Meal plan for the past week:
1. Black beans and rice, coleslaw, cornbread
2. Fettuccine with Alfredo sauce, green salad, asparagus
3. Smoked sausage, with cabbage and potatoes
4. Grilled brined chicken, brussels sprouts, sliced tomatoes, rice
5. Hamburger helper with peppers, zucchini and onions added, coleslaw,
6. Loaded nachos and a side salad
7. Loaded baked potatoes, broccoli
What really happened:
Monday: I have been saving pickle juice for a while now with no real plans for using it, and decided it was time to get it out of the fridge. Although this sounds really weird, it was delicious.
Baked seasoned* chicken brined in dill pickle juice, leftover rice, asparagus, tomato slices
Tuesday: It was a day, it came and went with nothing out of the new norm.
Fettuccine Alfredo with mushrooms, broccoli, cucumber tomato and onion salad
Wednesday: Went to see Mom a couple of times during the day.
Smoked sausage with cabbage, onions, potatoes and carrots. Noodle kugel
Thursday: We had already decided we were going to watch the NFL draft so we thought it would be fun to have a ball game meal. I did not want hotdogs so we settled on nachos
Nachos loaded with peppers, onions and tomatoes and pulled pork, pineapple dump cake
Friday: "Out to eat" takeout from The Pita Cafe, a small locally owned place. We are trying to order from some places that were operating just day to day (pre-corona) so that maybe they can withstand the storm.
Racer pitas with tabbouleh
Saturday: We rode around a bit then had a Home Depot pick-up. BTW if you opt to use the pickup window show the person who brings your order to your car a little love (A few George Washington's or more for a larger order) . They are working their tails off to help those of us who are trying to avoid crowds.
Store brand chili mac hamburger helper gussied up with leftover salsa, onions, sweet peppers, zucchini and cauliflower, and a side of coleslaw
Sunday: Oh my what a glorious day! The weather was near perfect!
Black beans with rice, cornbread, coleslaw...lots of coleslaw, strawberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream
Baked:
Ralston crackle cookies (Not the best cookies I have ever eaten, but not bad with a cup of coffee)
Noodle kugel (really good)
Dump cake (Good use of 1/2 cake mix and frozen crushed pineapple)
Strawberry cobbler (Used the recipe with cream cheese that is floating around Facebook. Under impressed)
Produce bought for the week:
6 tomatoes,
4 cucumbers
4 bell peppers
1 large bag assorted mini peppers
5 zucchini
2 clamshells strawberries
1 bunch broccoli
2 heads cauliflower
1 lb. asparagus
1 bag spinach
1 bag coleslaw mix
3 romaine hearts
3 bulbs garlic
4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
Remaining groceries purchased were staples, cinnamon rolls (tube kind), snack foods (no we don't need them but I bought some anyway), bread and peanut butter. Plus TheHub stopped one day and got ice cream and bananas.
Used from the freezer:
1 large chicken breast
Ralston cereal
1 bag broccoli florets
2 jalapeños
1 container crushed pineapple
1 pack pork carnitas
1/2 pack smoked sausage
crappy individual pizza (lunch with a reminder to never buy these again)
1 pack ground beef
1/4 pound bacon
Produce used:
1/2 pound asparagus
4 tomatoes
14 mini sweet peppers
2 cucumbers
1 red onion
1 avocado
2 yellow onions
1/2 head cabbage
3 small potatoes
1 cup carrots
1 1/2 bag coleslaw mix
1 zucchini
1/3 head cauliflower
1 1/2 clamshell strawberries
2 tangerines
Used from the pantry:
flour
sugar
brown sugar
seasonings, herbs, spices
4 teabags
shortening (I had no idea I even had any)
fettuccine noodles (lake rescue)
jar of Alfredo (lake rescue)
olive oil
wine vinegar
8 bread slices
coffee (lots of coffee)
green dragon sauce (4 tablespoons?)
