Weekly Menu Plan

Welcome to the menu for September 26-30! 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.

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Enjoy the weekly menu!

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Menu for September 26-30, 2005

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Monday - Recipes

Beef Burgundy Simplified
Egg Noodles
Green Beans
Apple Slices

Tuesday - Recipes

Baked Chicken Parmesan
Acorn Squash
Collards or other Greens

Wednesday - Recipes

Chicken Caesar Salad
Pasta Carbonara
Sliced Mango

Thursday - Recipes

Easy Cheeseburger Pie
Cottage Cheese and Pineapple Chunks
Salad

Friday - Recipes

Sloppy Joes
Baked Beans
Cole Slaw

Grocery List

This week's Grocery List can be downloaded here:

Grocery List for September 26-30, 2005 - PDF

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

Monday Recipes

Notes for Monday:

Tonight's meal is a wonderful freezer dish. It will make enough to freeze extra for later and it is even better the second time as the flavors are more intense. Thanks to Marilyn Moll of www.UrbanHomemaker.com for this delicious recipe.
This meal takes some preparation time so be sure to set aside the time to do the chopping and prep work. I would cook it in the morning and refrigerate until dinner time, reheating on the stovetop at dinnertime. The extra time in the refrigerator intensifies the flavor.
I have included a link to an article about alcohol substitutions in recipes, but if at all possible I would use the Burgundy in this recipe. It will be hard to replicate the flavor with a substitute.

Beef Burgundy Simplified

Each December, I like to prepare a favorite recipe called Beef Burgundy to serve to guests. I make a large batch, and store the rest in meal sized portions to pull out of the freezer in January or February for those nights when I don't know what else to cook. I know this recipe is a winner and will soon become part of your family's favorites. I have found the taste vastly improves if the stew is stored overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

2 T. oil
18 small white onions, peeled (or frozen)
3-5 pounds beef chuck, cut in 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 T flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1-2 C. Burgundy or other dry red cooking wine (substitutes)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 Cup beef stock (or canned beef bouillon*)
1- 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 T. chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. thyme
3/4 pound fresh mushrooms
2 T. butter

Lightly brown the onions in the oil and remove with a slotted spoon and reserve. Pat meat dry between paper towels and brown it on all sides in the same pot without crowding. You may have to do it in batches. Sprinkle browned meat with flour, salt, and pepper. Add wine, garlic, stock, tomato sauce and herbs. Over heat bring the mixture to a simmer and then cook it, tightly covered for two or more hours or until the meat is fork tender. Add the onions after one hour.

Meanwhile, wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth and trim off stem ends. Quarter mushrooms if large, leave small ones whole. Heat the butter and remaining part of oil in a large skillet and lightly saute the mushrooms for about 4 minutes and set aside.

When done, skim off any fat and add the mushrooms. Voila! Beef burgundy! After cooling, it can be refrigerated or frozen at this point. If the sauce is too thin, combine 2 TB flour with 1/2 Cup water and whisk the mixture into boiling beef burgundy. Serve over egg noodles.

This recipe is courtesy of Marilyn Moll at www.UrbanHomemaker.com. Check out their free articles and recipes. For more information, please email Marilyn at marilyn@urbanhomemaker.com or call her at 1-800-552-7323.

Egg Noodles

Green Beans

Canned or fresh*, cooked with butter.

Apple Slices

Tuesday Recipes

Notes for Tuesday:

If you don't have any grilled chicken left in your freezer for tomorrow's chicken salad, grill a pound of chicken breasts tonight while your Chicken Parmesan is cooking. You will need to add this extra pound of chicken to the grocery list. If you have grilled chicken in your freezer, thaw it tonight.

Chicken Parmesan

3lb. chicken parts
1 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
Salt to taste
1 clove garlic or 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup melted butter

Combine bread crumbs, cheese, oregano, pepper, and salt; set aside. Lightly saute garlic in 2 T. butter then stir in remaining butter. Dip chicken in garlic butter then roll each piece in bread crumb mixture. Place chicken in 9x13 pan and sprinkle with remaining bread crumb mixture. Pour on remaining butter. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes.

Acorn Squash

1 acorn squash for each 2 people

Wash acorn squash, cut in half; scrape out seeds. Place upside down into a glass baking dish containing 2 Tbsp. water. Cook in microwave until squash is tender, (time depends on your microwave strength and the number of squash you are cooking).

Remove from microwave, turn squash right side up in same dish. Into each hollow, place:

1 tsp. brown sugar or honey
1 tsp. butter
dash salt

Cook in microwave until butter mixture is bubbly. Serve hot.

Collards or other greens

We like Glory brand*, or you can cook your own from fresh produce.

Wednesday Recipes

Notes for Wednesday:

While adults will enjoy the Chicken Caesar Salad, children will likely prefer their salad and chicken separate.
You can find sliced mango in a jar in the produce section of most grocery stores. If your store doesn't carry it, substitute your favorite fruit.

Chicken Caesar Salad

1 lb. grilled chicken (from freezer)
1 head Romaine lettuce
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Croutons
Caesar Salad Dressing

Pasta Carbonara

8 oz. cooked, drained, rinsed linguini (if long, break into pieces before cooking)
1 jar real bacon bits or 8 slices bacon*, cooked
1 bunch sliced green onions & 1/2 tops
4 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
2/3 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
3 eggs, room temperature
2/3 c. cream, room temperature
2 tsp. dry parsley flakes
Salt & pepper to taste

If cooking bacon from scratch, in fry pan brown bacon pieces. Otherwise, heat a little vegetable oil and add onion and mushrooms, saute until soft. In bowl beat eggs, add other ingredients and mix and set aside.

To fry pan with bacon, onions and mushrooms and add rinsed, cooked noodles; heat. Just before serving, remove from heat and add bowl of egg mixture to hot noodle mixture and mix. Serve immediately.

Sliced Mango

Thursday Recipes

Notes for Thursday:

Tonight brown enough ground beef (5 lbs.) and onions (1 bag) to replenish your freezer supply. If you still have plenty in your freezer you can remove these items from your grocery list. Save a pound of the cooked meat and 1/4 cup cooked onion in the refrigerator for tomorrow's sloppy joes, and use the amount called for in tonight's recipe before freezing the rest.
If you like spicy foods, add the optional green chiles to the Cheeseburger Pie. If the kids prefer milder tasting food, sprinkle them only on half of the casserole.

Easy Cheeseburger Pie

1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 can diced green chiles (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup Bisquick® mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs

Heat oven to 400°F. Grease 9-inch pie plate. Cook beef and onion until beef is brown; drain. Spread in pie plate; sprinkle with salt, chiles, and cheese. Stir in remaining ingredients until blended. Pour into pie plate. Bake about 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Cottage Cheese and Pineapple Chunks

Salad

Friday Recipes

Notes for Friday: none

Sloppy Joes

Recipe is here.

Baked Beans

2 cans pork and beans
1/2 cup barbecue sauce or more to taste
1 tsp. prepared mustard, or more to taste

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes.

Cole Slaw

1 bag prepared cabbage slaw, or homemade shreds
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. vinegar
2 tsp. sugar

Combine last 3 ingredients and refrigerate covered until ready to use. Mix with shredded slaw vegetables just before serving.

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

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