{Menu Monday} -- Week 2 Dinner Menu Plan

As I mentioned in Week One's Dinner Menu Plan post, Pinterest has become such a helpful tool in our meal planning.  I vowed to do a little better this year about planning and shopping for our meals in advance.  Since starting this a few weeks ago, we've eaten out less, saved a few bucks with more intentional grocery shopping, and enjoyed some new recipes that are sure to become family favorites. 

Another bonus is finding other bloggers' posts about their meal plans.  My friend, Danielle, created a great Dinner Menu for her blog, The Fresh Princess of Bon Air.  I am definitely going to have to try her Creamy Chicken Taquitos!

Here are the recipes we enjoyed last week:

Monday: Spaghetti Con Ricotta
Spaghetti night at our house usually happens when we don't have anything planned or are in a hurry.  But, this is not ordinary spaghetti.  The addition of the finely chopped celery, onion, carrots, and ricotta make this a much more satisfying dish. 

Tuesday: Zatarins Red Beans & Rice and Steamed Broccoli
Go-to convenience meals are a must in our house.  And, this is my son's favorite convenience meal. I've tried making red beans and rice from scratch and he wants no part of it.  While cooking this boxed mix, I add a 1/2 cup of plain, uncooked white rice and a 1/2 cup of water to the recipe.  Also, at the end of the cooking, I add an extra can of drained red beans for additional fiber and protein.    

Thursday:  Quick Chicken Noodle Bowls
My daughter called this Chinese Chicken Noodle soup, which was a good description.  It would be a great dish for a cold night or if you're feeling a little under the weather. 

Friday: Stromboli
Frozen or refrigerated pizza dough is one of my favorite meal time shortcuts.  Friday nights often end up being pizza and a movie night, but pre-made pizza dough allows us to not always have to order carry-out.  This Stromboli had so many great flavors going on and was the perfect dinner for a Star Wars movie night.   

Sunday: Spicy Thai Noodles
I loved this spicy dish, but slightly sweet dish!  You can adjust the spiciness of the dish by the amount of red pepper you use.  I used a little less than one tablespoon of red pepper and it was plenty spicy enough for us. 

Please feel free to share any of your favorite dinner recipes in the comments below!