$40 for two for a week of dinners and lunches

This week's menu plan is designed for a couple. The meals should provided at least 3 servings for each dinner and lunch (we make the meal for dinner, then have leftovers for lunch). I use three servings because my husband eats about double what I do. This menu is based on the cook one item (roast beef) and reuse it throughout the week principle.


Meals:
1. Simple BBQ Roast beef with green bean and potatoes
2. BBQ Roast beef salad
3. Roast Beef Sandwiches
4. Butternut squash soup
5. Beef Fajitas
6. Left overs (repeat meals until beef is completely used up)


Shopping List:
*prices are based on standard prices in Southern Ontario, the weight ranges reflects the standard amounts that sell for those prices based on January 2011.

1 3kg (6lb) eye of round roast ($13)
1 pack grape/baby tomatoes ($2)
1 box spring lettuce mix ($4.50)

1 small-medium red onion ($0.20)
1 bag frozen green beans ($2)
10lb potatoes ($2)
1 large(2-3 lb) butternut squash ($2)
1 orange or 1 can frozen concentrated orange juice ($0.50)

1 green pepper ($0.50)
10 lb onions ($2)
10 tortillas ($2)
1 loaf bread ($2)
1 tub sour cream ($2)
1 jar salsa ($2)
1 bottle BBQ sauce ($2)

Total: $38.70

Pantry ingredients:
spices (garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, chili powder, cumin)

oil
condiments (mustard/mayonnaise, etc)
red wine vinegar

How:

Roast the beef (using a 9 x 13 brownie pan or anything else that fits)

1. Rinse and pat dry the roast
2. Rub with garlic, salts & pepper, and BBQ sauce
3. Heat oven to 500F, put roast in oven and turn temperature down to 475F
4. Cook roast for 7 min per pound (for my 6 lb roast that's about 42 min).
5. Turn off oven and don't open door. Let roast sit for 2.5 hours in the closed oven.
6. Carve and enjoy

*makes medium rare roast, which is more rare than we like it so I cut the ends off for dinner(they tend to be closer to medium), then throw the rest in the slow cooker on low for 4 hours with about 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, and 1 cup water.

1. Boil potatoes in a pot of water until tender when pierced with a fork.
2. Cook beans according to directions.
3. Use drippings to make gravy if desired

BBQ Beef Salad

1. Using leftover beef roast, chop tomatoes, 1/4-1/2 of the red onion and slice beef
2. Arrange on bed of spring mix
3. Mix 1/3 cup red wine (or other) vinegar, 1/3 cup oil, 1/3 cup of BBQ sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over salad (rest will keep in the fridge for at least 1 week)

Roast Beef Sandwiches

1. Slice roast beef and assemble sandwiches

Butternut Squash soup

1. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large saucepan and stirfry 1 medium onion (chopped) for 2 min. 
2. Add 2inch chopped ginger, 2 garlic cloves (chopped), and butternut squash (peeled & chopped). Stir fry for 6-8 min.
3. Add 4 cups water and simmer for 20 min
4. Puree soup in batches and stir in 1/4 cup orange juice and 1.5 tsp salt.
5. Garnish with sour cream

Beef Fajitas

1. Chop 2-3 small onions, 1 sweet pepper into strips. Chop up remaining roast beef into strips.
2. Stir fry onion and sweet pepper with approximately 2 tsp cumin, 3 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp paprika for 3-5 min until soft
3. Add chopped roast beef and about 3 tbsp BBQ sauce. Stirfry until heated through.
4. Serve with Tortillas, salsa, sour cream, cheese, and spring mix