Menu Plan Monday :: 4.10.2017

This week can be described only one way: the storm before the calm. We have lots going on this week in preparation for Easter weekend and our spring break trip to Arizona. So let's get right to it, shall we?

Here's what's on our plates this week:

Monday - Creamy sun-dried tomato pasta. One-pot pasta dish = dream come true. This dish looks delicious and easy. A bonus is that I have most of these ingredients on hand except for the heavy cream.

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Menu Plan Monday :: 4.3.2017

Let's do this, Monday! It's time for another week's worth of epic recipes. With spring-like weather on tap for the week, it's time to lighten things up around here.

Here's what's on our plates this week:

Monday - Spring pasta salad. I found this recipe in the latest edition of Food Network magazine. The pictures of the dish are mouth watering, and I couldn't resist putting it on this week's menu plan in honor of the mild temps in the forecast.

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Menu Plan Monday :: 3.27.2017

Now that we are a few weeks into lacrosse season, I've gotten smarter about meal planning and preparation. Lacrosse practice pick up and scrimmages do not cooperate with meal time. I've been forced to push back our dinner times. So, I've also had to adjust the menu plan to include easier and quicker meals since I've been starting to make dinner later.

Here's what's on our plates this week:

Monday - Meatball Parmigiana sandwiches (using leftover meatballs from a batch the Hubs made yesterday).

Tuesday - Ground beef tacos. A classic for Taco Tuesday, and also at the request of Harper.

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Menu Plan Monday :: 3.20.2017

I took a break from menu planning last week. It was a combination of being slightly burned out and having a crazy, up in the air week that didn't exactly lend itself to sticking to any sort of meal plan. But no fear! This week I am back in business and ready to get to it.

Here's what's on our plates this week:

Monday - Ravioli with a brown butter and sage sauce. This pasta is so rich and decadent. Use as much or as little sage as you like. I like to use cheese ravioli, but any kind of ravioli would be absolutely delicious!

Photo credit: Taste of Home

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Menu Plan Monday :: 3.6.2017

One way to make your week go smoothly is to put together a menu plan. The key for me is to stick to quick and easy meals that I can pull together any night of the week no matter how busy my day was. Weekend meals can be a little more complicated depending on what we have going on. No matter what we are eating, I like to keep the ingredients simple and healthful!

Here's what's on our plates this week:

Monday - Bacon cheddar potato soup. Today is a chilly day. It's the perfect day for soup.

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Menu Plan Monday :: 2.27.2017

One way to make your week go smoothly is to put together a menu plan. They work for me, and they also keep me from ordering takeout, which can get expensive and unhealthy. The key for me is to stick to quick and easy meals that I can pull together any night of the week no matter how busy my day was.

Here's what's on our plates this week:

Monday - Lemon spaghetti with shrimp.  This is an indulgent dish that's so easy to make at home but taste's like restaurant-quality.

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Tuesday - Asian chopped salad with spicy peanut dressing. I don't know if I am more excited to have this for dinner or to have leftovers for lunch for a few days. It's one of my favorites, and I often double the dressing recipe and put it on noodles too.

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Wednesday - Slow cooker Mexican pot roast. This was on last week's menu plan, but we ended up having Sunday's dinner on Saturday because we always have cheese fondue for the Oscar's.

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Thursday - Easy Italian stuffed peppers. If you think this is just another boring recipe for stuffed peppers, you're wrong. This recipe includes a spicy, Balsamic sauce that's sure to be an amazing complement to the peppers.

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Friday - Dinner out

Saturday - Rigatoni with creamy tomato sauce. I'm always up for an easy pasta dish on a Saturday night, and this one doesn't get any easier!

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Sunday - We are going to visit the Hubs' nephew and his family. We'll have salad, pizza, and I'm going to offer to bring dessert (maybe this).

What's on your plate this week? For more meal time inspiration, visit I'm An Organizing Junkie's Meal Plan Monday linkup.

To view all of my menu planning posts, click here. Visit my What's For Dinner, Pasta, and Soups On! Pinterest boards for even more ideas.

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Menu Plan Monday :: 2.20.2017

Happy President's Day! We are coming off a spectacular weekend weather wise. It was like spring here in the northeast on Saturday and Sunday. It made me crave a juicy burger on the grill topped with Jersey tomatoes. But today, it's chilly again, and I'm easily reminded that it's still winter and that my weekly menu plan needs to reflect that. :-(

Here's what's on our plates this week:

Monday - Cheesy beef quesadillas . Quesadillas are definitely one of the easiest and crowd pleasing meals that I make. I am always looking for new recipes. I was thrilled to come across this post on Delish.com.

