Thursday: BBQ Chedder Crusted Chicken & Cilantro Potato Salad

So this week and the meal plan has pretty much been a bust.  Money was tight and I didn't get to the grocery store.  But we got back on track.  Thursday, my husband made dinner.  He was afraid it would be difficult.  He learned recipes were easier then he thought.  So here it is.

BBQ Cheddar Crusted Chicken

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 Minute(s) Cook Time: 20 Minute(s)

1/2 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 1 oz.) 2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.) 4 tsp. Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs Preheat oven to 425°. Combine Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, cheese and barbecue sauce in medium bowl. Arrange chicken on baking sheet. Evenly top with mayonnaise mixture, then sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Also terrific with Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Light or Canola Cholesterol Free Mayonnaise. Cost per recipe*: $6.98 Cost per serving*: $1.74 *Based on average retail prices at national supermarkets. Calories 390, Calories From Fat 230, Saturated Fat 5g, Trans Fat 0g, Total Fat 26g, Cholesterol 110g, Sodium 530g, Total Carbohydrates 5g, Sugars 3g, Dietary Fiber 0g, Protein32g, Vitamin A 2%, Vitamin C 4%, Calcium 6%, Iron 4%

The Link: http://www.bestfoods.com/recipe_detail.aspx?RecipeID=12206&Version=1


Cilantro Potato Salad

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 15 Minute(s) Cook Time: 15 Minute(s)

3-1/2 lbs. red potatoes 1 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Light Mayonnaise 1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, undrained 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro 3 green onions, chopped 2 Tbsp. lime juice 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper 4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled Cover potatoes with water in 4-quart saucepot; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and cool, then cut potatoes into bite-size pieces. Combine remaining ingredients except bacon in large bowl. Add potatoes and toss gently. Chill, if desired. Just before serving, sprinkle with bacon and garnish, if desired, with additional chopped fresh cilantro.

The Link: http://www.bestfoods.com/recipe_detail.aspx?RecipeID=9558&Version=1

Overall these were yummy! I don't like BBQ sauce and I thought the chicken was great!  The cilantro potato salad was a tasty surprise! A great twist on an old classic!

Sunday: Half Yummy, Half Disaster

So Sunday's meal was supposed to be made on Saturday.  Flexibility is key, right? I really like the main dish and dessert but the sides left something to be desired.  In fact, I threw them out.  So here is what was on the menu:

Main Dish: Caesar-Crusted Chicken
Sides: Roasted Mushrooms & Shredded Celery, Tomatoes Au Gratin
Dessert: Blueberry Crisp

These were all Best Foods recipes.  And because everyone's tastes are different I will post all recipes.

The main dish was chicken.  I liked this but would probably go a bit lighter on the mayonnaise.  Here it is:

SERVES: 4

PREP TIME: 10 Minutes

COOK TIME: 20 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned or garlic croutons, finely crushed
• 4 cups mixed salad greens
• 1/4 cup Wish-Bone Light® Italian Dressing

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Combine Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, cheese, mustard, lemon juice and garlic in medium bowl. Arrange chicken on baking sheet. Evenly top with mayonnaise mixture, then sprinkle with crouton crumbs.
3. Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve with mixed salad greens drizzled with Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing.

Also terrific with Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Light or Canola Cholesterol Free Mayonnaise.

TIP: Don't feel like chopping? Use 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder instead of chopped garlic.

Cost per recipe*: $9.02 Cost per serving*: $2.25
*Based on average retail prices at national supermarkets.

 

Link: http://www.bestfoods.com/promotions/chickenchallenge/recipe-caesar-crusted-chicken.aspx

 

Side 1 was roasted mushrooms and celery.  Ok, so I LOVE LOVE LOVE mushrooms.  But, I will NEVER make this again.  I guess I either like my mushrooms fresh in a salad or hot in a dish or fried.  This was too much flavor for me.  But, here's the recipe:

 

ROASTED MUSHROOMS & SHAVED CELERY WITH CREAMY LEMON VINAIGRETTE A Bobby Flay Recipe Serves: 4 Prep Time: 20 Minute(s) Cook Time: 25 Minute(s)

1 lemon 1/2 cup olive oil 2 Tbsp. Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves 2 tsp. honey 1 lb. cremini mushrooms, stems removed and quartered 3 Tbsp. canola oil 2 stalks white celery hearts, sliced 1/8 inch thick (about 1-1/2 cups) 2 Tbsp. chopped celery leaves OR parsley From the lemon, grate the peel and squeeze enough juice to measure 1/4 cup; set aside. Process olive oil, Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, basil, lemon juice, lemon peel and honey in blender or food processor until smooth. Season, if desired, with salt and black pepper. Turn into small bowl; cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°. Toss mushrooms with canola oil in medium bowl. Season, if desired, with salt and black pepper. Roast mushrooms, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes or until golden. Combine celery, celery leaves and 1/2 of the vinaigrette in large bowl. Season, if desired, with salt and black pepper. To serve, top celery mixture with mushrooms, then drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Serve room temperature. The link: http://www.bestfoods.com/recipe_detail.aspx?RecipeID=11654&Version=1

Disaster side 2 was tomatoes au gratin.  I love tomatoes, hate ketchup.  And that's what this reminded me of, hot ketchup or spaghetti sauce.  It was awful.  My husband liked them ok, but again, I threw them out.  So here's the recipe:

TOMATOES AU GRATIN Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 Minute(s) Cook Time: 18 Minute(s)

2 large tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices 1 cup 1/2-inch French bread cubes 1/2 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Light Mayonnaise 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper 1. Preheat oven to 400°. 2. In shallow baking casserole, arrange tomato slices; set aside. 3. In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Evenly top tomato slices with bread mixture. 4. Bake 18 minutes or until tomatoes are golden brown.  Calories 280, Calories From Fat 120, Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0g, Total Fat 14g, Cholesterol 15g, Sodium 700g, Total Carbohydrates 31g, Sugars 3g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein9g, Vitamin A 20%, Vitamin C 30%, Calcium 20%, Iron 10%

The link: http://www.bestfoods.com/recipe_detail.aspx?RecipeID=9047&Version=1

My favorite was dessert!  Simple, fast, and yummy!  Blueberry crisp!  Here's the recipe:

BLUEBERRY CRISP Serves: 8 Prep Time: 8 Minute(s) Cook Time: 30 Minute(s)

3 cups fresh blueberries, 1 package (12 oz.) frozen blueberries or 1 can (21 oz.) blueberry pie filling 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise 1. Preheat oven to 375°. In shallow 8 x 8-inch baking dish, arrange blueberries; set aside. 2. In medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, oats and cinnamon. Stir in Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise. Using fingers, gently squeeze dough to form crumbs. Evenly sprinkle crumbs over blueberries. 3. Bake 30 minutes or until topping is golden.

The link: http://www.bestfoods.com/recipe_detail.aspx?RecipeID=8073&Version=1

Saturday: Taco Ring

Saturday my husband made dinner.  Things got shifted around a bit and due to my still feeling a little off we didn't make the chicken we originally planned.  Instead, we did a person favorite, a Taco Ring.  This is a Pampered Chef recipe.

The actual recipe:

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 lb lean ground beef
• 1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1 medium bell pepper
• 1 cup salsa
• 3 cups lettuce, shredded
• 1 medium tomato
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup pitted ripe black olives (optional)
• sour cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook ground beef in large skillet over medium heat 7-9 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain.
2. Remove pan from heat.
3. Stir in taco seasoning mix, cheese and water.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F.
5. Unroll crescent dough; separate into triangles.
6. Arrange triangles in a circle on Classic Round Pizza Stone with wide ends overlapping in center and points toward outside. (There should be a 5 inch diameter opening in center.) I use my Pampered Chef pizza stone, but any flat round pan should work--perhaps even a pizza sheet, but I'd spray it with Pam before adding the crescent rolls.
7. Scoop meat mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring. (Filling will not be completely covered).
8. Bake at 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Shred lettuce and chop tomato, onion, olives, and bell pepper (if desired).
10. If you want to do something fancy, scoop out a bell pepper and fill with salsa and put into center of ring.
11. Add your toppings to top of ring and finish with more shredded cheese and sour cream.
12. This is great with a salad.

I found a link to the recipe here: http://www.food.com/recipe/taco-ring-from-pampered-chef-81160

We didn't use onions, olives, or bell peppers.  We did, however, use our pizza stone, which we love!

Friday: Crockpot Chili

Thursday was supposed to be Tostada Pizza, but the important thing in meal planning, I suppose is flexibility.  That being said, I felt crummy so it became a leftover day.


Friday, I still wasn't feeling better so it became crock pot time again.  I made chili.

