I'm done with summer.
The school can have my kids back.
I'm ready to get on track with routines, schedules, meal-planning, and quiet.
mostly the quiet.
I've written about my love for meal planning in a bunch of spots. If you're looking for a how-to, you can read this post, or this one, or this one.
If you'd like inspiration, Laura, from I'm an Organizing Junkie hosts Menu Planning Monday each week (I have a webTV interview with Laura, here).
Here are two super simple weeknight meal recipes. I'll throw them in together instead of writing up separate posts since they are so easy.
oh! the verdicts on each were great. The kids ate every last drop, and Adam did the dishes. :-)
Slow Cooker Pizza Chicken
4 chicken breast halves (or about 6 thighs)
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 (14-ounce) jar pizza sauce
20 pepperoni pieces (read labels carefully for hidden gluten, I used Hormel)
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
I used a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into your cooker and top with the cut up veggies and pizza sauce. Put the pepperoni pieces evenly over the top, and add lots of cheese. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or about 4 on high.
Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna
I'd wanted to test out the ease of ravioli lasagna for a while, but couldn't find gluten free ravioli that fit the budget. The ones pictured are from Mariposa which has a kiosk in the Ferry Building in SF. I have also seen frozen gluten free ravioli at Costco. If you can't find some locally, check with your local GIG group for suggestions.
If you aren't gluten free, use whatever you've got in the house!
1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained
1 (28-ounce) jar prepared pasta sauce
25-30 frozen cheese or meat ravioli (I used gluten free; please mind labels!)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used Italian blend-- mozzarella, parmesan, etc)
2 tablespoons warm water
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. After browning the meat in a skillet, drain well and add the pasta sauce (save the jar!) to the meat in your saute pan. Stir to combine.
Scoop a large spoonful of meat sauce and spread into the bottom of an empty slow cooker. Add a layer of frozen ravioli. Then add another layer of meat sauce. Continue layering until you run out of ravioli and sauce. Sprinkle cheese evenly all over the top.
Put 2 tablespoons of water into the empty pasta sauce jar, and shake. Pour this water over the top of your "lasagna."
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for about 4. Your lasagna is done when the pasta on the ravioli is tender and the filling is heated through.
School starts for us on September 6th. I love having the kids home with me, I really do. But we've done summer. We've had the pool parties, the sleep overs, the camping trips, the roadtrips, and the all-day-tv veg days.
What's on your back to school menu?
other stuff you might like:
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