The crock pot is going to be strong this week. With everything I have to get done around here between canning, sewing and such, I need all the time I can get to work on other things. So, slow cooking meals, meals in dutch ovens or crock pots, and things like that, are definitely high on my priority list. Makes me wish I had an Instant Pot that I didn't have to babysit like my stovetop pressure cooker, but yeah...that price tag of 60.00 or more...I'll continue to dream for sure ;).
Also, please enjoy the shot of the meat pie I made last week with the puff pastry from the freezer I was talking about. I ATTEMPTED to make some fancy decorations with the left over puff pastry, but they all kind of puffed up and became puffy globs, so the rose I sculpted and the leaves I placed around it failed miserably on the aesthetic front, but hey, it was still fun to do *laugh*.
Anyway, let's get onto the menu for the week!
Wednesday: Leftover Tacos
Thursday: Stuffed Steak in the crock pot with green beans
Friday: Marinated chicken thighs (in crock pot), baked potatoes (in crock pot...maybe...I'm still nervous about the prospect as I keep reading varying success rates with doing it), salad
Saturday: Pan fried fish (use cornmeal for breading) with turnip greens and rice
Sunday: Waffles with sausage and fruit
Monday: Fauxtisserie chicken (crock pot), baked beans, corn
Tuesday: Chicken salad sandwiches (home made bread, use leftover chicken)
For Breakfast: Orange Rolls (Saturday), toast, cereal, granola with yogurt (or without), oatmeal/porridge, cream of wheat
For desserts: Cookies (note: Make cookies), apple pie, leftover birthday cake.
Snacks: String cheese/cheese sticks, cheese and crackers, apples, branch bread (note: Make branch bread) with jam or jelly
And there you are folks. Our tentative menu for this week. How about you? Got anything yummy planned?
I love pies and yours looks delicious. Pity you can't send me some, I would be very grateful.
ReplyDeleteLooks fine to me. My dh would love for me to make a beef or chicken pot pie. Cheryl
ReplyDeleteI've cracked TWO inserts making baked potatoes in my crockpot. Now I just use the oven.
ReplyDeleteI pulled out my vegan baking book, gave it a oncethrough, and put it away. So, no big plans here. I work afternoons where my husband works days. I usually get more done this way but it means I have to make dinner for him before I leave. I have bacon thawing, (Dated 2013-yikes!!), and one really, really red tomato. So, that screams BLT to me! I may make some chili if I can work up some enthusiasm. This is day 12 without a day off so I'm a bit spent. (Day off tomorrow.) Our daughter is in Fl., along with several other family members, so not much sleep going on. I've heard it may be turning to the West which would make this mother happy.
ReplyDeleteLove your pie! Pie is under-rated, in my opinion.
Debbie
I've done baked potatoes in my crock pot when I need to put them in and forget about it or it's been too hot to turn on my oven. I always put my crock pot outside when it's hot. They're not as crispy-skinned, but are fine under the circumstances. I don't do anything other than scrub the potatoes. I know some directions include rubbing in butter and wrapping in foil. I have no idea if that makes a difference, I just don't like to use foil for wrapping baked potatoes. If you don't like them as baked potatoes, they'd be fine for hash browns, fried potatoes, or twice-baked potatoes. Or, cut them up and toss them in soup/stew towards the end. Chris M
ReplyDeleteI have done crock pot baked potatoes both with foil and without. Please do use foil as it will help them be a bit more crispy. It won't be the same as an oven baked potato, (or even a microwave baked one, for that matter) but it will save you time. It also works if you need to bake a large quantity.
ReplyDeleteLast week I cooked a pot of chilli, made a shepherd's pie, and cooked a batch of sausages and roasted veg. Ate some, had company for dinner one night, popped a couple of meals over to an elderly neighbour, and froze the rest.
ReplyDeleteI've defrosted already cooked chicken to have with a salad on Saturday and I'm eating out on Sunday so won't be cooking again until Monday or Tuesday. I plan on making a meatloaf and a batch of chicken legs & thighs. I normally cook two main meals for the week and then alternate those meals with things like canned salmon or tuna, hard boiled eggs, open faced Scandinavian style sandwiches, along with soups or salads. I'm actually looking forward to getting back to more cooking now that the weather is cooling down. I also have some puff pastry in the freezer to use up so may try something like your lovely pie.
Your orange rolls and menu sounds delish! What is stuffed steak??
