Menu Plan for the Week (June 17-23)

Hi, ya'll!

Here is my menu plan for this week. If there's a link to a recipe, I've included it. If you want a recipe that isn't included, just ask. Hope this is helpful. :)

Happy cooking!

Lynne

Monday (We do "Meatless Mondays" just so you know)

• Crash potatoes  http://www.stacymakescents.com/crash-hot-potatoes (I use Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb spice mix)
• "Lynne's best carrots"
• Green Beans
• Baked squash

Tuesday( Belated Father's Day celebration as hubby had to work nights on Father's Day)

• Grilled steaks (marinated in honey, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and meat tenderizer),
• Baked potatoes
• Salad
• Rolls (homemade if I'm being ambitious)

Wednesday

• Chicken Marsala http://lynneshome.blogspot.com/2011/08/chicken-marsala.html
• Mashed potatoes with garlic butter (just soften some butter and add little garlic powder - to your taste - and stir well)
• Italian bread
• Salad (yes, again)

Thursday

• Slow cooker BBQ sandwiches http://lynneshome.blogspot.com/2012/09/bbq-sandwiches-so-easy.html
• Baked beans
• Potato salad (or crash potatoes again)

Friday

• Poppyseed chicken casserole http://lynneshome.blogspot.com/2010/12/poppyseed-chicken-casserole-super-easy.html
• At least two veggies as sides

Here's the link to the homemade cream of chicken soup. You'll never want to use the canned stuff again. http://www.stacymakescents.com/homemade-cream-of-chicken-soup

Saturday

• Grilled burgers and hot dogs
• Grilled corn on the cob
• Any other veggie I can get on the grill

Grocery Shopping on a Budget

So...I went to the grocery store today with list in hand and a goal to spend no more than $100. I spent $101.17. I did stick to my list so I was disappointed to go over. However, when I did the math, I felt a little better.

     $101.17/7 days = $14.45 per day
     $14.45/4 = $3.61 per day per person
     $3.61/3 = $1.20 per meal per person

Not bad. Not bad at all. And truly, it's less than that because I also purchased some staples (such as flour and sugar). I bought quite a bit of fresh produce, and in the meat department I bought a pound of ground beef, two packs of chicken breasts, and a roast. I think we are eating pretty darn good for $1.20 per meal. (Also, I often feed 5-6 instead of four, so the cost would be less.)

Breakfasts this week will include oatmeal and cinnamon apples; toasted bagel sandwiches (with egg & cheese); grits & scrambled eggs; and cereal is always an option.

For lunches we have deli meats & cheeses for sandwiches and some leftover homemade tortillas, taco meat filling, and black beans & rice.

We have fresh fruit, yogurt, crackers & cheese for snacks.

Our dinner menu for the week:

Friday: homemade chicken salad on homemade honey wheat bread, chicken & wild rice soup

Saturday: grilled burgers & hot dogs (Applegate Farms - yum!); homemade hamburger buns; homemade baked beans; homemade fries

Sunday: a day of rest - we'll have leftovers

Monday: white bean, carrot, & kale soup; cornbread (yes, homemade as well)

Tuesday: grilled chicken, penne pasta with sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce (homemade sauce - a new recipe I'm trying), salad, fresh bread or rolls (It will be time to make sourdough bread!)

Wednesday: roast & veggies (in the crock pot); rice & gravy; baby lima beans; corn on the cob; biscuits

Thursday: leftovers

Thursday is menu planning day and Friday is shopping day for the following week. Yay. (Not! I do NOT enjoy grocery shopping!)

If you notice the word "homemade" occurring a lot, it's because I am trying to do more from scratch cooking and eliminate processed foods from our house. As I use things in my pantry, they are either not being replaced or being replaced with whole and/or homemade goods. A little more work for me, but the taste difference is pretty awesome! Plus...I'm slaving in the kitchen for the family; maybe they will notice and there will be perks for me! :)

I just took the honey wheat bread out of the oven a few minutes ago and it's calling my name. Y'all have a great week!

White Bean, Kale & Carrot Soup

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 small yellow onion, diced
4 cups chopped raw kale
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 (15 oz) cans white beans, undrained
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

In a stock/soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; saute until soft. Stir in broth, carrots, beans, seasonings, garlic and onion. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook until carrots are almost tender, stirring occasionally. Add kale; cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until kale is done, stirring occasionally.

