Weekly Menu and a Grocery Store Recipe

Man... what a sad state this is. I almost missed posting in September over here! Part of my problem was pregnancy (I only just recently was able to start cooking and eating again after the nausea went away). The other problem is that school and extra curricular activities have taken over my life. Blogging has been pretty busy, too. We have done a redesign on the Homeschool Post and are gearing up for the Homeschool Blog Awards over there - which is very taxing on my free time!

So I thought I would stop in today with a token September post here at Gathering Manna. I remembered the blog yesterday when I posted my lunch meme over at Sprittibee. I'm calling all homeschool moms to share photos of their lunches on my linky there. Head over and play if you have a digital camera and a homeschool blog.

For today, I'm just sharing the menu for the rest of the week (and possibly beyond). Last night I flaked out and we ate at Chick-Fil-A. I had a colossal headache and needed a Dr. Pepper. We really can't afford to eat out. I got a tiny check in the mail and we had to go deposit it (Thank you Jesus!) - just in the nick of time. It is always like this before payday... white knuckles and edge of the seat wondering how God will pull us through until the direct deposit goes through. And He always does. Somehow.

So what is on the menu?

Tuesday lunch: McDonald's (right before we go to Choir, Keepers & Art today)
Tuesday dinner: Greek Lentil and Orzo Pasta, Hummus, Pita, Tea

Wednesday breakfast: Bacon, eggs, toast, juice
Wednesday lunch: Turkey sausage, sour kraut, peas, rice
Wednesday dinner: Tacos, Spanish rice, refried beans

Thursday breakfast: cereal, juice
Thursday lunch: tuna sandwiches (soup for kids - they won't eat tuna)
Thursday dinner: Bada-bing chicken, salad, pasta with white sauce

Friday breakfast: cream of wheat, toast, juice
Friday lunch: tomato soup and grilled cheese, water
Friday dinner: lasagna, Greek salad, tea

Saturday breakfast: pancakes, bacon, eggs, juice, Italian hazelnut latte
Saturday lunch: skip
Saturday dinner: Sesame chicken fingers, Thai fried rice

Sunday breakfast: breakfast bars, chocolate milk
Sunday lunch: OUT after church
Sunday dinner: Baked potatoes in small group (my job is to take the sour cream)


So that's the menu for the week. I'll probably need to pick up feta cheese, a head of lettuce, some buttermilk for the pancakes, Asian sesame seeds and pita bread. Thankfully, we have the rest of the groceries at home, I think. Things have gotten so expensive.

Next week I need to remember to include a roasted chicken (which I have frozen and got on sale), soup for lunch, and that Mexican casserole that I got a recipe for at the grocery store. OH! And the sweet potato leek soup recipe that I scratched on the back of my grocery list in the check-out-aisle. Man that sounded really good, and there was no way I was paying 5$ for the magazine!

Here's that fat-burning, healthy, fall recipe (which I borrowed and altered slightly):

Sweet Potato Leek Soup

1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2-1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced celery
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
8 cups of chicken broth
2 cups water
1/2 tsp dried oregano
4 cups chopped sweet potatoes
3 cups thin chopped leeks (stalks - not leaves)
1 heaping cup brussel sprouts (frozen or fresh)
1-2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1) heat oil, stir fry onion, celery, garlic, half of the salt and half of the pepper for 6 minutes or until browned

2) in another pot, heat broth, water, oregano, sweet potatoes. cover and boil.

3) once boiling, add sauteed veggies, leeks, brussels, parsley, rest of the salt and pepper. cover and simmer 25-30 minutes. remove from heat & partially mash the potatoes.

I'm always on the look-out for a good soup for the cooler weather. Home made soup is food for the soul.



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Technorati Tags: menu, recipes, meal planning, dinner, cooking, food, life, groceries, family, parenting, motherhood

BBQ Chicken with Cabbage Pear Slaw

This one is from a magazine (Family Circle - April 2007, page 124). It is a springish-summerish type meal. It is a really quick and easy dinner if you are in a hurry. I love red cabbage, so I enjoyed it. You can use any type of pear. We used Asian pears. We also made twiced baked potatoes with this. I'll try and get that recipe up tomorrow if I have time. Enjoy!

Makes 4 Servings
Prep 15 minutes
REFRIGERATE 2 hours
Bake 450°F for 30 min.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons light mayo
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce
1 bag (8 oz) shredded red cabbage (or small head chopped - about 4 cups)
1 bag (8 oz) shredded carrot (about 3 cups - chop how you prefer)
2 large pears (1 lb.) cored and cut in thin strips
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1.25 lbs)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
1. Blend mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, celery seeds and 1 tablespoon of BBQ sauce.
2. In a bowl, mix cabbage, carrots and pears. Top with mayo mixture. Toss and coat. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours.
3. Heat oven to 450°F. Place chicken breasts on a rack over a baking sheet. Remove 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce into a bowl and use a basting brush to brush it generously on your chicken breasts (covering all sides). Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Bake at 450°F for 30 minutes or until internal temp of chicken registers 155°F on an instant read thermometer. Remove from oven and spoon reserved BBQ sauce over chicken. Serve with 1 1/2 cups slaw per person.


