Menu Plan Monday — April 6th-12th

I made everything last week except I never got around to the fish on Saturday (lots of leftovers). Basically, it was a beef-filled week.

Now I am officially in a rut. I'm doing my best to come up with a plan for this week, while trying to make my boys' request of 'no new recipes, mom,' a possibility for two weeks in a row.

Monday — Italian Chicken Pita Sandwiches. Rice on the side for the kids who prefer to have it not in a pita. Recipe below.

Tuesday — Baked Potatoes. Loaded with each person's preference, which for the kids is usually just butter and cheese.

Wednesday — Farmer's Breakfast. I didn't realize until this last week just how much my hubby liked this. Recipe below.

Thursday — Flavor-full Chicken Breasts. Recipe below.

Friday — Taco Pie. Okay, a new recipe, at least for my kids. I haven't made this since my girls were still eating baby food. That's a long time! Recipe below.

Saturday — Fish. I'm determined to get it in this week. Again, cooked on the stove top in olive oil, heavily seasoned with Mrs. Dash's garlic and herb, lightly seasoned with salt.

Sunday — Eat out since we ate in all week!

One of these days I'm going to get at least lunches planned out too. It would make my days run so much better.

Italian Chicken Pita Sandwiches
from my friend, Sandi

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (enough for how many you are serving)
Light Italian salad dressing
Onions (optional...I don't use)
Peppers (optional...I don't use)
Pitas

Cut chicken up into large bite-size pieces and marinate in salad dressing for up to one day. Make sure all the pieces are covered well.

You can cook on the stove top in a grill pan or in an electric skillet, starting at 350 degrees and reducing as needed to around 300 degrees. Cook until brown, adding 2 Tablespoons of Italian dressing at a time as needed when cooking.

You can add onions and peppers, sliced into strips, for the last 10 minutes of stir-frying. Use them just to add flavor or add them with your chicken to warmed pitas.

Farmer's Breakfast

Russet or white potatoes, maybe 10 or 12
1 lb bacon
1 dozen eggs
2 cup package of shredded cheese (I use Colby-jack or Mexican four-cheese)

Cube potatoes. Fry in vegetable oil, seasoning with salt and *a lot of* Mrs. Dash's garlic and herb. I cook enough potatoes that it takes my family-size 12" skillet.

While potatoes are cooking, fry bacon, either in another skillet or in the microwave. Crumble the bacon when it is cool enough to handle. Crack eggs and get them ready to cook when everything else is done.

When the potatoes are done, I put a few paper towels in the bottom of a large bowl and then place the potatoes on top to drain. I scramble the eggs in the skillet without washing it since it is already oiled up.

When the eggs are done, lower the heat and put the potatoes, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheese in with the eggs. Stir it all together until it is mixed up well. Turn off the heat and serve immediately. This is good leftover, too.

Flavor-full Chicken Breasts
from my cousin, Jennifer

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup Durkee (or is it French's?) onion rings, crushed
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
Garlic powder to taste
1 stick butter

Melt butter; mix cheese, onion rings, bread crumbs, and garlic powder together. Dip chicken in butter; roll in crumbs. Put in 9 x 13 pan and pour leftover butter on chicken.

Cover with foil. Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Cook 15 minutes more without foil.

I think the last time I made this I doubled it because I had really large chicken pieces, and I like to have a lot of stuff on my chicken — I want to taste the flavor. It's yummy, and every one of my kids liked this.

Taco Pie
from my cousin, Jennifer

1 lb ground beef
2-8 oz cans tomato sauce
1 pkg taco seasoning mix (I'll use my homemade taco seasoning recipe from my sidebar)
1 1/2 cans crescent rolls
8 oz shredded cheddar (I'll use a mixed bag if that's what I have on hand)

Brown meat and drain. Stir in tomato sauce and taco seasoning mix. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Press dough on bottom and sides of an ungreased pan. Press edges together to seal and prick with a fork. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Cover with meat mixture. Top with cheese and bake until cheese is melted.

Like I said, it's been a really long time since I made this. I think I either made it in a square pan or a 7 x 12, and it served Hubby and me one night for dinner and the next day at lunch for leftovers. I think.

So based on that aged memory, I plan to double this recipe, and figure out what size pan to make it in as I go. I do have one really oversized 9 x 13, and I'll probably make it in that pan. Unless I start spreading out those crescent rolls and I obviously need more pan space. I'll take pictures and update next week. Sound fair?

For more great menu planning ideas and recipes, check out The Organizing Junkie.