Tag: Menu Plan

Friday Adventures & Menu Plan Monday ~ 27 Aug

 

Last Friday, SuperMan and I had a big adventure. It started out as a trip to the store where I buy my wheat berries & sucanat for baking. I mentioned I needed to stop by the grocery store and he suggested going to the international market. I was game, but then we realized that it was over an hour away from where we were and we decided that was just too far to go and try to make it back for carpool.

So, SuperMan said, “Leave it to me. I know where I’m going to take you.”

I sat back and enjoyed the ride…

and we ended up at a SuperH Mart. Have you ever been to one of these? It’s a Korean market and they had the coolest things. SuperMan was laughing at me as I snapped picture after picture with my phone.  He said, “You’re not going to buy anything, just take pictures of it?” IMG_1967[1]

I decided that pictures were safer than purchases – IMG_1968[1]

This picture is titled “Things I’ll never eat”

But it was so much fun. (well, except for the overwhelming fish smell. me no likey raw fish smell)

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And then we went to lunch at a Cuban restaurant. (grin)

A great time together – almost like a “date” although we were being productive at the same time.

This week, we’re looking forward to an early release day at school and the long holiday weekend.  Seriously, we can’t wait.  SO ready for a little fun with the family.  It’s going to be busy, busy before we get to that holiday weekend. We have meetings and classes almost every night.  That long weekend will be well-earned, for sure.

In preparation for the week, here’s what I have planned on the menu:

  • Monday: Cuban Pork, black beans & rice
  • Tuesday: Taco salads
  • Wednesday: Pesto chicken with pasta & parmesan
  • Thursday: leftovers

So, what’s on your menu plan for the weekend?

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Menu Plan Monday ~ 20 August 12

 

Hello, and Happy Monday to you all!

It was another busy weekend at our house, filled with Saturday baths for the puppies, car washes and grass cutting.  And some great times with great friends on Saturday night.  The weekend was capped off by the very best part – Picking up Big Girl on Sunday from her Boot Camp weekend.  It’s a weekend retreat the church does just for sixth graders – to focus on them for one whole weekend as they transition to middle school.

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Little Bit has been sick with a cold.  And has tried to share it with us big people. I have been running a low fever today so I think she may have been somewhat successful. Big Girl sent me a text at 1AM on Sunday telling me she was all stuffy and had a sore throat. I guess she got infected before she left us on Friday. Sad smile

Regardless, it was a good weekend.  And I think she had a good time as well at her retreat.  Sunday was the best day of the two – of course – because Big Girl came home.  I couldn’t wait to see her!

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She was exhausted (of course) and ready for a hot shower and some peace and quiet.  We were all in bed by 7 last night! The power went out because of storms so we just all decided to turn in early.  I think we all needed the rest.

This week, I’ve got some comfort food planned for the first part of the week – at least until we kick this virus to the curb.

Here’s what’s on my menu plan this week:

I’m also making some homemade bread – trying this new recipe out.  Big Girl is making some brownies for lunch snacks and I’ll probably make some other lunch snack/sweet later in the week.

What’s on your menu this week?

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Bourbon Street Chicken

 

With the new schedule for the girls’ schools and after-school activities, I’m on the hunt for some new, easy recipes to cook. The after-school schedule is different enough that I’m having to get creative with some dinner routines. I’m shooting for 6:00 for suppertime, but that doesn’t work on the nights that Big Girl has dance classes because they are later in the evening. I think she and Super Man will be eating late dinners together those nights and Little Bit and I will eat together earlier. It’s a juggling act and we’re just going with the flow for right now.

Last night, we tried something relatively new for dinner.  I’ve made it once before, but no one seems to remember eating it and I can’t remember if everyone liked it or not!  As I cooked, I was wondering if I was making something I was just going to throw in the garbage because of this, but it turned out to be a success and everyone loved it.

This will definitely go into my list of regularly-cooked menu items, I think.  It’s a sweet and tangy glazed chicken dish – reminiscent of some of the chicken dishes I remember having at the quick-cook Asian restaurants when I worked downtown.  It’s not technically Asian in origin and I think the original recipe hails from Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

Regardless, it is really good and worth a try!

(sorry for the grainy cell phone picture – I forgot to take a “real” one before we ate!)

