Another Week of Recipes

When I go grocery shopping, I often have a general idea of what I'd like to cook for the week. But since it's my kids' school vacation week, I dropped my son off on Monday morning at 8am right near the grocery store, and I decided on the spur of the moment to go shopping before I went home. I sat in the parking lot and checked out the sales, particularly proteins, and bought whatever I could get a good deal on, with the thought of figuring out specific menus later. Here's what I came up with! (Disclaimer: Again, a friend brought us dinner one night, so I jumped a day ahead to get a full week of recipes.) 

What I Bought

Ham steaks (fantastic sale)
Salmon filets (on sale)
Steak tips (on sale)
Frozen chicken nuggets (on sale)
Baby carrots (on sale)
Refrigerated biscuits
Strawberries (on sale)
Celery
Potatoes

What I Had in My Pantry

Long grain rice
Italian seasoning
Smoked paprika
Rosemary
Thyme
Marjoram
Garlic powder
Bay leaf
Salt and pepper
Chicken bouillon
Worcestershire sauce
Soy sauce
Chicken gravy mix
Instant potato flakes
Tomato paste
Red wine
Beef broth
Worcestershire sauce
Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce (I had stocked up when it was on sale a few weeks ago)
Vegetable oil
Cornstarch
Brown sugar
Flour
Sugar
Yeast

What I Had in My Fridge and Freezer

Butter
Milk
Eggs
Carrots
Fresh parsley
Shredded cheese
Minced garlic
Orange marmalade
Frozen diced onion
Frozen peas
Frozen corn
Chicken breast (left over from last week's sale package and frozen)
Frozen pizza (bought on sale a while ago)

What I Cooked

Monday: Oven Baked Salmon with Rice and Peas (or Carrots)

1 (2-pound) whole salmon fillet, skin-on preferred
3 Tbsp melted butter
2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp smoked (or regular) paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
¾ tsp salt
black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place a large piece of foil on rimmed baking sheet, place salmon fillet on top (skin side down). Crimp edges of foil around salmon to make a little "boat".

Combine melted butter and minced garlic and brush half of mixture over salmon. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over salmon. Drizzle with remaining garlic butter.

Bake for 15-22 minutes, basting with juices halfway through baking, if desired. Remove from oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve over rice. 

I served with a side of green peas for myself and my son, and some raw baby carrots for my daughter, who is not a fan of peas (or cooked carrots). She dipped them in blue cheese dressing. 

Tuesday: Ham and Egg Gravy Over Biscuits

Refrigerated biscuit dough
2 cups cooked ham, diced
1 cup diced onion
6 Tbsp butter
1 cube chicken bouillon
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
6 Tsbp flour
3 1/2 cups milk
6 hard-boiled eggs*, chopped
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley 

* If you have an Instant Pot, place a rack or trivet in the pot and arrange the eggs on it. Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 5 minutes, then allow to release naturally for 5 minutes. Immediately place eggs in a large bowl of ice and cold water deep enough to cover the eggs and let stand for 5 minutes. Peel immediately or refrigerate for later use. [For my Instant Pot, I cook for 4 minutes to avoid a ring of green around the yolks.]

Bake biscuits according to package directions. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat, then saute ham and onion for 3-4 minutes, until onions are tender. Stir in bouillon, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and milk until smooth; gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Gently stir in the eggs and parsley. Split biscuits horizontally and spoon gravy over biscuit halves. 

Adding a side of vegetables seemed weird, so we had an appetizer of strawberries and apple slices in lieu of veggies. 

Wednesday: Copycat KFC Chicken Bowls

2-1/4 cups instant potato flakes
2-1/4 cups water
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
1/2 bag (4 servings) frozen chicken nuggets
2 cups frozen corn
1 pkg chicken gravy mix (or jarred)
Shredded cheese (optional)

Prepare instant mashed potatoes according to package directions (six servings) and set aside. Cook chicken nuggets according to package directions (microwave or oven) then cut into bite-sized pieces. Place frozen corn in a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle lightly with salt, add a few tablespoons of water, and microwave for 2 minutes. Stir and allow to sit in microwave. If using gravy mix, prepare according to package directions. When ready to serve, layer the following in single serving bowls: potatoes, corn, chicken, gravy, and cheese (if using). 

Thursday: Beef Stew in Bread Bowls

Seasoning Mix:

1 ½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp black pepper

Stew:

2 Tbsp vegetable oil, plus additional as needed
2 pounds beef stew meat (or steak tips), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup diced onion
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup red wine (can substitute additional beef broth plus a splash of red wine vinegar)
2 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 pound potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
3 -4 carrots, peeled and sliced (can use baby carrots)
1 cup frozen peas
¼ cup fresh parsley
¼ cup water
2 Tbsp cornstarch

* See this site for slow cooker instructions. 

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. 

Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add about half of the meat to the pan, or as much as you can without overcrowding the pan. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the spice mixture over the meat and sauté the beef until nicely browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a dish and set aside. Repeat with the remaining beef, adding additional oil if needed, and seasoning with 2 more teaspoons of the spice mixture. Reserve remaining spice mixture for later.

Add additional oil to pan if needed and add the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the tomato paste and stir until well combined. Add the red wine and increase the heat under the pot to bring the mixture to a boil. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, remaining spice mix and bay leaf. Add the beef and all the juices that have accumulated back to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 ½ hours, or until the beef is fork tender. (If using steak tips, simmer broth and vegetables for 1 hour before adding beef to pot for remaining 30 minutes.)

Add the potatoes and carrots and bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 30 to 40 minutes until the vegetables are fork tender. Stir in the frozen peas and parsley. Whisk the cornstarch into the water and stir into stew. Continue cooking, uncovered, until thickened. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

Bread Bowls

1 1/4 cups warm water

1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

1 Tbsp sugar

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 egg white

1 Tbsp water

In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar and let sit for 10 minutes. Using a hand mixer with a dough hook, slowly add in the flour and salt. Add the olive oil and keep mixing until the dough comes together in a ball. Place dough in a large greased bowl. Cover and let rise for one hour, or until doubled in size.

Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Roll each piece until it is a smooth ball. Pull part of the top of the bread down on all sides and bring it together at the bottom so the ball is smooth. Place each ball onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and cover. Let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the egg white and water and brush each ball of dough with the egg wash mixture. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Once cool, use a knife to cut a conical piece from the top, then press the dough with your fingers to form a firm bowl. Fill with stew and enjoy!

  

Friday: Ham Fried Rice

1 egg
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup diced onion, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced or chopped
2 cups cooked white rice, cold
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tsp pepper
1 cup cooked ham, diced

In a small bowl, beat egg with water. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add egg and leave flat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from skillet and cut into shreds. Heat oil in same skillet; add onion and carrots and saute until softened. Add frozen peas, rice, soy sauce, pepper and ham. Stir fry together for about 5 minutes, until heated through, then stir in egg. 

Saturday: Orange Chicken and Broccoli over Rice 

3-4 frozen (or fresh) chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
¾ cup Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
¾ cup orange marmalade
2 tsp cornstarch
Cooked rice

If using frozen chicken breasts, place in a large pot and just cover with water. Sprinkle in a little salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn off heat and allow to sit, covered, until cooled. Remove chicken from water (it's okay if it's not completely cooked) and cut into bite-sized pieces. If using fresh chicken, just cut into bite-sized pieces.  

In Instant Pot, add in chicken pieces, barbecue sauce, and soy sauce. Pressure cook for 4 minutes, then release steam. Put ¼ cup of the liquid from the pot into a small bowl and whisk in the cornstarch. Add mixture back into pot. Stir in orange marmalade and mix well. Set pot to to sauté (high) and sauté for 6 min or until sauce thickens. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve over rice with a side of steamed broccoli (or stir broccoli into sauce).

Sunday: Mom's Night Off! Menu is either leftovers or frozen pizza.