Week 9 Meal Plan

Are you having company for Easter dinner? If so, then a turkey can be an easy way to feed a crowd without a lot of fuss. If it's just two or three of you, buy a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey. We'll use up some of the leftovers for Turkey Tetrazzini later in the week, and you can enjoy turkey sandwiches for lunch if you still have extra. Most importantly, have a happy Easter!

Wednesday
Frittata with Bruschetta Topping, Toast, Peas

Thursday
Creamy Italian Chicken, Broccoli, Cauliflower

Friday
Go out or eat leftovers

Saturday
Hot Dogs, Green Salad, Peas

Sunday- Easter Feast!
Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Asparagus

Monday
Lime Chicken Soft Tacos, Corn, Green Salad

Tuesday- Trying something new!
Turkey Tetrazzini, Green Beans, Steamed Carrots


Check out this week's grocery list here.

Week 9 Grocery List-- with Prices!

This week I shopped at Maceys (and Sunflower Farmers Market, as noted by SF).

Ingredients for Week 9 dinners
I will be purchasing:
1 tomato ($.73 SF)
2-3 onions (3 yellow onions $1.17 SF)
3 c spinach leaves (1 bunch fresh spinach $1.19)
broccoli ($.68)
cauliflower ($.64)
1 head lettuce (Romaine $1.00 SF)
4 potatoes ($1.10)
1 bunch asparagus (.67 lbs @ 1.88/lb = $1.26 SF)
1 lime ($.45)
1 bunch green onions ($.50)
1/4 lb mushrooms (I only bought 1/8 lb for $.45)
1 red pepper ($1.00)
carrots (1 lb $1.59)
1 dozen eggs ($.97)
milk (1 gallon $2.08)
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese ($.98)
1 whole turkey (11.2 lbs @ $.98/lb =$10.96)
1 pkg hot dogs (turkey franks $.79)
1 pkg hot dog buns ($1.00)
1 turkey gravy mix (free with turkey)
1 box stuffing mix (free with turkey)

The total for this week's dinners comes to $28.54.
The breakdown is approximately as follows:

Frittata with Bruschetta Topping, Toast, Peas $3.28
Creamy Italian Chicken, Broccoli, Cauliflower $2.30
Hot Dogs, Green Salad, Peas $2.29
Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Asparagus $13.71
Lime Chicken Soft Tacos, Corn, Green Salad $1.45
Turkey Tetrazzini, Green Beans, Steamed Carrots $5.51

From my pantry:
about 4-5 chicken breasts
3 cloves garlic
Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Italian dressing mix
1 lb fettuccine noodles (can also use egg noodles)
8 oz spaghetti
flour tortillas
bread
salsa
1 can green beans
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
vinegar
red wine vinegar
oil
flour
sugar
poultry seasoning
chicken bouillon granules
dried oregano
crushed red pepper
dried basil
parsley flakes
salt
pepper
frozen peas
frozen corn
1 Reynolds oven bag, turkey size

I will also stock up on these deals:
strawberries ($1.48)
3 lbs butter (3 @ $1.58 each = $4.74)
McCormick pepper grinder ($1.50)
46 oz bottle Nalley Baby Dill pickles ($2.79)
2 lbs Western Family Medium Cheddar cheese ($3.99)

The Budget Buster coupon book that came in the mail has some great deals with this week's sale, but all of the coupons expire today, 3-31-10.
Farmland whole boneless ham to freeze ($7.73 plus a $3/1 Budget Buster coupon = $4.43)
4 Land O Frost lunch meat to freeze (FREE with $3/1 Budget Buster coupon)
2 sour cream (buy one get one free with Budget Buster coupon = $.88)

Frittata with Bruschetta Topping, Toast, Peas

Frittatas are an easy and versatile way to use eggs. I think of them as the savory Italian cousin to omelets. You can easily throw in extra vegetables before you add your eggs, so frittatas are a great way to use up those few extra vegetables you have on hand. I got this frittata recipe from Cooking Light magazine.

1 1/2 c chopped tomato (I use 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped)
2 t dried basil
2 t vinegar
1 t oil
1/8 t crushed red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t salt, divided
1/4 t black pepper
4 eggs
4 egg whites
1 c chopped onion
3 c spinach leaves, torn

4 slices bread

frozen peas


Preheat oven to 350. Combine first 6 ingredients (tomato through garlic) and 1/4 t salt in a bowl; set aside. Combine the remaining 1/4 t salt, pepper, eggs, egg whites in a bowl; beat. Coat an oven-proof skillet* with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Saute onions 4 minutes. Add spinach and saute 1 minute. Pour on egg mixture. Place in the oven and bake 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through in the center. Top with tomato mixture. Bake an additional 5 minutes.

Toast bread. Spread with a small amount of butter and sprinkle with garlic powder and Parmesan cheese.

Microwave frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper.

*If you don't have an oven-proof skillet, you can cover the handle of a normal skillet with a few layers of tin foil.

Creamy Italian Chicken, Broccoli, Cauliflower

Just about everyone I know has some sort of version of this recipe. This is the version I got from my mom and tweaked until I thought it was perfect.

2 chicken breasts, cut into super thin strips (see photo)
1 c chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 envelope Italian dressing mix
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened and cubed
1 lb fettuccine noodles (or try egg noodles)

broccoli and cauliflower florets


In a greased crockpot, combine chicken, broth, soup, and dressing mix. Cook on low for at least 5 hours (until chicken is cooked through), or preferably for 8-10 hours. Add cream cheese and stir vigorously. Cook 30 minutes or until cream cheese is melted. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions. Serve creamy chicken sauce over hot noodles.

Steam broccoli and cauliflower florets (broccoli on top) until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Hot Dogs, Green Salad, Peas

This Saturday we will need something quick, easy, and fun to fix for dinner. Since hot dogs were on sale, I decided that's what we would do. We'll probably get out a box of crackers or a bag of chips from the pantry, just so it really feels like a party!

1 pkg hot dogs
1 pkg hot dog buns

green salad

frozen peas


Cook hot dogs according to your preference (grill, boil, pan fry, microwave (with a slit for ventilation)). Serve on buns with your preferred condiments.

Prepare green salad.

Microwave frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper.

Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Asparagus

Turkey
1 whole turkey (plan about 1 lb per person plus 3-4 more lbs for Turkey Tetrazzini)
1 Reynolds oven bag, turkey size
1 T flour
1/2 onion
poultry seasoning
3 T butter

Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Place onion inside cavity. Sprinkle breast side of turkey with poultry seasoning and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle flour in Reynolds oven bag. Add turkey to bag. Tie bag closed with nylon tie and cut about 6 slits in the top for ventilation. Place turkey on a cookie sheet and tuck in the corners of the bag. Bake according to the directions that come with the oven bag. When turkey has cooked through, let rest 15 minutes before carving.

Simple Mashed Potatoes
4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/3 c milk
2 T butter
salt and pepper

Place potatoes in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20-30 minutes until tender. Drain. Mix in milk and butter. Mash with a potato masher or electric mixer until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.


Gravy
1 turkey gravy mix

Prepare gravy according to package directions.


Asparagus
1 bunch asparagus

Trim woody ends from the asparagus. Steam until fork tender. Season with salt and pepper.


Stuffing
1 box stuffing mix

Prepare stuffing according to package directions.

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos, Corn, Green Salad

This taco recipe is adapted from AllRecipes. It is one of our family favorites!

1 1/2 lbs chicken, cubed
2 T red wine vinegar
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t dried oregano
1 t sugar
flour tortillas
optional toppings: shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, salsa, chopped tomato

frozen corn

green salad


Saute chicken in a frying pan over medium-high heat until cooked through. Add vinegar, lime juice, salt, pepper, green onions, garlic, oregano and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes on low. Serve lime chicken in flour tortillas with toppings, if desired.

Microwave frozen corn. Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare green salad.

Turkey Tetrazzini, Green Beans, Steamed Carrots

This Turkey Tetrazzini is adapted from Taste of Home magazine.

8 oz spaghetti
1 small onion, chopped
2 T butter
1/4 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 red pepper, chopped
2 rounded T flour
1/4 t salt
2 c milk
1 t chicken bouillon
2 c cooked turkey, cubed
1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t parsley flakes
optional: 1 T butter and 1/2 c dry bread crumbs

1 can green beans

1/3 lb baby carrots


Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a heavy pot, saute onion in butter until tender. Add mushrooms and red pepper; saute 4-5 minutes longer. Stir in flour and salt until blended. Gradually whisk in milk and bouillon. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in turkey and Parmesan cheese; heat through. Remove from heat. Drain spaghetti; add to turkey mixture and mix well. Transfer to a greased 11x7 baking dish. (Optional: Melt 1 T butter and toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over casserole.) Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Microwave green beans. Season with salt and pepper.

Place carrots in a microwave safe bowl. Cover halfway with water. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes more. Test for doneness with a fork. Continue microwaving at 1 minute intervals until tender. Drain water. Toss carrots with salt, pepper, 1 t butter, and a pinch of sugar.

*Oh wow, we did NOT love this dish. Part of it, I admit, is my own fault. I'm pretty sure I grossly overestimated 8 oz of spaghetti, so we ended up with a very dry pasta dish. I ended up making an additional sauce (1 T butter, 1 T flour, 1 C milk, 1/3 C Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, minced onion) that I served at the table. However, even with the appropriate amount of pasta, I can't imagine this dish being any better than mediocre. The flavor was lacking something; you could easily add some garlic, basil, and pepper. I would also skip the breadcrumbs (I tried half with and half without as an experiment), but in place of them sprinkle extra Parmesan cheese on top. I would also cover the dish with foil for the first half of baking time. Does anyone else have a better Turkey Tetrazzini recipe?

Week 8 Meal Plan

If I may be so bold, I'd like to say a few words about this week's meal plan.

First, hooray for eggs! Eggs are cheap and healthy (if eaten in moderation), so I like to incorporate them into my meal plans. If you are concerned about cholesterol, then try replacing some of the eggs with egg whites. For example, when I make my own Egg McMuffins, I like to fry egg whites instead of the whole eggs. Now if only I could convince my husband to skip the yolk...

Second, give the salmon burgers a try. I know, I know, they sounds strange. I, myself, thought my mom was crazy a couple months ago when she started regularly serving salmon patties to the family. But then I tried them! And my life will never be the same! The recipe can easily be tweaked to use whatever you have on hand. So go ahead, be brave, and buy a couple cans of salmon.

Lastly, don't be discouraged if your grocery bills aren't as low as mine. The key to shopping smart is stocking up on the things you love when they go on sale. Eventually, you will have an awesome food storage to cook from, with only a few fresh items to pick up each week.

Now without further ado, the meal plan:


Wednesday- Breakfast for dinner
Egg McMuffins, Hashbrowns, Fruit

Thursday
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta (from Creative Stirrings!), Broccoli, Cauliflower

Friday- Trying something new!
Lemon Herb Pork Chops, Asparagus, Steamed Carrots

Saturday
Go out or eat leftovers.

Sunday
Salmon Burgers, Green Salad, Seasoned Fries

Monday
Ramen Veggie Stirfry with Chicken, Salad

Tuesday
Easy Lasagna, Peas, Green Beans

Week 8 Tips

All Week
In resealable bags or tupperware, save out a few of your veggies every day (a few broccoli and cauliflower florets, diced small; 1/3 bunch asparagus, trimmed; 2/3 onion, sliced into rings or diced; etc). Then when it comes to making Monday's stirfry, you will have a great variety and it will be easy to add a few frozen veggies to round it all out.

Friday
Don't forget to start marinating the pork chops sometime on Friday (or even Thursday night).

Sunday
Prepare one big salad, but save half in the fridge for tomorrow.

Tuesday
If you have any extra rolls left from Sunday's salmon burgers, toast them with butter, Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder for an easy garlic bread.

Week 8 Grocery List-- With Prices!

