Category: weekly menu

diet · menu · Recipes · Rocco Dispirto's Now Eat This Diet · weekly menu

Menu’s and Diets

jachancellor1 Comment

Trying…needs to be thrown out the door.  Diets are just that…diets.   We (Carmen and I) have decided to go through our pantry and throw out what needs to go…some of this stuff has been in there since we moved in (6 years ago), and needs to go.  Other stuff we just don’t use, haven’t used, will not use.

Change in mind set…not something so restrictive that I feel like I am punishing myself when I blow it, then justify it by saying it is okay today.  But it is a daily battle.  Constant.  Consistent.  Healthy.

One cookbook that has been changing the rules is Rocco Dispirto’s Now Eat This Diet.

I purchased it at Books-A-Million about a month ago. It has sat on the desk, or by the couch for that long as well.  Carmen picked it up today, and asked if we could try some of the recipes.  Absolutely.  Not that I want to do all of the diet…never do…but some of the changes he makes are awesome, and completely doable.  What I need to concentrate on is portion size.  It has always been my downfall.

Okay, my plan is to work on this over the weekend. Pantry is cleaned out, and fresh veggies are in the fridge…now to plan the menu for next week.

I will keep you updated on this plan of mine…

Blessings.

Oven Roasted Potato Fries · Recipes · weekly menu

Chuck’s Oven Roasted Potato ‘Fries’

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David and I were watching the Cooking Network the other day, and came across a show by the name of “Chucks Day Off.”  The host is Chuck, and he was very down to earth, and cooked some really interesting recipes.  One of which we tried tonight.

I am sticking with my menu from October 4th with the London Broil, onions and mushrooms, and my ratatouille.  So we normally have rice or some other potato.  It has been cooler lately, and we have the windows open.  I was working on the broil, onions and mushrooms, and watching Carmen try to cut the vegetables for the ratatouille.  David did the potatoes this evening.

Here is the recipe:

4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
3 – 4 Tablespoon olive oil
a pinch of sea salt
a grinding of black pepper (which we forgot)
a few sprinkles of smoked paprika
a few sprinkles of steak spice or seasoning

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut potatoes into nice thick “handcut fry slices.”  Place in a large bowl and cover with cold water.  It helps to remove excess starch.  Drain and pat dry on a paper towel.  Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with the oil, sprinkle with the salt, pepper and paprika.  Bake until tender and golden crispy outside – 35 to 40 minutes.

I forgot to take before pictures.
They turned out really nice and crisp.
And they were an excellent compliment to the London Broil, and ratatouille.
Enjoy!
weekly menu

Menu for October 4th

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Menu for September 27thRECAP
Monday:  Calzones, cucumber salad.  (didn’t have these – we ended up eating the Rouladen, boiled noodles, and cucumber salad – at least I had some part of it!)
Tuesday:  Baked chicken breasts, my ratatouille version with zucchini, yellow squash, and onions We grilled the chicken breasts instead of baking them, BUT we ate them, and my ratatouille!  Yes!! Success!
Wednesday:  Church – pork chops, macaroni and cheese, salad  Once again!!! We ate as a family at church.
Thursday: I have a stampin’ workshop (Julie =)) to attend for a friend, so we might get to eat out before I go?  I ate at Lisa’s (which was wonderful!), and David had a sandwich.
Friday: Meat Loaf, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, green beans —this did NOT happen.  David worked on our computers at work, and it was a beautiful evening, we didn’t have date night…so we went to Sonic, and enjoy our dinner in our car with the windows rolled down.  Wonderful.
Progress I suppose.  At least part of last week was accomplished.  I will be posting the Roladen recipe later today (when I make it for supper, dinner, or whenever).

Okay – well here goes…!

Menu for October 4th

Monday:  London Broil with sauteed onions and mushrooms, ratatouille (we have lots of squash and zucchini)
Tuesday:  Meat Loaf – we have been planning this one for a couple of weeks now…let’s see what happens.
Wednesday:  Church meal – Fried Chicken.
Thursday: Date night.  I am not sure about this one…we will have to see how our meals go the rest of the week.
Friday:  I am off this day, and plan to organize my portion of the office (yes, I plan to take before and after pictures)…so I am not sure what we will do.  Might end up doing the calzones that I planned several weeks ago and have not made.  Oh, well.
Saturday:  Mexican – taco meat, burritos, Spanish rice, refried black beans.
Sunday:  Plan to make chicken – n – dumplings.  We will have to see how the rest of the week goes.

Have a great week!
Enjoy!

weekly menu

Menu for September 27th

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Well, lets see shall we?

Last week (Menu for September 20th)
Monday:  Chicken Pot Pie, salad (homemade croutons) with artichokes, black and green olives. I did this. =)
Tuesday:  BBQ Chicken legs and thighs, Jasmine rice, green beans this too, but had peas instead of green beans.
Wednesday:  Pot roast (at church) We all ate this. 
Thursday:  Date night this we changed.  David wasn’t feeling well, so it was Chick-Fil-A night. 
Friday:  Calzone, salad Nope on this one.  I ended up going to the Melting Pot with girl friends, and David went grocery shopping.  (I did not accomplish that on Thursday either.)
Saturday:  Roladen (recipe to come), macaroni noodles, cucumber salad I will be fixing this today (Sunday)
Sunday:  Meat Loaf, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, peas, salad Bumped until Monday or maybe later in the week. As you can see, I didn’t do as well as I had hoped, but much better than I anticipated.  


Menu for September 27th

Monday:  Calzones, cucumber salad.
Tuesday:  Baked chicken breasts, my ratatouille version with zucchini, yellow squash, and onions
Wednesday:  Church – pork chops, macaroni and cheese, salad
Thursday: I have a stampin’ workshop (Julie =)) to attend for a friend, so we might get to eat out before I go?
Friday: Meat Loaf, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, green beans
Progress I suppose.  At least part of last week was accomplished.  I will be posting the Roladen recipe later today (when I make it for supper, dinner, or whenever).

Have a good day! Blessings.

weekly menu

Menu for September 20th

jachancellor1 Comment

I am trying to be more aware of what we are eating, and our budget.  Menus have always helped with both of these, it is just sticking with it.  So, maybe if I put it in writing, than I must stick with it…right?

So, here is this week (planned):

Monday:  Chicken Pot Pie, salad (homemade croutons) with artichokes, black and green olives.
Tuesday:  BBQ Chicken legs and thighs, Jasmine rice, green beans
Wednesday:  Pot roast (at church)
Thursday:  Date night
Friday:  Calzones, salad
Saturday:  Roladen (recipe to come), macaroni noodles, cucumber salad
Sunday:  Meat Loaf, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, peas, salad

So…there it is.  I will grocery shop on Thursday, see a nephew’s football game, and have date night.  Not what I would truly do on one of our date nights, but David and I consider our dates just time together. It really doesn’t matter what we are doing, and grocery shopping can be fun with someone you love.

I will keep you updated.  My family is not hopeful. Carmen rolled her eyes (not that this doesn’t normally happen coming from a 17 year old teenager).

Blessings!