Meal Plan - May 10, 2017

I'm sorry I've been such a slacker on the blog posts the last while. Things have just been crazy with my cake business lately and I just haven't had time to sit down and write! I have a list of posts I want to write, so hopefully after Mother's Day I'll have some time!

Speaking of things I didn't get to, I didn't get to make the pierogies from last week's meal plan. I should have known better than to plan something that is so time intensive. I really enjoyed the fajita bowls and they were super simple; rice, bbq chicken breasts, homemade pico de gallo, and black beans. My parents and the kids had the chicken stir fry while John and I were out at a wedding and there wasn't much left over so it must have been good!

Now for the upcoming two weeks!

Chicken burgers (with McChicken sauce!)
Chicken stir fry with coconut sweet chili sauce
Thai beef satay
Waffles
Homemade pizza
Omlettes
Taco burrito bowl
Greek meatball gyros

My brother was nice enough to grab me a bottle of McChicken sauce now that it's in stores so I'm super excited to give it a try! Not the healthiest thing in the world but sometimes you just need some sauce. I've made the Greek meatballs a number of times but I thought it would be fun to turn them into a gyro.

Lunch
Chicken quesadillas
Homemade lunchables
Homemade burgers and fries

I decided to plan a few lunches as well this time around. We are officially in picnic season, so I need to save my sandwich days for the park.

Meal Plan - April 26, 2017

Time for more food! I love shopping for food almost as much as I like eating it, so I thoroughly enjoy grocery week. This time around I have a lot of chicken meals planned. I didn't really set out with that goal in mind I just kind of happened as I was going through my recipes.

Thai turkey meatballs
Homemade pierogies and sausage
Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken
Homemade pizza
Jalapeno cream cheese chicken
Fajita bowls
Chicken stir fry

All of the meals from last week were super delicious. Roman was confused with the whole fresh roll business. When I first set then down on the table Roman turns to me and says "Mom, I think these have plastic on them". Fast forward 5 minutes and he was dipping his fresh roll into the satay sauce like an old pro. I don't think he was a huge fan of it but I give him props for trying it!

I'm hoping I'll be able to try out a few new breakfast/lunch/snacks in the next couple weeks that I can turn into blog posts. Life has been so crazy lately that I've really fallen behind in my blogging. There are so many things I would love to turn into posts but finding the time has been difficult lately. But, I will persevere and hopefully I'll be able to carve out a few minutes. What are your favorite type of posts to see? Let me know in the comments down below and I'll try my best to get them into the mix!

Meal Plan - April 14, 2017

There has been a bit of a gap between this meal plan and the last one I posted. We still had some food left over, so we decided to make a small run last week and just pick up a few things that would stretch us for another week. We also picked up some delicious local meat and produce from The Wandering Market so that was added to last weeks meals. This is what we ate!

California roll bowl
Steak with veggies
Chicken nuggets and fries
Sheet pan chicken and vegetables

The California roll bowl was so good! John and I have made our own sushi before (pre-kids) and it can be a real production. So this time I just chopped up the ingredients you would find in a California roll, and everyone assembled their own bowls. Splash on a little soy sauce and it tastes just like a California roll without all the work! Roman was so excited after the sushi fiasco last week and he gobbled his right up! For Bianca we added a little bit of mayo to make it all stick together a bit so she could get it to her mouth. John also ended up adding mayo and hot sauce to his and really enjoyed it. So easy, and such a good for you meal because you can control how much of each ingredient goes in!

Now for this week. This week is  bit of a mash up. No rhyme or reason, I just threw down some recipes on the page and decided this is what we were eating for the next two weeks. Most of these are old favorites, but there are a couple new ones. After trying the California roll bowl, I'm not trying to turn everything into a "bowl" recipe, and my Pinterest feed is evidence of that. If you have any good "bowl" recipes I'd love to know what they are! Leave them in the comments below!

Homemade pizza
Thai beef satay
California roll bowl
Homemade burgers and fries
Tacos
Pasta with oil, cheese and veggies
Fajita bowl
Fresh rolls with peanut dipping sauce

Meal Plan - March 31, 2017

The goal for the next two weeks is the clear the freezer. Every time I meal plan there is at least one meal that we don't end up making. Whether because we have too many leftovers or we end eating out an extra night. I freeze any of the ingredients that I can and save them for another meal plan. I keep doing this for weeks, sometimes months. Once I get a good collection, or things are starting to get a little too frosty, I meal plan based on what is in the freezer and in the pantry.

