Weekly Menu, Grocery List & Recipes

I had issued a really hard, detailed decluttering challenge to a friend of mine, for her kitchen. She was wanting to start cooking at home instead of eating out all the time.

So, as a reward to her for completing the challenge, I came up with this week's menu, grocery list & recipes for her. I thought it would be easier since she's a working mom, to do it for a week, rather than a month. I will also be posting other weeks for her later:)

Just wanted to post it here, too, in case it might help someone else out.

Now since this is for a working woman, I thought it'd be easier to do simple sides and breads. You can do something more detailed for them if you like (just remember to take the items off the grocery list).

March—Week 1 (Saturday 3/1/08-Friday 3/7/08)

Menu:
1. Saturday:
Crockpot Chicken Tortillas
Spanish Rice
Refried Beans
2. Sunday:
Easiest Swiss Steak
Vegetable
Salad
Canned Biscuits

3. Monday:
Easy Barbeque Chicken
Baked Potatoes
Vegetable
Salad
Frozen Rolls
4. Tuesday:
Newlywed Beef & Noodles
Vegetable
Salad
Canned Biscuits

5. Wednesday:
Mushroom Pork Chops
Rice
Vegetable
Salad
Frozen Rolls
6. Thursday:
Crockpot Chicken & Stuffing
Vegetable
Salad
Canned Biscuits

7. Friday:
Farmhouse Pot Roast
Salad
Frozen Rolls



Grocery List (shop after work Friday 2/29/08)

Produce:
o Salad mix
o 1 medium onion
o 8 large red potatoes
o ½ lb. baby carrots
o 3 stalks celery
o 5 lb. Yukon gold potatoes

Frozen:
o 1-2 bags frozen Pillsbury rolls

Bread:
o 1 dozen corn tortillas

Condiments:
o 1 bottle barbecue sauce
o Salad dressings (your choice)
o Croutons (optional)

Cans/Jars/Soups/Pastas:
o 2 cans cream of chicken soup (or mushroom)
o 2 cans stewed tomatoes
o ½ cup green chile salsa
o Black olives
o 4 beef bouillon cubes
o 3 cans beef broth
o 8 oz. egg noodles
o 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
o 1 can chicken broth
o 1 large can cream of mushroom soup (26 oz.)
o 1 can mushroom pieces
o 1 can beef broth
o Refried beans
o 5 cans of different vegetables (whatever your family will eat)
o Box or small bag rice

Boxes/Mixes/Packets:
o 1 box stuffing
o Spanish rice packet


Baking/Spices:
o ¾ cup evaporated milk
o 2 Tablespoons quick cooking tapioca (or this may be on the cereal aisle)

Dairy:
o 1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
o 3 cans biscuits

Meat:
o 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
o 3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
o 1 package chicken (whatever pieces you want)
o 6 pieces round steak
o 1 lb. stew meat
o 3-5 lb. roast
o 5 pork chops

1. Saturday:
Crockpot Chicken Tortillas
Spanish Rice
Refried Beans

Crockpot Chicken Tortillas

Recipe By : Cherylann
Serving Size : 6
Categories : Dinner

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded into bite-size pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup (or mushroom)
½ cup green chile salsa
2 Tablespoons quick cooking tapioca
1 medium onion -- chopped
1 ½ cups Monterey jack cheese -- shredded
1 dozen corn tortillas
black olives

Mix chicken with soup, chile salsa and tapioca. Line bottom of crockpot with 3 corn tortillas, torn into bite size pieces.

Add 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the onion and 1/3 of the grated cheese. Repeat layers of tortillas topped with chicken mixture, onions and cheese. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.

Garnish with sliced black olives.

Spanish Rice
Make according to the directions on the packet.

Refried Beans
Heat on the stovetop on medium until heated through. Stir occasionally.

********After dinner, wash the crockpot and prepare it for tomorrow. Let sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning, all you have to do is pop the crock in and turn it on. Thaw Monday’s meat in the refrigerator, if frozen.

2. Sunday:
Easiest Swiss Steak
Vegetable
Salad
Canned Biscuits

Easiest Swiss Steak

Recipe By : Cherylann
Serving Size : 6
Categories : Dinner

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 pieces round steak
2 cans stewed tomatoes
6 yukon gold potatoes, washed

Cut up round steak into pieces about the size of a deck of cards and place in the crockpot. Then add a couple of cans of stewed tomatoes. Add the potatoes. Put on the lid, set on high and let it cook all day. The round steak is very tender and practically falls apart on your fork.

Canned Vegetable
Heat on medium until heated through. Stir occasionally.

