Weekly Menu Plan

Welcome to the menu for October 3-7! In order to make the best use of Menus 4 Moms, before beginning the Menu please read the Menus 4 Moms plan basics and the Busy Cooks Pyramid as Menus 4 Moms will be based on these items each week. If you have questions, please check the FAQ page.

If you have questions or suggestions for other moms using the menus, you now have a place to post! The Menus 4 Moms Yahoo group is to discuss the menus and recipes, ask for help, make suggestions, and meet other moms using the menus. If you want to keep up with updates & corrections to the menus but don't want the higher volume of mail, please join and set your preferences to Special Notices only. I will send out all corrections as Special Notices so you will only receive those.

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Enjoy the weekly menu!

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Menu for October 3-7, 2005

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Monday - Recipes

Chicken Packets
Zucchini Herb Casserole
Spinach Salad

Tuesday - Recipes

Eggs, scrambled or fried
Sausage Patties
English Muffins with butter and jelly
Canteloupe

Wednesday - Recipes

Alfredo Chicken Pizza
Salad
Edamame or Snow Peas
Orange Slices

Thursday - Recipes

Beans and Franks
Ants on a Log
Apple Slices

Friday - Recipes

Salmon
Stovetop Vegetables
Ranch Pasta Salad

Grocery List

This week's Grocery List can be downloaded here:

Grocery List for October 3-7, 2005 - PDF

Shopping List Software format (download shopping list free Windows software)

Monday Recipes

Notes for Monday:

Tonight we are making individual chicken packets for each person. We will marinate and grill (not in foil) two extra pieces of chicken which we will shred and use on Wednesday's alfredo pizza.
Tonight's Chicken Packets are compliments of Heidi who contributed this recipe along with many more on TheHomeSchoolMom in the Kitchen. Thanks, Heidi!

Chicken Packets

Chicken for each person, plus 2 extra pieces for Wednesday's meal
Olive oil
Vinegar
spices of your choice - chopped garlic, basil, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, etc. (for an excellent marinade, use this recipe)
2 small potatoes for each person, chopped
1 zucchini for every 2 people, sliced (optional, since our side dish is zucchini)
1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
1 onion, sliced
1 tomato for every 2 people, chopped
1 small package mushrooms, chopped
1 green chili for each person, chopped
Aluminum foil

Marinate the chicken in the oil, vinegar, and spices all day. Cook potatoes for about 5 minutes in the microwave to soften them. Make a square of foil for each person. Place onions and potatoes on each square and top with desired vegetables. Add chicken on top of it all and pour some of the marinade over all. Make a little foil envelope out of the square of foil and place on the grill for about 20 minutes or until chicken is done. You can also do these in the oven.

Zucchini Herb Casserole

1/3 cup uncooked long grain white rice
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, cubed
1 cup sliced green onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 cups seeded, chopped tomatoes
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

Combine the rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, until rice is tender. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a shallow 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the zucchini, green onions, and garlic 5 minutes, or until tender. Season with garlic salt, basil, paprika, and oregano. Mix in the cooked rice, tomatoes, and 1 cup cheese. Continue to cook and stir until heated through. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Spinach Salad

Make a salad with baby spinach leaves (the bagged ones are good) and add shredded carrots (kids who won't eat chopped carrots will eat these), Parmesan cheese, sunflower seeds, croutons, and anything else that appeals to you. Top with your favorite dressing.

Tuesday Recipes

Notes for Tuesday:

Breakfast for dinner tonight! Make whatever kind of eggs your family likes, and if you prefer bacon or ham instead of sausage, make that substitution on your grocery list.

Eggs, Scrambled or Fried

Sausage Patties

I like the Brown and Serve kind because I know they are cooked all the way through so I don't have to cremate them to be sure they are done.

English Muffins with butter and jelly

Cantaloupe slices

Wednesday Recipes

Notes for Wednesday:

Use the extra chicken you grilled on Monday for tonight's yummy Alfredo pizza.
Edamame are soy beans salted and boiled in the pod. They are a popular Japanese snack that is sold frozen. If your local grocer, health food store, or oriental food store sells them, definitely give them a try. They are very popular with children since they are a finger food and kids like popping the beans from the pod into their mouths. If you can find them, serve Snow Peas with dip.
I recommend making a double (or triple) pizza dough recipe and freezing the extra dough for an easy lunch or dinner another day. The Urban Homemaker has a great bread recipe that I use for pizza dough as well. It has variations for bread machine, handmade, and large mixers.

Alfredo Chicken Pizza

Your favorite pizza dough recipe (see notes above)
1 jar (1 lb.) of alfredo sauce
2 pieces grilled chicken (from Monday), shredded
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
1 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 pkg. (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms

Make pizza dough according to recipe and roll out on a pizza stone or pan. Layer remaining ingredients in order given. Cook at 400° until brown and bubbly.

Salad

Edamame

Boil 1 bag of frozen dammed in salted water until they float. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water, and sprinkle with coarse salt. Serve at room temperature by holding the pod to your mouth and squeezing until the beans pop into your mouth. Discard the pod.

Orange Slices

Thursday Recipes

Notes for Thursday:

Tonight is kid's night!

Beans and Franks

2- 28 oz. cans pork and beans
ketchup to taste
1 tsp. mustard
3-4 hot dogs, sliced into bite size pieces

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat until bubbly.

Ants on a Log

3 slices celery, washed and cut into 4" pieces
peanut butter
raisins

Spread peanut butter inside hollow of celery pieces. Sprinkle with raisins.

Apple Slices

Friday Recipes

Notes for Friday: none

Salmon

Recipe is here.

Stovetop Vegetables

1 can cut corn
2 cans diced tomatoes and green chiles (you may want to just use diced tomatoes for kids)
1 can black beans
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen okra (not breaded)
Adobo or garlic salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients except cheese and heat in a saucepan until bubbly. Serve topped with shredded cheese.

Ranch Pasta Salad

1 lb. whole wheat pasta shells
2 handfuls baby carrots, chopped
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 package frozen baby peas, thawed
1 cup real mayonnaise, more if it seems dry
1 package ranch dressing mix

Mix all ingredients. Chill for 1 hour or more.

* Indicates that of the options listed, this item is the one on the grocery list.

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