Quick Meals Menu Post

We are in full back-to-school mode in the Nickel household. Long gone are the casual, slow-paced summer days. Even some of the trees are beginning to change from their green summer hue reminding us that fall is quickly approaching. Due to our busy, busy schedules I thought it would be helpful to adapt and create a week's worth of fast, easy menus that will also help you stretch your budget a little further. Here is a great example; you know those lovely roasted chickens in your grocery's deli section? Surprisingly, the price usually is equivalent to buying a whole chicken and roasting it yourself. Unless whole chickens are on sale that week. A deli chicken will run you around $5 to $6 and the work is already done for you. Additionally, there are some great uses for the left-over chicken the next day.

Start the week off with a lovely dinner of juicy, roasted deli chicken. Don't throw away any left-over meat from Sunday's bird however, as  I plan to stretch your buck by making some BBQ chicken flat breads for Monday and Tuesday. Mid-week, we are going meatless and celebrating seasonal late summer vegetables with a creamy, yet zesty risotto salad. Finally, to top off a the work week and enjoy and extended Labor Day weekend, I have a marinated pork tenderloin I plan to throw on the grill served with a savory, but sweet side of grilled fresh figs. Here is the rundown:

Sunday 8/26          Roasted Deli Chicken with Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans

Monday 8/27         BBQ Chicken Flat Bread with Spinach Salad

Tuesday 8/28         Left-overs

Wednesday 8/29    Tuscan White Bean & Risotto Salad

Thursday 8/30        Left-overs

Friday 8/31 or        Rosemary Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Prosciutto & Fig Skewers
Saturday 9/1

Here are the items you will need:

1 roasted deli chicken
2 lbs. pork tenderloin
1 bag mixed baby greens or lettuce of your choice
1 bunch cilantro
1-2 zucchini
1-2 yellow summer squash
1 eggplant
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
1 red onion
1 head garlic
2 lemons
1 bag flat bread wraps such as Flat Out or Agave Garlic Sandwich Petals a gluten-free option for myself
1 jar roasted red peppers
2 14 oz. cans Great Northern beans
1 box arborio rice
1 bottle BBQ sauce
1 bag 2% shredded cheddar cheese
1 jar grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Rosemary (I plan to use fresh from my garden, but dried is fine)
Basil (I plan to use fresh from my garden)
Italian flat leave parsley (again, I plan to use fresh)

I look forward to sharing all of these recipes with you this week! Stay tuned for an awesome week!