Sunday Supper Series June 9-15

Sunday Supper Series June 9-15

Monday: Slow Cooker Mushroom Chicken over rice; roasted broccoli
Tuesday: leftovers; roasted green beans
Wednesday: Campbell's Slow Cooker Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce over rice
Thursday: grilled pork chops; roasted potatoes
Friday: Fisherman Seafood Creole over rice
Saturday: leftovers
Sunday: grilled chicken; roasted potatoes

Slow Cooker Chicken with Mushrooms

Serves: 6

Cook Time: 10 hours

ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves

2 (10 3/4 oz) cans of cream of mushroom soup

4oz Can sliced mushrooms

Directions:

1. Place chicken in slow cooker

2. Mix together soup, mushrooms, pour over chicken.

3. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours.

4. Serve over rice

recipe from Fix-It and Forget It cookbook by Dawn J Ranck and Phyllis P Good

Chicken in Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

Makes: 8 servings

Cook time: 7 to 8 hours

Ingredients:

2 cans (10 ¾ ounce each) Campbell’s condensed cream of chicken soup with herbs

1 cup dry white wine

quarter cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives

2 tablespoons capers drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 cup drained, coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes

8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves

half cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. Stir the soup, wine, olives, capers, garlic, artichokes and tomatoes in a 3 ½ quart slow cooker. Add the chicken and turn to coat with the soup mixture.

2. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Sprinkle with the basil if desired. Serve with rice, noodles or potatoes.

Recipe from Campbell’s slow cooker recipes

Fisherman’s Seafood Creole

Serves: 4

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons real bacon bits

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 can (14 ounce)’s stewed tomatoes

1 small can (8 ounce) tomato sauce

1 LB. Raw peeled deveined tails off shrimp

1 Frozen sliced okra

hot pepper sauce to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, celery and bell pepper to the skillet. Cook till tender.

2. Add the garlic, bacon bits, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir to mix. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the tomato sauce. Stir to mix. Cover the skillet and bring the sauce to a boil.

4. Add the shrimp and the okra to the skillet and stir to mix. Cover the skillet and cook until shrimp is almost opaque throughout, about four minutes.

5. Season with hot pepper sauce to taste. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about two minutes. To serve, spoon hot rice into bowls and top with the seafood Creole.

Recipe from Cheap. Fast. Good! By Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross

I'm linking this up to Menu Plan Monday  @ I'm an Organized Junkie.
and One Project at a Time @ A Bowl Full of Lemons

Sunday Supper Series Jan 6-12

Monday - Red Beans and Rice
Tuesday - left overs
Wednesday - Brunswick Stew
Thursday - left overs
Friday - Pecan Crusted Catfish
Saturday - Eating Out for Dinner
Sunday - Beef Stew in the Crock Pot

Brunswick Stew

Ingredients:

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 ½ Cup cubed, frozen hash brown potatoes

1 Cup chopped onion

1 Can (14 ½ oz) chicken broth

1 Cup frozen corn kernels

1 Can (15 0z) Lima beans

1 Can (15 oz) black-eyed peas

1 Can 14 ½ oz stewed tomato

3 Cans (5 oz) white chicken meat

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp dried basil

½ tsp dried thyme

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a 4 ½ quart Dutch oven or soup pot over high heat.  Add the potatoes and onions.  Cover and cook for 4 minutes, uncovering to stir about every 30 seconds.   (the potatoes will stick to the bottom)  Add the chicken broth and stir and scrape the brown bits from the pot bottom.

2. Add the corn, then cover and cook while opening the cans.  Rinse and drain the lima beans and black-eyed peas and add them to the pot, then add the tomatoes and the chicken with its juice.

3. Stir in Worcestershire, pepper, basil, and thyme, then re-cover and bring to a boil, uncovering occasionally and stirring.  Reduce the heat to medium-high and continue boiling, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes.

Serve with hot, fresh from the oven buttered cornbread.

Recipe from Desperation Dinners! by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross

Catfish with Pecan Crust

Ingredients:

Cooking oil sray

¼ cup fine bread crumbs

2 tsp Cajun seafood seasoning

4 boneless skinned catfish fillets (6 ounce each)

¼ cup pecan pieces

1 lemon cut in half

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven ot 450 F Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking oil spray and set it aside

2. Put the bread crumbs and Cajun seasoning in a 1-gallon zipper top plastic bag and shake well to combine.  Add the fish fillets to the bag and shake vigorously until they are coated with the crumb mixture.  Place the fillets in the prepared baking dish.

3. Use a chef’s knife to finely chop the pecans.  Use your fingertips to lightly press the chopped pecans onto the top side of the fish fillets.

