Monday Menu and Some Chinese Food

March is upon us!  Yay for slightly warmer temps (though we are supposed to get some snow tomorrow possibly) and for Spring Break!  We will take next week off from school and enjoy having our college girl home.  Can't wait!!


So while I count down the days until her plane lands, here is our menu for the week-

Monday-  Pork Marsala

Tuesday- Beef and Broccoli

Wednesday- Hamburgers

Thursday- Sweet and Sour Chicken

Friday- Baked Fish

Saturday- Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs

Sunday-  Soup

Have I told you we have a love of Chinese food around here?  Years ago, Ashton asked for a wok for Christmas and we were hooked.  We were actually hooked long before the wok, but at least after that addition we started to explore the option of cooking Chinese food at home and not always going out to enjoy it.  Some recipes are admittedly more authentic than others, but we are not picky so you will find some rather easy ones in our stash!  This week's recipe is one of those short and sweet ones- literally!

Enjoy!

Author: Michele Pleasants

Sweet and Sour Chicken

ingredients:

• 1 package of chicken breasts, diced
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1- 8 oz. pineapple chunks
• 1 TBSP vinegar
• 1 TBSP brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground ginger

instructions:

1. Saute diced chicken and garlic in olive oil until cooked through
2. Combine cornstarch and soy sauce and add to chicken, mixing well
3. Add to chicken, pineapple, vinegar, brown sugar and ginger, stirring well.
4. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until thick, 5-10 minutes
5. Serve over rice!

Created using The Recipes Generator

Monday Menu and a Breakfast Treat

Happy Monday!  Welcome back to another week of meals!  With my girl headed off to college again, we will be back to feeding 5 for a while.  Ignore me while I go pout!

We have loved planning soup for Sunday nights- a great way to relax and have a simple meal after a big Sunday lunch. This week we are going to try to incorporate breakfast into one meal as well.  My family loves breakfast food and by having it for dinner, it is often a good way to save some money.  I will let you know how it goes over.


Monday- Spaghetti Pie

Tuesday- Pork Chop Casserole

Wednesday- B-B-Q Chicken

Thursday- Breakfast Pizza

Friday- Care Group Night (not sure what I am making to share)

Saturday- Chicken a la Orange

Sunday- Broccoli Cheddar Soup


Have a blessed week!

Author: Michele Pleasants

Breakfast Pizza

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• 1 package crescent rolls
• 6-8  oz. sausage
• 1 c. frozen hash browns
• 3 TBSP butter
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 3/4 shredded cheddar cheese

instructions:

1. Spread pan with rolls
2. Cook sausage, drain
3. Cook hash browns in 2 tsp. butter
4. Cook eggs in 1 tsp. butter
5. Layer sausage, hash browns, and eggs on rolls. Season with salt and pepper
6. Top with cheese
7. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

notes

* We double this recipe for a family of 6, three of which are boys!

Created using The Recipes Generator

Monday Menu and Comfort Food

Welcome to another week of Monday Menu!  I hope you are enjoying a peek into our kitchen- I have to say it has been great to not only keep me accountable, but also to make me pull out some recipes I haven't used in a while.  It is crazy how you forget about stuff you used to make all of the time.


You may see a few repeats in the next few weeks as our college daughter is coming home (insert happy dance here!) and she has requested some oldies but goodies.  It seems the dining facility at college just doesn't live up to momma's cooking and she is "starving!"  Go figure! ;)

So here we go-

Monday- Italian Chicken (you can do this in the oven or in the crockpot!  Just cover chicken breasts with Italian dressing and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Cover and bake for 45 minutes or in crockpot for 6-8 hours on low.  It is a favorite here!)

Tuesday- Hamburgers with mushroom gravy

Wednesday- Beef Stroganoff

Thursday- Chicken- Broccoli Braid (yes, it is the pampered chef recipe and yes, it is what our girl asked for for her birthday meal.  Go figure.  I told you she must be starving!)

Friday- Our Church Care Group Christmas party  I will be taking a Chicken Buffalo Dip

Saturday- Porcupine Meatballs

Sunday- Potato Soup and Grilled Cheese sandwiches

Fun fact- I am a southern gal.  Yep. raised in North Carolina most of my life on casseroles and comfort food!  While I consider myself a southern traitor because we have fallen in love with the Midwest and hope to remain here, I still love some good 'ol southern food occasionally.  I admit we have given up casseroles as a weekly staple, but there are just times in our lives where we all need a little comfort food to soothe the soul.  If you are in that place this week, here is a simple one that is also pretty easy on the budget.  Nope, it is not the healthiest for you, but it still might bring a smile to your face!

Author: Michele Pleasants

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

ingredients:

• 8-10 potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 2-3 cups diced ham, fully cooked
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup, or cheese soup
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp pepper

instructions:

1. Spray slow cooker with oil to prevent sticking
2. Layer 1/2 the potatoes, ham, onions, and cheese.
3. Repeat layering
4. Top with soup and sprinkle with paprika and salt.
5. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Blessings,

Monday Menu

What a full week we have had.  Despite having the week off of school, we have been in constant motion.  I am once again reminded that we can easily fill our lives with busyness and must be deliberate to schedule and then protect our quiet time.

After this week of appointments and my mile long things to do list, I am going to do just that! ;)

This week's menu is another simple one for you!  Remember, I am feeding a real life family with kids, not connoisseurs of fine tastes!  I want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with them, especially seeing how fleeting our time together is.  They grow up fast, my friends!

Monday- Orange Chicken

Tuesday- Off to eat with friends, you are on your own!

