Weekly Meal Plan

Good cold weather arrived this past week.  It was lovely!  Snuggling under covers, standing next to the heater and heating up one side and then the other, sitting in the morning sun and still feeling chilled.  It is the answer to a hot flashing woman's prayers!  I'm sorry to say that this week we'll likely end up turning on the AC at least a few afternoons as the temperatures creep back up but nights are going to remain cool-not frosty, but cool.  We take what we can get in this part of the South.

The week ahead is no busier nor less full than last week.  Plenty to do around here as always.  I hope to make a really productive week of it, too.  It's want to do as I did last week and spend a morning prepping foods for the week ahead.  It was a pleasure to know that dinner was ready to pop into the oven or crock pot and the majority of the clearing up was done as well.  I deviated from my menu only twice last week: I found I lacked three key ingredients for that new to me chicken casserole and so Friday I splurged with my allowance and bought fried chicken for dinner.  On Saturday I chose to use one of the frozen entrees from the freezer rather than make the Vegetable beef soup.



This pre-work actually allowed me to get far more done this past week than I might have otherwise.  I'm tweaking my daily routines as well.  I'll try to get them worked out this week and will share.  It's a little bit of a departure from my previous routines (which are NOT getting done these days. Hoo Boy!).

Spaghetti Pie, Homegrown Salad, Cheesy Garlic Bread
Click on the link to see the Spaghetti Pie recipe.  I was very pleased with the tastiness of this dish and will certainly be making it again, as a Leftover Makeover or as Dawn did, make an assembly line and serve one for dinner and put more in the freezer.

I meant to share a link to the bread as well but I've apparently been making it wrong all this time.  I first tasted this at my son and daughter in law's and honestly I'm not sure how Lori did make it.  I thought the way I made it was right but not certain now I've looked all over Pinterest for a similar recipe.  Never mind, I'll share my version: Mix 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 4 tbsp soft butter, 4 tbsp mayonnaise and 6 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese.  Spread on bread slices and bake at 350 until toasty and melted.  This spread keeps well in the fridge by the way.

Salisbury Steak with Gravy,  Mashed Potatoes,  Butter Beans, Green Salad with Apple Slices
When we bought meat early this month, I got extra hamburger and made into patties so I could thaw one or two easily.  Works great and definitely what I'll do in future when purchasing meats.  I made Salisbury steak today with two of the burgers.  I make this dish as Mama did with one exception:  I always dust a little allspice over my beef patties, along with the salt and pepper, pat them in flour and then brown.  Today I made an onion/mushroom beef gravy in the pan for simmering the steaks.  This was an excellent dish for what is likely to be our last really cool day until next weekend.

I had leftovers of gravy, potatoes and butter beans.  Those items will show up in this week's menu.

Bbq'd Chicken, Rice, Steamed Broccoli
I'll prepare extra rice and chicken for a second meal.  Last month when Lori and Jd visited they visited a BBQ place to pick up brisket sandwiches for our dinner one night.  Lori exclaimed over the many packets of sauce in the bag.  When I used the last of a bottle I'd gotten free in the summer, I opened the packets and squeezed them into the bottle. I had a full bottle!  Free BBQ sauce.  

Chicken Fried Rice, Homemade Egg Rolls, Ambrosia
I wrote out the main menu ideas last night and have only altered a few items here and there.  As I piddled about in the kitchen today, John asked if I was making Fried Rice...Well I smiled, because he only ever asks about things he's craving and I do have it on my menu this week, even before I noted he was ready to have it. This is an inexpensive dish to make, as are the egg rolls.  The cost comes in the time to prep all the stuff that goes into them.  I'll be happy to have the majority of that labor done on my prep day.

Roast Beef, Oven Roasted Potatoes, Green Peas with mushrooms, Waldorf Salad
I plan to make a roast but not a pot roast. I want some of the meat for sandwiches.  Since I bought only Chuck Roasts this time, I'm not sure how this will work out.  We'll see...I'll also use some of the leftover roast bits and the leftover mashed potatoes from earlier in the week to make another meal.

Shepherd's Pie, Pineapple Salad, Butterscotch Pudding
I buy a frozen mixed vegetable blend at the meat market that is mostly green vegetables with a few carrots and no potatoes. It makes a very tasty blend for soup and pot pie alike.  With the leftover roast and the mashed potatoes and gravy from earlier in the week this should be a very tasty Shepherd's Pie.

Crock pot Vegetable Soup, Crackers and Cheese, Apples with Caramel Sauce
Any vegetables we don't eat up get dumped in the soup pot this day, along with a can of tomatoes, onions and broth.  Yummy.  Just in time for the return of the cooler weather.  This will be welcome when we come in from synagogue and it's not a dish I have to worry will cook dry while we're gone.