Meatless Friday Ideas: Burgers

Here come meatless Fridays, folks!

I struggled for ages coming up with meatless meals on the Fridays of Lent...but now we eat a mostly vegetarian diet, so I have TONS of ideas.

We are a burger loving people in our house, so here's 5 meatless burger recipes to choose from when you just can't do fish sticks and macaroni and cheese one more time.

Roasted Zucchini & Quinoa Burgers with Garlic Whipped Feta
My tips on these: Make your quinoa ahead of time using veggie broth instead of water (extra flavor!!) Use 1 3/4 - 2cups of panko. If you don't have fresh basil on hand (and I never do) use 1/2 tsp dried basil. Be generous with the salt & pepper.

I form the patties by scooping 1/2 cup of the mixture into a measuring cup and emptying it onto silpat on a baking sheet, pressing it down and shaping it with my hands. Don't skip the fridge chill out session! Bake these in the oven instead of frying them; I do about 15-20 minutes per side at 400°F.

For the Garlic Whipped Feta: use 1 Tbsp fresh dill and 1 tsp lemon juice. Unless you like big lemon flavor and lots of dill...then just use her quantities. I found the dill & lemon to overpower the garlic & feta, and I reallllllllly like the garlic & feta.

So. Delicious. I love them with some raw purple onion and iceberg lettuce (soak the onion slices in ice water for 5 minutes to help take the "bite" out of them).

Smoky Sweet Potato Burgers with Roasted Garlic Cream
My kids loved these! The first time I served these, Miss A was not sure she wanted to eat them. She had recently declared herself a vegetarian (thank you Kindergarten lesson plans personifying turkeys in November) and also that she didn't like vegetables. I explained that this is the kind of food vegetarians eat, so if she was going to be a vegetarian, she'd have to eat this. She did and she loved it!

Epic Crispy Quinoa Burgers
Make the fries to go on top. And the egg. Oh, yes, the egg
                                                                                           gg
                                                                                            gg
                                                                                             gg
                                                                                               gg
                                                                                                 ggg.
See that runny yolk pooling on your plate just waiting to be sopped up with this epic burger??!!


Zucchini Parmesan Sliders
Oh my. I can't adequately express how amazing these are. I might have made a second batch after people went to bed just so I could eat more without sharing. Ah, who am I kidding?! I did.

Sloppy Lentils
This one was really easy to throw together on a weeknight. The kids gobbled it up and said these were the best Sloppy Joes I've ever made.  They didn't even notice it wasn't made of meat.

1 1/2 c dried lentils (green)

3 c veggie broth

1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 can tomato soup (10 3/4 oz)

3/4 c ketchup

1 8oz can tomato sauce

1/4 c dark brown sugar

2 T Worchestershire Sauce

1 1/2 tsp yellow mustard

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Buns

Rinse lentils well under running water (pick our any rocks or deformed lentils). Add lentils & veggie broth to a medium saucepan. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower heat to a slow simmer (few bubbles, a little bit of movement). Cook uncovered for 20-30 minutes (older lentils take longer to cook). As soon as they are tender, remove from heat and strain. Set aside.

Heat EVOO over medium heat, add onion. Saute until translucent (you can saute them until they begin to turn brown & caramelize a bit if you prefer). Add strained lentils and all remaining ingredients and combine well. Simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and serve on buns!

You can also add grated carrot and/or chopped peppers if you like that sort of thing!

Well, wishing you your BEST LENT EVER! And with these burgers, it will be.

Egg Cups

My Health Coach suggested that I start eating breakfast as a way to jump start my metabolism and (hopefully) lose weight.

I've gotten into a bad habit of not eating breakfast, rarely eating lunch, eating a regular dinner, and having some ice cream before bed (not every day, but many days). I've found that if I eat breakfast, I'm not hungry the rest of the day.

I've been not eating breakfast for more than 25 years, so that's a big change.

Big. HUGE. GIGANTIC.

Our plan was to eat something small, almost like a snack instead of a whole breakfast. She asked what sorts of breakfast foods I like and I answered that I like omelets.

It's not realistic for me to make an omelet for myself every day. Or most days. Or even any days. I just don't have that kind of time in my schedule.

Enter the make ahead Egg Cups. I spent a half an hour making a batch of these (including bake time) after getting home from dropping off my kiddos at school this morning and now I have breakfast for the whole week, except Sunday when I make pancakes.

