Menu Plan Monday

This weeks menu is completely last minute but yummy none the less. I really wanted to make meals from what I had on hand and was able to do so very easily thanks to a pretty well stocked pantry. I was able to keep my grocery budget way under and with what I did spend was able to stock up on a few items. I always buy my staple items at Market Basket and sales match for other stores. This week was a slow week but I did manage to save 50% at Big Y price matching my coupons with their weekly sale. Not too shabby at all!! People might make fun of me but I like to look back and see how far I have come in trying to get my families grocery budget down. The more money I save the more we have for savings, vacations, etc....I see DISNEY WORLD ....heheh!!!
http://orgjunkie.com/2012/01/menu-plan-monday-jan-1612.html

1/16-1/21

Monday- Blackened chicken alfredo with spinach and mushroon served with garlic bread

Tuesday- Onion baked pork chops with broccoli macaroni and cheese and corn.

Wednesday- LEFTOVERS :)

Thursday- 3 Can Chicken in the crockpot served over noodles and salad

Friday- Comfort meatballs, mashed potatoes and 7up rolls

Saturday- LEFTOVERS:)

Sunday-Lemon-garlic chicken, ranch rice and green beans, Banana cake for dessert

I am still making one new recipe a week and this week it will be the Garlic-lemon chicken on Sunday and I don't have the exact recipe from G yet so I will post the recipe for the Comfort meatballs on Friday...they are yummy but EVERYTHING Miss Ree cooks is YUMMY!! 

Comfort Meatballs
Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

Meatballs
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup quick oats
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons finely minced onion
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
black pepper
4 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup flour

Sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons distilled wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4-6 tablespoons minced onion
dash of Tabasco (G, I will leave this out for you...lol)

In a bowl, combine ground beef and oats.  Add milk, onion, salt and pepper; stir to combine.  Roll mixture into tablespoon-size balls (I used a cookie scoop), refrigerate 30-45 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Dredge meatballs in flour and brown in batches until light brown.  Place into baking dish.  Stir together sauce ingredients and drizzle on meatballs.  Bake about 45 minutes or until bubbly and hot


Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
recipe courtesy of Emerill Legasse

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs with bones and skin, about 3 1/2 pounds
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cups thinly sliced onions
• 10 cloves (about 1 1/4heads) garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound angel hair pasta
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the chicken thighs with 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the freshly ground pepper.

Place the flour in a shallow dish. Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour and set aside.

In a large wide saute pan with 2 to 3-inch sides, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the thighs and brown well on both sides, about 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add the onions to the oil and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the chicken until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the bay leaf and cook 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, chicken broth, and browned chicken thighs to the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover tightly, and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the lid and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until cooked through and tender.

While the chicken is baking, cook the pasta until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes for dry pasta. Drain well and toss in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons of the parsley and the butter.

To serve, place a portion of pasta in the center of 4 large plates. Arrange 2 thighs around each serving of pasta and drizzle lemon garlic cooking liquid over the pasta. Garnish with additional parsley and serve immediately.

I have also been wanting to make the 7UP rolls that have been all over pinterest and  thought that they would go perfect with this meal.I will update on Friday on how they turn out.

2 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup 7-up

1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 450.

Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-Up. Makes a very soft dough.

Sprinkle additional biscuit mix on board or table and pat dough out. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch square pan.  Place cut biscuits in pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

** I buy Jiffy baking mix...its about 2 dollars cheaper and works just as good as the bisquick**

It has been COLD here in the Boston area for the past few days and I do believe winter is here and that makes this Texas girl very sad...I was really liking the mild winter .Sunday was a nice day with a quick run to Target , picking up a  pizza and then relaxing at home. Cold weather makes me want to stay inside drinking hot cocoa and watch cheesy Lifetime movies but with a child and hubby I don't see that happening. Lots of games and Scooby Doo watching instead but it has been a nice afternoon at home. Grocery shopping is done and my wonderful hubby is doing laundry tonight so I can rest ....LOVE that man!!! Have a great  week....mine is getting off to a perfect start :)