nothing fancy menu planning

Posted on March 13, 2013by omega57

Love Princess and her dog, Shadow

This picture has nothing to do with menu planning. I just like it!

Nothing fancy here. Jim left this morning for Colorado and Texas. He will be gone for 4 weeks. Yes, 4 weeks. He left with a hurting back.  Praying for release from pain and travel safety. He may be heading right into the lingering late arrival storms.

I need to plan because it would be so easy to fall into eating out and loosey goosey living.

MENU PLANNING

Breakfast Planning:

I am writing these out for shopping reasons.  I was out of eggs and cheese this morning since I did not do food shopping prior to our trip on Sunday.

fresh fruit, granola, yogurt, pancakes, crepes, cheese omelet, cheese quesadilla, oatmeal

Lunches for school:   

left overs, fruit, mini candy bars or brownies, small yogurt

Suppers:

Sunday:Meat Lover’s Stromboli  from Aaron McCargo Jr.  (Big Daddy on Food Network)       Very, very yummy!

Ingredients  

• Canola oil nonstick spray
• Flour, for dusting
• 1 refrigerated pizza dough, divided in half
• 1 cup sweet marinated peppers, chopped (recommended: Peppadew)
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 pound sliced ham
• 1/4 pound sliced hot sopressata
• 1/4 pound sliced salami
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced pepperoni
• 4 cups grated mozzarella
• pineapple chunks (optional)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Olive oil, for brushing
• 2 cups good quality marinara sauce, warmed  (recommend Newman’s brand).

Directions:    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray or use parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out both halves of the dough to large rectangles, about 9 by 13 inches. Sprinkle each with the sweet peppers, garlic, and Italian seasoning, leaving a 1-inch border. Evenly distribute the ham, sopressata, salami, pepperoni, and mozzarella over each of the dough rectangles.

Using a pastry brush, paint the border of 1 long edge on each piece of dough with the egg wash. Starting at the opposite long end without the egg wash, roll up each dough like a jelly roll. Repeat with the other dough. Place on the prepared baking sheets and brush the tops with olive oil. Sprinkle with smoked salt, if desired. Place a few slits in the top of the dough for venting. Bake until nearly completely golden brown and starting to crisp, about 25 minutes.

Meg’s Variation:  Hawaiian with herbs and spices only plus ham and pineapple chunks.

Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Slice thickly and serve with the warmed marinara.   Serves:   16 appetizer portions or  3-4 persons for a meal                      

 We LOVE this!! 

Monday: Mrs. Miller’s Easy Quick Chicken Tetrazzini, tossed salad, fresh fruit or our favorite, canned peaches!, loaf bread

Makes 2 11×7 casserole dishes

Ingredients:

16 oz thin spaghetti

1/2 cup chicken broth

4 cup  chicken, chopped

1 can each cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of celery soups

8 oz sour cream

8 0z fresh mushrooms sliced ( or 6 0z jar sliced mushrooms drained)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

1 teas white pepper

1/2 teas salt

2 cups  shredded cheddar cheese

(1 cup to mix in, , 1 cup  for topping)

Directions:

Cook chicken in water.  Take chicken out using slotted spoon.

Reserve 1/2 cup broth.  Cook spaghetti in same water for enhanced flavor.  Do not rinse.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all other ingredients, adding cooked chicken.  Stir well.  Toss throughly with noodles.

Put in 2 greased 11×7 casserole dishes.  Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheese evenly on tops.

Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes until bubbly.  Uncover and baked 5 more minutes.     If deep or large single dish is used, cook longer to heat completely.

Note: can be frozen for one month. Thaw in refrigerator; set out and let stand 30 minutes prior to cooking.

Tuesday: Grilled steak, baked potatoes, broccoli,  french bread 

Sirloin Steak  Sounds fancy and pricy. It could be if I didn’t regularly keep some on hand that are bought only during the weekly specials of 2 for 1!  I marinate it in about 2 – 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 – 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce plus garlic.  Sometimes it is only an hour or so; sometimes, and this does taste better, for more than 4 hours!

Broccoli   Simply cut off tough ends from crown, split into spears, put into boiling water and low boil until it turns the most brilliant green and is slightly soft.  Serve.  If you like lemon juice, put a little pitcher of it on the table.

Wednesday: Church supper

Thursday: Spaghetti, salad,  french bread

Friday: Linda’s Beef vegetable soup with corn muffins (we love Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix) 

Ingredients:  

Chopped beef stew meat

1 med onion chopped

3-4 stalks of celery chopped

1 package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix

2  32 oz cartons beef broth,

1-2 large cans crushed or diced tomatoes

1 sm can tomato paste

1 large bag frozen mixed vegetables without onion, celery, potatoes

fresh baby spinach

Use large soup pot with lid.  Simmer 1 lb or less chopped stew meat.  This is often a special or with yellow sticker discount.

Add chopped onion and celery,  1 -2 liters beef broth,  1 Lipton Onion Soup mix, 1-2 large cans of crushed or diced tomatoes, 1 sm can tomato paste.

Season with salt, black pepper and Italian herbs.

Simmer for several hours.  20 -30 minutes before serving add frozen mixed vegetables without potatoes, onion or celery and 1 -2 hand full of fresh spinach. Simmer to heat throughly prior to serving.

Saturday: Tacos, Meg’s Spanish Rice 

Meg’s Spanish rice: 

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice

1 1/2 teas oil

1 sm onion chopped    1 teas fresh garlic chopped

2 tbls tomato paste

1/2 teas salt     1 – 2 teas chili powder

3 cups water

Saute rice in oil until translucent and before it begins to brown. Add onion and garlic.  Stir.  Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.  Stir.  Add 3 cups of water, 1 teas salt and 2-3 teas chili powder.  Stir.  Bring to a boil then turn down to low heat.  Cover and continue to cook for 20 minutes.  Serves 3-4.   Note: rice to water is 1 -3 for this recipe.

Enjoy and have a great week!

blessings, linda

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