This is going to be a short post this week. I'm in St. Louis for three days for an Intel train-the-trainer workshop, so my menu is pretty simple. I have a lasagna for my husband to eat while I'm gone, and then I've got some pretty simple meals planned for me and Corey when I get back. I do have some new recipes I will need to post, so look for them later in the week.

Here's this week's menu. Enjoy and have a great week! Be sure to follow me on Facebook to get fast updates from the blog. :)

Sunday - Lasagna, Salad, Crescent Rolls (Corey and I are in St. Louis, so this is what Eric gets to eat for the next couple of nights)
Monday - Lasagna, Salad, Crescent Rolls
Tuesday - Lasagna, Salad, Crescent Rolls
Wednesday - Brisket with Burgundy Sauce (182 cal), Green Beans, Lambert's Throwed Rolls, Salad
Thursday - Brisket sandwiches, Salad, Strawberries
Friday -White Chicken Pizza (new), Salad, Peaches
Saturday - Pork Tenderloin with Peach Honey Mustard (new), Oven Roasted Potatoes, Broccoli, Salad

For more menu ideas, visit orgjunkie.com.

Well, our holiday weekend didn't turn out quite as planned. We picked up Corey from Scholars Academy on Saturday, and decided to go on to my mom's house to swim for a while and watch the fireworks that night (it seems not many towns around here are actually doing fireworks on the 4th - bummer). My husband, being the big kid that he is, was playing in the pool with our nephews and ended up dislocating his shoulder. So, instead of watching fireworks, we spent the evening in the ER. He is ok now, but will be out of commission for a while. It stinks when your mind forgets that your body is 41 years old. :(

On a happier note, my book club luncheon last week was great. Be sure to check out the pictures and recipes.

This week my menu is based on cleaning out my freezer. I'm getting ready to do my annual summer freezer stock up, and I needed to get rid of a few items still left from previous stock-up sessions. I'll be posting more about my freezer prep for my fellow school teachers who might want to do a similar activity before school starts. It's such a time saver for me later in the year. I do have a couple of new recipes on tap for this week, so check back later for the pictures and details.

Here's this week's menu. Enjoy and have a great week! Be sure to follow me on Facebook to get fast updates from the blog. :)

Sunday - Open-Faced Chipotle BLTs, Strawberries
Monday - Turkey Brats on the grill, Salad, Green Beans, Blackberries
Tuesday - Ricotta Stuffed Meatballs (360 cal), Broccoli, Salad, Peaches
Wednesday - Turkey and Gravy (from freezer), Rice, Green Beans, Salad
Thursday - BBQ Chicken Won Ton Dippers (chicken from freezer - recipe soon), Corn, Salad, Strawberries
Friday - Tex Mex Chicken and Rice Bake (376 cal), Salad, Peaches
Saturday - Bacon and Cheese Stuffed Burgers, Salad, Strawberries
 

For more menu ideas, visit orgjunkie.com.  

My mother-in-law always has one of these in her freezer, and it is definitely a family favorite. I choose to make without a crust to save calories, and I'm simply one of those people that doesn't like crust with pies. :)

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (4 oz.) Baker's German sweet chocolate
1/3 cup skim milk
2 tbsp. sugar
4 oz. fat free cream cheese
8 oz. fat free whipped topping


Directions:

Heat chocolate and 2 tbsp of the milk in saucepan over low heat, stirring until chocolate is melted.  Beat sugar into cream cheese; add remaining milk and chocolate mixture and beat until smooth.  Fold in whipped topping, blending until smooth.  Spoon into a glass pie plate (or use a graham cracker or chocolate crust if you must).  Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.  Store any leftover pie in freezer.

Recipe adapted from one from Bonnie Matzat

These are yummy bars that have a brownie-like texture. Be sure to let them cool completely before cutting them.

Ingredients:

1 yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/3 C applesauce
1 (14oz) can fat free sweetened condensed milk
1 C dark chocolate chips
2 T butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix with the egg and applesauce.  Mixture will be dense. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 glass baking dish.  If need be, lightly grease your spatula or your hand with oil to aid in pressing the mix.

Meanwhile, combine the butter, chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk together in a large, microwavable bowl.Warm the mixture for about 2 1/2 minutes; stirring after 1 minute.  Pour over the cake mix layer.

