Weekly Menu -- April 23 through April 29

Well, it's already Tuesday evening and I'm just now posting my weekly menu. I'm a little behind the eight ball. This is my week for monthly planning and I have been so busy looking through cookbooks and reading cooking websites, that I have been slow to write it all down.

The reason I am looking for new recipes is that I have recently found our grocery bill creeping higher and higher. I don't know if it is the cost of groceries, or that I've gotten away from budget cooking. I suspect a little of both. I try very hard to watch our pennies. I bake from scratch and purchase very few convenience items. I shop at a discount grocer and buy meat on sale from the butcher. I cook from budget cookbooks. But, I have three big boys to feed and, even though I knew the day was coming, I still get sticker shock at the check out.

So, every once in a while, I have to start searching through different resources to find new ways to cut pennies.I try not to cut corners on ingredients. I don't like to use much margarine; I'd rather use a little less real butter. I spend most of my grocery money in the produce department and the dairy.

On our menu this week we have no real five-stars meals, mostly just plain old family dinners. Sunday's dinner of Fried Chicken is a family favorite and I am trying a new recipe, so I'll give you the link. The recipe is from a new recipe website I discovered in my search for budget recipes. It's Tammy's Recipes and she has pictures of everything, which is nice, as well as reviews. We're also trying her Pepperoni Rolls on Saturday night as an alternative to our regular pizza. I might try a white version with fresh tomato and basil also.

Friday night's Cookie Dough Brownies are really yummy, so the recipe is below. I think the recipe was originally in Taste of Home and they are so good, just like a brownie with raw cookie dough on top (except no raw egg in the cookie dough). That sounds like they would be too rich (hah!), but with a glass of cold milk, they are wonderful!

And the boys were just munching on one of their favorite cookies, Cookie Brittle, which I think I found in Everyday Food. The recipe is below.

Monday
Lunch: leftover pizza
Dinner: Sloppy Joes, strawberries, Cauliflower Salad, ice cream

Tuesday
Lunch: Fried egg sandwiches
Dinner: Chicken, Tomato and Basil Pasta, bread, Cookie Brittle and Homemade vanilla ice cream

Wednesday
Lunch: Pierogies
Dinner: pancakes and bacon (dad working late)

Thursday
Lunch: Bagels and cream cheese
Dinner: Chicken snack wraps, fruit salad, tortilla chips, chocolate pudding

Friday
Lunch: pocket sandwiches, tuna or egg salad (take to the zoo)
Dinner: Cheese omelets, fruit, Cookie Dough Brownies

Saturday
Lunch: Bagels and lunch meat
Dinner: Pepperoni Rolls, salad, Cookie Dough Brownies

Sunday
Lunch: Chipotle
Dinner: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, Applesauce cake

Cookie Brittle

¾ cup unsalted butter, room temp.
1 cup sugar
½ t salt
½ t vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in salt and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour (dough will be crumbly). Stir in chocolate chips. Press mixture evenly onto 10 x 15 baking sheet (with a lip all the way around). Bake until golden brown about 20 minutes. When completely cool, break into pieces.


Cookie Dough Brownies

2 cups sugar
1½ cups flour
½ cup cocoa
½ t salt
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla

Filling:
½ cup butter or margarine
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
2 T. milk
1 t. vanilla
1 cup flour

Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 T shortening

Preheat oven to 350. Combine 2 c. sugar, 1-1/2 cups flour, cocoa and salt. Add oil, eggs and 1 t. vanilla; beat at medium speed for three minutes. Pour into greased 13 x 9 pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until they test done. Cool completely.

For filling: cream butter and sugars. Add milk and vanilla; mix well. Beat in flour. Spread over brownies. Chill until firm.

For glaze, melt chocolate chips and shortening in a saucepan, stirring until smooth. Spread over filling. Chill until glaze hardens.