Our Menu: Week of March 10 to 16

Taco Salad

As easy as it sounds.  Cook some ground chicken (or beef if you eat it!) with taco seasoning and then make a big salad.  I like to add sliced olives, pickled jalapeno peppers (in a can in the Mexican section of the grocery store), diced peppers of any colour, some black beans if I have a can, cucumber, shredded cheese, tomatoes, salsa and sour cream.  We also crumble corn tortilla chips on top.  I’ve been making my own chips but you can just buy a bag instead to make it easier.

Mushroom Casserole

A hearty, delicious vegetarian entrée.  I would also consider making this to take to a large family dinner as a side.  Will definitely make again!  Click HERE for the recipe. 

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans and Potatoes 

See THIS post. As I mentioned in the aforementioned post, I did go lighter on the lemon this time by omitting the lemon slices in the baking pan.  It was still a bit lemony, so will reduce the amount of juice again next time.  Love this dish, though!  

Cajun Stewed Red Beans and Ham

You may not know that my hubs’ Mom is from Louisiana and most of his family still lives in that area.  I hope that my version of this would be OK by them!  I took this recipe from a cookbook I borrowed from the library called $3 Meals.  Now I don’t know where this author shops because there’s no way this meal (or any in the book) could possibly cost $3.00, but it was good and I’ll make it again.  I used canned kidney beans instead of dried, which cut the prep time down by a lot.  I also used maybe 2 cups of water, not 8 like the recipe says. We had it over rice with a salad.

Here’s my modified recipe:

1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 medium onions finely chopped

2 celery ribs finely chopped

1 red pepper finely chopped (original says green pepper)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon paprika

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 cups of water

1 pound cooked ham, diced into ½ inch pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

Hot red pepper sauce to taste

Heat oil in a 3-quart sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Add onions, celery, red pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until onions are translucent.  Add paprika, bay leaves and thyme and cook over low heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add the beans and water and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Simmer for about 15 minutes.  Add the ham and simmer an additional 15 minutes.  Remove and discard bay leaves and season to taste with salt, pepper and hot red pepper sauce.  Serve over rice. 

Brown Rice Spaghetti with Homemade Meat Sauce and Salad

As I mentioned in this post, I made a big batch of pasta sauce and froze it.  I think it’s better the second time around.

Our Menu: Week of February 18 to 24

Ham and Potato Soup with a Salad

This soup was really hearty and what I would definitely call comfort food.  It would have been great with a baguette for dipping, but alas, wheat and I have parted ways. Here’s the recipe.

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

I love a good one-dish meal and this one was fabulous!  I made it for Sunday dinner but as long as you have 50 minutes to bake it, it was quick to throw together.  I might go a bit lighter on the lemon next time by not putting the slices in the bottom of the baking dish.  I will be adding this to our regular dinner rotation!  Find it HERE.  

Chicken Asparagus Penne and Caesar Salad

This pasta dish is a favourite in our house and one we’ve had on rotation for several years.  It is super-quick and delicious.  I don’t have a formal recipe for this one, but this is what I do:

Cook a bag of penne pasta (I use brown rice pasta).

In a large skillet (I use a wok-like deep frying pan), cook 3 or 4 chicken breasts cut up into bite size pieces in some olive oil.  Add in a few cloves of minced garlic (to your taste), some salt and pepper and add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional).  Cut the asparagus into 1 inch pieces and add it to the chicken once cooked, but only when the pasta is cooked and you’re ready to mix everything… nobody likes mushy asparagus!  Add the pasta and drizzle some more olive oil to coat it.  Grate a bunch of FRESH parmesan cheese, stir it up and cook just till the cheese is melted.  YUM!

Easy Crockpot Fiesta Chicken with Rice and Broccoli

I found this recipe on Pinterest!  Very good, would definitely make it again.  I used 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts, but would cut it to 6 at the most next time, as it made a LOT for just the three of us.  I served it over rice with some grated cheddar to garnish and steamed broccoli.  Here’s the recipe.

Mexican Pulled Pork and Pinto Beans (Crock Pot) with Roasted Cauliflower

See THIS post!  For the cauliflower, I toss it with some olive oil and salt and pepper and roast it in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes or till it’s done.   

Pork Stir Fry

This is also a repeat – click HERE.

Pita Pizzas

As simple as it sounds!  Pitas make a great thin pizza crust.  I buy a can of pizza sauce, some mozzarella, pepperoni and use whatever veggies we have on hand like onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc.  They cook up very fast in the oven – 5 minutes or so at 400 then I usually broil them for a minute or two at the end. 

Happy cooking!