Spring Happenings & A Menu Plan

Spinach, asparagus, chives, cilantro, and various other herbs all have what in common? You may have guessed it - I'm eating them out of my yard once again!

Actually, in all truth, the spinach started to go to seed so I had to pull it. But it made a wonderful two meals. Really, I should have taken a picture. Wait! I think I did and it's on my phone - maybe someday I'll actually get a picture on here of some good lookin' food!

With the gorgeous, insanely warm spring we've been having, I'm glad I got a head start on my spring vegetable plants, as well as some flowers. Yesterday, I planted my homegrown starts of Red Acre cabbage, Little Gem lettuce and Parris Island lettuce. Today is cool and cloudy - perfect for lessening transplant shock. My first planting of radish seeds are starting to get their true leaves so I may have to plant some more. The sugar pod peas are up a couple of inches. The kale came up very well but I think some pill bugs may have a taste for kale seedlings because there are now bare spots. I've made a mental note to just go ahead and start kale inside with my cabbage and lettuces. Also to go into the ground are my first crop of kohlrabi seedlings! Not sure if I like kohlrabi but anything is worth a try.

Here's this week's menu plan:

Monday: Savory Pork Roast with Thyme, Seasoned & Baked Brown Rice, and Roasted Asparagus
Tuesday: Sautéed Chicken with a Caper Lemon Sauce, Whole Grain Pasta, and Green Salad
Wednesday: Pork Enchiladas Suizas (using leftover pork roast), Black Beans and Salad
Thursday: Coconut and Lime Chicken Soup, Egg Rolls
Friday: Libby's Birthday Dinner! Hot dogs, Mac-n-Cheese, & Baked Apples
Saturday: Swedish Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans

Dehydrated Citrus Ideas and a Menu Plan

I love citrus fruit. Oranges, clementines, limes, lemons, grapefruit - I love it all! And the best thing about winter time is that citrus is in season. Since it keeps fairly well for a fruit, I tend to load up when a good sale hits. A few times this year I bought a 4 pound bad of oranges for $1.49 (maybe even a few cents less). A couple bags of oranges, a bag of limes (from Sam's), and a box or two of clementines, as good as they are, don't get eaten in lightening fast speed. So I decided to do some preserving.

The first thing I tried to make was a citrus marmalade. I follow the recipe exactly, and it turned out incredibly bitter. Bummer. Maybe next year I'll try a different method - we'll see.

I then went to my dehydrator, but if you don't have one you could easily use your oven to dehydrate citrus. I dehydrated limes and oranges. To do this I cut them thinly into rounds - about 1/8 inch or less in thickness. They took about 16 hours to dehydrate to the dry, brittle place I wanted them to be. The limes did turn dark - not sure what's up with that. They taste fine, however!

So what do you do with dehydrated citrus? Well, that's a great question! So far I've ground up the oranges and added the powder to a simple Chinese stirfry and made orange beef. That was pretty awesome. Tonight I made a rub with the limes and some other seasonings and used it as a fajita seasoning packet.

Fajita Seasoning Mix (note these amounts are approximate to what I made)

4 slices dehydrated limes, ground in a coffee grinder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4-1 tsp cayenne powder (just depends on how spicy you like it!)

Cut meat (I used beef) into strips. Toss with seasoning mix (the above recipe will make enough for about 2 pounds of meat). Allow to sit for 15 to 30 minutes.

Saute your onions and peppers in a canola oil. Remove from the pan when softened. To the pan add extra canola oil (like 1 tablespoon) and then saute your meat over high heat. Add back the onions and peppers. Serve with the toppings of your choice on a small flour tortilla. I like pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream.

This weeks menu plan:

Monday: Beef Fajitas, Zesty Black Beans, Chips and Pico De Gallo
Tuesday: Harvest Pork Stew and Salad
Wednesday: Chicken and Olive Bake and Salad
Thursday: Chicken, Mushroom, and Brown Rice Soup
Friday: Shepherds Pie and Salad

Jan 2nd Week Review and Menu Plan

It's the beginning of a new year and things are off to a dizzying pace. But we're used to that. AND we are all healthy, which is more than I can say for how we were at Christmas time! Again, can I just say a huge thank you to those who man hospitals and urgent cares and are on call during the holidays? Thank you!

