Menu Plan Monday, June 27-July 3

Another week gone by.  Can you believe it is going to be the 4th of July next week?!  I am just in shock at how quickly this year has seemed to go by.  Must mean I am getting old, huh?  :)

This week's meal plan has a lot to do with what is in my freezer that needs to be used up.  We got a quarter cow and half a pig a while ago and we really need to start finishing it up.  That is why most of the recipes are from AllRecipes.com this week.  They make it easy to find recipes because they have a place you can just enter ingredients you want and a list comes up of available recipes.  I LOVE it!

Monday-Shepherd's Pie (made two, one to freeze and one to eat), Green Salad, Rolls

Tuesday-Mushroom Cube Steaks, Green Beans, Rolls

Wednesday-African Curry, Rice, Green Salad

Thursday-Leftover Buffet

Friday-Pizza

Saturday-Dinner out with friends (My DH and boys will be camping for the night)  :)

Sunday-Baked Apricot Chicken, Rice Mix, Green Salad

Check out a ton of other great menu plans at I'm An Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday linky here.  Enjoy!!

Baked Apricot Chicken

Makes 6 Servings

• 12 chicken thighs
• 1 cup apricot preserves
• 1 cup French dressing
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl combine the jam, dressing and soup mix. Mix together.
3. Place chicken pieces in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour apricot mixture over chicken and bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. 

Recipe Taken From AllRecipes.com

African Curry

Makes 4 Servings

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 (2 to 3 pound) whole chicken, bones and skin removed, cut into pieces
• 1 (14 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 lemon, juiced

1. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, and bay leaf, and saute until onion is lightly browned. Mix tomatoes, curry powder, and salt into the skillet, and continue cooking about 5 minutes. Mix in the chicken, and cook 15 to 20 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear.
2. Reduce skillet heat to low. Stirring constantly, gradually blend in the coconut milk over a period of about 10 minutes. Mix in lemon juice just before serving. 

Recipe Taken From AllRecipes.com

Mushroom Cube Steaks

 Makes 4 Servings

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• 4 (4 ounce) cube steaks
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, divided
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, divided
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1. In a shallow bowl or resealable plastic bag, combine flour, salt and pepper. Add steaks; dredge or toss to coat. In a skillet over medium heat, brown steak in 1 tablespoon of butter. Remove the steaks; spread each with 1/2 teaspoon mustard. Pour 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce over each; keep warm.
2. In the same skillet, saute the mushrooms and onion in remaining butter until tender. Add parsley and remaining Worcestershire sauce. Return steaks to skillet; cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until meat is tender. 

Recipe Taken From AllRecipes.com

Menu Plan Monday: June 20-26

First day of summer this week!  Can you believe it!!  This year is just flying by!!  Here is hoping that this summer will produce many warm days so that we can grill A LOT!  I am a HUGE fan of using the grill (mainly because there is WAY less clean up!  LOL).  This week I haven't had much time to think about food, so I kind of threw together some random recipes from different places.  I am also going to be heading down the the beach for the weekend for a family reunion of sorts, so I won't be needing to cook then (YIPPEE!!).  

Monday-Crunchy Chicken Strips, Green Salad, Bread

Tuesday-Steak on the Grill with Lawry's Marinade, Beats, Garlic Bread

Wednesday-Chicken Parmesan, Green Beans, Garlic Bread

Thursday-Leftover Buffet

Friday-Beach Vacation

Saturday-Beach Vacation

Sunday-Beach Vacation

You can check out HUNDREDS of other meal plans on I'm An Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday Linky here.

Crunchy Chicken Strips

Makes 4 Servings

Nonstick cooking spray
2 1/2 cups Goldfish crackers (or similar)
2/3 cup bottled buttermilk ranch dressing
1 lb chicken breast, cut into strips
Bottled buttermilk ranch dressing (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 425°F.  Line a 15x10x1 inch baking pan with foil; lightly coat foil with cooking spray.  Set aside.

2.  Place the crushed crackers in a small shallow dish.  Place the ranch dressing in a second dish.  Dip chicken in toe dressing, allowing excess to drip off; dip into the crushed crackers to coat.  Arrange chicken in prepared pan.

3.  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170°F).  If desired, serve with additional ranch dressing.

Recipe taken from

Chicken Parmesan

Makes 4 Servings

1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
1 large egg white
1/4 cup whole-wheat or  plain breadcrumbs
3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 (5-oz) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 oz part-skim mozzarella, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
8 oz spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

1.  Heat oven to 400°F.  In a medium saucepan, heat marinara sauce over low heat; keep warm. 

2.  In a shallow bowl or pie late, beat egg white.  In another one, combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan.  Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Dip each chicken breast in egg white, then coat with breadcrumb mixture. 

3.  In a large nonstick, ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add chicken and cook, turning once, until golden all over, 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Remove skillet from heat.  Spoon 3 tbsp marinara over each chicken breast, sprinkle with mozzarella, and bake in oven until chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted, 10 to 12 minutes.

