Week 11 Meal Plan

Wednesday
Homemade Pizza, Broccoli, Cauliflower

Thursday
Asian Peanut Noodles, Stirfry

Friday
Go out or eat leftovers

Saturday- Trying something new!
Mediterranean Lemon Chicken, Hummus, Green Salad

Sunday
Roast Beef, Twice Baked Potatoes, Peas

Monday
Tacos, Corn, Green Salad

Tuesday
Tomato Soup, Toast, Green Beans

Week 11 Grocery List- with Prices!

This week I shopped at Maceys.

Ingredients for Week 11 Dinners
I will be purchasing:
3 lbs beef roast (2.1 lbs @ $1.99/lb = $4.18)
mozzarella cheese (8 oz bag shredded cheese = $1.79)
milk (1 gallon = $1.88)
1 loaf French bread dough (or pizza dough) ($.98)
broccoli ($1.15)
cauliflower ($.30)
small piece ginger ($.37)
1 head garlic ($.39)
1 bunch green onions ($.50)
1 lemon ($.50)
1 head lettuce (There was nothing on sale! $1.49)
2 potatoes ($.72)
1 onion ($.82)
1 zucchini ($.39)
1 red bell pepper (or other pizza toppings) ($1.29)
small handful of bean sprouts ($.10)

I spent $16.85 on this week's dinners.
The breakdown is approximately as follows:

Homemade Pizza, Broccoli, Cauliflower $4.72
Asian Peanut Noodles, Stirfry $2.30
Mediterranean Lemon Chicken, Hummus, Green Salad $1.68
Roast Beef, Twice Baked Potatoes, Peas $6.09
Tacos, Corn, Green Salad $.75
Tomato Soup, Toast, Green Beans $.54

I will be using from my pantry:
3 chicken breasts
1 lb ground beef
sour cream
cheddar cheese
tortillas or taco shells
12 oz spaghetti (or Asian noodles)
bread
optional: peanuts
frozen corn
frozen peas
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans
1 (15 oz) can Ranch style or black beans
3 (15 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
1 can green beans
salsa
lemon juice
chicken broth
soy sauce
honey
peanut butter
butter
oil
olive oil
flour
cornstarch
cornmeal
oregano
garlic powder
cayenne pepper
cumin
basil
garlic salt
1 pkg taco seasoning

I also stocked up on:
5 boxes Quaker cereal ($1.88 each plus a $3/5 coupon in the store's ad = $6.90 or $1.38 each)
3 steaks to freeze (1.93 lbs at $1.99/lb =$3.84)
fruits and veggies

Homemade Pizza, Broccoli, Cauliflower

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 1/2 t oregano
1 t garlic powder
Italian seasoning

grated cheese
pizza toppings as desired

1 loaf French bread dough from your grocery store's bakery counter
or pizza dough (refrigerated or frozen)
olive oil
garlic powder

broccoli florets
cauliflower florets

Make pizza sauce by mixing tomato sauce, paste, oregano, garlic, and a few good shakes of Italian seasoning.

Prepare pizza toppings.

If using refrigerated or frozen pizza dough, follow package directions. If using French bread dough: Let dough rise on the counter for 1 hour. Spray two pizza pans or one cookie sheet with cooking spray; sprinkle with cornmeal. Roll dough to fit pans. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder. Bake at 400 for 7 minutes. Top with sauce, cheese, and toppings. Bake for and additional 7-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and crust is to desired brownness.

Steam broccoli and cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper.

Asian Peanut Noodles, Stirfry

If you are feeding a hungry crowd, you might consider adding some chicken to the meal, cooked any way you like.

Asian Peanut Noodles
adapted from AllRecipes
8-12 oz spaghetti noodles, or other Asian noodles
1/2 c chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 T minced fresh ginger
3 T soy sauce
1 1/2 T honey
1/4 t cayenne pepper
3 T peanut butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 t cornstarch
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 c peanuts, chopped (optional)

Cook noodles according to package directions, drain. Meanwhile, combine broth, ginger, soy sauce, honey, cayenne, and peanut butter in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until peanut butter melts and is heated through. Mix together cornstarch with a splash of water. Stir into peanut butter mixture and heat until it thickens. Add noodles and toss to coat. Garnish with green onions and peanuts.