salsa (1/4 jar maybe)
1/2 bag tortilla chips
1 jar queso (rescued from the lake)
1 box store brand hamburger helper (lake rescue)
cornmeal
1 box black beans and rice (lake rescue)
canned corn beef hash (TheHub likes this once in a blue moon for breakfast)
Dairy used:
6 eggs
grated parmesan
butter
heavy cream
1/2 pack cream cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
5 ounces sharp cheddar (lunch sandwiches)
1 can cinnamon rolls (our new pre- streaming church service breakfast)
I am slowly using the foods rescued from the lake and incorporating more meatless meals into the menu. Since it seems that various processing plants are closing almost daily it is probably a good idea for everyone to think of some alternate meal ideas. I remember reading a long time ago that the best way to control a population was to control its access to food. It is an idea worth pondering.
I am beginning the week with quite a bit of produce and should not need to buy anything, but there are a couple of intriguing deals through Tuesday. I am most interested in mushrooms at Aldi. I usually buy 6 cartons and them dehydrate them. Though I do have some, I would like to have some more in my stash. Publix has ribeye steaks on sale and I can go either way. If I get there and find them fine, and if not, that is fine too. The freezer is still pretty full and I have lots of options for meals, but I still want to have at least two dinners that are meatless each week.
Menu Possibilities for this week:
Leftover chili mac, tossed salad, green beans
Chicken pot pie, wilted spinach salad
Huge chopped salad, crescent rolls
Stuffed baked potato with all the fixings including chopped broccoli
Beans and franks, coleslaw, corn muffins
Grilled scallops, asparagus, baked potato, green salad
Leftover sausage, cabbage, onions and potatoes dish, cooked carrots, rolls
Except for ice cream, nothing was put into the freezer. Yea!
Have a great week doing whatever is allowed in your community, but practice safety and stay healthy.
*If you have access to Cavander's Greek Seasoning grab some. It is the most versatile seasoning blend I have ever used and I have it on hand 100 percent of the time. And now that I brought all foods home from the lake place, I have even more.
1. Black beans and rice, coleslaw, cornbread
2. Fettuccine with Alfredo sauce, green salad, asparagus
3. Smoked sausage, with cabbage and potatoes
4. Grilled brined chicken, brussels sprouts, sliced tomatoes, rice
5. Hamburger helper with peppers, zucchini and onions added, coleslaw,
6. Loaded nachos and a side salad
7. Loaded baked potatoes, broccoli
What really happened:
Monday: I have been saving pickle juice for a while now with no real plans for using it, and decided it was time to get it out of the fridge. Although this sounds really weird, it was delicious.
Baked seasoned* chicken brined in dill pickle juice, leftover rice, asparagus, tomato slices
Tuesday: It was a day, it came and went with nothing out of the new norm.
Fettuccine Alfredo with mushrooms, broccoli, cucumber tomato and onion salad
Wednesday: Went to see Mom a couple of times during the day.
Smoked sausage with cabbage, onions, potatoes and carrots. Noodle kugel
Thursday: We had already decided we were going to watch the NFL draft so we thought it would be fun to have a ball game meal. I did not want hotdogs so we settled on nachos
Nachos loaded with peppers, onions and tomatoes and pulled pork, pineapple dump cake
Friday: "Out to eat" takeout from The Pita Cafe, a small locally owned place. We are trying to order from some places that were operating just day to day (pre-corona) so that maybe they can withstand the storm.
Racer pitas with tabbouleh
Saturday: We rode around a bit then had a Home Depot pick-up. BTW if you opt to use the pickup window show the person who brings your order to your car a little love (A few George Washington's or more for a larger order) . They are working their tails off to help those of us who are trying to avoid crowds.
Store brand chili mac hamburger helper gussied up with leftover salsa, onions, sweet peppers, zucchini and cauliflower, and a side of coleslaw
Sunday: Oh my what a glorious day! The weather was near perfect!
