watermelon and feta salad

you need: mixing bowl, serving bowl
yields: 6-8 servings

1 small seedless watermelon, cut into chunks
1 english cucumber, diced
1/4 red onion
3 cups spring green mix
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
salt and pepper

in a bowl, whisk together olive oil, white wine vinegar, lime juice and salt and pepper for dressing. set aside.

add watermelon, cucumber, onion and salad to serving bowl. pour dressing over salad and gently toss to combine.

top with crumbled feta and serve.

menu planning 7/25-7/31

the boys have evening vacation bible school this week so suppers need to be quick and easy. yes, i did say EVENING vacation bible school! :) hubby and i are looking forward to spending some childless evenings together. what should we do?

sunday - mexican meatloaf (smoked cheddar and salsa)
corn on the cob with herb butter
honeydew melon

monday - leftovers

tuesday - fried chicken
suddenly salad (classic)
watermelon
fresh-squeezed lemonade

wednesday - chorizo breakfast burritos
sweet potato hashbrowns
banana ice cream

thursday - eat out at golden europe

friday - chili
orignal fritos
baked cinnamon apples

saturday - brown sugar halibut
parmesan broccoli overnight salad
strawberry shortcake

sunday - ribs
cowboy beans
cheesy-garlic mashed potatoes
pineapple
brownies

pesto

you need: a food processor
yields: 2 cups

2 cups basil leaves, washed and patted dry
4-6 good-sized garlic gloves
1 cup shelled walnuts or pine nuts
1 cup extra virgin olive oil (more to thin)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated romano cheese
salt and pepper

combine basil, garlic and nuts in a food processor. chop. leave motor running and slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream. shut off food processor. add cheese and a grinding of salt and pepper. process to blend.

menu planning 7/18-7/24

sunday - fetticini alfredo with shrimp
green peppers, grilled zucchini and summer squash
kiwi

monday - spaghetti
cheesy garlic bread
garlic green beans
cottage cheese
peaches

tuesday - minestrone soup with shaved parmesan
salad
blueberries

wednesday - eat out at jersey mike's

thursday - halibut steaks
pesto and crackers
roasted asparagus
cucumber salad
cherries

friday - eat out at maggiano's (belated birthday dinner with the girls)

saturday - egg salad sandwiches with tomatoes
cheesy french fries
baby carrots
mango

sunday - mexican meatloaf (smoked cheddar and salsa)
corn on the cob with herb butter
honeydew melon

blue cheese dressing

you will need a small bowl and a whisk
yields: 6 servings

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
4 oz crumbled blue cheese
black pepper

in a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and sour cream/yogurt. add pepper to taste. fold in blue cheese. the dressing will keep in refrigerator for 4-6 days.

menu planning 7/11-7/17

it seems like i always get to about this point in my menus where nothing sounds good and cooking seems like such WORK. anybody else? but i need a menu because without it, i want to eat out every night. not only is that expensive, but it's not that healthy for us either. i think i am going to resort to some very simple faire and let the fresh-picked veggies be the main attraction.

sunday - leftovers

monday - teriyaki salmon with grilled pineapple
grilled asparagus
watermelon
limon chips

tuesday - eat out at the hibachi grill

wednesday - chicken salad on croissants
garden tomatoes, avocado and red onion
apples

thursday - grilled cheese and tomato soup
salad with yellow tomatoes and homemade blue cheese dressing
oranges

friday - taco bar
strawberry salsa

saturday - leftovers

sunday - fetticini alfredo with shrimp
green peppers, grilled zucchini and summer squash
kiwi

crockpot cheesy chicken and broccoli over rice

you will need a crockpot
yields: 6 servings

2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (or canned chicken)
2 heads of broccoli, cut off stem (or 1 bag frozen broccoli, thawed)
1 cup long-grain rice
1 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can chicken stock (or 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon)
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cups water (if using bouillon, use 3 cups)

combine all ingredients, except broccoli, in slow cooker and cook on low for 5 hours.

stir in broccoli and cook additional hour or until broccoli is desired softness. add salt and pepper to taste.

menu planning 7/4-7/10

this week, my hubby is gone on a fishing trip to hippa island (in the british columbia) so i am going to be eating out of the freezer to make room for the sixty or so pounds of fish he plans on bringing back. the meals and sides might seem a little random. :)

sunday - tapas plate with marinated chickpeas and roasted pepper spread
edamame
cottage cheese with cucumbers
strawberries

monday - chicken parmesan
grilled zucchini
cherries
cheesecake

tuesday - appetizers (shrimp, clam strips, jalapeno poppers, spinach artichoke dip)
yellow tomatoes with mozzarella and basil
brussel sprouts
peaches

wednesday - tatortot casserole
pesto-stuffed mushrooms
plums
ice cream sandwiches

thursday - mediterranean chicken salad
corn
blueberries

friday - totino's pizza

saturday - grilled pork chops
steamed broccoli
kiwi

sunday - leftovers

crockpot lasagna-spinach pie

you will need a crockpot, large mixing bowl, a medium mixing bowl, a spoon, two 1/2 measuring cups and a sharp knife
yields: 8-10 servivngs

36-40 oz of marinara/spaghetti sauce (1 1/2-2 cans/jars)
1/2 cup basil pesto
4 cups ricotta cheese (2 15 oz containers)
3 cups mozzarella cheese
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 package frozend chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 box of oven-ready lasagna noodles

mix marinara sauce and pesto together in large mixing bowl.

mix ricotta, eggs and spinach together in a medium bowl. add 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1 cup parmesan cheese.

liberally spray interior of crockpot with pam and spread 1/2 cup sauce over the bottom of the crockpot.

break noodles into pieces to evenly cover bottom of crockpot. cover with 1/2 cup sauce and sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.

repeat.

add another layer of noodles. spread half the ricotta mixture and cover with 1/2 cup sauce.

repeat.

add another layer of noodles, cover with 1/2 cup sauce and sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.

repeat.

add one last layer of noodles and press down gently to compress. top with remaining sauce and parmesan.

cook on high for 4 hours or until top is rippled and golden brown along the edges. check for noodle tenderness by piercing lasagna with tip of a sharp knife. if not done, cook for 30 more minutes.

serve out of crockpot with garlic bread and broccoli.


**you can add a teaspoon of minced garlic to the marinara to enhance flavor if desired.