I'm marinating chicken for the bbq, and I will make chicken croquettes with the leftovers. I have fresh corn and cauliflower that I will be using. I'm also making twice baked potatoes tonight. This morning I took some of my frozen cherries from my tree and made cherry pie filling- then I'm going to make a pie and put it in the freezer for later (to be baked later). I rolled out cookie dough for the freezer too, so I don't have to bake them all at once. I haven't thought further than that.

Hmmm it all sounds good....forgot to mention my main thing is I want to do stuff on the grill as the 5th wheel heats up soooo bad if I use the burner or ovens....what do you marninate your chicken in for bbq? sTacy

We're having deer roast today. I don't like it much, but it needed to be cooked. It is a new recipe (BBQed in the oven). Hope it's good.

We'll be eating out a couple times since we are moving DD to college later in the week. Besides that we'll be having General Tso's chicken (Kahiki brand) with Asian veggies (Walmart sells a huge bag of frozen vegs for about $6.) and maybe brats on the grill one night.

DH has been requesting porkchops. Not my favorite and when he wants porkchops, he means fried. So I'll probably break down and fix him some "comfort" food. Pork chops, mashed potatoes, gravy and corn. That must have some good memories from his childhood for him! LOL

I feel like I'm in a rut too. Our meals seem to start with a big salad and then some kind of meat. Usually grilled chicken breast or taco meat for taco salad. Last night we grilled a steak and I sauteed some yellow squash. DH wanted black-eyed peas and I cut up some tomato.

I'll be watching this thread to get some ideas. Stacy, do you have a roaster oven that you could plug in outside? I cook a lot of things in a small roaster oven out in the garage so it doesn't heat up the house.

Today I marinated in olive oil, apple cider vinegar and a little lemon juice, thyme, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.

This week we have the boys. They are fussy butts! Who knows what we will eat here.

I made ham steaks on the grill last week Stacy. They were good, I browned them and awhile back got this from Sandy to put on them...they were really good!
Cook your ham steaks and when they are about done I mixed this up and put over them like BBQ sauce.
***These are all APPROXIMATE! 1/3 to 1/2 cup pineapple juice, 5-6 Tablespoons of brown sugar, maybe about 3 Tablespoons honey. You want to thicken the juice a bit and the BS and honey does this. He added some mustard with horseradish this last time...it was pretty good too..but I like it better without.***
I just did the pineapple juice, brown sugar and honey.

For potatoes on the grill, I take foil or one of the foil bags and spray with cooking spray, then peel and slice potatoes and top with French Onion potato chip dip. Seal up and cook (flip a couple times) I dunno depending on how many potatoes 30-45 minutes? For more potatoes I use the bigger containers of potato chip dip. For just two the smaller one. My GF likes Ranch but to me French Onion is better! LOL

IF you were going to be around to keep an eye on it I'd take a crockpot out on the deck and plug it in and cook in that somedays. Find a table or something to set it on. I love crock pot cooking.

Here is one for Crockpot Beef Fajitas

1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak
1 cup chopped onion
1 green sweet pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp. cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can (8oz) chopped tomatoes
12 8inch flour tortillas
Toppings: sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheddar cheese and salsa

Cut flank steak into 6 portions. In any size crockpot combine meat, onion, green pepper, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander and salt. Add tomatoes. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours.

Remove meat from crockpot and shred. Return meat to crockpot and stir. To serve, spread meat mixture into flour tortillas and top with toppings. Roll up
Once we don't have kids here I am going to try it, but haven't yet.

Here is one I have saved to try from Cooking Light, but havent made it yet.

Prepare the pork and assemble the sandwiches at home. Wrapped in foil, they'll stay warm while you travel to the stadium. Or slice and refrigerate roasted tenderloin, and serve the sandwiches cold. Take along the dressing in a thermos or tightly closed jar, and allow people to dress their sandwiches themselves.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin sandwiches
1/4 cup hot jalape jelly
1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
Cooking spray
1/4 cup light ranch dressing
1/4 cup sweet hickory smoke tomato-based barbecue sauce (such as Bull's-Eye)
8 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls

Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
Combine jelly and water; set aside.

Combine paprika and next 6 ingredients (through pepper); rub evenly over pork. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill 15 minutes, turning pork occasionally. Brush pork with jelly mixture. Grill an additional 5 minutes or until thermometer registers 155° (slightly pink).

