Meal Planning for the Week

I hate to admit that summer is coming to an end. A sure sign of this is when my husband goes back to work (he works in education). Let's be honest...he never really stops going to work but at least it's not as demanding.

My kids are not school-aged which helps keep our schedule more predictable, but it also means I have some "really helpful" hands during dinner time.

At dinner time, my husband is still at work, and I work a traditional 8 to 5 job. That has us pulling into the garage around 5:45 p.m. This means I must make a plan. I also use my crock pot a lot (but not this week!).

As you read through my plan, I owe you a fair warning: I am a multi-tasker to a fault, and I don't follow recipes very well. I like to make up my own measurements and sometimes I just guess at things. It works out just fine for me. Set your own expectations!

This is a working-mom's list. Not many frills.

I have learned that meal planning for the week makes everyone in our house happier. It doesn't happen every week, but I really try to have a list of dinner options so I am not searching at 6 p.m. for something to eat with two crying children stuck to my leg.

I was feeling extra productive this past Sunday and I planned out TWO weeks of meals. I will have to make a pit stop at the grocery store this weekend for a few minor items only. It feels so good to have a plan.

HINT: I only plan 3 to 4 meals a week. There is always something that comes up or we eat leftovers. When I planned a meal for each day, we wasted a lot of food.

Here is this week's lineup:

1. Cashew Chicken Salad

2. Mexican Quinoa

3. Chicken Pot Pie

4. Pasta with Chicken and Pesto

Side dish bonus: Parmesan Quinoa

Many times our side dishes are steamed bags of vegetables, sliced cucumbers, or couscous from the box. My kids also love when I throw in yogurt, applesauce, sliced fruit, or cottage cheese. My family also loves those 90 second bags of rice or quinoa. I have no dreams of being Betty Crocker or Martha Stewart. Just AuthenticallyAmy.

Cashew Chicken Salad and Pasta with Chicken and Pesto

I plan my meals so I can use an ingredient in more than one recipe, and that is what I did with the Pasta and Chicken with Pesto and Cashew Chicken Salad. You will see how I made the two simultaneously.

Cashew Chicken Ingredients:

• Chicken tenderloins (choose number of these based on your family size...I did 8 but for two recipes...the other half was used for Pasta with Chicken and Pesto)

• Italian Dressing

• Italian Seasoning

• Lettuce (romaine)

• Tomato

• Cucumber

• Celery

• Cashews

• Optional: waterchestnuts

• Dressing of choice (my family goes for the standard ranch on this one)

Pasta and Chicken with Pesto Ingredients:

• Chicken tenderloins (see above)

• Italian Dressing

• Italian Seasoning

• Package of cheese tortellini (or whatever is your family favorite)

• Basil

• Olive Oil

• Garlic

• Lemon

Instructions

• Take the thawed chicken and put it in a Ziploc baggie with some Italian Dressing. Also, add some Italian Seasoning. Shake it up and put in the fridge for an hour or so. I only did this for 30 minutes and it was just fine.

• While that is in the fridge, cut up your tomatos, celery and cucumbers into small pieces for the salad. I don't like waterchestnuts so I left those out.

• You can also make your own pesto while waiting....put in a bunch of basil, three garlic cloves (I used my press), lemon juice from half a lemon, and 1/4 cup of olive oil in your chopper/blender. I usually add pine nuts as well but I forgot to buy them and no one noticed. Mix up....and slowly add more olive oil as needed (or lemon depending on your tastes). Poof...you have your own pesto.

• There is no shame in just buying the pesto...I just had basil from my garden that needed used.

• By now, you can remove the chicken from the fridge. Put in it in the oven at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.

• Once cooked, I split the chicken up into two baggies. One to top my salad and one to top my pasta.

• Assemble your items for each meal.

Chicken Pot Pie

I make five servings or so of Chicken Pot Pie each time...and then I freeze the filling. SO worth the time!

