Meal Plan for May 11th - 17th

I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.
Matthew 25:35

Printable Shopping List:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mealplanningwithconnie

Scroll down to find all three pages of shopping list.

Monday - Three Cheese Ziti Pizza Casserole, simple green salad, garlic bread

Three Cheese Ziti Pizza Casserole

1 lb. ground chuck, browned and drained
3 c. ziti or other tubular-shaped pasta, cooked and drained
1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese*
1 jar pizza sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

*I have about 1 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese left from a recipe from last week that I need to use. I will stir into the ricotta cheese enough sour cream to make this closer to 2 cups.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir sugar into pizza sauce, and set aside. (Adding this bit of sugar is optional.)

Combine browned meat, cooked ziti, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and one cup of the mozzarella; stir to blend.
Spoon pasta mixture into a shallow, sprayed 2-quart casserole; spread with pizza sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and hot. Uncover, add remaining mozzarella, and bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.


Tuesday - Chicken Ranch Pizza, frozen mozzarella sticks, baked

Chicken Ranch Pizza

2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded.
1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ to 1 cup Ranch-style salad dressing
1 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 - 2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Lightly spray pizza pan or baking sheet with olive oil.
Unroll dough, and press into prepared pan. Brush with olive oil. Bake crust for 7 to 10, or until it begins to turn golden brown. Remove from oven.
Spread ranch dressing over partially baked crust. Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese. Place tomatoes, green onion, and chicken on top of mozzarella cheese, then top with Cheddar cheese. Return to the oven for about 5 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly and crust is done.


Wednesday - Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole and Mexican Salad

Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole

2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can chopped green chilies
2 cups sour cream, OR 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup chunky salsa
2 c. cooked chicken
6 flour tortillas, torn into pieces (6-8 inch size)
2 cups Co-jack cheese, shredded

Mix together first 4 ingredients.

Cover bottom of pan with a thin layer of chicken and sauce mixture.

Layer ingredients in casserole dish in this order:
Top thin layer of sauce with ½ of the tortilla pieces.
Spread ½ of remaining chicken and sauce mixture over tortilla pieces.
Sprinkle with ½ of cheese.
Repeat layers.

Bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly - usually about 20 minutes.

Mexican Salad

1/2 head lettuce
1 cup shredded Co-jack cheese
1 med. onion, diced - optional
10-15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can Mexican-style corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup crushed corn chips or tortilla chips
*Bottled ranch dressing to taste

Combine all ingredients and toss. Serve immediately.

*Can use Catalina or Italian dressing, if you prefer.


Thursday - Bacon Mushroom Swiss Meatloaf, Garlicky Cream Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, corn-on-the-cob and frozen biscuits

Bacon Mushroom Swiss Meatloaf

*12 ounces pre-cooked bacon, diced
1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs. ground chuck
1 egg
1/4 cup half and half or milk
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1/2 cup bread crumbs

*If you are making the green beans on Saturday night, buy a 16 oz. package and save a couple of slices for the green beans.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sauté the mushrooms and onions in a bit of butter until tender. Allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, mix the beef, egg, and half and half. Add the mushroom/onion mixture, 1 cup of the Swiss cheese and all but two tablespoons of the diced bacon. Add the bread crumbs, and mix gently just until blended. Shape into one large loaf, OR into four small loaves, and place on a baking sheet or 9x13 pan.
Bake large loaf for about an hour.

Garlicky Cream Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

6 medium to large potatoes
2 to 3 cloves of peeled garlic
1 t. salt
1/2 cup milk
3 t. butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 stick softened cream cheese (4oz.)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
Peel potatoes and cut into cubes. Place potatoes, salt and peeled garlic in a boiler. Cover with water. Boil potatoes 15 minutes, or until done. Drain and transfer potatoes into a large mixing bowl, add butter, salt, cream cheese, sour cream, milk.


Friday - Eat Out!!!


Saturday - Sausage and Wild Rice Casserole, Corn Casserole, Coca-Cola Green Beans, Easy slaw and Cheesy Corn Muffins

Sausage and Wild Rice Casserole

1 lb. ground sausage, browned and drained
1 package Uncle Ben's Wild and White Rice, cooked
1 can cream soup (can be chicken, mushroom, celery or onion)
1 med. size jar sliced pimientos (optional)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
grated cheddar cheese
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together then pour into buttered 3-quart baking dish. Bake about 25 to 30 minutes. Spread grated cheese over top, and return to oven long enough to melt cheese.

Coca-Cola Green Beans

1 to 2 slices of bacon, pre-cooked or raw
1 can Allen’s Italian-style green beans, drained
1- 12 oz. Coca-Cola

Heat bacon in pan, preferably of cast iron, but any pan will do. Once bacon becomes warm and begins to release its fat, add the green beans, and cover with the Coca-cola. Cover, and let simmer a couple of hours, if time allows. Before serving, remove lid, and allow liquid to evaporate. If cooked in a cast iron pan, these taste a lot like “old-timey” green beans.

Corn Casserole

1 can creamed corn
2 cans Mexi-corn
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
2/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter -- melted

Combine all ingredients in order given; mix well. Pour into greased 2-quart ovenproof casserole. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Easy Slaw

One bag slaw mix
1/4 cup Kraft Cole Slaw Dressing
1/2 cup (or to taste) low-fat mayo

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cheesy Corn Muffins

3/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter

Combine flour, cornmeal and shredded cheese. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add beaten egg, milk, and the melted cooled butter. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fill greased 2-inch muffin cups 2/3-full. Bake at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes, or until nicely browned. Makes about a dozen corn muffins.