On our menu this week you will find boneless eye of round in the slow cooker, an Italian pasta bake, spinach and cheese enchiladas, sesame chicken and more! I have also included a couple of recipes. Please share your meal plan for the week as well!

Monday

Boneless eye of round in the slow cooker with veggies including carrots, onions, mushrooms (eye of round on sale at Lowes Foods through 5/8 for $2.99/lb)

Orange slices

Rolls

Tuesday

Italian pasta bake with tofu (The tofu is optional and the recipe is delicious without it. I include the tofu to give it an extra protein boost.) – see recipe below

Salad

Rolls

Wednesday

Spinach and cheese enchiladas – see recipe below
(Mission Tortillas on sale for $1 after coupon at HT through 5/8, cheese was on sale at HT last week for $1.10 per 8 oz, Green Giant frozen boxed spinach was on sale a few weeks ago with coupon)

Spanish rice

Steamed carrots (HT sells carrots in 2 lb bag for $1.17 every day)

Thursday

I am working late so hubby is in charge of dinner – Sandwich night and Steamfresh veggies

Friday

Sesame Chicken with rice and veggies

Egg rolls (Kahiki egg rolls on sale BOGO with $1 coupon from Penguin display a few weeks ago)

Salad

Saturday

We are taking my mother-in-law out to dinner for Mother’s Day

Sunday – Mother’s Day!

Don’t know, don’t care. As long as I don’t have to cook, that’s all that matters! Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there!

Italian Pasta Bake with Tofu

Ingredients

1 lb pasta (penne, ziti or rotini work well), cooked and drained (we use whole wheat pasta)
1 jar pasta sauce, 24 – 26 oz
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained (approx. 14 oz, plain or garlic and basil version works well)
4 oz can sliced mushrooms or 4 oz fresh mushrooms (fresh mushrooms cooked in microwave or sautéed to reduce water content)
1 green pepper, diced
½ onion, chopped
10 oz. tofu, firm or extra firm, pressed (meaning the water has been gently squeezed out between towels) and cut into small cubes (10 oz = about 2/3 of a tofu container)
4 oz shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese (to use in casserole)
2 oz shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese (to sprinkle on top of casserole)
2 oz. parmesan cheese
garlic powder, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in large casserole dish except parmesan cheese and 2 oz mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle 2 oz mozzarella and 2 oz. parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 35 minutes in 350 degree oven. Serve with side salad and garlic bread. Enjoy!

Variations:

I have made this recipe many times with different variations including the following:

Use 12 oz cottage cheese instead of tofu
Use ½ lb cooked chicken, chopped or shredded, instead of tofu
Use ½ container Philadelphia cooking crème in addition to other ingredients to make a creamier sauce

Spinach and Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients

6-8 medium to large flour tortillas
1 package Mexican or Spanish Rice (or brown or white rice – enough for 4 people)
1 can Rotel or canned tomatoes (approx 12-13 oz), drained
1 box frozen creamed spinach
6 –8 oz shredded cheddar or 4-cheese blend or Mexican cheese blend
Garlic powder to taste
Pepper to taste
1 can enchilada sauce

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom of 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray or line with foil.

Cook rice according to directions on package. Microwave frozen creamed spinach according to directions on package. Combine cooked rice, cooked spinach, can of tomatoes, ½ of cheese, 1/3 can of enchilada sauce, garlic and pepper in a bowl.

Lay out 1 tortilla on a flat surface (I use a large cutting board used only for non-meat cutting). Spoon out approximately 1/6th of rice mixture on to tortilla and spread into a straight line across the middle of the tortilla from one side to the other. Roll up tortilla and place in pan. Repeat for the rest of the tortillas (or until the pan is full). Pour remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas and spred to cover most of the tortillas. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes. Serve with chopped lettuce, fresh tomatoes, light sour cream.

We have also added the following to the rice mixture before spreading on the tortilla:

Chopped or shredded chicken or beef

Cubed tofu

Sautéed mushrooms and onions

Chopped black olives

We also always have leftovers with this meal that you can freeze for another week or enjoy for lunch the next day.