<p>That ought to be its own thread: how to become organized and disciplined enough to grocery shop only once a week. I find myself rushing there after work nearly everyday.</p>
<p>I used to shop once per week but now I’m out three or four times. I LOVE fish so I think it’s worth the extra effort. And I too hate fish that’s a few days old.
I may have posted this already but…
Cut Costco (or other fresh) salmon into serving size pieces.
Top with Costco mango salsa.
Microwave…about 90 seconds per serving piece (may vary)
Serve with TJs brown rice (frozen) and salad or roasted asparagus/veggies.
EASY!</p>
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<p>Trust me, it is not a worthy goal. The milk runs out or goes bad two days before grocery shopping day, we have no milk for two days. We have fresh fruit or veggies for a few days, then it’s cans or frozen.</p>
<p>Mom2M shared this recipe on another thread:</p>
<p>I’m happy to share the recipe, it looks like more effort than it actually takes. ENJOY!
I adapted this Chicken Tortilla Soup from America’s Test Kitchen:</p>
<p>In the Food Prcessor:
2 tomatoes cored and quartered
1 whole onion, peeled, halved, cored
1 jalapeno chile, split and seeded (original reciepe calls for 1/2)
4 or so cloves of garlic, I put them through the garlic press into the food processor
1 chipolte chile en adobo, plus about a spoon fulll of the adobo sauce
3 or so sprigs of cilantro</p>
<p>whirl in the food processor until smooth. Pour into freezer bag and freeze flat. When ready to use, heat olive oil in bottom of dutch oven (stock pot would likely be fine), add tomato mix, cook until melts then until color changes, about 10 minutes or so after melting. You will want to stir it periodically. Add about 8 cups chicken broth (homemade for canned), simmer to blend flavors about 15 minutes, add chicken (if frozen, you will need to bring the soup up to a boil before you add the chicken).</p>
<p>Chicken breasts, I just poach them with some salt and pepper, then cool and shred (about 3 large split chicken breasts). If I am going to freeze it, I just put the shredded chicken into another freeezer bag.</p>
<p>To serve, either bake up your own Tortilla strips (follows), or use good tortilla chips. I serve it with additional chopped cilantro, sour cream, lime, avocado, whatever we have on hand.</p>
<p>Tortilla strips: heat oven to 425, cut tortillas into strips (I use a pizza cutter), spray with olive oil, or drizzle it over the strips and mix. Roast about 10-14 minutes, shake about halfway. Season with salt, place on paper towel lined plates.</p>
<p>Just an FYI, I make up the tomato base for the Chicken Tortilla soup in batches, I timed the last session, it’s about 25 minutes start to finish for 3 batches. Start is picking the tomatos and getting stuff out, finish is clean food processor back in the cabinet, freezer bags of tomato mix in the freezer :-)</p>
<p>It can be a great way to use up tomatoes if you get too many ripe ones at one time…and it’s fairly forgiving on measurements. And I almost never make the tortilla strips, I use good quality chips (I buy them at Sprouts, they are awesome). Frankly, I burn the strips more often than not, it’s not worth the hassle.</p>
<p>Here’s a quickie pizza recipe that we stole/adapted from the Secret Stash in Crested Butte: one pizza crust (boboli or store brand), spread a little bit of jar alfredo/garlic sauce thinnly, top with chopped figs, prosciutto, sprinkle with asiago and crumbled blue cheese, dash top with truffle oil --we just use an olive oil that is infused 'cause can’t afford the real thing due to college tuition costs 
Yum, yum and a real change from regular pizza and beats driving 1800 miles for the real thing and takes no time to make. Another quickie is the Zatarans boxed jambalaya, cut up chunks of spicy sausage, add a chopped leftover chicken, a can of diced spiced tomators and a few shrimp. Before kids I made all this stuff from scratch, but now I’m more into Sandra Lee and “semi-homemade.” I never in my life would have bought frozen burritos from the store, but I bought the kids ones that were called “Spicy Taco Picante” last year and they were good. Now I just throw those in a caserole, add a can of medium enchilllada sauce, seal with aluminum foil and bake for an hour. Spinkle with cheese and you’re good to go. One more quick to make but bakes for an hour is a pasta bake: one box of Penne, one jar of basil/tomato spaghetti sauce, one can of tomato sauce and fill the spaghetti sauce jar with water and dump in. Stir, seal with aluminum foil, bake an hour and top with bagged Italian cheese. And finally, easy chicken chilli. Put shredded cooked chicken, a jar of salsa, a big jar of Northern Beans (rinsed) and 8 oz or less if you like of shredded sharp cheddar in a large pot and heat/simmer throuogh. For extra flavor if you can find a packet of white chicken chilli seasoning in the store add that and alittle bit of water. If it’s too thick just add a little water. Easy peasy and tastes better than any of the “longer” recipes.</p>
<p>I haven’t read the whole thead so sorry if I’m repeating something. Buy a pork loin at Costco, season with garlic salt and pepper, roast in the oven. Divide it up and freeze what you won’t need within the next 2-3 days. Serve pork roast for one dinner w/potatoes and veggies (cooked in the oven w/roast), save the other portion for bbq pulled pork sandwiches (cook in bbq sauce in crock pot), and if there’s any leftover, cube and freeze for future pork stew.</p>
<p>What cut of meat do you use in stews and goulashes to make them tender? Anyone have a good stew recipe?</p>
<p>worrywart - I have the America’s Test Kitchen cookbook, and their beef stew recipe is the best ever! They suggest a boneless beef chuck roast that you cut into cubes yourself (cuz you’ll take the time to trim fat & gristle). It cooks slowly - it takes about three hours, but cutting the beef is the only labor intensive part.</p>
<p>And have any of you heard of the Saving Dinner cook book series by Leanne Ely? It’s a cool concept - she writes out 6 dinner menus for the week (one is always a crockpot recipe), complete with side dishes. And she lists a shopping list for that week’s recipes. I don’t use it all that often, but when i do, I generally stick with a whole week of her recipes (I’ve never had a recipe that didn’t turn out well, although there have been some I skipped). I just take the book or make a copy of the shopping list and head to the store. the recipes are all pretty quick and easy to make, and all the thinking and deciding is done for you. She has many different cookbooks - low carb, vegetarian, holidays, etc. It really is a great time saver.</p>
<p>I’m braising some pork in salsa at the moment…it’s a favorite of DH and I, but D doesn’t like it. (She’s at Mock Trial.) I just cut up a pork roast, brown some onion in the bottom of the dutch oven, add meat, cumin, garlic, a little salt and pepper, put the lid on and let it cook. Add the salsa after the meat has a little color, cook some more. I can’t wait for dinner.</p>
<p>I love all these ideas. Other than pasta, we don’t really have one meal that all 4 of us can eat/like. I get home from work around 7, kids are starving, D only wants organic/super healthy; H needs moisture/sauce with every meal (xerostomia from radiation for cancer), so I end up making something 1-2 people can eat but not all 4 of us. I really like the idea of family dinners and making something instead of relying on Chinese or pizza all the time, but it’s hard to find something we all like that doesn’t wear me out making it. </p>
<p>I’m thinking the crock pot idea would be good for us – I can throw things in before I go to work and it would be done for whoever before I get home.</p>
<p>The natural solution would be for H to learn to cook and take over dinner since he’s home all day. But not every man wants to be a cook I guess. He will “prep” things before I get home (saute chicken, defrost meat) so that helps, and he does go to the store to get things for dinner. And if kids can’t wait, he’ll make them something. Nothing’s perfect.</p>
<p>I also have not read the whole thread, but one of my favorite easy dinners is Greek chicken – I use Penzey’s Greek Seasoning and follow the directions on the label to marinate chicken breast cubes (just a few --even two – hours is fine; doesn’t need overnight at all), then put them on skewers, and broil up in minutes in a toaster oven! These are even better with tzatziki sauce on the side (i buy prepared). The salad dressing recipe on the label is good, too, and I usually serve that with the chicken! plus, rice.</p>
<p>This week I tried a recipe that my DH loves. It is from simplyrecipes dot com. It is called, “Chicken Curry in a Hurry”, and it is listed under their low carb recipes. It is made with curry, sauted onions and sour cream. I just looked at the recipe and they are crediting to one of Mark Bittman’s books.</p>
<p>Classof2015 - If your DH is willing to prep, then he can prep that stuff right into the crockpot. It will be done, instead of ready-to-be-done, when you get home. 
Not every night, but even 2-3 nights a week is a huge difference. Chicken w/veggies is a snap, amazing beef stews, and pork can all be put in the crock pot in as much sauce or as squeaky healthy clean as you wish. (sadly these do not usually coincide… 
)</p>
<p>^Thanks Blue – I didn’t realize that! I am going online now to check out crockpots. Thanks for the tip!</p>