I’m Back…Sort Of…
ByI completely and totally love blogging…but my tiny little break was really, really nice. We took a brief trip. We saw family and friends. I laughed. I cried. I ate lots of homemade ice cream.
And most importantly….I took a couple of naps.
Naps are beautiful things. They make me very happy.
Now I’m ready to get back into the swing of things here. Except that I don’t have a menu plan made for this week. Nor do I have the brain power to make one tonight. (Yes, even with my naps.)
Wanna help a girl out here (and maybe anyone else who happens to want some meal suggestions this week)? Leave a comment with a few meal ideas for us this week pretty please.
Based on our fare from the weekend…I’d appreciate it if the meal ideas do not include anthing beginning with hot and ending with dog. Thank you. :)
A few easy meal ideas: homemade ministrone & buns & hard-boiled eggs;spinach/tomato/avocado salad & easy vinegar/oil vinaigrette and baguette; nachos and ground beef/taco seasoning & cheddar, veggies on the side; whole wheat mac & cheese (your recipe) with watermelon on the side. Have a great week!
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I’m making chili and cornbread tomorrow; I’ll save half the cornbread to make stuffing for the roasted chicken I’m making Wednesday. I’ve pretty successfully figured out how to only cook supper about twice or three times a week, and we eat leftovers on the opposite days. I’ll use the chicken carcass to make broth later on in the week.
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Some of our easy favorites are:
Spagetti
Tacos
Grilled Cheese sandwiches
Chicken and rice casserole (from the back of the Cream of chicken Can)
Breakfast for dinner – yummy
Good luck with your week! Going to sit down and do my menu as well.
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Danielle Reply:
July 6th, 2009 at 5:00 am
that chicken and rice casserole dish is delicious!!!!!! It doesn’t freeze well tho.
Our menu plan
m-chicken kiev, salad and something else lol
t-baked ziti, salad, garlic bread
w- (church nite) sandwiches, and soup
t-cheeseburgers, pretzel bites, applesauce
f- up in the air right now… we might get chinese or something.
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Well, I pre-cooked ground beef, chicken, and beans yesterday. The chicken and beans in two large crockpots and the beef on the stovetop. We’ll probably combine the beans and beef for -maybe- enchiladas (depending on how hot the day is) and tacos/taco salad. We used some of the chicken on top of our salad tonight; a nice cool meal. Crockpots are the best in the summer. I might also use the ground beef for some crock-pot lasagna. Just use egg noodles instead of lasagna noodles. Layer it in the crock-pot instead of a pan and let it slow cook for a couple of hours. It’s yummy! We’ll also have beans and rice one night. The beans have some sausage in it; Cajun style. We love our rice cooker. That’s the only way I can cook rice now. Well hope this gives you some ideas.
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Mmm, this weekend hubby bbq’d both nights — organic tri-tip, burgers and corn on the cob. Plus we cut up and threw in all the yummy summer fruit from our CSA to make fruit salad to last for days. And sauteed summer squash from the garden.
Skillet-fried fish is another quick and oven-free favorite. Raw veggies and dip. Sandwiches. Pasta salad w/garden veggies and chicken. Chinese chicken cabbage salad.
Thanks, I needed to make my menu for the week, too. :)
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French bread pizza
Mac and cheese with ham and broccoli in it
Stir fry
Cooking during stolen moments has a recipe for an amazing looking Homemade Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
http://stolenmomentscooking.com/homemade-taco-bell-mexican-pizzas/
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Taco Salad
Spaghetti Salad (I throw in some pepperoni)
Submarine Sandwiches
And yay! for naps. :)
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How about BBQ and crockpot meals? I saw on Happy Housewife that she sets her crockpot up outside so the house doesn’t get too hot. Maybe you could let the little chefs take over for a night (or 2), they seemed to really enjoy it last time! Good luck sweetie!
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In our house we call this “Chicken Rice and vegies” but the real name is Spring Vegetable risotto. Chop (into small pieces) two or three chicken thighs as well as an onion, a few carrots, a capsicum and whatever other vegies you may have eg zucinni. Brown the onion and chicken, while at the same time steaming the vegies in the microwave. Add a cup or two of arborio rice and stir. Add the steamed vegies and approx four cups of chicken stock (preferably low salt). Leave to simmer away until stock is absorbed and rice is soft. Serve with grated parmesan cheese on top.
Very easy and only one large frying pan needed. Enjoy.
Julie
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Danielle Reply:
July 6th, 2009 at 8:07 am
If you want the risotto even better, add one ladle of stock at a time, stirring until it’s absorbed, then add the next ladle. Doing this process until the risotto is done. I don’t make it until soft… too mushy.
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Oops I forgot to say add loads of garlic!
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Bbq up some hamburgers, that’s super easy and a nice summer meal.
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Taco salad, roast chicken in the crock pot with potatoes/carrots, pizza pockets, your yummy cheesy beef and rice casserole, spaghetti pie. I like the breakfast for dinner idea!
I made bean and cheese tacos last week (my meat-and-potatoes husband finally said we could go meatless more often!) and added some shredded zucchini to the beans. I felt so sneaky! :)
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I am making a stir-fry tonight. I don’t put any meat in mine, just broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, onions, etc., but it is easy to just throw in some leftover cooked chicken or roast beef or pork or shrimp, you know, whatever floats your boat.
My favorite go-to-meal is to put a couple chicken breasts in the crockpot along with some Rotel (diced tomatos and chilis) and cook on low for several hours. The resulting tex-mex chicken makes great tacos.
I don’t know if you have any tomatoes, but cooked pasta tossed with chopped tomatoes, basil, and olive oil is another easy, refreshing summertime meal.
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We are having tomato-basil pizza, most ingredients from our garden. After that I don’t know.
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We are having homemade pizzas on the grill- make the dough. Roll out and put on med. heated grill- turn after about 3 minutes- top and cook another 3-5 minutes- YUM!!!
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Put the boys in charge of making dinner tonight?! They seem to be both willing and able… and with that garden of yours, I bet they come up with something amazing! And I for one, can’t wait to see what it might be. :)
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Grill some chicken and a ton of veggies (squash, broccoli, peppers, carrots, onions, whatever). Leftover chix can become chix salad or BBQ sandwiches. Mix leftover veggies with pasta, kidney beans, and your favorite vingarette for easy pasta salad.
This might also be a good week to use up the random wierd things in the freezer. You know you have stuff that just screams “why did you buy me?” Just tell me why I have four (yes 4) tiny containers of leftover meats in teh freezer? I’m not even sure what they are, so they will become burito filling.
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Here are some quick, easy & cool ideas for you – egg salad sandwiches, grilled chicken on salad, grilled burgers w/ranch potatoes, grilled salmon, taco pasta salad. Make your sides from your garden or local FRUITS & VEGGIES. You do the grilling and see what your boys come up with for sides : o ) I hope you get rested up and back to cooking and blogging!
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This week I’m making a simple shepherd’s pie and a chicken and pasta dish with cream cheese sauce. Glad you got a break!
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We are having cowboy grillers tonight. Those are chicken breast that we have cut a pocket in and stuffed with jalapenos and cheese, the kids will have ham and pineapple and cheese in theirs with fresh organic white peaches.
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Snapper Reply:
July 6th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Oh my stars! That sounds delish, and I need to swipe that reipe.
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We just got back into town tonight and I don’t have a menu plan together either. I am thinking black bean quesadillas…just bought some yummy tortillas at Trader Joe’s….oh, I love that store! Unfortunately, the closest one to us is 3 hours away. :( I’ll be checking back for your menu plan. Have a great week!
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We’re grilling shrimp with lemon and butter this week, and tossing over rice and serving with a salad. A quick yummy summer favorite at our house.
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I know how you feel! Making my plan for the week was nearly more than my brain could handle! Friends of mine write a blog devoted to easy meals. You might find great ideas there!
http://www.easymealsformoms.com/
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My husband and older son are gone to church camp. So, my 6 year old son and I will be eating “our” menu for the week. Pop-Tarts, scrambled eggs, turkey sandwiches, jelly sandwiches, and, of course, popcorn! Feel free to substitute cold cereal and milk for any of the above dishes. No thanks necessary!
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One of my favorite quick meals is stir fried rice and egg drop soup. YUM! I love stir fried rice because you can literally throw anything you need to use from the frig into it.
I’m making it tomorrow, and I will start with a saute of chopped carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Then I’ll add cold, soaked, cooked brown rice and crank the heat up to really fry it. I’ll add a few pastured eggs, and scramble them into the mix. Finally I’ll throw in some leftover roast beef and unpasteurized soy sauce. Oh I can’t wait! :)
This is my FAVORITE egg drop soup recipe, and I’ve tried many!
http://www.foodrenegade.com/egg-drop-soup/
Good luck winging it with your meal plan this week. It looks like you’ve got some great tips here to work with.
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Things we will eat this week
Fish, couscous, and broccoli
“Hamburgers, peas and rice” ( this is like mini Italian meatloaves in pasta sauce with peas mixed in served over rice and topped with parm. cheese…sounds strange but a big hit with everyone!)
French Toast, scrambled eggs and apples
Roast Chicken, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob
Tuna casserole and grapes
Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna ( with left over chicken) and strawberries
BLT’s
And South of the Boarder Pie ( a rice and black bean dish with a lime sour cream topping)
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My favorite “I don’t feel like cooking anything for dinner tonight but my family wants to eat” dishes are:
1) Baked potatoes with toppings. Broccoli, ham, cheese, chile, sour cream, bacon bits, etc.
2) Mom’s Stovetop casserole. Cook macaroni, add a cup or so of peas the last five minutes. Drain, and in the same pan, mix cream of mushroom soup (or some other kind) and a can or 2 of tuna until heated. Mix it all together and serve. My family eats it with crackers.
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Oh, one more I forgot! I made it yesterday. In the crockpot, dump in 1-1/2 pounds of hamburger or kielbasa, slice up 6-8 potatoes with the skins on, and a jar of saurkraut. That’s it.
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