Dinner Time-Part 1

I thought I would share some of our staple menu items. These are tried and true! I usually include at least one of these meals in our menu plan each week. They are easy when you can't think of something!

Greek Chicken

Our friend Nikki shared this recipe with me, and I love it! You can substitute the chicken for fish.

Ingredients:

boneless chicken breast or fish fillets
red potatoes-quartered
lettuce--We use spinach leaves.
Cavendar's Greek seasoning
oregano
feta cheese
olive oil
lemon juice
salad toppings--olives, tomatoes, etc..
salt and pepper


What to do:

Greek dressing: Combine olive oil with lemon juice, oregano, and feta until it tastes right. Shake and refrigerate for an hour. Shake before serving.

I season the potatoes and chicken with olive oil, feta, oregano, Greek Seasoning, and salt and pepper. I bake for about 30 minutes and serve it over the lettuce. I pour the dressing over all of it. I usually serve with hummus and pita bread on the side.



Pizza Pasta

Ingredients:

whole grain penne regatta noodles
1 cup of ricotta cheese
2 cups of mozzarella cheese
1 jar of marinara sauce
pizza toppings--pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, etc

What to do:

Cook pasta and drain. While hot, mix with ricotta cheese. Layer it in a casserole dish. I use a 9 by 13 pan. I never use all the noodles. Pour the sauce over the noodles. Then layer your toppings. Pour cheese over all. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.



Poppy Seed Chicken

Our friend April gave me this recipe. Will requests it weekly.
Ingredients:

2 cream of chicken or 1 cream of chicken and 1 cream of mushroom (I do 2 chicken soups)
shredded chicken
poppy seeds
sour cream
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers
butter
rice


Directions:

Mix soups with chicken and some sour cream. I usually do a little more than half a cup of sour cream. Add in poppy seeds. Pour into dish. Sprinkle Ritz. Pour melted butter over all and add more poppy seeds. Cook for 20 min on 350. Serve over rice.

PS--Use real butter! It is good for you. Who knew?



Ritz Chicken
My roommate Rebecca taught me how to make this in college, and I have been making it ever since.

Ingredients:

2 boneless chicken breast
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers
1 cup of Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of parsley
melted butter

What to do:

mix the crackers, Parmesan, and parsley together. Dip the chicken in the butter and then dredge in the mixture. Bake. So easy! I usually serve with this red potato recipe:

Quarter red potatoes. Boil. While boiling, saute garlic, parley, and butter. Pour over drained potatoes.



Tuna Noodle Casserole

Oh the wonders of tuna! I often serve this casserole or tuna melts. We also have made tuna patties over lettuce.

Ingredients:

2 cans tuna
1 can cream of chicken soup
crushed Ritz crackers
peas
cooked whole grain noodles
shredded cheese

What to do:

mix tuna, soup, peas, and noodles together. Place in dish and pour crackers over. Pour melted butter over all. Sprinkle cheese. Cook for 15-20 on 350




Easy Peasy Lasagna

From my friend Jennifer.

Ingredients:

2 cups of mozzarella cheese
2 cups of shredded
1 big jar of spaghetti sauce
ground beef--cooked and drained
6 lasagna noodles-cooked
Directions:

layer sauce, beef, cheese, noodles, sauce, beef, cheese, noodles, and then a final layer of sauce, beef, and cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

I also serve breakfast for dinner at least once every other week. We do bacon, scrambled eggs, fried eggs, omelets, pancakes, fried red potatoes, hash browns, yummy oatmeal, etc.. Breakfast for dinner has endless possibilities.


Like I said, these are just a few of our go to recipes! I will add my pot roast next time and maybe some of our breakfast and lunch items.

On a related side note:
I am trying to learn to make healthy decisions for our family. So far, this has meant using whole grains, free range eggs, organic yogurts and milk, and fresh fruits and veggies. I also am trying to steer clear of boxed foods. We have been eating lots of real potatoes, and I have been buying dry rice and beans. I know it is best to buy organic meats due to the hormones, and the way they are fed, but we are not there yet! I also have been researching pesticide exposure in fruits and veggies, and it sounds scary! Again, not there yet-I usually buy fresh but not organic. So, anyway, I have some really close friends that eat healthy and answer all my questions in a very encouraging way! I really want to grow in knowledge here and provide healthy meals for my family.

Next week, I am tackling a whole chicken. I am usually a frozen chicken breast kind of girl, but I am excited! I am going to use it for two meals, and I plan on making my own chicken stock. It will be the highlight of my week. Just call me Betty Homemaker.