Smith Family Menu ~ Week of December 30 - January 6 (Gluten free recipes)

I am excited to try the Crock-Pot recipe below because my mom bought me a new crockpot for Christmas!  My old one was good, but it only had timers for 4 hours on high, 6 hours on high, 8 hours on low, or 10 hours on low.  Great for the weekends when I can control the time easier, but not as easy to use during a weekday since many foods were getting overcooked.  I'm hoping chicken teriyaki comes out good, I found it on Facebook while traveling home.

Dinners:

• Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce (using gluten free pasta)
• Crock-Pot Chicken Teriyaki w/Rice and Green Beans
  
• Broiled Garlic-Rosemary Flank Steak (Paleo) w/Baked Potatoes & Black-Eyed Peas
• Honey-Soy Pork Chops w/Corn & Carrots

When planning our weekly dinners, I try to use things we have at home along with planning meats based on advertised sales to help us save money.  Jeff and I continue to have most dinners based on the plate method.  Eating more non-starchy vegetables, less foods with high carbohydrates, and increased exercise has really helped our weight loss.

Need other ideas, check out my previous menu plans.  Want more ideas, see a bunch more menu plans where I linked up at Org Junkie!

Smith Family Menu ~ December 11 - December 14

Wednesday: Almond-Crusted Chicken Breasts, Green Beans, & Corn

Almond-Crusted Chicken Breast (from eMeals)
Ingredients:

1⁄4 cup coconut milk
1⁄2 cup finely chopped almonds
1⁄2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon lemon pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Pour milk in a shallow container. Combine almonds, smoked paprika, salt and lemon pepper in a bowl. Dip chicken in milk; coat with almond mixture. Place chicken on a baking sheet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until done. 

Thursday: Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce

Friday: Leftover Buffet

Saturday: Lemon-Garlic Pork Chops

Lemon-Garlic Pork Chops (from eMeals)
Ingredients:

Juice and rind of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2 bone-in pork loin chops
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon pastured butter 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut small slits in pork; place pork in a roasting pan rubbed with olive oil. Add broth to pan. Stir together orange juice, rind, chipotle peppers, garlic, thyme and salt in a bowl. Rub mixture over pork and into slits. Bake 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 145 degrees, basting occasionally with juices. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. 

Sunday: "Grandma's Pot Roast" with Smoked Paprika Sweet Potato Wedges

Grandma's Pot Roast (from eMeals)
Ingredients:

11⁄2 lb boneless chuck roast, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 (8-oz) package sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large onion, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoons pepper
11⁄2 tablespoons almond flour
1 cup organic chicken broth

Directions:

Cook roast in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 2 minutes per side or until browned. Remove roast to a plate. Add mushrooms, carrot, onion, oregano, salt and pepper to skillet; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring constantly. Add almond flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Combine mushroom mixture and chicken broth in a 4-quart slow cooker; stir well. Add roast to cooker. Cover and cook on Low 6 to 8 hours or until meat easily shreds. Skim fat from juices; serve with roast. Note: Refrigerate leftover roast for next-day sandwich fixings. 

Smoked Paprika Sweet Potato Wedges (from eMeals)

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1⁄2- inch-thick wedges
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1⁄2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic salt
1⁄4 teaspoon onion powder
1⁄4 teaspoon pepper 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine sweet potato and oil on a jellyroll pan; toss to coat. Sprinkle with paprika, garlic salt, onion powder and pepper; toss. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until tender and browned, turning once. 

Smith Family Menu ~ April 8th-April 14th

The past few weeks have been so much easier since I have been keeping up with a menu!  I have been busy baking these last few weeks.  Check out some of the things I have been cooking!

Here are a few recipes I found using my Kindle Fire, iCookbook application and the current weekly eMeals recipe planner.

Fall-Off-the-Bone BBQ Ribs by Crock-Pot^®
Serves: 6    Time: 4:00   
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup paprika
3/8 cup sugar
1/4 cup onion powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper
2-1/2 pounds pork baby back ribs, silver skin removed silver skin removed
1 can (20 ounces) beer or beef broth
1 quart barbecue sauce
1/2 cup honey
Sesame seeds and chopped chives (optional)
PREPARATION
1. Preheat grill. Lightly oil grill grate.
2. Meanwhile, combine paprika, sugar, onion powder, salt and pepper in small bowl. Generously season ribs with dry rub mixture. Place ribs on grate. Cook for 3 minutes on each side or until ribs have grill marks.
3. Portion ribs into sections of 3 to 4 bones. Place in CROCK-POT^® slow cooker. Pour beer over ribs. Cover; cook on HIGH 2 hours. Combine barbecue sauce and honey in medium bowl and add to CROCK-POT^® slow cooker. Cover; cook 1-1/2 hours longer. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chives, if desired. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Recipe © 2011 Jarden Consumer Solutions, LLC
Photo © 2011 Publications International, Ltd.