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Tuesday - Italian orzo spinach soup. After sunny days and temps in the 60s over the weekend, the temps are going to drop a bit this week. Not a nosedive, per se, but they will dip down a bit enough that it becomes soup weather!

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Wednesday - Steak peppercorn salad. I love salads as a main meal, but I definitely don't include them in my meal plans often enough. For this recipe, I plan to grill the steak indoors using a grill pan unless it's warm enough to do it on the grill outside.

Thursday - Caprese pasta. The forecast is for spring-like weather, so of course, I'm making a warm weather favorite: Caprese pasta. Super, super easy and equally delicious!

Friday - Dinner out

Saturday - Slow cooker Mexican pot roast. Mexican spices on a pot roast? Well, of course and yes, please. Anything that requires throwing everything in a slow cooker and walking away for hours is just my style.

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Sunday - Baked ziti with spinach. Baked ziti is one of my all-time favorite comfort dishes. Pasta + ooey gooey cheese = pure heaven. Sneaking in some spinach is an easy way to get your leafy greens.

What's on your plate this week? For more meal time inspiration, visit I'm An Organizing Junkie's Meal Plan Monday linkup.

To view all of my menu planning posts, click here. Visit my What's For Dinner, Pasta, and Soups On! Pinterest boards for even more ideas.

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Menu Plan Monday :: 2.13.2017

Is it that time again? Geez! The weeks fly by, and before I know it, it's Sunday afternoon and time to plan the week's menu. Lots of good and easy stuff this week. So, let's just dive right in, shall we?

Here's what's on our plates this week:

Monday - It's Harper's 11th birthday today, so the birthday girl gets to choose where we go for dinner! On a side note, how the heck is my baby eleven years old already?

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Menu Plan Monday :: 2.6.2017

When I plan our weekly meals, I need to take into account my general schedule, my husband's travel schedule, the kids' after school schedules and activities as well as any special goings on for the week. Today Harper is getting a full set of braces on, so I've had to factor that into the meal equation. Considering her teeth will likely be sore for the first day or so, I'm trying to keep our meals conducive to braces.

Here's what's on our plates this week.

Monday - One pot pizza pasta bake (without the pepperoni). I've made this once before, and it was a big hit. But my oldest wasn't fond of the mini pepperoni topping. So, I am eliminating it this time around.

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Menu Plan Monday :: 1.30.2017

We were supposed to be waking up to a blanket of snow on the ground this morning. It's been a mild winter so far, and I'm certainly not complaining about that. But it is nice to see a little white stuff strewn about once in a while. I like when it's just enough to look pretty but doesn't hinder your plans or driving.

Anyway, enough about the weather. Let's get to this week's meal plan, shall we?

Monday - Baked potato soup. Harper is getting her spacers put in today in preparation for her braces next week, which means we need something that's easy for her to eat. This soup requires little chewing and when it does, it's small chunks of soft potatoes. Plus, the heat from the soup will alleviate some of her soreness.

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Menu Plan Monday :: 1.23.2017

I am so ready to begin a new week. Last week did not turn out the way I expected. Both of my daughters were home sick on two separate days, and whenever that happens, it's hard to get work done from home. So, I ended up playing catch up late at night and over the weekend. Excited for a new week and a fresh start today.

Here's what's on our plates this week:

Monday - Buccatini puttanesca. This recipe such is always such a hit that I always have requests to make it again and again. Plus, it's a one-pot meal which means easy cleanup!

Photo credit: Cooking Light

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Menu Plan Monday :: 1.16.2017

We are kicking off the week with a drive back from visiting my sister in Pennsylvania. Heading back to New Jersey with a full week ahead starting with my cardiologist appointment on our way home. I'm hoping to have enough motivation to pull something together for dinner tonight. I'm just not sure how likely that it to happen.

Here's what's on our plates this week:

Monday - Loaded baked potato skins. After a 3-hour drive and an appointment at the cardiologist, I am going to need something easy to throw together for dinner. These loaded baked potato skins are the best ever, and everyone can top them as they wish. Everyone wins!

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Menu Plan Monday :: 1.9.2016

As I put together this meal plan, I can think of nothing other than hot soups and chili...because it is FREEZING here. And when there is snow on the ground, I swear it feels at least 10 degrees colder. Anyway, here we go with this week's meal plan. I hope you find some inspiration or, at the very least, a new recipe to try.

Monday - Cavatelli with broccoli, a side salad, and garlic bread. This is one of my go-to meatless Monday recipes. It's super easy and quick to make and disappears right before your very eyes.

