Please post on the message board if you have questions or comments about these recipes.
Sign up to get the weekly dinner menus by email each week.
Weekly menu links
- Sign up for the weekly menu
- Change your email address for the weekly menu
- Important Notes
- The Well-stocked Pantry
- Secrets of a Busy Cook
- Sample Weekly Menu
- Menus FAQ page
- Changing the Menu
- The Grocery List
- Menus 4 Moms Yahoo Group
- Menu Archive
Premium Subscriptions
Monday - Recipes
Fried Rice
Egg Drop Soup
Edamame or Sugar Snap Peas
Tuesday - Recipes
Waffles
Quick Grits
Bacon
Fruit of your choice
Wednesday - Recipes
Crockpot Lasagna
Salad
Garlic Cheese Toast
Thursday - Recipes
Oven Fried Chicken
Fried Okra
Pasta Salad
Friday - Recipes
Lentil Soup
Salad
Crusty Bread
Jello Parfait
Grocery List
~ Important~ This week's grocery list has a glitch in the file that added several blank lines to it. Don't worry about this - the list is correct and shows all of the items it should.
This week's Grocery List can be downloaded here:
Grocery List for March 19-23, 2007 - PDF
Shopping List Software format (download shopping list free Windows software)
Before using Menus4Moms for the first time, please browse the Menu Plan Basics (links are to the left).
Our Sponsor
Learn Spanish Today (Free Online Lessons)
Learn Spanish on-line for free, using interactive audio/visual lessons.
Most Spanish courses teach a lot of vocabulary and grammar rules but when you're done, you can't actually speak Spanish. Visual Link Spanish™ teaches you how to build sentences, ask and answer questions, and truly communicate in Spanish.
Monday Recipes
Notes for Monday:
- This is an authentic Japanese fried rice recipe and is delicious. Mary Ann took cooking lessons when she lived in Japan and this is one of the recipes she learned. It can be made vegetarian style or you can add meat, such as baby shrimp (frozen are easy), cubed cooked chicken, or beef strips. I have not added meat to the grocery list so if you want meat in the fried rice you will need to add it to your grocery list.
- You may not have heard of tamari. It is a premium soy sauce that has the wonderful rich flavor of soy sauce but does not taste as salty. It can be quite expensive at health food stores, but the Food Lion in my area carries it for $.99/bottle. It is definitely worth trying; it is all we use except for marinades that require large quantities of soy sauce.
- Calrose rice is not the same as white rice. Look for it with the white rice in your grocery store. Cook your rice at least an hour before you plan to start your fried rice. It works better if it is still slightly warm when you fry it.
- 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't find them, serve Snow Peas with dip.
Fried Rice
- Calrose rice, cooked (about 2-3 cups)
- 1 egg
- 1 onion, chopped
- frozen peas and carrots, thawed
- corn if you like it
- meat (optional, not on grocery list)
- soy sauce or tamari
Cook calrose rice according to directions. Heat some oil in wok or deep fry pan (I use about a tablespoon) and scramble one egg in it. Remove egg and add some more oil (I add about 3 tbsp) to the pan, heating. Add chopped onion, some thawed peas & carrots (and corn if you like), and anything else you like in your rice. We sometimes add leftover chicken or canned baby shrimp. When the onions are tender, add the rice and add soy sauce to taste and stir with a big flat wooden spoon or large cooking chopsticks, if you have them (mine are about 18" long). Add the cooked egg near the end of cooking time and stir well. When the rice is heated through and a bit crispy, it is ready to serve.
Egg Drop Soup
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 green onion with part of green top, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- dash of pepper
- 2 eggs slightly beaten
- frozen wanton sheets (optional)
Heat chicken broth, salt and pepper to boiling in saucepan. Stir green onions into eggs. Pour egg mixture slowly into boiling broth, stirring constantly with fork to form shreds of egg.
If you want to add fried wantons to your soup, you can buy frozen wanton sheets (wrappers - not on the grocery list), thaw them and slice them into strips. Deep fry the strips and serve on top of soup. Edamame* or Sugar Snap Peas
Boil 1 bag of frozen edamame 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.
Tuesday Recipes
Notes for Tuesday:
- Any extra waffles you have can be frozen for easy and healthy breakfasts. If you are feeling industrious, make an extra batch just for the freezer.
- Only the quick grits are listed on the grocery list. Be sure to add any extras to your list if you choose to make any of the suggestions listed below.
Waffles
- 2 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 stick butter, melted
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup pecan meal (optional but delicious)
Mix dry ingredients well. In a separate container mix wet ingredients. Combine and mix until just smooth. Spray waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray and cook according to the instructions for your waffle iron.
Quick Grits*
- Soak the grits in the cooking water overnight for better results and serve with butter, salt, and pepper.
- Add cheese if the kids don't like them plain (see recipe below).
- Don't use instant, quick is better!
- If you like spicy food, you can add 1-2 chopped jalapeno peppers to these grits before soaking for a wonderful flavor.
Cheese Grits
- 3 cups milk
- 3/4 cup Quick Grits
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup finely shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
Put first 3 ingredients (and jalapenos if using them) in a saucepan and stir. Soak for 15 minutes. Heat to simmering and cover, cooking 8 minutes. Add cheese and cook 2-3 minutes until cheese melts and grits are creamy. Serve with butter, salt, and pepper. This recipe makes 4 servings.
Bacon
Fruit of Your Choice
Wednesday Recipes
Notes for Wednesday:
- The crockpot lasagna cooks in about 4-5 hours. If you work during the day, that may be inconvenient since you cannot put it on before leaving for work. In that case, you may wish to prepare the lasagna in a 9x13 pan and refrigerate it until you get home or until someone can start baking it in the oven (about 45-55 min. at 350°) in the afternoon.
- Make a large enough salad to save half for Friday night, adding your "crunchie" items each night just before serving to avoid having a soggy leftover salad.
Crockpot Lasagna
- 1 28-oz. jar of spaghetti sauce
- 1 package frozen cheese ravioli (about 24-oz.)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Spray crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom and layer with half of the ravioli. Sprinkle with half of the cheese and another cup of sauce. Layer the remaining ravioli and top with the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake on low for 3-5 hours, depending on how hot your crockpot cooks.
Garlic Cheese Toast
- 1 loaf of French bread
- Pam™ olive oil spray
- Italian blend cheese, shredded
- garlic salt* or Adobo
Slice bread and lay flat on a cookie sheet. Spray each slice with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with garlic salt or Adobo. Sprinkle with shredded cheese blend. Bake at 350° until cheese is melted and starting to brown.
Salad
Thursday Recipes
Notes for Thursday:
- This is a really easy chicken recipe that my husband introduced me to when we first met. Sometimes we add a slice of Swiss cheese to the top of each chicken breast the last 5 minutes of baking time. Be sure to add swiss cheese to your grocery list if you would like this addition.
- Since you will be using the oven tonight anyway, it might be a good time to buy extra chicken breasts, season with a few of your favorite spices (we like Montreal Chicken Seasoning from McCormick; Mary Ann likes Adobo Seasoning) and bake along with tonight's dinner. Allow this extra chicken to cool while you're eating dinner and then cube and freeze for restocking purposes. If you decide to do this, make sure to add extra chicken to your grocery list.
- For the best results with the pasta salad, prepare each of the ingredients in the morning and combine all except for the dressing, which can be added just before serving.
Oven Fried Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/3 c. dry bread crumbs
- 1/2 tsp. dried basil, oregano, or italian seasoning*
- 1/8 tsp. pepper
- 1 tbsp. margarine or butter, melted
Rinse chicken. Pat dry. In a small mixing bowl stir together the bread crumbs, herb, and pepper. Add the melted margarine and toss to coat.
Arrange chicken
pieces in a baking dish. Sprinkle the top of each chicken piece with
the crumb mixture, pressing onto the chicken to coat.
Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and no
longer pink. Do not turn.
Fried Okra
- 1 bag frozen breaded okra (or two if your family likes it as much as ours)
- oil for pan frying
Heat oil in a deep (2-3") fry pan. Fry okra (do not crowd in pan) until golden brown. Drain on paper towels, salt and serve.
Pasta Salad
- 8 ounces rotini pasta, cooked and chilled
- 2 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained
- 1/2 cup diced Cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup pitted black olives, drained(optional)
- 1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
Combine all ingredients and serve chilled.
Friday Recipes
Notes for Friday:
- This lentil soup can be made either on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. I cooked mine on low for 4 hours in the slow cooker and it was just about right.
- I would recommend preparing the jello parfait early enough in the day to allow time to chill.
Lentil Soup
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups cooked onion (from Freezer)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cans chicken broth*, or homemade broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups dried lentils
- 1 tsp. dried dill
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 dried red chile pepper, or a dash of crushed red pepper*
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- Adobo to taste
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese (for garnish, if desired)
In a Dutch oven, heat oil and saute celery and carrot until tender. Add thawed onion from freezer and minced garlic. If using a slow cooker, transfer to slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients except vinegar, salt, pepper, and feta cheese and heat to a simmer. Cook on the stovetop for 30 minutes or in a slow cooker until lentils are tender. Stir in remaining ingredients except feta. Discard bay leaves and chili (if using) and serve garnished with crumbled feta cheese.
Salad (from Wednesday night)
Crusty Bread
Jell-O Parfait
- 1 sm. Jell-O (strawberry-banana)
- 1 c. sour cream
- 1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- Fresh strawberries or other available berries
- 2 Bananas, sliced
Mix the Jell-O packet with the sour cream. Add vanilla and mix well. Fold in Cool Whip. Layer fruit and Jell-O mixture in parfait glasses. Serve cold.
* Indicates that of the options listed, this item is the one on the grocery list.