Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 7.23.12

I'm hoping to get back on track this week with posting, since I slacked last week. Sometimes it's hard for me to balance all of my various responsibilities, and sometimes the blog, unfortunately, falls to the bottom of the list. I've been making lots of delicious things, though, that I'm really excited to share with you.

I can't believe this is the last meal plan for the month of July. This month passed by so quickly, and it's been a really busy month too. Hopefully August will be the month we're able to slow down a bit!

I'm trying something different this week: a whole week of meatless meals. Well, almost a whole week, since we're going to a cookout on Sunday and there will be lots of grilled meats to enjoy. There's no real reason for this (I'm not planning to become a vegetarian or anything like that); I just thought it would be fun to try something a little different. I'm not telling Joe about my plan, and am going to see how long it takes him to notice the lack of meat in his meals!

Monday: Cruncy black bean tacos and Mexican rice. I didn't get around to making this meal this week, so I'm excited to have it tomorrow night.

Tuesday: Sweet potato corn cakes, spinach salad with strawberries, avocado, feta, cashews, and strawberry-lime vinaigrette. I think these sweet potato cakes will be a huge hit, since we are a yam-loving family. The salad is one I've never tried, but I think the combination sounds delicious; we'll see how it turns out.

Wednesday: Roasted poblano quesadillas, elote. To say I'm excited to try this method for corn on the cob would be a massive understatement.

Thursday: Joe has a softball game.

Friday: Pasta with Tex-Mex pepper cream sauce, Mexican-style garlic bread. This pasta is another dish I had on our meal plan previously but didn't get around to making. I'll use roasted red peppers, because I have a jar on hand.

Saturday: Bacon pierogi bake, minus the bacon, plus broccoli and maybe some other stuff. (I know, that sounds way professional.)

Sunday: My cooking club is meeting, but we're getting everyone together (significant others, kids, etc.) to have a cookout and pool party. We'll be having delicious barbecued foods. I'm responsible for bringing dessert, so I'll be taking peanut butter pie and s'mores whoopie pies.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 7.16.12

I really did mean to post our meal plan yesterday, but the day just got away from me. We really didn't do much; it rained most of the day, so we had a lazy day inside. I spent most of the day playing with the boys rather than playing on the computer, which is a day well-spent in my opinion! My sons aren't going to want to include me in their little games forever, so I'm soaking it up as much as possible -- even if it means I spend half of the day frozen in one position due to their "freeze rays." :)

I did go to the store yesterday, though, and I'm pretty excited about all of the meals I have planned for this week.

Monday: Shrimp po' boys, chips. We ate these sandwiches only a week ago, but I am already craving them again.

Tuesday: Chicken parmesan pasta, garlic bread. We had this pasta once before and loved it...but I accidentally deleted the photos from my camera before I uploaded them. D'oh! Oh well, it's a good excuse to make this again!

Wednesday: Southwestern chicken salad melts, tortilla chips and guacamole. I'm going to add -- you guessed it! -- bacon to the sandwiches.

Thursday: Joe has a softball game, so I won't bother with a big dinner.

Friday: BLT gyros. This is based on a sandwich I had at a food truck last week. So. freaking. good. I can't wait to try it at home!

Saturday: Taco pie. There are tons of recipes out there for this, so I'm just going to pull bits and pieces from a bunch of different recipes.

Sunday: Crunchy black bean tacos and Mexican rice. I love the look of these tacos.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 7.8.12

I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July holiday! Sorry I disappeared there for a while; I was off work the second half of the week, and took a mini-break from blogging too. Despite the busyness of the holiday as well as a wedding this weekend, I was actually able to relax a little bit, which was nice.


A glimpse of our Independence Day fun.



With the dapper ring bearers at their cousin's wedding.

I'm also behind on e-mails, so if you've e-mailed me lately, I'll get back to you as soon as I can! I did manage to plan our meals this week, after taking a meal-planning hiatus last week. I didn't cook much, but when I did, I actually made some pretty fabulous meals just using what I had on hand (something I'm not normally very good at). I'll be sharing those with you in the coming days. Here's what we'll be eating this week (including tonight's meal, because I have no more excuses for not cooking).

Tonight: Joe's ribs, stovetop mac and cheese, creamy succotash with bacon and thyme. Joe continues to hold tight to the secret of his ribs, but I do know he's trying something different tonight: Using my detective skills, I was able to glean that he's marinating them in apple juice, and it seems that brown sugar is involved as well. I can't wait to try them.

Monday: Shrimp po' boys and chips. For some reason I've been craving this sandwich lately, and Joe is thrilled to have these on the menu this week too.

