Week 2 Menu

Sorry I did not get this posted on Sunday. Maybe you can use it next week if you like it. This was my menu last week. Well, it is what I wrote out. We only used about half the meals on here. Last night my family informed me that if we could just have pizza about 4 days out of the week, they would all be satisfied (eye roll). Anyway, without further ado, here is my menu:

Mon: Orange Chicken and rice
Tuesday: Hamburger and bean enchilada's, canned corn
Wed: Alfredo pasta, broccoli and bread sticks
Thur: Baked potatoes and Ham
Fri: Pizza
Sat: Soup or leftovers
Sunday: Crepe's, frozen mixed veggies, strawberries, yogurt, sausage

My Orange Chicken recipe that I got out of a magazine:

1 Tbsp. plus 1/3 cup cornstarch, divided
1 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 in. cubes
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh carrots
1 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion

Prepare rice. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine 1 Tbs. cornstarch, orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper; set aside.
Place remaining cornstarch in a large reasealable back and shake to coat. Cook in oil until juices run clear. Remove chicken from skillet.
In the same skillet saute the carrots for 2 min. Add green pepper and onion; saute 2-3 min. longer or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 min or until thickened. Add chicken; heat through.
Serve with rice!

I've used this recipe before and it is really yummy.

For the enchilada's I just use the recipe Mom posted on this blog a long time ago (I love it) along with the recipe for whole wheat tortilla's that I posted on here a long time ago (love that too). Let me know if you are interested in my delicious Alfredo sauce recipe and I will post that too.

Sunday Beef

Menu: Roast Beef, mashed potatoes & gravy, peas, salad, bread, apples


Savory Pot Roast
1 rolled boneless chuck roast (6 pounds)*
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
2 cups water
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth
2 bay leaves

GRAVY:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 to 5 drops hot pepper sauce

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown roast on all sides in oil.  Transfer to a large roasting pan; add onion, carrots and celery.  In a saucepan, bring water, broth and bay leaves to a boil.  Pour over roast and vegetables.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until meat is tender, turning once.  Remove roast to a serving platter and keep warm.

For gravy, strain pan juices, reserving 2 cups.  Discard vegetables and bay leaves.  In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.  Stir in flour until smooth.  Gradually stir in pan juices; bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Add lemon juice and hot pepper sauce; mix well.  Serve with the roast.

Yield: 14-16 servings.

Saturday Kid's Choice

Saturday Menu: Pizza, green salad, Just Salad

Pizza
Make pizza dough or bread dough and bake into a crust, usually about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Spread with half a can (14 oz.) Hunt’s spaghetti sauce, or try Josie's Fast and Easy Pizza Sauce

Add toppings of your choice, such as:
pepperoni
Canadian bacon
Pineapple
Green Peppers
Sliced Mushrooms
cooked sausage or hamburger
Chopped Onion
Grated Carrots
Pre-cooked carrots-broccoli-cauliflower

Sprinkle all with:
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Bake at 350 degrees 10 to 15 minutes.

Just Salad
1 carton cottage cheese
1 carton cool whip
1 can crushed pineapple

Mix well and add:

1 small pkg. Jello (any flavor).  Mix well.  Let set for 4 hours or over night.

Friday Fish

Friday Menu: Salmon, creamy potato casserole, green salad, broccoli, strawberries with biscuits & cream

Grilled Salmon
2 salmon fillets (about 1 pound each)
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup lemon juice
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Place salmon in a shallow dish.  Combine remaining ingredients and mix well.  Set aside 1/4 cup for basting; pour the rest over the salmon.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Drain, discarding marinade.  Cover and grill salmon, skin side down, over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Brush with the basting sauce.  Continue grilling for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.  Baste occasionally with reserved marinade.  Yield: 4 servings.  Or bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Creamy Potato Casserole
1/3 cube butter
1 large chopped onion
2 pounds frozen diced potatoes, such as hash browns, thawed, or grated baked potatoes
2 cans low fat cream of mushroom soup
2 cups part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup low fat sour cream
½ teaspoon salt

In a large skillet saute 1 large, shopped onion in melted butter.  Stir in potatoes, cream of mushroom soup, grated cheese, sour cream and salt.  Pour into 9 x 13 baking dish.  Sprinkle crushed corn flakes over top of casserole.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Thursday Leftovers or Soup

Menu: Hamburger Soup. Or, as an alternative, I recommend trying Josie's Chicken Noodle Soup.


