It’s September!
According to Canada’s Food Price Report for 2024, a family of 4 will spend $16,297.20 on food this year — that’s up $701.79 from 2023!
That’s $1,358.10 a month.
That’s roughly $313.40 a week.
NEW CHALLENGE!!!
Let’s feed me, my husband, our 15 year old and our 11 year old for about HALF that and make a week long menu plan for under $160.00!
Here is the September weekly meal plan staying close to my budget of $160.00! I want you to have all the tools to be able to feed your family 7 healthy(ish) meals, while not putting yourself into the poorhouse! I hope you enjoy and please let me know if you follow this weekly plan and if you were able to stick to the budget! NEW FEATURE ALERT!!!! Now you can click on the recipe listed in the MENU below and it will take you directly to the recipe!!
MENU
Sunday: Gnocchi Rosso
Monday: Cheesy Pizza Pot Pie & Caesar Salad
Tuesday: Potato Garlic Soup with French Bread
Wednesday: Pork Bites with Creamy Bell Pepper Sauce & Rice
Thursday: Fried Egg Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Onion Rings
Friday: Burger Bowls with Caramelized Onion Aioli & Seasoned Air Fried Potato Wedges
Saturday: Creamy Mushroom Marsala Pasta
Staple Items
These items are ALWAYS in my pantry or fridge. This tip bares repeating… As soon as I see an item running out it goes on the my shopping list. If they come up on my PC Points list or go on sale, I buy them. We have a second fridge in the garage, so I always have eggs, mayo, soy sauce, etc. on hand. It may take you a while and some money to get this system going but once you do… your wallet will thank you. Things I need for this week’s menu that I already have in my kitchen (my staple items) are listed below on the left. The items that I need to buy are listed on the right.
SHOPPING LIST:
Staple Items:
8 tablespoons butter
10 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup white wine
1 pinch red pepper flake
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons canola/vegetable oil
2 1/2 onion
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2 ½-3 cups + 1 tablespoon flour
12-16 slices mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoons paprika
4 tablespoons parsley
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, optional
1 cup basmati rice
8 slices bread
8-24 slices cheese
4 eggs
1 package pasta
1 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 cup Marsala
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Caesar salad dressing
Onion rings
Need To Buy Items:
1 package cherry tomatoes
1 pound gnocchi
1 sweet onion
11 cloves garlic + 2 bulbs garlic
1 can tomato sauce
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 leek
2 carrots
1 stalk celery
8 cups vegetable broth
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
4-6 oz pepperoni
3 bell peppers
¼ cup pizza sauce
1 shallot
1/2 lb mushrooms
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1-2 tomatoes
1 head lettuce
6 oz sausage
3 boneless pork chops
1 lb ground beef
3 1/2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
French bread
Garnish/Optional
croutons, Greek yogurt, parmesan, basil, parsley, Parmesan, caraway seeds
SUNDAY: Gnocchi Rosso
We love gnocchi and this dish using my homemade Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce with blistered cherry tomatoes was SO good! Perfect for all those tomatoes that are ripe on the vine right now!
Ingredients
1 package cherry tomatoes
1 pound gnocchi
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1 pinch red pepper flake
- Garnish
basil and parsley, chopped
Parmesan, grated
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Place tomatoes on a sheet pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast in your oven for 10-15 minutes until tomatoes skins are blistered and bursting.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your gnocchi for 2 minutes and drain well.
Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir while cooking, about 30 seconds to a minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and bring to a simmer to reduce slightly, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomato sauce and stir well until combined. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the heavy cream. Season with a pinch of red pepper flake, salt and pepper. Add roasted tomatoes and cooked gnocchi to the pan and toss in the sauce to coat. Garnish with chopped basil, parsley and parmesan.
Monday: Cheesy Pizza Pot Pie & Caesar Salad
I’m always looking for new and fun dishes that my family will enjoy. These pot pies were so easy and so fun! This would be a great meal to get the kids involved in helping to make it! Next time, and there will Definitely be a next time, we will fill our pies just a bit more because our ramekins are actually French onion soup bowls. We had the pizza pot pies with our favourite Caesar Salad and everybody finished every bit that was on their plates.
