All Things Hold Together

I almost forgot to post my menu plan today, which would have been a shame, since I actually sat down and made one yesterday.

Let’s get down to it. I am feeling a bit chatty today, so the menu is in bold and my commentary/how-to’s follow each day. That way, you can read as much or as little as you want.

Monday: Chicken Pot Pie

I am using chicken left over from dinner last night. I love to cook extra chicken, so I can make one of these hearty favorites of mine. And today is even a rainy day - perfect for a belly-warming meal.

I do not use a recipe; I just make the pie using leftover cut-up chicken, veggies, and gravy, mixed together in a pie plate and topped with crust or biscuits. Bake until golden and bubbly.

Tuesday: Baked Ziti with Turkey Sausage and Spinach

Again, no recipe. Just boil the ziti, as directed and brown the sausage in a pan, until cooked. Then, mix them together with bottled sauce and thawed frozen spinach, in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake at 350, until the cheese is melted and begins to brown slightly. Serve with salad and bread, if desired.

Wednesday: Leftovers night.

I am guessing there will be leftovers from Monday and Tuesday, and I do not want them to go to waste.

Thursday: Turkey-Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

That is a Weight Watchers recipe (5 points).

Friday: Chicken stir-fry

Another no-recipe meal. I cut up skinless, boneless chicken breast into 1-inch pieces and brown, add onion, garlic, sliced carrots and cook for a couple of minutes. Add thawed frozen peas and canned (drained) water chestnuts. I am also going to throw in some leftover cabbage, but I am not sure when. Probably after the carrots, but before the pre-cooked ingredients.

Then, I pour in a cup or two of chicken broth (enough to make a good amount of sauce), some soy sauce, to taste, and some ground ginger. And any other spices I so desire at the time. Once the broth comes to a boil, I add some corn starch dissolved in cold water to the pan. Stir until slightly thickened. Serve over rice.

To me, stir-fry is an adventure. It never comes out the same twice. Just wing it and have fun with it.

Saturday: Chicken Enchiladas

I made these last weekend and froze half. Now I can just pop them into the oven and have an instant dinner!

Enchiladas are super easy. Just warm corn tortillas (according to directions) and fill with desired filling, pre-cooked if necessary, such as meat. (I used chicken and pepper jack cheese.) Roll up and place seam-side down into a baking pan sprayed with cooking spray. Top with homemade or bottled enchilada sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and bake at 400, until sauce is bubbly and edges are slightly brown.

Some recipes call for spreading some sauce in the pan first, but the way I do it, the bottoms get crispy, rather than soggy.

For more Menu Plan Monday, head on over to Organizing Junkie.