Grocery List and Menu

Here's what's on the menu and grocery list this week. Here lately I've been into doing my own thing so no food network recipes this week. I needed another easy week, and also I was inspired to try and create my own Carrabas Chicken Bryan...it's SO good. If I can even come close it will be worth it. There was a lot of the front portion of my list because I'm throwing a shower next weekend, and I'm expecting to make some food for one of my friends who is having a baby. The total bill was $137, but I think it would have been more like $110 if you take some of that extra stuff out. But, stuff like that comes up, and that's that. The makeshift recipes to my concoctions are below.

Meals

Mother’s Day Lunch (Bacon Quiche, Heather’s Warm Potato Salad, Ceasar Salad, and Mocha Shakes)
Heather’s Turkey Meatballs with Italian Spinach
Chicken Bryan
Cuban Sandwiches with Fruit
Talapia with pesto with Meredith’s Roasted Veggies



Grocery List

Staples

Milk
Cerael (Oatmeal Squares for Heather’s work)
Fat Free Half and Half
Whole Wheat English Muffins
2 jar strawberry fruit spread (Polaners or Smuckers)
1 bag confectioners sugar
Low Fat Cream Cheese
Frozen corn
1 jalepeno pepper
1 can diced tomatoes
Shredded colby jack cheese
Lunch Meat
Power Bars/Granola Bars
Triscuits
Nature’s Valley Granola Bars with Dark Chocolate
Bowtie Pasta
4 cans canned chicken
Brummel and Brown butter spread
Whole Wheat Bread
Yarnell Vanilla Frozen Yogurt


Ingredients for Meals

Ground Turkey
Squash, zuchinni and onion
2 dozen eggs
Swiss Cheese Block
Parmesean Cheese block
Fresh Mozerrella
Goat Cheese
1 bag spinach
1 bag Romaine hearts
Ceasar Dressing
Fresh Chives
1 bunch green onions
Canned, sun dried tomatos
Chicken Breasts

1 loaf french bread/or sandwich bread for Cuban Sandwiches
1 box frozen spinach
1 small white onion
Roast Beef
Pre made pesto (in refridgerated section)
Spaghetti Sauce
Italian Seasoning
Turkey Bacon
Heavy Cream (have to have 3 cups)
Ceasar Croutons

Heather's Turkey Meatballs and Italian Spinach - Form sizable meatballs with ground turkey. Form a little hole in the meatball and stuff with Italian seasoning, fresh mozzerella, and parmesean cheese. Seasons with salt and Pepper. Put in crock pot and pour your favorite spaghetti sauce over them. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. For the spinach, simply buy some frozen spinach, add a little milk and olive oil to thin out. Add fresh grated parmesean cheese and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning and cook in saucepan over medium heat until spinach is warm.

Chicken Bryan - I had this dish from Carrabbas and just had to try and recreate it at home. I looked up and couple of variations on the internet to get some ideas. There was tons of butter in most of the recipes I found, so I'm going to substitute a lot of it with Olive Oil. This is a total test run so we'll see how it turns out. This is what I'm going to do: Pound out chicken breasts until about 1/4 inch thick. Season with some poulty seasoning. Cook on stove top until cooked through, about 5 minute on each side on medium. Meanwhile in another pan on medium heat, drizzle about 4 tablespoon olive oil. Add to it 2 tablespoons butter. When melted, add 1/4 cup chopped onions. When onions are tender (about 5 minutues) add 1/2 cup dry white cooking wine, 1 tbsp lemon juice, increase heat and reduce to half. When reduced, add some fresh or dry basil, and 4 tablespoons canned sundried tomatoes. Spoon this sauce over cooked chicken. Top it with medalions of fresh goat cheese (DO NOT skip this part...the cheese is the BEST part!). Enjoy!

Cuban Sandwiches and Fruit - EASY CHEESY! Simply make a standard Cuban sandwich. To a sliced french or sandwich baguette, brush on olive oil or butter, add roast beef, provolone, pickles and mustard. Shredded lettuce is optional. Toast in over on 450 for about 8 minutes. Service with fresh grapes or apple slices.

Talapia with Pesto and Meredith's Veggies - For talapia simply season with salt and pepper and cook in pan on medium about 2 or 3 minutes on either side. Top with homemade or store bought pesto. To make your own pesto, take fresh basil, about 1/2 cup parmesean cheese, a palmfull of pine nuts, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and pulse in food processor. Add Olive oil to get it your desired consistency. For the Veggies, dice up the veggies of your choice and marinate them in italian dressing overnight. I am using squash, zuchinni, and onions. Roast in oven (350 for 25 minutes) or cook on stove top (medium heat for about 15 minutes)