Week Before School Starts

This week has been crazy, from Pep Squad practice to Birthday dinners. We have been on the go nonstop, and it is getting ready to get worse. I sat down with my day planner and tried to combine all of the kid’s schedules for the next two weeks and figure out dinners so that I can go to the store to avoid all of the mass confusion that is going to start next week. I tried to plan meals for the next two weeks to cut down on the trips to the store, and then made out a grocery list trying to use some of the same ingredients for the next two weeks. For example I needed cream cheese and frozen spinach for one recipe, so I tried to find another recipe that called for at least one of those ingredients, because it would normally go to waste if I didn’t use it. To Adam’s amazement, I only spent $138 for two weeks of groceries. Now I might have to grab milk here and there, but I got most of what I needed for dinners and snacks. I was pretty proud of myself.
To keep the kids straight in my planner, I color code them. Each child has a set color for the year, that way when I glance to see who has what I know what color they are and keeps some of the confusion down. This usually works pretty well, until the kids steal my gel pins.

I have included a couple of recipes that we made for Adam’s birthday dinner:

Morgan made this all by herself!

Peach Crisp

Prep: 20 minutes Bake: 40 minutes
Ingredients
· 1/4 cup granulated sugar
· 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
· 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
· 7 cups 1/2-inch fresh or frozen peach slices (8 peaches about 3-1/2 lb.), or 1/2-inch cooking apples, such as Granny Smith
· 2 Tbsp. honey
· 2/3 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers (5 squares)
· 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
· 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
· 2 Tbsp. rolled oats
· 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
· 1/3 cup butter
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. For filling, in a bowl stir together granulated sugar, the 2 tablespoons flour, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Add peaches; toss to coat. Spread in 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Drizzle honey over peaches; set aside.
2. For topping, in a bowl stir together crushed graham crackers, brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, rolled oats, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping evenly over the peach mixture.
3. Bake, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.

Chicken Parmesan Bundles
Prep Time:35 min
Total Time:1 hr 5 min
Makes:6 servings
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1-1/4 cups KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided
6 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 egg
10 RITZ Crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce, heated
PREHEAT oven to 375ºF. Mix cream cheese, spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 3 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese until well blended; spread evenly onto chicken breasts. Starting at one of the short ends of each breast, roll up chicken tightly. Secure with wooden toothpicks, if desired. Set aside.
BEAT egg in shallow bowl or pie plate. Mix remaining 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese and the cracker crumbs in separate shallow bowl or pie plate. Dip chicken bundles in egg, then roll in crumb mixture. Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF). Remove and discard toothpicks, if using. Serve topped with the spaghetti sauce and remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese