"Meal Plan Monday" 3.24.14

Meal planning Monday is here again...it comes so soon every week!  This weekend was my husband's 34th birthday, and we spent some time in Kansas City MO, just enjoying our little family.  I didnt have a whole lot of time to plan, since we were out of town all weekend, so this week is focused on simple meals.

Monday  - Easy Stuffed Shells

Tuesday - Chicken Enchilada Bake

Wednesday - Home-Style Stew

Thursday - Pizza Chicken Roll-ups

Friday - Sweet 'n' Sour Pork Chops

Monday  - Easy Stuffed Shells

Things you need: 36 uncooked jumbo pasta shells, 1 jar (24 ounces) spaghetti sauce, 36 frozen fully cooked Italian meatballs (1/2 ounce each), thawed, 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water.
2. Spread 1/2 cup sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with a meatball; place over sauce. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.
3. Bake, covered, 35 minutes. Uncover; bake 3-5 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Yield: 12 servings.

Tuesday - Chicken Enchilada Bake 

Things you need: 4 to 1/2 cups cubed rotisserie chicken, 1 can (28 ounces) green enchilada sauce, 1 to 1/4 cups (10 ounces) sour cream, 9 corn tortillas (6 inches), cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces, 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
DIRECTIONS

1. In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish, layer half of the chicken, enchilada sauce, sour cream, tortillas and cheese. Repeat layers.
2. Cover and bake at 375° for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Yield: 10 servings.

Wednesday - Home-Style Stew

Things you need: 2 packages (16 ounces each) frozen vegetables for stew, 1 to 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes, 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted, 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed tomato soup, undiluted, 1 envelope reduced-sodium onion soup mix

DIRECTIONS

1. Place vegetables in a 5-qt. slow cooker. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown beef on all sides.
2. Transfer to slow cooker. Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over the top.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender. Yield: 5 servings.

Thursday - Pizza Chicken Roll-ups

Things you need: 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each), 12 pepperoni slices, 8 slices slices part-skim mozzarella cheese, 1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness. Place three slices of pepperoni and one slice of cheese on each. Roll up tightly; secure with toothpicks. Place in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. Spoon pizza sauce over top.
2. Cover and bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Uncover; top with the remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield: 4 servings.

Friday - Sweet 'n' Sour Pork Chops

Things you need: 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained, 1 cup honey barbecue sauce, 1/3 cup finely chopped onion, 2 tablespoons chili sauce, 4 bone-in pork loin chops (8 ounces each)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, combine the pineapple, barbecue sauce, onion and chili sauce. Pour half into a greased 3-qt. slow cooker. Top with pork chops and remaining sauce.
2. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until meat is tender. Yield: 4 servings.

Shopping List: 

о 36 frozen fully cooked Italian meatballs (1/2 ounce each), thawed

о 1 can (28 ounces) green enchilada sauce

о 1 to 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

о 2 tablespoons chili sauce

о 1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce 

о 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained

о 1/3 cup finely chopped onion 

о 9 corn tortillas (6 inches), cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces 

о 8 Slices mozzarella + 2 Cups mozzarella

о 8 slices slices part-skim mozzarella cheese

о 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

о 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

о 1 cup honey barbecue sauce 

о 1 to 1/4 cups (10 ounces) sour cream 

о 2 packages (16 ounces each) frozen vegetables for stew

о 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)

о 12 pepperoni slices

о 4 bone-in pork loin chops (8 ounces each)

о 4 to 1/2 cups cubed rotisserie chicken

о 36 uncooked jumbo pasta shells

о 1 jar (24 ounces) spaghetti sauce

о 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

о 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed tomato soup, undiluted

о 1 envelope reduced-sodium onion soup mix

Enjoy!

