Printer-friendly Weekly Menu Plan | Recipes | Grocery List | July 10-14, 2006

I like to pan fry in my cast iron skillet. Cast iron distributes heat evenly so the oil heats evenly and it is easy to clean out by rinsing with extremely hot water and wiping clean with paper towels.
Remember to never walk away from a stove with hot oil. My grandmother caught her kitchen on fire with a grease fire several years ago - it happens quickly.
The cole slaw can be prepared in advance and refrigerated.
If you have a favorite seafood breader, that can be used in place of the flour/cornmeal mixture. We like House Autry Seafood Breader but it isn't available everywhere.

Fried Flounder or Catfish

flounder or catfish fillets (enough for your family) - I use about 2 lbs.
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
salt and pepper to taste
dash cayenne pepper
1 cup milk
1 egg
vegetable oil for pan frying

Wash the fillets and dry them on paper towels. Heat oil in a heavy duty skillet. Set up an assembly line to dip the fillets with the milk and egg beaten together in one container and the flour, cornmeal, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste in another. Test the oil to see if it is hot enough by dropping a pinch of the dry mixture and see if it sizzles. Be careful not to let the oil get too hot. Dip the fillets in the dry mixture, then the milk mixture, then back into the dry mixture before carefully placing in the hot oil. Watch for the bottom to get golden brown, then flip the fillets to the other side (carefully). When the second side is golden brown, test one of the fillets to see if it is white all the way through. It should be completely opaque with no sign of translucence left. When it is done, remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Serve immediately.

Succotash

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.

Tuesday Recipes

Notes for Tuesday: none

Tex-Mex Pasta Skillet

8 oz. spiral pasta (whole wheat if you can find it)
1 lb. ground beef , cooked (from freezer)
1 can corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. salt

Cook pasta according to directions. Do not overcook, leave slightly firm. While pasta is cooking, combine remaining ingredients except cheese in a large saucepan. Stir gently over medium heat until heated through. Drain pasta. Add cheese and pasta to skillet, mix thoroughly, and serve warm.

Mexican Salad

variety of lettuces, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded & chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded & chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 can black olives, drained
1 tomato, diced
1 bottle ranch salad dressing

Combine all fresh ingredients then reserve half for tomorrow. Add ranch dressing just before serving each night.

Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup milk
1 egg

Preheat oven to 425°F. Put half of the olive oil in a 9x9x2 cast iron skillet and preheat in oven without burning oil. Mix all remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour batter into preheated cast iron skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until done. If you do not have a cast iron skillet, use whatever pan you have but do not preheat it unless it is heavy duty and can be heated without food in it.

Wednesday Recipes

Notes for Wednesday:

Black Beans and Rice

1 onion, sauteed (from freezer)
1 green bell pepper, sauteed (from freezer)
2 cups black beans* (from freezer) or 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup salsa
salt and pepper
white* or brown rice (enough for your family)

Combine all ingredients except rice in a skillet. Cover and let simmer while preparing rice. Add water if necessary. Serve beans over rice when rice is ready.

Salad

Combine leftover salad from last night with salad dressing and serve.

Apple Slices and Cheddar Cheese

Thursday Recipes

Notes for Thursday: none

Chipped Beef Gravy over Buttermilk Biscuits

1 small jar Armour dried beef
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
4 cups milk
2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
dash hot sauce

Open the jar of dried beef with a bottle opener. Soak the beef in a bowl of water to lessen the saltiness. Drain. Tear or cut the beef into bite-sized pieces and set aside. IN a large skillet (enough to hold 5-6 cups), melt butter. Stir in flour over medium heat and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly add milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly. A whisk works best for keeping lumps out of the gravy. When all milk is added, add beef bouillon and hot sauce. Simmer over med. low heat, stirring frequently, until adequately thick to pour over biscuits. Add meat and heat through. serve over buttermilk biscuits.

Buttermilk Biscuits:

4 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cups buttermilk

Combine flour and butter, cutting with a fork. Stir in buttermilk. Add more flour if too wet, more buttermilk if too dry. When dough is rolling consistency, knead a few times and turn out onto a floured surface. Roll out and cut with a biscuit cutter or upside down glass. Bake half of the biscuits on cookie sheet at 475° until brown. Place the other half of the biscuits on a cookie sheet or other flat pan and put in the freezer until frozen. Before going to bed or early the next morning, bag the biscuits in a dated freezer bag for later use. If cooking thawed biscuits, follow normal cooking instructions. To cook frozen biscuits, extend cooking time. Serve hot biscuits with butter and jelly.

Scrambled Eggs

Sliced Cantaloupe

Friday Recipes

Notes for Friday:

I recommend periodically making a double (or triple) pizza dough recipe in your bread machine or large mixer 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.
If you are using a bread machine to make dough, time it so that it is ready just before you want to cook the pizza. If you are using a frozen pizza dough, be sure to allow enough time for it to thaw. I like to thaw it for several hours in the refrigerator.

Pepperoni and Mushroom Pizza

Your favorite pizza dough recipe (see notes above)
28 oz. can spaghetti sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
sliced mushrooms
pepperoni

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

Salad

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