Tag: menu plan monday

Total Randomness on Monday

Woo hoo, it’s Monday!  And it is the last Monday of the summer for us – school starts this Thursday for the girls. I have been vacillating the past two weeks between trying to get them in bed early and up early in the mornings and trying to squeeze every single moment of summertime fun from our final days. I’m hoping I’ve not done them a disservice but I figure getting up at the crack of dawn is going to be painful for all of us regardless what we do in the days leading up to the first day of school.

The weekend was a busy one – Saturday was “boot camp” for Big Girl – her first foray into the world of Middle School.  We got to meet her teachers and get her schedule – and more importantly (to her) – load up her locker!

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Quite a rite of passage – and now we’re all set for her first day on Thursday.  Today is open house and she’ll get another chance at practicing opening that combination lock…

Tomorrow, Little Bit gets to meet her new teachers and go to her open house.  She’s pretty excited, too, I think, although not quite as obsessed as Big Girl has been (understandably)

And me? Well, my biggest worry is a silly one – where the carpool lines are.  The girls are both starting new schools this year, so I wonder how the new lines for school will work. I’m sure I’ll figure it all out – and since that is my only “major” worry, I think I’m doing pretty good.

And with the new school year starting, I’m getting back on the menu planning bandwagon. This week we need it especially. We have afternoon appointments on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and then school starts Thursday. And, of course, Thursday is my busiest work day. I need to be organized and somewhat “put together” so that I can accomplish all the things I need to this week.

Here’s what I have planned:

The leftovers from the baked ham will be for sandwiches for lunch and I’m planning to make some veggie chili for lunches as well.

I hope you have a great week – and that you’ll stop by again soon!

Menu Plan Monday ~ 18 June

Happy Monday, everyone!

I hope you all had a great weekend.  We did. It was busy on Saturday, but Sunday was all about peace and rest.  Other than church, we took it easy all day. I even managed a two-hour nap!! I cooked SuperMan some homemade spaghetti for his Father’s Day lunch and we enjoyed some grilled burgers and hotdogs for dinner. It was a really nice day.

I haven’t had a menu planning post for a long time – I have either not had a plan (eek!) or have been recycling the same menus from previous weeks and therefore didn’t really have anything to share with you. I have been so busy, I’ve been sticking to the same tried-and-true recipes that I knew were easy, sure to please the family, and easy for me to shop for and prepare.

I have gotten a little bored, though, and so I have decided to try to incorporate some new recipes into the rotation this summer. We are finally  hitting out “summer stride,” which means slower days and more time for experimentation in the kitchen.  I’m looking for things I can prepare ahead and/or use my crock pot to cook.

So, here are this week’s plans:

I’m also planning to try some new things for lunches this week. Still working on those, but I want to get away from processed, “convenience” foods for the girls’ lunches. I’m thinking salads, wraps, things like that… if you have any suggestions that would be kid-friendly, please pass them along! I am hoping to broaden their palates this summer – and teach Big Girl to do some basic cooking/food prep to help me out and grow her skills in the kitchen.

Well, that is it for me today. Not feeling too hot – I think I have picked up a virus – so I am off to mega-dose on some Vitamin C and take some Tylenol.

Hope to have some scrapbooking posts for you this week – I have THREE weeks of Project Life to catch up on! I think I printed 60+ pictures this weekend. Ay-yi-yi!

Menu Plan Monday ~ 9 April

Happy Monday!

… at least I think it is – my monkeys are not so sure, either. It’s the first day back to school after spring break and none of us wanted to get up early this morning.

One thing I do have in hand this week is our menu plan, though. Big Girl went shopping with me on Saturday and helped me to plan out what we’ll eat for the week. It was nice having her with me to help.

Here’s what we have planned:

I also made SuperMan some broccoli salad to eat on during the week and we have leftover honey ham from Easter dinner that we’ll have for lunches this week.

Hop on over to orgjunkie.com for some more menu plan ideas.

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Six New Recipes to Try Soon

 

The weather is changing, and so is my palate – out go the heavy soups and stews and in come the lighter foods – grilled fare and salads.

Here are a few recipes that are on my list of things to try out soon:

  1. Asian Chicken Salad – this one was served by a friend at a get-together last week. It was soooo good. We all enjoyed it and the guys went back for seconds! She serves it “buffet style” so that everyone can put the things they want in there and leave out the things they don’t.  I will definitely be adding this to our menu plan soon.
  2. White chicken enchiladas – this is another one a friend made and we fell in love with. I actually made this one for dinner last Saturday. The girls loved it – as did SuperMan and I.  However, the tortillas get gummy when warmed over so this is not one to plan for having tons of leftovers. Freshly cooked, it’s delicious, though. And super easy. Deutsch: Tortilla-Chips, salsa, und guacamole ...
  3. Warm Bean Dip – thinking I may try this one night for a meatless dinner option. The girls are not much for beans, so it will be interesting to see how they like it. But, smothered in cheese may make it worth trying. We will see. I may serve it with some type of salad or just make it a “dip” dinner and serve with some tortilla chips and salsa.
  4. Another easy dinner idea (and a favorite around here) is baked potatoes and salad.  Here’s a nifty baked potato idea I may try one night.
  5. Grill cooking means hamburgers at some point in the month, too, but I always have a hard time with the bun – breads like buns and I don’t get along anymore. So, when I found this recipe, I decided it is also a must-try-soon recipe – Hamburger Wraps – where the “bun” is a tortilla! I love, too, that we can fix each one to suit everyone’s tastes.
  6. The girls have recently discovered the chocolate-chip granola bars at the grocery store – I have let them have them as a treat but have been on the lookout for my own version of this treat so that I can better control the contents and (lack of) additives that they have. I stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest and think I’ll give it a go one day soon.

How about you? Have any good recipes you’ve been wanting to try – or that you have tried and would like to share?

Menu Plan Monday

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you are having a good week so far. The girls and I are counting down the days until Spring Break – we’re ready, truthfully, for school to be out for the year. It’s these last couple of months that get really hard – the weather gets pretty and we stay outside later and later. It makes bedtime slip later and then we don’t want to get up in the mornings.

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It’s so pretty outside right now – it’s like nature is just showing off, revealing more and more beauty as the weeks progress. Dormant plants turn to buds. Buds turn to blooms, erupting in color and delighting our eyes.

Of course, there’s the pollen and allergies that go with it – but I think that the girls and I are getting a handle on that – thanks to Allegra!

Here’s what we have on our menu for the week this week. Trying to finish off some leftovers we had from the weekend and last week… along with some requests from the family.

  • Monday: Chicken Parmesan (with leftover spaghetti sauce)
  • Tuesday: BBQ chicken, mac & cheese & veggies (leftover from Sunday dinner)
  • Wednesday: Rotel Chicken Pasta bake(Big Girl’s request)
  • Thursday: Asian chicken stir fry (Little Bit’s request)
  • Friday: Seafood (SuperMan’s request) –maybe low country boil or salmon croquettes
  • Saturday: Hamburgers & Hotdogs (if the weather is nice)
  • Sunday: Ham, rice & black-eyed peas

I also made some beef stew in the crock pot last night so that SuperMan has something warm to eat for lunches this week.

NEED MORE IDEAS?

You can find more yummy recipes on  orgjunkie.com where you can find some great recipes and menu plans.

I’ll be back tomorrow with some updates to my Project Life pages and then later this week I’ll be sharing a recipe for something new we tried over the weekend that was a huge hit with the family, thanks to Pinterest!

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Menu Plan Monday ~ 27 February

Wow. What a couple of weeks I’ve had!

To say it has been hectic seems a bit like an understatement.

I finally got everyone healthy in my house (thank goodness) and just in time, it seems… because my work project (the giganotosaurus that it is) has pretty much taken over every single waking (and dreaming) hour of my life.

It’s all OK, though. It is an incredible project and while it is stressing me out to no end, it is also incredibly challenging, stimulating and exciting. I wouldn’t have it any other way, actually.

I just have to survive it. Smile

The menu plans have sort of gone out the window the past two weeks. I’ve kind of had a plan, sort of, but not really.  When Mom was here we ate out (a lot) as we usually do. It was a nice treat to get a break from cooking and that steak I had at Outback the other night was SO good.

Other than that, I have been scouting the freezer and cooking based on what I had available that could either be cooked quickly or cooked in the crock pot.

