Weekly Menu Sept. 9

Hi Everyone!!!! And welcome to the new members of my Weekly Menu!

Surprise!!! I fooled you – I am sending the menu out a day early! After taking last week off I thought I would keep you on your toes by sending it out early! Plus the fact it is a holiday weekend and I am off to enjoy it! Enjoy your final days of summer! I am really enjoying the fall-like weather. I am sleeping like a baby with the windows open!

We have a GREAT menu this week. Very tasty and healthy! Most importantly – this menu will save a lot of money!!! YAY! We are going to roast chickens on Tuesday. This is one of my favorite ways to save time and money. Roast chickens one day and reinvent the leftovers throughout the week! Be sure you purchase the same size birds – that way your cooking time will be equal. If you have never roasted a chicken before – and a few short months ago I was one of you – it is sooo easy! Just be sure to clean out the inside and remove the junk in there. Yes it is gross – use rubber gloves if you have to! :)

Thank you to everyone that passed on fish recipes! They look amazing. I have included one this week from Elizabeth R. I will try it with a fish I can eat since salmon causes me to turn into a blow-fish of sorts!

Remember - save your receipts each week and at the end of the month tally your savings by using GE specials and coupons and pay yourself!!! Before long, you will have created a nice little slush fund for you and your family.

Don’t forget to check out all of the old coupon fliers that you should be saving - :) - and also the internet. Here are the sites again for those of you that are new: coupons.com and mygrocerydeals.com. When you sign up at coupons.com a nifty toolbar will appear and you will be able to pull down the tab and see which coupons you would like to print. So easy!!!!!


Here is this week’s menu:

MONDAY

HAPPY LABOR DAY!!!

TUESDAY

Italian Herb-Roasted Chicken – Double Duty Meal
Wild Rice
Balsamic Glazed Carrots

Italian Herb-Roasted Chicken (Adapted from Southern Living’s Busy Moms Weeknight Favorites)

2 (4 to 5 lb.) roasting chickens
1 lemon, halved
2 T. olive oil
4 sprigs each of fresh rosemary, thyme and oregano (May use dried herbs in place of fresh)
6 garlic cloves, peeled
½ t. salt
¼ t. of pepper

Remove and discard giblets from chicken; rinse under cold water and pat dry. Squeeze ½ lemon over each of the chickens and rub with olive oil. Place ½ of squeezed lemon, 2 sprigs of each herb, and 3 garlic cloves into the cavity of each chicken (if using dried herbs rub on the skin of the bird). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

If desired, tie ends of legs together with heavy string. Lift wing tips up and under chicken. Place chickens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. (Some people like to cook theirs breast side down. Just be sure to turn it breast side up for the last ½ hour of cooking so they can get nice and browned.) Bake at 375˚ for 1 hour and 50 minutes or until juices run clear or a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 180˚ or follow the directions on the package of the chicken.

Serve one roasted chicken and cover and refrigerate the other for later use. You will need 3 cups of shredded chicken for Friday night’s meal. Reserve that amount and then whip up chicken salad for lunch!

Balsamic Glazed Carrots

1 pkg of baby carrots
Olive or Canola oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 450˚. Place carrots on jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with oil and vinegar, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast in the oven for approximately 20 minutes. The carrots will be slightly glazed and firm, not mushy.


WEDNESDAY

Salmon with Oriental Mahogany Sauce
Steamed Broccoli

Salmon with Oriental Mahogany Sauce (courtesy of Elizabeth R.)

1 ½ to 2 lbs.. skinless salmon fillets
1 C. whole berry canned cranberry sauce
¼ C. honey
¼ C. soy sauce
2 garlic cloves minced
¼ t. ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375˚.

Lightly grease a baking dish. Arrange fish in dish Mix cranberry sauce, honey, soy sauce, garlic, pepper. Reserve ½ C. for serving sauce. Spread remaining over salmon. Bake 20-25 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and salmon flakes easily when pierced with a fork. Heat reserved sauce.


THURSDAY

Caesar Salad
Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup
Garlic Toast

Caesar Salad Dressing (adapted from the Food Network)

4 t. of Dijon Mustard
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1-2 t. of anchovy paste (optional)
2 t. of Worcestershire sauce
Couple dashes of hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 2 lemons
1 T. of red wine vinegar
½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup of water

1/3 cup of parmesan cheese
Romaine lettuce chopped
Croutons

In a blender or food processor, combine all of the ingredients except the oil and water. Puree until smooth. With the motor running, add the oil in a slow stream and then blend in the water. The dressing will keep for one week, covered and chilled.

Toss chopped romaine lettuce, croutons and parmesan cheese with the dressing.

Love this recipe because it does not have the traditional ingredient of raw egg!!!


Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup (family favorite and sooooo easy)

1 1/2 pounds of ripe plum tomatoes – about 8
5 T. olive oil
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 t, dreied oregano, crumbled
1/4 t. dried basil, crumbled
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup tomato paste
Sugar to taste, if needed
2 T. of freshly grated parmesean cheese, optional

Preheat oven to 475. Halve tomatoes lengthwise and lay them cut sides down in a jelly-roll pan. Brush generously with 3 T. of the olive oil and sprinkle with garlic, oregano, basil, and pepper. Roast tomatoes until their edges are charred, about 15 - 20 minutes. Scrape tomatoes, oil, and herbs from pan into a food processor. Process until not quite smooth (Leaving chunks and charred black specks)

In a saucepan cook onion in remaining 2 T. of olive oil until translucent. Whisk in tomato puree, broth, and wine. Then wisk tomato paste. Heat the cream and whisk into the tomato mixture. Taste and add sugar if necessary. Stir in optional Parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste and bring soup to a simmer.


FRIDAY

Toasted Chicken and Brie Sandwiches
Carrot sticks or chips

Toasted Chicken and Brie Sandwiches (adapted from Cooking Light)

1 t. olive oil
2 C. halved cherry tomatoes (about 1 pound)
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. chopped fresh thyme
1/4 t. kosher salt
1/8 t. black pepper
1/4 C. mayonnaise
1 T. whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 loaf French bread, cut in half horizontally
3 oz. Brie cheese, sliced (mozzarella would be a GREAT substitute)
3 C. shredded cooked chicken breast (leftover from Tuesday)
2 t. extra-virgin olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1/8 t. salt
2 C. fresh spinach

Preheat oven to 400°.
Place tomatoes on a jelly roll pan. Toss with 1 t. of olive oil, 2 T. balsamic vinegar, thyme and salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Keep warm.
Reduce the oven to 350˚.
Combine mayonnaise, mustard, and garlic in a small bowl. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly over top half of bread loaf. Spoon tomatoes evenly over bottom half of loaf. Arrange Brie over tomatoes; top with chicken. Put the loaf halves together and wrap the entire thing with foil. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and pull the halves apart. Combine 2 t. oil, 1 T. vinegar, and 1/8 t. salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add spinach, tossing gently to coat. Top chicken with spinach mixture; replace top half of bread. Cut loaf into 6 pieces.

And now for the shopping list. As always, double check your pantry, fridge and freezer to see if you already have any of the items listed below. This will reduce your spending and create less waste!

Shopping List

Produce
3 Lemons
Sprigs of Rosemary, Thyme, and oregano
Garlic
Baby carrots – GE has a 2 for $3 – do not have to buy both to get the special
Broccoli
Romaine lettuce – bags of salad GE special
Fresh spinach – GE special on bags of spinach
1 ½ lbs. of ripe tomatoes –plum preferred but any would do
1 lb cherry or grape tomatoes
Onion

Deli
Parmesan cheese
Loaf of French bread
3 oz. brie cheese

Spices/Oils/Vinegars/Condiments – GE special on certain McCormick spices
Olive oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Honey – GE special
Dijon Mustard
Whole-grain Dijon mustard
Worcestershire Sauce
Hot sauce
Oregano
Basil
Chicken broth
Sugar
mayo

Canned Goods/Ethinic Foods/Dry Goods
Wild Rice
Can of Whole berry cranberry sauce
Soy sauce
Anchovy paste – optional
Tomato paste

Seafood/Meat Case/Butcher
2 Whole roasting Chickens – Giant Eagle and Costco – price is $.89/lb – try to get two of the same size – easier for cooking
1 ½ - 2 lb. skinless salmon fillets – GE special

Frozen Foods
Garlic toast

Dairy
Heavy cream

Bread
Croutons

Misc.
Red wine
Chips – GE special on Lays – B1G1 free!!!


Thanks again to everyone who has passed on my menu! I really appreciate it and am grateful that you are enjoying the recipes and the savings! I am happy to add anyone so keep passing it on! :)

Follow the plan so you can save time, money, and a few calories! Remember – cooking our own food is healthier than ordering in and eating out any day!!! Your family, wallet and waistline will thank you! :)

I hope you all enjoy your week, the recipes and the savings!