Aug 2 - 8

Our 2 week menu worked out great. I really enjoyed only 1 major grocery trip during that time. Towards the end we wound up ordering pizza and having a dinner out that gave me some roll-overs for this week. I don't have the energy right now to make a 2 week menu let alone shop for one. I picked some easy menu items to get us to Sunday when hopefully I'll be up for shopping again.

Slow-cooker Orange Chicken with Rice and Veggies

Chicken Fried Rice

Spaghetti

Bean burritos

Zuccini and Ricotta Gallete

July 19 - 28

Before I forget, I'll start with reviews. The five-spice burgers were a huge hit all around. I couldn't believe the kids actually ate them up! Of course, they didn't eat the mushroom/cabbage topping, but still I was surprised. The Salsa Verde Steak Burritos were also a big hit and we now have plenty of left-overs. It'll be turned into enchiladas this week :) I didn't get around to the veggie pie as I realized my yogurt was expired when I went to make it - oops. I may try it another time, but for now I'm just going to use the veggies in other things this week (if they're still good!). I also haven't tried the lemon ice cream yet, but I'm hoping to tomorrow!

This menu should get us through the next week and a half with leftovers and probably a meal out sometime.

Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken with Rice and Veggies

Chicken Fried Rice

Lasagna with Salad and Bread

Tofu Stir Fry

Beef Enchiladas with Rice and Beans

Chili Lime Cobb Salad

Sandwiches with Fruit and Chips (water park night!)

July 12 - 18

Our unexpected 2 week menu turned out great! Unfortunately I don't have the energy tonight to make another one. We have a trip coming up at the end of the month so I'll make my next menu gets us through until we leave - just shy of 2 weeks.

Five-Spice Burgers with Warm Mu-Shu Topping, Pineapple and Exotic Chips

Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup

Burgers and Hot Dogs - Meal Night with Home Group

Turkey Meatloaf with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Salsa Verde Steak Burritos

Veggie Pie

Honey Mustard "Fried" Chicken with Mac 'n Cheese and Veggies (for K's 2nd b-day!)

Special Treat: Lemon Ice Cream

Holdin' On

Well, last week's menu is still going strong thanks to leftovers, our sweet neighbors who made us dinner one night and an impromtu evening out while my parents were here! We also have been invited to a friend's house this Friday and already had dinner plans for Saturday. I had Keenan run to the store for some essentials and a frozen pizza to have on hand just in case. Otherwise, we're good to go! This 2 week menu thing may not be so bad :)

Tandoor-Style Chicken with Quick Masala Sauce and Naan

If you like Indian food, this is the post for you! I decided to try Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Tandoor-Style Chicken thanks to a food blog I check - Recipes from the Cookie Jar. I've tried making Indian food at home in the past with mixes and pre-made sauces, but the result was always way to salty. I found one recipe I liked, but this one is a ton easier and seems healthier too (especially since I made up the sauce using yogurt instead of heavy cream!). I also decided to try my hand at some homemade Naan. Eating Indian food just isn't the same without Naan! Everything came out great so I'm putting it all here for you to try :)

Tandoor-Style Chicken
(Click on the link for Jamie's recipe. Below are the amounts I used after a rough metric to US conversion.)

1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt (greek would work well too)
2 T Olive Oil
1/4 cup roasted garlic flavored tomato sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garam masala (or curry powder)
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (I really think the smoked version makes all the difference here)
1/2 tsp tumeric
2 garlic cloves finely chopped (I actually left this out since I was using the garlic tomato sauce. I think I may have put 1/4 tsp of garlic powder, though).
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used 2 good-sized chicken breasts), cut into 1" cubes

Combine all ingredients except the chicken. Mix well. Then add the chicken, salt and pepper to taste and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Thread onto skewers and grill for about 12 min., turning often. Serve with Quick Masala Sauce and Naan and/or rice. Garnish with cilantro.

Sara's Quick, Cold Masala Sauce

1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt
2-3 T roasted garlic flavored tomato sauce
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1-2 T chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients, stir well, while waiting for the chicken to cook.

Homemade Naan

Be prepared - this recipe takes about 3 hours total to make, but is so worth it. Also, pay attention to the instruction to add just enough flour to make a soft dough as opposed to adding all the flour the recipe calls for. I only used about 3 cups vs. the 4.5 cups listed. Next time I plan to cut the salt in half. We were all dying of thirst the rest of the night and I know there wasn't much salt in the chicken or sauce.

We ate our dinner wrap-style - coated a piece of naan with sauce, then filled it with chicken. So tasty!!!

June 27 - July 3

I think I managed quite well with my "meals on the fly" week. I made one trip to Aldi and loaded up on whatever cought my eye that reminded me of something I've made before. Last week I made a short menu, but didn't get around to posting it. I'm going to do a separate post on our meal last night - it came out wonderfully!

Without anymore delay, here's my back-in-the-swing-of-things menu. Next week I'm going to attempt a 2 week menu to cut down on grocery trips.

Blackened Shrimp Po'Boys with Chips (had this tonight - delicious!)

Zesty Garlic Chicken Wraps with Bean Salad

Chicken Tenders with Cucumber Salad and Chickpea Couscous

Pesto and Tomato Pizza

BBQ Turkey Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes and Veggies (thanks Sarah!)

Tacos

Hot Dogs with Beans

Spaghetti

Taking a Break

I'm sure my faithful readers (all 2 of you! :) ) have noticed my absence the last week or so. Between our trip and another quick one this weekend, I've been off my menu making schedule. I actually went to the grocery store today without a plan! Hopefully I'll make it through the next few days pulling together meals on the fly. After that I hope to be back on track and posting menus for your guidance and enjoyment. Until then, feel free to post a menu in the comments here so I don't have to struggle next week! :)