This menu is intended to be budget minded. It incorporates one meatless meal and soup made from leftover meatloaf. This Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent for Roman Catholics and Fridays until Easter are meatless, but not necessarily vegetarian. As I am a practicing Catholic this week's menu is planned to accommodate those needs. The good news for everyone else is the budgets will be extra simple and frugal for the next few weeks.
This menu plans for 6 meals and one night of leftovers known as Clean Out Refrigerator Night or CORN. The recipes included adequately feed a family of 4- 6. To use the shopping list, cut and paste the list into a notepad file, delete items you have on hand, add any additional items you may need for the week and print. Isn't that simple?
1. Meatloaf, rice and peas, steamed broccoli
If you are using ground beef that has not yet been frozen, mix and shape two meatloaves. Bake one, but wrap the other tightly in foil that has been spritzed with cooking spray. You now have anti-drive-through-insurance good for one month in a side-by-side freezer, longer in a deep freeze.
2. Oven fried chicken, macaroni salad, green beans
For the macaroni salad, use some shredded carrot, sliced celery, and black olives. Save any extra olives for pizza night.
3. Brinner: Scrambled eggs, bacon (optional), fresh fruit, toast
4. Vegetable Soup, grilled cheese sandwiches
This uses up any leftover meatloaf. Chop onions, garlic, carrot, and celery, heat in a covered, dry pot over medium heat stirring occasionally until the onion begins to soften and the carrots and celery are bright in color. Add 2 cups beef bouillon, plus 1 cup water, add crumbled leftover meatloaf, season to taste. Bring to a boil, add bag of frozen mixed vegetables and simmer for 10 – 20 minutes. If you'd like, add canned tomatoes or a TBSP of tomato paste.
Fish and Chips
5. Oven fried fish and chips, peas with almonds
6. Pizza Night
The pizza sauce is Crock Pot friendly, but if you aren't up to making your own pizza dough, grab a ready made one from the store or hit the bakery and get 2 loaves of Italian bread. Slice the bread in half lengthwise to create two flat halves. Spread the sauce and toppings on these and bake at 400 until the cheese is bubbling.
7. CORN
Dairy Case and Products
Butter
Buttermilk (or you can substitute vinegar in milk)
Cheese (your favorite for grilled cheese + mozzarella for pizza)
Grated Parmesan
Eggs
Milk
Dry Goods
Active Dry Yeast
Black olives
Beef bouillon (Better Than Bouillon)
Bread (for grilled cheese)
Bread crumbs
Bread flour
Brown Sugar
Chicken Bouillon (I highly recommend Better Than Bouillon)
Cooking spray
Cornmeal
Flour
Honey
Instant potatoes
Molasses (it's near the syrup)
Olive oil
Pasta (your favorite shape, bow ties, rotini, or elbow)
Rice
Slivered or Sliced Almonds
Tomato paste
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
Freezer
Broccoli
Green Beans
Mixed vegetables
Peas
Meat
Bacon (optional)
Cod or whiting
Ground Beef
Chicken (3 – 5 lbs bone in chicken, if you like dark meat get thighs, otherwise a whole bird works well)
Pepperoni or sausage for pizza
Produce
Carrot
Celery
Fresh fruit for breakfast night
Garlic
Onion
Pizza toppings (bell pepper or red onion if desired)
Potatoes
Spices and Condiments
Basil
Cayenne
Cajun spice mix (optional)
Dill
Italian seasoning
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Oregano
Poultry Seasoning
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The fish looks great and easy to make – I'm adding it to our menu this week, too! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, we all love it and writing up the recipe takes longer than the actual process.
Great menu plan! Thanks for joining the blog roll…it would be great if you could link back to myjoyfulhaven.com so that others can see the whole list for even more inspiration. Thanks again…hope to see you next week. Cheers, Jenna