We are still in the thick of kids' soccer season. Only two weeks left! Yes, I'm counting down. But with soccer practices three days a week after school, dinners need to be things that I can either make ahead and reheat, or have simmering in the slow cooker - either way it needs to be ready to put on the table when we get home late.  It's the only way to avoid having takeout 3 nights a week. Having a meal plan is critical during weeks like this.  I need to know ahead of time what I'm cooking, because I have a limited amount of time to get it put together and ready before I have to run out again. 

If you saw my plan from last week, you might notice a few repeats here.  One (the enchilada casserole) is because everybody loved it so much that they begged to have it again right away.  The other two repeats are because we ended up changing plans and not having those dinners, so I just copied them over to this week. 

The kids breakfasts and lunches are a lot of repeats too.  I have a short list of breakfasts that I just rotate though.  There is no need to reinvent the wheel each week for breakfast.  For lunches I rotate through a short list of themes (like breakfast for lunch, lunchable, sandwich, etc.), but the actual execution looks a little different each time. 

So here you go...

My plan for the coming week includes easy meals that can mostly be made ahead and just reheated at dinner time. Subject to change on a whim. 

MONDAY: (MORNING THERAPY APPOINTMENTS, DANCE CLASSES AND SOCCER PRACTICE AFTER SCHOOL.)

• Kids Breakfast: bagels, apples, cheese 

• Kids Lunch: Leftover pizza, banana muffins, carrots, fruit. 

• Dinner: Lentil Soup. Broth, lentils, canned tomatoes, garlic, greens, carrots, sausage.  All simmered for a while in the slow cooker.  Served with some savory quick bread (recipe coming soon).

TUESDAY: 

• Kids Breakfast: pancakes, cheese.

• Kids Lunch: Lunchable: ham, cheese, crackers. Veggies and berries on the side. Maybe a cookie.

• Dinner: Enchilada casserole.  Also knows as: Lazy mom's enchiladas - it's much easier to just layer stuff in a casserole dish than it is to carefully roll each enchilada.  I did this in the slow cooker last week and it turned out great.  I make my own enchilada sauce because store bought ones are too spicy for my kids.  It's basically just a tomato gravy (butter, flour - make a roux.  Add chicken broth. Then add tomato sauce.) - seasoned with garlic, onion, cumin, and a tiny bit of chili powder.  Here is an actual recipe if you like.  I make the sauce, then put the chicken in and simmer until the chicken is falling apart.  Mix together a can of cream of mushroom soup, some sour cream, and diced green chilis. In a casserole dish, layer: enchilada sauce with chicken, corn tortillas, soup & sour cream mixture, shredded cheese. Just keep layering until your dish is full or you've used up everything. It doesn't have to be pretty and exact quantities don't matter.  Top with a bit more cheese, bake at 350 until bubbly.  Serve with sour cream and shredded lettuce.  

WEDNESDAY: (SOCCER PRACTICE AFTER SCHOOL)

• Kids Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, toast.

• Kids Lunch: Breakfast for lunch: leftover pancakes, yogurt, cheese, fruit.

• Dinner: Chicken curry with coconut rice.  I buy a packaged curry sauce and I'm not ashamed to admit it.  It's easy, and I really like it.  This one is a Japanese style golden curry, it comes in little blocks.  You just brown your meat, add your chopped veggies, add the cube of sauce, some water or broth, and I always add coconut milk - and then simmer.  I use whatever veggies I've got available. For the rice - just white rice cooked in my rice cooker, but I substitute a can of coconut milk for some of the water, and add a little salt.  

THURSDAY: (SOCCER PRACTICE AFTER SCHOOL)

• Kids Breakfast: Yogurt with oats, honey, jam, fruit

• Kids Lunch: Bean and cheese burritos, maybe with some leftover chicken from the enchiladas. A little salad on the side. 

• Dinner: leftovers

FRIDAY: (SCHOOL HARVEST DANCE)

• Kids Breakfast: Cheerios, fruit, milk. 

• Kids Lunch: grilled sandwiches.

• Dinner: Pizza, probably takeout.

SATURDAY: (2 SOCCER GAMES)

• Breakfast: Kids' choice (cereal, toast, etc.)

• Lunch: Quesadillas

• Dinner: Black bean soup - homemade broth, black beans, corn, rice, tomatoes, garlic, cumin.  Served with toppings: chips, cheese, sour cream, diced avocado. 

SUNDAY: 

• Brunch: Pancakes and sausage, eggs, fruit, OJ

• Dinner: One Pot Homemade Macaroni and Cheese. You can find the recipe here on my instagram page.  It's soooo good, and ridiculously easy.