menu for week of november 1st

I am back on the wagon, so to speak. Here is what we are eating this week:

Mon: We ate at my sister's house - it was fish tacos. Mmmmmmmm

Tues: Chicken Stir Fry, Sauteed Chinese veggies (bok choy and spinach), pot stickers, white rice

Wed: Grilled Chicken Salad

Thur: Chicken Enchiladas, Spanish rice, fruit salad

Fri: I am going scrapbooking with the girls, so everyone else will most likely be having pizza

Sat: leftovers

Sun: Shrimp Pasta Primavera

Leave a comment if you want any of the recipes! Good luck...

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little break

Hey all you menu blog followers...as you might have noticed I haven't been posting menus lately. It isn't because I haven't been making menus. I have. It is just my menus in the summer are pretty laid-back. I don't like to be in my kitchen during that time of day in the summertime - it is west-facing and gets soooooo hot. So we do lots of salads and BBQing. If you are dying for ideas leave a comment and I will start adding my summer menus.

THANKS,

Emily

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menu for week of june 28th

MENU:

Monday - Taco Salad, Spanish Rice, Fruit Platter

Tuesday - Cobb Salad with grilled chicken

Wednesday - Tortilla Stack, green salad

Thursday - Grilled Drumsticks, potato wedges, strawberries

Friday - Deli Wraps

Saturday - Neighborhood BBQ

Sunday - Ravioli, green salad, breadsticks

I think most of these dishes are pretty self explanatory, but if you have any questions just let me know.

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menu for week of june 14th

Don't you love how my blog looks. My amazing and creative friend Heather did it all for me! I love it. THANKS Heather!!!

Menu:

Monday - Chicken curry, cous cous, flat bread, peaches

Tuesday - BBQ chicken kebabs over seasoned egg noddles, grapes

Wednesday - Baked Chimichangas, green salad

Thursday - Brown-rice bowls with shrimp..., fruit salad

Friday or Saturday - One those days will be a leftover day and the other will be: Leek and Potato pie, Ham, salad

Sunday - Sticky Chicken, steamed rice, green salad

Recipes:

Chicken Curry:

2 or 3 chicken breasts

2-3 T. curry powder

Medium onion, cut into pieces

2-3 c. water

2 carrots, cut into strips

2 potatoes, cut into medium sized cubes

salt and pepper to taste

1 T. oil

couscous

Cut up chicken breast and put in ziplock bag or with bowl curry powder. Coat the chicken well. Heat oil in skillet and brown the meat. Add the chopped onion and saute. Add 1 cup water, cover, and let simmer for about 45 minutes. Add carrots and potatoes (can also add cauliflower, celery, etc) and simmer for 25-30 minutes until veggies are done adding water as it boils off.

Baked Chimichangas:

2 lbs chicken breast

2 cups water

2 T. chili powder

2 T. white vinegar

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. cumin

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can tomato sauce

1 4-oz can chopped green chilies

1 cup cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack), shredded

12 10-in tortillas

Cut chicken into pieces and combine with water and next 5 ingredients in saucepan. Heat to boil. Cover and reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook on low for 1 hour or until water evaporates. Remove meat and shred. Stir in tomato sauce, chilies, cheese, and green onions.

Heat tortillas. Spoon mixture inside, fold and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 or until crisp.

Brown-Rice Bowls with Shrimp...:

salt and pepper

1 c. long-grain brown rice

1/4 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. lemon juice

2 T. rice vinegar

2 tsp. brown sugar

1 T. olive oil

1 pound shrimp

1/2 pound snow peas, trimmed and halved on the diagonal

1 piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 avocado, cut into chunks

In large saucepan bring 2 cups of salted water to a boil. Add rice, cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 45-50 minutes; until water is absorbed. Meanwhile in a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, and sugar until sugar is dissolved. When rice has finished cooking, hear oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add shrimp, snow peas, and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook until shrimp are opaque throughout and peas are bright green, 2-3 minutes. Divide rice among four bowls and top with shrimp mixture and avocado. Serve sauce on the side.

NOTE: I haven't tried this yet; I found it in a magazine and it sounded pretty good. So let me know what you think once you have tried it.

