Meals for the week of...January 4, 2010

Welcome to 2010! Happy New Year!

Before I get into the meals for this week, I want to THANK YOU for visiting! I'm so excited about this site and after a few practice rounds I think I'm set to roll for the new year. I hope you enjoy the meals and menus planned.

I start back to work on Monday and am easing back into the routine of work and cooking with a pretty simple menu for this week. To save some time on Tuesday night I'm going to be doing a little work on Sunday. I am planning on making the chicken tetrazini Sunday, but this is not essential. The chicken tetrazini is not too hard or time consuming that it would need to be made ahead of time but it will simplify the week somewhat. This tetrazini is great and makes lots so you will have enough for leftovers during the week (my husband loves this for lunch) or save for Friday dinner. I will be using the Rotisserie Chicken bought at the store for the chicken in the pasta and then using what is leftover for dinner Monday night. I recommend using about 1/2 of the chicken in the tetrazini and save the other half for dinner Monday. If you have a larger family, you may need 2 Rotisserie Chickens, one for each night! To help with the weekly grocery budget the Wednesday Chili is inexpensive and the leftovers are used the next night on the Chili Dogs and the leftover hot dog buns are used to make garlic bread on Friday!

Monday: Rotisserie chicken with Au Gratin Potatoes and Vegetables

Tuesday: Pre-made Chicken Tetrazini

Wednesday: Chili and Golden Cornbread

Thursday: Chili Dogs/Hot Dogs and French Fries or Sweet Potato Fries

Friday: Spaghetti and Hot Dog Bun Garlic Bread (if you have leftover Tetrazini you could use this instead of spaghetti)

Rotisserie Chicken with Au Gratin Potatoes and Steamed Vegetables

1 store bought pre-cooked rotisserie chicken

1 box Au Gratin Potatoes

1 bag Microwaveable Steamable Vegetables

I love a meal like this as it is quick! Reheat the chicken in the microwave following directions on bag. I cut the chicken up on Sunday when I pre-made the chicken tetrazini so my family will be using that leftover chicken. Make the Au Gratin Potatoes and vegetables follo

wing package directions.

Chicken Tetrazini

½ c butter

½ c flour

1 tsp salt

½ t pepper

1 tsp minced garlic (I use minced garlic from a jar)

2 c chicken broth (veggie broth also works)

2 c whipping cream (I use milk instead- low fat is fine)

12 oz. thin spaghetti

4 c chicken (cooked, cubed or shredded) (I buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store)

grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook spaghetti and chicken (if using a rotisserie chicken cut up the chicken while sauce and spaghetti cook). Melt butter in a saucepan. Blend in four and seasoning. Cook, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in broth and cream. Heat to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Add spaghetti and chicken. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch greased pan and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 mins.

If making ahead of time and planning to reheat during the week, top with cheese but do not bake in oven. When you are ready to reheat, heat oven to 350 and heat until warmed throughout. It may take a little more than 30 mins to heat. I will assume around 45 mins at 350.

Optional idea: You could add frozen peas or mushrooms to the recipe as well.

Here is my pre-made tetrazini waiting to be cooked:

Chili with Golden Cornbread

Chili:

1 large can of chili beans or 2 regular sized cans of chili beans

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 or 2 cans diced tomatoes (depends how many you like) (not drained)

optional - 1 can corn

Heat all ingredients on the stove until hot. You can add chili powder if needed. To make more chili just add more chili beans. This is a very quick and easy chili. It doesn't have all the fancy bits of a normal chili, but it only takes 15 minutes to put together and heat.

Golden Cornbread: (Thanks Lindsay for this recipe)

1 cup yellow corn meal

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 T sugar

4 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 cup milk

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk, egg and oil. Beat until fairly smooth, about 1 minute. Bake in a greased or sprayed 8-inch square baking pan 20 to 23 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Chili Dogs (or Hot Dogs) and Fries

1 package hot dogs

1 package hot dog buns

leftover chili from yesterday (optional)

French fries or sweet potato fries

Cook hot dogs as desired and bake french fries following package directions. I've found sweet potato fries at our local grocery store as well as at Costco. They are a nice change from typical french fries.

Spaghetti or Leftover Chicken Tetrazini and Garlic Bread

Make you favorite spaghetti with jarred sauce of choice or reheat leftover chicken tetrazini in microwave or oven and use the leftover hot dog buns to make garlic bread.

Garlic Bread:

Hot dog buns

butter

Garlic Garlic from Tastefully Simple or your favorite garlic (powder, salt, minced)

Parmesan Cheese (optional for topping)

Butter buns and add garlic topping and cheese. Bake in oven or toaster oven until butter and bread is slightly browned.

I've bought Garlic Garlic from Tastefully Simple and LOVE it as a topper to garlic bread. My sister-in-law sells Tastefully Simple products if you want to get some so leave me a comment and I'll give you her information. You can also look at the product on the Tastefully Simple website.