Menu Plan February 1-7

Tuesday February 1
Layered meatball casserole
Salad
Box cookies

Wednesday February 2
Marinated rib steak(using up marinade in fridge)
Green bean casserole
Stuffing
Banana cake

Thursday February 3
Easy beef enchiladas
Rice
Refried beans

Friday February 4
Turkey and broccoli casserole
Succotash
Waldorf salad

Saturday February 5
Steak tips over rice
Pea salad
Bread

Sunday February 6
Pizza with pepperoni, black olives and green peppers
Baked apples

Menu Plan

I wasn't feeling great last week and my menu plan didn't go as good as it could have because of it.  We went out to eat one night and another I just didn't want to make lentils and rice.  This week will hopefully go better.  We're  down to the last of the pantry challenge time and I'm ready to be done:o)  Our pantry is still full but I think I did pretty good working it down and will continue to use what's in there even after the challenge is over.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Grits
Dinner: Potatoes and franks

Wednesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Dinner: Skillet Sausage Pasta

Thursday
Breakfast: cereal
Dinner: California Quesadillas  refried beans, rice

Friday
Breakfast: cereal
Dinner: Noodle Stroganoff

Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes
Dinner: Pizza  (Pepperoni)

Sunday
Breakfast: Eggs
Dinner: Mom's chili over rice

Breadsticks

1 cup warm water
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4C oil
3 Cups bread flour
2 1/2 tsp yeast

Put in the bread machine on dough cycle.  When that is complete divide into equal parts(as big as you want...I think I made 12).  Then I followed my friend, Traci's, recipe for topping them.  Her blog is here.

1/4 C cheddar cheese, finely grated
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 lb loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
1/4 C butter, melted

Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Cut bread dough into 16 portions. Shape into breadsticks. Dip in butter, then dip in topping. Place on cookie sheet. Bake in 400 deg. oven for 10-12 minutes. Watch them disappear in 10-12 seconds!

Menu Plan

Wednesday January 19th
Breakfast: Grits
Dinner: Turkey pot pie, stuffing

Thursday January 20th
Breakfast: Cereal
Dinner: Tuna mac n cheese, green bean casserole, cauliflower

Friday January 21st
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Dinner: Cheese enchiladas, rice, refried beans

Saturday January 22nd
Breakfast: Cereal
Dinner: Chinese Chicken and rice, cauliflower

Sunday January 23rd
Breakfast: Grits
Dinner: Slow cooker beef sandwiches, corn casserole, peas

Monday January 24th
Breakfast: cereal
Dinner: Taco Lentils and rice

Tuesday January 25th
Breakfast: Grits
Dinner: Groutmere buns, lima beans

Menu Plan January 11-16

Lunches will be leftovers, ramens or pb&j's.

January 11
B-Grits
L-Butternut pumpkin soup w/ frozen cornbread muffins
D-Tacos, Beans, Rice

January 12
B-Oatmeal
D-Tuna Croquettes, Green Bean Casserole, bread

January 13
B-Cereal
D-Pizza & Salad

January 14
B-Muffins--frozen blueberry
D-Pot Roast, fruit salad, rolls & leftover cornbread muffins

January 15
B-Grits
D-Bean soup and rolls or muffins

January 16
B-Cereal
D-Southwest Beef & Bell Pepper Skillet

Liver and Onions

Let me say first off that I know a majority of people think liver and onions are not edible. I was raised eating a lot of strange things and I'm thankful that I was!  While I won't eat some of the things I did as a kid(froglegs for example) some are still favorites....liver, brie, smoked oysters, oysters on the halfshell to name a few.

We still have a freezer full of organic local beef and in there was liver.  I was so excited when I brought the meat home and saw it!

Then I went searching for recipes and went with one with high ratings on allrecipes.com  Totally awesome!  I highly recommend it.  I did make a gravy to go with it just with pan drippings and milk which is not in the picture:o)

• 2 pounds sliced beef liver
• 1 1/2 cups milk, or as needed
• 1/4 cup butter, divided
• 2 large Vidalia onions, sliced into rings
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Gently rinse liver slices under cold water, and place in a medium bowl. Pour in enough milk to cover. Let stand while preparing onions. (I like to soak up to an hour or two - whatever you have time for.) This step is SO important in taking the bitter taste of the liver out.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Separate onion rings, and saute them in butter until soft. Remove onions, and melt remaining butter in the skillet. Season the flour with salt and pepper, and put it in a shallow dish or on a plate. Drain milk from liver, and coat slices in the flour mixture.
3. When the butter has melted, turn the heat up to medium-high, and place the coated liver slices in the pan. Cook until nice and brown on the bottom. Turn, and cook on the other side until browned. Add onions, and reduce heat to medium. Cook a bit longer to taste. Our family prefers the liver to just barely retain a pinkness on the inside when you cut to check. Enjoy!

Basic Corn Muffins

This recipe came from here and the only change I made was using free flowing brown sugar(coupon deal that I needed to use up).  It worked perfectly!

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin pan or line with paper muffin liners.
In a large bowl, mix together corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add egg, oil and milk; stir gently to combine. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
 

Menu Plan January 1-9

I'm in on the pantry challenge from goodcheapeats.com.  This is all from what we have on hand!
My goal is to spend less than $300 this month on groceries(and eating out, health/beauty etc) and to make it mainly produce!
January grocery spending 37.99/$300

Saturday January 1, 2011
Blackeyed peas(Hoppin John) and cabbage
Cornbread muffins

Sunday January 2
Liver and onions
Spinach salad
(leftovers for anyone not wanting liver)

Monday January 3
Beans and rice (with brown rice)
Pea Salad

Tuesday January 4
Chopped steak w/ gravy
Mashed potatoes
Succotash

Wednesday January 5
Spaghetti
Garlic bread

Thursday January 6
Tator Tot Hot Dish
Corn Casserole
w/ Jiffy Clone

Friday January 7
Cranberry baked ham
Buttered noodles
Lima beans

Saturday January 8
Bacon Cheeseburger rice
Brussel sprouts

Sunday January 9
Leftovers

Also I plan to make rice crispy houses I got on clearance at Target and make a fruitcake.