Week 6 Menus

WEEK 6 MENUS 

Having had a medical condition with my mother, I did not post menus last week. However.... here's another set. This week I've done some multi-purpose cooking I hope will be helpful and time-saving, as well as money-saving. 

The first 3 recipes are all from 1 pork roast used in 3 ways. Very economical.

Day 1- BBQ Pork Sandwiches- freezable

1 inexpensive bone-in pork roast- crock pot with 4 C water, 1 pkg italian dressing mix, 1 pkg brown gravy mix, 1 pkg ranch dressing mix. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, until falling apart. Remove roast and cool. Remove bone and excess fat. Shred meat, and divide 1/2 into a bowl.  add 1/2 C bbq sauce to 1/2 meat and serve hot on buns.  Put broth in airtight container in refrigerator, or freeze. Store the other 1/2 of the meat in airtight container and refrigerate or freeze.

Day 2- Carnitas -freezable

(Using the other half of the pork roast meat). Add 1T Cumin, 1t garlic powder, 1T onion powder, 1/2 C Salsa 1t salt, 1/2t pepper, 1T chili powder, heat in saucepan (or you can put it in a crockpot on low until hot.)  In a hot skillet, heat 8 flour tortillas. Fill each with meat mixture, sprinkle cheese and roll into a burrito. Top with salsa, sour cream, guacamole

Day 3- Bean Soup  freezable

(Using the broth from the Pork Roast) The night before you make this soup, soak 1lb of dry northern, pinto or navy beans in a crock pot of water. Do not turn it on. The next morning, drain and rinse the beans in a colander. Place beans back in crock pot, add pork broth, skimming the fat off of the top. Add 1 bay leaf, 1t garlic, 2T minced onions, 2t salt, 1t pepper, 2 or 3 chopped carrots, 2C shredded cabbage or 1 bag fresh slaw mix, 1 can crushed tomatoes (or use fresh tomatoes chopped). Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until suppertime. Serve with Cornbread! (bread recipe of the week) yum

These 3 days of meals should also have leftovers, so it is a very economical way to cook. If you want more variety from day to day, freeze the cooked meat and broth for up to 3 months, and bring them out when you need a quick meal. 

Day 4- Sausage gravy with biscuits

Use either canned grand biscuits as directed or you can use Rachel's biscuits from week 1. Brown 1 lb of sausage in large fryer skillet (tall sides) on med high. Add 2T vegetable oil. sprinkle 1/3C flour over the meat, and mix, letting the flour fry for about 30 seconds. Stir in 4C milk, mixing until flour is incorporated well. Add 1t salt, 1/4t pepper. Reduce heat to medium. Continue stirring until gravy thickens. Serve hot over hot biscuits.

Day 5- Boxed rice mix dinner-  When you need a quick-fix

This is an easy, quick meal with very little preparation. It can be done in a variety of ways, and with a variety of meats/veggies. Rice a Roni boxed mixes or Aldi's has a rice dinner mix. They come in a variety of flavors.  In a deep skillet, brown 1 lb of ground beef. (or use a frozen package of pre-browned hamburger)When browned and hot, follow the instructions on a box of "Rice dinner mix" or "Rice a Roni". Brown the rice in butter, add water with sauce mix.  Add a vegetable of choice- broccoli is good with the beef rice, I add either teriyaki or soy sauce to taste for the beef/broccoli for an Asian flair. Corn is a good add-in with Spanish rice or Mexican rice.  If I'm making the Spanish or Mexican rice, I like to add Rotel tomatoes, or even a little salsa to add a Mexican flavor. I've used the chicken flavor and added cooked chicken and veggies, and it is a good hearty meal as well. Again, if your meat is precooked, this meal goes together in just a few minutes...a one pan complete meal with vegetables. Use your creative skills on this one.

