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December Meal Plan – Quick Dinners

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December Meal Plan – Quick Dinners

With the holiday season upon us I know that we are all going to be busy, busy, busy. Hopefully with fun things like holidays parties, shopping and baking. Nothing too stressful right. ;) When life gets busy a good supper can be the first thing to go because by the end of the day we”re just too exhausted to even think about what to have for supper, never mind make it. That”s why for this month”s meal plan I”m sharing quick and easy dinners that are no-stress. So you can get back to enjoying the season on a full, happy belly in no time.

Monday


Baked Chicken Taquitos

Make these chicken taquitos for a quick mexican-style weeknight dinner – just assemble and bake. Serve with some Quick Mexican Rice to round out the meal.

Tuesday

Creamy Ham & Rice Soup

This Ham and Rice Soup is comfort in a bowl. It’s creamy, chunky and satisfyingly delicious. On a cold winter”s night it really hits the spot.

Wednesday


Quick French Dip Sandwiches

Proof that simple is often best. This is the quickest and tastiest beef dip I’ve ever made. Crisp and airy ciabatta rolls get topped with garlic, butter and cheddar cheese, broiled till bubbly and then piled with beef. Serve them alongside the spiced up beef broth and a crispy salad. Easy peasy and crave-worthy delicious.

Thursday


Homemade Hamburger Helper – Beef Stroganoff

This homemade hamburger helper is just as easy to throw together as the boxed stuff but tastes so much better. Although just like the boxed kind, this recipe receives zero points for attractiveness. But taste trumps looks right? Serve with a salad or a side of veggies.

Friday


Tropical Barbecue Chicken Pizza

This is still one of our favourite pizza”s. We make it often. You can use any style or shape of pizza dough you like. We”ve made it with thick crust, whole wheat, thin crust – it”s all good. I consider pizza a quick meal because I”ve always got pizza dough in the freezer, but if that”s not something you do, feel free to pick up some pre-made dough for extra ease.

November Meal Plan – Comfort Food

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November Meal Plan – Comfort Food

Happy November! It”s now officially, official – it”s comfort food time! Dinner salads are out the window and our ovens are cranking up the heat. Here is a weeks worth of  comforting and easy dishes to get you through the cold days ahead.

Monday


Quick & Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

A creamy filling of chicken, veggies and cheese topped with a quick biscuit topping made with homemade baking mix. Depending on the day, we either eat this as a one dish meal or serve it with a simple salad.

Tuesday


Chicken Barley Soup

It”s cold and flu season which means that our consumption of Chicken Noodle Soup goes into overdrive. Ever since we found this recipe we”ve been making it in place of the tradition noodle version. It hits the spot every time. I”ve also switched out the barley with the same amount of uncooked rice and it works great.

Make it even more nutrient rich by making your own Quick and Flavourful Chicken Stock.

Wednesday


Quick Chicken Parmigiana

This is one of my favourite pasta meals. It has such a lovely presentation but is so easy to whip together. Serve with a simple salad to round out the meal.

Thursday


My Favourite Chili

It took me a long time to find my perfect Chili recipe, but I did, and I”ve never looked back. No comfort food week would be complete without a warm bowl of chili. Serve with tortilla chips to scoop, or cornbread to dip.

Friday


(Baked!) Crispy Chicken Sandwiches

Skip the fast food joint and make some Crispy Chicken Burgers at home. This sandwich gets an update with ciabatta rolls, quick aioli and crispy baked chicken breasts that have been marinated in a flavourful sour cream marinade.  Serve with fries or a salad.

October Meal Plan – Thanksgiving

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October Meal Plan – Thanksgiving

Eep! I can”t believe (Canadian) Thanksgiving is only a week away! How did time go by so fast? This will be my first time celebrating Thanksgiving with my family in a very, very long time. I”m so excited! My mom makes the best Thanksgiving meal around and I”m so looking forward to enjoying it with the rest of my fam!

I thought for this month”s meal plan I”d focus on the Thanksgiving meal. Not so much the turkey itself, but some sides to round out the table. I”ll be sharing some more recipes later in the week!

Appetizers


Three No-Bake Thanksgiving Appetizers

While everyone”s waiting for the main event put out some Smoked Salmon Pinwheels, Creamy Pumpkin Pie Dip or Mini “Pumpkin” Cheeseballs to keep them occupied and grumbling tummy”s at bay.

Beverage


Homemade Cranberry Juice

Homemade Cranberry Juice is a cinch to make and can turn into a guest worthy punch by using sparkling water or mixing it with ginger ale.

Stuffing/Dressing

 

Simplified Stuffing

This simple stuffing is my mom”s recipe that she has made ever since I can remember. This year I”m pitching in and bringing the stuffing myself. I wouldn”t dream of trying a different recipe because not only would the family be extremely disappointed, but it”s just one of those times when you don”t mess with a good thing. P.S. It”s not cooked in the bird.