The ingredients:

1lb ground beef (browned)
4 cans of stewed tomatoes
4 cans of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
2 freshly diced tomatoes
1 fresh jalapeno (diced)
1 green bell pepper (diced)
2 tsp ground cumin
3 tbsp chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Basically, I threw it all in the crock pot on high and walked away, going back occasionally to stir.  Delicious! Sometimes I use 2 cans kidney beans and 2 cans of black beans.  The great thing about chili? You can change it to your preferred tastes!

Wednesday: Crockpot Pot Roast

So... today's meal has thoroughly frustrated me.  I planned what was supposed to be an easy breezy crockpot meal that I can throw in and walk away from.  The problem? My crockpot crocked out on me! Or should I say, my mom's crockpot did anyways.  Yup.  It was getting hot but not hot enough.  I put my roast in the crockpot at 2pm on high and now it's 7:52pm and not cooked.  So... we transferred the roast to a Pampered Chef deep covered baker and put it in the oven on 350 degrees.  I particularly like this deep covered baker.  It's stoneware and once you remove it from the oven it keeps things nice and warm! Not to mention it cooks things evenly.

So what went into my roast?

-A beef roast of course.
-Potatoes (I like a lot but I used about 8 medium sized potatoes.)
-Carrots (I used the pre-bagged ones and probably added a couple of cups worth.)
-Mushrooms (I used two small cans of mushrooms since my sister doesn't like mushrooms, otherwise I'd use more.)
-Onion (I simply chopped up one onion and dumped it in there.)
-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
-1 can of cream of mushroom soup.
-Some of the fresh parsley I chopped up the other day.

That's it.  It makes a great winter meal.  And, if your crockpot works like it's supposed to, you can just walk away from it.  Probably if I had put it on much earlier it would have finally cooked through.  I guess it's time to find my crockpot from storage! Otherwise, who knows how Chili night will be on Friday?

Tuesday: Turkey Burritos

The recipe:


Serves: 6
Prep Time: 10 Minute(s)
Cook Time: 10 Minute(s)


1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 small red or green bell pepper, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
2 cups shredded or cubed cooked turkey or chicken
1/2 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
1/2 cup prepared chunky salsa
6 (6-in.) fajita size flour tortillas, warmed
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

1. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat and cook red pepper and onion, stirring frequently, 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in turkey, Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise and salsa. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 minute, stirring constantly, until heated through.
2. Evenly divide filling down center of each tortilla; top with cheese. Roll up tortilla and fold ends up to secure filling. Serve, if desired, with additional salsa, sour cream or shredded cheddar cheese.

Website: http://www.bestfoods.com/recipe_detail.aspx?RecipeID=6773&Version=1

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For this recipe I precubed my turkey and froze it.  If I were to have done anything differently, I would cubed and cooked my turkey before freezing.  I have also doubled this recipe in anticipation of leftovers and my family of 5.  The recipe doesn't call for it, but I am adding shredded lettuce for the burritos.

Overall I would make this again.  I didn't know what to expect and it was surprising good!

Spaghetti and Garlic Bread

When doing my grocery shopping for the week I bought herbs and such that would be used with other meals for the week.  I prefer angel hair pasta.  Looking at the options I discovered it was cheaper to get two "small" boxes then one bigger one and you get more for your money.  Big deal when you're on a budget and serving 5 grown adults.

I started off my having my husband brown the ground beef for the spaghetti sauce.  I've used ground turkey before and that's good too.  While he was doing that I was chopping and preparing my fresh herbs for the week.  I also cut a couple of tomatoes and onions for the spaghetti sauce.  We use prego and add to it.

After the meat was done and drained we added prego, canned mushrooms, a diced onion, and two diced tomatoes.  I also added fresh parsley and basil, along with some regular oregano from the cabinet and some diced garlic from the fridge.  After it was all mixed together I brought it to a simmer.

Next I put my water on to boil.  While that was going I had the oven preheated to about 250 degrees.  I took a loaf of french bread and sliced it down the side to split it open.  I slathered some butter on it and put some garlic power on top.  I placed these on a cookie sheet covered in foil.

When the water was ready, I added both boxes of angel hair pasta.  Remember, 5 adults, and we'll need leftovers.  When the pasta was in the water I put the bread in the oven.  Once the pasta was cooked, we drained the pasta and added the spaghetti sauce to it and mixed it all together.

We then took out the bread, put our spaghetti on our plates, added some Parmesan and delicious!