Ingredients for Week 8 Dinners
I will be purchasing
fruit (orange $.53)
asparagus ($1.58)
baby carrots (1 lb for $1.29)
2 potatoes ($.57)
fresh basil (I skipped it)
lettuce (1 bag of salad on sale for $2.00 with a $1/1 sticker = $1.00)
onion ($.94)
cucumber ($.79)
broccoli ($.70)
cauliflower ($.66)
1/2 lb Italian sausage ($.53)
2 (5 oz) cans salmon ($3.18)
1 doz eggs (I decided to pick up 18 for $2.23)
1 pkg deli ham (Buddig deli cuts on sale for $2.29 with a $1/1 coupon = $1.29
Simply Potatoes refrigerated Southwestern hashbrowns ($1.67)
1 (16 oz) carton cottage cheese ($1.49)
9 lasagna noodles (Pasta Luigi $.99)
1 (8 oz) bag shredded mozzarella ($1.50 each with a Budget Buster coupon if you buy two)
lemon juice ($1.89)
4-8 buns (I got 6 for $1.50)

In total I spent $24.33 on this week's dinners.
Here is the approximate breakdown:

Egg McMuffins, Hashbrowns, Fruit $4.89
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, Broccoli, Cauliflower $1.89
Lemon Herb Pork Chops, Asparagus, Steamed Carrots $3.58
Salmon Burgers, Green Salad, Seasoned Fries $7.69
Ramen Veggie Stirfry with Chicken, Salad $1.77
Easy Lasagna, Peas, Green Beans $3.89

I will be using from my pantry
4 (4 oz) boneless pork chops
2 chicken breasts
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 (8 oz ) pkg cream cheese
8 slices cheese
butter
12 oz rotini pasta
4 saltine crackers (or Italian breadcrumbs)
English muffins
1 pkg Ramen, chicken flavored
1 (26 oz) can or bottle spaghetti sauce
frozen peas
1 can green beans
1 (10 oz) jar Roasted red peppers
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
pickles
mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip)
ketchup
mustard
soy sauce
dried basil
garlic powder
salt
season all salt
cayenne pepper
black pepper
dried oregano
paprika
chili powder
onion powder
minced onion
Italian seasoning
oil
olive oil


Other Items I Stocked Up On
8 crackers (8 boxes @ $1 per box = $8.00)
6 boxes Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta ($.88 each with two .75/1 coupons and two $1/2 coupons= $.30 each or $1.78 total. Print each online coupon twice.)
14 TJ Farms frozen veggies (14 @ $.61 each = $8.57)

Egg McMuffins, Hashbrowns, Fruit

8 English muffins
8 eggs
8 slices cheese
8 slices ham
mayo, ketchup, mustard (optional)

hashbrowns

fruit of your choice


Lightly toast English muffins. Fry eggs according to your preference, topping each egg with a slice of cheese just as it finishes cooking. Make sandwiches starting with half an English muffin, and adding a slice of ham, then one egg with cheese. Spread condiments, if desired, on the second half of the English muffin and place on top of sandwich.

Prepare hashbrowns according to package directions.

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, Broccoli, Cauliflower

This Roasted Red Pepper pasta recipe was created by Creative Stirrings. It has become one of our family favorites! While you're checking out this lovely blog, may I suggest the Easter Table Setting Post? It is absolutely fantastic!


Here is the original recipe post. I have scaled the recipe down to 4 servings.

1/2 lb Italian sausage
1 (12 oz) jars Fire Roasted Red Peppers, chopped and reserve juice
1 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes, reserve juice
1 T dried basil
1 1/2 t garlic minced
1/2 t salt
dash cayenne pepper and black pepper
3/4 c fresh basil leaves, chopped (I may skip this depending on the price)
1/2 pkg cream cheese (4 oz), softened and cubed
12 oz rotini pasta, cooked

In a large frying pan, cook and crumble Italian sausage. Stir in red peppers (including juice), tomatoes (including juice), dried basil, garlic, salt, pepper. Add basil leaves and cream cheese; stir until cream cheese is melted. Serve over hot pasta.

Steam broccoli and cauliflower (broccoli on top) until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

*I usually buy Italian sausage that has been packaged by the store's meat department. I've found it's always very affordable at Macey's. This week, however, there was a great sale on commercially-packaged sausage; the only problem was that the particular brand did not come in Italian flavor. I did not try it, but I realized that you could easily substitute regular sausage and add Italian seasoning to taste if regular sausage is what you have on hand.

Lemon Herb Pork Chops, Asparagus, Steamed Carrots

Lemon Herb pork chop recipe is adapted from AllRecipes.

1/4 c lemon juice
2 T oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t salt
1/4 t dried oregano
1/4 t pepper
4 (4 oz) boneless pork loin chops

2/3 bunch asparagus

1/3 lb baby carrots


In a bowl, combine lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper. Place half the marinade in a large resealable bag with the pork chops. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Save the remaining marinade in the fridge as a sauce.

Preheat oven's broiler (or an outdoor grill to high heat). Remove chops from bag and discard marinade. Place pork chops on a greased baking sheet. Broil 5-7 minutes per side, basting 3 times with reserved sauce, or until done.

Steam asparagus. Season with salt and pepper.

Steam baby carrots. Season with salt, pepper, and a dash of sugar.

*This dinner was a hit for our family. We loved these pork chops; they are incredibly flavorful. Even my 1-year-old (who is not a very good meat eater) loved eating these tasty pork chops. We broiled 7 minutes per side, and the meat turned out slightly overdone. Next time we'll probably try 5 minutes per side then check for doneness.

Salmon Burgers, Green Salad, Seasoned Fries

The salmon burger recipe is from my mother, who is the queen of salmon patties (though I never knew until she whipped them up recently). Seasoned fry recipe is from AllRecipes.

You can actually serve these salmon patties as a main dish themselves; they are quite tasty. Of course the burgers are delicious, too! I bet these patties would make lovely appetizers in miniature.

Just a hint, my mom says the cans of salmon at Costco are much nicer than the ones in normal grocery stores.


2 large potatoes
2 T olive oil
1 t paprika
1 t garlic powder
1 t chili powder
1 t onion powder

2 eggs
2 (5 to 7 oz) cans boneless, skinless salmon, drained
1 c Simply Potatoes refrigerated Southwestern hashbrowns (This is actually a very critical ingredient.)
2 t mustard
2 t minced onion
4 Saltine crackers, crushed (or Italian breadcrumbs, etc)
1/2 t seasoned salt
1/4 t pepper
2 t oil
2 t butter

If making burgers:
4 buns
4 lettuce leaves
1/3 onion, sliced into thin rings
1 cucumber, sliced thin
pickles
tartar sauce
mustard

green salad


Preheat oven to 425. Cut potatoes into thin fry shapes. Mix olive oil, paprika, and garlic, chili, and onion powders in a large resealable plastic bag. Add potatoes and toss to coat. Place potatoes on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, turning fries halfway through.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Mix in salmon, hashbrowns, mustard, minced onion, cracker crumbs, seasoned salt, and pepper. Form into 4-6 patties. Heat oil and butter in a pan on medium heat. Brown patties about 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown on the first side. Then flip and cook 3-4 minutes more, until second side is golden brown.

