What's for Dinner

On the menu this week:  

Crock Pot Enchiladas - New recipe for me. Hope it's good!
Enchiladas

Gyros - Didn't get to these last week, so I'm definitely doing it this week.

Chicken Salad Pitas - Tony will be out of town a few nights this week, so easy supper is on the menu. My kids love my chicken salad and putting it in a pita, well, that's just smart. Plus, I'll have extra pitas from the Gyros the night before. Genius.

Mac N Cheese N Veggies - I have two nights that it will be just us, so macaroni is definitely on the menu. Add some roasted veggies on the side, cukes and carrots and supper is done.
Mac N Cheese

Santa Fe Chicken Packets - A change up of the packets I've been making, but just as easy and delicious. Or, I hope it will be. Haven't ever tried this before. I will serve it with Mexican rice, I like the Pioneer Woman's recipe for that.
Santa Fe chicken packets
Mexican Rice
******************************************************

Lasagna Roll ups - I make my own sauce and use cottage cheese instead of the traditional ricotta mixture. Roll each portion up in a noodle. Perfect portion size. Here is a link that shows the basic concept.
Lasagna Roll Up

Gyros - I love Greek food and I've been wanting to try to make it for a while now. Hope it tastes just like it does at the restaurant. I will also make the pita bread using the recipe in this one.
Gyros

Easy Oven Packets - I know I did this last week, but it was so good I'm doing it again. No recipe, just take sliced onion, chunked potatoes, mushrooms,  sliced sausage (turkey sausage or kielbasa are too good options) and any other veggie you like sprinkle with salt and pepper and maybe some garlic powder add a tiny bit of butter and wrap in tin foil. Stick in the oven til the potatoes are tender. Note: precook the potatoes in the microwave a little bit first, otherwise the packets will take forever!

Chicken and Rice - Cook chicken in the crock pot, serve with brown rice and veggies.

Shepherds Pie - Easy and tasty and the mashed carrot layer is a bonus sneaky veggie!
Shepherds Pie

****************************************************** Grilled chicken with lemon basil pasta-
Marinate your chicken in this: 3T olive oil, 3T fresh lemon juice (the bottled kind works too), 3t red wine vinegar, 1 t fresh rosemary minced (I have tons if you need some),  2 tsp sugar, 2 cloves of garlic minced, 1/2 t fresh ground black pepper, 1/2 t kosher salt - give it a full 24 hours if you can, no less than one hour otherwise. It's the best marinade I have ever tasted. I'm also going to throw some zucchini and squash on the grill to go with the chicken and pasta.
Lemon Basil Pasta

Honey and Pecan Glazed Salmon- A new recipe for me. Salmon is super good for you and not too fishy. Serving with baked sweet potatoes, another veggie and salad
Honey and Pecan Glazed Salmon

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes - Another new recipe, sounds tasty and easy. Serve with corn on the cob, carrot and cucumber slices and fruit salad
Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

Taco Salad - no recipe, self explanatory.

Easy Oven Packets - No recipe, just take sliced onion, chunked potatoes, mushrooms,  sliced sausage (turkey sausage or kielbasa are too good options) and any other veggie you like sprinkle with salt and pepper and maybe some garlic powder add a tiny bit of butter and wrap in tin foil. Stick in the oven til the potatoes are tender. Note: precook the potatoes in the microwave a little bit first, otherwise the packets will take forever!



******************************************************

Panko crusted tilapia. Tasty and easy! And the dipping sauce is an absolute must, it's delicious! Going with it is Cheesy Zucchini Rice. I'll add another simple veggie and salad to complete the meal.
Fishsticks
Zucchini Rice

Chicken and Biscuits - I like to add other veggies to the stew like corn, squash etc. Pretty much anything goes. You can also opt for a simple drop bisquit on top which is way easier than rolling out biscuits and just as delicious. I usually just do the drop biscuit recipe in my Betty Crocker cook book. Left overs (without the biscuits freeze well)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-stew-with-biscuits-recipe/index.html

Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork - I have never made this but I plan to make enough for two meals. First it will be served on buns with provolone. Roasted Veggies and fruit salad on the side. Then I will make it pork tacos. (I also plan to use the crock pot, although the recipe doesn't say to and I probably won't make it as spicy as called for. Freeze leftovers in sauce)
Pork

Tomato Basil Soup and Grilled Cheese- time for something simple and when you find out how easy this soup is to make, you will never buy tomato soup in a can again. Freezes beautifully for another meal on another day!
Here is the actual recipe, but only because it was convenient...;)
5 T unsalted butter
2 medium sized yellow onions (about 1.5 cups)
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
29 oz San Marzano canned tomatoes, drained
3 T granulated sugar
4 cups water
1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves

Note: I did not use unsalted butter, or that particular kind of canned tomatoes, and only had dried basil and it still was wonderful

Heat butter in a nonreactive saucepan until foaming but not browned. Add the sliced onion, salt, and black pepper, stirring well to coat the onions with the butter and seasonings. Cook gently over medium heat, stirring often, for approx 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened, before the pieces begin to brown. Add the tomatoes and sugar and stir well. Continue cooking approx 5 minutes before adding the water. Then bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes. 

Remove from heat and stir in the fresh basil leaves. Puree with a blender then return to the pan to check seasonings. Serve hot or cold. Makes about 2 quarts of soup, enough to serve 6-8

One other thing I did to take the edge off the tomatoes (I was hoping it would make it more appealing to the chillins), I added a little milk to the soup which helps cut some of the acidity. 

Any days left I didn't plan for will be left overs or...from someone else's kitchen. Ha!