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Monday

• Swedish Meatballs
• Egg Noodles
• Green Bean
• Banana Pudding

Tuesday

• Steak Fajitas
• Mexican Salad
• Mexican Corn
• Fried Ice Cream

Wednesday

• Chicken Orecchiette
• Cucumber and Tomato Salad
• Italian Bread

Thursday

• Basil Balsamic Tilapia
• Baked Asparagus
• Sauteed Peppers

Friday

• Chicken Kabobs over Yellow Rice
• Orange Juice Salad

 

Monday Recipes

Notes for Monday:

1. If you do not have any meatballs in your freezer, you can purchase a bag of frozen meatballs at the store or you can plan on making meatballs today. I've added 5 lbs. of ground beef to the grocery list for this purpose. You can either follow the M4M Freezer Meatballs recipe that we have used before, or you can use your favorite meatball recipe. I've included my favorite meatball recipe below and added the ingredients to the grocery list. Be sure to edit your grocery list based on what meatball recipe you chose to use.
   
   
   
   

Meatballs

• 5 lbs. ground beef
• 1 cup italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup steak sauce (I like A1) or worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp basil
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp onion powder

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl by using your hands. (Yes, it's easiest to just get messy and mix away!) If your mixture is a little too dry add a little more steak sauce or worcestershire sauce. If your mixture is a little too moist, add a little more bread crumbs. Shape into 1 inch balls. Place on foil lined baking sheets (the kind with sides!) and bake at 350°F for about 20-30 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs. Allow to cool. Divide into 5 portions: 1 for tonight and 4 in labeled, freezer safe containers.

 

Swedish Meatballs

• 1 (12 oz.) bag of egg noodles
• meatballs (from freezer)
• vegetable oil for frying
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 c. beef broth
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 c. (1/2 pt.) dairy sour cream, room temperature

Start noodles cooking according to package directions. If using cooked meatballs, reheat in oil for a few minutes or fry uncooked meatballs until done. Drain on paper towels. Combine remaining ingredients for sour cream sauce. Fold meatballs into sour cream sauce. Drain noodles when cooked and serve meatballs on cooked noodles.

 

Green Beans

• 32 oz. can green beans
• 1/2 stick butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine beans with juices and butter in a pan or small slow cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Before serving, salt to taste. If liquid cooks down, add water during cooking process.

 

Easy Banana Pudding

• 4 bananas
• Vanilla wafers
• 1 oz. box instant banana pudding
• 2 cups milk
• 2 egg whites (carefully separate to make sure no yolk gets in them)
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Prepare banana pudding with 2 cups of milk according to instructions. Refrigerate. Spray a pie plate or 8"x 8" casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom and sides with vanilla wafers. Slice bananas over the vanilla wafers. Remove pudding from refrigerator and spoon over bananas.

Beat egg whites, sugar, and vanilla at medium speed until stiff peaks form. Spoon on top of pudding, swirling to make peaks. Brown pie at 300°F until meringue is light brown. Cool and refrigerate.

 

 

 

Tuesday Recipes

Notes for Tuesday:

1. Tonight we are using the leftover meat from last week's London Broil to make fajitas. Reheat the beef in a little olive oil on the stovetop, or in the microwave. If you did not make the London Broil last week, make sure to add some kind of fajita meat to your grocery list.
   
   

 Fajitas

• 1 tbsp oil
• leftover meat from last week
• 1 cup onion, sliced
• 1 cup red pepper, julienned
• 1 cup green pepper, julienned
• whole wheat tortillas (store bought or homemade*)
• sour cream
• shredded lettuce
• salsa
• guacamole (optional)

Saute peppers and onions in a large skillet in heated oil. Add leftover meat until meat is reheated.erve heated meat and vegetables with tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. Each person assembles their own fajitas by putting meat/vegetable mixture and topping with their choice of condiments, rolling up the tortilla and eating by hand. Be careful not to overload the tortilla.

 

Homemade Tortillas

• 4 cups flour
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups water

Mix all ingredients. Form into golf ball size balls. Roll out flat into a circle. Cook on each side in a dry non-stick pan until starting to brown. DO NOT OVERCOOK. The tortillas cook quickly and it is easy to burn them if you turn away.

 

Mexican Salad

• variety of lettuces, torn into bite-sized pieces (from last night)
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded & chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded & chopped
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1 can black olives, drained
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 bottle ranch salad dressing (try the Spicy Ranch if you've never tried it)

Add all of tonight's "mexican additions" to last night salad base. Add salad dressing right before serving.