Serve salmon patties on their own, passing mustard and tartar sauce at the table. Or, go for the burgers. You'll be surprised by how yummy they are!

Ramen Veggie Stirfry with Chicken, Salad

This stirfry recipe is modified from a recipe I found in a magazine in college, most likely Square magazine (though I don't know for sure).

2 chicken breasts
1 to 2 T soy sauce
1 T oil
3 c mixed veggies, diced (onion, carrots, broccoli, snow peas, peas, corn, peppers, asparagus, zucchini, etc.)
1 pkg Ramen, chicken flavor
1/2 c water

green salad


Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Coat a pan with cooking spray and saute chicken on medium-high heat until done. When chicken is cooked through, sprinkle with soy sauce and cook 1 minute more. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add veggies and cook until tender. Add the noodles, seasoning packet, and water. Cook until noodles are done, stirring frequently to cover the noodles with water. Add the chicken to the stirfry and serve with additional soy sauce at the table.

Prepare green salad.

Easy Lasagna, Peas, Green Beans

I got this lasagna recipe from my mom, but she got it from someone in her family years ago (maybe an aunt?).

Easy Lasagna
1/2 lb ground beef
1 bottle spaghetti sauce
1 (16 oz) carton cottage cheese
3/4 c water
dried basil
Italian seasoning
garlic powder
9 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 (8 oz) bag shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)

Brown ground beef and drain. In a large bowl, mix together meat, sauce, cottage cheese and water. Add basil, Italian seasoning, and garlic to taste (I probably use about 1/2 tsp each). In a greased 9x13, pour 1 cup sauce to cover the pan. Then, start the layers: arrange 3 noodles, then about 1 1/2 c sauce, and top with about 1/2 c cheese. Repeat two more times, using all the remaining cheese on the top. Bake, covered with foil, at 375 for one hour. Remove from oven and let sit for 15-25 minutes before serving.


Sides
frozen peas
1 can green beans

Microwave frozen peas. Microwave green beans. Season both with salt and pepper to taste.

Week 7 Meal Plan

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I don't have many St. Patrick's Day traditions other than putting out my "Luck of the Irish" decoration and wearing my goofy green cardigan. When it comes to a festive St. Patrick's dinner, about the best I've ever done is add green food coloring to the spaghetti water as it cooks.

Wow, green spaghetti is not so festive.

So this year, I've decided to try a little something more exciting. I'm experimenting with corned beef and cabbage, so wish me luck. You're welcome to follow along, or just break out the green food coloring and go with a dish your family prefers.

Wednesday- St. Patrick's Day

Corned Beef, Sauteed Cabbage, Boiled Potatoes

Thursday
Cream of Broccoli Soup, Rolls

Friday

Barbecue Pork Salad, Carrots, Broccoli

Saturday
Go out or eat leftovers

Sunday- Trying something new!

Reuben Sandwiches, Green Salad, Peas

Monday
Sweet Pork Burritos, Rice and Beans, Corn

Tuesday

Chicken Pot Pie, Green Beans, Salad

For this week's grocery list, click here.

Week 7 Grocery List

This week I shopped at Maceys.

Ingredients for this week's dinners
I will be purchasing
3 lbs corned beef (3.02 lbs @ $1.28/lb = $3.87)
3-4 lbs pork (3.37 lbs @ $1.79/lb = $6.03)
2 onions ($.93)
1 head cabbage ($.60)
6 small potatoes (I got red potatoes for $1.01)
2 large potatoes ($.87)
1 c cauliflower ($1.43)
1 large bunch broccoli ($.82)
1 head lettuce ($.99)
baby carrots ($1.59)
green salad (on sale for $1.50 with a $1/1 coupon from the booklet = $.50)
1 dozen rolls (day old on sale for $.75)
rye bread (1 loaf $1.99)
Swiss cheese ($2.99)
milk ($2.08)
2 pie crusts ($2.19)
sauerkraut ($1.29)

In total, I spent $29.93 on this week's six dinners.

The breakdown is approximately as follows:

Corned Beef, Sauteed Cabbage, Boiled Potatoes $5.95
Cream of Broccoli Soup, Rolls $5.26
Barbecue Pork Salad, Carrots, Broccoli $5.05
Reuben Sandwiches, Green Salad, Peas $6.52
Sweet Pork Burritos, Rice and Beans, Corn $3.02
Chicken Pot Pie, Green Beans, Salad $4.13

From my pantry
3 chicken breasts
cheese
sour cream
barbecue sauce
Ranch dressing
Thousand Island dressing
1 (10 oz) can mild green enchilada sauce
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 (16 oz) can refried beans
1 can green beans
1 (8 z) can tomato sauce
2 cans chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pkg tortillas
rice
frozen corn
frozen peas
Dijon mustard
brown sugar
olive oil
butter
corn starch
flour
bay leaves
parsley
garlic
salt
pepper
minced onion
chili powder
cumin

I will also stock up on these deals:
6 one lb bags American Beauty pasta (6 @$.88 each = $5.25)
6 Propel (6 @ $.68 each = $4.08)
2 Townhouse Flipsides crackers (2 @ $1.25 each with in-ad coupon = $2.50)
4 Kellogs cereals (4 on sale @ $1.88 each plus two $1/2 coupons = $5.52)
4 Prego Heart Smart pasta sauce (4 on sale @ 1.38 each plus two $.50/2 coupons = $4.52)

Corned Beef, Sauteed Cabbage, Boiled Potatoes

I wasn't too excited by the boiled corned beef and cabbage recipes that I saw, so I started looking for something baked in the oven. I've adapted the recipes for corned beef and cabbage from this website. I'm hoping this meal will be a fun twist on the St. Patrick's Day favorite.

3 lbs corned beef (with spice packet)

2 T Dijon mustard

1 T brown sugar

1 T olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 head cabbage, sliced into 3/8 inch slices

salt

6 small potatoes, cut into fourths.
1 T butter
parsley flakes

Preheat oven to 350. Drain corned beef from package. In a small bowl, mix mustard and brown sugar. Lay corned beef, fat side up, on a large piece of aluminum foil. Spread the top with the mustard mixture. Sprinkle evenly with spice packet. Wrap the corned beef in foil in a way that will allow a little space at the top and catch the juices. Place foil-wrapped corned beef in a shallow roasting pan. Bake for 2 hours. Open foil wrapping. Broil for 2-3 minutes, until top is lightly browned. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes, then cut at a diagonal, across the grain, into 1/2 inch thick slices. (I will leave about half the meat unsliced for Sunday's Reuben sandwiches.)

