Week 14 Meal Plan

Happy Cinco de Mayo, my friends! (Or rather, amigos!) For our Cinco de Mayo fiesta, I will be serving one of our favorite meals, Cafe Rio Salads. If you don't have time to buy pork and cook it in the crock pot, you could probably replace it with a different meat or go meatless all together. The pork is pretty delicious, but the other ingredients could probably make up for the loss.

Many of the recipes this week may look familiar. I will be posting more new recipes next week, but this week I'm going to focus my efforts on posting about food storage. Come back throughout the week for my simple tips and tricks!


Wednesday- Cinco de Mayo
Cafe Rio Salads, Chips and Homemade Salsa

Thursday
Baked Potatoes, Broccoli, Cauliflower
(or try Potato Chowder if you have cream cheese on hand)

Friday
Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Corn on the Cob, Green Salad

Saturday
Go out or eat leftovers

Sunday- Mother's Day
I believe the men should plan, shop for, and prepare this dinner, but if your Mr. Right is needing a little inspiration, try Marinated London Broil, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli.

Monday
Korean Beef with Broccoli, Rice, Edamame

Tuesday
Chicken Chili, Cornbread, Green Salad



Since this week's recipes are scattered all throughout the blog, you can click here to see all of Week 14 recipes at once.

Week 14 Grocery List-- with Prices!

Today I shopped at Maceys, with a quick stop in Sunflower Farmers Market for some of my produce.

Ingredients for Week 14 dinners
I will be purchasing:
1 head garlic ($.39)
5 limes ($1.00)
2 bunches cilantro ($1.00)
2 heads Romaine lettuce ($1.76)
4 tomatillos ($.45)
3 tomatoes (a neighbor gave me some)
1 avocado ($.50)
1 large onion ($1.62)
1 jalapeno ($.08)
4 ears corn ($.80)
1 bunch green onions ($.50)
broccoli ($1.06)
cauliflower ($.63)
5 lb potatoes (free with London Broil purchase)
1 kiwi ($.50)
4 lbs pork roast (3.8 lbs @ 1.78/lb = $6.76)
1 lb London Broil- pick up more if you're having steak for Mother's Day ($1.98)
1 (11.5 oz) can tomato juice ($.79)
1 box Rice-a-Roni ($.88)
cornmeal ($3.59)
buns (8 hamburger buns $1.00)
Provolone (optional) ($1.98)
milk ($.88 with purchase of 2 Mother's cookies)

In total, I spent $28.15 on this week's dinner ingredients.
The breakdown is approximately as follows:

Cafe Rio Salads, Chips and Homemade Salsa $9.09
Baked Potatoes, Broccoli, Cauliflower $1.41
Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Corn on the Cob, Green Salad $8.48
Korean Beef with Broccoli, Rice, Edamame $2.96
Chicken Chili, Cornbread, Green Salad $4.91

I will be using from my pantry:
2 (16 oz) containers sour cream
2 eggs
butter
1 chicken breast
1 pkg Ranch dressing mix
1 pkg Fiesta Ranch dressing mix
frozen corn
frozen edamame
tortillas
tortilla chips
rice
4-5 cans black beans (or a mix of pinto, white, kidney)
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 (14 0z) can crushed tomatoes
salsa
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup
chicken broth/bouillon
soy sauce
rice vinegar
barbecue sauce
dill pickles (optional)
Dijon mustard (optional)
cornstarch
baking powder
flour sugar
brown sugar
oil
minced onion
garlic powder
cumin
chili powder

I will also stock up on these deals:
5 Maceys Cottage Wheat Bread- my favorite (.88 each! = $4.40)
4 Barilla Whole Grain Pasta(.88 each = $3.52)
4 Kelloggs Cereal- Rice Krispies and Corn Flakes (online coupons at Group A and Group C) ($1.98 each plus two $1.50/2 coupons= $4.92)
4 Rice a Roni (.88 each = $3.52)
2 Mothers Cookies (1.99 each = $3.98)
2 Spice It spices (.88 each = $1.76)
6 spaghettios (.45 each = $2.70)

Week 14 Tips

Wednesday
Don't forget to start your pork in the crock pot early in the day. Cook all 4 lbs pork. After shredding, save half in the fridge for Pulled Pork Sandwiches.

You may want to do some of the prep for Cafe Rio Salads ahead of time. You can make the salsa and dressing and chop the lettuce anytime during the day.

About 1 hour before dinner, shred and prepare the pork, make the guacamole, then prepare the rice and beans.

Thursday
Chop all your broccoli and save at least half in the fridge for Monday's Korean Beef.

Friday
Prepare a big salad and save half in the fridge for Tuesday's dinner.

Tuesday
Don't forget to start the crock pot in the morning. About 1 hour from dinner you can start your Corn Bread and finish the Chicken Chili.

Cafe Rio Salads, Chips and Homemade Salsa

Cafe Rio is a popular restaurant around here. Their pork salad is by FAR my favorite thing on the menu. Although this is not any sort of official recipe, it is a really tasty impersonation! I've gotten variations of this recipe from many friends and acquaintances; this is my adaptation.

Tortillas
4-6 tortillas

Rice
1 c rice
2 c water
4 garlic cloves, minced
zest of 1 - 2 limes
juice of 1 - 2 limes (about 3 T lime juice)
1 T sugar
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro, if desired

Spray rice cooker with cooking spray. Add rice, water, garlic, and lime zest. Cook. In a small bowl, mix lime juice and sugar until sugar dissolves. Once rice is cooked, stir in lime juice mixture. Stir in cilantro just before serving.

