Our First Menu - Jan 5 thru Jan 9th

Here is our first menu. Feel free to change them as needed to meet your families needs. I do a 5 day menu, because even as crazy as the economy is, we end up eating out or at mom's at least 2 days a week, so if you need to add 2 recipes to your menu, make sure you adjust your shopping list accordingly. My menus don't include a shopping list yet, but I will work on it for future menus. Also, I have these all in a binder, organized and scrapbooked. I would be happy to email you copies if you want. Just leave me your email in the comments link under this post and I'll send them out. They are in a Microsoft Word format so most everyone should be able to print them off. Enjoy your week!

Monday: Chimichangas or Enchiladas
Salad
Chips and Salsa

Recipe: Buy frozen chimichangas and top with enchilada sauce or deep fry. Or, use your favorite enchilada re1 cipe.

Tuesday: Crock Pot Spaghetti
French Bread

Recipe: 1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. italian sausage
1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms
1 green pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
4 Tbsp. tapioca - quick cook - optional
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
garlic powder to taste
salt and pepper

Cook meat, onion, and garlic powder and drain. Add rest of ingredients and cook in crock pot for 6 to 8 hours on low heat. Serve over hot spaghetti noodles.

Wednesday: Crispy Ranch Chicken
Baked French Fries

Recipe: 1 1/3 cups French's Onions
1/4 cup mayo - NOT MIRACLE WHIP
1/4 cup parmesan cheese or 1/2 pkg. Ranch dressing mix
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

Crush onions in plastic bag. Combine mayo and cheese or dressing mix and dip raw chicken in this mixture and then into onions. Place on sprayed baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 30 minutes, or until no longer pink in the middle.

Thursday: Sloppy Joes
Potato Chips
Veggie of choice

Recipe: 2 to 3 lbs. ground beef
1 chopped onion
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup water
2 Tbsp. prepared mustard
2 Tbsp. vinegar
4 Tbsp. Worchestershire
2 to 3 tsp. Chili Powder
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

Brown hamburger, onion, and pepper and drain. Combine with rest of ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Spoon over hamburger buns.
(This is a big recipe, but leftovers can be frozen and reheated easily.)

Friday: Swiss Cheese Chicken
Rice
Rolls

Recipe: 6 to 8 chicken breasts (can be frozen)
2 to 8 slices swiss cheese
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream

Place chicken in 9x13 pan that has been spayed with Pam. Place a slice of cheese on top to cover chicken. Mix together soup and sour cream and pour over top of cheese/chicken. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees or until chicken is done. Serve over rice.