Groceries for two, suggest the ultimate shopping list?!


Question: Groceries for two, suggest the ultimate shopping list!?
Hello, I have a problem, I live with my Fiancé and we eat out way, way too much because when I moved in with him, he thought I would fix all his grocery list problems, but I just added to it!. I don't know how/what to cook!

He has always complained about not knowing what to buy so he picked up typical things like hamburger helper, cereal and ramen noodles!. I came from a household of all frozen dinners and prepackaged snacks!. I want us to get OUT of this mess!. I need a strong shopping list, one that I can pull many meals out of!. He likes a lot of flavor, spaghetti that's more like a stew with two added meats and three veggies in an already chunky sauce!. Yeah, his mommy spoiled him!

I'd like to make shopping an every two weeks sort of thing!. I want to incorporate fresh things into our diet, home made things, vegetables, fruit, etc!. I know there are still home-cookers out there! I want good, not overcomplicated meals!.

I'm not really that picky except if it's going into the pigs feet, cow tongues area!.

He dislikes bland things, pesto sauce, celery, carrots, cucumbers, soy milk!.

thanks in advance with any suggestions you may have!. We've tried just buying pasta and meat and bread and sandwich stuff, we want to go further and higher quality than that, food is the only thing we really allow splurging on, if it tastes good we're there! Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
I would buy chicken-boneless breasts quarters etc!.!.!., pork, hamburger etc!.!.!. buy it in large quantities then package it in serving sizes for 2 peple and lable, date and freeze!.

I would also have in my stash of stuff:

Potatoes
Rice-wild, brown and jasmine
Beans-dried and canned
Pasta's of different shapes and sizes
Mayonasie
Ketchup
Cream Cheese
Sour cream
Salsa
eggs
milk
onions
bell peppers
zucchini
flour
sugar
brown sugar
salt
seasoned salt
poultry seasoning
white& black pepper
chili powder
cumin
itialian seasoning
veggie oil
dried chives and paresley
canned stewed tomatoes, tom sauce, amd paste
soy sauce
triyaki sauce
b-b-q sauce
itialian type dressings
ranch
frozen assorted frozen veggies
canned creamy soups
crackers
bread
butter/margerine
seasoned salt
celery salt
granulated garlic-flakes
onion powder/flakes
beef & chicken bullion cubes
worcestershire sauce
steak sauce

And here are some recipes!. I will get everything I can to fit but e-mail for for recipes!.

Homemade Tomato Sauce:

I can stewed tomatoes
1 can tom sauce
Onion choped
Garlic clove chopped
butter
celery salt
onion powder
granulated garlic
seasoned salt
Chicken bullion cube
spoon full sugar
itailain seasoning
basil
oregeno
parsely
dreid chives
mushrooms-optional
bell peppers-optional
zucchini and yellow squash-optional


Saute the onion and garlic in butter, add the tomatoes and remaining ingredients to taste!. Simmer over low-med heat for 20-30 min!. You can add beef, turkey, chicken thighs skin off, bone in and simmer for a couple of hours until fall off the bone tender!.

Fruit salad:
I know this sounds a little odd but it adds a nice light zip and tang for fruit:
? cup buttermilk
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Red apples, thinly sliced
? red grapes
Raspberries or black berries
Strawberries!.


6 pork chops (approx 5oz each)
3 Potatoes
3 Carrots
1 onion
2 Cans cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 Cans of Milk
3 Tbsp Flour
salt and pepper

Brown the chops in a skillet that has been lightly oiled!. As the chops are browning slice the carrots potatoes, onions, and carrots!. Place the browned chops in a 9x13 baking dish!.
Layer on the veggies!. In a separate bowl mix the soup and flour until smooth, then add the milk!. Pour over the chops and veggies and then cover and bake for 1 hour at 350!. Then remove lid and continue to bake for another 15min!.

Cold Orzo Salad:

Boil some orzo pasta, drain and cool!. Add some chopped red onion, roma tomatoes, corn, feta cheese, and Italian dressing!.

Warm Green and Potato Salad:
1 lb small red, white or yellow new potatoes
12 oz fresh green beans trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces (approx 2 cups)
1/4 cup dried tomatoes in olive oil drained, and chopped
1/3 cup bottled parmesan or Italian salad dressing
4 cups pre-washed Italian salad greens
4 slices bacon, crisp cooked and crumbled (optional)

1/2 or 1/4 the potatoes, boil with the beans in lightly salted water until tender!. Drain!.

Return to the pan and add remaining ingredients

Tangy Watermelon Salad:

4 cups seedless watermelon-cubed
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
3/4 crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint or Italian parsley

Mix the oil, lime juice, and vinegar!. Toss the watermelon with the oil and lime mix!. Gently fold in feta cheese, and mint/parsley!.

Color full veggie sauté:

2 med red peppers julienned
2 med green peppers julienned
2 med zucchini julienned
4 med carrots julienned
1 tsp olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced cabbage
1/4 tsp salt
4 tsp cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp sesame seeds!.

In a large skillet, sauté the peppers, zucchini, and carrots in olive oil, for 5 min!. Add the cabbage, salt and pepper, sauté 1 min longer!.

In small bowl combine vin and water, pour over veggies!. Cook and stir for 2-3 min or until heated thru!. Sprinkle with sesame seeds!.

Basic Stew:
1 pound stew meat
1 or 2 carrots peeled and cut into big chunks
1 or 2 ribs of celery cut into big chunks
1 onion chopped
1 large white potato or 2 medium potatoes peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1 can stewed tomatoes
Oil
Flour
Seasonings such as seasoned salt, granulated garlic, pepper, celery salt, onion powder and a few bay leaves

In a large skillet heat the oil!.
In a zipper seal bag add flour and all the seasoning to taste-except bay leaves!. You want to season it kinda heavily because it will basically season your whole stew!.
Toss the meat into the bag of flour and coat well!. Add the meat to the oil, adding a little extra flour!.
Meanwhile add all veggies and bay leaf to a soup or crock pot!. Add the meat when it is done frying, add all the flour drippings as well!.
Simmer on low heat until the meat and veggies are tender!. Adding more water or seasonings as needed!. Stir from time to time as well!.

Crock Pot Chicken Salsa Curry

10 chicken thighs-bone in
1 jar of your fav salsa
1/2 onion chopped
1 tablespoon curry (or about 1/2 if you don't like a strong curry taste)
1/2 cup sour cream

Place the chicken in the crock pot!. Mix the onion, curry and salsa!. Pour over the chicken and cook on low for about 6-8 hours!.

When the chicken is done take it out of the crock pot and put on a serving plate!. Add the sour cream and mix well!. Spoon the sauce over the chicken!.

This would go well with rice or cous cous!.

If you don't have crock pot I would think that you could do this in you oven in a well wrapped pan on low (about 200) check it though since it may cook faster!. I haven't done it in the oven but as I said I think it should work!. I did it in the crock pot and it was awesome!. This recipe is easy to do smaller portions of as well!.

Mexi-rice:

Use rice that is still warm!.

Heat a skillet or griddle pan to a med-low heat!. Add the rice and your favorite salsa, some olives, corn and ground cumin!. (A great salsa to use would be the kind in the plastic tubs in the produce section, I think it's labeled as "Fresh Salsa" but El Paso or whatever would work as well!.)

Instead of pre-made salsa make your own using roma tomatoes chopped small, red onions, chopped cilantro, minced garlic, finely chopped jalape?o pepper, adding some lime juice, and garlic salt!. Then toss this fresh salsa in with the rice and cumin, olives, and corn!.

Serve hot and I like mine with just a sprinkle of melted cheese!.!.!.!.!.yumm!!!

Creamy chicken enchiladas:

1 pound boneless chicken breasts diced
1 8oz package cream cheese cut into cubes
Flour or corn tortillas
1 can diced green chili peppers
ground cumin
1 or 2 can green enchilada sauce
Shredded cheese

Cook the chicken in a skillet and when the chicken is done add the cream cheese, it will melt!. As the cream cheese melts add the green chilis, and a couple of good dashes of cumin!. Continue to heat on low until the cream cheese has melted!.

Fill a tortilla with the chicken mix, roll and place in a baking dish, Continue until the chicken mix is gone!. Top with the enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese!. Bake at 350 for about 10-15 min or until the sauce is nice and hot and the cheese is golden and bubbly!.


Cook 2 pork chop with the following: 1 red bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces, 1/2 onion chopped into medium to small pieces, and 1 apple sliced!. Cook the chops in a tiny bit of oil, brown on one side and turn, add the onions, pepper, and apples!. Cook until chops are done and the other ingredients are crisp tender!. Serve with rice!.

The next recipe is for as many chops as you want to make!. Salt and pepper both sides of the chops, place in a baking dish!. Top EACH chop with the following
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp ketchup
1 slice onion
1 slice lemon

Bake at 350 for about 30-45 min depending on how many chops, and how thick they are!. This dish creates just a tiny bit of a nice sweet tangy sauce!. You can simmer an extra serving or 2 the topping ingredients on the stove top with a little water if you would like!. I serve this dish over rice also!. Different sounding but very good!!!


Here is what I also add to my meat loaf sorry I don't have anything exact cuz I do it to feel!. You want to end up with a nice firm feel to the meat loaf!. And you want it to hold a shape nicely!. I also use the same basic ingredients to make meat balls but when I do meat balls I chop the veggies up smaller!.

