What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
Last week was pretty full of fun activities with the girls off from school for Spring Break. We got to spend some time together with our family both at home and a few days in Charleston. I was so sad that the girls had to go back to school this morning, but thankful for our fun time together. Having the menu ready in the evenings has been a big benefit for our family and makes the evenings go much smoother. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Seafood Entree): Spaghetti & Meatballs, French Bread
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Sandwiches, Fruit Salad
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Chicken Pot Pie, Fresh Fruit
- Thursday (Pasta or Pork Entree): Pasta Casserole, Steamed Vegetables
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef or seafood entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
Fresh Vegetable & Pasta Soup
Recently I put together a soup with some items I had already in the refrigerator. We were going out of town and I needed to use up some of the fresh vegetables already in the fridge. This was super easy and everyone enjoyed it.
Fresh Vegetable & Pasta Soup
- 1 carton Tomato Juice
- 1 small Zucchini
- 1 small Summer Squash
- 2 medium Carrots
- 1 cup sliced Mushrooms
- 2 cups Elbow Noodles
Add all the items to the crockpot. Stir until it is mixed together and put the crockpot on low for 6 hours.
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
Last week was pretty full, but thankful for some time spent with family and friends. Having the menu ready in the evenings has been a big benefit for our family and makes the evenings go much smoother. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Seafood Entree): Cheeseburger & Macaroni, Asparagus
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Tacos, Corn
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Chicken Noodle Soup, Homemade Bread
- Thursday (Pasta or Pork Entree): Blueberry Pancakes, Fresh Fruit
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef or seafood entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
Chicken Pasta Bake
The other day I had leftover items that I needed to use up so I came up with this Chicken Pasta Bake. I don’t like letting leftovers go to waste and this casserole turned out really well. You can play around with this recipe and add various ingredients depending what you have in the refrigerator that needs to be used up.
Chicken Pasta Bake
- 1 lb sliced, cooked, and season Chicken Breasts
- 16 oz Noodles (any type, I used Rotini)
- 2 cups shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Mushrooms (optional)
- 1 cup Pasta Sauce (optional)
Grease an 9×13 pyrex dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If your pasta has not already been cooked, go ahead and make it according to the directions on the box. While the pasta is cooking if your chicken is not already sliced and cooked go ahead and slice your chicken and cook it in a skillet, bake or fry it (add whatever seasoning you want to it). Layer drained pasta noodles on the bottom of the pyrex then mix a cup of pasta sauce in with the noodles. Layer the chicken and mushrooms (if using mushrooms) on top of the pasta. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted completely.
Spinach & Mushroom Alfredo Pizza
Our family enjoys making homemade pizza. One of our favorite recipes is the Spinach & Mushroom Alfredo Pizza recipe. Instead of the marina sauce we use Alfredo sauce on the pizza with fresh spinach, mushrooms, black olives, and cheese. The pizza is delicious!
You can use your favorite pizza dough recipe. If you are looking for a great one here’s our favorite pizza dough recipe!
The next time you make pizza try using the white sauce and adding different toppings. You might just be pleasantly surprised by the great combination. We love it making white pies!
The girls thought it was hilarious after we had eaten the pizza the remaining pieces formed a giant T shape!
Phillycheese Steak Sandwich
Jake made this meal for us a little while ago. I love his Phillycheese steak sandwiches. They are delicious! This time around he did a Phillycheese steak sandwich with a side of freshly sauteed vegetables. Do I need to mention how much I love it when he cooks? 🙂
Phillycheese Steak Sandwich
- 1 pound thinly slice Beef Steak
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1/2 medium Onion (thinly sliced)
- 8 ounces Fresh Mushrooms (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 cup shredded or 4 slices Provolone Cheese
- 4 Hoagie Buns
Trim off any extra fat from the beef and cut the meat into thin slices. Set aside. Heat oil on medium-to-high in a large frying pan. Add onion and season with salt and pepper, stirring occasionally. In a few minute (about 5) once the onions have softened and started turning brown add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until they are slightly browned.
Move all the vegetables to one side of the pan and add in the meat and cook for a few minutes until it is no longer pink. Divide the meat and vegetables into 4 equal piles. Spread the cheese evenly across the 4 piles of meat and let set aside for a moment.
Slice each hoagie bun and set on a plate. Transfer a pile of meat with a spatula to each hoagie bun and serve immediately.
Easy Saltine Toffee Candy
The Easy Saltine Toffee Candy is one of our favorite treats to make around the Holidays. It is delicious and super easy to make! This year we included a bag of Easy Saltine Toffee Candy in our gifts to our neighbors! After making it we placed the candy in decorative bags and put a bow. The Easy Saltine Toffee Candy is always a hit and you probably already have all the ingredients in your kitchen.
Easy Saltine Toffee Candy
- 1 sleeve salted Saltine crackers
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- Sprinkles (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray jelly roll pan with non-stick spray. Place a single layer of saltine crackers on the jelly roll pan (1 sleeve).
Melt brown sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once boiling, let it boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over crackers and bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes (or until bubbly).
Remove from oven and spread chocolate chips over the top of the crackers. Let stand for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to spread the melted chocolate. Shake some sprinkles over the top. Cool completely in the freezer for 1 hour or until the chocolate hardens.
Remove from freezer, break into small pieces, and serve . Store any leftovers in the fridge or freezer.
