Monday Meal Planning

The Return! Edition

As I said yesterday, my appetite is returning while my aversions are not so severe (for some things, for others, not so much), so I'm planning meals for the week again. I got all in to it today and got everything set, then soon after remembered that Aaron is going to be out of town for three days this week. Oh, well. I'll have some meals stockpiled for the future in case I can't come up with anything later.

(P.S. Also, if you would be so kind, please go to yesterday's post and leave me a question. I need to find some way to fill the next 19 days!)

Here goes:

Monday: Bean and Mexican Rice Burritos

These are burritos made with canned refried beans (I usually get the vegetarian ones), my homemade Mexican rice and all of our favorite toppings, including lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sour cream, shredded cheddar, and taco sauce. Mmmmm.....

Tuesday: Braised Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Broccoli, and Stuffing

Aaron loves pork chops, but I'm not a big fan. Still, I like to make them for him every once in a while. I love everything else in this dinner, so if I can't choke down the pork chops that night then I still have plenty to eat.

To roast the broccoli, chop it up like you normally would, put in an oven-safe pan, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Put it in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally

Wednesday: Cheddar and Beer Soup with Salad and Rolls

There used to be a restaurant right by my office that made the best cheddar ale soup I've ever eaten. I still crave this soup on a regular basis (as well as the deep fried pickle spears they served) but the restaurant has been closed for nearly 6 years now. This recipe has a lot of the same ingredients, but I chop the carrots a little bigger than the recipe calls for and I add boiled potato chunks. Sometimes I also add some diced ham, but I'm leaving it out this week.

Thursday: Chicken & Broccoli Casserole, Rolls, and Salad

Can you tell we bought a bunch of rolls on sale not too long ago?

Friday: Veggie Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, and Salad

We doctor jarred spaghetti sauce (I strongly recommend Paul Newman's Tomato Basil Sauce) with some extra garlic sauteed with chopped zucchini and mushrooms. Simple, but still one of my favorite meals. And the more mushrooms, the better for me. I can't get enough!

Saturday: Pigs in a Blanket, Steamed Green Beans, and Doctored French Fries

For pigs in a blanket, I sautee some onions in butter. Then I slice the hot dogs down their length and sautee them for a couple of minutes, just to heat through. I put some onions in the slice, top with some sliced cheese, and wrap it all with a crescent roll. Then I brush the whole thing with a little melted butter with minced garlic, then bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crescent rolls are done.

For the french fries, we just toss them with olive oil and Montreal steak seasoning and then bake according to package directions.

So there you are! A whole week's worth of meals (minus one day to eat out) in the bag. I can't wait to eat them all.