Green bell peppers (reds also if I have them)
Onions
Mushrooms
Green Onions
Eggs
Ketchup
Mustard
B-B-Q sauce-sometimes
teriyaki-more for meat balls
Worcestershire sauce
Dry ingredients of some kinds such as oatmeal, dried out bread, slightly crushed Plain cheerios etc!.!.!.

Alfredo Sauce:
3 tbsp butter
8 fluid oz heavy whipping cream
Heaping ? cup grated parmesan cheese
Heaping ? cup grated ramano cheese
1 egg yolk with a pinch of salt slightly beaten
3 tbsp sour cream
2 good dashes ground nutmeg
2 good dashes garlic parmesan popcorn flavoring
Salt to taste
2-3 tbsp grated parmesan for garnish
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat!. Add heavy cream, stirring constantly!. Stir in salt, nutmeg, and popcorn seasoning, grated Parmesan cheese, and grated Romano cheese!. Stir constantly until melted, then temper the egg yolk, and add to the sauce!. Simmer over medium low heat for 3 to 5 minutes!. Garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired!.
Cheaters Alfredo Sauce:
1 pkg cream cheese softened and cut into cubes
milk
seasonings (my faves are seasoned salt, celery salt, granulated garlic, onion powder)
Parmesan cheese optional
Pasta of choice!.!.!.bowtie, fettuccini, shells etc!.!.!.

Cook and drain the pasta

In a sauce pan melt the cream cheese and add milk slowly to get the desired thickness!. Add the seasonings and a little parm if you want!. You could also garnish with a little parm and dried or fresh chopped parsley!.

SometiWww@FoodAQ@Com

Get some basics into the house that you can draw on, and then improve what he doesn't like!.
Both carrots and celery can't be described as bland!. They have wonderful tastes!.
You need:-
Potatoes
Rice
Pasta
Cheese
Eggs
Bread
Milk
Butter
Oil
Vegetables!. Fresh and Frozen Www@FoodAQ@Com

ask his mom for help!. hang around with her if you can and watch how she cooks!. she will be thrilled and so will he and you will learn new things too!. it would help if you had the following things in the house to start with: a bag each of potatoes, onions, apples, oranges, bananas
5 cloves garlic, olive oil, red and white vinegar
packages of fresh basil, parsley, oregano [freeze these]
salt, pepper, sugar, flour, corn meal
mayo, ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce, terryaki sauce, plum jelly
milk, orange juice, cream cheese, sour cream, eggs
bread and rolls
3 boxes or bags each of pasta and of rice
frozen broccoli, spinach, mixed veggies, beets, asparagus, corn,
2 packages each of - ground beef, pork chops, spare ribs, rib steak, boneless chicken breast[ sliced thin], hot dogs, smoked ham steaks, stew meat, frozen flounder filet
candy and chips

Www@FoodAQ@Com

http://www!.uclick!.com/client/adv/mu/

Shopping every 2 weeks for staples is fine, but you will need to hit the grocery (or HE will!) for things like fresh fruits/veggies, milk, bread, eggs, stuff that expires in a week or two!.

The above site is great for meal and menu planning, provides shopping lists and recipes, and tells you how to use up leftovers!. I love this site!

Other good stuff on a shopping list:

chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
HB meat
pork chops
potatoes
salad in a bag
bananas, other fruit on sale
bread crumbs
eggs
cheeses: cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella
milk
sour cream
butter/margarine
cream of whatever soups (for casseroles)
assorted pastas, rice
assorted frozen veggies, frozen fruitsWww@FoodAQ@Com

Cooking isn't rocket science though science is involved!.
Start with simple things and work your way up in complexity!.
Anyone can cook chicken, hamburger, bacon & sausage!.
From there a bit of mushroom soup, boxed macaroni, rice a roni or even the dreaded hamburger helper can add significantly!.
If you like add frozen vegetables!.
Just cook what you like!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

I am just like you!. I can in and was expected to make over the kitchen!.
Here is some of what I do!.

