Weekly Menu for April 12

Welcome to this week’s menu! Hope you all have had a great weekend. Time to start thinking about the week ahead … wait … I already did it for you!

Easy, delicious dinners this week – a few favorites and a couple new ones. I have always wanted to try the sandwiches that we will be having on Thursday night. It is a French-style ham and cheese. They look sooooo good! The Chipotle Shredded Beef tacos is a recipe from the magazine All*You – have you checked out this magazine yet? Great ideas for the home and kitchen AND a plethora of coupons! If you need a subscription check out Jen’s Southern Living website on the left side of my blog. You can order directly from her or schedule a party or whatever.

Looking for some new sandwich recipes – do you have any that you would like to pass along? We are entering baseball/softball season in our house, as are many of you I am sure, and I would love to be able to pack up some sandwiches to eat at the ballpark. I have some that were shared last year but I am always looking for something new.

Monday

Chicken with Broccoli Stir Fry
Steamed rice – white or brown

Chicken with Broccoli Stir Fry

2 T. of Canola Oil, divided
4 cups of fresh broccoli florets
1 t. of fresh ginger
2 t. of water
1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into strips
¼ t. of crushed red pepper – more if you like it HOT
½ cup of chicken broth
2 T. of rice wine vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. hoisin sauce
2 t. minced garlic
1 t. of cornstarch

Heat 1 T. of oil in a large skillet or Wok over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and ginger to pan and sauté for about one minute. Add the water, cover and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove broccoli from the pan and keep warm.

Heat remaining 1 T. of oil in the pan. Add the chicken and crushed red pepper. Cook until the chicken is lightly browned, stirring often.

Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining ingredients and add to the pan, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Return the broccoli to the pan and toss so that everything is evenly coated.


Tuesday

Chipotle Shredded Beef Tacos
Chips and Salsa

Chipotle Shredded Beef Tacos –adapted from All*You

1 (7 oz.) can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 (15 oz.) can of crushed tomatoes
Juice of 1 lime
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 2-lb. beef chuck roast, trimmed
Salt and pepper to taste
Taco shells – crunchy or soft
Shredded lettuce
Shredded cheese
Sour cream

In a blender or food processor puree the chiles with the adobo sauce until smooth. Spoon 3 T. into a bowl; reserve the remainder for a future use. Add tomatoes, lime juice, onion ad garlic; stir to combine. Season the roast with salt and pepper and place in the slow cooker. Pour the tomato mixture over the roast, cover and cook on low for about 6-8 hours or until the beef can easily be pulled apart and shredded. Warm the tortillas prior to assembly and enjoy!


Wednesday

Fusilli with Tomatoes and Mushrooms
Salad

Fusilli with Tomatoes and Mushrooms

2 t. olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
2 packages of mushrooms – baby bella preferred – sliced
2 t. of dried basil
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. minced garlic
¼- ½ t. of red pepper flakes
¼ t. of sugar
2 (14.5 oz.) cans of petite diced tomatoes
Fusilli pasta
Parmesan cheese

Cook past according to its directions. Meanwhile, sauté the shallot in the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender. Stir in the basil and the next 5 ingredients and cook until thoroughly heated. Serve sauce over the cooked pasta and top with parmesan cheese.


Thursday

Sandwich Night – Croque Monsieur
Sliced Strawberries

Croque Monsiuer –a French ham and cheese - adapted from Cooking Light

Loaf of French Bread
4 t. of mustard – honey or spicy – depends on your taste
½ lb. of thinly sliced ham – we prefer Ham off the Bone
4 slices of cheese – Swiss or American – depending on your taste
½ cup of milk
3 large egg whites
Butter for the skillet

Cut 4 thick slices from the French loaf. Cut a slit into each slice to form a pocket. Spread 1 t. of mustard into each bread pocket. Divide the ham and cheese evenly among the bread pockets.

Whisk milk and egg in a shallow bowl. Dip each sandwich into the egg mixture, turning to coat.

Heat a large non-stick skillet and melt enough butter to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the sandwiches to the skillet (depending on the size of the skillet used, you may need to do this in shifts). Cook sandwiches 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.


Friday

Cheesy Quesadillas
Beef Nachos
Salad – make it a taco one if you like!


Cheesy Quesadillas

Shredded Monterey/Cheddar cheese
Flour tortillas

To assemble, layer cheese on top of a tortilla and place another tortilla on top. You can either place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350˚ OR you can cook in a hot skillet or griddle until cheese is melted and tortilla is crisp. Don’t forget to dip your quesadillas in sour cream and salsa!

Beef Nachos

Tortilla chips
Leftover beef and cheddar cheese.
Toppings: salsa, olives, jalapenos, sour cream, green onions

Spread tortilla chips onto a cookie sheet. Reheat beef in the microwave. Layer the beef on top of the chips. Load it up with cheddar cheese. Place the cookie sheet in a 400˚ oven until heated through and cheese has melted. To serve, plate up the nachos and have everyone add their own 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
Broccoli – GE special
Ginger
Garlic
Lime
Onion
Lettuce for tacos
Salad – GE special on bagged salads, cucumbers, carrots
Shallot
2 pkgs. of mushrooms – baby bella preferred – GE special
Strawberries – GE special B1G1
Green onions - GE special

Deli
Parmesan cheese
French Bread
½ lb. thinly sliced ham – GE special on Ham off the Bone
½ lb. of slices of Swiss or American cheese – GE special on American or Swiss

Spices/Oils/Vinegars/Condiments
Canola oil
Olive oil
Red pepper flakes
Cornstarch
Basil
Oregano
Sugar
Mustard – honey, yellow or spicy

Canned Goods/Ethnic Foods/Dry Goods
Rice – brown or white
Chicken broth
Rice wine vinegar
Soy sauce
Hoisin sauce
7 oz. can of chipotle chiles
15 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
2 (14.5 oz.) cans of petite diced tomatoes
Taco shells or tortillas – GE special on Old El Paso
Fusilli pasta

Seafood/Meat Case/Butcher
Boneless, skinless chicken breast
Boneless chuck shoulder roast – about 2 lbs. – GE special B1G1

Frozen Foods

Dairy
Shredded cheese for tacos and quesadillas – GE special on Kraft
Sour cream
Milk
Eggs or egg whites
Butter

Bread

Misc.


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!