Week 17 Meal Plan- Reader Recipe Week!

Happy Memorial Day this week! Do you have any great plans? We'll be staying and playing around town, heading to Grandma's grave with flowers, you know, super exciting stuff like that. If you're staying home, make something fun for the holiday dinner! We're trying Kimberly's Boneless Buffalo Wings (from LMPD reader Kimberly) to make it a real party!

I'm actually devoting this entire week to my readers' recipes! Thanks to all of those who have submitted recipes. I mean really. Thank you, THANK you! I can't get through them all this week, but I'm excited to keep trying YOUR family faves!

Wednesday
Amber's Minestrone Soup, Green Salad, Garlic Bread

Thursday
Alison's Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Rice, Veggie Stirfry

Friday
Shannon's Tuna Biscuit Casserole, Green Salad, Broccoli

Saturday
Go out or eat leftovers

Sunday
Alyssa's Falafels, Carrots Sticks, Cucumber Salad

Monday- Memorial Day!
Kimberly's Boneless Buffalo Wings, Corn on the Cob, Fruit Salad

Tuesday
BreAnne's White Chicken Chili, Fritos, Veggie Kabobs

Check out the grocery list here.

Week 17 Grocery List-- with Prices!

This week I'll shop at Maceys and Sunflower Farmers Market.

Ingredients for Week 17 Dinners
I will be purchasing:
1 loaf French bread ($1.39)
1 zucchini ($.51)
1 celery stalk ($.19)
carrots (1 lb $1.59)
1 bunch spinach (SF $.88)
1-2 green peppers (2 at SF $1.00)
1 head lettuce (SF $.88)
4 ears corn ($1.00)
broccoli ($.94)
1 cucumber (SF $.50)
1 tomato ($.60)
1-2 onions ($1.76)
1 red onion ($1.92)
1 head garlic ($.39)
cilantro ($.50)
1 bunch fresh parsley ($.50)
fruit for a fruit salad (SF- watermelon $2.00, blackberries $.88, peaches $.86)
frozen cut Italian green beans ($1.09)
1 big can pineapple tidbits ($1.19)
1 can cream of celery soup ($1.09)
Louisiana hot sauce ($.79)
Fritos ($2.50)
1 can refrigerator biscuits ($.59)
milk ($1.97)
optional: cream- I skipped it for health but it was on sale this week

In total, I spent $27.51 on this week's dinners.
The breakdown is approximately as follows:

Amber's Minestrone Soup, Green Salad, Garlic Bread $6.17
Alison's Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Rice, Veggie Stirfry $2.34
Shannon's Tuna Biscuit Casserole, Green Salad, Broccoli $4.05
Alyssa's Falafels, Carrot Sticks, Cucumber Salad $4.07
Kimberly's Boneless Buffalo Wings, Corn on the Cob, Fruit Salad $5.53
BreAnne's White Chicken Chili, Fritos, Veggie Kabobs $5.26

I will be using from my pantry:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
3-4 chicken breasts
2 eggs
1 c grated cheese
sour cream
1 can red kidney beans
2 cans white beans
1 can black beans
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tuna
1 can chicken broth
1 can diced green chiles
small shell pasta
oatmeal
rice
potato flour or potato flakes
flour
instant yeast
baking powder
cornstarch
Ranch dressing
vinegar
soy sauce
brown sugar
Worcester sauce
oil (lots- we've got some frying this week)
olive oil
butter
oregano
thyme
parsley
red pepper flakes
cumin
cayenne
paprika
sage leaf


I also stocked up on these deals:
3 Cheese Nips ($.98 each = $2.94)
2 Frenchs (20 oz) mustard ($1.18 each plus two $.50/1 coupons = $1.36)
2 Frenchs (12 oz) honey mustard/spicy mustard ($1.18 each plus two $.50/1 coupons = $1.36)
2 (48 oz) Nalley dill pickles ($1.88 each plus two $.75/1 coupons = $2.26)
1 Kraft salad dressing ($1.58 plus a $.55/1 coupon = $1.03)

Alison's Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Rice, Veggie Stirfry

This sweet and sour meatball recipe comes from Let Me Plan Dinner reader Alison. She says it was a family favorite growing up. . . you know, the kind where the kids fight over who gets the last meatball. :) I'm going to stirfry up some veggies using a little of this and a little of that (mostly using extra veggies I chopped for the Minestrone soup). Then I'll serve the meatballs over brown rice.


Here is Alison's recipe.


Meatballs:
1 1/2 lb hamburger
1/2 c. oatmeal
1/4 c. milk
2 T chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 tsp Worchestershire sauce

Mix all. Form into meatballs. Cook in skillet. Remove from skillet and drain fat.

Sauce:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 big can pineapple tidbits (not as good with crushed)
1 T soy sauce
1 T cornstarch
1/3 c. vinegar
1 small green pepper (I like to use an onion instead because I'm not a huge fan of cooked green peppers, but that's just my personal preference.)

Mix brown sugar, cornstarch, pineapple (and syrup), vinegar, and soy sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Add meatballs. Cover, simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Stir in green pepper (and/or onion). Cover, simmer until crisp-tender, 5 minutes. Sometimes it turns out a little thick, but if you just stir in water, it turns out delicious :) I hope you like it!

*We enjoyed making this meal! I would probably omit the pineapple juice or decrease the brown sugar, just because I prefer a little less sweet in my sweet and sour. Using onion instead of green pepper was an amazing idea! I thought the onion turned out perfect. If you still like green peppers, add them just a little later to the cooking time. Mmmm. Now I'm craving Asian.

Shannon's Tuna Biscuit Casserole, Green Salad, Broccoli

This casserole recipe comes from LMPD reader Shannon. She says it's a big hit with her kids! I'm not personally a huge fan of refrigerator biscuits in general, but I want to try it to see if my 1 1/2 year old will eat the tuna. We're always working on getting him to eat more fish!

I'll be serving this casserole with steamed broccoli and a green salad.

Here is Shannon's recipe as she wrote it:


1 can of refrigerated biscuits
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can tuna drained
1 c. milk
1 t. parsley
1 c. grated cheese

Mix the soup, milk, tuna, and parsley. Line the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish with the biscuits spaced about an inch apart. Pour the soup and tuna mixture over the biscuits. Top with cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Alyssa's Falafels, Carrots Sticks, Cucumber Salad

Alyssa blogs at Cooking a la Mode, and my goodness, her pictures are beautiful. (Are you giving lessons, Alyssa?!) You can check out her falafel recipe post as well as her soft pita bread post for her comments and photos. I'll be serving these falafels with carrot sticks and a cucumber salad (see Tianna's comment), and I couldn't be more excited to try the whole meal!


Here are Alyssa's recipes, as she wrote them on her blog:

Falafels
-Alyssa Griffeth-

1 can chickpeas
1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 Tbs. fresh parsley
2 Tbs. fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c.+ flour
vegetable oil for frying

1 recipe of Soft pita bread (or store bought pitas-- If you're in a pinch)
English cucumber slices, quartered
tomato, diced
shredded romaine lettuce
1/2 red onion, sliced paper thin
ranch dressing

Place chickpeas and onions in a food processor. Pulse until almost smooth. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, red pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until well-blended but not pureed.

Remove chickpea mixture and place in a bowl. Sprinkle in the baking powder and flour, and gently mix. Add enough flour so that the dough can form a small ball without being too sticky. Refrigerate, covered, while you heat the oil and chop the veggies. Mixture can easily be made several hours ahead of time.

Using a small cookie dough scoop sprayed with Pam, form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts (you should have about 16-18 balls). Flatten between greased hands, until each ball becomes a 3 inch circle.

Heat 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees in a deep pan (I always use a candy thermometer to make sure my oil temperature stays consist ant) and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 5 balls at a time for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

Stuff warm pita bread with 2-3 falafel balls and all vegetable toppings. Add a generous amount of ranch dressing and serve hot.