Ingredients
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 ½-3 cups flour, plus more for dusting
3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
4-6 oz pepperoni
1 red pepper, diced
2 mild Italian sausages, casings removed, crumbled & cooked
3/4 small can pizza sauce
fresh basil, garnish (optional)
Directions
Combine yeast, sugar and warm water in bowl. Let rest for 5 minutes until bubbles form. Add in oil and salt and give a mix. Slowly add in 2 ½ cups flour, mixing well with a wooden spoon or spatula. Mix until a ball forms.
Knead in a stand mixer with a dough attachment until smooth. You may need to use the additional ½ cup flour till a smooth consistency is achieved.
Cover with a damp towel and let rise for 30 minutes. Once ready, divide dough into 4-6 portions and stretch out. As ramekin sizes can vary, the amount of dough per pizza may vary as well.
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Butter ramekins well, making sure to come all the way up to the rim.
Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of cheese on bottom of ramekin. Divide pepperoni, red peppers and sausage equally amongst ramekins. Top with tomato sauce.
Cover the top of the ramekin with portioned out pizza dough. Stretch over top and let hang on the sides. Brush with oil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until dough is golden.
Carefully remove and invert onto a plate. Using a spoon, separate the now cooked dough from the ramekin. Lift the ramekin up — all the contents will immediately flip into the pizza crust. Top with basil.
Tuesday: Potato Garlic Soup with French Bread
It’s soup time baby! I love soup! The smell of roasted garlic, smells like comfort and fall to me. This silky potato soup with roasted garlic was the perfect soup to get me into fall vibes.
Ingredients
2 bulbs garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped (white part only)
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
3 lb yellow potatoes, peeled & chopped
1 bay leaf
6 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Garnish
croutons, cream, parmesan, fresh herbs
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400F.
Cut the tops of the garlic bulbs and carefully remove some of the outer layers without breaking up the cloves. Place on aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap in foil, place on a small baking sheet, and roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes.
In a large soup pot, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, leek, fennel seeds (if using), and salt. Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add carrots and celery, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add potatoes, bay leaf, and vegetable broth. Stir everything together and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
Take out the bay leaf and add fresh thyme leaves and black pepper. Squeeze the roasted garlic out the bulbs into the soup.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cream, or parmesan, and fresh herbs.
Wednesday: Pork Bites with Creamy Bell Pepper Sauce & Rice
This creamy pork and pepper dish is the perfect weekday meal because it is super easy and you can have it on the table in 30 minutes. Spoon it onto a bed of Basmati Rice and this is a filling and yummy dinner.
Pork Bites with Creamy Bell Pepper Sauce
4
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
3 boneless pork chops, chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons butter
2 bell peppers, diced
1 onion, diced
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped & divided
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, optional
3/4 cup heavy cream
Directions
Season pork bites with salt and pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Heat oil and butter in a frying pan or large skillet over medium-high until butter is melted.
Sear the pork bites for about 3-4 minutes per side until golden browned, and the centre is no longer pink. Transfer the pork bites to a warm plate and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the onion and bell pepper to the buttery cooking juices and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Scrape up any bits left over from the pork using a wooden spoon.
When the veggies are crisp-tender, add half the parsley, half the thyme, cayenne, and all of the garlic; sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Pour in the cream and bring to a gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Season the cream sauce with salt and pepper to your taste.
Add the pork bites back into the cream sauce, and allow to simmer for a minute to heat through. Garnish with the remaining herbs and serve with rice.
Thursday: Fried Egg Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Onion Rings
My Mom made the best fried egg sandwiches. I haven’t had a good fried egg sandwich since she passed away over 11 years ago. Ninja makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches so I got him to throw in some fried eggs and we have a new winning sandwich! Why didn’t I think of fried egg grilled cheese sandwiches before? Genius! We completed our beige dinner lol with Cavendish onion rings that we had got on sale a while back.
