February 16-22, 2014

Sunday:  Rudy’s BBQ

·          After church we picked up Rudy’s and took it home.  We ordered enough so we could also have some for dinner that evening after small group.

Monday:  Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with Rice and Roasted Broccoli

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

·          I always like recipes from Six Sisters Stuff, and this one did not disappoint.  It’s very quick and easy to put together, especially since I used a rotisserie chicken.  We prefer corn tortillas with our enchiladas, so I heated some up in canola oil on the stove before rolling the enchiladas.  They were great, and I had leftover for lunch for a few days after.  J

Tuesday:  Grilled Trout with Zucchini Chips, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, and Toasted Garlic Bread

·          Chad received a cookbook all about cooking wild game and fish, so he’s been wanting to try out some of the recipes.  Our friend, Jeff, came over for dinner, so it was the perfect time!  Chad bought the trout whole with heads on!  I’m sad I didn’t take pictures of him cleaning them and making them “talk” to the boys…it was hilarious.  But, they were delish, and it was a fun experience for all of us to eat fish straight off the bone.  

      To go along with the meal, I made these zucchini chips and also some diced, roasted sweet potatoes.  Yum!

Wednesday:  Breakfast!

·          The kids and I were supposed to go eat with our friend, Sharon, and her two sweet babies.  But, as we were pulling up to her house, Payton got sick all over herself and her car seat.  L  So, we headed straight home, and the boys were so sweet and played patiently while I cleaned up Payton and the car.  Ranger requested breakfast, and I knew that was something I could whip up for them while holding Payton too.  A quick dinner of eggs, bacon, toast, & fruit hit the spot for the 3 of us who ate.  J

Thursday:  Pizza Night

Friday:  Oven Baked Ravioli with Roasted Green Beans

·          We still had a sick girl in our house, and I had a migraine earlier in the day.  But, I felt like I needed to make dinner for the boys and for Chad.  Chad had been in Houston for 3 days, and he eats out for every meal when he travels.  So, I put together this simple meal.  I really like the spinach ravioli from CostCo.  I placed the frozen ravioli in a dish and topped it with pasta sauce and sautéed chicken sausage (also from my freezer from a previous meal).  I sprinkled on a little cheese and covered the dish with foil and baked it for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.  I uncovered it and baked it for 5 minutes more to melt the cheese.  That’s it…dinner's done!

Saturday:  Britney’s “10 Chicken” in the Crock Pot with Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

·          My cousin Britney shared this recipe with me, and we’ve had it before off the grill and loved it.  Several weeks ago, I bought bone-in chicken thighs for another recipe and had some thighs that we didn’t need that night.  So I put them in a ziplock bag, then I poured in some soy sauce, Italian dressing, and garlic powder.  I mixed it all around a bit and stuck it in the freezer. 

We needed a good, home-cooked meal, but I wasn’t sure Chad would have time to grill.  So I pulled this chicken out of the freezer and decided to give it a try in the crock pot.  I put it in completely frozen (marinade and all!), skin side up, and cooked it on low for about 6-7 hours.  When it was time to eat, the chicken was PERFECT!  The skin was nice and crispy, and the meat just fell of the bone.  Thanks for this great recipe, Britney!  We love it on and off the grill!

…If chicken thighs aren’t your thing, by all means…use chicken breasts.  J  I will say, we have a new found love for chicken on the bone, though.

Shredded Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

·          I’ve made this salad a few times over the last month or so, and we’ve enjoyed it every time!  Be sure and make a little extra, as it is still amazing leftover!  (http://www.justataste.com/)

February 9-15, 2014

Sunday:  Turkey Meatballs with Quinoa and Roasted Veggies

·          This was actually leftovers from the night before that Chad made!  I was at a ladies retreat with our church, so he had the kids all day on Saturday.  He had spent the week out of town and was wanting a home-cooked meal rather than eating out.  So, he pulled some turkey meatballs out of the freezer and cooked them with quinoa and roasted kale, carrots, and celery.  Way to go dinner with Daddy!!!  There was enough for us to have for lunch on Sunday after church.  J

Monday:  Broccoli & Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Roasted Asparagus and Carrots

·          I actually purchased these already stuffed chicken breasts from Sprouts last week because they were on special.  I threw them in the freezer and planned to use them on a day when I needed a little dinner help.  Well, it didn’t take long for me to thaw them out and make them for dinner!  I had a fairly significant headache on Monday along with fighting off a bit of a cold, so an easy dinner was a MUST!  I did add some seasonings to the top of these, as well as a bit of butter about 15 minutes before I pulled them out of the oven.  This wasn’t our favorite chicken, but we did all eat it after I seasoned it up a bit more. 

For the roasted asparagus and carrots, I used Aunt Hosannah’s Balsamic Soy glaze on them, and the kids had their veggies eaten in a flash!  After roasting your veggies (I did mine for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees), pour on the mix of 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar.  Yum!!

Tuesday:  Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa and Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

·        I marinated tilapia in lime juice, honey, olive oil, and garlic powder in a bag in the fridge for a few hours.  Then, I dredged them in a little whole wheat flour seasoned with salt and pepper.  I shook off the excess flour before putting the fish in my pan.  After heating olive oil in a hot pan, I sautéed the tilapia on each side for about 4-5 minutes until the fish flaked easily with a fork.  Be sure to leave your fish alone while it’s cooking…that ensures a nice brown crust all around. 

Then, I shredded it just a bit with a couple of forks.  We had ours inside corn tortillas with mango salsa (left over from Super Bowl two Sundays ago!), sour cream, and avocados.  I roasted baby Brussels sprouts and diced sweet potatoes with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.  This meal was a big hit with everyone in the family, and it was incredibly easy to prepare!

Wednesday:  Dinner with Mom

Thursday:  Date Night!!

·       The kids were staying 2 nights with Grammy & DadDad, so Chad and I planned a date night with some friends.  Yay!

Friday:  Another Date Night!!

·       This was actually Valentine’s Day, and the kids were still with Chad’s parents, so Chad and I spent the whole day together.  We actually picked up Thai food and ate it at home while watching the latest Mission Impossible movie on Netflix.  J

Saturday:  Family Dinner for Daddy’s Birthday

·          My Daddy would have been 58 years old today, and as a family we still like to celebrate his birthday together.  We drove over to Crowley for dinner with Mom and my brother’s family.

January 26 - February 2, 2014

·          Hi everyone!  Thanks for taking a look at my little blog!  Just a heads up that there will be no menu posted next Sunday.  I should be back to the blog the week after that.  Happy meal planning!

Sunday:  Pizza Night!

Monday:  Dinner at Mom’s – One Pot Ziti

One Pot Ziti

·          We ate dinner with my mom, and she made this delicious dish!  I love one pot meals, and this one did not disappoint.  She didn’t put quite as many red pepper flakes in the recipe since the kids were eating this too.  But Chad, Mom, & I just added more red pepper to ours before we ate it.  Everyone cleaned their plates!!  This makes quite a bit, so there was enough for all 3 adults to have leftovers for lunch the next day.  J

Tuesday:  BBQ Turkey Meatloaf, Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts, & Warm, Buttered Bread

Honey BBQ Meatloaf

·         This is a family favorite!  I actually pulled this one out of the freezer, which made it even easier, but it’s a simple recipe even if you are making it fresh.  I always double it so I can have one in the freezer ready to go!  Yum!  I substituted turkey for the ground beef and oatmeal for the breadcrumbs.  (http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/)

Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

·          I had some Brussels sprouts, which we always really enjoy cut up and roasted with just olive oil, salt, and pepper.  But, having tried our Aunt Suzanne’s balsamic/soy asparagus last week and loving it, I thought I would give the same finish to the Brussels sprouts to see if it was just as tasty. 

Guess what…it was!  I cored and halved the Brussels sprouts and placed them in a ziplock bag with the olive oil, salt, and pepper; this sat for about 30 minutes on the counter.  Then I roasted them on a foil-lined baking sheet at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  I tossed them around, and roasted them again for another 10 minutes or so, just until they started turning golden.  Right before serving them, I melted 2 tablespoons of butter and mixed that with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.  I poured that on top of the roasted Brussels sprouts, and everything was ready to go!  We ate every last ONE!

Wednesday:  Breakfast for Dinner!

·          This is always the boys’ favorite dinner.  This time we had egg and cheese omelets, bacon, biscuits with honey, and strawberries.  Delish!  Also…do you know the tip of baking your bacon?  If not, you really should try it.  It’s fast, easy, and so much less messy and smelly than frying it up in a pan on your stovetop.

Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place your bacon strips on the foil.  Then put in a cold oven.  Turn on the oven to 375 – 425 degrees (the temperature really just depends on whether or not you are baking something else at the same time and don’t have a double oven…oh how I wish I had a double oven).  I was also using my oven for biscuits, so I needed the oven hotter.  Just keep your eye on your bacon until it reaches your desired crispness!  Since my oven was on 425 tonight, the bacon was done in about 14 minutes or so.  The best part?  While you are enjoying your scrumptious bacon, the grease solidifies on the foil so that all you have to do when it’s time to clean up is pick up your foil and throw it in the trash!  Voila!!  (And, you’re welcome.)

Thursday:  Fish Sticks, Macaroni & Cheese, & Roasted Broccoli

·          Chad was at a conference in Dallas this week, which meant we were on our own for dinner again.  I made a simple dinner of some yummy CostCo fish sticks with sides of Annie’s macaroni & cheese and roasted broccoli.  My dinner was almost the same, except I had a crab cake from CostCo instead.  J  Three cheers for Mommy and Kid nights!

Friday:  Dinner Out with Mom

Saturday:  Chicken Parmesan Meatballs, Roasted Broccoli & Sweet Potatoes, & Bread

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

·          I made these a few months back, and we all enjoyed them, so I was happy to make them again!  I used whole oats instead of breadcrumbs.  I think I will add a bit of basil or other Italian seasonings to the chicken before making the meatballs the next time, just to flavor it up even more.  Still, these are delicious and a great way to change up the meatball a bit.  We had enough leftover that we had them for lunch the next day with ziti pasta and more pasta sauce!  (http://www.dinneralovestory.com/)

January 19-25, 2014

Sunday:  Bean, Cheese, & Spinach Quesadillas

·          I had some pinto beans in the freezer from the last time I made a big crockpot of them, so I pulled them out earlier in the day and let them thaw in the fridge.  After small group that evening, I was able to make a very quick and yummy dinner using the beans, cheese, & some fresh spinach.  I added jalapeños to the quesadillas I made for Chad and me.  J

Monday:  Dinner with Family

Tuesday:  Citrus and Soy Marinated, Grilled Pork Chops with Balsamic Asparagus & Bread

·          Right after lunch, I pulled some pork chops out of the fridge and placed them in a ziplock bag.  Before marinating them, I cut three slits in each of them to allow the marinade to soak in a bit more.  To the bag I added olive oil, fresh squeezed lime juice, fresh squeezed orange juice, soy sauce, minced garlic, red pepper, and black pepper.  I closed the bag, mixed everything all around, and put the bag in the fridge until dinnertime.  Chad grilled them up for us!

Roasted Balsamic Asparagus

·          Our Aunt Suzanne recommended this method of making roasted asparagus, and I must say it’s delicious!  The boys gobbled theirs right up.  J

Trim your asparagus and placed on a lined baking sheet.  Toss with olive oil, salt, & pepper.  Roast at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.  Right before it’s done, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar.  Pour that over your roasted asparagus and serve.  Yummy!

Wednesdsay:  Slow Cooker Classic Beef Stew (With Added Venison & Kale!)

Slow Cooker Classic Beef Stew

·          I made this stew last week, and we really enjoyed it.  Chad requested it again this week as he and a friend were going duck hunting that evening and would need a hot meal when they came back home.  Chad also wanted to use some venison (instead of beef) from a previous hunting trip that we had in the freezer.  I added kale this time, which I thought turned out nicely.  The kale is so hearty that it didn’t fall apart while cooking.  It took on the flavor of the broth and was soft and easy to eat.

Thursday:  Baked, Breaded Chicken Tenders, Parmesan Cauliflower, Roasted Broccoli, & Bread

Baked Breaded Chicken Tenders

·          I dipped chicken tenders in milk.  Then I coated them with a mixture of garlic and herb bread crumbs & freshly grated parmesan cheese.  I baked them at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower

- cauliflower cut up into bite-size pieces

- olive oil

- salt & pepper

- plain Greek yogurt

- freshly-grated Parmesan

- Italian bread crumbs

Roast the cauliflower with olive oil, salt, & pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet at 400 for 15 minutes.  Take the cauliflower out of the oven and mix with Greek yogurt and Parmesan cheese (Add as much as you like.  I've never really measured it...I just eye it and add enough until the cauliflower is creamy without being drenched.)  Top with Italian bread crumbs and put back on the baking sheet in the oven.  Bake for 10-15 minutes more.  It's so, so yummy!  It's very much like macaroni and cheese!

Friday:  Chicken Stir Fry

·          This was a simple, yet healthy meal.  I made rice according to the directions on the box.  While that was cooking, I cut up and cooked chicken.  Once the chicken was about half done, I added a bag of frozen stir fry vegetables.  I cooked those together until everything was done, seasoning to taste toward the end.  I added garlic salt, teriyaki, and sriracha sauce.  Ours ended up pretty spicy, which made Chad pretty happy!

Saturday:  Bubble Up Breakfast Bake

Bubble Up Breakfast Bake

·          This was actually the day before my oldest, Ranger, turned 5!  We had a full day of parties and activities, so I wanted to start us off with a little bit more protein than usual for a Saturday morning.  This recipe is so easy, and so delicious!  I had it put together fairly quickly, which was nice since I had several tasks to complete before Ranger’s party.  I left the green chilies off about a third of it for the boys.  It’s great, and it was even good the next day!  (http://mrsschwartzkitchen.blogspot.com/)

January 12-18, 2014

Sunday:  Milla’s Birthday Party

·          We were with our family celebrating my niece, Milla’s, birthday!

