The Monday Menu

Did I hear you say, "but it's Tuesday"? Oh please, don't box me in! Actually I had vacation brain on Monday and instead of shopping a planning a menu I waundered aimlessly, so now I'm doing it now before I go back to work.

What I'm doing here is planning about 4 or five meals a week. That way my family eats things other than poptarts and cheetos puffs for dinner. For the remaining days of the week other days of the week we eat left overs, or meals frozen ahead,or maybe we have a meal out, or we just plain forage in the cuppoard (this happens more than I'd like).


Tonight I'll be putting the Lentel and Ham soup into quart jars in the freezer for another day. Two nights of this is enough and hubby is beginning to give off an offensive gassious odor.

The Menu

Vegie Casserole - This is a family favorite (OK hubby and I like it best). The recipe came from my sister. It consists of sliced potatoes, zuchinni, onion, cauliflower, carrot, tomato, and what ever else you have on hand. Grate sharp cheese on the bottom of the casserole dish and layer vegies by group with cheese, and spices (salt and pepper, dill, a little basil). Cook a good long time (hour or so) at 350.

White Fish and salad No, not my favorite but hubby cooks it and it's good for us. He makes a crust for the fish using ground nuts, butter, and dill and broils it until just flakey. The secret here is DO NOT OVERCOOK. Now repeat after me.....

Pork Tenderloins I find that one tenderloin is enough for two different recipes and two nights (one child is vegitarian). I don't know what got into me to try this recipe but we just loved the Fig and Blue Cheese stuffed Pork Tenderloin on p.38 of the 2008 Cooking Light annual recipee book. (Recipe is from the January-February issue). Then we also really like the Mustard Herb crused Prok Tenderloin on the same page. These don't take too long and add a nice variety to the menu.

Chicken in Clay Roasting Pot - An old favorite is a roasting chicken in a clay pot with a german name we can't pronounce. My mom taught me to be obsessive about chicken - wash bird in running water, pat dry with paper towels put directly into pot and then scub all surfices. (Mom wears surgical gloves - serious). Rub the chicken with and organic lemon and then toss the lemon inside the bird. Rub salt and garlic powder on bird and inside (pepper inside) add potatoes, carrots, and onion & garlic to the pot. This chicken is frozen - bought on a great sale - so it will be laster in the week.

None of these things is difficult - just food for daily meals. Let me now if you want more information on recipe. Just call me the domestic goddess.