Meals for Week of September 26, 2011

Today is the first day of fall and in some parts of the country it has begun to be cool, although not where I live.  However, football season both college and the NFL have been in full swing so I wanted to share some fun game day recipes you might want to try.
Bacon Wrapped Artichoke Hearts 
Buffalo Chicken Bites 
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls
Grilled Corn Guacamole

This week I did a little experiment and baked a breakfast cookie.  I wrote about it and shared the recipe on my other blog, e-mealplanning Recipes.  If you are interested in something different for a quick morning breakfast, check them out.

Meals for Week of September 26, 2011

Pappardelle with Corn- Super simple and made with fresh seasonal ingreadients.  We love pappardelle in our house.

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole-  I love this recipe from The Pioneer Woman and my family likes it too.  But she makes no excuses and goes all out with butter and cream.  However, the base for the sauce can be made with milk instead of the cream if you want to lighten it up. 

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas- What I like about this recipe, is there no frying of tortillas.  Just bake them to get crisp and then they crisp up some more when you broil it with the toppings.  This method can really just be a jumping off point for your own tostada combinations.  And use whatever kind of tortilla you prefer.

Quinoa Stir Fry with Vegetables and Chicken- Quinoa is a fantastic high protein whole grain that is similar in texture to cous cous, but a tiny bit larger.  This is a great, one dish meal that you can really customize to your own tastes.

Lemon Cream sauce Pasta with Peas- This is a good meatless meal that kids will love.  Or if you need to eat it as a side with roasted chicken or fish. 

Baked Ziti- Great for a weeknight, also good to make ahead, like the recipe says, it’s all the elements of lasagna, but much easier to assemble. 

Carolina Barbecue Pulled Pork- Delicious Carolina style bbq (which means tart with cider vinegar) made in your crock pot!  The key is the liquid smoke, which is easy to find in grocery stores.  This will make a lot so it’s perfect to serve a crowd for weekend football or make it on a weeknight and have leftovers that can be re-done in another meal or eat as sandwiches again.  

Rotisserie Chicken Paprikash- This recipes takes a store bought roasted chicken and spices it up with a peppery sauce.

Cayenne Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa- An easy avocado and lime salsa to eat with spicy chicken breasts.  And it’s just ¼ teaspoon of cayenne to rub on 4 chicken breasts, so it’s not too much heat and you can always reduce that if you need to.  Be sure to wash your hands well after touching the cayenne. 

Side Dishes
Tomato Salad with Crushed Croutons- Such a beautiful and simple dish to use those beautiful garden tomatoes that you probably have an abundance of.
Parmesan Roasted Potatoes- Easy and delicious.  Great side dish with grilled anything.