I was a little surprised at how much extra food there was in the freezer; 5 lbs of ground beef is a little excessive. We definitely didn't have to buy any protein and there was still a good amount of vegetables chilling in the freezer. So here is what I planned from our stash!

Korean Beef
Slow cooker beef stroganoff
Copycat Taco Time deluxe mexi-fries
Lemony garlic shrimp with veggies
Parmesan spaghetti with peas
Toasted pasta with sausage and peppers
Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken
Thai Beef Satay (leftover from last meal plan)

As I'm going these links I see that I really need to up my game on posting new recipes. I could have sworn I already posted some of these but apparently not...

Pizza Spirals

Growing up I was never a big pizza fan. I didn't mind pizza, but I wasn't the typical kid that would eat pizza all day long. Turns out I just don't like what I considering to be "typical Saskatchewan pizza". The popular pizza here seems to have a ton of meat, like inches, one slice of some unrecognizable vegetable, and a mountain of cheese. While I love the cheese, the grease from all the meat puts me off.

This pizza recipe as a couple ingredients you wouldn't normally associate with pizza, but I promise it's delicious. These tasty little spirals are perfect to keep in the freezer for last minute suppers, or to send/take for lunch. They would even make a great food to serve at a kids birthday party!

Pizza Spirals Makes approx. 40 rolls
2T olive oil
2 1/2 cups diced onion
4t minced garlic
1 cup grated carrot
1 1/2 cup grated zucchini
2 loaves from bread dough
1 can tomato paste
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1t oregano
1t basil
1t salt

Sauté onions, garlic, carrots and zucchini in oil over medium high heat. Set aside to cool.
Roll pizza tough to a rectangle (or as best you can manage) that is about 1/4" thick. Spread a layer of tomato paste over the dough. Sprinkle on oregano, basil and salt. Add on an even layer of the choose vegetables and top with shredded mozzarella.

Using a pizza wheel, cut the rectangle into 1" wide strips. Roll the strips up to form a spiral. Lay the spirals on a parchment lied baking sheet and bake for 350 for 15-18 minutes.

To freeze: Bake as directed and allow to cool. Place in a freezer bag and freeze.
To serve: Thaw and reheat in the microwave.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

If I want to guarantee that Roman is going to eat supper, I know that it has to include to things; chicken and cheese. This recipe is chalk full of those two ingredients, but also adult enough for John and I. I love chicken cordon bleu, but who has time for the stuffing, breading, and baking. This casserole takes a classic dish and makes it quick and simple. It also freezes extremely well, so you can make a few and stash them for another day!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
4 chicken breasts, chopped
300g sliced deli style black forest ham
300g sliced Swiss cheese*

Sauce
4T butter
4T flour
3 cups milk
2T lemon juice
1T Dijon mustard
1 1/2t salt
1/2t paprika
1/2t pepper

Topping
4T butter, melted
1 1/4cup Panko
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat over to 350 and spray a 9x13 baking dish with oil. Layer in chicken, ham & cheese. Set aside.

In a small pot, melt sauce butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Slowly add milk while continuing to whisk. Turn heat to high and cook until it thickens and boils. Remove the pot from the heat and add remaining sauce ingredients. Pour the sauce over base layer in the baking dish.

Mix together topping ingredients and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

When the cheese melts and mixes with the sauce and runs down and coats the ham and chicken, magical things happen. The crunch of the topping is perfect and is a great contrast to the gooey interior. The mustard also gives the casserole and nice little zing without being overpowering. DEFINITELY a family favorite!

Meal Plan - March 17, 2017

Last week was filled with solid standby meals that I love to fall back on in a pinch. Mostly because I put off meal planning until the last minute. I think we're finally getting sick of the chicken tostadas so that one will have to take a break for awhile. Salisbury steak is always a family favorite. It was Bianca's first time have it and she gobbled it up. Not too surprising, as she loves everything beef. John and I often joke that she'll be the girl who orders the biggest burger on the menu on her first date. I love the chicken and spinach burgers because they are so versatile. John and Roman like to eat them on a bun like a traditional burger, while Bianca and I like them with rice and veggies and eat them more like a chicken steak of sorts.