Leek and Potato Pie:

2 large leeks

1 3/4 lbs. potatoes, peeled or scrubbed and thinly sliced

1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 c. butter or margarine

2 1/4 c. milk

Mix together the flour, salt and pepper. Place 1/3 of potatoes in a layer in a baking dish (9x13). Sprinkle half the leeks on top, half of the flour mixture, and 1/3 of the butter.

Spead a layer of potatoes on top and sprinkle with the rest of the leeks and seasoned flour. Dot with half of the butter. Top with the remaining potatoes. Dot with rest of butter.

Heat milk and pout over potatoes. Cover with foil or lid and bake for 45 minutes at 450 degrees. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

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menu for week of june 7th

Sorry about the two week break; I don't know what happened last week. Just one of those weeks were it was hard to pull it all together...

MENU:

Mon - Chicken Salad in croissants, sliced mango

Tues - Fish Tacos, fruit salad

Wed - Poor Man's Pizza, green salad

Thurs - Burritos with rotisserie chicken, strawberries

Fri - Fancy grilled chicken salad, french bread rolls

Sat - Shrimp pasta primavera, bread sticks, green salad

Sun - Olive spaghetti, rolls, salad

RECIPES:

Chicken Salad:

Combine the following and allow to marinade for as long as possible:

5 c. cooked chicken, chunked (I usually use less)

3 T. veg. or olive oil

3 T. orange juice

3 T. white vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

Add after it has marinaded:

3 c. cooked rice

1 1/2 c. grapes, cut into pieces

1 1/2 c. sliced celery

1 can crushed or chunk pineapple, drained

1 11-oz can mandarin oranges (I have never added these b/c we don't like them)

1 c. slivered almonds (or less)

1 1/2 c. mayonnaise

Mix all together and serve in a croissant.

Fish Tacos: Scott makes the fish tacos around here and they are best I have ever had. If I can convince him, I will have him add the recipe he uses!

Poor Man's Pizza:

For the crust:

1c. warm water

1 T. yeast

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 T. oil

2 1/2 c. flour

Mix together and let rise for 20 minutes. Lay out flat on cookie sheet and bake for about 5 minutes at 450 degrees. It won't be done all the way, but take it out and add the toppings. After the toppings are added put back in oven until edges are light brown - about 7 minutes.

Toppings for Poor Man's Pizza (this what makes it "poor"):

Drizzle with a little Italian Dressing, put sliced tomatoes on, then sauteed onions and bell pepper. You can also add olives.

OR just add regular pizza toppings with pizza sauce.

Olive Spaghetti:
about 3 T. olive oil

saute a couple cloves of garlic in that

add

two cans (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes

2 T. tomato paste

as many olives as you want (I put them in whole, but you could slice them in half)

about 1 T. oregano

salt and pepper to taste

a little water if it becomes too thick (sometimes I will add a little juice from the can of olives and it adds such a great flavor)

Serve over thin spaghetti or angel hair.

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week of may 24th

So I haven't been feeling well since Sunday and most of the people in my house are feeling about the same. Because of this, none of us really has much of an appetite. I won't be doing a menu this week. SORRY!

Check back next week!

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menu: week of may 17th

MENU:
Mon - BBQ at friend's house

Tues - Burritos (using leftover pork from Sunday), fresh fruit

Wed - Black Bean Soup, green salad

Thurs - Parmesan Chicken, seasoned rice, steamed broccoli

Fri - Pizza, root beer (I will be gone, so this will probably be Little Caesars - if you want a recipe for dough leave a comment and I will put one on)

Sat - BBQ for friend's birthday

Sun - Stuffed Shells (I know, we just had this, but they sound good again), salad, rolls, grape juice

RECIPES:
Parmesan Chicken
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. parsley
salt and pepper to taste
4-6 chicken breasts (I cut them in strips because I like smaller pieces)

Dip chicken in either melted butter or some milk (I use milk). Mix dry ingredients in ziplock bag, after dipping chicken in milk throw in bag. Seal it and shake. Place in greased 9x13. Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

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menu: week of may 10th

MENU:

Monday - Mud Soup (a.k.a. Potato Lentil Soup), French Bread, Green Salad

Tuesday - Tacos, Spanish Rice, Fruit

Wednesday - Cashew Chicken, Rice, Steamed Broccoli

Thursday - Spaghetti, Breadsticks, Salad, grape juice

Friday - Tin Foil Dinners, Fruit salad

Saturday - Hawaiian Haystacks, grapes

Sunday - Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad

RECIPES:

Mud Soup (a.k.a. Potato Lentil Soup)
2 strips cooked bacon
1 onion, chopped and sauteed
1 cup uncooked lentils
1/4 cup flour
Stir the above ingredients together and add:
6 cups beef broth
2 carrots, chopped or sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped or sliced (I prefer sliced for both the carrots and celery)
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
Simmer until lentils and veggies are cooked; at least 2 hours. Water may need to be added occasionally to keep it from burning.
After it is cooked, add:
1/4 cup fresh parsley OR 2 T. dried parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
a pinch of nutmeg (1/4 - 1/2 tsp.)

* The bacon is optional.
** My mother, from whom the recipe came (she got it from a French chef at a restaraunt in Portland, but that is another story) takes a potato masher and mashes it up at the end. That is why we all called it Mud Soup when we were kids - after she mashed it, it looked like mud. I prefer it chunkier and so I don't mash it as much. Either way it is good.

Cashew Chicken

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts

2 cloves minced garlic

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2 cup cashews

2 tsp. veg. oil

3 diced red chilies - chopped

2 T. oyster sauce

1 bunch scallions cut into 2" pieces

cilantro to garnish

Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Heat oil in skillet. Add garlic and dried chilies and saute until browned. Add chicken and stir fry until done. Add red pepper. Stir in sauces. Add scallions and cashews - cook for 1-2 minutes. Serve over rice.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork (I don't think this is their exact recipe - but this one is just as good. I have tried a couple and I like this one the best)

about 3 lbs. pork loin

1 large jar Pace medium salsa

1 1/2 cans regular Coke

2 c. brown sugar

Sear pork with salt and pepper in frying pan. Put pork in crock pot with about 2 inches of water. Cook on high for 5 hours. Drain liquid and add other 3 ingredients. Cook for another 2-3 hours. Shred pork and serve in burritos, salad, or however you want.

Cilantro-Lime Dressing

1 packet Buttermilk Ranch dressing mix

ingredients for the ranch packet

1 jar La Victoria Green Salsa

1 bunch cilantro

jalepeno (optional)

lime

1 clove garlic

Make dressing according to package directions. In blender mix 1/3 jar of salsa (I usually about half), 1/2 of the cilantro, jalepeno to taste, lime juice, and garlic. Add to ranch.

I have a really good Cilantro-Lime Rice recipe - if you want it please leave a comment and I will add it on. Also I din't include the recipe for Hawaiian Haystacks. If you don't know what this is and you want that recipe then also leave a comment and I will add that one on too. For the spaghetti sauce I use, look back a few weeks; I have it there. And for Tin Foil Dinners, I can't remember how to make them. I am going to brainstorm with Scott when he gets home. Thanks!

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menu: week of may 3rd

Nope, I haven't forgotten to post the menu; there has just been a lot going on this morning. Here you go:

Menu:

Monday - Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad with homemade vinaigrette, French bread

Tuesday - BBQ at Scott's aunt's house

Wednesday - Turkey Paprikash, green beans, flatbread

Thursday - Creamy Chicken Curry, steamed rice, green salad with fruit

Friday - White Chili, fruit salad

Saturday - Shrimp Pasta Primavera, breadsticks, salad

Sunday - Pot Roast (again, because I forgot to take it out of the freezer to thaw so we didn't have it yesterday).

RECIPES:

Homemade vinaigrette:

In a small bowl or jar, combine 1/3 cup white-wine vinegar, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, and 2 T. honey. Season generously with salt and pepper. Whisk or shake to combine. Add 1/2 cup olive oil; whisk or shake again. Store in an airtight container or jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Shake before using.

Turkey Paparikash:

4 1/2 c. uncooked egg noodles

2 tsp. veg. oil

1 c. reduced fat sour cream

2 T. paprika, divided

1/2 tsp. salt, divided

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 c. vertically cut onion

1 pound turkey breast cutlets, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips

1/2 cup children broth

1.Cook noddles according to package directions.

