What's For Dinner? Giveaway (Ends 4/23) U.S.

Welcome to the What's for Dinner? Giveaway. Hosted by Stay a Stay at Home Mom with co-host ComeBackMomma. One lucky winner will receive a One Year Lunch & Dinner menu plan from emeals menu planning service. This great service will save you time and money while answering the age-old question "What's for Dinner?" at your house. Watch the video review of Flank Steak Fajitas, one of the recipes this month:  
I absolutely love eMeals, and I bet you will, too.  You will find yourself saving a ton of money and time, so this is one you will want to enter.  I use both the dinner and lunch plan, and it is so worth it!
 Enter to win a One Year Lunch & Dinner eMeals Plan by filling out the Rafflecopter below, and make sure you take the time to visit our wonderful sponsors, hosts, and cohosts! Good luck! Giveaway runs until April 23rd at 11:59PM EST. a Rafflecopter giveaway The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. We are not associated with any of the companies in this giveaway. No purchase is necessary to enter. Void where prohibited by law. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received. This promotion is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, and is compliant with Facebook TOS. To qualify to win, you must fill out the Rafflecopter entry. Must be aged 18+ to enter and win. See Rafflecopter for complete eligibility requirements.

eMeals Meal Plan Review Review

You will be hearing a lot about eMeals from me this year.  Why?  Well, I have joined the eMeals Blogger Network, and I have the subscription to their fabulous service for a year.  I have heard all about eMeals in the past, but I didn't think it was worth the price just to have meal plans with recipes and shopping lists.  It sounds good, but I figured that I could do the same thing myself and save a little money.

If you have watched my blog over the past couple years, my recipes have been a bit sporadic.  Yes, i generally made some kind of meal plan, but it was always a pain.  I tended to put off picking out meals and making shopping lists until I absolutely had to.  And it seemed that I always spent more at the grocery store than I intended.

I was skeptical when I printed off the first week's recipes and shopping list.  I decided on the low-fat Walmart meal plan, and I was amazed at how accurate the shopping list prices were.  And once I started cooking the recipes, I was absolutely amazed!  Within the first week of making these tasty easy-to-make recipes, I was hooked.  And so was the rest of the family. I secretly wondered if the good meal plan would continue.

Sure enough, the next week came, and the recipes were unbelievable!  I went back to work, and they have continued to be tasty, wholesome, and very easy to prepare.  In fact, all the recipes for the week are so uncomplicated that they are able to fit on one sheet of paper.  Once in a while, our Walmart does not have the particular item listed (but we have a little Walmart), but that is no problem.  

EMeals is extremely versatile.  We have changed over to the classic plan, and I will probably change plans again.  You can pick the plan that works best for your family.

Be sure to check this out if you're trying to lose weight.  We have not found a single recipe we did not like--at least so far.  For the first time ever, I have found myself looking forward to cooking meals at home and trying to keep from going out to eat. There are always seven meals from which to choose, and we only need five of those.  So I get to choose my top favorites from the list. I love the fact that you can pick your grocery store (I wish they had Costco!).  We tend to pick Walmart just because we know that it is the least expensive--at least for our needs.  

Have the meals gotten boring?  Not at all!  They are well-balanced.  I have made easy alterations to the meals to cut down on calories and fat.  Click here to get some free, inexpensive meals from eMeals.  I am also considering trying out the lunch meal plan because lately, my lunches have been pretty horrible.  I will let you know what I think of it.

I would invite you to try out eMeals.  Right now you can save 15% on any plan by using the promo code: NEWYEAR.  Be sure to enter their giveaway here as well!

I am a part of the eMeals blogger network, and I wan not financially compensated in any way for this review.  I was offered a free year's service in exchange for my honest review and promotion.  

Meal Plan (October 22-28)

Well, I am back to posting my recipes/meal plans.  I am going to start with what I made this weekend:

Cinnamon Maple Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Let me tell you that this did not work well for me.  I forgot to put the topping on the top and only put it in the middle.  And I thought it would never cook.  It took well over an hour for it to get done.  And the flavor was not all that good.  I personally think that it needs more flavor and sweetness.  I would add coconut, craisins (or raisins), and nuts.  I would also add more pumpkin and maple syrup.  Here is a picture of mine:

Here is the recipe plan for the week:

Meal 1:

Irish Pub Meatloaf
Cabbage
Mashed Potatoes

Teriyaki BBQ Beef with Broccoli Noodle Bowls

Cheesy Chicken and Noodle Casserole
Veggies

BBQ Cowboy Beans with Biscuits
Veggies

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
Veggies









Watch out for updates next week and pictures!

Meal Plan Blog Reorganization

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dearbarbie/387713582/

If you have been following my blog for a while, you will notice that I have not been publishing my meal plans over the past month or so.  There is a reason for that, and it is not just laziness.  I had some fellow bloggers review my blog (just minimally, but they did review it), and I have decided to follow the advice that one of them gave me.  I used to just always use the pictures that were posted with the recipes--that seemed fine to me.  And I plan to still use these to a degree.  But it was suggested that I take pictures of my "creations."  This idea came from a food blogger, but if you haven't noticed, those are some of the most numerous blogs out there.  I honestly wasn't sure if I was committed to doing this, and I wasn't sure if I really wanted to.