Food, food, food, I love food. I know I'm not the only person that could sit on Pinterest for hours searching through the endless array of delicious looking photos. I try to switch up our meals plans every so often so we don't get too bored. That being said, I've also been trying to eat a little extra healthy, but the meals also have to be something that John and the kids also want to eat. Easy right? *insert eye roll*.

This week I added two new recipes to the list; coconut curry chicken meatballs and Thai beef stay. Chicken nuggets were the free item at Superstore this week, so I have food for the kids if they really hate it haha.

Coconut curry chicken meatballs
Thai beef satay
Homemade pizza
Pizza pull-aparts
Chicken enchiladas
Lasagna
Chicken packets
Turkey Swedish meatballs

Happy eating!

Chicken Quesadillas

I have a long standing love with the chicken quesadilla that dates back all the way to high school. I remember going to Boston Pizza with my friends and ordering the most delicious chicken quesadilla. Once I hit my college days, living away from home for the first time, and having surviving on student loans and part time job, the luxury of the BPs quesadilla was only for special occasions.

I however would not give up so easy! I spent many nights in my apartment attempting to perfect this tasty meal. I was a big nerd so I did indeed have a lot of time to perfect it. I tried using one of those quesadilla machines, and it worked okay, but having a piece of equipment strictly to cook quesadillas is a bit much. That and I lost it in a move...

Chicken Quesadillas
3 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 cup chopped green onion
2 cups chopped bell pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar
8 - 10" tortillas
salsa and sour cream for dipping!

Spray a frying pan with non-stick spray and heat to medium-high. Lay one tortilla in the bottom of the pan. Layer on 1/4 of the chicken, 1/4 cup green onion, 1/2 cup bell pepper, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, and top with another tortilla.

Here is the secret!!! Sit a large plate on top of the top tortilla and weigh is down with something substantial, I like to use my Brita water jug.

Cook the quesadilla for 1-2 minutes until the cheese starts to melt and the tortilla is nicely toasted. Remove the water jug and plate. Using a flipped, toss the quesadilla onto the other side. Top with the plate and weight again, and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Slide the quesadilla onto a cutting board and cut it into slices.

The weight of the Brita helps the cheese to stick the two tortillas together. This way you can dip your quesadilla without all the filling falling out! Genius right!? Now I really want a quesadilla....

Chicken Apple Bites

Baby food isn't always just for babies. Well, this isn't exactly baby food but I did find this recipe in my baby food cookbook, First Meal by Annabell Karmel. What started out as a great finger food for Roman when he was little, has morphed into one of my favorite freezer cooking meals. I love anything in meatball form for freezer cooking because they are easy to make in a large quantity, freeze easily, and can be reheated all at once or in small batches. The original recipe suggested frying the bites, but to save time and to make them a little healthier, I've decided to bake mine in the oven.

The apple in these bites might seen add when paired with chicken, but trust me when I tell you it is delicious! The apple gives the chicken a subtle sweetness that is tasty, and ensures that even the pickiest eater will gobble these up. My only suggestion? Keep a close eye on your bites because mine tend to disappear from the cooling racks...

Chicken Apple Bites
1 large apple, grated
1lb ground chicken
1/2t onion powder
1T minced parsley
1 cup panko
1T chicken stock (water also works)
1/4-1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2t garlic powder
1/2t salt
1/4t pepper

Mix all ingredients together and form into balls using a small ice cream scoop. Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through.

To Freeze: Bake as directed and allow bites to cool completely. Flash freeze and transfer to a freezer bag.
To Serve: Thaw and reheat in the oven or microwave

I love these for supper but they are also great for lunches. They are quick and easy to reheat which makes them perfect for getting food into a screaming toddler as fast as possible. Not that I would know anything about that...

Eggroll in a Bowl

This is one of my new favorite recipes! I recently came across a local farm to table Facebook group, that allows you to buy great food straight from the farmers who grow/raise it. The Wandering Market has tons of different products and bundle options. In the winter vegetable bundle I ordered I received the largest cabbage I have ever seen in my life. No joke, this thing was the size of Bianca. I ended up making 3 meals from it, and adding cabbage to anything and everything I could, and I still had over half of it left.

I've never really cooked with cabbage (other than cabbage rolls, and even then I just eat what my mom makes) and had no idea what to do with our new bundle of joy. Good ole Pinterest gave me the hook-up with tons of great ideas, but I couldn't get the idea of an eggroll out of my head.

