thursday:  Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos with Sliced Avocado & Chips

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

·          I knew that this day was going to be a little busy, and that we would want a hearty and delicious dinner.  The crock pot is perfect for these kinds of days!  I had pinned this recipe on Pinterest several weeks ago, and I am SO HAPPY I did.  These shredded beef tacos are ridiculously good.  Searing the spices on the roast before placing it in the slow cooker ensures that all the spices stay on the meat.  They may have been a little too spicy for the boys, but it wasn’t a problem as they were still with Chad’s parents for the night. 

I served ours with fresh tortillas I bought from Taco Cabana (I love their tortillas!), cheese, sour cream & tomatoes.  I sliced up avocados and we just ate them plain.  With chips & salsa, we had a perfect little feast!

This beef made delicious leftovers as well.  We had them for lunch the next day, and even as quesadillas a few days later.  Yummo!  (Thanks http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/)

Friday:  A friend brought dinner!

·          A friend of ours brought over dinner knowing that our weekend was going to be crazy and Chad wasn’t feeling very well.  We are so blessed by our friendships here.  J

Saturday:  Honey Siracha Chicken with Roasted Green Beans & Macaroni-n-Cheese

Honey Siracha Chicken

·          Chad really likes Siracha sauce, so I thought I would give this recipe a try.  After making it, we decided that I should add more siracha the next time, as we really couldn’t taste it in the marinade.  I also baked ours because Chad wasn’t feeling well, and the grill is definitely his domain…I don’t even know how to turn the thing on.  Still, we enjoyed it, as did the boys, so it’s a keeper!  (http://www.zagleft.com/)

July 21-27.2013

Sunday:  BBQ Turkey Meatloaf, Roasted Green Beans, & Warm Sourdough Bread

Honey BBQ Turkey Meatloaf

·          This is one of my favorite meatloaf recipes.  It’s been a while since we had it, so we enjoyed it quite a bit!  I used ground turkey instead of ground beef, and I substituted oatmeal for bread crumbs.  Delish!  This is also such a great recipe to double and freeze a loaf for a night when you just want to pull something out of the freezer.

Monday:  Chicken Strips, Fruit, & Macaroni & Cheese

·          I think you can tell by this menu that Chad was gone for the evening, so I made something the kids would definitely enjoy.  J

Tuesday:  Sautéed Spinach & Cheese Ravioli

·          Chad was gone again, and the boys were staying the night with their cousins.  So, it was just the girls!  Payton is pretty easy to feed, and I wanted something substantial.  I buy the large bags of frozen spinach and cheese ravioli from CostCo, and they are GREAT!  You can make them in a few different ways.  I love sautéing them in a small amount of butter in a hot skillet.  They turn brown and crispy on the outside, and warm and gooey on the inside!  I sprinkle it with a little of the cheese that comes with it, and it’s a great little meal when I’m just needing something quick for myself.

Wednesday:  Linguini with Mild Italian Sausage & Pasta Sauce and Roasted Green Beans (For the Parents) / Crescent Pizza Rolls (For the Kids)

·          I wasn’t sure if Chad would be home for dinner or not, so when I found out he would be, I thawed some mild Italian sausage from the freezer, cooked it up, and added it to some pasta sauce.  I combined the sauce with some linguini noodles, which was a wonderfully delicious meal for Chad and me.  I roasted green beans again because we had some in the fridge that needed to be eaten before they went bad. 

Because I thought the sausage might be a little spicy for the boys (it wouldn’t have been, by the way), I made them some quick Crescent Pizza Rolls that I saw on Pinterest and have done many times.  Roll out your triangles, add 3-4 pepperonis, then add mozzarella cheese.  You can use half of a cheese stick or shredded cheese, whichever you have on hand.  I like to melt a little butter and mix in a little garlic salt to brush over the top of the crescent rolls before I bake them.  Yum!

Thursday:  Grilled “Kickin’ Chicken” with Roasted Veggie Hash & Bread

Grilled “Kickin’ Chicken”

·          Chad and I had this a few weeks ago, and we have been obsessed with Frank’s Red Hot ever since.  Seriously, we are putting it on everything!  This recipe is easy and delicious.  It’s not too hot, and the boys enjoyed it with us this time. (http://www.sweetlittlebluebird.com/)

Roasted Veggie Hash

·          Hash is a little bit of a strange word, but it’s what we decided was best to call this way of cooking vegetables.  I diced our sweet potatoes and zucchini really small – about a half inch square.  Then, I tossed them with a little olive oil and Season All.  I roasted them at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, tossing everything around halfway through.  This is a great way to roast veggies quickly, as well as a great way to throw a few different vegetables together when you don’t have enough of one particular type.  We love it!

Friday:  Crispy Parmesan Tilapia with Roasted Broccoli & Carrots

Crispy Parmesan Tilapia

·          We had this tilapia a month ago for my mom’s birthday.  We really enjoyed it then, so I was excited to make it again.  I actually think it was better this time, and I’m wondering if it was because I used fresh tilapia, rather than frozen that I thawed.  Either way, we really like this recipe!  The boys love it too, which is always a plus.  The breading is so crunchy, and squeezing fresh lemon juice over the top right before eating it is definitely the way to go!  I’ll be perusing http://www.spendwithpennies.com/ for more tasty recipes in the future.  We served ours with roasted broccoli and carrots – 2 vegetables that usually don’t require too much coaxing for the boys to eat.  J

Saturday:  Sliders with Oven Baked French Fries and Fruit

·          We are loving sliders this summer!  Cheeseburgers are such a hit at our house…especially with Ranger.  Chad & I love making sliders because we can make burgers several different ways.  On this evening, we topped ours with creamy Havarti cheese, avocados, tomatoes, & fresh basil.  These little burgers were so, so, so good!!!  Adding baked French fries makes the kids happy too.

July 14-20, 2013

Sunday:  Dinner with Family

·          My grandparents and aunt and uncle were in town for the night, so we took dinner and ate at my mom’s house.  Babe’s Chicken…delish!

Monday:  Pizza Night

·          Chad was gone, and my niece Milla was staying with us…plus we had another friend over that day too!  So, pizza night was a must!

Tuesday:  Scrambled Eggs, Waffles, & Strawberries

·          Another kid-friendly dinner….all 4 kids loved it!

Wednesday:  Chicken & Veggie Tacos with Rice

Chicken & Veggie Tacos

Ground Chicken or Turkey  (I used 2 pounds.)

Finely chopped/diced veggies of your choice (I used 1 zucchini, 3 big carrots, & 2-3 big handfuls of spinach.)

Diced Tomatoes (I had fresh tomatoes I needed to use…most of the time I use Rotel)

Taco Seasoning

Olive Oil

Minced Garlic

Cook the chicken with olive oil & minced garlic until no longer pink.  Add your finely diced veggies, tomatoes, & taco seasoning.  Mix it all together until everything is heated through.  Serve with tortillas or chips of your choice.  We used corn tortillas and topped with some shredded cheese.  I made quesadillas for the boys.

Thursday:  Spinach Linguine with Chicken & Veggie Pasta Sauce & Garlic Bread

·          I used the chicken from the night before and added it to pasta sauce.  I tossed it together with spinach linguine, and we had a quick, delicious, & healthy meal!  Never fear though…I lost some healthy points by making some buttery garlic toast.  J

Friday:  Grilled Steak & Chicken, Roasted Broccoli & Thin Sliced, Ranch Potatoes, & Warm Sourdough Bread

·          Chad’s parents were over that day and stayed for dinner.  Chad did the grilling, and I worked on the veggies inside.  I love making thin-sliced potatoes because they remind me of Daddy. 

Peel the potatoes and slice them as thin as you can.  Overlap them in a single layer on a sprayed baking sheet or Pyrex dish.  Place small pats of butter over the potatoes and add salt & pepper.  This time, I also added dry Ranch dressing powder.  I roasted it in the oven with the broccoli at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Saturday:  Grilled Steak & Chicken Quesadillas

·          We had leftover steak & chicken from the night before, which made delicious quesadillas!  We had been to the pool with friends, so this was the perfect, quick dinner that we all enjoyed.  Adding some tasty grapes to the plate rounded out our meal nicely.