Meal Plan Monday

This will be my last meal plan monday, until further notice. My sister comes in a week and the deconstruction, painting and mess making begins...I'm hopeful we will be able to still eat at home most nights of the week...but I know better then to try and plan and then feel like a failure 'cause I don't do it...wah wah...whatever...I can't wait for this major renovation to get going...:)

Sunday: Honey Balsamic glazed salmon with rice pilaf and asparagus

Monday: Halibut in artichoke and tomato broth (Giada)

Tuesday: dinner with the neighbors

Wednesday: Cheesy gnocchi florentine (boiled hotdogs)

Thursday: Chicken and cheese burritos (boiled hotdogs)

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Eat out

Sunday dinner recipes:

Honey Balsamic Salmon...I have tried lots of different recipes for the honey balsamic glaze...they are all very similar and taste about the same, so this is what I do.

1/3 C balsamic

1 T honey

1 tsp. chopped garlic

4 tsp. dijon mustard

salt and pepper.

I pour over most of the glaze (on both sides) and let marinate for a bit. Then I grilled it (both sides) until done. I pour over the rest of the glaze before serving. (Lil D even eats it:)

I also grilled some asparagus. drizzled with EVOO, salt and pepper and garlic. I have one of those vegetable/fish grill things...works great at keeping my asparagus from falling through the cracks:)

Dessert:

Chocolate Raspberry pie

You MUST make this...seriously the most delicious recipe ever. I use a graham cracker crust...I used a pie crust the first time, and we like it much better this way...so YUM!

I'm linkin' to Orgjunkie's Meal Plan Monday

Meal Plan Monday

Friday night we had our cousin dinner...it was a lot of fun! I ended up going with a Mexican style meal...enchiladas with chips and salsa and guacamole and black bean salsa. I love meals that are easy to make...make a good quantity...and you can make lots of stuff ahead of time.

Lil D was a huge help (and I am using no sarcasm here...he was the best little sous chef ever).

and the cutest little taste tester...

(this kid LOVES to dip...and heat...he laughs at heat)

Here are a few recipes from Friday night:

Honey Lime Enchiladas

(this recipe is from my neighbor with the same name:)

1.5 lbs. chicken or pork, cooked and shredded

Sauce:
1/3 c. honey
1/4 c. lime juice
1 T. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder

Mix together sauce ingredients then add to shredded pork or chicken.
Let the sauce soak into the meat for about 30 minutes.

2 (10 oz.) cans green enchilada sauce
Equal parts mixed together of mozzarella cheese, shredded and cheddar cheese,
shredded

flour tortillas

Lightly spray 9x13 pan. Pour half of the enchilada sauce into pan to coat the entire
bottom. Fill tortillas with shredded meat and desired amount of cheese. Roll
and place in dish. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with
more cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. Then turn on the broiler
and place enchiladas close to the top of the oven. Let it broil until the
cheese is slightly brown and crispy.

****The honey lime part is delicious...I don't really enjoy store bought green sauce, but used it here to save time. Everyone seemed to like it...but the next time I make these I will make my roasted tomatillo sauce (not really mine...Tyler Florence's....if you have not made this salsa you must....so freakin' yummy:)...I think it will be perfection with the honey lime.

Black Bean Salsa

(my roommate used to make this all the time and I would chow on it...)

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can diced tomatoes with jalapenos (with chilies if you want it really mild)

1 can corn, drained

1 green pepper, diced

Italian dressing (to taste...I use about 1/3 to 1/2 the bottle)

I also made homemade salsa and guacamole, but the salsa is a neighbor's secret recipe and I don't feel like it's mine to hand out...but it's GOOD...sorry! And the guacamole is just smashed avocados with lime juice, a few splashes of Tabasco, a palm full of chili powder, 1/4 red onion diced and then scoops of the salsa...I've also used scoops of store bought fresh pico and that works too.

Alright...so what's on the menu this week?

Monday: Dinner at the neighbors (which means eating out)

Tuesday: Leftovers (cause the fridge needs to be emptied)

Wednesday: American Idol kick-off party (menu to be announced)

Thursday: Chicken Alfredo pizza (to use my leftover Alfredo sauce from dinner Sunday)

Friday: Date night (for our anniversary on Sunday)

Saturday: Ward dinner and Youth fundraiser (which means boring spaghetti:(

****Man...that's a sucky meal plan...hope you enjoyed the above recipes 'cause this week ain't giving much:) I'll come up with something fun for the AI party to share next week!

I'm linkin' to meal plan monday.

Meal Plan Monday

Let's try this again...'cause the sickness last week put a HUGE kink in the last week's dinners...let's just say we ate out A LOT...:)

Monday: Penne noodles with brushetta and french bread.

