meal plan monday

back in february, we showed you how we make a menu. i swear by it. however, i've noticed that some months are crazy and a schedule for the whole month is too much. so sometimes, i just do it week by week. that way, i can get my groceries for that week and be done with it. they do this 'meal plan monday' over at pearls, handcuffs, and happy hour, and i thought it was a fun idea. i'm not promising i'll do it every week, but i thought i'd do it today.

sunday (i realize this is already in the past, but dinner was yummy, so i'm sharing): meatballs & gravy, pistachio salad, and some corn.

monday: teriyaki chicken and steamed veggies (i buy teriyaki sauce adn put it with chicken in the crock-pot all day. shred it and eat over rice).

tuesday: bbq pineapple bacon burgers and oven fries

wednesday: salsa tacos with chips and salsa

thursday: spinach lasagna and cheese bread

friday: chicken bacon ranch sandwiches and raspberry salad

saturday: dinner with family

hopefully this gives you some ideas for you week of meals :)

Bars of Steele

(image from here)

We had these little beauties at a baby shower and couldn't possibly leave without the recipe! Well, we did leave without the recipe, but we got it later when it was included in the Thank You card! I also took these to my ESL class and everyone asked for the recipe. They are definitely one of those things that you can't just eat one of, they are way too delish!!

In a bowl combine:

1 C. shortening
2 C. brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
4 C. oatmeal
1 C. chopped nuts (optional)
**Mix ingredients together & reserve 2 cups.
Press remaining mixture into the bottom of a Pammed 9x13 pan

In a saucepan melt together:
1 pkg. chocolate chips (Ghiradelli are best!)
2 Tbs. butter
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 C. nuts (optional)
**Pour over the oatmeal mixture.
Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture on top.
**Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

winger's concrete pie

so i have this friend. she's pretty awesome. we went to snow college at the same time and worked together at the best pizza place ephraim has to offer. she taught me about eating saltine crackers with vanilla ice cream. you haven't tried it? i know. it sounds terrible. but it's not. then she moved away. and i never talked to her again. until! a few years ago, i discovered her on facebook and then discovered that she had a blog! it's here. she is an awesome mom and photographer and i laugh at every single post she writes. check it out if you'd like. anyway, one day i found this recipe on her blog. and i was in heaven. because who doesn't like concrete pie? (not to be confused with asphalt pie which is made of mint chocolate chip ice cream.) my husband's least favorite food combination in the world is mint and chocolate, so when we discovered winger's had ventured to the concrete side of things, we were stoked. then we were even more stoked when i learned how to make it. so here ya go:

 

image here

i didn't take a picture because we were too busy devouring it, but we substitute caramel for the chocolate :)

ingredients:

1 pkg double-stuffed oreos

1/4-1/2 bottle caramel topping

1 carton cookie dough ice cream, softened (breyer's mrs. fields or dryer's nestle tollhouse are the best)

whipped cream

you can make your own oreo crust by putting 12 oreos in the food processor and then pressing them into a pie tin, or you can be classy (like me) and buy a pre-made oreo crust. 

once you have your crust, fill it half way with ice cream. then, pour caramel topping over the ice cream until it is completely covered. finally, cover the topping with more ice cream until the crust is completely filled. freeze over night. before serving, crumble oreos on top of the entire pie, top each piece with more caramel and whipped cream, and then die and go to heaven (after you take a bite, of course :)

Mexican Lasagna (Chicken)

Hello out there! I just HAD to send this new recipe your way after trying it out last night. I got it from the Scrumptious Sister blog a while ago but haven't gotten around to making it. However, last night I made it for my family and it's totally worth passing on! One of us sisters has already posted a different Mexican Lasagna recipe but that one contains ground beef, but for chicken lovers like me this one's a winner!

(I even borrowed their picture from here)

Here's what you need:

Cooking Oil Spray

6 Corn Tortillas, cut into quarters {I used 4 flour and cut them into strips}
1 Large Egg
1/4 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Mild Chunky Salsa
1 lb Chicken Breast, cooked and shredded
4 oz Cream Cheese, half inch cubed
2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped
3 Scallions chopped {I didn't use any}
1 Tsp Salt
2 Cups Mexican Cheese Blend (or a blend of Monterey Jack and Mild Cheddar), divided

**Preheat oven to 350 F°.
**Place the quartered tortillas on an oil sprayed baking sheet, then spray the tops with additional oil.
  **Bake for 5 minutes, remove and set aside.
  *In a large bowl, whisk one egg. Add the milk, sour cream, salsa, shredded chicken, cubed cream cheese, cilantro, scallions and salt. Stir to combine.

**Arrange half of the par-baked tortillas on the bottom of an oil sprayed 7×11 baking dish. Layer half the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas, then layer 1 cup of the cheese blend on top.

**Continue to layer the rest of the tortillas on top, followed by the remaining chicken mixture and cheese.
  **Bake uncovered for 35 minutes.

 SOOOOO yummy!