Menu Plan Monday December 27, 2010

I feel like this should be titled the after Christmas, end of the month, getting through the week menu plan. I am working on winding up my down my monthly menu plan, tired from Christmas baking, and I need to use up the food I have before January rolls in. The meals won't be too fancy, but I suppose that is okay.

For Christmas, we had a tasty roast in the crockpot (I just cooked the roast without potatoes and veggies) with cheesy potatoes, peas, pears and pineapple, I'd made lemon cookies, applesauce bars with cream cheese frosting, and cheesecake squares. We indulged in my mother in law's homemade fudge, and also enjoyed tasty Moose Munch for snacks.

It was a wonderful day of skyping with other grandparents, and extended family in other states.

Here is the menu for the week:

Sunday: FFY
Monday: Sausage and Potatoes....I don't have a recipe. I think I am just going to pan fry some turkey kielbasa I need to use up with some diced potatoes. My roommate used to make tasty potatoes in the oven by dicing them up, dotting them with butter, sprinkling a bit of garlic salt and then cooking them at 375 until tender (maybe 1 hour). I may do that and then stir the kielbasa in.
Tuesday: Simple Taco Night? (Simple because we are out of sour cream, and don't have tomatoes. But we do have beans, leftover roast, olives, corn and cheese). I use homemade tortillas to give it a special touch.
Wednesday: Twice Baked Potatoes with Ham
Thursday: Sticky Chicken, served over rice (a new recipe)
Friday: New Years Eve. I thought it would be fun to try the Stromboli (didn't get to it last week) as well as banana splits or root beer floats! We probably won't stay up until Midnight, but maybe we can watch some of the events on TV after our daughter goes to bed.
Saturday: Leftovers? Not sure.

For more menus, visit Laura at I'm an Org Junkie

Menu Plan Monday December 12, 2010

Oh dear! It has been over three months since I posted a menu. I have had menus planned. Since the baby came, we have tightened down our budget and I am working very hard to make meals based on what we have in the kitchen, or if I buy a more expensive ingredient (like buttermilk) to use many meals around it so it does not go bad. Sometimes our budget means I have to forgo good loss leaders, but I made a point to pick up some Tillamook Cheese at the local QFC for only 2.99 (2lb block!). I also matched some coupons and a 3 dollar up reward to get a good deal on diapers at Rite Aid. I'm enjoying the challenge, and Ben gives me grace if I go slightly over budget.

In the past two months, I made a wonderful discovery! Before the move, we always shopped at a large grocery store where the prices were cheaper because you had to bag your own groceries. They also had an ample supply of bulk food. I loved shopping there, and missed it when we came up here. But, in October, I discovered a store not 12 miles away. 12 miles is too far to drive every week. However, it is perfect for stocking up on the big bulk items. In October, my daughter and I made the trek and I came away with over 60 dollars worth of food! But, I bought enough pasta, oatmeal, beans, flour, sugar, frozen veggies, and other sundry items to last us until December....at least! It was important though, to realize that not all items were cheaper. For example, bacon was 3.47/lb. I passed it up since it wasn't on sale. I saved my receipt to help me start a price book. That way I can compare the loss leader deals in my town to the typical prices there.

On to the menu for this week. To save money, I made a tentative list of what we'll eat for the month. I am balancing it around deals in the paper too. It seems to work well because I already have all the main ingredients and just have to pick up some produce or milk.

Here's the menu for this week.

Sunday: Potato Soup, homemade applesauce, bread
Monday: Quick Cassoulet (a new recipe)
Tuesday: Chicken Alfredo, courtesy of Finding Joy in My Kitchen. This is also a new recipe
Wednesday: Stromboli? I've wanted to make this for a long time, but never gotten around to it. I'll bet it would taste great with tomato soup. Perhaps I'll pick some up.
Thursday: Burgers and Fries
Friday: Leftovers (I never feel like cooking on Friday, so I've learned to plan something simple, or leftovers)
Saturday: Best Chicken Ever

Get more menus at Laura's I'm an Organizing Junkie Menu Plan Monday!

Menu Plan Monday September 13, 2010

I'm pleased to share that last week's menu went pretty much to plan. We switched a couple of nights due to Ben's work schedule, but my goal of making meals ahead of time worked rather well. It also helps that my little one is getting used to the bouncy chair and willing to rest in it while I work! Here is my menu for this week.

Monday: Twice Baked Potatoes with ham (I didn't get to this meal last week, but I managed to back, and scoop out the potatoes. I just have to mash the filling, mix in some more seasonings, and restuff)
Tuesday: Garlic Cheddar Chicken. I have one piece of chicken left. We found that since this recipe is rather rich and calls for pounding the chicken, a half a piece is enough for us.
Wednesday: Shepherd's Pie. I have the filling pre made in the freezer, and I need to use it up!
Thursday: hmm...not sure....Oh wait, I have leftover Roast. We'll have that. I need to make up a beef gravy for it. I didn't make one with the drippings, but I have some beef broth, so I will search for one that works. If you have any favorites, let me know.
Friday: Potatoes were on sale, so I think I'll make hashbrowns and eggs for dinner.
Saturday: Leftovers :-)

I'm almost finished using up the food I froze before the baby came. It was so nice to have on hand, that I am going to start doubling freezable recipes and storing them. I'll try to post soon on which recipes worked, and which didn't .

For more menus visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.com!

Menu Plan Monday

I'm slowly coming out of the post pardum fog. In addition to having a new baby, we moved to a new town, where sadly, they don't have a large discount grocery store where I am used to shopping. Consequently, grocery prices are much higher now. I'm going to have to start shopping the sales, hitting coupon deals when the come, and creating a price book!

This week, I'm trying to use up what we have. I picked up some apples last week at Albertsons for 58 cents/lb. Ben helped me make a big batch of delicious apple sauce with it. I need to freeze it before we eat it all! Below is my menu plan for this week, plus what I'd like to do ahead of time.

6 Monday: Potato Soup with leftover pears. Thaw ground beef, cook and bake noodles for.....
7 Tuesday: Pasta Pizza with ground beef, pepperoni, pineapple and olives. Have the rest of the cantaloupe. Thaw chicken breasts, mix up spice rub for...
8 Wednesday: Best Chicken Ever with corn and applesauce. Scrub, cook and prep potatoes. I think I'll cook the potatoes in the crockpot for....
9 Thursday: Twice Baked Potatoes with Ham. Cut up carrots for.....
10 Friday: Italian Roast Wraps.....just the roast :-) with herbed egg noodles, cooked carrots with thyme (new recipe). Dear daughter has to get shots today, so I'm planning an easy dinner. But, if she gets fussy, I might forget the noodles.
11 Saturday: Probably leftovers, we'll have plenty.

For more menus, visit I'm an Org Junkie.com!

A break and an update

If you follow the blog, you notice that I took down the baby countdown. That's because my little girl came early and the countdown was no longer accurate! She is very precious, but also a lot of work! Since we're adjusting to a newborn and I barely have time to eat, it will be a while before I can update. I hope to get situated in a few weeks, but we'll see. Thanks for your patience!

Flex Your Foot!

I've started listening to the wonderful podcast "Pregtastic." Hosted by pregnant women for pregnant women, this podcast covers every topic relating to motherhood. Last week, one woman complained about getting painful calf cramps. I could relate to her pain. Several times I've woken up with the desire to stretch my leg only to be met with a painful tightening in my calf. A co host recommended she immediately flex her foot. This will ease the pain. This morning, in my sleepy state, I once again reached out to stretch my leg. Feeling a cramp coming on, I remembered the advice and instantly flexed my foot. It worked! I still feel a slight discomfort in my calf, but no pain. So, if you get a calf cramp in your leg, try stretching your foot! It worked for me.

(Check out Works for Me Wednesday at We Are That Family)

Menu Plan Monday June 7, 2010

Last week, I was out of town most of the week, so I didn't really make a menu plan. But, I did finally get around to making the Brown Bag Burritos that have been on my list for a very long time. I'm glad I did. They were delicious! I am going to make a bunch to freeze for when baby comes. They will make a perfect snack or quick dinner. My sister in law makes delicious Spanish rice. Maybe I'll make a big batch of that to freeze too.

I also got a few more meals planned. Ben was kind enough to make up 12 ground beef patties, which we froze. I made 2 meatloaf mixes, and I cooked some meat for 2 shepherds pies. I just need to add the veggies and I'll freeze those too. I It is nice to see my fridge start to fill up with meals! So far, I have the meat listed above, and 1 dinner's worth of mock lasagna. I have a lot more planning to do. I didn't get to the waffles yet. Maybe this week. This week, I'll make a chicken tetrazzini to freeze as well (maybe two). I was thinking about making up a bunch of mashed potatoes to freeze for the shepherds pie, but I'm not sure they will hold up, so I think I'll have to buy a box of instant. Does anyone have success freezing mashed potatoes?

This week is pretty light on the menu. Last week, we took advantage of our one day without rain to make lemon lime chicken. Ben grilled it and it was perfect!

Sunday: Herbed Chicken with Spring Veggies. This was good, a bit heavy on the garlic, but seemed like too much work to make again. I have some leftover chicken which I will shred and serve with the veggies. I served it with Peasant Bread.

Monday: Leftover chicken and veggies. Fruit and bread.
Tuesday: Beef Stroganoff with pears. (I need to use up some sour cream)
Wednesday: Potluck, not sure what I'll bring.
Thursday: Enchiladas. (I cannot wait. I would love to make these and freeze them, but every site I've read for advice said the sauce makes the tortillas mushy and to add it before you cook it. I make my enchiladas by dipping each tortilla in the sauce, filling it, and then pouring extra on top, so I don't think it will work).
Friday: Burgers and fries.
Saturday: Not sure...maybe the tetrazzini if I don't get to it earlier in the week. If I make it, I'll make two.

For more menus, check out Menu Plan Monday at Org Junkie.com!