PLANNING OUR MENU

How did you do using something from your freezer this week, and making note of what you have in there?
(Lindsay told me that I have the meat that I need for Sunday's dinner in HER freezer.  That's a $15.00 savings for me this week :)

Do you have a 30 DAYS/30 MEALS plan?  (I still only have 14 meals on my list.  My expectations are really high for a permanent spot :) 
Do you have a 30 Days/30 Meals plan?  What are some of your favourite, easy, cheap or convenient recipes that qualify?  We would love for you to share with us.

SATURDAY-  I adapted an easy recipe from Melissa d'Arabian's show, "Ten Dollar Dinners" on Food Network.  The Huevos Ranchero recipe is below.  It was good, fast, and easy.
SUNDAY-  (This is one of my favourite Sunday dinners because it is soo easy.)  Navajo Tacos with scones bought from SCONE CUTTERS on Saturday.  I also made a new dessert that was a hit.  I found SOPIAPILLIOS CHEESECAKE BARS at "Lick The Bowl Good".  This recipe was EASY.  (Not too cheap, and I do not usually have crescent rolls in the fridge.) 
I put the extras in the fridge over night, and they were good the next day.  Not so good the third day.  Cold and at room temp.  (The top was still crisp.)  I also enjoyed these with a honey drizzle.  We will serve these with fresh fruit at the side next time.
This is my second recipe from her blog in the last 2 weeks. 
MONDAY- Doug and I had left over Navajo Tacos.  (I am so glad my husband likes left overs :)
TUESDAY- Everyone went to IHOP for free pancake night- except for Me and Doug.  I made what was on my menu plan for today.  I made "12 14 Cloves of Garlic Pasta" from "Stirring The Pot"  (kind of far down the page).
I really liked this.  The flavour and colour were great.  I will make this again.
I think next time I will cook the bacon and then remove it.  (We wanted it crispier.)  Then I will cook the garlic in the pan with 1 tea. butter and 1 tea. olive oil. (Just to make it healthier.) (Oh man.  The fresh basil does not show.)

WEDNESDAY - I had a recipe from my 30 Days/30 Meals list, but Hilary picked up PANDA EXPRESS for everyone to help with a cousin's fundraiser.  it was fun because we ended up having almost everyone here for a (disappointed) basketball game.
THURSDAY - I had a recipe planned for Wed., but found a new one I wanted to try.  Immediately.
I ended up making it today.  I loved it.  The meat had a great flavour.  (It marinated for 29 hours.)  Some of the taste testing kidults thought the lemon was too strong in the pasta.  I did not.  (Neither did Doug and some other kidults.)  We liked this so much that I put it on my 30 Day/30 Meals list. 
I found Lemon Chicken Pasta over at Creations By Kara (via Mel's Kitchen Cafe- which I also read)
(My chicken breast were really large so I only needed 2.  Instead of 2 table. olive oil, I used 1 teas. butter and 1 teas. olive oil.)
FRIDAY - (Usually we have Pizza Friday (like much of the blog world:), but I was gone (Ah, freedom) most of the day.  So we had Thursday planned overs.
SATURDAY - Lots of the family came over for the basketball game (our team won) and so we did Cafe' Rio salads.  (We really do not eat out this much.  Strange week.)

We have big family brunches at least 4 times a year.  And Doug and I like breakfast for dinner, so I am always on the lookout for breakfast ideas.  This is an easy one we will save.

HUEVOS RANCHEROS
I adapted this from "Ten Dollar Dinners"

about 2 table. melted butter/margarine

6  8 inch flour tortillas- thin style
1 can diced tomatoes with chipotles-undrained (about 16 oz.)
1 can black beans- rinsed and drained (about 16 oz.)
6 eggs
grated Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese
salt and/or pepper to taste

For this recipe I use an over sized (large) muffin pan.  I do not spray it. 
Brush both sides of each tortilla with melted butter, sprinkle the outer 2 inches of the inside with kosher salt, and make a pleat on 2 opposite sides of your tortilla and set in the muffin cup.

Mix the beans and tomatoes.  Put about 2 table. in each tortilla cup.

In a sprayed skillet, fry 6 eggs to barely, or not quite, over very easy.  Then put an egg in each tortilla cup.
Bake 8 mins. at 400*.
Remove and top with the grated cheese.
Put back in the oven and bake 5-6 min.. 
May cover with foil if it looks like it is getting to dark.  Mine was fine.)

Can serve with the usual.  Guacamole, sour cream, salsa...

These were really easy and I had everything on hand,  A bonus =) 
I added corn and cilantro to the extra bean, tomato mix and used it for salsa over the week end.  You can also use it to make one of our fast, easy recipes, Corn Tortilla Bake.  (This is on our 30 Days/30 Meals list.)