Weekly Menu Oct. 5

Hi Everyone!!!! And welcome to the new members of my Weekly Menu! Don’t forget to check out and join my blog – www.menusthatsave.blogspot.com

I hope everyone enjoyed last week’s menu! We LOVED the balsamic chicken!!! I had several salads with the leftovers!

We have another great menu this week with lots of savings! We are beginning the week with a non-traditional fish fry - oven-fried catfish! On Tuesday we are going to have a fan favorite – Beef and Bean Burritos! These are AMAZING!!!! And so easy! We will reuse our leftovers for a fun Friday night Happy Hour! The weather has me craving soup. Remember our Baked Potato Soup? This is really good and easy – in fact, you won’t believe how easy it is to make! But be sure to save the skins of your potatoes because they are going to have a place in our Friday Night Happy Hour too! Thursday is Pasta Night – Rigatoni!!! I usually make this for parties or we use to have it at our company pot-lucks. But it is so easy and delish for a weeknight meal!

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

Oven-Fried Catfish
Steamed Green Beans

Oven-Fried Catfish (adapted from allrecipes.com)

1 ½ lbs. Catfish fillets
½ C. of yellow cornmeal
1 t. paprika
1 t. dried thyme
1 t. salt
½ t. onion powder
½ t. garlic powder
½ t. pepper
½ C. of milk
Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 425˚. Line a baking sheet with foil sprayed with cooking oil.

In one shallow dish combine all of the dry ingredients, in another shallow dish put the milk. Dip each fillet into the milk first and then dredge in the cornmeal mixture and liberally coat. Place on the greased baking sheet. Lightly spray the tops of each fillet with the spray oil.

Bake for 15 minutes in the oven or until the fish is easily flaked with a fork.

TUESDAY

Beef-and-Bean Burritos
Spanish Rice

Beef and Bean Burritos

1 (2-pound) London broil
1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 small can chopped green chiles
1 can refried beans, any style
12 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato
3/4 cup sour cream

Trim fat from meat; rub seasoning mix over both sides of meat. Place meat in an electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray; add onion, vinegar, and green chiles. Cover with lid; cook on low-heat setting for 9 hours. Remove meat from slow cooker, reserving cooking liquid; shred meat with two forks. Combine meat and reserved cooking liquid; stir well.
Warm beans and tortillas according to package directions. Spread 2 tablespoons beans down the center of each tortilla. Spoon a heaping 1/3 cup meat mixture on top of beans. Top each with 2 tablespoons cheese, 2 tablespoons tomato, and 1 tablespoon sour cream; roll up.

WEDNESDAY

Baked Potato Soup
Salad

Baked Potato Soup – this is a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs-kinda-soup

8 large baking potatoes
2/3 cup of butter
2/3 cup all purpose flour
7 cups of milk
4 green onions, sliced
1 pkg. of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 ¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 8 oz. container of sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Bake potatoes at 400˚ for 1 hour. When cool, slice in half and scoop out the middle - leave enough potato on the skin (think restaurant potato skins) and reserve the skins for future use – Friday Night Happy Hour Appetizer Night. Mash the potato scooped from the skin to desired consistency. I like it a little lumpy, which gives a nice texture to the soup.

Melt butter in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over low heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for one minute until smooth. Gradually, add milk and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture has thickened and is bubbly.

Stir in mashed, lumpy potatoes and green onions and bring to a boil. Be careful not to scorch!!! Once soup has been brought to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add bacon, cheese and sour cream. Site until cheese melts. Serve immediately.


THURSDAY

Rigatoni
Salad
Garlic Bread

Rigatoni

1 lb. Hot or Sweet Italian sausage or a combo
1 green pepper
1 medium onion
2 cans of Hunt’s tomato paste
1 can of 29 oz Hunts Whole Peeled tomatoes
1 t. of oregano
2 or 3 bay leaves
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Hot pepper flakes to taste
1 cup of water
Black pepper
1 lb. of Rigatoni pasta

Cut the green pepper and onion and fry with the sausage with 2 t. of olive oil. I like to brown the sausage in its casing whole until it is browned on all sides. Then I slice into pieces and continue to brown until they are cooked through.

In a blender or food processor, puree the tomatoes and tomato paste. Put the tomato base in a large pot and add remaining ingredients. Add sausage, peppers and onions when fully cooked. Let simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Remove Bay leaves before serving!

Cook a pound of rigatoni pasta and pour sauce over cooked pasta.


FRIDAY

Happy Hour Appetizer Night

Potato Skins
Beef Nachos
Veggies and dip

Potato skins

Reserved potato skins from soup
Melted butter or Spray oil
Cheddar cheese
Toppings: bacon, sour cream, green onions, taco meat, and salsa – you get the idea

Take your potato skins and place them on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with melted butter or spray with oil. Place in a 450˚ oven and bake until crisp. Remove skins and add cheddar cheese and place under the broiler until cheese has melted. Add your toppings – fun for the kids to make their own!

Beef Nachos

Leftover Shredded beef
Tortilla Chips
Monterey Jack/cheddar cheese blend
Assorted toppings: salsa, black olives, green onions, sour cream, and guacamole

Pile tortilla chips on top of a baking sheet. Top with slightly warmed leftover shredded beef (warm up in the microwave) and lots of cheese. Place in the oven – after the skins come out – and heat until the cheese melts. Serve with your choice of toppings!


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
2 Onions
Green pepper
Garlic
Tomato
8-10 baking potatoes – GE special 2 for $5 – do not have to buy both to get the deal
Green onions
Salad – GE special on bagged salad – B1G1 free – PLUS coupon in Sunday’s paper

Deli

Spices/Oils/Vinegars/Condiments
Yellow Cornmeal
Paprika
Thyme
Salt
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Oregano
Bay leaves
Red pepper flakes
Pepper
Cooking spray
White vinegar
Flour

Canned Goods/Ethinic Foods/Dry Goods
Taco seasoning packet – GE special on McCormick
Small can of chopped green chilies – GE special on Old El Paso
1 can of refried beans, any style – GE special on Old El Paso
Spanish rice
2 cans of tomato paste – GE special on Hunts
1 (29 oz.) can of whole, peeled tomatoes – GE special on Hunts PLUS coupon in Sunday’s paper
1 lb. of Rigatoni pasta – GE special on San Giorgio
Salsa – GE special on Chi-Chi’s
Black olives

Seafood/Meat Case/ Butcher
1 ½ lbs. catfish fillets – GE special
2 lb. Boneless Top Round – GE B1G1 Free
Bacon – GE special on GE brand and Butterball Turkey Bacon
1 lb. of hot or sweet Italian Sausage – GE B1G1 Free

Frozen Foods
Garlic Bread – GE special on New York Texas Garlic Toast

Dairy
Milk
12 flour tortillas – GE special on Mission
Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese or Mexican blend – GE special on Kraft
Cheddar cheese – GE special on Kraft
Sour cream – GE special on Breakstone’s
Butter
Guacamole

Bread

Misc.
Tortilla 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! 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!