Saturday – Sabbath- Make ahead meals-  Chicken & rice soup in crockpot

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Egg Salad sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, pickles, carrots

Monday – beef – Steak, smashed potatoes, green beans


Tuesday – pizza – Homemade Pizza, carrot sticks,

Wednesday – super simple – leftovers, salad

Thursday – chicken – Baked Chicken, noodles, corn, salad

Friday – Friday Night Fire/Beef –  Cookout for the Bible Drill kids & teachers from church- Hot dogs, Hamburgers, Macaroni Salad, Homemade Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Watermelon, S’mores

For more Menu Plan Monday ideas, visit I’m an Organizing Junkie.

I’ve been making this Taco Pasta Salad for almost 5 years. And we still love it. 🙂 This recipe is from the July/August 2006 issue of Country Woman Magazine. Everyone that I have served it to, loves it. Hope you do too!

Taco Pasta Salad


3 cups uncooked spiral pasta
1 pound ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
1  1/4 cups mayonnaise
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
3  3/4 teaspoons cider vinegar
3  3/4 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon ground mustard
7 cups torn iceberg lettuce
1 – 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cups crushed nacho tortilla chips

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning; heat through.

2. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, sugar and mustard; set aside.

3. Drain pasta; place in a large bowl. Add beef and mayonnaise mixture; toss to coat. Add lettuce, tomatoes and cheese; toss to combine. Sprinkle with tortilla chips.

Serves 12-14

MY NOTES:

• I have also used elbow, shells and other shaped pasta. They all work well.
• I don’t like mustard, so I don’t use it.
• I have used all kinds of lettuce, not just iceberg. I use raw spinach, too.
• You can also use plain tortilla chips. Or none. I often serve this without chips.
• We like to sprinkle the cheese on the top, instead of stirring in.
• It’s delicious served warm like the recipe says. I also make this ahead of time and refrigerate. Served cold with or without chips it makes a great summer meal.

Saturday – Sabbath- Make ahead meals-  Hot Dogs, brats, salad, homemade baked beans, homemade macaroni salad

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Dinner at church, Tater Tot Casserole made by my son.

Monday – beef – Taco Pasta Salad with tortilla chips, salad,


Tuesday – pizza – Homemade Pizza, carrot sticks, salad –

Wednesday – super simple – leftovers, salad

Thursday – chicken – Baked Chicken, rice, corn

Friday – Friday Night Fire/Beef –  steak, broccoli, homemade Challah bread

For more Menu Plan Monday ideas, visit I’m an Organizing Junkie.

• I love baked beans. I just don’t love all the additives in canned baked beans. I tired once time years ago, like 13 years ago,  to make my own baked beans, and it just didn’t work. Not only didn’t they taste good, but the beans were hard, even after baking for a few hours.
  
  
  Since the summer cook out season has started, I was determined to make my own baked beans. My bean cooking talents have improved since then. I now cook and freeze beans for all our bean needs, so I only had to pull the beans out of the freezer. Because of my freezer stash of beans, I got to spend the time working on the sauce. And it’s good! I don’t have a picture because we ate them all before I could get one!

  Baked Beans

1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup diced onion (more or less to taste)
3 tablespoons real maple syrup
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 pepper

6 cups cooked pinto beans

Stir together all ingredients, except beans in sauce pan. Bring to boil, then simmer until onions are done, 15-20 minutes.

Stir in beans.

You can serve at this point, or pour beans into a baking dish and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Or you can cover with foil and bake for 2-3 hours. If beans are getting too dry while cooking, you can add a little water.

*NOTES:


You can used canned beans if you prefer those. 6 cups of beans would be about 2-3 cans of beans. If preparing dried beans, follow the package directions for soaking and cooking the beans, then proceed with the recipe.

I didn’t have any molasses, but look forward to trying this recipe with molasses. So if you don’t  have real maple syrup, try molasses.

We don’t normally eat bacon, but if you do, you can add chopped bacon mixed in with the beans, or lay slices of uncooked bacon on top of the beans before baking. Just make sure to bake until the bacon is completely cooked.

For more tips and recipes, visit:

I Want Your Best Bean Recipes

The Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as Mom

Frugal Food Thursday

Friday Food

Saturday – Sabbath- Make ahead meals-  Hot Dogs, brats, carrots, homemade baked beans

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Turkey sandwiches for lunch, Breakfast for dinner

Monday – beef – Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, green beans


Tuesday – pizza – Homemade Pizza, carrot sticks, salad –

Wednesday – super simple – leftovers, salad

Thursday – chicken – Baked Chicken, rice, cooked carrots

Friday – Friday Night Fire/Beef –  steak, broccoli, homemade Challah bread

For more Menu Plan Monday ideas, visit I’m an Organizing Junkie.

Honey Peanut Butter Fudge from Heavenly Homemakers

1 cup natural peanut butter
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until the chocolate chips are melted and blended in, about 30 seconds.

Spread into an 8×8″ pan. (I buttered it first) Refrigerate until solid. Cut into 1 inch squares. (Store in the fridge, as it gets really soft when left out.)

Stop by Heavenly Homemakers for a visit. She has a whole page of High 5 Recipes, High Quality Recipes with 5 ingredients or less!

Saturday – Sabbath- Make ahead meals-  Cholent for lunch, Baked Manicotti for supper

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Hot Dogs & salad for lunch, left over Cholent for dinner

Monday – beef – Crock Pot Cube Steak, mashed potatoes, green beans


Tuesday – pizza – Pizza, carrot sticks, salad – I’m not sure what kind of pizza yet

Wednesday – super simple – leftovers, salad

Thursday – chicken – BBQ Chicken, Homemade Baked Beans (still looking for a good recipe), cooked carrots

Friday – Friday Night Fire/Beef –  steak, broccoli, homemade Challah bread

For more Menu Plan Monday ideas, visit I’m an Organizing Junkie.