meals for another snowy week :)

it's yet another snowy week here at the "restaurant" and we're not really branching out to explore different foods... :) kind of a boring week of meals, if ya ask me...but hey, it's food and it's good, right?! :) here goes the week of food... :)
(starred items - recipes to follow :))

~monday: spaghetti (whole wheat) and garlic bread
~tuesday: macaroni soup* (yum!) and grilled cheese
~wednesday: burgers (turkey burger for me; beef for ry)
~thursday: italian cream cheese chicken casserole*
~friday: leftovers
~saturday: eat out?
~sunday ~Valentine's Day AND our 6 year wedding anniversary :)~: chicken parm :)

since it appears we'll be enjoying another week without school/work...i've planned for lunch and breakfast, too... :)
breakfast for the week: cereal or blueberry muffins :)
lunch for the week: cold cuts or leftovers :)


recipes...
macaroni soup
boil 1 box of pasta - shells - medium or small
in a large pot, put 1 16-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes and 1/3 to 1/4 lb. of ground pork (not cooked). use your hands and crush both with your fingers (wonderfully theraputic! :))
add: 1 can (large) of chicken broth, 1 can of tomato soup, 1/2 t. salt, and a dash of pepper...
place a cover on the top and bring to a boil over medium heat... simmer for a few minutes...
when serving, put a handful (or so) of cooked shells in your bowl...and pour your soup over it... :) this soup is great with saltines :)

i got this recipe off of another blog...i'm including the writer's own preferences...they're not mine... i've never made it... :)
Donielle’s Italian Cream Cheese Chicken Casserole
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour or cornstarch
3 cups chicken broth
8 oz cream cheese
1 Tbsp Italian Dressing Mix
1/2 Tbsp dried minced onion
1/2 Tbsp dried minced garlic
1-2 cooked and cubed chicken breasts
1 box of rotini pasta (we use brown rice)
1/2 head of steamed broccoli or about 1/2 bag of frozen broccoli

Cook pasta until al dente or slightly firm. (if you’re freezing this undercook it) Melt the butter over medium heat and whisk in the flour or cornstarch (cornstarch for you gluten free folks) to make a rue. Once mixed together well, add the broth in slowly while whisking. Once at a gentle boil, whisk occasioanlly and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Add in cream cheese and all the seasonings. Mix well and taste. If you like more seasoning, add it now. Let simmer for a few minutes while you grease a 9×13 pan and dump the pasta, chicken, and broccoli into it. Pour cream cheese mixture over everything and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Take out, stir, and enjoy!

Both my husband and 3yo LOVE this dish. My little one kept telling me after every bite how yummy delicious it was, so it’s a huge hit around here! I barely even had enough for leftovers to send lunch to work with Todd this morning.

Variations we like:
Use 4 cups of cooked rice instead of the pasta
For an extra creamy version you can use milk in place of all but 1 cup of broth
You can also use 2 cups of cream of chicken soup for the broth as well