But now I am ready to make a change.  Here is the plan.  I plan to publish my meal plan, and I will probably use the pictures on the website (if there is one).  However, I plan to take pictures as I can of each of the recipes.  This is a new discipline for me, but I plan to do my best.  I plan to then upload my pictures of the recipes.  This way you can see how mine turned out.

I can't promise that I will always do exactly what I should in this area.  But I am going to do my best to be committed to doing this.  Be patient with me as I implement these changes.  Look for a new meal plan within the next couple days.  Thanks so much for supporting me and continuing to read my posts!

Meal Plan Beginning 8/29

If you have followed my blog at all, you probably notice that my recipe posts usually happen every other week.  What I have found is that I plan out meats for the week, and somehow it takes us through two weeks.  Often I have to put in a couple easy meals, but it doesn't always make sense to post the meal plans here  So I am no longer going to put an ending date on the meal plan.  You will notice this begins Wednesday.  That is because we had leftovers tonight, and we are out tomorrow night.  So here goes.

Nacho Bake
Veggies

 Sherry's Aussie Chicken
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Salad/Veggies

Spinach Rice Casserole
Served with Chicken Patties

Overnight Breakfast Casserole
Fruit/Jello Salad






Enjoy the recipes!  I know we will!

Menu Plan Monday--Pinterest Inspired (8/6-8/11)

I am really struggling this week to come up with recipes, so I turned to Pinterest for inspiration.

Meal 1:

Quick Moussaka
Green veggie of some kind









Meal 2:

Quick Chicken Salad
Green lettuce salad









Meal 3:

Triple Decker Tortilla

Mexican Rice








Meal 4:

Bacon Cheddar Scones

Fruit jello








Well, here's hoping that these reecipes do well.

Menu Plan (July 13-18) Cook'n and Springpad

Well, I used Cook'n and Springpad.  It had been ages since I looked at my springpad.  But here are my meals:

Meal 1:

Eight-Layer Casserole
Veggies/Salad










Meal 2:

 Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Veggie Burgers






Meal 3:

Grilled Chicken Salad Wraps

You will probably have to create a free account at parents.com if you have not previously in order to see this recipe.







Meal 4:

Honey Bourbon Barbecue Chicken Breast
Baked Beans
We probably will use whatever kind of liquor we have on hand.

July 3-8 Meal Plan--Using Cook'n Software

As you might know, I am giving away three copies of this software (here and here), and I am even more pleased as I have planned my first meal plan with it!  I cannot believe how fast I did it! In less than 30 minutes, I have planned the meals and printed the grocery list!   The hardest thing is that is it not as easy to list my meals here, but I plan to try.  I may be able to leave a link in the future, but these are my meals for this week:

Meal 1:  Rachael Ray's Steakhouse Shepherd's Pie
Meal 2:  Chicken Tetrazini
Meal 3:  Garlic, Apple Pork Chops
Meal 4:  Vegetarian Pot Pie

I am going to make sure that in the future I can put pictures and maybe list the link, but this is it for the week.  If you would like any of the recipes, let me know.  I can easily e-mail you!

Meal Plan Monday (6/18-6/24)

Yes, I am back on track.  I have some great e-mails sitting in my inbox with some fantastic recipes.  So I am planning from my e-mail this week.  Here goes.


Meal 1:

CONNIE’S VEGETARIAN (OR NOT) CHILI PIE

Meal 2:

Roast Pork Salad with Pineapple-Ginger Dressing


Meal 3:

BLT Salad with Crostini


Meal 4:
Chinese Roasted Chicken
Rice/Veggies

Meal Plan (6/5-6/10) Guy-Fieri Inspired Meals

I know I am still posting a day late, but things got off, so until we get back on schedule...

Yes, I freely admit that I am a Guy Fieri fan.  I don't know why.  He is everything I shouldn't like in a celebrity.  He has tatoos.  He has dyed hair.   He has pierced ears. His is big and brash.  But he is absolutely fantastic!  I even loved him on "Minute to Win It."  I could sit and watch "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" all night long.

Every Sunday morning, my daughter knows she cannot turn the channel when I am watching his cooking show.  I decided it was time to try some of his recipes because they always sound so good.  So here goes.

Meal 1:

Mojito Chicken

I will serve this with rice and veggies.

Meal 2:

Hot Weiners Rhode Island Style

Coleslaw

Veggies/Potatoes

Meal 3:

Bacon and Tomato Pasta

Salad/Bread

Meal 4:

Mac-Daddi-Roni Salad

And I have to do a dessert!

Blondie with Dark Roots

Meal Plan Tuesday--a Day late, I know (May 30-June 2) Pinterest Again

I decided that I found so many great recipes on pinterest that I decided to plan my meals with its help again today.  So here goes.

