Menu Monday: March Calendar, and a recap

Here's this month's calendar, ready to print if you're looking for ideas.  As before (but working properly this time, I hope), you can download the PDF and print it, then adjust with a pencil if you need to, or download the Google doc and make adjustments before printing. 

download PDF

download Google Document

Did you wonder about how the new recipes from last month turned out?  Here's a quick recap of the ones I was planning to try out: 

Beef Stew

Baked Pasta with Ham and Cheesy-Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

Pizza Factory Bread Sticks

Avocado Chicken Parmesan 

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

 

I posted about the beef stew, it is totally a new favorite.   

 

The baked pasta was fine, but I think the strong cheese flavor and the texture of the noodles (Adam felt I overcooked them a bit) was a turn-off for the rest of the family.  It didn't make it into the recipe box, and I doubt I'll make it again.  

Instead of making the the bread sticks 100% from the recipe, I used my pizza dough recipe for the dough and tweaked it a bit.  I'll post my modified recipe soon because it was a huge success, and it's back on this month's menu. 

I did wimp out with the avocado chicken parm, but I made a version of this Chicken Parmesan Bake (the one that's floating around Pinterest and all over the internet) instead, and it was a huge success.  Also back on the menu. 

And... I haven't made the chowder yet, but it's on the revised menu for this week, so I'll keep you posted!

The new (to me) recipes for March are: 

Chicken Ranch Tacos (not sure if I will do it as posted or in the slow cooker as suggested in the comments, we'll see...)

Pizza Bites (I've actually made these before, but this time I'm going to write out how I do it so I can post about it)

Sliced Baked Potatoes

Honey Lime Chicken Wings (maybe)

Chicken Pot Pie (this is a new incarnation of an old recipe that I'm pretty excited about)

Honey Mustard Chicken

Lemon Garlic Grilled Chicken (I am totally loving this warmer weather...bring on the grill recipes!)

Roasted Garlic Chicken Pesto Pizza (I will probably have to make the kids their own pizza and make this just for us grown-ups, but the picture is so beautiful my mouth waters, I really want to try it)

Okay, if you're still hanging in here, I've got a bonus tip for you!  I figured it out this month while trying to use up stuff from my pantry, but it may not be anything new to anyone but me.  I like a good mix of new recipes and really easy stuff.  So here's something that fits in with my Italian cheater dinners.  Do you like creamy pesto?  Like Pasta Factory creamy pesto?  We do.  So a while ago I bought a pesto packet and thought I'd try to figure out how to make it.  But instead, I just dumped it into a pan with cooked cubed chicken and a jar of Ragu Alfredo sauce and we ate it over bowties.  Yup.  Easy peasy.  And yummy.  Not quite like Pasta Factory.  But still good.