My Weekly Menu

Monday
Fettuccine Alfredo with Broccoli
Garlic Breadsticks

Tuesday
Spicy Ranch Chicken
Roasted Potatoes

Wednesday
Chicken & Bacon Sandwiches
French Fries

Thursday
Slow-Cooked Sweet & Sour Pork
Rice

Friday
Orange Honey Chicken
Tangy Carrots & Grapes

Saturday
Date Night

Sunday
FFY (Fend For Yourself!)




~THIS POST PROUDLY LINKED TO: Org Junkie

Italian Parmesan Chicken

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian dressing


INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place the chicken in a shallow dish with a lid.
2. Mix together the dressing and the cheese, then pour over the chicken.
3. Cover the chicken and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
5. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on a foil-covered baking sheet.  Discard the remaining marinade.
6. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.


NOTES
I served this with the Italian Parmesan Pasta and Italian Onion Ciabatta




~Recipe inspired by Kraft Foods

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Spinach Artichoke Bake

INGREDIENTS FOR PASTA
6 ounces farfalle pasta
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 jar (6 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained
1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped & seeded
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

INGREDIENTS FOR TOPPING
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese


INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain.
3. In a medium skillet saute the onion and garlic in the butter over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the onion is tender, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and Italian seasoning.
5. Stir in the mozzarella cheese, artichokes, spinach, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, pasta, onion and garlic.
6. Transfer to a 2.5 quart casserole dish.
7. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes.
8. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the topping.  Sprinkle the mixture over the pasta.
9. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes or until golden.



~Recipe inspired by Better Homes & Gardens

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THIS RECIPE PROUDLY LINKED TO: It's A Blog Party, Couponing And Cooking, Flour Me With Love, All The Small Stuff, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, Mandy's Recipe Box, My Sweet & Savory

Peeps Sunflower Cake

INGREDIENTS
1 package yellow cake mix
1 & 1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
2 cans chocolate frosting
4 packages Yellow Chick Peeps Candy - I needed 17 Peeps
Chocolate chips


INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the cake mix, milk, butter and eggs on low speed for about 30 seconds and then on medium for 2 minutes.
3. Pour the batter evenly between the two cake pans.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Cool the cakes in the pan for about 10 minutes and then remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
6. Level the tops of the cakes once cooled.
7. Spread chocolate frosting on the top of one of your cakes - I used about 3/4 of one of the cans of frosting - reserve the remaining 1/4 of the frosting
8. Place your other cake on top of the frosted cake to make a double layer.
9. Spread the second container chocolate frosting over the top and sides of the cake - do not use the reserved 1/4.
10. Let the frosted cake sit in the refrigerator for the icing to become firm - I let mine sit overnight in my cake caddy.
11. Using the reserved 1/4 of the frosting, add a thin layer of frosting to the outer edge of the top of the cake - this will act as the glue for the Peeps
12. Curve the Peeps slightly without separating them and arrange around the edge of the cake on top of the 'glue' frosting layer.  The Peeps become your sunflower petals.
13. Arrange the chocolate chips in circles in the center of the cake working to the outer edge to become the sunflower seeds.

NOTES
I thought assembling the decorations for this cake was going to be a challenge but it turned out to be surprisingly easy!


~Recipe Inspired by Taste Of Homes

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Easter Basket Cookies

INGREDIENTS
Simple Butter Cookie Dough
White Icing of choice - I used Wilton Buttercream
Green food coloring
Colored Sugar - I used pink, yellow and orange
Jelly Beans
Pipe Cleaners - I used pink, yellow and orange to match the sugars

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Grease your mini muffin tin.
2. Roll the Butter Cookie dough into balls large enough to almost fill the mini muffin tin - remember this dough does not rise
3. Roll the dough balls into your colored sugar and place in the mini muffin tin.
4. Bake for 10-15 minutes.  Allow the cookies to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Add drops of the green food coloring to your icing until you get your desired shade of green - think Easter Basket 'grass'
6. Once your cookies have completely cooled, use your green icing to frost the tops of the cookies.
7. Place the jelly beans on top of the frosting as 'eggs' - I was able to get 2 on each cookie.
8. Insert the pipe cleaner into the top of your cookie for the basket handle.


~Recipe Inspired by Betty Crocker

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Tator Tot Casserole

INGREDIENTS
2 cups frozen green beans
2 cups frozen carrots
1 cup frozen broccoli
1 cup frozen onion & pepper blend
1 can (11 ounces) corn niblets
1 can (10.75 ounces) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
1 bag frozen tator tots


INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2.5 quart casserole dish.
2. In a large saucepan, combine all vegetables, soup and milk.
3. Cook over medium heat just until warm.
4. Transfer the vegetables and soup to the casserole dish.
5. Cover the top of the casserole with the tator tots - I used about 1/2 to 3/4 of a bag.
6. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until the soup mixture is bubbling and tator tots have browned.


~Recipe inspired by Recipes of Family Heritage

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THIS RECIPE PROUDLY LINKED TO: A Southern Fairytale, Flour Me With Love

Lemon Poppyseed Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 package lemon cake mix
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons poppy seeds


INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat your baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, butter and water - batter will be thick
3. Fold in the poppy seeds.
4. Drop the batter by tablespoons about 2 inches apart on your baking sheet.
5. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies are set and edges are just starting to brown.
6. Allow the cookies to cool for a minute or two on the baking sheet and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.


~Recipe Inspired by Devil Food Cookies

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Easter Popcorn Balls

INGREDIENTS
1 bag microwave popcorn, popped
1/2 cup Cadbury Mini Eggs
2 cups mini marshmallows
3 Tablespoons butter

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a large greased bowl, combine the popcorn and the mini eggs - make sure to remove any unpopped kernels from the popcorn first.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, combine the marshmallows and the butter.
3. Microwave uncovered for 1 minute. Stir and microwave an additional 30 seconds until melted and smooth.
4. Pour the melted marshmallows over the popcorn and mini eggs - toss to coat.
5. With greased hands, press the mixture into a 8 or 9 inch greased pan.
6. Refrigerate until firm - this took awhile
7. Once firm, used desired amount to shape into popcorn balls.  You could also just cut them into squares from the pan.

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Empty Tomb Buns

INGREDIENTS
1 package refrigerated crescent rolls
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
8 large marshmallows
1/4 cup butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease your muffin tin.
2. Separate the crescent rolls into 8 triangles.
3. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
4. Dip each marshmallow into the melted butter.
5. Then dip each marshmallow into the cinnamon sugar mix.
6. Lay a marshmallow into the center of the crescent triangle.
7. Wrap the crescent roll around the marshmallow, making sure to seal all of the edges - make sure they are sealed VERY well!
8. Dip the tops of the crescent roll into the melted butter and then into the remaining cinnamon sugar mix.
9. Place the crescent roll into the muffin tin sugared side up.
10. Bake for 12-14 minutes.


NOTES
As you make these, you can explain to your children that the crescent roll represents the Tomb. The white marshmallow represents the body of Jesus, pure and sinless. The melted butter and cinnamon/sugar represent the oils and spices that the women brought to anoint His body. The disappearing marshmallow and the cavity in the bun after it has cooked become the empty tomb and His rising from the grave!

~Recipe inspired by Allrecipes

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