Menu Plan October 3 - 7

It's been a while since I've had my act together enough to post a menu.  Doesn't mean I haven't had one (though I haven't always, to be sure!), I just haven't posted.  Since last I posted, my work schedule has changed a bit, and I now get home at 5:30 two to three days a week, which means I now have to work both quick meals and make-ahead into my schedule.  Tricky business!


Here's the plan for this week:

Monday: lasagna (half beef, half eggplant from the CSA box)
Tuesday:  broccoli cheese soup, salad, bread
Wednesday:  Ham and broccoli calzones
Thursday: leftovers
Friday:  potstickers

Make it a great one, everybody!

Menu Plan July 18 - 21

I haven't posted a menu in a long, long time.  Truth be told, I lost all inspiration and I'm not exactly sure what we've been eating for the last couple of months!  I've just finished cleaning and reorganizing the pantry, however, so it's time to get back on track (now that I know what's actually in there).

Here's what's on tap for this week:

• Monday:  meatloaf and garlic mashed potatoes, green beans from our CSA box
• Tuesday:  manicotti (I use this recipe from the back of the Ronzoni manicotti box and add some cooked ground beef), green salad, and cheesecake (happy 8th anniversary to us!)
• Wednesday:  Baked chicken with roasted broccoli and cauliflower
• Thursday:  Kielbasa and kidney beans

Friday we're eating dinner out.

Have a great week, everyone!

Menu Plan May 9 - 12

Life is getting busy again, so I need to get back on the menu-planning bandwagon.  I also need to get back on the budget-tracking bandwagon, but that's a post for another day.  And another blog!  Here's what's on tap for this week:

Monday:  hamburger casserole
Tuesday: baked chicken
Wednesday:  ravioli alfredo
Thursday:  pulled pork sandwiches (going to cook the meat in the crock pot)
Friday we have plans, so I don't have to cook!

Have a great week!

Menu Plan February 7 - 11

It's a pretty boring food week at my house.  I'm still getting used to working my second job (five or seven hours a week isn't much, but since I don't work it till after everyone is in bed, it pretty much eats up any time I have for doing extra things around the house), so I'm making easy plans this week.

Monday:  Bulgogi and sesame rice
Tuesday:  Tacos
Wednesday:  Pork chops (haven't figured out just how I'm fixing them yet)
Thursday:  Spaghetti
Friday:  Pineapple chicken

Have a great week, everyone!  And remember to visit orgjunkie.com for tons of great menu planning ideas!

Menu Plan January 23 - 28

Last week's menu didn't go quite as planned.  I am happy to report that I did FINALLY make the chicken and dumplings, which has been appearing on the menu for months now, but somehow never made it to the table.  It's an extremely time-consuming dish (takes about three hours if I start with a whole chicken), which probably explains that!

Thursday we were supposed to have bean and rice casserole, but I needed to make it Wednesday night and completely forgot, so we had leftover meatloaf instead.  Friday we were supposed to have jambalaya, but I just didn't feel like it, so we had kielbasa and cabbage. 

Sometimes I look at our menu and marvel at how little processed food we eat these days.  Other than the occasional ingredient such as a can of soup or veggies, most of what I cook is from scratch.  Don't get me wrong, we're not gung ho real foodies, additive- and dye-free or anything like that, and we still eat boxed macaroni and cheese for lunch sometimes (almost always Annie's) but it's been a loooooong time since I broke open a box of Hamburger Helper or those horrible all-in-one boxed meals I used to make after a long day at work.  Our schedule just isn't conducive to convenience like that these days. I think we're better off because of it.

Anyway, here's what's on tap for this week.

Sunday:  We went out to Chevy's (loving their cheap guacamole Sundays!)
Monday:  Buttermilk Chicken
Tuesday:  hamburger casserole
Wednesday:  chicken enchiladas
Thursday:  spaghetti
Friday:  bean/rice casserole (the one I didn't make last week!).

