Menu

Meals for January 2007

****I have to give most of the credit for this menu to my friend, Jannet. She made up most of this and I just switched some recipes around and substituted certain things for other things. Thanks Jannet!!

Jan 1 (t) Leftovers
Jan 2 (w) Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Salad
Jan 3 (th) Sloppy Joes, Green beans
Jan 4 (f) Homemade Pizza
Jan 5 (s) Baked Chicken Nuggets, Rice
Jan.6 (sun) Roast & Mashed Potatoes
Jan 7 (m) “Buttered Noodles”, Broccoli
Jan. 8 (t) Indian Fry Bread (recipe below)
9 (w) Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Rice, Homemade Breadsticks
Jan 10 (th) Hot Dogs, Baked Potatoes
Jan 11 (f) Homemade Pizza, Fresh Veggies
Jan 12 (s) Stroganoff, Green Beans
Jan 13 (sun) Chicken Quesadillas, Spanish Rice, salad
Jan 14 (m) Chicken Noodle Soup, Homemade Rolls
Jan 15 (t) Shredded Beef Enchiladas
Jan.16 (w) Grilled Cheese, Tomato Soup, Broccoli
Jan 17 (th) Soft Tacos
Jan.18 (f) Homemade Pizza, Fresh Veggies
Jan 19 (s) Shepherds Pie
20 (sun) Pasta e Fagioli (recipe below)
21 (m) Chicken Tortilla Soup, Mexican Rice
Jan 22 (t) Leftovers
Jan 23 (w) BBQ Beef Sandwiches
Jan. 24 (th) Meatloaf Cakes (Ann Romney's Recipe, Mitt Romney's wife
Jan 25 (f) Homemade Pizza, Fresh Veggies
Jan 26 (s) Grilled Chicken, Pasta
Jan 27 (sun) Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Salad, Rolls
Jan 28 (m) Aloha Chicken Kebabs (recipe below), Cucumbers, Pineapple
Jan 29 (t) Leftovers
Jan 30 (w) BLT's
Jan.31 (th) Steak, Baked Potatoes, Salad

Meatloaf Cakes Recipe from Ann Romney
1 ½ lbs ground beef -
¼ cup lemon juice -
1 egg -
4 slices of white bread broken into pieces or bread crumbs -
¼ cup onion, chopped -
2 tsp seasoned salt Sauce Ingredients -
½ cup ketchup -
½ cup brown sugar -
1 tsp dry mustard -
¼ tsp cloves -
¼ tsp All spice

Mix together loaf ingredients, shape into 6 individual loaves. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Mix together sauce ingredients and spoon on top of loaves. Continue baking at 350 degrees for 30 additional minutes.


Indian Fry Bread
4 C flour
1/4 C shortening
1 t salt (scant)
1 1/2 C warm water
Cut shortening into the flour and salt. Add warm water to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth. Divide into golf ball size pieces. Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick. Fry in very hot cooking oil until golden brown on both sides. (Dough can be stored several days in refrigerator). As an alternative to frying, bake the dough – prepare the same way. (We like it better baked than fried.)

For meals, you can add any combination of the following: Refried beans, Taco, meat, Shredded lettuce, Diced tomatoes, Shredded cheese, Sliced, olives, Diced onions, Salsa.

Can be eaten for dessert with honey drizzled on them or sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Sloppy Joes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin
1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 crusty rolls, split, toasted, and lightly buttered

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and meat to the pan. Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and combine.

When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer.

Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, pile sloppy meat onto toasted, buttered bun bottoms and cover with bun tops. Serve with your favorite sides or sliced tomatoes seasoned with salt and pepper, dill pickles and Deviled Potato Salad.

Have plenty of napkins on hand!* *this recipe is also really good with turkey instead of beef. HOWEVER, the turkey somehow takes away the tomato taste, so some hot sauce (like tobasco) - just a tad - would be good to bring out that tomato flavor. it doesn't make it too spicy!* *


Pizza Dough
2 pkg yeast
1 t salt
2 1/2 C warm water
7-8 C flour

Combine yeast, 2 1/2 C flour, salt and water in a large bowl. Beat at low speed for 30 sec. Beat 3 min on high scraping sides constantly. By hand stir in enough flour to make a moderately soft dough. Knead 10 min until smooth and elastic.

Shape into ball and let raise until double. Punch down and divide into 1/4ths. Smash out on a 12" pizza pan and bake at 500 for 6-8 min, until crust starts to brown.
Cool.

Rolls / Breadsticks
3/4 c milk
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
1/2 c shortening

1/2 c warm water
1/2 c sugar
4 1/2 to 4 3/4 flour
1 tsp salt
2 eggs

Scald milk; add shortening, sugar and salt. Cook to lukewarm. Sprinkle yeast on warm water; stir to dissolve. Add 1/2 c flour to milk mixture; beat well by hand or with electric mixer at low speed 1 min. Beat in eggs and yeast.Gradually stir in enough remaining flour, a little at a time, to make a soft dough that leaves the sides of the bowl.

