Menu Plan Monday 9/12 + Weekend Bites

Hello friends! How was your weekend? Do anything fun? I had a pretty good one! Let's review.

On Saturday I baked with pumpkin for the first time this season.

Pumpkin white chocolate muffins. Recipe coming soon! Then I made my grocery list, menu plan, and shopped. Hubby came home early and we sat on the couch and watched Human Planet. Awesome show. You should watch it.

On Sunday I went to a new yoga studio and took a class with a friend.

source

I loved the instructor. I'm hoping to go at least once a week. Later on in the afternoon I went shopping with some friends. Winter's coming folks. I've gotta update my wardrobe. For dinner, I attempted to make hot pockets. 

Meh. They were just okay. Too much bread and not enough filling. Needs to be modified.

I didn't get much baking done as I would have liked. Hopefully next weekend. What did you do this weekend?

If you're interested, here's what we'll be eating this week around these parts: 

• Chicken Tomato Herb Pan Sauce with Garlic Rice Pilaf and Veggies
• Baked Penne Chicken with Sun-dried Tomatoes
• Caramelized Onion Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries
• Pan Seared Salmon with Rice and Roasted Asparagus
• Spaghetti and Meatballs

What did you do this weekend? 

Banana Chocolate Chip Scones

Source: Tasty Kitchen
Servings: 12


2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons cold butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
9 tablespoons milk
½ cups mini chocolate chips
1 whole banana

Preheat oven to 400F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, brown sugar and salt. Cut butter into small cubes and then blend into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter. Stir in vanilla and milk with a wooden spoon until dough begins to come together. Stir in chocolate chips. Cut the banana into small chunks; do not mash because it will add too much moisture to the scones. Mix in the chopped banana until just blended. Form the dough into a rectangle and then cut into triangles. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

The Week Wrap Up 9/5/-9/10

Hello friends. Happy weekend! How was your week? Are you still suffering from sweltering temperatures or has Fall made it an appearance? We had rain. For three.straight.days. I can't even begin to tell you how much I miss the sun. I'm a sun girl! These dark, gray days are just not for me.


I'm back at work and happy to be among the kiddies again. One thing I love about starting a new school year is meeting all the new students. We've got an awesome bunch with very interesting personalities. I'm definitely excited and can't wait to see how they interact with each other once the ball gets rolling.

Here's what I shared with you this week:

Parmesan Crusted Zucchini

Tuscan Pasta with Basil Cream Sauce

Baked Caprese Cups

Here's what I bookmarked:

Oatmeal Apple Cake Cookies

Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

Peach, Basil, Mozzarella & Balsamic Pizza- Two Peas & their Pod

White Chocolate Confetti Blondies- Bake Your Day

Fudgy Peanut Butter Cup Brownies- The Baker Chick

Brownie Pie- Steph's Bite by Bite

That's a wrap! Enjoy your weekend!

Baked Caprese Cups

I love breakfast on the weekends.

I love sleeping in, waking up, and making a big breakfast in my pajamas. I don't have the chance on weekdays. Usually I'm getting ready for work and down a bowl of cereal. The hubbs, as you know, grabs one of the many treats I've baked and eats it on the road. On the weekends I indulge, making pancakes, muffins, waffles, or some good old fashioned scrambled eggs and toast.

Mmm. I love weekends. Says the girl who has only been back at work for a week...

What can I say. Summer already feels like a million years ago.

When I saw this on my favorite blog in the whole wide world Jessica's blog I immediately made a little sticky note on my laptop to make it. Soon. It looks like something you would order at a fancy restaurant. Cute ramekins filled with eggs, cheese, tomatoes, and basil. Perfection in a little ramekin. I'm obsessed with them; any excuse to use my ramekins. I don't use them enough!

Source: Caprese Baked Egg Cups

makes 4 cups [2 x 3 1/2 in ramekins]
4 or 8 eggs (depending on if you want 1 or 2)

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
3-4 ounces mozzarella cheese, chopped (I used marinated mozz from Trader Joe’s, hence the seasoning)
8-10 fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons cream or milk
salt and pepper
softened butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter each ramekin and fill with a few pieces of tomato, cheese and basil. Crack one or two eggs into each and season with salt and pepper, then add 1/2 teaspoon of cream to each egg to prevent them from drying. Add a few tomatoes, cheese and basil on top and set on a baking sheet. Bake for 5-8 minutes, then turn on the broiler and bake for about 5 minutes more (this resulted in slightly firm yolks for me, broil less if you them runny). Watch carefully to determine how runny/firm you want your yolks. Serve hot with toasted, crusty bread.

What do you like to make on the weekends?

Tuscan Pasta with Basil Cream Sauce

When I saw Kelly share this on The Food Mentalist, I knew I had to make it.

For one, I'm never one to turn down a new pasta dish.

For two, I've never cooked with sun-dried tomatoes. For three, this looked so good.

So, why haven't I ever cooked with sun-dried tomatoes? I'm not sure! I've had them in dishes ordered at restaurants, yes, but their flavor and texture never stood out for me. Probably because there were so few of them in the dishes I seemed to order. I didn't see what all the fuss was about. Well. Now I do! Being as this recipe calls for 6 ounces of sundried tomatoes (I bought a jar of julienned tomatoes), I was finally able to enjoy them.

The sauce smelled heavenly as it was bubbling on the stove. You probably already have most of the ingredients on hand: milk, chicken stock, flour, salt, pepper, garlic, cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes (the only thing I didn't have in the pantry). I didn't make many changes, except for halving it for just the hubbs and I. I also didn't use skim milk as I don't purchase it so I used reduced fat. Lastly, I had a can of petite diced tomatoes on hand, so I used that instead of fresh. The whole dish is so easy and quick, perfect for a night when you're too tired to cook or are short on time.  

Source: Eat Yourself Skinny, featured on The Food Mentalist

Servings: 2

1 (20 oz) package refrigerated four-cheese ravioli

 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 cups of skim milk

1 cup of chicken broth

4 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 cup (6 oz) chopped or julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained

1/2 cup grated low-fat Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp white wine

2 medium-size fresh tomatoes, chopped OR 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, full drained

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Prepare ravioli according to package directions.  In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and sauté until golden brown.  

In a small saucepan, stir together milk, chicken broth, 3 Tbsp flour (save 1 Tbsp of flour for later), salt and pepper over low heat until smooth and thick.  Stir into garlic and add sun-dried tomatoes.  Continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick.  Add the Tbsp of flour (for additional thickness) and stir in with Parmesan cheese.

Allow sauce to thicken up a bit then stir in wine, chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup chopped basil.  Cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Toss with ravioli and garnish with Parmesan cheese and chopped basil.


I'm back to work and looking for more easy, quick meals. What do you like to cook when you're short on time?