Menu Plan Monday-January 17-23

I am too late creating this post to have it go onto the big linky, so here is the link for this week if you want to check out other weekly menu plans:  Menu Plan Monday Jan 17-23  

This week is pretty easy!  I am actually going to be eating out WAY more than I normally do.  Kind of excited about not having to cook so much!!  Here is my menu plan for this week:

Monday-Out to dinner for MIL birthday (SO EXCITED!!  No cooking for me!! :))

Tuesday-Melancauli Baby (soup), Rolls, Green Salad

Wednesday-Chicken Coconut Curry (from the freezer :)), Hot Rice, Green Salad

Thursday-Sticky Chicken, Steamed Broccoli, Bread

Friday-DATE NIGHT with hubby! 

Saturday-Going to a friend's house for dinner :)

Sunday-Tinbucktuna, Green Salad

Enjoy!!

Tinbucktuna

Makes 6 Servings

8 oz uncooked rotini pasta (about 3 cups)
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 tbsp butter
1 cup diced onions
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed, reduced fat cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried dill or basil
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 cans (6 oz each) chunk light tuna in water, drained, or boneless, skinless salmon, drained

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions, adding frozen vegetables to the boiling water for the last 5 minutes of cooking time.  Drain pasta and vegetables.

2.  Meanwhile, prepare sauce.  In a large, non-stick pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add onions and garlic.  Cook and stir until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.  Add soup, shredded cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, dill, mustard powder, and black pepper.  Mix well and cook until sauce is bubbly and cheese has melted.  Remove from heat.  Stir in pasta, vegetables, and tuna.  Serve hot.

Recipe taken from

Sticky Chicken

Makes 8 Servings

16 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or 8 breasts cut in half) (about 3 pounds)

Sauce:
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (hickory flavor is best)
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup liquid honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp grated gingerroot
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp cornstarch

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F.  Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Arrange chicken in pan in a single layer.

2.  Whisk together all sauce ingredients in a medium bowl.  Pour evenly over chicken.  Turn pieces to coat both sides with sauce.  Bake, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.

3.  Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.  Carefully pour sauce from pan into a small pot.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Combine cornstarch with an equal amount of water and mix until smooth.  Add to sauce.  Cook until sauce is bubbly and thickened, about 1 more minute.  Serve hot chicken with extra sauce on top.

Recipe taken from

Melancauli Baby

Makes 8 Servings

1 tbsp butter or olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced leeks (about 2 large)
2 tsp minced garlic
4 cups small cauliflower florets
1 1/2 cups peeled, cubed sweet potato
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup cooked brown and wild rice blend
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup packed shredded Swiss cheese (2 oz)

1.  Heat butter in a large, non-stick soup pot over medium heat.  Add leeks and garlic.  Cook and stir until leeks begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

2.  Stir in cauliflower, sweet potato, curry and cumin.  Cook and stir for 1 minute more.  Add broth, salt, and pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

3.  Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree until smooth.  Return pureed soup to pot with remaining soup and mix well.  Stir in cooked rice, milk, and Swiss cheese.  Heat soup for 1 minute more.  Serve hot.

Recipe taken from

Menu Plan Monday

As you all know, I am a big fan of meal planning.  I feel like it not only helps you save money (by knowing exactly what you need to get at the store and you can plan according to the sales), but it makes my life less hectic and stressful because I know exactly what is for dinner and we definitely eat healthier when I know what we are eating (no fast food, boxed food, etc.).  Normally, I do not list what we are going to have each day just because I might not be feeling like I want that by that day.  I usually just list 5-10 meals that I would like to have in the next week or two and go from there. 

I'm An Organized Junkie has started a "linky" where hundreds of bloggers can post their weekly menu plans every week.  She is calling it "Menu Plan Monday".  I will try to post my weekly meal plan every week on this linky.

Like I said, there are literally HUNDREDS of people who post their meal plans for the week so there are all kinds of different menus you can check out.  There are vegetarian, vegan, low carb, thrifty, gluten free, etc.  I even found a Star Wars Menu.  This will make my 4 year old VERY happy!!  :)

These links will hopefully give you some good ideas to go ahead and plan your own weekly menu plans!  :)

52 Weeks of Organization-WEEK 3

So, last week's organization went really well!  I was able to condense my Christmas stuff down into 3 bins and I am getting rid of a whole bin of stuff!  Yeah!  I did not finish my wrapping paper because my other garment bag is buried deep inside our coat closet (one of those closets that is really deep) and I really didn't want to pull everything out.  I will do it when I get around to organizing that closet.  Right now all my year round paper is under my bed, so it is okay.

ANYWAY, week 3 of my home organization brings me to my Mary Kay inventory and business tools.  I no longer sell Mary Kay, but I did for about a year.  I have not been selling it in over a year, and have had all this stuff lying around waiting to be sorted.  This is the week it is going to happen!! 

I have a bunch of inventory that I am going to go through, pick what I would like to keep or that I will use and then sell the rest.  I am planning on selling it at cost (what I paid for it-so 50% off) and no tax (just to keep it simple). 

I also have a bunch of "business tools" such as samples, forms, packaging, a beauty coat, etc. that I would like to sell, also.  I am sure that there is a consultant or two out there that would like to invest in this kind stuff for a reduced price.  I have at least two bins that I can think of full of this kind of stuff!

Hopefully I can make some money that will then go into the "House Redecorating Fund" that I have set up.  This fund will allow me to buy things like baskets for storage and paint so that my husband doesn't have to pay for all that I would like to do to the house. 

My goal is to have the sale next weekend and to be rid of all this by February 1.  If you know anyone that would be interested in taking any of this off of my hands, please leave me a comment and I will be in touch!!  :)

Savings Tracker

The Coupon Project has put together a great Excel savings tracker.  I am going to use it this year to see exactly how much I am saving since I have started couponing and where I could still cut back.  Click here to see her blog post about this. 

This has a place for you to track how much stuff would have been before discounts/coupons, your coupon savings, your discount savings and your rebate savings.  It also allows you to put in a budget number so you can track how you are doing on your budget.  There is a separate "page" for each month and a year long summary, too!  :)

I think this is going to be an AWESOME resource to have around!  Especially when my couponing gets called into questions (time vs. profit, etc.).  :)  Thanks, The Coupon Project!!