Drop the reserved 1/3 of the cake mix in small spoonfuls on to the top of the fudge layer. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned. Cut into 18 squares.

Recipe Source - Finding Joy in My Kitchen

 This is a super simple recipe that looks very impressive. It's definitely a company-worthy recipe.

Ingredients:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
9 asparagus spears, washed and trimmed of woody lower stem
1 1/2 slices reduced fat Swiss or provolone cheese (I used Swiss)
olive oil in a mister bottle
garlic powder
pepper
thyme
rosemary

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally, but don't cut all the way through. Stuff each breast with a half slice of cheese and 3 asparagus spears. I like to leave the top tip of the asparagus sticking out of the breast. Secure the chicken with toothpicks, and place on a baking rack sprayed with no-stick spray in a baking dish. Lightly spray each breast with olive oil in a mister bottle. Sprinkle the chicken with the garlic, pepper, thyme, and rosemary. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes or until juices run clear.

Recipe adapted from Sweet & Savory

My friend Rachel made me some wonderful apple butter for a gift, and I thought this would be a great recipe to use it on. I was right! This simple chicken dish is very tasty. The glaze is a nice combination of sweet (from the apple butter) and tangy (from the Dijon mustard). If you are looking for a great marinade, give this one a try.

Ingredients:
3 4 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 T apple butter
1 t Dijon mustard
1/2 t low sodium soy sauce
garlic powder
pepper

Directions:
Season chicken breasts with garlic salt and pepper on both sides.  In a small bowl, mix together the apple butter, mustard and soy sauce until well combined.  Evenly spread mixture over both sides of each piece of chicken with a basting brush.  Place in refrigerator and let marinate for at least one hour (best would be four).

Preheat grill to 375 degrees.  Oil the grill grates.  Place the chicken directly over the fire and grill 7-10 minutes per side (depending on thickness) or until the chicken registers 165 degrees F.  Remove from grill and allow to rest for 3 minutes.

Recipe Source - Jenn's Food Journey

This is just going to be a quick post before I head out to spend the day at my mom's pool with my family. :) We had a horrible tornado hit last week in our area in Joplin, MO. This was a good reminder to our family that we haven't done a video inventory of our house yet, so that's what we worked on this holiday weekend.

I do have some new recipes I need to post, and hopefully I can get to those sometime this week. I have a half-day of school left on Tuesday, and then I go straight into teaching eMINTS workshops for the rest of the month of June.

Here's this week's menu. You will see a repeat from last week with the apple butter chicken that I just didn't get to, so be looking for the recipe soon. :) Enjoy and have a great week! Be sure to follow me on Facebook to get fast updates from the blog. :)

Sunday - Caramelized Beef Kabobs, Foil Pack Potatoes, Grilled Pineapple, Green Beans
Monday - Eat at mom's house!
Tuesday - Ott's House Casserole, Broccoli, Salad
Wednesday - Apple Butter Glazed Chicken, Green Beans, Salad, Strawberries
Thursday - Grilled Tilapia with Horseradish Sauce, Broccoli, Salad, Strawberries
Friday -Rotisserie Chicken (from the grocery store), Spinach, Salad
Saturday - Date night with the hubby!

First, I want to thank all of you for your kind words last week. Your thoughts and prayers were much appreciated. Our family had a tough week, but we are trying to get back on track. That means I actually have a menu for you this week. I am keeping it a bit simple, and I will be grilling a lot, but this is the time of year for lots of grilling, right? ;) I will have two recipes posted for you later this week, so be sure to check back later for those details.

Here's this week's menu. Enjoy and have a great week! Be sure to follow me on Facebook to get fast updates from the blog. :)

Sunday - Steak, Cheddar Potato Strips (207 cal), Green Beans, Salad
Monday - Turkey and Gravy on Noodles (from freezer), Green Beans, Salad, Peaches
Tuesday - Bacon Wrapped Grilled Chicken Breasts, Broccoli, Salad, Strawberries
Wednesday - Hamburgers, Deviled Eggs, Baked Beans, Salad (Book Club night)
Thursday - Apple Butter Glazed Chicken, Green Beans, Salad, Grilled Pineapple
Friday - Homemade Pizza (193 cal), Salad
Saturday - Asparagus Stuffed Chicken, Rice, Salad, Strawberries

For more menu ideas, visit orgjunkie.com.  