4. Place the butter in a microwave safe dish, cover it with paper towel and microwave on high power until melted about 30 seconds.  Meanwhile squeeze the juice from the lemon halves through a strainer over the fish.  Spoon the melted butter evenly over the fillets.

5. Bake, uncovered, until the fish is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork, about 15 minutes.

Recipe from Cheap. Fast. Good! by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross

I'm linking this up to Menu Plan Monday  @ I'm an Organized Junkie.
and Save Money Monday @ Frugality Gal

Menu Planning with Coupons

Ok I said today was planning day and that is what I did.  I took the grocery store flyers, and stack of coupons I clipped and went to work.  My first problem is Walmart.  They don't send out a flyer so I don't know if the grocery store sale plus the coupon is a better deal.  Also the store sale is contingent with buying 5 of the item which is ok because they are non perishable items but I'll need to find a place to store them and what if they are out of the item because the circular came out Friday and I shop on Monday.  I have resolved myself to this risk because it is my first attempt at coupon shopping.  I know it will take a few months to find a system that works for me.  Any advice would be ever helpful and totally appreciated!

Also we have quite a few left overs and an out of town event so my grocery list is very small this week. This is what I came up with:

Week of Dec 30-Jan 5

Monday: Shepherd's Pie made with left over beef roast and mash potatoes

Tuesday: New Year's Eve - grilled steaks with roasted red potatoes and green beans

Wednesday: New Year's Day - Hoppin' John (you can see how I make it HERE)

Thursday: left overs from freezer

Friday: Dine Out

Saturday: Grandson's Birthday

Sunday: left overs from freezer

I'm linking this up to Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com



Sunday Supper Series #4

Week of April 1-7

 

 

Monday - Grilled Chicken and vegetables
Tuesday - Tortellini and Spinach Soup
Wednesday - Chef's Choice
Thursday - Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Friday - Chile Lime Fish Tacos
Saturday - Take Out
Sunday - Ham Steak with Black-eyed Peas and Greens

Tortellini and Spinach Soup

 

Ingredients:

1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach

2 tsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 tsp minced garlic

2 cans (14 oz) chicken broth

1 can (14 oz) diced tomato

1 tsp sugar

2 cups frozen cheese tortellini

3 Tbs grated parmesan cheese

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 egg

Directions:

1 Remove the spinach from its packaging and place it in a microwave-safe dish.  Microwave uncovered on high until defrosted about 5 minutes

2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 4 ½ quart soup pot over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic stirring until the onion is tender 2-3 minutes.  Add 2 cups of water and the broth; raise heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.

3 Remove the spinach from the microwave and drain it well, squeezing out the excess water.  Add it to the pot.  Add the tomatoes with their juice and the sugar.  Stir to mix well.

4 Add the tortellini and bring the soup back to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium, maintaining a slow boil, and cook until the pasta is just tender, 4-5 minutes.

5 In a small bowl combine the Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and egg. Stir vigorously with a fork and set aside.

6 When the pasta is tender, slowly drizzle the egg mixture over the soup, stirring constantly.  Cook stirring for 2 minutes.  Then remove the pot from the heat and serve hot.

This recipe is from my favorite cookbook Cheap. Fast. Good! by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup cut up cooked chicken

1 bag (16 oz) frozen peas and carrots

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup original Bisquick mix

½ cup milk

1 egg 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F

Mix chicken, vegetables, and soup in a 2-quart casserole dish

In a separate bowl mix Bisquick, milk and egg and pour over chicken mixture

Bake uncovered about 30 minutes

Chile Lime Fish Tacos 

Ingredients:

¾ cup Lawry’s Mexican Chile & Lime Marinade with Lime Juice

1 lb tilapia fillets

½ cup sour cream

1 medium ripe avocado

½ tsp Lawry’s Garlic Salt

8 corn tortillas

Salsa (optional)

Shredded Mexican blend cheese (optional)

Shredded cabbage (optional) 

Directions:

1 In a large re-sealable plastic bag, pour ½ cup Lawry’s Marinade over fillets.  Close bag and marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes

2 In small bowl combine sour cream and 2 Tbs Marinade.  In another bowl mash avocado with garlic salt. Cover and keep chilled until ready to serve

3 Remove fillets from marinade, discarding marinade.  Grill, turning once and brushing with remaining 2 Tbs marinade about 6 minutes until fillets flake with a fork.

4 To serve, evenly spread avocado mixture on tortillas, then top with crumbled fillets and sour cream mixture.  Garnish with salsa, Mexican blend cheese and shredded cabbage.

