Odds and ends

Okay, so I pretty much stuck to my planned meal schedule for the week, and did a good job using up leftovers as well. The chicken with mushrooms and artichoke hearts with CREAM was delicious. Why wouldn't it be?? My parents and my cousin came for dinner that night, and we didn't have much in the way of leftovers for the next night. I did a little shifting, and Friday night we just mixed and matched from the fridge, which was good because I was tired and cranky anyway. The girls had leftover pasta and marinara, and I came up with something new and tasty that sort of reminded me of Moe's favorite potato at Charo Chicken. Have you had it?? I had some cooked potatoes, marinara and mozzarella left over. I heated the potatoes in the microwave smashed them, spread them with marinara and topped it all with shredded mozzarella and romano cheese, which I then baked in the oven. Too lazy, so no vegetables, but I did make a fresh fruit smoothie.

We drink a lot of smoothies over here. Lately I have been adding veggies to them with good results. I have been adding a fresh peeled orange, some frozen mango chunks, half a frozen banana(this is what I do with my over ripe ones) 1/3 c. of juice of your choice, 1/3 c. water, 1 persian cucumber sliced, and a handful of frozen kale(chopped in thin ribbons and frozen to add to soups, spaghetti, etc...). They are a really pretty green if you don't add strawberries. You can totally forgo the veg. and have a great smoothie too, whatever the traffic will bear.

This looked really good as did this. I think the cold wind is getting to me. I just want to curl up with a blanket and enjoy some hot stew.

A week of dinners from my friend Anna

I think this is a great idea, I'm not very consistent, and I don't like having to prepare a completely new meal everyday of the week. What I do is to make a large main dish so that I'm guaranteed leftovers and work that into a new meal for the next day.
For instance,

Sunday
is a great day for me to cook, but Monday is too crammed to make something new.
So now that the weather is nice I grill a whole chicken (pollo loco style) with whatever seasonings work for your family. I like to keep simple and natural ( some lemon, mexican chicken seasoning salt, garlic). While that is cooking, I put about 1 cup to 11/2 cup of pinto or black beans into my rice cooker (set and forget for about an hour). Corn on the cob on the grill with the chicken.

Monday
( We're a family of four so we don't eat a whole chicken), so shred leftover chicken, put extra beans from last night into food processor/ blender). Shred some lettuce, take out sour cream and shredded cheese and, tostadas, and BAM you have an easy Monday meal.

Tuesday
Grill steaks about 3 large (I usually use porter house or rib eye) with seasonings of choice. Seasoned potatoes in the oven to bake or on the grill. When steaks are done, hubby gets a whole one, while I thinly slice the rest. Eat what we can tonight, use leftover for tomorrow.

Wednesday
Thin strips of steak from last night. Saute, red and green bell pepper strips with onion. Dump in the steak strips and now you have fajitas. Serve with more beans and rice (White/brown) and side of broccoli or salad (jicama, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips, bed of lettuce, with cilantro dressing).

Thursday
My day off I do all my errands and shopping so we go out to eat or order pizza.

Friday
If I still have steak or chicken left make taquitos, yes those yummy, crunchy, greasy little things. I just love them. Sorry, I never said my meals were healthy. Also, any leftover chicken, make quesadillas (cheese and chicken). I don't make side dishes with this meal, I don't think we need any more carbs or grease do you? I like making taquitos because it's something super quick, since the meat is already cooked, warm up tortillas, fry, 15 minutes tops. Whip up a nice fresh guacamole or store bought is fine. Another salad and there.

Saturday
Questionable, I just don't know at this point, hoping to be invited somewhere else to eat, hey maybe I'll give mom a call :)

Let's get this party started...

A lot of you have already sent a weekly menu. So many tasty ideas! I am excited to have a reference and a place to talk about what is tasting good. I have the dough of a French-style country bread on the counter ready to be worked and baked later today to go with our chicken and pasta. That's a picture of it up there right out of the oven. I wish you could smell it!! Amazing as it may seem, I find I am more successful at using things up when I follow a plan other than the fly by the seat of my pants plan. I am hoping this will help!