March 15-21, 2015

Sunday:  Dinner with Small Group

Monday:  Zoodles with Crockpot Turkey Italian Meatballs

Zoodles with Crockpot Turkey Italian Meatballs

·          My friend, Dana, shared this recipe from Skinny Taste on her own blog.  I’ve always wanted to try zoodles (zucchini noodles), but I didn’t have the right kitchen tool for the job.  So, I grabbed one from Target, and spun away!  It was really fast and easy.

      I followed her recipe and made the turkey meatballs in the crock pot as well.  They were delish!  Chad and I loved this, and the boys liked it too.  Payton ate her meatballs, but she wasn’t a fan of the zoodles, even though she eats roasted zucchini.  I had a few of the meatballs for lunch the next day, and I quickly made myself another batch of zoodles!  This one is a keeper.  Even if you don’t care of the noodles, the crock pot turkey meatballs would be amazing with any meal.

Tuesday:  Best Chicken Enchiladas with Rice & Salad

Gimme Some Oven’s Best Chicken Enchiladas Ever

·          I mean, if it says they are the “best ever,” I need to give it a try, right?  J  These actually were amazing, and I agree that the made-from-scratch sauce is really delicious.  I made my chicken breasts in oven earlier in the day, and I also diced them up.  So, when it was time to put the enchiladas together, I didn’t add the chicken to the onions and green chilies on the stove.  I just mixed it all together after the onions and green chilies were cooked.  I used whole wheat tortillas.  This made a 10 large enchiladas, so I placed 4 of them in an aluminum pan and stuck them in the freezer for an easy meal one evening. 

Wednesday:  Dinner with Mom

Thursday:  Leftover Night

·          I went to listen to someone speak this evening, and Ranger and Chad had baseball practice, so I made the kids sandwiches and then Chad had leftovers.  J

Friday:  Pizza & Tie Dye Shirt Party with Friends!

·          Our book this week talked about a mother and daughter dyeing yarn to make a new coat, so my creative friend, Meredith, thought the kids would have fun tie dyeing their own shirts.  We through pizza into the mix, and we had a party! 

Saturday:  Cheeseburger Sliders with Fries & Avocado

·          I finished reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to the kids this week, so it was the perfect time for family movie night!!  Normally I would have just had pizza for movie night, but since we had it the night before, Chad grilled some yummy hamburgers for us.

March 8-14, 2015

Sunday:  Dinner with Small Group

Monday:  Chicken Ravioli with Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce & Bread

Chicken Ravioli with Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

·          I have had the recipe from Pinch of Yum pinned for Creamy Cauliflower Sauce for a few months now, but I just never took the plunge and gave it a shot.  We typically don’t eat much alfredo sauce around here, so I didn’t think about it much.  But, I had some chicken ravioli from Costco that needed to be eaten, so it seemed like the perfect time to give it a shot!

I think I was hesitant because I thought it would be difficult.  However, it couldn’t have been any simpler!  It takes almost no time to prepare!  I laughed while reading the author write about how much she enjoys it and how she wants to put the sauce on everything now.  But, once we ate it, Chad and I both agreed that it would be good on anything from pasta to potatoes to chicken fried steak!  J  I did add about 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese to our sauce before I blended it, but it would taste great without it, I think.  It made quite a bit, so we had plenty to use in another meal later in the week, and I put a bit in the freezer for a rainy day!  The kids even ate their pasta up and said they really liked it, so I’ll definitely be making the Creamy Cauliflower Sauce again.

Tuesday:  Cheeseburger Mini-Muffins with Apples & Broccoli

Cheeseburger Mini-Muffins

·          Chad’s mom shared this recipe from Taste of Home with me, knowing how much our kids LOVE cheeseburgers!  Ranger, in particular, might eat one every day if I allowed it.  J  This seemed like a fun, new way to have a cheeseburger that the kids might really enjoy.  I didn’t have all-purpose flour on hand, so I used whole wheat.  I forgot that whole wheat is much denser, so they were a little drier than I would have liked.  If I use whole wheat flour again, I’ll remember to use less, or even use only half whole wheat, half all-purpose to balance everything out.  I also think I’ll add in a few more seasonings the next time. 

