Menu Plan Monday ~ Oct 17/11
Hello lovely ladies! Hope you had a terrific weekend and are ready for a brand new week!
On Monday and Wednesdays after school I swim laps while my son is in swimming lessons. I love fitting the exercise in but I’m sure exhausted by the time we get home around 5:00. The last thing I want to do is make dinner! Thank goodness I don’t have to worry about it because my slow cooker comes to the rescue! I especially like to use my slow cooker more often in the fall and winter but if there is one thing I can’t stand is overcooked meat. Chicken is the worst so I don’t often use chicken in the slow cooker which isn’t a big deal for me because there are just so many other options. Roasts, soups, stews and chili to name a few. Yum!
Last week’s recipe highlight definitely goes to the ham recipe and the homemade mac ‘n cheese recipe. The ham was delicious and safe for my son (dairy, gluten and egg free) so that is always a bonus. I need to make it more often because it’s just so easy and gosh it’s hard to overcook a ham 🙂
My menu:
Monday: Slow Cooker Autumn Sausage Casserole (thanks to Ready.Set.Simplify for the recommendation)
Tuesday: Bacon-Cheese Topped Chicken served with red potatoes and broccoli
Wednesday: Slow Cooker Beef Stew (family favorite) served with Bread Machine Garlic Bread
Thursday: Leftover buffet
Friday: Pesto Chicken Tortellini Soup served with Bread Machine Oatmeal Bread
Saturday: Spaghetti Ham Bake (makes two – one for us and one to surprise someone else)
Sunday: Picking night and YOYO (you’re on your own)
WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU THIS WEEK?
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The Tortellini Soup sounds yummy! Thanks for hosting Laura!
Enjoy your week!
~Liz
I’m so with you on the slow cooker. In fact, I told my husband the other night that I don’t think our family would eat some nights if it wasn’t in the slow cooker and ready when I got home from taking the kids to an activity! I actually have Chicken Tortilla Soup simmering away right now in mine!
Thanks for hosting. Have a great day.
I am looking forward to adding the Autumn Sausage Casserole to my menu next week. Thank you!
I am going to have to start using the term YOYO nights! My kids love goofy acronyms and they are old enough to fend for themselves every now and then.
I have had a bunch of requests for my menu template so I have posted a blank one as a free download today.
Have a great week.
Wow that Mac’n’Cheese has my tummy rumbling this morning!! Thanks for hosting!
Thanks for hosting. I’m working on transferring my recipes to ziplist using the plugin, but it’s a bit daunting. So many recipes!
I’ve been working from home once a week and it’s my intention to swim laps during the time I would have been on the train. Crockpot is the way to go on those days!
I definitely use the crockpot every Monday. I’m not done teaching piano lessons and tutoring until 6:30pm! My husband usually has to eat before then and is off to rehearsal. So, he is able to eat when he needs to, and then as soon as I get home, I can eat a warm meal!! LOVE it!
Yeah for slow cookers! I’ve got a favorite soup recipe on my menu this week as well – though it’s usually two (or even three!) most weeks in the fall, winter and spring. This week, however, I’m gone on the weekend, so my husband and daughter are YOYO for two days. 🙂
I’ve pulled out the crockpot too! While we use it often to make yogurt, I use it for stew, soups and the like a lot during the fall and winter. The taco soup on my menu last week is one of my family favorites. I did have a request from son #2 for a tortellini dish this week, but I’m currently out. I’m adding your tortellini soup to my Evernote to try when we have more.
Thanks for hosting!
I’ve never found a really good homemade mac n cheese recipe! This one looks delish! I’m gonna try it next week!
I <3 Menu Plan Monday!
I link up from here:
http://stephaniesikorski.blogspot.com/2011/10/menu-monday.html
Just wanted to let you know that the spaghetti ham bake link is connected to Meatball Hashbrown Bake 😉
Thanks for all of the wonderful ideas and all that you do for us!!!
Ahhh thanks for letting me know…I’ve got it fixed up now!!!
I just got a new slow cooker a month or so ago. I gave up on them years ago when I kept overcooking every single thing I tried to cook. But I was inspired to start again because of all the beautiful foodie bloggers out there that were raving about theirs. I bought the cookbook Slow Cooker Revolution by America’s Test Kitchen and it is awesome. It give so much information on how to cook successfully with a slowcooker and addresses the over cooked chicken issue. I have made about 5 recipes so far and loved them all.
Will definitely have to check that book out, thanks!
Yum! That mac and cheese looks like a winner! 🙂
Have a great week!
Thanks for having the link up! It really helps to have a menu plan!
Hi, Laura.
The macaroni and cheese looks fabulous! I am sharing my roasted cauliflower recipe and smoked turkey kielbasa soup recipe today. Thank you for hosting us again this week!
I’ve just begun to realize how wonderful the crockpot is and I am looking forward to getting pretty friendly with it this winter.
On another note, I thought your Spaghetti Ham Bake sounded interesting so I went to the view the recipe and the link took me to the wrong recipe. Just FYI.
Thanks for hosting!
Hi Jenny, the link has been fixed, thanks!
Ham with mac and cheese is classic! Love it!
Um, YUM!! That mac and cheese looks to die for. Also, that cute spoon in the background behind the macaroni….where did you find it?
Oh gosh you know I don’t remember, it’s a spoon rest and at least 16 years old 🙂
I am pulling out an old time favorite for my boys– swiss cheese chicken
Gonna have to try the Pesto Chicken Tortellini Soup, that looks so good!
I’m with you, I love using my slow cooker. It has saved my butt more then once with busy days. Your crock pot beef stew looks good. I’ve never made it in the crock pot before, so I’ll have to try it soon. Thanks for hosting Laura and have a great week!
The tortellini soup and spaghetti ham bake sound delicious!
Love using my slow cooker too.
Awesome blog! Love the YOYO idea!
I’m so glad the ham was tasty! I’ve added it to my pinterest board for Thanksgiving dinner – it’s always been a family favorite for my side of the family!
You mean, I’m not the only one who finds that chicken gets overcooked in the crock pot? I thought I was doing something wrong! I do better with a whole chicken than I do with chicken pieces. I’m relieved that it’s not just me . . .
Yes I do love whole chickens in the slow cooker…I should have been more specific. Oops 🙂
I think the chicken is much more dietary products than ham. Although if you know the measure will benefit all!
I’m a few days late commenting…your menu looks yummy. One chicken recipe that we usually have no problem with is Martha Stewart’s Tex-Mex chicken. (http://www.marthastewart.com/315328/slow-cooked-tex-mex-chicken-and-beans) I usually omit the flour, double the beans and triple the water (or use broth) and use the whole jar of salsa. The chicken is always nice and tender.
You always have such wonderful ideas for your meal planning. I love visiting your posts for inspiration.