Okay, so since I have much more time at the end of the week than at the beginning of the week I thought I'd maybe (read maybe) try to start reviewing our weeks meals and hopefully give a menu plan for the following week.

On Monday we had a new creation for us - Ham and Spinach Rolls. What I did was take some fresh onion, garlic, and spinach (about two cups, fresh, chopped). I sauted them together in olive oil with some red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Once they were soft, I added diced ham - about a cup and a half. Then I added about a cup of ricotta cheese and some shredded Parmesan cheese. This acted as our filling. Instead of using manicotti shells or those jumbo shells, I used Barilla's no-bake lasagna sheets, softened for a couple minutes after pouring boiling water over them. They roll up very nicely! For a sauce, I made a Bechamel sauce with melted provolone in it. Over all, they were pretty good! Served with a green salad on the side.

Tuesday brought the start of the work/school week for us. I made Chicken and Dumplings from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food January 2012 magazine. Of course, I made my stock in the pressure cooker - turned out great! The kids enjoyed this meal. Yea for that!

On Wednesday, I made broiled salmon (marinated with soy sauce, garlic, ginger and brown sugar) with brown rice (again in the pressure cooker). We had a side salad with this as well.

Thursday was one of my favorite meals with Chicken Fajitas with Black Beans (pressure cooker) and an Avocado Salsa on the side. Yum! I've given up finding the perfect fajita marinade. I usually wing it and it works out pretty well. This time I used lime juice, minced onion, minced garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, some hot sauce, some cayenne pepper, black pepper, and canola oil. The fact that the peppers were from this summer's garden probably helped make the taste all that much better.

Friday was a great, comfort food night. We had mini-meatloaves, caramelized butternut squash (baked with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg), and Caesar salads with homemade croûtons (hey, I didn't have any on hand!). I did make a dessert too - magic cookie bars. Yum!

So this coming week, here's what I have planned:

Monday: Citrus Herb Pork Chops with Avocado and Grapefruit Salad
Tuesday: Blackbean Soup with Salad
Wednesday: Spaghetti and Meatballs with Salad
Thursday: Sautéd Chicken Breast with Lemon and Capers, Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans
Friday: Pizza

Menu Plan - Week of November 28th

Here's what we've got going on this week! Enjoy!

Monday: Baked Chicken Breast, Dilled Carrots, Brown Short Grain Rice Risotto with Mushrooms

Tuesday: Steaks with Mushrooms and Blue Cheese, Quinoa with Bell Peppers, Onions & Garlic, Steamed Broccoli

Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie (from scratch with the leftover chicken from Monday) & Green
Salad

Thursday: Shrimp Enchiladas, Black Beans and Green Salad

Friday: Holiday Party - no cooking for me! Word is, that we are having Swiss Steak (mushroom gravy kind), Mashed Potatoes, Veggies and Rolls - sounds good to me!

Menu Plan Monday 11/14/11

It's been awhile since I posted and I'm hoping I can get back into the habit. It's been a wonderful fall this year, full of busy activities and great weather. Shocking to think, though, that Thanksgiving is next week! There is much for me to be thankful for :)

This week's menu:

Monday: Sausage with Zucchini Cakes and Green Beans
Tuesday: Tatertot Hotdish (does it get more Midwest?) and a Green Salad (still getting lettuce from the garden!)
Wednesday: Chicken Parmesan and a Green Salad
Thursday: Sweet & Spicy Broiled Salmon, Seasoned Brown Rice and Peas
Friday: Chili and Peppery Cornbread

Another Menu Plan

It's been quite awhile since I've shared a menu plan with you all. So on this rainy day, I'd thought I'd go ahead and post what we've got going on this week.

Monday: Mike brought home pizza. Honestly, I knew it was going to be a hectic day and very hectic right around supper time - the pizza was well worth it!

Tuesday: Broccoli, Potato and Cheddar Soup with Ham. I'm making it up as I go! Actually, I'm going to scrap the potato part since I need to dig them out and it's all muddy out there right now...

Wednesday: Sage Pork Chops, Green Beans and Baked Apples

Thursday: Chicken Parmesan & Salad - it's going to be a hot one this day, I may have to revisit this plan. Although, Mike wants Italian....with a lot of melted cheese.....

Friday: Grilled Blue Cheese Steaks, Mashed Potatoes - in the pressure cooker, Salad (yes, we melt blue cheese on top of our steaks, please do not knock it until you try it),

FUSION - by way of me ;)

Do you remember when the hip word in the "foodie" world was "fusion"? Or maybe it is still hip? Or maybe it's just mainstream and that's what is expected. Well, not always in my house.

Now, I know a LOT of you think I'm pretty bold (or shall I say, exotic?) in my menu choices for our little family. And granted, sometimes I am. But the other night, I hit an extreme - even for me. In fact, the meal was so out there that I was giggling as I was making it and thinking - what on earth am I doing here?

It all kind of started on Tuesday night when I went to a potluck (or jackpot as Luke mistakenly calls it) and I brought a freshly made-from-the-garden salad. It had sliced cucumbers, sliced plum tomatoes, red onions, kalamata olives and feta in it. Now, I could have made my own dressing (and have in the past) but I have this bottled Greek vinaigrette that I really like so I went ahead and splashed that on and called it good. The salad went over really well! When does a healthy salad go over well at a potluck? And there were some excellent choices there too! It went over so well that someone asked me what was in the dressing. Busted! Just call me Miss Sandra Lee! Slightly embarrassed, I informed her of the dressing brand and variety. She was surprised ;)

So the next night, I was bent on redeeming myself. Well, that's how it turned out anyway. Here's what I made:

Pork Soulvaki
Naan with Red Onions & Cilantro (an Indian flatbread if you are not familiar with it)
Baba Ghanoush - An eggplant dip similar to hummus - hey! I had eggplant to use

Now, the soulvaki is Greek. The Naan is Indian. And the baba ganoush is Middle-Eastern from what I can tell. And melded all together, it was delicious. :)

An Abbreviated Menu Plan

Why is this week short? Because we're going to a baseball game Friday night. Our supper will be courtesy of the of Mike's employer via the stadium. Gotta love free food!

So what have we been eating? I've tried some new recipes here and there. One winner was Grilled Honey Lime Chicken that came from one of the cookbooks that Mike gave me for my birthday. I'll be posting it after the menu plan. Another honey chicken grilled dinner that was a winner was: Yummy Honey Chicken Kabobs. While Mike enjoyed that one more than I did, it was still pretty good. Oh, and I made my first Chimichurri sauce this last week. Argentinian in essence, it really goes with a grilled beef steak (which is how we used it). But I can see it used in a numerous ways, including on fish. If you've got herbs out in your garden, give it a whirl! The recipe I used can be found here.

Monday: Zippy Summer Shrimp, Grilled Red Potatoes, & Salad
Tuesday: Crockpot Chicken, Rice Pilaf, and Dilled Peas
Wednesday: Sloppy Joes, Oven Fries, Veggies & Dip
Thursday: Hoisin Pork Stir Fry and Egg Rolls
Friday: Kernels Game!


and here is the recipe for the Honey Lime Chicken
from More Don't Panic Dinner's in the Freezer

4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chopped jalapeño pepper

Mix together lime juice, olive oil, honey, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeno pepper. Place chicken breasts in freezer bag. Pour marinade over chicken breasts. Freeze.

On Serving Day. Thaw chicken completely. Grill over medium heat until chicken is tender and juices run clear. Great on salad or in a southwestern wrap!

Raspberry Update & a Menu Plan

It's been over a month since I posted. What have I been up to? Hmmmmm - yep! You guessed it: yard and garden work. In fact I have a strong urge to go out right now and weed that onion patch (my dill is overtaking my garden), plant some eggplant starts that I bought on impulse and prep the last area for the squash seeds that I'm thinking should go in before the rain that's coming. But I'm not. Instead I've decided to finally update you all.

About a week and a half ago, I noticed that the raspberry bare root plants I planted are indeed alive and doing well! Can I hear a praise God and an amen to that? :) Now to think about protecting them from those nasty, NASTY Japanese beetles....

