Menu for the week

In my last post, my sweet Emily told me I looked like a cute college girl in my apron pic...and then she asked if I would post my menu for the week. Anything she asked after that statement, I would grant her! Or just anything- period! So I've made my menu for this week, and I'm posting it.

Monday: We are eating with the Feldman family! Yay! I am bringing a salad with lots of good vegetables (grape tomatoes, avacado, red bell pepper, Craisins, pine nuts and croutons) and I'm making my homemade dressing. I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Lisa, and I posted it months ago. Check it out! Also, my goal is to make homemade rolls to bring with me.

Tuesday: White Chicken Chili. This stuff is heavenly!
2 lbs. cooked and shredded chicken, 2 cans Great Northern beans, 2 cans Rotel, 2 T minced garlic, 1 t chili powder, 4 t cumin (it seems like a lot, but trust me!) 1 t oregano, 5 c chicken broth, 3 c Monterey Jack cheese, 1 t salt, 1 t pepper, 1 c fresh chopped cilantro, 1/2 a bag frozen corn, and 1 c sour cream. I put everything except the cheese and sour cream in the Crock Pot for the day. Then about 30 minutes before I serve it, I add those in. I serve over rice, and offer sour cream to top with again. So good! This recipe came from Tamara Wingfield in a cookbook. I just added in the corn. Thanks Tamara!

Wednesday: homemade pizza. I make pizza crust dough in my bread machine, roll it out, and top with whatever we like. Cheese for the kids, veggies for us. Bake it until it's brown and bubbly. My kids love it!

Thursday: Grilled cheese and tomato basil soup! I love this recipe, and I didn't think I liked tomato soup! It's the La Madeline recipe, contributed by Ashley Garratt in a cookbook. So easy...1 stick of butter (that's how every tasty recipe starts, unfortunately), 7 leaves fresh basil (we grow it in our herb garden! Go Rusty!), 4 c tomato juice, 1 big can crushed tomatoes, 1 c heavy cream. Mix together all ingredients in big pot and simmer for 30 minutes.

Friday: Date night!

Saturday: I try to do something in the Crock Pot because it's our church night. I am making BBQ chicken sandwiches. Put Chicken or meat of your choice in the crock pot (slightly browned) and cover it with BBQ sauce of your choice. Heather adds soy sauce and cilantro to hers. Serve on hamburger buns. I like Swiss or Cheddar cheese slices with mine. I'm serving with salad and chips this week. (Left over salad ingredients from earlier in the week.)

That's it! As you can see, just about everything I'm making this week I've accumulated from church type cookbooks. They're the best! I tweak them from time to time, but when you have friends that are good cooks, it helps!
As you can see, we don't eat meat every night, which saves money. The White Chicken Chili will help feed the larger groups we have on Tuesday nights for HOPE group, that usually show-up hungry, although I fear I never will have enough food in our house for college boys! What will I do when I have three teenage boys and a growing girl???
As for shopping, I live by a menu and try to NEVER go back to the store if I don't have to. I avoid HEB during the week like it's the plague.
If y'all have any meals or planning tips to share with our sweet new wives and Moms, bring them on! I always love new recipes too!

*Emma put a recipe she found for us on her blog too! It turned out great, so it's worth sharing!