Soft Pita Bread
Adapted from: King Arthur Flour

*Makes 8 flatbreads

3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. boiling water

1/4 c. potato flour OR 1/2 c. potato flakes
1 1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. INSTANT yeast

Place 2 cups of the flour into a large mixing bowl (or Kitchen Aid). Pour the boiling water over the flour, and stir till smooth. Cover the bowl and set the mixture aside for 30 minutes. This process will cook out some of the starch, making the bread very soft and pliable.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the potato flour (or flakes) and 1 cup of the remaining flour with the salt, oil and yeast. Add this to the cooled flour/water mixture, stir, then knead for several (5-7) minutes to form a soft dough. Add additional flour only if necessary-- The dough should form a ball, but will remain somewhat soft. Let the dough rise, covered, for 1 hour. (Note: Since this is a flatbread, the dough will not rise very much due to the small amount of yeast-- But it should still rise noticeably.)

Divide the dough into 8 pieces (each around 3-4 oz.-- I use my kitchen scale for this), cover, and let rest on an oiled surface for 15 to 30 minutes. Roll each piece into an 8-inch circle, and dry-fry them (fry without oil) on a griddle or frying pan over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until they’re flecked with brown spots. Adjust the heat if they seem to be cooking either too quickly, or too slowly; cooking too quickly means they may be raw in the center, while too slowly will dry them out. Stack the cooked bread in between a soft, clean towel to keep them warm and soft. Serve immediately, or cool before storing in a plastic bag.

Kimberly's Boneless Buffalo Wings, Corn on the Cob, Fruit Salad

Happy Memorial Day! This boneless buffalo wing recipe comes from LMPD reader Kimberly. You can check out her recipe blog, Chez Fruge. I'm excited to serve these buffalo wings with chips, corn on the cob, and a fruit salad. Sound like a good holiday to you, too?

Here is Kimberly's recipe, as she wrote it on her blog. I will definitely be using less oil because I don't have a fryer. I will also be leaving some of these without sauce for the little one (he doesn't do spicy quite as well.

1 1/2 – 2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon cayenne red pepper
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 boneless skinless chicken breast
7 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

In medium bowl, mix flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne red pepper, and paprika.
In small bowl, mix egg and milk.
Slice chicken breast into small bite size pieces.
In your deep fryer or skillet, pour in the oil (mine took 7 but it’s a wider fryer – you may need more or less depending on the size of your fryer or skillet).

Heat oil to 375 degrees.

Dip the chicken pieces into the egg and milk mixture and then the flour mixture. Repeat this process to double-coat each piece.
Arrange chicken on a plate and put in the fridge for 15 minutes.
When 15 minutes is up, carefully place the chicken into the oil and fry for 5-6 minutes (depending on how big you made the pieces) until they are brown. (My fryer fit 7-8 pieces at a time.)
Remove chicken from fryer when browned (and cooked through) and place them on a plate lined with paper towel.
In a microwave safe bowl (one with a lid – you will need it later), combine hot sauce and butter and microwave until butter is melted (about 25 seconds). Stir.
Put the chicken in the bowl with the sauce mixture and cover with the lid. Shake well to coat each piece.
Serve with Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing

*Thanks, Kimberly, for a yummy recipe! We liked feeling like we were eating out for a night.

BreAnne's White Chicken Chili, Fritos, Veggie Kabobs

This white chicken chili recipe is from reader BreAnne. I'll be serving this chili with tortilla chips and some grilled veggie kabobs (I'm thinking red onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms!).

Here is BreAnne's recipe as she wrote it, but scaled by half. I'll be substituting milk for the cream.


1 can canellini beans (white kidney beans)
1 can black beans
about 1/4 cup chopped onions (or more if you like onions)
about a clove of minced garlic
about 1-2 large chicken breasts
about 1 can chicken broth
1/2 to 1 can green chiles, diced
about 1/2 tsp of cumin
sometimes I add a dash or two of paprika or some chili powder or both (go by the smell of them together)
about 3/4 cups cream
around 1 tbsp cornstarch (mix with some of the cold cream)
salt and pepper to tastiness
a sage leaf
Fritos
Sour Cream

Saute the onions and garlic and add the chicken with S&P and cook. Cut up the chicken into bite size pieces. Add the chicken broth and and the rinsed beans, and the sage leaf, cumin, salt and pepper, sometimes i throw in a little paprika, the can of green chiles. simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the cream. Add the cornstarch and cream mix and bring to a boil, then let simmer until you are ready to eat it.
Put some Fritos in a bowl and ladle some chicken chili over it. Dollop on some sour cream and if you like any green adornments (like cilantro or parsley) you can add that on top too!
Enjoy!

