Weekly Meal Plan

I really haven't made a meal plan in a while! I'm trying to get in a better groove of cooking, so here's the plan for the week.

Sunday-Taco Cornbread Casserole

Monday-Poppyseed Chicken with brown rice

Tuesday-Leftovers or Frozen dinner

Wednesday- Skinny Tuna Noodle Casserole (recipe to come!)

Thursday- Leftovers or Frozen dinner

Friday- Out to eat!

Saturday- Homemade pizza with artichokes, olives, onion, turkey pepperoni, and mushrooms and salad

Taco Cornbread Casserole

I discovered this recipe on Pinterest and it is fabulous!! It will definitely be a new staple in our house!

 Ingredients

1 pkg (8.5 oz) corn bread/muffin mix

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

3 cups cooked taco seasoned meat

1 can black beans

1 cup light sour cream

1 cup Mexican blend 2% cheese

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can Rotel

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 can black olives

Directions

In a large bowl, combine corn bread mix, egg, and milk until blended. Spread into an 8 x 8 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Combine taco meat and beans, spread over corn bread. Layer black olives on top of meat, then onion, then sour cream, and 3/4 cup cheese. Bake for additional 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with Rotel, lettuce, and remaining cheese.

It's pretty, too!

yummmmm

1 serving= about 12 WW points +

Shrimp Francesca

 Ingredients

1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (8 ounce) can (8 to 10 count) artichoke hearts in water, drained
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely shredded imported Romano cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. Arrange the shrimp in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Gently squeeze any excess liquid from the artichoke hearts, break the hearts into quarters, and arrange in spaces between the shrimp. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and parsley over the shrimp and artichoke hearts; sprinkle lemon juice over the crumbs.
3. Melt butter with garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; drizzle the butter mixture over the bread crumbs. Sprinkle the top with Romano cheese.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until the crumbs and cheese brown lightly and the shrimp turn opaque and orange-pink in color, 10 to 12 minutes. 

 Serve with angel hair pasta, rice, or side dish of your choice!

Pink Lemonade Confetti Cupcakes

This delish recipe came from Skinny Taste.

You will need:

18.25 oz box confetti cake mix

2 1/2 tsp powdered sugar-free pink lemonade mix
1 cup water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
lemon zest from half of a lemon
2 drops pink food coloring (optional)
confetti sprinkles (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Line cupcake tins with 24 paper liners.

Stir together the water and pink lemonade powder.  Combine the cake mix, pink lemonade mixture, applesauce, lemon zest, food coloring and oil in a large bowl and with an electric mixer, mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. 

Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake pans.  Add sprinkles if using and bake in the oven for 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Cool completely on wire racks before serving.

Enjoy!

I like them best when they are cold! So, I suggest, popping them in the fridge before eating them!

1 cupcake has 3 WW pts+

Chicken Artichoke Pasta

Whole Wheat Penne

Chicken Breasts 

Canned Artichokes (reserve some liquid from the can)

Mushrooms

Light Butter

Herb and Garlic Marinade

Light Sour Cream

Parmesan

Salt & Pepper 

Garlic

Cook pasta according to directions.

Add Herb and Garlic marinade to skillet, add chicken and turn to medium heat. Add salt and pepper and garlic to taste. Cook until chicken is done. 

Remove chicken from pan, add mushrooms and artichokes to pan. Also, add some liquid from the artichoke can. Cook until mushrooms and artichokes are tender. Set aside.

When pasta is finished add butter, sour cream, and parmesan to taste. Mix with pasta until melted. 

Add mushroom and artichoke mixture to pasta. Top with chicken and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Poppy Seed Ham Sandwiches

These are perfect for a party!

 Ingredients

24 rolls (I used two different kinds)

24 pieces honey ham (I used one package)

24 small slices Swiss cheese (I used one package of 2% Swiss)

1/3 cup mayonnaise (I omitted)

1/3 cup miracle whip (I omitted)

Poppy Seed Sauce

1 tbsp poppyseeds

1 1/2 tbsp yellow mustard

1 stick butter, melted

1 tbsp minced onion (I used onion powder instead, just a sprinkle)

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and miracle whip. Spread onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet. Place very close together.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes. Serve warm.

** sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead and kept in the fridge ready to bake.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

 This is SOOO delicious! Definitely worth trying!

Fruit Salsa

 2 kiwis, peeled and diced
3 types of apples (I used Granny Smith, Red Delicious, and Pink Lady) - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries

1 carton of blackberries
1 (16 oz) carton of strawberries, diced
2 tablespoons white sugar (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (more or less to taste)
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor (I used strawberry)

Directions

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes. 

Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

(Tip: If your grocery store sells Stacy's Cinnamon Sugar Pita chips, just buy those! Mine doesn't, so I made my own! :) They were good, though!)

Ingredients

Plain Pita Chips

Cinnamon (to taste)

Sugar (to taste)

1 tbsp melted butter

Directions

Heat oven to 350. Place chips in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Let cool before serving.