Menu Plan Monday ~ Fast & Frugal

This week I am going to do something a little different with my meal plan.  I have had the opportunity to review an excellent cookbook (review & giveaway to be posted tomorrow).  Dawn Hall wrote the Fast & Frugal Cookbook and is allowing me to use the cookbook for my menu plan this week.  So here goes and if you are intrigued make sure you come back starting tomorrow for a chance to win the cookbook.  I will have 2 winners.

Chicken and Mandarin Chopped Salad
(serves 3) 10 minutes to make, 384 calories per serving

1 (15 oz) can chilled mandarin oranges
1/2 cup Marzetti lowfat slaw dressing
1/3 cup dried cranberries (will sub raisins for hubby)
1/4 cup finely crumbled feta cheese
1 medium head of iceberg lettuce chopped to make 5 cups
1 (12.5 oz) can of chunk chicken

• Reserve 1/4 cup of juice from oranges, drain the remaining juice and discard.  Set oranges aside
• Make the dressing in a small bowl : stir together orange juice and slaw dressing.  Set aside.
• In a medium bowl: add cranberries, feta and chopped lettuce.
• Add the chicken, oranges and dressing and then toss until well mixed.
• Serve immediately.

Beef Gravy over Biscuits
(5 servings) 30 minutes, 300 calories per serving

1 (7.5 ounce) can home-style biscuits
1 (16 ounce) package extra lean ground beef
1 1/2 teaspoon steak seasoning
1 (8.5 ounce) can peas & carrots
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3 cups skim milk

• Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Place th biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and set aside.
• Spray a 12 inch saucepan with cooking spray. brown and crumble the ground beef with seasoning over high heat.
• Drain the liquid from the peas and carrots into a small bowl set the veggies aside.
• Add cornstarch to the liquid from veggies and mix until dissolved.  Set aside.
• Once the meat is browned reduce heat to medium.
• Stir the milk and cornstarch into meat and gently stir in the veggies.  Cook over medium heat bring to a slow boil while stirring occasionally.
• Let the meat and veggie mix cook at a slow boil for 10 minutes.
• Place the biscuits in the oven and bake for 10 minutes
• Turn off the heat ans the mixture sits the gravy will thicken.
• Serve beef gravy over the biscuits.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Chowder
(serves 15) 25 minutes, 168 calories per serving

• See Wednesday's post for recipe and crock adaption.

Wet Pizza Burrito Casserole
(serves 6) 25 minutes, 282 calories per serving

1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian diced tomatoes
1 (6.5 ounce) can mushroom pieces and stems
2 (14 ounce) jars pizza sauce
7 fat-free flour tortilla shells
62 slices of pepperoni
1/2 cup shredded part-skim milk mozzarella cheese

• Drain and discard juice from tomatoes and mushrooms.
• Place the tomatoes and mushrooms in a mixing bowl and add pizza sauce.  Stir to make a tomato sauce.
• Spray a 2 qt microwaveable baking dish with non-stick spray.
• Place 1 tortilla in the bottom of dish
• Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce on the tortilla
• Place 8 slices of pepperoni on the tomato sauce
• Continue layering until sauce is gone
• For the last layer place 1/2 cup tomato sauce, cheese and 14 slices of pepperoni.
• Cover with waxed paper and place in microwave on high for 10 minutes.

Baked Ham
Very Berry Spiced Applesauce
(serves 8) 5 minutes prep, 90 calories per serving

1 (20 ounce) can no-sugar added apple pie filling
1/2 cup firmly packed dried mixed berries
1 (25 ounce) jar unsweetened applesauce, chilled
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 Tablespoon Splenda granular

• Open the can of pie filling.  While the filling is still in the can run a sharp knife through the apples to chunk them up.
• Finely chop the dried berries and set aside
• In a medium sized serving bowl, combine pie filling, applesauce, allspice, berries and splenda. Stir until well mixed and serve.

Leftovers
Hot Spiced Peaches
(6 servings) 15 minutes prep and 145 calories

1 (29 ounce) can no sugar added sliced yellow cling peaches
1/3 cup red hots (cinnamon imperial candies)
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 Tablespoon water

• In a 2 1/2 quart saucepan stir in peaches and candies.  Cook on high heat bringing to a boil.  Boil for 10 minutes, stirring occassionally.
• In a small bowl make a paste of cornstarch and water then stir into the peaches
• Remove from the heat and let it sit for three minutes
• Serve

Flex night

I hope you enjoyed the recipes come back tomorrow and Wednesday for a chance to win the cookbook and the crockpot adapted soup recipe.