~Danielle 

October 9th, 2013 - Family Fun Time - Epsom Salt Crystals

Hello! As we learned previously, my small one is eager to 1) Do crafts, 2) Do science experiments, and 3) Make a mess.  So, when she asked to do something fun, I turned to my husband for an easy activity.  He’s a chemist and often has ideas on simple, fun experiments.  These often make for GREAT family time and learning time as we all explore new ideas, and often discuss the scientific theory - which is almost always free, or cheap, as we are usually using household things in these experiments.  

He offered up this idea: Epsom Salt Crystals.  This was simple and easy – and very hands on for my curious three year old (thought she is four now, and still enjoys it).  We took 1/4 cup of Epsom Salt and 1/2 cup of warm water and mixed the salt until it was completely dissolved. The we added a tablespoon or so of Epsom Salt until no more would dissolve.

I mixed it in a measure cup with a handle so I could just hand it off to my little lady.  The idea is that they take a paint brush and draw on glass.  When the water evaporates, it leaves crystals in its place.  First, we tried this on the sliding glass door – which sounds like a great idea, but since we were not able to suspend gravity at our home, the water just ran down the window.  It still dried crystals, but since we couldn't keep the liquid concentrated in one area, it was not the most spectacular display.  This is also part of the reason you keep adding salt until no more dissolves – the more salt you can pack in, the better the crystals.

Next, we decided to try painting something that was horizontal so the water wouldn't drip down.  Isabel hunted out her hand held mirror, and painted the heck out of it.  We waited for the water to evaporate – which took about five minutes, and talked about how water evaporates, and hypothesized what we thought would happen.  When the water had all evaporated, here’s what it looked like up close:

I have to be honest.  My husband assured me this would work, and it would look like frost.  I did not believe him, but in the end, we were sufficiently awed that it did indeed work, and it did look like frost.  Isabel thought it was wonderful that she could touch it and it wouldn’t melt.

This took a short amount of time – about 30 minutes for the whole endeavor, and Isabel was able to mix and paint herself.  The waiting was minimal, and easily consumed by curious conversation hypothesizing what would come next.  This could also be adapted for older kids, making a family night where you are drawing pictures, or being artistic in your own ways. 

Enjoy!

~Danielle 

September 25th, 2013 - Family Fun

Hello families!  Simple easy family time ideas today!

For free, or cheap, family fun time dates!

Summer

 

 

 

1.  Have a picnic

2. Head to the beach

3. Play in the park

4. Go for a walk

5. Go to a nature center

6. BBQ together

7. Make smoothies

8. Have a lemonade stand

9. Have a water fight

10. Lay out in the sun

 

Spring

 

 

1.  Visit a local farm, and enjoy the new babies

2.  Go for a brisk walk - without a jacket!

3.  Plant some flowers or vegetables in your backyard

4.  Go for a bike ride 

5.  Enjoy family time while tackling spring cleaning

6.  Get outside and clean your car - inside and out

7.  This is the perfect time to open the boat, or rent a paddleboat!

8.  Have a slumber party

9.  Stay up and watch the sunset

10.  Chalk on the walk

 

Winter

 

 

1.  Go sledding

2. Grab a compass and learn orienteering

3. Walk or drive aroun town and look at Christmas lights

4.  Find a holiday festival

5.  Go ice skating

6.  Have a snowball fight

7.  Make some homemade cutout snowflakes to hang up at home

8.  Build an indoor fort with all the blankets you can find

9.  Fill a spray bottle with water and food coloring, and let the littles paint the snow!

10.  Make a gingerbread house

 

Fall

 

 

1.  Rake leaves

2.  Take a walk to the local coffee shop and enjoy some warm drinks

3.  Have a bonfire - complete with s'mores

4.  Go for a hike and check out the fall colors

5.  Go to the orchard and pick apples

6.  Jump in the leaves you raked

7.  Carve a pumpkin

8.  Host a tailgating potluck for the weekend ball game

9.  Make caramel apples

10.  Read Ghost stories

At our house, we like to put them all in a basket, and then draw one out one the weekend as a surprise. My little giggles like crazy, and we enjoy ourselves every single time!

~Danielle