Menu Plan:

Monday: Crock Pot Roast with Dilled Carrots, Dinner Rolls
Tuesday: Vietnamese Chicken Meatballs & Asian Sesame Ginger Salad
Wednesday: French Dip Sandwiches, Oven Fries, Fresh Veggies
Thursday: Spinach & Artichoke Pasta and ? maybe bread? fresh fruit for dessert?
Friday: Homemade Individual Pizzas (choose your own toppings!)

Menu Plan Monday 4/4/11

April is here! Warmer weather is here! Yea!

Last Friday with the knowledge that some rain was expected this weekend, I was able to plant turnips and onions (after I tilled in some compost). Then on Saturday, I planted some Kennebec potatoes along the west side of the house. We'll see how they do there since it only gets full sun from about noon on in the summer - and then it is a HOT afternoon sun. I'm still hoping to get another bed on the east side of the house done but it looks like the cable company is going to be digging there anyway due to something being broke underground (which I could care less about since it hasn't affected any of our television. I'm hoping a small retaining wall that's over the cable line remains intact. I'll wait until they are done and see what needs to be done.

Here's this week's menu:

Monday: Shrimp Scampi with Whole Wheat Angel Hair Pasta & Salad
Tuesday: Aussie Chicken & Roasted Asparagus
Wednesday: Fish Sandwiches, Veggies with Dip, & Chips
Thursday: Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce, Beans, Chips and Salsa
Friday: Caribbean Jerk Roast Pork Loin, Sweet Potatoes, Salad

Menu Plan Monday 2/28/11

The first birthday season of the year is here! My sweet little Libby is turning 4 on Wednesday (and 4 seems hardly possible!) and someone else has a birthday on Sunday. Okay, it's me. But really, turning 4 is SO MUCH more exciting then the number I'm turning ;) I asked Libby if she could just stay 3 and she told me no. That "I need to be 4 so I can cut paper and be like a parent." Yep, 4 is a pretty magical year. To this knowledge, you can see what the birthday girl picked out for her birthday supper on Wednesday.


Monday: Quick and Easy Fish Tacos, Black Beans, & Salad
Tuesday: Roasted Chicken & Spinach Salad
Wednesday: Hot Dogs, Mac-N-Cheese & Cinnamon Apples
Thursday: Chicken Soup with Stars and Spinach
Friday: Cheeseburgers, Fruit & Chips

Spring! And This Week's Menu

The vernal equinox has occurred and it is now officially spring. Yesterday, I went out into the yard and bemoaned all the work I have to do. Well, not really because I love working outside. Have you ever found that you need to learn to enjoy the process as much as the result? It's kinda like the saying "Life is in the journey, not just the destination."

Here's what going on in my spring garden. In my cold frames, I have bok choi, Little Gem lettuce, spinach and cilantro. The spinach and cilantro are both overwintered. Also, the garlic I planted last fall is about 6 or 8 inches up now. Downstairs in my seed starting area, I have more lettuce and bok choi that's almost ready to be hardened off as well as violas. Planted but not fully germinated is my four different types of peppers: California Wonder, Anaheim, Serrano and Jalapenos. Today or tomorrow, I'll start my tomatoes and petunias, maybe some culinary sage and then in a week, some basil.

Soon, I'll plant my onion sets (red and yellow), peas, radishes, turnips and some beets directly in the garden. I don't like beets but I got some seed free with an order - maybe the kids will like it? This is my first year for planting turnips. I've dreams of them roasted while still young with olive oil and rosemary. Mmmmmm......I think it sounds good!

There are tons of other duties to do - like cutting (or I should say mowing) down the ornamental grasses, digging the grass out of the beds and hopefully installing a brick edging around the same perennial beds. I also would like to put in another bed on the east side of the house - I'm thinking it would be a good place for some extra vegetables.

But it's windy as all get out and the rain is drizzling so none of the outside stuff is going to happen today and that's okay. The more I think about it, the more motivated I'll become.

So, here's this week's menu!