I have completed three weeks of my healthier eating journey and I am now down a total of 6 pounds. The nice thing is that besides the numbers on the scale, I can notice a difference in the way I look and feel. For me, the weight will continue to come off slowly, in tenths of pounds per week, but it's so nice to know that eating the correct portion sizes of my meals is really doing the trick. :)

Our family had a very nice weekend together. Corey had math contest on Saturday and did very well. He placed 1st in the target round, 2nd in the sprint round, and received the 2nd place team trophy as a team of one! He also qualified to go to state. I am definitely a proud mom. :)

I've got a couple of new items on the menu this week, so I will post pictures once I make them. Next Saturday Corey has a band performance, so we will have to eat out. I've already planned ahead to make sure I can stay within my calorie range for the day. I highly suggest this to those of you who are watching your weight and are stuck in a situation where you have to eat at a restaurant. Pick a place that posts the nutritional information online, and you can "preorder" ahead of time and make a wise choice. :)

Here's this week's menu. For more menu ideas, go to orgjunkie.com. Enjoy and have a great week!

Sunday - Blue Cheese-Topped Steaks with Marsala Wine Sauce (215 cal), Green Beans, Salad, Peaches

Monday - Creamy Chicken Breasts (190 cal), Rice, Spinach, Salad

Tuesday - Meatloaf Muffins (231 cal), Brussels Sprouts with Butter Sauce, Salad, Applesauce

Wednesday - Grilled Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Breasts (130 cal), Broccoli, Cheddar Potato Strips (207 cal), Salad

Thursday - Pork Chops with Blue Cheese Sauce (176 cal), Oven Baked Fries (157 cal), Salad, Applesauce

Friday - Won Ton Tacos (248 cal), Refried Beans, Peaches

Saturday - Eat out - Applebee's Asiago Peppercorn Steak Dinner with New Potatoes and Steamed Vegetables (390 cal for complete dinner)

Breakfasts

Sunday -Thomas' Light Multi Grain English Muffin, Egg, 1/2 grapefruit, (100+70+37 = 207 total)
Monday -English Muffin, Cottage Cheese, Peaches (100+35+18=215)
Tuesday -Bacon and Egg on Toast, 1/2 Grapefruit (47+70+70+37=224)
Wednesday -Enligh Muffin with Turkey Sausage Pattie, 1/2 Grapefruit (100+100+37= 237)
Thursday -English Muffin, Cottage Cheese, 1/2 grapefruit (100+80+37= 217)
Friday - Ham, Egg, and Cheese on Toast, 1/2 grapefruit (18+70+50+70+37=244)

Lunches

Sunday - Simple Tuna and Egg Salad Sandwich, Apple (5 oz), Cottage Cheese (138+70+70+80=358)
Monday - Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Pillsbury Grands Jr. Golden Layers Flaky Biscuit, Dip with Celery, Clementine (155+100+10+35=300)
Tuesday - Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Taboule Wheat Salad, Spinach, Clementine (155+99+30+35=319)
Wednesday - Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Taboule Wheat Salad, Spinach, Clementine (155+99+30+35=319)
Thursday - Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Taboule Wheat Salad, Spinach, Clementine (155+99+30+35=319)
Friday - Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Taboule Wheat Salad, Spinach, Clementine (155+99+30+35=319)

Another week of healthy eating can go on the books this week. :) I started tracking my food on SparkPeople on December 22 and I'm down 5 pounds from that time! That's a great feeling. What I love is that I have realized that I don't have to "diet" and eat boring foods. I'm eating the same healthy meals I've always cooked, but I'm controlling the portion sizes. I'm even able to eat sweets, as long as I budget for them in my calorie count for the day. Life is good when you know you can still eat pizza and chocolate cake. :)

I got good feedback on including the nutrition values of my recipes. I'm glad that others are finding them useful. I will go ahead this week and post my breakfasts and lunches again. Let me know if that is useful to you as well.

Here's this week's menu. For more menu ideas go to orgjunkie.com. Enjoy and have a great week!

