A fresh start.  Life has been a bit up in the air and crazy lately.  I've let my blogs slip. However, I'm doing some menu planning these days and after a recent hospitalization due to heart issues (I'm ok now), I have a renewed motivation to healthy tasty cooking.

So, without further ado here are my menu options between now and 4/18-ish. I don't like to plan which night we will have which items as it just never works for us.  I picked recipes from cookbooks I have on hand for new ways to work with old favorite.

I will post these recipes as I make them.

Choices for
3/29- 4/18

Beef Broccoli/fried rice/egg flower soup (getting started for rice/Chinese cookbook for beef/broccoli

Lemon Thyme chicken (taste of home comfort food) steamed asparagus/rice

Grilled Lamb Koftas/with yogurt cilantro sauce (fresh, fabulous fast)/ cucumber salad (WW best darn food ever)

Ancho beef & bean chili (sub ground beef for steak) (power foods) salad

Kickin’ Chicken pot pie/salad (HG Survival Skills)

Oven Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes with garlic, creamed corn (WW Best Darn food Ever)

Barbecued chicken & roasted corn salad (PC Spin on salads)

Teriyaki pork stir fry (PC It’s Good for you p 68), plain rice and egg rolls

Shrimp & Chicken Jambalaya, (WW Ready, Set Go, p 112)

Grilled Pork Pitas with Tomato-Yogurt Sauce/Greek Salad (WW points Plus cookbook p 141)

Santa Fe Chicken (once a month cooking/family favorites p 31)

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo (HG 300 under 300 p 311/rice)

Byron cook x2

Leftovers x 2

Chicken sandwiches x 1
Burgers x 1
Hog dogs/polish sausage x 1
Pizza x 1
Ravioli/tortellini x1

Other: Great Grilling Recipes (PC), Magic Pot cookbook (PC)


Lunches:
Leftovers
Salad
Curry chicken salad (Just 5)
Pizza burger (morning star version)
Cheese Beefy Supreme Wrap HG 123
0 point soup (Meet Points Plus 2012)
Honey mustard vinaigrette (Meet Points Plus 2012)
Crazy Calypso Salad (GH 200 under 200 page 139)
Big bad burger wrap (200 under 200 page 140)

Fruits and Vegetables with the Cool & Serve Tray

Today I went to a picnic with some friends who are with DoTerra, an essential oil company.  Their oils are simply marvelous!  DoTerra In any case, I went to a picnic with their team and friends.  About 30 people were there. A good time was had by all. Burgers/hot dogs, paper plates and condiments were provided. People were to bring a side dish to share.


Byron elected to stay home, he gets few days off and wanted to rest and was feeling a bit under the weather in any case.  So he had cereal for dinner and was eating that and watching a video when I came home from the picnic.

For my contribution to the picnic, I brought sliced strawberries, blackberries, baby carrots, celery, zucchini and green grapes. I brought them in this:


 

The cool and serve tray. The green part is two pieces, egg holders on one side and flat on the other. There are two of the plastic tray inserts, for chips/dips/fruits/veggie, etc.  I filled each compartment with a different form of produce, put the lid in place and off I went.  The green pieces go in the freezer and when they emerge they keep the food cold for up to six hours.  It's a great piece and I love it. I use it all the time. If you'd like more information on it, would like to have one or any questions about any other Pampered Chef products you can go to my Pampered Chef site: here or drop me a line/email me.





So, today was the day for the cool & serve to go on an outing and for us not to cook.  Having pieces like this in the house make bringing food along a snap.  What's your favorite piece to bring to a picnic or potluck?