Menu Plan Monday

Last week wasn't as busy as usual, which is nice, since this week is going to be insane!! Here we go... I have to pick up my grandparents from the airport Monday night from their month long vacation, my uncle and his family come into town on Tuesday from Texas, Tuesday night we have a holiday get together with the family and friends that come up from the city. Wednesday is a half day for Boug at school, and then Thursday, Christmas Eve, I'm hosting the get together at my house. Thankfully I'm keeping it small. Then Friday being Christmas, Saturday being another party and then my family going back to Texas on Sunday. Then Monday, hopefully things will start back to normal!!


Recipes are below!!

Sunday: Grilled Cheese & Soup

Monday: Pesto Pasta (if we make it home for dinner)

Tuesday: Out at mom's, bringing 2 crockpots of lasagna

Wednesday: Cheese Quesadillas

Thursday: Christmas Eve smorgasbord! I told everyone I wasn't cooking an actual meal and that we could do appetizers and fingerfoods, my kitchen is just far too small for real entertaining!
-brie, procuitto, crackers
-ultimate party meatballs
-mexican fondue w/crusty bread
-honey bbq wings
-beef biscuit cups
-ranch ham roll ups
-spinach cheese swirls
(and no, crap- I haven't come up with anything good for dessert yet, and no, no one has offered to be the dessert bringer as of yet... give me some easy easy easy dessert recipes!!)

Friday: Christmas at moms

Saturday: Out- party at a friends house

Once again, breakfasts are usually cold cereal, oatmeal and sometimes Boug just wants toast and a banana! Lunches usually are leftovers or sandwiches paired with yogurt or fruit generally. My meals are usually a bit heavier in meats and chickens as hub is a butcher and brings so much home for free or next to nothing!! Check out more Menu Plan Monday entries at orgjunkie!!

Crockpot Lasagna recipes:
Crockpot Veggie Lasagne
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 zuchhini sliced
4 carrots grated
2 cups baby spinach
1 onion sliced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 jar(28 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup water
16 ounces cottage cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Break noodles in half. Place half of the noodles in bottom of greased 4-quart slow cooker. Stir Italian seasoning into veggies and spread half over the noodles already in slow cooker. Then layer half of the sauce and water, half of the cottage cheese, and half of mozzarella cheese over beef. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours. Do not cook more than 5 hours.Makes 6-8 servings.

Crockpot Lasagna (from A Welcoming Heart)
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 jar(28 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup water
16 ounces cottage cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Break noodles in half. Place half of the noodles in bottom of greased 4-quart slow cooker. Stir Italian seasoning into meat and spread half over the noodles already in slow cooker. Then layer half of the sauce and water, half of the cottage cheese, and half of mozzarella cheese over beef. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours. Do not cook more than 5 hours.Makes 6-8 servings.

Recipes for Christmas Eve smorgasbord:::

Ultimate Party Meatballs

Honey BBQ Chicken Wings (From MomAdvice)

3 lbs chicken wings
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced

Season wings with salt & pepper. Place frozen wings on broiler pan and broil for 12-15 minutes on each side. Transfer wings to the slow cooker. Combine ingredients and pour over wings. Cook on high two hours or low for four hours.

Mexican Fondue with Crusty Bread
Amish Country Bread: (from One More Moore)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
3 teaspoons salt
1.5 c. hot water
2 tablespoons rapid rise yeast
5 c. flour

Put all ingredients into a mixer except flour and let sit to activate the yeast. Add the flour in small batches until mixed. Place into a greased bowl and let sit for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch down and divide in half, place onto a cookie sheet and cut decorative slits on top. Allow to rise again. Add an egg white wash on top and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Mexican Fondue:
1 can cream corn
1 can diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 packaged (16 oz.) velveeta cheese cubed

Spray slowcooker with cooking spray and combine corn, tomatoes, green chilies and chili powder. Stir in the cheese. Cover & cook on high for 1.5 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so until cheese is melted. Serve with the crusty bread cubed!

Beef Biscuit Cups
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar spaghetti sauce
2 tubes of refridgerated biscuits
1 c. shredded cheddar

Brown beef and drain, stir in the spaghetti sauce and cook til heated through. Press biscuits into muffin cups, making a well- pushing the biscuits down and up the sides. Fill the well with about 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-17 minutes, add the shredded cheddar on top and bake for an additional 3 minutes.

Ranch Ham Roll Ups
2 8oz packages cream cheese softened
1 packet ranch dressing mix
3 chopped green onions
11 flour tortillas
22 slices deli ham

Combine cream cheese and salad dressing mix til smooth, add in the green onions. Lay out the torts and spread cream cheese on. Top with your ham, and then roll up. Wrap in plastic and refridgerate until firm. Cut 1" thick pieces and serve!

Spinach Cheese Swirls
1 tube pizza crust
1 package frozen chopped thawed spinach
2 c. shredded mozzarella
1 c. fine chop onion
1 minced garlic clove

Lay out your pizza crust. In a bowl combine all other ingredients, spread overtop of the pizza crust and roll up like a jelly roll. Bake seam side down in a 400 degree oven for 27ish minutes or until golden.