MMC 30-Minute Menus for January 30, 2011

I don't know about you but my budget is having a rough time right now with all the heating bills! The menus this week are a quick fix to a tight budget with a 'cook once - eat three times' combination along with less expensive menus throughout the week. Inexpensive doesn't mean ho-hum; these menus are just a flavorful and hearty as ever!

The Friday menu, Chicken Taco Ring, is just plain fun for the whole family! Everyone can spice-up their meal just like they like it.

The Saturday night menu, Hot Brats with German Potato Salad, has an easy prep that makes it great for a family night but is also tasty enough for a casual company night! If you are having company, I would recommend the Tex-Mex 'Party in a Bag' appetizer course consisting of: a Sharp Cheddar Wedge or Slices with Farmhouse Chutney; Buffalo Wings and Celery, Carrots,Ripe Olives, Sliced Apples with Blue Cheese Dressing; Tortilla Chips and Simple Water Crackers; Smokehouse Almonds. This will keep everything easy and casual plus leave you time to enjoy your guests, too!

Do you have a party in your plans? If so, check out the latest feature on my website - 'Party in a Bag'! The Bags are designed to help you pull your party together in 30 minutes - flat! I love to entertain but don't often have the time required to pull off a big, fancy 'do', so, over the years, I have learned a few short-cuts; I will share them with you.

If you are planning a dinner party or family gathering, take a look at the Holiday and Special '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' on my website. You will find menu ideas to help with your celebration or 'do'.

The Family Meals '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' are developed to help with both weeknight and special dinner prep. I create Complete Menu Plans using the 30-minute menus from this blog:

• The Complete Menu Plans give you recipes and step-by-step instructions for preparing the complete meal (not just the entree as most meal plans do) in 30 minutes - flat! I even include a grocery list to save unnecessary trips to the grocery store.
• These are eComplete Menu Plans so you can purchase the menu plan now and use it for dinner tonight!
• You won't have to spend your precious time thinking of menu ideas and then looking up the recipes - I will send it all directly to you!
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each.
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each. If you have found my 30-minute menus helpful, then you must check out the 30-Minute Complete Menu Plans!

You will find that I use several cooking methods, mix and match, to get dinner on the table quickly! (The ingredients in parenthesis show some of my quick-prep steps.) You can always substitute your favorite made-from-scratch recipes when you have more time.

I hope you have a great week!

Sunday:
Cheese Stuffed Jumbo Shells (vegetarian: jarred marinara sauce, shredded cheeses)
Mixed Greens and Pear Salad (bagged salad greens, canned pears)
Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes (yellow cake mix, canned crushed pineapple)

Monday:
Turkey Breast with Herbed Wine Sauce (crock pot; save some turkey for Wednesday and Friday)
Mashed Potatoes (frozen mashed potato steamers; purchase extra steamers for Thursday)
Green Beans
Pecan Tarts (purchased pecan tarts, whipped cream topping; save some whipped cream topping for Thursday and Friday)

Tuesday:
Tuna Burgers
Buns and Condiments (purchased sandwich buns, jarred condiments)
Cheesy Potato Wedges (shredded cheddar cheese)
Slaw (bagged slaw mix, jarred slaw dressing; purchase extra for Saturday)
Rocky Road Brownies (boxed brownie mix)

Wednesday:
Mexi-Mac Turkey with Double Cheese (turkey from Monday, boxed mac&cheese mix, shredded cheese; purchase extra cheese for Friday)
Fresh Broccoli
Cookie S'mores (purchased cookies, bagged chocolate morsels, mini-marshmallows)

Thursday:
Shepherd's Pie (frozen mashed potato steamers, canned mixed vegetables and soup)
Waldorf Salad
Cherry Fluff (canned cherry pie filling and pineapple, whipped cream topping)

Friday:
Turkey Taco Ring Bake (turkey from Monday; refrigerated crescent rolls, shredded cheese, canned tomatoes)
Salsa and Sour Cream Toppings with Shredded Lettuce (jarred salsa, bagged shredded lettuce)
Refried Beans (canned beans)
Red Onion - Orange Salad (canned Mandarin orange sections)
Heavenly Hash (canned fruits, frozen whipped topping)

Saturday:
Hot Brats (fully cooked brats)
German Potato Salad (canned potatoes)
Cole Slaw (shredded slaw mix, jarred cole slaw dressing)
Apple Cobbler (canned apple pie filling, puff pastry)

Get inspired for your weekly menus at OrgJunkie!

