Meal Plan Monday--The Tuesday edition

Yesterday was a very busy day so I wasn't able to post our week's menu. Here's what's on tap:

Sunday: Grilled BBQ chicken sandwiches, potato chips, baked beans, carrots, pineapple.

Monday: Fajita salads. (Marinate thinly sliced steak strips in half bottle of Italian dressing, 1 tsp cumin and a couple of dashes of hot sauce for 1 hour--or however much time you have! In hot skillet coated with cooking spray cook thinly sliced red & green peppers and onions. Add steak--and marinade--and cook through. Serve over salad greens, drained and rinsed black beans, rinsed frozen corn, crushed tortilla chips/taco shells. Top with cheese and dressing made from equal parts sour cream and salsa.)

Tuesday: Stromboli, salads, fruit, chocolate cake.

Wednesday: Catalina chicken (marinated chicken in Catalina dressing and then grill), grilled potato packets, green beans

Thursday: Quiche, fruit salad

Friday: Salmon cakes, rice peas

Saturday: At 8isgreat's house!

For more ideas check out OrgJunkie!

Time Saving Tuesday -- make ahead breakfasts

My oldest loves french toast. She'll eat 2 pieces each day for breakfast. I had been buying the frozen french toast at Trader Joes ($2.19 for 6 slices.) I hadn't ever thought too much about how much it cost until this month when I switched to an all cash grocery system. Suddenly, having to pay $2.19 in cash for just 6 slices (3 servings for my daughter) seemed like way too much when I knew I could make french toast cheaper by myself.

The problem was the time and effort. I'm 6 months pregnant and still suffer from morning sickness. Mornings are not my best time of day to be cooking and cleaning. But when I found a recipe for french toast that made a ton and could be frozen--and got great reviews--I knew I had to try it.

I tried it out last week and it was a HUGE hit among the kids (and even my husband who isn't much of a french toast fan.) It's called Disney French Toast.

I made some changes. I used regular whole wheat sandwich bread rather than Texas toast. I added a little cinnamon to the batter. And I also cooked them on my counter top griddle with cooking spray rather than in a skillet with oil. It used a whole loaf, and when my family was finished eating we had just 4 slices left to freeze. To freeze I placed them on a metal cookie sheet for about 30 minutes in the freezer and then placed them into a ziplock bag. The recipe suggests microwaving them to reheat, but I think they'd be pretty soggy. Instead we place them in the toaster oven at 350 for 8 minutes.




My daughter thinks they taste even better than the Trader Joes ones! We're saving money--and time making breakfast each morning! On my agenda today is to make a whole batch just for freezing!

Harris Teeter 4/8 - 4/14 update

Many BOGO offers this week at HT.
Crystal Light is BOGO, there was a B2G1 free Q in the 3/29 SS.
Betty Crocker fruit snacks are 3/$5. In the Charlottesville store there are hot pink $1/1 peelies for the BC fruit snacks on the front of many GM cereal boxes. This makes them $2 for 3 boxes, less than 70c/box.
Greeen Giant frozen vegetables are just $.99/box. There was a $.50/2 Q in the 4/05 SS which doubles to $1. So, 2 boxes for $.98, or $.49 ea!
Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch are 3/$6. There are $3/3 GM peelie Qs out there, making these $1/box.
The 1 lb. contaniers of strawberries were 4/$5, just $1.25 ea! This was not in the ad. The ad shows the 1 lb. container to be 2/$6.
The HT deli ham is buy 1 lb. (at $6/lb - no way!) and get 2 lbs free! So, you pay just about $2/lb. I bought six pounds to freeze for stromboli. A friend made this for our family when our 7th blessing was born. Our children love this recipe:

Stromboli
the DOUGH:
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg yeast mixed with 1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 cups water

Mix flour & salt in a large bowl. In a small bowl dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. When dissolved add to flour. Next, add olive oil and 1 1/4 cups water. Mix. Knead for about 4 min. Let rise in greased covered bowl for 1 hour.

the FILLING:
thickly sliced ham
pepperoni slices
mozzarella slices

Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll out eace piece and layer ham, pepperoni and cheese on 1/2 of the circle. Fold uncovered side over filling and pinch edges together. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Serve with sauce (Bertolli - of course!) and a salad.

Note: this can be frozen before cooking, and it still tastes great!

For more great deals and coupon match ups for HT this week see Frugal Momma's post below (04/08).