Monday: Roasted Chicken Breast with Roasted Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto
Tuesday: Sauteed Pork Chops, Apple, Onion & Celery Dressing, and Green Beans
Wednesday: Chicken Tortilla Soup (with Monday's left over chicken)
Thursday: Baked Fleishkuechle, Dilled Carrots & Roasted Potatoes
Friday: Pizza & Salad

Menu Plan Monday 2/28/11

My good God has the sun shining full force today even if the temperature is not too warm. He always knows just what I need. And apparently, He knows I need this raging head cold too. I'll take both because I know I'm being "perfected" and "encouraged" at the same time.

So, what will the family be eating this week? As soon as the Sudafed kicks in....

Monday: Spaghetti Puttanesca with Bacon & a Green Salad

Tuesday: Tom Ga Kai & Egg Rolls (the frozen variety - I'll tackle homemade when my bok choy is ready)

Wednesday: Sloppy Joes & Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

Thursday: Broiled Sweet & Spicy Salmon and Pineapple with Cilantro Lime Rice

Friday: Homemade Chicken Nuggets (Buffalo Style) & Deluxe Style Salads (you know, green salads with a lot of chopped veggies, cheese, sunflower seeds, croûtons, and hard boiled eggs?)

How To Menu Plan

Recently, I was speaking with a mentor of mine. She's helping to put together a "how to" menu plan session for some younger women. This mentoring group was formed to help fulfill the Titus 2 passage where older women are to teach the younger women. They speak on both spiritual walk topics and on practical how-to topics. What a great idea! I'm not part of the group but I've heard wonderful things about it...

Anyway, she encouraged me to write a blog post about how to menu plan. Now, in some regards, I feel that menu planning is a very personal thing. You know what you like to eat, what your family likes to eat, HOW your family should be eating, what you have time to make and what you can afford. All of these various ideas roll into each week's menu plan.

I've been menu planning for 2 1/2 years. Some weeks I'm full of inspiration and it takes me 5 minutes to plan all the week's dinners. Other weeks, I sit with a blank face and stare at the computer screen (where I keep track of the menu) and ask anyone who walks by or happens to call or come to the door - what do you think we should eat next week?

Okay, let's get into it. First, you need to decide a few items.

1. What meals do you want to plan for? I plan solely and specifically for dinner. Yes, we eat other meals AND snacks, but I don't plan for them. Why? Well, my wonderful husband isn't home during the week for them and I like to keep them simple. For instance, peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese sandwiches, quesadillas, meat & cheese with crackers and leftovers compose the bulk of our lunches. They are quick and simple, easy to prepare and the kids love them. If I see something like fish sticks or taquitos go on sale, I'll buy them and throw them into the mix. This may not work for you. You may want to plan out breakfast, lunch and dinner along with snacks. You'll be amazingly organized but it will take extra time.

2. How many days do you want to eat at home? I know this is perhaps a silly question but it really does help. I plan for 5 nights and this is why: one night can be leftovers (or something pulled from the freezer) and one night can be take out or take and bake pizza. I don't really like to cook on Sundays, so if all else fails, we eat popcorn and cheese. :)

3. How are you going to keep track? I keep my menu plan on Google calendar. There are other free calendar websites that you can use too. We do this for a couple of reasons. 1. My husband can access it at work and see what's going on. 2. We also keep our activity calendar on the same application. So, when I plan, I can easily see - Oh! We are going to have to head out to practice or go to AWANA or such and such has invited us over and adjust the meal for that night accordingly. If something comes up for an evening, I take that planned meal on the calendar and drag it to another day. No scribbles, no crossing things out. Some other ideas would be just to hand write it on a basic calendar. Use a dry erase board that you keep on your refrigerator. Pin up a sheet on a cork board - and then throw darts at it to determine the order of the meals :)

Now for the next part, choosing the actual meals. Are you still with me?

My family likes variety. Or I should, say, I like variety. And since, I'm the cook - guess what we get? To help get variety in your meals try these tips.

1. Make variations of things you like. For instance, your family likes hamburgers so try making: Greek style burgers (with Feta cheese and olives in the mix), Taco Burgers (add taco seasoning to meat), Pizza burgers (top with sauce and cheese and other various toppings), Cuban style burgers (with deli ham and swiss cheese, wrapped in foil and pressed). If your family likes pizza, try things like a pesto based sauce, BBQ chicken pizza, a Thai-style chicken pizza, differing toppings. Or try making a calzone instead! Don't be afraid to experiment. Keep a simple side so people will have something to eat even if the star of the event isn't their cup of tea.