Monday:  Crockpot Cheesy Chicken & Rice with Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken & Rice

·          This was a delicious dish that made quite a bit, so we had it for leftovers.  The chicken turned out so tender that the kids just gobbled it right up!  I will say, it does call for a can of cream of chicken soup, which has become the most EVIL of all cooking ingredients these days.  J  So, if you are highly offended by canned soup, by all means…make your own.  I’ve never tried it, but I just might one day.  I cook with canned soups so rarely, using it occasionally doesn’t bother me.  Thanks to Family Fresh Meals blog.

Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad

·          I made this salad for a dinner party a few weeks ago and fell in love with it!  It is so crunchy and delicious, and it’s a completely new way to eat Brussels sprouts.  The dressing really makes this salad something special.  Try it!  (http://www.justataste.com/)

Tuesday:  Leftovers

·          We had our leftover chicken and rice but this time I roasted broccoli and carrots as a side, which are my boys favorite veggies!

Wednesday:  Slow Cooker Classic Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Classic Beef Stew

·          The stew was A-MAZING!!  It had the most wonderful, rich flavor.  I only made a half recipe, and it was still a good amount of food.  We will absolutely have this again!  I served ours with some tasty garlic bread.  (http://www.myrecipes.com/)

Thursday:  Pepperoni, Turkey Meatball, & Spinach Pizza

Pioneer Woman’s Pizza Crust

·          Her pizza crust is so easy, it’s hard for me to try another recipe! 

Friday:  Dinner Out

Saturday:  Dinner with Family to Celebrate Emily’s Birthday!

·          Our sweet niece, Emily, turned 1 last month, and they were in town to celebrate with us this past week.  

January 5-11, 2014

This week was a little different for us.  Chad was gone most of the week, and the kids and I had various activities, birthday parties, and other things going on.  I only actually cooked two evenings, but we ate off of each meal for a couple of days.  Just one of those weeks!  Below are the recipes I made:

BBQ Pork Sandwiches

-          Pork tenderloin or pork roast

-          BBQ sauce

-          Coke

Place your pork in your crock pot and cover with the BBQ sauce and Coke.  (If you use a smaller pork tenderloin, you probably only need half a bottle of BBQ sauce and half the Coke.  For a larger pork roast, use the full amount of both.)  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Your pork is ready when it shreds easily with a fork.  We had ours as sandwiches the first night.  As leftovers it’s great over nachos or with tortillas.

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

·          This was a Pinterest find from Stacy Makes Cents, and it was quite easy.  I think I’ll add a little more spice the next time.  The boys loved theirs inside quesadillas, and this was a delicious and convenient leftover. 

**  I do plan to cook a bit more this coming week.   J

December 30, 2013 - January 4, 2014

Monday:  Dinner with Mom

·          Chad and Ranger went hunting, so Callen, Payton, and I went and had dinner with my mom.  Then we went and drove around looking at the remaining Christmas lights per Callen’s request.  J

Tuesday:  Creamy CrockPot Tortellini Soup with Garlic Bread

·          A chilly evening called for this delicious soup!  I made it a few weeks ago, so we were excited to have it again.  This Creamy Crockpot Tortellini Soup is wonderful, and we had plenty for leftovers as well.  (http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/)

Wednesday:  Dinner with Wade and Amber

·          Instead of gifts, we go to dinner with our siblings for Christmas.  We had a great time with Wade and Amber…it’s just sad we only do this once a year!

Thursday:  Dinner Out

·          The boys were staying with Chad’s parents, so we took Payton out for a little date to a new place in town.  She seemed to enjoy being our only child for the night.  J

Friday:  Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken with Roasted Green Beans and Carrots

Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken

·          I’m having a hard time getting back into the swing of cooking since Christmas.  I knew we needed to eat in tonight, but I really didn’t want to work hard for dinner at all.  I saw this recipe on Pinterest, and it was certainly easy.  I think there was a little bit too much Italian dressing mix, so I would cut that back a bit if I made this again.  But, everyone ate it!  Chad and I added a little spice to ours, but the kids ate theirs just as it was.  Roasted green beans and carrots rounded out the meal nicely.

Saturday:  Salmon with Roasted Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes

·         Ranger really wanted fish, so I pulled some pre-marinated salmon out of the freezer.  I roasted it along with some broccoli and sweet potatoes for a quick and healthy meal.