Monday Meal Planning

We're expecting a high-stress week around here, so dinners definitely need to be low-stress. We're also cleaning out the pantry and freezer, so that's the theme for the week - cheap, easy, using lots of staples.

Monday - Chicken Wraps, carrot sticks, chips

We buy some frozen breaded chicken fingers that work great in a tortilla with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, other veggies of choice, and ranch or bbq. We somehow have two whole bags of carrots, so we're eating carrot sticks a lot lately.

Tuesday - Brinner! Scrambled cheesy eggs, toast, fruit salad

This dinner will be Gabbie's first experience with eggs, so it should be interesting. We also always have a ton of fruit in the house, so chopping it up to make a fruit salad is a normal occurance on weekend breakfasts or with brinner.

Wednesday - Pork Chops with sauteed mushrooms, rice pilaf, steamed broccoli

This is one of Aaron's favorite meals. I'm not a big fan of pork chops, but the mushrooms make them worth it for me to make this meal. We just season pork chops with salt and pepper, sautee in some olive oil, and when they're almost done, add some more oil, some butter, some garlic, and a container of sliced mushrooms (fresh, not canned) and sautee until cooked through.

The rice pilaf is something my mom made all the time when I was growing up. Sautee 1/4 c. diced onion in butter or olive oil. Use this pan to cook the rice according to package directions, adding in some dried parsley when you reduce the heat and use chicken stock instead of water. So easy, yet so much better than plain white rice.

Thursday - Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Salad

We always have spaghetti fixings on hand - we just use our favorite jarred sauce, stir in some sauteed mushrooms and zuchini, and some browned Italian sausage if we're feeling the need for a meaty sauce. This is definitely a household favorite.

Friday - Oven-fried chicken, mashed potatoes, steamed green beans and carrots

I'll post the oven-fried chicken recipe later this week, as I'm typing this up Sunday night and it is way past my bedtime. Other than chicken it uses strictly pantry staples to pull together. I mash my potatoes with at least milk and butter, adding in sour cream and/or cream cheese if I have any on hand.

Sunday -Asian Beef Skewers, steamed and salted edamame

After a week of frugal eating, we're going to step it up a notch and make something fancy! I know I've used this meal in past meal planning posts, because it is absolutely one of our favorites, and pretty easy on the budget too, especially if you substitute beef stew meat like we do. So easy and tasty, this meal is a surefire winner.

Ice Cream Sunday

Early last year I started a book club at work, which has been very successful and fun. In addition to reading and discussing a book each month, we meet over a potluck lunch. I typically bring dessert, mostly because everyone requests that I be in charge of that course (no one else in my department really bakes much). One month we were reading something where the main character was of Italian descent, and I decided that, because it was summer and I didn't feel like turning on my oven, I would make some sort of ice cream.

I'm pretty sure that this was during June, because I had a refrigerator full of Michigan strawberries and needed something to do with them. In my opinion, Michigan strawberries are so much better than the big California strawberries that are available in stores right now. They have so much more flavor, and are a much deeper red throughout. So, given that I wanted to make ice cream and I had a bunch of strawberries, I made this strawberry gelato. It was so well received that there was some discussion of finding room in some budget to pay me to make gelato once a week. I hope you all enjoy it just as much!

Strawberry Gelato

Adapted from 125 Best Ice Cream Recipes 

4 egg yolks

1 c. granulated sugar

2 c. whole milk

2 c. pureed strawberries (about 3 c. whole strawberries) (best if made at the height of the strawberry season)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar until thickened and pale yellow. Set aside.

Strain pureed strawberries to remove seeds. Push on the solids to get as much of the puree/juice as possible.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring milk to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Gradually whisk into the egg mixture. Return entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring often, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Be careful (really, really careful or else you have to start over - I know this from experience) not to let it boil. Strain into a large, clean bowl. Let cool to room temperature.

Stir in the strawberry puree and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until completely cold or overnight. Stir the milk mixture and transfer into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3 to 4 hours, or until firm.

Ice Cream Sundays

My favorite kitchen gadget, by far, is my stand mixer. I use it all the time to mix up cookies, cakes, and doughs, but I can do much more with it than that. I also have pasta making, meat grinding, and (my favorite) ice cream making attachments. Before Gabbie arrived on the scene I regularly made ice cream, and I miss it.

To get back in the swing of things I'm going to start Ice Cream Sundays. Every Sunday I'll share one of my favorite ice cream recipes, and even try a few new ones along the way. Join me this Sunday for Strawberry Gelato - the very best ice cream I've made to date. And, you can join me for Ice Cream Sundays on your site as well if you'd like to play along! I'll have a button you can grab when I post the first Ice Cream Sunday post this week.

I really, really can't wait!

(P.S. Since Monday was a holiday, and my daughter's first birthday, Monday Meal Planning took a vacation this week. Never fear, it will return next week with some excellent new meal ideas and recipes!)

