Menu Plan Monday and Apple Pear Muffin Recipe

My lunch one day last week: Open-faced jalapeno popper sandwiches (cream cheese, cheddar, bacon, and jalapenos toasted under the broiler for a few minutes until melty and delicious) and a strawberry pineapple smoothie (frozen strawberries, canned pineapple with a bit of the juice, apple juice, and strawberry yogurt).  These are the kinds of little splurges I make that help me not go out to eat, but still enjoy delicious food at home.

Breakfasts:

• Whole Wheat Chocolate Pancakes
• Oatmeal with Dried Fruit and Nuts
• Cereal
• Apple Pear Muffins (recipe below)

Lunches:

• PB&J/Soups
• Grilled Cheese Rollups
• Quesadillas
• Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese (pictured above - I had this last week already and it was really good!)

Dinners:
(Monday and Tuesday's are carry overs from last week. We had Potato Corn Chowder instead to use up some extra potatoes)
Monday: Bacon and Veggie Pizza
Tuesday: White Bean Burgers, Homemade Fries
Wednesday: Sausage Breakfast Scrambles
Thursday: Toscana Soup, Olive Garden Breadsticks
Friday-Sunday: TBD, since it's a new month and I haven't figured that out yet.

Snacks:

• Crispy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
• Popcorn
• Yogurt
• Bananas, Apples, Oranges

Apple Pear Muffins
(makes 12-15 muffins)

Ingredients: 

• Pulp from juicing 3 pears and 3 apples, or 1-2 of each fruit, peeled, cored, and grated
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In large bowl, mix grated fruit, milk, applesauce, and egg.  Add dry ingredients, and mix just to combine.  Scoop into greased muffin tins, and bake for 25-30 minutes, until knife inserted into center of muffin comes out clean and tops are slightly browned.

Recipe adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook.