5 Meals from around the World

 

 





Navajo Tacos

 

 

Brazilian Stroganoff

 

Sweet Lime Enchiladas

 

Thai Chicken Sundaes

Crepes

 

 

ENJOY!!

Jan

The #1 EASIEST Menu Planning System +150 Simple Dinner Ideas

This is hands down, the most useful thing I do in my home!!!

For the first few years of my marriage and motherhood, dinner time was pretty much my nemesis! I could never think of what to make, and those rare times that I did, I either didn't have the ingredients, or I'd waited until 5 0'clock and didn't have time to get it done. Seriously, I am appalled that we survived those years. One day I realized that I was a complete mess at making meals, and totally boring. So, through a whole lot of work, I've changed... thank goodness!

 There is so much RESEARCH about how important family dinner is.  Two books that made a HUGE difference in the meal planning arena for me...

The Family Dinner

The Food Nanny

The ladies who wrote these books inspired me to create a fun and practical dinner planning system that has transformed our family dinner time.

 Each day has a theme, and THAT has made dinner planning so easy. Also, meal times are a million times more fun. 

The principle of the themes can transform dinner for any family.

 Each week as I plan our meals, I choose a meal from category for each day.

Mondays: Comfort Food 
Tuesdays: Taco Tuesday (aka Mexican food)
Wacky Wednesday: Quick Meals or Pasta 
Healthy Thursday: Fish, Chinese, Soup, or Salad
Friday night: Pizza Night 
Saturday: Breakfast for Dinner 
Sunday: Slow Cooker or Fun Food
 (I usually omit one day each week, and serve left-overs instead).

*Not everything fits under only one category (you'll see that many meals fit several categories). Also, rules can be broken. If you feel like Mexican food every night, then do it. This just makes the planning easier.

Instead of dinner time being drudgery, I really look forward to cooking and serving my family. Now, it feels like such a creative outlet, and I feel so much happiness when people like what I cook.

**I HIGHLY suggest coming up with categories that fit your family, and...

Here are 150 family friendly meal ideas

(Many have links, but some do not. If you would like my recipe of that particular meal, email me.)

Comfort Food Monday:

Chicken Pot Pie

Shepherd's Pie

Meatloaf Cupcakes by Six Sisters

Hot Dog Boats

Chicken Rice Casserole

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

Tater Tot Casserole

Hot Dog Bar

Homemade Mac and Cheese Bar

Turkey Tinfoil Dinner

Simple Six Layer Dinner

Ravioli Lasagna

Chicken Noodle Soup

Bench Stew

Mimi's Cafe Corn Chowder

Chili and Cinnamon Rolls

Stuffed French Bread

Mitt Romney's Meatloaf Cakes via Better

Stuffed Meat Balls via The Food Nanny

Stroganoff

Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce by Our Best Bites

Chicken and Dumplings by Our Best Bites

Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches and Potato Salad

Taco Tuesday:(aka Mostly Mexican)

Chicken Tacos with Fresh Mango Salsa

Chicken and Chips

Chicken Enchiladas

Brazilian Stroganoff

Sweet Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Speedy Quick Taquito Enchiladas

Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw by Make it and Love it

Cowboy Quesedillas by Our Best Bites

Fruit Salsa, Cinnamon and Sugar Chips serve with Carne Asada

Taco Salad

Fajitas

Chicken Tortilla Soup by Our Best Bites

Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette by Our Best Bites

Huevos Rancheros {Mexican style Eggs} by Our Best Bites

Chicken Enchilada Ring by Food

Mexican Haystacks

Baked Tacos by Blog Chef

Chopped Taco Salad with Homemade Catalina Dressing by Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salads by Six Sisters

Mexican Bubble Pizza

Navajo Tacos

Nachos

Taquitos

Lots of Salsa and Chips Night

White Chicken Chili 

Wacky Wednesday (Quick Meals or Pasta):

Chicken Parmigiana

Baked Pasta Casserole

Pepperoni Lasagna Roll-ups

Meatball Subs

Salsa Ranch Chicken Wraps

Superbowl Sandwiches

The Philly Steak and Cheese

The Yummiest Meatballs Ever over rice

Chicken Fingers (add steamed veggies and french bread)

Hamburgers

Spaghetti Pie

Ziti

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce and Fettuccine by Our Best Bites 

Mulligan Stew

Kneaders Chicken Salad Sandwiches by Family Recipes

Cornbread Sloppy Joe Casserole by Six Sisters' Stuff

Apple Cinnamon Grilled Cheese by Our Best Bites

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken by Six Sisters

Chicken Piccata

Tuna Melt

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Sloppy Joes

Suffed French Bread

Chicken Rolls

Peanut Butter Sandwich Bar (add honey, jelly, bananas, Nutella, Marshmallows, etc)

BLT Sandwiches

Veggie and Cheese Bagel by the Pioneer Woman

Healthy Thursday: Fish, Salad, Soup, or Asian:

Thai Chicken Sundaes

Hawaiian Haystacks

Pork Apple Cider Soup

Quick and Healthy Italian Soup

Heavenly Salad with Homemade Ranch (add some grilled meat and whole wheat roll)

Kid Friendly Mandarin Orange and Chicken Salad

Bob Harper's Roasted Fish (add steamed veggies, a salad, and brown rice)

Shoyu Chicken over rice

Baked Potato Bar

Salad Bar

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup (serve with bread sticks)

Creamy Broccoli Stuffed Chicken Breasts by Kraft

Antipasto Salad and Bread Sticks

Cobb Salad

Kung Pao Chicken by Allrecipes

Lettuce Wraps

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken by Six Sisters Stuff

Thai Chicken Curry

Grilled Chicken & Strawberry Salad Wrap by the Pioneer Woman

Crab Cakes and Salad

Seafood Buffet

Broccoli Beef by Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Friday: Pizza Night

Quick and Healthy Veggie Calzones

Homemade Pretzels (stuff with pepperoni and dip in pizza sauce)

French Bread Pizzas by the Pioneer Woman (amazing!)

Inside Outside Pizza

Lime Chicken and Corn Pizza by Design Love Fest

Bread Stick and Pizza Casserole by Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Papa Murphy's Copy-Cat Gourmet Vegetarian Pizza by Six Sisters

Barbecue Chicken Pizza by Food Network

Mexican Flatbread Pizza by the Pioneer Woman

Portobello  Pizzas by Rachel Ray

My Favorite: Order in or Take Out

Saturday: Breakfast for Dinner

Cinnamon Roll French Toast

French Kiss Casserole

Chunky Monkey Pancakes by Our Best Bites

Crepes by Our Best Bites (The recipe I make the VERY MOST)

Chocolate Waffles

Blueberry Muffins

Breakfast Burritos

Belgian Liege Waffles (SOOO good! If you can't find pearl sugar, cut up sugar cubes)

Monkey Bread

French Toast

Gourmet Jiffy Muffins

Blueberry Croissant French Toast by The Food Nanny

Baked Breakfast Taquitos  by Our Best Bites

Quiche

German Pancakes

Frittatas

Biscuits and Gravy

Scone Bar with Eggs and Sausage

Baked French Toast by the Pioneer Woman

Fruit Salad with Banana Bread or Zucchini Bread 

French Toast Sticks

Slow Cooker Sunday or "Fun Food":

Fondue Night

Belt Buster Bread Dip add Grilled Chicken

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes by Make it and Love it (add some Turkey Roast)

Street Corn by Make it and Love it (add Grilled Steak or Chicken)

Poppy Seed Chicken, Strawberry Spinach Salad, and Green Beans

French Dip Sandwiches by Our Best Bites

Baked Lemon Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

Coconut Chicken with Apricot Sauce by Seeded at the Table {serve with rice}

Crock Pot Beef Stew by Butter with a Side of Bread

Chicken Cordon Bleu by Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Oven Baked Ribs by Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Twice Baked Potatoes and Grilled Meat

Funeral Potatoes and Ham

Roast Beef and Mashed Potatoes

Bruschetta  by the Food Nanny (add some grilled meat)

Louisiana Style Braised Pork Loin by The Food Nanny

Sunday Beef Stew by Our Best Bites

Appetizer Potluck Night- everyone make your favorite

Salisbury Steak

Country Fried Steak

Brazilian Barbeque

How I plan menus: pick a meal from each category. Then write our menu for the week on the calendar.
Shop,
cook
and I'm done!
(Well, except for the clean up, and that's it's own bag of worms).


XO,
Nancy

Be sure to check out all of the other posts in our 31 Days of Feeding the Family Series

31 Days of Feeding the Family

{Kid Friendly} Mandarin Orange and Chicken Salad

This Mandarin Orange and Chicken Salad definitely wins in my family for a quick, easy, and everyone eats it meal. At first I didn't think my kids would even try it, because it's a salad. However,  I decided to lay it out like Hawaiian Haystacks and let them choose their own toppings. They went crazy over the mandarin oranges, chow mein noodles, and chicken. So what if they didn't eat the green stuff! I'll keep offering, and some day they'll take it, hopefully. At least they happily ate a little from each food group! I totally enjoy this meal!


Ingredients: Amount depends on how many people and how much you have
Romain lettuce
sliced almonds
feta cheese
chow mein noodles
Mandarin oranges from a can, drained and rinsed
cooked chicken cut into pieces
Light Asian dressing-- such as Newman's or Briannnas

Lay out all of the ingredients and let everyone go to town! Serve with rolls and fortune cookies, of course!

Happy eating!
Nancy

Quick and Healthy Veggie Calzones

Our family has a tradition of pizza night every Friday night. Here is on healthy alternative that I LOVE! This Veggie Calzone is yummy, and the diet isn't blown out the door when you eat it.

Ingredients:
(I am not including amounts because I never make this recipe the same way. I just use whatever amount I feel like at the time)
Pizza dough - refrigerated, store bought, OR my favorite option is Papa Murphy's sells premade pizza     dough  that is already rolled out for $2-- any size.
Cut veggies- tomatoes, green pepper, spinach, mushrooms, red onion, olives
ricotta cheese
mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper
Italian seasoning
1 egg white
favorite marinara or pizza sauce

Directions:
Heat over to 375.
Roll out dough to pizza shape (if not using a previously rolled out dough).
Spread desired amount of ricotta cheese on half of the dough. Add desired amount of veggies on ricotta cheese (again, covering half of the pizza dough).  Sprinkle with desired amount of salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Put the half of the dough which has no topping over the half that has all the toppings. Seal dough with a fork or your fingers. Brush the egg white over the top of dough.
Cook for 20-25 minutes. Check at 20.
When cool, serve with your favorite marinara or pizza sauce to dip.

Enjoy!
Nancy

Chicken Tacos with Fresh Mango Salsa

I've recently been trying to cook all the quick and healthy recipes I have. This one is at the top of the list!! We have "Taco Tuesday" at our house (once a week, of course) and this is my current favorite under that category.  I love Mexican food, and especially when I can eat as much of it as I want (well, almost :))!

Ingredients:
3-4 chicken breasts
1 Tb. olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 tsp. cumin
Mango Salsa (easy recipe found HERE)
corn tortilla shells
cotija cheese-- stronger cheese, so you need less as a topping.

Directions:
Make Mango Salsa and set aside.

Heat olive oil over med-high heat in skillet.  Add chicken. Let sit 3-5 minutes on each side. Cut with spatula to break up the breasts into smaller pieces. Add spices. Cook till no longer pink.

Cut chicken into desired size pieces. Add to Mango Salsa.

Warm up corn tortillas on stove.  Put the chicken and salsa mixture into tortillas. Add cotija cheese. (Add any more desired toppings, but I like it just like this).

 Serve with rice, beans, and limes.

XOXO,
 
Nancy


Linking to:  Thursday Favorite Things   Easy Living Mom    A Glimpse Inside
Weekend Wrap Up Party   Six Sisters' Stuff   Whipperberry   One Artsy Mama   Redfly Creations
The Best Blog Recipes
This Gal Cooks  Jam Hands  Mad in Crafts  Craft-o-Maniac

Fresh Mango Salsa

This is one of my favorite healthy recipes.  Mangoes are the tastiest fruit in the Universe, and when they are combined in salsa....  It's a party for the taste buds!! Eat this with chips, on tacos... or even alone :).

Ingredients:
2 mangoes,diced
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2  red onion, diced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 minced jalapeno (optional)
Juice from 2 limes
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

 Combine all ingredients. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving to let flavors combine.

Serve with chips, chicken, tacos, fish, or eat it with a spoon!

Enjoy!
Nancy

Thai Chicken Sundaes

This is my favorite meal at this particular time in my life. Yes, FAVORITE! It's quick, it's healthy, and it's seriously delicious. Even my two year old can't get enough... and THAT'S sayin' it's good!! A friend gave the recipe to me several years back, and it's a keeper!

We set it up like Hawaiian Haystacks so that each person can individualize toppings. The noodles and chicken can be served hot or cold {tastes awesome either way}. This is also fun to bring to parties or get togethers -already with topping mixed in , of course. People always ask for the recipe. So, give it a try!

Ingredients:
1 pkg. angel hair pasta, cooked
Chicken, cooked and chopped

DRESSING:
3/4 C. Rice Vinegar (seasoned or unseasoned)
3 T. Sugar
2 T. Oriental sesame oil
1/2 C. Soy sauce
2 Tb Minced ginger (which is best) or 1/2 tsp. ginger spice
2 Cloves minced garlic
1/2 to 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (more makes spicier)

TOPPINGS: Whatever you like, such as...
thin sliced celery, cucumbers, green onion, cilantro, bean sprouts, chow mein noodles, peanuts, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, lime....      


Directions:  
1.Mix all dressing ingredients together. Let sit in the fridge while preparing the rest. (Stays good for 2 weeks, if you really want to start early :)).
2. Cook chicken and pasta.
3. Cut veggies, and put other toppings in bowls OR use your VEGGIE TRAY as Jan showed in THIS great post.
4. Either mix the dressing and chicken into the noodles, or set it all out separately so everyone can choose how strong of flavor they want.

ENJOY!!
~ Nancy

Linking to:  Creative Juice  Thursday Favorite   Easy Living Mom   A Glimpse Inside 
Six Sisters' Stuff   Weekend Wrap Up Party   Tidy Mom   The Best Blog Recipes   One Artsy Mama
This Gal Cooks