Meal Plan for May 18th - 24th

I'm not making the meatloaf tonight, because we have leftovers we need to eat. One of the reasons I often choose to use fresh beef recipes (meatloaf, hamburgers, chopped steaks, etc.) on Thursday nights is that I don’t always need to cook. Many times we have leftovers that need eating. If we don’t have leftovers, one of us runs to the store for the fresh ground meat. This plan works well for us. I know lots of people freeze whole packages of hamburger meat for these types of dishes. For some reason, I’ve never been good at using frozen raw meats.

Many thanks to Aunt Jean for cooking a turkey breast for us today! I have chopped and bagged the meat and have it in the freezer! I use it in place of the chicken called for in recipes. AJ often asks if she can cook something (meaning a ham, roast, pork loin, or turkey breast) for us. We just about always choose the turkey breast, because we can use it in so many ways - sandwiches, casseroles, salads, etc. I suspect she thinks we're going to start gobbling any day now!
This sweet lady truly ministers through her kitchen. Many a loaf of her homemade sour dough bread has been delivered around town!

Thank you, AJ!! We love you and appreciate you!!

Below is the meal plan for next week! Don’t forget to tidy your fridge before you go shopping! You’ll never regret developing this weekly habit!!

Meal Plan for May 18th - 24th
Printable Shopping List

If a brother or sister lacks food and one of you says, "go in peace," and yet do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? Faith, if it has no works, is dead.
James 2:15-17

Look for someone to share a bit of food with this week!
It will make their day, and yours, too!

Monday - Chicken Lasagna , Caesar salad, and garlic bread Chicken Lasagna

2 cup ricotta cheese
1 - 8 oz, package cream cheese, softened
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups mozzarella cheese
2 c. cooked chicken or turkey, chopped
¾ cup milk, use a bit more if needed
lasagna noodles
1 cup boiling chicken broth or water
1 - 2 cups cheddar cheese

In a mixing bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, cream cheese, soup, mozzarella cheese, meat and milk. Spread just a bit of this mixture into the bottom of a sprayed 9x13 pan. Place a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles in baking dish. Place 1/3 cottage cheese mixture over noodles, then alternate noodles and cheese mixture until finished. Slowly pour boiling water into dish around entire inside edge. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Return to oven long enough to melt cheese. Let stand, covered for 10 minutes.


Tuesday - Bubble Up Pizza Casserole and frozen mozzarella cheese sticks, baked Bubble Up Pizza Casserole

1 pound of ground beef and/or small package of pepperoni slices, chopped
26.5 ounce can spaghetti or pasta sauce
15 oz. refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350.
Brown meat. Drain. Add pasta sauce and pepperonis, if using. Add quartered biscuits and stir gently until they are covered with sauce.* Spoon mixture into 9 x 13 dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, or until biscuits are done. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven long enough to melt cheese.

*I sometimes quarter the biscuits, put them in a sprayed 9x13 in pan, drizzle them with biscuits with a bit of butter and garlic powder, and then bake the quartered biscuits - just until they start to get brown. Then I stir them in with the meat sauce. I reduce the baking time to about 10 minutes and proceed with the recipe directions. If you like crisp bread, you might want to do this, too.


Wednesday - Bacon-topped Skillet Chicken, Perfect Baked Potatoes, simple green salad, and “Biscuit” Rolls

Bacon-topped Skillet Chicken

6 -8 slices bacon
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cook bacon in 12" skillet until crisp, about 4-6 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet crumble and set aside. Pour bacon grease out of skillet. Add butter and olive oil to skillet. Sauté chicken breasts in this mixture over medium heat, turning to brown both sides. Once chicken is browned, reduce heat to low, put a lid on the skillet and allow to simmer for about 20 - 30 minutes. Remove chicken breasts from skillet. Set aside and keep warm by covering with foil.
Sauté onion in skillet, adding a bit of olive oil or butter, if needed. Cook until onion is softened, then stir in salt, pepper, and cooked bacon. Remove from skillet into a small bowl. Return chicken breasts to skillet. Spoon onion/bacon mixture over each chicken breast, and sprinkle with cheese. Place lid back on skillet. Simmer just long enough to melt cheese.

Perfect Baked Potatoes

whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/PotatoBaking.htm

“Biscuit” Rolls

I buy the cheap, store-brand butter flavored canned biscuits. Depending on the size of your family, you can use the 5-count or 10-count rolls of biscuits.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter.

Spray muffin tin. Open and place a refrigerated biscuit into each muffin cup. Spoon melted butter over each biscuit. Bake for about 10 minutes.


Thursday - "Leftover Buffet" or Nachos Deluxe

Nachos Deluxe

1 can refried beans (optional)
2 cups sour cream, divided (optional)
1 lb. ground beef*, browned and drained - add a packet of taco seasoning, if you like.
1 (16 oz.) container white cheese dip
1 pkg. tortilla chips
shredded cheese, your choice - cheddar, pepper jack, Mexican blend
shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes
chopped green onions
Salsa
Sour cream

If using, heat beans according to directions on can. Stir in 1 cup of the sour cream.
Combine cooked meat and cheese dip, and heat until bubbly.
Put desired amount of chips on plate.
Add a layer of bean mixture, if using.
Next, add a layer of the meat and cheese dip mixture.
Top with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, salsa and a dollop of sour cream.


Friday - Eat Out!!!

Saturday - Brown Gravy Meatloaf, Bar-B-Q Green Beans, Layered Baked Potato Casserole, Easy Slaw, frozen biscuits Brown Gravy Meatloaf

1 can, jar, or packet brown gravy mix, prepared (You’ll need about 2 cups.)
1 - 1½ lbs ground chuck
1 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
generous dash of pepper, salt and onion powder

Combine 1/2 cup gravy with beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion powder, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Shape firmly into a loaf (or 4 small loaves), place in shallow baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes (about 15 minutes for small loaves).
Heat remaining gravy and serve with meatloaf.


Bar-B-Q Green Beans

2 cans French-style green beans, drained
4 strips bacon, diced (This can be pre-cooked or raw.)
1/2 med. onion, diced
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. ketchup
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Preheat over to 300 degrees.

Combine all ingredients. Place in sprayed casserole dish. Bake uncovered 1 -2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Or, if time is limited:

Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Layered Potato Casserole

6 medium potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 lb bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled (Can use 1 lb. of pre-cooked bacon) (Reserve 2 T. of bacon for garnish, if desired.)
3 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 green onions, chopped (optional)

Cook bacon, if not using pre-cooked.

Peel potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes. Place in boiler. Cover with water, and boil until just tender.

While potatoes are cooking, combine sour cream, mozzarella cheese and two cups of the cheddar cheese. Set aside.

When potatoes are done, place half into a sprayed 13x9 baking dish.

Sprinkle with half the salt, pepper, and bacon.

Top with half the sour cream/cheese mixture.

Repeat layers.

Bake, covered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove cover, and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheddar cheese, and return to oven long enough to melt cheese.

After removing from oven, you can garnish with green onions and additional bacon pieces, if desired.

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.

Many Blessings and Happy Cookin' ~ Connie