What's for Dinner plus Homemade Tomato Soup!

My Menu Plan Monday posts have been few and far between because, for a while there, I felt like I was making the same things over and over again. And who wants to read the same menu each week? Well this week, I'm trying a few new recipes. Hopefully, I'll find a few keepers to throw into the mix.

I'm keeping my promise and sharing another soup recipe. This week's recipe is not nearly as heavy and filling as last week's. This Cream of Tomato Soup is a snap to make and the ingredients are simple and straightforward. It's almost as easy as opening a can. If you want to spare a few calories, you don't have to add the half and half.

Tuesday night's meal will be breakfast, as that was what won in our family's Election Day Dinner poll.

I did find a great new side dish item on the grocery shelf the other day -- Kashi 7 Whole Grain Pilaf. It's absolutely delicious and cooks in the microwave in just 90 seconds. 8g of protein, 7g of fiber, and reasonably priced to boot!


Monday: Italian Meatloaf, Egg Noodles, Peas

Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner

Wednesday: Asian Pork Tenderloin, Kashi 7 Whole Grain Pilaf, Edamame

Thursday: Parmesean Chicken, Cream of Tomato Soup (recipe follows), Greek Salad, Fruit

Friday: Pizza Night! (Thai Chicken Pizza for adults; cheese pizza for kids)

Saturday: Ranchero Mexi-Chicken Crostada, Salad, Fruit

Cream of Tomato Soup

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (2 medium) or onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

3 cups chopped or crushed canned tomatoes

1/2 cup half and half (optional)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Parmesean cheese

1. Heat 1 Tbsp butter and the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic; saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes, or until tomato mixture begins to thicken.

2. Remove from heat. Process in 2 batches in a blender until smooth. Return to pot and heat over medium heat until soup is warmed through. Stir in half-and-half (if using) and 1 Tbsp butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with parmesean cheese. Makes about 7 cups (serves 4-6 people)

Be sure to head on over to Menu Plan Monday for more ideas!

Some New Family Favorites

Darcie mentioned a few weeks ago that it's been a while since I've particpated in Menu Plan Monday. She's right. Part of that has been due to the allergy treatments that my daughter has been doing (when you've got to avoid say, sugar, for 30 hours, your menus lack a certain "excitement.") But the other half of it is that I've been in a recipe rut. I was getting to a point where it just felt like I was making the same ol' thing, over and over and over again. Anyone else ever feel that way?

Well, in the last few weeks, I've been on a new recipe search. I've found some great recipes and some not-so-great ones. This week, I thought I'd share some of our new family favorites:

Bruschetta Chicken: I tried this one at the suggestion of Laura and it was tasty. I used a few garden ripe tomatoes, which really made the whole recipe. The ingredients seem very simple, but the taste is great.

Thai Mango Chicken: I love Thai food, but I have never had much luck making it at home. It just never tastes quite like the real deal. Well, that all changed once I made this recipe. Oh my gosh -- this one is a home run! Make it now! It's so easy, and I could eat it every day. Really.

Mini Farfalle Chipotle Chicken Pasta in Fire Roasted Tomato Cream Sauce: Okay, this is so good, it will make your toes curl. To borrow a phrase from my blogging pal Heather, it's fan-flipping-tastic. It will look like it makes gallons -- trust me, you'll eat every last bite.

Southwest Black Bean Salad and Peach Torte: These are delicious -- hurry up and make the Peach Torte before peaches go out of season.

Open-Faced Chicken and Muenster Sandwiches with Apricot-Dijon Spread: This recipe is from the latest issue of Cooking Light. It's easy, tasty and great for a summer evening.

For more great menu ideas, head on over to Menu Plan Monday!

What's for Dinner This Week...

My apologies to Oprah, but I just didn't find her Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burgers anything to write home about. They were alright, but I didn't think the effort it took to prepare them was worth the end result, frankly. I may have mentioned that I'm a bit of a turkey burger connoisseur, and I really like my tried-and-true recipe best. I'm not making turkey burgers again this week, but I'm going to post the recipe below. Oddly enough, the recipe is called "Best-Ever Turkey Burgers." I'll let y'all be the judge of that.

Monday: Baked Chicken, Rice, Corn and Apples

Tuesday: Cherry Pepper Chicken, Brown Rice, Green Beans

Wednesday: Dinner out

Thursday: Turkey Meatloaf, Salad, Brown Rice

Friday: Thai Chicken Wraps, Edamame

Saturday: Beef Taquitos with Salsa and Sour Cream, Fruit, Salad

Sunday: Creamy Sausage Tomato Pasta, Peas, Fruit

(If you're looking for an easy, downloadable menu planner, you'll find a great one here.)

For more menu-planning tips, head over to Laura's place!

Best-Ever Turkey Burgers (courtesy of Tufts University Health Newsletter)

Turkey burgers can be a healthier alternative to beef only if you choose 99% lean ground turkey breast. The "regular" 93% lean ground turkey is not really much different calorie and fat-wise from ground round. Just note that this recipe only calls for 8 oz. of ground turkey, so if you use a whole package of turkey breast, you'll need to scale the recipe accordingly. You can always make extra burgers and freeze them for grilling at a later time.

8 oz. 99% lean ground turkey

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 cup grated zucchini (1/2 small)

1/3 cup finely chopped onion (1/2 small)

2/3 cup whole-wheat Japanese-style breadcrumbs (panko)

1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 Tbsp. prepared barbecue sauce

4 whole-wheat hamburger rolls

Preheat grill. Combine ground turkey, egg white, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, zucchini, onion, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper in large bowl; mix well. Form turkey mixture into four 1/2-inch thick patties.

Lightly oil grill grate by rubbing a piece of oil-soaked paper towel over the surface (use tongs to hold paper towel). Grill patties, covered, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side, brushing cooked sides with barbecue sauce. An instant-read thermometer inserted in center of patties should register 165 degrees. About 1 minute before patties are done, place buns, cut side down, on grill grate until lightly toasted. Place patties on rolls and garnish as desired. (If you prefer to cook patties indoors, you can broil them.

Calories 270 (13% from fat)

Total fat 4g

Sat fat 0.5g

Cholesterol 25 mg

Sodium 700mg

Fiber 5g

Menu Plan Monday: Summer Edition

Have you noticed all the great recipes floating around the blogosphere? Everyone's getting ready for summer, posting lots of recipes for the grill or light salads. I've got plenty of recipe links this week, but for some you might have to scroll down to find the recipe that I've listed, as there were several recipes included in one post. Maybe you'll stumble across something else you might like to make in the process.

In other news, Oprah had her Favorite Things Show on Friday, which has very little to do with Menu Plan Monday other than the fact that she shared the recipe for the World's Best Turkey Burger. I love turkey burgers and if Oprah says that Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger is the best, then I've got to believe her. Unfortunately, I can't give you the Weber Grill that everyone in the audience got. But, I can provide the link to the recipe.

Monday: Salmon and Feta Pasta

Tuesday: Dinner Out

Wednesday: Picnic in the Park -- Southwest Black Bean Salad, Cornbread, Fruit

Thursday: Oprah's Favorite Turkey Burger, Oven Fries, Peas

Friday: Asian Chicken, Brown Rice, Tossed Salad

Saturday: James Beard's Favorite Hamburger, Oven Fries, Salad

Sunday: Chicken Pineapple Fajitas, Brown Rice, Green Beans

If you're looking for an easy downloadable menu planner, you'll find a great one here.

For more great recipes and menu planning ideas, head on over to see Laura!

What's for Dinner This Week...

After a busy week, I've been kind of dragging my feet in the menu planning department. There are just some weeks where it's hard to come up with a plan. So, I'm keeping it simple and using the grill quite a bit. The Parsley Parmesan Baked Chicken recipe was given to me by a friend (thanks, Lori!) and I love it because it's easy, healthy and flavorful. I've included the recipe below. We're doing dinner in the park again on Wednesday, so I'll be making a big summer pasta salad for my husband and me. I'll post that recipe soon.

