Menu Plan Monday

I’ve been “Savings Angel-ing” for a few months now, and I have so much food stocked up it’s ridiculous.  Also, my husband and I went to see Dave Ramsey a few weeks ago at Van Andel.  I thought he was going to be a total doorknob, but he was actually very good.  Anyone who has heard his ‘stuff’ knows that he is all about “Gazelle Intensity” toward paying off debt.  We just have a few credit cards to clean up, but we like the savings model he has also. 

So; it’s time for me to take a look around and use what I have.  It’s so tempting to buy stuff because it’s a good deal. I’ve had a few fun ‘jaw drop’ moments from the store clerks store when they actually owed me money because I had so many coupons.  My friend (and fellow Savings Angel-er) Cleaver Mama just needed toilet paper and peanut butter.  She paid her grocery bill last week with two dimes. See? This is why I have so much stuff.  I’m getting it cheap.

Anyway, I did an inventory and came up with several weeks worth of menus.  I’ll just do them one at a time because I know I will get off track if I go too far in advance.  This week, here is what’s on the menu:

SUNDAY

Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup 

• 2 boneless skinnless chicken breasts, diced
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste, depending on saltiness of broth
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 leek or small onion chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram or basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 ounces noodles

Place all ingredients except noodles in the Crock Pot. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Remove bay leaf, and add the noodles.

Cook another hour or until noodles are done (about 1/2 hour on high). Or, cook the noodles separately and add them just before serving. 

This recipe is from About Southern Food.

Corn bread (I made a skillet of this and froze half last week).  I will say that I switched to Miracle Maize Corn Bread mix and it is super good. 

Spinach salad

MONDAY

Stuffed Peppers

This will be the first of a few recipes in the “puttin’ bacon where it don’t belong” category.  I am going to make stuffed peppers (red bell) but I will use a pound of bacon instead of ground beef.  I don’t have a written recipe for this one, I just make it.  Here goes:

Heat water until boiling.  While you’re waiting for it to boil, cut the tops off of the peppers and take out all of the seeds and other stuff.  Dice the top of the peppers that you cut off. Boil the big part of the peppers for 10 minutes (the part you are going to stuff).   Usually, I would brown ground beef but I’m going to fry bacon instead, then chop it.  Then toss in the diced pepper and some garlic.  Add 2 good tablespoons of tomato paste and mix.  Add 2 cups of cooked rice and some parmesean cheese.  Mix together, and add 1/2 a jar of spaghetti sauce.  Put some more spaghetti sauce (just a little) on the bottom of a baking dish.  Put the boiled peppers in there, and stuff them.  Put extra stuffing around them.  Pour the rest of the spaghetti sauce over the whole thing, and add more parmesean.  Cook at 350 for 15 minutes covered, and then 15 minutes uncovered.

I am going to serve this with Mashed Cauliflower.  Here is a recipe for it.  I made it once before but have no idea where that recipe is now.  My old recipe had sour cream it it, so I will add that if it doesn’t seem to be getting to the right consistency.

TUESDAY

Pan-Broiled Steak with Whiskey Sauce

steamed broccoli

baked potatoes

WEDNESDAY

We have a class at church; they are having bread and soup for dinner.  I am bringing cookies; some sort of white chocolate chip/pecan thing because that’s what I have in the cupboard.  

THURSDAY

If I can find my heart-shaped springform pan (yes, I really have one) I am going to make a heart shaped pizza.  I just use thawed bread dough rolled out, and will put bacon, salami, and banana peppers on it.  I got the idea from an Amore ad in Saveur, but I don’t have any fancy ingredients on hand so no pesto, provolone, or proscuitto for me, or my love.

Served with a salad.

I am also going to try these molasses cookies.  I haven’t had them in a long time and I think I like them?!? I guess we’ll find out!

FRIDAY

Black bean and cream cheese quesadillas.  It’s supposed to be goat cheese, but I don’t have any.

Blue corn chips with salsa (in a jar)

SATURDAY

Chicken with lemon, olives and feta.  I don’t know the recipe for this one either.  I am just going to take some frozen, boneless skinless chicken breasts, defrost them, and bake them in a casserole pan with a sliced lemon and some sliced olives on top.  Then, towards the end of cooking I will throw on some crumbled feta cheese.

Black Bean and Corn Salad.  Here is a recipe; I will use dried, cooked black beans and (defrosted) frozen corn instead and marinated red peppers instead of tomatoes though.

For more recipes and menu ideas, check out “I’m an Organizing Junkie!“