2.While noodles cook, hear oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high hear. Combine sour cream, 1 T. paprika, 1/4 tsp salt, pepper in a bowl. Set aside.

3.Combine 1 T. paprika, 1/4 tsp salt, onion, and turkey, tossing to coat. Add turkey mixture to pan, saute 4 minutes or until turkey is done. Add broth; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is almost evaporated. Reduce heat to med-low.

4.Add sour cream mixture, cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly (do not boil). Serve over noodles.

Cream Chicken Curry:

1 1/2 T. oil

1 medium onion, diced

salt

2 tsp curry powder

1 can coconut milk

1 cup canned diced tomatoes

2 T. tomato paste

1 pound chicken breast cut into pieces

3 cups packed fresh baby spinach

1. Heat oil in large skillet. Add onion and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook onion until soft (about 7 minutes). Add curry powder and stir for 1 minute.

2. Stir in coconut milk, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cook for about 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.

3. Add chicken. Cook 5-6 minutes, until meat is cooked though. Add spinach and cook until it is wilted, about 3 minutes. Add salt to taste, serve on rice.

Shrimp Pasta Primavera:

8 oz. rotini past, uncooked

1/2 cup Italian dressing (I like Wishbone the best)

1 lb. medium shrimp

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup matchstick carrots (very thinly cut so they look like matchsticks)

1 cup fresh sugar snap peas

2 cloves garlic, minced

Cook pasta. In the meantime, heat dressing in large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp, vegetables, and garlic. cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until shrimp is fully cooked (if it wasn't already) and veggies are crisp-tender. Drain pasta, toss with shrimp mixture and sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese.

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menu for week of 4/27

I will be at Women's Conference down at BYU the end of this week, so I haven't planned meals for Thursday and Friday. Instead I have planned meals that will have a lot of leftovers for Scott and kids to have while I am gone.

MENU:

Monday - Chicken Enchiladas, Spanish Rice, Fruit salad

Tuesday - Cream of Broccoli Soup, French Bread

Wednesday - Stuffed Shells, breadsticks, green salad

Thursday and Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Fancy Tortilla Soup

Sunday - Slow Cooker Pot Roast, Dinner Rolls, Salad

RECIPES:

Chicken Enchiladas (there are millions of ways people make them; here is how I do it):

For filling:

Put about 2 lbs. of chicken pieces (any parts) in 2 cups of water in a saucepan.

Add:

2 T. chili powder

2 T. vinegar

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. cumin

2 cloves minced garlic

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook over med-low heat for another hour. Remove from heat and shred the meat. Add:

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies

1 cup shredded cheese (Colby-Jack, Cheddar, whatever kind you like)

1/2 cup sliced green onions

Put filling in tortillas (corn or flour) that has been coated with enchilada sauce. Roll up and place in 9x13 pan that has a thin layer of enchilada sauce on bottom. After they are all rolled pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with a little more cheese. Bake for about 20-30 minutes at 425 degrees.

NOTE: I always add other things to the filling like more diced green chilies and some black olives. You can add whatever you think would be good inside.

Cream of Broccoli Soup:

Cook and puree broccoli (basically as much or as little as you want - I usually do about 1 big bunch plus another half)

Melt 1/4 c. butter in saucepan and add:

1 chopped onion

a few stalks chopped celery

saute them in the butter.

Add to that:

1 c. flour

2 c. milk/chicken broth combo (usually half of each)

1 1/2 tsp. salt

Add broccoli and some about a cup of shredded cheddar cheese.

Stuffed Shells:

1 pkg. jumbo shells, uncooked (12 oz)

4 c. (2 lbs) ricotta cheese (I use cottage cheese b/c we prefer the flavor)

2 c. (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

3 cups spaghetti sauce

Heat oven to 375. Cook pasta al dente and drain. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir together cheese, eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In 9x13 dish, spread 1/2 cup sauce. Fill each shell with about 1 1/2 T. mixture. Place in 9x13 (there will be two layers; pour a little sauce over the first layer before adding the second). Spread remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake for 35 minutes.

Fancy Tortilla Soup:

Brown:

3/4 - 1 lb Italian sausage

Season with salt and pepper and brown 3-4 minutes on each side:

4 chicken thighs or breasts

Remove chicken and sausage from pan and set aside.

