It's Menu Plan Monday already!  How the time flies.  This week I plan on making a few new recipes, which I will post links to.  If they turn out to be a new favorite, I will review them and be sure to let you know!

Monday:  Crockpot_Jambalaya_from_Saving_Dinner  The link will take you to the book that I got this out of.  It's a great website though; she has a lot of wonderful products.  Also, she is highly endorsed by the FlyLady!  This dinner has meat, rice, and loads of veggies -- but I will add a salad as a side.

Tuesday: Kraft's_Zesty_Meatballs_and_Rice  I will be making a slight variation of this, seeing as I do not have every ingredient!  I will serve this with green beans and a small salad.

Wednesday:  Shredded pork wraps.  I will be cooking the pork in the crockpot with whatever spices I have onhand and then when it is super tender, I will shred it and wrap it in whole wheat wraps.  I will offer different toppings and have black beans as a side.

Thursday:  Lebanese_Chicken Jasmine rice, hummus and pita bread, fattoush.  (Arabic salad -- romaine, tomato, english cucumber all diced small, topped with crumbled baked (or fried) pita bread and lemon juice and olive oil for dressing)

Friday:  Kielbasa bean soup.  I am sorry I do not remember where I saved this recipe from, but here it goes:

Kielbasa Bean Soup

2 cups diced potatoes (1 1/2 pounds)
2 cans bean and bacon soup, undiluted (10 1/2 oz)
2 cans diced tomatoes (15 1/2 oz)
12-14 oz kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, soup, tomatoes, kielbasa, onion, carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Transfer to a crockpot.

Cook on low heat in the crockpot for 5-6 hours. Or simmer over low heat on the stovetop for 2 hours.

Saturday:  Stuffed shells with salad. 

Hope you've enjoyed another Menu Plan Monday!  Thanks so much to

Laura for hosting this!  Please check out her blog for more great menus!

Sherry

First of all, I want to get to the recipe I've been promising for a few days.  My ex-husband used to work at a Radisson Hotel as an assistant to the chef and he adapted this recipe to fit our tastes.  I got the rights to the recipe when we divorced.  LOL

Chicken Penna Pasta

1-lb of boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces

1 16 oz package of Penna Regata (penne w/ lines)

1-2 Tbs of Olive oil -- and then another tbs for later

4 Garlic cloves (we LOVE garlic, you can use 2)

1 bunch of green onions, green part only

1 16 oz package of mushrooms

Unmeasured amount of soy sauce (you would use this to your personal taste)

2 Tbs of sesame seeds

Cook chicken in olive oil.  (The olive oil is really a part of the "sauce" so that is why we use 2 tbs, even though we use a nonstick skillet)

Add garlic and mushrooms when chicken is about 1/2 cooked

After chicken is brown and mushrooms and garlic cooked through, add 2 TBS of soy sauce and the tops from a bunch of green onions, cook until green onions wilt.

While all this is going on, cook the penne according to package directions, drain and put back into pot.  Before mixing the noodles with the chicken mixture, use 1 tbs of olive oil and about 2 tbs of soy to coat all of the noodles.  Then combine noodles and the chicken mixture completely.  Right before serving, mix in the sesame seeds.  (We've made it most of the time w/o the sesame seeds, but the original had seeds in it)

That's it!  It's very simple, but it tastes awesome.  You can make a much figure-friendly version w/o the olive oil, but it does make a big difference in taste. 

So now, on to my Menu Plan Monday:

Monday:  Pork stew in crockpot

Tuesday:  Spaghetti and meatballs with homeade garlic bread

Wednesday:  Kielbasa w/ potatoes and peppers

Thursday:   Son's b-day, Pizza night!

Friday: Organizing_Junkie's  chicken_bruscetta_bake!

Saturday:  Taco Salad (if we can find non e-coli lettuce!!!)

Sunday:  Either chili or bean soup

I've been noticing a lot of blogs hosting "Menu Plan Monday", and I thought I would really like to add mine along to theirs.  I love reading what other people are cooking and feeding their families!  I also love the new recipes you can find while perusing their lists!

For example, check out Organizing_Junkie's plan and the recipe she shares for chicken bruscetta!  It's a keeper!

So, without further ado, here we go with our first ever:

Monday:  Spaghetti with a slow cooked sausage, peppers, and cabbage sauce made in the crock pot.  It might sound a little strange, but it's rich, yummy, and satisfying!  Served with salad.

Tuesday:  Great Northern beans, fried potatoes, and cornbread.  (Straight from my 2nd generation southern roots!)

Wednesday:  Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore over noodles. 

Thursday:  Pork ribs with garlic roasted potatoes and green beans.

Friday:  Chicken tacos with spanish rice.

Saturday:  Dinner at Mom's house!

Sunday:  Chicken penne pasta 

(This is sauteed chicken with mushrooms, green onions, and garlic.  Using chicken broth, seasonings, and soy sauce, you make a sauce)  You mix it together with penna pasta and top with sesame seeds.  It has been a family favorite for about 10 years now.

   HAPPY COOKING!!!

Sherry