June 21 - July 4, 2015

2 Week Summer Food Blog Break!!  I'll be back with our weekly menu on July 12th!

June 14-20, 2015

We had a week of family birthdays and dinners, so I actually only cooked TWICE!  It was practically vacation.  ;-)  The two meals are both easy, healthy, and tasty.  My kids loved them both!

Pasta with Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce and Salad

We love this Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce!  I had some ground chicken and veggie taco meat in the freezer from last week that I thawed out and added to the sauce.  My kids gobbled this up!  I served ours with a huge kale salad topped with blackberries, feta cheese, and Dana's homemade balsamic dressing.


Quinoa Patties with Roasted Zucchini & Sweet Potatoes

These Quinoa Patties are wonderful as a side or for a meatless meal.  I used Costco's frozen quinoa and kale packets.  This time, I added feta cheese instead of parmesan, and also a little extra Italian seasoning.  These are so, so DELISH!  I made more than we needed, so Chad and I had leftovers for lunch the next day.  These also freeze well and can be popped out and warmed up for an easy lunch or dinner.


HEALTHY BONUS!
My current favorite lunch or afternoon snack is this easy salad!!  All you need is half an avocado, a few tomatoes, a little mozzarella, and some balsamic and olive oil, and you are set!  Adding fresh basil makes it really special!

YUMMY BONUS!
We had my mom over for her birthday dinner on Sunday.  Chad grilled dove and I made veggies inside.  For her birthday dessert, I threw together Pioneer Woman's Blackberry Cobbler #1, which is a hit absolutely any time I make it.  This time, I had peaches and blueberries on hand, so that's what I used.  It is RIDICULOUSLY good, and you should absolutely make it this week with some yummy, seasonal fruit!!

June 7-13, 2015

This was the week of pulling out some old favorites!

Sunday:  Date Night!

·          Mom had the kids, so Chad and I had a wonderful, low-key, dinner out!

Monday:  Grilled Turkey, Cheese, Pear, & Blackberry Preserve Sandwiches with Salad and Fruit

·          Chad had a softball game at 6:30, so this was a tasty and easy dinner I could throw together before he needed to leave.  

  

         I actually assembled all the sandwiches and made them in the oven.  It’s a super simple way to make multiple “grilled” sandwiches at the same time!  Just lay foil down on one cookie sheet, then your sandwiches, then another piece of foil, and finally put another cookie sheet on top.  That’s all!  I put mine in a cold oven, then heated it to 400 degrees.  Once it reached that temperature, I checked the sandwiches every 3-4 minutes until they were as brown as I wanted them. 

Tuesday:  Breakfast for Dinner!  Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Bacon, Cinnamon Toast, & Fruit

Wednesday:  Chicken & Veggie Tacos with Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas

We haven’t had our favorite tacos in a while!  These are so simple to make…just go up to the “Chicken Recipes” link above, and then find “Meredith’s Chicken & Veggie Tacos.”  So, easy, full of veggies, and full of flavor!  I served ours with hot sauce, cheese, sour cream and homemade, whole wheat flour tortillas that I made earlier in the day.  Yum!  This meat is an excellent leftover for nachos, salads, or even to throw in spaghetti sauce, so go ahead and make a ton!

Thursday:  Grilled “10 Chicken” with Parmesan Cauliflower & Kale Salad

I pulled some chicken thighs out of the freezer on Wednesday to thaw, then marinated them all day Thursday.  It’s the simplest marinade that I learned about from my cousin, Britney, and it packs so much flavor!  Just put your chicken in a ziplock and pour over some soy sauce, Italian dressing, and sprinkle in some garlic powder.  That’s all!  Chad grilled it up for us.  We really like dark meat because it stays so tender and moist, but if you like white meat, please do that instead!

I made our sides inside.  Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower is a hit with everyone in our family, and I’m still completely obsessed with kale salads, so we had that as well.  I love salads in the summer because they are so easy to throw together and require no time over a hot stove!  J

Friday:  Birthday Party at Our Friends’ Home

Saturday:  Family Pizza & Movie Night!

