Challenge for the Week: No Groceries

My husband is a small business owner and since he doesn't pay his taxes quarterly (mostly because we can't afford to), he always owes when we file our taxes in the spring.  Last year we did great and actually got money back because we had Dylan, but this year, despite our MANY deductions, we still owed.  So as you know, they were due last Friday.  It was a manageable amount, but let's just say it will take a bit of recovery to get the bank account back to where it should be.  In addition, I made 2 trips out this weekend for little odds and ends that we were out of: foil, milk, ziploc bags, tampons - you know, emergency items, and each trip cost me nearly $50.  Add this to the insane cost of gas and I'm feeling like I've been robbed.

So this week I challenged myself to make a week's worth of dinners from only what we have on hand - no trips to the grocery!  Not even for small stuff.  We have a little bit of the beef left that we ordered from a local farmer last fall and I hoard meat and canned goods otherwise so I didn't think the task would be too challenging.  Here's what I've come up with, using only things I have on hand.

Meatless Monday - Roasted Red Pepper Rotini Caesar
(I found this on the back of the rotini box)


1 pkg rotini
1 - 12oz jar of roasted red peppers (I have these because I absolutely love roasted red peppers)
4 cups of fresh spinach or other greens (I have the remainder of a giant box of spring mix greens that are just beginning to wilt so this will work perfectly)
1 cup caesar dressing (my favorite is Bolthouse Farms Yogurt Dressing - tastes just the same with half the fat!)
Shredded Parmesan (check)
Salt and Pepper (check, check)

Cook the pasta. Saute the greens and red peppers in a little bit of oil (I'm out of oil, but the peppers come backed in oil so - voila!) in a saute pan about a minute.  Then toss in the pasta and dressing.  Heat through then top with parm, salt, and pepper.

I might cook up a chicken breast for the hubby.  About 15 minutes after every meatless Monday meal he says, "I'm hungry, what else is there?"

Tuesday - Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

I've always wanted to make these and I've had a head of cabbage rolling around in the fridge since I found them on sale a week or two ago.

I've tweaked this recipe from allrecipes.com

• 1 medium head cabbage
• water to cover
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup cooked rice
• garlic powder to taste
• 1 egg
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can tomato juice -  I'm going to use jarred spaghetti sauce, since I have it and omit 
•                                                          the next two ingredients
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• water to cover

Directions

1. Place the head of cabbage in a large pot over high heat and add water to cover. Boil cabbage for 15 minutes, or until it is pliable and soft. Drain and allow to cool completely. Remove the hard outer vein from the leaves.
2. In a separate large bowl, combine the beef, rice, garlic powder and the egg, mixing well. Place a small amount, about the size of your palm, into the center of a cabbage leaf and fold leaf over, tucking in the sides of the leaf to keep meat mixture inside.
3. Pile up the filled leaves in a large pot, putting the larger leaves on the bottom. Add the tomato juice, vinegar and sugar and enough water to cover. Simmer over medium low heat for about 60 minutes. (Note: Keep an eye on them, making sure the bottom of leaves do not burn.) - I'll probably bake in a 350 oven for about an hour or so - instead of the stove top method.

Wednesday - Pierogis

This is kind of cheating because I forgot that I had a bag of these that I bought from a local grocery.  So that's an easy one - we'll probably have canned green beans with them (yuck) for our nutritional requirement.

Thursday - Slow Cooker Beef Stew

I have parent-teacher conferences this day so I'm going to just throw together a stew so that cooking is unnecessary when I get home at 8:00.  Plus, then the husband and child have food to eat!

I will probably throw the following items in the crockpot:

1 3 lb chuck roast

baby carrots (I have about half of a large bag left)

3-4 chopped potatoes

1 lg chopped onion

1 can of corn

1 lg can of beef broth 

A little water if needed

Garlic powder

Onion powder

1-2 bay leaves

I'm not someone who messes with browning the meat before I took it - everything in the pot! Then I may add a little cornstarch later, if it needs thickening.

I never plan meals for Friday because I never know what we'll be up to.  We always like breakfast for dinner so that's always an option, but most likely we will eat left over stew!