The sprinkles are optional. You can leave the top plain or add many other great items on it (such as nuts or a drizzle of white or red chocolate) to give it an extra special touch.
Side view of the Easy Saltine Toffee Candy
Kids in the Kitchen: Colorful Gingerbread Cookies
Tray full of Gingerbread cookies to share!
The girls love helping out in the kitchen. At some point over the Christmas Holidays we try to make cookies. The girls really enjoy decorating the cookies. We have done a variety of different cookies from sugar to gingerbread and more.
We typically turn on some Christmas music, whip up a batch of cookies, and play a game or read a book while the first batch is cooking. Once the first batch has cooled enough and others are baking in the oven we start decorating. As you can see from the pictures we used a couple varieties of frosting and decorations. The girls decorate them however they want and as many as they want (they stick to the decorating until the very last cookie is done).
It has been really neat seeing their skills improve over the past few years. You can actually tell what the shapes of most cookies are after they are done decorating nowadays. Plus, they have learned not to “lick” the frosting or their fingers during the whole process, ha! 🙂
Starting to fill the tray with colorful Gingerbread cookies. I especially like the Betty Crocker writable frosting because their easy to use for kids, only a little bit comes out, and you can stack the cookies together once they have dried.
Just looking at these make me smile! Some as you can see from the tops of the Christmas trees broke in the decorating process. Love seeing the girls creative juices get flowing.
Another rack of delicious gingerbread cookies, decorated with love! 🙂 Thankful for those quiet afternoons that we can spend relaxing and decorating cookies together.
Next time I need to do better about taking pictures of the kids too. I only have a couple of pictures of the girls just starting to make the cookies that didn’t really turn out. Once we got into the cooking and decorating I got swept away with the fun that I didn’t pull the camera back out until all the cookies were done. Hopefully, next time I will have more kid pictures to share. Does your family like to decorate cookies, if so what kind is your favorite?
Torani Pumpkin Pie & Hazelnut Flavored Syrups
Hot Chocolate with Torani Hazelnut Syrup, Cool Whip, and Sprinkles
What is the secret ingredient behind those amazing coffee shop drinks that you and I enjoy so much? It is the delicious syrups they use to flavor them. Torani flavored syrups are made in the USA and are used at restaurants and coffeehouses in more than 40 countries around the world. The best part is you can get these amazing flavored syrups and make your favorite drinks at home!
As the weather gets cooler you may enjoy a hot cup of coffee to help jump start you on a crisp morning even more or a cup of hot chocolate by the fire with the family as you relax together on a cold evening. Of course you may be in an area that is warm and would rather grab a smoothie or an iced coffee.
Torani Pumpkin Pie and Hazelnut Syrups
I was thrilled to hear that SheSpeaks teamed up with Torani and they were sending me some Torani Flavored Syrups to try! I received the Salted Caramel and Peppermint flavored syrups. They are delicious! I have been having fun trying out a variety of fun recipes both Torani’s Recipes and ones that I have come up with myself.
Torani offers over 120 Regular and Sugar Free Flavored Syrups which are the perfect compliment to your favorite Coffee, Espresso, Hot Chocolate, Lattes, Smoothies, Teas, and many other drinks you enjoy. I have even used Torani Flavored Syrups in a few recipes while I was baking and they turned out great! Our favorite baked goods were Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup in our Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins and Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup in our Pumpkin Dip! My favorite way to eat / drink Torani Hazelnut Syrup is with a cup of coffee (hot or iced) and in hot chocolate. Torani Flavored Syrups will add an extra special touch to your next party celebration!
Coffee and cream with a touch of Torani Hazelnut Syrup
Use them in
- Flavored Coffees / Espresso Drinks
- Italian Sodas
- Flavored Tea, both hot and cold
- Flavored Lemonade
- Flavored Sodas (or Pop as we say in the Midwest!)
- Cocktails
- Mocktails
- Flavored Energy Drinks
Our family tried a variety of delicious recipes with our Torani Flavored Syrups! The ones from Torani’s recipes are awesome so if your interested in getting started that’s a great resource.
These Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins are super easy to make and taste awesome. The last time I made these for a group of friends only 2 came home with us and the girls begged to take them in their school lunches. You will not have to add any water, eggs or oil to this recipe and the muffin will still turn out with a moist.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
- 1 box Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 can (15 oz) Pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup
- 4 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
- 4 tablespoons Powdered Sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line 24 muffin tins. Mix together yellow cake mix, canned pumpkin, and Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup until blended (the batter will be thicker than your typically cake mix). Scoop evenly into muffin tins (I use an ice cream scoop) and set aside. In another bowl blend softened cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Drop a small spoonful of the cream cheese mixture on top of each muffin. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven, cool, and sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar over the top of each muffin prior to serving.
The Big Book of Slow Cooker Casseroles & More by Betty Crocker
The best part about using my crockpot is on those super busy days I can stick a meal in it and when we all come home at night dinner is ready to eat. My sweet husband, for my birthday last week, got me The Big Book of Slow Cooker Casseroles & More by Betty Crocker and I LOVE it!
After the Thanksgiving Holiday we had some leftover ham that needed to be eaten up. So I grabbed my new book and found a great recipe to try “Ham & Wild Recipe Soup” and made it up on the cool Fall day. The soup was delicious plus it helped me utilize some of the leftover ham.
I already have several of the other recipes marked to try soon. I am thankful for quick easy meals especially on those crazy days. This cookbook will come in really handy as we approach the busy Holiday season too.
