Dinner Menu October 10 to October 16

I menu plan on Thursdays, but in all truth I think about my dinner menu constantly.  You would think that come Thursday I would have the menu down. Not really though.  I am usually in a tizzy trying to figure out what the heck I am going to make.  I tackle my cookbooks, look through pinterest, and try to stick to my formula.  One day fish, one day pork, one day leftovers, try to incorporate chicken...so on and so forth.  Once you get into a pattern menu planning is not all that hard.

Saturday:  Dined out.  Green chili cheeseburger and fries.  Tonight we decided to head to one of the local Mexican food restaurants for dinner and I had the Capitan burger.  It's a cheeseburger with roasted long green chili.  And of course french fries.  Although instead of ketchup I like to dip the fries in salsa.

Sunday:  Tuna fish sandwich and fries.  I really do love tuna fish sandwiches.  It's one of those things that I ate a lot of growing up.  And the cool thing about tuna fish is that everyone makes it different.  I have seen it make with pecans, chopped apples, or grapes.  My mom likes to add a chopped hard boiled egg and relish.  I like to use albacore tuna packed in water.  I'll add 1 tbsp. of canola mayonnaise, lemon pepper seasoning, and add a chopped baby dill pickle.  Mix it all up and put it on a sandwich thin.  I'll put some spinach, and some spicy mustard that gives the tuna sandwich a little zip.  The french fries were a single serving tray that you can just pop in the microwave.  Follow the directions.  When they are done I like to pour them into a bowl, sprinkle with Mrs. Dash, pepper and dried dill.  Toss to coat and then serve!

Monday:  Beefy Cheesy Potatoes and Broccoli, black beans, and green beans.  A quick simple recipe that comes together in flash, and you can sub turkey for the ground beef.

Beefy Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Skillet

1 (19 oz) bag green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers roasted potatoes with broccoli and cheese sauce
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (10.75 oz) can Campbell's healthy request condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water

Cook ground beef in skillet over medium high about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned; drain. Stir in frozen potato and broccoli mix, soup and water into beef. Heat to boiling, reduce heat.  Cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until potatoes and broccoli are tender.

I always have black beans in my fridge.  It's one of the foods that I prep along with chicken.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.
 
For the green beans, they are the frozen ones.  You can steam them right in the bag.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, and crushed red pepper.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Tuesday:  Roasted Chicken and Potato Casserole and mixed veggies.  A delicious dinner and all you need to do is a side and dinner is yum and done.

Herb Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. rosemary (dried)
1/2 tsp. leaves thyme (dried)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 (1.5 lb) bag Melissa's Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes
1/2 tsp. Lawry's 25% less sodium seasoned salt

Place chicken in a glass bowl. In a small bowl combine lemon juice, oil, rosemary, thyme, and pepper. Reserve 1/3 cup of the mixture and pour remainder over chicken; toss to coat well. Cover and let stand at room temp. for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400. Cut potatoes into wedges; and toss with the reserved 1/3 cup marinade. Spray a 9x13 in. baking dish with Pam and place chicken in prepared dish. Arrange potatoes and then pour remaining marinade around the edge of the pan. Sprinkle everything with salt.  Place dish in oven and bake 40-45 minutes or until chicken and potatoes are done.

For the mixed veggies, they are the frozen ones.  You can steam them right in the bag.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, and crushed red pepper.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Wednesday:  Leftovers.  Chicken Tostadas and cracker chips.  So you can have chicken tacos if you want but it's so much better in tostadas.  And your filling won't fall out the back when you are eating them.  For this dinner I also use my toaster oven.  Preheat it to 375.  Line the baking pan with foil, and spray it with Pam.  Warm up two corn tortillas in the microwave.  Place them flat on the baking sheet and then spray the tops with Pam.  Bake for about 10 minutes turning once until light brown and toasty.  Keep on eye on them because they will go from being perfect to burnt in a blink of an eye.  I know, it's happened to me.  Once they are done.  I split one wedge of Laughing Cow cheese between the two corn tostadas.  Then spread black beans, divide 6 ounces of diced warmed chicken and pile it on top, add salsa, sour cream, and devour.  You can add any kind of salsa and guacamole as well.

Thursday:  Fiesta Taco Casserole, black beans, and mixed veggies.  The flavors of frito pie...casserole style!

Fiesta Taco Casserole

1 (3 1/8 oz) bag Doritos nacho cheese tortilla chips, crushed
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (8 oz) can Great Value no salt added tomato sauce
1 (1.25 oz) pkg. Mccormick 30% less sodium taco seasoning mix
1 (15.25 oz) can Great Value no salt added pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15.25 oz) can Great Value golden sweet whole kernel corn (no salt added), drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish with Pam. Brown ground beef in a skillet and drain. Add tomato sauce, taco seasoning, beans, and corn; simmer for 5 minutes. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and Doritos. Bake for 20 minutes.

I always have black beans in my fridge.  It's one of the foods that I prep along with chicken.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.
 
For the mixed veggies, they are the frozen ones.  You can steam them right in the bag.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, and crushed red pepper.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Friday:  Au Gratin Sausage Skillet, black beans, and green beans.  This dinner comes together fairly quickly when you're short on time.  You don't have to slave away all day to make dinner.  Most of these recipes can come together in no time.

Au Gratin Sausage Skillet

1 pkg. smoked sausage, halved and sliced

1 (4.7 oz) box Betty Crocker Au Gratin Cheesy Potatoes

2 1/2 cups water

2 (12 oz) bags Birds Eye Steamfresh broccoli, cauliflower & carrots

In a large skillet sprayed with Pam, cook sausage until lightly browned; drain. Add potatoes with contents of sauce mix and water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 18-20 minutes or until the potatoes are almost tender, stirring occasionally.  Add vegetables; cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until potatoes and vegetables are tender. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 2 minutes.

I always have black beans in my fridge.  It's one of the foods that I prep along with chicken.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.
 
For the green beans, they are the frozen ones.  You can steam them right in the bag.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, and crushed red pepper.  Then toss to coat and serve.