Menu Plan 12/12-12/18

Monday-We had chili tonight

Tuesday- Friendship Casserole (I never got to this a few weeks ago)

Wednesday-Grilled Pork Chops

Thursday-????

Friday- Chicken and Brown Rice Soup

Saturday-????

Sunday-????

I am looking for new recipes to try so when I figure out what I am making on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday I will update :)

Menu Plan 11/28-12/3

So I thought I was going to have leftover ham and turkey to make meals from this week, but it is all already gone! It must have been really good!

Monday-Steaks with green beans and corn pudding/casserole

Tuesday-Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup (Recipe and Photo from Mama Loves Food)

Wednesday-Chicken Fajitas with rice and beans

Thursday-Friendship Casserole(one for now,one to freeze)(Recipe and Photo from Newlyweds Blog)

Friday- Cristian's 6th birthday so I will let him decide what he wants to eat, I will be making him a cake also! Cristian with our new puppy Smokey!

Saturday- Chicken and brown rice soup

Sunday-Leftovers

I am linking up to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday

Taco Soup

When the weather gets cool every year I always make Taco Soup, it is one of my favorites and it is so easy to make! I made it today and the kids were so excited to eat it, both of my boys had 3 bowls each!

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground meat, cooked and drained

1 can rotel tomatoes

1 can whole kernal corn, drained

1 can pinto beans or black beans, rinsed (I have used both and they are both good)

1 packet dry ranch dressing mix

1 packet taco seasoning

About 2 cups of water

Add all ingreidents to crockpot and mix well, cook 6 hours on low. Yep thats it, so easy!

This is with no toppings

Taco Soup is good with rice, fritos or crackers and I top mine with shredded lettuce, avacodos, and cheese. There are many other toppings you could put on it! I also read somewhere that whatever is left is good in tortillas just drain the juice!

See more yummy recipes at Newlyweds Blog

Menu Plan Monday!

So I have been struggling lately to get my menu planning done. Do you menu plan? If so what do you do to make it easier? I have a hard time coming up with what I want throughout the week and when I do plan it all out something always comes up and it changes. But anyways enough procrastinating, I am doing it this week!

Sunday-We had Chicken fajitas with guacamole, spanish rice and refried beans!

Monday- Taco Soup with leftover rice or fritos

Tuesday- Chicken Fried Steak, okra, mac and cheese

Wednesday-Sausage Spaghetti, salad, corn and garlic bread

Thursday- Leftovers

Friday- ?

Saturday-Finger foods, maybe grill something-we are having friends over

I am linking up to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday!

Thankful Thursday

Time for another Thankful Thursday and this week I want everyone to know how THANKFUL I am for my hubby. He is my rock, my strength, my support and most of all he is my best friend. I am THANKFUL for everything he does for me and the kids. He works long hard hours but I am THANKFUL that he still takes the time to be with the kids and interact with them daily.I am THANKFUL for everything he has provided our family with. I am also THANKFUL that we have such an awesome relationship.

I Love him so much and I am THANKFUL he is a part of my life!

What are you THANKFUL for? Go check out Lead Me to see what others are THANKFUL for and share with us what you are THANKFUL for.

Thankful Thursday-Week One

I know I am a little late but I think it is a good post, plus I have been working like crazy this week, I have worked about 84 hours since last Friday and I am THANKFUL that I have a job and I will have extra money to go towards Christmas. Since I have been working so much my MIL stayed this week at my house to help with the kids and I am THANKFUL for that. Last Thursday the school nurse called and said she thought Cristian may have a staph infection, I am THANKFUL he did not. I am THANKFUL for my family and friends.

So what are you Thankful for? Share with us and link up over at Lead Me

Pumpkin Muffins

I have been ready for fall for a few weeks now and it seems the weather may be deciding it is time too. Last week we were still in triple digit weather and this morning it was cool enough to open the windows, so I am enjoying fresh air and the sound of birds chirping. Fall to me is a time to celebrate Pumpkins (and many other things) so I decided to make Pumpkin Muffins last week.

This recipe came from Joanna at This Southern Girls Nest, she was a guest blogger at Random Thoughts of a SUPERMOM and that is where I found this wonderful recipe. She made a loaf of bread and a few muffins, I made all muffins and I used Splenda instead of sugar. My muffins turned out very dense and they were super yummy!

All the ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 tsp cloves (I used pumpkin pie spice because I did not have cloves)
2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups sugar ( I used about 1/2 cup Splenda)
1 cup butter
3 eggs
16oz can pumpkin puree {not the pumpkin pie blend}

What do you do:
Combine the sugar…butter and eggs in a large bowl. Cream them together.
Add the pumpkin and mix until combined.
Toss in your cinnamon and cloves.
Add 1 cup of flour at a time letting the mixer combine one completely before adding the other.
Add to your greased loaf pans {2} or to your muffin cups. Or both. We always make one loaf and 12 muffins.
Bake at 350 degrees. Now if your doing the loaf you’ll bake it for an hour. If your doing muffins..you’ll bake at 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Baby Girl even helped :)

Pumpkin Cookies

These pumpkin cookies were so good, nice soft airy cookies. They are great with milk, as a matter of fact my hubby is not so crazy about my pumpkin addiction because he does not like pumpkin as much as I do (crazy I know) but he poured himself a glass of milk and ate almost a dozen at one time. If you are not big on sweets these cookies are great without any glaze/topping but the white chocolate drizzled on top kicks it up a notch or two.

Pumpkin Cookies
Adapted from: Very Best Baking
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick butter (room temp)
1 cup Pumpkin Puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease baking sheets.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.

BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle white chocolate over them.

These cookies do not spread, they pretty much keep their shape, the pic on the left is before being put in the oven and the pic on the right is done.

Original recipe says this makes 36 cookies but I got 60 small cookies(about 2 or 3 bites).

Menu Plan 9/25/11-10/1/11

Wow, it has been awhile since I have done a menu plan, I am happy to get back to it.

Sunday-Beef, Bean and Cheese Nachos
Monday- Spaghetti and Meatballs with green beans and garlic bread
Tuesday-King Ranch Chicken(using Sticky Chicken) with salad
Wednesday-Chicken, Mushroom, Broccoli and Rice Casserole
Thursday-Breakfast for dinner
Friday- Leftovers
Saturday-Grill something
Sunday- Bobby and I will be at the Cowboys game so not sure, the kids will eat at my parent's house

Well I hope I can stick to this plan, I know when I do it makes things so much easier! What is on your menu this week?
To see more Menu Plans check out I'm an Organizing Junkie

Secret Ingredient Brownies

Don't they look tempting? These brownies are so good, very dense and they melt in your mouth. I made these the other night when I invited my parents and brother over for dinner and they were a hit. I did not tell anyone what they were made of until everyone had tried one, even after I told them what the secret ingredient was they still had seconds and even thirds. I will be making these again.

So do you want to know what the secret ingredient is?

Would you believe me if I said it is Black Beans?

Yep that is right all you need for these brownies is a brownie mix and a can of black beans!

First you want to rinse your beans really well,

also rinse the can out because you will be putting

the beans back in the can.

Once the beans are rinsed

put them back into the can and fill with water

just enough to cover beans.

Pour the can of beans and water

into food processor and process

until smooth like the picture on

the left.

Next you need to mix your dry brownie mix and pureed beans,

mix well. Pour into a greased brownie pan. Bake according to directions on the brownie box and enjoy!

Menu Plan 5/23-5/29

So I have not done a menu in a few weeks and I can really tell a difference, we eat out more and spend way more money! So I am going to try and get back into my menu planning and I am even thinking about doing some freezer cooking/OAMC. Do you freezer cook? If so please share ideas with me or tell me your favorite things to cook ahead of time.





Monday-Leftover meat and corn on the cob that we grilled this weekend, with mashed potatoes and watermelon

Tuesday-Grilled Chicken with rice and green beans

Wednesday-Easter Pork Loin with corn, deviled eggs and rolls

Thursday-Leftovers or Fish Sticks with mac and cheese

Friday-Frito Pie with fruit

Saturday-Probably grill something??

Sunday- Tatertot Casserole with ranch style beans

Menu Plan Monday

Last week's plan worked really good, the only thing I did not make that I had planned on was the beef stir fry so I am moving that to this week.