ReplyDeleteI'm trying a few new things this month; one is a 30 day dinner menu and my budget is going to be much smaller.But I have faith and I know I can do it! Fortunately I have very generous parents who will be sending over some frozen meat for me to use up! And a food saver haha.
My husband's income is going to decrease over the winter months and we purchased a car in July...and his car is on it's way out too. Oh and then there's Christmas and all that jazz 😬
I picked up extra hours this week and hopefully next week too.
Stuffed steak is well...steak with stuffing *laugh*. I put a can of cream of mushroom soup in the bottom of the crock pot, slapped a cheap steak on top (read tough cut of meat) and then put another can of soup on top and then added about 1/2 cup of water and just let it cook on low for 8 hours. When it came time to serve I made up my last box of Stovetop stuffing. I cut the steak in half, placed half on a platter, put stuffing on top and then put the other 1/2 steak as the top layer. Pour a bunch of the soup from the crock pot over the top as gravy and voila! Stuffed steak :). It's filling, gets tough meat tender and since I was using a steak I got on reduced for 3.00 it was also cheap. If you have any stale bread to use up you can also make your own stuffing too.
DeleteThe pie looks great. I agree with Jessica--what is stuffed steak? Recipe please!
ReplyDeleteI never got around to writing down my menu plan this week, but we've been eating anyway:)
ReplyDeleteI tried 2 new recipes from Cooking Light Magazine--Basil Chicken, and Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry. I made a lot of white rice, because I was in a hurry, and we've been eating that. I made beef stew in the crock pot. Last night, I was late returning home, and my husband cooked corn dogs and tator tots. So, not the healthiest, but pretty popular with the troops. Hopefully I will get a plan made soon--I really like having it ready during the busy season, which this is, with all I have to get done right now.
I have been using my crock pot almost daily as well, and had my husband barbeque one night as he was watching the pressure canner where I was canning the crab we caught over the weekend. It takes 70 minutes at 11 pounds, and we always watch the canner carefully so it doesn't get too high or low. It's outside on the enclosed porch and handy to the BBQ.
I make my baked potatoes in the microwave. I have a fabric pouch that you put potatoes or sweet potatoes in to cook them in the microwave and they turn out pretty close to oven baked. Quick and easy and I don't have to heat up the oven just to make them. Not all fabric works for the pouch. I think you have to use cotton and cotton thread. I bought my pouch so if yo want to make one you would need to do a bit of research.
ReplyDeleteThat pie looks delicious. And I never heard of crock pot baked potatoes. That's very interesting. Did a bit of stock up this past week, so I've used up a bit of extra money. Because of that, we'll be eating more frugally to make up the cost.
ReplyDeleteMonday: Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie using a layer of stuffing mixed with spinach (like spinach balls but without the hassle of forming them), a layer of mashed potatoes and a layer of mixed vegetable. Top it off with gravy when serving.
Tuesday: Corn Chowder to use up a couple of older cobs of corn; homemade biscuits
Wednesday: Stretcher-chicken stir fry and vegetables; rice
Thursday: Sausages, panfried potatoes; cabbage/onion saute
Friday: Homemade Herbed Flatbread; Cabbage and Rice soup (using leftover cabbage and rice)
Saturday: Hubby will barbecue pork souvlaki kebobs; homemade pita bread; homemade tzatziki sauce; lemon potatoes; cucumber salad
Sunday: Baked beans; baked potatoes; coleslaw
And desserts thrown in here and there.
I want to try and make zucchini bread since I am drowning in squash. All the recipes on the internet called for a cup of chopped walnuts. I bought some yesterday at Aldi's and they are very expensive. The first time I will make it right by the recipe but would like to know if anyone has any suggestions for a Walnut substitute?
ReplyDeleteJeannie @ GetMeToTheCountry.Blogspot.com
Any other nut would be fine or when I was on Weight Watcher's they would substitute some of the nuts with All Bran Buds because they provided the same texture crunch. I thought it worked out just fine. (Just don't moisten them first before adding to batter). My kids can't take nuts to school, so I use chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or even dried fruit, like dates. I often use a combo of chocolate chips, dried cranberries and sunflower seeds in many of my muffins and loaves. Hope that inspires you.
DeletePat
My mom, and as a result I, just leave them out. Works fine :).
DeleteYes, these are good ideas! I want to freeze some of the squash from my garden to use in recipes during the winter. I have never used it that way before and I have enough to experiment with this year.
DeleteJeannie @ GetMeToTheCountry.Blogspot.com