Have you made your menu plan yet for the week? This week things are settling down a bit at our house, but as I’m getting ready to head out for a conference this weekend I’m not sure how much cooking will get done. (I love my hubby, but spaghetti, hot dogs and frozen pizzas are just about all he cooks. (He does bake a mean Strawberry Pie though!)  Here’s what’s on the menu plan:

• Monday – Alice Springs Chicken, Veggies, Rolls
• Tuesday – Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells, Homemade Bread, Salad
• Wednesday – Leftovers
• Thursday – Frozen Pizza
• Friday – Pizza

I couldn’t wait to share this week’s meal deal with you  . . . until I actually cooked it. When I asked my family for suggestions on what they’d like for dinner this week, my husband mentioned my favorite Homemade Chicken Pot Pie recipe, and the wheels started turning in my head . . . “hmmmm, bet I can make that even better and easier for summer days! How about Chicken Pot Pie in the Crock Pot?”

Of course I just new this would quickly become one of the most searched recipes on PPP (almost as good as these Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings.) And I knew I’d hit the jackpot which such an incredibly, amazing idea. (You were so excited too, right?)

So, I tried it.  Threw everything in Mrs. Potts, spent the whole day so stinkin’ proud of myself as my house smelled so warm and yummy, and knew I had this meal deal pegged.

And then . . . it failed. Miserably. (Seriously ~ I handed my kids a jar of peanut butter and told them they didn’t have to eat a single bite.)

So, instead of posting that not-so-good-chicken-pot-pie-slow-cooker-recipe that I really wanted to be delicious, I’m sharing one of our old favorites. And, while the picture up there is of the not-so-yummy one, I promise this one looks just about the same and you’ll love every bite.  (And I’m so mad at myself for not sticking with my tried and true recipe ~ guess it will be back on the menu plan next week!)

Here are a few sales you’ll want to watch for this week: 

• Green Giant Steamers $1.30 at Publix
• Boneless Chicken Breasts $2.99/lb at Publix or Tyson Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast $2.49/lb. at Kroger

And if by some chance you’ve come up with an incredible way to cook Chicken Pot Pie in the crock pot, puh-lease let me know. (Although I’m thinkin’ I’ll be sticking with this one before wasting the ingredients again.) In case you’re wondering, the “pie” part was just biscuits that you baked at the end of the day and topped the chicken mixture with, but it just wasn’t good at all. Oh well. 

Guess we all have those days.

Thanks to I Heart Publix for the coupon matchups, and check out $5 Dinner Mom for more bargain meal deals!  If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE. 

As much as I love my slow cooker in the winter time (I love it in the summer time too. . .) there’s not much better than easy summer grilling nights this time of year. On busy days, I pull out some meat in the morning, add some marinade (check out my favorite chicken marinade), let it sit in the fridge all day, and hand it to my hubby to throw on the grill at dinnertime. It’s easy, usually pretty healthy, and as long as I stick to basic ingredients and use meat that I’ve purchased on sale, it’s a great way to pinch a few pennies.

So, as soon as we got home this weekend from a baseball tournament (yes, we came home Thursday from traveling for two weeks and headed out Friday to watch baseball all weekend), I thawed out some pork chops and made this simple yummy grilled pork chop marinade. Five ingredients, less than $5 in meat, and no more than 10 minutes of prep time: even after traveling I can handle that.  Here’s how to get started at your home too . . .

Be sure to take use this coupon if you don’t have any pork chops in your freezer this week:

• $1 off Pork product coupon

Thanks All Recipes for another great meal!  If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE. 

Have you made your menu plan yet for the week? After two weeks on vacation and a weekend of baseball (whew!) I finally got in some grocery shopping last night at Publix and even cooked dinner. . . woohoo! (I know, I know, call me crazy but having a little time to cook and clean felt so good ~ I really do love being a mom!)

After dinner last night I asked my family what they’d like to have this week so I’m adding in a few of our favorites, and definitely planning to cook some real meals around here this week. Here’s what’s on the menu. . .

• Sunday - Teriyaki Grilled Pork Chops, Smashed Red Potatoes & Green Onions, and Corn (will post recipes on Wednesday)
• Monday – Spaghetti (try out this Best Ever Baked Spaghetti if you’re looking for a crowd pleaser)
• Tuesday – Chicken Pot Pie
• Wednesday – Slow Cooker Meat Loaf
• Thursday – Leftover Buffet
• Friday – Ranch Style Barbecue Bacon Burgers

This is a guest post from Alicia at Everyday Home Cook.  Find more delicious recipes including Orange Cashew Chicken, 7 Layer Taco Cups and No Knead Bread over HERE. 

When you can’t make a traditional s’more over a campfire, S’more Cookie Bars taste just as great as the real thing! These bars are still gooey with marshmallows and chocolate, but they are much easier to eat in a bar cookie form. If you love all things s’more (like we do!), you’re in for a treat!

Here’s what you need…

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg and vanilla.

Add the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt to butter mixture. Mix this on low speed until just combined. I like to finish mixing almost all cookie doughs by hand, just to make sure they don’t get overmixed.

Divide the dough in half. Press half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Place the chocolate bars over the dough. Alternatively, use regular chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet) and layer no more than 1/4″ thick.

Spread the marshmallow creme over the chocolate. While you’re at it, spread a little bit on a whole graham cracker and make a little sandwich. Thank me later

Place the remaining dough on top of the creme, and press it down lightly.

Bake, and then cool completely before cutting into bars.

Alicia is a wife, mother of two, and works full time at a university.  She started learning to bake and cook at a young age, and continues to develop her skills through lots of trial and error.  When she finds a little “me” time, she usually chooses to spend it in the kitchen!  Alicia blogs at Everyday Home Cook, where she posts new recipes and menu plans each week.  Alicia focuses on using everyday ingredients and straightforward methods, all while making delicious recipes that she hopes you will love to share with your family and friends.

I’m so thankful to have some very sweet bloggers sharing recipes and guest posts here with you over the next days! This is a guest post by Lydia at Five4Five Meals, and a treat I can’t wait to try. Enjoy!

I love apples. I love pretty much everything about them. I love their color, the way they smell, and the way they look so pretty in the bowl. I love the crunch and the juice and the variety. I could go on and on, but I won’t.

Recently I bought a big bunch of Pink Lady Apples that were on sale at my local Publix. The sweet/tart combination was like heaven.

As much as I love just biting into a crisp apple, I love baking with them even more. I wanted to try a new recipe. What about an open face pie? Yes, please.

The buttery piecrust and the sweet yet tart apples with a little brown sugar are just pure heaven.

Lydia Senn of Five4Five Meals is a former stressed-out newspaper reporter turned freelance writer, wife and mama who blogs about home cooking on a budget. She loves to create interesting recipes for her little family and when she isn’t blogging, or chasing a toddler she can be found at her local library. You can find all of her recipes here, including these Polka Dot Blondies and Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes. Yum!

If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE. 

We’re on our way home from my nephew’s graduation from West Point, so I’m not doing much of any menu planning this week!  Here are a few pictures from the weekend (West Point was just beautiful!)

{I love the top left picture of their dining hall ~ they only allow people to peek in a few times a year, so it was amazing to get to see it all.}

And, here’s a sample menu plan though if you’d like just a few ideas . . . 

• Monday – Ranch Style Barbecue Bacon Burgers, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, and Cherry Cheese Cobbler 
• Tuesday – Easy Meatball Subs
• Wednesday -Slow Cooker Chicken and Dressing
• Thursday - Savory Cream Cheese Chicken Rolls
• Friday – Dinner out!