I sincerely hope you have fun with your meal planning and preparation,
Elizabeth Randall and Family

MMC 30-Minute Menus for January 23, 2011

Cabin fever anyone? While the weather outside may be beautiful, it is very cold making it easy to stay indoors (and get cabin fever!). The menus this week will have your house smelling wonderful with all those great winter-time aromas. The menus are also easy on the budget for smiles all around!

The Saturday menu, Beef Burgundy, has an easy prep that makes it great for a family night but is also fancy enough for company! If you are having company, I would recommend the Curry Shrimp Cocktail 'Party in a Bag' appetizer course consisting of: a Camembert Round; Shrimp Cocktail with Tamarind Coconut Curry; Endive, Snow Peas, Asparagus Spears, Bell Peppers with Pineapple Chipotle Salsa; Sea Salt Pita Chips and Simple Water Crackers; Wasabi & Soy Sauce Almonds. This will complement the meal nicely and leave you time to enjoy your guests, too!

Do you have a party in your plans? If so, check out the latest feature on my website - 'Party in a Bag'! The Bags are designed to help you pull your party together in 30 minutes - flat! I love to entertain but don't often have the time required to pull off a big, fancy 'do', so, over the years, I have learned a few short-cuts; I will share them with you.

If you are planning a dinner party or family gathering, take a look at the Holiday and Special '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' on my website. You will find menu ideas to help with your celebration or 'do'.

The Family Meals '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' are developed to help with both weeknight and special dinner prep. I create Complete Menu Plans using the 30-minute menus from this blog:

• The Complete Menu Plans give you recipes and step-by-step instructions for preparing the complete meal (not just the entree as most meal plans do) in 30 minutes - flat! I even include a grocery list to save unnecessary trips to the grocery store.
• These are eComplete Menu Plans so you can purchase the menu plan now and use it for dinner tonight!
• You won't have to spend your precious time thinking of menu ideas and then looking up the recipes - I will send it all directly to you!
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each.
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each. If you have found my 30-minute menus helpful, then you must check out the 30-Minute Complete Menu Plans!

You will find that I use several cooking methods, mix and match, to get dinner on the table quickly! (The ingredients in parenthesis show some of my quick-prep steps.) You can always substitute your favorite made-from-scratch recipes when you have more time.

I hope you have a great week!

Sunday:
Chicken Veronique (boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders, sliced mushrooms; purchase extra mushrooms for Saturday)
Rice or Pasta
Sauteed Yellow Squash
Caprese Salad
Double Chocolate Torte (purchased pound cake and chocolate frosting)

Monday:
Mexican Beef and Cheese Soup (shredded cheese; purchase extra shredded cheeses for Thursday)
Tortillas with Guacamole Spread
Brownies (purchased brownies)

Tuesday:
Speedy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches (canned or deli chicken, bottled BBQ sauce; purchase extra chicken for Friday)
Buns and Condiments (purchased buns, jarred condiments)
Baked Potato Wedges
Cole Slaw (bagged slaw mix, jarred slaw dressing)
Fruit Pizza Cookies (purchased sugar cookie dough)

Wednesday:
Lemony Pan Seared Pork Chops (prepared lemon juice, jarred capers)
Pasta (boxed pasta)
Fresh Broccoli Spears
Rice Krispy Treats (rice cereal, mini-marshmallows, chocolate morsels)

Thursday:
Super Supper Stuffed Spuds (vegetarian; microwave potatoes and bake in oven to finish, shredded cheeses, bagged chopped veggies)
Mandarin Spinach Salad (bagged baby spinach, canned Mandarin oranges, bottled Asian-type salad dressing)
Single Layer Yellow Cake with Berries (yellow cake mix, frozen whipped topping, seasonal berries)

Friday:
Weeknight Chicken Divan (canned or deli chicken, frozen broccoli and cheese mix)
Long-Grain White Rice
Fruit Salad (fresh, seasonal fruit)
Apple Pie a la Mode (purchased apple pie and ice cream; purchase extra ice cream for Saturday)

Saturday:
Beef Burgundy (sliced mushrooms; any leftovers make a fine soup base)
Wide Egg Noodles
Marinated Green Bean and Red Pepper Salad (jarred herb vinaigrette)
Warm French Rolls (purchased bread)
Peach Sundaes (purchased ice cream and jarred peach preserves)

Get inspired for your weekly menus at OrgJunkie!

I sincerely hope you have fun with your meal planning and preparation,
Elizabeth Randall and Family

MMC 30-Minute Menus for January 16, 2011

Are you staying warm and cozy? The menus this week will keep you warm on the inside and keep everyone at your table satisfied with the wonderful foods of the winter season. I have included a 'cook once - eat three times' combo this week so you can enjoy the fun of the winter season, too!

To chase away the cold-weather blues, I am having a Party Friday night. It will be a vegetarian Spaghetti Fest but you can add meat to your sauce if you prefer. For the appetizer course I will stick to the Italian theme with the Italian Buffet from my 'Party in a Bag' collection: Parmesan Wedge and Tuscan Olive Cheese Ball; Prosciutto Figs, Apricots, Melon, and Asparagus Spears; Red Pepper & Romano Bruschetta Topping and Artichoke Pesto; Asiago Cheese Crackers and Baguette Crisps; Feta Stuffed Gourmet Olives.

Do you have a party in your plans? If so, check out the latest feature on my website - 'Party in a Bag'! The Bags are designed to help you pull your party together in 30 minutes - flat! I love to entertain but don't often have the time required to pull off a big, fancy 'do', so, over the years, I have learned a few short-cuts; I will share them with you.

If you are planning a dinner party or family gathering, take a look at the Holiday and Special '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' on my website. You will find menu ideas to help with your celebration or 'do'.

The Family Meals '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' are developed to help with both weeknight and special dinner prep. I create Complete Menu Plans using the 30-minute menus from this blog:

• The Complete Menu Plans give you recipes and step-by-step instructions for preparing the complete meal (not just the entree as most meal plans do) in 30 minutes - flat! I even include a grocery list to save unnecessary trips to the grocery store.
• These are eComplete Menu Plans so you can purchase the menu plan now and use it for dinner tonight!
• You won't have to spend your precious time thinking of menu ideas and then looking up the recipes - I will send it all directly to you!
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each.
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each. If you have found my 30-minute menus helpful, then you must check out the 30-Minute Complete Menu Plans!

You will find that I use several cooking methods, mix and match, to get dinner on the table quickly! (The ingredients in parenthesis show some of my quick-prep steps.) You can always substitute your favorite made-from-scratch recipes when you have more time.

I hope you have a great week!

Sunday:
Blackened Fish on Bed of Julienned Vegetables (bagged broccoli slaw mix)
Red Beans and Rice (boxed mix)
No-Bake Cheesecake Tarts (purchased graham cracker tart shells, instant cheesecake pudding mix)

Monday:
Oven Fried Chicken (boneless, skinless chicken breast or tenders, seasoned coating mix for chicken)
Macaroni and Double Cheese (boxed macaroni and cheese dinner, shredded cheese; save some cheese or purchase extra for Wednesday)
Italian Green Beans (frozen mix)
Just Baked Cookies (take-and-bake cookies)