Egg Cups
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25-30 minutes

6 large eggs, beaten
2 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
9 tsp crumbled feta cheese (more or less, depending on your preference)
fresh cracked pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 6 wells of a muffin tin with non-stick spray. Set aside.

Divide chopped spinach between the 6 prepared muffin wells. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp feta cheese over the spinach in each well. Add pepper to taste (I used one turn of my pepper mill in each well). Pour the beaten eggs over the spinach & feta to fill each well, stopping about 1/4" from the top.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, use a knife to loosen Egg Cups from the muffin tin. Cool completely on wire rack. Store covered in the refrigerator; heat in the microwave for 30-40 seconds before eating.

Variations: Add some chopped onion or mushrooms. Instead of spinach & feta, try broccoli & cheddar, asparagus & parmesan, bell peppers & ham or choose your own combination.

Miam Miam Monday (Menu Plan) v9

Our Alice is wearing purple lip gloss today. And even though..."growing up too fast"..."let her be a little girl," and "3 year olds shouldn't wear makeup" are all swirling around in my head, I couldn't be happier about it.

Only big girls who poop on the potty get to wear purple lip gloss. You feel my joy?

Now, let's talk about our food plan for this week!

BREAKFAST

Trisha Yearwood's Power Balls (we replace the peanut butter with WowButter so they're nut free)

Banana Cinnamon Muffins (without the butter/sugar on top)

Bagels & Fruit

Cereal & Fruit

LUNCH

PB&J Sandwiches with fruit & veggies

Roasted Garlic Hummus with Pita Chips & veggies

Tuna fish on crackers with cheese

DESSERT

Cakey, Fudgy Brownies 

 These brownies really have the best of both worlds. They are thick and cakey, but still fudgy and chewy. The top is crispy & crackled like it should be and the edges have the perfect bite to them.
 

Monday

Asparagus, Green Onion & Goat Cheese Quiche

I have some goat cheese sitting in the bottom of the cheese drawer that needs to be eaten before it needs to be thrown out. I have been craving a simple quiche - and this one is pretty easy. And very tasty. You can (read: should!) use a pre-made crust because the crust is the most challenging part of the recipe - it's not difficult, but it is time consuming and the dough is fragile and I can never flute the edges like in the recipe pictures. 

I'm already annoyed that my kids probably won't eat this. They like asparagus & eggs, they love goat cheese & crust, and they are indifferent to green onions. But combine them all - and I'm sure those little loveys will let me know that "it's not [their] favorite" which is our family's preferred way of saying we don't like something (because mommy refuses to listen to a constant chorus of 

"YUCK! ME NOT EAT DIS!"

Tuesday

Brooke Deen's Meatloaf with Roasted Honey Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes

I also have some ground beef that needs eatin'. So meatloaf is a quick way to use it up. The kids & husband love them some Brooke Deen Meatloaf. I also bought some sweet potatoes to try to get the kids interested in more exotic vegetables.

That's right. I just called sweet potatoes an exotic vegetable.

My kids are going through a picky phase. And I'm not having it.

Wednesday

Tuna Noodles

Not really a casserole...more like egg noodles with tuna & mayo. The kids & husband will happily eat it without complaint. I'll live through it. I'm banking on leftover quiche & sweet potatoes.

Thursday

Veggie Club Sandwiches with Sweet Potato Chips

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

EEEEEMMMMMMMMMMMM

WWWWWOOOOOWWWWW!

A hundred years ago when I lived in Tulsa a little deli opened up downtown; they made a garden veggie sub that was so good I was willing to speed walk pretty far to get it at lunchtime. Flashbacks to that sandwich have been intense for me lately, and I had recently found a similar veggie sandwich online that looked yummm, so I saved it. But when I went to pull up the recipe I had found it has vanished. So going off my memory (which is frighteningly bad) and adding a few more ingredients to make it super filling and over the top, I came up with these. Talk about exceeding my expectations for how scrumptious a veggie sandwich could be!

Friday

Broccoli Cheese Soup in Bread Bowls

This recipe is billed as being even better than Panera Copycat soup. And it totally lives up to that billing. It really needs the bread bowl in my humble opinion because I'm pretty sure it's unAmerican or unCanadian to serve a creamy soup without a bread bowl. Or something like that.

I know you can buy anything at the grocery store these days, but taking the extra few minutes to make the bread bowls at home is worth it. The whole house smells amazing when you take fresh bread out of the oven and layer in the scent of homemade soup. 

Plus the leftover bread bowls can be sliced up the next morning for French Toast. I'm not saying you have to eat French Toast the next morning...I'm just saying you probably should.

Saturday

Caramelized Pear, Crispy Prosciutto & Blue Cheese Pizza with Bread Sticks

You know the drill. We love our pizza 'round these parts.  I'll substitute some Jamon Iberico direct from Spain to use up in place of the prosciutto. I love pizza night.

Sunday
Spaghetti and salad
We're going to my mom & dad's for Sunday dinner where we'll enjoy my mom's homemade spaghetti with Italian sausage and a garden salad.

Onward to soccer, school, homework, errands, exercising, baking & cooking, reading & coloring, lovin' & disciplinin' this week.

Linking up with Simcha Fisher over at her blog for her Friday What's for Supper feature. She had a great take on meatloaf...if only I could sculpt like she can.

Miam Miam Monday (Menu Plan) v8

OK, was it just me or was that the longest 4 day week ever? Our son started 1st grade on Tuesday and stayed home sick with a virus on Wednesday. So, you know, off to a strong start here.

Oh well, at least our dinner game was on point.

Last week threw me off with all that crazy, cold weather here in Michigan. We even turned on the furnace one night (sick kids & a mommy who is not in the mood to extend the sick any longer than its already hanging on)!

This week we're expecting temperatures in the 80s again, which makes my Autumn soup plans fall a little flat. Nothing like a hot, hearty soup in your belly as you wipe the sweat from your brow and go sit in the kiddie pool to cool off. I'll pass. I slipped a soup into this week's plan out of sheer necessity.

Monday

Caprese Burgers with Oven Fries

These burgers are super easy to pull together. I hide some seasoned, grilled burgers under big, thick slices of mozzarella and let the cheese melt. Then I put the burgers on my Accidental Fantastical Buns, top with homemade Bruschetta and serve 'em up hot with some Oven Fries.

Tuesday

Slow Cooker Herbed Potato Soup

Because Tuesday is soccer practice, we have to have something that doesn't require me standing over the stove to get the meal to the table. That's where slow cooker potato soup comes in. The herbs really add something special to the soup, kicking it up a bit from the usual bland baked potato soup. You can still top it with all your potato soup favorites like cheddar cheese, green onions and bacon if you want. But I find the toppings unnecessary because the soup is tasty enough on its own.

Wednesday

Leftovers

Time to clean out the fridge ahead of my Friday grocery shopping trip!

Thursday

Onion Chicken, Green Bean Casserole, Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and Cornbread

Onion chicken is a stand by for the kids. I know they'll eat the chicken and cornbread (we like the Jiffy Mix), but the green bean casserole (the Thanksgiving standard from the back of the French Fried Onion can) and Brussels Spouts will be a much tougher sell. We adults, however, will devour the Brussels Spouts like candy because these are so delicious. I probably won't even eat the chicken - I'll just fill up on the Brussels Sprouts, green beans & cornbread.

Friday

Hot Dogs & French Grated Carrot Salad

Hot dogs (for the kids) and Carrot Salad for the grown ups along with leftover soup. The French Onion Soup I made on Sunday and the Herbed Potato Soup from earlier in the week will need to be polished off.

Saturday

Japanese Noodles

There's a Japanese steakhouse with which my sister and I used to be slightly obsessed. And by slightly I mean, we would eat there one or two times a week. They made these amazing noodles to go with the hibachi dinner. Really, the noodles are so delicious I could go there just to get the noodles. But, alas, the budget doesn't allow it these days. Instead, I run over to the Asian grocer near our house and grab a package of rice noodles ($1.49) and cook them up. Julienne some carrots, slice up some green onions and a sweet onion, saute them in a little garlic butter & vegetable oil, add in some salt & pepper & lite soy sauce...and for less than $4, I can feed the entire family and have leftovers.

If you wanted to get fancy and make it a little heartier, you could saute some chicken or flank steak to add in. A few additional add-ons, if you're feeling fancy:  sugar snap peas, baby corn and fresh bean sprouts for some crunch.

Sunday

Grilled Pork Chops, Scalloped Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli, and Rolls (at my Mom & Dad's house)

There's the week folks! Any tailgaters out there? Who's your team and what's your game day tailgating must-have?

