Weekly Meal Plan

This weeks meal plan is brought to you by " Frankenstorm"!  I'm not sure if we will lose power so I had to take that into consideration.  This is how my week will look.

Monday- Hot dogs with chips or fries.

Tuesday- Grilled Chicken with vegetables

Wednesday- Pancakes, turkey bacon and toast with jelly

Thursday- Chili ( made this on Sunday to freeze)

Friday- Chicken pot pie pockets


*The only one that might change is Friday and that is if we lose power and don't have it back on.  I'm hopeful we won't lose power*

*Every night does not have to take hours to prepare or cook.  Short and simple works just as well.*

Grocery List

Monday:
Hot dogs- I use turkey dogs because they are only 80 calories.
Fries/chips

Tuesday:
Chicken breast or strips
Canned or frozen vegetables

Wednesday:
Bisquick - make sure you have Milk and Eggs.  If not add those to the list.
Bacon- I use Turkey bacon
Bread/Biscuits
Jelly/Jam

Thursday: ( recipe at bottom)
Sausage- or Beef- I use sausage for my Chili. Hot sausage for that matter
1 Can of crushed tomatoes
1 Can of Kidney beans (tall can)
1 Packet of Chili mix
Jalapenos (optional) We like our Chili HOT!

Friday: (recipe at bottom)
Chicken strips or breast
1 Can of Veg-all or a bag of frozen mixed vegetable (thawed)
1 Can of biscuits
1 Can of Cream of Chicken soup

Hot Chili (Thursday)

Hot sausage (Jimmy Dean)

1 can of fire hot crushed tomatoes

1 can of kidney beans (tall can)

1 packet of chili mix (low sodium)

3 jalapenos (chopped with seeds)

Cook Sausage. Chop jalapenos.  Open Cans. Pour everything in crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  If you do not like hot food then omit the Hot sausage for regular sausage, the can of fire hot crushed tomatoes for regular crushed tomatoes and leave out the jalapenos altogether.

Chicken Pot Pie Pockets (Friday)

4 to 6 Chicken strips

1 can of Veg-all

1 can of cream of chicken

1 can of biscuits

Cook chicken and shred. Mix in vegetables and soup with chicken.  Take your biscuits and separate the layers. Flatten out your bottom layer and fill with your chicken mixture.  Lay your top layer on top and press sides together all the way around to seal.  Bake in over at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Hope you find this helpful!  Enjoy!

Sante Fe' Soup

 You can use beef or chicken.  I always use chicken.

7 to 8 chicken strips (frozen)
1 large onion chopped
2 pkgs dry hidden valley ranch dressing mix (I use one)
2 pkgs taco seasoning mix (I use one and low sodium)
2 11oz cans white corn
2 cups water
1 16oz can each of: black beans, pinto beans and kidney beans
1 14.5oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 10oz can of diced tomatoes and chilies (I use rotel)

Put everything in crock pot and let cook on low for 8 hours.  Don't drain any of the cans.  It it a thick soup but if you think it's too thick you can add a little more water or chicken broth.

 It can be done on the stove as well if you don't have time for the crock pot.  Just cook the chicken first, then add everything else and cook simmering for 2 hours. Before you serve, shred chicken and put back in.

Serve with sour cream, green onions and grated cheese. You can eat plain also.  I usually eat with scoops.

Creamy Baked Spaghetti

I got a little fancy with this post!!

I LOVE spaghetti!  That and pizza, I think I could eat every day or every other day.  But I get tired of the traditional spaghetti and baked spaghetti.  So I did some looking around on Pinterest, yes I'm addicted!  I found a really good recipe and I just so happen to have most of the ingredients.  About 4 years ago I started to make my spaghetti with sausage.  It gives it a nice kick in flavor and we really like it.  I use Jimmy Dean regular or when I'm in NC, Bass Sausage regular.  If you like sausage you should give it a try one time.

So the recipe I found that I am going to share with you added another twist that I would have never thought about.  Cream Cheese.  It made it so creamy, hence the name I gave it.  Here are the ingredients.

1lb Sausage-regular

8 oz of spaghetti noodles

1 jar of spaghetti sauce- favorite brand

1 package of cream cheese- I used fat free

1 Ttablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon milk

1/2 onion-chopped

1 bell pepper-chopped-any color
Parmesan cheese

*the original recipe called for french onions to be placed on top about 5 minutes left to cook, but I omitted them.*



Cook noodles, drain.



Cook sausage, drain.







Dice onion and peppers



I use Ragu and Fat free cream cheese

1- Cook noodles and sausage.  Drain each.

2- While they are cooking, dice your onion and peppers.

3- In a small bowl, combine your butter, onions and peppers.  Cover and place in microwave for 3 minutes.

4- Pour spaghetti sauce in with sausage after you have drained it.  Let it heat for about 3 minutes.

5- Take bowl of veggies out and add cream cheese and milk.  Mix until all of the cheese is melted.

6- In a baking dish layer as this.



Add a little sauce to bottom of dish







Add  all of the noodles on top of sauce



Add cream cheese/veggie mixture on top of noodles



Cover with rest of sauce and Parmesan cheese

Place in oven at 350 degrees and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Take out and ENJOY!







Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas

Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas
Frozen chicken breast or strips (4-6 strips, 2 -3 breast)
1 can of rotel
Soft tortilla wraps
1 bag of Mexican Shredded Cheese

Place chicken (frozen) and rotel in crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours.  Once done, take chicken out and shred.  Place back in pot and mix with the rotel juices.  Once mixed, take out and drain juices so it doesn't make your tortilla soggy.  Heat griddle.  Place about 2 Tablespoons on chicken mixture in center of   tortilla, add about 1 Tablespoon of cheese.  Fold over and lay on griddle.  Close lid and wait about 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese starts to ooze out.  Once you take them off the griddle, let cool then cut in half.  Serve with salsa and sour cream or enjoy plain! 

Crock Pot Lasagna

Crock Pot Lasagna

Hamburger/sausage (whichever you prefer, I use sausage)
Dice 1 onion
1 jar of spaghetti sauce (large)
1 can of tomato paste (small)
Ricotta cheese (1 1/2 cups)
Garlic (2 gloves chopped)
1cup water
Salt/pepper
Oregano to taste
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
No cook lasagna noodles

Brown beef or sausage with onion and garlic.
Drain, add tomato sauce, water, paste, salt/pepper and oregano.
Mix and set aside.

Cheese mixture
Combine all the cheese and set side.

Spread 1/4 meat sauce in crock pot
Arrange 1/3 lasagna noodles over sauce
Spoon 1/3 of cheese mixture.
Repeat until top and leave meat sauce on top.
Cook low 5 hours

In the Kitchen with Megan

Hey Everyone!  I'm in the process of putting this blog together.  I started a family blog but felt that was too personal for me and couldn't find things to post daily or weekly for that matter.  However, I LOVE food and we (my family and yours) need to eat, so I thought what better way to share my favorites. This isn't anything professional and I don't have pictures of all the recipes.  It's a work in progress and I am always open to suggestions. I hope you find some things you like!   Enjoy!