Menu Planning Monday: My menu for the week of 6/12

I’m so glad that my summer vacation is here! The past few weeks have been a bit of a “bust” between the end of the school year for me and the kids plus all of their activities. I’m hoping now we can start getting back on track!

The plan listed here just includes our dinner menu and recipes. I have calculated some Weight Watchers points values using the e-tools Recipe Builder, and points values this week are based on the new Points Plus program! (I will update with points values on the others as we have the meals)

If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, then you know that for the past two years, I have done a $40 weekly budget. With the changes to our eating habits, I’m going to increase our budget to $50 per week and I’m really going to try to stick to that, but I’m not even sure that will be enough. This will be a trial and error experience, so stay tuned!

If you’re new to menu planning or would like tips for getting started, check out this post here. You can also view hundreds of meal plans each week at Orgjunkie.com

SUNDAY: Pancakes – Not fancy, I know, but my husband was out of town and I didn’t want to fight with the kids over dinner or waste time making something they wouldn’t eat. They were thrilled about being able to have breakfast for dinner.

MONDAY: Chicken cups – I found this recipe on Spark People – I needed something that was “portable” and quick and easy to make since we’ve got a swim meet tonight.

Ingredients:
1 can Buttermilk Biscuits (10 biscuits)
1 cooked chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1 can Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup
2/3 c. FF Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 TBS dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place each biscuit into a muffin pan. Press the biscuits into the holes (and up the sides) to form cups. In a bowl, combine chicken, soup, cheese, parsley, and pepper. Mix well. Spoon evenly into cups.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

WW points = 5 points for 2 cups or 7 points for 3 cups

TUESDAY: Monterey Chicken – This recipe is so yummy and so easy!

Ingredients:
4 (5 oz.) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts1/4 Cup Barbecue Sauce
1/4 Cup Hormel Real Bacon Bits
1 Cup 2% Colby and Monterey Jack Shredded Cheese*
1 (14 oz.) Can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, drained (I’m just going to use regular diced tomatoes)
Sliced Green Onions
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pound out the chicken breasts to flatten. Season each with a little pepper. Cook the chicken in a skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray over medium-low heat until no longer pink.

Place each breast onto a baking sheet and top each breast with 1 tablespoon of barbeque sauce, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/4 cup tomatoes, green onions and 1 tablespoon of bacon bits. Place into the oven and bake until the cheese has melted (about 5 minutes).

Per Serving: 263 Calories; 8g Fat (29.0% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 108mg Cholesterol; 840mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

WW points = 6 points per serving

WEDNESDAY: Turkey chili – I got this recipe from the Shady Brook Farms website. I’m going to dump all of these ingredients in the crockpot and cook them on low all day (I’ll brown the meat first!)Ingredents:

1 package Shady Brook Farms® 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cans (14-1/2 ounce each) chopped stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 ounce) spicy chili beans
3 teaspoons chili powder

THURSDAY: Teriyaki chicken – I got this recipe from a freezer swap I did. It’s yummy and so easy to make! In this case, I’m making a double batch. I’ll make it the night before and let one sit in the marinade and the other one will go into the freezer for another time!

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup pineapple juice
4 chicken breasts

Directions:
Mix marinade ingredients together and throw in a freezer bag with the chicken breasts. If you use it as a freezer meal, just defrost and cook as you please when ready to eat!

We’ll serve this with some grilled pineapple – YUM!

FRIDAY: Creamy chicken enchiladas – This is a family favorite and I haven’t made them in awhile

Ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use the 98% FF kind)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use the 98% FF kind)
2 cans green enchilada sauce
1 8 oz-16 oz. tub of sour cream (depends how spicy you want the enchiladas)
2-3 chicken breasts, shredded (if I’m in a hurry, I use canned chicken)
8 oz cheese, shredded
1 dozen flour tortillas (you could use corn also) – we are using whole wheat!

Add cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and enchilada sauce to a pan. Cook on medium low heat, stirring occasionally. When sauce is will mixed and starts to thin, add sour cream. Continue stirring occasionally until the sauce is well mixed and thinned out. Place a layer of the sauce along the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish. Fill each tortilla with the shredded chicken, sauce, and cheese. Roll and place in the baking dish. When you have filled all of the tortillas (this should make 1 dozen), pour the remain sauce over the top of the enchiladas and then cover with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is well melted.

WW points = 6 points per enchilada
Sides: green beans and green salad

SATURDAY: Swiss chicken – I found this recipe on “Mommy Meals” – it was a hit and very easy to throw together!!Ingredients:

4 – large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 – tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted (I’m going to cut this)
8 – slices Swiss cheese
1 – 10 3/4-oz can condensed cream of chicken soup (I will use 98% FF)
1/4 – cup white wine (I will substitute chicken broth)
1/4 – cup sour cream ( will use reduced fat)
1 Tbs. of olive oil
10 oz. fresh cut mushrooms
1 1/2 – cups Pepperidge farm stuffing mix, crushed, I used savory cornbread
kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Season Chicken to taste
3. In a large frying pan with a tablespoon of olive oil brown chicken(about 2-3 minutes per side). Meanwhile in a medium bowl, add the soup, sour cream and the wine.
4. Add the chicken to a shallow baking dish that has been spared with non stick spray.
5. Then in the frying pan cook mushrooms until golden brown. Layer the mushroom over the
6. Top chicken with cheese slices.
7. Pour soup mix over the cheese.
8. Sprinkle stuffing mix on top and drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.