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 cups of sliced carrots

• 1 cup of chopped celery

• 1 chopped onion

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1-3/4 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme--or fresh thyme (my preference)

• 3/4 teaspoon pepper

• 3 cups chicken broth--or two packages of Knorr's Homestyle Chicken Broth (one for cooking chicken and one for gravy)

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs OR rotisserie chicken (shred meat)

• 1 pkg frozen peas

• Optional, 1 cup frozen corn

• 2 packages (14.1 ounces each) refrigerated pie pastry

Instructions

1. Purchase a rotisserie chicken or put some chicken thighs (I go easy with boneless and skinless thighs) with a little broth in the crockpot on high.

2. Preheat oven to 425° (if you are cooking right away...I don't...I freeze and eat later)

3. Place carrots, celery and onion in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, covered, 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender; drain.

4. KEEP the drained water.

5. Put veggies into a large mixing bowl.

6. In a large skillet on medium to medium-high, put the drained water in the pan with some added chicken broth or my favorite KNORR's Homestyle Chicken Stock. I always have this stuff in my cupboard. (Sorry, I am really bad at measuring this...I just eyeball what I think I will need and always add more than that).

7. Mix a little luke warm water with some flour and stir together. I do this in a measuring cup with a lip so I can easily pour into my water at a gradual pace.

8. Bring water in pan to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2 minutes while adding the flour mixture....do this until thickened like gravy. I add salt and pepper at this stage as well.

9. If you are cooking your chicken in the crock pot, shred this cooked chicken (or add the shredd chicken from the rotisserie chicken) to the veggie bowl.

10. Stir together with gravy. Add a package of frozen peas. Stir some more.

11. You can add some fresh thyme (it makes a BIG difference) to this mixture. Dried works too...but not as well. You can also add oregano.

12. Once cooled, I put about two cups of the mixture in a freezer baggie to enjoy later.

When cooking, preheat oven to 425° and cook for about 30 minutes. I just buy the pie crust from the store. Remember, I am NOT Betty Crocker.

Don't forget that the packaged pie crust needs to sit out at room temp for about 15 minutes. After this, just put your filling into the pie crust, top with another pie crust, pinch sides together, cut some slits in the crust and pop it in the over. I do this in the morning before work and when I get home I can just put it in the oven.

If you want to be fancy, cover edges loosely with foil. I never do this.

TIP: If I use a rotisserie chicken, I can make another meal out of this. Like chicken noodle soup or just as the meat dish. It's pretty economical. The grease also makes my hands feel hydrated after I shred the chicken.

Mexican Quinoa and Parmesan Quinoa

I avoided making this dish for a long time. But, now that I have made it, I LOVE it. I don't understand what I was afraid of...it's so simple, healthy and good.

Ingredients

• 2 cup quinoa

• 1 cup vegetable broth

• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

• 1 cup corn kernels

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

• 1/4 cup of parmesan for the parmesan dish

Instructions

• Cook Quinoa for both recipes--follow the instructions on the package but replace 2 cups of water with chicken broth

• Once cooked, separate out--about 3/4 for the Mexican dish and 1/4 for parmesan dish

• Stir in quinoa, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

• I premade this for the week...so I put in the fridge all mixed together except the cilantro, avaocado and lime juice. When served, I just warmed it up in the microwave, added those items before serving.

Parmesan Dish (used as a side dish for other nights)

For the parmesan side dish, it's SO easy, you just stir in the parmesan cheese and serve. My kids LOVED this and I was so skeptical. With the chicken broth to add flavor, it makes a perfect add-on to many meals.

BONUS

We also eat a lot of chicken drumsticks on the grill. I marinade the drumsticks with Italian dressing and then grill them. Guests think we are so fancy...and we are not. It's also very economical...and with the parmesan side dish...everyone is happy and healthy!

Let me know your thoughts. How do you plan for your family?

Spending a few hours on Sunday really pays off!

Sometimes I don't have time to do that, so we use the menu you see below because I don't need to prep much. I hope to hit up local theatre this Sunday. :)

Next week's lineup:

1. Tacos (cook beef tacos and spaghetti at the same time)

2. Spaghetti (c'mon, we all do this!)

3. Pizza on the Grill (kids do their own toppings)

4. Italian Dressing Chicken Legs on the Grill

Warning. This is what your kitchen may look like when you are finished.

#mealplanning #familyrecipes