Hamburger Soup
1 1/2 lb. hamburger
2 cups potatoes, cubed
3 medium carrots, diced
2 tbsp. parsley, minced
1 large bay leaf, crushed
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup diced celery
1 tbsp. sugar
2 cups tomato juice
1 1/2 qt. water
2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup dry soup mix (from the dry-pack cannery)
pepper to taste
Brown hamburger. Mix all ingredients and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or simmer several hours in a crock pot. (Add 1 can cream of mushroom soup for a creamier texture.)

Wednesday: Pasta

Today's menu:
Spaghetti pie, green salad, squash, bananas & graham crackers

Spaghetti Pie

CRUST:

7 ounces uncooked spaghetti

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs, beaten

FILLING:

1 cup (8 ounces) cottage cheese)

1 pound ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon garlic salt

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

  Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.  Combine hot spaghetti, butter, Parmesan cheese and eggs in a large bowl.  Transfer to a greased 10-inch pie plate.  Form a crust.  Spoon cottage cheese evenly over crust; set aside.  In a skillet, cook beef, onion and green pepper until beef is browned and vegetables are tender; drain.  Stir in tomatoes, tomato past, sugar, oregano and garlic salt; heat through.  Pour over cottage cheese layer.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until set.  Yield: 6 servings.

Baked Winter Squash

Butternut, Spaghetti, Acorn, or Hubbard squash

Cut squash in half or quarters if large; place cut side down in a greased baking dish.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until tender.

Tuesday: Beans

Menu: Chili, cornbread, cottage cheese and peaches


Slow-Cooked Chili
2 pounds ground beef
2 16 oz. Cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 16 oz. Cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 16 oz. Cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 quart tomatoes, undrained
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 onions, medium, chopped
1 green pepper, medium, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet, brown beef; drain.  Transfer to a slow cooker.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4 hours.  Garnish individual servings with cheese if desired.

Cornbread
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 9x9 pan.  In a medium bowl combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In a small bowl combine milk, oil, and egg.  Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and mix till just combined.  Spread batter in pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown.
For Muffins: Spoon batter into 10 to 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups filling 2/3 full. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Sweet Corn Muffins from Albers Cornmeal box (Makes 18 to 20 muffins)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup ALBERS Yellow Corn Meal

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or paper-line 18 to 20 muffin cups. 

Combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Combine milk, eggs, vegetable oil and butter in small bowl; mix well. Add to flour mixture; stir just until blended. Pour into prepared muffin cups filling 2/3 full.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool slightly. Serve warm.

FOR CORN BREAD:

Pour batter into greased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

HIGH ALTITUDE (3500 TO 6000 FEET):

Corn Muffins: bake for 20 to 24 minutes

Corn Bread: No change needed

Monday Chicken

Today's Menu: Cornflake Chicken, Twice-Baked Potatoes, Green Beans, Layered Pudding Dessert (or strawberry banana jello)

Cornflake Chicken
½ cup flour
1 tbsp. Lawry’s seasoning salt
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
4 cups cornflakes
1 fryer chicken, cut up and skinned, or about three pounds chicken pieces, skinned (boneless breast is good)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a shallow baking pan, such as a cookie sheet, with aluminum foil.  Combine flour and seasonings in small bowl.  Beat egg and milk together in another small bowl.  Dump cornflakes into a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.  Dip chicken pieces first in the flour, then in the egg, then shake in the bag of cornflake crumbs.  Arrange on baking sheet.  Bake until done, about 45 min.



Twice-Baked Potatoes
6 large russet potatoes
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 to 1 cup skim milk
3 tablespoons crumbled cooked bacon
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon snipped chives
½ teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Paprika
Bake potatoes at 375 degrees for 1hour or until soft.  Allow to cool.  Cut a thin slice off the top of each potato.  Scoop out the pul and place in a bowl; add butter and mash the pulp.  Blend in milk, bacon, onion, chives, salt, pepper and 1 cup of cheese.  Spoon into potato shells.  Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with paprika.  Place on a baking sheet.  Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.  Yield: 6 servings.


  Layered Pudding Dessert
1 cup vanilla wafer cookies, crushed and divided
1 3-oz. Package cook-and-stir vanilla pudding mix
2 ripe bananas, divided
1 3-oz. Package strawberry jello
1 cup whipped topping
Spread half of the crushed wafers in the bottom of a greased 8-inch square pan.  Prepare pudding mix according to package directions; spoon hot pudding over crumbs.  Slice one banana; place over pudding.  Top with remaining crumbs.  Chill for 1 hour.  Meanwhile, prepare gelatin according to package directions; chill for 30 minutes or until partially set.  Pour over crumbs.  Slice the remaining banana and place over gelatin.  Spread whipped topping over all.  Chill for 2 hours.

