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Monday

• Tater Tot Casserole
• Seasoned Green Beans
• Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Tuesday

• Baked Ham
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Sugar Snap Peas

Wednesday

• Roast Sticky Chicken
• Wild Rice
• Steamed Broccoli

Thursday

• Linguini with Ham, Peas and Mushrooms
• Sliced Apples
• Salad
• Italian Bread

Friday

• Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder
• Dinner Rolls
• Leftover Salad

 

Monday Recipes

Notes for Monday:

1. This isn't one of the healthiest meals, but it is easy to make and easy to adapt to what you have on hand. Feel free to substitute cooked chicken and cream of chicken soup if that is what you have.
   
   
2. We made the Poppy Seed Dressing last week with our Spinach Salad. If you did not make it or did not keep it, I've included the recipe below. Please note that the ingredients are not on your shopping list.
   
   
   
   

Tater Tot Casserole

• 32. oz package frozen Tater Tots
• 1/2 lb. browned ground beef, thawed (from freezer)
• 16 oz. container sour cream
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (substitutions)
• 1 can cream of celery soup (substitutions)
• 4 oz. can mushrooms, drained
• 1 pkg. sauteed onions, thawed (from freezer)
• 6 oz. can French fried onions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 casserole pan. Place frozen tater tots in bottom of pan. Sprinkle beef over tater tots. In a bowl, mix sour cream, cheese, soups, mushrooms and sauteed onions. Pour over beef. Top with French fried onions. Bake for 50-60 minutes.

 

Seasoned Green Beans

• 1 lb. fresh green beans, slightly steamed
• 2 T. butter
• 1/2 package Good Seasonings Italian dressing mix

Melt butter in large fry pan. Add green beans. Sprinkle with the 1/2 package of seasoning mix and stir well while sauteing.

 

 

Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

• 2 plum, chopped
• 1 cantaloupe, chopped
• 1 banana, sliced
• 2 kiwi, chopped
• 1 cup seedless red grapes
• 1/2 cup Poppy Seed Dressing

Wash, mix and cut up all fruit. Stir in dressing and toss to coat. Add more dressing if desired.

 

Poppy Seed Dressing (ingredients not on shopping list; see notes above)

• 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 spinach salad or fruit such as grapefruit or avocado.

 

Tuesday Recipes

Notes for Tuesday:

1. I prefer to use my slow cooker to bake my ham so I don't have to run the oven for several hours. We are going to have a meal of baked ham tonight, then the rest should be chopped and put into pint-sized freezer baggies for use later in casseroles and soups. Keep out one portion for the Linguini with Ham, Peas and Mushrooms on Thursday.
   
   
2. Next week we will be making Pinto Beans so you can save the ham juices to use as the base for your soup. I would freeze it after keeping it refrigerated one night so it doesn't go bad. The purpose of refrigerating it for one night is to allow you to skim the fat off after it has risen to the top.
   
   
3. You can prepare the Macaroni and Cheese ahead of time and refrigerate until you are ready to bake it. You may also want to double the Macaroni and Cheese recipe and freeze the extra one.
   
   
4. Prepare the sticky chicken for tomorrow so it can marinate overnight in the spices.
   

 

 Baked Ham

• 5 lb. ham, preferably smoked butt or shoulder

Place ham in slow cooker and cook 8-10 hours on low. You do not need to add any liquid to the slow cooker. Slice tonight's portion before serving. Reserve 1-1/2 cups for Thursday. Shred or chop leftovers and freeze in 1-2 cup portions.

 

  Sugar Snap Peas

• 1-2 small packages fresh sugar snap peas
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1tsp. sugar

Wash pea pods. Drain and dry on a paper towel. Melt butter in a fry pan and add sugar snap peas. Toss well and sprinkle with sugar. Heat on medium heat until peas are tender but crisp. Serve hot.

 

 

 Macaroni and Cheese

• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard (optional)
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2-1/2 cups milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 cups (8 oz) shredded American or Cheddar cheese, divided
• 8 oz Mueller's Elbows (about 2 cups), cooked 5 minutes and drained

In medium saucepan combine corn starch, salt, dry mustard and pepper; stir in milk. Add margarine. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 1-3/4 cups (425 ml) cheese until melted. Add elbows. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake uncovered in 375 degree oven 25 minutes or until lightly browned. This can be prepared ahead of time and kept refrigerated until you are ready to bake. Add 5-7 minutes to the cooking time if cold.

Source: Mueller's elbow macaroni box

 

 

 

 

Roast Sticky Chicken Preparation (for tomorrow)

• 1 large roasting chicken
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 4 teaspoons salt

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the spices. Remove giblets from chicken, clean the cavity well and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin. Place in a re-sealable plastic bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.

 

 

Wednesday Recipes

Notes for Wednesday:

1. Save 2 cups of chopped or shredded chicken from tonight for the chowder on Friday. Any extra can be bagged and frozen for soups and casseroles if you are not eating it as leftovers. Save your broth for Thursday's linguini, also.
   
   
   

 Roast Sticky Chicken in the Crockpot

• Chicken prepared last night
• 1 cup onion, chopped

When ready to roast chicken, stuff cavity with onions, and place in crockpot. Cook on low for 5 hours. The pan juices will start to caramelize on the bottom of pan and the chicken will turn golden brown. Use a meat thermometer to ensure that the meat is thoroughly cooked (180°F is well done for a whole chicken). Let chicken rest about 10 minutes before carving.

This recipe was originally created by Mimi Hiller of Mimi's Cyber Kitchen, http://www.cyber-kitchen.com/ and this version was actually an adaptation written by Lynn Nelson, former guide of Busy Cooks, http://busycooks.about.com

 

Wild Rice

Steamed Broccoli (fresh* or frozen)

 

 

Thursday Recipes

Notes for Thursday:

1. We will be using ham from Tuesday for tonight's dish.
   
   
2. Make a large salad tonight and save half for tomorrow night. Add croutons and any other "crunchies" just before serving each night.
   
   
   
   
   

   Linguini with Ham, Peas, and Mushrooms

• 16 oz Linguine
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 8 scallions, including tops, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 8 oz baked ham, (from Tuesday's Baked Ham or buy it if necessary)
• 2 ½ cups frozen green peas, thawed
• 3 cups chicken stock (saved from last night's sticky chicken or use bouillon to make your own)
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbs. butter
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the linguine according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a deep 12 inch skillet over moderate heat for 1 minute. Add the scallions and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and the remaining oil and sauté 3 minutes longer. Add the ham and sauté, stirring, for 12 minutes. Add the peas, stock and pepper, raise the heat to high, and boil uncovered, for 3 minutes or until the liquid is slightly reduced. Remove from the heat and swirl in the butter, drain the linguine and add to the skillet along with the cheese and toss lightly. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese on the side if desired.

 

Sliced Apples

 

 

Salad

Italian Bread

 

Friday Recipes

Notes for Friday:

1. Tonight we will be using leftover chicken from Wednesday. If you didn't have any leftovers, use chicken from your freezer. If you have no chicken from leftovers or from your freezer, make sure to add chicken to your grocery list.
   
   

Mexican Corn Chowder

• 2 cups cooked chicken, thawed (from Wednesday)
• 1/2 cup cooked onions, thawed (from freezer)
• 1-2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1/2 - 1 tsp cumin, ground
• 2 cups half & half or milk
• 3 cups cheese - monterey jack, shredded
• 2 cans creamed style corn
• 1 can green chilies, chopped & undrained
• 4 oz. jar pimiento, diced
• fresh cilantro or parsley, optional
• tortilla chips, optional

Combine chicken, onions, garlic, chicken broth, and cumin; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add half & half, cheese, corn, chilies, and hot pepper sauce. Cook and stir over low heat until the cheese is melted. Stir in pimiento. Serve immediately. Garnish with cilantro, parsley, and tortilla chips, if desired.

 

 

Dinner Rolls

Salad (leftover from last night)

 

 

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

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