I’ve also been trying to only purchase meats that are on sale at the store – and then cook either with those sale meats or what is in the freezer. If I don’t use the sale meats they go in the freezer for another week. No more buying meats if they are not on sale, not unless it is a special occasion.

I can’t believe how much money this is saving me. Amazing. I wish I’d done this a long time ago. So obvious and yet I never thought to do it until my friend Beth mentioned it.

This week, I’m trying to get back in the routine. I really need the menu plan for my own sanity.  I need to know what I’m going to cook so that it is one less thing I have to figure out at the end of a busy day. know what I mean?

So, here is what I have planned this week (I think)

  • Monday: Spaghetti & garlic bread. (I made the sauce on Saturday. Easy.)
  • Tuesday: Crock pot rotisserie chicken, saffron rice & veggies (the whole chicken roasters were on sale last week)
  • Wednesday: Shepherd’s pie (the girls have been asking for this for two weeks)
  • Thursday: Grilled chicken & roasted veggies (It’s supposed to be close to 70 here Thursday. I’m ready to get back to grilling some food!)
  • Friday: Salmon Croquettes & Grits
  • Saturday: Mexican or Pizza
  • Sunday: mom’s day off (eat out for lunch)

I’m also considering making either a Sunshine Cake or Apple Cake this week – haven’t decided which one yet.  And (if I have time) maybe some homemade bread – I want to make some homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread.

The girls would rather have homemade goodies in their lunchboxes (instead of Little Debbie – who is going to argue with that?!?) so I try to make something every week. I just haven’t had time the past few weeks. They deserve some Momma-lovin-goodies, I think.

Need More Ideas?

You can find more yummy recipes on  orgjunkie.com where you can find some great recipes and menu plans.

Hope you have a good week!

I’ll be back tomorrow with some updates to my Project Life pages and then later this week I’ll be sharing an update on what I’ve been reading lately.

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Menu Plan Monday 2.6.12

Whew! What a whirlwind the past two weeks have been! I feel like I’m on a crazy ride at an amusement park and I’m just ready for the spinning to stop…

Hoping this week is a little less spastic and crazy, but who knows!

BUT! I am glad that I have my plan in place for our dinners this week.  One of my sanity savers is knowing what we’re having for dinner and not getting caught off-guard with one of those “Uh, oh, what AM I cooking tonight?!?” moments.

Menu Plan:

Here’s what we have planned this week:

  • Monday: Country Fried Steak, gravy & mashed potatoes
  • Tuesday: Chicken Quesadillas (made with leftover crock pot Mexican chicken from this weekend – recipe below)
  • Wednesday: Asian chicken stir fry
  • Thursday: Leftovers
  • Friday: Sloppy Joes
  • Saturday: Chicken Parmesan
  • Sunday: Mom’s day off (eat out for dinner after church)

Great Menu Idea for a Gathering:

We had our small group over for this weekend and I made a Nacho Bar for dinner.  I had all SIX of my crock pots on the counter (I should’ve taken a picture!) filled with yummy goodness.  I made ground beef (seasoned with Rotel tomatoes with chiles and taco seasoning) the chicken (below) and then had another crock with black beans and refried beans (it was a divided crock) and another with a cheese dip to top off the nachos (Velveeta & Rotel) 

On the side, I had the following toppings:

  • shredded lettuce
  • diced tomatoes
  • diced red onions
  • cilantro
  • chile peppers
  • jalepenos
  • sliced black olives
  • three kinds of salsa (including my Tomatillo-Avocado salsa)
  • shredded cheddar cheese

Everyone LOVED it.  I think I’ll be doing it again for another get-together. It was easy because I could do so much ahead of time and then the set-up for the dinner was fairly simple.

I made the cutest sweet “nacho” dessert (found on Pinterest) which was what my baby crock was holding – the chocolate to drizzle over the top… Smile

Crock Pot Mexican Chicken

Here’s the quick, easy and super-yummy crock pot Mexican chicken recipe I made:

1-2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (or thighs)
1 package taco seasoning (I use the low sodium variety)
1 jar salsa (I use Newman’s Own Mild)

Place the chicken in the crock pot. Sprinkle the taco seasoning on top of the chicken & pour the salsa over it.  Then cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.  Shred chicken, return to crock pot (with the salsa juices) and serve.  Makes great filling for burritos, tacos, nachos or quesadillas.

