Menu Plan Monday

A Menu Plan Monday on time? Can it be true? :)

I have one or two meals from last week to try this week as we never got around to it. I also made lots of scalloped potatoes last week, one for the freezer and some homemade hash browns for the freezer. Just making sure there is a meal or two extra in the freezer.

A highlight from last week was the Pork Tenderloins with a Mang0-Lime Salsa. Again, this was a recipe my sister made that I had to get from her. It sounded spicy, but it wasn't at all! It was a perfect blend of spices! See below for photos and recipe.


Monday-sub-type sandwiches and tomato soup

Tuesday-Chicken-Bacon Pizza, salad

Wednesday-Spaghetti (or left-overs)

Thursday (CP)-Cheese and Bacon Chicken, rice, corn

Friday- tacos

Saturday's Snack- Macaroni Salad (see below)

Sunday (breakfast)- pancakes, ham


Pork Tenderloin and Mango-Lime Salsa

The marinade for the pork was a mixture of chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, sage and salt. The pork had to be brushed with olive or vegetable oil and then the marinade (rub) was put on and left overnight. Then, you take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before grilling, and. . .perfect-o!

The salsa was unique--I think the mint and honey was what really made it! The salsa was made from diced mango, tomato, sweet onion, Serrano or jalapeno chili, fresh mint, honey, the juice of a lime, and salt. This should be made an hour or two before serving. You can use other fruits instead of mango, like peaches, apricots, pineapples or papaya. This recipe was from a grilling book she had. . .and once it was all put together, it was amazing!

Here is the pork marinading. . .for those of you who like to see raw meat!

Here is supper--see the grill lines my hubby made? I LOVE that!!!

And the kids got jealous of pictures that might, so here is them eating too!

And finally, the Snack Saturday recipe:

Macaroni Salad

This recipe is a WW kind of one--something from one of those diet cookbooks , but from ages ago. It is just light and nice, although I double the sauce part, so maybe it isn't as light as I think it is. :) anyway, I served it with hamburgers this past weekend and it seemed to go over well. My hubby even asked me to make it again--which he NEVER does about it. Maybe it has just been that long since I have made it that his tastes have changed. Any-hoo. . .if you are having a BBQ or a lunch, it is a good take-along type item.

1/4 c. buttermilk (I usually don't have this in the house, so I always make the "alternative" way of doing it--thanks to the LCS cookbook. For 1 c. you mix 1 T. lemon juice or vinegar with cream or milk and let stand for 5 minutes. This time I used half and half and lemon juice)

1 T. mayonnaise

1/2 t. sugar

1/4 t. each salt and prepared mustard

2 T each chopped red bell pepper and green onion

dash each of garlic powder and pepper

1-1/2 c. cooked elbow macaroni or "the twirly-whirly" noodles (I totally forget what those ones are called! fushelli?)

1/4 c. chopped celery and tomato (I omit these and grate carrot instead)

In a bowl, combine milk, mayo, sugar and seasonings, stirring until smooth and well-mixed. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (at least one hour).

*Note, the sauce "soaks" in, so if it seems kind of runny at first, it won't be later!

Enjoy For more MPM, see http://www.orgjunkie.com/. (I'm #312!)