So this week I have planned

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Beef Stir Fry

The Cheesiest Cheeseburger Mac

Meatloaf-not sure how I will make this just yet, do you have a really good meatloaf recipe? If so please share it with me!

Hubby and I are going out of town Friday night and will be back sometime Sunday so the kids will be with grandma.

I am linking up to Menu Plan Monday over at I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Menu Plan Monday

This week I have just decided a few meals I will be making, they are in no particular order because I usually swith things around anyways.

Spaghetti and Meatballs with green beans and garlic bread

Beef Stir Fry with mixed veggies

Brown Stuff (Ground beef mixed with beef rice a roni)

Breakfast for dinner

Chuck E Cheese for Marissa's 4th Birthday

What are your plans for dinner this week? How do you menu plan?

Check out Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie for more ideas!

Menu Plan Monday 3/7-3/13

Last week's menu went ok switched things around a little bit but I did not get to make the homemade pizza which works out good because the kids are on spring break this week so tommorow we will be making the homemade pizza.

Monday- We went to eat at a Chinese Buffet

Tuesday-Homemade Pizza

Wednesday- Stove Top Easy Cheesy Chicken Bake

Thursday- Manwich Steaks with mac and cheese and green beans

Friday- May be camping so something grilled

Saturday- May be camping so something grilled

Sunday- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken may shred this and wrap in tortillas with rice and beans

I may make Golden Graham S'mores with the kids this week also!

What does your menu look like this week?

I am linking up at I'm an Organizing Junkie's Meal Plan Monday go ahead go check out all the menus over there!

Tatertot Casserole

So Tatertot Casserole seems to be a go to easy recipe for me but I have not made it in awhile, I am not sure where I got my original recipe but I have heard several versions of it and I think at is a versatile dish.

Brown your ground meat adding seasoning to your taste, I also cut up some mushrooms and added it to the meat mixture, drain grease!

Add two cans of cream of mushroom soup and mix well, let it heat through.

Today I drained a can of corn and added it to the mixture.

Place in a 9x13 baking dish

Add tatertots and bake for about 20 minutes!

After tatertots are done cooking cover with a ton of cheese and place back in the oven to melt the cheese, then enjoy!!!!

Tatertot Casserole Basic Recipe

2 Lbs ground Beef(seasoned to taste, browned and drained)

2 Cans Cream of Mushroom Soup or Cream of Chicken

32oz Bag of Tatertots

2 Cups Shredded Cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Mix cream of mushroom with ground beef and put in a 9X13 baking dish, place tatertots on top of meat mixture and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until tatertots are done(I usually go by whatever the bag of tatertots says). Take out of oven and cover with cheese, place back in oven just long enough to let the cheese melt. Take out of oven and Enjoy!

*Note this recipe can be changes however you like, I don't normally add corn but decided to add it last minute and it turned out great.

Sorry the pics are so small, I took them using my phone!

Do you add anything different to your tatertot casserole? If so, leave me a comment letting me know.

Check Out Melt in Your Mouth Monday for more yummy recipes!

Menu Plan 2/28-3/6

What is on your menu this week? Tonight we ended up having tacos and I actually sat down and made a plan for the week, still need Saturday and Sunday but this is better than what I have done recently.

Monday- Chicken Marsala(sp?) with rice and ranch style beans
Tuesday-Homemade Pizza
Wednesday-Caldo de Res(hubby has been asking for this for over a month and I have not made it yet)
Thursday-Tatertot Casserole with green beans
Friday-Breakfast
Saturday-?
Sunday-? I work at CVS 8-2:30 and then go to my other job at 3:30-8:30 so hubby will be figuring something out for him and the kids.



For more mene plans visit I'm an Organizing Junkie

Menu Plan 1/24-1/30

So 3 of us in the house have been sick this weekend so I made a menu that will hopefully be easy on our tummies and not require me to be in the kitchen too much.

Monday-We are having Chicken Noodle Soup tonight
Tuesday- Cheeseburger Soup
Wednesday-Caldo de Res
Thursday-Tacos with rice and beans
Friday-Leftovers
Saturday-?
Sunday-?

What are you cooking this week?

To see more menus check out I'm an Organizing Junkie