Day 6- Garlic chicken strips- freezable

Preheat oven to 350*. In a small saucepan, on low heat, melt 1/2 C butter and sauté 4 cloves of minced garlic until tender. In a shallow bowl, mix 3/4C dry bread crumbs, 1/2C grated parmesan cheese, 1 1/2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1/4t dried parsley, 1/4t dried oregano, 1/8t salt 1/4t ground black pepper. Use either 8 chicken breast tenders, or 4 chicken breasts cut lengthwise in half. Dip chicken in butter mix, and press into breadcrumb mix. Arrange chicken into 9x13 baking dish. Drizzle remaining garlic butter and bread crumb mix over the top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until chicken juices are clear.  

Here's a tip- Since your oven will be hot anyway, stick another 9x13 pan of single layered finely diced red potatoes and some fresh veggies, (carrots, broccoli, green beans, asparagus, brussel sprouts, mushrooms, kale, zucchini, squash, ...) sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle a little olive oil and put it in the oven with the chicken. Cook until tender.

Day 7- Asian fish Bowl  Want to try something a little different?

In rice cooker, or saucepan on the stove, Bring 2 C water and 1t salt to a boil. Pour in 1C Jasmine rice. return to boil. Remove from heat, cover with lid.  Let set covered for 15 minutes. Fluff with fork. Do not remove lid during resting time. Rinse 4 pieces of whitefish, pat dry with a paper towel. sprinkle with Kosher Salt and pepper both sides. On med. high, heat 4T oil in skillet until hot. Add fish portions. Cook on both sides about 2-3 minutes until browned and fish flakes apart with a fork. remove from pan. Add 2T sesame seeds to oil. fry until golden brown. In 4 individual bowls, layer 1. rice 2. Fish 3. 2 T. Sesame sauce (either bottled or recipe link below) 4. 1/2C bagged slaw mix 5. 2T chopped green onion 6. 1T sesame sauce 7. toasted sesame seeds. You can top with tempura, chopped peanuts, fried won ton strips or crunchy chow mien noodles for crunch if desired.

Tempura- use your favorite fish breading mix, add water to make very runny, Heat oil in a saute pan to very hot. drizzle watery fish breading in hot oil and fry to golden. Remove crunchies and place on paper towel to drain.

You can make your own Sesame Sauce: Sesame Chicken Sauce | Allrecipes

Bread of the week- Here's an easy cornbread recipe!

Use 2 boxes of Jiffy Cornbread mix- according to directions. Add 1/2 C Southwestern or jalapeno dip- yep the kind in the tub like sour cream. Add 1 C shredded cheddar cheese, 1 small can chopped green chilis and 2T melted butter. mix. spoon into well-greased muffin tin about 1/2-2/3 full. Bake as directed on Jiffy Mix box until golden brown. 

Dessert of the week- Mousse

Here is another way to use your creativity gene! The mousse is a basic recipe, and you decide what flavor, add-ins, and toppings. I did this with the grandkids over the last couple of weeks, and they pretty much loved the chocolate and Oreos. 

Basic mousse: mix 1/2C of sugar, 1C heavy whipping cream and 1t vanilla extract.  If making a chocolate base, add 1/4C cocoa.  If making strawberry, add 1/4C strawberry syrup. Then whip cream with mixer until stiff peaks form in the cream. In a small bowl, mix 1t unflavored gelatin in 1T cold water and stir until dissolved then add 2T boiling water and stir until clear. Whip gelatin into the whipped cream mix until incorporated thoroughly.  Fold in 6 crushed Oreo cookies if making an Oreo mousse. Or fold in 1/2C chopped strawberries to a strawberry mousse. We made a basic chocolate mousse with raspberry extract for a chocolate raspberry mousse. Experiment by adding peanut butter and peanut butter cups, or caramel with caramel syrup or ice cream topping. Just make the basic mousse, flavor it, then add any add-ins you like. Top with toppings and whipped cream.

Cleaning tip-  Here's a nugget of information that took me years to discover. Bathtub cleaner that actually works:

In a spray bottle, mix 1part white vinegar, 1part clarifying shampoo (or dawn dish soap). Spray on bathtub. Let it set for 15 minutes. With a nylon scrubber in circular motions, scrub the tub. Rinse with clean water. For excessively soiled tubs (sinks or any greasy surfaces) repeat process. 

week 5 menus

 Menu Plans for the week of February 1-7

Day 1- EASY PEASY POT ROAST freezable

This is an easy crock pot meal- Just put your roast (chuck, round) in the crock pot. Mix 1 envelope of ranch dressing mix, 1 envelope of Italian dressing mix and 1 envelope of brown gravy mix with 1/2 C of water. Pour over the roast, and cook on low for 7-8 hours. If you want, you could add some baby carrots or red skinned potatoes. The broth makes a wonderful gravy, or soup base for later. 

