Weekly Menu 1/8+

Saturday

1. The meat for this pie needs to marinate overnight if you have time for that, otherwise give it a few hours.
2. Dont get too hung up on the size of the pieces of meat you can cut into bite-sized pieces either before or after you cook it.
3. Also you save the marinade, which normally everyone shies away from, however you will be cooking it so that makes it all ok.

Texas Cowboy Pie (Texas Co-op Magazine)

• 1 lb beef sirloin tips, or roast; cut into thin, small pieces
• 2 packages brown gravy mix
• 1/3 c red wine (or beef broth)
• 1 green pepper, coarsely diced
• 1 medium onion, coarsely diced
• 1/3 c butter
• 2/3 c milk
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 package jiffy corn muffin mix
• 2 egg
• ¾ c milk

Dissolve one package of gravy mix in wine. Add beef to mixture and marinate overnight in fridge. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray large, deep cast iron (oven ready) skillet with nonstick spray and heat on high. Remove meat and pour remaining marinade into measuring cup. Add enough water to equal 1 ½ c liquid. Brown steak for 3 minutes on each side in hot skillet, remove and set aside. When cooled, cut into smaller pieces if needed. Use residual fat (I had to add 1T butter) from beef to brown peppers and onions. Add ½ c water and cook over medium heat until peppers and onion are soft. Add 1/3 c butter and reduce heat to low.

When butter melts, stir iin second package of gravy mix. Gradually add reserved marinade and 2/3 c milk, cooking and stirring until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add beef, corn and black beans; mix well. Leave in skillet or move to 8x8x2 casserole dish. Combine cornbread mix, eggs and milk and pour over beef mixture. Bake 35-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Apple Cake (Naomi Vineyard)

• 3 c chopped raw apples
• 1 ½ c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 c flour
• 1 c oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 T cinnamon
• 1 c pecans, chopped
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla

Add sugar to cut apples and mix well. Add eggs then oil. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add vanilla and pecans. Pour into greased bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Sunday

1. Bake the bread for tonight with the idea of eating one loaf tonight and saving the second for Monday's soup. You wont be sorry and it will be a good lesson in self-control.

Baked Chicken

Rice Pilaf

• ½ c chopped onion
• 1 T butter
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ¼ c chicken broth
• 1 c long grain rice
• 1T dried parsley
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper

In large saucepan melt butter and cook onion and garlic until fragrant and tender. Add carrots and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add rice until coated in butter. Add broth all at once; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for five minutes. Add parsley, salt and pepper.

Ranch Green Beans

Add ½ to 1 package of dry Ranch dressing mix to beans as they simmer or steam.

English Muffin Bread

• 2 c milk
• ½ c water
• 2T cornmeal
• 6c flour
• 6 tsp yeast (or 2 packets)
• 1T sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda

Warm milk & water until very warm (125 degrees). Grease two loaf pans; sprinkle with cornmeal. Mix half of flour and remaining ingredients. Stir in milk; beat well. Stir in remaining flour 1 c at a time until stiff dough is formed. Spoon into prepared pans; let rise about 45 minutes. Bake in 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. Cool on rack with bread resting on its side.

Monday

1. Monday's this month will be soup days. This one comes from Laura, a trusted source of making deliciousness in her kitchen.
2. The English Muffin bread from Sunday makes two loaves so hide one loaf from the family so you can serve it tonight.

Laura's Sausage Tortellini Soup

1 lb bulk Italian sausage

2 cups water

2 cups chopped cabbage

1 can Italian stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped

1 can beef broth

1 can condensed French onion soup

1 pkg (9oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini

1/2 c grated parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, cook sausage until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, cabbage, tomatoes, broth and soup. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 8 minutes. Stir in tortellini and cook 7-9 minutes longer or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with cheese.

Laura's Note: I added a little extra beef broth and some more water to make it a tad more soupy. Great with fresh bread!

Tuesday

Chicken Alfredo

• ¼ c flour
• 6 boneless breasts
• ½ tsp salt
• 2T olive oil
• 2T butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T minced onion
• 1 ½ c whipping cream
• 1/3 c parmesan
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 T parsley

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Salt chicken and dredge through flour. Heat oil in large skillet and cook chicken 3-4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet into a 13x9 pan. Heat 2T butter in skillet and add garlic and onion; cook until fragrant 1-2 minutes. Increase heat to hihg and add cream, parmesan and pepper. Cook until sauce is bubbly and slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken in dish. Bake until chicken is cooked 180 degrees; 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

New Potatoes in Creamy Dill Sauce (Kraft Food & Family)

2 lb red potatoes, quartered or smaller

½ of chive and onion cream cheese spread

½ c milk

½ tsp dill weed

Boil potatoes and drain when tender. Add remaining ingredients to saucepan and heat until well blended. Return potatoes to pot; stir to coat.

Spinach Salad with Bacon Dressing

• 3T bacon bits
• ¼ c olive oil
• 2T red wine vinegar
• 2T sugar
• 1 tsp basil
• 4 c washed spinach leaves
• mandarin oranges

Combine first five ingredients for dressing with salad.

Wednesday

1. Wednesday's this month are crock pot night. If you'd rather have your crock pot meal on a different night, by all means switch things up.
2. Tonight's chicken tacos comes from Kathy, her family loves when she makes them and I've been in her house when they are cooking and it smells GREAT.

Kathy's CrockPot Chicken Tacos

• 4lb HEB chicken fajita thighs
• meat tenderizer
• ½ packet of taco seasoning mix
• 1 c water

Mix it all together and put it in the crock pot. She cooked hers about six hours on high, but you could easily do the same thing on low for a longer period if you were going to be gone all day.

Tortillas

Avocado Tomato Corn Salad

• 2 chopped avocado
• 2 chopped tomatoes
• 1 c frozen corn, thawed
• 2T lime juice
• salt & pepper
• ½ tsp garlic powder

Mix it all together and chill if you have time.

Thursday

Apple Brine Pork Chops (Taste of Home)

• 3 c apple juice
• 1 sliced onion
• 1 lemon sliced
• 4 fresh springs rosemary
• 1/3 c salt
• ½ c brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
• 2 c cold water
• 4lb pork chops

Combine all ingredients, except chops and cold water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in cold water. Cool brine to room temperature. Place chops in resealable plastic bag and pour cooled brine into bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Refrigerate at least two hours or overnight. Grill chops.

Cauliflower/Broccoli Mix aka Normandy Mix

Friday

1. It's great when your husband loves something that someone else makes, and even better when it's your daughter-in-law. There's that bond again. This time she's making chili with her 'secret' recipe. I learned the secret last week in St Louis and she said I could share it with y’all.

Chili

• 1-2 lbs cooked ground meat
• Wick Fowler 2-alarm chili mix
• 1 can diced tomatoes

Mix together and follow directions on package for how long to simmer.

Sweet Corn Muffins

add 1 tsp sugar to Jiffy corn muffin mix