Tuesday: Southwestern BBQ shredded chicken sandwiches, Mexican rice. In my mind, these sandwiches will be a twist on a typical shredded BBQ chicken sandwich, using corn relish and avocado instead of cole slaw for the topping, and also with the addition of some jalapeno havarti cheese I found at Aldi when I went grocery shopping. I can't wait for this meal.

Wednesday: Chicken cordon bleu pasta. This pasta is so incredibly decadent that I have a feeling we'll have lots of leftovers -- but if it's as delicious as I suspect, that will be a very good thing!

Thursday: Joe's softball game, which means the boys and I will probably eat dinner out or have something simple. I usually try to take them for a walk to the ice cream parlor on these nights, but it's been so hot lately that we've skipped the past couple of weeks. I think it's supposed to "cool down" this week (with highs only in the upper 80's -- practically a cold spell!), so maybe we'll be able to take a walk this week.

Friday: Greek beef tacos. These tacos are still holding steady as my favorite dinner ever.

Saturday: Pasta with Tex-Mex pepper cream sauce, Mexican garlic bread. I plan to use roasted red peppers in the pasta. I'll use cilantro, Monterey jack, jalapenos, and garlic as a spread for the bread to give the traditionally Italian version of garlic bread a South of the Border makeover.

Sunday: Spicy avocado chicken enchiladas. These enchiladas come highly recommended by my friend Jessie, and I'm really excited to try them.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 6.25.12

It seems unbelievable that this is the last meal plan for June. When I was a kid, it seemed like summer stretched out languorously, but now it's here and gone in the blink of an eye. I can't believe how quickly time passes when you're an adult, and constantly busy.

I planned a full week of meals this week, but I just remembered that the boys are spending this coming weekend at my stepmom's house (I don't know how I forgot this; I've been looking forward to it for quite some time). So it's unlikely that I'll be cooking. I'll be too busy savoring every. single. second of peace and quiet. And really, can you blame me?!

Monday: Ranchero chicken crostada, salad. This crostada is a family favorite, and since I have a pie crust in the fridge just waiting to be put to good use, it seems like a good week to make it.

Tuesday: Grilled pesto chicken with tomato cream penne. This is a Pinterest find, and I'm quite smitten with it already, even though I haven't made it yet. Using pesto in a marinade is genius and I can't believe I never thought of it before!

Wednesday: Black bean patties with corn relish and avocado cream sauce topped with fried eggs. My friend Sarah made these recently, and the egg idea came from her. Brilliant! I'm excited to try these, since they've gotten resounding recommendations from so much of the blogosphere.

Thursday: Joe's softball night. His game is later than usual, but we'll still probably do something really simple for dinner -- sandwiches or Chinese take-out, most likely.

Friday: Crescent roll breakfast casserole. Another Pinterest find. The picture sold me on this one, but the ingredients sound amazing too!

Saturday: Chicken with summer squash and spinach, rice pilaf. I saw this one on Pinterest too (sensing a pattern here?), and I immediately knew Joe would love it, since he's a sucker for Muenster cheese. This is pretty healthy, too (although I know the boys will pick out the spinach, and probably the squash too).

Sunday: Tortellini and vegetable bake. I have some adaptations planned for this one, namely using whole wheat tortellini, adding zucchini and summer squash, and stirring in some pesto. Yum!

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 6.18.12

Well, we've certainly had an interesting few days! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend celebrating the dads in your life! We took my dad out for dinner on Saturday night, then yesterday we spent the day with Joe's family, cooking out and swimming (before the rain came, that is). I'd intended to post the meal plan last night, but I had incredibly important things to do -- you know, like watch True Blood.

And then I was going to post it this morning, but Will and I ended up having a pretty exciting day. He fell at daycare this morning and busted his lip on the edge of a table, and after the pediatrician looked at it, she ordered us to the hospital for stitches. While we were waiting for the suture team, he entertained himself by taking "pictures" of me with his phone.

 

He ended up getting two stitches, and was such a brave boy. He fell asleep in the car, stayed asleep when we got home, and is still sleeping. I figured I'd try to post this quickly before I have to go pick up his brother from preschool.

Due to our busy weekend, a couple of the meals from last week are carrying over. The rest are new, and I'm pretty excited to try all of them.

Monday: Peach pecan chicken sandwiches with jalapeno mayonnaise, corn on the cob. A carry-over from last week. I have the chicken soaking in buttermilk as I type this. Yum!

Tuesday: Chicken and basil stuffed twice baked potatoes, steamed broccoli -- except instead of the basil, I'll use prepared pesto, and maybe add a little bit of cream cheese for creaminess.

Wednesday: Baked BBQ chicken taquitos, rice. To say that Joe is excited about this meal would be a massive understatement. I have a ton of packaged rices that I bought when they were on sale, so I'll just use one of those for a quick and easy side.