Italian Skillet by eMeals
INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground beef
24 oz pasta sauce
(2 cup water)
8 oz spaghetti, broken into pieces
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
PREPARATION
In large covered skillet or saucepan, brown ground beef; drain.  Stir in sauce and water; mix well and bring to boil.  Stir in spaghetti.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minus or until spaghetti is tender.  Sprinkle cheese on top.  Cover for 2 mins or until cheese is melted.

3-Cheese Baked Ham and Tortellini by Cure 81^®
Serves: 4    Calories: 445 calories per serving   
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced minced
1-1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup (6 ounces) finely chopped HORMEL^® CURE 81^® Ham
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
4 cups cooked cheese-filled tortellini
Chopped fresh parsley
PREPARATION
1. In small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Add cheeses. Stir until melted. Stir in ham and white pepper. Spoon pasta into 4 to 6 individual gratin dishes. Spoon sauce over pasta. Broil 4 inches from heat source 3 to 5 minutes or until topping is slightly golden. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Recipe © 2011 Hormel Foods, LLC
Photo © 2011 Hormel Foods, LLC

Smith Family Menu ~ April 1-April 7

Our schedules changed for today, so we decided to cook the enchilada casserole for Sunday.  We had a successful week last week on our menu.  The BBQ pork chops uses a rub made from ingridents listed from Allrecipes.com.  It is really good!  The Easter dinner is also planned from eMeals.  We will adapt it slightly, but overall it sounds delicious!  Our Easter dinner is planned for Saturday night due to Roland being over with us since he tends to go back to his mom's house in the afternoon on Sunday.

Chicken Parmesan & Penne served with French Bread
1 lb chicken breast strips
26 oz jar spaghetti sauce
8oz shredded mozzarella
8 T shredded Parmesan – divided
16oz penne pasta, cooked and drained


Combine sauce and 6 T Parmesan in 13x9 dish. Fold in uncooked chicken. Cover, bake at 375, 30 minutes. Uncover, top with mozzarella and sprinkle with 2 T Parmesan. Return to oven to melt cheese.  Serve chicken & sauce over cooked penne pasta.
Recipe from eMeals.

Don't forget to head over to eMeals and pick up the Easter dinner and dessert menu!

Smith Family Menu ~ March 25-March 31

As mentioned on my previous post, I rejoined eMeals.  We have a pretty busy week coming up with multiple Cub Scout events and a church event on Friday!  Some of the recipes are new and will try to post how they went after we cook them.  Both Sunday and Tuesday's recipes are from eMeals.  Saturday's recipe, enchilada casserole, is super easy to make and is delicious!  We have made it several times.

 

Enchilada Casserole:
1 lb ground beef
2 cans enchilada sauce
1 pkg yellow corn tortillas (12 tortillas) cut in half
3 cups four-cheese blend shredded cheese
sour cream if desired

1. Heat oven to 350. Spray 13x9 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cook ground beef in large saucepan over Medium-High heat until throughly cooked.  Stir in 1 can of the enchilada sauce.
3. Meanwhile, pour 1/2 can enchilada sauce in bottom of baking dish.  Arrange 8 tortillas halves over the sauce.  Spoon half of the ground beef mixture over the tortillas.  Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese.  Repeat layers of tortillas, ground beef mixture and cheese.  End by placing the remaining 8 tortilla halves on top.  Spread enchilada sauce over tortillas.  Cover with foil.
4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly around edges and thoroughly heated.  Uncover; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.  Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes. 
Recipe from Target shredded cheese bag.

eMeals

I decided to rejoin eMeals.  It has been quite some time since I have used their recipes, but I have missed having quick recipes with an easy shopping list at my finger tips!  There is also a coupon code from Retail Me Not if you decide to join.  You can save $3.15 off a 3-month subscription ($5.95 per month), save $5.25 off a a 6-month subscription ($4.95 per month), or save $8.70 off a 12-month subscription ($4.11 per month).  Enter PARENTCHILD in the coupon code box to automatically get the discount.

The current bonus menus are below for members.  The Easter menu consists of a spiral ham, green beans, mashed potatoes, oven roasted carrots, mixed greens, muffins, lemon cake, and deviled eggs.  My family would easily eat the ham, green green, mashed potatoes, carrots, muffins, and lemon cake!  I am honestly excited about cooking the items as an Easter dinner!

I rejoined for the ANY STORE PLAN, but there are many different menu plans to choose from including specific stores such as Kroger, Wal-Mart, ALDI, and others.  I used to shop at Kroger, but not as often anymore since they stopped doubling and tripling coupons.  I find it easier to shop at Target and save 5% automatically with my Target debit or Target credit card.  eMeals also has sample menus to view before committing.  My next goal is to get next week's menu plan figured out and posted!  Happy Eating!