So, the verdict?  We liked them, but didn’t love them.  The boys, Chad, and I ate them, but we each had our own dipping sauces to give a bit more flavor.  Payton didn’t really eat hers, but she ate her broccoli and apples, so I wasn’t worried about it.  Still, I froze what was left and will pull them out for quick kid lunches or dinners because, hey…it’s a muffin, after all.  J

Wednesday:  Beef, Quinoa, & Creamy Cauliflower Sauce Stuffed Bell Peppers

Beef, Quinoa, & Creamy Cauliflower Stuffed Bell Peppers

·          We had ½ a pound of cooked ground beef leftover from last night’s dinner and also the creamy cauliflower sauce from Monday’s dinner.  I had 3 bell peppers in the fridge with no purpose in mind, so I thought a stuffed bell pepper could be really wonderful with the ingredients I had on hand.  Chad, my mom, and I really loved them!  We also had chips and guacamole.  I didn’t even try to feed them to the kids, though.  They had some rotisserie chicken, veggies, and fruit.  I mean…the stuff bell pepper battle wasn’t really one I felt was super important to fight.  Ha!  Here’s the recipe:

½ pound cooked ground beef (turkey or chicken would also be great!)

2 cups quinoa (I used the frozen, microwave ready kale & quinoa from Costco)

1 cup (ish) of creamy cauliflower sauce from Monday’s meal (I didn’t really measure)

Bell peppers, stems cut off, seeds scooped out, and sliced into halves or thirds

Mix the first 3 ingredients together and spoon inside of your prepared bell peppers.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Add some freshly-grated cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.  Yum-0!

Thursday:  Leftover Stuffed Peppers with Chips & Salsa

Friday:  Grilled Venison with Roasted Potatoes & Asparagus

·          Earlier in the day, I asked if Chad would grill some venison for our dinner.  He has time on Friday and Saturday nights to do a little cooking, which I very much appreciate!  He made a ranch and horseradish sauce to go along with venison.  I roasted fingerling potatoes that I had halved and quartered with a little olive oil and season salt, and also some asparagus.  The asparagus takes much less time than the potatoes, so don’t put them in the oven at the same time.

Saturday:  White Chicken Chili with Garlic Cheese Biscuits

White Chicken Chili

·         This was actually some leftover White Chicken Chili I had in the freezer from the last time we ate it.  I thawed it enough to be able to pour it out into a sauce pan and added some homemade chicken broth and a little fresh rotisserie chicken.  Then I warmed it all on low for about an hour and a half.  Chad and I topped ours with tortilla chips, sour cream, and a little tomatillo salsa. I had some Red Lobster Garlic Cheese Biscuit mix, so I made those as well, which of course, were the kids favorite part of the meal.  Callen and Payton didn't eat much, but Ranger cleaned his bowl.  Some days, one of three isn’t bad.  J

March 1-7, 2015

Sunday:  Sandwiches After Small Group

Monday:  Breakfast for Dinner – Eggs, Whole Grain Waffle Sticks, & Fruit

Tuesday:  One Pot Ziti with Roasted Broccoli & Bread

One Pot Ziti

·          This is a yummy, easy, family favorite in our house.  The kids always eat this up without complaint, and there’s always plenty of tasty leftovers!

Wednesday:  Sweet & Spicy Pork Tenderloin Over Rice with Roasted Green Beans & Sweet Potatoes

Sweet & Spicy Pork Tenderloin

·          We had a cold, busy day, so a simple crock pot meal was perfect.  I threw a pork tenderloin in the crock pot and poured over half a bottle of hot and spicy pineapple sauce (mine was Target brand).  Then I spooned over about half a jar of apricot preserves and cooked on low all day.  The pork shreds perfectly, and it’s not too hot for the kids.  I think this recipe is from my friend, Meredith.  J  I served ours with diced and roasted sweet potatoes and green beans seasoned with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

Thursday:  Dinner at Mom’s

Friday:  Pizza & Movie Night

Saturday:  Grilled BBQ Sausage, Roasted Broccoli, & Macaroni & Cheese

·          I was at a conference all day, so Chad was super dad and had dinner ready to enjoy right when I arrived home.  I think I’ll keep him!  J

February 22-28, 2015

Sunday:  Eat Out - Babe’s Chicken

Monday:  Crockpot Creamy Tortellini Soup with Warm Sourdough Bread

Crockpot Creamy Tortellini Soup

·          We finally had our official “Ice-maggedon 2015” day, so a warm crockpot of soup sounded like a perfect idea for dinner.  We love this soup so much! 

What made it even easier is that I actually had a batch of it frozen from the last time I made it.  The full recipe makes an absolute TON of soup, so I only cooked half of it a couple of months ago.  I put the other half of the ingredients, prepped and ready to go, in a ziplock bag except for the spaghetti sauce, water, and beef broth.  So, today, I just pulled the bag of goodness out of the freezer, poured them frozen into my crock pot, and added the remaining 3 ingredients.  It cooked on low for about 7 hours, and then when we were about 30 minutes away from dinner time, I stirred in the tortellini.  I served ours with some warm, freshly made sourdough bread I purchased from the farmer’s market this weekend.  Yum, yum, yum!

