You are here: Home / Weekly Menu / Archive / July 14-18, 2008
Monday
- Beef Taco Skillet
- Sauteed Zucchini and Squash
- Favorite Berry Cobbler
Tuesday
- Mandarin Topped Chops
- Couscous
- Broccoli Salad
Wednesday
- Stir Fry
- Rice
- Melon Slices
Thursday
- Taco Mac Salad
- Smoothies
Friday
- Lime Grilled Chicken
- Sugar Snap Peas
- Jello-Parfait
Monday Recipes
Notes for Monday:
- If you do not have any cooked ground beef in the freezer, be sure to add beef to your shopping list. This would be a good time to buy in bulk and restock your freezer. I have put 5 lbs on the shopping list to make taco seasoned beef as you will see for Thursday's Taco Salad. Cook it all tonight if you wish and leave some unseasoned (at least enough for tonight) and some seasoned with taco seasoning (at least enough for Thursday night). Just be sure to label everything.
- With many berries starting to come into season, now is the time to enjoy! Feel free to mix and match more than one kind of berry in your cobbler. I used blueberries and raspberries. Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream if desired.
Beef Taco Skillet
- 1 lb. browned ground beef (from freezer)
- 1 can tomato soup
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1/2 cup water
- 6 flour tortillas, cut into 1" pieces
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Thaw beef. In a frying pan, add beef, soup, salsa, water and tortillas. Heat to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir and top with cheese.
Sauteed Squash and Zucchini
- 2 yellow squash, sliced
- 2 zucchini, sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Heat oil in large frying pan. Add thinly sliced squash and zucchini to oil and saute until desired tenderness is reached. Add salt and pepper to taste and add pecans, if desired.
Favorite Berry Cobbler
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 cups of your favorite berries
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking dish. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in butter, milk, vanilla and egg. Mix until smooth. Gently fold in 2 cups of your favorite berries. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven 35 to 40 minutes, until top is firm and lightly golden.
Tuesday Recipes
Notes for Tuesday:
- Couscous, a staple grain in many North African countries, is a coarsely ground semolina pasta. You can find boxed couscous, both flavored and unflavored, near the rice in your grocery store. If you haven't had couscous before, give it a try. Just follow the directions on the box. My kids love it but be warned...my toddler makes a total MESS eating couscous!
Mandarin Topped Chops
- 6 pork chops (we like boneless thin pork loin chops but any cut works)
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- pepper to taste
In a skillet, brown chops on both sides in oil. Top with oranges, sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until meat juices run clear.
Couscous
Broccoli Salad
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 3/4 cup cheddar cheese
- 2 T. chopped onion
- 3/4 cup 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.
Wednesday Recipes
Notes for Wednesday:
- Calrose rice is not the same as white rice. Look for it with the white rice in your grocery store.
Stir Fry
- 14 oz. bag stir-fry frozen vegetables
- 1 lb. raw boneless chicken*, shrimp, or beef
- 1 bottle Kikkoman Stir-fry sauce
- olive oil
- Calrose rice
Slice or chop meat if using chicken or beef. If using shrimp, peel it and take the tail off. You can use frozen tail-off shrimp if you want to make it easier.
In a wok or large fry pan, sauté meat or shrimp in oil until done. If using shrimp, remove shrimp from pan to prevent overcooking. Add frozen vegetables and cook until hot and water from frozen veggies cooks out. Add shrimp back to veggies. Pour 1/2 - 3/4 bottle of the stir fry sauce over everything and simmer until bubbly. Serve over rice (for children it may be better to serve rice with soy sauce and stir-fry separately).
Rice
Melon Slices
Thursday Recipes
Notes for Thursday:
- Tonight we will be making taco seasoned ground beef. The grocery list shows 5 pounds ground beef and a pack of taco seasoning per pound. If you did not brown your ground beef on Monday (see Monday notes), then brown your ground beef and follow seasoning packet directions. Make sure to label your freezer stock as "Taco Seasoned Ground Beef".
- This recipe is basically a salad with fixings of your choice. If you want to add the onions and green peppers, this would be a good time to buy in bulk, chop and replenish your freezer. You will want to add extra to your shopping list.
Taco Mac Salad
- 1 box (8 oz.) tri-color spiral macaroni
- 1 lb. taco seasoned ground beef (see notes above)
- 1/2 cup green peppers, chopped
- 1/2 cup onions, chopped
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 carton cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 head lettuce, shredded
- salt
- pepper
- 1/2 cup french dressing
- 1 package nacho doritos
Cook macaroni as directed. Drain. Rinse with cold water. Drain again. In a large bowl mix macaroni, green pepper, onion, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, & seasonings. Chill. Just before serving, stir in warm seasoned ground beef, french dressing and chips. Toss lightly.
Smoothies
- 1/2 quart vanilla yogurt
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 banana
- 1 cup orange juice
Combine all ingredients in a blender and serve cold. If you prefer a more slushy effect, add crushed ice (if your blender can handle it). If your blender doesn't have a strong motor, thaw the strawberries before blending.
Friday Recipes
Notes for Friday:
- Feel free to make even more chicken tonight for restocking your freezer. We do have several chicken dishes coming up over the next couple weeks so now may be a good time to make extra.
- If you do not have a grill: try baking the chicken in the oven at 350°F until juices run clear.
Lime Grilled Chicken
- 1 cup lime juice
- 2/3 cup Italian dressing
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 2 tsp basil
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3-4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
Heat grill. Mix all ingredients except chicken in a mixing bowl. Place chicken in a large ziploc bag; pour half of the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and toss to coat. Marinade for at least 15 minutes. Save the remaining marinade for basting.
Drain and discard marinade from bag and grill chicken over medium-low heat for 35 - 45 minutes or until juices run clear, basting occasionally with the reserved marinade. Brush remaining marinade over chicken just before removing from grill.
Sugar Snap Peas
Jell-O Parfait
- 1 sm. pkg. 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. Chill. Serve cold.
* Indicates that of the options listed, this item is the one on the grocery list.