Save Your Money- Buy Our Groceries: Vol. 14

For the scoop on this series of posts, click here!

THIS WEEK’S MENU

Breakfast

• Cream of Wheat with Mixed Berry Chutney and Brown Sugar

Lunch

• Green Chile Chili

Dinner

• Fennel and Linguine with Walnut Breadcrumbs and a Soft Egg

Snack

• Grapefruit Buttermilk Sherbet

THE GROCERY LIST  (for 2 people)

• 3 ruby red grapefruits
• 2 fennel bulbs
• 1 poblano pepper
• 1 green pepper
• flat leaf parsley
• chives
• garlic
• 3 large onions or 4 medium
• 3-4 cups dried mixed berries
• 6-8oz walnuts (you need 3/4 cup for the week)
• french bread
• 3 bottles dark beer
• 2 lb. ground sirloin
• 4-5oz. goat cheese
• 4 oz. sharp cheddar
• 12 oz. salsa verde
• 3 4oz. cans green chiles
• 2 28oz. cans whole tomatoes
• 3 15 oz. cans kidney beans
• 24 oz. linguine
• hot paprika
• cream of wheat
• 4 cups buttermilk
• dozen eggs
• 1% milk

WHAT WE ALREADY HAD AT HOME

• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• vegetable oil
• sugar
• vodka
• chili powder
• brown sugar

PREP ON SUNDAY

Mixed Berry Chutney

• 3-4 cups mixed berries
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cinnamon/orange tea bags or 2 chai tea bags
• water

Put berries, sugar and tea bags in a medium saucepan.  Fill with enough water so it’s 1 inch above everything in the pot; about 2 cups.   Bring to boil over high heat, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Turn off heat, cover and let sit until room temperature.  Store in the fridge for the week.

Green Chile Chili

This recipe was found in “Cooking Light” and tweaked a little.  I highly recommend Cooking Light for inspiration because all of their recipes are packed with flavor and include nutrition facts so you can track what you are REALLY putting into your body!

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 lbs. ground sirloin
• 3 large onions or 4 medium, diced
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
• 10 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 3 teaspoons hot paprika
• 3 bottles dark beer
• 12 oz. salsa verde
• 3 4 oz. cans green chiles
• 2 28oz. cans whole tomatoes, crushed with a potato masher
• 3 15oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper

Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add beef and cook until no longer pink.  Add onions, poblanos and green peppers.  Cook 5 minutes longer.  Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Cook 2 minutes longer.  Add beer; bring to a boil.  Cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 15 minutes.  Add salsa, chiles, tomatoes, and beans.  Bring to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 30 minutes to an hour.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Store in the fridge for the week.

Fennel and Breadcrumbs for the Pasta

• 2 fennel bulbs, ends trimmed and sliced very thinly
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  Add fennel and a dash each of salt and pepper; saute until soft and carmelized, about 15 minutes.  Store in the fridge for the week.

• 3/4 cup walnuts
• 8oz.  french bread, ripped into small pieces

Grind walnuts in a food processor until the size of bread crumbs.  Pour into a bowl.  Grind bread chunks in a food processor into even crumbs.  Add to the walnuts and toss to blend.  Store in the fridge for the week.

Grapefruit Buttermilk Sherbet

This recipe was found in “Cooking Light” and tweaked a little.  I highly recommend Cooking Light for inspiration because all of their recipes are packed with flavor and include nutrition facts so you can track what you are REALLY putting into your body!

• 2 cups water
• 4 tablespoons grapefruit rind, finely chopped
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups fresh grapefruit juice (from your 3 grapefruits)
• 4 cups buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons vodka

Bring water and rind to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Boil for 2 minutes and drain out the water.  Pour sugar and juice into the pot with the rind; bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat, pour into a bowl and chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge.  Strain the juice mixture to remove all the solids, and add buttermilk and vodka.  Stir to combine, freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Store in the freezer for the week.

BREAKFAST- 10 minutes

Cream of Wheat with Mixed Berry Chutney and Brown Sugar

• 2 cups water or milk or a combo of both
• 1/3 cup cream of wheat
• brown sugar
• 2/3 cup chutney, reheated in the microwave

Heat water (or milk, or both) to boiling in a saucepan over high heat.  Whisk in the cream of wheat, bring to boil; reduce heat to low and continue to whisk until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes.   Divide between 2 bowls, top each with half of the chutney and a sprinkle of brown sugar.

LUNCH- 5 minutes

Green Chile Chili

• 2 cups of the chili
• 1/2 oz. cheddar, shredded

Reheat chili in the microwave or on the stove.  Divide between two bowls and sprinkle with cheese.

SNACK-  no minutes

Grapefruit Buttermilk Sherbet

Scoop it up and enjoy!

DINNER-  25 minutes

Fennel and Linguine with Walnut Breadcrumbs and a Soft Egg

Have three pans on the stove, ready to put this dinner together.  You need one pot to boil your pasta, one small saucepan to boil your egg, and one medium saute pan for the breadcrumbs.

• 2/3 cup precooked fennel (from Sunday)
• 1 cup of the premixed breadcrumbs
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• 4 oz. uncooked linguine
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/8 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
• salt
• pepper

Fill a large pot with water for your pasta.  Set over high heat and bring to a boil.  In the meantime, fill a small saucepan with 3 inches of water and set over high heat.  Bring to boil, gently add the whole eggs; boil for 5 1/2 minutes, remove, plunge into cold water and set aside until everything is done.   Add pasta to the boiling water and boil for about 8 to 10 minutes or until desired consistency.

While your pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive in a saute pan over medium high heat.  Add garlic and cook 30 seconds; add breadcrumbs and saute until toasted, but not burned.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Add fennel to the pan and warm up just until hot.  Add the breadcrumbs to the warmed fennel in the pan, and remove from heat.  Drain your pasta, add to the breadcrumbs mixture and toss to blend.   Immediately divide between two bowls, top each with half of the herbs and half of the cheese.  Crack and peel your eggs, cut in half and serve with the pasta.