Weekly Menu Oct. 19

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

Giant Eagle is running the B1G1 free roasting chickens again this week. Now that we have solved “chicken-gate” whether you take advantage of the special or stick with the $.89 fryer chickens should depend on the size of your family. The roasting chicks are bigger than the fryers. I personally like the fryers because it is just enough bird without wasting! Regardless of which you choose we are using the birds as double-duty this week. Also – running short on time??? HA – who isn’t? GE is running a special (at certain locations) on a chicken dinner that includes a rotisserie chicken, 2 large side dishes and a 6 pack of rolls for $8.99. Not too shabby for a dinner on the go.

The rest of the menu includes homemade macaroni and cheese - the cheesy gooey kind! We will take the chicken from Monday’s leftovers and turn them into Chicken and Cheese enchiladas. The weather is supposed to improve mid-week so how about burgers on the grill. I have listed the blue-cheese burgers but whip up your favorite. Then on Friday, we are going to slow cook beef all day and have Italian Beefs – Chicago style! I was craving Portillo’s and had to find a recipe. Hope you like it!

Another savings worth mentioning: If you are a coffee drinker, GE has a special on Starbuck’s coffee AND there was a coupon in the Sunday paper. Double savings!!!

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

Roasted Chicken (Double Duty)
Baked Potatoes
Green Beans
Applesauce

Roasted Chicken

2 roasting chickens – make sure they are the same size so the cooking time will be the same
2 T. olive oil
Poultry seasoning
4 sprigs of fresh sage and thyme (or 2 t. of dried sage and thyme)
2 onions, quartered
salt
pepper

Remove and discard giblets from chicken; rinse under cold water and pat dry. Rub chickens with olive oil. Place onion and fresh herbs inside the cavity of each chicken. (If you are using dried herbs, sprinkle on the outside of the chicken.) Sprinkle with poultry seasoning, 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 according to the package. Usually, a 4-5lb chicken will cook at 375˚ for 1 hour and 50 minutes or until juices run clear or a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 180˚. Please adjust the cooking time to the weight of your chicken. When in doubt – just wait for the built in timer to pop! This can be found in the breast of the chicken.

Serve one roasted chicken and cover and refrigerate the other for later use.

Applesauce

Peel, core and cut apples into pieces – as many as you think your family will eat. We usually do this with a whole bag and then refrigerate leftovers. Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and let cook on your stove until the apples will easily mash. Drain the apples and return to the pot. Mash them up and add a little cinnamon if you like. Serve warm. Wait until you smell your house!

TUESDAY

Macaroni and Cheese
Steamed Broccoli

Macaroni and Cheese (the ooey, gooey, non-low-fat kind of mac-n-cheese your grandma made)

1 box of elbow macaroni
1 stick of butter
4 cups of shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack blend – I usually buy the big bag at Costco
8 oz. Velveeta, cubed
2 cups of ½ and ½
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350˚.

Cook the macaroni according to its directions. Place the butter in the pot and return the macaroni once the butter has melted. Stir the macaroni until it is covered with butter. Add the cubed Velveeta and stir until it just starts to melt. Pour the macaroni into a large casserole dish that has been lightly greased. Add the shredded cheese about 1 cup at a time and the ½ and ½ and mix together. Season with salt and pepper. Place it in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes.


WEDNESDAY

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas
Tossed salad

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas (new recipe - adapted from Food Network Magazine)

8 corn or flour tortillas
3 cups of shredded cooked chicken – leftover from Monday’s dinner
2 ½ cups of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 C. of fresh cilantro
2 T. of olive oil
¾ C. of Queso Fresco or feta
1 cup of green salsa

Preheat broiler. Microwave tortillas until they are just warm and keep covered. Toss the chicken with 2 cups of shredded cheese in a bowl. Spoon chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla and top with a few cilantro leaves. Roll them up and place seam side down in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush the tortillas with olive oil and broil until crisp and golden – about 3 minutes.

Pour the green salsa over the enchiladas and top with the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese. Return to the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown – 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the Queso Fresco or Feta and any remaining cilantro.


THURSDAY

Leftovers
Or
Blue Cheese Burgers
French Fries

Blue Cheese Burgers

1 ½ lbs. of ground beef
4 oz. blue cheese, cut into chunks
1 shallot, finely diced
Dash of hot pepper sauce
1 t. Worcestershire Sauce
½ t. of dry mustard
½ t. of salt
½ t. of pepper
6 hamburger buns
1 large red onion, sliced thick

In a large bowl, combine beef, shallot, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Form into thin patties and place chunks of blue cheese in the middle of one patty. Top with another patty so that the cheese is stuffed into the middle of the burger. Place burgers on a hot grill. Grill for about 5 minutes per side. Also, place the thick slices of onion on the grill beside the burgers. Cook for a few minutes each side. Serve on top of the burgers or on the side.


FRIDAY

Italian Beef Sandwiches – Chicago style
Chips

Italian Beef Sandwiches – Chicago style

1 cup of water
2 cups of beef broth
1 t. of ground pepper
1 t. oregano
1 t. basil
1 t. onion salt
1 t. parsley
1 t. garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1 pkg. of dry Italian dressing mix
1 (5 lb.) roast – we will use bottom round because of the special but check your freezer
Sliced green peppers
Giardiniera – optional – this is a Hot, marinated veggie mix
Sliced provolone – optional

Place the water, broth and seasonings (through salad dressing) into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Place the roast in a slow cooker and pour the dressing mixture over the roast. Cover and cook on low for about 7 hours. Remove the roast from the slow cooker and thinly slice the beef or shred it depending on how done the beef is. Return the beef to the slow cooker and add the sliced green peppers and continue to cook for another 1 -2 hours. Pile the beef and sweet peppers onto hard crusty rolls. Top with Giardiniera and/or cheese if you wish. Be sure to serve them with lots of juice – in Chicago they like them wet - which is how I recommend eating them!


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/Checklist


Produce
Green Beans
Apples – GE special
Baked potatoes – GE special
Broccoli – GE special
2 onions
Red onion
Fresh sage and thyme
Cilantro
Tossed salad
Shallot
Green peppers

Deli
Queso Fresco or Feta
Blue cheese
Hamburger buns

Spices/Oils/Vinegars/Condiments
Olive oil
Poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper
Hot pepper sauce
Worcestershire Sauce
Dry mustard
Beef broth
Oregano
Basil
Onion salt
Parsley
Garlic powder
Bay leaf
Italian dressing mix – Good Seasons

Canned Goods/Ethinic Foods/Dry Goods
Box of elbow macaroni – GE special on GE brand
Jar of green salsa
Giardiniera
Seafood/Meat Case/ Butcher
2 roasting chickens or fryers – GE special B1G1 on roasting chicks 5-7 lbs.
Ground beef
5 lb. roast – GE special B1G1 bottom round roast
Frozen Foods
French fries – GE special

Dairy
Butter
4 cups of shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese
2 ½ cups of Monterey Jack Cheese
Velveeta – 8 oz.
½ and ½
Corn or flour tortillas
Sliced provolone

Bread

Misc.
Chips

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!

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!