good morning and happy monday!
i hope you had a fantastic weekend and are ready to conquer the world this week!

friday we had some of our best friends over for dinner and a bonfire with lots of time for girl chat. always good for the soul.
saturday i was up and out of here early to go to the dayton mother of twin sale. if you are a dayton local and haven’t checked it out… it is ah-mazing. i scored so many great deals, it was like christmas morning in our house when i got home! seriously check it out: riding toy, yellow chair, car ramp with 4 cars, pop-up tunnel, 3 pairs of shoes, 2 shirts, 6 hoodies, 2 spider costumes, number mats, 2 princess folding chairs, a bowling set and 6 pairs of socks…$87. i call that a mama win. not that i’m rushing things but it made me super excited for christmas morning! i got home just in time for nap time and i took full advantage of the opportunity for an hour long nap.  we wrapped up the day hanging at home as a family…some much needed chill time and we even snuck some netflix in.

sunday i was up and at em pretty early to get the chili going for the day! see below because it is deeelish!! we packed up our crew and headed out to church and some family time.  it was a low key day after that filled with too much football (is there such a thing?!), bowls and bowls of chili + cornbread, piles of laundry, play time and snuggles. a most perfect sunday if you ask me.

so i cheated on sunday and made our main lunch and tuesday’s dinner but it was well worth it.  fall is meant for chili in our household and it makes the perfect leftovers!

question: what was the best part about your weekend?!

i won’t leave you hanging…here is what’s on our menu for the week!

monday
cheddar + broccoli stuffed chicken: serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
salt + pepper
garlic powder
paprika
olive oil
toothpicks

preheat oven to 350.
pound chicken breasts with mallet until thin then place in a baking dish
sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder + paprika to taste
sprinkle cheddar cheese evenly  saving a bit to top
divide chopped broccoli evenly onto each chicken breast
fold chicken breast in half and secure with 2-3 toothpicks
brush the tops with olive oil
cover baking dish with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes (or until cooked through)
remove tin foil and top chicken with remaining cheese
bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted

tuesday
crockpot pale ale chili

adapted from pb+j babes: this makes a TON; we ate sunday, monday lunch, tuesday dinner and will freeze some!

2 lbs lean ground beef
1 lb ground sausage
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
lots of garlic – i used two heaping spoonfuls of the pre-minced garlic (we swear by it and i use it in everything)
1 white onion, diced
1 can black beans, drained + rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained + rinsed
1 can rotel tomatoes (we used mild)
2 (15oz) cans of diced tomatoes
2 (15oz) cans tomato sauce
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika powder
1 packet dry ranch dressing
12 oz pale ale beer
1 tablespoons olive oil
garnish with cheddar cheese, sour cream + green onions

wednesday
dijon crusted salmon + arugula salad

adapted from the garlic diaries: serves 2 adults and 2 toddlers 😉

3 salmon filets
3 t. dijon mustard
1.5 t. lemon juice
3 slices of whole grain bread, crust cut off
3/4 t. paprika
3 t. olive oil
arugula salad: (serves 2 adults)
4 cups arugula, packed (2 green containers)
4 teaspoons lemon juice
6 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove of garlic very finely minced
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

preheat oven to 350 degrees
season salmon fillet with salt + pepper
spread the dijon mustard evenly over the top
pour your lemon juice evenly over the mustard + fish
break slices of bread into chunks, and place the chunks into a blender and blend until crumbs remain
season the breadcrumbs with salt and pepper. Stir in the paprika
sprinkle the breadcrumbs in an even layer over top of the dijon mustard
drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil over the bread crumbs as evenly as possible
place the salmon on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes (or until your salmon is cooked to your liking)
dressing:
mix dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or container (lemon juice, olive oil, salt/pepper, garlic, and dijon mustard)
place the arugula + dressing in a salad bowl and toss to combine
serve + enjoy!

thursday
leftovers

friday
deluxe 21 day fix pizza: serves 2 adults + 2 toddlers

3 pieces whole wheat naan
1 cup tomato sauce
3/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
pinch of oregano
pinch of basil
3/4 lb. ground sausage
3/4 lb. ground turkey
1 c. onions
1 c. green peppers

preheat your oven to 350 degrees
place naan on baking sheet and place in oven for 2-4 minutes to crisp
brown sausage and turkey in a medium skillet and season with salt and pepper
remove naan and spread evenly with tomato sauce
add cheese reserving a small amount to sprinkle on top
add veggies
add meat
add remaining cheese
sprinkle spices
bake in oven for 5-7 minutes
remove and sprinkle basil if desired

xoxo,

lindsey