Wednesday- Turkey Enchiladas


Thursday- Asian Lettuce wraps

Friday- Spaghetti

Saturday- Pork loin (crock pot)

Sunday- Broccoli Cheese Soup

Let me tell you about our turkey savings before I share a recipe for the week.  Thanks to one of those handy shoppers cards at our local grocery store, I paid a little over $10.00 for a 19 pound turkey.  We had thanksgiving (7 of us), and then a second turkey meal with it the following night.  It also fed four people lunch with turkey sliders the following day.  Since then, I have chopped up the remaining meat and frozen 3- 2 1/2 cup portions(one to be used this week in the enchiladas) and used 2 Cups in our Sunday Soup. (recipe below)

Yes, that is 6 full meals and one quick lunch with ONE turkey!   That is about $1.66 per meal!  FOR MEAT!!

The holidays are a perfect time to stock your freezer when turkeys and chickens are rock bottom prices to save your budget the rest of the year!  With a little prep and planning, you can have meat ready and waiting to pop in a meal.  Win win!

Author: Michele Pleasants

Turkey Rice Soup

ingredients:

• 4 TBSP butter, divided
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 tsp sage
• 4 TBSP flour
• 5 cups chicken or turkey stock
• 3/4 cup rice
• 1 C sliced mushrooms (optional)
• 2 C diced cooked turkey
• 1 C heavy cream
• 1 C milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

instructions:

1. Melt 3 TBSP butter and add celery, onion and sage- saute 3-4 minutes.
2. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
3. Add stock, stirring to combine and bring to a boil.
4. Stir in rice  and season with salt and pepper, bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, saute sliced mushrooms in 1 TBSP of butter.
6. Add turkey, cream, milk, and mushrooms to soup, simmering for about 10 minutes or heated through.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Blessings,

Monday Menu is Back!

Well, obviously I am friends with a lot of people who like food!  Or maybe just need some inspiration.  But either way our first Monday Menu was such a hit, that we have decided to keep it up for a while!

Remember, my goal is simple meals that most people (my kids!) will eat.  I am not including sides because we buy veggies and such around sales, so I just typically grab what I have around and add a salad.  Yes, we eat a lot of salads!

Oh, and yes, the Butter Chicken recipe was quite good!  You can find it at Keto Connect.  My family approved and they are pretty picky Indian food kids.  We would never have said we liked Indian food until our friends bought an Indian food restaurant and grocery store in Brookings, SD.  If you are ever driving through there, look up Flavor!  You will be glad you did.  Tell them I sent you and have an extra bite for me!




This week-

Monday- Chicken Noodle Casserole  (I will put a whole chicken in the crockpot and use half for this meal and half for Thursday's meal!)

Tuesday- B-B-Q Meatballs

Wednesday- Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Thursday- Chicken Tetrazzini

Friday- Pork Roast

Saturday- Pulled Pork Sandwiches (using left over pork from Friday)

Sunday- Broccoli-Cheese Soup


A few notes- Yes, I used a whole chicken to do two meals and a pork roast to make 2 others.  It's all about saving money folks!

Yes, I tend to do a lot of soups on Sunday.  We often go out to eat with friends after church, so it is easy to pop soup in the crock pot for later and it is a lighter meal after a bigger lunch.  

And because I love you - a recipe for you!  It is one of our favorites and is on the menu for next week so I thought I would give you a heads up on the ingredients if you want to join us.  My mom made this all through my childhood and it makes me smile every time I make it.

Beef Stroganoff

2 TBSP Butter
2 TBSP Flour
2 C Water
3 Beef Bouillon cubes
2 TBSP Tomato Paste
Sprinkle of garlic powder
4 C of diced cooked beef tips
1 C Mushrooms
1/4 C Sour Cream
Salt and Pepper

Melt butter, stir in flour and cook over low for 3 minutes.  
Stir in water and add bouillon cubes.  
Cook, stirring, until thickened.  
Add tomato paste, garlic powder, beef, mushrooms, salt and pepper.  
Mix well.  
Stir in sour cream, heat well.
Serve over noodles.


That's it!  I usually pop the beef in the crockpot in the morning so it is ready to use when I start dinner to save time!

Happy planning and eating, my friends!

See ya back next week!
Blessings,

Introducing- Monday Menu

Now that 34 weeks of Clean is done, I have been looking for something to consistently post for a while.  Continual sickness here at home has limited my writing time, but hey, I do have to plan to eat, right?

So here's the plan- 

I will post our proposed menu for the week, knowing it can always change.  In other words, if you like what you see and want to show up for dinner, call first!  I may have opted for something else! ;)

For the most part, side dishes will not be mentioned.  That is one area I tend to be more flexible on.  I grab veggies out of the fridge I got on sale for the week, and we eat salads A LOT!

For now I am steering clear of recipes, but may start to feature one a week if the interest is there.  Let me know what you think!

You will not find leftovers listed here often.  Not because we do not have them, but because we usually eat them for lunch.  Because we homeschool and are not big bread people due to our oldest being gluten free for so long, sandwiches rarely happen, left overs do!

This is to hold me accountable and maybe help a few of you out at the same time.  While I do not expect everyone to love what we eat, I know that sometimes just a few ideas or even reminders of long-lost favorites can be helpful.

DO NOT expect fancy.  I am not a fancy person.  I feed a family of 6, four of which are kids or young adults.  Several are more picky than others and some are in and out a lot.  My goal is not to impress them, but to just feed them.  If you are looking for complicated meals you are in the wrong place.  Family friendly it is!


Here we go!

MONDAY-  Baked Ziti (thanks to a wonderful friend who blessed us this week!)

TUESDAY- Butter Chicken (new recipe, I will let you know how it goes!)

WEDNESDAY- Baked Pork Chops


THURSDAY- Tacos

FRIDAY-  Grilled Chicken


SATURDAY- Breakfast for dinner (probably pancakes and bacon and fruit!)


SUNDAY- Chicken Corn Chowder (crockpot)