Food in Review (week 4)

Ready to what we ate this past week? If not...well, I'm not sure why you're reading this...if so..READ ON!

SUNDAY: Oven Tacos

*This is one of my favorite recipes! It's a crowd pleaser - super economical - and best of all...SUPER TASTY!

I discovered it on Pinterest here! I like it with ground turkey (cheaper and healthier) but it's equally as delicious with ground beef.

Image from recipe website

The main change I've made is that I layer shredded cheese in the BOTTOM of the shells - then meat - then cheese of the TOP. I've discovered this prevents the bottom of the shells to get soggy...who wants soggy tacos anyways? Not I.

MONDAY: Chicken/Wild Rice Bake 

Another wonderful Pinterest find! I only made HALF of this recipe and it fed us plus leftovers...wow! Here's the link - you're welcome. This is some serious comfort food - it reminded me of chicken wild rice soup in casserole form.

Image from recipe website

TUESDAY: Potstickers and Fried Rice

Some days you gotta go easy. That was this day -- thank you frozen potstickers for cutting my food prep effort in half! I decided to be crazy and fry my potstickers instead of the normal boil method - I'm a rebel I know:) 

Along with our fried potstickers I whipped up some easy fried rice...no real recipe, just a little of this and that. 

Fried Rice: 

Cooked Rice (preferably cooled so it doesn't all stick together) 

Soy Sauce

Ginger

Onions chopped

Peas

Carrots (chopped) 

Eggs (to scramble at the end) 

Fry your rice and onions in oil of choice, add in soy sauce and ginger to your liking, add in peas/carrots. Move everything to one side of your pan and then scramble your eggs and mix together! Easy. Boom. 

WEDNESDAY: Pasta, Sauce and Sunshine Salad 

Ethan has compiled a 'cook book' of sorts from recipes he's ripped from magazines and asked if we could make one of his recipes this week. Of course I said YES and asked which one! He flipped through and landed on the Sunshine Salad. Since this wasn't a main course we paired it with the good ole pasta and sauce combo. 

The basics of this salad was lettuce (woah!), mandarin oranges and almonds. Pretty simple but E thought he was hot stuff helping me plan and then make it! 

*Sorry I didn't snap any pics while he was making it - mom fail. I'll do better next time.* 

THURSDAY (AKA Valentines!): Tilapia, Broccoli, Rice 

Awwhh. Love Day. Gotta make something special for that...so I planned some FISH! Nothing spectacular but a little out of the ordinary. I did have some pretty good looking dates I must say...

Like our candles? The boys wanted a 'special' dinner so we gave them one! 

For BREAKFAST on V-day I made pink-chocolate-chip-HEART-pancakes! Mom of the year...I'm coming after you - ha. They thought it was pretty clever...I concur. 

FRIDAY: Chili

Thanks Crock Pot for being there for me again. I like you. While the kids were having rest time (aka: give mom a break time) I browned up some beef and onions then poured in the last little bits from a salsa jar. Waste not, right? right.  That mixture went swimming in my crock pot with his buddies black beans, corn, diced tomatoes and some tomato paste. Spice it up with some cumin, chili powder and garlic then give it a good stir and walk away. 

Once again - no photo. It was nothing special - just a good ole bowl of chili! Perfect for a chilly day (har-har-har I'm funny!) and it makes great leftovers. I know that because I ate it yesterday for lunch and have plans for the remains of that for tonights dinner (loaded baked potatoes). 

CHEERS!