Sunday -Creamy Ranch Pork Chops (193 cal), Ranch Quinoa (182 cal), Spinach, Salad

Monday -Taco Cornbread Casserole (451 cal), Green Beans, Peaches

Tuesday -Bubble Up Enchiladas (273 cal), Salad, Applesauce

Wednesday -Chili (245 cal), Salad, Peaches

Thursday -Leftovers

Friday -Pizza Biscuit Bake (339 cal), Salad, Green Beans, Peaches

Saturday - Leftovers

Breakfasts

Sunday -Thomas' Light Multi Grain English Muffin, Egg, 1/2 grapefruit, Hot Chocolate (100+70+37+80= 287 total)
Monday -Ham and Cheese on English Muffin, WW Berries and Cream Yogurt (100+18+50+100= 268)
Tuesday -Bacon and Egg on Toast, Grapefruit (47+70+70+74=260)
Wednesday -Pumpkin Streusel Muffin, WW Berries and Cream Yogurt (138+100= 238)
Thursday -English Muffin, 1 T grape jelly, 1/2 grapefruit (100+50+37= 187)
Friday - Ham, Egg, and Cheese on Toast, 1/2 grapefruit (18+70+50+70+37=244)



Lunches

Sunday -Chicken Enchilada Soup, Refried Beans, Clementine (130+100+35= 265)
Monday -Chicken Enchilada Soup, Refried Beans, Clementine, Spinach (130+100+35+30= 295)
Tuesday - Chicken Enchilada Soup, Refried Beans, Clementine, Spinach (130+100+35+30= 295)
Wednesday - Chicken Enchilada Soup, Salad, Clementine, Ranch Dip & celery (130+67+35+20= 252)
Thursday - Chicken Enchilada Soup, Chicken Sandwich, Clementine (130+70+50+35=285)
Friday - Chicken Enchilada Soup, Clementine, Ranch Dip & celery (130+35+20= 252)

Well, it's back to school for us the week. I've done a good job so far sticking to my healthier eating plan. Using SparkPeople to track my calories has been very helpful. You will notice that on my recipes that nutrition information is now included. I use the SparkRecipes site to calculate that info. Like I said last week, I'm still making the same family friendly meals that I always have, but I'm trying to be more conscious of my portion sizes, I'm not eating "seconds" and I'm not eating huge desserts or snacks.

Just in case anyone is interested, I'm going to post my breakfasts and lunches this week. I know my mom is also trying to watch what she is eating, so maybe she and other will find this additional info useful. I don't know if I will always post this, but if you find it helpful, let me know.

Here's this week's menu. For more menu ideas, go to orgjunkie.com. Enjoy and have a great week!

Sunday - Bacon Wrapped Cheesy Chicken (153 calories), Green Beans, Salad, Peaches
Monday - Pizza Burgers (300 calories), Broccoli, Corn (boys only), Salad, Peaches
Tuesday - Chicken with Cider and Bacon Sauce (140 calories), Asparagus, Garlic Muffins (147 calories), Salad
Wednesday - Grilled Chicken Parmesan (185 calories), Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce (170 calories), Salad, Green Beans
Thursday - Tuna Noodle Casserole (389 calories), Green Beans, Salad, Applesauce
Friday - Bacon Cheeseburger Pinwheels (291 calories), Baked Beans, Salad, Peaches
Saturday - Rosemary and Garlic Pork Loin (130 calories), Asparagus, Salad, Accordion Potatoes (140 calories)


Breakfasts:

Sunday - Lazy Morning Sausage Pie, Peaches - 267 calories total
Monday - 2 slices toast with spray butter, WW Berries N Cream Yogurt, Grapefruit -244 calories total
Tuesday - Bacon (2 sliced center cut) and Egg on Toast, Grapefruit - 260 calories total
Wednesday - Pumpkin Streusel Muffin, WW Berries N Cream Yogurt - 284 calories total
Thursday - Cottage Cheese, Peaches, 2 slices toast with spray butter - 185 calories total
Friday - McDonald's Wild Berry Smoothie, 2 slices toast with spray butter - 280 calories total

Lunches:


Sunday - Creamy Black Bean Soup, Cottage Cheese, Reduced Fat Triscuits, Clementine - 424 calories total
Monday - Creamy Black Bean Soup, Cottage Cheese, Reduced Fat Triscuits, Clementine - 424 calories total
Tuesday - Creamy Black Bean Soup, Cottage Cheese, Reduced Fat Triscuits, Clementine - 424 calories total
Wednesday - Creamy Black Bean Soup, Salad, Clementine, Celery with Fat Free Ranch Dip - 322 calories
Thursday - Creamy Black Bean Soup, Salad, Clementine, Celery with Fat Free Ranch Dip - 322 calories
Friday - Creamy Black Bean Soup, Salad, Clementine, Celery with Fat Free Ranch Dip - 322 calories

This is going to be a short post as I managed to catch a nasty cold this weekend and feel terrible. We had Corey's last band competition this weekend, which means no more early morning rehearsals and no more 4:30 a.m. alarms for me. Woo hoo! I have a couple of new menu items this week, so I will add the photos as I make them. I did manage to make some cute spider web brownies for Halloween today.

