Menu Monday 8.16.10

Good Afternoon - it's THAT day again.  Monday!  I am so happy that I am actually posting Menu Monday on Monday.
Since last week I posted two weeks of menu plans, I am going to give you a recap of last week and update you on this week. This has been fun and has helped me stay accountable.
So here was the plan new comments are in red:

Menu for last week and this week:

Monday (Crockpot) Baked Potato Cheese Soup with crusty bread (I missed this so I will work it into the rotation on another day)
Tuesday Tacos in Pasta Shells (This was very good.  It has gone into our repertoire of recipes as a keeper.)
Wednesday New Orleans Sausage and Rice (This was also very good - in fact Corbin has some as a snack later in the night.  He has never done this before.)
Thursday Dinner plans - no cooking
Friday Potstickers and stir fry veggies (Ended up having unexpected dinner plans at Dalton's Roadhouse.)
Saturday Out of town (Had some wonderful homecooked food with family.  I will be posting recipes eventually.)
Sunday Out of town
Monday Chicken and Biscuits
Tuesday Lentil Stew over couscous
Wednesday (Crockpot) White Bean Chili
Thursday Dinner plans - no cooking
Friday Fiesta Beef Enchilada

So as you can see last week I really only made two recipes.  Both which were new to me and I would make again. Since we loved both new recipes I will be posting one today and one later in the week (maybe even later today.)

I will share Tacos in Pasta Shells first. This was unexpectedly good and easy.  I mean I thought it would be good or I wouldn't have chosen it but I really liked it more than I thought I would.  I even forgot the sour cream and green onions  and still loved it. I also thought stuffing the shells would be a chore but it was not.

Tacos in Pasta Shells:
(Recipe adapted from Slow Cooker Casseroles and More cookbook (Favorite Brand name by Publications International, LTD.)

1/4pkg. cream cheese (I used half the package)
18 jumbo pasta shells (I put in a few more in case one of them tore while boiling.)
1 1/4lb. ground beef (I used 1 lb. ground turkey)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
2 tlbs. butter, melted
1 cup salsa or taco sauce (I used Pace Picante Sauce)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I just eyeballed it)
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (I just eyeballed it)
1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips (I just eyeballed it)
1 cup sour cream
3 green onions, chopped

Cut the cream cheese into 1/2 inch cubes. Let stand at room temperature until softened. (I didn't let it soften.) Cook pasta according to package directions. Place in colander and rinse under warm running water (forgot to rinse.) Drain well. Return to saucepan.

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter 9x13 pan. Cook turkey in a large skillet over medium-high heat until brown, stirring to separate meat; drain drippings. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add cream cheese, salt, and chili powder; simmer 5 minutes.Toss shells with butter. Fill shells with turkey mixture using spoon. Arrange shells in prepared pan. Pour taco sauce over each shell.

Cover with foil.Bake 15 minutes.

Uncover; top with cheddar cheese, monterey jack cheese and chips.
Bake 15 minutes more until bubbly.

Top with sour cream and onions. (Forgot to do this!)

This was all we had left after dinner.  Enough for Steve to have a couple lunches from it.  It was a hit!

Here is the menu for the next five days (a bit has changed):
Monday Potstickers and Stir Fry veggies
Tuesday Chicken and Biscuits
Wednesday Lentil Stew over couscous
Thursday (Crockpot) White Bean Chili (unless we stick with our original dinner plans -out)
Friday Fiesta Beef Enchilidas
Saturday Our Six year anniversary - you can bet I am not cooking!
Sunday May still be celebrating our anniversary.

I love new recipes so if you have any to share post them in a comment or if you have a blog with a new recipe on it share the link in the comments section.