Menu Plan Monday 9/10/07

It's been a busy couple of days here, and it's now almost 4:30pm on Monday and I haven't had time to sit down and make my normal detailed menu plan. (I usually do it on Sunday afternoons.) So, here's the quick version-- it definitely reflects the busy week ahead! I'm higher than I'd like to be on WW points, so this menu might get changed later in the week to get the points down some.

NOTES FROM LAST WEEK: The crockpot Pepper Steak (5pts) was absolutely delicious-- see my last entry for the complete recipe along with my adaptations. We didn't care for the crockpot ranch potatoes & chicken-- we found it too bland, even though I added extra seasonings.

This week:

• MONDAY: It's a "Heat and Eat" night: frozen lasagna (6pts), garlic bread (4pts), green beans (0pts)
• TUESDAY: new recipe: crockpot spicy chicken subs (7pts using chicken breast meat & including buns) and mini ears of corn on the cob (2pts)
• WEDNESDAY: new recipe: baked cube steaks (5pts), mashed potatoes (2pts), green beans (0pts)
• THURSDAY: crockpot salsa chicken (6pts) over rice (3pts) (or in flour tortillas, 3pts) and with stewed tomatoes (0pts)
• FRIDAY: tuna helper augratin (6pts) and peas (2pts) --- This meal in particular is likely to change... but I always keep one "pantry meal" like this on hand for rushed days!

Head on over to I'm An Organizing Junkie to share your menu

or see what others are eating this week!

Crockpot Pepper Steak

This was a new recipe on our menu this week, and it was SO good! :) It's definitely a keeper. I'm posting the original recipe (copied from the forums at Boot Camp Buddies- posted by Jacque at this link) along with my notes in red... you know I can't ever follow a recipe the way it's written, LOL! :)

SO-EASY CROCKPOT PEPPER STEAK

2 lbs round steak, cut into strips or cubes (I had one pound of meat, and left the 4 small round steaks whole rather than chopping them up.)

Salt & Pepper

1 14.5oz can Italian Diced Tomatoes (mine were plain)

1 6oz can Tomato Paste (I used 8oz tomato sauce)

1 tbs Hot Sauce (I left this out for the kids... DH spiced his plate up with fresh hot chilis)

16oz bag frozen pepper & onion mix (sometimes called Fajita mix)

Italian seasoning, to taste-- as suggested by the original poster-- I just sprinkled some after the sauce layer.

Put the meat in the bottom of the slow cooker, sprinkle with salt & pepper. In a bowl, mix together diced tomatoes, tomato paste and hot sauce. (I didn't mix anything, just poured it all in the crockpot one on top of another.) Pour over meat. Place frozen vegetables on top. Cover and cook on Low for approx. 8 hours. Mix together and serve over noodles or rice, or your choice. (I had wild rice.)

Divided into 6 servings, would be approx. 6 points, plus noodles or rice. Jacque used 1lb and got 4 servings for 5 points. (I used 1lb of meat also, assuming 5 points per serving.)

This one will definitely be repeated in our house... very tasty and simple, especially for being such a low-points recipe!

My Way: The WW Macaroni Casserole

Well, I tried to be good, and use a low-points recipe for a creamy macaroni & chicken casserole. The trouble was, after I stirred it all together, I could tell that it was going to be way too bland for my family. So, as usual, I tweaked the recipe a bit to suit our tastebuds. Actually, it wound up being a lot like my favorite baked macaroni and cheese recipe!

Here's the original recipe (in green) and my changes (in red):

WW Chicken and Cheese Casserole--6 pts. per serving (not my version!)-8 servings

2 C. Cooked macaroni (I actually used medium-sized shell pasta.)

2 C. cooked chicken, chopped (Mine was precooked, frozen, cubed chicken.)

2 C. cream of mushroom soup (I used 89% fat-free cream of chicken.)

2 C. skim milk

8 oz. low fat shredded cheddar cheese (I kept adding cheese... probably close to 3 cups total.)

I also added: around 3 TBSP of minced onion, a tsp of mustard, a few shakes of garlic pepper, and a light scattering of breadcrumbs on top of the casserole.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in large casserole dish. Bake, covered, 35-45 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.

The heartier shell pasta was a nice change for us... I rarely buy shells for some reason. It worked well with the cubed chicken. Overall, we all really liked this, and I'll probably make it again!