Heat olive oil on medium high in a large pot. Add onions and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add a third of the cabbage to the pan. Sprinkle with a little salt and stir to coat with oil and mix with onions. Spread out cabbage evenly over the bottom and do not stir until it starts to brown. Then flip the cabbage, scraping browned bits as you go. Once the cabbage has browned on a couple flips, add another third of the cabbage. Mix well, then spread out and repeat. Once this batch is cooked down a bit and browned, add the remaining third of the cabbage and repeat.

Add potatoes to a large pot. Fill with water to cover. Bring to a boil. Continue boiling over medium heat for 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Drain water. Toss potatoes with butter and salt, pepper, and parsley flakes.

*Now I finally understand what corned beef is! Corned beef is to beef what ham is to pork. The meat is cured in some sort of salty brine just like ham, so it is pink, salty, and somewhat rubbery. (It might be important to note that corned beef is even saltier than ham, making the potatoes and cabbage very complimentary side dishes.) I've never been a big fan of large slices of ham, and I definitely feel the same way about corned beef. It was fun to try for St. Patrick's Day, and I'm excited to try Reubens later in the week, but I doubt we'll be eating plain corned beef very often in our lives.

I hope you found a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick's day, corned beef or not.

Cream of Broccoli Soup, Rolls

1 large potato, diced small
1 c cauliflower florets
2 c broccoli florets
3 T butter
1/4 c flour
1 can chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 c milk
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t pepper
2 t minced onion
4-8 oz grated cheese

4-8 rolls


In a small saucepan, steam potato, cauliflower, and broccoli (with potato on the bottom and broccoli on the top) until tender. Meanwhile, in a large pot, melt the butter on low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Turn the heat up to high and whisk in the chicken broth, milk, salt, pepper, and minced onion. Bring to a rolling boil for a minute, stirring constantly, or until mixture begins to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon. Turn the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Stir in the cooked potato, broccoli, and cauliflower. Remove from heat and stir in 4 oz cheese until melted. Serve with fresh cracked pepper and additional grated cheese.

Barbecue Pork Salad, Carrots, Broccoli

Oh, how I love pulled pork! One of the easiest things to do with it is mix in barbecue sauce. If you prefer sandwiches over salads, simply serve the barbecue pulled pork on rolls (with provolone, pickles, and mustard if you're really feeling adventurous).

2 lbs pork
1 to 2 c barbecue sauce
1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
Ranch dressing

1/3 lb baby carrots

broccoli florets

4 rolls

Place pork in a greased crock pot. Cook on high 6 hours or on low all day. Pour off liquid. Shred pork, discarding fat. Place pork back in crock pot. Mix in 1 to 2 c barbecue sauce, depending on your taste. Assemble salads on individual plates with lettuce, pork, and Ranch dressing.

Serve with raw carrots and broccoli and rolls on the side.

Reuben Sandwiches, Green Salad, Peas

I got this Reuben sandwich recipe from AllRecipes.

2 T butter
8 slices rye bread
8 deli slices corned beef (I'll be using thin slices leftover from Wednesday's corned beef)
8 slices Swiss cheese
1 c sauerkraut, drained
1/2 c thousand island dressing


Preheat a large skillet on medium heat. Lightly butter one side of bread slices. Spread non-buttered sides with Thousand Island dressing. On 4 bread slices, layer 1 slice Swiss cheese, 2 slices corned beef, 1/4 c sauerkraut and second slice of Swiss cheese. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered side out. Grill sandwiches until both sides are golden brown, about 15 minutes per side. Serve hot.

Prepare green salad.

Microwave peas. Season with salt and pepper.

I was a little skeptical about this odd assortment of flavors, but we ended up loving these sandwiches! I actually liked the corned beef MUCH better in this sandwich than by itself. It was also way way easier to slice it when it was cold out of the refrigerator. I don't have too many other uses for sauerkraut, but this one was worth the purchase.

Sweet Pork Burritos, Rice and Beans, Corn

Sweet Pork Burritos
2 lbs pork
1/2 c brown sugar
1 small can mild green enchilada sauce
1 can diced green chiles (optional)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
garlic powder
8 - 10 tortillas
1/2 c shredded cheese

Grease crock pot. Add pork and cook on high 6 hours or on low all day. Drain off liquid. Shred pork, discarding any fat.

Mix together shredded meat, brown sugar, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and black beans. Add a little garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Warm in the crock pot for a half hour or in the microwave for a minute or two. Roll meat in tortillas. Place burritos, not quite touching, on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes, or until cheese melts and edges of burritos are golden brown.

Spanish Rice
1 c rice
2 c water
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 t minced onion
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t salt

For rice, add rice, water, tomato sauce, 1 t minced onion, 1/2 t chili powder, 1/2 t cumin, 1/2 t salt to a greased rice cooker and cook. When done, adjust seasonings to taste.

Zesty Refried Beans
1 can refried beans
2 t chili powder
1 t cumin

In a microwave safe bowl, mix refried beans, 2 t chili powder and 2 t cumin. Microwave one minute at a time, stirring after each minute, until beans are warm. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Corn
frozen corn
Microwave corn. Season with pepper. Simple as that.

Chicken Pot Pie, Green Beans, Salad

The chicken pot pie recipe is from my neighbor Sally. It's not the easiest chicken pot pie, but it is Grandpa's favorite. For a simpler chicken pot pie recipe, scroll down to the end of this post.

3 chicken breasts
2 T butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can chicken broth
1 potato, diced small
3/4 c carrots, diced
3/4 c peas
2 t salt
2 bay leaves
2 T corn starch
1/4 c water
1/2 c sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
1/2 c shredded cheese
2 unbaked pie crusts

1 can green beans

green salad


Boil the chicken breasts until done. Remove to a plate to cool. Place potato in a microwave safe bowl with a small amount of water. Microwave for one minute, stir, then microwave one more minute. In a large pot, saute onion in butter until soft. Mix in broth, potato, carrots, celery, peas, salt, and bay leaves. Simmer until veggies are tender. Mix cornstarch and water and add to the pot, bringing back to a boil until thickened Meanwhile, dice chicken, then stir into pot. Add sour cream, soup, and cheese. Pour into bottom crust. Top with second crust. Cut a few slits to vent. Put foil around crust edges to keep from burning. Place pie on cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for one hour.

