Monday Meal Planning and Participating in a Potluck

 

 We have a family reunion this upcoming weekend. Everyone is supposed to bring at least one dish, and you know how family goes, there is a level of expectation and competition. After racking my brains and searching the internet, I decided the most frugal dish I could bring was homemade noodles. I already have carrots and celery, and noodles take only flour a few eggs and a little bit of milk. This way I will be able to bring a crock pot full of noodles and feel like I was contributing. I will triple the following recipe to fill a big crockpot. The broth will be thin when we leave the house and thicken as the day goes on. I am also making mashed potatoes as that is how I grew up eating noodles, served over mashed potatoes, if not in soup. That's a lot of carbs, I know, but it is filling and cheap. This makes a meatless meal that is filling and inexpensive to make for a crowd. Plus, we love it so if there is any leftover, we can eat them the next day. It takes some time to make noodles from scratch, and peel potatoes for mashed potatoes, but you just can't beat the taste or the price of this meal from scratch.

The easiest way to save money on a potluck contribution is to make something that doesn't use meat, so my broth for the noodles won't have any chicken in it, but these noodles are so thick and fluffy when cooked, you won't miss it. Especially if you spoon them over mashed potatoes.

Soup for cooking the noodles

• 4 cups broth (homemade from chicken or beef bones, canned or made from bouillon)
• 1/2 cup each sliced carrots and sliced celery
• 1/2 small diced onion
• 1 bay leaf

Set all ingredients to boil then start making noodles.

 Homemade Noodles

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk

1. Combine flour and salt in a bowl; make a well in the center.
2.  Beat egg and milk; pour into well.
3.  Stir to form a stiff dough. Turn onto a well-floured surface; roll out to desired thickness. *Noodles will grow during cooking, so they end up longer and fatter than when you put them into the boiling soup, so make sure you roll them a little thinner than you want the finished product.
   
4.  Cut into 1/8-in. strips.
5.  Drop into boiling soup or broth and cook at least 10 minutes. The noodles will soak up a lot of broth over time.

Here is what we are planning to eat this week, hope your week is a good one!

Monday-

• Breakfast- Leftover pancakes, banana
  
• Lunch- Sandwiches, pretzels, peach
  
• Dinner- Sausage gravy and biscuits, fried potatoes, applesauce
  

Tuesday-

• Breakfast- Oatmeal, banana
  
• Lunch-  Sandwiches, pretzels, apple
  
• Dinner- French bread pizzas, salad
  

Wednesday-

• Breakfast- Toast, egg, banana
  
• Lunch-  Homemade microwave burritos, pretzels, carrots and celery
  
•  Dinner-  Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole made with half a pound of sausage instead of ground beef, peas, bread and butter
  

Thursday-

• Breakfast- Oatmeal, boiled egg, banana
  
• Lunch-  Ramen or leftovers, crackers, apple
  
• Dinner- Spaghetti, roasted broccoli, garlic toast
  

Friday-

• Breakfast- Toast, egg, banana
• Lunch- Sandwiches, pretzels, carrots and celery
  
• Dinner- Chicken Parmesan Baked Sliders, coleslaw, baked beans
  

Saturday-

• Brunch- Fried egg and bologna sandwiches, hashbrowns, fruit
  
• Dinner- Pork chops, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans
  

Sunday-

• Brunch- Pancakes, homemade pancake syrup, scrambled eggs
  
• Dinner- Potluck! Homemade noodles and mashed potatoes
  

 Have a good week!

~ Sarah