Week 18 weekly meal plan

Day 1:  Teriyaki Chicken kabobs with onion and pineapple

Day 2:  Beef BBQ sandwiches, potato

Day 3:  Pork schnitzel

Day 4:  Taco casserole Recipe Here

Day 5:   Salad with grilled chicken, mandarin oranges, strawberries and fried wontons

Day 6:  Homemade Pizza

Creamy Chicken Casserole

What is great about this recipe is that you can toss any leftover vegetable into it.  This day, I had some leftover broccoli and tossed that right on top.  YUM!

1/2 package egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
2 cups leftover shredded chicken
1 cup carrots, cut up and boiled until tender (can sub frozen carrots)
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup milk
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp pepper



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients into a 13x 9 baking dish and bake for 30 mins.  Serve warm.

Sunny Salad with Chicken

1 head romaine lettuce
1 can mandarin oranges in own juice
1 small can pineapple tidbits
slivered almonds (optional)
1/2 cup chow mein noodles
leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken, shredded or cut into bit sized pieces


Dressing:
Panera Asian Sesame Chicken Salad Dressing
or

Orange Dressing:
1 cup orange juice
1 tsp white wine vinegar

Cook dressing on stove top over low heat for 30 minutes to thicken.


Recipe Index

Weekly Meal Plans

Teriyaki Sauce

This sauce is SO good.  Do NOT use regular soy sauce though, the result will be so salty that you won't be able to handle it.  Watch this sauce carefully because once you add the cornstarch, it thickens pretty quickly. 

• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, optional
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cold water

Directions

1. Combine 1 cup water, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ginger, and garlic powder in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until nearly heated through, about 1 minute.
2. Mix cornstarch and 1/4 cold water together and stir until dissolved. Add to the saucepan. Cook and stir sauce until thickened, 5 to 7 minute.   

 Hint:  I use a very small lunch type container to mix my cornstarch and water.  I put the lid onto the container and shake it until the cornstarch has dissolved.  

Healthy Apple Pie Cookies

2 cups oats 1/2 cup oat flour (see below) 5 tbsp apple sauce 2 tbsp almond butter http://amzn.to/2yx5Cdy 4 tbsp maple syrup 1 chia egg (2 tbsp chia, 6 tbsp water) http://amzn.to/2hOifaC 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon





Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir. Remove 2 tablespoons mix and pat into a cookie shape. Place on baking tray and bake 25 to 30 mins. You will want them slightly golden. Store for up to 3 days or freeze for later.

For Oat flour, place 1 cup oats into a blender until fine. Measure out 1/2 cup for this recipe. Store remaining in freezer for later use (it makes good pancakes).

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Warm Breakfast Hash

This is so good on a cold morning and is my favorite go to breakfast.


1 medium potato
1 tsp olive oil
1 small white onion, chopped
1 large tomato 1 cup frozen/fresh spinach salt & pepper


Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Cook in a pan with 1 tsp olive oil until they are lightly brown on the outsides. Add onion and cook until soft. Add tomato and spinach. Cook until spinach is hot and wilted down. Season with salt and pepper.


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I also have a list of meal plans here:  Meal Plans

Warm Weather Breakfast Granola

This recipe is so good on a cool fall morning. This recipe is so forgiving! You can double up on one of the nuts and omit another.



2 cups oats (not instant)
1/2 cup almonds pieces or chopped http://amzn.to/2yujmWx
1/2 cup pecans pieces http://amzn.to/2zwdZEy 1/2 cup walnuts pieces http://amzn.to/2zv3G3M 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds http://amzn.to/2zv8K8a 3 tbsp maple syrup http://amzn.to/2zf7VQ8
A splash of orange juice (can be omitted) 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/2 cup dried cranberries


Mix everything together in a bowl. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes and again after 20 minutes. Cool then store in an airtight container. This makes four servings.


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Falafal Recipe

2 cups soaked chick peas
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp dried parsley (if you can afford fresh, add 1 cup chopped it has a wonderful taste)
juice of 1/2 lemon (can be omitted)
1 tsp cumin (can be omitted)


Pulse ingredients in a food processor.  Remove about 2 tablespoons of mix, form into a ball.  Place on a lined baking tray and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.


These can be frozen and stored for later.


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Weekly Meal Plan Week 13

I started this blog because my cooking was pretty sketchy.  I ran through fast food at least a few days a week because I had no idea what to cook.  So this year I decided that I will plan a weekly menu.  It was going great until I got bored.  So I decided to keep me going, I will add a cookbook to the mix.  For the next six weeks or so, I will add at least a recipe per week from the cookbook below.  You can get a copy new, or they also have used ones that are pretty cheap.  I figured the price of this cookbook is less than one fast food meal for the family, and they eat a lot more nutritiously when I cook than when I buy fast food.

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 The cook books is The Best and Lightest from Food Network Magazine.  So far I'm loving it.  The food is good, but simple.  I've tried a lot of different recipes from it and it's a keeper.


So Here is my menu plan:


American Goulash, salad   - Everyone in my family loves pasta, and this one is easy and does not contain nearly as much sugar as the jar sauces.

Grilled Chicken with Roasted Kale- Page 94 of the cookbook.  When I first saw this recipe I thought there was no way my family would eat KALE...but it's tossed with tomato, potato and cheese, and they loved it.  I was surprised.

Sirloin with Teriyaki Broth -  Page 126 of the cookbook.  This steak is served with a light broth that makes it so juicy.  The recipe calls for sweet potatoes but I added carrots as well because they are a family favorite.  They all ate it.  I didnt think the radishes would go over very well, but they are thinly sliced and they add a peppery bite to the soup.  YUM!

Baked Fish and Chips-  Page 192 of the Book.  A lighter version of fried fish and chips.  It uses rice cereal as a topping and is light and delicious.  The homemade fries have become a lunch favorite too.
Teriyaki Chicken Bowls - Grilled Pineapple is so good and since the weather has grown warmer, cooking outside is a welcome change.  This recipe is easy to change up to add your family favorite veggies.



 


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Carrot Soup with potato, lentils and leeks

I am bad. I hide good things in soup so my family will eat them. My only problem with this is hubby who says that soup is not food, but if I cook soups for lunch, they get eaten. I serve this with white rice.


 Ingredients:
 - 1 onion, diced
 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
 - 1 leek, thinly sliced
 - 2 cups carrots, thinly sliced
- 2 potatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- Herbs & spices: 1 tsp tumeric, 1/2 tbsp curry powder, 1/2 tbsp rosemary, 1 tsp cumin, black pepper - 2 stock cubes, melted in water


 Method:
 1. Fry onion, garlic & leek for 2-3 minutes 2. Add in remaining ingredients except water. Cook for 2 minutes 3. Add in enough water to cover the ingredients, bring to the boil then cook covered on low heat for 40 minutes. 4. For a chunky soup, simply use a potato masher to mash up the ingredients. For a smooth soup, blend using a stick blender. 5. Serve with rice/crusty bread and enjoy.



 Some people in my family do not care for the taste of indian spices, so if I am making the soup for them, I add 1 tsp ginger, salt and pepper instead. I like it both ways.


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Weekly Meal Plan Week 10

My goal this year is to cook more for my family.   We are very busy and as a result, we eat out a LOT.  This year, I want to serve food at home that is fast, easy and nutritious.  No frozen dinners high in sodium, I want real food.

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The first 2 months, I looked online at blogs and found recipes.  I want to try something different though.  I want to try out different cookbooks.  Each month, I will cook recipes from a different cookbook.  It could be a side, main dish or dessert, but I will try to incorporate new dinners into our rotation.  So far the family is loving it.


This month, I am cooking out of this book:






This is in addition to our typical meal plans.    On Saturday nights, we have a family pizza night, and sometimes one other night per week we do not eat at home (usually at a friends house, we rotate).  This means 5 to 6 meals per week I need to plan.

Please note that some of my meals may seem a little heavy.  I am feeding three teen boys, so I cook to fill them up.  Some people may omit the starch from the meal and be just fine with the meal plan.

This week's meal plan:


Buttermilk Oven "Fried" Chicken  Page 151 of the cookbook.  I plan on serving this with cole slaw and potato wedges baked in the oven.

Mongolian Beef and Broccoli  Served with rice.  Page 190 of the cookbook.

Teriyaki Chicken Bowls.  Here  A family favorite

Steak Kabobs and roasted corn on the cob.  Steak Kabobs

Taco Casserole  Recipe  I plan on making this one ahead then heating it up to eat.

Leek and Garlic Chicken  Recipe  If I told them they were eating leeks and garlic they would probably refuse, but I serve this recipe with mashed potatoes and I never have leftovers.



If something isnt to your taste, check out my other weeks for different recipes.  Weekly Meal Plan Index

Week 8 Weekly Meal Plan

So far so good.  I am getting better at planning and cooking meals for my family.  We have a few new favorite meals too!