Menu Planning

It seems that planning menus is half the battle of food preparation. If you know what to eat, and have the ingredients to prepare it, then meal prep is a breeze. I invite each of us to take turns posting menus and shopping lists and recipes.

Here is a menu plan that I made up some time ago. I thought I'd share it here as an idea of what can be done. First I assigned a category to each day of the week. Then I filled in menu ideas for four weeks. I added the recipes, and from those I put together a simple shopping list. So, with no further ado, here is the first week of that menu plan. Okay, one more "ado:" I'm not claiming that this is the most "healthy" menu, but, hey, it's a start, right? Also, I will post the recipes this coming week on the days that I've listed that menu. (Except for the Sunday one, which is today. I'll post that one next Sunday.)


Sunday: Beef
Roast Beef, mashed potatoes & gravy, peas, salad, bread, apples

Monday: Chicken
Cornflake chicken, twice- baked potatoes, green beans, strawberry-banana jello

Tuesday: Beans
Chili and Cornbread, cottage cheese & peaches

Wednesday: Pasta
Spaghetti pie, green salad, squash, bananas & graham crackers

Thursday: Leftovers or Soup
Hamburger Soup

Friday: Fish
Salmon, creamy potato casserole, green salad, broccoli, strawberries with biscuits & cream

Saturday: Kid's Choice:
Pizza, green salad, Just Salad

Shopping List:
Meats
Boneless Chuck Roast (calls for 6 lb.)
Your favorite kind of chicken (breast or cut-up fryer)
Ground beef (chili and spaghetti pie, 1 or 2 pounds each)
Salmon
Pizza toppings meats such as sausage, pepperoni, Canadian bacon
bacon (for twice-baked potatoes)

Vegetables
potatoes (baked with salmon, mashed with pot roast)
lettuce (salads)
spinach (salads)
tomatoes (salads)
sweet peppers (salads, spaghetti pie, chili)
cucumbers (salads)
carrots (salads, pot roast)
celery (salads, pot roast)
parsley (hamburger soup, salmon (could used dried))
onions
garlic (chili, spaghetti pie)
broccoli (side dish)
chives (for twice-baked potatoes)
winter squash such as acorn, hubbard, butternut or spaghetti (spaghetti pie night)

Fruits for desserts and snacking
apples
strawberries
bananas (layered pudding dessert)
pears
oranges
grapes

Canned and packaged goods
beef broth (or bouillon)
Lawry's seasoning salt (or other seasoning for corn flake chicken)
corn flakes
2 more each canned pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans (for chili)
2 or more cans tomatoes, whole or crushed (for chili)
diced tomatoes (for spaghetti pie)
tomato sauce (for chili)
tomato paste (for spaghetti pie)
tomato juice (for hamburger soup; could use your choice of canned tomatoes)
cornmeal
flour
baking powder
salt
oil
spaghetti noodles
lemon juice
crushed pineapple (for Just Salad)
peaches or pears to go on cottage cheese (chili night)
Jello (for Just Salad)
cream of mushroom soup (For creamy potato casserole with the salmon)
spaghetti sauce for pizza
other pizza toppings such as mushrooms, olives
flour
sugar
salt
pepper
sugar
vanilla wafers (layered pudding dessert)
3-oz package cook and stir vanilla pudding mix (layered pudding dessert)
3-oz package strawberry jello (layered pudding dessert)

Spices and Condiments
dried oregano
garlic salt
bay leaf
garlic powder
Worcestershire sauce
rosemary (for salmon)
hot pepper sauce (for gravy)
parsley (salmon, hamburger soup (could use fresh))
Canadian Steak seasoning (this is what I use for the salmon in real life, rather than the parsley and rosemary that the recipe calls for. You could do whatever seasoning you like)

Dairy
cottage cheese (Just Salad, side dish with chili and cornbread, spaghetti pie)
mozzarella cheese (pizza)
parmesan cheese (spaghetti pie)
sour cream (potato casserole)
milk (cornbread)
eggs (cornbread, cornflake chicken)
cheddar cheese (twice-baked potatoes)
butter or margarine
cream to go on strawberries and jellos (or can get cool whip)

Frozen
peas
green beans
2 pounds frozen diced potatoes (potato casserole with salmon)
cool whip (Just Salad, strawberries, jellos)