Thursday: Joe has a softball game, so no cooking for me!

Friday: Ranch chicken tacos and Mexican rice. I haven't decided what recipe I'm going to use for the rice yet, so if you have a good one, please send it my way!

Saturday: Maple sausage and waffle breakfast casserole (another carry-over from last week).

Sunday: Gouda bacon cheeseburgers with smothered onions, spinach dip and crackers. This burger is based on a Rachael Ray recipe, which I know is in one of my cookbooks, but I'm not sure which one. I should probably figure that out.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 6.11.12

I think I'm going to have to start sleeping with a notebook and pen by my bed. I went to bed on Friday night with lots of different meal ideas floating around in my mind...but when I woke up on Saturday morning and had to plan our menu before I went grocery shopping, every single one of those ideas was gone.

Thankfully, I brainstormed with Joe and the boys, and between the four of us, we were able to come up with some delicious meals for this week. But still. Come on, mind! Start remembering stuff!

Monday: Chicken parmesan pasta. Andrew said he wanted pasta with chicken and red sauce, so this fits the bill perfectly.

Tuesday: Taco rice. This one is always a hit.

Wednesday: Grilled chicken Caesar salad. I made grilled chicken Caesar flatbreads last week that were absolutely fantastic (I'll post the recipe this week), and this is basically the same thing, minus the flatbreads. Joe loved it so much he requested it again this week.

Thursday: Joe has a softball game. The boys and I will probably have sandwiches before heading off on our weekly Thursday night adventure.

Friday: Bacon cheeseburgers and fries. I have all of the ingredients on hand, so there's just no way I can resist.

Saturday: Peach pecan chicken sandwiches with jalapeno mayonnaise. Will requested "peachies" this week (he's on a peach kick lately), so I think he'll enjoy this meal. I'll leave the spicy mayo off the boys' sandwiches, of course.

Sunday: Maple sausage and waffle breakfast casserole. The boys requested breakfast for dinner, and since I've been thinking about this delicious casserole a lot lately, I thought it would be the perfect choice for Sunday dinner.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 6.4.12

I hope you guys are having a great weekend. After the wonderful insanity of last weekend, I was eager to just spend a relaxing weekend at home, so that's precisely what we're doing. Yesterday we explored the deserted playground of a closed elementary school in our town, and the boys had so much fun. I think we'll probably go back today.

Other than that, the day's agenda is pretty wide open: some baking, some playing, hopefully some napping, and not much else.

As far as the food for this week goes, I'm pretty excited about the meals I've planned. I feel like I've finally gotten my cooking groove back, and I think these delicious meals are just going to continue that trend.

Monday: Fried pickle ranch burgers, fries. I honestly haven't been able to get these burgers out of my mind since the first time I made them. I want -- nay, I need -- to make them again.

Tuesday: Zucchini bacon pasta, garlic bread. I'm not sure exactly what this will end up looking like, but if it involves bacon, zucchini, and copious amounts of cheese, I'm sure I'll be happy with it.

Wednesday: Grilled chicken Caesar flatbreads. I'll marinate chicken in Caesar dressing, grill it, then pile it on grilled flatbreads along with some romaine and parmesan. I think this'll be a delicious summery meal.

Thursday: Joe's softball game is late this week, but I still haven't planned a meal for this evening. I kind of look forward to not cooking on Thursdays during softball season!

Friday: Crock pot cheddar beer chicken tacos and Mexican sour cream rice. This is probably the meal I'm most looking forward to this week.

Saturday: Bacon cheeseburger meatloaf, mashed potatoes, buttered corn. This meatloaf is all Joe ever talks about. Every time I ask him what he wants for dinner, he tells me he wants this. So I'm adding it to our menu in hopes that maybe he'll stop talking about it for a month or so. But I doubt he will.

Sunday: Santa Fe egg bake. I saw this in a booklet of casseroles and thought it looked amazing. I can't wait to eat it!

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 5.28.12

I hope you're all having a fun Memorial Day weekend with your families and friends. It's always a fun weekend for my family; we have cook-outs and go to flea markets. I also hosted my cooking club at our house for Greek night last night, which was a blast, so this has definitely been a great weekend so far -- and will only get better with the addition of family cook-outs this evening and tomorrow.

Of course, Memorial Day is much more than just BBQ weekend/the offical start to summer. My Facebook wall is peppered with patriotic photos remembering our fallen soldiers, but even without those reminders, my family will be taking time to honor the real reason for this holiday. Two and a half years ago, we lost a very dear friend in Afghanistan, who was fighting for our freedoms and made the ultimate sacrifice. Tomorrow, we'll visit the Ohio Fallen Heroes Memorial (which happens to be in our town) in honor of him and the countless others who've sacrified their lives so that we can live ours in freedom. I hope you all take a moment to honor that sacrifice as well.

On to the menu for the week. I didn't realize this as I was planning our meals, but every single one of these dinners involves chicken. Good thing there was a crazy good sale on it this week!

Monday: We have a Memorial Day cook-out in the afternoon. We're also going to be swimming, and I'm betting we'll be too tired to mess with dinner -- so I'm not even bothering to plan anything.

Tuesday: Penne with chicken and vegetables in roasted garlic cream sauce, garlic bread. I didn't get to this meal last week. I think I'm going to grill the chicken, but I'll keep everything else the same.

Wednesday: Grilled chicken marinated in Italian dressing, baked potatoes, corn on the cob. This is probably one of my favorite summer meals; it's simple and always delicious.

Thursday: Joe has softball practice, so this has sort of become the night when the boys and I get out of the house and do something fun. Last week we went to the toy store, and this week, I think a walk to the ice cream parlor is in order. We'll just grab something quick for dinner.

Friday: Tex-Mex chicken and white cheddar spaghetti. This looks simple and delicious, and white cheddar is one of my favorite cheeses.

Saturday: Chicken parmesan casserole and salad. YUM.

Sunday: BBQ chicken enchiladas, Mexican sour cream rice. I haven't completely conceptualized these enchiladas yet; however, I know that they will involve cream cheese, Sweet Baby Ray's honey chipotle BBQ sauce, and chipotle enchilada sauce. So how could they not be good?

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 5.21.12

We're having a lazy day today. Right now, my younger son is napping, while my older one is having some quiet time on the couch, watching Bubble Guppies. Earlier we baked cookies, and I've done a bit of cleaning (although not nearly as much as I should've done). We tried playing outside for a while, but it's just so hot, and the boys got tired pretty quickly. I'm not going to complain too much but, um, 86 degrees seems a little warm for May, doesn't it?

I can't believe May is almost over, though. It's been a busy month already, and we're entering what will probably be the busiest week of this month. Next weekend is Memorial Day weekend, and we have a couple of cook-outs to attend. I'm also hosting my monthly cooking club on Saturday, so, um, I really should post this quickly and go clean my house more thoroughly.

Monday: Ravioli with bacon pesto mushroom cream sauce, garlic bread. I learned my lesson from last time I made this, and I'm doubling the recipe this time.

Tuesday: Texican burgers and Mexican rice. Joe and I recently bought a box of 36 burger patties for Andrew's birthday party on Mother's Day, and we have quite a few left over. I used some for the fried pickle ranch burgers, and I'll make use of the patties again for these. I've been excited to try these burgers for a while.

Wednesday: Brats with sauerkraut and whole wheat tortellini salad. Joe was so excited when he saw that I put brats on the menu. They're probably his favorite summertime food.

Thursday: Penne with chicken and vegetables in roasted garlic cream sauce, garlic bread. I know, I know: two cream sauces in one week. This one just sounds too good to resist, though!

Friday: Pork sandwiches with sour cream sauce, steamed broccoli. I love these sandwiches, and it's been too long since I made them.

Saturday: My cooking club. We're doing Greek food. I'm hosting, so I'm responsible for the main dish and the drinks. I haven't quite decided what I'm making yet, but I think I'm going to do marinated chicken and lamb (or beef) for gyros. For the cocktail, I think I'm going to make a Greek Tiger, which is ouzo and orange juice with a splash of lime, served over ice. But I think I'm going to blend it with ice instead, like a margarita or a daiquiri. It's supposed to be 90 degrees on Saturday, so I think it'll be really refreshing!

Sunday: We're going to a cook-out for Memorial Day at my aunt's house. I don't know what I'll be making yet, but I'm sure it'll be some kind of dessert. They always want me to make dessert -- not that I mind. :) I'm thinking a strawberry pie would be perfect...

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 5.7.12

I hope you're all having a great weekend. We're finally recovering from the nasty cold that struck our entire household last week, thank goodness. Having sick kids is no fun, but being sick while your kids are sick is even less fun.

Thankfully, last week was a relatively peaceful week for me, so I was able to relax a bit and concentrate on feeling better. This coming week is promising to be really busy again, so having a plan in place for our meals is going to be really important. The boys and I sat down yesterday and made the meal plan together, and I must say that they picked out a couple of delicious things! They picked solely on how appealing the pictures were, though...so we'll see how well they actually eat the meals they chose.

Monday: Smoky white bean chicken chili, cheese quesadillas. This is a carry-over meal from last week. It's supposed to be really warm tomorrow, but we'll be eating in our air-conditioned house (usually I wait until after Memorial Day to turn the air on, but it's been so hot I had to break down!), so I'm not too worried about having chili for dinner.

