Menu Plan for April 7-13

Menu Plan #1

Dinner Menu-at-a-Glance

Monday- Salisbury Steak - Orange-Honey Glazed Carrots – Mashed Potatoes

Tuesday – Elegant Chicken Sauté - White Sauce and Peas – Biscuits

Wednesday – Corn Bread Beef Bake – Salad

Thursday - Chicken Casserole – Chinese Coleslaw – Fruit Salad

Friday – Texas-Style Lasagna – Pita Chips and Spicy Cheese Dip

Saturday – Homemade Manicotti – Homemade Breadsticks - Salad

Sunday - Sweet and Tangy Chicken - Confetti Green Beans – Rolls

Recipes for the Week-

Breakfast Burrito –

Makes 4 servings

9 egg whites

3 eggs

2/3 cup milk skim

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup mozzarella cheese part-skim, shredded

2 cups mixed vegetables steamed in microwave

1. Whip eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and cheese together in a separate bowl.

2. Heat frying pan to medium high until water droplets scatter. Spray thoroughly with

nonstick cooking spray. Pour whipped mixture onto medium hot frying pan and stir

constantly to scramble. When eggs are almost firm, add vegetables (if desired) and blend

into egg mixture.

3. Roll egg mixture in a whole-wheat or white soft flour tortilla. Serve with your favorite

salsa and fat free sour cream. Deliciously fast for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

*Remember to eat only two to three "whole" eggs per week. You eat less than one whole

egg with this recipe.

Brunch Pizza Squares

Makes 8 servings

1 pound bulk pork sausages

1 8-ounce tube refrigerated crescent rolls

4 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a skillet cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.

2. Unroll crescent dough into a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Press dough 1/2 "

up the sides; seal seams. Sprinkle with sausage.

3. In a bowl, beat the eggs, milk, and pepper. Pour over sausage. Sprinkle with cheese.

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes of until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Lemon-Blueberry Wraps

Makes 6 servings

1 cup Original Bisquick®

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon peels

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 egg

Lemon cream Filling (below)

3/4 cup fresh blueberries (approximately)

Lemon-Blueberry Wraps

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon peels

1/3 cup whipping (heavy) cream

1. Heat griddle or skillet; grease if necessary.

2. Stir all ingredients except Lemon Cream Filling and blueberries until blended. For

each wrap, pour 2 tablespoons batter onto hot griddle, spreading each to make about 6-

inch circle. Cook until tops are slightly dry. Turn and cook until bottoms are golden

brown; cool.

3. Make Lemon Cream Filling. Spread about 2 tablespoons filling onto center of each

wrap. Sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon blueberries; roll up.

Lemon Cream Filling

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1/3 cup whipping (heavy) cream

1. Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on high speed until fluffy. Stir in sugar and lemon peel; set aside.

2. Beat whipping cream in chilled small bowl with electric mixer on high speed until

stiff. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.

Monday-

Salisbury Steak –

Makes 4 servings

1 pound ground beef

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 egg

1 large onion, sliced and separated into rings

1 (10 1/2-ounce) can condensed beef broth

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)*

2 tablespoons cold water

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1. Mix ground beef, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and egg; shape into 4 oval patties, each

about 3/4-inch thick.

2. Cook patties in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until brown,

about 10 minutes; drain. Add onion, broth and mushrooms. Heat to boiling; reduce heat.

Cover and simmer until patties are done, about 10 minutes.

3. Remove patties; keep warm. Heat onion mixture to boiling. Mix water and cornstarch;

stir into onion mixture. Boil and stir 1 minute. Serve over patties.

Orange-Honey Glazed Carrots

Makes 4 servings

1 16-ounce can baby carrots

2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate

1 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat carrots. Drain and keep hot.

2. In a second small saucepan, mix together orange juice, butter or margarine, brown

sugar and honey. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil and boil for 4 to 5 minutes or

until sauce is reduced and syrupy, stirring often. Do not burn. Spoon over carrots to coat.

*Instant Mashed Potatoes and butter and garlic spices.

Tuesday

Elegant Chicken Sauté

Makes 2 servings

2 chicken breasts large boneless, chilled

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 teaspoons rosemary dried

2 to 3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar

1. Remove skin from chicken breasts. Cut chicken into 2 x 1/2 x 1/2 -inch strips. Sprinkle

with salt. Coat chicken with flour, shaking off excess flour.