Turn onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth, satiny and no longer sticky, 5 to 8 mins.Place in lightly greased bowl; invert to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, 1 to 1/2 hours. Punch down and turn onto board.

Divide in half and shape as desired.Cover with a towel so they don't dry out and let rise until doubled, about an hour. Sprinkle lightly with either garlic salt or garlic butter. Bake for 15 min at about 350 °. Makes about 30 breadsticks / rolls.


Chicken Nuggets

1 cup breadcrumbs
½ cup flaxseed meal
1 T. grated parmesan
½ t. paprika
½ t. garlic powder
½ t. onion powder
1 cup broccoli or sweet potato puree
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 pound chicken breasts or tenders
½ t. salt
1 T. olive oil

Combine breadcrumbs, flaxseed meal, Parmesan, paprika, garlic, and onion powder in a small bowl – mix well with your fingers.Mix vegetable puree and egg with a form in a small bowl (separate from dry mix above).Sprinkle chicken chunks with salt. Dip into egg mixture and then toss in breadcrumb mixture until completely coated.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. You can also fry them in a skillet coated with olive oil. Cook until crisp and golden on one side (3-4 minutes) and then flip and cook until chicken is cooked through.


“Buttered” Noodles"
8 ounces pasta (any variety)
½ cup yellow squash puree
¼ cup skim milk
2 T. butter
2 T. grated parmesan cheese
¼ t. salt
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (this is also good if you use chicken boullion instead of salt). Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.

Return pasta to warm pot and stir in puree (make sure it is creamy puree and not chunky), milk, butter, parmesan, and salt.This works well with a variety of meats, also – add chicken cubes, cooked shrimp, and scallops.

Chicken Quesadillas
4 cups cubed or shredded chicken
½ cup salsa
1 can Cheddar Cheese Soup
Flour Tortillas
Pour can of soup into saucepan and heat until smooth. Add chicken and salsa – stirring until mixed. Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup of this mixture onto a flour tortilla, folding in half. Cook in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 350º or until tortilla is crispy.

Spanish Rice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked reg long grain rice
1 medium onion (1/2 cup), chopped
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 sm. Gr. bell pepper (1/2 cup), chop.
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook rice and onion in oil about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until rice is golden brown and onion is tender.Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender.

Chicken Noodle Soup
6 chicken breasts
6 sliced carrots
1 celery stalk, sliced
5 + cups chicken broth 12 ounces egg noodles, yolk-free
Various seasonings to taste
Place frozen chicken breasts and sliced carrots into crock-pot. Cover with chicken broth - can be store bought or home made. Cook on high for 4 hours or until cooked through and chicken is tender.Take chicken breasts out of crock pot and shred with a fork.

Place shredded chicken back into the crock-pot and add sliced celery stalk. This is when I add various seasonings - garlic powder, California steak seasoning, and a pinch of sea salt. Cook until celery is fork-tender. Turn to lowAbout 20-30 minutes before you want to eat, add the egg noodles and cook until desired tenderness - still on low in the crock-pot.


Pasta e Fagioli
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans (w/ liquid)
1 15-ounce can great northern beans (with liquid)
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 12-ounce can V-8 juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt1 teaspoon oregano1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 pound (1/2 pkg.) ditali pasta

Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Drain off most of the fat.Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes.Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta in 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of boiling water over high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente, or slightly tough. Drain.Add the pasta to the large pot of soup. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve.


Chicken Tortilla Soup
In crockpot, combine:
1 package chicken breasts
2 cups water
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can diced tomatoes with Rotel chilies
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt1 sm can tomato sauce
Cook it all day. When chicken is cooked very thoroughly, take it out and shred it, then put it back in.When serving, I serve it with chopped red onions, shredded cheddar cheese, diced avocadoes and crumbled tortilla chips. You could also put a dollop of sour cream on top or pretty much whatever you want to do.


Aloha Chicken Kebabs
1 cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup flaxseed meal
½ cup sweet potato puree
¼ cup pineapple puree
1 T. soy sauce1 large egg white, lightly beaten
¼ cup shredded coconut1 pound chicken, cut into ‘fingers’
¼ t. salt
2 T. flour
1 T. olive oil
Short wooden skewers
Mix breadcrumbs with flaxseed meal. Set aside.In second bowl (shallow), combine purees, soy sauce, egg white, and coconut. Mix with a fork. Thread chicken fingers lengthwise onto skewers (one finger per skewer). Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and then flour. Dip into egg-white mixture and then roll in breadcrumbs until completely coated. Coat skillet with Pam. Add oil when pan is hot. Add chicken in a single layer and brown for 3-4 minutes on one side until coating is crisp and golden brown. (coconut burns easily, so make sure pan is not too hot) Turn and cook other side of fingers until cooked through. These can also be grilled outside on a grill – making them a bit healthier.

**Some of these recipes are from the Deceptively Delicious Cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld.