Weekly Meal Plan

Breakfast

• Oatmeal
• Smoothies
• Bacon
• English Muffins
• Blueberry Muffins
• KIND Bars

Lunch

• Burritos
• PB&J
• Chick-fil-a
• Leftovers
• Pasta

Dinner

• Honey Cajun Pork Tenderloin (new recipe from Pinterest), Mashed Potatoes, and a green veggie
• Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti
• Black Bean Soup
• Chicken Enchiladas, corn, and "copy-cat" Chipotle guacamole and chips
• Whole Foods - Pizza by the slice
• Grilled chicken with strawberry-avocado salsa
• Pantry night

Orange Chipotle Chicken with Cilantro Rice

This recipe is so good, but the original calls for chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. I have a couple recipes that call for that, and I can never find it. So I made a substitution. This chicken could easily be made and used in wraps and on salads. I'm excited about my leftovers for lunch today!

1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp safflower oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1 lbs), rinsed and patted dry, pounded 1/2-inch thick
Juice 1 medium navel orange (1/3 cup orange juice)
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1/8 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp orange zest
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/4 packed cup chopped cilantro leaves

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, and 1/4 tsp salt. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet to medium-high. Tilt skillet to coat bottom lightly. Season both sides of chicken with chili-cumin mixture and cook for 3 minutes per side or until no longer pink in center. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add orange juice and maples syrup to juice and bits left in skillet and cook for 1 minutes to thicken slightly (until it measures 1/4 cup liquid), stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in chipotle chili powder and orange zest. Add chicken back to skillet, return to heat and cook for 1 minute on medium-high, turning constantly.

In a medium bowl, combine rice, cilantro, and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Serve chicken over rice and spoon any excess glaze over top chicken pieces.

I'm starting to realize my dishes are looking well loved (and I haven't found any new ones like yet)...but here is a picture of my finsished product.

Pineapple Sheet Cake

Another good pinterest recipe!

Sheet Cake:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
20 oz can crushed pineapple
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all together until smooth. Pour into greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Icing:
8 ounces cream cheese
4 Tbsp butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla. Slowly add sugar and blend after each addition. Ice cake while still a bit warm.

I cut into 16 pieces.

Tortellini with Spinach & Italian Sausage

Have I said I love pinterest? Because I do. And I tend to primarily pin food. This is the original recipe, but I left out the mushrooms and changed the amounts of a couple ingredients.

You need to make this. =)

1 pkg 3 cheese tortellini (I used the frozen kind)
2 Tbsp of pesto
1 lb Italian sausage (we used chicken sausage)
chopped garlic, to taste
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2-1 cup cream (I used 1 cup, but will use 1/2 cup next time)
A few handfuls of torn baby spinach

Prepare tortellini according to package directions. Drain and toss with the pesto.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Squeeze the sausage out of it's casing and into the pan. Saute and break up the meat with a spoon until it is about halfway cooked. Add the garlic and cook until no longer pink. Add the chicken broth and stir, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Stir in cream. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly.

Add the tortellini and spinach to the pan. Cook, stirring, for another minute or two, until everything is heated through and the spinach wilts. Serve, topped with Parmesan cheese.

Weekly Meal Plan

Breakfast

• English Muffins
• Bacon
• Eggs
• Cereal
• Oatmeal
• Yogurt
• Smoothies

Lunch

• PB&J
• Leftovers
• Burritos
• Mango Blueberry Quinoa Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing

Dinner

• Tortellini, Spinach, & Italian Sausage (pinterest recipe)
• Girls Night Out - Veggies Tacos for the boys
• Orange Chipotle Chicken with Cilantro Rice (pinterest recipe)
• Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs
• Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken
• Pork Medallions with Pears
• Birthday Party

Sweet Treat

• Pineapple cake with cream cheese frosting (pinterest recipe)

Pork Medallions with Pears

I found this recipe in a Good Housekeeping magazine. We loved it and will be making it again.

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch thick slices
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp fennel seeds
4 green onions, sliced
1/3 cup water
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 lbs ripe pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Prepare quinoa according to the directions on the package. Press pork with your hands to flatten and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

In a 12-inch skillet, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the pork and cook for 5-6 minutes or until browned on both sides, turning over once. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet, add the fennel seeds and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Add the green onions, water, and garlic and cook for 1 minutes, still stirring. Add pears, lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp salt and cook for 2 minutes or until the pears begin to soften, stirring occasionally. Return the pork to the pan, along with and juices, and cook for 3-6 minutes or until pork is slightly pink in center (145 degrees F).

We don't like our pork pink, so I cook it all the way through.

Serve pork with quinoa and top with pear mixture.

Weekly Meal Plan

Breakfast

• Oatmeal
• Smoothie
• Bacon
• Eggs
• English Muffins
• Cereal
• KIND bars

Lunch

• Ham Sandwiches
• Leftovers
• Mac & Cheese
• PB&J
• Baked Potatoes
• Pepperoni, Cheese, & Crackers

Dinner

• Pizza
• Spaghetti, green beans, bread
• Chick-fil-a
• Breakfast for dinner
• Roasted Pork Tenderloin, green beans, and potatoes
• Pantry meal (whatever I come up with from what we have on hand)

Weekly Meal Plan

Breakfast

• Oatmeal
• Eggs
• Cereal
• English Muffins
• KIND Bars
• Bacon

Lunch

• Turkey Sandwich
• PB&Js
• Burritos
• Leftovers

Dinner

• Zucchini, Black Bean & Rice Skillet
• California Chicken Burger with Baked Sweet Potato Chips
• Breakfast for dinner: pancakes or waffles, eggs, fresh fruit
• Omni Hut
• Quinoa Cakes on whole wheat buns, green beans, fruit
• Maggiano's
• Pioneer Woman's Chili Frito Pie (using ground turkey)