Meal Plan: January 25 - January 31

It looks like the snow season is upon us.  Our church State Dinner got snowed out this weekend so we are going to try again this Saturday.  Are you a snow fan?

Sunday - Chicken Kelley, White Rice and Steamed Broccoli
This is a childhood favorite of mine.  There are probably a lot of recipes just like this.  This one is named after a my parents friend are her chicken dish.  It's delicious and my girls LOVED it.

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts
Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Crumbs
2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
Fresh Mushroom
1/2 Cup White Wine
Milk, as needed
Butter, melted

Directions:
Heat oven to 350.
Place chicken breasts in a casserole dish.
Mix soup, wine and mushrooms.
Pour over chicken.
Bake for 30 min.
Stir melted butter and stuffing together.
Place stuffing in mounds on chicken breasts.
Continuing baking for 30 min.

When plating spoon sauce over the chicken.  The sauce is good on the rice too!

Monday - Hawaii Loco Moco

Tuesday - Honey Ham and Maple Butternut Squash
Butternut Squash Recipe from Skinny Taste

Wednesday - Aunt Liz's Chicken Spaghetti Casserole - Frozen Meal
Recipe from Cooking Light

Thursday - Tuna Melt

Friday - Pizza

Saturday - State Dinner - Virginia and Connecticut Representative

Meal Plan: January 18 - January 24

I have to make a confession.  Even though the post about how great freezing casseroles was true, that wasn't the reason I had casserole freezing day.  This past weekend I surprised my husband with a trip to a beach house with his friends.  I really made the King Ranch Chicken to take with us but needed a cover up as why I was making food a week ahead of time and then not eating it during the week.  The details one must go to surprise someone.  Whew!  Now that the surprises are done I am taking an easy week.  My daughter even asked if she could cook!  Um, yeah!

This week's dinners:

Sunday - Mom's Chili
My mom made chili for football playoff watching.  She used some leftover steak we had from hubby's birthday dinner.  It was yummo!

Monday - Philly Cheesesteak Salad with Potatoes
Still using up the steak (we bought too much). We are having steak, with sautéed peppers and onions on top of salad greens.  Topped with slices of provolone.  The quartered potatoes can go on the side or in the salad.

Tuesday - Cannelloni Bean and Corn Salad Pitas
My girls were given a Cooking Light cookbook, called We [Heart] Cooking, for Christmas from my MIL.  My oldest decided she wanted to meal plan with me and picked to make this recipe.

Wednesday - Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

Thursday - Chili Baked Potato and Salad
Using leftover chili

Friday - Quesadillas (Kid and Mom)
My hubby is going out with some friends so I thought it would be cool to make this quesdilla recipe that I have been wanting to try.  One of those "no one else will eat it recipes".
Kid's Recipe - Pizzadilla from Cooking Light
Mom's Recipe - Arugula and White Bean Quesadillas with Sun Dried Tomato Cream from Weight Watchers

Ingredients

2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/4 cup oil-packing sun-dried tomato halves, chopped, drained
2 whole wheat tortillas, 8 inch
1/2 cup Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
1 ounce crumbled goat cheese, about 1/4 cup
2 cups baby arugula
Cooking spray

Notes / Directions

1. Combine cream cheese and sun dried tomato in a small bowl; spread every over tortillas. Mash beans with a fork. Spread beans evenly over cream cheese mixture. Top evenly with goat cheese and arugula. Fold tortillas in half.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place quesadillas in pan; cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden and cheese melts. Cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges. Serve immediately.

Serving size: 3 wedges

Calories 299
Fat 12.4g
Protein 12.1g
Fiber 4.9g

Saturday - State Dinner at Church 
Our church is having a cooking competition to represent your home state.  I am making Virginia Ham Biscuits and my husband is making Clam Chowder to represent CT.

Meal Plan: January 13 - January 18

This week I'm reaping the rewards of cooking frozen meals last Saturday.  Side note: Can you believe it is only the second full week of 2015?  I feel like we celebrated the New year weeks ago.  It's going to be quite the year.

Sunday - Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce

Ingredients

1 lb 80% lean ground beef

1 jar (24 oz) Food You Feel Good About Smooth Marinara Sauce

2 cups water

salt

pepper

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups low-fat milk

1 pinch ground nutmeg

3-1/4 cups Wegmans Whole Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp Italian Classics Grated Italian Blend, divided

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

12 sheets Italian Classics Fancy Cut No. 15 Lasagne, uncooked

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. Brown ground beef in large saucepan on MEDIUM; drain off excess fat. Add pasta sauce and water to ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil, about 3-5 min. Set aside.

2. To make bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Allow the flour and butter to cook until light and foamy, about 2 minutes, whisking constantly; whisk in milk, a little at a time. Whisk in the pinch of salt and nutmeg and bring the sauce to a bare simmer, whisking constantly until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove sauce from the heat and set aside.

3. Layer in following order in 9"x 13" baking dish: 1-1/2 cups sauce, 4 lasagna strips, 1/2 bechamel, cheese, 1-1/2 cups sauce, 4 lasagna strips, bechamel, cheese, 1-1/2 cups sauce, 4 lasagna strips, bechamel, remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses.

4. Cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake on center rack in oven 40 min. Remove cover; bake 15 min. Let stand 10 min before cutting.

Monday - Breakfast Dinner

Tuesday - Taco Tuesday

Wednesday- Ham and Asparagus Risotto in the Actifry
I love LOVE risotto and can't wait to see how it cooks in the Actifry.

Thursday - Steak and Potato Birthday Dinner for hubby!!
Broiled Steaks - Great for the winter when it's too cold to grill.
Smashed Potatoes - Recipe from Pioneer Woman
Roasted Broccoli - Recipe from The Neely's

Friday - Light King Ranch Chicken
Recipe from Cooking Light

Saturday -  Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
Recipe from Cooking Light

Meal Plan: January 4 - January 10

New Year; New Recipes

Well Christmas has been packed away.  The house is back to normal and we are heading back regular routine.  I am starting this year with trying new recipes.  I'm so excited I'm almost giddy about cooking dinner this week.

Exported from Mealboard

Sunday: Beef and Vegetable Potpie

This recipe was good but needs so tweaking.  I used cubed potatoes instead of zucchini.  It needed salt and I wouldn't use thyme again.

Recipe from Cooking Light

Monday:  Kielbasa, Pepper, Onion and Potato Hash

Recipe from The Two Bite Club

Tuesday: Toasted Penne with Chicken Sausage

Recipe from Cooking Light

Wednesday: Left-Overs

Thursday: Sriracha Lime Chicken Chopped Salad

Recipe from Lexi's Clean Kitchen

Friday: Pizza

Saturday: Making Freezer Meals - Lasagna, King Ranch Chicken, Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

Lasagna Recipe Coming Soon

King Ranch Chicken Recipe from Cooking Light

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole from Cooking Light