4.  Turn on broiler.  Place skillet under broiler until cheese lightly browns, about 1 minute.

5.  Divide cooked spaghetti evenly among four plates; top with remaining sauce and serve with chicken.

Recipe taken from Redbook, July 2011

Menu Plan Tuesday: June 12-19

I know I have been slacking off again lately with the menu plans.  And it has definitely been showing at our house!  I hate weeks that I don't have a plan!  I end up not figuring out until like 5:30 what I want to make for dinner.  Then it seems like nothing sounds good or I am missing like 1 ingredient or somthing.  Not fun.  It is just that the last few Mondays have been really busy, so I haven't had time to sit down and do a plan.  I suppose I could have done it like on Saturday (LOL), but that just isn't my style!  :)  So, since I didn't make one yesterday, but I don't want to have another crappy meal week, I am going to make one today.  :)

We are going CAMPING (YEAH!) this weekend, so there is a bonus on this menu:  Camping Food.  Enjoy!  :) 

Monday-Chicken Pesto Lasagna (freezer meal), Green Salad, Garlic Bread

Tuesday-Glad Thai Dings, Stir Fry Veggies, Rice

Wednesday-Leftover Buffet

Thursday-Beijing Beauty, Green Salad, Rice

Friday-Camping-Dinner on the Road

Saturday-Camping-Breakfast:  Egg Muffins, Lunch:  Turkey Lettuce Wraps, Dinner:  Chicken Fajitas

Sunday-Camping-Breakfast:  Breakfast Scramble, Lunch:  Bagel Sandwiches

Camping: Breakfast Scramble

Frozen hash browns
1 lb bacon
12 eggs
1 1b shredded cheddar cheese

At home:  Cut bacon into 1-inch pieces and put into a plastic bag.  Whisk eggs and place into a jar. 

At camp:  In a skillet, cook the bacon.  Remove the bacon and add the hashbrowns.  Cook until browned.  Add the bacon back into the skillet.  Pour the eggs over the hash browns and bacon.  Stir until cooked through.  Add the cheese and stir until melted.

Camping: Chicken Fajitas

Fajita Marinade (taken from AllRecipes.com)

1/4 cup beer
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt to taste

Chicken breast, cut into strips
Onion, chopped
Red Bell Pepper, chopped
Green Bell Pepper, chopped
Shredded Cheese (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
Tortillas

At home:  Mix all the ingredients together.  Add to a plastic bag.  Marinade strips of raw chicken in the marinade for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.  Remove chicken and discard marinade.  Cook chicken with chopped vegetables until cooked through.  Cool and then place in a plastic bag. 

At camp:  When ready to eat, heat over fire in foil (or over the campstove).  Serve in tortillas with cheese and sour cream (if desired).

Camping: Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Tortillas
Turkey Sandwich Meat
Shredded Cheese
Lettuce
Tomatoes (optional)
Red Onion (optional)
Ranch Dressing (or whatever you like)
Cooked Bacon

Take a tortilla and put some dressing on it.  Add the turkey, cheese and bacon.  Add the vegetables.  Roll the tortilla up like a wrap.

Camping: Egg Muffins

English Muffins
Eggs
Cheese
Sausage Patties

Before you leave, cook the eggs (one or two per muffin) in a bowl or cup the same size as the English muffin in the microwave.  Place the eggs in a sandwich bag.  If your sausage patties are not pre-cooked, you can pre-cook those at home as well and put them in a sandwich bag as well.

At camp, toast the English muffns on the grill.  Warm up the eggs and sausage.  Place one egg round and one sausage patty on half a muffin.  Add a slice of cheese.  Top with the other half of the muffin.  Enjoy!

Beijing Beauty

Makes 6 Servings

Glaze

1/4 hoisin sauce
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp each Dijon mustard and liquid honey
1 tbsp each toasted sesame oil and reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp grated gingerroot
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp grated lemon zest

3 pork tenderloins (12 oz each)

1.  To make glaze, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.  Set aside.

2.  Preheat grill to medium-high setting.  Spray grill rack with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil.  Grill pork for about 16 minutes, turning occasionally.  Pork should be just slightly pink in the center.  Do not overcook pork or it will be dry.

3.  Brush pork generously with glaze durning the last 5 minutes of cooking time.  Baste, baste, baste!  The more you baste, the better the taste!

4.  Place pork on a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.  Cut pork into thin slices and serve.

Recipe taken from

Chicken Pesto Lasagna

Makes 2-12 Serving Lasagnas

2 large sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tbsp butter
8 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
4 cups cooked cubed chicken
1 cup prepared pesto
2 cans (3.8 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cartons (15 oz) ricotta cheese
2 cartons (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese
4 cups marinara sauce
24 lasagna noodles
2 pkgs (6 oz) fresh baby spinach, chopped
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1.  In a large saucepan, saute red pepper and onion in butter until tender.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.  Stir in flour until blended; gradually stir in the milk, broth, basil and oregano.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Stir in the chicken, pesto and olives.  Remove from the heat.  In a large bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese and feta cheese.

2.  Spread 1 cup marinara sauce in a  greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.  Layer with four noodles, half of the ricotta mixture, half of the pesto mixture and 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese.  Repeat layers.  Top with remaining noodles, sauce and mozarella cheese.

3.  Cover and freeze one lasagna for up to 3 months.  Cover and bake the remaining lasagna at 375°F for 45 minutes.  Uncover; bake 10 minutes more or until a thermometer reads 160°F.  Let stand for 15 minutes.

TO USE FROZEN LASAGNA:  Thaw the lasagna in the refrigerator overnight.  Set on counter for half an hour before baking.  Bake as instructed in #3.

Recipe taken from Taste of Home website.