Tuesday: Maple-glazed chicken with pineapple salsa, rice. As soon as PW posted this meal, I couldn't wait to make it. I don't think I'm going to do kabobs -- just grilled chicken breasts. I have tons of rice left over from a get-together for Andrew's birthday last night, so I'll just reheat that to go alongside.

Wednesday: My sister-in-law had a baby last Thursday (I'm an aunt!), so we'll be going to her place to visit and meet the new little princess. We'll probably eat on the way, and I'm taking cheesy sausage penne and some vanilla pudding chocolate chip cookies for the new family to enjoy.

Thursday: It's Andrew's fourth birthday, so we'll eat out. Andrew's choice! I'm resigned to the fact that it'll probably be Chuck-E-Cheese.

Friday: Sloppy joe squares and tortellini salad. Andrew and Will picked this one, so we'll see what they think of their choice.

Saturday: Fried pickle ranch burgers, fries. I'm sure this one is self-explanatory and, I'm pretty sure, a stroke of genius on my part. Fried pickes! On burgers! YES PLEASE.

Sunday: Chicken enchilada quiche, salad. Another one chosen by the boys. Real men eat quiche, after all!

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 4.30.12

I can't believe it's the last day of April. I really just can't believe it. This month has been such a busy month, both personally and professionally, and it absolutely flew by. I guess when you're constantly working on something and barely have time even to breathe, it's easy to forget what day it is and how quickly the time is passing.

And now suddenly it's nearly May, and my oldest son turns four years old in a mere eleven days. Talk about time passing quickly! He is just the sweetest little boy, and I love him to pieces. He also hasn't been feeling too great for the past few days, so I hope he's over whatever this is by his birthday.

The meal plan this week is shortened because of his upcoming birthday. We're having two small parties for him this weekend, and I'm not exactly sure yet what we'll do foodwise.

I'm hoping that May is much less busy, or at least that I'm able to manage my time better so I can share receips with you more often. I really miss posting here regularly. I really, really miss it.

Monday: Turkey bacon ranch sliders on pretzel rolls, chips. This is a carry-over from last week. I bought some frozen pretzel rolls at the grocery store that'll be perfect for these. I'll add tomato and Swiss cheese to the sandwiches, and maybe some baby spinach. These are based on a delicious sandwich I once had in my work cafeteria, actually.

Tuesday: Boursin chicken quesadillas, steamed broccoli, rice. Another carry-over from last week. I was going to add bacon to these (and still might) but worry that its flavor will over-power the other ingredients. I may just go with the chicken and cheese.

Wednesday: Gyro meatball lettuce wraps, Greek quinoa. I can't wait to try these lettuce wraps, and since I made quinoa for the first time a couple of weeks ago, I'm finding myself craving it. I think I'm hooked! I'll be adding chickpeas and feta to the quinoa, too.

Thursday: Joe has softball practice. So it's sandwich night at our place.

Friday: Smoky white bean chicken chili, cheese quesadillas for dipping. Too warm for chili? Nah! This version looks delicious.

Saturday: Andrew's party, part 1.

Sunday: Andrew's party, part 2.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 4.23.12

It’s Monday again, which means it’s meal planning time again, which is hilarious in and of itself because it implies that I’ll actually be cooking. I’ve been so incredibly busy lately that I’ve definitely been ignoring the meal plan more often in favor of sandwiches or other easy meals. I’m forcing myself to cook every single meal on the plan this week, though, because I’m sick of wasting ingredients.

Without further ado (and without many more words, because of the whole so-busy-I-could-cry thing), the meals that I’ve sworn to prepare this week:

Monday: Chicken enchilada pasta

Tuesday: BBQ chicken sandwiches with onion strings and fries

Wednesday: Berry buttermilk pancakes, tater tots, sausage links

Thursday: Joe has softball practice, so the boys will be getting Happy Meals and I’ll probably just have a sandwich.

Friday: Boursin bacon chicken quesadillas, steamed broccoli, rice

Saturday: Italian macaroni and cheese

Sunday: Turkey bacon ranch slicers on pretzel rolls, chips

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 4.16.12

I had a lot of trouble coming up with the meal plan for this week, but now that I look back over the meals I’ve scheduled, I’m pretty happy with my selections. I’ve been a slacker at planning our meals lately, waiting until the last possible moment before going grocery shopping to get it done, but I’ve made some yummy things lately – so maybe this is a good strategy? Who knows – it’s Monday. I don’t think my brain is working properly yet.

I hope you all had a nice weekend. We did, although our power randomly went out yesterday for the entire day. This put a definite kink in the Crock pot meal I’d planned, so we’re having that meal tonight. The rest of the menu is all new recipes, and I’m excited for each and every one.