Technorati Tags: delicious, vegetarian, salad, side dish, lunch, food, dinner, cabbage, veggies, chicken, recipes, relish, vegetable, BBQ, cooking, healthy, quick meals

Yellow Curried Split Pea and Potato Soup

Another of my grocery-store check-out line finds, this recipe is a wonderful cold weather treat. Surprisingly filling, you don't have to go out of your way to serve it with much else. It would be good with some Indian spice tea and hot Indian bread (such as buttery, whole-wheat Paratha/ crispy-fried poppadums with tamarind dipping sauce/ or just plain, warm, puffy naan). You can substitute green vegetables instead of red if you just don't have the red, but the color of the soup will be more of a green-pea color and not as appealing aesthetically. The flavor, however, will not be much different. This is a nice meal for two (especially since the kids tend to balk at curried dishes, at least mine do!). I made this last on our "date night" and my husband had two bowls!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon hot chili oil or vegetable oil (you can add hot spices instead)
1 large red bell pepper, chopped (1.5 cups)
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 large carrot, diced (1 cup)
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger root
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-2 red jalapenos, finely chopped and seeded
1 1/4 cups dried yellow split peas, sorted and rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 can (14 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce (see other recipe below)

Sauce Ingredients
1/2-1 cup plain yogurt
2.5-3.5 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2-1 teaspoon grated lime peel

Instructions
Heat oil in 3 quart sauce pan over medium high heat. Cook bell pepper, onion, carrot, ginger, garlic and chilies in oil, stirring occasionally until onion is tender.

Mix Sauce ingredients and set aside in refrigerator to blend flavors (chill at least 30 minutes).

Stir in remaining ingredients except Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce. Heat to boiling and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 35-45 minutes or until peas and potatoes are tender. Top each serving with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce in dollops here and there. Garnish with fresh cilantro (optional).


Technorati Tags: Food, Curry, Soup, Winter, Vegetarian, Meals, Indian Cuisine, Indian, Cooking, Recipes, Spicy, Yummy

Lebanese Spicy Potatoes

I made this last night with our Indian Cuisine, so you don't have to limit this dish to Lebanese dinners. My children loved them and cleaned the pan (despite the spice). I believe that the recipe source on the internet where I got this particular recipe is no longer available, so although I may link to the site, I doubt you can see the recipe anymore (I tried last night and couldn't). I have adapted the recipe for our tastes.

Batata Harrah

(Spicy Potatoes)

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

About five small or four large potatoes, skinned and diced

Oil for frying (about one inch covering pan)

3 cloves garlic crushed

1 tbsp ground coriander

2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander (we didn't have this)

1/4 tsp chili powder

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp ketchup

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp mixed spices

1 tbsp oil

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Heat frying oil in large skillet. Dice and deep fry potatoes until golden brown, removing them to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Pour out all except one tablespoon of the oil. Heat oil in same skillet until hot. Mix together garlic and rest of ingredients (EXCEPT POTATOES) in a small bowl. Pour into hot oiled pan and stir while cooking until fragrant (about one minute). Toss in potatoes and stir until coated with seasonings. Simmer until heated through (if they have sat long enough to get cold while you are cooking other things) and serve.

Recipe compliments of Lebanese Recipes.

Technorati Tags: Food, Side Dishes, Dinner, Potatoes, Lunch, Spice, Indian, Indian Cuisine, Lebanese, Cooking, Recipes, Spices, Yummy

Hash Brown Baked Potatoes

This is a quick recipe that goes great with almost anything. Just serve it with something green, and a meat! It is the step-child at the meal, taking less than fifteen minutes to prep, and pops out of the oven in an hour. You can start it before you cook your meat and veggie, and it will be ready for you when dinner is done. It is a favorite with the kids, and not many will be able to resist going back for seconds.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. bag of hash browns (any texture you like)
9X13 baking dish
3/4 stick butter (melted)
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup (or 1/2 jar of cheese whiz)
1/4 cup chopped onions (chives also work well) - optional
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper (or to taste)
grated cheddar cheese to top
potato toppers seasoning (or crumbled crispy bacon) - optional
crushed cornflakes

Preheat oven to 350. Shake up a bag of frozen hashbrowns that you have let sit out for a few minutes. If you let them sit out and thaw, draining the water from the bag, you will get a more crisp result. It is good either way, however. Dump hashbrowns in a very large bowl (like you would use to mix cookie dough). Pour all the ingredients (except a handful of chives, a handful of crispy bacon, the potato toppers, the grated cheddar and the cornflakes) on top of them and mix thoroughly. Grease the 9X13 pan and spread the mixture thin on the pan. Sprinkle the topping ingredients you held back on the top of the mixture of hashbrowns in an even layer. Bake for one hour and let stand to cool some before serving.

Recipe from Debbie Wrest via email

Technorati Tags: cooking, Food, recipes, Side Dishes, Baking, Dinner, Cuisine, Potato, Vegetable, Yummy