Menu Plan Monday, 8/31/09

I'm falling asleep as I type this, so I'll keep it short and sweet. We had a wonderful weekend full of fun with a wedding, birthday party, and baby shower. It was great seeing lots of friends and family...I'll post pics soon. Here's our menu for the week:

*Monday - Tacos
*Tuesday - Vegetable soup with beef
*Wednesday - Dinner out with a friend
*Thursday - Chicken casserole (will post recipes later this week)
*Friday - Chicken pot pie
*Saturday - Southern fried chicken, green bean casserole, mac & cheese
Dessert: gooey butter cake (Recipe below, also by Paula Deen)
I'm making this yummy southern meal for hubby and I to enjoy during the first Alabama game of the season. Roll Tide!
*Sunday - Leftovers or out

Gooey Butter Cake
Cake: 1 (18.25oz) box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1 stick butter, melted
Filling: 1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (16oz) box confectioner sugar
1 stick butter, melted

•Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 by 2 inch glass baking dish.
•In a bowl, using an electric mixer combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared dish and set aside.
•Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese til smooth; add eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners sugar and beat well. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly pour in butter. Mix well. Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Center should be gooey. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Menu Plan Monday...Back to School

My mom is in town for a couple of nights this week. It's great spending time with her. Lately, with my grandmother being sick, Mom has been staying with her around the clock. We needed some good girl time together. This will be a pretty busy week at our house, but menu planning always helps with the busy-ness. I feel much better when I know I don't have to worry about what's for dinner when I walk in the door. Here's our menu for the week. Be sure to check out lots of other menus at orgjunkie.

Monday - Out for Mexican with Mom

Tuesday - Chicken tortilla soup

Wednesday - Meatloaf

Thursday - Chicken, squash casserole

Friday - Going to a wedding, maybe leftovers or out

Saturday - Nephew's 1st birthday party!!

Sunday - Hubby's favorite casserole

Menu Plan Monday

This is the first full week of school. So far it's going great. I've only frozen a few meals for those days when I don't feel like cooking, so this week I'm going to make several more freezer-friendly meals (one to serve and one to freeze). Here's what's cooking at our house this week.

Monday - Ruthie's Chicken Pie
Tuesday - Baked Spaghetti
Wednesday - Whole wheat blueberry pancakes (Recipe below)
Thursday - Beef Stroganoff
Friday - Date Night
Saturday - Chicken Divan
Sunday - Small Group

Don't forget to visit orgjunkie for lots more menu plans.

Whole Wheat Pancakes
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 c. milk
2 eggs
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. of vanilla extract
Mix all together. Place batter on griddle and top with blueberries or chocolate chips if desired.

Menu Plan Monday...Back to School

It's the most wonderful time of the year (at least for nerds like me)! Crayola crayons, shiny yellow pencils, brightly colored construction paper, Elmer's glue, back packs, new books...Back to School!! I officially start back to school (work) this Thursday. As all teachers know, we actually go back way before this to set up our classrooms and plan. This week, I will be making a double portion of most meals and freeze the extra dish. A fellow teaching friend shared this idea with me to save time at the beginning of the school year. She already has about a month's worth of pre-cooked dinners. I was somewhat familiar with the concept of Once a Month Cooking (OAMC), but I thought that was something I'd try down the road, maybe when I become a mom. When my friend showed me her stockpile of ready made dishes (gotta love stockpiles), I quickly decided this was something I wanted to do. I found easy recipes that call for ingredients I already have on hand. I will be substituting some to make everything a little healthier (i.e. whole grain pasta and rice, low fat soups, etc.) I thought this week would be the best time to start since we won't have students yet. I'll let you know how it turns out. Go here to see lots of other menu plans.

Monday - Tuna casserole

Tuesday - Sleepover with my nephew...maybe baked spaghetti

Wednesday - Taco soup

Thursday - Beef stroganoff

Friday - Date night

Saturday - Chicken tetrazzini

Sunday - Dinner with small group

Menu Plan Monday

I haven't posted in a couple of weeks because things have been a little crazy. My grandmother went into the hospital a little over 2 weeks ago and was in the stepdown unit which is similar to ICU but not as severe. We spent some time there with my grandmother and family. I started back to work the day before she was hospitalized. Then we had our service project with our small group last weekend and then drove to Memphis to host a couples shower for our friends who are getting married in September. Menu planning and even grocery shopping took a backseat with everything else that was going on the past 2 weeks. My grandmother is doing much better now, and our lives have calmed somewhat. I'm happy to be back in the routine this week. Here's what we'll be having for dinner this week.

Monday - Baked salmon with asparagus and salad

Tuesday - Tacos/ taco salad for small group

Wednesday - Pot roast with carrots and green beans

Thursday - Greek salad with grilled chicken

Friday - Date night

Saturday - Chicken florentine casserole

Sunday - Hamburger steak with squash and onions

Menu Plan Monday

I start back to work this week. We begin 2 weeks of instructional training for all teachers on Thursday. I have mixed emotions, excited to see everyone and to get ready for a great school year but sad to give up all the time at home and with my hubby. I'm choosing to have a good attitude about it though. I am so thankful for my job. This is the first job I've loved and the first job I've ever gone back to for another year. :) So this week, I've picked some pretty simple meals since I'll be getting back in the routine. I'm using all meats from my deep freezer and mostly ingredients that I already have on hand. I was able to get all our groceries this week for under $30 since we already have so much in our pantry and freezer. Here's what we'll be having this week. Remember to check out all the menu plans at orgjunkie.

Monday - Taco salad with our Sunday night small group (we moved our meeting this week)

Tuesday - Chili with our small group

Wednesday - Pot Roast, sweet potatoes, asparagus

Thursday - Unbelievable Chicken, broccoli, peas

Friday - Date Night

Saturday - Greek Garlic Chicken, Greek salad

Sunday - Dinner at small group (Ruthie's Chicken Pie!!) - I will share this recipe later this week.

Easy Yummy Strawberry Pie

I got this delicious recipe from a great friend who is also a great cook and have made 3 of the pies in 3 days. That's how yummy it is. I made 2 for the same friend's baby shower this past weekend and 1 for small group tonight. Sadly, hubby had me throw away the left-over pie tonight after small group, so he wouldn't be tempted to eat it. I guess I should be thankful and praise him for his discipline, but I was so upset to throw away such a tasty treat. Here's the recipe...

I hope my sweet friend, Paula, who hosted the shower doesn't mind that I borrowed & cropped this photo of the pie I made for the shower b/c I forgot to take my own photo today! By the way, check out Paula's amazing blog at Two Ellie.

Strawberry Pie

1-8oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1 c. confectioners sugar

1 teasp. Vanilla

1 c. heavy cream plus 1/4 c confectioners sugar to sweeten

1-9 inch shortbread ready crust pie shell

2 c. fresh strawberries, sliced and sprinkled with confectioners sugar

•In medium bowl, mix cream cheese and confectioners sugar til smooth and creamy. Stir in vanilla extract. In separate bowl, whip cream and sugar til peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Spread on bottom of pie shell. Chill to set.

•Slice strawberries and add sugar to sweeten. Refrigerate

•Just before serving, top with sweetened strawberries . Enjoy!!