Monday: Pesto-fredo Crock pot chicken over whole wheat spaghetti. I’d just added the chicken and the sauce to the Crock pot yesterday when our power went off, so I just stuck the whole thing in the fridge, and we’re having it for dinner tonight. The sauce smelled fantastic as I was mixing it yesterday, so I can’t wait for dinner! I’ve also switched our family completely to whole wheat pasta products in an effort to be a bit healthier. I love whole wheat pasta, and no one else has complained, so it works out well.

Tuesday: French dip crescents, rosemary roasted potatoes, steamed broccoli. These crescent roll sandwiches sound pretty fantastic. I though the roasted potatoes would go perfectly with them, and I may even dip the potatoes in the au jus (let it be known: I LOVE AU JUS).

Wednesday: BBQ chicken sandwiches with onion straws, fries. I saw Jeff Mauro make onion straws for a sandwich on an older episode of his show, and it immediately made me think of the BBQ chicken sandwich I sometimes get at Red Robin. I have to try to duplicate it at home.

Thursday: Chicken enchilada pasta. Joe has softball practice on Thursday nights, so I think this pasta will reheat well for him to eat when he gets home. It should also be easy enough for me to make while on solo parent duty.

Friday: Greek burgers and pita chips. My friend Leigh suggested these burgers when I asked for help planning my menu. Since I’ve been thinking of Greek burgers for a while and am currently sort of obsessed with Greek food, I put these on the meal plan immediately. I can’t wait to have them!

Saturday: My cooking club dinner. We’re having vegan food this month, and I’m making pineapple quinoa.

Sunday: Grilled chicken parmesan over whole wheat spaghetti, grilled bruschetta. This dish was inspired by an Olive Garden commercial. Yes, that’s right. Apparently they have a new grilled chicken parmesan dish, and when I saw the commercial for it, I thought to myself, “Hey, I can make that at home.” I’ll be sure to let you know how it turns out! The bruschetta is a friend’s recipe, and it’s the best I’ve ever tried. I’ll grill the bread to give it that smoky-crusty quality.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 4.9.12

Happy Monday! Except, not really. I am definitely having a “case of the Mondays” today. So far today, I’ve: misplaced a favorite pair of earrings; forgotten to wash the conditioner out of my hair; grabbed a pillowcase instead of pants when I was getting dressed; had to return home for something that I forgot on my way to work, making me late; and dealt with irritating computer issues. It’s all been REALLY VERY FUN HAHA.

I did, however, have a very Happy Easter, and I hope all of you did too. The boys had so much fun and were on a major sugar high for most of the day, until crashing for the night before 7:00. The silence that came after they went to bed was very welcome, that’s for sure. And check out this bird’s nest we found while walking around Joe’s aunt’s property after our Easter dinner:

Such a cool thing to see on a beautiful, spring-like Easter Sunday!

The menu this week was thrown together literally right before I went shopping on Friday. There are a couple of egg-based meals, since Joe over-bought eggs when they were on sale a week ago and we have more on hand than we could possibly eat or dye.

Monday: Southwestern breakfast wraps. I’ll definitely share the recipe for these; they’re going to be something I just throw together. I find that I’m not very enthusiastic about cooking on Mondays (especially not this Monday!), so this meal should come together quickly for us – and be absolutely delicious, too!

Tuesday: Grilled Cajun ranch chicken pasta. It’s supposed to be a little chilly tomorrow, but I’m hoping Joe will still be willing to fire up the grill for this pasta dish, which I never got around to making when it was on the menu a month or so ago.

Wednesday: Spinach and feta omelets with roasted tomato jam, strawberries and blackberries, toast. I’m pumped for this meal; the omelets are one of my very favorite flavor profiles.

Thursday: Black bean and salsa soup, cheese quesadillas. Another simple meal for another night of the week that I typically find myself unmotivated to cook dinner. Even the boys like this soup.

Friday: BBQ chicken pizza. Not this one (which is delicious in its own right). I’m making this particular pizza to mimic one I had with my best friend when we went out for appetizers and drinks before a concert last week. It was so delicious, and I can’t wait to see how my at-home version turns out.

Saturday: Baked chicken penne. I have sundried tomatoes on hand for another recipe, which is one of those luxurious ingredients I hardly ever buy, so I’m eager to use the ones I have left over in this pasta dish.

Sunday: Pesto-fredo Crock pot chicken over whole wheat spaghetti. This chicken looks easy and delicious. (I made up my own name for it. A little hobby of mine.)

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 4.2.12

I really can’t believe it’s April already. Joe’s birthday and Easter are both coming up this weekend, and I am not at all prepared for either of those events. Thankfully I have the day off on Friday, so I should be able to get some things done then. Here’s hoping!