Tuesday:
Roast Beef and Vegetables (crock pot; save leftover beef for Thursday and Saturday)
Tossed Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing (bagged salad greens, bottled salad dressing)
Ginger Shortcakes with Caramelized Pears (baking mix, canned pears)

Wednesday:
Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwiches (deli ham and turkey, shredded cheddar cheese)
3-Bean Salad (jarred 3-bean salad)
Derby Pie Tarts (purchased tart shells, chocolate morsels, chopped pecans, canned whipped cream)

Thursday:
Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry (beef from Tuesday; bagged, cut broccoli)
Rice
Sesame Cuke Salad
Phyllo Raspberry Creams (frozen phyllo cups, instant pudding mix)

Friday:
Spaghetti Fest of Spinach Pesto and Marinara Sauce (vegetarian; jarred marinara sauce, bagged spinach)
Pasta of Choice
Creamy Blue Cheese Lettuce Wedges (jarred salad dressing)
Garlic Bread
Tiramisu (purchased lady finger cookies)

Saturday:
Beef Vegetable Soup (beef from Tuesnday; canned vegetables and mushroom gravy)
Gouda or Cheddar Paninis
Blueberry Turnovers (blueberry jam inside crescent rolls with sugar glaze on top)

Get inspired for your weekly menus at OrgJunkie!

I sincerely hope you have fun with your meal planning and preparation,
Elizabeth Randall and Family

MMC 30-Minute Menus for January 9, 2011

I hope your New Year has had a grand start! The menus this week will keep you warm and cozy with the great comfort foods of winter. The aromas coming from the kitchen will have everyone ready and waiting for supper this week!

The Saturday night menu, Beef Bourguignon, is easy enough for a family night yet fancy enough for guests. If you are having company, I would recommend the Easy Elegance 'Party in a Bag' appetizer course consisting of: Brie Round with Mango Chutney; Smoked Salmon and Grapes, Endive, Snow Peas, Asparagus Spears with Cucumber Dill Dip; Blue Cheese and Sesame Seed Crackers and Simple Water Crackers; Citrus Stuffed Gourmet Olives.

Do you have a party in your plans? If so, check out the latest feature on my website - 'Party in a Bag'! The Bags are designed to help you pull your party together in 30 minutes - flat! I love to entertain but don't often have the time required to pull off a big, fancy 'do', so, over the years, I have learned a few short-cuts; I will share them with you.

If you are planning a dinner party or family gathering, take a look at the Holiday and Special '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' on my website. You will find menu ideas to help with your celebration or 'do'.

The Family Meals '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' are developed to help with both weeknight and special dinner prep. I create Complete Menu Plans using the 30-minute menus from this blog:

• The Complete Menu Plans give you recipes and step-by-step instructions for preparing the complete meal (not just the entree as most meal plans do) in 30 minutes - flat! I even include a grocery list to save unnecessary trips to the grocery store.
• These are eComplete Menu Plans so you can purchase the menu plan now and use it for dinner tonight!
• You won't have to spend your precious time thinking of menu ideas and then looking up the recipes - I will send it all directly to you!
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each.
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each. If you have found my 30-minute menus helpful, then you must check out the 30-Minute Complete Menu Plans!

You will find that I use several cooking methods, mix and match, to get dinner on the table quickly! (The ingredients in parenthesis show some of my quick-prep steps.) You can always substitute your favorite made-from-scratch recipes when you have more time.

I hope you have a great week!

