Meal Plan Sept 9

There's quite a few people who I follow on facebook who also meal plan each week.
I love looking at their ideas and reasons for doing a meal plan.
My main motivation for doing so is because it saves me time and it saves me money. It saves me time because I can start to prep in the morning and there are no mad dashes to the supermarket after work. It saves money as I am one of those people who always gets a couple more things than what is on the list.
Another fantastic thing about doing up a meal plan each week is that the rest of the family know what's for dinner too - It saves the nagging voices of starving* children asking me twenty times "What's for dinner". They simply go to the fridge and look at the list that is written up there.
(*I'm going to make a big assumption and presume that people actually know that my children are NOT starving, and that it's just a figure of speech)


Monday

 Home Made Pizza
Ive really only put this picture for ideas. We all have different pizza toppings in our house and this is always a winner


Tuesday

Chicken Schnitzel and potato salad
I actually don't make the schnitzel in the picture and in fact the link doesn't take you to a recipe. Essentially I set up 3 plates - one with plain flour, one with a lightly whisked egg and one with breadcrumbs, mixed herbs and finely grated Parmesan then simply dredge the chicken through all 3 in order. Then I use cooking spray and lightly fry them. They are delicious and I try to make leftovers as they are even better cold


Wednesday

Beef and Rice Noodle Stir Fry
I usually add extra vege's to this one. Things like baby corn, capsicum, broccoli, cauliflower or mushroom work well.


Thursday

 Spinach and Feta turnovers
To add some extra flavour I generally add some cheddar, nutmeg and paprika to the mix. Yum

Friday

Beer Batter Fish and chips
Can't go wrong with fish and chips!

Recipes - Cream cheese beef rolls

Cream cheese beef rolls

 

Ingredients

750g            Beef sizzle steak (sometimes called minute steaks) *
125g            Packaged light cream cheese (can be full fat if you want but the light spreads better)
2 tbs            Mixed herbs (you can add more or less depending on your taste preference)
                     Cracked pepper (optional) for taste
                     Flour
                     Cooking spray (you can use oil if you prefer)
1 tbs            Salt reduced soy sauce
1/2 cup        Beef stock
200ml          Light evaporated milk (again this can be the regular evaporated milk if you prefer)
1 tsp             Cornflour
 2 tsp            Parsley      

* If you can't find the sizzle/minute steaks you can use rump steak. What you then need to do is trim the fat and flatten each piece with a meat mallet until about 2-3mm tick (basically flatten them to as thin as you can without destroying them or getting holes if that makes sense) 

* I will aim to have  'how to' photos to follow this week


Method

1. Combine cream cheese, mixed herbs and pepper (if using). It is best if you can get the cream cheese out of the fridge at least 15 minutes prior to using to allow it to soften which makes spreading it that much easier.
2. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the steak pieces. You can do this as a bulk thing which allows you to make the distribution as even as possible.
3. Roll us each steak and secure with toothpicks. Personally, I like to use 2 toothpicks per roll, even if it only needs one. My logic is that when I am ready to remove the toothpicks I know to look for 2 in each roll (so no worries about if you have left any in there)
4. Light coat each roll with flour.
5. Spray a frypan (I use an electric frypan on medium) with cooking spray (or heat oil if using)
6. Brown rolls. Depending on the size of your frypan you may need to do this in batches.
7. Combine soy sauce and stock. Add to the pan on a low, simmering heat.
8. Use this time (as rolls are simmering) to remove the toothpicks. In total I simmer for around 5-10 minutes
9. Use a little of the evaporated milk to mix with the cornflour then add the cornflour mix plus remaining evaporated milk and parsley to the meat. (Sometimes I use the whole 375ml can of evaporated milk, it depends on my enthusiasm to make something with the leftover during the week)
10. Bring to the boil until reduced (by about half) and thickened. If you are concerned about the meat becoming too tough at this stage you can remove to a plate to keep warm.

Great served with a combined potato & sweet potato mash. The sauce is so good on mash.


* Steps 1-4 can be done ahead of time, ie. in the morning, as you rush around hanging the washing, cutting up fruit, nagging kids to get dressed and brush their teeth so they're not late for school. You know, a normal carefree morning!!







 

Recipes - Slow cooked beef roast

 

Slow cooked beef roast

 

Ingredients

750g-1kg              Topside beef roast

½ cup                     Red wine
2 tbs                      Mustard (I use Thomy brand but a seeded mustard would also be fine)
2-3                          Bay leaves          
2 tbs                      Gravy powder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Method

1. Spread mustard over the top of beef.

2. Place roast in slow cooker with red wine and bay leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Cook on low for 6 hours.

4. Approximately 10-15 minutes before serving, place beef in oven at 160 degrees to keep warm and to firm up the outside a bit (this makes it easier to slice too)
5. Add enough gravy mix to red wine/pan juices in the slow cooker to create consistency that you like. (I will admit that I never measure this out and only put 2tbs at the top as a guide)
6. Slice roast and serve with gravy and roast vegetables.
I love this recipe for roast potatoes and often do my pumpkin and carrots the same way: http://natashaskitchen.com/2013/05/29/oven-roasted-baby-red-potatoes/