The menu this week contains a few meals that are carried over from previous weeks, but after this week, I anticipate our meals to move considerably into lighter, seasonal fare. Even though our winter was mild, it was still winter, and it’s left me craving lots of fruits and vegetables – and lots of grilled foods, too.

Monday: I’m going to a concert tonight with my best friend, so we’ll be hitting up a happy hour beforehand for appetizers and margaritas. The boys are spending the night with my mother-in-law, so Joe’s on his own for dinner.

Tuesday: Taco-lime grilled chicken with apple-avocado salsa, Mexican rice, grilled asparagus. I’m really excited for this one, even though it’s still coming together in my mind. I think it’ll be delicious!

Wednesday: Cheeseburgers on the grill, pasta salad, chips

Thursday: Spicy bacon spaghetti – a carry-over from last week.

Friday: Pork chops with prosciutto cream sauce, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli. This is a recipe from the early days of my blog that I’m revisiting. I loved it then, and I can’t believe I haven’t made it since. I’ll be sure to share it with you all again after I rework it.

Saturday: Joe’s birthday! I’m finally going to make him the sausage pancakes on sticks that I’ve been promising for weeks now.

Sunday: Easter. We’ll be having dinner with Joe’s family. I’m not sure exactly what my contribution will be, but I’ll definitely be making a few things.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 3.26.12

Once again, I’m bringing you my meal plan a day late. I actually think I’m going to start posting it on Mondays, because these days I’m just not able to find the time to plan my meals until the last minute. This weekend, for instance, I was still planning our dinners and writing my grocery list five minutes before leaving for the store.

March has been such a busy month, and my blog has definitely suffered. So has my cooking, for that matter! I haven’t been cooking nearly as much as usual. I do have quite a few delicious things planned for this week, though, and my schedule is starting to slow down ever-so-slightly, so hopefully it’ll be business as usual around here again soon.

Monday: Sausage pancakes on sticks, tater tots. I didn’t get to make these last week, and I’m pretty excited about them. The boys are going to love them.

Tuesday: Chicken suiza pockets, Mexican rice. This meal is still coming together in my mind, but I’m envisioning the flavors of enchiladas suizas all wrapped up inside a crescent roll. Sounds good, right?

Wednesday: Spicy bacon spaghetti

Thursday: Rosemary ranch chicken, baked potatoes, grilled asparagus. It’s time to break out the grill, and I can’t think of a more delicious meal to christen it with!

Friday: Sour cream and bacon chicken, rice pilaf, steamed broccoli

Saturday: Sausage and tomato risotto

Sunday: We have plans for a cook-out with my family. Hopefully the weather holds! I’m responsible for dessert, and am making no-bake Nutella cheesecake pie.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 3.19.12

Sorry the meal plan is a day late, guys. This has been such a busy month for me that I’m just trying my best to stay afloat and keep up with all of my have-to commitments, let alone my want-to commitment to this blog.

Speaking of commitments, the baby shower I hosted for my sister-in-law on Saturday went off without a single hitch. Everyone had such a wonderful time, and I got lots of compliments on the food. I’ll be sharing a few of the recipes with you in the coming weeks!

Here’s what we’re eating this week.

Monday: Greek beef tacos. I didn’t make these last week (I actually only cooked twice all week!), so I’m looking forward to having them tonight. It’ll actually probably be just me eating them. Joe worked last night, and Andrew has pink-eye and can’t go to daycare, so Joe’s staying up with our boy at home today. He’s such an awesome dad. I’m sure he’ll crash the instant I get home tonight, but that’s okay – more for me!

Tuesday: BLT caprese sliders and chips. How cute are these sandwiches? I can’t wait to try them.

Wednesday: Baked ziti and garlic bread. This version of baked ziti comes highly recommended by Debbie, so I can't wait to try it. And I need to do so before I switch gears to lighter spring meals!

Thursday: Sausage pancakes on sticks, tater tots. As soon as I saw Ree make these on her show, I knew we’d be having them sooner rather than later.

Friday: I’m having lunch with my sister and then going to see The Hunger Games in the afternoon, and I’m not sure what time I’ll get home. We’ll probably order pizza.

Saturday: My cooking club is meeting in the evening, and I’m responsible for the dessert portion of the meal. I’m making tiramisu cake, suggested by my friend Jessie.

Sunday: Spinach-artichoke baked pasta. This sounds similar to a couple of things I’ve made before, but I can’t wait to try this version. If it has cream cheese and sour cream in it, you know it’s a winner in my book.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 3.12.12

Happy Daylight Savings Time Day! DST is always a double-edged sword in our house: It's nice to have the extra light in the evening, but it's difficult because my kids don't always get the concept of it. I'm hoping the transition this year goes pretty smoothly, but we shall see.

