Menu Monday - 11/7/10

Menu Monday

So, over the past few weeks, I've been getting emails from  friends asking about my menu planning and the recipes I make. 

It's really not rocket science.  I buy those magnetic weekly planners from Michael's (you can usually find them in the Dollar Bins) and under each day, I write the date and what I'd like to make for the week.  It's convenient because it's right on the fridge where I can see it all the time.

So, I do I plan my meals.  First, I usually dig around in my freezer and fridge and see what I've already got there.  (When I grocery shop I usually stock up on ground meat, frozen chicken breasts and pork chops).  Saturdays are usually our "fun" meals and Sundays are the "church meals".  During the week is hit or miss because of My Marine's night flights, so sometimes I may end up carrying over a meal to the next week. 

I also like to try to make at least two new meals a week.  I have a ziploc bag FULL of recipes that I want to try.  If I didn't schedule them in, they'd never get made.  If it's a keeper, then it gets taped to a recipe card and put in the recipe box.  If it's a clunker, then it goes in the trash!

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So, here's our menu for the week of 11/7.  The "*" indicates the recipe is at the end of this post.

Monday - 11/8

Sloppy Joes

Fries

Salad

Tuesday - 11/9

Foil-Pack Chicken & Mushroom Dinner *

Wednesday - 11/10

Hamburger Helper

Green Beans

Thursday - 11/11

Easy Saucy Pork Chops *

Mashed Potatoes

Steamed Broccoli

Friday - 11/12

Fish

Mac & Cheese

Green Beans

Saturday - 11/13

Chicken Tortilla Bake *

Sunday - 11/14

Catalina Chicken *

Roasted Red Potatoes w/ Bacon & Cheese *

Grilled Peppers

Blushing Apples *

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Foil-Pack Chicken and Mushroom Dinner
Prep: 10 min.          Total:  50 min.          Makes 6 servings

1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stove Top Chicken stuffing mix
1 3/4 cups water, divided
6 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1/2" thick)
4 slices thin sliced smoked ham, chopped
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

Preheat over to 400.  Mix stuffing mix with 1 1/2 cups of the water.  Dividing evenly, place stuffing in center of 6 separate sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Layer chicken, ham, mushrooms and peas on top of stuffing, dividing evenly between each of the 6 foil packs.  Mix soup with remaining 1/4 cup water; pour equal amounts over each pack.

Bring up foil sides.  Double fold top and ends to seal pack, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

Complete all 6 foil packs and place on 15x10x1-inch baking pan.  Bake 30-35 min. or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove from oven.  Let stand 5 min.

Place packs directly on dinner plate.  As packs are hot, cut slits into foil using a knife to release steam before opening.

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Easy Saucy Pork Chops

3-6 pork chops, visible fat removed
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup ketchup
2-3 tsps. Worcestershire sauce

Layer pork chops in crock pot.  Put onion slices on top of pork chops.  Mix remaining ingredients and pour over pork chops.  Cook on high for approx. 2 hr. or until done OR cook on low for approx. 4 hr. or until done.

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Chicken Tortilla Bake
Prep:  10 min.          Total:  35 min.         Makes 8 servings
1/2 cup Miracle Whip dressing
1/2 cup flour
3 cups milk
1 pkg. (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup salsa or taco sauce
1/2 cup chopped parsley
16 flour tortillas

Mix dressing and flour in medium saucepan with wire whisk until well blended.  Gradually add milk, stirring until well blended.  Cook and stir on medium heat until sauce comes to a boil and thickens.  Stir in half of the cheese.  Reserve 1 cup of the prepared sauce.

Add chicken, salsa and parsley to remaining sauce; stir until well blended.  Spoon 1/3 cup of the sauce mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll up.  Place 8 of the roll-ups, seam-side down, in each of two 11x8-inch baking dishes; top evenly with reserved sauce and remaining cheese.

Bake at 375 for 25 min.

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Catalina Chicken Breasts
Prep:  10 min.     Total:  55 min.     Makes 6 servings

2 tsp. vegetable oil
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
1/2 cup Catalina dressing
1/2 cup apricot jam or preserves
1/2 pkg. dry onion soup mix (about 3 Tbsp.)

Place chicken in crock pot.  Mix dressing, jam, and soup mix in small bowl.  Pour over chicken.  Cook on high for 2 hr. or low for 4 hr. until chicken is cooked through.


Roasted Red Potatoes with Bacon & Cheese
Prep:  15 min.     Total:  1 hr. 10 min.     Makes 8 servings

1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
1/4 cup bacon bits
2 lb. small red bliss potatoes, quartered (about 6 cups)
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Preheat overn to 350.  Mix dressing, cheese and bacon bits in large bowl.  Add potatoes and toss lightly.

Spoon into lightly greased 13x9 baking dish.  Cover with foil.

Bake 40 min.  Remove foil and bake and additional 15 min. or until potatoes are tender.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.


Blushing Apples
Prep:  15 min.     Total 30 min.     Makes 4 servings (1 apple each)

2 pkg. (4-serving size each) strawberry Jell-O
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 cups water
4 medium apples (Granny Smith, McIntosh or Golden Delicious)
1/2 cup Cool Whip topping

Combine dry gelatin and cinnamon in a 3-4 qt. saucepan.  Add water.  Bring to boil on medium-high heat, stirring frequently until gelatin is completely dissolved.

Peel and core apples.  Add to gelatin mixture in saucepan.  Partially cover saucepan with lid.  Return to boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10-15 min or just until apples are fork tender.  Gently turn apples every 5 min.  Remove apples from liquid.

Serve apples warm.  Or, cool and store in tightly covered container in fridge at least 1 hour or overnight.  Serve each apple topped with 2 Tbsp. of the whipped topping.