Menu Plan Monday #43 - March 12

Started to put together a menu plan last week but didn't get back to it, and since I'm running behind I'm not going to link this one up with the other Menu Planners - but I will share a picture I took in London! I took this the first night we were there (after we'd had a little nap!). Imagine stepping out of the subway station and looking up to this!

It's only Wednesday and we've already had a change to the plan, but that's okay. At least I have a plan. This week is pretty busy, and I just now changed out tonight's dinner idea for two reasons. 1. When I made the menu plan I thought we would be here for dinner. Then we were supposed to be in Anchorage tonight, then that plan changed and now we will be here. 2. I didn't thaw yesterday was I was supposed to for tonight, so I moved the Meatloaf muffins to Sunday and now I feel like I'm coming down with a cold so I want soup. Just found a yummy sounding recipe for Chicken Pot Pie Soup and luckily I have everything on hand.

Monday: Boca Chik'n Parm w/spaghetti - the "spaghetti noodles" I used were actually the tofu shiritaki noodles and they were really good. Not to mention they are 0 PointsPlus for 1 serving!

Tusday: Crockpot pulled pork

Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie Soup - another recipe I'm trying from Skinnytaste. She has the BEST recipes!

Thursday: dinner out in Anchorage. Was supposed to be Wednesday so I'm moving Salmon Thursday to Friday.

Friday: Salmon Sweet Potato Cakes

Saturday: Chicken Rollatini - this was so good last time I just have to make it again!

Sunday: Meatloaf Muffins - I'm excited to make these again. They are really tasty and they make enough for leftovers or to put in the freezer for another night.




Here's another crazy London photo taken near Camden Lock. It's a whole store of mannequin legs modeling tights. I love it!

 

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm Monday - National Garlic Day

It's National Garlic Day! Anyone been to Gilroy, CA for the garlic festival? I've been through Gilroy, but not at the right time. Doesn't matter what time of year, that place always has a hint of garlic in the air.

Back to Alaska & reality - 
It's kind of dreary outside today. The skies are gray, and looks as if it could snow although we are only forecasted to have clouds the next several days. (late afternoon update: it's raining now) Today's weather made me think it was high time we had a homemade soup for lunch with our sandwich. I found today's recipe over the weekend while I was catching up on my reading/surfing. Tuscan White Bean Soup sounded so yummy when I saw the recipe on The Tiny Skillet. The original recipe was from Giada De Laurentiis. I halved the recipe since it was just the two of us and I wasn't sure if we'd like it. We did! So next time I'll make the whole batch.

Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup (Original Recipe Giada De Laurentiis)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 sage leaf
2 (15-ounce) cans cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, cut in 1/2
1/2 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Place a medium, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil, and shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and beans and stir to combine. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the garlic and simmer until the garlic is softened, about 10 minutes. Pour the soup into a large bowl. Carefully ladle 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful to hold the top of the blender tightly, as hot liquids expand when they are blended. Pour the blended soup back into the soup pan. Puree the remaining soup. Once all the soup is blended and back in the soup pan, add the cream and the pepper Keep warm, covered, over very low heat.

**I made a few changes/substitutions to make the recipe a little more point friendly and accommodate our tastes. I subbed 2 tsp. of  I Can't Believe it's Not Butter for the actual butter and only about a tsp. of olive oil, and used fat-free half & half instead of cream. Only 1 clove of garlic and minced it instead of just cutting in half. I used my immersion blender to blend the soup after it was cooked and before adding the half & half.

The sandwich thin has burbon chicken deli lunch meat & baby Swiss cheese.