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Here is this weeks list:

Monday:

our new family favorite  Chicken with Leeks and Garlic and mashed potatoes

Tuesday:

Best Ever Beef Stew

Ribs and Green Beans

Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits

And for my try something new recipe this week:

We will have ham steak which is easy and does not need a recipe, but with it we will have this:

Thank you Wannabite!!!

Cheesy Potatoes

Week 7 Weekly Meal Plan

I'm on week 7!!!  My goal for this year was to make healthy, varied meals for my family that weren't chicken nuggets at least five days a week.   Each week, I search the internet and find a new recipe.  Sometimes, we keep them in our rotation because they are our new favorites.  It has been an adventure and I am having so much fun!   I hope you enjoy the recipes.

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Chicken Stir Fry

Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

Potato Chowder

Make ahead Chicken and Rice   - this one is too new for a photo...It's in the freezer!

Thank you forgetful mama for this really cool looking recipe.   If you make her recipe, comment and let her know!!!

Burrito Skillet

See other weeks here  http://emmafrancisisathome.blogspot.com/p/weekly-meal-plans.html

Not Your Mom's Chicken and Rice - Make Ahead Freezer Meal

When I have leftover rice or chicken, I put them into a bag labeled with the start date (the date I first put leftovers into the bag).  Once I have 2 cups of rice and 2 cups of chicken, this is our goto leftover recipe.  My family HATES leftovers and if they figured out they were leftover, they wouldn't eat them....no one has figured me out yet!   By adding so many flavors to the chicken and rice, the recipe taste like I made it all today.  

Chicken and rice

• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 2 cups cooked chopped chicken (about half of a rotisserie chicken)
• 8 oz French onion dip
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup French fried onions  (We use homemade croutons)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, chicken soup, French onion dip, cheddar cheese, chicken broth and cooked rice. Spread into prepared pan. Top with French fried onions.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

This can be a make ahead casserole.  Simply combine all ingredients except cheese and freeze (I freeze it with the cheese in a separate zip lock bag.  The reason you freeze the cheese separately is that you want the cheese melted, not crusty and brown.  Cook the casserole until it's hot, then top with cheese and cook a few minutes longer to melt the cheese.  

Honey Chicken Stir-Fry Recipe

This recipe is so easy!  You can add your favorite vegetables, like snow peas, red peppers...really anything will work.  I slice my vegetables up when I am cooking lunch, so this recipe goes together so quickly.  I serve it over rice, but you can use noodles or rice.

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1 cup thinly sliced carrots (I bought presliced to save time)
1 cup broccoli florets
1 onion sliced (optional)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. honey

1 T. cornstarch dissolved in cold water
1 lb chicken cut into bite sized pieces


In a skillet, cook chicken until no longer pink inside. Add onion and a little water.  While chicken cooks, in a separate pan, steam carrots and broccoli.

In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, broth, brown sugar and honey.    Add all ingredients except slurry of cornstarch to the skillet and toss to coat.  Add slurry and cook until the sauce is thick.  Serve over rice.

Week 6 Weekly Meal Plan

I am still working on my goal to make my family at least 5 cooked meals per week that are not chicken nuggets or hot dogs.  Each week, I try a new recipe and some of them have made it to our favorites.  I may repeat some recipes for a few weeks because when they are new, my family wants them served often.  They do get tired of them eventually and I stop serving them weekly.  So far, I am really growing from this experiment.




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This week's dishes:

Day 1:
Ribs, green beans, mashed potatoes
http://emmafrancisisathome.blogspot.com/2017/02/pork-baby-back-ribs.html
http://emmafrancisisathome.blogspot.com/2017/02/family-favorite-green-beans-with.html

Day 2:
Teriyaki chicken bowls:
http://emmafrancisisathome.blogspot.com/2017/02/teriyaki-chicken-bowls.html

Day 3:
American Goulash, salad
http://emmafrancisisathome.blogspot.com/2017/02/american-goulash-macaroni-in-tomato.html


Day 4:
Stacked Enchiladas
http://emmafrancisisathome.blogspot.com/2016/07/stacked-enchiladas.html

Day 5:
New recipe day!!!!

Sugar Spice and Family Life has a great recipe for chicken and dumplings that I cannot wait to try.  It looks Soooo GOOOOD!  A big thanks for them for allowing me to post their recipe!