2. Think ethnically diverse. One night is Italian night, one is Asian inspired, and one is good ole retro American (like meatloaf!), one is Southwest, and the next is Mexican. I try not to do 5 Mexican inspired meals in a week. The result of the beans alone is harbinger of why that's not a good idea.

3. Visit cooking blogs or check out cooking magazines. If you are reading this blog, then you have internet access of some sort. People are SO creative. And many are SUCH good writers! If I find a blog that makes me giggle and makes me hungry, I go back. Pioneer Woman is one that will do that. A site called Seriouseats.com has recently gotten my attention and I'm loving it! Orgjunkie.com hosts a Menu Plan Monday event every Monday where people post their menu's for the week. In fact, that's why I started posting my menus on this blog. I've since stopped participating but it is still a good place to find inspiration.

4. I try to use a method where I don't use the same variety of meat more than twice a week and sometimes I incorporate meatless dishes. So, I'll do one or two beef, one or two chicken, pork, fish and/or a legume. Just using a variety of protein sources will help you get variation in your meals.

Okay, so you are thinking variations, now what?

1. Start with what you already have in your pantry. I like to keep a well stocked pantry and it serves as the foundation of most of my meals. My pantry maybe more varied than yours, or maybe not! But look at what you got - most likely it is the basis for what you most like to eat. And don't be afraid to experiment with some new pantry items - try different grains such as different types of rice. Add a new bean into the mix (we stick to pinto, black and Great Northern but aren't afraid of something new).

2. Now you know what ingredients you have on hand already, go to the sales flyers. What's on sale? Is it time to stock up on a great deal on pork loin? Cook some for a meal in the next couple of days and then freeze the rest. So one meal is going to have pork as the main protein - it goes like that. What veggies are on sale? Eggplant? How about eggplant parmesan? Asparagus? Cream of aspargus soup or roasted asparagus to go with those loin pork chops. An outrageous deal on potatoes? Why not make a potato soup? Along with that, I try to buy fruits and vegetables seasonally. Mostly because a). they're ususally cheaper and b). they usually taste better. Once I was fooled into buying a cantaloupe this winter. Never. Again. Ick.

3. Plan your easiest meals for your most hectic days. I like to do crockpot meals on Wednesdays because that day has the craziest evening for us. On Fridays, I've got more time in the afternoons so I might put a little more effort into those meals and make something a little more complex.

4. So you see that pork is on sale and you have items a, b, and c in your pantry. You think they can go together but you're not sure how. Check out allrecipes.com's ingredient search or even just google your ingredients followed by "recipe" and you are sure to get some hits.

Lastly, make the time to do it. It is SO worth it. You'll save money, you'll save time and you'll save yourself a lot of frustration. My dear husband told me that I became a much better cook when I started menu planning. Interesting, huh? Menu planning with the follow through is when inspiration meets motivation - you end up with good results and good eats. I'm hoping this blog is helpful to you. If you have any questions, please feel free to post them in the comment section under this post.

Menu Plan Monday 2/21/11

Warm weather then cold again. It is the hallmark of spring! I was glad to have one day in the 60's without having to drive to Florida (in February) and I know that around the proverbial corner, much warm weather is ready to pounce.

After rereading my opening paragraph, I am beginning to think that reading Jane Austen novels is affecting my speech. :)

A quick update on our Valentine's meal: after much deliberation and input, I decided on Grilled Steaks with Sautéed Mushrooms, Baked Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Asparagus. By far the asparagus was the star of the meal. Bring on the spring vegetables! One other help in the decision making process was that it was warm enough to grill - that clenched it.

Okay, now onto this week's menu. There was not much inspiration from the sales ads, but this is what I've come up with:

Monday: Ritz Chicken (also commonly called Poppyseed Chicken) & Green Beans with Butter and Almonds
Tuesday: Chesapeake Bay Pork Chops, Baked Beans & Salad
Wednesday: Beef Pot Roast with Potatoes & Carrots
Thursday: Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches (with leftover pot roast) & Oven Fries
Friday: Crab Cakes, Rice Pilaf & Salad

Menu Plan & Valentine Day Poll

Tardy, yet still here is this week's menu. Anyone up for grilling season yet?

