Sunday, November 16, 2008

Menu Plan Monday

This week:

Monday
Chicken Noodle Soup
French Bread

Tuesday
Grilled Steak
Crock Pot Baked Potatoes
Salad

Wednesday
Brats with onions and peppers
Homemade buns
Mac and Cheese

Thursday
Sesame Chicken
White Rice
Stir fried snow peas with sesame oil and soy sauce

Friday
Cheeseburgers
Fries
Salad

Saturday
Cheesy Potato Soup with Ham

Sunday
Leftovers

Monday, November 10, 2008

Menu Plan Monday

So tired today! And we're getting a beef order soon, so I'm trying to clear out some space in the freezer. Any of these meals may make way for a beef something-or-other if my beef situation seems dire when I survey it today. But here's a first draft, anyway.

Monday
Hungarian Braised Short Ribs
Jasmine Rice
Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday
Chicken Enchiladas
Salad

Wednesday
Stuffed Shells

Thursday
Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Crash Hot Potatoes
Carrots

Friday
Chicken and Bacon Corn Chowder
OR
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (my Panera copycat)
Homemade Crescent Rolls

Saturday (we never had this meal last week, so it's a hold-over)
Kielbasa
Mashed Potatoes
Leftover Veggies

Sunday
Leftover Smorgasbord

Monday, November 3, 2008

Greeky Greek Roasted Potatoes

Every September, we plan a day at the fair. Abe takes the afternoon off from work, and we head out to see the animal barns, ride rides, and eat lots of yummy fair food. Ah, fair food. You can have the animal barns and rides, and I'd still show up for onion rings, elephant ears, and cotton candy. And french fries. And those lemonade shake-ups that are so grossly overpriced. There is a point, though, where you have to say THAT'S ENOUGH with the fair food, and this year, I hit that point early. I began to feel a bit eck from all of the sugar and grease, and I knew I needed something that more closely resembled actual food. I headed over to the Greek food vendor for a roasted chicken gyro, which was oh-so-delicious and made me feel much better. But the wonder of wonders that emerged from that foot cart was Greek Potatoes. They were "broasted," and topped with a butter/garlic/oregano sauce that completely made my year. Of course, even as I was stuffing my face with these tasty spuds, I was plotting to re-create them at home.

One thing I did want to change, though, was the deep-fried nature of these potatoes. I thought they'd be even tastier roasted--less greasy, more potatoey--and I was right. Tossed with all of the other Greeky ingredients, these roasted up to be tender, yummy gems. An added bonus: they were so easy...and infinitely cheaper than buying them at the fair!

Greeky Greek Potatoes

5 small/medium potatoes (I used russets, but yukon golds would be KILLER)
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp.melted butter
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
Kosher salt
Ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, butter, oregano, garlic powder, and garlic, and pour over potatoes. Toss to make sure potatoes are coated, then season with salt and pepper as desired. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and browned, stirring occasionally to make sure the potatoes are covered in the flavorful oil mixture!

Menu Plan Monday

I've been looking back at some menu plan posts from last year, and I may be in a rut. Sadly, I do not plan to do anything about it this week!

Monday
Spaghetti with Italian Sausage

Tuesday
"Shake and Bake"-style baked Chicken
Stuffing
Green Beans

Wednesday
I'm undecided. It will either be:
Chicken Fettucine with Alfredo Herb Sauce
OR
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
OR
Chicken Bacon Corn Chowder.
It will depend on my mood that day.

Thursday
Beef Vegetable Noodle Soup
Salad
Homemade Dinner Rolls
Pie (dutch apple or blueberry)

Friday
Kielbasa
Mashed Potatoes with French Fried Onions
Peas

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Pork Tenderloin cutlets with Apricot Glaze
Rice Pilaf with Slivered Almonds
Glazed Carrots