Sorry this is late folks!  My computer is on its last legs and I need a new one, so there are days it works intermittently.  This week was one of those weeks.  I think this weekend is time to shop for a new one.  So that is on MY shopping list.  (Not even kidding!  The computer abruptly stopped while I was writing this ach!)

Anyway on the menu this week-

Monday-tater tot casserole
Tuesday-cauliflower puttanesca
Wednesday- quinoa salad
Thursday-roasted red pepper soup
Friday - homemade pizza



Shopping list

Produce:
cauliflower (you could buy frozen instead if it seems high priced)
cucumber, grape tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, Italian flat leaf parsley

Meat/dairy:  diced ham, pepperoni, already prepared bbq chicken (for homemade pizza), chicken breast
shredded cheese, pizza dough, heavy cream (enough for 1 cup)

General:  cream of mushroom soup, 1 can and 1 box chicken broth, (2) 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, can of diced tomatoes (3) sliced black olives, (2) canned mushrooms (bigger can), Italian dressing, prepared pizza sauce, jar of roasted red peppers, quinoa--usually in the natural foods section.  I buy mine at a co-op much cheaper per ounce, penne pasta, black beans


Frozen:  cauliflower, green beans, tater tots

MONDAY___TATER TOT CASSEROLE___
I make mine in a pan I can start on the stove top and finish in the onion....saute some onion and garlic add the frozen green beans cook until just unfrozen add diluted cream of mushroom soup (I usually use 1/2 a can of milk) layer with shredded cheese.  Put tater tots on top.  A little more cheese.  Bake at 350 until tater tots are done (about 20 minutes)

TUESDAY___CAULIFLOWER PUTTANESCA____
1 box penne start to boil make according to directions

Meanwhile-- saute cauliflower (one head cut into florets or one bag frozen) in EVOO, with minced garlic salt and pepper to taste, after they are sauteed about 4-6 minutes add in the diced ham (about 1/2 the package) small can of diced mushrooms and small can of sliced black olives, 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes.  Add 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper.  Toss with the pasta and top with minced fresh parsley and grated Parmesan before serving

WEDNESDAY____QUINOA SALAD_____
1 cup of quinoa boiled in 2 cups of chicken broth (or one can +water to equal 2 cups)
meanwhile dice red onion, cucumber, slice grape tomatoes in half, open and rinse 1 can of black beans, open and drain small can of sliced black olives.  Toss together with the cooked quinoa.  Chunks of marbled cheese is also really good in this.  Add enough Italian dressing to thoroughly coat.

THURSDAY___ROASTED RED PEPPER SOUP

combine drained roasted red peppers and diced tomaotes in blender, blend until smooth.  (Or I have an immersion blender and do this step a little later)

Meanwhile sauted one chicken breast, when ready dice (you can add this to the soup right before serving)
In a pot combine 1 box chicken broth the tomato/pepper puree, 1 can crushed tomatoes, salt pepper and a bit of sugar to taste, simmer.  Measure your 1 c of heavy cream in a 2 c measure.  Take out 1/2 cup of hot soup and whisk it into the heavy cream.  If you just were to dump it in the soup it could curdle.  This way to temper the cream.  Add a little more soup and whisk again.  Add to the soup.  Add the diced chicken and serve.


FRIDAY__HOMEMADE PIZZA

We are making two--one is the usual--pepperoni

The other is chicken bbq.  I make my life easier and use already prepared everything--crust and bbq chicken.  Roll out the crust, cover in bbq chicken.  cover with cheese, sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro.
Bake according to the directions on the crust can or until golden brown and delicious.

Hi Everyone!

May is an unbelievably busy time for teachers!  Everything seems to happen all at once and it is a complete whirlwind from now until the end of the year.

I apologize for no post last week.  Seriously we were so busy we "flew by the seats of our pants" most nights!

This week, hopefully will fare better.

Monday- Tacos (we do ours differently since our boys don't 'like' tacos)

Tuesday-Penne with faux crab and veggies

Wednesday- Homemade pizza using Schwan's crust

Thursday- Frozen lasagna (guess who's gone again--yep me!)

Friday-Grilled Salmon on salad

Shopping List:

Produce--bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic (I recently bought the already peeled in the jar kind),  lettuce, onion, mushrooms,

Meat--salmon, hamburger, pepperoni, Ital sausage (or whatever you like on pizza), faux crab.

Reg groc-taco shells (we buy the 10 inch burrito shells), penne, pizza sauce, cheese (for tacos and pizza), sliced olives both black and green (for the pasta, pizza and tacos)

Frozen--lasagna

The way I make tacos so my kids will eat them---I make taco meat  quesadillas essentially-
                        Make 2 lbs hamburger the way you would for tacos
                        take 1 shell and brush it with EVOO put it EVOO side down on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle                       with cheese.  Make 1 layer of the prepare taco meat cover with cheese and put a shell on top.  Brush with EVOO.  Put in a 350 oven for about 10 min or until crispy.  You may need to flip them, however they also fall apart if you do this. The best way to flip them is to use a pan splatter guard, they have a handle and are roughly the same size and shape as the quessadilla.

For the adults when we serve it with taco fixins on top.  They are all of our new favorite way to eat tacos!

Penne--boil it up.  Meantime--saute diced onion, sliced mushrooms, diced pepper, minced garlic.  And in the faux crab.   Near the end of cooking throw in some tomato and black olives (even green olives if you wish)  Toss in the drained and cooked penne.  Splash with EVOO salt pepper to taste and sprinkle on some cheese just before serving.

Everything else is self explanatory.  Feel free to look at some old posts to see suggestions or other menu ideas.

Have a great week.