Microwave green beans and prepare green salad.

.........................................................................................................................................
For a much easier chicken pot pie, try my mother-in-law's famous recipe.

2-3 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can mixed vegetables, drained
2 pie crusts

Cook and cut up chicken breasts. Mix with soup and vegetables. Fill first crust with chicken mixture. Top with second crust. Cut a few slits to vent, and place pie on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for about 45 minutes.

Week 6 Meal Plan

This week I've decided to go lighter. A little less meat and a little lighter cost, that is. But don't worry; it's nothing drastic.

Although I enjoyed last week's meals, there was too much meat for my taste and too much money spent (thanks in part to my pesto snafu; sorry about that). Ah well, that's the good thing about meal planning: there's always another week to try all over again!

Wednesday
Baked Potatoes, Green Salad, Peas

Thursday
Parmesan Tilapia, Rolls, Broccoli, Cauliflower

Friday
Sloppy Joes, Carrots, Round Fries

Saturday
Go out or eat leftovers.

Sunday
Cabbage Chicken Salad, Carrots, Fruit

Monday
Chicken Chili, Cornbread, Green Salad

Tuesday
Palamino Pasta, Green Beans, Fruit

For this week's Tips click here.

For this week's grocery list, click here.

Week 6 Tips

Wednesday
Only use half of your lettuce. Save the rest for Monday.


Friday
The Sloppy Joes are easy enough to make, but they need a couple hours to simmer. Start in the afternoon so the food will be ready by dinner time.

If you have any leftover rolls after dinner, save them to toast as garlic bread to go with the salad on Sunday.


Sunday
Start your Cabbage Chicken Salad ahead of time. You can start it in the morning, or even Saturday night.


Monday
Don't forget to start the crock pot in the morning! You can even start on low the night before if you prefer.

While the cornbread bakes, shred the chicken and finish the chili.

Week 6 Grocery List-- with Prices!

This week I shopped at Maceys.

Ingredients for Week 6 Dinners
I need to purchase:
5 large potatoes ($1.79)
1 bunch green onions ($.50)
1 head lettuce ($.99)
broccoli ($.51)
cauliflower ($.39)
2 onions (.70)
1 medium head cabbage ($1.05)
1 red bell pepper ($1.00)
carrots ($1.49)
fruit ($1.00)
milk (1 gallon = $1.88)
cream (I'll just use milk)
eggs (1 dozen= $1.39)
Parmesan cheese ($2.59)
1 dozen rolls or hamburger buns (rolls $2.79)
1 lb tilapia fillets ($3.98)
1 (5 oz) pkg slivered almonds ($2.89)
1 (11.5 oz) can tomato juice ($.79)

In total, I paid 25.73 for this week's six dinners.

Here's the approximate breakdown:

Baked Potatoes, Green Salad, Peas cost me $2.18.
Parmesan Tilapia, Rolls, Broccoli, Cauliflower cost me $7.11.
Sloppy Joes, Carrots, Round Fries cost me $4.10.
Cabbage Chicken Salad, Carrots, Fruit cost me $5.44.
Chicken Chili, Cornbread, Salad cost me $2.83.
Palamino Pasta, Green Beans, Fruit cost me $4.09.

I will be using from my pantry:
1 lb ground beef
3 chicken breasts
sour cream
cheese
2 pkg chicken flavored Ramen
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 can green beans
2-3 cans beans (black, white, pinto, or kidney)
spaghetti sauce
16 oz bowtie pasta
frozen peas
frozen corn
butter
Miracle whip or mayo
lemon juice
ketchup
vinegar
mustard
flour
corn meal
baking powder
brown sugar
sugar
Worcester sauce
oil
cumin
chili powder
basil
salt and pepper
minced onion
garlic powder
sesame seeds

I also stocked up on these items:
1 dozen English muffins to freeze- I have an idea to use these next week ($2.50)
4 lbs Western Family butter to freeze ($1.58 each = $6.32)
5 loaves Macey's cottage bread to freeze ($.98 each = $4.90)
2 lbs Western Family medium cheddar cheese ($3.49 using the coupon book that came in the mail last week)
2 Dryers ice cream ($2.49 on sale with two $1/1 coupons = $1.49 each or $2.98 total)
fruits and veggies

Baked Potatoes, Green Salad, Peas

Top your baked potatoes with your own favorite toppings. If you prefer meat on your potatoes, try last night's leftover beef stroganoff, a can of chili, bacon bits, ham, etc.

4 large potatoes or 8 small ones

toppings:
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c shredded cheese
3 green onions, sliced
salt and pepper
etc.

green salad

frozen peas


Preheat oven to 350. Scrub potatoes. Pierce each potato skin several times with a fork. Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Check with a fork to make sure they are done. Cut down the middle and top with desired toppings.

Prepare green salad.

Microwave frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper.

Parmesan Tilapia, Rolls, Broccoli, Cauliflower

I got this tilapia recipe from my sister-in-law Amber, who found it somewhere. It is our favorite fish recipe by far. Tilapia is a very mild-tasting white fish. Fish isn't cheap, but compared to salmon or other kinds of fish, tilapia is relatively inexpensive. Enjoy!

1/2 c Parmesan cheese
1 T butter, softened
1 T mayo or Miracle Whip
2 T lemon juice
1/4 t dried basil
1/4 t black pepper
1 t minced onion
1/4 t garlic powder
1 lb tilapia fillets (2-4 fillets)

broccoli florets
cauliflower florets

4 rolls


Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, mix together Parmesan topping (Parmesan cheese through garlic powder). Arrange fish fillets in a foil-lined pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cut each fillet in half lengthwise. Cover fillets with Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Turn oven to broil. Broil 2 minutes a few inches from the heat (or 4 minutes from the middle rack), or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Steam broccoli and cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve rolls at the table.

Sloppy Joes, Carrots, Round Fries

This sloppy joe recipe is from my great-grandma.

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1/4 c ketchup
2 T vinegar
3 T mustard
1 (11.5 oz) can tomato juice
4 T brown sugar
1 T Worcester sauce
4-8 rolls or hamburger buns

1 large potato, cut into thin circles
steak seasoning or salt and pepper

1/3 lb baby carrots


In a large frying pan, brown ground beef with onion. Drain off fat. Add next 6 ingredients (ketchup through Worcester sauce). Simmer on low for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every half hour, until thick. Serve on buns.