Black beans with rice, cornbread, coleslaw...lots of coleslaw, strawberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream
Baked:
Ralston crackle cookies (Not the best cookies I have ever eaten, but not bad with a cup of coffee)
Noodle kugel (really good)
Dump cake (Good use of 1/2 cake mix and frozen crushed pineapple)
Strawberry cobbler (Used the recipe with cream cheese that is floating around Facebook. Under impressed)
Produce bought for the week:
6 tomatoes,
4 cucumbers
4 bell peppers
1 large bag assorted mini peppers
5 zucchini
2 clamshells strawberries
1 bunch broccoli
2 heads cauliflower
1 lb. asparagus
1 bag spinach
1 bag coleslaw mix
3 romaine hearts
3 bulbs garlic
4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
Remaining groceries purchased were staples, cinnamon rolls (tube kind), snack foods (no we don't need them but I bought some anyway), bread and peanut butter. Plus TheHub stopped one day and got ice cream and bananas.
Used from the freezer:
1 large chicken breast
Ralston cereal
1 bag broccoli florets
2 jalapeños
1 container crushed pineapple
1 pack pork carnitas
1/2 pack smoked sausage
crappy individual pizza (lunch with a reminder to never buy these again)
1 pack ground beef
1/4 pound bacon
Produce used:
1/2 pound asparagus
4 tomatoes
14 mini sweet peppers
2 cucumbers
1 red onion
1 avocado
2 yellow onions
1/2 head cabbage
3 small potatoes
1 cup carrots
1 1/2 bag coleslaw mix
1 zucchini
1/3 head cauliflower
1 1/2 clamshell strawberries
2 tangerines
Used from the pantry:
flour
sugar
brown sugar
seasonings, herbs, spices
4 teabags
shortening (I had no idea I even had any)
fettuccine noodles (lake rescue)
jar of Alfredo (lake rescue)
olive oil
wine vinegar
8 bread slices
coffee (lots of coffee)
green dragon sauce (4 tablespoons?)
salsa (1/4 jar maybe)
1/2 bag tortilla chips
1 jar queso (rescued from the lake)
1 box store brand hamburger helper (lake rescue)
cornmeal
1 box black beans and rice (lake rescue)
canned corn beef hash (TheHub likes this once in a blue moon for breakfast)
Dairy used:
6 eggs
grated parmesan
butter
heavy cream
1/2 pack cream cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
5 ounces sharp cheddar (lunch sandwiches)
1 can cinnamon rolls (our new pre- streaming church service breakfast)
I am slowly using the foods rescued from the lake and incorporating more meatless meals into the menu. Since it seems that various processing plants are closing almost daily it is probably a good idea for everyone to think of some alternate meal ideas. I remember reading a long time ago that the best way to control a population was to control its access to food. It is an idea worth pondering.
I am beginning the week with quite a bit of produce and should not need to buy anything, but there are a couple of intriguing deals through Tuesday. I am most interested in mushrooms at Aldi. I usually buy 6 cartons and them dehydrate them. Though I do have some, I would like to have some more in my stash. Publix has ribeye steaks on sale and I can go either way. If I get there and find them fine, and if not, that is fine too. The freezer is still pretty full and I have lots of options for meals, but I still want to have at least two dinners that are meatless each week.
Menu Possibilities for this week:
Leftover chili mac, tossed salad, green beans
Chicken pot pie, wilted spinach salad
Huge chopped salad, crescent rolls
Stuffed baked potato with all the fixings including chopped broccoli
Beans and franks, coleslaw, corn muffins
Grilled scallops, asparagus, baked potato, green salad
Leftover sausage, cabbage, onions and potatoes dish, cooked carrots, rolls
Except for ice cream, nothing was put into the freezer. Yea!
Have a great week doing whatever is allowed in your community, but practice safety and stay healthy.
*If you have access to Cavander's Greek Seasoning grab some. It is the most versatile seasoning blend I have ever used and I have it on hand 100 percent of the time. And now that I brought all foods home from the lake place, I have even more.
Love your ingenuity. I suspect you are having fun with it too. Which is a bonus.
