Menu Monday - Week 3 Pantry Freezer Challenge

This past week proved busy and I ate out three times.  Gasp!  I know!  Three times.  I didn't pay for a single meal and at least twice I brought home half a plate of food to use as a second meal.    It was frugal enough but you know I kinda missed my home cooking.  However,  those meals I didn't make last week will fill our menus later this month.

The pantry challenge is proceeding very well.  I've added quite a bit of stock to the freezer and pantry cupboards.  We've limited our usage to pretty much dairy and produce. I've even added to our freezer with some of the foods I've prepared. Yesterday I added a large serving of Chicken Fried Rice and 16 egg rolls.  I'll be adding more oranges this week and strawberries for future jelly making and sundae topping. Check out the end of the menu for my planned baking  to see what else I mean to add to my freezer.

The first meal I'm going to share this week is one I actually ate last week, but it was so good I just have to share it.  As for the rest of the week, I need to make a batch of broth to keep in the freezer...but first I want to cook the turkey breast that's in the freezer so I can toss that carcass in with the rest of them.  John will be happy.  He really likes turkey.

Fish Tacos, Corn, Strawberry Sundae
I used fish fillets from our meal out last week to make fish tacos.  They were tastier than I thought they might be, and in future I might not wait to have leftover fish!  I fried corn tortillas into taco shells, filled with sliced fried fish fillet pieces, savoy cabbage, shredded cheddar and chopped tomato.  I used Thousand Island dressing on mine but the local Mexican place uses Ranch dressing.  

Roast Turkey, Scalloped Potatoes, 24 Hour Layered Salad
I like to make my scalloped potatoes from scratch.  This week I have no potatoes.  I'm debating whether I will buy a bag or not.  It really depends upon sales this week.  Otherwise I'll likely use a box of dehydrated Au gratin potatoes.   We like the layered salad as a change from the usual tossed salad.  It holds up well if you use a sturdy lettuce such as romaine in it.  You can vary the toppings from to suit your family.  

Cheeseburgers, Lettuce, Tomato and Onion plate, Cinnamon Baked Beans
I haven't made cheeseburgers in a while and I 'm sure John's more than ready for a good burger.  I'll make my own rolls for this.  Have you ever tried adding a bit of cinnamon to your baked beans?  You really should try it, it adds depth and richness to the bean dish and everyone raves about it.

Turkey Tetrazzini,  Green Beans with Almonds, Crusty Italian Bread
I like this dish and we haven't had it in a long time.  The hard part will be to make enough for two and not six!  I like to have mushrooms but it isn't necessary.  I'll add a bit of lemon juice to the green beans.  

Cowboy Chili, Coleslaw, Biscuit Bread
I'm sure to have leftover beans and will thaw extra ground beef to make cowboy chili, a simple dish that people tend to love: browned ground beef, a little onion, canned pork and beans (we use vegetarian) and ketchup.  That's it!  Men and kids will eat this simple dish right up.  Mama always served this with biscuit bread. I'll make a very small biscuit bread and use the rest of my dough creatively...

Turkey Club Salad Plates, Croutons, Brownie Sundaes
I'll use turkey slices, cooked turkey bacon to make our salad for this meal.  Homemade croutons from our Italian bread loaf will top the salad.  Any dressing you choose will be delicious on this salad.   
      
Roast Beef, Green Peas with Mushrooms, Wild Rice, Rolls
I plan to buy meats this week to stock the freezer.  Since it's been a good long while since I last cooked a roast I mean to buy a nice one.  We'll have it for dinner and I'll slice leftovers for sandwich meat.  I'll use up the last of the mushroom purchase by sauteing and adding to the cooked peas.

Baking:  Cinnamon Rolls( using half a recipe biscuit dough), Freezer Crescent Rolls(frozen unbaked but will use some with our Roast dinner), Brownies (double batch, one for the freezer), Oatmeal  Cookies (will make enough to add some rolls to the freezer as well).
  

8 comments:

Lana said...

10 pounds Idaho potatoes are $1.79 at Aldi this week. We are completely out, too.

I am intrigued by the cinnamon in the baked beans. I have to try that soon.
Turkey Tettrazini freezes well if you portion it out into small casseroles and bake it after thawing. I do that on purpose making one to eat and three to freeze.

I need to start portioning out single servings and freezing them. Hubby has to go to France on business for two weeks in April and I am picturing the stuff I will likely eat here on my own for all that time and it does not seem very nutritious.

Tammy said...

Cinnamon in baked beans - I'm going to try that. We make lots of beans all year round. Just a pinch or more than that?

terricheney said...

I don't know why this reposted. I did make a change in the text and set it up to have a jump link but here it is...From 2012, ladies. However, the cinnamon in the baked beans is awesome. I never use more than a half teaspoon but it really adds something to the beans.

Lana, if my husband were going to France I think I'd just have to go along.

Lana said...

I wondered about the two menus this week!

Teri, He said I could go BUT I don't have a passport and time is too short to get one! We do need to get me one for next time.

Anonymous said...

Well I angled this reposted!! :) We love fist tacos like this. Who would have thought...first time I heard of fish tacos I thought yuck! Now they are a favorite! I need all the ideas for freezer meals I can get right now...also thank you for that!!
By the way, things are going rather smooth with Hubby and his diabetes. We understand the diet pretty much now. I am tweeting menues and checking out and reading diabetic articles and recipes to get more ideas. Another life adventure. I have found two different books from the Diabetes Association used lately to add to the information we already know. Plus some diabetic cooking magazines. Now I also will try the cinnamon when we have beans. That was new to me too. !
Sarah

Karla said...

I should not have read this post 10 minutes before lunch time! Now I'm extra hungry!

We love fish tacos at our house too but I do mine a bit different (same way I do chicken tacos. We use soft corn tortillas, heated in a dry skillet, top with fish, Queso Fresco (crumbly mexican cheese similar to Feta), lime juice, cilantro and fresh chopped white onion. So yummy!!

The rest of your menu sounds absolutely delicious. I haven't made turkey tettrazini in ages but it's one of my favorites. Unfortunately, I'm having to learn how to cook for just 2 as well, although we eat leftovers for our work lunches regularly.

Anonymous said...

Your menus sound delicious. It seems to me that you have been very busy getting things in order for spring! Very encouraging. I recently culled a LOT of books out. It was hard, but I just kept reminding myself that I could get more at the library or on my Kindle---but it was still hard:) So, good luck with that!

Doris said...

Cinnamon sounds good. I put just a drop or two of liquid smoke in mine, powdered mustard, brown sugar, catsup, etc. Must try cinnamon. Thanks.

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