VIC Specials for Week 4/7 – 4/13

I’m a little late posting this week. Sorry! I think mainly because I was not overly excited about the specials and have been procrastinating trying to figure out recipes. Usually my “excitement” level over the specials depends on the fresh meat sales. Here is a link to the specials: http://flyer.harristeeter.com/HT_eVIC/ThisWeek/index.jsp?ID9109
Here are some of the items that will be on my list:

Strawberries – 4 packs for $5
Barilla pasta sauce – Buy one, get one
Barilla pasta – Buy one, get one
Celia’s Burrito flour tortillas – Buy one, get one
Center cut pork chops - $2.97/pound
Split Chicken Breast - $0.97/pound
Bertolli frozen pastas - $5.99 – will feed Colin and me although we usually need something else with it
HT Sour Cream - 8 oz. size is $0.77
HT Shredded Cheeses - $1.97
Campbell's Cream Soups - 10 for $10 - I always need Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Potato Soup

And the recipes for the week:

Monday – Braised Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes

I receive recipes each day from myrecipes.com. I’m pretty sure I just signed up online to receive the daily email. Sometimes the recipes are a stretch and not something I would be interested in, but this particular email was, “9 ways to Eat Great on a Budget.” It was included in the section “Healthy Entrees for $2 or Less,” and comes from the February 2006 issue of Southern Living. Organic chicken thighs are on special at Harris Teeter, but I will get a value pack of the Harris Teeter non-organic (I refuse to watch Food, Inc.) and freeze the ones I don’t use. I like it because it uses a crockpot and calls for many ingredients that I already have on-hand. I usually serve with brown rice. Here you go:

1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and sliced
4 medium-size new potatoes (about 1 pound), cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (I omit the potatoes, because they get too mushy for my taste in a crockpot. Colin likes mushy potatoes though, so maybe I shouldn’t leave them out….)
2 cups baby carrots (I use 3-4 regular size, peel and cut them)
1 ¼ t. salt, divided
½ t. pepper, divided
¼ c. chicken broth
¼ c. white wine (If ever you have wine left after having people over – could be a rare occurrence, I know...Save it in the fridge for cooking, and it will keep you from having to open a new bottle for your recipes. My mother-in-law told me it won’t go bad and can be used to make vinaigrettes too!)
1 t. minced garlic
½ t. dried thyme
1 t. paprika
6 bone-in, skinned chicken thighs (I use 9 if I have them, so I can have leftovers for lunch the next day).

Place onions in slow cooker. Top with potatoes and carrots. Combine ¾ t. salt, ¼ t. pepper, broth and next 3 ingredients. Pour broth mixture over veggies. Combine paprika, remaining ½ t. salt, and remaining ½ t. pepper; rub evenly over chicken thighs and arrange on top of chicken thighs. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until chicken and veggies are tender.

Tuesday – Mexican Chicken
Another crockpot recipe from my favorite, “Make it Easy” cookbook. This one was submitted by Esther Farnham. It uses 3 – 5 chicken breasts. Chicken breasts are not on sale this week, but I have some in my freezer from the previous buy one, get two free special. After cooking all day, the chicken is super tender, and you can shred it with a fork. As Esther comments in the book, it’s great over rice, strained, as well as on a salad. Very delicious in quesadillas and fajitas too! The recipe makes a good amount, so you can serve it one way one night and a second way the next night.

1 package taco seasoning
½ jar taco sauce (I used half of an 8 oz. jar)
1 can chicken broth
3 – 5 chicken breasts
2 can black beans (optional)

Mix first 3 ingredients. Put chicken breasts in crockpot and pour mixture on top. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 – 8 hours. If you choose to add black beans, drain them and add in last hour of cooking time.

Garnish with cheese, sour cream, etc., make into quesadillas or serve over rice. Cheese and sour cream are VIC specials!

Wednesday – Mexican Chicken Leftovers

Thursday – Pork Chops
This recipe calls for a pork tenderloin, but because the center cut pork chops are on special, I’ll use them instead. The marinade is delish, and although I’ve only used it on pork tenderloins, I’m confident it will be just as tasty on the pork chops. It comes from Liz Grasty via, “Make it Easy.” So glad Laura and Kimberly put this cookbook together!!!

1 pork tenderloin (I’ll use 4 center cut pork chops)
½ c. soy sauce
¼ c. sugar
½ t. garlic powder
Sesame seeds (I omitted these)

Place pork in casserole dish or plastic Ziploc bag. Mix all ingredients except the sesame seeds in a bowl and cover pork. Refrigerate overnight. I will grill the pork chops, but here are baking directions for the tenderloin too.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast sesame seeds and set aside. Remove tenderloin and save the marinade. Place tenderloin on roasting rack and bake for 40 minutes (I don’t have a roasting rack and placed mine in a casserole dish and it was fine). Turn once while baking. During the last 10 minutes of cooking add toasted sesame seeds to marinade and warm over medium/high heat. Take tenderloin out of oven, slice thinly at an angle, and pour warmed marinade over tenderloin.

Friday – Cook Out!

I had to change my initial post for turkey burgers now that I've gotten back from my trip to the Teet. The burgers are pre-pattied and kind of thin and would not fly with Colin. So, we'll do BBQ chicken instead. I’ll also include a recipe for hash brown casserole. Add a spinach salad, and you have one of my most favorite meals. The sauce for the chicken and casserole are my mom's recipe. I love the sauce. We always asked her to save extra to pour over our chicken once it was cooked. I love how it mixes with the potatoes. Yum!!!


BBQ Sauce: Can use on chicken (split chicken breasts are VIC special) or pork
2 1/2 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. ketchup
2 T. Worcestershire
2 T. crushed red pepper
1/2 t. salt
1/2 stick butter


Put all ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil until mixed together. Reserve small amount for cooked chicken. Marinade chicken in remaining amount. Grill the chicken and "paint" on the sauce while cooking. So, so good.


Casserole:
32 oz bag of frozen hash browns, thawed
2 cans cream of potato soup (Campbell's cream soups are 10 for $10)
2 T butter
8 oz sour cream (Harris Teeter brand on VIC special for $0.77)
1 T grated onion
2 c. shredded cheddar (Harris Teeter brand on VIC special for $1.97)
1 t. salt
½ c. grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything together except the parmesan. Put in casserole, top with parm and bake for 1 hour. This recipe serves 8 – 10 people, but you can freeze half and save for later if you aren’t serving that many.