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Dec 12th Weekly Menu 12/09/11

Hello everyone and welcome! Who can’t believe Christmas is only two weeks away?! The holiday season is such a wonderful time.

I hope you will enjoy this weeks menu. We have to offer a little bit of everything. All recipes are quite easy to toss together and each are filled with wonderful flavor. Enjoy.

Please remember to clip coupons to save on groceries each week. Scrumptious Tidbits offers you three different sources for clipables online: Coupons.com, The Coupon Network, and Redplum. Don’t forget to check your newspaper, too!

Creamy Italian Crockpot Chicken
Sides: Broccoli

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts.
1 pkg Good Seasons Italian or Garlic Herb dressing mix
1 md onion-sliced
1 8 oz package cream cheese
2 can(s) cream of mushroom or chicken soup
1 package of your favorite pasta – cooked according to package

Place 3 breasts in the bottom of crockpot and sprinkle with 1/2 dressing mix and 1/2 the sliced onion

Layer the remaining three breasts on top

Cook on high for 4 hours

Break chicken into chunks using two forks

Add cream cheese and soups

Cook for 1 more hour

Mix well and serve over hot pasta

Quick Salisbury Steak
Sides: Mashed Potatoes and Peas

2 can(s) french onion soup (condensed, 10 1/2 oz)
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 c bread crumbs
1 lg egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 c ketchup
1/2 c water
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp mustard powder

In large bowl, mix together ground beef with 1/3 cup condensed French onion soup, bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper. Shape into 6 oval patties.

Brown both sides of patties in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour off excess fat.

In a bowl, blend flour and remaining soup until smooth. Mix in ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce and mustard powder. Pour over meat in skillet.

Cover and cook for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer you let simmer, the thicker the gravy becomes.

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
Sides: Wild Rice and Buttered Carrots

4 1/2 thick, center-cut pork chops-boneless
1 c dried Italian-style bread crumbs
3/4 c fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2 lg eggs
2 lg cloves garlic-crushed
1/4 tsp each of salt & pepper
6 Tbsp olive oil, extra virgin

Whisk the eggs in a pie plate to blend. Add garlic, salt & pepper.

Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate.

Place the cheese in a third pie plate.

Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere.

Dip the chops into the eggs/garlic mixture, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.

Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, in batches if necessary, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 6 minutes per side.

Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

6 potatoes; peeled & sliced
1/2 cup onion
2 cup cheddar cheese; shredded
1 cup bacon; cooked and crumbled
2 cup milk
1/2 cup half & half
4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Use a large pot. Saute chopped onions in butter till soft but not browned. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper. Stir flour mixture into onion mixture, add milk and half and half. Stir and cook over medium heat till mixture begins to thicken (about 3 minutes).

Turn off heat.

Add 1 1/2 cups cheese to the sauce and stir till melted and smooth. Add sliced potatoes, bacon and stir well to combine. Pour mixture into a casserole dish sprayed with no stick spray. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Remove foil, sprinkle reserved cheese over top and return to oven to bake another 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft, cheese is melted and edges begin to brown. Let stand a few minutes before serving to allow sauce to thicken.

General Tso’s Chicken
Sides: White Rice

4 chicken cutlets – cut into bite size pieces
3/4 c Panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp black pepper
vegetable or corn oil – for frying
1/3 c water
1/3 c soy sauce
6 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp orange marmalade
10 oz frozen broccoli florets – thawed
2 green onions – chopped

In a shallow dish, combine Panko bread crumbs, seasoned salt, dry mustard and black pepper.

Dredge chicken pieces in the bread crumb mixture.

Heat oil in a large non stick skillet. Just enough oil to pan fry all the chicken.

Fry chicken pieces in batches til browned on both sides!

Remove from pan and set aside. When all the pieces are browned, drain remaining oil from skillet.

In a small bowl mix together water, soy sauce, ketchup and orange marmalade.

Return all the browned chicken pieces to the skillet and pour the soy sauce mixture on top. Then top with the thawed broccoli florets. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.

Serve over white rice with chopped green onions.