Monday: Spaghetti, meatballs and tossed salad

Tuesday: Parsley Parmesan Chicken (recipe below), Brown Rice, Green Beans

Wednesday: Picnic at the park with Summertime Tortellini Salad

Thursday: Dinner out

Friday: Grilled Honey Lime Chicken Sandwiches, Five Vegetable Slaw, Corn, Peas

Saturday: James Beard's Favorite Hamburgers, Oven Fries, Greek Salad

If you're looking for an easy, downloadable menu planner, you'll find a great one here.

For more menu planning ideas, head over to Laura's place!

Parsley and Parmesan Baked Chicken

1/4 cup bottled Italian Salad Dressing

Approximately 6 chicken breasts (I prefer Boneless and Skinless)

2 T water

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/3 cup finely snipped parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup fine bread crumbs

Pour salad dressing into 13" x 9"x 2" baking dish; add chicken, turning to coat on all sides. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours, ocasionally tilting dish and spooning dressing over chicken. Drain, reserving dressing. Combine egg and water. In plastic bag, combine cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, paprika and pepper. Dip chicken into egg mixture, then shake a few pieces at a time in crumb mixture to coat. Return coated chicken to baking dish; spoon remaining Italian dressing on top. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes or till chicken is tender.

What's for Dinner This Week...

Okay, for those who have read my earlier posts, I will no longer beat the dead horse that is called, Try the Mexican Pizza Now. Just suffice it to say that if you're looking for a hugely delicious meal that's basically no work at all, that's your dish. It was the highlight of last week's menu.

Now that that is out of the way, tonight we'll be having a very simple and tasty lasagna. We'll also be trying a new pork recipe and salmon recipe this week. And, with the weather being so nice, we're taking the kids to the park for a picnic dinner on Wednesday -- a great excuse to make the Brown and Wild Rice Chicken Salad again (one of my new favorites).

Monday: Easy Skillet Lasagna, Salad, Fruit

Tuesday: Turkey Meatloaf, Oven Fries, Green Beans

Wednesday: Brown and Wild Rice Chicken Salad

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Pork with Sage and Apples, Salad, Brown Rice Pilaf

Saturday: Orange Glazed Salmon, Edamame, Corn on the Cob

Sunday: Beef Daube Provencal, Noodles, Peas

If you're looking for an easy, downloadable menu planner, you'll find a great one here.

For more great menu planning ideas, go and visit Laura!

What's for Dinner This Week...

This week's menu includes our all-time favorite beef stew recipe, Beef Daube Provencal. My 5-year-old daughter loves this dish. The best part about this recipe is that you can cook it in the crock pot. It takes a little more prep work than your average crock pot recipe, but I promise, it's worth it! The recipe calls for red wine and, for the best flavor, you'll want to use a wine that is good enough to drink. There are several good quality wines available for around $10 that would work well.

The other recipe I want to highlight is the Cherry Pepper Chicken. This recipe comes together so quickly and has the best flavor. It was taken from Cooking Light, but I've made a few changes. You'll find the recipe below.

Monday: Fast Chicken Fettucine, Green Beans, Fruit
Tuesday: Beef Daube Provencal, Egg Noodles, Peas

Wednesday: Mexican Pizza, Edamame, Fruit
Thursday: Turkey Reuben Wraps, Salad, Chips

Friday: Dinner Out
Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Cherry Pepper Chicken (recipe follows), Brown Rice, Salad

(If you're looking for an easy, downloadable menu planner, you'll find a great one here.)

For more menu planning ideas, don't forget to head over to Laura's!

