Weekly Meal Plan – Week 2
Posted by Amy | Filed under Food
I like to start the week off with a really yummy meal and work my way to easier meals. I’m too tired by the end of the week to prepare something fancy. Don’t forget to print my grocery list. I hope you enjoy the week 2 meals! If so, please tell your friends or give this post a stumble. Thanks! – Amy
Monday
Avocado Enchiladas
Filling
- 8 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- Juice of one lime
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 20 corn tortillas (flour tortillas optional)
2 Cans Enchilada Sauce
1/3 cup canola oil
1 pound Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
- Chop avocado and toss with cilantro, red onion, jalapeno, lime juice and salt.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In saucepan, heat oil over medium flame for about 2-5 minutes. Once oil is hot, fry tortillas one at a time for one minute each side, or until lightly brown and blistered. Remove and blot on brown grocery bag or paper towel (if you skip frying the tortilla, the enchiladas will not hold form). - Spread 1/2 cup sauce on bottom of casserole dish. Dip fried tortillas in pot of remaining sauce, spoon 3 heaping tablespoon of avocado filling in each tortilla. Roll up and arrange rolled tortillas side by side in casserole dish. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas sprinkle with cheese.
- Cover and bake for 25 minutes take foil off and bake for another five minutes. Serve with rice, black beans and a side salad.
My edited version of a recipe by Deena Kastor
Spanish Rice
courtesy of Matt’s Rancho Martinez in Dallas, TX (One of my FAVORITE Tex Mex Restaurants!!)
3 tbsp oil
1½ cups uncooked long grain rice
2 cloves minced garlic
½ cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp black pepper
3 cups chicken broth
8 oz. can of tomato sauce
- Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the rice until it is golden brown.
- Add the vegetables and seasonings, and continue to saute for 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Add the broth and the tomato sauce, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the rice from the heat and let it stand 3 to 4 minutes, still covered. Fluff and serve.
Recipe found via Alosha’s Kitchen
Fast & Cheap Version
• Buy ready made Guacamole, canned black beans and rice in a bag (EASY!)
I love Wholly Guacamole’s Organic brand- YUM! Make sure to buy several boxes. Sometimes I can find this at my grocery store 2 for $4.
Jazzed up Canned Black Beans:
Drain and rinse beans with water. Pour them into a glass bowl and simply top with any favorite taco sauce or southwest seasoning. Heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Tuesday
Salina-Style Spaghettini with Cherry Tomatoes
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 dozen (8-10 ounces) small ripe cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 lb dried spaghetti
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
- 1/2 cup heaping and loosely packed fresh mint leaves
- 1 1/4 freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese. (Parmesan would work too)
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil
- Put olive oil and tomatoes in a large pan, sprinkle with cayenne. Warm over medium heat until the tomatoes begin to give off some of their juice, shaking the pan every so often.
- Generously salt the boiling water and add the spaghetti. Cook, stirring often until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Transfer pasta to the pan, add the garlic and toss with the tomatoes.
- Add 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss over medium heat until water and oil emulsify. Add more water as necessary, until you have a nice creamy consistency and all the strands of spaghetti are well coated with sauce.
- Rip mint leaves into small pieces and toss with spaghetti. Add to plates and top with cheese.
Serve with Salad
Recipe from On Top of Spaghetti by Johanne Killeen & George Germon (one of my FAVORITE cook books)
Wednesday
Turkey Burgers with Horseradish and Cheddar Cheese
1 package ground turkey (about 1-1 1/3 lbs)
2 rounded tablespoons fresh prepared horseradish
1/3 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, diced or crumbled into 1/4 in. pieces
2 Scallions (green onions), finely chopped
1 rounded palmful of grill seasonings (such as McCormick’s Montreal Steak seasoning) (Less is more!)
extra virgin olive oil
spicy brown mustard
poppy seed Kaiser rolls
1 tub or can of good quality whole-berry cranberry sauce (optional)
Romaine lettuce
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- In a medium bowl, mix together meat, horseradish, cheddar pieces, scallions, and grill seasoning. Form 4 patties and drizzle them with EVOO. Cook the burgers for 5 to 6 minutes each side.
- Spread mustard on bun bottoms and cranberry sauce on bun tops. Place the burgers on the buns with lettuce leaves.
Sides: Chips or Oven Baked Fries and carrots
Recipe & photo by Rachael Ray, found via Bella Casa
Bella’s Notes:
I do not put the cranberry sauce on my burger, but rather serve it on the side. I also serve it with a side of broccoli as well, since this is a vegetable that we all like. Even my older son LOVES these Rachael Ray Turkey Burgers and he can be very picky!!! They are very tasty and moist, not dry, like Turkey burgers can be.
Amy’ Picky Kid Alternative:
Make little turkey burgers with no onions (or have hot dogs handy! ha)
Thursday
Left Overs
Friday
Chocolate Chip Pancakes
(Try blueberries or bananas for a healthier version.)
I will be making mini whole wheat pancakes from a box.
- After pouring the batter into the pan, I add mini chocolate chips. I then pat each one down so the batter covers them. Flip and they are ready to eat!
- Top with a powdered sugar or a spoonful of Cool Whip and add sprinkles…. your kids will be so happy!
Sides: Bacon & Apples
Photo Credit: Nicole Weston via Slash Food
**Print the Grocery List**
Find more great menu ideas at Orgjunkie.com’s Menu Plan Monday.
Tags: avacodo enchiladas, menu plan monday, On Top of Spaghetti, Pancakes, printable grocery list, Rachael Ray, recipes, spanish rice, Turkey burger, weekly meal plan
February 21st, 2009 at 4:22 pm
My kids would just love those chocolate chip pancakes. Maybe I should just have Sweatiepy read your blog and then HE can cook all of these delish recipes!
theArthurClan’s last blog post..The Frozen Lake.
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February 23rd, 2009 at 11:53 am
I am just SO impressed that you’re doing these. It must be a ton of work, but I appreciate the meal-planning help! I was searching the ‘Net this morning for new recipe ideas to try and then remembered you’d be doing this. Yay!
Bella’s turkey burgers sound really good right now for lunch, actually. I wish I had a personal chef who would whip me up one…
Julia @ Hooked on Houses’s last blog post..What 5 Changes Would You Make to This Old House?
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February 23rd, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Mmmm, yummy! Have you tried pineapple in pancakes? When daddio’s out of town I often make a batch of pancakes and throw some in with coconut. Delish!
xo, Amanda @ http://www.kiddio.org / http://www.housemade.org
Amanda @ http://www.kiddio.org’s last blog post..Bring Snowy Fun Indoors with a Wintery Icicle Garland
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February 24th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Wow, you’re so organized, Amy!
We love them turkey burgers at our house, now I will have to try the other recipes out…I love avacado, so I will definitely be trying those enchiladas first!!! Thanks!
Bella Casa’s last blog post..Giveaway: Cute! Honey Kix Prize Package from General Mills – Three Winners!
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February 25th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
I’m going to try the avocado enchiladas. Those sound so yummy!
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March 21st, 2009 at 2:38 pm
WOW!I am seriously sooo impressed with your blog, it has soooo much awesome info on it!! I have been in such a recipe rut lately and am definitely trying these on your site!! Thanks alot!!
paula hickson’s last blog post..Something Green For I Heart Faces
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