Menu is up! Weekly Menu #1

Monday

Savory Chicken Sandwiches
Cole slaw
Chips
Cream Topped Grapes

5 bone in chicken breasts, salted and peppered well including under the skin
1 small sliced onion
¼ tsp garlic salt
dash of pepper
½ cup water

Place chicken in a slow cooker or crock-pot. Add rest of ingredients, cover and cook on high for 5 hours, or low for 7 – 8 hours. Remove chicken. Remove skin and then meat from bones; skim grease from drippings in the crock-pot. Return chicken to pot, stir and serve on buns. I have one son that likes barbecue sauce spread on his bun, another wants mayo. It's up to you.

For grapes, combine 1-cup sour cream and ¼ cup dark brown sugar. Spoon over grapes.

Tuesday

Easy Basil Tomato Soup
Grilled cheese (add some slices of ham: I also like to spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard before I grill the sandwiches. )
Easy Lemon Cream Pie

When you buy the ham slices for today, buy the thicker slices for dinner Thursday.

For the soup: use a can of condensed tomato soup, add half heavy cream and half milk and a teaspoon of basil pesto to soup: whisk and cook over low heat until hot (try not to let it boil.) You just need a cup of this, it's rich and a dab will do ya.

For the pie: While the soup is heating, mix together an 8 oz block of cream cheese (set it out in the morning so it's room temp by dinner) and a can of sweetened condensed milk using a beater or whisk attachment. When thoroughly mixed, add 1/3 cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best but you can use condensed too) and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour into a graham cracker crust. Chill for an hour and top with whipped cream.

Wednesday

*~* Danger, Danger! My meatloaf recipe contains a package of onion soup! Sorry, it's how my mom made it, and it takes me back to my childhood - oh, and it's good! *~*

Meatloaf (make extra for Friday)
Mashed Potatoes
Green beans
Cottage Cheese w/ peaches
Rolls
Creamsicle parfait cups

For your meatloaf, just mix 1.5 pounds of ground beef with 1 slice of bread saturated with milk, half a package of dry onion soup mix (save the rest for the sauce), an egg and ½ cup bread crumbs with salt and pepper to taste of course. Mix and shape into a loaf, bake for an hour or until done. For the sauce, use a can of crushed tomatoes, the rest of the dry soup mix and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. You can add additional onion if desired. Drain meatloaf and smother with sauce.

For parfaits, prepare a box of orange jello and pour into parfait glasses the night before, filling only half full. Chill until firm. While the meatloaf is baking, mix a box of vanilla instant pudding according to package directions, and spoon on top of orange jello. Top with whipped cream and serve.

Thursday

Pan Fried Ham
Macaroni and cheese
Steamed Broccoli
Rolls
Pumpkin pie

For the ham, buy enough Virginia Ham at the deli for dinner, and ask them to slice it into thick dinner slices. Pan grill with just a little margarine.

A good stove top macaroni and cheese is easy and can be done almost as quick as a boxed variety: Boil and drain 2 cups uncooked macaroni and leave it in the colander: in the hot saucepan you boiled the macaroni, add 1/4 cup milk, 1/4 stick margarine and 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or if you prefer, use 2 cups cubed Velveeta) and stir until the cheese begins to melt over low heat. Add drained macaroni and turn off heat, put a lid on the saucepan and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Stir again, add salt and pepper if needed (boil your macaroni in good salted water and you might not need any.) It's ready to serve.

For an easy pumpkin pie, mix together:
1 – 15 oz can pumpkin
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
Pour into unbaked 9-inch pie crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, and then reduce heat to 350 and bake 40 minutes longer.

Friday

Time to relax!
Meatloaf sandwiches (from Wednesday)
Chips
A movie!