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place potato slices in a single layer. Spray with more cooking spray. Season with steak seasoning or salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until desired crispiness.

Cabbage Chicken Salad, Carrots, Fruit

The cabbage chicken salad recipe is from my Grandma. The longer you refrigerate the salad, the more marinated the cabbage becomes. For more crisp cabbage, only refrigerate for 30 minutes. For marinated cabbage (the way my Grandma made it), prepare the night before.

2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 medium head cabbage, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1 (5 oz) pkg slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 c sesame seeds, toasted

1/2 c oil
1/2 c vinegar
3 T sugar
1 t salt
1 t pepper
2 flavoring packets from Ramen

2 pkgs Chicken flavored Ramen noodles, broken

1/3 lb baby carrots

fruit of your choice


To cook the chicken, place in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium. Simmer until chicken is cooked through; check after about 15 minutes. Remove to a plate to cool, then cut into small cubes.

To toast almonds and sesame seeds: In a dry frying pan, place almonds and heat to medium heat. Stir often as almonds begin to brown. Once almonds are toasted golden brown, remove to a plate to cool. Repeat the process to toast the sesame seeds. Cool sesame seeds.

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl (chicken through sesame seeds). Whisk together dressing ingredients (oil through Ramen flavoring packets). Pour dressing over salad mixture and refrigerate 30 minutes to overnight. Just before serving, stir in Ramen noodles.

Serve salad with raw carrots and fruit on the side.

Chicken Chili, Cornbread, Green Salad

The chicken chili recipe is my adaptation of a recipe on AllRecipes. The cornbread recipe is from my mother.

Chicken Chili
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 chicken breast (or 2 if you prefer more meat)
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2-3 cans beans (black, white, pinto, or kidney), rinsed and drained
1 can corn (or a couple handfuls frozen corn)
3/4 c chicken broth, approximately

In a crock pot, combine both cans tomatoes, chicken, garlic, cumin, chili powder. Cook on high all day.

Meanwhile, finish the chili. Shred the chicken in the pot. Add the beans, corn, and broth to desired consistency. Cover and cook another 30 minutes to 2 hours.


Cornbread
1/3 c butter
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 c flour
1 1/4 c corn meal
3 t baking powder
3/4 c sour cream
1 c milk

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and beat. Mix in remaining cornbread ingredients (flour through milk). Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 30- 40 minutes, until edges are slightly pulled away from the pan.



Green Salad
Prepare green salad.

Palamino Pasta, Green Beans, Fruit

The palamino pasta recipe is from my mom. She got it years ago in a magazine or newspaper article. My family loved pasta, so this was a favorite growing up.

1 T butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T flour
3/4 c milk
1/2 c cream (I may just use milk; we'll see)
1/2 t salt
1 1/4 c spaghetti sauce
16 oz bowtie pasta
1/4 c Parmesan cheese (or try 1/2 c mozzarella if you have it)
1/4 c fresh basil, sliced (or try 1 1/2 T dry basil)

1 can green beans

fruit of your choice


In a large skillet, saute onion, bell pepper and garlic in butter until tender. Add flour and cook 1 minute. Stir in milk, cream, and salt. Bring to a boil at medium-high heat. Stir in spaghetti sauce. (If using dry basil in place of fresh, add that now.) Boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions; drain. Return pasta to pot. Add sauce and toss to coat. Top with Parmesan cheese and basil.

Microwave green beans.

Prepare fruit.

Week 5 Meal Plan

Wednesday
Pesto Chicken, Garlic Bread, Broccoli, Cauliflower

Thursday
Meatball Sandwiches, Carrots, Seasoned Fries

Friday
Swiss Chicken, Green Salad, Peas

Saturday
Leftovers or go out

Sunday
Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Asparagus

Monday
Sweet and Sour Chicken, Rice, Asparagus, Green Salad

Tuesday
Beef Stroganoff, Steamed Carrots, Peas

Week 5 Time Saving Tips

Thursday
Don't forget to start the crockpot a couple hours before dinnertime.

Friday
Prepare a large green salad, but save half in the fridge for Monday

Sunday
Don't forget to start the crockpot in the morning.
Trim all the asparagus, but only cook half of it. Save the other half in the the fridge for Monday.

Week 5 Grocery List with Prices!

This week I shopped at Maceys for most everything and Sunflower Farmers Market (as noted by SF).

Ingredients for Week 5 Dinners
I need to purchase:
broccoli (SF .45 lbs @ .88/lb = $.40)
cauliflower(.3 lbs @ 1.49/lb = $.45)
5 potatoes (SF I bought a 10 lb bag for $2.00)
1 lb baby carrots (SF $.87)
1 tomato ($.53)
green salad (SF Romaine lettuce $.88)
1 bunch asparagus (SF $1.03)
1 green pepper ($1.19)
1 pkg Provolone slices ($2.69)
milk (1 gallon = $1.98)
sour cream ($.88)
2 loaves French bread ($1.76)
3 to 4 lbs chicken breasts (3.14 lbs @ 1.48/lb = $4.65)
3 lbs beef roast (2.6 lbs @ 1.88/lb = $4.89)
small jar basil pesto ($7.29- Does anyone know where to find this cheaper?)
1 can pineapple ($.88)

This week I spent $32.37 on our six dinners.

The breakdown is approximately as follows:
Pesto Chicken, Garlic Bread, Broccoli, Cauliflower- $12.38
Meatball Sandwiches, Carrots, Seasoned Fries- $3.18
Swiss Chicken, Green Salad, Peas- $4.11
Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Asparagus- $6.21
Sweet and Sour Chicken, Rice, Green Salad, Asparagus- $4.51
Beef Stroganoff, Steamed Carrots, Peas- $1.32

From my pantry:
butter
Parmesan cheese
Swiss cheese slices
30 frozen meatballs (or I'll make my own-- we'll see)
1 lb ground beef
frozen peas
Pepperidge Farm stuffing (blue bag)
rice
egg noodles
Dijon mustard (optional)
soy sauce
ketchup
vinegar
brown gravy mix
2 pkg Lipton onion soup mix
garlic powder
paprika
chili powder
onion powder
parsley flakes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
olive oil
vegetable oil
four
cornstarch
brown sugar

