Meal Plan Monday! And a freezer stash bonus too!

This week is going to have some pretty boring and repeat meals.  We spent a small fortune at Kroger and Trader Joe's last week for some of the meals and freezer meals I made, so I'm trying to do some less expensive meals this week.  We are also lucky enough to have a BBQ at a co-worker's house on Thursday evening and I've volunteered to bring Dream Bars as a dessert so I have a night off of cooking!  Between breakfast, lunch, and dinner at home, plus my freezer meals I started last week, I feel like all I do is cook and clean up...

Monday - French dip sandwiches, steamed broccoli with cheese, and some Cape Cod 40% Reduced Fat Chips to dip in the Au Jus.

Tuesday - Lasagna and Caesar salad.  I'll be making a double batch of the lasagna as one of my freezer meals this week.

Wednesday - Soft tacos made with ground turkey and some refried beans. 

Thursday - Work BBQ!  I'm bringing Dream Bars since they are an easy dessert to make that reminds me of my childhood.  My mom used to bake these, but here's a recipe pretty close to how she makes them:  Dream Bars.

Friday - Either Homemade Pizza with Garlic and Herb crust from Trader Joe's or the Chicken Caesar Sandwiches (if my new crockpot arrives in the mail on time since my other one shattered two weeks ago).

Freezer Meals this week:

August 5^th – 11^th:

 

1.  Cheddar and Cracker Chicken

16 buttery crackers (such as Ritz), crushed (about 3⁄4 cup)

6 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1-2 stalks scallions, thinly sliced

kosher salt and black pepper

4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

In a bowl, combine the crackers, cheese, garlic, scallions and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Pound the chicken to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thickness with a meat mallet. Dip the pounded chicken in the butter, then in the cracker mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Prepare the chicken as directed above. After coating it in the cracker mixture, place chicken in a gallon sized freezer bag, seal and freeze flat in your freezer. When ready to prepare, place on a baking sheet and drizzle with melted butter. Bake as directed above from frozen until cooked through, possibly 30-35 minutes depending on thickness.

2.  Lasagna

                Lasagna Noodles

                2 jars of Organic Marinara Sauce

                16 oz. Ricotta Cheese

                2 cups Mozzarella Cheese

                2 Eggs

                Parmesan Cheese

     3.   Baked Macaroni and Cheese

                Penne Pasta

                Cottage Cheese

                Panko Bread Crumbs

    Parmesan Cheese

4.  Chicken and Cheese Lasagna Roll-Ups

3 cups chopped cooked chicken               1/4 cup milk

1 cup Ricotta cheese                                 1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese                    8 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese                2 cups  Spaghetti Sauce

In medium bowl, combine chicken, cheeses, milk, and pepper.   Spread 1/2 cup mixture on each lasagna noodle; roll jelly-roll fashion.  In a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce.  Arrange lasagna rolls, seam-side down in sauce in baking dish.  Top with remaining spaghetti sauce.  Cover.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes or until hot.