Meal Plan: September 28th - October 2nd

Sunday:  Fast Food
This past weekend we were in Va Beach for my brother and SIL BBQ, Beer and Baby Talk Baby Shower.  We got back to town a little on the later side so fast food it was.

Monday:  Walking Tacos
Monday Night Football! Go Pats!!

Adapted from Dine and Dish Walking Tacos.
1 pound lean ground beef, crumbled, browned and fat drained
1 package taco seasoning
3 Tbs water
1 can Black Beans, drained

With your browned grown beef still in the skillet, add the Bush’s black beans, 3 Tbs of water and your taco seasoning. Heat through.
  
Tuesday: Sesame-Ginger Chicken and Rice
From Weight Watchers

Ingredients

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled, minced
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
sliced green onions (optional)

Notes / Directions

1. Prepare Grill
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
3. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or heavy skillet.
4. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done, basting occasionally with sesame seed mixture. Place on a serving platter; garnish with green onions, if desired. Serve immediately.

Wednesday: Mac and Cheese Ravioli for the Kids.  Date night at home with Cavatappi with Browned Brussels Sprouts
Mac and Cheese Ravioli - Wegmans Frozen Foods
Cavatappi with Brussels Sprouts from Cooking Light

Thursday: Chicken Salad Croissants  from Southern Living

Friday: Frozen Pizza - Working a Wedding Rehearsal

Saturday:  Hot Dogs and Baked Beans - Working a Wedding and Hubby has a Flag Football Game

Meal Plan: September 21 - September 27

Sunday: Grilled Cheese

The dinner with friends last Saturday was really a surprise birthday party for my MIL.  We just got back from Connecticut yesterday so dinner was a quick grilled cheese.where we surprised my MIL at her birthday celebration. 











Monday: Wegmans Subs

Since we were away the grocery shopping is getting done today so Wegmans is making dinner tonight.  Plus I have had a craving for one their subs.

Tuesday: Chicken Fritter Parm with Pasta

Last weekend I bought Chicken Fritters for the fam.  I bought way too much so I put the other half in the freezer.  My husband loved his chicken parm sub and my youngest was very jealous she didn't have one.  I'll be using the leftovers to make a quick chicken parm dinner.

Wednesday: Breakfast Dinner
                    Sweet Baked Kielbasa Sausage for Moms Group - Using Turkey Kielbasa

Kielbasa recipe from Food.com

Thursday: Potato Kielbasa Skillet Dinner
Welcome Fall!
Recipe from Taste of Home

Friday:  Healthified Copycat Turkey Bacon Ranch Wrap

Ingredients

4 Flatout Light Original flatbreads
8 oz 98% fat free roasted turkey deli meat

8 slices precooked bacon
4 slices Cheddar Cheese
1 tomato, thinly sliced
Red onion slices
1/4 cup Ranch yogurt dressing

Iceberg or Romaine lettuce

Directions

1. Spread ranch dressing all over the center of the flatbread.
2. Top with turkey, bacon, lettuce, cheese, onion, and tomatoes. Fold the sides in, and then roll up.

Saturday: Baby Shower

Meal Plan: September 15 - September 20

Yay!  It is starting to feel like fall here and it makes me so happy.  This week is accidentally a free advertisement for Wegmans.  I apologize if you don't have one.  They are so choice.

Here is what's for dinner:

Sunday - Wegmans Chicken Fritters and Fries for Kids.  Chicken Parm Sub for the Hubs.

I will be at Derrick Jeter Night cheering on the Orioles.

Wegmans Chicken Fritters

Chicken Parm Sub:

Sub Roll

Marinara

Provolone or Pizza Cheese

Chicken Fritters

Assemble and bake in the oven until cheese melts.

Monday - Cowboy Casserole and Roasted Corn 
I will be making this recipe withmake-ahead ground beef (sans onion and garlic) to save on time.
This recipe has ground beef, baked beans, barbeque sauce, biscuits and cheese.

Tuesday - Cashew Chicken

Recipe from Wegmans

Wednesday - Food at the Fair

Thursday - Spaghetti with Pesto and Cauliflower Popcorn (Roasted Cauliflower)
Jarred pesto from Wegmans
Cauliflower recipe From Wegmans

Friday - Pizza Bagels

Saturday - Dinner with Friends

50 States; 50 Meals: Virginia

We finally made it to my home town!  When most people think of food from Virginia they instantly think of Smithfield Ham and peanuts from the Virginia diner.  A state as large as Virginia as more cuisine to offer.  Southern Virginia has Brunswick Stew and Coast brings Virginia oysters, clams, blue crabs and soft shell crabs.