2. Place rosemary between several thicknesses of waxed paper on a cutting board. With a

wooden mallet or edge or a rolling pin, crush rosemary. In a 10-inch non-stick skillet

over medium-high heat, melt butter (don't allow to brown). Add vinegar, rosemary and

chicken. Stirring continually, cook for 5 minutes or until lightly browned and no longer

pink on the inside.

Serve with steamed green beans

White Sauce and Peas

Makes 2 servings

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 1/2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 10-ounce package peas cooked and drained, or 1 cup canned peas, drained

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter or margarine. Add flour and salt.

Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add milk. Stirring, bring to a boil and boil until thick and

bubbly. Stir in peas and heat through. Serve with Salmon Cakes.

***Fix one box of JIFFY Biscuit mix

Wednesday-

Corn Bread Beef Bake

Makes 6 servings

1 pound ground beef

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 (11 1/2-ounce) can refrigerated corn bread twists

1. Heat oven to 350°.

2. Cook beef in 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring

occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, corn and

chili powder; heat to boiling.

3. Immediately top with corn bread twists left in round shape (do not unwind), pressing

down gently.

4. Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes or until corn bread is golden brown.

Serve with melon slices

Thursday-

Chicken Casserole

Makes 4 servings

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup milk

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon turmeric or curry

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon oregano

4 chicken breasts skinless, boneless

2 cups brown rice cooked

1/2 onion chopped

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese part-skim, grated

1. Combine cornstarch, milk, and chicken broth. Add spices and cook over medium heat

until thick.

2. Arrange chicken breasts in casserole dish with the rice and onion. Cover with the

heated liquid and top with cheese.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chinese Coleslaw

1 lb. pkg. Dole coleslaw mix
2 pkg. beef or chicken Ramen noodles
2 bunches chopped green onions
1 c. slivered almonds (optional)
2 c. roasted sunflowers

DRESSING: (Make early in the day):

1 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
2 Ramen seasoning pkg.

Combine just before serving.

*Serve with fruit salad

Friday-

Texas-Style Lasagna

Makes 10 servings

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 (1 1/4-ounce) packet taco seasoning mix

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies

2 cups (16 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese

2 eggs, beaten

12 corn tortillas (6 inches), torn

3-1/2 to 4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. In a large skillet, brown meat; drain. Add seasoned salt, taco seasoning mix, tomatoes,

tomato sauce and chilies; mix well. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Combine cottage cheese and eggs.

3. In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish, layer half of the meat sauce, half of the

tortillas, half of the cottage cheese mixture and half of the Monterey Jack cheese. Repeat

layers.

4. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before

serving.

Pita Chips

4 (6 inch) whole wheat pita bread rounds
1/3 cup no-oil Italian dressing
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tbsp. sesame seeds

Cut rounds into 8 wedges each. Brush each with dressing. Place on ungreased sheet, dressing side up. Combine Parmesan and sesame seeds; sprinkle over wedges. Bake 10 minutes at 425 degrees. 12 calories per chip. Yield: 32 chips.

HOT & SPICY Cheese Dip

1 lb. Velveeta cheese
1 can "Rotel" chilies and tomatoes

Cut cheese into chunks and melt in double boiler or in microwave (70%). If Rotel tomatoes are whole, chop; mix with melted cheese THOROUGHLY. Serve warm with your favorite chips.

Serve with Spanish style rice and orange slices

Saturday-

Homemade Manicotti

Makes 6 servings

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup milk

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese

1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

1 egg

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1 28-ounce jar spaghetti sauce

1/4 cup shredded Romano cheese optional

1. Place flour in a bowl; whisk in milk, 3 eggs and salt until smooth. Pour about 2 T.

onto a hot greased 8" skillet; spread to a 5" circle. Cook over medium heat until set - do

not brown or turn. Repeat with the remaining batter, making 18 crepes. Stack crepes

between waxed paper; set aside.

2. For filling, combine cheese, 1 egg and parsley. Spoon 3-4 T. down the center of each

crepe; roll up. Pour half of the spaghetti sauce into an ungreased 13x9x2" baking dish.

Place crepes, seam side down, over the sauce; pour remaining sauce over top.

3. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes longer or

until heated through. Sprinkle with shredded Romano cheese if desired.

Serve with garlic toast/Breadsticks and Italian style salad

Soft Breadsticks

2 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cup milk
6 tbs. melted butter
4 tsp. sesame seeds

In a small bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. Gradually add milk and stir to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface. Knead gently 3 to 4 times. Roll into a 20x5x1/2"rectangle. Cut into 24 breadsticks. Place butter in 2 13x9x2" pans. Put breadsticks in butter and turn to coat. Sprinkle with seeds.

Variations: Chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme, etc. can be added, if desired. Add 2 tablespoons minced garlic and sprinkle with garlic powder before baking to make garlic bread sticks. Bake at 450°F for 14 to 18 minutes.

Sunday-

Sweet and Tangy Chicken

Makes 4 servings

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 can tomato soup

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon vinegar

1. In a large skillet, cook chicken in butter until browned on both sides.

2. Add soup, water, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for

10 minutes or until internal juices of chicken run clear.

Confetti Green Beans

Makes 6 servings

1 10-ounce package frozen green beans thawed and drained

1 7-ounce can corn drained

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup sliced olives

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1. In a saucepan, combine green beans, corn, butter and olives. Season with basil,

oregano and garlic powder.

2. Cover and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender.

Buttery Light Dinner Rolls

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk, scalded

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 package active dry yeast

1/3 cup warm water

1 egg, beaten

About 4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons melted butter

Stir sugar, salt, and butter into milk; cool to lukewarm. Place warm water in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with yeast and stir to dissolve. Add warm milk mixture and egg; blend well. Stir in 2 to 3 cups flour and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Mix in additional flour about 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. The dough should be soft and sticky but not stick to the sides of the bowl. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Place dough in a large greased bowl, turning to cover dough with grease. Cover with damp towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to one hour. Punch down dough. Shape into rolls (1 1/2-inch balls) and place in two greased 8- or 9-inch cake pans or on a large baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart. Cover with damp towel. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush rolls with melted butter and bake 15 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Serve hot. Makes about 24 rolls.

Mindy Merrell is a cookbook author and frequent American Profile

Desserts-

Pineapple Upside Down Cake –

Makes 8 servings

1/4 cup margarine or butter

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 (8-ounce) can pineapple slices, drained and cut in half

2 tablespoons chopped pecans, if desired

Maraschino cherry, if desired

1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick®

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup milk or water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1. Heat oven to 350°. Melt margarine in round pan, 9 x 1 1/4 inches, or square pan, 8 x 8

x 2 inches, in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar over margarine. Arrange pineapple slices in

single layer on sugar mixture. Sprinkle with pecans. Place cherry in center of each

pineapple slice (cherries with stems can be added after baking).

2. Beat remaining ingredients in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds,

scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes, scraping bowl

occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Immediately turn pan upside down onto heatproof serving plate; leave pan over cake

a few minutes. Remove pan. Let cake stand at least 10 minutes before serving.

Snacks-

Caramel Corn

Makes 15 servings

3 3/4 quarts (15 cups) popped corn

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1. Heat oven to 200°. Divide popped corn between 2 ungreased rectangular pans, 13 x 9 x 2 inches.

2. Heat brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup and salt, stirring occasionally, in saucepan

until bubbly around edge. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes; remove from heat.

3. Stir in baking soda until foamy. Pour over popped corn, stirring until corn is well

coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

NUTS AND BOLTS

1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. salad oil
1/4 c. bacon fat
1/2 c. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. garlic salt
4 tsp. celery salt
4 c. unblanched almonds (or mixed nuts)
4 c. Wheat Chex or other small shredded wheat squares
4 c. Rice Chex
2 c. Cheerios
2 c. thin pretzels
1 (8 to 10 oz.) pkg. Cheese Flings or similar cracker snack

Melt butter, oil and bacon fat. Stir in Worcestershire sauce. Add salts. Remove from heat and let stand a few minutes. In large roasting pan combine nuts, cereals, pretzels and Cheese Flings. Pour sauce over this and toss to blend. Bake uncovered in slow 200 degree oven for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Yield: 5 quarts.

Recipe Credits to :
COOKS.COM
American Profile.com
Meal Planning Central