Disclaimer: I cannot promise that these meals will be low carb, low calorie, or low fat. I can promise that my family eats them.

My goal is to get dinner on the table before midnight. I generally do all my grocery shopping in one day. I spend about 30 minutes once a week (usually Friday nights or Saturday mornings) planning what we will eat. I plan for 6 meals knowing we will have leftovers. Then I look through my cabinet, freezer, and fridge to see what I have verses what I will need. And then comes the list. I love the list. It makes me incredibly happy to make lists. On one side of my paper are the meals for the week and the other is my grocery list.

I will tell you I try to always have other supplies for Hank on hand because he can’t (doesn’t want to) always eat what I have…anyone with more than 8 teeth should be able too though. Also we eat later than he does because most days I get home late so often he gets samples of left overs from previous meals.

Okay so here we go August 18th –August 23rd Eating with the Ripberger/Glover/Knox’s

Sunday:

(I LOVE my crock pot)

Crock O’Brats

Ingredients:

4 bratwursts cut into one inch pieces

4 potatoes peeled and diced (large)

2 cans sauerkraut

1 apple peeled, cored, diced

1 onion chopped

¼ cup brown sugar packed

½ teaspoon of salt

You should know I never measure anything. But this is basically what I followed. You brown the brats and then put everything in the crock pot for 4-5 hours on high or 7-8 on low.

I changed a few things …Here are my modifications:

4 potatoes diced

1 onion chopped

½ head of cabbage chopped

2 cans sauerkraut

½ -1lb of bacon

¼ cup brown sugar packed

½ teaspoon of salt

Combine in crock pot for 4-5 hours on High

Put the brats on the grill or fry in the pan and eat on a bun with the potatoes on the side.

We love sauerkraut and it was good the original way (which is how I made it Sunday) but I didn’t love the way the brats came out after cooking for so long in the crock pot. I like my brats to snap when I bite them. And I really like them with mustard. I also put sour cream on the potato/sauerkraut mix and it was delicious.

Monday:

Turkey Manhattan

Seriously the easiest thing ever. (Obviously if you are feeding more than three people you will need to adjust)

3-4 potatoes

6 slices White bread

I lb deli turkey meat

2 packets brown gravy mix

2 cups water

Peel and diced potatoes, cover with water, and boil until soft. Drain and mash (I like to add sour cream, butter, salt, and pepper to the potatoes here)

Combine gravy mix with 2 cups cold water, bring to boil, and then let simmer for 1 minute. Let rest for 1 minute, will thicken.

For one serving place two pieces of bread side by side on microwave safe plate, add fair amount of turkey, microwave for 30s to warm turkey, top with mashed potatoes and gravy. Salt and pepper to taste.

This is a family favorite. It’s cheap, it’s easy, and it will fill you up!

Tuesday:

This is what is on the menu for tonight… I made changes to the recipe I found because I thought it needed a little more… uhh something… so this is what I’ve come up with:

Cheesy Crockpot Chicken

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 4)

2 cans cream of chicken

2 cans cheddar cheese coup (I used fiesta nacho cheese soup)

1 ½ cups water

Season chicken (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, blackened seasoning, anything else you like)

Mix and pour soup over chicken

Add water

Cook on low 6-8 hours. I am going to shred the chicken and serve it over some minute white rice. Also I have some frozen broccoli so I’ll probably throw that in at the end too.

Wednesday:

Wednesdays are the worst nights ever in my house. Long days for everyone and usually very busy. This tends to be my default taco night but this week I’m getting extra fancy…

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

I like to use fancy bread sometimes but since we had manhattans earlier this week I am using white bread.

I am not writing out a recipe for grilled cheese. If you really want it, ask me. It’s the most basic of meals. The fanciest thing I do to it is cut it in triangles (better for dipping)

I warm the tomato soup up on the stove and add like a half a can of milk. There. Dinner.

Thursday:

I am off work this day so I am putting a little bit more work into this one… only a little.

Chicken Cheddar Enchiladas

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into small pieces

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 onion

12 tortillas (I got fajita size)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can chopped green chiles

8oz sour cream

Preheat oven to 350

In a large skillet heat a little olive oil, add chicken pieces, season (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, whatever else you like) cook until no longer pink (10mins)

Heat cream of chicken and green chilies in saucepan over medium heat, add sour cream. Stir regularly. Warm for about 10 minutes (or until it is warm throughout)

Divide chicken, 1 and ½ cups of cheese, and onions evenly among tortillas. Roll and place seam side down in 9×13 baking dish.

Pour cream of chicken sauce over rolled tortillas and sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheese on top. Bake for about 25 minutes

And finally….

Friday:

Crock Pot Green Chili Beef Stew

1 ½ lb of stew meat

2 cans green chilies (I buy mine already diced/chopped)

1 onion

1 garlic clove (I have mine in a jar in the fridge because my hands stink for days every time I chop garlic)

½ packet fajita seasoning

½ tsp salt

Put in crock pot for 7-8 hours on low. Bam done. I serve this with tortillas or rice. (we top with sour cream)

Clearly I use my crock pot a lot. I love it. I also use slow cooker liner bags. I would spend my last 4 dollars on them. They make clean up SO easy. Everyone should use them. EVERYONE.

I look through cook books, ask friends, look online and mix and match things we’ve already had to come up with our weekly dinner menu. I always have leftovers and often times feed friends as well as my little family. I am always looking for new ideas on what to make. Let me know if you have anything your family just absolutely loves!!

I am going to try to get my menu up every week. I am hoping to swap recipes with you all as well. PLEASE comment and let us all know what your go to meal is.