Place pork on a cutting surface. Lightly cover with foil; let stand 10 minutes. Thinly slice pork. Combine ranch dressing and barbecue sauce. Serve pork and ranch mixture with buns.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 bun, 3 ounces pork, and 1 tablespoon sauce)

Pizza at CiCi's, chicken fajitas at Chillis, cheeseburger at Freds and pasta at the Olive garden.

No Jen I don't but will look at walmart...I never thought to use my crockpot this time of year how dumb of me! The 5th wheel has 2 units going full time a big fan and it is already up to 80 in here! Cooking inside is not my idea of a good time LOL Stacy please keep the ideas coming....Brian would love to come to the comfort food house that is one of his fav meals...but sooo fattening! Noda that sounds good esp the potatos life would be sooo easy for me if B didn't have to have meat! Stacy

I love Stargazzer's menu! I've been having the same problem, Stacy. I did copy/paste the recipe below for sometime this week. I've never done a pizza on the grill before, but I'll give 'er a try.

GARLIC AND SPINACH PIZZA WITH RICCOTA BLOBS

1 c. pizza sauce (your choice)
1 (16 inch) stretched pizza dough on a pan
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Couple handfuls fresh spinach
1 to 2 cloves minced garlic to taste
Ricotta, about ½ of a small tub
½ cup freshly grated parmesan
Salt and fresh cracked pepper
Sprinkle of garlic powder
Sprinkle of onion powder
Sprinkle of red pepper flakes, optional

Heat up the grill to hot and close the lid. Brush the pizza pan lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal. Stretch and roll the dough and place on the pan. Brush with 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Spoon the pizza sauce around the dough.

Top pizza with the mozzarella, spinach, minced garlic, ricotta blobs (I did mine with a mini cookie scoop, but teaspoons work fine), parmesan, and a sprinkle of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and red pepper flakes. Set the pizza on the grill and close the lid. Turn grill to medium high and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until cooked through. Turn to medium for a thicker crust pizza and cook longer. Remove onto a cookie sheet with tongs.

Here are some grilling recipes, but lots look the same to me. I mean steaks, burgers,chicken, pork. LOL

Grill a turkey breast?

Here is a link that might be useful: Grilling recipes

Stacy, here's a site that has over 1400 crockpot recipes. I love using it in this heat.

Here is a link that might be useful: 1400 Crockpot Recipes

Thanks everyone Patti I have been wanting to try a pizza on the grill forever right now with all the fresh veggies would be awesome....but does it call for charcoal or gas we have charcaol...Stacy

this week is planned lefovers...at least wed thru fri..(i frizzle after infusion)

so it's meatloaf, chicken in mushroom soup (all i have to do is rice)...thurs is pasta day, friday is banking day, so dh stops for goodies on the way home...

our weekend is crazy...we're installing the new front window. we'll want something light, tacos?

then at 4, is dgd mia's 2n bday. i'll go and find a corner to sit in...

sunday is usually family breakfast day...dil has alway been good about hosting as she and dd1 are in the middle of us. dd1 stays with them (they out of town-ers)...we're so blessed all 6 girls and our one lonely dgs get along! you should see all 17 of us, lol...

I think the crockpot is a good idea, Stacy. If you can sort of keep an eye on it so no animals might knock it over. I have two big roaster ovens and used to use them a lot. However they do take up some space to transport. If you have a wooden table you probably could even use an electric skillet outside for some different kinds of food.

Sue

I wish we had tables here most or actually all of the other RV places we ahve been to have picnic tables but this one....the dogs wouldn't knock over the crock pot indoors....I will have brian find me a table foroutside that i can set up a ele. skillet out on it...one that folds *table* that way we could easily haul it in the tahoe if we don't have space underneath the 5th wheel.....I have to look and see if I have my crock pot in here I am thinking I put it in the house during the last ice storm.....but I think we are going home over labor day so I could get it then...thanks again everyone...stacy

The only different thing I am doing is a beef brisket. I actually haven't cooked on in a long time and we were at the meat market picking up ground beef and I bought one on the spur of the moment.

Susan you said....

I'm marinating chicken for the bbq, and I will make chicken croquettes with the leftovers

Do you have a recipe you want to share?

Stacy, the recipe's for a gas grill and I have no idea how to adapt it. Maybe someone else can help. Sorry!

