"Don't Want to Pack it and Move it" Food Challenge - Menu for Week #2

Cranberry-orange and ginger bars made from leftover cranberry-orange ginger relish

Week 1 of my food challenge has finished and I did a good job of using items from my pantry and freezer.  I did order pizza one night instead of cooking because we had an appointment so one of the meals we missed will be on this week. We did go grocery shopping on Saturday to pick up milk, creamer, and some fresh fruit and veggies, but there was much I didn't purchase because I have a lot in my pantry that needs to go.

Here is the menu for Week #2:

Breakfast - Other than Dan and I no one else really eats breakfast here so I made granola last week and that's what we will have most days.

Also will make a batch of tabbouleh and to be honest, I love to eat this for breakfast as well.

Lunch - Nathan is home a couple of days and will probably eat whatever leftovers we have. 

Wednesday & Thursday we will be gone and the boys are on their own.

Making a double batch of blueberry jam which will use up 8 cups of blueberries.

Monday
Lemon-garlic chicken with capers
Rice
Tossed Salad

Uses up 1 package of chicken from the freezer.

Tuesday
Pasta with tomatoes, bacon and shredded Brussels sprouts
Homemade Italian bread
Tossed Salad

Uses up 1 box of farfalle, 1/4 lb. of bacon.

Wednesday & Thursday - Sorry boys, you are on your own!

Friday
Homemade Calzones
Homemade marinara
Tossed Salad

Uses up 1 package of mozzarella cheese, 1 package of pepperoni, 1 can of tomato sauce

Saturday
Chicken noodle soup
Homemade Bread

Uses up 1 package of chicken breast, turkey carcass which I'll use to make stock, 1/2 bag peas, 1/2 bag corn

Sunday
Breakfast for dinner 

Uses up 1/2 bag hashbrowns, 1/2 lb. bacon, 1/2 bag bagels

Here is to a tasty and frugal week!

This is not the normal tuna noodle casserole I grew up on where you add a can of cream of mushroom soup to the dish. I did an upgraded version of it and it was tasty. Someone asked me for the recipe so I'm putting it here. I make it up as I go along so hopefully, I haven't forgotten anything.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:
1 cup of onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup grated parmesan

4 six ounce cans of tuna

2 cups of frozen peas
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 bay leaf
Salt & pepper to taste
1 box of rotini pasta
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil and make the rotini pasta per package instructions. You can really use any kind of pasta. Rotini is what I had on hand.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the chopped onion and sauté until the onion is translucent. Add in the flour and stir until smooth. Add in the milk, cream and cheese, mustard, bay leaf and salt and pepper. Simmer until thickened. Add in the tuna and peas and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 8-10 minutes.

Transfer mixture to 9x13" pan. Add the pasta and mix together well. In the same saucepan that you used melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter. Add panko breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the tuna casserole.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.