Tuesday:  Venison Medallions with Roasted Broccoli & Beans

·          Chad thawed out some venison and planned to cook it on the grill for us.  (We use venison just like steak or ground beef around here since we have a good supply in our freezer!)  But, because of weather changes, he needed to hop on a flight out of town a day early.  So, he kindly marinated the meat for me before he left, and I seared it for just a few minutes on my cast iron skillet on the stove.  It was thin, so it really only took a minute or two per side.  I added some pinto beans that we also had frozen from a previous large batch and roasted some fresh broccoli.  It was a healthy, delicious meal that took very little time to prepare.

Wednesday:  Dinner with Mom

Thursday:  Dinner Out

·          Another dinner out, but the boys had a swim assessment so we grabbed a yummy grilled cheese from a tasty restaurant on our way home.

Friday:  Date Night!

·          The kids stayed with their Grammy and DadDad while Chad and I enjoyed date night with some friends.

Saturday:  Turkey Meatballs, Quinoa with Kale, & Roasted Zucchini

·          The kids were still at their grandparents’ house, so I made a quick dinner for Chad and me before we headed out to have a little more kid-free fun.  I love these meatballs and the quinoa and kale from Costco, as I can have a healthy dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.  I eat this often when Chad is traveling so I’m not always eating kid food.  J  I added some thin-sliced zucchini that I roasted with a little olive oil, season salt, and freshly-grated parmesan cheese.

February 15-21, 2015

Sunday:  Dinner with Family

Monday:  Chad’s Venison Chili

·          Chad made some amazing chili with some ground venison from the freezer.  J

Tuesday:  Crockpot Bacon-Wrapped Apple Pork Chops with Rice and Salad

Crockpot Bacon-Wrapped Apple Pork Chops

·          My sister-in-law shared this recipe from Chef in Training with me, but it is originally for chicken.  I had everything to make this already on hand, except I used thick-cut pork chops instead of chicken.  We thought it was delicious with pork, and I’m sure it is with chicken as well.  Just like any pork recipe in the crock pot, I always think it’s better the next day, so the leftovers were wonderful.  J

Wednesday:  Breakfast for Dinner!  Eggs, Toast, Spinach Salad

·          The kids wanted breakfast for dinner, and I added a spinach salad with blueberries and fresh bell peppers to make sure they took in some healthy veggies too.

Thursday:  Cheeseburgers, Roasted Potatoes, & Spinach Salad

Friday:  Dinner with a Friend

Saturday:  Bolognese Baked Pasta, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, & Warm, Sourdough Bread

·          Our friend, Jeff, made dinner for us the night before and we had leftover pasta Bolognese.  I decided to put the pasta and sauce in a casserole dish and topped it with a bit more fresh parmesan.  I covered it and warmed it in a 400 degree oven until heated through.  I uncovered it for about 5 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.  This is a good way to eat leftover pasta without it drying out. 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I found some shaved Brussels sprouts at Target, which I grabbed happily.  The hardest part of making Brussels sprouts in cutting them!  J  I tossed them with a little avocado oil, salt, & pepper and roasted them at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.  Then I stirred them around a bit, and roasted them for another 7 minutes.  After I pulled them out of the oven, I melted 2 tablespoons of butter and mixed that with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.  Our Aunt Hosannah makes this balsamic soy mixture for her vegetables.   I poured that over the Brussels sprouts and tossed it all together.  They were delicious!

February 8-14, 2015

Sunday:  Chicken & Veggie Burritos on Homemade, Whole Wheat Tortillas

·          One of the kids had been sick, so I didn’t want to take time to make a big dinner not knowing who would eat it or how everyone would feel.  Thankfully I had some rotisserie chicken on hand, and also some fresh veggies.  I made a batch of homemade, whole wheat tortillas and dinner was ready in no time.

Monday:  Ginger, Beef, Mushroom & Kale Stir Fry

Ginger, Beef, Mushroom,  Kale Stir Fry

·          I found this on Pinterest, and it’s amazing!  It’s also amazingly easy, which makes it one of my favorite new recipes.  The recipe says to marinate the beef for 15 minutes or so, but to save some time in the evening before dinner, I actually cut my thin sirloin and marinated it around 12:30 that afternoon.  So, my meat marinated for about 5 hours.  This meal was thrown together so quickly, I almost couldn’t believe it.  I made some quick brown rice with quinoa that I buy from Costco.  Chad and I both LOVED this!  I didn’t even have any ginger, so I used an all-purpose house seasoning that had ginger in it.  (Recipe courtesy of http://www.gimmesomeoven.com ).

Tuesday:  Easy Garlic Chicken with Roasted Garlic Asparagus with Feta

Easy Garlic Chicken

·          Another great (and easy!) Pinterest make!  We all loved this…even the kids gobbled it right up.  It’s super simple to make.  (www.food.com)

Roasted Garlic Asparagus with Feta

·          After the chicken was in the oven, I used the same sauce pan to make the garlic and olive oil drizzle for the asparagus…2 recipes, 1 pan equals a win for me.  J  This was definitely a tasty way to have asparagus.  (http://www.gonnawantseconds.com )

Wednesday:  Dinner at Mom’s  J

Thursday:  Tortilla Crusted Tilapia, Rice, & Roasted Broccoli

·          I pretty much have Costco to thank for this meal.  We had a busy end of our week, but it was nice to have the tortilla crusted tilapia from Costco in the freezer for a quick meal instead of eating out.  Rice and roasted broccoli are always favorites for my kids.

Friday:  Date Night with Chad!

·          My mom offered to keep the kids so Chad and I could go on a date.  We said yes, of course.  J

Saturday:  Pasta with Venison Marinara Sauce, Kale Salad, and Garlic Cheese Biscuits

·          We had a wonderful, little family Valentines meal at home.  Our nephew even joined us, much to the delight of my kids.  I thawed some ground venison and used that to make a sauce with some marinara I already had in the fridge.  I made a simple kale salad topped with cranberries and sunflower seeds and also a package of Bisquick Garlic Cheese biscuits.  It was a tasty meal that we all enjoyed together.

January 25 - February 1, 2015

*This menu has a bonus day at the end.  J  I won’t be posting a menu next weekend, but I should be back the week after!

Sunday:  Leftovers

Monday:  Ranger’s Birthday!  Mooyah…at his request.  J

Tuesday:  Whole Wheat Banana Waffle Sticks, Scrambled Eggs, & Fruit

·          Chad was out of town, so breakfast for dinner was a must.  To make our waffles a bit healthier, I sometimes make them from scratch using whole wheat flour.  This time I also added some mashed bananas and ground flax seeds.  The kids love them!

Wednesday:  One Pot Ziti with Caesar Salad & Bread

One Pot Ziti

·          My mom made this recipe several months ago, and it seemed perfect to have for dinner on a night when we had some friends over.  It makes quite a bit of food, and I doubled it, so there was plenty for everyone, plus some for leftovers, plus some for the freezer!  I even made a small batch the next day to take to some friends from church who just had their first baby.  The kids liked this one as well!  J  From start to finish, you can have dinner on the table in under an hour with very little actually work involved.

Thursday:  Quinoa Patties with Roasted Broccoli

Quinoa Patties

·          My friend Meredith shared this recipe with me because her family loved it so much.  I’m so glad she did because my family loved them as well!  It’s from a site called Frugal Living.  Meredith even used some delicious frozen quinoa with kale from Costco that we all love, but I was out, so I made quinoa the usual way on the stove.  My kids gobbled them right up.  We all had our own various dipping sauces, which was really fun.  I added some roasted broccoli, and our meal was full of protein and veggies!  Chad thinks they would also be tasty with half quinoa and half ground venison (or whatever meat you have on hand), and I agree.  J

Friday:  Crescent Roll Turkey Dogs with Fresh Bell Pepper Slices & Fruit

·          I was out of town for a quick girls’ trip, so Chad was in charge.  He and the kids made their own crescent roll turkey dogs, and apparently everyone made a happy plate!  He sent me this picture with the caption "Boom!"  Hehe...

Saturday:  Chicken Fried Venison with Roasted Broccoli

·          One more night of Daddy being in charge, and he did not disappoint!  He made some chicken fried venison and roasted broccoli that resulted, again, in happy plates by everyone!  I think I may leave more often.  ;-)

Sunday:  Chicken & Broccoli Pasta Alfredo

·          Because I arrived back home late on Saturday night, Chad also thought ahead for our Sunday lunch after church and set out the chicken we had frozen from making Hawaiian Grilled Chicken a few weeks ago.  When we came home from church, he sautéed the chicken with broccoli and boiled some pasta.  He added a small amount of alfredo sauce for a delicious meal we all really enjoyed.  I think I’ll keep him around. 

Have a great week!  There won’t be a menu this week due to our crazy schedules, so look for our next menu in 2 weeks!