Week 5 2010

This week for the meal ideas I am using some recipes of friends that have been forwarded on to me. Some tried and true and some recently tried. Jenn sent in Roma chicken, saying she really liked it, and she had moderate success with her 3 children. I am looking forward to trying this. Kim sent in brisket, which is pretty much my recipe wrapped in foil and cooked in the crock pot, I used to cook it in the oven very low, but love the crock pot idea. I have also been looking for a good spaghetti sauce and meatball recipe which she said her family loves, I am sure my will also, what's not to like? We are also having curry pot pie, now if you are not a big curry fan, don't stress, it has a very light flavor and we really like this recipe. I also like the flavor from roasting the vegetables in the oven prior to adding to the recipe.
I know you are starting to think of the blog as my friends are starting to talk to me about what they are cooking and what I am cooking. I love this as my family is really enjoying the variety we are having versus being stuck with the same ole things every week or two.
Now to motivate everyone to share more recipes on the site; I am having a give away! Everyone likes freebies, so here is the deal.
Mid month, (February) I will have a drawing for the hot new, Mix 'N Chop, a great tool for browning beef, and at month end I will have a second drawing for a Bamboo Specialty Cooking Set, a great set of bamboo spatulas that I use all the time. Both items are, of course, from The Pampered Chef. How do you get entered to win these items? Share a recipe on the website and you will receive an entry for each recipe you share. If you shared a recipe in January you will actually receive two entries for jumping on board and helping get this started! I am looking forward to seeing your family favorites, and feel free to share recipes that are in other categories: side dishes, desserts whatever you would like.
I hope this is motivating you to plan your weekly meals in advance, it has made my life so much easier getting dinner on the table. Sherri

Roma Chicken
Salmon Burgers
Crockpot Brisket
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Curry Pot Pie

For other recipe ideas go to sharemealideas.com

Week 4, 2010

Well, even my DH commented this week that he is enjoying the variety of my meal planning and I know he is enjoying my calm replies when he comes home from work and asks what we are having for dinner, versus the old, panicked I don’t know yet……
I am excited my friends are starting to think of me and the website with their ideas as well, I am looking forward to trying some new recipes of my friends as well.

Week 4 and no repeats so far, wow that impresses even me! This week DH and I are having shrimp alfredo while the kids have ravioli one night, and another night we are having veggie sandwiches and the kids will have chicken strips, but DH and I love these sandwiches and I really want them this week. The veggie sandwiches are meant to cook extra vegetables and then use the left-overs the next night with pasta the notes are at the bottom of the recipe, if you are not making the pasta the next night, reduce the amount of vegetables by about half. The new recipe for the week is orange chicken, my kids love this from the box at wholesale club, but they were out today, and I would really like to make it a littler healthier. I have tried other recipes in the past that did not compare, so hopefully this one will be good, I will let you know after I cook it.
By the way, did you know that after I cook a new recipe I reply to the post on the recipe and let you know what the family thought??
So this week I may be cooking two meals a couple of nights, but just knowing what I am having is so great! Who knows maybe the kids will be adventurous this week!
Have a great week, Sherri

Turkey Marsala
Shrimp Alfredo
Sliders and fries
Orange Chicken
California Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches

For other recipe ideas go to sharemealideas.com

Week 3, 2010

Wow, week 3, I can not tell you how much I love that I am not stressed at the end of the day trying to figure out what to cook for dinner! I am also going to post the new menu for the week on Fridays instead of Sundays so that if you needed to grocery shop during the weekend you will have the new menu ideas. I am excited to see what everyone else is cooking (hint, hint); I want this to be interactive. ; )

This week the kids are out of school a couple of days so I am fixing homemade pizza, one night, they love this activity. I posted the dough recipe I use when time is short, and then everyone tops with their favorite ingredients. I love to see who gets creative. We are having stuffed peppers, my kids usually eat the filling only, usually the left over part I put around the peppers. The French dip recipe is great, but it does contain a beer, I don’t usually notice the kids doing anything weird after it has cooked all day, who knows maybe they sleep better that night! The new recipe this week is the chicken and sour cream burritos. I love this recipe, but have never been brave enough to try it on my kids, who are not big fans of Mexican (I know, how that can be??) So we’ll see what happens.

The week’s menu ideas are below, as always click the link if you want to go to the recipe. Sherri

Homemade pizza

Chicken and dumplings

French Dip sandwiches

Stuffed peppers

Chicken and sour cream burritos

Week 2, 2010

It seems my children are opposed to "new" things, but that does not hinder my goals, so this week we are trying one new recipe, creamy rice chicken, and I am trying tater tot casserole again, but this week I am going to make with green beans and separate it out on their plate to see if they will eat it as they do not really like foods mixed together. I tried the oven fried chicken once before and they loved it, I am convinced that the panko bread crumbs are the secret! Also I am using turkey tenderloins in the honey mustard chicken for a slightly different flavor. Let me know what your children are eating and if you try any of these ideas. Have a great week. Sherri
This weeks menu is: (click on title to link to recipe)

Honey Mustard Turkey
Lasagna
Oven Fried Chicken
Tater Tot Casserole
Creamy Rice Chicken

Week one menu

Well, here we go! Below are 5 dishes I am planning for this week with a link to the recipes. I will let you know how the new recipe goes with the family after I serve it. Since the site is new I am very interested in feedback on recipes and suggestions for things you would like or not like to see on this site. I want it to be a great resource for us all. Please note that I am planning rotisserie chicken, as I have a rotisserie, but I am providing a recipe for oven baked rotisserie chicken that is good too. The new recipe is Seasame noodles that I plan to add leftover chicken to. Don't forget I would love to hear from you and what you are planning this week also.
Sherri

Parmesan Baked Alaska Cod
Meatloaf
Rotisserie Chicken
Beef Stroganoff (crockpot recipe)
Seasame Noodles