Weekly Meal Plan 10/27/23 to 11/2/23: Feeding The Family

 Even though I haven't been putting my meal plans on the blog, I have still been doing them.  I don't know how to plan dinner any other way.  And if you know me, have read any of my blog posts, or have just looked at the "About Me' on my side bar, you probably know that I am constantly trying to lose weight or eat healthy.  Trying being the operative word.  Maybe "failing" would be a better fit here.  Last week I decided to go back to basics.  I know that they say that once you hit perimenopause/menopause the things that worked in the past no longer work, but for me, nothing seems to work.  I have tried it all.  So I decided to go back to what did work for me in the past which was Weight Watchers.  So for now, future menu plans will take on that theme. Will this work? I'm praying so.  The only other variable is that the first time I did Weight Watchers I was in my 20's and I was a pretty heavy smoker and I drank Diet Coke all day.  I'm now in my 50's and I no longer smoke or drink Diet Coke.   But in my 20's, I didn't exercise AT ALL and now I do.  So stay tuned to see what happens.

Friday:  Pasta Puttanesca, Salad, and Bread (for the guys)

Saturday:  Lemony Chicken Francaise, Potato, Veg (from the WW app)

Sunday:  It's our neighborhood Trick or Treat and weather permitting, we bring the fire pit to the bottom of the drive to hand out candy.  Hot Dogs and Turkey Dogs over the fire and low fat cole slaw.

Monday: Chicken Fried Rice

Tuesday: Egg Roll In A Bowl

Wednesday:  Baked Chicken Thighs, Rice, and Veg

Thursday:  Clean Up Day

In an earlier post, I said I was going to shop my freezer for next weeks meals.  The good news with WW is that everything is on plan, I just have to make sure my daily points don't go over.  I really don't want to cook one meal for me and one meal for the family.  Ain't nobody got time for that.

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

 This is one of our families favorite soups and it is so easy!  Now that the weather is getting colder, it is soup time again.  

Ingredients

1.   1/2 large onion, diced
2.   2 cloves of garlic, minced
3.   32 ounces of chicken stock (I use low sodium)
4.   1 30 ounce bag of frozen shredded hash browns
5.   3 Tbs. of butter
6.   1 Tbs. of flour (we use gluten free)
7.   1 cup of water
8.   1 cup of milk of your choice 
9.   1/4 tsp salt
10. 1/2 tsp of pepper (I don't measure this, I just added it to taste)
11. 1/2 Tbs. of onion powder
12. 1 Tbs. of dried parsley
13. 1/3 of a block of cream cheese, cut into cubes

Toppings:
Shredded cheddar, diced green onion, chives, bacon bits

Directions:

1.  In a small pan on the stove, or directly in your slow cooker, melt the butter.  Once the butter is melted, add in the onion and sauté until slightly softened, approximately 3-4 minutes.
2.  Add in the garlic and sauté  another minute, careful that the garlic doesn't burn.
3.  Add in the 1 Tbs. of flour and sauté   for another minutes.  Remove from heat or turn off the multi-cooker.
4.  Add in the broth, hash browns,  water, milk, and seasonings.  Stir to combine. Add the cubed cream cheese to the top. 
5. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

A lot of recipes don't add the cream cheese in during the cooking time, but wait until the soup is done,  You can do that, but I have not had any issues cooking it all at the same time.

Serve with you favorite toppings and enjoy.

Comfort Food!