Stirfry
3 c assorted vegetables, chopped (I'll be using little tidbits from what I have in the fridge, plus 1 zucchini and a handful of bean sprouts)
1 t oil
sauce: soy, teriyaki, or other Asian sauce

In a large pan, stir fry veggies until tender. Drizzle lightly with your favorite sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Mediterranean Lemon Chicken, Hummus, Green Salad

This chicken recipe is adapted from AllRecipes. I love hummus, and shopping the caselot sale reminded me about garbanzo beans! I've never tried this chicken recipe before, but I was looking for something that would go well with hummus. I hope it works!

1 lemon
2 t dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T oil
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
3 chicken breasts, cut in half

hummus ingredients:
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 T olive oil
1/2 t salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t lemon juice

items to dip in hummus, such as:
carrot sticks
broccoli florets
pita bread (I'll be trying making homemade pita bread! Check out The Fresh Loaf for the recipe.)

green salad


Grate the peel from 1/2 the lemon. Then juice the entire lemon (about 1/4 c juice). Combine lemon peel, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, oil, salt, and pepper in a 9x13 baking dish. Stir until mixed. Add chicken and stir to coat. Bake, covered with foil, at 400 for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove foil and broil, 6 inches from heat, for 2 minutes or until beautifully browned. When serving, spoon some of the lemony sauce on top of the chicken.

Drain garbanzo beans, reserving liquid. Add garbanzo beans, garlic, olive oil, salt, cumin, and lemon juice to a blender. Blend, slowly adding reserved liquid to obtain desired consistency (I use about half the liquid). Serve with raw veggies, such as carrot sticks and broccoli florets, and with slices of pita bread.

*We thought this chicken recipe was ok. It was definitely necessary to spoon the lemon sauce on top of the chicken when serving it; otherwise you couldn't taste the lemon flavor at all. There was too much oregano in the recipe for my taste; it might have worked if the lemon sauce had been creamier, more substantial. I doubt we'll make this too many more times in our life, but it served us well for one night.

Roast Beef, Twice Baked Potatoes, Peas

Ah, roast beef. It's one of Grandpa's favorites, so it makes it in the rotation more often than other things. I personally think it's a bit boring of a dish, but we don't mind it. Sometimes we use the leftovers for sandwiches.

3 lbs beef pot roast

2 large potatoes
1/2 c sour cream
1/4 c milk
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/2 c grated cheddar cheese, divided
4 green onions, sliced, divided

frozen peas

optional:
2 t butter
1 T flour


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.

Pierce potato skins with a fork several times. Bake potatoes at 350 for 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes. Slice in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. To the bowl add sour cream, milk, salt, pepper, 1/4 c cheese and 2 sliced green onions. Mix with a hand mixer or potato masher until well mixed. Divide mixture among potato skins and top with remaining cheese and green onions. Bake 15 minutes more.

Microwave frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper.

If desired, make a quick gravy for the roast beef. 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 and pepper. For extra fun, add a tiny squirt of Dijon mustard and a generous dollop of sour cream.

Tacos, Corn, Green Salad

1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can Ranch style beans, not rinsed
or 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
taco shells or tortillas
shredded lettuce
grated cheese
salsa
sour cream
any other taco toppings

green salad

frozen corn


Brown ground beef. Pour off fat. Add taco seasoning according to package directions. Add beans and heat through.

Prepare green salad. Microwave corn; season with salt and pepper.

Allow individuals at the table to fill their tortillas or taco shells with meat filling and top with cheese, lettuce, salsa, and sour cream as desired.

Tomato Soup, Toast, Green Beans

This tomato soup recipe is from my sister-in-law, Robin, who got it from her sister-in-law. It is seriously the best tomato soup in the universe (and I always hated tomato soup before this recipe). If you serve it with cheesy toast, it is better than pizza. No kidding. It is also delicious to add cooked egg noodles at the end.

3 (14 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp basil
2 c chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 T butter
1 small onion, chopped
garlic salt to taste
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T plus 1 t flour
1 1/3 c milk

sliced bread

1 can green beans

optional:
cooked egg noodles
grated mozzarella cheese


In a large pot, blend tomatoes, basil, and broth and simmer gently. In a large pan, sauté onion, garlic salt, and garlic in butter until translucent. Mix flour and milk, then add to onion mixture. Stir and heat until thick, then add milk and onion mixture to tomato mixture. (Add cooked egg noodles, if desired.)

Meanwhile, toast bread and microwave green beans.

Serve soup with grated mozzarella cheese, if desired.