Chicken and Dumplings

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Vegan Bites - Energy Bites

My family absolutely LOVES vegan bites.  They are so easy and the kids can help make them.


10 dates (pitted)
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup freeze dried raspberries
2 tablespoons vegan cocoa
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until it starts to stick together.  Roll into balls.  EAT!

I was inspired when I saw a recipe that called for raspberry powder in an energy bite and it was so expensive that I decided to find another way to bring that great taste into a bite.  I liked it so much that we ditched our other energy bites recipes and just eat this one.


Here are some helpful links:

Hawaiian Chicken Bowls - Healthy!

Who doesnt love teriyaki chicken?  This recipe can be grilled or made on the stovetop.  Be sure to make enough, my family eats more than 4 servings!  I listed all the vegetables we use, but you can add any vegetable to yours..there is no limit!  Some other additions can be chinese cabbage, red peppers, green peppers, green onions, asparagus...whatever your family loves. 

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Recipe for Teriyaki Chicken Bowls

· 4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts

· 1/2 pineapple cut into spears

· 1 zucchini sliced

· 1 summer squash sliced

· 4 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal

· 1 small head of broccoli

· 1 small onion sliced

·  Recipe for teriyaki sauce

Teriyaki sauce:

½ cup low sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 Tbsp sesame oil

¼ cup  brown sugar

¾ tsp ground ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp cornstarch+ 2 tsp cold water, mixed together

In a 2 quart saucepan, mix ingredients for teriyaki sauce except for the cornstarch slurry.  Bring mixture to a boil, then add cornstarch. Remove from heat as soon as it will coat the back of a spoon.  It thickens very quickly.

Marinate chicken breasts in ¼ cup of teriyaki mixture for at least 15 minutes.

Grill or bake you chicken until no longer pink inside.  If you bake it, bake it at 375 for about 20 minutes (test for doneness).  

You can grill your remaining vegetables, but I feel I don’t have enough control over them on the grill, so I heat a skillet and cook them.  I cook the onions first, then remove them from the pan.  I add the broccoli and carrots and enough water to steam them.  Remove them from the pan and add remaining vegetables and cook until done.  Next lay the pineapple in the pan and cook on both sides until lightly brown. 

Serve over rice by arranging ingredients by color on top of the rice. 

 If you want to make this recipe ahead, freeze the chicken in the ¼ cup marinate and freeze the rest in a different bag and tape the two bags together.

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Recipe Index

American Goulash - Macaroni in Tomato Sauce

American goulash is a tomato based pasta dish where the pasta is cooked in the sauce.  It is traditionally made with macaroni noodles, but I have made it with other pasta as well.  We love this served with a green salad and fresh bread.

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·  1 pound ground beef

·  1 small onion, chopped

·  1 clove garlic, minced

·  1 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes (undrained)

·  1 15-oz. cans tomato sauce

·  2 cups water

·  1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

·  1 tablespoon Italian seasoning herb blend

·  salt to taste
·  1 tablespoon soy sauce

·  8-oz. elbow macaroni (1/2 box)

In a large stock pot, cook ground beef and onion until beef is done and no longer pink.  Drain fat from mixture and return to pan.  Add garlic and cook 2 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook 25 to 30 minutes or until macaroni is cooked.  Serve warm.   

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Pork Baby Back Ribs

We love ribs and they were on sale this week, so I got a slab.  They can be harder to cook than other foods, but I found an easy recipe that makes them tender and delicious.  I do use bottled sauce, but you can make your own if you have the time.

The secret is adding a splash of apple cider vinegar to the water.  It helps make the rib meat so tender.  We love layer after layer of sauce on ours, so I just keep adding thin layers of sauce and broiling them until they look like I want to eat one right now.


You will need:
1 slab of baby back ribs
1 bottle bbq sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar.


Cut the ribs into serving size pieces.

 My family eats 2 to 3 bones per person, so that is how I slice them.
Place the ribs into a stockpot filled with water and the vinegar.

 Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and boil for 1 hour.

Remove ribs from pot and place on a parchment lined pan.  Place the ribs with the thinner side up (the side that has less meat).

Coat with a thin layer of sauce and broil this side first until it's done.  I usually do 2 thin layers of sauce on this side.  Do not coat too much sauce or you will just get a sticky mess and it wont brown up right.

Turn ribs over and place a thin layer of sauce on this side and broil for about 2 minutes.  Add another layer of sauce and broil for 2 more minutes.  I do 2 coats on the side with less meat and 4 on the side with more meat.