Week 1 Menu for 2 by Stacci Slayton Hamilton on Scribd

In the Kitchen

It's a bit blustery here today in Central Texas - - of course, nothing like what's happening up North, but I was truly looking forward to some time in the yard.  Since I'm chillin' in the house, I thought I'd do some bulk cooking for this week so that I'd have food for lunch.

2 things I'm making with leftovers:  chicken spaghetti and chili.

For both of these recipes, the only "new" items I needed were pinto beans, Alfredo sauce, canned tomatoes and pasta.  All other items were things leftover from other recipes.

Leftover items:  frozen celery and onion leftover from the holidays; rotisserie chicken; baked beans and hamburger patties from dinner last week; ground sausage from breakfast bowls.

Chicken Alfredo**  I just added this recipe to a weekly meal planner.

Add 1 cup rotisserie chicken, 1/2 cup chopped onions and 1/2 cup chopped celery to a saucepan.  Cover slightly with water and bring to a boil.  Once the chicken, onions and celery have softened, use a slotted spoon to remove from the pan.

Add extra water, if needed, and bring to a boil.  This will be the water to boil your pasta.

I often make homemade pasta sauce or use a mix.  In these instances, I make the sauce while the pasta is cooking.

Drain the pasta and add to a casserole dish.  Add the chicken mixture and pour the Alfredo sauce over the ingredients.  Stir.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.


Chili

In a crock pot, add all the ingredients.  The thing I love about this recipe is that it always differs in what I add.

1 can pinto beans with liquid
1 can chopped tomatoes
Chili powder and cumin

Leftovers:  1/2 pound ground sausage; 1/2 can baked beans; 1/2 pound cooked hamburger; 1/2 cup chopped onions; 1/2 cup chopped celery.

Add water to cover.  I cook my chili on low for over 6 hours, so I want enough water to keep the chili from sticking to the bottom or becoming too thick.  I often don't  add extra salt or pepper because the leftover food already has those, but you can add once the chili has cooked for a while and you have tasted.

What I love about making this chili is all the ways you can use it:  juevos rancheros, chili pie, baked potatoes, soup.  With all the ways you can eat the chili, you can use whatever you have on hand.  This week, I have some corn chips for chili pie and fresh baking potatoes.

Leftover Lunch - Creamy Chicken Casserole

Creamy Chicken Casserole

1/2 - 1 cup cooked and deboned chicken, chopped
1/2 can stewed, diced tomatoes
2 cups shredded vegetables (I use broccoli slaw)
1/4 cup chopped onion or 2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup mango sauce (I bought mine from HEB)
Salt, pepper to taste
Enough water to cover

If you have enough ingredients on hand to double this recipe, you can double and then divide for 2 different recipes.

Combine all ingredients in a 3qt saucepan.  Add enough water to cover.  On low heat, simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add additional water if needed.  The mixture should be moist, but not watery when cooked down.

At this point, add either 1 cup dry pasta or 1 cup instant rice to the mixture.  Add 1 can tomato paste, 1 cup water and 1/4 cup half/half.  Stir well.  Simmer on low, covered until rice/pasta are cooked.  You can also put in a crockpot if desired.

The idea behind leftover lunch is to use as many leftover items in your fridge as possible.  Food prices continue to rise, so what I actually get to bring home gets smaller and smaller. I think often to the Great Depression and Relief Gardens which became known also as Victory Gardens at the onset of WW2.  Many smaller communities are seeing a rise in community gardens in the last few years.  Living in an apartment in a part of town without a community garden, I have to be creative to stretch my food budget.

Extreme coupon-ing and shopping sales may work for many families.  Even joining a wholesale club could be beneficial.  I've looked into all these options.  Utilizing part coupons and part sales, I also had to develop techniques and recipes to use every bit of food purchased to keep my costs in line.

When I can purchase chicken for $1 a pound, for instance, I buy quite a bit of it and portion it in zip bags.  Each portioned bag contains enough chicken for 2 -3 meals.  When I cook, I prep as many meals at the same time to cut down on the time I am actually in the kitchen.

Recently, I created menu lists for my oldest daughter who was leaving the nest.  When I asked her how I could help her with recipes, etc, she asked for directions on my cooking many things at the same time.  This recipe was on the chicken page.