Menu Plan for 1/03-1/07

Well he did lose his job so now we are on a tight budget. I'm hoping to spend only $100 a week for groceries, pet food, and supplies. We go through about a gallon of milk a day so that takes up a nice portion of my budget. This week's grocery list is quite small for actual food so this week I'm thinking I should come in under $100 which would leave wiggle room for future weeks. Again if I don't mention sides its because I plan on using something we have in stock in the house. I'm not planning lunches or breakfasts, yet, because we have plenty of things from food storage to use for those meals.

Meal #1
easy beef barley soup
Boston creme pie

Meal #2
chicken salad bake
fresh broccoli salad

Meal #3
satisfying cremini barley
bacon apple cider biscuits

Meal #4
fully loaded chili

Meal #5
marinated pork loin
homemade noodles
roasted veggies

Meal #6
Greek chicken sandwiches

Meal #7
turkey spaghetti casserole

Grocery Totals:
Winegar's
Bought-
7 reduced deli items for 45 cents each, regular price $1.99 each, not on my list but a great option for the kids for lunch
green onions 2 bunches for $1
18 eggs $1.88
2.07 lbs gala apples $1.41, 68 cents a lb
1.70 lbs granny smith apples, 68 cents a lb
5 lb bag potatoes $1.99
3 packages frozen veggies 77 cents each
2 gallons milk $1.99 each
Total Spent: $17.39

Ream's
Bought:
2 green peppers $1.38, 69 cents each
2 haas avocados $1.47, 49 cents each
6 oz. spinach $1.99
3 packages frozen veggies $2.37, 79 cents each
6 lbs ground beef $8.07, 1.39 lb
1.20 lbs fresh broccoli $1.19, 99 cents lb (could have picked it up for 79 cents at another store way out of my way)
6 lemons $1
1.65 lb cauliflower $1.63, 99 cents lb
3.89 lbs bananas $1.91, 49 cents lb
cremini mushrooms $2.69
fresh mushrooms $1.99
mustard $1.39
instant pudding 50 cents
chocolate milk $1.50 (not on my list but my child really wanted it and he did sit still for his hearing test so I let him get it)
apricot preserves $2
applesauce $2.15
2.13 lbs pears $2.11, 99 cents lb
romaine lettuce 99 cents
2 cucumbers $1.38, 69 cents each
12 limes $2
1 lb dry garbanzo beans $1.35 (cheaper than canned and I'll freeze what I don't use after cooking)
1 lb dry northern beans $1.33 (same as garbanzo beans)
green lettuce 99 cents
1.98 lbs red grapes $1.37, 69 cents lb
grand total $46.05

Day old bread store
texas toast
bagels
english muffins
bread
treats for the kids
$13.12

Macey's
Bought:
1 lb pearl barley $1.29
tortilla chips $1.25
picnic roast $5.85, $2.12 a lb
quick cooking barley $1.99
5 frozen juices $5, $1 each
pita bread $2.29
4.19 lbs boneless skinless chicken $5.41, $1.29 lb
2 containers juice $2.50, $1.49 each
.66 lbs roma tomatoes $1.12, $1.69 lb
3 gallons milk $6, $2 each
feta cheese $1.99
ceasar dressing $1.99 (make all salad dressing from scratch except for this kind)
14 cans cat food 33 cents to 35 cents each
cat food $2.49
candy 79 cents
grand total $47.88


Total for the week: $124.52
We should not need anything except maybe milk at the store this week. Hopefully I can cut back on milk usage in the house.

Italian Pasta Casserole

This recipe turned out really good. The flavors blended well together and it was fairly easy to make. I had almost everything needed for this recipe in the pantry and freezer. I think most would have the items needed on hand. I did leave out the turkey pepperoni for two reasons. One we did not have pepperoni on hand and second I did not think it would really need the pepperoni. I was right. You don't need the pepperoni in the dish. I also subbed sweet Italian sausage for the sausage links. This recipe was found in the Taste of Home Healthy Cooking November 2008 issue.

2 cups uncooked spiral pasta
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 ounces sliced turkey pepperoni
1 cup (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, crumble beef and sausage into a large skillet; add onion and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes; tomato paste and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered 5 minutes.

Drain pasta; stir in meat mixture and pepperoni. Transfer half of pasta mixture to a 2-qt baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with half cheese; repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

Holiday Lettuce Salad

Once again a recipe for Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking November 2008 issue. The salad sounded good to me although I have never liked or made a "green" salad with fruit. However I really liked the salad as did Don and the kids. All the flavors blended together well to make a great tasting dish.