Eggroll in a Bowl
1 lb (5 links) of sausage
4 cups coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrot also works great)
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup soy
1/4 cup water
1t brown sugar
1t fresh ginger
sliced green onion for garnish

Remove sausage meat from the casing and brown it in a pan over medium-high heat. While the sausage is browning, combine garlic, soy, water, sugar and ginger in a bowl. Set aside. Once the sausage is cooked through, add the coleslaw to the pan and pour sauce over top. Cook until the cabbage is wilted but crunchy. Sprinkle green onions over top and serve.

I like to serve this with a grain of some sort just to make it a little more substantial. I really like faro because it's a bit of a drier grain and supposedly good for you, but rice would be just as tasty. We sometimes like to add a little hoisin sauce on top just to make it extra saucy.

Meal Plan - February 17, 2017

I'm really excited for the meals I have planned for the next couple weeks. I've been in a bit of a food slump lately, and finally made some time to track down some new recipes. New recipes can be a scaring thing because you never know what you're really going to get. Sure the photo looks beautiful but will it be good?

Well, we've already had a few of these recipes and so far we have some new family favorites!! I'll keep you in suspense about which meals they are until the next meal plan post.

Pork cutlets with mashed potatoes and veggies
Roasted chicken and veggies
Ham & Gouda Stromboli
Honey Teriyaki Chicken
Chicken Guacamole Tostadas
Spinach & Feta stuffed chicken
Chicken Enchiladas

I also have a few fun lunches planned. I don't normally plan lunches because we usually have sandwiches or leftovers. Roman, like almost every kid, loves McDonald's. Who doesn't really? Like most people I know that eating too much fast food isn't good for anyone, plus it isn't cheap! I usually make hamburgers for lunch a couple times a month so that he can still get his burger fix, but it's in a healthier way. I make my patties from scratch and like to stuff the patties with some mozzarella or cheddar cheese. Roman gets so excited when he finds extra cheese that all thought of McDonald's is gone!

My parents gifted John and I an Acti-Fry machine a few years ago for Christmas, and it's one of those appliances that I always forget to use. I thought it would be fun to give homemade sweet potato fries a shot. I'm not usually a fan of them, but I thought that maybe homemade ones would be better. So, I picked up a few sweet potatoes and we'll see what happens!

Banana Nut Oat Bran Muffins

I love muffins. The problem I have is that most of the muffin recipes I love to gobble up are basically cupcakes, and usually have more chocolate than flour in them. As much as I try to convince myself that I'm making a smart choice by snacking on a muffin, I know I could do better.

This muffin recipe is loaded with good-for-you food and gives me the satisfaction of a muffin, without all the stuff I don't need. As an added yum factor I added a few tablespoons of the Epicure Cocoa Crunch Whole Food Sprinkle to the batter. You could also add mini chocolate chips or leave it out all together.

Banana Nut Oat Bran Muffins
2 1/4 cups oat bran
1T baking powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 bananas, mashed
1 egg
2T honey
1/8 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat over to 425. In a medium sized bowl, stir together oat bran, baking powder and brown sugar. In a smaller bowl, mix together bananas, egg and honey. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined. Fold in the walnuts and transfer batter to paper lined muffin tins. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

The density and the crunch of the walnuts make these muffins extremely satisfying. I love the Cocoa Crunch Whole Food Sprinkle from Epicure. They give the muffins just a hint of chocolate without completely overdoing it. There are also chia seeds in the sprinkles so even more added health benefits!

I also made some mini loaves for Roman and Bianca to snack on. Bianca can grab one and snack away, and they are the perfect snack size for Roman. Sometimes with regular muffins he eats half and is full. I feel bad for throwing out half a muffin so I become the garbage compactor. I will compact no more!

Meal Plan - January 20th

Time for more food! Does anyone else get excited about grocery shopping or is it just me? I mean, it's basically an excuse to shop and spend a ton of cash (at least in our house), and since it's something we need it's totally acceptable. Plus I seriously LOVE food and the whole grocery shopping ritual. I set out into the wild isles of Superstore with my two helpers and a backpack of snacks, to find the most delicious food and the best deals. This shopping trip was a little different because John was on holidays so he joined us on the adventure!