Ruthie, it's from AllRecipes, but I put parm cheese, garlic and more egg in it and I bake it instead of fry it. I also make extra ones for the freezer to take out on days when I'm rushed.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chicken Croquettes

You should be fine grilling on the charcoal..here's a web page to look at.

I have some marinated tri tip that I pulled out lastnight from the freezer..

Right now I'm doing batch after batch of jams. 2 down 2 to go.

Here is a link that might be useful: Grilled Pizza

The Menu Plan Monday's from the Organizing Junkie..

It's a blog role of people posting their weekly menus. You can spend 2 days looking at all the links!!!!! So be forwarned!!

Here is a link that might be useful: This is last weeks..tomorrows will be up early in the am.

thanks Terri I guess I should have also said ME STACY PREPLANNING that does not even go together does it? Since I am a spur of the moment perosn but hey I can try and change right? going to check out your link after I run to the grocery to grab something for dinner tonight (no no menu for the week yet) but then I am going to plan a menu LOL Thanks everyone sTacy

Stacy, another thing if you had one that would be handy and you could plug it in outside is one of the larger toaster ovens. I have two that I bought at Aldi's. I paid $49 I think for the first one and maybe ten dollars less for the second one. I didn't have an oven to bake in because someone would not get my kitchen fixed and anyway. They have the convection thing built in. I really liked them and they baked really nice. They aren't that heavy and would keep the heat outside if you wanted to bake. You asked what I was cooking this week. I really don't know yet, but plan on taking Grands biscuits, take a measuring tablespoon and make an indention in the top before baking, fill with cherry pie filling, bake and then drizzle with white icing. I have made them before and they taste much like the ones Hardee's used to have. Of course you can use any kind of canned pie filling that you like. You can brush them with melted butter before filling if you like. If you want the filling sweeter, mix some sugar with them. I am thinking when Amber has her next rummage sale I will make them at her house one morning for our breakfasts.

Sue

Since going back to work after having Dan, I do as much of my cooking and preparation on Sunday for the week as I can. I can't be bothered to 'cook' after work. This also saves clean up during the week usually.

I've also been trying to use up stuff I already have one hand so that has guided my choices this week. I spent less on groceries this week than I have in ages.

Monday: Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, breadsticks
The meat sauce and spaghetti are both cooked and stored separately. I will heat them both up after work while I cook the bread sticks (frozen) in the toaster oven

Tuesday: Smothered Chicken and Rice
I cooked the peppers, onions and mushrooms today. I'll marinate the chicken the Tuesday morning before I leave for work. I'll cook the chicken on the Griddler (or maybe the the gas grill), top with the vegetable mixture and some cheddar cheese. It's a knockoff of something I've had in a restaurant. I'll heat up the rice that I cooked today and add some seasonings to it.

Wednesday: An Asian pork medallion recipe that's quick enough to cook after work with ramen noodles (not something I cook a lot but Nick loves them and since we're already having rice on Tuesday, it's something fast and different). Egg rolls in the toaster oven.

Thursday: Hot dogs with sauerkraut, French fries.

We always have salad on hand too.

Friday we leave for Great Wolf for the weekend.

Nothing planned but the croquettes reminded me of my mom's potato croquettes. It think I'll make some this week. They have ground beef, potatoes, shredded carrots, chopped onions made into a patty, then rolled in flour, eggs and bread crumbs and fried. We used to eat them with rice, chopped cabbage and catsup or whorchester sauce. My kids aren't too thrilled with the fresh cabbage but I still serve it that way...minus the whorchester sauce.

If Hurricane Bill heads this way - Spam. lol

Never really know what we're going to have. Last night I made Basil Chicken over Angel Hair pasta...although I cooked bowtie pasta 'cause I wanted some! Also made some vegetable soup.

Perhaps bbq chicken in the crockpot, or dutch oven later in the week. We'll see. lol

Cindy

Stacy, I vary...tonight I'll likely run to the store and see what inspires me...But I often do a menu based on the "meat"....which means...Monday-pork, Tuesday-chicken, Wed-Beef, Thursday-Leftovers, Friday-Pizza, Sat-leftovers or something on the grill, Sun-something to give me leftovers for another night.

I really wish I was able to plan better, as in..main dish, side dish or two and a few desserts a week, besides the cookie jar usually full.