Tuesday - Chicken and black bean tostadas. Each week we have at least one Mexican meal on the menu. This recipe is a new one to the rotation, and I'm excited to try it. Definitely going to buy extra avocados for this one!

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Wednesday - Lasagna soup. I'm not a fan of lasagna. It's usually too heavy and too rich, but this soup
is a wonderful balance of pasta, broth, meat, and cheese.

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Thursday - Mexican stuffed peppers. My husband and I love stuffed peppers, so I try to find different recipes to try. Lately, the girls are actually eating the stuffing...although they aren't quite liking the texture of the peppers just yet. I'm happy because it means I don't have to make two different meals!

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Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - We'll be in Pennsylvania for the holiday weekend.

What's on your plate this week? For more meal time inspiration, visit I'm An Organizing Junkie's Meal Plan Monday linkup.

To view all of my menu planning posts, click here. Visit my What's For Dinner, Pasta, and Soups On! Pinterest boards for even more ideas.

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Menu Plan Monday :: 1.2.2017

Happy New Year! After a nice long break, we are back in the menu planning game once again. The holidays were absolutely fantastic, but I am ready to get back to a routine and making dinner regularly...actually getting back on a regular eating schedule would be nice!

Here's what's on our plates this week:

Monday - Ham and green beans soup. This is a soup my mom occasionally made when I was a child. Emma loves it, and since I have a leftover ham from New Year's Eve, I thought it'd be the perfect opportunity to make it. I've linked to a recipe that is similar to my own, but I add a can of light red kidney beans.

Tuesday - Seared tilapia with a side salad. One of my goals for 2017 is to eat more fish. The Hubs doesn't like it, so it's always impossible for me to put it on the meal plan. However, when I know he won't be home for dinner, I'm going to make every attempt to try a new recipe that I know the kids will like also.

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Wednesday - One pot taco rigatoni. Hellooooo one pot meals! One pot meals always mean easy prep and easy clean up. I'm all about both of those.

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Thursday - Italian chicken noodle soup. We love soup during the cold weather months, and since I've been trying to use some new soup recipes in the meal plan rotation, this one looked like a good one. Rounding out the meal with a salad and some crusty rolls.

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Friday - Dinner out here.

Saturday - Cilantro lime chicken tacos. Who doesn't love tacos? These take 10 minutes to pull together and a lot less than that to devour!

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Sunday - Chili. I'll be making my own recipe, but the recipe that I linked is a good one. I always make it in the slow cooker so that I can spend the day doing other things or nothing at all!

What's on your plate this week? For more meal time inspiration, visit I'm An Organizing Junkie's Meal Plan Monday linkup.

To view all of my menu planning posts, click here. Visit my What's For Dinner, Pasta, and Soups On! Pinterest boards for even more ideas.

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Menu Plan Monday :: 12.19.2016

We are in the holiday home stretch this week! It's both exciting and hectic. I am hoping to stick to a healthy menu this week despite the chaos and overall busyness of the week. As long as I don't succumb to take out every night, I'll call it a success.

Let's do this!!

Monday - Bowtie chicken Caesar salad. This is one of your favorite recipes. You get veggies, protein, and pasta all in one dish. Yes!

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Tuesday - Fettuccine Alfredo. My kids are totally into fettuccine Alfredo lately. I ordered out on my birthday, and after each of them tasted it, they were hooked. Trying this Olive Garden copycat recipe tonight and will serve it with a side salad and some bread.

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Wednesday - Loaded potato skins. Sometimes you just have to do apps for dinner, and we are going for it tonight. Seriously, who doesn't love loaded potato skins?

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Thursday - Slow cooker Italian wedding soup. I am attending a cookie exchange so I need something that the whole family can grab when they are ready to eat. This soup is perfect!

Friday - Make Your Own Pizza Night. This is a great way to get everyone involved in the kitchen, and it gives everyone free creative reign. Have everyone make two slices and cut one slice into pieces for everyone to sample!

Saturday - Christmas Eve dinner. I'll be making a warm goat cheese salad, chicken cordon bleu and an asparagus and tomato pasta. I use my own recipe for the chicken, but I've linked to the salad and pasta recipes. This has been our traditional Christmas Eve dinner for years.

Sunday - Merry Christmas!!

What's on your plate this week? For more meal time inspiration, visit I'm An Organizing Junkie's Meal Plan Monday linkup.

To view all of my menu planning posts, click here. Visit my What's For Dinner, Pasta, and Soups On! Pinterest boards for even more ideas.

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