Springtime Spaghetti

Delicious!

from www.allrecipes.com

• 8 ounces spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large zucchini, julienned
• 3 large carrots, julienned
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, cook spaghetti for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
2. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the zucchini, carrots, and garlic until tender. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and dill. Cook and stir until thickened. Mix with the cooked spaghetti to serve.

BBQ Sandwiches - So easy!!

Slow Cooker Meal

one pork tenderloin (2-3 pounds)
BBQ sauce of your choice
Hamburger Buns

Place tenderloin in slow cooker; cover with water and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Remove from slow cooker and remove all the fat that you can see. Shred tenderloin with fork. Put into baking dish and pour sauce over top; stir well. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve on buns.

September Dinner Menu Plan

This month I am really using the slow cooker quite a few times - such a time saver and mess saver. I am implementing "Soup & Sandwich Fridays" and "Super Easy Saturdays." I still have "Slow Cooker Sundays" as well. Recipes are already on the blog for items in red. Those in blue are new and I'll post the recipe if it passes the "taste test." Those in italics are slow cooker meals. Also, remember that I do leftover nights based on my husband's work schedule.

If you aren't keen on cooking, I'd suggest picking 3-4 recipes per week and trying them out.

1 - Leftovers

2 - Alabama Stew, Cornbread Muffins

3 - Roasted Veggies, Corn Casserole, Fresh Fruit

4 - Slow Cooker Pot Roast w/veggies , rice & gravy, Green Beans

5 - Leftovers

6 - Springtime Spaghetti, Salad, Homemade Rolls

7 - Loaded Potato Soup, Club Sandwiches

8 - Chicken Pot Pie, Corn on the Cob

9 - Herbed Pork Tenderloin, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli & Carrots

10 - Leftovers

11 - Meaty Cheese Manicotti, Salad, Homemade French Bread

12 - Herbed Chicken, Green Beans, Mini Biscuits w/ Garlic Butter

13 - Grilled Steak & Grilled Chicken, Baked Potatoes, Homemade Dinner Rolls

14 - Chicken &Wild Rice Soup, Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

15 - Homemade Pizza (White Pizza with Grilled Chicken and Hamburger & Pepperoni)

16 - Sunday Beef Stew, Rice, Cheese Biscuits

17 - Leftovers

18 - Southwest Chicken, Rice or Tortillas, Mexicorn Muffins

19 - Leftovers

20 - Grilled BBQ Pork Chops & Chicken, Brown Rice, Green Beans, Corn, Rolls

21 - Chili, Cornbread Muffins

22 - Leftovers

23 - BBQ Sandwiches, Potato Salad, Baked Beans

24 - Chicken Spaghetti, Salad, Fresh Bread

25 - Hamburger Steak w/ Mushroom Gravy, Rice, Peas

26 - Turkey, Dressing, Butterbeans, Homemade Rolls

27 - Leftovers

28 - Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce, Pasta, French Bread

29 - Sloppy Joes, Oven Roasted Potatoes

30 - Hearty Black Bean Soup, Rice, Corn Muffins

This Week's Menu Plan

So I am sitting here on this very rainy Friday making out my grocery list for the week. I have already planned my meals for the month, so this isn't taking long. Here is what is on the dinner menu for this week (Friday - Thursday).

Friday: Grilled Pork Chops, Brown Rice, Butterbeans, Okra (trying a new recipe), Homemade Biscuits
Saturday: Leftovers (or "Clean Out the Fridge" Day)
Sunday: (slow cooker): Alabama Stew (beef & veggie stew); Cornbread Muffins
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Chicken Marsala, Mashed Potatoes, Salad, Homemade French Baguettes
Wednesday: Pancakes, Bacon, Scrambled Eggs
Thursday: Cubed Steak, Rice & Gravy, Peas, Homemade Biscuits
Friday: Poppyseed Chicken Casserole, Green Peas

I am working on September's menu today. I am thinking I will try to do some "make ahead" meals for the month and see how that goes.