May 31 - June 6, 2015

Sunday:  Church Fellowship and Dinner at the Park

Monday:  Sweet Chili Lime Chicken Tacos with Fresh Fruits and Veggies

·          Chad had a softball game at 6:30, so we needed a quick, early dinner before going to watch him play.  I pulled out some Sweet Chili Lime Chicken (one of my fave recipes!) from the freezer, thawed it out, warmed it on the stove, and served it inside some tortillas we had leftover from the week before.  We added in fresh fruit and veggies, and dinner was served!  Some nights, I piece together our dinner based on what we have around, which is a great way to use leftovers AND save money!  J

Tuesday:  Dinner at Mom’s

Wednesday:  Baked Cheesy Chicken Pasta with a Kale & Fresh Fruit Salad with Homemade Balsamic Dressing

Baked Cheesy Chicken Pasta

I found this yumminess on Pinterest from Simply Mrs. Edwards.  If you are watching your carbs or dairy intake, you should probably avoid this recipe.  ;-)  But, thankfully for us, we are fine with all pasta and all dairy, so we were all in on this dish!  I made ours earlier in the afternoon so that all I had to do was stick it in the oven and bake it for dinner.  We had a friend over, and there was plenty for everyone.  I actually topped ours with panko bread crumbs and a little Italian seasoning before baking to give it a crispy topping. 

We all really enjoyed this, but we did need to add some salt and pepper.  I’ll make this again, but I’ll add in some more seasonings when making the sauce.  It made a wonderful leftover for lunch the next day, and I even topped it with some feta cheese, which made it super yummy!

Kale & Fresh Fruit Salad with Homemade Balsamic Dressing

I’m a little salad-obsessed right now, and I am especially fond of tossing on all of the fresh, seasonal berries and fruit that are available in the summer months.  Salad is such an easy side dish for any meal, and it requires little prep and no oven or stovetop, helping to keep you cool when a hot kitchen isn’t a fun place to be.  J  For this salad, I tossed some fresh chopped kale with a few mixed salad greens.  Then I toasted some pine nuts in a pan on the stovetop for a few minutes.  (Watch them closely and toss them around so they don’t burn!)  On top of the salad I threw on blackberries, oranges, the toasted pine nuts, and feta cheese.  I dressed our salad with this Homemade Balsamic Dressing from my friend, Dana and her blog Real Food – Real Family.  Check her out!  She’s an amazing cook, and she’s SO healthy!  (I have a salad dressing shaker, which is what I use to make, mix, and store my homemade dressing.)

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

2 tsp honey

1 clove of garlic, minced (or 1/8 – 1/4 tsp garlic powder)

1 tsp dried oregano or other herb of your choice

½ tsp salt

1/3 cup olive oil

{update 5/13/15:  I’ve started adding about 1 T lime juice (if I have any on hand) and it’s a great addition.}

pepper to taste (I usually add pepper to my salad rather than the dressing)

1.Mix first 6 ingredients with a wire whisk.  Slowly add in the olive oil while whisking.  Put a top on your container and shake well.  Homemade dressing works best in some type of jar that has a tight lid, rather than a bowl with lid.

2.  Store container in the fridge.

3.  Pull the dressing out a little while before using to allow it to come to room temperature.  (The olive oil hardens in the fridge.)  Give it a vigorous shake and then spoon out what you need.  I usually pull my dressing out in the morning so I don’t forget.  I put it back in the fridge after lunch.

Thursday:  Crispy Tortilla Tilapia with Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Zucchini

This night was a total, throw it together night.  I meant to have a yummy Honey Lime Tilapia, but I forgot to thaw my tilapia.  :-/  In order for Chad and Ranger to have dinner before leaving for baseball practice, I threw out my original plan and just pulled some yummy Costco tilapia out of the freezer.  I made the crispy tortilla tilapia for Chad and me, but I made the basil pesto for the kids because it’s not spicy.  I diced up sweet potatoes and zucchini and roasted them at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes.  Dinner was ready, and everyone cleaned their plates!

Friday:  Family Pizza & Movie Night!

My kids’ favorite night of the week!  J  This week, I bought some inexpensive meat and cheese pizzas from Aldi. I left the kids’ pizza just as it was, but I added fresh kale, basil, grape tomatoes, and bell peppers to the pizza for Chad and me; I also added a spritz of olive oil and fresh-cracked pepper.  I brushed both crusts with garlic butter before baking as well for extra yumminess!  

I do bake my pizzas directly on the rack, but for the first 10 minutes, I lay foil on the bottom rack to catch any falling, melting cheese and butter.  That prevents it falling to the bottom of the oven and stinking up my house!

Saturday:  Breaded, Fried Turkey Cutlets, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Rice, & Kale Salad

Chad breaded and fried some of his wild turkey he shot a few months back.  Our parents were over, so it was fun to prepare a meal for everyone!  While Chad worked on the turkey and fried it outside on the grill burner, I made a salad, rice, and sweet potatoes inside.  Voila!  It was delicious!

(Proof that my husband killed AND cooked our dinner!)

May 24-30, 2015

**  After a couple weeks' hiatus, we are back home and the menus are planned again!**

Sunday:  Pepperoni & Cheese Crescent Roll Ups with Fruit & Chips

We had arrived home late the night before and didn’t have many groceries on hand, so I made our dinner with what we had.  Pepperoni, mozzarella cheese sticks, and crescent rolls made a dinner everyone was happy with!  I brush the tops of the rolled up crescent rolls with garlic butter before baking them to make them extra tasty.

Monday:  Memorial Day:  Hot Dogs, Fruit, & Chips

Tuesday:  Steaks, Sautéed Mushrooms, Sliced Tomatoes with Balsamic Vinegar

Chad was wanting to grill, and I was also happy with that plan.  J 

Wednesday:  Chicken Parmesan Casserole with Roasted Broccoli

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

I’m not sure what made me remember this recipe from Emily Bites…I haven’t made it in a really long time!  But, I’m so happy I thought of it again!  Originally, my plan with the kids this day was to go buy a few groceries, but we ended up having fun instead, so I didn’t buy ingredients specifically for this dish.  But, I was able to make it happen thanks to some freezer help!  I had frozen chicken thighs that I thawed out.  I also had a frozen bag of homemade, crock pot marinara sauce from a month or two ago.  I broke the sauce in half because I didn’t need all of it.  So, half of the bag went right back into the freezer for another meal!

I also didn’t have any croutons on hand, but I did have some whole wheat mini hamburger buns in the freezer from a meal before our beach trip.  I pulled those out, went to the ever-reliable Pinterest, and made my own croutons using a combination of this recipe and this recipe!  

I baked mine at 300 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring them around half way through.  They were so, so delish!!  I could have only eaten croutons and been perfectly happy.  J  I will try to remember this when we have some bread that is a little older before I just throw it out.  These were so, so yummy!  And the dinner was also amazing (I only made a half recipe).  I forgot to take a picture before we ate, but you can see what it looked like after.  I’d call that a success.

Thursday:  Cheeseburger Quesadillas with Sweet Potato Fries & Fruit

Cheeseburger Quesadillas

This is basically a cute name for a quesadilla made with ground beef and cheddar cheese.  Ha!  I bought some half corn, half flour tortillas that our family really enjoys and then just made some ground beef.  I seasoned the beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder, minced onion, and a little season salt, and that’s all!  I only used half the ground beef for this meal, and I saved the other half for Friday’s meal.  I served our quesadillas with sweet potato fries (store-bought this time around) and fruit, and everyone made a happy plate!  I should have taken a picture of the kids’ plates, as each one likes to have a different dipping condiment.

Friday:  Pizza & Movie Night!

We were all really excited to be home and have our family pizza and movie night again.  I bought some yummy, preservative free pizza crusts from Sprouts (good for a day when I didn’t have time to make my own), and we topped them with all of our favorites.  For the kids, pizza sauce, pepperoni, ground beef (the other half I prepared the night before), and mozzarella cheese.  