Beans
2 t oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 t cumin
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 oz) can tomato juice
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro, if desired

In a medium saucepan, heat oil to medium. Add garlic and cumin and cook for a few seconds. Stir in beans and tomato juice. Stir frequently, bringing just to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is somewhat reduced. Stir in cilantro just before serving.

Meat
2 lbs pork roast
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c salsa

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Add pork. Cook on high for 6 hours or on low all day. Drain off half the liquid. Shred meat, discarding fat. Mix the sugar, salsa, and shredded meat back in the slow cooker. Cook on low for about an hour, until sugar is melted.

Lettuce
1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped

Dressing
3/4 c sour cream
1/2 packet Ranch dressing mix
1/4 packet Fiesta Ranch dressing mix
4 tomatillos, husked and cut into fourths
1/2 bunch cilantro, stems removed
juice of 1-2 limes
1 clove garlic

Put sour cream in blender, then add the remaining ingredients. Keep refrigerated.

Guacamole
1 avocado
minced onion
salt
garlic powder
lime juice (about 1 T)
cilantro

Mash avocados with a fork. Mix in other ingredients to taste.

Red Salsa
3 tomatoes, cored
1/4 onion
1/2 jalapeno, seeded
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
salt

In a blender, combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, and a few shakes of salt. Blend until smooth. Taste with a tortilla chip and add more jalapeno, lime juice, and salt to taste. Store in the fridge until ready to eat.


To assemble salads:
On individual plates, top 1 tortilla with rice, beans, and meat. Cover with lettuce and dressing. Top with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream as desired. Serve with chips and salsa.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Corn on the Cob, Green Salad

Here's to me and my pulled pork obsession! I love doing pulled pork two ways in one week. If you already shredded a big roast and kept half in the fridge for this meal, simply place the shredded meat and barbecue sauce in a crock pot on low for an hour or two before dinner.

Easy Pulled Pork Sandwiches
2 lbs pork roast
2 c barbecue sauce
4-6 buns

optional toppings for the adventurous crowd:
4-6 slices Provolone
6 small dill pickles, sliced thin
Dijon mustard

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 barbecue sauce, varying the amount depending on your taste. Cook on low for at least a half hour (up to an hour and a half) until sauce is heated through. Toast buns and fill with pulled pork. If desired, top with mustard, pickles, and cheese.



Sides:
4 ears corn
green salad

Boil a large pot of water. Add corn to boiling water and boil for about 5 minutes.

Prepare green salad.

Potato Chowder, Rolls, Broccoli, Cauliflower

This potato chowder recipe is from my sister-in-law, Melissa. You can make this vegetarian by going with vegetable broth and cream of mushroom soup.

8 c potato, diced
1 small onion, chopped
4 c chicken broth (or use water and chicken bouillon granules)
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup
garlic powder, salt, pepper
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened and cubed

optional toppings:
bacon bits
sliced green onions
grated cheese
French's fried onions
croutons
fresh cracked pepper
etc

4 rolls

broccoli florets
cauliflower florets

In a greased crockpot, combine potatoes, onion, broth, soup, and seasonings to taste. Cook on low 8-10 hours, or until potatoes are tender. Add cream cheese; stir vigorously until blended. Cook an additional half hour, until cream cheese is completely melted. Serve with any toppings desired.

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

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.

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.

Marinated London Broil, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Steak and potato recipes both adapted from AllRecipes.

London Broil
1 1/2 lbs London broil
unseasoned meat tenderizer
1/3 c oil
2 t lemon juice
2 t seasoning salt
1/4 t lemon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t parsley flakes
2 t vinegar

Score top and bottom of meat with a 1 1/2 inch square pattern. Sprinkle meat liberally with meat tenderizer. Refrigerate for an hour. In a small bowl, mix together salt, lemon juice, seasoning salt, lemon pepper, garlic, parsley, and vinegar. Reserve a small amount of sauce in a separate container. Pour remaining marinade over meat and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Preheat grill (or broiler) for high heat. Lightly oil grate. Discard marinade. Grill meat for 5 minutes. Turn meat over, brush with reserved sauce, and cook another 5 minutes.


Flavorful Mashed Potatoes
3-4 potatoes, quartered
2 T butter
2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t salt
1 t dried oregano

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain. Stir in butter, cheese, garlic, salt, and oregano. Mash with a potato masher or electric mixer.


Broccoli
1/2 bunch broccoli, chopped into florets

Steam broccoli. Season with salt and pepper.

Korean Beef with Broccoli, Brown Rice, Edamame

1 lb steak
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, chopped
5 T sugar
1/4 c sesame seeds
1/2 c low-sodium soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
2 T canola oil, divided
1 T rice vinegar
1/4 t mashed kiwi
1/2 bunch broccoli
cornstarch

1 c brown rice

1 pkg frozen edamame



Start the night before or at least an hour before dinner. Slice beef into very thin slices. Mix together garlic, green onions, sugar, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, 1 T canola oil, and rice vinegar. Reserve half the soy sauce mixture as sauce. Combine remaining half of the soy sauce mixture with kiwi and sliced beef. Refrigerate and marinate 1 to 24 hours.

When beef is done marinating, cook rice according to package directions.

In a pan, heat remaining 1 T oil on medium heat. Stirfry broccoli for 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp tender. Remove to a plate. Stirfry meat on a little higher heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until done. Add reserved sauce and broccoli. Bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix together a tablespoon or two of cornstarch with a splash of water; add into pan. Boil for one minute.

Microwave edamame in a serving bowl. Season with salt.

*The Korean Beef with Broccoli recipe is an adaptation of many recipes from Allrecipes.