Here's this week's menu. For more menu ideas, go to orgjunkie.com. Enjoy and have a great week! I'm going to go to bed.

Sunday - Spider Web Pizza Spread, Pepperoni Pizza Puffs, Spider Web Brownies
Monday -Bacon Cheeseburger Pinwheels (new), Corn, Salad, Peaches
Tuesday -Chicken with Cider & Bacon Sauce (new), Rice, Green Beans, Salad
Wednesday -Crockpot Cowboy Stew, Salad
Thursday -BBQ Chicken Sandwiches (from freezer), Corn, French Fries
Friday -Eat out
Saturday -Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Salad

These are so much better than the picture looks. They are definitely a keeper. I cooked mine about 25 minutes.

Ingredients:
1 lb lean hamburger (93/7)
3 Tbsp no salt added tomato sauce
1 egg
1/4 cup onions, diced
4 strips bacon, cooked and finely chopped
3/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
1 can Pillsbury Classic refrigerated pizza dough


Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.  In a large bowl, combine first 6 ingredients.  Roll the pizza dough into a 9x15 rectangle and top with hamburger mixture.  Spread the hamburger evenly over the dough.  Starting with the long side, roll up into a log.  Slice into 16 pinwheels and place on baking sheet.  Bake 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.  Serve with your favorite dipping sauce - Ranch, BBQ, A-1, etc.

Recipe adapted from Plain Chicken

I doubled the recipe to make some to share with friends. Just make sure you double the microwave time if you double the recipe.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups Corn Chex® cereal
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (3 oz)
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup candy corn
1 cup salted cocktail peanuts

Directions:

1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.

2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 30 seconds; stir. Microwave about 15 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.

3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Add candy corn and peanuts; shake to mix. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.


Recipe Source - Betty Crocker

This is a new family favorite. Corey says it's like spaghetti and lasagna all in one, therefore the recipe title. This is a great one to make ahead of time and freeze, and then bake it later in the week for dinner.

Ingredients:
1 lb Honeysuckle White Turkey Breakfast Sausage
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 26 oz can Hunts Garlic and Herb Pasta Sauce
1 4 oz can no salt added tomato sauce
1 t. parsley
1 t. oregano
1 t. basil
1 box Ronzoni Smart Taste spaghetti noodles
1 c. fat free cottage cheese
3 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
1 egg
1/2 c. grated reduced fat grated Parmesan cheese topping
4 oz. shredded low fat Mozzarella

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, brown sausage with onion and garlic. Drain. Stir in pasta sauce and seasonings. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Set aside.

2. While sauce is simmering, cook spaghetti al dente, according to package directions. Drain.

3. In a blender, puree the cottage cheese, cream cheese, egg, and Parmesan cheese until smooth.

4. In a large bowl, stir together the cheese mixture and spaghetti noodles until well mixed. Pour into a greased 13×9 casserole dish. Spoon the meat sauce on top of the spaghetti and cover with shredded cheese.

5. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden.

This will remind you of the rotisserie chickens you get at the grocery store. By cooking it on your own, you can flavor it to your own taste.

One whole chicken
olive oil
seasoning of your choice
one lemon



Directions:

Remove giblets from chicken. Rinse inside and outside of chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken with olive oil and season to your liking (I used a little sea salt, some poultry seasoning, and some fresh rosemary).

Place chicken  in crockpot. Cut the lemon in half, squeeze some of the juice over the chicken, and place the lemon halves inside the chicken. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4 hours. The chicken will release a lot of juices, so if you have a rack that fits in your crockpot, you can place it on the rack to elevate it a little. you can also place it on some aluminum foil balls to elevate it if you wish. Remove and discard the lemon when the chicken is finished cooking.

I love three-day weekends! We have really enjoyed having that extra day off, and the weather just happened to be perfect. Corey had his first cross country meet Saturday morning, and that evening we actually got to use the fire pit! We ended up roasting hot dogs and sitting by the fire for hours. It was simply fantastic.