For gravy, remove the roast, Pour broth into a saucepan. Bring to a boil. In a small boil, combine 1/2 C flour and 1 C water. Mix. Whisk slowly into the boiling broth until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste.

You  can freeze leftover roast, or cut it up for stew, or season and shred it for taquitos or burritos

Day 2- Jambalaya (Taste of Home)

Dice meats- whatever is on hand- chicken, smoked sausage and ham are my favorites. In a skillet, saute 1 finely chopped onion, bell pepper, 4 cloves minced garlic, 2T oil, until vegetables are tender. Add meats, cook for 5 minutes. Stir in 1-28 oz can diced tomatoes undrained, 1 C uncooked long-grain rice, 1 can chicken broth (or bone broth) 3T parsley, 1t salt, 1/2t pepper 3/4t dried thyme. Pour into 9x13 baking dish. Cover and bake at 350* for 1 hour, untl rice is tender and liquid absorbed.

Day 3-Green Chili Flautas (Taste of Home)

In large skillet, brown 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, drain. Add 1 C shredded cheddar cheese, 1 r oz can chopped green chilies, drained, and 1/2 tsp cumin. Warm 10- 6inch flour tortillas. brush both sides with melted butter. Spoon beef mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up tightly; place seam side down in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 500* for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Brush once with remaining butter. Serve with toppings of your choice.

Day 4- Cheeseburger soup

One of our favorites. This is another one of those dinners for cold and blustery evenings. It has meat, cheese, vegetable and potatoes, so it is a complete meal in one pot. In a large saucepan, brown 1 1/2 lbs hamburger. drain, and set aside. In same pan, melt 1T butter. add 1 chopped onion, 3/4 C shredded carrots, 1 tsp of basil and parsley for about 10 minutes. Remove vegetables, melt 3T butter and 1/4 C flour, mix together for about 3 minutes.  Add 3 C chicken broth, 4 C chopped red skin-on potatoes, meat 1 bag frozen corn (or 1 can drained corn), and veggies. Stir, deglazing pan. (scraping the good stuff that was stuck to the bottom of the pan to flavor the broth) bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cook 10-12 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Add 8 oz of cubed velveeta cheese, 1 1/2 C milk, 3/4t salt, 1/4t pepper. Stir until cheese is melted, remove from heat and blend in 1/4 C sour cream. Serve hot.

Day 5- Dinner pancakes.  (freezable)

Best advice when in a hurry, use a mix! haha However, if you don't have a mix and want to make pancakes, here's a good recipe from my Brides Book of Ideas. Combine 2C flour, 5t baking powder, 1/2t salt, 2 1/2T sugar, 2 eggs, 2C milk and 5T melted shortening. Heat griddle to 350* (hot) grease lightly. Pour batter on griddle. When the top is full of holes, turn and bake until golden...turn only once!  Serve with syrup and butter. Brown some sausage, ham or bacon to serve as a side. These are good with fruit, whipped cream, or try adding chopped fruit or chocolate chips to the batter before cooking. Use a metal cookie cutter to make shapes on the griddle. Kids enjoy this.

Day 6- Chicken Bacon Ranch Croissant Ring- 

This is one of those fancy looking, easy to make, and tastes really good, meals. Open 2 Cans of croissant dough. Lay dough on a round pizza pan sprayed with cooking spray, fat sides overlapping toward the middle, and points facing out.  In a bowl, mix 1 C sour cream, 2T chives, 1T onion powder, 1/4C milk, 1T ranch dressing mix (1 packet). Mix together and microwave 30-60 seconds. mix thoroughly. Add 2 C chicken, 1 C shredded cheddar, 1/2C crumbled bacon, 1/4C chopped green onion. Mix, and place on fat part of croissant ring. Wrap ends over the top, and tuck underneath. Melt 2T butter. Add 1t garlic powder. Mix. With pastry brush, brush the top of croissant dough with the butter mix. Bake at 375* for 20-25 minutes, or until dough turns golden. Let stand 10 minutes, slice and serve.

Here are some options for other fillings.

• Taco meat mixed with cheddar
• Scrambled eggs, bacon and cheese
• Ham and swiss
• Chicken with broccoli and cheddar
• Pizza topping filled croissants with mozzarella
• Apple or cherry pie filling
• Strawberries and cream cheese
• Chocolate s'mores
• Hawaiian BBQ chicken
• Leftover turkey dinner croissant
• Create your own!

As you see, the way you can use this is endless. You can adjust the fillings and do what suits your family's taste. This one would be fun to include the kids in the building process. They will be so excited to see the beautiful golden ring that you pull out of the oven, and for kids, it always tastes better when they made it! 

Day 7- Fried fish

Beat 2 eggs in a bowl. In separate bowl, crush 1 1/2 C Saltine crackers. Rinse 2 lbs whitefish fillets, pat dry, salt and pepper both sides. Heat oil (med High heat) in skillet till sizzling hot. (test with cracker crumb) Dip fish in egg, then roll in cracker crumbs. Carefully place fillet in oil, a few at a time. Brown for about 2 minutes on each side. It should flake easily with a fork. Place on paper towel to drain. This is excellent with a hash brown casserole or scalloped potatoes and a side of broccoli! By the way, if you want a tartar sauce, mix 1 C mayonnaise, 2T sweet pickle relish and 1T finely chopped onion. 

BREAD RECIPE OF THE WEEK:

Pumpkin chip muffins  (freezable)

·         4 eggs, 2 C. sugar, 1- 16 oz can pumpkin , 1 ½ C vegetable oil, 3 C. flour,  2 tsp. baking soda, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 2 tsp. salt, 1 ½ C chocolate chips                                              In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased muffin cups ¾ full. Bake 16-20 minutes at 400. Cool on rack.

      DESSERT OF THE WEEK: 

Layered chocolate pudding dessert:

You can make a graham cracker or pie crust. If using a pie crust, spread into 9x13 pan, and bake at 350 until edges are golden. Cool completely. Graham cracker crust: 1 1/2C finely ground graham cracker crumbs, 1/3 C white sugar, 6T melted butter... mix and press into 9x13 pan. Bake at 375* for 7 minutes. Cool completely.

Fillings- 

mix- 8 oz cream cheese, 1C powdered sugar, 1 C Cool Whip

Spread over cooled crust

Mix- 4 1/2 oz box chocolate pudding mix with 1 3/4C milk. 

Spread over cream cheese mix

Spread remaining cool whip over the top. Cover and refrigerate

Use any pudding flavor you desire. 

Parenting tip:  Making mealtime count:

Parenting goals are so important. Look to the future of your child. What is important? Education? Marriage? Career? Yes, but nothing is more important than the spiritual growth. It forms who they are before God, and before others. It is their moral compass for every decision. It guides their future, and makes them into the person they will become. It may not seem significant at the time, but mealtime is one of the best times to instill and influence the spiritual areas. 1. Memorize scripture- this will be with them for the rest of their lives, even when you are not there to give them guidance anymore, God's Word will guide them in truth-if they know it. 2. Talk about what concerns them, and point them to scripture and what it says about that thing. 3. Discuss the events of their day. Help them to see how God used each difficulty, situation and relationship to build His character in their lives, and to minister to the needs of others. Maybe talk about what we "could have done" instead that would have been better. Build into their lives. Give them an understanding of how God works in lives. When they hit the "REALLY" tough situations in life (and they will), these things will be there to guide them through. Mealtime is a most important time of the day. Use it. Pray together, learn to encourage one another. When else do we get the opportunity to have a captive audience with our kids. Develop this habit now, and when they become teenagers, the communication will already be established. I call this "Mealtime with a purpose". 

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