 

Sunday Supper Series #2

My second week of meal planning and recipes are ready!
March 11-17

Monday - Homestyle Chicken Dinner
Tuesday - Lima Beans and Ham Bone
Wednesday - Left Overs or Take Out
Thursday - Fancy Franks and Beans
Friday - Salmon Over Roasted Asparagus and Lemon Caper Sauce
Saturday - Left Overs or Take Out
Sunday (St. Patrick's Day) - Corned Beef and Cabbage

Home-Style Chicken Dinner

 

 

 
Ingredients:

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp Seasoned Salt

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp pepper

2 Tbs olive oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breast

6 small new potatoes cut in quarters

2 med sweet potatoes peeled and cut in bite size pieces

1 green bell pepper cut in bite size pieces

3 Roma tomatoes cut in quarters

Directions:

Preheat oven 400 F

Spray 9x13 baking dish

In a small bowl mix first 5 ingredients

Spread a small amount of mixture on chicken breasts

Toss the remaining mixture with vegetables

Spread coated vegetables in bottom of dish and place chicken on top.

Bake uncovered 45-50 minutes

Lima Beans and Ham Bone

 

 

Ingredients:

1 lb frozen lima beans

Ham bone with plenty of meat or 2 ham hocks

Directions:

Place ham bone in soup pot and fill with water and inch or two over the bone

Bring to a boil and add beans reduce and simmer at least two hours

Serve with hot buttered cornbread

Fancy Franks and Beans

Ingredients:

½ lb ground beef

½ lb kielbasa cut in ¼ inch slices

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 can (28 oz) baked beans with onion, and brown sugar

1 can (15 oz) black beans

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Heat oil in an extra deep 12 inch skillet over medium heat.  Add the beef and cook, stirring often, until the meat is crumbled and half browned.  Add the sausage pieces and cook stirring often, until the beef and sausages have completely browned 7-8 minutes

 

2. Add the baked beans with their liquid (remove and discard any large pieces of pork).  Rinse and drain the black beans and add them to the skillet.   Add the garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce.  Stir to combine, gently so as not to break up the beans.  Bring the mixture just to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.  Simmer for about 5 minutes to combine the flavors.

 

This recipe is from my favorite cookbook Cheap. Fast. Good! by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross

Salmon with Roasted Asparagus and Lemon-Caper Sauce

Ingredients:

2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

2 Tbs minced red onion

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs drained capers chopped

1 tsp fresh chopped thyme

½ tsp grated lemon peel

1 lb skinless salmon fillet

1 lb asparagus

1 Tbs olive oil

Directions:

1. Wisk together first 6 ingredients in a small bowl to blend.  Season sauce with salt and pepper.

 

2. Preheat oven to 450 F.  Cut three ½ inch deep slips crosswise in top of salmon as if cutting into 4 pieces but do not cut through.

 

3. Arrange asparagus in even layer on rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and turn to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place salmon atop asparagus, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

 

4. Roast until salmon is just opaque in center, about 20 minutes

 

5. Transfer asparagus and salmon to platter.  Spoon sauce over salmon.  Cut into 4 pieces along slits and serve.

 

Recipe from Gourmet Magazine February 2001

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients:

3 lbs corned beef with season packet

10 small red potatoes cut into quarters

5 carrots peeled and cut into 3 inch pieces

1 large green cabbage cut into small wedges

Directions:

1. Place corned beef in Dutch oven or large soup pot and cover with water. Add the spice packet.  Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer approximately 50 minutes per pound until tender (about 2 ½ hours)

2. Add potatoes and carrots and continue cooking for 20 minutes

3. Add cabbage and cook an additional 15 minutes

4. Remove beef and let rest for 15 minutes

5. Place vegetables in a bowl and cover.  Add as much broth (liquid from pot) as you want.  Slice meat across the grain and serve

Meal Planning on a Budget

I know everyone has noticed how our grocery bills have gone up over the last few years.  I'm preaching to the choir. I know! I know! And there are so many ideas on the internet on how to save money on meals that it seems overwhelming to even know where to start.  Well this month I've decided to bite the bullet and really I mean really budget my grocery bill.

First off shop my pantry and freezer.

I was surprised at what I forgot I had. I planned the week using what I had on hand as a starting point and then found recipes that included those items.

First on the list- frozen ham bone from Christmas.

So tonight ham and lima bean soup!

 

 

I have never made this before. I probably should have called my mother but the internet made it look so easy.  LOL

I have been slow cooking the bone and beans all day. Just 4 quarts of water the ham bone and 1 lb of frozen lima beans.  Now that it is cooking and making the house smell so wonderful I wish I had thought to get the ingredients to make cornbread but we had crackers in the pantry.  If its as good as it smells I will definitely remember the cornbread for next time!


What are some tricks you've learned to help stretch your dollars when it comes to meal planning?  Let us know in the comments below.   I would love to hear from you.