Sides


Breadstick Twigs and Cranberry Ginger Jelly

These Breadstick Twigs would be super cute placed onto each place setting, perhaps with a name tag attached. They”re super easy to make and who doesn”t like an edible decoration?

I strongly recommend you bypass the stuff in a can this year and make your own Cranberry Jelly. Not only is it tastier but it”s so easy to make!

Dessert


Pumpkin Sheet Cake

If you”re looking for something a little different and a little simpler then a traditional pumpking pie this Pumpkin Sheet Cake is a great choice. A tender pumpkin spice cake topped with cream cheese frosting – nobody”s gonna complain about that! Double the recipe and bake in a 9×13 pan to make 18 servings.

What”s a must-have in your Thanksgiving menu each year?

September Meal Plan – School Lunches

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September Meal Plan – School Lunches

I hope you all had a fabulous Labour Day weekend! Now it”s time to go back to school, so I thought for this month”s meal plan I would share some ideas for school lunches. No peanut butter and jelly sandwiches here!

Monday


Homemade Pizza Pops & Puzzle Apples

These puzzle apples are so easy to make and make getting an apple in your lunch box so much fun! Pair that with some homemade pizza pops and your kids will be the envy of the classroom.

Tuesday


Guacamole Turkey Wraps & Maple Walnut Apple Chips

Wraps are always a great way to get rid of the sandwich blahs and these Guacamole Turkey wraps are full of yummy goodness. And, these Maple Walnut Apple Chips take dried fruit to a whole new level, I don”t think there”ll be any complaints when they find these in their lunchbox.

Wednesday

 

Ham, Cheese and Fruit Kabobs & No-Bake Granola Bars

Take a break from the norm by threading some ham, fruit and cheese onto skewers for a deconstructed lunchbox. Don”t forget the yogurt for dipping! And, to round out the meal with some whole grains, add one of these easy-to-make granola bars.

Thursday


Chicken Salsa Ranch Wraps & Blueberry Applesauce

Homemade applesauce is a cinch to make and so easy to customize to your child”s taste. You can switch out the blueberries for any other fruit you want – our other favourite would definitely be strawberries. You can also leave out the vanilla bean to make it more economical, it”s still just as tasty. Make the filling for the Chicken Salsa Ranch Wraps the night before and assemble the morning of. If the kids want to heat them up for lunch then make sure to pack the lettuce in a separate bag, to add after heating.

Friday

Broccoli Cheese Soup & Jalapeño-Cheddar Drop Biscuits

Perfect for a cool fall day (yes, I just said that), you can make this combination for supper the night before and send along the leftovers for lunch. Depending on whether there”s a microwave available to your child, you can send it cold in tupperware or warm it up in the morning and send it in a thermos. If your kids don”t like spice feel free to leave out the jalapeño and make cheddar biscuits instead.

What”s your go-to school lunch?

August Meal Plan – Beat the Heat

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August Meal Plan – Beat the Heat

It”s August. I can”t believe it! The summer is flying by, just like it always does. I thought it might be fun to start sharing some meal plans at the beginning of the month incase people were looking for inspiration or just didn”t want to do any planning for one week. So, here”s a great menu plan for a week of summer dinners. None of these meals are baked in the oven, all of them make use of good summer produce and all have been made numerous times in our kitchen. Enjoy!

Monday


Spicy Bean Burritos with Chunky Cucumber Salad

Start the week off with a Meatless Monday that no one will even have a second thought about. The burritos are spicy and full of flavour and the salad is at it”s best this time of year. It may seem strange to pair a salad with feta and olives with a mexican-style dish but this salad literally goes with everything.

Tuesday


Hoisin Chicken with Noodles and Green Beans

This stir fry is quick and flavourful and takes advantage of in-season green beans. We eat this as a one dish meal but feel free to serve it with a side of garlic bread.

Wednesday


Summer Chicken Stew

Serve this on a rainy day or one that just needs to end on a comforting note. This stew is creamy and hearty with the freshness of summer veggies and the smokiness of bacon. Make sure to sop up all that creamy gravy with bread or biscuits!

Thursday


Greek Chicken Kabobs and Salad

For a light meal on a hot day this meal is your ticket. It hardly takes any work to prepare and it”s just a feel good thing to eat. If you”re family likes things a little heartier serve it with a side of foccacia.

Friday


BLT Chicken Burgers

This burger has still got to be one of my favourite burgers to date. A burger always seems like the perfect way to end a work week and this one is amped up with a basil mayonnaise, crispy lattice bacon and a hefty dose of cheese in the patties. Serve with fries, grilled or roasted potatoes, or a salad.