 

 

Mexican Corn

 

 

 

Fried Ice Cream

• 1 sheet of pie pastry from the refrigerator section
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 qt. ice cream (preferably vanilla)
• oil for deep frying
• 2/3 cup honey

In a large, ungreased baking dish, place the unrolled pie pastry flat on the bottom. Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the pastry. Prick whole surface with fork and bake at 400°F for 10 - 12 minutes or until pastry is lightly browned. cool on a wire rack for 5 - 10 minutes.

In a large, resealable plastic bag, place the cooked pastry and coarsely crush. Transfer "crumbs" to a shallow bowl. Using a small ice cream scoop, form about 8 scoops of ice cream and roll each scoop in the pastry "crumbs". cover and freeze for 2 hours or until firm.

In an electric skillet or deep-fryer, heat oil to 375° F. Fry frozen ice cream balls for 8-10 seconds on until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Place immediately into chilled bowls and drizzle with honey. Serve immediately.

 

 

 

Wednesday Recipes

Notes for Wednesday:

1. If you can't find orecchiette pasta, try using small shells or farfelle/bow ties instead.
   
   
2. Today's cucumber and tomato salad can be made fresh in the morning.
   
   

Chicken Orecchiette

• 1 (16 oz) package Pasta LaBella Orecchiette
• 1/2 cup light extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup red pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup green onions
• 3 cups cooked and cubed chicken meat
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (or 2-3 tsp. dried*)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 oz. feta cheese (the kind that is flavored with basil works great)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and place hot pasta in mixing bowl. Pour olive oil and balsamic vinegar over pasta. Add tomatoes, peppers, green onions, and chicken. Toss well. Add basil, salt, pepper, feta, and Parmesan cheese. Toss well and serve immediately.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 ripe tomatoes, minced
• 1-2 cucumbers, minced
• 1 lg. red pepper, minced
• 1 lg. red onion , minced
• basil, oregano, tarragon, and parsley (fresh if available, dried if necessary) to taste
• Lots of fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 squeeze lemon

Stir in olive oil - enough to "coat" everything. Serve chilled.

  Italian Bread dipped in Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil

Mix together 3 tbsp. olive oil to 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar on a small plate. Dip fresh Italian bread in your balsamic mix and enjoy!

 

 

Thursday Recipes

Notes for Thursday:

1. I got a new cookbook a few weeks ago which always seems to inspire me to try new things and to get out of my rut of having the same ole' thing. I use a cookbook as inspiration and rarely follow the recipes exactly so I hope you are liking some of the new dishes that have been introduced both last week and this week. Be sure to comment on the menus...both the things you like and those you don't...either at our Social Network for Busy Moms at Menus4Moms.net, or at our Menus4Moms Yahoo Group.

 

 Basil Balsamic Tilapia

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Few drops hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil (or 1/8 cup dried)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 lbs tilapia

Whisk together the vinegar, oil, and hot pepper sauce. Stir in the basil. Pour over the fish and marinate about 20-30 minutes, turning once. Broil or grill about 4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness of fish until fish is flaky.

 

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 fresh asparagus 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°F.

 

 

Sauteed Peppers

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large red pepper, julienned
• 1 large orange pepper, julienned
• 1 large yellow pepper, julienned
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp basil, fresh chopped
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Heat oil in skillet. Saute pepper strips in oil over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Saute for about 2 more minutes. Serve immediately.

 

 

Friday Recipes

Notes for Friday:

1. Tonight we are grilling (you may bake or broil if you don't have a grill). Be sure to marinate early in the day so the meat will be flavorful.
   
   

Chicken Kabobs over Yellow Rice

• 1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 2" squares
• 3 red or green* bell peppers
• 8 oz. whole mushrooms
• 2 onions
• 1 pkg yellow rice, cooked according to directions

Marinade

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. garlic salt or Adobo*
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix marinade ingredients. Pour half into a marinating container with the chicken. Use the other half to marinate the vegetables (see below) and for later basting. Marinate for several hours.

Wash vegetables and chop into 2x2 pieces (leave mushrooms whole). Marinate with half of the marinade for at least 30 minutes. Alternate chicken and vegetables on kabob skewers and grill until chicken is done. Serve over yellow rice.

 

 

Orange Juice Salad

• 1 banana, peeled and sliced
• 1 apple, sliced
• 1 orange, peeled and sectioned
• 1 kiwi, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 cup orange juice

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Keep in refrigerator until serving time.

 

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

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