Meal Plan for September 21st -- 27th

It's meal plan day!!


Don't forget to tidy your fridge and sort your coupons before making your meal plan for next.


Sunday Coupon Preview


Cooking Quote of the Week:

A hungry stomach seldom scorns plain food.
~ Horace


A Table Blessing

Come, Lord Jesus be our guest,
Let this food to us be blest.
With your daily bread impart
Love and peace to every heart.

This week's recipes were inspired by the Gooseberry Patch Family Favorite Recipes cookbook. Click Here to view it on Amazon.
It's just under $15.
I found mine at Ross Dress for Less for only $3.99!

Monday - Chicken Fajita Chowder


Chicken Fajita Chowder

3 tablespoons flour
1.4 ounce packet fajita or taco seasoning mix, divided (I used a packet of McCormick's Fajita Seasoning.)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
15-1/4 ounce can sweet corn and diced peppers, drained
15 ounce can black beans drained & rinsed
14-1/2 ounce Mexican style stewed tomatoes (I used Hunt's Seasoned Diced Tomato Sauce for Chili.)
4-1/2 ounce can chopped green chilies
1 quart chicken broth (I only used 2 cups.)
1 cup instant brown rice, uncooked (I used regular rice and simmered the soup for 20 minutes, instead of 5 minutes.)
10-3/4 ounce can nacho cheese soup (I used plain cheddar cheese soup.)

Garnishes: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, crushed tortilla chips, fresh cilantro twigs

Combine flour and 2 tablespoons of the fajita seasoning mix in large Ziploc bag; add chicken. Seal bag and shake to coat chicken. Sauté chicken in oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat, stirring often, about 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Reduce heat to medium-high; add onion and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining fajita seasoning mix, corn, beans, tomatoes, chilies, broth, and rice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add soup; stir until heated through. Garnish as desired.


Tuesday - Philly Cheese Steak Pizza

Philly Cheese Steak Pizza

The original recipe called for making these open-faced on hoagie buns. I thought I’d try using pizza crust. The original recipe also called for marinating the meat in 2 tablespoons of Italian dressing mixed with ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. I’m substituting the Dale’s.

1 can refrigerated pizza dough
½ pound boneless top round steak, cut diagonally across the grain in 1/8” strips
2 - 3 tablespoons Dale’s Steak Seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper cut into thin strips
1 ½ cup sliced mushrooms
1 - 2 cloves of minced garlic
1 cup shredded provolone cheese

Toss meat with Dale’s Steak Seasoning and marinate for a bit, if time allows.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pat crust into pan and bake until lightly browned.

While crust is baking, Place olive oil in a large skillet and heat on medium-high heat; add onion, green pepper, and mushrooms; saute about 15 minutes or until onion is brown. Add garlic and saute one minute. Remove mixture from skillet; set aside. Add steak to skillet and cook over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.
Brush baked crust with olive oil. Top with meat, sautéed veggies and provolone cheese.
Return to oven long enough to melt cheese.


Wednesday - Eat at church


Thursday - Gobbler Cobbler, Easy Corn-on-the-cob with Herbed Butter and Simplest Cole Slaw

Gobbler Cobbler

The original recipe called for a Bisquick crust. I’m using the Grands biscuits instead. I’ve included the directions for using the Bisquick. (The corn and slaw recipes are not from the Gooseberry Patch cookbook.)

2 1/2 cups turkey gravy (jarred or made from packet)
3 cups cooked turkey chunks (can substitute chicken)
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
½ - 1 cup frozen chopped onions (If using fresh, sauté a few minutes before adding to recipe.)
2/3 cup Sonoma dried tomato bits (optional - I probably won’t use these.)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, divided
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning divided
1 (5-count) Grands Flaky Biscuits

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In 3-quart saucepan combine gravy, turkey, peas, mushrooms, tomato bits, water, 1 tablespoon of the parsley and 1/2 teaspoon of the poultry seasoning. Stir occasionally over medium-low heat until mixture comes to a boil.
Pour turkey mixture into a 9x13 baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Pull biscuits in half and place on top of turkey mixture. Place on baking sheet and bake about 15 - 20 minutes, until turkey mixture is bubbly and biscuits are golden brown.

Alternate Bisquick topping:

2 1/4 cups reduced-fat buttermilk baking mix
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper (1/4 to 1/2)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons low-fat milk

Combine the baking mix, the remaining parsley and poultry seasoning, the pepper and milk; mix just to blend thoroughly.

Top turkey mixture with baking mix mixture, dropping with spoon in six equal mounds.


Easy Corn-on-the-cob with Herbed Butter

½ stick butter, softened
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried parsley
sea salt, to taste
4 -6 ears frozen corn-on-cob, prepared according to package directions

Combine butter and seasonings. Spoon into a small bowl or ramekin. Serve with cooked corn.


Simplest Cole Slaw

1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. vinegar
1 bag cole slaw mix

Blend all dressing ingredients together. Toss with slaw mix.


Friday - Eat Out!!!


Saturday - Shrimp and Wild Rice, Super Easy Caesar Salad and Hush Puppies
(Salad not from Gooseberry Patch cookbook.)

Shrimp and Wild Rice

6 ounce package long-grain and wild rice mix
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
½ cup butter
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon hot sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
1 c. heavy cream
½ pound cooked shrimp, tails removed
¼ cup slivered or sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook rice according to package directions.
Sauté onion and pepper in butter until tender. Add mushrooms, pepper sauce, and salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add cream and cooked rice; allow to cool slightly. Add shrimp, mix well and pour into a 2-quart casserole. Top with almonds. Bake for 30 minutes.


Super Easy Caesar Salad

1 bag of romaine lettuce
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Croutons

For dressing, combine:

4 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise
a bit of anchovy paste (optional)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
a bit of milk to thin, if you like

Toss lettuce, cheese and croutons with dressing, until all is well coated. Serve immediately.


Hush Puppies - I buy the ones at Wal-mart that just say Hush Puppies on the bag. It does say they are distributed by Wal-mart on the back of the bag.