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Basic Weekly Menu Plan

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Know the Expiration Date

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Monday
  • Swiss Chicken
  • Creamed Corn
  • Green Beans
Tuesday
  • Meatball Subs
  • Broccoli Salad
  • Fruit Cocktail
Wednesday
  • Baked Ziti
  • Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Thursday
  • Beef with Broccoli
  • Rice
  • Mandarin Pineapple Salad
Friday
  • Chicken Caesar Salad
  • Red Grapes
  • Crusty Bread

 

 

This week's Grocery List can be downloaded here:

Grocery List for September 29 - October 3 , 2008 - PDF

Grocery List for September 29 - October 3 , 2008 - TXT (for PDAs or text editing)

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

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Monday Recipes

Notes for Monday:

  1. For quicker prep time in the afternoon, Swiss Chicken can be prepared in the morning and refrigerated until time to bake.

  2. Today's creamed corn is not the sweet yellow kind that you get in a can, it is a southern-style savory white creamed corn that is delicious.
Menus 4 Moms recipe Swiss Chicken
  • 6 boneless chicken breasts (raw)
  • 6 slices Swiss cheese
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup (substitutions)
  • 1/4 cup white cooking wine (substitutes)
  • 1 cup stuffing mix
  • 1/4 cup melted butter

Place chicken breasts in a baking dish. Cover each with cheese. Mix soup and wine; pour over chicken. Cover with stuffing. Drizzle 1/4 cup butter over stuffing. Bake 40-45 minutes at 350°F.

 
Menus 4 Moms recipe Creamed Corn

  • 12 oz. bag frozen white shoepeg corn
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tsp. cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper

Thaw corn. Melt butter and in a blender, combine corn, butter, water, and sugar. Blend until creamy with bits of corn left in the mix. In a frypan over medium heat, mix milk, cornstarch, salt, and pepper, stirring constantly with a whisk to get rid of any lumps. Add corn mixture and heat, stirring occasionally, until thick and bubbly.

 

Green Beans

 

 

Tuesday Recipes

Notes for Tuesday:

  1. Tonight's meatball sub recipe is from Bulk Cooking: The Hamburger Plan. If you do not have any meatballs in your freezer, you may use store-bought meatballs from the freezer aisle (make sure to add them to your grocery list). The recipe makes 4 subs, so increase it as necessary for your family.


Menus 4 Moms recipe Meatball Subs

  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 3/4 cup EACH: bell pepper strips, thin onion wedges
  • 1/3 Freezer Stash Meatballs, thawed in refrigerator (about 16 meatballs)
  • 1-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce
  • 4 hoagie rolls, split
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high until very hot. Add peppers and onions and cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add thawed, cooked meatballs and spaghetti sauce. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 5 to 6 minutes. Divide among rolls and, if desired, sprinkle with cheese.

 

Menus 4 Moms recipe Broccoli Salad
  • 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
  • 3/4 cup cheddar cheese
  • 2 T. chopped onion
  • 3/4 mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 T. red wine vinegar* or cider vinegar
  • 6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled; or REAL bacon bits*

In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, cheese, and onion. Combine the mayo, sugar, and vinegar; pour over the broccoli mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Just before serving, stir in the bacon.


Fruit Cocktail


 

 

Wednesday Recipes

Notes for Wednesday:

  1. This Baked Ziti recipe was shared on the Menus4Moms Yahoo group compliments of group member, Kelli Cole. Thanks, Kelli! I've included some of her notes also.

  2. This recipe makes a ton so you can either make it and eat leftovers over the weekend or divide into two or three pans and freeze (before baking) all but what you need for tonight. (If you plan to freeze some, cook your noodles just 2 or 3 minutes less than you normally would. Then when you want to use it, just thaw and bake as normal.)

  3. This dressing recipe makes a lot so we will use it again next week on our Fruit Salad.




 Menus 4 Moms recipe  Baked Ziti
  • 12 oz. uncooked ziti (or small tube pasta)
  • 1 (28 oz.) jar of spaghetti sauce
  • 2 eggs
  • 15 oz Ricotta
  • 2 1/2 cups Mozzarella, divided
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese


Cook pasta according to package directions. In a bowl, combine eggs, ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and the parmesan cheeses. Drain pasta and add it to the cheese mixture and stir to coat. Spoon 1/3 of the marinara sauce into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan then top with 1/2 of the pasta and cheese mixture. Repeat layers ending with sauce on top. Cover and bake at 350°F for 40 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 5 more minutes or until melted. Let stand 5 minutes or so before serving.



Menus 4 Moms recipe Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
  • 1 pkg. baby spinach leaves, rinsed well
  • 1 pkg. Strawberries, quartered
  • Poppy Seed Dressing, (see recipe below)

Poppy Seed Dressing

  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp dry mustard
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 cups salad oil (or any light vegetable oil)
  • 3 tbsp poppy seed
Mix sugar, mustard, salt and vinegar. Add onion powder and stir thoroughly. Add oil slowly, beating constantly with a whisk until thick and well blended. Add poppy seed and beat for a few more minutes. Store in cool place or in the fridge for up to two weeks. Can also be served over fruit such as grapefruit or avocado.




 
 

Thursday Recipes

Notes for Thursday: none


Menus 4 Moms recipe Beef With Broccoli

  • 3 tbsp cornstarch, divided
  • 1/2 cup water plus 2 tbsp water, divided
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 lb boneless round steak, cut into 2 inch strips
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
  • 4 cups broccoli florets
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • hot cooked rice

Combine 2 tbsp cornstarch, 2 tbsp water and garlic powder in a bowl and mix until smooth. Add beef and toss until well coated. Stir-fry beef in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat in 1 tbsp oil until meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Remove meat from skillet and keep warm. Stir-fry broccoli in the remaining oil for about 5 minutes, then return beef to pan. Mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and remaining 1 tbsp of cornstarch and 1/2 cup water until smooth; add soy mixture to skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve over rice.



Menus 4 Moms recipe Mandarin Pineapple Salad
  • 1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
  • 1 can mandarin oranges, drained

Mix fruit together and serve.

 




 

Friday Recipes

Notes for Friday:

  1. While adults will enjoy the Chicken Caesar Salad, children will likely prefer their salad and chicken separate.

Menus 4 Moms recipe Chicken Caesar Salad

  • 1 lb. grilled chicken (from freezer)
  • 1 head Romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Caesar Salad Dressing

Layer lettuce, heated chicken, dressing, and Parmesan cheese. Sunflower seeds also make a nice addition to this salad.

 
 
Red Grapes
 

 

Crusty Bread
 


 

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

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