What we had for dinner:

Virginia Ham Biscuits
Pretty self-explanatory.  Biscuits and Smithfield Ham served with a Dijon mustard and homemade peach preserves that were gifted to me the day of our dinner.    Side note: There is actually a law that says Smithfield Hams must be cured within the Smithfield town limits. 

Quiche with Virginia Ham
I turned our dinner into a breakfast dinner and made quiche to go with the traditional Virginia Ham biscuits.  I used one of our favorite quiche recipes, Cheese and Sausage Quiche, but substituted ham for the sausage.  It was still very good; however, I then realized I basically made a Denver omelet quiche.  That would totally awesome if it wasn't supposed to be about Virginia.  

And of course we had Virginia peanuts

Next State: Washington

Meal Plan: September 7 - September 13

Sunday: Dorito Pie
A tradition in our house for the first football Sunday.  I first saw this recipe on an episode of Rachel Ray.  It is Charlie Gibson's recipe called Enchilada Casserole but we renamed it.

Monday: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Tuesday: Chicken Milanese
I love making this recipe because it is kid friendly without being too kiddy. I do put ranch on the girls salads rather than the lemon dressing.  Pair it with a box of Near East Rice Pilaf (Any flavor will do.  We are having the one with almonds)
Make it even faster by buying a bottle of Lemon Vinaigrette.
Recipe from My Recipes  

Wednesday: Baked Ziti
Making my first frozen dinner.  Out of the freezer into the oven!
Quick Four Cheese Baked Ziti recipe

First Frozen Ziti

Thursday:   Baked Potatoes and Salad
To save time I'm going to try this microwave method.


Friday: Dinner with Friends

Saturday:  State Dinner - Beer Brats and Fried Cheese Curds

50 States; 50 Meals: Vermont

What we had for dinner:

American Chop Suey

Some may also call this American goulash, depending on where they are from.  I'm not sure why this is tied to Vermont.  It seems to be popular across all of New England.  This was one of if not the first state where I already had the recipe in my cookbook notebook.  I had made it a couple times over the years before it became a State Dinner requirement.  If we have been watching the show Wahlburgers then you have heard Alma mention American Chop Suey.  My husband and I love that show and I had planned to use Alma's recipe but my brain went to autopilot and I used the recipe I had on hand.

I found the following recipe on Food.com.  According to their website this is "based on a recipe from Guy Fieri's book, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: an All-American Road Trip With Recipes! This celebrates Red Arrow Diner in Manchester, New Hampshire, a landmark diner established in 1922."

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground beef
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
kosher salt
1 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (14 1/2 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
2/3 cup tomato juice
1 pinch sugar
1 lb elbow macaroni 

 

Directions

1. In large pot over medium heat melt butter. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic for about 1 minute. Stir in ground beef and cook, stirring and breaking up meat chunks with a spoon. Cook until meat is done, about 7 minutes until no longer pink. Toss herbs and pepper over the meat mixture, add salt to taste, and stir until well mixed.
2. Add canned tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and tomato juice. Add sugar to taste. Simmer gently while you prepare the pasta.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil over high heat. Add macaroni and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain the macaroni and add to the chop suey.
4. Serve hot.

 Makes 8 servings

 

Next State: Virginia
 

Meal Plan: August 31 - September 6

Sunday: Slow cooker Chicken and Noodles
Recipe from Going Jane
This didn't get made last week so we decided to make this dinner for my parents when they visited. It taste very similar to our family's traditional Chicken and Dumplings.

Monday: Labor Day Cookout with Cheeseburgers, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw and Baked Beans

Cole Slaw Recipe












Tuesday: Chicken Enchiladas
This recipe brought me back to college when I would make these enchiladas for my roommates.  I pre-made this dinner and popped it in the freezer.  All I have to do tomorrow is bake it for 45.  I used one of my bags of pre-shredded chicken to make this recipe go even quicker.

Wednesday: Chicken Breast Lombardy
I was first introduced to this recipe in a Weight Watchers cookbook magazine.  I found it again on My Recipes website.  This recipe has mushrooms, marsala wine, mozzarella cheese and butter.  I'm excited to make it again.  It's been a long time.

Thursday:   Crock Pot Ravioli 
Trying this recipe for the first time.  Throwing it all in the crock pot and heading to dance.

Friday: Wraps
Our first night of company rehearsal.

Saturday:  11th Anniversary Dinner