Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Menu Plan Monday: Menu Plan for Week of 9/20/16

Right, so I'm blogging a day behind, but not a dollar short so far ;).

Completely unrelated to the menu plan for the week, well except maybe I'll make some crescent rolls for my daughter to slather with butter for breakfast one morning or something, but anyway I found out this little historical tidbit and thought it was utterly fascinating so I wanted to share!

So you know how croissants have the crescent moon type of shape to them when you buy them now a days (or bake them if you are a more involved baker than me)?  Well, the shape of the croissant hasn't always been that way.  Before WWII croissants were normally straight, not curved.  But, during WWII, due to butter rationing, the baker's tried to find a way to show what was used to make the croissants, butter or margarine.  So, they started curving the croissants before baking to show they were made with margarine and the shape just stuck to this day.  Neat huh? 

By the way, the source is Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking:  Volume 2".  There's a bunch of neat things in that book, including that *laugh*.

Anyway, back to the menu.  This week's menu is going to be kind of interesting as it is using up some meat from the freezer that has gotten freezer burned (some of it not that old, which kind of concerns me actually) and also just trying for some variety in the menu as I fear getting into a rut, especially with my arm not up to fullest capacity (I have gotten it to stretch about 3/4 of the way over my head now, though, so making progress!).  We're expecting the results of a hurricane-like storm system hitting the Baltic Sea tonight and tomorrow, so I'm figuring rain and nasty winds speaks "comfort food" like nothing else!

Menu Plan for Week 9/20/16

Monday:  Noodle Bowl Night

Tuesday:  Marinated Steak/Beef Roast (freezer burned thick cut petite sirloin steaks cooked in steak sauce, essentially), steamed broccoli and cauliflower, rice

Wednesday:  Fried Chicken (this always seems to pop up on the menu plan and then I don't do it.  This week it's in the fridge marinating in butter milk right now, so yay for finally making it *laugh*), corn bread, baked beans.

Thursday:  Shepherd's Pie (use leftover steak)

Friday:  French Toast, bacon, eggs

Saturday:  Codfish Casserole (use tilapia from freezer), garlic toast, green beans

Sunday:  Fauxtisserie Chicken (experiment time!), stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy (for daughter unit to inspire her to eat more), glazed carrots

Desserts:  Apple crisp (didn't get done last week either), banana bread
To Bake/Prepare:  Prepare chicken for frying (Tuesday, done!), bake bread (Wednesday), bake banana bread (Tuesday)

And there you go folks.  My menu for this week.  How about you?  Making anything yummy this week?

19 comments:

  1. I have officially taken over cooking again, now that my job is pretty much done until mid-November. I don't make a menu plan, though really I should. The fauxtisserie chicken sounds good, though. I've been really craving stuffing recently. So far this week, I have made a homemade turkey pot pie from the freezer (we make them up after the holidays with turkey leftovers and freeze them) and homemade pizza.

    Erika, I know you have trouble getting your daughter to eat and I think you've said that she's fussy about lunch items, too. My daughter doesn't like eating the same thing in her lunch over and over, so we have to get creative sometimes to keep her from complaining. Last week we had left over taco meat, shells and toppings. For the first time, she took them in her lunch, in separate containers, and assembled her own taco's to eat at school. I just thought I would pass this idea on to you, in case it might be an idea your daughter might like.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting. My daughter is the exact opposite. If she had her way she'd bring the exact same thing to school for lunch every single day. How she puts up with it, I have no idea. With the mashed potatoes and gravy, she hates stuffing (I KNOW weird!) and so I used the mashed potatoes and gravy as an out and out bribe to get her to eat some.

      Oddly enough her diet is expanding as she gets older and it's pretty balanced at this point (yay!). She finally started eating bacon, for example, when I just told her it was ham and to eat it. And voila! She now eats bacon *laugh*. She's eating all of the meats now (still working on getting her to like fish other than shrimp, though), has a decent selection of veggies and fruits. I'm actually rather pleased. Really doing feeding therapy with my son helped me to get her to eat more than him *laugh*. Now to keep working on the son ;).

      Delete
    2. That surprises me, too. My niece wants a peanut butter sandwich every single day. No jam. Every day. Sometimes 2x per day. There are a few other items on the list, but you get the idea. At least it's easy to know what to cook for her:)

      My children have a pretty short list, as well, but longer than my niece's.

      Delete
  2. That's really interesting about the crossants being curved. I had no idea!

    ReplyDelete
  3. "...hurricane-like storm system... rain and nasty winds...." I am envious. We will be up in the mid 90s until Sunday. It has been the hottest longest summer EVER.
    I am moving off the couch a little at a time. It seems my medicine is getting balanced so I am feeling better. My menu plan for the week - today is hubby's birthday so I am heading to the liquor store to buy him his favorite wine. He is so hard to buy for but wine always does it. Since we are tightwads, this is special for him.
    Jeannie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That was us last summer. It was so hot (in the 90's in Alaska! We all about melted) and super dry. Once fall started settling in, though, it was pretty nice. I think this year we're just dealing with the fact that we hadn't gotten much rain or snow in about three years and so mother nature was like "um, no" and just keeps shooting rain our way this year. It led to a wet summer, but you know overall I'm kind of glad for the rain as we're on a well here (as are a LOT of people up here), so knowing the ground water is at a healthy level takes a load off the mind.

      Hope your weather starts to cool down soon. It sounds utterly miserable. I always told my parents that if the weather was hot enough outside to fry an egg on the sidewalk (which I dealt with when I lived in Florida a lot) if I had a a choice there would be no going outside at ALL. And I've kept to that. I always tell people, "Hey, I'm from Viking stock. We do NOT do hot!" *Laugh*.

      Delete
    2. Erika, so how many different states have you lived in and what kind of weather do you like the best? Just being nosy. I have only ever lived in Tennessee but would love to live up in the mountains like in West Virginia. Just dreaming.... Jeannie

      Delete
  4. Hi Erika, I read your blog all the time, but I've never commented. I have tremendous respect for the creative way you meet so many challenges! Our lives are entirely different, but I really enjoy reading about other folks experiences.

    The fauxtisserie chicken method is the only way I ever make whole chicken anymore, it's so easy and my husband loves it! I find it makes a ton of broth, but once defatted that is wonderful for soup or something.

    I'm sort of in transition for meals this week. I'm starting to crave winter time comfort food but the weather here is still pretty nice (Seattle area) and we still have gobs of tomatoes so tonight I'm making a cheese and tomato tart. Also on the week's menu is tuna and white beans in a lemon vinegarette over lettuce, lentil salad with greek grilled chicken, and beef stroganoff in the slow cooker.
    -Megan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So, it makes a ton of broth? Hmmm...I might have to redo how I do things than. I have a crock pot that I can jam a chicken into, but it is tight fitting. I wonder if I used a heavy dutch oven and put it on the stove if I could use kind of the same method with a rack or something to keep the chicken out of the juices. I will have to think on that one. Thanks for letting me know :).

      Your meals sound yummy by the way! Thanks for commenting!

      Delete
    2. I think part of the reason it makes so much broth is that my slow cooker has a gasket and lid that clamps down. Everything cooks faster, but there is very little evaporation. With a looser fitting lid it probably wouldn't happen as much. But your dutch oven idea sounds very much like classic french chicken in a pot, google that and I think you'll find ideas.
      -Megan

      Delete
  5. Hey Erica, I'm not sure if this would help with your issue with freezer burn ... I usually remove meat from Styrofoam packaging, especially, when it's the family size packages and re-wrap it in at least two layers of plastic and then place it in a plastic bag. I'll also put individual chops in sandwich bags and then bag all of it in a big plastic bag. I really don't have a lot of trouble with freezer burn. I know it's more plastic, but if it maintains the quality of the meat, it might be worth it. If I do leave it in the original container, I still wrap it once more in plastic and then bag it (bread bags are okay) before placing in the freezer. It also takes up less room this way. Hope this helps! Chris