Meal 1:
Corn Dog Muffins

Source: 5minutesformom.com via Ruth on Pinterest

I am going to add the pineapple roasted veggies along with this.

Meal 2:
Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole 

Source: tastebook.com via Ruth on Pinterest

I will add some vegetables to this.

Meal 3:
No Bread BLT's

Source: howardhousereviews.com via Ruth on Pinterest

Skinny Texas Fries

Meal 4:
Turkey Wrap with Cucumber Cheese

Source: rachaelraymag.com via Ruth on Pinterest

Dessert:  Peanut Butter Quinoa Cookies

Source: thesmartkitchenblog.com via Ruth on Pinterest

Meal Plan Monday (5/21-5/27) Spark Recipes Again!

I am very pleased to be using spark recipes again!  My mom and I were very pleased by the recipes, so I am going to do it again.  The only thing I did not make was one of the desserts.  And all the meals were fantastic!  I even tracked most of my food this week.  I think it is finally making a difference.  So here we go.

Meal 1:

Kids-Love-It-Bean Pasta
Veggies/Bread









Meal 2:

French (Women Don't Get Fast) Toast
I am making a yogurt/berry glaze for this.
I will add sausage, eggs, and some kind of veggies.





Meal 3:

Pizza Pinwheels

Grilled Roasted Vegetables with Pineapple







Meal 4:  Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Easy Lasagna
Salad

I plan to make the dessert I did not make last week--mug chocolate cake.

Meal Plan Monday (5/14-5/20) Eating Healthier Again!

As our family gets back to a more normal routine, we are going back to healthier eating.  I went to sparkrecipes (sparkpeople's recipe site).  All of the recipes are from that site.

Meal 1:

Potato Flake Fried Chicken
Veggies
Bread

And for dessert:  Five-Minute Coffee Mug Chocolate Cake




Meal 2:

Curried Mango Pork Chops
Veggies/Rice





Meal 3:

Nathan's Two Thumbs Up Ratatouille
Chocolate Cottage Pudding
I am adding cinnamon and instant coffee to this.






Meal 4:

Taco Soup
Fried Zucchini Patties






I have not visited this site in a while, and it is so well-organized now!  Wow!  I look forward to cooking these fantastic meals!

Meal Plan Monday (4/9-4/15)

If the drama and domestic issues within my "family" could ever stop, I would be more than willing to post these meal plans on a regular basis like I used to!  But I have a few moments, so I am creating a meal plan.  I am using a great facebook group to plan the meals:  We Love Food.  I don't even remember joining the group, but I am a member, and there are some very interesting recipes.

Meal 1:

Baked Coconut Spiced Chicken
Rice
Veggies



Meal 2:

Pizza Puffy
I will probably make the traditional one and serve with salad.







Meal 3:  Chatpata Chana (Chickpea)Salad with Pineapple
I'll serve this with some kind of bread.  We have loads of it in our freezer!

Meal 4:

Chili Potatoes
I will serve this with some veggies and maybe some fried rice, like it says!






Extra meal:

Peanut Curry Dog
I will make a couple changes to this, I am sure.  Sounds really good!

Meal Plan Monday (3/25-4/1)

All right, if you normally follow my blog, you will notice I have not posted a meal plan in a couple weeks.  Due to domestic issues, dinner was severely disrupted.  In an attempt to go back to routine, I am posting again.  I did something different.  I decided to plan meals via twitter.  So here goes:

Meal 1:  Stuffed Zucchini with Oregano and Parmesan

Buttered Noodles

Meal 2:
Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches With Classic Southern Slaw

Baked Beans
Creamed Corn

Meal 3:
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Hot Dogs
Veggies

Meal 4:
Layered Leftover Mexican Casserole

There you have it.  Thanks twitter!

Meal Plan Monday (3/4-3/11)

I had a pretty successful week, and I only have one more thing to make, so I will recycle one recipe from last week.  The others will be from my e-mails--I'm trying to clean my e-mails out.  I am actually going to "steal" an old recipe plan with a few tweaks to it from Oregon Cottage.  You'll notice all the links, and I will let her know what I am doing.  It sounds really good!


Meal 1: Chicken-Fried Steak with Sausage Gravy (Yes, I know.  This one is not the healthiest, but I don't mind an occasional splurge.)
Green Beans
Mashed Potatoes

Meal 2: 

Slow Cooker Pork Stew

Easy Artisan Bread

Salad

Meal 3:  Baked Chicken (I am choosing the honey baked)

Garlic Green Beans (I will be using frozen)
some kind of salad--spinach would be great!










Meal 4: Egg Salad Sandwiches, Carrots, chips
I plan to make this whole wheat bread, if I can:

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread








Here is the link to meal plan: http://www.anoregoncottage.com/2011/04/mondays-menu.html

Now, I do need a dessert or something like that, so here is what I plan to make.

I plan to make the following:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups

Lazy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

If you are wondering, I do make bread though I haven't in a while.  I am happy to have the chance and plan to get going on that.  It seems like I will be doing some good cooking, but it is fine!  I think it will be a good week of recipes!