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Bourbon Street Chicken

4-6 servings

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cut into bite-sized pieces
1-2 Tbs olive oil
1 heaping tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 pinch red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy)
1/4 c apple juice (I just used an apple/grape juice box I had in the fridge for kids’ lunches)
1/3 c brown sugar (or 1/4 c Splenda brown sugar blend)
2 Tbs ketchup
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1/2 c water
1 Tbs corn starch (to thicken sauce)

  1. In a large skillet, sauté the chicken pieces in the olive oil.
    (I seasoned mine lightly with Houston House Seasoning)
  2. While chicken is cooking, whisk remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Once chicken is browned, pour in the sauce. Stir to coat chicken and bring to a rolling boil.
  4. Reduce heat and simmer on low, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes. (Until sauce thickens)
  5. Serve over rice.

I also served mine with some steamed veggies.  It was a huge hit – Big Girl even ate two helpings!

I think next time I might even toss some sesame seeds on the chicken right before serving.

 

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!

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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Weekly Menu Plan

Well, I’m a day late, but that is because I took a little vacation from blogging to celebrate the holidays with my family. I’m sure you can understand. Smile

The girls really enjoyed their Christmas goodies…

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We had a very nice Christmas – very peaceful and relaxing – which was nice after the whirlwind trip to my mom’s to see my brother and his family.  That was an AWESOME trip, but very tiring.  The girls and I are looking forward to a quiet week this week at home. They  have asked to not leave the house all week. (LOL) I’m sure that they will change their minds by mid-week, but right now, I’m enjoying being at home and having some down time.

The week’s menu is pretty simple, too. After all the rich foods of the past couple weeks – sweets, party foods, Christmas dinners (three of them!) and the like – I’m ready for something simple.

SuperMan asked specifically that we have no beef this week! He is “meated out” he said. So I’m trying to focus on poultry. Of course, I’ll be sprouting feathers before the week is out!!

Here’s what we’ve got going on this week:

  • Monday: Salmon Croquettes & Cheese Grits (pizza for Big Girl who doesn’t like fish) (follow the link for links to cheese grits recipes, too)
  • Tuesday: Turkey in the crock pot (repurposing the leftovers with a creamy base) and rice & veggies
  • Wednesday: Fajitas/Tacos
  • Thursday: Leftovers
  • Friday: Stir Fry Teriyaki Chicken & Rice (trying a new recipe)
  • Saturday: Chili – we’re having a little get-together with some friends & I’m taking chili to share
  • Sunday: Chicken lettuce wraps (PF Chang’s style)

Hop on over to orgjunkie.com for more menu ideas!

Menu Plan Monday ~ 12 December

It’s a gloomy, rainy and cold Monday here in North Georgia.

I’m battling some type of bug, too. Earache and sore throat. I will be dosing it with some Vitamin C and Tylenol and staying on the sofa today, I think, (boo)

Planning some comfort food for dinner tonight. Chicken & Dumplings ought to do the trick… if I just feel up to COOKING it later today.

Here’s what is on the rest of the menu for the week.  This will be my last menu before Christmas as next week the girls and I will be visiting family right up to Christmas weekend.  I have no idea how things will go meal-wise there, so I’m not even going to worry about menus until after Christmas.

The “big meal” (Christmas eve) I already have (mostly) planned. Just need to coordinate with our friends who will be joining us.

As for this week, here’s the agenda:

  • Monday: Chicken & Dumplings
  • Tuesday: Country Fried Steaks, Mashed potatoes & gravy
  • Wednesday: Baked Chicken (my crock pot “baked” chicken)
  • Thursday: Beef Stew
  • Friday: Fajitas or Pizza
  • Saturday: big Christmas party with our church small group. Everyone is bringing appetizers – I’m planning to make desserts and SuperMan is making his famous Brunswick Stew.
  • Sunday: no big cooking planned as this is the start of our travel week.

What about you? Anything planned for this week?  Any new recipes to share?

Hop on over to orgjunkie.com for more inspiration and recipe links.

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Menu Plan Monday ~ Thanksgiving Week

I bet you thought I’d skip planning meals this week, didn’t you?  I mean, at least two days are taken care of – Thursday’s turkey dinner and Friday’s leftovers, right?

Well, think again!

I didn’t want to spend my vacation week stressing about what to eat and rushing out to the grocery store (which will be packed with last minute shoppers) for something for dinner.