    ReplyDelete
  6. I too have also had problems with freezer burn. It seems to be worse on foods that are stored on the shelf on the door. I think it is caused by the temperature fluctuating due to the door being opened and closed plus adding warm stuff. I try to freeze food in my refrigerator freezer then move it to my big freezer but this is not always possible. I have never gotten freezer burn on anything I sealed up using the food-saver but their bags are so very expensive. My last concern is that the rubber gasket around the door may not be sealing very well any more. The freezer is VERY old and we have discussed getting a new one but just can't seem to spend the money while this one is working. I just keep holding my breath. Jeannie

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Erika,
    I've been reading your posts from last year and I'm enjoying them a lot. I notice in quite a few you talk about making napkins, hankies and dish towels. Do you do that because you enjoy it or have you found it to be more cost effective? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do it because it is cheaper and cleaner. My brother-in-law worked for a hospital years ago that threw away cotton cloths after all the surgeries. Even the clean unused ones were thrown away back then, now they are recycled. He would bring the unused ones home and give them away to anyone just to keep them from going in the dumpster. Every time he offered, I accepted and just put them up in a bag in the attic. Now I can't live without them. I have cut them into small squares and use them exclusively in the kitchen. I don't mix them with the rest of the laundry (keeps hairs off of them) plus I soak them over night, double rinse and use very hot water. I am on well water so the cost of washing is just electricity and a little soap. It is easy to run through a laundry basket load in about two days since I don't take any chances about reusing a rag that has been sitting on the counter for a while. It is just so much cleaner to grab a new rag.
      I also have started using fancy hankies in my purse. Before I leave the house, I slip a clean one in my purse and just enjoy using something nice for such a nasty job when I am out. It is just a little pleasure for me.
      Is it cheaper than Kleenex? I don't know. I just like it better.
      Jeannie

      Delete
  8. Another question. I want to try making pesto. I have never tasted it and would like to know how you use it? I have a huge basil plant in the garden and I bought walnuts at Aldi's this past week so I am ready to give it a try. I looked at your recipes but did not see it listed. I have seen pesto for sale at the grocery store but can't taste it because it has sugar listed on the label.
    I would like to hear from others.
    Jeannie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a recipe that I got from Taste of Home's website, but it was the pesto for Pesto Salmon--not just a pesto recipe. I use basil, parmesan cheese and olive oil, a little garlic, salt and pepper. (sorry I can't find it right now--those binders have not come up to light after the move, yet.) Then, whirl in food processor. I then freeze in ice cube trays.

      To use: (of course use any recipe you have): Make a home-made mayo-milk base for salad dressing and drop 1-2 (or more if you want it strong) cubes (thawed) into it for a salad dressing that is similar to the Old Spaghetti Factory's basil-pesto dressing. I add salt and pepper, and use enough milk or buttermilk to make the mayo the consistency I want.

      We boil noodles (gluten free for us) and drop cubes in and stir until it tastes good. Of course, added butter doesn't hurt, or added parmesan. Ja'Ana (daughter) will eat that all day long:)

      You can put it on fish, as the original recipe said to do.

      I'm out now, but hope there is still some basil in my garden up at my sister's farm:) You are making me hungry for it!!

      Delete
    2. Becky, I have been reading your blog since the beginning but I don't think I have ever posted. This is the only blog I have been posting on since it has taken Erika's persistence to pull me out of my shell.
      Thank you for the pesto recipe and ideas. I went to the Taste of Home website and got the recipe and have all of the ingredients here. This is something I am going to try. I have a huge basil plant growing and want to do something new before frost gets it.
      Spaghetti Factory – oh what memories. I used to go there when I was a teenager so many years ago. I loved it. That was when I could eat anything I wanted, as much as I wanted and as often as I wanted. Maybe that is why I must be careful now...hmm.
      Anyway, thanks
      Jeannie

      Delete
    3. Becky, I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT! I made the pesto sauce today and it was absolutely delicious! I did as you said and mixed it with my homemade mayonnaise (have to make my own due to sugar) then put it on a plain old piece of boiled chicken. I heated it up and it was great. It turned a regular meal into something “gourmet”. I do not remember eating this before since I have been so limited in what I could eat. I want to try all the other recipes I see on the internet. Now I am sad I only have one basil plant.
      Thanks!
      Jeannie

      Delete
  9. I'm really glad you could find the recipe--I need to see if I have any more basil up at the farm so I can make more.

    ReplyDelete