I

Glazed Meatloaf

1 1/2 ground beef
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons mustard
1/3 cup ketchup

In bowl, mix together beef, egg, onion, milk, breadcrumbs, slat and pepper. shape two small loaves in a 9x13 baking dish. In separate bowl, mix brown sugar, mustard and ketchup. Pour over meatloaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes, or until done through.

I usually cook mine in two small loaf pans instead of the 9x13 pan.

Zucchini Bake

You can also use yellow squash for this...or a combo of both.

8 zucchini
1/4 cup butter, plus another tablespoon to dot with
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/4 cup finely diced/minced onion
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup - 1 cup Parmesan cheese, depending on taste

Do not peel zucchini; just wash and cut ends off. Cut into quarters; put in large pot and bring to boil. Boil 8-10 minutes, or until almost tender; drain well. Transfer drained zucchini to 9x13 baking dish. Melt butter in medium sized, microwave-safe bowl. Stir in cheese, sour cream, salt and onion. Pour over zucchini. Dot with remaining butter. Shake/pour breadcrumbs over entire mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cheese should be lightly browned.

Breakfast of Champions :)

Farm fresh eggs, cheese, and butter (on the biscuit); fresh strawberries; and fresh-squeezed orange juice. Drizzled some local honey over the biscuit. Now I will go to church, then I will rest. 

Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 cup uncooked couscous (I used the pearl kind; any will do)

NOTE: I don't like celery. Sorry, just don't. So I doubled up on the carrots. Worked just fine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange squash halves - cut side down - on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes, or until tender. Dissolve sugar in melted butter. Brush squash with butter mixture. Keep squash warm while preparing the stuffing.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the garbanzo beans and raisins. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook until vegetables are tender.

Pour chicken broth into the skillet, and mix in the couscous. Cover skillet, and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absorb liquid for 5 minutes. Stuff squash halves with the skillet mixture to serve.

You will likely have leftover stuffing...it tastes pretty good all by itself. I had it for lunch the next day since all the squash were gone. :)

Eggplant Bake

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds*
salt to taste
1 medium onion, sliced
1-2 tomatoes (depending on the size and how much you like them), sliced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

*I sliced the eggplant then salted them on both sides and put them in a colander to soak/drain for 30 minutes. Then I rinsed them and patted them dry. This helps keep the eggplant - especially a larger one - from tasting bitter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place eggs and bread crumbs in two separate bowls. Dip eggplant slices in eggs, then in bread crumbs to coat. Fry coated eggplant in oil until just golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels; season with salt.

In the prepared baking dish, layer eggplant, onion, tomatoes and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

(This recipe is modified a bit from one found on allrecipes.com.)

Broccoli Quiche

one 9-inch pie crust (I like the deep dish ones)
1 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
2 whole eggs plus 2 egg whites
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
 3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup shredded Swiss or mozzarella cheese (I usually use the mozzarella)
2 tablespoons flour

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake pie crust for 5 minutes; remove from oven and set aside. Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees. Combine whole eggs and egg whites and beat together. Add broccoli, onions, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and parsley; stir together gently. Add milk, cheese, and flour. Stir mixture together and pour into warm pie crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean.

Zucchini Pie

(from allrecipes.com)


1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup buttermilk baking mix (I didn't have any so I used buttermilk pancake mix)
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (one ear did it for me)
1/2 cup diced onion
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch pie plate. In a medium bowl, mix ingredients together. Pour into pie plate. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. (I did lay a piece of foil over mine for the last 5 minutes or so because it was already nicely browned.)

Gratituesday!

Hi, there! Hope all of you are just dandy this morning (well, almost noon now)! I follow another blog called Heavenly Homemakers (www.HeavenlyHomemakers.com) and Tuesdays are specifically for expressing gratitude for our blessings.

So... here is my short list - the top 5 - for today. A complete list would take entirely too much time!

 Today I am grateful for:
1. My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ without whom none of the rest of my blessings would be possible!
2. My family...even when they aggravate me. :)
3. The beautiful sunshine that we are enjoying today.
4. My health and that of my family.
5. Our freedom and those who protect it.

Those of you who know me well know that coffee is always on my list. Sometimes it's even #2 on the list...depends on the day. What are you grateful for?

