Menu Plan Monday

Hello everyone. Sorry I've been away so long. Thursday I was recouping AND getting ready for Friday at school. Friday was our 100th day of school and I planned a lot of fun activities for my students. The biggest hit was the 100 numbers scavenger hunt. I wrote the numbers 1-100 on 3 different colored circle stickers and stuck them all over the room. Then I gave them a "100 chart" and gave them 15 minutes to find as many as they could. As they found the numbers, they were to color the square on the chart the same color as the sticker. They had a blast! I told the 1st grade teachers about it at lunch and they were so taken with it, my class ended up "hosting" all 3 1st grade classes at different times to play along with us (since I already had the 100 stickers placed all over my room). Even the principal and the assistant principal stopped by to see what was going on! Let's hope that improves my standing with her (the principal).

Friday evening Steven arrived and he has been here all weekend! The 2 younger kids were gone with their dad, so it was really just me and him, since the teenagers were busy with their own social activities. It has been really nice....(sigh). Wait until I have time to show you the new sheets he bought me (my old flannel sheets were so old, they were shredding!). (No bed jokes, Coffeypot!)

So anyway, it's time again for Menu Plan Monday. )Check HERE for the home of Menu Plan Monday). Here are my plans for this week:

Monday: Spaghetti, turkey meatballs, fresh Italian bread, salad.

Tuesday: Dinner courtesy of my parents (Faculty meeting night)

Wednesday: Slower Cooker Dilled Pot Roast (thanks to Laura of Organization Junkie)

Thursday: Tater Tot Casserole (thanks to Connie from "Tales from the Fridge")

Recipe:
Tator Tot Casserole
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 can Cream Mushroom Soup
1/4 cup milk
1 cup low fat sour cream
16 oz. pkg frozen mixed vegetables
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (medium or sharp)
Tator Tots

Brown ground beef and drain. Sauté onion until translucent. Mix beef and onions together. In bowl mix soup, milk, sour cream. Stir until well blended. In 9'x13' freezer/oven pan layer ingredients evenly as follows:1. Ground beef/onion mixture.2. Frozen Vegetables (break up any clumps of vegetables)3. Soup/milk/sour cream mixture.4. Cheddar cheese.5. Top with layer of tater tots.Cover with plastic wrap and then pan lid or aluminum foil and freeze. Freezes about 6 months.To heat: Preheat oven to 350'. Bake UNCOVERED 35-45 minutes until tater tots are brown and casserole is bubbly.

Friday: Leftovers or eat out

Saturday: Sandwiches, Leftovers
Spud Special Soup (from "Keeper of the Home")

3 Tbsp butter
1 large onion
1/2 cup thinly slice carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1 garlic clove (or more, if you like it)
4 cups diced potato
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. parsley flakes (fresh parsley is even nicer though- around 2-3 Tbsp)
2 cups milk ( you could also use yogurt in a pinch)
(My own addition to this recipe is chopped sausage- any nice, natural beef or chicken sausage tastes great!)
1/2 cup grated cheese for garnish
Put first 5 ingredients into a large pot and saute veggies until onion is soft and clear.
Add potato, chicken broth, salt, pepper and parsley (and sausage, if desired). Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer slowly until all cooked, stirring occasionally. Stir in milk at the very end, after turning off the heat (do not allow it to boil once the milk has been added).
Garnish with cheese. Serves 4-5.


Sunday: Leftovers

Apple Cinnamon Muffins (also from Stephanie at "Keeper of the Home"):

3 cups flour
2 cups buttermilk, kefir or yogurt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. melted butter
2-3 apples, grated or diced
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Raisins
1) Add the flour to a large bowl, stir in your choice of cultured dairy until well mixed, then cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place and leave for 12-24 hours (the longer, the better). The recipe notes that if you have dairy allergies, you can substitute 2 cups of water with 2 Tbsp of either whey, lemon, or vinegar instead, for soaking the flour.
2) Blend in remaining ingredients.
3) Pour into well-buttered muffin tins, filling about 3 quarters full. Bake at 325 C for about 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Say a prayer for me - I have to go to bat for my oldest son tomorrow over an English grade. It could mean the difference between receiving his Honors diploma or not.
Have a great Monday!

J.