Feel free to add or subtract and adapt in any way you like, it always turns out great!

*This was such a fantastic, flavorful soup! It seemed so bright and fresh, perfect for summertime. The Fritos in the bottom of the bowl were a really nice addition in terms of flavor and texture. I used chopped cooked chicken I already had on hand, but followed the recipe otherwise. Thanks, BreAnne!

Week 16 Meal Plan

I'm rather unimpressed with this week's grocery sales. All the stores only have a couple good sale items. This week's meal plan will be based a lot around the odds and ends I have in our pantry.

I was excited, though, to see that Sunflower Farmers Market has mahi mahi on sale for $3.88/lb. That's a great deal on fish, and since we're trying to increase our fish consumption (for heart health) I'm excited to buy it!

Wednesday
Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Zucchini, Edamame

Thursday
Not-Too-Fiery Fish Tacos, Black Bean Salsa, Green Salad

Friday
Lemon Herb Pork Chops, Broccoli, Cauliflower

Saturday
Go out or eat leftovers.

Sunday
Trimble's Chicken Noodle Soup, Homemade Rolls, Broccoli, Peas

Monday
Viva la Chicken, Tortilla Chips, Corn, Green Salad

Tuesday
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, Green Beans, Carrots

Check out the Grocery List and Tips, too!

Week 16 Grocery List-- with Prices!

This week I shopped at Maceys, with a quick stop into Sunflower Farmers Market as noted by SF.

Ingredients for Week 16 Dinners
I will be purchasing:
1 zucchini ($.28)
2 tomatoes ($1.26 SF)
1 small red onion- maybe not, I have a white onion at home
cilantro ($.50)
1 head lettuce($.88 SF)
broccoli ($1.47)
cauliflower($.68)
1 bunch celery ($1.57)
1 lb carrots ($.72)
1 potato ($.40)
fresh basil ($1.69 SF)
1 lb mahi mahi (1.2 lbs @ $3.88/lb= $4.58)
1 (7 oz) can salsa verde ($.99)
milk (1 gallon - $1.97)
optional: 1 avocado ($1.29)

In total, I spent $18.28 on this week's ingredients.
The breakdown is approximately as follows:

Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Zucchini, Edamame $.28
Not-Too-Fiery Fish Tacos, Black Bean Salsa, Green Salad $8.07
Lemon Herb Pork Chops, Broccoli, Cauliflower $1.42
Trimble's Chicken Noodle Soup, Homemade Rolls, Broccoli, Peas $3.07
Viva la Chicken, Tortilla Chips, Corn, Green Salad $3.40
Roasted Red Pepper, Green Beans, Carrots $2.05

Even though there weren't too many good sales this week, I was able to keep costs low by using up the odds and ends in my food storage. It really pays to have stocked up when things were on sale!


I will be using from my pantry:
5-6 chicken breasts
4 pork chops
1/2 lb Italian sausage
1 c sour cream
2 oz cheese
1/2 pkg cream cheese
garlic cloves
1 pkg tortillas
rice
8 oz penne pasta
12 oz rotini pasta
teriyaki sauce
Italian dressing
lemon juice
12 oz jar roasted red peppers
15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can shoepeg corn
1 can green beans
4 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup
frozen corn
frozen peas
frozen edamame

I also stocked up on:
6 Pantene shampoo and conditioner- the big bottles! ($2.50 each = $15.00)
Hidden Valley Light Ranch ($2.49)
Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (4 pack= $2.48)
Simply Potatoes Southwestern style refrigerated hashbrowns ($1.49 each = $2.98)