King ranch or aka layered enchiladas
1 can rotel
1 can cream of chicken
2 large chicken breast cooked and shreddedpackage of corn tortortillas mexican cheese blend

tear up the totortillasto bite size pieces put
together cream of chicken and rotel
*layer in a baking dish corn tortilla
* layer cream of chicken/rotel
* layer chicken
* layer cheese

just layer till you are happy cook in the oven 350 for 30 miMin'shis is amazing like enchiladas

Here is my favorite I'm poor and need to make my money last!.
*one whole chicken about 3-4 pounds this is going to last several meals don't worry
cook the chicken on 450 for 45 mins!. I usually just stick a bit of onion or even just a tablespoon of butter on the inside with s & p all over!.

day one eat some of the chicken with the standard corn and green beans rolls whatever you like!.
day two shred up some 3 cups of the chicken put it in the pan with drained and rinsed black beans add 1/2 tsp of coriander and garlic powder then add 1/2 a jar about 1c of your fav salsa!.
serve inside taco shells hard or soft or as quesadillas!.
serve with side salad and refried beans!.
day three chicken waldorf salad
salad sliced apples blue cheese lite vinagrett
day four make king ranch from the top of the message
day five make chicken salad to many versions to name my favorite is with a pinapple and sliced grapes!.
once most of the chicken is gone you can boil the bones with onion celery and carrot bay leaf and cloves of garlic making stock for soup and add noodles and the rest of the chicken for soup!. or just save the stock for later!.

Make a tomato basil soup with grilled cheese
can of diced tomatoes
can of diced tomatoes with italian seasoning
8 oz of cream cheese frozen and cut to cubes
add to cheese to the simmering tomatoes
after all is melted together blend it up in the food processor or blender

Make a roast in the crock pot potatoes and carrots add in cream of mushroom and an envelope of french onion soup mix and 8 oz of water or beef stock put it on low all day long for about 6-8 hours or 4-5 hours on high!.

You also have the standard lasagna easy no bake noodles
egg/spinach/ ricotta cheese 1/4c parm!.
cooked ground beef or cooked italian sausage
mozzerella!.

spaghetti
home made burgers with mash potatoes!.

stuffed spuds large baking potates stuff with anything from brocoli and cheese to chicken taco mix, any left over and trust me this is a comfort food staple in my house!. also fast and cheap!.
cook the 2 potatoes for about 15 mins till they squeeze and are soft!.

I personally love breakfast for supper so I'll throw that in!.

so here is my standard list
potatoes 98 cents pound
one bag of onion 3!.00 ( i cut them and freeze them so I don't have to cut onions all month long I hate that so much)
a few bell peppers 2!.00
asparagus if on sale only less than 3 bucks
bag of chicken 7 dollars
frozen dinner rolls 2 dollars
loaf of bread 3 dollars
tortillas or taco shells 2 bucks
salsa 2 dollars
whole chicken about 5 bucks
cans of veggies & beans 3 dollars worth mix it up
frozen corn on the cob 2 dollars
cans of tomatoes and soups 3 dollars
lasagna ingredients about 10 dollars
roast pay no more that 7 dollars also turn it into bbq sandwhiches buy burger buns- 2 bucks
frozen cheese raviolis 3 bucks
spagheti sauce x 2 2 dollars
1/2 gallon milk 3 bucks
gallon of water 1 buck
cokes 3 bucks
steam frozen broc!. 2 bucks
small bag of baby carrots 3 bucks
mix bag of 100 cal chips 5 dollars
mix of fruit about 5 dollars worth

that is as much as I can remember I hope it helps!.





Www@FoodAQ@Com

You've got yourself started already - by knowing what you/he likes, make a menu for one week!. From that menu, buy what you'll nee to prepare those meals!. Don't worry about knowing how to cook!. Get yourself a basic cookbook and try 1 new recipe every week or so!. You will start to learn just by doing it and eventually can start adding the extra veggie servings, or a grilled meat or whatever!. There's nothing wrong with having a pasta more than once ot twice week!. You cna even have a cold pasta salad with a bread and it's a satisfying meal!. You may get a whole bunch of suggestions, which will give you some great recipes but won't solve your original problem!. Think of your old elementary school lunch menus and branch out from there!. Have fun with it!Www@FoodAQ@Com

Well, I guess you do have a problem!. Lets try this:

Large Package of Chicken Breasts
Large package of Hamburg
A couple Steaks

Frozen Greenbeans
Peas
Corn

some apples
some oranges
Bell Peppers

4 boxes thin Spaghetti
3 cans crushed tomatoes
jar of garlic
Many potatoes
onions
chicken bouillion
Various herbs (oregano, basil,parsley)

Its pretty simple!. You can make unlimited combinations of meat/veggie dishes!.

The crushed tomatoes are what you should use for sauce, not the jarred crap!. cook your hamburger into a skillet, when cooked, pour crushed tom!. into a skillet, add garlic, salt pepper, oregano, etc!.
Boil your pasta when the sauce is heated!. Let sauce simmer until spaghet is done!. Strain spaghetti, and put back in pot!. add a little sauce, and serve more over pasta when put on plate!.

That should do it!. Try different things!. Thats how I learned, and by watching people!. Buy a basic cookbook too!.

-Max

Ps!. Eggs, milk, bread etc!. are also important!. I assumed you had those though!.Www@FoodAQ@Com





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