Menu Monday - Weather Musical Chairs

The weather is meant to be all over the place this week.  Warm and sunny, rainy and cold...Pretty much typical for this time of year.  We'll be at least two months now with this musical chair weather, opening windows to cool down one day and lighting heater before the day is out to warm up again.  It's very unsettled, always has been.   Choosing suitable meals is a challenge but I think after viewing the weather reports I've got the week's menus pretty well matched with the weather. 

Monday:  Sweet and Spicy BBQ'd Wings, Coleslaw, Potato Salad
I always start with an inexpensive, bought on sale, doubled coupon BBQ sauce for this dish.  I add in flavor with honey and Tabasco sauce, so there's a bit of warmth hidden in the depths of the sweetness.  I don't go to any great trouble with the chicken wings, just put them in a pan and bake at fairly high heat (425F) for about 20 minutes, add sauce and then heat for 10 minutes more. 


Tuesday:  Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Corn Muffins
I've found the secret to a small meatloaf: 1 pound ground beef, 1 egg, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and whatever additions you prefer.  Then I pack the meat into a small round bowl, loosen sides with a knife and turn out into my Pyrex deep pie dish.  It makes a perfect little round load that is thick enough to require cooking a longer cooking time than hamburger and keeps the meat moist and tender.
Wednesday:  Chicken Paprikash, Noodles, Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage, Rye Bread
One of my Sunday guests mentioned this dish.  After she left, I wrote it into my menu, it sounded too good not to include.  The long slow cooking will be well suited to a cold rainy day.
Thursday:  Cream of Tomato Soup, Open Faced Meat Loaf Sandwiches, Apples
Even with a small meatloaf there are leftovers.  I love warm meat loaf sandwiches so no hardship to me to have leftovers.  If there is still more meat left, I'll package up in chunks for soup or spaghetti later in the month.
Friday:   Split Pea Soup, Homemade Bread, Banana Pudding
I'm thinking soup will be a good meal again...Chance isn't home and I can freeze leftovers in individual portions, so he can take some in his work lunch, or we can thaw and eat one evening for supper.
Saturday:  Meat-Macaroni Casserole, Broccoli, Pineapple Salad
A 1950's recipe.  I'll use the turkey Spam luncheon meat in the casserole.  It's a little heartier than plain old mac and cheese.  I'll divide the recipe into two casseroles.  One for now, one to freeze for later.

Sunday:  Sherried Chicken, Rice, Green Beans Almondine, Rolls, Pineapple Upside Down Cake
This recipe was strictly an accident, one of those happy accidents related to not having all ingredients on hand to prepare another dish.  It was meant to be an oriental flavored meal but I had no soy sauce...and so I used dry sherry and ended up with an elegant, delicate dish that is a wonderful 'dressy' meal for Sunday.  The Pineapple upside down cake will use up the leftover pineapple rings nicely.