 "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." John F. Kennedy

Gravy From and For the Pot Roast

1. Add oil (I used canola) to large skillet to generously cover the bottom. I use a large skillet because we like our gravy around here, so I'd guesstimate that I used 1/4 to 1/2 cup of oil. Heat over medium-high heat.

2. When the oil is hot (don't let it get too hot!), start adding self-rising flour, 1/4 cup at a time. Whisk the flour into the oil, adding additional flour until the mixture is a little "pasty" but not too thick. I used about 3/4 cup for the amount of oil I used. Continue whisking until flour is lightly browned.

3. TURN THE HEAT DOWN TO LOW!

4. Ladle some of the broth from the pot roast directly - but gently - into the pan. You could strain it, but I don't. Stand back...those popping bubbles in the gravy are hot! Continue whisking and adding additional broth until the gravy is the desired consistency. Turn off the burner. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir well.

Serve over the roast and veggies, or over rice...or both!

I tried really hard to upload pics of the step by step, but my computer will not cooperate. I will try again later.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast & Veggies

beef roast of your choice (you can use a less expensive cut since using the slow cooker will tenderize it)
3-5 medium potatoes
3-5 large carrots
medium onion

Pat roast dry and place in slow cooker; sprinkle with meat tenderizer. Wash, peel and cut up potatoes into chunks and slice carrots; place in cooker around roast. Cut onion into chunks or slices and put over top. Cover with water to fill line. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Penne & Chicken with Sun-dried Tomatoes

2 cups penne pasta
1 (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 tablespoon butter
2 (16 oz) jars sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce
1 (9 oz) package ready-to-serve Southwestern chicken strips
1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 green onions, sliced thin
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, saute mushrooms in butter; set aside. In a large bowl, combine Alfredo sauce, chicken strips, tomatoes, onions, pepper and reserved mushrooms. Stir drained pasta into chicken mixture. Pour into a greased 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until heated through. Uncover; sprinkle cheese over the top. Bake 5-8 minutes more or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Chicken & Dumplings - my Mama's recipe

1 (3-4 pound) hen or chicken - I use chicken breasts only because I don't care for dark meat; use the bone-in, skin-on kind so the broth is "rich" enough
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
3 tablespoons shortening or oil
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Boil chicken; let cool then remove meat from bones and tear or cut into bite size pieces. Strain broth and return broth to pan. Combine flour, shortening and water in bowl; mix well to form dough. Knead lightly on floured board or (clean!) counter top. Roll out to approximately 1/8 inch thickness and let sit for five minutes. Cut into strips (a pizza cutter is an excellent tool for this) and drop into broth in small batches. DO NOT STIR! Just gently shake the pan. Add milk; cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Add chicken - again gently shake, don't stir!. Simmer another five minutes.

Making Your Own Chicken Stock

Instead of buying cans of chicken broth or chicken stock, you can easily (well, pretty easily) make it yourself. I make it when I need chicken breasts for chicken salad, chicken pot pie, etc. You need to use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts for this, or you can use the carcass (yucky word!) of a baked chicken instead. I prefer the chicken breasts myself...not a fan of the carcass.

Anyway, boil your chicken breasts until they are done. Cool and remove the meat needed for whatever dish you are making. I cooked a huge package and had enough meat for chicken pot pie and a large batch of chicken salad. After removing the meat, return the bones and skin to the pot or to your crock pot. (I used the crock pot and cooked it overnight.)

To this add: 1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning; 2 bay leaves; 3-4 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks; one medium onion, also cut into large chunks. Cook overnight in crock pot or let it simmer on the stove on low heat for a few hours. Turn it off and let it sit until it has cooled enough to handle without burning yourself!

Then grab some ziploc bags or other containers (I use the bags because they are easy to stack once frozen). Label them according to the portions you are putting in them. I make 1/2 cup, 1 cup, and 2 cup bags. Put a fine strainer over a small bowl and ladle the broth through the strainer using a 1/2-cup measuring cup to desired amount. Pour into bags; close very carefully getting as much air out as possible and without spilling broth everywhere...not that this could happen. I wish. Lay flat in freezer until frozen, then stack to take up less space.

I did this over the weekend using about 6 large chicken breasts, and I got the following: two 2-cup bags; five 1-cup bags; and three 1/2-cup bags.