Linking up with Simcha Fisher for her Friday feature "What's for Supper?" where she poses a great question. The answer is: cleaning knives that have been used to spread peanut butter or soy butter or cream cheese. Go see what the questions was.

Miam Miam Monday (Menu Plan) v7

It's back to school week here at our house, so we're going with simple meals to get in the groove. Our big boy starts 1st grade at the neighborhood public school. Here's a simple equation to show you the mindset going on here:

(His excitement level + cost of new school clothes & supplies)³ = My anxiety/Alarm set to 6am

But I know it will be alright.

Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
     - John 14:27

So onward to this week's menu plan!

Monday

Greek Marinated Chicken & Spinach Balls

I found this great Greek marinade for chicken and when I amp up the garlic a bit, I think it is just perfect. Now, I am too scared to use our grill (propane scares me), so I bake the chicken at 350°F for 25 minutes, which works perfectly since the Spinach Balls also cook at 350°F for 20 minutes. I like to serve it with chicken flavored rice with vermicelli (Aldi brand) and a homemade Tatziki sauce, but the sauce isn't strictly necessary, and store bought would be just fine here too.

Tuesday

Gyros

These are a frozen meal package found at Aldi - we'll just add the fresh sliced onion & tomatoes. My husband went grocery shopping with me a month ago and found this and bought it. Umm, not my style. But since we have 2 evening activities on Tuesday - a quick, throw it together, put it in foil and run out the door meal will have to suffice. The link above gives a more thorough review of the product...so we'll see what my husband and children think.

Wednesday

Spaghetti & Meatballs

This is one of those meals that I will double or triple so I have plenty of leftovers to stock the freezer. It's just as much work to make a big batch of marinara sauce as it is to make a small batch, so I'll do a big batch and save some time for future me. The meatballs are pretty easy and absolutely delicious. They are broiled just long enough to get the outside seared, then I finish cooking them in the sauce (or freeze them to use later) so they stay juicy and flavorful. Broiling them for  a few minutes before adding them to the sauce prevents the sauce from getting greasy - there's nothing worse than a greasy tomato sauce.

Plus, I can use the leftovers for meatball subs, meatball pizza or whatever else I can think of to use up meatballs.

Thursday

Fruity Waldorf Chicken Salad on French Bread

I love Chicken Salad and Waldorf Salad is one of my favorite varieties. This one is extra fruity and is easily nut free by omitting the walnuts (I always leave 'em out because - allergies). The leftover salad just gets better over the next several days, so if you have time to make this one ahead, I'd recommend it. I'll also throw together a loaf of French bread in the bread machine. We can eat lettuce wraps with it on Saturday for lunch too!

Friday

Waffles

What is easier than breakfast for dinner?! Nothing, folks, nothing. And as an added bonus, at my house there will be no complaints when I serve waffles for dinner. All the kids love them, so I endure no "YUCK! ME NOT LIKE THIS!" comments from my 3yo.

Saturday

Pizza & Bread Sticks

I am dying for a regular old pepperoni pizza, so I moved pizza night to Saturday from our usual Friday. I make the dough, I make the sauce (and freeze leftovers for future use), and I make the Cheesy Garlic Bread Sticks. I buy the Ranch dressing in bulk for dipping. Lizzie, our 1yo, uses Ranch as facial moisturizer...so that's partially why we go through so much of it.

Sunday

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup with leftover Cheesy Garlic Bread Sticks

This slow cooker French Onion Soup couldn't be easier and leaves the house smelling amazing. We'll eat it with the leftover cheesy garlic breadsticks. My husband can take the leftovers to work as lunch a few days this week too!

That's our week in dinners! What's your favorite thing on your menu plan for the upcoming week?

Linked up with Simcha Fisher for her What's for Supper feature. Her menu is much funnier than mine.

Miam Miam Monday (Menu Plan) v6

DH is on the mend and we are off the bland diet. Wahoo!!

Since school starts for us after Labor Day, this week I'm practicing getting in school mode. That means 6am wake ups for me (Lord, have mercy!), all three kids dressed & fed by 8am, lunch ready & packed for Junior, clothes laying out the night before, and naps that end by 3pm to facilitate after-school pick ups. I'm getting ready to turn to slow cooker and easier meals to facilitate eating between school, homework, soccer practice, soccer games, catechism, school meetings, Parish Commission meetings and everything else we have going on in this crazy house.

Don't worry, I bought a case of Coke to help me through.

