Monday Menus ~ Week of September 6th

I am beyond sick of rice and need to take a week off.  So, this is a rice-free menu and all original recipes.  Also, I’ve added the initials OAMC for items that can be used for Once a Month Cooking.  I hope you enjoy it.

Just in case you are new to our family, you should know I make my menus each week based on what I have in my stockpile. You will only see six menus listed because everyone needs a night off. On that night, we eat leftovers from the freezer, sandwiches and soup, or go out to eat (with coupons, of course).

I cook these at random throughout the week. I have everything in the refrigerator or prepped in the freezer and can cook whatever I feel like each night. This might work for you or you might need to assign certain meals to specific nights.

And, why desserts? I have three small children (with one being autistic) and this helps me bribe them to try new things.

Need a peek at Penny’s Pantry? Click HERE.

1. Chicken Florentine – OAMC, Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
Flour, for dredging
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
2-3 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 (10 ounce) box Frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
6 slices Bacon, chopped
2 teaspoons Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup Chicken Stock
1 cup Italian Blend Cheese

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge chicken in flour to coat lightly. Add olive oil to the skillet. Place chicken in skillet and brown on both sides, about five minutes each side. Remove chicken from the skillet and place in a 3 quart casserole dish. Add bacon to skillet and fry until done. Drain off excess grease, if desired, and add the spinach to the skillet with the bacon. Season with onion powder and salt. Spoon over the chicken.

In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add flour, stirring constantly, and slowly add the chicken stock. Allow the broth to thicken slightly and pour over the spinach mixture. Top with cheese. Place in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until chicken is done.

Serve over a bed of mashed potatoes.

2. My Favorite Meatloaf – OAMC, Mac N Cheese, Frozen Vegetable
Ingredients:
2 pounds Ground Chuck
2 large Eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1 cup Plain Bread Crumbs
1 ½ teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoon Pepper
½ cup Plain Yogurt or Whole Milk
Mustard & Ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Mix all ingredients together with wet hands or with a pastry blender. Shape into a loaf and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven and create a zigzag pattern with the mustard and ketchup. Return to oven for 10-15 minutes or until an instant thermometer inserted into the middle of the loaf reads 160 degrees.

3. Baked Sweet Potatoes, Black Eyed Peas, Fried Apples, Cornbread
Here is the recipe for the fried apples:

Ingredients:
8 apples, peeled,cored and sliced
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar

Melt butter in a skillet. Add the other ingredients. Simmer about 20-25 minutes, tossing occasionally.

4. Chicken, Artichokes and Mushrooms – OAMC, Frozen Vegetable
Ingredients:
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Paprika
Onion Powder
Salt
Pepper
1 can Artichoke Hearts, drained and quartered
1 large can Mushrooms, drained
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup Chicken Stock

Heavily season the chicken with paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper on all sides. Place chicken in a casserole dish. Place artichoke hearts and mushrooms over chicken. In a small skillet, melt the butter. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 5 seconds. Add flour, stirring constantly, and slowly add the chicken stock. Allow the broth to thicken slightly and pour over the artichokes and mushrooms.

Place in a 350 degree oven, covered for 1 hour. Uncover for another 15 minutes.

This can also be cooked in the crock pot.

5. Taco Bowls with Guaco-Salsa
This recipe is adapted from a Rachel Ray recipe. We changed it to suit our family and hope you enjoy it too.

Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs Ground Beef, browned and drained
Taco Seasoning, to taste
1 (8 ounce) can Tomato Sauce
Bagged Tortilla Chips
1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon Taco Seasoning
3 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
2 Avocados, diced
½ cup Red Onion, diced
1 tablespoon Dried Cilantro or 2 tablespoons fresh
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Salt, to taste
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese
Salsa, optional

Place browned ground beef into a skillet with taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Cook until heated through. Heat the black beans with 1 teaspoon taco seasoning. A little water (1/4 cup or less) may be required to avoid mashing beans as you stir.

Place the avocados in a bowl with tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. Toss gently with the lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt, to your taste.

Layer a 1 or 2 handfuls of chips in soup or chili bowls and top with a handful of cheese. Fill bowls with taco meat, black beans and guaco-salsa. Top with more cheese, if desired, and sour cream. May also be topped with salsa for an added kick.

6. Southwestern Spinach and Black Bean Bake – OAMC
This recipe is adapted from Holly Clegg’s Trim & Terrific. There was nothing wrong with her way but I changed it to fit some of the ingredients I have on hand. In case you missed it from our Beans & Rice post, you can find it below:

Ingredients:
1 (10 ounce) box frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
1 cup water
1 cup Sour Cream
Corn Tortillas, about 20
1 (10 ounce) can Enchilada Sauce or homemade (see below)
1 ½ cups Shredded Cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a skillet, combine spinach, black beans, taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook about 8 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup sour cream.

Place a scoop of the mixture into your casserole dish and spread evenly. Top with a layer of corn tortillas. On top of the tortillas, spread a small amount of enchilada sauce and then another scoop of the spinach mixture. Place a layer of cheese and then more tortillas. Repeat the layers until satisfied. Top with remaining enchilada.

Bake, covered, for about 15 minutes. Remove cover and top with remaining cheese. Continue to bake, uncovered, for another 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve with remaining sour cream.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce (from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures)

Ingredients:
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, undrained
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine all tomato sauce ingredients and place in a blender. Puree ingredients. Then place in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes. Use as desired for enchiladas.

DESSERTS
Popsicles, Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cupcakes

Cookbooks mentioned in this post: