Miam Miam Monday (Menu Plan) v3

This week's menu reflects me trying to add in more vegetarian options for my family. Basically, I'd prefer to eat a more vegetarian diet, both my darling husband and I could stand to lose some weight and I feel like it saves us some money too.

Typically my children are pretty good eaters, but my 2 almost 3 year old has recently decided that she is not going to eat anymore. Anything. Besides donuts, cookies, marshmallows and M&Ms.

That child has no reserves to get her through this self-imposed hunger strike, so I am turning to the power of the French to reign in her phase d'opposition and help her get back on track with enjoying some delicious foods that are also good for her growing little body.

Anyhow, here's this week's plan:

Monday

 Pasta with Carmelized Onion & Gorgonzola

This pasta is so delicious and easy to make. I feel like it's good for all year long because it isn't too heavy in the summer-time, but is comfort-foody enough to stand up to a cold winter's day. I really don't change anything in this recipe except that I use the entire 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water to make the "sauce" and I like to add more cheese than is called for. I've found that it melts quickly to form the sauce, but I add some additional Gorgonzola when I bring it to the table so I get a few hunks of cheese on my plate.

My kids might be a bit strange, but they love soft cheeses and anything in the blue cheese or feta cheese families.

Tuesday

Stuffed Rolled Chicken with Cottage Cheese Bread

 When I first saw this recipe, I put it on my list of must-eats. It was delicious! I'll tell you honestly that the stuffing is way more than what is needed for just 4 measly chicken breasts though. I made 6 chicken breasts and had lots left over. The stuffing would also taste great as stuffed shells. I'm just sayin'.

I had some leftover cottage cheese that was going to go bad soon. I don't want to waste any food so I started looking for a recipe I could use the cottage cheese in that wasn't lasagna or quiche. I came across several cottage cheese bread recipes so I thought I'd give it a shot. I found one that was meant for a bread making machine and tweaked it a bit and made it without a bread machine. It was perfect for sandwiches and french toast. We also ate it with this meal with some butter. I liked sneaking in a bit of extra protein for my kids without them noticing.

Wednesday

Leftover Night
Time to clean out the fridge. Seriously. So many leftovers.

Thursday

Pancake Muffins and Eggs Over Easy

I like to call these little muffins "Manna from heaven" because they are just the yummiest. And there are always leftovers so breakfast the next morning is a snap. These little muffins with eggs are a great easy dinner. The kids prefer scrambled eggs, but us grown-ups like our eggs over easy or over medium.

Friday

Spinach Rice Feta Pie & French Grated Carrot Salad with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

What a great vegetarian dish for a Friday! This one comes together in no time and is perfect for using up leftover rice. I pair it with a fruit salad and this amazing Grated Carrot Salad which is a French specialty. I can understand why the French love this salad; it is so fresh and perfect.

Saturday 

Grilled Hot Dogs & Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Just hot dogs on the grill. With potato salad. But not just any potato salad. This stunner is made with roasted sweet potatoes. It's even better the next day when the flavors meld together a bit. Next time I make it I'm going to add some avocado. You can almost never go wrong by adding avocado. And maybe some bacon sprinkled over the top. Because bacon.

Sunday

Sunday is my usual day off from cooking. I'll be taking a break and chillin' at my parents' house.

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#5Faves: Slow Cooker Meals

We've been having some non-NFP related Peak Days up here in Michigan lately. DTE, our electricity provider, designates "Peak Enegy Use Days" for energy usage and encourages us to conserve energy on those days during certain hours. For example, last Friday was a "Peak Day" and we were one of their top 100 customers for conserving energy during the Peak Day's Peak Hours. Pope Francis would be proud.

We had another "Peak Day" yesterday, so I tweaked the A/C so it wouldn't run as much, put on the ceiling fan during Lizzie's naptime, and kept the kids outside in the pool during that time so they wouldn't watch TV or turn on lights. I also prepped our dinner in the morning, so I would only have to re-heat it instead of cook it entirely during peak energy usage time.

I think if I know about DTE's Peak Days with enough notice, I can modify our weekly meal plan to use the crock-pot instead of an oven meal (or better yet - use the grill!). The slow cooker doesn't heat up the house like the oven does (causing the A/C to run more in addition to all that gas & electric use by the stove/oven).

#1

French Dip

I can't even express how delicious this meat is. It is so tender and perfectly seasoned and I could eat the whole thing by myself. I love to make my own buns to go with them too.

#2

Angel Chicken

This one is straight-up comfort food. I've packaged this one up as a freezer meal for my SIL when she had a baby...I just combined all the ingredients (except the pasta, cornstarch, and water) in a gallon sized baggie, placed that sealed baggie into a freezer bag. Gave her the cornstarch in a small baggie and the pasta in another gallon sized baggie, put both of those in the freezer bag too! Then I wrote out quick instructions for her. Her family loved it - including all 4 of the big kids!

#3

Spinach Chicken Noodle Soup

This is another easy one that is a crowd pleaser. My kids love it, my husband loves it, my parents love it. It's miam-miam-miammy. This is another one you can prepare ahead and stick it in the freezer (without the pasta) and pull it out to throw in the slow cooker on a busy day. It is very hearty and really fills up the belly.

#4

Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

I LOVE this pulled pork. And this from a girl who does not like pork other than bacon. Extra crispy. Please and thank you.

When I find a pork roast on clearance or on sale, I grab it up and stick it in the freezer so I can put this on the menu plan. It is so easy and delicious and there is a million ways to eat it. I like to make tostadas & quesadillas; Mr. Amen likes to make soft tacos; I eat it straight out of the slow cooker; I make homemade buns to enjoy it on.

#5

Slow Cooker Potato & Sausage Soup

This soup is also another stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal. Crazy filling and delicious. You can use 1/2 the meat without the recipe suffering at all (and saving money!) or eliminate it all together in favor of adding some bacon as a garnishment.

Linking up with both Jenna of Call Her Happy for this week's #5Faves and Dwija for her Easy Slow Cooker & One Pot Round Up.