And yet I still failed spectacularly this morning. I got up 40 minutes late because the kids were still asleep and dagnabit WHY DO THEY ONLY EVER SLEEP WHEN I HAVE TO GET UP?!?! Talk about not fair. All kids were fed by 8am, but only 1/3 were dressed. Now to practice walking up to the school to get an idea of how long it will realistically take to make that walk. I'm gonna end up driving him to school aren't I?

Here's my plan for this week:

Monday

Funeral Rolls

This one is a favorite around here. The sweetness of the Hawaiian Rolls, with the saltiness of the ham, plus the tangy saucy marinade...perfection. It is so easy to throw together in the morning to toss in the oven in the evening. It really is a winner.

Tuesday

Nachos

Remember when I made my not-favorite shredded beef last week? For this easy meal I grab a portion of shredded beef leftovers from the freezer in the morning and let it thaw. In the evening, I pour a bag of tortilla chips on a baking sheet, top the chips with the beef (draining some liquid if necessary to keep the nachos from being soggy), cheese, a can of black beans, and frankly whatever else we like on nachos, and pop in in the oven for a few minutes to heat it up & melt the cheese. Serve with salsa, guacamole & sour cream and you've got yourself a Nacho Tuesday Party.

Wednesday

Stadium Sausages on Croissants

I'm not typically one for hot dogs or sausages, but my mom made Stadium Sausages from Kowalski a few weeks ago and I've been craving them ever since. 

But I also saw this recipe from Climbing Grier Mountain. 

So combine those two things and you get Stadium Sausage on Croissants with Bechamel Sauce and Crispy Bacon.

You should eat one or two. You won't be sorry.

Thursday

Sloppy Toms

One of our family's favorite Sloppy Joe recipes is found over at Mix and Match Mama. Go a little light on the liquids to make it a smidge less sloppy and double the recipe so you can freeze some leftovers for another night. I simply make it with ground turkey instead of ground beef...and like magic...Sloppy Toms.

Friday

Pesto Avocado & Corn Pizza & Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks

Mmmmm, pizza night. You guys, I'll share with you my perpetual dilemma: (1) I like my pizza on Friday nights, and (2) I like my pizza with pepperoni, and (3) I never want meat more than I do on Fridays, and (4) I try to do a meatless Friday.

Yet, with this pizza, I don't miss the pepperoni and I still keep a meatless Friday.

Win, win, win, win.

The link has a bonus dessert pizza recipe too!

Saturday

Slow Cooker "Rotisserie" Chicken

You know when you are walking through the grocery store at dinner time and you smell the Rotisserie Chicken and you walk out with one (or more) in your cart, some Hawaiian Rolls & pre-made mashed potatoes or mac 'n cheese? 

You know exactly what I mean.

Well, now you don't have to take a trip to the grocery store to smell a delicious Rotisserie Chicken. And won't you be proud of yourself for not scrapping whatever dinner plans you had for a grocery store chicken? Puff up that chest, and wipe that dirt from your shoulder because you should be way proud.

Sunday

My day off! I'll be listening to Junior whine about having to go to bed "early" on-time and "only one more day until school starts" and "it isn't fair" and life is so hard when you're 6. So, it should be fun.

What's on your plan for this week? Are you starting to switch out summer recipes for Autumn favorites yet?

Linking up with Simcha again!

Miam Miam Monday (Menu Plan) v5

Last week I didn't post my menu plan. I meant to do so, but a couple things happened that threw me for a loop and required a major overhaul to my plan and continuing adjustments on the fly.

And that is not how I like to spend my week in relation to food. I much prefer knowing what we are eating all week, having the ingredients on hand (or knowing when I need to go to the store to buy fresh items), and being able to plan my days accordingly.

First, my DH was supposed to be headed out of the country on a business trip which would have made my food life easier as my kids do not require the variety that my husband does. They are more than happy with a nice easy rotation at dinner of pancakes & fruit, noodles with veggies, hot dogs & corn on the cob. And I am happy to just have a salad or sandwich for dinner - and take a break from the more elaborate cooking I normally do. But he didn't go.

Secondly, my DH didn't go out of town because he fell ill and the doctor didn't think it would be wise for him to travel out of the country taking a chance of having to undergo emergency surgery in a less developed nation should his issue progress rather than resolve. And his sudden illness required a liquid diet for 48 hours, followed by a bland diet.

