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Monday - Recipes

Fried Ham Slices
Spaetzle
Baked Asparagus
Apple Slices

Tuesday - Recipes

Easy Chicken Fajita Skillet
Refried Beans
Cornbread
Salad

Wednesday - Recipes

Crock Pot Meatloaf
Cabbage & Onions
Mashed Potatoes
Baked Bananas

Thursday - Recipes

Grilled Chicken
Broccoli With Cranberries and Almonds
Rice a Roni
Salad

Friday - Recipes

Split Pea Soup
Buttermilk Biscuits
Apple Crumble

 

Grocery List

This week's Grocery List can be downloaded here:

Grocery List for April 9 - 13, 2007 - PDF

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

 

Monday Recipes

Notes for Monday:

1. The grocery list will reflect leftover ham from Easter dinner. If you don't have leftovers or didn't follow the Easter Menu, be sure to add ham to your grocery list. You may use either honey ham or country ham. You can find slices of both in or near the refrigerated meats (country ham is usually vacuum packed and displayed at room temperature).
   
   
2. Be sure to save your ham bone from Easter meal to make stock for the Split Pea Soup on Friday.
   
   
3. Spaetzle is a German egg noodle that is cooked in salted water (I like mine heavily salted) then drained and served with butter. It is wonderful! You can usually find this on the International or Ethnic aisle with other German foods.
   
   
4. This is a good time for asparagus so let's take advantage of that this week by buying fresh asparagus. If you have never bought asparagus fresh, look for the smallest stalks as they are tender and flavorful. To prepare them, wash them with water and hold the fat end near the end with your left hand and hold the stalk near the middle with your right hand. Make a snapping motion with your hands and the tough ends will snap off exactly where they should.
   
   
   

  Fried Ham Slices

Fry ham slices in butter until done.

 

Spaetzle

 

Baked Asparagus

• 1-2 lbs fresh asparagus* or frozen if your fresh asparagus selection is not very good
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1-2 Tbsp. soy sauce* or tamari
• Salt and pepper to taste

Line a baking pan with foil for easy clean up. Mix oil and soy sauce and pour onto foil-lined pan. Prepare asparagus according to the notes by washing and snapping the ends. Gently roll the asparagus in the oil and soy mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (easy on the salt since soy is salty). Roast for 10-15 minutes at 350°.

 

Apple Slices

 

 

 

Tuesday Recipes

Notes for Tuesday:

1. If you prefer, you could eliminate the cornbread and serve the chicken dish on whole wheat tortillas.
   
   
2. If you have cooked beans in the freezer already, you can skip the soaking and cooking of the dried beans and use those. Otherwise, start your beans in the morning so they will be ready for dinner.
   
   
3. Make a large salad tonight and save half for Thursday night. We will be using spinach in the meatloaf tomorrow, so you may want to use some of the spinach in the salad, making sure to save enough for the meatloaf. Also, we will be using Craisins in the broccoli so try adding Craisins to your salad, reserving enough for the broccoli recipe on Thursday. Add croutons, bacon bits, sunflower seeds, any other "crunchies" and dressing just before serving each night.
   
   
4. The grocery list will reflect using the recipes listed, but remember you have freedom to substitute prepared items such as canned refried beans and boxed corn muffin mix for quicker preparation. Some nights I just don't have time to prepare everything homemade! But I'm sure the recipes are probably much healthier than the prepared varieties.
   
   
   

 Easy Chicken Fajita Skillet

• 2 cans chicken broth
• 1 lb. boneless chicken, cut into 1" cubes (from freezer)
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 cups elbow macaroni (preferably whole wheat), uncooked
• 2 cups red or green bell peppers, from freezer, thawed
• 1 onion, from freezer, thawed
• 1 lb. Velveeta prepared cheese spread, cut into 1-1/2" cubes

Cook chicken with chili powder and salt in a fry pan until cooked through. Add broth and bring to a boil. Stir in macaroni and cover, reducing heat to medium-low. Simmer 5 minutes and add peppers and onions and Velveeta cubes. Cook until cheese is melted, stirring frequently.

  Refried Beans

• 1 bag black turtle beans (pinto or red beans also work)
• cumin
• Adobo or garlic salt
• olive oil
• 1 can red enchilada sauce
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Rinse beans in a colander and check to be sure there are no stones or other debris. Place beans in a dutch oven and cover with water so that the water is twice as deep as the beans. Heat to boiling and boil for 2 minutes. Turn heat off and cover, let sit for 1 hour. Drain beans in colander and rinse pot. Place beans in slow cooker and cover with water, making sure the water is twice as deep as the beans. Cook on Hi for 5 hours or Low for 8-10 hours.

Drain beans, reserving liquid (place colander on a lg. pan or bowl then pour beans in). Separate beans into 2 cup servings in freezer bags, reserving 4 cups of beans for tonight's meal. Cover beans in each bag with some of reserved liquid.

Mash 4 cups of beans, adding enough liquid to make beans mushy and soft. Heat 2 T. olive oil in a fry pan and add mashed beans and spices to taste. Stir until hot and bubbly. Heat enchilada sauce in a sauce pan and serve beans topped with enchilada sauce and shredded cheddar cheese.

  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
• 1 can corn, drained

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.

Salad

 

Wednesday Recipes

Notes for Wednesday:

1. Double the meatloaf recipe (I have doubled the ingredients for the grocery list) and freeze one of the loaves for a day when you need something to throw in the crockpot for an easy dinner.
   
   
2. Baked bananas sound unusual, but they are very sweet and delicious. Give it a try if you have never had them!
   

 

Stuffed Crockpot Meatloaf

• 1/2 cup cooked onion (from freezer)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped roasted red bell pepper (from a jar, well drained)
• 1-2 tsp adobo seasoning
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup of bread crumbs
• 1-1/2 lbs ground beef
• 3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1-1/2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
• 20 very thin slices of Genoa Salami (About 4 oz)

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except spinach, cheese, and salami. Mix well and press out into a 17x8" rectangle on wax paper. Layer spinach, then cheese, then salami on top. Using wax paper to start (but not rolling it into the loaf), roll up meatloaf jelly roll style into an 8" log. Place a large sheet of heavy duty foil inside of your crockpot, leaving enough on each side to use it to lift out the meatloaf when it is finished. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray. (You could use one of the new slow cooker liners, I imagine.) Place the meatloaf on the foil in the crockpot and cover with lid as usual. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 8-10 hours, depending on how hot your crockpot cooks. Remove meatloaf by carefully lifting the foil from the crockpot. Let cool for 10 minutes then slice.

 

 Cabbage and Onions

• 1 head cabbage
• 1-2 onions
• 1 can chicken broth
• butter

Chop cabbage into wedges, then into 1-2" squares. Chop onion. Saute both in melted butter on stovetop until somewhat tender, adding salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken broth and cook gently until desired texture.

 Mashed Potatoes

• 6 potatoes
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup sour cream
• milk
• Adobo seasoning to taste

Peel potatoes and quarter. Boil in enough water to cover potatoes until potatoes are tender. Drain. Mix all ingredients except milk and mash with a potato masher or large fork. Add enough milk to make potatoes creamy. If you like very creamy mashed potatoes you can use a mixer to get a good whipped consistency. If you like lumpy potatoes, I recommend using a fork or potato masher to maintain a more solid consistency. If you want a healthier version, omit sour cream, mix with skim milk and add butter buds for flavor.

 Baked Bananas

• 8 firm bananas, peeled
• 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 2 cups fine bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Slice bananas in half length-wise. Dip each half in melted butter and roll in bread crumbs. Place in a greased 9x9" pan and sprinkle with brown sugar to taste. Bake at 350° until bananas are soft and lightly browned (about 15 minutes). Serve warm.

 

 

 

Thursday Recipes

Notes for Thursday:

1. We will be putting some investments into our freezer with today's meal. The grocery list will reflect doubling the amount of chicken for tonight but if you can, try tripling the amount.
   
   
2. For the Rice-a-Roni, try the Savory Whole Grain Blends if available in your store for a little added fiber.
   
   
3. For the broccoli, I used regular almonds and toasted them myself instead of buying the already toasted kind. To toast almonds, spread a very thin layer of almonds on a cookie sheet and toast at about 350° for 3-5 minutes (this works great in my toaster oven). Be sure to keep your eye on them, stir them and add time as necessary. Once they start to toast, they will burn very quickly.

 

 Grilled Chicken

• 2 lbs. Chicken
• 1 small bottle Zesty Italian Salad Dressing

Marinade chicken in salad dressing for a least 1 hour before grilling.

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. Cube the remaining chicken and freeze in 1 lb. portions. If you do not have a grill, you can bake the chicken in the oven.

 

Rice-a-Roni

 

Broccoli with Cranberries and Almonds

• 1 pkg. frozen broccoli spears
• 1/2 cup water* or chicken broth
• 1 pkg (2.25 oz.) slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
• 1 tbsp lime juice

Arrange broccoli in microwave safe dish with water. Cook in microwave for about 5 minutes or until desired tenderness; drain. Transfer to a serving bowl. Add almonds, cranberries, and lime juice. Toss to coat.

Salad

 

Friday Recipes

Notes for Friday:

1. The Split Pea Soup Recipe comes from the Ham Plan article.
   
   
2. If you are running low on chopped onions in your freezer, add a bag to the grocery list and restock.
   
   
3. If you don't have any leftover ham from Easter Meal, add more to the grocery list.
   
   
   

   Split Pea Soup with Ham (from busycooks)

• 1 lb. split peas
• 8 cups ham stock
• 8 cups chicken stock (use boullion cubes* or chicken broth if you don't have chicken stock)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp thyme
• 1 onion - chopped (from freezer)
• 2 carrots - diced
• 2 ribs celery - diced
• 2 cups diced ham or smoked sausage (from leftover Easter ham)
• soy sauce
• tabasco sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Rinse split peas and soak in water for 1 - 2 hours. Place in a large pot with the ham stock and chicken broth. Add bay leaf, thyme, and onion. Simmer, partially covered, for 1 1/2 hours.

Add ham, carrots, celery and simmer for an additional 1 - 2 hours, or until the peas have cooked into a smooth soup. Season with soy sauce, tabasco sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Yield: about 12 servings

 

Buttermilk Biscuits

 

Apple Crumble

• 1 cup baking mix (I use Bisquick)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1 can pie-sliced apples, drained or 2 cup sliced apple*
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Grease the bottom and sides of an 8x8 or 6x10 inch baking dish. Blend first three ingredients in a bowl. Cut margarine into bits and add to mix. Spread 1/3 of oat mixture in bottom of pan. Place apple slices over mixture. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture and cinnamon. Bake 30-35 minutes at 350°F. Serve warm with ice cream.

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

 

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