ReplyDeleteI am bored beyond belief and I do like to cook, so I am definitely playing with our food daily. For the record blackberry/ jalapeno jelly stirred into hot tea makes a strange but strangely tasty tea
DeleteI've never heard of pickle juice as a marinade but it makes sense!
ReplyDeleteI had not either but I have used vinegar based marinades so I figured why not
DeleteIt looks like you had a good week, when it came to putting together meals! Next week's menu plan sounds good, too. I am going to have to give meal planning a try, next week. Wish me luck!
ReplyDeleteIt was fine. Other than the chicken and a couple of the desserts nothing was truly delicious but it was all good enough.
DeleteGood luck with your menu planning, but just because you plan it does not mean you have to stick to the plan. Some days you just have to go rogue!
The pickle juice marinade sounds intriguing. I'll definitely consider that.
ReplyDeleteIt was surprisingly good. I am going to continue to save my pickle juice and do it regularly.
DeleteWe are having the same supply chain issues/meat packing plant infections here in Canada. It makes my childhood food insecurity issues flare. My freezer is full and I am trying to use less meat each meal so we can extend what we have. Tonight it's tacos :) More veggies less meat.
ReplyDeleteWe are facing supply chain issues too. I am cutting back drastically on protein portion sizes, but also planning at least 2 meatless meals a week for dinner. For the weekends we will have toasted cheese sandwiches for lunch and since I am the only one here during the week I can eat salads or leftovers/ leftover veggies for lunches.
DeleteI'd never heard of marinating in pickle juice either. An interesting idea but since I don't like pickles (the smell makes me heave) I suspect it's not something I'm going to be able to try!
ReplyDeleteWe are a pickle eating family so it was only natural for me to try. (I even make pickle juice popsicles during the summer)
DeleteYour meals sound delicious, Anne. I noticed several meatless meals as well. We've been having several meatless meals here too recently. They don't bother me in the least. Especially when it is loaded Baked Potato night, which is one of my favorites. :)
ReplyDeleteWe are perfectly fine with meatless meals. We both grew up eating just vegetables for dinners during the summer time. Peas okra corn and sliced tomatoes were staples at both of our houses.
DeleteHey Anne. Being a planthead, I've found it very easy to shop during the pandemic and get mostly everything (so far). Love, love, love Aldi. Love it. I've accidentally dried mushrooms but never on purpose. I think I'll give that a go as I LOVE the dried shrooms in the Instant Pot. Thanks for the idea to dry my own.
ReplyDeleteEvery time Aldi has them for a decent price I buy 5 or 6 cartons and dehydrate them. They live in a mayonnaise jar in my freezer, and I use them all the time. I used to give them to DIL2 but they bought 10 pounds of them, then borrowed my dehydrator, so these are all my precious!
DeleteI'm so far behind reading! I love your ideas for using up all items as you come across them. I have both dried pinto and navy beans I've done nothing with. I keep saying when we can't get meat, but so far, have had no issues, so they stay unopened from 5 weeks ago. If I get a deal o mushrooms, I think I'll give drying them a try-nothing better than a handful of mushrooms in most dishes.
ReplyDeleteMine are dehydrating as I type this. I love using them .
DeleteThe chicken sounds good
ReplyDeleteIt was surprisingly tasty.
DeleteI have a lot of cream in the refrigerator that needs to be used soon, so I think Fettuccine Alfredo is going to be in our future, too. We've been doing food delivery, which is a bit weird because I'm used to going to the grocery store several times a week and buying whatever looks good or is in season for dinner. Gotta start the kind of meal planning that you're doing!
ReplyDeleteI hate having to do this much planning. We used to fly by the seat of our pants, but that is not the way it is going to be for a while. Even though Alabama is having a modified "re-opening" my tail is going to stay at home. I personally think it is premature, but I guess time will tell.
DeleteDo you cook occasionally or often? Do you entertain often or occasionally or not at all? After you have established what your cooking habits are, you can then determine what kind of cookware to purchase. copper pans
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ReplyDelete