Saute:

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp. oregano

1 1/2 tsp. thyme (I usually omit b/c Scott doesn't like thyme and it still turns out great)

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Add:

1 can Northern white beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14 oz) can tomatoes

1 small can tomato sauce

3 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup frozen corn

Add the meats back in and let it simmer for about 10 minutes (or how ever long you need until dinner in ready).

Serve with a small dollop of sour cream, a little shredded cheese, and tortilla chips.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast:

3 1/2 lb beef roast

1 T vegetable

8-10 red potatoes, cut in half, or 6 russets cut in 1/4

3 cups baby carrots

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. rosemary

1 beef bouillon cube

1 cup water

1 packet of onion soup mix

Sear roast in large skillet. Mix salt, pepper, & rosemary and rub on roast. Place in crock pot and add rest of ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

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menu for week of 4/19

Menu:

Monday - BBQ: Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, chips, strawberries

Tuesday - Pork Tenderloin (repeat night - I have the rest of the pork tenderloin in the fridge that I need to use), rice pilaf, green salad

Wednesday - Chicken-Fajita Tostadas, fruit salad, Spanish rice

Thursday - Spaghetti, breadsticks, green salad

Friday - Sticky Chicken, steamed rice, green beans

Saturday - Hearty Black Bean Soup (repeat meal - we didn't do it last week), green salad

Sunday - Tamale Pie, green salad, peaches and cottage cheese

Recipes:

Juiciest Hamburgers Ever:

1.5 lbs. ground beef

1/2 lb. pork sausage

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup bread crumbs

3 T. evaporated milk

2 T. Worchestershire Sauce

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 cloves minced garlic

Mix it all together and form 8 patties. Cook on grill (duh...)

Chicken-Fajita Tostadas:

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 box (10 ounce) frozen corn

1 cup salsa

2 T. olive oil

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

corn tortillas

shredded cheese (cheddar, colby-Jack, etc)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil. On foil combine onions, peppers, corn, 1/4 cup salsa, and 1 T oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes. Add chicken, stir to combine. Continue to roast until warmed through, 5 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl (throw foil away). Arrange corn tortillas on baking sheet; brush with olive oil and top with shredded cheese. Bake until golden; 5-8 minutes. Serve with chicken mixture on top.

Sticky Chicken:

1 pkg. onion soup mix

1 jar apricot jam, small

12 ounces Russian Dressing

about 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Mix ingredients together and cook in crock pot.

Tamale Pie:

1 (15 ounce) can tomatoes

12 oz. corn, drained

1 1/2 T. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 can black olives, drained

Stir and simmer above ingredients in a large pan. Then brown the following ingredients in another pan:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 c. diced onion

1/2 c. diced bell pepper

1 clove minced garlic

1/8 c. olive oil

Add the two pans together.

Mix together in a bowl:

1 c. water

1/2 c. cornmeal

Add that to the mixture above. Put it all in a 9x13 pan.

Mix the following ingredients together:

1 1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. cornmeal

1 tsp. salt

2 T. butter or margarine

1/4 lb. grated cheese (can use less and it is still good)

2 eggs, beaten

Heat slowly in saucepan until thickened. Spread on top of mean mixture in 9x13. Bake uncovered at 375 for 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce:

1 medium onion , chopped

1-1.5 lbs ground beef or turkey

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 quart or large can tomatoes

2 6-ounce cans tomato paste

3 6-ounce cans water (just use the tomato paste can)

2-3 tsp. sugar OR some grated carrot (this just helps with the acidity, so you only need one or the other)

1 tsp. salt

pinch of pepper

2 tsp. basil

1 tsp oregano (I always add more b/c I love oregano)

pinch of cayenne pepper

Saute onion and brown the meat. Add minced garlic and if desired drain off fat. Add tomatoes to mear. Add everything else and let simmer. Add water periodically if it seems to be getting too thick.

