Menu Plan Monday 6-27-11

Monday - Smoked Turkey Club Pannini (sandwiches), chips, fruit
Tuesday - Quesadillas (steak/chicken?), ranch dipping sauce
Wednesday - Spaghetti with Lemon and Olive Oil, Roasted Zuchinni and Yellow Squash, Mushrooms, Red Pepper
Thursday - Sweet BBQ Chicken Kabobs, Grilled Pineapple, Rice, Broccoli
Friday - Homemade Pizza

Weekend:  Cola and Jam Spareribs
Treats:  Starbucks Frappuccino

Menu Plan - Week of 6-20-11

Hello there! Here's an update on my husband's weight loss: 72 pounds from the beginning of the year. He struggled quite a bit in April and May, but I think he's on track again. He has a decision to make about what his goal will be. Honestly, the cost of the program he is on eats into our budget A LOT, so I am counting the days until he is done with it.  It is worth every penny to see the results, but I am counting the days until he is done. Whenever that may be.

As for me? Well, I try to make healthful choices most days and get out to exercise with my son most days as well.

Here's the plan for this week.  With cookouts this weekend, I am off the hook for making anything at home, and we may in fact head over to Taste of Champaign one of these afternoons as well.  Maybe the Farmer's Market yet this morning.

I hope everyone's weekend is as fun and relaxing as ours is shaping up to be!

Monday - Pizza Paninis (Sandwich)
Tuesday - Kicked Up Carbonara (Pasta)
Wednesday - Chicken Fajitas (Mexican)
Thursday - Cheeseburgers, Waffle Fries, Corn (Grill out)
Friday - Homemade pizza

For more menu plans, visit orgjunkie.com!

Pasta with Pesto Cream Sauce

From the lovely Ree at Pioneer Woman. Check out her recipe. I've simplified it quite a bit.

Ingredients
Jarred Pesto - a couple tbsp
½ cups Heavy Cream (or whole milk)
2 Tablespoons Butter
¼ cups Grated Parmesan (optional)
12 ounces, weight Pasta (cavitappi, Fusili, Etc.)
2 whole Tomatoes, Diced (or red pepper, diced)
Chicken Breast, cooked and sliced (optional)

Cook pasta until al dente.

Heat cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pesto and stir.

Drain pasta and place in a serving bowl. Pour pesto cream over the top. Toss to combine. Add diced tomatoes (or peppers) and toss quickly. Top with grated parmesan.  Serve immediately.

Menu Plan - Week of 6-13-11

Monday - Pasta with Pesto Cream Sauce with grilled chicken slices
Tuesday - Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Apricot Sauce, fresh fruit and chips
Wednesday - Pork Chops, butter noodles, green beans
Thursday - Soft shell tacos
Friday - Homemade pizza

Menu for my son's 2nd birthday party:
Hamburgers
Hash Brown Casserole (Church cookbook)
7-Layer Salad (brought by my mom)
Veggie Tray and dip (brought my my Mother in Law)
Chips
Smores Cookies
Chocolate Cupcakes with buttercream icing

Sweet & Sour Chicken

Try this!  It is delicious. Even my husband, who is not always willing to try anything "new" and insisted he wanted his own naked chicken pieces, ate up the rest of this recipe. 

(Sorry no pics, we ate it too fast!)

Straight from Chef Mommy

Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stove top. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced – about 6-8 minutes

Menu Plan Monday - 6-6-11

I've been considering our family's nutrition.  My husband is still half-on his diet.  He's gotten back to his all-time high of 70 pounds, but he seems to have lost his motivation for continuing.  I have packed on an extra 5 pounds instead of losing them.  My son thinks that animal crackers and fruit snacks are part of the food pyramid.

And then I saw this.  My plate replacing the food pyramid.  I LOVE this idea. Making sure that we get a mix of grains, proteins, fruits, and veggies at every meal!  But how to make this work for breakfast, which is the main meal we struggle with? And how to translate this to snacks that a toddler will eat also - when animal crackers are so easy to grab?

It's a struggle, and I'm going to spend some time this weekend coming up with different ideas. I'll share our results! What do you do to make sure your children eat a healthy mix in the morning?

Monday - Spaghetti and Meatballs (make meatballs on weekend)
Tuesday - Pork Chops on the Grill, Green Salad
Wednesday - Taco Salad, no shell
Thursday - Cheeseburgers on the grill, fries, corn
Friday - Marguerita Pizza

Packable Lunches - Pasta Salad, Super Secret Subs

For more ideas, visit ORGJUNKIE.COM!

Chocolate Eclair Cake

I forgot to take a picture! But I did make this last weekend. Every time I make this, I get compliments, and it is SO EASY to make it is ridiculous. Here it is (also linked at allrecipes.com, although I got the recipe years ago from my grandmother):

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package graham crackers
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups milk
1 (9 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (16 ounce) package prepared chocolate frosting

Directions
Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan with graham crackers.
In a large bowl, combine the milk and vanilla pudding according to directions on box.
Fold in the whipped topping. Spread a layer of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers.
Alternate the graham cracker and pudding layers up to the top of the pan.
Cook the container of prepared frosting, uncovered in the microwave for 1 minute on half power.
Pour over the top of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.