So, I planned accordingly, just as I always do. Now, I can relax and enjoy my family and crafting this week – and cooking, too!

Thanksgiving

Here’s what we have planned in our house for the week:

  • Monday: Leftover spaghetti or homemade pizzas (cleaning out the fridge for the big day!)
  • Tuesday: Low Country Boil (because I’m craving it)
  • Wednesday: ham, rice & black-eyed peas (using a ham slice, not a big ole ham)
  • Thursday: the BIG DAY! Turkey & the trimmings. We do potato balls instead of dressing & mashed potatoes. It’s SuperMan’s family tradition and I love sharing that part of our family with the girls. I’ll have an assortment of veggies: sweet potatoes, butter beans, green beans and maybe carrots. Add some yeast rolls and you have dinner!
  • Friday: Turkey & Dumplings (with the leftover turkey of course!)
  • Saturday: I’m hoping SuperMan is in the mood to make me some Brunswick Stew. He has an awesome recipe.
  • Sunday: probably eat out after church & then dinner will be with our Small Group from church

Since the girls are home with me this week, here’s what I’ve got planned for lunches:

  • BBQ sandwiches (I BBQed a pork butt on Saturday)
  • Chicken quesadillas (this may actually be Tuesday’s supper if we aren’t able to do the Low Country Boil)
  • Taco salads
  • Sub sandwiches (Little Bit will not eat any other type of sandwich, but she will eat a sub. Go figure)

I’m also planning to do some (minimal) baking this week. May try my hand at a pie (that is something I usually don’t do) and I’m thinking a Red Velvet or Carrot cake is in my future, too.

Other than that, I’m planning to spend my week being crafty, relaxing and just enjoying NOT working for a few days!  I’ve got some knitting projects I want to work on and a couple scrapbooking ones as well. 

We’ll also be going to see the Muppet movie when it opens – maybe wait until Saturday? And we are thinking about a trip to the bowling alley, too.  Should be a fun week.

What about you? Other than the big dinner, anything special planned? And for my readers who are in other lands, what’s on your agenda this week as we Americans prepare to eat ourselves into oblivion?

Menu Plan Monday ~ 7 November

Happy Monday, y’all!

Hope you had a great weekend – we sure did. The weather was beautiful and it was so nice to just hang out together as a family.  We didn’t have anything special planned and just enjoyed a relaxing weekend at home – which is special in and of itself, I think.

I’m a homebody. I love to stay home. I love being here, with my family and people I love, just hanging out together and enjoying each other’s company.

Yesterday, we finished up Big Girl’s menu plan week.  I have one dish I didn’t make that will roll into this week’s menu and I’m going to work on cooking out of my pantry and freezer this week. I want to see how long I can go without going to the grocery store… challenge myself to see how creative I can get with what we have.

So, while I have a menu in place below, I may shift things around so that I can avoid the store this week.  That’s the plan, anyway.

Here’s what I’ll be cookin’ up this week:

Lunches for me for the week will include some veggie/taco soup and maybe a salad or two.  SuperMan usually has leftovers or whatever soup I make and the girls get some form of a bento box or sandwiches.

I’m also trying something new out this week… I’m trying out Plan to Eat, an online system in which you can store your recipes, build your menu plans and shopping lists all in one place.  I have a 30 Day free trial (and you can too, if you sign up) and I thought I’d give it a shot and see how it works.Simple Meal Planning - Plan to Eat

You may remember that my usual menu planning system involves index cards posted on my refrigerator door. This is way more high tech than that, but I’m willing to give it a shot. I want to see if it helps me to branch out from my “usual suspects” of dinner choices and find some new favorites.

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Once I get my menu plan made, I get a nifty shopping list. I can add to it, move thing off of the list (that I already have in my pantry) and edit as I need to.

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I am also curious about the option they have where you enter what you have in your pantry/fridge and it suggests menu choices for you. THAT will be way cool when I’m working on my “cook out of the pantry” challenge this week.

I’m also slowly moving my recipes over to the Plan to Eat website, so if you join (or are already a member) send me a friend invite and we can share recipes!

Anyhow, I’ll keep you posted as I fiddle around with the Plan to Eat software and let you know how I like it… and if you’ve used it before, I’d love to hear what you think, too! Please share!

For more menu plan ideas, check out orgjunkie.com.

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