Salad
Serve with croutons and salad dressing (and any other toppings you’d like).

Canned Biscuits
Prepare according to package directions.

********After dinner, wash the crockpot and prepare it for tomorrow. Let sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning, all you have to do is pop the crock in and turn it on. Thaw Tuesday’s meat in the refrigerator, if frozen.


3. Monday:
Easy Barbeque Chicken
Baked Potatoes
Vegetable
Salad
Frozen Rolls

Easy Barbeque Chicken

Recipe By : Cherylann
Serving Size : 6
Categories : Dinner

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 package chicken -- whatever pieces you have on hand
1 bottle barbecue sauce -- or more if needed

Put chicken pieces from the freezer into the crockpot and pour some bottled BBQ Sauce on each piece and cook for about 7 hours.

Baked Potatoes
Wash thoroughly, pierce with a fork several times. Heat in microwave for 8-15 minutes. Check for doneness every 5 minutes.

Canned Vegetable
Heat on medium until heated through. Stir occasionally.

Salad
Serve with croutons and salad dressing (and any other toppings you’d like).

Frozen Rolls
Prepare according to package directions.

********After dinner, wash the crockpot and prepare it for tomorrow. Let sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning, all you have to do is pop the crock in and turn it on. Thaw Wednesday’s meat in the refrigerator, if frozen.




4. Tuesday:
Newlywed Beef & Noodles
Vegetable
Salad
Canned Biscuits

Newlywed Beef & Noodles

Recipe By : Cherylann
Serving Size : 4
Categories : Dinner

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound stew meat -- browned and drained
3 cans beef broth
4 beef bouillon cubes
8 ounces egg noodles

Add beef, broth and 3 broth cans of water to a crockpot; stir in bouillon cubes.

Heat on low to medium setting 4-6 hour; add noodles.

Heat on low until noodles are done.

Canned Vegetable
Heat on medium until heated through. Stir occasionally.

Salad
Serve with croutons and salad dressing (and any other toppings you’d like).

Canned Biscuits
Prepare according to package directions.

********After dinner, wash the crockpot and prepare it for tomorrow. Let sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning, all you have to do is pop the crock in and turn it on. Thaw Thursday’s meat in the refrigerator, if frozen.








5. Wednesday:
Mushroom Pork Chops
Rice
Vegetable
Salad
Frozen Rolls

Mushroom Pork Chops
Recipe By : Cherylann
Serving Size : 5
Categories : Dinner

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
5 pork chops -- butterflied

Dump everything in the crockpot, mix it together, and cook it on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10 hours.

Rice
Prepare according to package directions.

Canned Vegetable
Heat on medium until heated through. Stir occasionally.

Salad
Serve with croutons and salad dressing (and any other toppings you’d like).

Frozen Rolls
Prepare according to package directions.

********After dinner, wash the crockpot and prepare it for tomorrow. Let sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning, all you have to do is pop the crock in and turn it on. Thaw Friday’s meat in the refrigerator, if frozen.



6. Thursday:
Crockpot Chicken & Stuffing
Vegetable
Salad
Canned Biscuits

Crockpot Chicken & Stuffing

Recipe By : Cherylann
Serving Size : 8
Categories : Dinner

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 box stuffing
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup evaporated milk

Place all ingredients in your slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours.

Canned Vegetable
Heat on medium until heated through. Stir occasionally.

Salad
Serve with croutons and salad dressing (and any other toppings you’d like).

Canned Biscuits
Prepare according to package directions.

********After dinner, wash the crockpot and prepare it for tomorrow. Let sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning, all you have to do is pop the crock in and turn it on.


7. Friday:
Farmhouse Pot Roast
Salad
Frozen Rolls

Farmhouse Pot Roast

Recipe By :Cherylann
Serving Size : 10
Categories : Dinner

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
5 pounds roast, trimmed
8 large red potatoes -- cut into chunks
1/2 pound baby carrots
3 stalks celery -- chopped
1 can mushroom pieces
26 ounces cream of mushroom soup
14 1/2 ounces beef broth
2 cups water

Put roast in bottom of 5-6 quart crockpot. Top with potatoes, carrots, celery and mushrooms.

Pour in soup, broth and water.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until beef is done and falling apart.

NOTES : Can substitute 3 beef bouillon cubes and 2 cups of water for the beef broth.

Salad
Serve with croutons and salad dressing (and any other toppings you’d like).

Frozen Rolls
Prepare according to package directions.

********After work, shop for next week’s groceries.

********After dinner, wash the crockpot and prepare it for tomorrow. Let sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning, all you have to do is pop the crock in and turn it on.