10 cups torn romaine
2 medium red apples, cubed
2 medium pears, cubed
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded swiss cheese
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons grated onion
1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped lightly salted cashews

In a salad bowl, combine the first five ingredients.

For the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, oil, corn syrup, onion, mustard, and salt. Pour over romaine mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with cashews. Serve immediately.

Black Bean Soup

This was a pretty great tasting soup. Not too spicy, for me, and with some spice for Don. The kids would not try it but I really did not think they would. Its a pretty simple recipe and takes about 15 minutes prep with another 20-30 minutes for the cooking. So much better than a canned black bean soup. I found the recipe in the Taste of Home Healthy Cooking November 2008 issue. I did cook my beans from dried, I used 2 cups cooked beans for each can of beans. I also used chicken broth from the freezer.

3 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
3 celery ribs with leaves, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium sweet red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 can (14 1/2 ounce) diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions, undrained
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped green onions

In a small bowl, mash one can black beans; set aside. In a dutch oven, saute the celery, onion, red pepper, jalapeno, and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, hot sauce, pepper, bay leaf, remaining beans, and reserved mashed beans.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons green onion.

Orange Bizcochitos

First off sorry about the picture. I could not get a picture that was not blurry. I guess I need to get working with the new camera as mine officially appears to be dying. Any way on to the cookies. I found the recipe in the Cooking Light November 2007 magazine. They were very easy to make and very tasty too. I was worried the kids would not like them but they could not get enough of them. Don kept going back for seconds and thirds and so forth. I guess everyone in the house really liked them. The had a light taste of orange and just a hint of the anise seed. There was no over powering taste and the flavors blended together very well. They were not the normal type of cookies I make or that we eat in this house but I see us making them often.

2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind
1 1/2 teaspoons aniseed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place 3/4 cup granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add egg; beat 1 minute or until well blended. Add rind, aniseed, and vanilla; beat until well blended. Beating at low speed, gradually add flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time; beat just until a soft dough forms. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Shape dough into a 10-inch log. Cut log crosswise into 4 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover and keep remaining portions in refrigerator), divide dough into 10 equal pieces on a lightly floured surface. Roll each dough piece into a ball; place dough balls 1 1/2 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

Place powdered sugar in a small bowl. Dip bottom of a glass in powdered sugar; flatten 1 dough ball with bottom of glass into a 2-inch circle. Repeat procedure with powdered sugar and remaining 9 dough balls.

Combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 10 dough circles evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon mixture. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned around edges. Cool on pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Repeat procedure 3 times with remaining dough, powdered sugar, and cinnamon mixture.

Teriyaki Veggie Wraps

This is a very fast and easy light dinner or lunch. I was leery if I would like it but I ended up really liking it. Even the kids ate the wrap, which is quite a feat in this house. One thing I would do different next time is leave the cheese out. I didn't think the cheese added anything to the wrap. I found this recipe in Taste of Home Healthy Cooking Oct/Nov 2008 issue.



1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
3 tablespoons reduced sodium teriyaki sauce
2 flour tortillas (8 inches) warmed
1/4 cup shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend

In a small nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute the green pepper, onion and garlic in oil for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook 3 minutes longer. Stir in teriyaki sauce; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Spoon vegetable mixture down the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese; roll up tightly.

Tangy Spinach Salad

I love spinach salad and this one is no exception. The flavors blended together well and I even ate some of the hard boiled egg. Even the kids liked the salad. The dressing is sort of a sweet and sour mixture. The chow mein noodles didn't do much for the salad so if your missing that ingredient I'd go ahead and make the salad without them. Very simple salad and salad dressing to make. If your looking for something easy and good this is a great recipe to try. I found this recipe in the Taste of Home Simple and Delicious October 2008 magazine.

3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried onion
1 package (5 ounces) fresh baby spinach
3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1/3 cup chow mein noodles
1/3 cup real bacon bits

In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the first six ingredients; shake well.

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, eggs, chow mein, and bacon. Drizzle with dressing. Refrigerate leftovers. 6 servings.

Dijon Crusted Chicken Breasts

This recipe came from Taste of Home's healthy cooking magazine November 2008 issue. I forgot to take a picture until most of the chicken was eaten so its not a great picture, sorry. I really liked the flavors from this chicken but I had a few problems. One being the crusted portion stuck to the pan. The second is I used chicken breasts that were a little on the thick side. If your going to use a piece of meat that is thicker the crust burns while your waiting for it to cook. Next time I'd use smaller pieces of chicken breasts or pound the breast into a smaller size. Overall though I think this was a very easy dish to make and was really good.