The new meals we tried last week were all great. Our favorite of the four was the taco cornbread casserole. This week I'm going back to some simple standards since dinner times will be sporadic. I am doing some baking today, so be sure to check out the Fresh Apple Cake, Honey Bun Cake, and Hot Chocolate Chip Cookies. Here's this week's menu. For more menu ideas, go to orgjunkie.com. Enjoy and have a great week!

Sunday - Marsala Burgers, Oven Baked Fries, Peaches
Monday - Ultimate BBQ Chicken, Broccoli, Salad, Strawberries
Tuesday - Chick-be-Quicks (made ahead), Green Beans, Salad
Wednesday - Homemade Pizza, Salad
Thursday - Chili (from freezer), PB Sandwiches, Apples
Friday - Eat out (heading to cross country meet)
Saturday - Eat at Grandma's

We survived the first week back to school! I had a great time seeing the students' reactions to my library rearranging and decorations.



They love that I put a canoe in the library this year. The camping theme our school selected was a great one for me. :) I got a nice surprise on Tuesday when my hubby delivered roses to me just because he loves me! What a man!

This weekend was one of our few weekends that we did not have a lot of extra school obligations, so I did some more "get ahead" and "stock the freezer" cooking. The boys went to a Switchfoot concert Friday night, so I spent time going through my recipe to-do list and selected some new things to make. :) Here is a list of the freezer items I cooked:

Nutella Gooey Butter Cookies
Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
Spinach Squares (yuck - won't make them again)
Freezer Biscuits
Sour Cream and Jam Muffins

Here is my menu for the week. There are a couple of new items, so we'll see how they go. For more ideas go to orgjunkie.com. Enjoy and have a great week!

Sunday - Easy Beef Brisket (new), Parmesan Roasted Potatoes (new), Green Beans, Salad
Monday - Balsamic Barbeque Chicken (new), Baked Beans, Salad, Peaches
Tuesday - Brisket Sandwiches (use leftover from Sunday), Salad, Strawberries, Jello
Wednesday - Meatballs (from freezer), Mashed Potatoes (from freezer), and Gravy, Green Beans, Applesauce
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Eat out (football band performance)
Saturday - Hamburgers, Oven Baked Fries, Salad

Well, for the most part, summer vacation is over for our family and "school" has begun. Corey has band rehearsal all week from 8-5, and I have computer workshops I'm teaching every day. Needless to say, I needed to come up with an easy-to-prepare menu for this week. I'm relying on lots of freezer items, and yes, we are eating hot dogs (fat free ones, of course). I also have my last Mark Twain book club luncheon on Friday, which I am very much looking forward to hosting. I'm going to do picnic foods for an end-of-summer lunch theme. :) Here's this week's menu. For more menu ideas, go to orgjunkie.com. Have a great week, and enjoy!

Sunday - Caramelized Steak Kabobs, Twice-baked potatoes, Green beans, Salad
Monday - Burrito Bowls (chicken already grilled and in freezer), Peaches
Tuesday - Spaghetti Chili (chili from freezer), Salad
Wednesday - Chili Dogs, Salad, Peaches
Thursday -Quesadillas (chicken already grilled and in freezer), Salad, Strawberries
Friday - Pulled pork sandwiches, Tomato and Basil Pasta Salad, Deviled Eggs
Saturday - Chef Salads, Fruit, Garlic Muffins

This is my last "free" week of the summer. Next week the computer workshops resume and the boy has band camp all week. The bummer is that it definitely feels like summer to the extreme. We've had temperatures in the high 90s all last week with the heat index staying around 100-105 due to high humidity. That's also the forecast for this week, so being outside is simply not fun. Because of the heat, I tried to avoid using the oven this week. I think I only have to use it one day for the Meatball Sub Casserole. Here's this week's menu. For more menu ideas, go to orgjunkie.com. Enjoy and have a great week!

Sunday - Slow Cooker Roast and Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Monday - Grilled Turkey Cutlets, Grilled Red Potatoes, Grilled Green Beans, Salad
Tuesday - Meatball Sub Casserole, Salad
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Grilled Chicken Breasts, Baked Beans, Salad, Strawberries
Friday - BLTs, Hash Browns, Peaches
Saturday - Unknown (depends on whether or not we can go to the lake)