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menu for week of 4/12

Menu:
Monday - Potato Bar, canned peaches

Tuesday - Chinese food (we went on a date Friday night so we never got around to making this meal; sorry for the repeat); chicken stir-fry, sauteed bok choy, pot stickers, steamed rice

Wednesday - Chicken salad in croissants, green salad

Thursday - Salsa Chicken over Rice, green salad

Friday - Taco Salad Made Over, fresh fruit

Saturday - Hearty Black Bean Soup, green salad

Sunday - Grilled Salmon, steamed brown rice, green beans, applesauce

Recipes:
Potato Bar: This includes baked potatoes, steamed broccoli, diced ham, cottage cheese (or sour cream), salt and pepper. This is how we do it. Obviously you can make your however you want.

Chicken Stir-Fry:
NOTE: This can be done with pork instead.
Heat about a tablespoon of oil (I use olive oil) in wok or skillet. Mash two cloves of garlic and put in with oil (mashed garlic is not minced garlic. You take a clove of garlic and with the side of the knife blade smash it). Add sliced (or diced) chicken (as much as you want) and brown. Add a small or medium onion that is sliced and saute with meat. Then add the following ingredients:
1-2 tsp. brown sugar
1-2 tsp. rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
1 T. soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
**When I add the onion I will also be adding some other veggies like carrots and bell peppers. If you are adding veggies add them before the sauce ingredients. Saute at high temperatures for best results.

Sauteed Bok Choy:
Heat 1 T. oil and 2 cloves mashed garlic in wok or skillet. Add bok choy (and I do spinach with it) and saute until it shrinks down. Add salt and pepper. It shrinks down a lot.

Chicken Salad:
Combine the following ingredients and let marinade for as long as possible (over night is best - but never practical):

5 c. cooked, chunked chicken (you can use as little as you want)
3 T. salad oil or dressing
3 T. orange juice
3 T. white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt

After that has marinaded add:

3 c. cooked rice
1 1/2 c. grapes, cut into pieces
1 1/2 c. sliced celery
1 13-oz can crushed or chink pineapple
1 11-oz can mandarine oranges, drain (I never put these in; my family doesn't like them)
1 c. slivered almonds (I usually put in about 1/2 cup)
1 c. mayonnaise ( more or less depending on how moist you want it)

Let chill for a little while and serve in croissants.

Taco Salad Made Over:
1 lb. ground beef (I always use ground turkey)
1 T. chili powder
1/2 c. salsa (I prefer Pace or La Victoria)
1 c. rinsed, drained canned kidney beans (I usually just put in the whole can)
Salad greens, cheese, tomato, ranch dressing or sour cream

Brown meat with chili powder. Add salsa and beans and serve with chips and rest of ingredients. (I usually make taco salad bowls by cooking flour tortillas draped over bowls in the oven at about 425. Tin foil balls work just as well as the bowls).

Salsa Chicken over Rice:
1 T oil
about a pound chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, sliced
1 c. chunky salsa
1/2 c. Mexican-blend cheese, shredded

Heat oil. Add chicken, onion, and bell pepper. Cook for 10-12 minutes until chicken in done. Stir in salsa and bring to boil. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

Hearty Black Bean Soup:
1 c. salsa
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 c. chicken broth
1 tsp. lime juice
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Heat salsa in saucepan for about 5 minutes. Stir in beans and broth. Bring mixture to boil, then lower to simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Let soup cool slightly and ladle half into blender. Puree it. Return to pot, stir in lime juice, chopped cilantro, and heat through. Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and a small dollop of sour cream.

Grilled Salmon:
Brush with olive oil, salt and pepper, and sprinkle with capers. Wrap in foil and put on grill for about 20 minutes.

OKAY! I think I got them all on here. I hope some of these work for you. Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck!

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welcome

This is a blog for the menu impaired. I make a menu almost every week and I figured since I am doing it anyway I may as well put it online for everyone else to use as well.

So here is this week's menu:

MON - Cheese Ravioli, Green Salad, Breadsticks

TUES - Omelets (with leftover Easter Ham), fresh strawberries

WED - Fancy Tortilla Soup, Green Salad

THUR - Veggie/Hummus Wraps, Fruit Salad

FRI - Chinese Food; Chicken Srir-Fry, Sauteed Bok Choy, Pot Stickers, Steamed Rice

SAT - Grilled Chicken Salad, Potato Wedges

SUN - Pork Tenderloin, rice, broccoli, rolls

In the future I will include the recipes for most of the meals (or at least instructions for basic ones). For now, this is a start. Good luck!

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