Weekly Meal Plan

The plan this week has been very typical of me...no plan. I haven't even been to the grocery store, so I've just been throwing together whatever I could find. Here's what we've already had or I'm making for tonight. I'm going to the store today, so I'll try and figure out what else we'll have this weekend.

1. Pasta with shrimp and Caesar salad
2. Hearty chicken burritos and black bean and corn salsa
3. Leftover burritos and salsa
4. Italian beef sandwiches, Tuscan potato salad and green salad
5. Fried rice (using extra rice from burritos)
6. Leftover fried rice or beef sandwiches
7. hmmmm, not sure

The forecast is for rain until next Wednesday. Even though it hasn't rained much, I hate to plan cooking on the grill for fear of getting rained out. Oh, well.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Black Bean and Corn Salsa
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp diced red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined and chopped (optional)
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice, lemon juice OR white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Tortillia chips

1. Combine corn, black beans and remaining ingredients in medium non-metallic bowl, except for fresh cilantro and parsley. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Bring to room temperature before serving and add the freshly chopped parsley and cilantro.
3. Serve with tortillia chips

Hearty Burritos

I still haven't been to the store OR made a meal plan for this week. I have some frozen cooked chicken in the freezer, so I think I'll make chicken burritos and black bean and corn salsa. The burrito recipe calls for ground beef, but I'm going to try it with chicken instead.

Hearty Burritos
1/2 pound ground beef
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 oz) Mexican diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup cooked rice
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheese
8 flour tortillias (10 inches)
sour cream, chopped tomatoes, guacamole, additional shredded cheese and salsa, optional

1. In a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain (I just used cooked shredded chicken and minced onion flakes). Add the beans (I used Amy's Refried Beans-yum!), tomatoes, corn, salsa, rice, chili powder and salt. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese off-center on each tortillia; top with about 1 cup beef mixture. Fold sides and ends over filling.
2. Wrap burritos individally in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Or place burritos seam side down on a baking sheet.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until heated through. Serve with your choice of recommended toppings.

To use frozen burritos: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake and serve as directed.

Pasta with Shrimp

This is my friend Abby's favorite pasta with shrimp recipe. I made this last night because I haven't been to the store this week. I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand minus the bell pepper. I substituted green onion for the pepper. I served this with a Caesar salad.

Pasta with Shrimp
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2-1/4 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
1-1/2 cups chopped red or green pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup medium dry sherry
1 can (14.5 oz) whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
2 tsp sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
Either angel hair pasta, cooked and pine nuts or
white rice, cooked and slivered almonds

1. Combine flour, thyme, 1/4 tsp salt and black pepper in large ziplock bag. Add shrimp and shake well to coat shrimp.
2. Begin boiling water for pasta or put rice on to cook.
3. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp and saute for 3 minutes. Remove shrimp from pan. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add sherry and cook for 1 minute. Add 1/4 tsp salt and tomatoes. Cook four minutes. Stir in shrimp and vinegar.
4. Serve over angel hair pasta and sprinkle with pine nuts or over white rice and sprinkle with slivered almonds.

Strawberry Delight

I got this recipe from my sister and it is PERFECT for warm weather. I truly could eat the entire thing by myself.

Strawberry Delight
Crust:
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cups melted butter

1. Mix and press in bottom of 9x13 pan and refrigerate.

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp milk
1 large cool whip, divided
1 pint strawberries, sliced
2 packages of 4 serving vanilla instant pudding
3-1/2 cups cold milk

1. Beat together cream cheese, sugar and 2 Tbsp milk until creamy. Fold in 1-3/4 cups cool whip. Spread over crust. Layer with sliced strawberries.
2. Mix pudding with milk and pour over berries. Top with remaining cool whip. Top with remaining strawberries. Refrigerate until set.

Crescent Chicken Bundles

Okay, so all of the recipes this week are new ones I'm trying. I didn't make the Tuscan potato salad because of time. I did make the chicken artichoke packets. They were good, but I have a similar recipe that I like better, so I'll post that recipe instead. These can be frozen.

Crescent Chicken Bundles
6 oz cream cheese, softened (reduced fat)
4 Tbsp butter, melted, divided
2 Tbsp minced chives
2 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 cups cooked chicken
2-8 oz packages of crescent rolls (reduced fat)

1. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, 2 Tbsp butter, chives, milk, salt and pepper until blended. Stir in chicken.
2. Unroll crescent roll dough and separate into eight rectangles; press perforations together. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture in the center of each rectangle. Bring edges up to the center and pinch to seal. Brush with remaining butter.
3. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
4. To freeze: Transfer uncooked bundles to baking sheet, cover and freeze until firm; transfer squares to a covered freezer container. May be frozen for up to two months. To cook frozen bundles: Thaw in the refrigerator and bake as directed.

Weekly Meal Plan

Here are my loose guidelines for weekly meal planning:

1. sandwich night (hamburgers or some yummy new sandwich recipe I'd like to try);
2. Texmex (we LOVE Texmex and it's usually easy to prepare);
3. grilling out during warm weather or soup during cold weather;
4. and trying a new recipe

My friend, Jaime, does one night where she can double and freeze a recipe. I really like this idea, especially with a new baby on the way. I think I will try and incorporate this into my weekly meal planning.

Here is what I have planned for this week. Now, I often veer from the list because of time or something unexpected i.e. Scott working late so Ford and I just have something simple.

