Meal plans

SO sorry, I dropped the ball on this week's meal plans. I planned it out for myself on Sunday, but haven't gotten around to posting it. Having a toddler has taken almost all my time this week! Whew! So I will just post 7 days worth of meals, and you can take or leave them!

Before I list the meals, I must mention how I went about my shopping this week. First, I bought all my produce and some meat that was on sale at Sunflower Farmer's market. I spent about $40. (Weekly budget is $75). Then I went to Smith's and was hungry. I went over my budget because I bought things I could have made, bought things that looked good, etc. Bottom line, STICK to your budget, don't shop hungry, and the cheapest foods are whole foods, not manufactured foods. If you really need to save money, set aside time to make snacks instead of buying them. :)

This week I'm just listing dinners, and am not including a shopping list.
Day 1: Pork Roast and mashed potatoes. (The roast was on a great sale.

Day 2: Pork sandwiches and French Fries (conveniently utilizing leftover pork!)

Day 3: Chicken Noodle Soup (not the best for summer, but I had a leftover fryer chicken I just boiled to get the meat off the bones. It was really easy!

Day 4: Tortilla Casserole. This is in the oven as we speak. Hopefully it is good. See Recipe at bottom.

Day 5: Chicken Fingers and fries (lovin' potatoes this week, sorry about the Fries repeat, I guess I needed the fat!)

Day 6: Sweet & Sour Chicken with brown rice: See recipe at bottom

Day 7: Chicken Divan

Tortilla Casserole Recipe:
1 lb ground beef (using less, or even substituting beans would be fine!)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 c water
2 small cans tomato sauce
12 floud tortillas
1 8 oz cream cheese
2 c shredded cheese.

Spread cream cheese inside tortillas and roll tight. Place side-by-side in baking dish. Brown ground beef and onions, then add spices. Mix tomato sauce with water. Add to hamburger mixture and pour over tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese, cover with foil, and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
*I would add 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp basil to the spices to give it more flavor. I also might turn it into an enchilada by putting everything inside (adding refried beans and green onions). It is a relatively low-sodium meal.

Sweet & Sour Chicken Recipe: (I love this one!)
8 chicken breasts, cubed

Dip: 1-2 eggs and cornstarch(mixed well). Lightly cover chicken and fry until crispy. (I used canola oil and don't deep fry, just shallow)

Sauce:
1 c sugar
2 c vinegar
3 chicken bullion cubes
1/2 c ketchup
3 TBSP soy sauce
1 cup canned pineapple (can be crushed or cubed)
1 green bell pepper, diced.
Mix all together.

After frying chicken, remove, clean out pan, and replace chicken. Then pour sauce over the chicken. Heat until bubbly. Serve with brown rice and steamed veggies for max nutrients! I halved the recipe and had enough for 4 people! I also chose the easier method once and just bought a bottle of S&S sauce. So it's an option. You'd probably need 2 bottles for the full recipe.