The meal plan is somewhat abbreviated this week, since I'll be spending a lot of time preparing for a baby shower I'm hosting next weekend. I'm kind of freaking out about it, and it's entirely possible that I actually won't cook anything at all this week because I'll be working so hard to prepare for it. At least it's not at my house, so I don't have to worry about having the whole house spotless (because it's sooo not right now).

My birthday is also this week, so we'll actually be going out to dinner to celebrate on Wednesday. I can't remember the last time we took the boys out to eat at a restaurant. Wish us luck.

Monday: Spinach and chicken tortilla bake, Mexican rice. Horrible photo notwithstanding, Joe still talks about this dish as being one of the most delicious things I’ve made, ever. I’m making it a priority to get a better picture this time.

Tuesday: Buttermilk chicken tenders and French fries. I fried up some chicken fingers for another recipe last week, and I just had to try them before I coated them in hot sauce. They were so delicious on their own that I’m putting them, sauce-less, on our meal plan this week.

Wednesday: It’s my birthday! I’m taking the night off from making dinner, of course, and we’re going out.

Thursday: Greek beef tacos. You know I like something when I put it on our menu twice in three weeks. My mouth is already watering, just thinking about these tacos. I may not be able to wait until Thursday to make them.

Friday: Chinese take-out. I’m hosting a baby shower on Saturday, and I’ll have a lot of prepping to do for the food the night before. Dinner needs to be very low-maintenance.

Saturday: Probably pizza or fast food. I’m not even going to pretend to want to make dinner after my hosting duties are through.

Sunday: Chicken tetrazzini. I’m trying yet another version (I didn’t get around to making my own version a couple of weeks ago), and I think this one has definite promise.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 3.5.12

It's March!! Although this isn't notoriously the best weather month for Ohio, it does happen to be my very favorite month of the year. My birthday is this month. Adding to my excitement this year are a baby shower I'm throwing for my sister-in-law, and the release of The Hunger Games, a movie I've been anticipating for I don't even know how long.

With the arrival of March, it also seems as though I've regained my enthusiasm for cooking. I made some delicious meals last week that I can't wait to share with you, and I'm really excited about everything on our meal plan this week, too.

Monday: Grilled balsamic chicken with mozzarella and pesto, noodles with roasted cherry tomatoes, steamed asparagus. This chicken looks absolutely delicious. For the noodles, I'll just toss some thin spaghetti with butter, parmesan cheese, herbs, and the roasted tomatoes.

Tuesday: Buffalo chicken quesadillas. Jury's still out on what I'll serve with these, but I'm sure no matter what I decide on, these quesadillas will be the star of the meal.

Wednesday: Crock pot ranch pork chops, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli. These pork chops are simple, delicious and flavorful -- a perfect Hump Day meal!

Thursday: Chicken and broccoli pockets, rice pilaf. I knew I'd be making these as soon as I saw them on Leigh's blog. We definitely have a mutual love of crescent rolls.

Friday: Salsa chicken taco salads. Everyone makes salsa chicken, it seems, and I'm eager to use it in a taco salad.

Saturday: Not-so-dirty dirty rice. I have a roll of spicy sausage in the freezer just waiting to be used in this rice. My friend Allison tried it and loved it, so I'm sure we will too.

Sunday: Burrito chicken enchiladas. We haven't had enchiladas for a while, and these look absolutely delicious.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 2.27.12

As I type this, my kids are being so quiet. I know I shouldn't type that because it will surely jinx this wonderful thing that is happening, but I can't help it. They're getting along so well and playing so nicely and peacefully together. So I'm going to post this meal plan all quick-like so I can bask in the quiet while it lasts.

Monday: I'll be in a meeting at work late, so Joe and the boys are on their own. They'll have pizza or spaghetti, I'm sure.

Tuesday: Cashew chicken wraps, chips. Yes, these are on the menu for the third week in a row, and I still haven't made them! I have no excuse for this.

Wednesday: Chicken-bacon bundles, steamed broccoli. My friend Leigh e-mailed me about these last week because she thought they sounded like something I'd enjoy (she knows me so well!), and I couldn't wait to put them on our menu.

Thursday: Chicken Caesar sandwiches, fries. I pinned these sandwiches on Pinterest a long time ago, and when I saw that Stephanie made them and loved them, I knew I needed to get around to making them.

Friday: Greek tacos. I think these look so good. I'm going to make some tzatziki sauce to go with them, too.

Saturday: Chicken tetrazzini. I'm trying my own version this time. I've tried lots of different recipes for this classic dish, but I haven't been completely happy with any of them. Let's see what I can come up with on my own!

Sunday: Chicken with boursin mushroom cream sauce, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli. This dish is full of my favorite things!