Printable Menu Planners

I'm always looking for help when planning my weekly menu.  I only do a week at a time so I thought I would share a few of my favorite printable planners:

The One With Lots of Ink but 3 Meals a Day

The One With the Grocery List

The One With Lots of Options


My Menu for the Week (in no special order, most have links):

Breakfast
Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Banana Muffins + Fruit
Tofu Orange Smoothies + Bagels
Breakfast Burritos (make extra to put in freezer)
Cheese Toast + Oranges + Bananas
Pumpkin Pancakes + Maple Sausage
Baked French Toast + Strawberries
Baked Oatmeal

Lunch
Green Salad + Macaroni and Cheese
PB&J + Carrot Sticks
Ham and Cheese on Crackers + Apples
Tuna and Egg Salad Sandwiches
Bean and Cheese Burritos
Grilled Cheese and Soup (from freezer)
Quesidillas + Green Salad

Supper
Chili Frito Pie (Using leftover extra chili in freezer)
Orange Chicken + Rice + Asian Salad
Pork Tenderloin + Mashed Potatoes + Green Beans
Fish Tacos
Steak + Pasta Salad + Fruit Salad
Terriyaki Salmon + Rice + Stir-fry Veggies (will post this recipe soon, we love it)
Halloween Party Potluck - Bringing Halloweenies (adapted) & Monster Eyes

Snack/Desserts
Homemade Granola Bars
Banana Bread

If you are interested in a recipe that I didn't post a link for just leave a comment and let me know.  I'll try to get on it!

Pumpkin Season

It's Pumpkin season! Pretty much my favorite season of the year, for fun and for food. I love cooking with pumpkin and i love carving pumpkins. Plus I love Pumpkin spice scented candles.

With this dessert you won't have to light the candles. It brings the scent into your house for real. Plus then you get to eat it and you don't have that waxy aftertaste. (for the record I have never tasted my candles)

Streusel Topped Pumpkin Pie

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin (2 cups)

1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 large egg

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (6 oz.) prepared graham cracker pie crust

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour

2 tablespoons cold butter

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Whipped cream

HEAT oven to 425°F. Whisk together pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, egg, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Pour into crust.

BAKE 15 minutes. While pie is baking, combine brown sugar, flour and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts.

REMOVE pie from oven; reduce oven to 350°F. Sprinkle streusel mixture over pie.

BAKE 40 minutes or until set. Cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

After School Delight

I don't know about you guys, but no matter what I pack for my kids lunches, they come home starving.
  
Starving.
   
I don't want them to fill up too much before dinner, but I can't stand "starving" my kids.
  
Here's a new idea. Something filling, pretty healthy, and easy to throw together.

AFTER SCHOOL TRAIL MIX
3 cups rolled oats

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup cashews

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup pistachios

3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut

1 cup honey

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup craisins

Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and stir to coat thoroughly.

  
Pour granola mixture onto a large baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with olive oil.

   
Bake in a 300 degree oven for about 1 hour or until golden. Stir every 15 minutes.

   
Allow to cool and enjoy!

  
If you're like my family, and you have to have sugar running through your veins at all times, by all means add M&Ms after you've baked it and it's cooled. There isn't much better than M&M's in trail mix. At least for 5/6 of our family.

Squash and Beans

I'd like to thank Nicole for emailing me today's post. My life has been eaten up with photo shoots, back to school meetings, piano lessons and everything else that a wife/mother-of-4/teacher/chef/etc. has to do. 


Sorry for the absence!


If you've read my past posts (say that 10 times fast) or know me, you know I'm a sucker for black beans, burritos and all kinds of squash. This recipe incorporates all things wonderful. No, I haven't made them yet, but I know Nicole, and I know Nicole's cooking, and it's got to be good. I'm making them this week, and I can't wait.

Seriously, tonight's dinner of baked ham, with homemade augratin potatoes just doesn't seem as good when my mouth is watering for this...


Butternut Squash & Black Bean Burritos (serves 3-4)

3-4 whole wheat flour tortillas
1 1-lb. butternut squash, diced into 1” cubes
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 c fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1/4 c diced yellow or red onion
2 T olive oil, divided
1/2 t salt, divided
1/4 t sugar
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 t minced garlic
1/4 t ground cumin
1/8 t cayenne pepper (optional)
Salsa, sour cream and other burrito fixings of your choice

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a medium bowl toss together the squash, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, sugar and ground black pepper until the squash is evenly coated. Spread onto a foil lined baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, until the squash is tender and lightly browned. Set aside.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for about 2 minutes or until they begin to soften. Next, add the drained black beans and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently. Finally, add the roasted squash and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until everything is completely heated through.

To assemble your burritos, take a warm tortilla and fill with a generous amount of the black bean and squash filling. Add a nice handful of chopped spinach on top and roll together (the spinach will wilt slightly inside). Serve with salsa, avocado, cilantro or any burrito fixins that you like!