I realized the other day that my meal plans might need a little more explaining. I usually plan for approximately 8 meals for two weeks, which might not seem like enough. So this week I wrote down what we ate each night for supper. We ate all of the 9 meals I had planned in the January 6th meal plan and had leftovers 5 nights. We also had leftovers for lunch today and there are still some in the fridge that I need to use up. I try to have a leftover night every 2-3 nights so we don't end up wasting food. At the very least I know it's time for a leftover night when I run out of Tupperware containers.

Here's the eats for the next two weeks!

Fried couscous with chicken
Eggroll in a bowl
Thai turkey meatballs
Homemade pizza
Hash
Chicken lettuce bowls
Spaghetti alfredo with chicken and mushrooms
Spaghetti with tomato sauce

If there is anything I have planned this week that you'd like to see a recipe for, comment below!

Meal Plan - January 6th

How has it already been two weeks since my last meal plan post? It never ceases to amaze me how the holidays can just suck away time like that.

 

With the holidays comes food. A lot of food. We hosted Christmas dinner here, so we had/have the leftovers. I know some people love turkey buns; Mom, Selby and John could eat them for days, but it just isn't my thing. So I used the leftover turkey meat, and one leg bone, to make turkey noodle soup, the mashed potatoes will be the topping for the sheppard's pie I'm making tonight, and that will take care of what is left. We also have a few meals left over from the last meal plan since we had extra food to eat.

Baked Chicken Chimichangas
Chicken Avocado Burritos
Pizza Pulls
Chicken strips and fries
Burgers and fries
Ham & Swiss Stromboli
Chicken quesadillas
Chili

The Ham & Swiss Stromboli was a huge hit last week, hence why I'm making it again. And why I'll likely be making it at least monthly from now on. Plus it's pretty inexpensive. One day I'll have to share how I make my quesadillas. After falling in love with the old version of the Boston Pizza quesadilla, I spent my college days attempting to perfect them so I could have them at home, and I finally did it! The secret will surprise you.

Apple Crumble Pie

Can't decide between Apple crumble and apple pie? Now you don't have to!

Apple Crumble Pie
1 - 9" pie crust (I used my Grandma's pie crust)
5 cups peeled, sliced & cored granny smith apples (about 4 apples)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4t ground cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
6T cold butter

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon.

Arrange a layer of apple slices in the bottom of the pie crust, then sprinkle with some of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Continue layering apples and sugar until all the apples and sugar are in the pie crust. The apples will be stacked higher than the edge of the crust.

In another bowl mix together1/3 cup sugar and flour. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your hands, which is what I prefer to do. Pile the crumble topping on top of the apples. Your pie will look like a mountain but it will all bake down in the oven. Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes until the apples are soft and the crumble and crust is golden brown.

I'm well aware of the madness that ensues when you attempt to cook Christmas dinner. So why not make your life a little easier and bake this pie right now! Cover it with foil and toss it in the freezer. To serve, thaw the pie and reheat it in the oven and serve it with vanilla ice cream!

Meal Plan - December 23rd

Christmas is right around the corner, tomorrow for us in fact, so I picked out some easy meals for the next two weeks. Since I'm sure a few of these meals will be replaces with turkey leftovers, I made sure to plan a few meals that can be made and frozen and saved for later on. Which will also come in handy in the beginning of January as I'll be in full birthday prep mode for Bianca...I don't like myself when I say things like that...

Baked chicken chimichangas
Chicken avocado burritos
Ham & Swiss stromboli
Grandma's Hash
Sheppard's Pie
Pecan crusted salmon & veggies
Tacos
Chicken strips and fries

We also have a special meal planned for our Christmas on the 24th, which I will share in an upcoming blog post!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Eggs Benedict with Homemade Hollandaise

One of my favorite meals has always been breakfast. Oatmeal, Corn Flakes, pancakes, waffles, it doesn't really matter because it is all delicious!  Probably one of my favorite breakfast foods in the egg because there are so many different ways to make eggs. I personally am not a fan of scrambled eggs, unlike John and Roman, but I LOVE an egg with a runny yolk. That brings me to this recipe; Eggs Benedict!

A while back John decided he wanted to make eggs benedict for breakfast. Of course you can't have eggs benedict without luscious, silky, buttery, hollandaise sauce. I myself have yet to be brave enough to attempt this sauce myself but John has become the hollandaise king in our house! Even with Roman hanging off of him and grabbing everything in sight, John still manages to perfect this amazing breakfast time and time again. Luckily he was willing to share his recipe and his secret technique with me so I could pass it along to you! This would make a delicious Christmas morning breakfast as well!

Homemade Hollandaise
4 egg yolks
1 cup butter
1T vinegar
1T tarragon
1/2t salt
pepper to taste

Whisk egg yolks vigorously in a sauce pan over low heat until they are warm to the touch. Add the butter to the egg yolks 1T at a time while continuously whisking. Remove pan from heat, still whisking, adding vinegar and spices. Return pan to low heat for 5 minutes, again still whisking, until hollandaise is thick and coats the back of a spoon.  Enjoy!

The most important part of this recipe is the whisking. Whatever you do, do not stop whisking while making this sauce. If you stop whisking, your hollandaise will break and while it's still tasty it won't look quite the same because the fat in the butter will separate from the rest of the sauce.

Eggs benedict usually consists of a soft poached egg, cheese, bacon and an English muffin. We never have English muffins in our house so we usually just use toast. That being said, there have been days when we are so desperate to have this for breakfast that we used horribly freezer burnt focaccia buns. They were a little tough to cut but still delicious. I don't blame you if you judge us for that; I probably would too.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

I love banana bread, but if I can add chocolate to something I will. The original plan was to turn this into a red velvet banana bread by adding red food coloring. But despite adding almost a teaspoon of gel coloring it didn't change the color of the loaf at all. Luckily this loaf is so delicious it doesn't even matter. This would make a great addition to your sweet trays over the holidays. It has banana in it, it's basically a fruit really.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1t baking soda
1/4t salt
2 over-ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup apple sauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1t vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
Holiday sprinkles (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a loaf pan OR line it with parchment paper. *TIP - if you wet parchment paper it becomes extremely pliable. Hold it under running water for a few seconds then ring it out like you would a towel. You can then lay it right into you pan and your loaf is guaranteed not to stick!

 In a bowl sir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl combine bananas, apple sauce, brown sugar, egg and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

 

Pour batter into prepared pan and top with holiday sprinkles. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.

I would recommend letting the loaf cool before you cut into it, as the chocolate chips with still be warm and liquidy for awhile. If you, like my kids and I, don't care then cut into it as soon as you can touch it. I had great plans for a beautiful photo of the loaf, partially sliced and laying on a cake stand. As you can see, that didn't happen. Instead I got a photo of a mutilated loaf sitting on the ziplock bag it was being store in. You know it's a winner if you don't even have time to get a photo of it!

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M&M Cookie Bars

These cookies are everything that I've ever wanted in the perfect cookie; a delicious batter, a slight crust on the outside, gooey on the inside, and TONS of chocolate. I don't know if I would voluntarily make a regular chocolate chip cookie now that I've made these. They're incredibly quick & easy and are a great treat to make with the kids this holiday season!

M&M Cookie Bars
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2t vanilla
3 cups flour
3/4t baking soda
3/4t salt
1 1/2 cups mini baking M&Ms (I used the entire 275g bag)
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper. To make the process easier, run the parchment paper under water and ring it out first.

Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar together. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and mix until well combined. Add the M&Ms and chocolate chips, reserving some to sprinkle on top at the end. Do not over-mix at the stage or the M&Ms will be crushed.

Pour the batter into the baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Press on the reserved M&Ms and chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes. Allow the bars to cool and then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper and cut into squares.

If you would like to keep these around for longer than one day, I suggest immediately transferring them to a freezer bag and hiding them in the back of your deep freeze. Just a heads up, 8 seconds is the perfect time for one square in the microwave....

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Meal Plan - December 5th

The only time I had to shop this week was Monday so this meal plan is a little earlier than the others.

Pizza and tacos are always a hit and you'll probably see them in most of my meals plans. The kids both gobbled but the mac & cheese as well as the spaghetti with alfredo sauce. The surprise winner last week was the eggroll in a bowl. I would have cut the soy in half and maybe added a couple other thing. Maybe I'll share the recipe once I get it all figured out.

Here are the meals we're eating for the next two weeks!

Homemade Pizza
Tacos
Eggroll in a bowl
Dijon Mustard Meatloaf with potatoes and carrots
Pasta with red sauce
Chicken thighs and brussel sprouts
Baked Chicken Chimichangas
Stuffed shells with red sauce

Obviously I need to do more recipe posts since there are very few links this week....Let me know which recipes you'd like to see!