GOOD SIMPLE COMFORT FOOD DINNERS
SHOP AHEAD MENUS FOR A MONTH

Because the budget was a definite consideration I did most of my shopping at Costco or Sam's Club where the quality is high and dependable and the prices are the best without shopping all over town and reading every food ad in the Wednesday and Sunday papers. Costco or Sam's Club can't be beaten for the freezable, staple and some of the fresh food items if you have someone to share your purchases with or enough storage space for larger quantities--or a very large appetite! I shopped some at Super K-Mart. Some buys were very good some were higher than our local upscale market! Guess the lesson here is to pay attention and shop the "loss leaders". I had one error in overpricing at K Mart both times I shopped there so pay attention at the check out also. The local grocer got the rest of my business. I compared prices among the stores but didn't waste my whole life doing it.

My goal was to buy most of the food in just a couple shopping trips for 3 weeks worth of easy, comfortable dinners--knowing there'd be brief stops now and then for fresh bread, milk, lettuce, etc.. The idea was that that many plan ahead meals would equate to about a months worth of dinners at home allowing for eating out, unexpected leftovers, the Pizza delivery guy (when nothing else sounds good) or a "Surprise Delight" casserole contribution from Aunt Mary Maude.

Note: For those of you wanting to "Get Lost" on your favorite airline consider putting all of your grocery purchases on a credit card that gives frequent flyer miles. Always pay your bill at the end of the month so your "free" ticket won't end up costing you more rather than less. It's one way you can spend time eating coconuts on a small Pacific island a little sooner.

Most recipes make four servings. Some menus call for doubling a recipe or prepared ingredient to utilize in another meal. it's an idea I love and use often. Doing this can make a future meal seem "almost instant''. Ignore the desserts if you're watching your weight.

A Quick Saturday Night Supper Layered Chili Casserole* Double Corn Muffins Kitty's Romaine & Egg Salad Banana Rum Pudding	Sunday Deli Chicken Deli-Roasted Chicken-Apricot Glaze* Poppy seed noodles with scallions Buttered peas & asparagus Pineapple & Cottage Cheese Salad Dinner Rolls Swiss Mocha Cake*
Monday Soft Beef Tacos Grated Mexican Cheeses Lettuce -Tomato-Scallions Salsa and Sour Cream Vanilla Ice Cream with Maple & Pecan Topping	Tuesday Hot Chicken Salad* Jelled Cranberry Fruit Salad * Hot Dinner Rolls Swiss Mocha Cake
Wednesday Night Soup Supper Seven Can Soup Green Salad Beer Bread Baked Apple Wedges	Thursday Creamy Hamburger & Mushrooms Parsleyed New Potatoes Broccoli with lemon butter Herbed Vine Tomato Salad Sour Cream Blueberries
Friday Night Supper Cheese & Vegetable Omelette French Baguette Loaf Green Salad with Thousand Island Dressing Fresh Melon Wedges

Saturday Night Hot Dogs Martha's Baked Beans* Celery and Carrot slices Ice Cream Bars	Sunday Dinner Wine Poached Salmon Fillet Curried Rice Mandarin Orange & Green Onion Salad Lemon Sorbet & Sugar Cookies
Cheesey Monday Grilled Two Cheese & Tomato Sandwiches Veggies with Yogurt Dill Dip Fruit Jello--Sugar Cookies	Tuesday Cold Poached Salmon Cucumbers Onions and Sour Cream* Asparagus with Sesame Seeds Warm Dinner Rolls Yogurt with Raspberry Grand Marnier Sauce
Wednesday Spaghetti with Meat Sauce Green Salad Garlic French Bread Cherry Cheese Cake	Thursday Sauteed Ham Steak Mashed Potatoes Buttered Spinach Pineapple & Cottage Salad Sliced Navel Oranges with Coconut
Friday Curried Eggs* Condiments Chopped Peanuts Mango Chutney Bacon Bits--Sliced Scallions Yellow Bell Peppers Mandarin Green Salad Hot Dinner Rolls Apple Crumb Pie--Cheddar Cheese

Saturday Hamburgers Three Bean Salad Frozen Yogurt	Sunday Chicken Vermouth Chicken Casserole* String Beans Jelled Cranberry Pineapple Salad Biscuits Baked Pears
Monday Spaghetti Casserole Mediterranean Tomato Herb Salad Warm French Bread Frozen Strawberries & Ice Cream	Tuesday Chicken & Ham Pot Pie Salad Coconut Cake
Wednesday Worlds Greatest Meatloaf Baked Potatoes Buttered Sliced Carrots Lemony Garlic Italian Salad Angel Food Strawberries Romanoff	Thursday Meat Loaf Sandwiches Potato salad Sliced tomatoes Baked Bananas with Cream
Friday Make Ahead Tuna Bake* Green Salad-Ranch Dressing Coconut Cake	Saturday Chop Suey* Rice Freestone Peaches & Bananas Sugar Cookies

onward to Week 1 Recipes