Cherry Pepper Chicken
Serves 6

6 (6-oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 tsp. salt, divided

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. butter

8 garlic cloves, minced

2-3 Tbs. capers, drained

8 to 10 pickled cherry peppers (sweet or hot variety), seeded and chopped

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2-3 Tbs. dry breadcrumbs

3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 tsp. salt. Dredge chicken in flour. Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds. Add capers and peppers; cook 30 seconds. Add broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in breadcrumbs; cook until liquid thickens (about 1 minute). Taste sauce, and add remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, if needed. Remove from heat, sprinkle with parsley.

What's For Dinner This Week

Just one carry-over meal from last week, the Brown and Wild Rice Chicken Salad. Other than that, I'm trying to keep things simple. The Easy Oven Crisp Chicken is so flavorful and tasty -- not to mention easy. I'm sharing the Mexican Lasagna recipe below. It is a healthier version of the old standby. It's my go-to meal when I'm bringing dinner to a friend (I've entertained at home with it, as well), and the leftovers taste even better. I made mine up last night and froze it for Thursday.

Monday: Easy Oven Crisp Chicken, Green Beans, Brown Rice

Tuesday: Chicken Marsala with Sauteed Vegetables, Egg Noodles, Corn

Wednesday: Pork Tenderloin, Broccoli Salad, Brown Rice Pilaf

Thursday: Mexican Lasagna (recipe follows), Salad, Fruit

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Carne Asada Tacos, Salad, Fruit

Sunday: Brown and Wild Rice Chicken Salad, Fruit

(If you're looking for an easy, downloadable menu planner, you'll find a great one here.)

For more menu planning ideas, don't forget to head over to orgjunkie.com.

Mexican Lasagna (from The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers)

Serves 8

1 lb. lean ground beef (90% or higher)

1 large carrot, shredded (about 1 cup)

One 16-ounce jar salsa

One 15 1/2-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

Five 8-inch flour tortillas, cut in half

One 16-ounce container lowfat cottage cheese

1 1/2 cups preshredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese

1. Cook the meat and carrot in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the large pieces, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

3. Add the salsa, black beans, corn, chili powder, and cumin to the skillet and stir to combine.

4. To assemble the lasagna, arrange a third (about 2 cups) of the meat mixture in a 9x13-inch baking pan. Layer half the tortillas over the meat, allowing them to overlap. Spoon half of the cottage cheese and 1/2 cup of the Cheddar cheese over the tortillas and spread evenly.

5. Place 2 more cups of meat mixture over the cottage cheese. Layer with the remaining tortillas and cottage cheese. End with the meat mixture.

6. Top with the remaining Cheddar cheese and bake uncovered until the cheese melts and the lasagna is heated through, about 25 minutes.

What's for Dinner This Week

Last week went pretty much according to plan, I just have one roll-over meal -- the Enchiladas Suizas, which is delicious by the way! The Brown and Wild Rice Chicken Salad is a brand-new recipe. If it turns out as good as it sounds, I'll post the recipe next week. Here's what we'll be serving:

Monday: Goat Cheese, Artichoke & Chicken Pizza (recipe follows), cheese pizza (for kids) , salad, fruit

Tuesday: Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken (hat tip to mom_of2boys), corn, green beans

Wednesday: Chicken Parm Meatball Subs, oven fries, peas

Thursday: Brown and Wild Rice Chicken Salad

Friday: Ravioli with Sausage, salad, fruit

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Enchiladas Suizas with Turkey (I use chicken), green beans

(If you're looking for an easy downloadable menu planner, you'll find a great one here.)


For more menu planning ideas, don't forget to head over to orgjunkie.com.

Goat Cheese, Artichoke and Chicken Pizza

4 oz goat cheese
1/2 cup nonfat ricotta
1 whole-wheat pizza crust (12 inches)
1 cup thinly sliced, skinless roasted chicken
1 cup drained and rinsed canned artichoke hearts, halved
2 large plum tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 tbsp fresh oregano


Heat oven to 450°. Mix goat cheese and ricotta in a bowl; spread overpizza crust, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with chicken, artichokesand tomatoes; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until Parmesan is golden,8 to 10 minutes. Top with oregano and serve.

388 calories per serving, 13.2 g fat (7.3 g saturated),41.2 g carbs, 7.7 g fiber, 29.7 g protein

What's for Dinner This Week...

Well, being that last week was Spring Break for the kiddos, we weren't home as much in the evenings, so I have three carry-over meals for this week. Last week's Bourbon Chicken was delicious! Very much like something you'd get in a Chinese restaurant (definitely use a low-sodium soy sauce, though). The leftovers were even better -- I rolled the chicken and rice up with lettuce and carrots in wrap for lunch. Here's this week's menu:

Monday: Sweet Balls of Fire, salad, brown rice

Tuesday: Chicken salad on lettuce with poppyseed dressing

Wednesday: Turkey meatloaf, oven fries, peas

Thursday: Creamy Sausage-Tomato Pasta (recipe follows), salad, fruit

Friday: Thai Chicken Wraps, brown rice, edamame

Saturday: Enchiladas Suizas with Turkey (I use chicken), green beans

Sunday: Beef taquitos with salsa and sour cream, salad and fruit

(If you're looking for an easy downloadable menu planner, you'll find a great one here.)

For more menu planning ideas, don't forget to head over to orgjunkie.com.

Creamy Sausage-Tomato Pasta

Serves 6

I'm going to warn you -- this is probably one of the most calorie-laden meals I make. BUT...it is really good!!! I have tried to keep it a little lighter by using turkey sausage and decreasing the half-and-half to a little less than 1 cup. The changes don't affect the final taste too much, although naturally more half-and-half puts it over the moon! It makes a decent amount, so often, I'll serve 1/2 for dinner and put the other half in an 8"x8" disposable pan to freeze. I'm posting this recipe in its original form. It is taken from Better Homes and Gardens Menus in Minutes.

12 ounces dried gemelli or rotini

1 pound bulk sweet or hot Italian sausage

1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 28-oz. can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 1/2 cups half-and-half or light cream

3 Tbs. finely snipped fresh basil

Finely shredded Romano cheese (optional)

1. In a large saucepan cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a large skillet cook the sausage, onion, red pepper and garlic over medium heat until sausage is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat.

2. Stir the undrained tomatoes into the sausage mixture. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the half-and-half. Simmer about 4 minutes more or until sauce thickens slightly.

3. Drain pasta; return to saucepan. Add sauce to pasta; toss lightly to coat. Sprinkle with basil. If desired, sprinkle with Romano cheese.

What's for Dinner This Week...

Here's what's on the menu for our house this week. A couple of side notes: The Bourbon Chicken is a new recipe that I haven't tried yet. I'm going to try to lower the sodium content by using low-sodium soy sauce. Thursday is always a busy day for us, so I'm planning on keeping things easy and picking up some chicken salad from a local store earlier in the day.

Monday: Bourbon Chicken with brown rice and fresh broccoli

Tuesday: Divine Italian Pie (recipe follows), green beans and fresh fruit

Wednesday: Beef taquitos with salsa and sour cream, fruit and salad

Thursday: Chicken salad on lettuce with poppyseed dressing

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Sweet Balls of Fire, salad, brown rice

Sunday: Wild Rice with Chicken and Mandarin Oranges, salad

(If you're looking for an easy downloadable menu planner, you'll find a great one here.)

For more menu planning ideas, don't forget to head over to orgjunkie.com.


Divine Italian Pie
Crust:
6 oz. whole wheat vermicelli or angel hair, cooked and drained
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. dried basil
Filling:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 lb. Italian sausage (optional)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (15 1/2 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (8 oz.) package of grated mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all crust ingredients in a bowl. Chop mixture and press inot the bottom and sides of a 10" pie pan. To make filling, brown beef, sausage and onions in a skillet. Drain. Stir sauce into meat mixture. To assemble pie, sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese on the crust. Pour meat mixture on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until brown. Makes 8 to 10 servings