Sunday:
Pork Medallions with Tarragon Sauce
Buttered Rotinni (boxed pasta)
Steamed Zucchinni
Blueberry Cheesecake Tarts (graham cracker tart shells, instant cheesecake pudding mix, blueberry jam)

Monday:
Fiesta Chicken (boneless, skinless chicken breasts, Ro*Tel canned tomatoes; purchase extra chicken for Thursday and Friday)
Yellow Rice (boxed rice mix)
Mexi-Corn (canned corn)
Fresh Fruit Salad (vanilla yogurt for dressing)
Ice Cream Sundaes (purchased ice cream and toppings)

Tuesday:
Ravioli Mediteranea (vegetarian; purchased ravioli, jarred pasta sauce, shredded cheese; purchase extra pasta sauce for Thursday is using pasta sauce rather than pesto)
Tossed Salad
Heavenly Angel Food Cake (purchased angel food cake, strawberry jam, whipped cream topping)

Wednesday:
Salisbury Steaks on Bed of Onions
Acorn Squash with Peas (frozen peas)
Citrus Salad (jarred fruit)
Apple Tarts (puff pastry, canned apple pie filling)

Thursday:
Pesto Chicken (boneless and skinless chicken breasts, jarred pesto or jarred pasta sauce if your family does not like pesto)
Linguini (boxed pasta)
Caprese Salad (jarred Italian dressing)
Peach Crisp (canned peaches)

Friday:
Quick Weeknight Jambalaya (boxed gumbo mix, chicken tenders, fully cooked smoked sausage, cleaned and deveined shrimp, canned tomatoes)
Strawberry Spinach Salad (bagged baby spinach, jarred vinaigrette)
Cream Puffs (purchased cream puffs)

Saturday:
Beef Bourguignon (frozen potato and green bean mix with rosemary butter sauce)
Avocado and Romaine Salad
French Bread, Butter
Cherry Vanilla Pie (prepared graham cracker crust, instant vanilla pudding mix, cherry pie filling)

Get inspired for your weekly menus at OrgJunkie!

I sincerely hope you have fun with your meal planning and preparation,
Elizabeth Randall and Family

MMC 30-Minute Menus for January 2, 2011

Happy New Year to YOU! I hope your Christmas and New Year celebrations were glorious in every way. Now that the holidays are over and it is time to get back in the swing of weekday routines, I have planned menus that are delicious, quick, and absolutely not fussy allowing you to concentrate on the important things!

The Monday menu of Meatball Stew in Bread Baskets is just plain fun for all. Your children will love making the bread baskets and then eating them right up making for a fun evening on the first day back to school.

My New Year's resolution to reduce, reuse, and recycle is quite evident in the menus this week; you can see all the sharing of foods between the days plus there is a cook once - eat twice menu set with the Chicken & Dumplings on Wednesday followed by Hot Chicken Salad on Friday.

Do you have a party in your plans? If so, check out the latest feature on my website - 'Party in a Bag'! The Bags are designed to help you pull your party together in 30 minutes - flat! I love to entertain but don't often have the time required to pull off a big, fancy 'do', so, over the years, I have learned a few short-cuts; I will share them with you.

If you are planning a dinner party or family gathering, take a look at the Holiday and Special '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' on my website. You will find menu ideas to help with your celebration or 'do'.

The Family Meals '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' are developed to help with both weeknight and special dinner prep. I create Complete Menu Plans using the 30-minute menus from this blog:

• The Complete Menu Plans give you recipes and step-by-step instructions for preparing the complete meal (not just the entree as most meal plans do) in 30 minutes - flat! I even include a grocery list to save unnecessary trips to the grocery store.
• These are eComplete Menu Plans so you can purchase the menu plan now and use it for dinner tonight!
• You won't have to spend your precious time thinking of menu ideas and then looking up the recipes - I will send it all directly to you!
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each.
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each. If you have found my 30-minute menus helpful, then you must check out the 30-Minute Complete Menu Plans!

You will find that I use several cooking methods, mix and match, to get dinner on the table quickly! (The ingredients in parenthesis show some of my quick-prep steps.) You can always substitute your favorite made-from-scratch recipes when you have more time.

I hope you have a great week!

Sunday:
Bacon Wrapped Chicken (garlic & cheese spread such as Philly whipped creamed cheese, Rondele, or Alouette, boneless and skinless chicken breasts)
Roasted Potatoes (canned potatoes, dry onion soup mix)
Asparagus Salad with Citrus Dressing (prepared orange and lime juices; save some asparagus or purchase more for Wednesday)
Chocolate Raspberry Bars (prepared chocolate cookie dough, white chocolate morsels, raspberry jam)

Monday:
Meatball Stew (frozen meatballs)
Bread Bowls (refrigerated biscuits)
Fruit Salad with Yogurt Dressing (purchased yogurt, canned Mandarin oranges, pear slices, and pineapple; save some pineapple for Friday or purchase extra; save some pears for Saturday or purchase extra)
Buckeye Chocolate Chippers (prepared sugar cookie dough, canned chocolate frosting)

Tuesday:
Thai Pad Shrimp (cleaned and deveined shrimp, Thai peanut sauce mix)
Angel Hair Pasta (boxed pasta)
Cuke and Honeydew Salad
Strawberry Pound Cake (purchased pound cake, frozen or canned whipped topping; save some pound cake for Saturday)

Wednesday:
Chicken & Dumplings (crock pot; frozen dumplings or pastry sheets, cream of mushroom soup; save some chicken for Friday)
Asparagus / Tomato Stir Fry
Mixed Berry Stack (purchased puff pastry)

Thursday:
French Style Sausage & White Bean Cassoulet (canned beans)
Greek Salad (jarred salad dressing)
Baguette
Chocolate Pudding (instant pudding mix)

Friday:
Hot Chicken Salad (chicken from Wednesday; jarred chutney, canned pineapple, bagged salad greens)
Sliced Apples with Grapes
Chocolate Nut Toffee (boxed graham cracker crumbs, chocolate morsels)

Saturday:
Fried Mushroom Fritters with Vindaloo Sauce (vegetarian; sliced mushrooms, jarred Vindaloo sauce)
French Bread
Pear Salad (canned pears, prepared mayo, shredded cheese)
Toasted Pound Cake with Ice Cream (pound cake from Tuesday, purchased ice cream)

Get inspired for your weekly menus at OrgJunkie!

I sincerely hope you have fun with your meal planning and preparation,
Elizabeth Randall and Family

MMC 30-Minute Menus for December 26, 2010

Happy New Year to YOU! I hope your Christmas was glorious in every way. During this 'in between' week, I have selected menus that help us unwind from the busy holidays.

The Boxing Day menu of Quick Seafood Bouillabaisse is just perfect for the day following the feasting of Christmas. It is light but fancy enough for guests that you may have. Serve it with hot bread and you have a grand start to the week. Let the kids help make the ice cream sandwiches for an extra-special fun treat.

The New Year's Eve dinner of French Onion Soup is a family tradition for us. We often have guests for dinner prior to going out to a party or two and this dinner is easy, company-fare, and light so there is room for any reveling goodies that will come later in the evening. For the appetizer course, I will serve the MomsMealConnection Quiche Extravaganza 'Party in a Bag': Chevre Logs with Red Pepper Jelly; Quiche Variety with Roasted Garlic Onion Jam; Strawberries, Kiwi, and Star Fruit with Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce; Breadsticks and Sesame Water Crackers. This appetizer course will be an awesome start to to the New Year plus it sets the vegetarian theme of the dinner.

To follow some traditions for New Year's Day, I am serving the Quick Pork Curry. I am serving it with LoMein noodles but rice is just as tasty. You can add your traditional dishes to this simple meal for your New Year's Day feast of flavors.

Do you have a party in your plans? If so, check out the latest feature on my website - 'Party in a Bag'! The Bags are designed to help you pull your party together in 30 minutes - flat! I love to entertain but don't often have the time required to pull off a big, fancy 'do', so, over the years, I have learned a few short-cuts; I will share them with you.

If you are planning a dinner party or family gathering, take a look at the Holiday and Special '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' on my website. You will find menu ideas to help with your celebration or 'do'.