Monday: Broccoli Cheese Soup (but I ended up adding a lot of other veggies so we'll instead call it Vegetable Cheese Chowder)
Tuesday: Sautéed Chicken, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans
Wednesday: Tater Tot Hotdish (from scratch!) & Green Salad
Thursday: Baked Salmon, Brown Rice, & Dilled Peas
Friday: General Tso's Pork, Egg Rolls, & Egg Drop Soup

Now, here is the poll! What should I make for our Valentine's Day Dinner (not necessarily held on the actual day)?

A). Steak with Sautéed Mushrooms, Baked Sweet Potatoes, and Salad
B). Crab Cakes, Spinach & Artichoke Dip with Crackers & Veggies, Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara Sauce
C). Baked Red & White Manicotti with Caesar Salad

Menu Plan Monday 1/24/11

Here's the menu for this week! Enjoy the cold weather while it lasts ;)

Monday: Moo Shu Pork and Egg Drop Soup
Tuesday: Chicken Parmesan with Whole Grain Pasta & Salad
Wednesday: Beef Stew & Whole Wheat Biscuits
Thursday: Shrimp Alfredo & Salad
Friday: Italian Wedding Soup

Menu Plan Monday 1/10/11

Mondays are stinking busy days here at our house. Perhaps I need to give you some information about my personality in order to explain.

I hate procrastinating.

Always have, always will. The hanging threat of tasks that need to be completed wear on my conscience. So I end up doing a bulk of my weekly cleaning the first two days of the week. Then I let it slide - I'm not against letting things slide a little - as long as I know they haven't been totally neglected. Yes, I was the girl in college that had her homework done before 5pm. Yes, I never once pulled an all-night'r studying for an exam - just not my style.

So, today I'm going to be doing laundry, baking bread, baking bible study snacks for tomorrow morning, vacuuming (and normally mopping but I did that yesterday due to having people over) and a whole list of other tasks that may include having someone over for a playdate this afternoon. But I wanted to post this week's menu. I've been faithfully menu planning just not posting it as I should.

Here it is!

Monday: BBQ Pulled Pork, Baked Potatoes, & Cinnamon Apples
Tuesday: Roasted Chicken, Festive Brown Rice, & Green Beans
Wednesday: Chicken Enchiladas, Refried Beans, Chips & Homemade Salsa
Thursday: Asian Salmon & Green Salad
Friday: Black Bean Soup & Salad

Menu Plan Monday 11/15/10

I'm fully aware that I'm avoiding laundry and breakfast dishes to write this post. This is really not my personality, and as soon as I get off of here, you bet they are going to get done!

I had a very difficult time coming up with this week's menu. Maybe I was too full when I was menu planning? Maybe I was exhausted from this year's Holiday Specialtea? Whatever the cause, I requested help from the family and here is what we came up with....

Monday: Fragrant Indian Butter Chicken, Brown Rice, & Salad
Tuesday: Whole Wheat Spaghetti & Meatballs & Salad
Wednesday: Potato Chowder & Salad
Thursday: Pesto Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, and Buttery Green Beans with Almonds
Friday: Bacon Cheese Burgers & Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Menu Plan Monday 10/25/10

So today I pulled up the last of my tomato plants and harvested thyme and oregano to dry. As I was washing the herbs, I kept thinking how much I really, really like thyme. You all have conversations in your heads about food too, right? Anyway, I was on my way to declaring it my favorite herb - I love it with mushrooms and with chicken and in soups and on potatoes and so on. But then I remembered sage and how much I love sage. With butternut squash and with pork chops and apples and with chicken ...... Hard decisions when it comes to those herbs! What's your favorite?

Here's this week's menu, enjoy!

Monday: Broccoli Cheese Soup (my own recipe, I'll have to post it soon) & Crusty Bread
Tuesday: Swiss Crockpot Chicken & Green Beans
Wednesday: Round Steak in Gravy, Baked Potatoes, Salad
Thursday: Chicken Tacos, Ranch Beans, Salad
Friday: Pepperoni Stromboli & Salad