Sausage, Potato, Pepper Bake

Ingredients:

1. 1 medium onion

2. 6 large baking potatoes

3. 1/2 tsp of salt

4. dash of black pepper

5. 1/2 Tbs. of dried basil

6. 2-3 Tbs of olive oil

7. 2 pounds of mild Italian sausage (hot will work too of that's what you have on hand or prefer)

8. 2 large or 3 small green peppers

9. 3/4 cup of water

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. Slice the onion in thin strips

3. Cut the potatoes roughly into 1/4 inch pieces

4.  Layer onion and potatoes on the bottom of a greased baking dish

5. Cut peppers into rings (this time I cut them into slices because the kids prefer that) and place on top of potatoes

6. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and basil (above measurements are approximates.  I season to taste and sometimes add garlic powder and onion powder depending on my mood.  Season the way you like it)

7. Pour oil over veggies and mix, then add the 3/4 cup of water

8. Arrange sausages on top and piece each link with a fork

9. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour

10. Uncover and bake for another 20-30 minutes until sausages are browned and the potatoes are tender

Makes 6-8 servings 

I sometimes serve this with a side salad and rolls or fresh Italian bread.

Enjoy!!
 

Meal Planning: 3-9-23 to 3-18-23: Feeding the Family

 Hello Friends!  I hope you are well.  I have been feeling very overwhelmed lately, so blogging went to the back seat.  Meal planning has been going on, and the family has been eating.  All is well here.  I've been busy.  Sometimes during Lent, I think I take on too many things. But I'm moving along and just putting all things into perspective. 

The boys will be coming home from college this Friday.  I.am.so.excited.  Don't tell them that mom misses them, or they will take advantage of that when they come home.  I have been trying so hard to get my grocery budget under control, but with them coming home, it's going to be out of control.  I just have to put it in perspective.  I don't mind spoiling them with good food while they are here (summer break will be a different story, because it will be for several months).  These boys (really men) will not be under my roof much longer, and mama wants to feed them.  Feeding people is my love language.  So I have a meal plan set for when they are home, but I have a meal plan for next week before they come home.

This weeks meal plan:

Fri:  Soup Supper At Church   Our water system broke and we had no water.  I had a repair man come out, and that didn't work, so I spoke with an after hours repair man that helped me get my water working again (and he saved me the $250 emergency fee), but our water is seriously orange (heavy iron content...do not look at my sinks or toilets right now) because we had to by pass our iron filter.  Friends, just know that having well water is not an easy thing.  They will come Monday to try and fix all the things.  We did not make it to soup supper, so Mrs. T's potato and cheese pierogi from the freezer saved our meatless, Friday dinner.  Yay Freezer Stash.

Saturday:  Well this went in a whole other direction.  I planned on One Skillet Creamy Chicken, but the 10 year old had a friend over and by 4 pm they were starving.  I was not home all day and hubby had the kids.  He called me to say they were hungry and M's friend is a super picky eater and wasn't interested in anything he offered ( including potato chips...God Bless You, Kid). So I picked up pizza on my way home and we were just not hungry for dinner.

Sunday:  One Skillet Creamy Chicken.  Chicken thighs, Veggies, and Mushrooms in a cream sauce.  

Monday:  Potage - This is a French Veggie Soup and I will serve it with bread (meatless Monday)

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla 

Wednesday:  Red Beans and Rice With Chicken Sausage

Thursday:  Clean up or Egg Roll in a Bowl

Friday:  Soup Supper (and I'm making Cream of Potato Soup so we HAVE to go).  Yes, it's St. Patricks Day.  Our Bishop gave us a dispensation for eating meat "if you must".  We do not need to eat meat.  It is not a "must" for us, so we will be keeping Meatless Friday.

Saturday:  St. Patricks Day Feast:  Slow Cooker Corned Beef, potatoes, and veggies.  (THIS is the day we will have our St. Pat's meal) - rye bread and Swiss cheese for sandwiches.

This weeks meal plan goes a bit longer because I already know what we will have the next few days.  Thursday 3-9-23 I did a meal train meal of slow cooker corned beef, mashed potatoes, St. Patricks Cheese Soup, and honey glazed carrots for my church family.  Please keep them in your prayers.  Mom is traveling to a specialized clinic Monday and Tuesday and we are praying that they have a plan for her to keep her healthy (ALS is such an insidious disease).

I hope you are having a blessed Lenten season.  I pray that you have a blessed week ahead!!