For the adults, pizza sauce, pesto, pepperoni, ground beef, fresh tomatoes, fresh spinach, fresh basil, and mozzarella cheese.  

My mom came over also, and between the six of us, we finished off almost every bite! J

Saturday:  Grilled Sausage, Caesar Salad, Fruit, & Chips

This meal needs no explanation.  We had some family over, and this menu made everyone happy!

April 26 - May 2, 2015

** Due to crazy kid schedules and crazy husband travel schedule, there will not be a menu posted next week. **

Sunday:  Chicken Tenders with Sautéed Zucchini & Carrots

·          Chad took Ranger and Payton to our small group Bible study while I stayed home with Callen who had a little bit of a cold.  I made a quick dinner out of Purdue’s Simply Smart Chicken Tenders, which even Chad and I like to eat.  J  Callen helped me cube some zucchini and carrots, and I was able to sauté a little bit for him and me when we were ready for dinner, and then I made the rest right before Chad and the kids arrived home.  Easy, healthy dinner for everyone!

Monday:  Dinner Out

Tuesday:  Ziti Pasta with Homemade Crock Pot Marinara & Turkey Sausage, Caesar Salad, & Garlic Breadsticks

·          It was Payton’s family birthday dinner, so I needed a dinner that would feed several people but not be too time-consuming.  Since I’ve discovered Skinny Taste’s Crockpot Marinara sauce, I’ve made it 3-4 times.  It’s so easy, and you can easily change the spices and flavorings to suit your family’s tastes.  I made a double recipe in the crockpot this time, and I actually found crushed tomatoes with basil already added!  I also added in some fresh parsley and red pepper flakes.  I made the sauce as she suggests, except that instead of meatballs, I used some precooked and crumbled turkey sausage I discovered at the store.  I just tossed it in the sauce and had the crock pot on low for 3-4 hours.  Easy and delicious! 

Then all that was left to do was boil some pasta (gluten free this time for some of our family), open a big bag of Caesar salad (no…I did not make the dressing from scratch), and throw some bread in the oven.  It was perfect for a crowd!  Since it was Payton’s birthday, she and the boys ate macaroni and cheese…it’s her fave! 

Wednesday:  Baked Cheesy Chicken Flautas with 5-Minute Guacamole

Baked Cheese Chicken Flautas

·          This recipe from JoCooks is a perfect weeknight meal.  The boys had their final swim lesson late in the afternoon, so I was able to throw these together quickly before we left, and then when we arrived back home, I just put them in the oven to cook.  Since I was in a little bit of a time crunch before we left, I made the recipe even easier.  I used chicken that I had already taken from a rotisserie chicken earlier in the week.  Instead of sautéing the garlic and onion in olive oil, I just used minced onion and garlic powder, basically skipping that whole step.  Since mine were going into the fridge for a couple of hours before cooking, I didn’t really feel like heating everything up in the skillet was necessary.  J 

I used whole wheat tortillas.  I also just rubbed my dish with butter, rather than melting it.  Before I put them in the oven, I did brush on a little melted butter over the top.  These were really good!  I made ours a tad too spicy for the kids, but the boys still powered through.  I ended up giving Payton a little turkey.  The next time I make them, I will make a few with just chicken and cheese rolled up for the kids to avoid the spice for them.  Chad and I really liked them though!  (They also made an excellent leftover meal for me for a few days when Chad was gone.  I just reheated one in the oven for my meal, and the tortilla crisped right back up!)

I served ours with The Weary Chef’s 5-Minute Guacamole, which I could pretty much make a meal out of all on its own!  I’m a little obsessed with avocadoes right now and am finding excuses to have them with everything.

Thursday:  Grilled Cheeses with Fresh Fruit and Veggies for the Kids, Leftover for Me

·          Chad left for a guys’ golf weekend, so it was an easy dinner after baseball practice for us!

Friday:  Dinner Out with Friends

Saturday:  Chicken & Fries

·          Ranger was having dinner with friends, Callen was with my mom, and Chad was still golfing, so it was just Payton and me for dinner.  She requested chicken and fries, and I happily obliged!  I had some in the oven and on our table in no time.  Just a special girls’ dinner.  J

April 19-25, 2015

Sunday:  Sandwiches

Monday:  Dinner Out

·          Swim lessons from 4:45 – 5:20 and Daddy’s baseball game at 6:30 means a quick dinner out.  J  Our choice…Cheezies for yummy grilled cheese sandwiches!

Tuesday:  Baked Venison Meatballs with Homemade Marinara and Pasta with Caesar Salad

Baked Venison Meatballs

Meatballs are a kid favorite around here, so I thought it was time I made some with a little of the ground venison in our freezer.  I didn’t really measure anything, but here’s the recipe if you need measurements:

-           1 lb ground venison (or any lean meat of your choice)

-          ½ cup Panko bread crumbs

-          ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan

-          1 egg

-          Salt

-          Pepper

-          Italian seasoning

Mix all ingredients together with your hands until everything is incorporated.  Roll into 1” balls and place in a foil-lined baking pan.  Cook at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Cut one open to check for doneness. 

Skinny Taste Marinara Sauce

I made this marinara in the crock pot several weeks back along with the meatballs she makes, and really enjoyed it.  So, I made the sauce again for this meal, except this time I doubled the recipe and made it on the stovetop.  I let it simmer for a couple of hours.  I made double so that I could throw some in the freezer for use in a later meal.  I added a little more basil and Italian seasoning to the sauce to give it a bit more flavor, and I also added some red pepper flakes to give it a kick.  This is so delicious, easy, and healthy!

Wednesday:  Dinner at Mom’s

·          One more busy night…after swim lessons we ran to Mom’s where she had a yummy dinner for us before heading to Ranger’s 7:00pm baseball game.  This week has been a little too busy for my liking, and I know it’s nowhere close to how busy most people with older kids are all the time!

Thursday:  Parmesan Crusted Tilapia with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce & Roasted Parmesan Green Beans

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

·          We’ve had parmesan crusted tilapia in the past, and the kids always really enjoy it.  I saw this recipe and thought the cream sauce would taste AMAZING!  It’s a pretty simple recipe, but you are standing over the stove for the entire meal prep.  So, either your kids need to be occupied elsewhere, or they will be “helping” you in some way while you cook.  J  I didn’t put any of the sauce on the kids’ tilapia, as they prefer it plain and aren’t big fans of tomatoes.  Chad and I didn’t mind though…there was more for us!  Ranger and Payton gobbled their fish up quite quickly, and Callen didn’t eat because he hasn’t been feeling well.  Chad and I cleaned our plates, and Chad went back for seconds.  This recipe is definitely a keeper! (Life’s Ambrosia Blog)

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans

  We love roasted veggies around here!  We all prefer the taste of them, and they are very simple to make...especially if you have some good frozen veggies on hand.  I buy the large, frozen bag of organic green beans from CostCo so that having a green veggie with our dinner can be quick and easy.  I just lay out the frozen green beans, drizzle with a bit of olive or avocado oil, sprinkle with season salt, and roast at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.  Then, I toss them around and roast for another 5 minutes or so.  After I pull them out of the oven, I sprinkle on freshly grated Parmesan and let it melt a bit.  That's all!  It's so good!  Here's the cast of characters:

Friday:  Breakfast for Dinner!  Toast, Eggs, Turkey Bacon, & Fruit

·          Because Daddy was gone to a men’s retreat!  J

 *  If you don't already bake your bacon, you really have to try it!  Just line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lay out the bacon in a single layer.  Place in a cold oven, then turn the oven on and heat to 375 degrees.  In about 15-20 minutes, your bacon is crisp and ready to go!  The time will depend on the thickness of the bacon and how done you prefer it to be.  Lay your bacon on a plate lined with paper towels to drain the grease a bit, and you're all set!  Then, by the time dinner is done, the bacon grease has cooled on the foil, and all you have to do for clean up is roll up the foil and toss it in the trash.  

Saturday:  Family Pizza & Movie Night

·          This was moved from Friday to Saturday this week so that Chad could be included.  J