Menu Plan Monday + A Meatless Meal Idea!

Happy Monday!

How was your weekend? Ours was the perfect mix of busy and relaxing.  On Saturday, my husband and I had a "gym date." We dropped our kids off at our gym's daycare and we went and got a quick workout in together!  We try to do this every Saturday and I just love it!

After our workout, we headed to Aldi and Home Depot.  They are right by each other, so we each took 2 of the kids and got what we needed.  My big girls came with me to Aldi and they have become such great little helpers!  Charlotte can read now (really well actually!), so she is able to get me specific items while I am shopping for other items.  Cora loves loading the groceries when we are checking out.  It probably looks a little wild and crazy to other shoppers- but I love it! After naps, I took my big girls and baby James to Walmart to get some other things we needed.  My husband was tackling the yard while I was gone doing this.  When we got back, the yard was all mowed, we grilled some chicken and steak and sat down for the first time all day- HA!  On Sunday, we went to church, played outside and then went swimming in the afternoon.  Perfect way to end our weekend!

Now it's time for another weekly menu plan!  We are having a lot of "regular" favorites this week.  I am really trying to stay on track with our grocery budget and that means utilizing foods we already had in our freezer and pantry!

Here's what's for dinner at our house this week!

Tonight, we are having a picnic style meal!  I love eating outside- it is fun and different- and- it means I have a lot less mess to clean up!  We even bring our babies high chair out on the patio!  We are going to have sub sandwiches with carrot and cucumber sticks.  We only let the girls have a "dessert" or treat on weekend nights- but they always want to know what they get if they finish their dinner.  Tonight, they will get to have an applesauce cup or cut watermelon! I mentioned before how I make our Italian sub sandwiches- it is super easy!  I cut a big hunk of french bread and put a slice of muenster cheese on each slice of bread.  I broil the bread and cheese until it is melted.  Then I add salami and turkey from the deli, pickles, shredded romaine lettuce and a drizzle of Italian salad dressing.  If you like sandwiches, I think you would really like this one!!  My husband is a huge fan :)  My girls will get turkey and cheese sandwiches and I will have an "Italian" salad!

For Tuesday night's dinner, we are having a summer staple meal: turkey burgers on the grill.  Super easy and a crowd pleaser at our house.  I am going to make a box of organic white cheddar shells (I get mine from Aldi- it is just like Annie's brand) and steam some broccoli for our vegetable.  The girls will get fruit or some yogurt if they are still hungry- which they usually always say they are- HA!

On Wednesday we are having a "meatless" meal.  My husband is not a huge fan of meatless meals- but this one he loves :)  About 5 years ago, my best friend gave me a recipe for refried beans in the crock pot.  I was super skeptical- but I am telling you- they are SO good!  This is the only way we eat refried beans anymore- the canned refried beans aren't bad- but these are SO MUCH BETTER!  Here is how you make them:

"Refried Beans" in the Crock pot!

3 cups of dry pinto beans (rinsed)

1 onion, peeled & halved

8 cups of water

4 tsp salt

1 3/4 t pepper

2 T minced garlic (I use granulated when I'm in a hurry)

1/8 t ground cumin

Put all the ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for about 8 hours. **Use a crock pot liner if you have one for easier clean up!** After the beans are soft, drain, reserving the liquid. Mash beans with a potato masher or use an immersion blender to reach the desired consistency. Add liquid, a bit at a time, to desired thickness, remembering they will thicken with time. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! 

(I also add some salsa and cheese to mine and often garlic salt)

I will usually double this recipe and freeze several portions for other meals!  To make our burritos- I just put a generous portion of beans in a tortilla, sprinkle on a good amount of sharp cheddar cheese and a couple dollops of sour cream.  I roll up the tortilla and top it with some shredded lettuce and salsa.  The beans are very filling- so you really don't miss the meat!  We also make bean and cheese nachos and bean and cheese quesadillas with these refried beans! (*I feel like I just said BEAN about a million times in that last sentence- HA!)

Thursday night is another "staple summer" meal- grilled hot dogs!  I have mentioned several times in other posts- we are very partial to the Hebrew National All Beef Hot Dogs.  We get ours in a super value pack at Sam's Club.  I am not sure if Costco carries them?  I know at the regular grocery store- they can be pretty pricey- that is why we get them in bulk at Sam's Club.  We are having galaxy bites, which are these cute potato fries I picked up at Aldi- they are a "seasonal" buy- meaning Aldi doesn't always carry them.  I always pick up a couple of bags when I see them, because my girls and husband love them!  

Pizza is what's for dinner on Friday night!  As long as the weather cooperates, my parents are going to come into town for a weekend visit!  We are going to pick up some take 'n' bake pizzas from our local Papa Murphy's and have a pizza picnic in the backyard!  While our pizza is baking, I plan to put out some fresh veggies and hummus to snack on- and of course, there will be wine for the grown ups! :)

Saturday we are going to try out a new barbecue place that has opened by our house!  My husband was born and raised in Texas, so he has quite strong opinions about barbecue.  He has actually had barbecue from the place we are going and said it is 'really good.' That's a pretty solid statement for a Texas boy to make about a barbecue place NOT in Texas- HA!

There is a cute ice cream store attached to the barbecue restaurant- so as long as my spirited children mind their manners at dinner, we will get an ice cream cone after dinner! 

On Sunday, we will keep it easy and grill up some chicken for big grilled chicken salads.  My girls will have cut up chicken (with some ketchup for dipping...ketchup makes everything better in our house :) and some applesauce.  Super simple and no fuss.  I know we will all be a little tired from our exciting weekend with Baba and Papa (and bummed) since my parents will be gone back to their house.  A low prep meal will be nice to have!

So there you have it.  Nothing fancy going on at our house.  Several meals that we have pretty regularly, if not weekly.  But having it all planned out is SO helpful and really makes our dinner time run so much smoother- and also makes it much more enjoyable!

What's for dinner at your house this week?

I am linking up with Laura for Menu Plan Monday!