Tuesday: Homemade mini pizzas (BBQ chicken and pepperoni)

Wednesday: dinner with the neighbors

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Cousin dinner (still need to plan this)

Saturday: Ward Temple night (including dinner)

***wow...doesn't look like I'm cookin' much this week!

BUT...This Sunday is our Baptism Preview...I'm very excited because I am going to make super cute cupcakes for the dessert AND I am going to make a cupcake stand to put them on...so stay tuned!

I'm linkin' to Meal Plan Monday...

And don't forget to enter the Necklace GIVEAWAY!

Meal Plan Monday...freezer meals

I went to Costco last week...I bought a bag of frozen strawberries...when I got home, they didn't fit in my fridge...I literally jammed them in...so guess what we are eating this week...

Food from the freezer...in other words...LEFTOVERS...yeah...I'm sure Mr. T will be thrilled:)

Here are the meals (in particular order)

Rueben Sandwiches

Potato soup

Ground turkey tacos

Buffalo turkey chili

Ham & cheese omelets and turkey bacon

BBQ chicken (homemade) pizza

I'm just hoping that by the end of the week there will be a little room in there for some new food:)

Head over to Meal Plan Monday for some other yummy dinner ideas.

Mr. T had a birthday...

Sunday was Mr. T's birthday (the big 3-6)...

We went out on Saturday by ourselves to celebrate...

and then on Sunday we had his brother over for dinner...

Baked Salmon with a honey balsamic glaze (my favorite)

Potatoes Gratin (recipe here...yummy)

and a spring mix salad with pears, craisins, blue cheese and my fav dressing.

Simple but delicious (and then plenty of room for dessert)...

I cannot take credit for the cake (Schmidt's bakery)

but the cupcakes are mine...

and I am proud to say that I finally cooked them the perfect time:)

I only made Mr. T blow out 1 candle (I'm nice like that)

guess he was still worried about blowing it out...

so he had Lil D help:)

Happy Birthday Mr. T...

Again!

Meal Plan Monday...

Go check out lots of great meal ideas!

Well...even though the no eating out month is over...I want to keep it going a little...we shall see, especially with Christmas so close and more to do then I have time for right now...Oh well...I can try.

What the plan is for food this week:

Sunday: cornbread stuffing stuffed bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin (Costco 2009 cookbook)

Monday: Mac & Cheese with apples and Kielbasa (from Boiled Hotdogs)--YUMMY!

Tuesday: Sausage and Egg strata (costco 2009 cookbook)

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: the boys are on their own, as I will be at a girl's dinner

Friday: Business Dinner

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday's meal recipe:

3 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled

4 additional slices uncooked

2 T butter

1/2 c. onion

1/3 c. diced apple (I used a gala)

1/4 c. chopped celery

1 garlic clove chopped

1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning

1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper

3/4 c cornbread stuffing

1/3 c. apple cider

1 pork tenderloin

Preheat oven to 375*. Cook bacon till crisp and remove from pan, crumble and set aside. Carefully dump out all but about 1 T of grease. Add butter and allow to melt. Add onion, apple, celery, garlic, poultry seasoning, salt & pepper. Saute till onion is soft. Add bacon back in along with cornbread stuffing and enough apple cider to moisten stuffing (I used all of the 1/3 c). Place 4 uncooked slices of bacon (I actually used 6) in a baking dish (width ways). Place tenderloin on top of bacon and slice tenderloin down middle (lengthwise) but not all the way through. Place stuffing mixture down middle of tenderloin then wrap bacon around the tenderloin. Don't try to close it all the way up...leave tenderloin open. Bake for 40-45 minutes and let set 10 minutes before cutting.

***This was really good...even Lil D ate a ton of the pork and stuffing.

I DID IT!!!!

Remember this challenge I started on November 1st...

That crazy idea I had to not eat out for a month...

I DID IT!!!!!

Literally....for 30 solid days, every meal that I put in my mouth came from my home. Every breakfast, lunch and dinner I prepared with my own 2 hands. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE to cook...LOVE....but I also LOVE to eat out...LOVE...

Want to know what I missed about not eating out?

-Costco pizza for 1.50

-Lil D eating his lunch during the errands, so I could kill 2 birds with one stone (lunch and errands:)

-hamburgers and fries (sorry kids...I LOVE THEM)

-did I mention Costco pizza?:)

***that's really all...it wasn't that big a deal.

Want to know what I learned about not eating out?

-leftovers aren't that bad to eat "leftover"

-I waste a whole lot less food when I eat those leftovers for lunch

-I eat less.

-you can actually have 30 different meals (no repeats) in a month

-there ARE more dishes to do (bless my dishwasher...and the thing that automatically washes my dishes.)

-you can lose a few pounds

-there is more to feed a child for lunch then chicken and fries

-I spend a whole lot less money on food (I can neither confirm nor deny if there was an increase in spending on craft items...this will be discussed during a challenge taking place in 2010)

-Lil D can lose the habit of requesting to go to a restaurant for every meal (yep, he's 2)

-It's fun to challenge yourself and win!

(I will make a few admissions...I did obtain fountain sodas from convenience stores on a few occasions, my loving sister did buy me a Starbucks hot cocoa and an In N Out chocolate shake on another occasion...but as all of these are beverages and did not amount to a "meal" it doesn't count as cheating!!!)

I am glad this month is over....no...I am not going back to my old ways....but I do miss being able to go out with friends to chat over food...so if you are up for a dinner date...give me a call!

By the way, my last guest is flying home tomorrow....and since no one ate out while at my home over this past week...I've decided that I would treat her to brunch OUT at one of her favorite bakeries here in UT. Then we are on to these meals for the rest of the week (and a few we already ate)! Still trying to use up the rest of the leftovers...are you?

Sunday: tri-tip with baked potatoes and salad (by request of my brother)

Monday: hot turkey sandwiches and leftover mashed potatoes turned into cheesy-green onion deliciousness and the remainder of the cranberry sauce.

Tuesday: Quiche (using up leftover breakfast items from the families visit...and I will be making my own crust from scratch) and hash browns (with the left over baked potatoes)

Wednesday: Turkey Soup and rolls (more leftovers)

Thursday: homemade pizza pockets

Friday: I think we will go out for dinner (haven't said that in a few weeks)

Saturday: Ward Christmas Party and I'm making cream cheese soup (with the rest of the uncooked potatoes from Sunday).

Dinner at the Thompsons...Menu Plan Monday...Week 2 of Challenge

As we head into week 2 of the challenge...I'm feeling like it will be even easier...kinda like making a new habit...maybe after this week (don't they say it takes two weeks to make a habit) it will be a habit to always eat at home...think of all the money I will save to spend on more fun stuff then crap to put in my mouth:)

Soooo....here's what's for dinner this week:

if you want other ideas, head over to orgjunkie.com

Sunday- crock pot roast and veggies (my dad is even going to be in town to eat with us....how fun)

Monday- Honey Lime Enchiladas (using rotisserie chicken)

Tuesday- Reuben sandwiches and homemade potato chips

Wednesday- Dinner at the neighbors (somebody else gets to cook for me...whoohoo)

Thursday- BBQ beef sandwiches (using my left over roast)

Friday- Lasagna Burgers (Rachel Ray)

Saturday- Reuben egg roll wraps (Boiled Hot Dogs)

Pretty sure I will have plenty of leftovers for lunch all week!

Next week's meal plan idea....crock pot cooking.  My plan is to start painting my house next week...I'm thinking crock pot meals will be the way to go...have any crock pot meals you love...please share!  

November Challenge Meal plan week 1...

If you want to join the November Food Challenge...click here...

I'm linking up to....

It's not my first time to post a menu...but my first time to link up to orgjunkie.com 

What a great idea? You should spend a little time on Laura's blog...she has the best organizing tips!

Sunday: Tomatillo Chicken and rice from Boiled Hot Dogs

Monday: Chicken and Brie Sandwiches (Boiled Hot Dogs) with homemade potato chips

Tuesday: Hamburgers possibly turkey burgers...

Wednesday: Southwest eggrolls from Boiled Hot Dogs

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Quiche and Cinnamon rolls

Saturday: Tacos

What's on the menu this week?

When we left Vegas on Friday it was sunny and 80* (fabulous).  When we left southern UT to head home today...it was sunny...in the 70s, but windy as all get out.  Then we arrived home...cloudy, rainy and COLD...hello fall! I can't say I hate it (I will say I hate it in January when I am so over the cold and wet and snow)...it actually makes me a bit happy...and ready to bust out some old warm dinners...and try a few new ones.

So this is what we will be eating this week:

Monday: (dinner out with the fam...my dad is in town...:)

Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pies (care of Iron Chef Cat Cora...Bon Apetit mag that I stumbled upon at the hair salon a few weeks ago).

Wednesday: Grilled Tomato and Red Bell pepper soup with pancetta (care of Emeril Lagasse). With a side of grilled cheese (not your old cheddar...maybe some muenster on asiago bread)

Thursday: Tortilla Soup

Friday: Fish Tacos (because the sun will be out by then and we should be back in the 60s) AND I will need to use up the salsa and guac from thursday and what a better way...?!