1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 ounces each)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon butter

1. Place the first four ingredients in a shallow bowl. Brush chicken with mustard; roll in crumb mixture.

2. In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil and butter over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until juices run clear.

Menu Plan 12/26-1/01

I've never been a person who really likes to plan out meals. I usually stick to a simple rotation system, which I think I've posted about on this blog in the past, but its usually a rough time line that allowed me to change it according to my cravings or desire that day. Well things have to change as my husband may be losing his job and the fact our house is being overwhelmed by cooking magazines and cookbooks. So I've sat down and plotted out the next week's menu and we will see how things go for us. I've decided not to do a breakfast menu for the time being and lunches will only be planned for my husband's days off from work as those are our weakest times for eating out. My goal is to shop once for the week with the possibility of needing to run out for a few items that are perishable. So here goes the plan for the next week, I won't be shopping until Saturday so Friday's menu is still sort of up in the air for sides:

12/26 Dijon crusted chicken breasts

12/27 Lunch- out while running errands
Dinner Teriyaki veggie wraps, tangy spinach salad

12/28 Lunch Annabelle's American Hero Sub
Dinner Black bean soup, rustic dinner rolls, and orange cookies

12/29 Italian pasta casserole, holiday lettuce salad

12/30 pork cutlets with capers, savory brussel sprouts

12/31 beef red pepper pasta, artichoke bread

1/01 Lunch creamy fettuccine, zucchini parmesan
dinner hot dogs with sauerkraut (my family's New Year's Eve tradition)

I'll be posting pictures and recipes for all dishes we really liked. If I don't post and your interested in the dish let me know and I will get the recipe for you. I know everyone's tastes are different.

Update: I spent $160 at the store today. Not too bad considering my produce stand is closed until after the first of the year and the fact I needed a few things that were not for the above menus. My goal was to spend about $150 but I came in at around $100 for the items needed for the menu plan and $60 for the other stuff.

Sweet Chili

I noticed this recipe on Laura's blog, http://realmomkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/11/sweet-chili.html , a few weeks ago and wanted to give it a try. Don is so picky about his chili that I purposely waited until I was making navajo tacos to make this recipe. Don ended up liking the chili on the tacos but says he would not eat it plain. Overall the recipe was really good. I really liked the dish. I changed a few things:
I used tomato sauce instead of tomato soup.
I added two cloves of minced garlic to the meat and onions.
I used 2 cans of chili beans with sauce instead of five cans of beans.
I also did not use the tomato paste.
I also simmered it for several hours.

The original recipe-
In a soup pot:
Brown 1 1/2 pounds ground beef and one medium onion. Drain off grease.

The add:
5 (15 oz) cans of kidney beans, undrained
2 (6oz) cans of tomato paste
2 cans tomato soup
4 tsp chili powder
3/4 cup brown sugar

Simmer for one hour.

Brown Sugar Crackle Glazed Turkey

I've fallen in love with the brown sugar turkey deli meat in the local deli. So imagine my delight to stumble across a recipe for brown sugar glazed turkey in the November 2008 issue of Sunset magazine. I used a turkey breast instead of the whole turkey. Mainly because we really only eat the white meat of the turkey and because I had several sitting in the freezer thanks to a misprint on labels at the local grocery store. I picked up several organic turkey breasts for 49 cents a lb because of the misprint on the labels. Anyway this recipe do not disappoint. It was really really good. I can't wait to make it again. For some reason the glazed burned on the bottom of my pan so I suggest using something under the turkey like foil. I used half of the following recipe for the turkey breast since the recipe was for a 18-24 lb turkey.

In a small bowl, mix 2 cups packed light brown sugar, 5 tbsp dijon mustard, and 2 tsp coarsely and freshly ground black pepper. When turkey has about 45 minutes left to cook (breast temperature at the bone will be about 135 degrees for birds up to 18 lbs, and about 145 for larger ones), spread with half the glaze. Cook 20 minutes. Brush with remaining glaze and cook, sliding folded strips of foil between bird and grate if edges of turkey begin to get too dark, and draping any other dark areas with foil, until thermometer registers 160 degrees. Makes enough to glaze a 12-24 lb turkey.

Mostaccioli Beef Casserole

I've been working on cleaning out the huge pile of magazines in the house and cleaning out the freezers and cupboards. This recipe, taken from a magazine in the pile, took items from both places. It turned out pretty tasty. A bonus being quick and easy. Don went back for thirds and for him to go back three times means it must be pretty good. I found the recipe in the March/April 2008 issue of Simple and Delicious. I didn't have mostaccioli pasta so I subbed elbow macaroni. I also through in a minced clove of garlic because well I just love garlic.