I don't cook bland food. At least not on purpose.

Nearly everything I had planned needed to be tossed and we all joined daddy on his odyssey of noodle soup, jello, boiled chicken, rice and mashed potatoes and crackers. I made the food daddy could eat, then tweaked it so the rest of the family would enjoy it as well.

All I have to say about that is - time for daddy to get better already.

He's not back to 100% yet, but here's the plan for this week anyhow. If I have to bland it up again for my husband, I will, but the rest of us are eatin' like normal.

Monday

Fettuccine Alfredo with Broccoli & Chicken 

This is using up some leftover poached chicken and canned Alfredo Sauce. I'll steam the broccoli on the side because DH can't eat broccoli at this point so I want to keep it separate.

Tuesday

Veggie Fried Rice

This is an easy version of fried rice (less the oyster sauce - because allergies!) - made even easier by using a 16oz package of mixed frozen vegetables instead of chopping my own. The rice is leftover bland food that needs to be used up. I can add in chicken too if we still have some leftover.

Wednesday

Onion Chicken (for the kids) and Caprese Avocado Toasts for the grown-ups

The kids love my Onion Chicken. I'll serve it with some green beans and buttered rolls and call it a night. For the grown ups - we're going with these delicious avocado toasts. Seriously, so, so fantastic.

Thursday

Italian Shredded Beef Sandwiches
This isn't my favorite shredded beef recipe (that one is here). But without the chilies it is certainly bland enough not to upset my husband's tummy. This recipe makes a ton of shredded beef...more than we can eat in 1 sitting. Even if we eat some leftovers for lunch and/or dinner...there is still too much to use up so I'll freeze 'em to use in nachos, enchiladas and/or tacos over the next few weeks of soccer season.

Friday

Pizza and Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks
I am thinking we'll go with a Chicago Style Deep Dish Veggie Pizza. And our usual Cheesy Garlic Bread Sticks. Since I'm trying to come up with ways to save some kitchen time, I'm going to make the usual batch of pizza dough, but use half of it to do something a little out of the ordinary. I'll tell you all about that next week though :-)

A cliffhanger. Expect the unexpected here folks. I'm like the Spanish Inquisition over here.

Saturday

Burgers and grilled veggies
I'll offer these two variations. Bacon & Bleu Burgers and Cheddar Beer Burgers. Pick your poison. I know which burger I'm pickin'. One of each, DUH!
I like to make 'em mini and enjoy them on tiny homemade slider buns.

Sunday

My night off. We'll be at my parents' home enjoying something delicious. 

*NOTE: These are NOT affiliate links. I don't benefit financially or in any other way by linking to any of these blogs. Miammiammena.wordpress.com is my personal food blog where I post my recipes from time to time.

Linked up with Simcha Fisher for her What's for Supper feature. Check out her Monday meal...it's got just the sort of name that could get my kids to eat it!

Miam Miam Monday (Menu Plan) v4

Vacation time 'round these parts ya'll. When we vacation even ye olde mom gets a little break...so this week's plan is a little light on the recipes. I've thrown in our breakfast plan for this week too.

Monday

Breakfast: Puff Pancakes

 I'm warning you: these look innocent enough, but they are not health food. And you can probably eat an entire pancake yourself. 

Dinner: Beef & Broccoli

This recipe was really delicious. And I'm not usually one for beef & broccoli, but it was worth eating. Again and again.

Tuesday

Breakfast:  Bagels with cream cheese and fruit

Dinner:  Spaghetti & Meatballs

Straight up using sauce from a jar for this one. I'm not even embarrassed. It is vacation, after all.

Wednesday

Breakfast: Eggs, scrambled with cheese

Dinner:   Leftovers

Thursday

Breakfast:  Bagels with cream cheese & fruit

Dinner: Snacks & cereal for the kids, pizza for the grown ups (ordered from a restaurant, so fancy!)

Friday

Breakfast:  Cereal

Dinner:  Sandwiches (Grilled Cheese) & Cheesy Corn Chowder Soup

Saturday

Breakfast:  Egg, Sausage & Cheese Casserole

Dinner:  Sirloin steaks

Sunday

Breakfast:  Waffles & Fruit

Dinner:  Grilled Hamburgers & Hotdogs

Like I said, easy week for me. I plan to get as much of a tan as SPF 50 applied and reapplied liberally will allow. Which, hopefully, is not much of a tan at all.

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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