Monday Meal Planning Addendum

I forgot to add my meal for Sunday on the meal plan. Oops! Here it is:

Sunday: Vegetarian Pot Stickers, Teriyaki Chicken, Rice

These pot stickers are so good, and though time-consuming, pretty easy too. For the chicken, I just sautee some chicken tenders and toss in some teriyaki sauce (I prefer Soy Vey's Veri Veri Teriyaki. Strongly.) at the very end of the cooking process to coat. Served over rice, this is one great meal. Oh, and in the dipping sauce for the pot stickers, I use sriracha instead of sambal, because it's what I can find around here.

Monday Meal Planning

I've taken this entire week off of work (the last week before my baby turns 1!), so I have plenty of time to cook and enjoy the process rather than throw everything together last minute. Still, these recipes are all pretty quick and simple. I want to spend more quality time with Gabbie and less quality time cooking and cleaning if I can help it.

Here goes all quick-like since I'm trying to get this in quick before she wakes up from her afternoon nap:

Monday: Grilled chicken, Simple Risotto with Parmesan and Peas, mixed greens with mustard vinaigrette.

This is one of Aaron's favorite meals. He frequently requests it with roasted cauliflower, but I tend to do a salad instead because otherwise it's a rather white meal. I need some color! 

The mustard vinaigrette is truly simple. I like my dressings sour, so I don't pay attention to the usual ratio used in salad dressings. In a small jar, mix together 1/4 c. olive oil, 3 T. red or white wine vinegar, 1 clove minced garlic, 2 tsp. dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. Put on the jar lid, seal, and shake to combine.

Tuesday: Butternut Squash with Coconut Milk and Curry, Basmati Rice, Naan

Our local grocer carries some pre-made naan in the bakery section, that's totally passable if you brush it with butter when it's hot. So good! I make the rice with chicken stock instead of water, and it makes it so much better.

Wednesday: Brinner! (aka breakfast for dinner) Grilled Portobello Benedict, Fruit Salad

This recipe is so good. It's what Aaron made for me on Mother's Day, and I was pleasantly stuffed when I was finished. Next time I think we'll make it vegetarian by substituting a slice of tomato for the Canadian bacon.

Thursday: Tacos, Pico de Gallo, Mexican Rice

We usually make tacos with ground beef and packaged taco seasoning (although I'm working on finding the perfect made-at-home mix, and I'm thisclose to getting it right) topped with shredded cheddar, pico, and diced avocado. I top the rice with cheese and sour cream, since I'm apparently determined not to lose those last few pre-baby pounds.

Friday: Beer-boiled, grilled brats with green peppers and onions, pasta salad, roasted asparagus

It's grilling season! We make our brats by boiling them in beer along with some sliced green peppers and onions, then once they're nearly cooked through, draining the mixture and throwing it all on the grill to brown it up and finish cooking. 

Simple Risotto with Parmesan and Peas

There's not much that's more delicious than good risotto. This recipe is endlessly adaptable, and I've never made a batch that tasted anything less than absolutely wonderful.

Risotto with Parmesan and Peas

4 c. chicken stock

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion, minced

1 cup Arborio Rice

1/2 cup frozen peas

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

Salt and pepper

2/3 c. Parmesan cheese

Bring the stock to a simmer in a sauce pan. 

In a sautee pan or large saucepan (at least 3 qt.), heat the olive oil over medium. Add in the onion, stirring until onion is golden, but not brown - about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat. 

Turn the heat to medium-high, and add about 1/2 cup of the stock. Keep the mixture boiling, and stir constantly. As soon as the stock has been absorbed, add another 1/2 c. of stock and stir (I usually do a ladleful or two each time I need to add stock.) This mixture must be kept boiling, but don't let it stick to the pot. Continue to add stock until all has been absorbed and the risotto is tender, about 25-30 minutes total. 

Once all of the stock has been absorbed, add in the peas and stir until heated through. Remove the pan from heat and quickly stir in the butter and parmesan. Enjoy!

Mrs. Ca's Pasta Salad

Aaron and I brown bag it for lunch most days of the week. While he loves to take leftovers, I can't do re-heated meat for some reason, so I tend to take soup, sandwiches, and/or salads. I love all types of salads, and try to keep a few ready to go in the fridge for easy lunch or dinner sides. One I frequently make as a way to keep something there and to use up vegetables is this quick and simple vegetable salad. You can substitute in any vegetables you have on hand, but these are the veggies I usually throw in.

Mrs. Ca's Pasta Salad

1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked al dente in well-salted water

4 oz. cheddar cheese, cubed

1 to 2 tomatoes (depending on size), diced

2 green onions, sliced thin

1 medium cucumber, diced

1 green pepper, diced

2 to 3 carrots, sliced thin

Prepared Italian salad dressing, to taste (I like Newman's Own Family Recipe Italian)

Ground pepper, to taste

(Sometimes to spice it up, I add in some diced salami, but only if I have it on hand.)

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Chill.