Menu Plan Monday: March 1, 2010

I cooked a whole turkey this weekend, so I'll be using a lot of turkey meat & broth in meals this month! We had Turkey Soup Sunday and after the Tetrazzini & Taquitos, I think we might have a little leftover for Turkey Salad.

Monday: Turkey Tetrazzini

Tuesday: Turkey Taquitos

Wednesday: Baked Teriyaki Chicken with Stirfry Veggies & Rice

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Turkey Burgers & Fries

Saturday/Sunday: Leftovers/Date Night

For more menu planning ideas, visit OrgJunkie

Homemade "Cream Soup"

I began making my own cream soups, primarily because the canned versions contain wheat and milk ingredients. But, the canned versions of cream soups found in the grocery are full of preservatives that we try to avoid anyway. So, here is the recipe that I follow...you can change it up to make any of the cream soups.

Basic Cream Soup
Melt in a saucepan over medium-high heat:
3 Tbsp butter (or margarine)

Whisk in (cooking until bubbly)
3 Tbsp flour (I use the GF all-purpose flour mix)

Slowly add (using whisk so lumps do not form)
1 cup milk (rice milk or almond milk is fine if you're dairy-free)

Cook until thickened and completely incorporated. Add salt & pepper to taste.

**Options for changing it up:
Cheese sauce: Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese and 1/4 tsp dry mustard after you add the liquid.
Cream of mushroom: Saute 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms and 1 Tbsp chopped onions in the butter before adding the flour.
Cream of celery: Saute 1/2 cup finely chopped celery and 1 Tbsp chopped onions in the butter before adding the flour.
Cream of chicken: Use chicken broth as the liquid instead of milk or you can use 3/4 cup chicken broth & 1/4 cup milk if you like it creamier.

This basic recipe will make the equivalent of 1 can of condensed cream soup. It might be slightly more liquid. You can make it thicker by using 4 Tbsp butter/4 Tbsp flour and 1 cup liquid.

Ultimate Recipe Swap: February 25, 2010

I'm joining in the Ultimate Recipe Swap today at www.lifeasMom.com. The topic is Lunchtime, so here is my super simple lunch recipe that both kids LOVE:

Chicken Salad

chicken, shredded (I like to use leftover roasted chicken b/c it's seasoned so well)

carrots & celery, processed into small pieces (I use leftover roasted veggies if I have them)

dried dill or oregano
dill pickle relish

mustard (regular yellow or spicy Dijon)

1-2 Tbsp mayonnaise

Shred the roast chicken and stir in processed carrots & celery. Add a few shakes of dried dill or oregano (depending on which flavor you like best). Add a little relish, a little mustard and 1-2 Tbsp mayo. Mix well and add more if needed.

We like it on sandwiches or in a bowl with "dippers" (crackers, chips, carrot sticks, etc). We serve it with a side of whatever fruit we have on hand. Easy lunch!

Freezer Cooking Day

I am participating in Freezer Cooking Day(s) with Life as Mom and Money Saving Mom. I hope to make this a monthly routine...what a great way to kick off the month and make life easier down the road!

Here's my plan for cooking/baking through the next couple of days (I'll add recipes for the Tetrazzini, Taquitos & Cornbread Muffins later):

Cook a Turkey (I bought it on sale & with coupons after Christmas)
Debone & freeze some of the meat
Turkey Soup
Turkey Tetrazzini

Turkey Taquitos
Pumpkin Waffles (Bob's Red Mill GF Pancake Mix with pumpkin puree added)
Pumpkin Muffins (Whole Foods' 365 brand GF muffin Mix with pumpkin puree added)
Cornbread Muffins
Pinto Beans (soak, cook & freeze)

Taco Night

Taco seasoning packets contain MSG and other preservatives/flavorings that I try to avoid. It is super easy to make your own taco seasoning, and you can store it in a glass jar in the pantry. Here is the combination that I use (I leave out the chili powder, because my husband does not care for it. But I will include it below as most people do use it).

Taco Seasoning Mix
6 tsp chili powder
5 tsp cumin
5 tsp paprika
3 tsp onion powder
3 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Mix well and store in an airtight glass jar in the pantry.

For tacos, sprinkle a generous amount on browned ground meat, add 1/2 cup water and warm through.

**On taco night, I like a taco salad...romaine lettuce, tomatoes, red peppers, seasoned black beans, garbanzo beans, taco meat, purple onions and avocado...YUM!

Favorite Gluten Free Snacks

Here is a list of my kids' favorite gluten free snacks (again, read the labels to verify they are indeed gluten free as we mainly follow a wheat-free diet). Most of these can be found at a health food store, or you can order most from Amazon.com as well

Original Tings
Pirate's Booty -- my kids like the Veggie, Barbeque and Sea Salt & Vinegar flavors
Glutino Crackers & Pretzels
EnviroKidz bars, cereals & cookies -- my kids like the Panda (peanut butter) cereal & bars
Barbara's Bakery cereals -- there are several that are Gluten Free, but check the list
Nut-Thins crackers
Frito Lay gluten free list -- good reference, but we try to not buy too many junky chips
Chex cereal -- several are now labeled Gluten Free -- be sure to check for the GF label
Alexia sweet potato fries are a hit -- all of their potato products are GF
Ian's GF chicken nuggets/fish sticks are a treat that we sometimes buy

Naturally Gluten Free Snacks:
There are also plenty of naturally gluten free snacks to choose from as well...

Fresh fruit or frozen fruit
Veggie sticks in dip (my kids like homemade Ranch or peanut butter mixed with a little milk)
Yogurt with fruit/honey mixed in
Dried fruit & nuts (mixed together in trail mix or separately)
Nachos (melt cheese over corn or rice chips)
Chips or crackers & bean dip or salsa
Cheese & crackers
Popcorn
Smoothies
Frozen edamame (thawed with a little salt on top)
Muffins, breads, waffles, pancakes -- we like Bob's Red Mill pancake mix and I use the GF All-Purpose flour mix to make breads/muffins or the Whole Foods 365 brand GF muffin mix

Just BARE Chicken

We eat mostly chicken and turkey with a little pork here and there. So, I am always searching for better varities of chicken and turkey without too much added cost. We do have a local farmer's market vendor who sells organic chicken and eggs, and we also have a Whole Foods store here that sells organic chicken. But, I have not gone 100% organic with our chicken thus far (still refining the grocery budget). I have found one brand that our SuperTarget carries that I feel is a good compromise...Just BARE Chicken which is an off-shoot of the Gold 'n Plump brand.

Their chicken is labeled:

No Added Hormones
No Antibiotics -- Ever
All Natural
Cage Free -- Vegetable Fed

While I realize that is not organic, I feel it's better than the standard variety sold in most stores. And the Just BARE Chicken website has an offer right now for a free reusable grocery bag when you purchase one package of their chicken and fill out the online form.