I stocked up on these deals, too.
Maceys
more boneless skinless chicken breasts to freeze (7.24 lbs @ 1.48/lb = $10.72)
If you got that coupon booklet in the mail, make sure to use the
$3/1 meat super saver pack; that would make this chicken an incredible
deal!
4 pkg Don Julio flour tortillas to freeze (4 at $.88 each = $3.52)
4 pkg Pict Sweet frozen vegetables (4 at $.88 each = $3.52)
4 Mini Wheats (online coupon here) (4 at $2.34 with two $1.50/2 coupons =$6.36, or $1.59 each)
fruits and veggies for breakfast and lunch

Pesto Chicken, Garlic Bread, Broccoli, Cauliflower

1 to 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, cut into six pieces
1/2 c prepared basil pesto
1 tomato, sliced into 8 slices
3 slices Provolone cheese, cut in half

1 loaf French bread
3 T butter, softened
garlic powder
Parmesan cheese

broccoli florets
cauliflower florets


Place chicken and pesto in a medium bowl. Toss to coat. Place chicken on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes, until chicken is done. Remove from oven. Top with tomato slices then cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Slice French bread into 1 inch slices. Butter one side of each slice of bread, then sprinkle garlic powder and Parmesan cheese to taste. Wrap loaf in foil and add to the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Steam broccoli and cauliflower in one steamer basket (cauliflower on the bottom), until fork tender.

Meatball Sandwiches, Carrots, Seasoned Fries

Meatball sandwich recipe is from my sister-in-law Melissa. I have always loved it, and I especially craved it when I was pregnant! The seasoned fry recipe is adapted from AllRecipes; we think they taste like Arby's curly fries.

1 packet brown gravy
1/2 pkg Lipton onion soup
30 frozen, fully cooked meatballs (or if you have a ton of ground beef, look up a recipe and make your own)
6 buns (I'll use a loaf of French bread)
6 slices Provolone cheese

2 large potatoes
2 T olive oil
1 t paprika
1 t garlic powder
1 t chili powder
1 t onion powder

1/2 lb baby carrots


Make gravy according to package directions. Stir in onion soup mix. In a greased crockpot, combine gravy mixture and meatballs. Cook until meatballs are heated through, 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high. Toast buns with cheese. Fill with meatballs. (Since French bread is on sale, I'm going to use that instead of buns. I'll cut the loaf in half horizontally, toast with cheese, then put the loaf back together and slice into six portions. I'll let people fill their portion with meatballs.)

Preheat oven to 425. Cut potatoes into thin fry shapes. Mix olive oil, paprika, and garlic, chili, and onion powders in a large resealable plastic bag. Add potatoes and toss to coat. Place potatoes on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, turning fries halfway through.

Swiss Chicken, Green Salad, Peas

I got this Swiss chicken recipe from my Aunt Cathy, but I know about a million people who have a similar recipe. Gotta love a classic!

1 to 2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 6 pieces
3 slices Swiss cheese, cut in half
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c milk
dash garlic powder
pinch parsley flakes
2 c Pepperidge Farm stuffing (from the blue bag)
3 T butter

green salad

frozen peas


Place chicken breasts in a greased baking dish. Cover with slices of Swiss cheese. Mix soup, milk, garlic, and parsley flakes until smooth. Pour sauce over chicken. Melt butter and mix with stuffing crumbs. Sprinkle over chicken. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 minutes more.

Prepare green salad.

Microwave frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Asparagus

3 lbs beef pot roast

3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/4 c milk
1 T butter
salt and pepper

1/2 bunch asparagus

2 t butter
1 T flour
1/4 t Dijon mustard (optional)

In the morning, place beef in greased crock pot. Season generously with steak seasoning or salt and pepper. Cook on low 7-10 hours. Remove roast and let rest at least 10 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices. Place sliced roast beef back into crock pot for at least 10 minutes to warm.

Place potatoes in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20-30 minutes until tender. Drain. Mix in milk and butter. Mash with a potato masher or electric mixer until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.

Trim woody ends from the asparagus. Steam until fork tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Now make the gravy. Melt a couple teaspoons of butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. Add about a tablespoon of flour; stir to combine well. Whisk in about 1 cup of beef broth from the crock pot. Increase to high heat, stirring well until it comes to a bubble. Stir and cook on high for one more minute. Reduce heat to low and season with salt, pepper, and a tiny squirt of Dijon mustard, if desired.

Sweet and Sour Chicken, Rice, Asparagus, Green Salad

My husband served a mission in Taiwan, where he learned to make sweet and sour pork from a family there. This is an adaptation of that recipe.

1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch squares.
3 T soy sauce
1 lb chicken, cubed
1/4 c ketchup
1/4 c brown sugar
1 t vinegar
1 T water
1/2 can pineapple chunks, drained
1 c cornstarch, approximately
3/4 c oil, approximately

1 c rice

green salad

1/2 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed


Lightly saute green peppers in a small amount of oil (1 teaspoon or so). Remove to paper towels.

Mix chicken with soy sauce and then dredge through cornstarch to coat.

Heat more oil on medium heat. You can check to see if the oil is hot enough by dropping a little cornstarch in the oil. If it sizzles, it's done.
Deep fry chicken in until cooked through and slightly brown and crispy on the outside. You can always cut through one piece of chicken to make sure it's cooked through.
Remove chicken to paper towels and discard oil.
Place pan on medium-low heat. Mix in ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar. In a small bowl, quickly mix together 1 T water and 1 1/2 T corn starch. Add cornstarch mixture to the pan and simmer until thick. Add pineapples and cook for 1 minute. Add pork and green peppers and stir to coat.

Cook rice according to package directions.

Prepare green salad.

Steam asparagus until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Beef Stroganoff, Steamed Carrots, Peas

1 lb ground beef
1 packet Lipton onion soup mix
1/2 c water
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 c sour cream

1 bag egg noodles

1/2 lb baby carrots

frozen peas


Brown ground beef. Stir in water and onion soup mix. Simmer 7 minutes. Stir in mushroom soup. Simmer 5 minutes more. Add sour cream and warm through. Remove from heat.

Cook noodles according to package directions.

Steam carrots until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Microwave peas. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve beef stroganoff over hot noodles.

Just as we were setting the table, my parents dropped by for an unexpected visit. We happily invited them to stay to dinner and set two more places. We had plenty of stroganoff for our guests, but unfortunately we had not cooked enough noodles. With a little quick thinking, we had a slice of toast ready for each person by the time we sat down to eat. I've found that most gravy kinds of sauces can be served over toast just as easily as noodles.