Lauretta's Meal Plan this week:

OK, so to be honest! I don't have a meal plan yet. But sitting down and typing this a good thing, right?  It gets me to meal plan. Shelly, you're a genius. :)  So, I have to say that my biggest priority in meal planning is variety.  I make sure that I always have a day scheduled around the following: Chicken, Beef, Pork, Fish/Seafood, and Pizza night.  Those are only for weeknights as Saturday and Sunday are pretty unpredictable around here.  So I will "plan" something for those days, but it may or may not happen.
Also, to answer your question Shelly.  I do the VERY best when I meal plan for the entire month.  I spend 2 or so hours planning breakfast, lunch and dinner for every day of the month.  On Saturdays, when daddy is home, I hit the store to get the stuff that I need for that week.  I coupon shop as well, so I tend to meal plan based on the storage items that I have.  That way I can shop from my own pantry.  I love it!!  Now, I miss a few months depending on how crazy life gets. But, like I said.  I do so much better with sticking with my meal plan when it is all written out on a calendar. So, good luck this week everyone.  :)

Sunday: Chicken Salad Sandwiches, broccoli and cheese, carrot sticks with ranch, apple slices, chips
Monday: Pineapple pork chops, Mexican sour cream rice, Peas, artisan toast
Tuesday: Fish sticks, Sesame noodles, Salad
Wednesday: Beef Stew, Bread sticks
Thursday: Homemade Pizza, Salad, Jello cups
Friday: Honey mustard Pretzel chicken, Baked potato, Beans
Saturday: Crock pot Ravioli, Buttered Corn, French Bread

Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken (trying it this week for the first time: I'll let you know how it turns out.)

Ingredients

2 cups panko crumbs

2 cups pretzel crumbs*

1/2 cup neutral tasting olive oil

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/3 cup honey (Iike clover or orange blossom)

1/4 cup bottled water

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 + 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts 

 

1/2 cup flour, plus more if needed

 

See a Zesty Sausage Cheese Balls Recipe

 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Lightly grease with oil a large, non-stick baking sheet or roasting pan. If you don't have a non-stick pan line a regular pan with parchment and lightly grease with oil.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat toast the panko crumbs until lightly golden, stirring constantly. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
3. In a food processor pulse the pretzels until coarsely ground (small crumbs with some small pretzel pieces) then add them to a medium bowl and mix with the panko crumbs. Wipe the crumbs out of the food processor.
4. Add the oil, mustard, honey, water and vinegar to the food processor and pulse until smooth.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the flavor to suit your own tastes by adding more mustard or honey.
6. Pound the chicken breasts out to an even thickness using a mallet. Season well with salt and pepper.
Set up a dredging station:
7. Pour half of the dressing into a large shallow bowl or dish, put the flour on a large plate and add half the pretzel mixture to a large, shallow bowl or dish (add the remaining half pretzel crumbs to the dish as needed).
8. Working one at a time and using tongs dredge the chicken in the flour then into the dressing allowing excess to drip off then into the pretzel crumbs patting them on if needed. Place on greased baking sheet.
9. Bake 16 - 25 minutes depending on their thickness/size or until cooked through (internal temperature 165 - 174 degrees F.).
10. Let the chicken sit 5 minutes before serving with the remaining honey mustard dressing.