Weekly Menu Plan

Welcome to the menu for March 6-10, 2006. In order to make the best use of Menus 4 Moms, please browse the Menu Plan Basics (links are to the left); they will explain the basics of the menu plan.

If you have questions or suggestions for other moms using the menus, you now have a place to post! The Menus 4 Moms Discussion Boards are the place to discuss the menus and recipes, ask for help, make suggestions, and meet other moms using the menus.

Menu for March 6-10, 2006

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Please check the message board if you have questions or comments about these recipes.

Monday - Recipes

Lasagna
Garlic Bread
Salad

Tuesday - Recipes

Grilled Chicken
Creamed Spinach
Pasta Salad

Wednesday - Recipes

Alfredo Chicken Pizza
Green Beans
Peas

Thursday - Recipes

Savory Swiss Steak
Collard Greens
Brown Rice

Friday - Recipes

Basil Balsamic Fish
Cole Slaw
Tater Tots

Grocery List

This week's Grocery List can be downloaded here:

Grocery List for March 6-10, 2006 - PDF

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

Monday Recipes

Notes for Monday:

We are making two small pans of lasagne so we can freeze one for use whenever you need it.
Start marinating the chicken for tomorrow for the best flavor.

Lasagna

Reserved sauce from last week (here is an easy recipe if you didn't make it last week )
10 oz. lasagna noodles
1 beaten egg
3 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 T. parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
16 oz. mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced, divided in half
8x8 foil pan

Mix egg, ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Divide in half. In each 8x8 pan, place 3 T. sauce and 3 T. water. For each pan, use half of the mixture in the following way:

Top water and sauce with a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles, half of ricotta mixture, 1/3 of mozzarella cheese, and half of sauce. Repeat layers and top with the last 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Bake one pan at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly and freeze the other.

Salad

Garlic Bread

1 loaf ciabatta* or Italian bread
1 stick butter, softened
4 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

Slice bread in half length-wise. Mix butter and garlic well. Spread each half with half of the garlic butter mixture and place halves together on baking sheet. Bake at 350° until bread is crusty and butter mixture is bubbly.

Tuesday Recipes

Notes for Tuesday:

The longer your chicken marinates before grilling, the better it will be. I recommend preparing the marinade at least 24 hours in advance for the best flavor, but if necessary, start marinating the chicken in the morning for grilling at dinnertime. We will make a large batch of chicken so we have plenty of leftover to use in Alfredo Pizza tomorrow (save about 1-1/2 cups) and to freeze for later. Using grilled chicken from your freezer in place of boiled or sauteed chicken gives your casseroles and soups a great flavor, so put your freezer bags of chicken in the freezer and use them in any recipe that calls for chopped cooked chicken.
The Ranch Pasta Salad is compliments of Heidi from TheHomeSchoolMom in the Kitchen. Thanks, Heidi!
If you can't find whole wheat pasta, use white pasta.
Make the pasta salad in the morning to give it plenty of time to chill.

Grilled Chicken

4 lbs. chicken parts of your choice (I use boneless breasts)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. garlic salt or Adobo
1/2 tsp. pepper

Place marinade with chicken in a zipper bag and marinate overnight. Grill chicken until it reaches 160° at the thickest part, or until white all the way through and juices run clear. Serve half of the chicken tonight and save the rest for tomorrow. If you prefer not to grill, you can bake or broil the chicken in the oven.

Creamed Spinach

Recipe is here.

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.

Wednesday Recipes

Notes for Wednesday:

Use the extra chicken you grilled on last night for tonight's yummy Alfredo pizza.
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 double pizza dough recipe that is very good. It has variations for garlic, herbed, or seeded dough.

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.

Green Beans

Peas

Thursday Recipes

Notes for Thursday:

Vegetables thicken the rich sauce-like gravy which smothers fork-tender steak in this Swiss steak recipe. Double or triple as needed to serve a crowd.

Savory Swiss Steak

1-1/2 lbs. round steak, approx. 1 inch thick
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 Cup flour
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
2 TB Worcestershire sauce
2 TB butter
2 TB oil
2 tsp. brown sugar or SUCANAT

Cut round steak into 6 or more serving- size pieces. Coat with a mixture of flour, mustard, salt and pepper. Using a large frying pan, brown the meat in 1 TB butter and 1 TB oil. Transfer to a slow cooker. Heat remaining butter and oil in frying pan. Saute onion, carrots, and celery until glazed. Add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Heat, scraping up drippings. Pour over meat. Cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours, or until tender. Serve meat with vegetable sauce spooned over. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley for garnish, if desired.

Compliments of Marilyn Moll of www.UrbanHomemaker.com

Collard Greens

Brown Rice

Friday Recipes

Notes for Friday: none

Basil Balsamic Fish

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
Few drops hot pepper sauce
1/4 c. minced fresh basil (or 1/8 c. dried)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 lbs. firm-fleshed fish (excellent with mahi-mahi, swordfish, salmon steaks)

Whisk together the vinegar, oil, and hot pepper sauce. Stir in the basil. Pour over the fish and marinate about 45 minutes, turning once. Broil or grill about 4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness of fish.

Cole Slaw

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

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

Tater Tots

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

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