The Family Meals '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' are developed to help with both weeknight and special dinner prep. I create Complete Menu Plans using the 30-minute menus from this blog:

• The Complete Menu Plans give you recipes and step-by-step instructions for preparing the complete meal (not just the entree as most meal plans do) in 30 minutes - flat! I even include a grocery list to save unnecessary trips to the grocery store.
• These are eComplete Menu Plans so you can purchase the menu plan now and use it for dinner tonight!
• You won't have to spend your precious time thinking of menu ideas and then looking up the recipes - I will send it all directly to you!
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each.
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each. If you have found my 30-minute menus helpful, then you must check out the 30-Minute Complete Menu Plans!

You will find that I use several cooking methods, mix and match, to get dinner on the table quickly! (The ingredients in parenthesis show some of my quick-prep steps.) You can always substitute your favorite made-from-scratch recipes when you have more time.

I hope you have a great week!

Sunday: Boxing Day
Quick Seafood Bouillabaisse (cleaned and deveined shrimp, jarred picante sauce, and canned crab, clams, mixed vegetables, and tomatoes)
Rolls or Baguette of Choice
Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches (ice cream between purchased jumbo cookies; purchase extra ice cream for Tuesday and Thursday)

Monday:
Corny Chicken (boxed cornbread stuffing mix, chicken tenders; purchase extra tenders for Thursday)
Steamed Zucchini
Gingerbread with Whipped Cream (boxed gingerbread mix)

Tuesday:
Beef & Brie Panini (beef from Christmas Day)
Bread and Condiments (prepared horseradish sauce and Dijon-style mustard)
Tex-Mex Salad (canned black beans, corn, tomatoes, pimento, and ripe olives)
Tapioca Apples over Ice Cream (tapioca pearls, purchased ice cream)

Wednesday:
Build-Your-Own Grilled Pizza (vegetarian; purchased pizza crust, jarred pasta sauce, shredded cheeses and favorite toppings)
Lettuce Wedges (jarred salad dressing)
Grilled Pears with Honey Glaze

Thursday:
Kung Pao Chicken (chicken tenders)
Fried Rice
Melon Salad with Apricot Dressing (apricot jam, yogurt, shredded coconut)
Gingered Ice Cream with Fortune Cookies (purchased ice cream and cookies)

Friday: New Year's Eve
French Onion Soup (vegetarian version)
Mixed Green Winter Salad (bagged mixed baby greens, canned Mandarin orange sections, dried cranberries, purchased spiced pecans; save some salad greens for Saturday)
Cheesecake Filled Pears with Fresh Raspberries (canned pears, instant pudding mix; save some pears for Saturday or purchase extra)

Saturday: New Year's Day
Quick Pork Curry
LoMein Noodles
Pear Salad (use any remaining pears from Friday or canned pears, bagged baby greens, bottled balsamic dressing)
Coconut-Pecan Fingers with Strawberries (using white bread and canned sweetened condensed milk)

Get inspired for your weekly menus at OrgJunkie!

I sincerely hope you have fun with your meal planning and preparation,
Elizabeth Randall and Family

MMC 30-Minute Menus for December 19, 2010

Merry Christmas! The week has finally arrived and with great gusto here in Atlanta. It is very cold with a few, scattered snow flurries - really putting the feel of Christmas in the air! No matter what your plans are, the menus this week will have you enjoying the season rather than 'bah humbugging' over what to serve for dinner.

The Christmas Eve menu of a Sausage Roll is a family tradition for us. The Sausage Roll can be made earlier in the day to be ready when you are whether after a mid-night mass or family gathering.

For Christmas Day, I am serving a grand Garlic and Rosemary Rubbed Prime Rib with Mushroom Sauce and Mashed Potatoes. My family will be joining me so I will serve the MomsMealConnection Wine Tasting 'Party in a Bag': a Brie Round and Mild Cheddar Wedge with Pomegranate Cranberry Chutney; Pate; Endive, Asparagus Spears, Bell Peppers, and Melon with Artichoke Pesto; Whole Wheat Mini Toasts and Simple Water Crackers; Kalamata Gourmet Olives This appetizer course will be an awesome start to our fine Christmas Dinner.

Do you have a party in your plans? If so, check out the latest feature on my website - 'Party in a Bag'! The Bags are designed to help you pull your party together in 30 minutes - flat! I love to entertain but don't often have the time required to pull off a big, fancy 'do', so, over the years, I have learned a few short-cuts; I will share them with you.

If you are planning a dinner party or family gathering, take a look at the Holiday and Special '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' on my website. You will find menu ideas to help with your celebration or 'do'.

The Family Meals '30-Minute Complete Menu Plans' are developed to help with both weeknight and special dinner prep. I create Complete Menu Plans using the 30-minute menus from this blog:

• The Complete Menu Plans give you recipes and step-by-step instructions for preparing the complete meal (not just the entree as most meal plans do) in 30 minutes - flat! I even include a grocery list to save unnecessary trips to the grocery store.
• These are eComplete Menu Plans so you can purchase the menu plan now and use it for dinner tonight!
• You won't have to spend your precious time thinking of menu ideas and then looking up the recipes - I will send it all directly to you!
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each.
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each. If you have found my 30-minute menus helpful, then you must check out the 30-Minute Complete Menu Plans!

You will find that I use several cooking methods, mix and match, to get dinner on the table quickly! (The ingredients in parenthesis show some of my quick-prep steps.) You can always substitute your favorite made-from-scratch recipes when you have more time.

I hope you have a great week!

Sunday:
Turkey Breast with French Country Gravy (crock pot; jarred Alfredo sauce; save some turkey for Tuesday and Thursday)
Long Grain and Wild Rice (boxed rice mix)
Green Beans
Pound Cake Torte (purchased pound cake, prepared frosting)

Monday:
Quick Minestrone Soup (vegetarian; dried tortellini, canned tomatoes, mixed veggies, and white beans)
Pear Salad (prepared mayo, bagged shredded cheddar cheese; save some cheese for Thursday)
Artisian Bread (purchased bread)
Cherry Cobbler (puff pastry, canned cherry pie filling; purchase extra cherry pie filling for Saturday)

Tuesday:
Turkey a la King (turkey from Sunday)
Hot Biscuits (biscuit mix)
Strawberry Spinach Salad (bagged baby spinach, jarred salad dressing; save some spinach for Wednesday)
Apple Pie Parfaits (canned apple pie filling, purchased ice cream)

Wednesday:
Baked Fish Italianio (bottled sun-dried tomato salad dressing, bagged baby spinach)
Fettuccine with Parmesan Topper (boxed pasta)
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Baguette
Sugar Cookie Kisses (prepared cookie dough, purchased chocolate candy kisses)

Thursday:
Turkey Taco Ring Bake (turkey from Sunday; refrigerated crescent rolls, shredded cheese, canned tomatoes)
Salsa and Sour Cream Toppings with Shredded Lettuce (jarred salsa, bagged shredded lettuce)
Refried Beans (canned beans)
Red Onion - Orange Salad (canned Mandarin orange sections)
Heavenly Hash (canned fruits, frozen whipped topping)

Friday: Christmas Eve
Sausage Roll (puff pastry)
Sugar Snap Peas with Vinaigrette
Peach Tarts with Almond Crunch Topper (canned peaches, prepared pie crusts)

Saturday: Christmas Day
Garlic and Rosemary Rubbed Prime Rib (crock pot, boneless rib eye roast)
Mushroom Sauce
Mashed Potatoes (steamers or instant mashed potatoes)
Brussels Sprouts
Waldorf Salad
Rolls of Choice
Cherries Jubilee (canned cherry pie filling, purchased ice cream)

Get inspired for your weekly menus at OrgJunkie!

I sincerely hope you have fun with your meal planning and preparation,
Elizabeth Randall and Family