1. Orange-Glazed Salmon Filets, green beans with shallots and Annie's mac n cheese (can you tell I have a three year old)
2. Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa and rice (Texmex)
3. Breakfast - I haven't decided exactly what's on the menu yet. Whatever is handy.
4. Chicken and artichoke packets with Tuscan potato salad (this is sandwich night)
5. Ford's school festival catered by SATCO - can't wait!
6. Leftover chicken packets (?)
7. Rainforest Cafe to celebrate my niece's birthday

I'm going to try and inventory the freezer and pantry this weekend to make my meal plan for next week. Hopefully, I will only need a few things from the grocery store!

Chicken Tonight

Tonight, our meal consisted of the Bisquick chicken fingers, roasted potatoes (the freezer kind) and stir-fry snap peas (the recipe called for snow peas, but I didn't have any). Here is the recipe for the snap peas. This meal was prepared and ready in 30 minutes. AND, the chicken fingers and potatoes baked at the same temperature (this is handy since I don't have a double oven).

Stir-fry Snap Peas
1.5 tsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
salt to taste
1 box frozen snap peas, thawed
1 Tbsp oil
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. In a small bowl, combine the butter, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and salt; set aside.
2. In a small skillet, stir-fry peas in oil for 1-2 minutes or until crisp tender. Add walnuts; cook and stir for one minute.
3. Drizzle with butter mixture; toss to coat. Cover and cook for two minutes or until heated through.

Sausage Casserole

Sausage Casserole
1 pound sausage (I've also used Morning Star veggie sausage)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup Bisquick

1. Cook sausage and drain. Place sausage in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan coated with cooking spray. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over sausage. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until batter is fully cooked.

Panna Cotta

Scott and I went to a new restauant in Germantown called City House. We ordered panna cotta for dessert and it was so good, I looked up a recipe online. Basically, it is just cooked cream. You could serve it with fruit or caramel on top. Yum!

Panna Cotta
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup sugar
1 package powdered gelatin
2 to 3 Tbsp cold water
1 tsp vanilla

1. In a heavy saucepan, stir together cream, half-and-half and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Cook on medium to medium-high heat stirring occasionally, until scalding (the mixture will start to rise rapidly). Turn off heat and remove pan from heat.
2. Put the cold water in a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin into the water, allowing the gellatin to dissolve completely. Add a large spoonful of the cooked cream and stir steadily until the mixture is smooth and the gelatin completely dissolved. Add the gelatin mixture back into the pot of cooked cream and whisk out any remaining lumps. Add the vanilla.
3. Pour the warm cooked cream into a single large ceramic serving dish or several ramekins and chill for at least three hours. Serve as is or with your choice of topping.

Chicken Fingers

My brother gave me this recipe. These are easy to make and Ford loved them. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Chicken Fingers
2/3cup Original Bisquick mix
1/2cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2teaspoon salt or Garlic salt
1/2teaspoon paprika
3boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cutcrosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Heat oven to 450ºF. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray.
2. Mix Bisquick mix, cheese, salt and paprika in 1-gallon resealable plastic food-storage bag. Diphalf the chicken strips into egg; place in bag of Bisquick mixture. Seal bag; shake to coat.Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle butter over chicken.
3. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, turning after 6 minutes with pancake turner, until no longer pink in center.

Beef Ravioli in Basil-Cream Sauce

This can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. I served with a Caesar salad and garlic bread.

Beef Ravioli in Basil-Cream Sauce
4 servings, Prep. 10 minutes, Cook time 15 minutes
1 (24 oz) package of frozen beef ravioli
2 Tbsp butter
1 (8 oz) package of sliced fresh mushrooms
3 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried Italian seasonings
1 (10-oz) can diced mild tomatoes and green chiles, drained
2 Tbsp fresh basil
1 cup whipping cream (I have used half and half, both regular and fat free)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp salt

Start a pot of boiling water for ravioli (add ravioli once it starts to boil and cook as directed on package). Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, green onions, garlic and Italian seasonings. Saute for six minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Stir in diced tomatoes, basil and cream; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, five minutes. Stir in parmesan cheese; add salt. Stir in cooked ravioli, tossing to coat.

Lazy Guacamole

This is a lazy version of Alton Brown's guacamole.

Guacamole
3 avocados, peeled
1 small lime juiced (about 1 Tablespoon)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne, optional
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp onion flakes
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1. Place avocados in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Serve as a side or with chips. Tip: If you place an avocado pit in the guacamole, it keeps it from turning brown as quickly.

Pork Chimichangas

I got this recipe from a Taste of Home freezer meals magazine. It's yummy and you can freeze what you don't eat. I think you could substitute chicken and it would be equally yummy. This recipe makes 2.5 dozen. I cut the recipe to make 1/3 the amount. I served with fresh guacamole.

Baked Pork Chimichangas
3 cans pinto beans
1 pork loin roast (three pounds)
3 can chopped green chilies
1 large onion
1/3 cup chili powder
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
30 flour tortillias (6-inch)
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups picante sauce (chunky salsa can be substituted)
1 egg white
2 tsp water

1. Preheat oven to 325. Place roast in a Dutch oven. In a bowl, combine chilies, onion, chili powder and beans. Spoon over roast. Cover and bake for 1.5 hours. Stir in broth; cover and bake 30-45 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees.
2. Remove meat and shred with two forks; set aside. Mash bean mixture; stir in shredded pork. Spoon 1/3 cup mixture down the center of each tortillia; top with two tablespoons of cheese and one tablespoon of picante sauce. Fold sides and ends over and roll up. Place seam side down in a baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. In a bowl, whisk egg white and water; brush over top. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately or cool, wrap and freeze for up to three months.
To cook frozen chimichangas: Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.