I may even make some chicken tortilla soup with some of the leftovers!

Need More Ideas?

You can find more yummy recipes on  orgjunkie.com or Balancing Beauty & Bedlam, where she has her Pantry Challenge going on again for another month!

tasty tuesday larger logo1 Tasty Tuesday: Pantry Challenge Update

Menu Plan Monday 1.30.12

Well, hello, there, Monday!

Nice to see you again (not really) – and I’m all ready with my menu for the week, so I’m one step ahead of you. (nanny-nanny-boo-boo!)

Taking it easy on the spices this week – Big Girl is still not feeling well (we’re headed back to the doctor today) and so I am trying to fix things that will be easy on her tummy.

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Here’s what I have planned for our week:

  • Monday: Meatloaf, macaroni & cheese, veggies
  • Tuesday: Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake
  • Wednesday: Crock Pot Sesame Ginger Chicken (new recipe) with rice & stir-fry veggies
  • Thursday: leftover night
  • Friday: not sure yet – it is the annual Father-Daughter Dance at school and they may go out for dinner.
  • Saturday: kids- pizza, grown ups- date night (yippee!)
  • Sunday: Small Group dinner here. Still finalizing the menu.

I also made some of my baked oatmeal for breakfasts and am planning another batch of bread for later today. Probably make some muffins for the girls or their favorite chocolate-chocolate chip bread.

What about you? What are you planning this week?

I made these chicken fingers twice last week (they were that good) and everyone loved them.  img_1223And this potato soup, which was a toss-up. They ate it but I don’t think they loved it. Little Bit said it was like a potato milk shake. (hee hee) And since I can’t have the carbs, it will probably not get made very often around here. I was trying for something soothing for upset tummies.

Just thought I’d share!

You can find more yummy recipes on  orgjunkie.com or Balancing Beauty & Bedlam, where she has her Pantry Challenge going on again for another month!

tasty tuesday larger logo1 Tasty Tuesday: Pantry Challenge Update

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Monday, Please be gentle with me…

Oh, my. Is it Monday again?

Sigh.

And a rainy, gloomy Monday at that. I just want to go back to bed and hibernate. All week long.

Had a great weekend. Spent most of Saturday being creative and working on scrapbook pages (more on that tomorrow) and then Sunday was all about family and friendship. Perfect way to spend the weekend.

Saturday night’s dinner was a delicious Low Country Boil, cooked by SuperMan in the pouring down rain.

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Poor man. He loves us (and his shrimp) to be cooking in the rain.

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Today we’re back to the grindstone and everyone was wishing for a little  more weekend as we geared up for the day.

At least I have some yummy meals planned:

(Check out more menu planning ideas over on orgjunkie.com. )img_1135

Now, I’m back to work – got my Pandora radio blasting, the kitty sleeping at my feet and a cup of tea ready for me.  It’s time to focus.

Have a great day!

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Menu Planning 2012

Welcome to 2012! (yeah, yeah, I know it’s already the 5th…)

Are you going to jump on the menu planning bandwagon this year?

I’ve already gotten on my soapbox about the benefits of menu planning (at least a time or two or three!?!) so I won’t go there today.

Just thought I’d let you know that even though I didn’t post my menu plan on Monday, I still have one for the week. I was busy playing with my family and enjoying the last day of holidays with SuperMan.

Here’s what we have planned for our week:

  • Monday: Pork Chops a-la SuperMan with boiled & buttered potatoes & veggies.
  • Tuesday: Chicken & Dumplings (it was a COLD day – not above freezing all day and I wanted SuperMan to have something warm when he got home from working outside all day)
  • Wednesday: Roast (in the crock pot) (but with venison instead of beef) with rice & veggies (again, something warm & hearty)
  • Thursday: Chicken Parmesan (maybe – or leftovers)
  • Friday (or Saturday): Chicken Lettuce wraps. This was on my list of things to make when SuperMan was home. He helps with the prep work and we never got around to it. I’m still craving them, so they go on this week’s menu.
  • Saturday: probably leftovers
  • Sunday: eat lunch out (maybe) and dinner with our Small Group from church.

What about you? Have you changed your eating plans post-holiday? Getting rid of the goodies and going to the heartier winter fare?