8 ounces uncooked mostaccioli

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1 cup chopped green pepper

3/4 cup chopped onion

2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce

1 jar (4 1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained

3 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Cook the mostaccioli according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

Stir in the tomato suace, mushrooms, chili powder, sugar, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Drain mostaccioli; toss with butter. Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce into a greased 2 1/2 qt baking dish. Top with half of the mostaccioli, meat sauce, and cheese. Repeat layers.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Gingerbread Men

I'll admit the kids and I have no talent for decorating cookies however these cookies were very good despite the awful decorating. I did discover that the kids do not like gingerbread cookies. Don and I really liked them. I was leery at first because the recipe called for fresh ginger which I've never used in a cookie before but you can't tell at all that you used fresh ginger. The smell from the cookies cooking made the house smell good and we had several neighbors stop and ask about them. I found the recipe in the Marth Stewart Baking handbook.

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/4 teaspoons ground allspice

1/4 teapoon ground cloves

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon grated, peeled fresh ginger

1 large egg

1/4 unsulfured molasses

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, and cloves; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter, both sugars, and fresh ginger on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in egg and molasses to combine. With mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixer, beating until just incorporated. Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and shape into flattened disks; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two large baking sheets wtih parchment paper; set aside. Remove dough from the refrigerator, and let stand until slightly softened. (This will help keep the dough from cracking when rolled.) On a large piece of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour, roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thick. To prevent sticking while rolling, occasionally run a large offset spatula under the dough, and add more flour. Place parchment paper and dough on another baking sheet; freeze until very firm, about 15 minutes.

Remove dough from freezer; working quickly, cut out with large cookie cutters. (If dough begins to soften too much, return to the freezer for a few minutes.) Using a wide metal spatula, tansfer cutouts to prepared baking sheets; chill until firm, about 15 minutes.

Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are crisp but not darkened, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer parchment and cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired. Cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Marshmallow Wreaths

This was a fun idea for the holidays. Bonus being it was quick and easy to make. I found the idea in a book titled Reindeer Crunch and other holiday recipes. It suggested using ribbon to make them look more like wreaths but these barely lasted long enough to cool to the touch in our house. The recipe called for them to be cooked in the microwae but I don't have one so I'm posting the recipe as I did it on the stovetop.

4 tablespoons butter
1 10.5 ounce bag mini marshmallows
3-4 drops green food coloring
3 cups corn flakes
1 cup crisped rice cereal
1/2 cup mini cinnamon candies

Melt butter in a large pot. Add marshmallows and stir until melted. Add food coloring to the marshmallows (I forgot to do this here and added it after I added some cereal so it works both ways) and stir. Add cornflakes and rice cereal to marshmallow mixture and stir until mixture is mixed throughly.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Pour the entire mixture onto the baking sheet. Spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray. Divide the cereal mixture into 6-8 equal parts. Shape each part into individual ring shapes. The mixture will be hot.

Press cinnamon candies on top of wreaths.

Lion House Rolls

I made these rolls for Thanksgiving dinner. They sounded almost too complicated to make but I'm glad I did as they were quite tasty. I ended up making them again on Sunday just because I really liked them. Dh thought they were pretty good too. They were soft and fluffy. I'm sure these will be made often in out house. I found the recipe in the Lion House Christmas cookbook.

2 cups warm water

2/3 cup nonfat dry milk (instant or non-instant)

2 tablespoons dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup butter

1 egg

5 to 5 1/2 cups flour

In large bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine water and milk powder; stir until milk dissolves. Add yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are moistened, then for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add 2 cups flour; mix on low speed until ingredients are moistened, then for 2 minutes at medium speed. (Dough will be getting stiff, and remaining flour may need to be mixed in by hand.) Add about 1/2 cup flour and mix again, by hand or mixer. Dough will be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff. (It is not necessary to use the entire amount of flour.)

Scrape dough off sides of bowl and pour about one tablespoon vegetable oil all around the sides of the bowl. Turn dough over in bowl so it is covered with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until double in size, about 45 minutes.

Scrape dough out onto floured board. Turn dough over so it is floured on both sides, gently flatten to about 1 inch thick. With rolling pin, roll out to a rectangle about 18 inches long, 8 inches wide, and 1/4 inch thick. Brush with melted butter. With pizza crust or very sharp knife, cut dough in half to make two strips about 4 inches wide. Make cuts through strips of dough every two inches, making about 18 pieces of dough.

Starting with the short end, roll up one piece of dough, with butter on the inside. Place roll on parchment lined pan with other short end down on the paper. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. Be sure all rolls face the same direction on baking pan. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise until double in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes, or until light to medium golden brown. Brush tops of rolls with melted butter.