Ingredients
8 slices bread
8 slices cheese, I used marble and mozzarella
4 tablespoons butter, divided
4 tablespoons mayonnaise, divided
salt and pepper, to taste
4 eggs
Directions
Butter one side of each piece of bread, set aside.
In a frying pan, melt a little butter over low heat. Fry eggs so the yolks are sunny side up. Add salt and pepper to taste. Flip and cook to your liking. Once done, remove from heat.
In a separate frying pan or griddle, add a slice of bread, buttered side down. Add a slice of marble cheese. Top with fried egg. Add a slice of mozzarella cheese on top of the egg. Top with another piece of bread, buttered side up.
Cook until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown on both sides.
Friday: Burger Bowls with Caramelized Onion Aioli & Seasoned Air Fried Potato Wedges
Now that we are officially into fall, I didn’t feel right putting barbeque hamburgers on our menu. However, the sun is still shining, and this burger bowl is the perfect transition into autumn. This onion aïoli was so freaking good! Potato wedges are a go to for us because they are so easy and take no time at all in the air fryer! I liked dipping my wedges into the aïoli, so good!
Burger Bowls with Caramelized Onion Aioli
4
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb ground beef
salt and pepper
- Garnish
cherry tomatoes, sliced
Air fried potato wedges (recipe below)
Romaine lettuce
1 cup cheese, shredded
pickles, diced
Directions
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. When shimmering, add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the brown sugar and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the onions are a deep golden brown colour. If they start to burn or crisp up, add a splash of water to the pan. You want a jammy consistency.
Transfer the caramelized onions to a bowl and stir in the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the ground beef into 4-6 patties. Season both sides with salt and pepper. BBQ patties to your liking or wipe out the skillet and return to medium-high heat. Sear the burgers for 2-3 minutes per side or until they are cooked to your liking.
Serve the burgers over chopped romaine lettuce with tomatoes, potato wedges, pickles, cheese, and dollops of caramelized onion aioli.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
Directions
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees.
Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Put the cut side on the cutting board and cut in half lengthwise. Cut each quarter in half again. Rinse the wedges until the water runs clean. Place the wedges on a paper towel. Pat dry each wedge and place it in a medium bowl.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil, season with salt and pepper, and place the wedges in the air fryer. Cook for 12 minutes or until fork tender.
After cooking, add the wedges back to the bowl. Pour the remaining oil and seasoning over the potatoes and toss together to coat evenly.
Raise the temperature to 400 degrees and cook the wedges for another 12-15 minutes or until crispy.
Saturday: Creamy Mushroom Marsala Pasta
Ninja loves pork Marsala, chicken Marsala, and pretty much anything Marsala and this mushroom Marsala pasta was no exception.
Ingredients
1 package pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
Directions
Boil the pasta in salted water according to the instructions on the package and reserve some pasta water before draining.
In a large pan, heat the olive oil and fry the shallot for 1 minute over medium heat until it softens.
Add the mushrooms and rosemary to the pan and fry them for 8 to 10 minutes until they reduce in size and are slightly golden. Add the flour and stir to cover the mushrooms.
Pour the Marsala and continue to cook for one to two minutes until the alcohol evaporates and you're left with a creamy sauce.
Add the garlic and wholegrain mustard to the pan and stir to incorporate. Cook for another minute, then add the stock. Allow it to bubble for a minute, then add the double cream and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Stir in the parsley, then transfer the pasta to the pan. Give it a good stir until it's well covered in sauce and season to taste.
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #396 Knob Twiddlers. This week, we get together to discuss: the Colbert Bump, Kansas City Taylor’s, the media, CT scans, the Raccoons, SOW, VMA’s, and stage fights.
The first full week of school is officially in the books! HBear started drum lessons, SBean started piano lessons, had her second week of gymnastics, and HBear started a ballet/contemporary class. Unfortunately, hip-hop didn’t fit into the schedule this year, but I’m glad HBear, picked a different class to continue her dance studies. I had my blood work done, and Ninja and the Kids met Dad and his parents enjoyed Summer Camp Ribfest. I watched the American presidential debate and ninja bought his new golf irons while the kids went shopping at the mall. We ended the week with an ice cream treat!
