Menu Plan Monday - Week of 9/1

I have been looking forward to this week for a long time. I am finally going to get back into my regular kitchen routine this month, including once-a-month grocery shopping and freezer cooking. Our big shopping trip is scheduled for Wednesday. I'm going to start freezer cooking again on Thursday. Hopefully by the end of next week, I'll be done for the month.

I still have to finish adjusting my Master Menu Plan. It is taking longer than I anticipated because I keep making changes to it. After that, I'll go through my Master Grocery List and make whatever adjustments are needed there. Eric and I will also go over it at some point before Wednesday to finalize our new increased budget. The next few days will be busy, but my hope is to get it all right now so that it works for us until spring.

Anyhow, here's what's on my menu plan for this week:

Breakfasts

• M - Oatmeal & smoothies
• T - Banana splits (I got this fantastic idea from Amy), toast
• W - Strawberry-cheesecake muffins & smoothies
• Th - Cheesy scrambled eggs, English muffin bread (recipe below)
• F - PB & strawberry cream cheese french toast sandwiches
  
• S - Blueberry pancakes (triple batch for freezer) & sausage
• Su - Banana bread (double loaf for freezer) & smoothies

Lunch

• M - Hot dogs, cantaloupe
• T - Quesadillas, applesauce
• W - Sandwiches, carrot sticks
• Th - Pizza pockets (triple batch for freezer) & cucumber salad
• F - Chicken salad pitas (triple pitas for freezer), apple slices
• S - Tuna pasta salad, grapes
• Su - Hummus, homemade pita chips, kiwi quarters - For the pita chips, I use pitas made from this recipe. I cut each pita into sixths. I drizzle olive oil on a cookie sheet and then warm the cookie sheet and oven to 375 degrees. Then I add the pitas, drizzle with some more olive oil over the top and a sprinkle of salt, and bake for 10-15. Stir at least once during bake time. When crisp, remove from oven and sprinkle with some more salt, if desired. Also good with garlic salt in place of plain salt.

Dinner

• M - Cap'n crunch chicken fingers, rosemary roasted potatoes, green beans
• T - Dirty rice w/ smoked sausage, black beans & garbanzo beans, corn muffins
• W - Ravioli, spinach (Frozen ravioli with bottled sauce is our standard grocery day dinner. It frees me up from having to worry about dinner and focus on all the things grocey day entails.)
• Th - Meatloaf (make extra meatloaf cups and meatballs for freezer), mashed potatoes (double for freezer), steamed brocoli
• F - Parmesan chicken over garlic spaghetti (double chicken for freezer), zucchini & mushroom saute with garlic (quadruple for freezer)
• S - Black bean and corn nachos
• Su - Meat lasagna (make an extra red veggie lasagna for freezer, and triple tomato sauce for freezer), breadsticks (Joy's recipe from the 3 Moms ebook.)

English Muffin Bread

(Makes 2 Loaves)

• 5-6 c. unbleached flour
• 1 1/2 T. yeast
• 1 T. sugar
• 2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 2 c. milk
• 1/2 c. water
• cornmeal

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix 4 c. flour, yeast sugar, salt and baking soda for about 1 minute. (I use my Kitchen-Aid stand mixer at speed 3.)

2. Combine milk and water in a small sauce pan. Heat over low heat until warm. Add to flour mixture. Mix for one minute or until fully incorporated. Keep adding remaining flour, 1/2 c. at a time. Knead on speed 2 for 3-5 minutes. The dough will be very sticky. (The dough stays really sticky and that is why I use my mixer. If you don't have a mixer, use a wooden spoon to "knead" the dough. Don't try to knead with your hands.) Grease 2 loaf pans and sprinkle cornmeal over the bottom of each pan. Pour dough into pans. Cover and let rise for 45-60 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

For more Menu Plan Monday, visit Org Junkie.