Hope everyone has a great week!  And don't forget to visit Menu Plan Mondays at orgjunkie.com for tons of fabulous menu ideas from families all over the world!

Menu Plan January 16 - 21

Here's the plan for this week...

Sunday:  chicken fried steak
Monday:  chicken and dumplings (I use the Cook's Illustrated recipe - if you happen to be a member of their website, it's the February 2005 version)
Tuesday:  tacos
Wednesday: Buffalo chicken spaghetti (we haven't ever had this, but it sounds AMAZING!)
Thursday: Spanish rice casserole (I'm going to make this one meatless by adding extra beans in place of the turkey)
Friday: Jambalaya (made from the Zatarains mix)

Have a great week!  And remember to go to orgjunkie.com for tons of great menu ideas!

Menu Plan January 9 - 14

I'm happy to report that we did pretty well on our meal plan last week.  Monday was the last day of our vacation, so we ended up going out for dinner.  That meant that I didn't have time to make chicken and dumplings (I like to make it from scratch, which is quite the production using the recipe I use).  So we had a roasted chicken instead, and didn't have the chicken paprikash.

I did make it to the butcher's, so we're stocked up on meat for the rest of the month.  I accidentally bought three pounds of "bacon hamburger", their name for ground pork, instead of regular hamburger, so I have a little more flexibility in our meat selection.  I already made a pound into breakfast sausage, using this recipe.  It turned out wonderfully!  Love that it has so few ingredients and I know exactly what's going into it.  I'm looking forward to trying out some other recipes from that site, too. 

Here's the plan for this week:

Sunday:  Pad Thai
Monday:  Pineapple Chicken
Tuesday:  Spaghetti
Wednesday:  Potato and ham soup - or maybe scalloped potatoes and ham.  We'll see what I feel like making...
Thursday:  Meatloaf
Friday:  Something involving kielbasa...I need to explore some recipes.  Anyone have a suggestion?

Have a great week - and remember to visit orgjunkie.com every Monday for hundreds of fabulous menus!

Menu Plan January 2 - 7

I know, I know, it's been a loooooong time since I posted a menu.  Bad Karen!  But you can look forward to many menus to come, because I just signed a contract to take on a second, work at home, job, so now I'll need to be even more organized than ever.  It's not a big job, just five to seven hours a week, but that cuts right into my home time so I have to be better.

That said, here's the plan for this week:

Sunday:  We had taco salad

Today:  Chicken and Dumplings

Tuesday:  Stuffed peppers

Wednesday:  Chicken Paprikash over baked potatoes

Thursday:  Baked pork chops and parmesan noodles, if I get to the meat market.  Otherwise, spaghetti.

Friday:  Tuna casserole

Have a great week, everyone!  And go to orgjunkie.com for tons of great menu ideas!

Menu Plan October 10 - 16

I'm doing everything in my power to stay under our grocery budget for the first half of October.  I have $1.13 left.  All we bought this week was milk, yogurt, produce and ice cream.  If I can stay out of the grocery store for the rest of this week, it'll be my first time EVER staying under budget on groceries.

So, we're basically having an "eat what's in the freezer/pantry" week.  Fortunately, our freezers and pantry are about as well stocked as it gets, so this isn't really a challenge for me.  The bigger challenge will come after I've been sticking to the budget for a while and the freezer and pantry are no longer jam-packed full!

Here's the plan for this week:

Sunday:  Creamed tuna on biscuits

Monday:  Chorizo black bean soup

Tuesday:  Cordon bleu casserole (this recipe, served with noodles)

Wednesday: Jambalaya with kielbasa (from a box, though I'm thinking about trying to bake it instead of stove-top, so it'll be more make-ahead.  I'll let you know how it goes)

Thursday:  leftovers

Friday:  Chicken paprikash over baked potatoes

Saturday:  We'll be out of town for a birthday party that day, so we'll grab dinner on the road.

Have a great week!

Menu Plan Sept. 27 - Oct 1

I do, in fact, have a menu plan this week, I just haven't posted it yet! 

Monday, we ended up with leftovers because - get this - I FORGOT to make dinner!  Craziness, I tell you!

Tuesday, we had turkey tenderloin baked in creamy mushroom sauce.

Wednesday, we had lemon chicken.

Tonight, it's baked chicken taquitoes (this is my new favorite recipe!).

Friday, it's meatless night, and I have no idea what that will be yet, but I'd better get on it!

Gotta go post a couple of recipes from this list or I'll never remember what they were later.  Have a great week!

Menu Plan September 19-23

I haven't planned a menu for a while, but it's not like I don't need one!  We recently revised our budget and eliminated restaurants completely, so organization is paramount at the moment.

Here's the plan for this week:

Tonight, I made buttermilk chicken, with mashed potatoes and sauteed summer squash.  One of my favorite meals ever, and yes, it can be made ahead (but I didn't).  I'll post instructions soon!

Tomorrow, we'll be having cranberry pork chops.  How have I never posted this recipe on either blog?  Must remedy that...

Wednesday, teriyaki chicken.

Thursday, something meatless.  Hubby has promised we can start having meatless meals once a week to save money.  I'm not sure what yet, I need to do some recipe hunting!

Friday, we're babysitting our nieces and nephews, so I think we'll just be picking up a pizza or making something super quick at their house.

Menu plan July 5 - 9

Another week, another menu...this week we're able to take advantage of some leftovers we brought home from our 4th of July weekend at my sister-in-law's house.  We camped out in their barn and didn't eat everything we brought, which is very helpful when you're tired and not really feeling like menu planning!

Monday, we had grilled steak, corn, and chard.  Since it was a holiday I was able to cook at dinner time!

Tonight, we'll have burgers (leftover, just heat and eat) and potato salad

Tomorrow, we'll have fried ham and baked potatoes (not make ahead, but the ham slices I bought will fry up in about five minutes once the skillet is hot)

Thursday, we may finally eat that turkey I've had on the menu for several weeks!

Friday, we'll have taco salad.

Have a great week!  Don't forget to check out orgjunkie.com for tons of awesome menus!

Menu Plan June 28 - July 2

I'm a bit slow getting going this week but I do, in fact, have a menu plan!  Yay! 

Monday, we had leftover pizza and salad.

Tonight, we had grilled chicken and creamed peas and potatoes.  I don't usually grill on weeknights, but there wasn't any room in my fridge for a pan of chicken to be put in the oven, so we improvised.  Oh, and the peas and potatoes were from our garden.  AWESOME.

Tomorrow night, we're having spaghetti.

Thursday night, we're having baked turkey cutlets.  I just need to figure out what I'm going to do to them to give them some flavor!

Friday doesn't need to be make-ahead, since we're both taking the day off, so it'll probably be jambalaya or tuna helper.  We'll see.

Have a great week everyone!  And don't forget to visit orgjunkie.com for Menu Plan Monday each week!

Menu Plan June 21 - 25

We pretty much failed at our menu plan last week.  I can't remember what happened, exactly (other than I forgot to thaw out the Cornish game hens, I do remember that), but we ended up getting take out twice.  Twice!  Shocking.

Anyway, on to a new week.  We had my family over on Saturday for a Father's Day dinner, and I grilled enough fajitas for about 40 people (there were 13 of us, including all the kids).  So we're having lots of leftovers this week, and it's time to get creative!  Here's the plan:

Tonight:  we had leftover fajitas.
Tomorrow:  Stuffed peppers
Wednesday:  Sausage and pepper penne (this will use our leftover peppers and onions.  I just have to figure out how to make this a make-ahead - I'll let you know!)
Thursday:  salad topped with our choice of chicken or steak (using the leftover fajita meat)
Friday:  Spaghetti

Should be a good week!  Remember, for tons of menu ideas each week, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com!

Menu plan June 13 - 18

This is a really busy week for us, so I'm going to have to rely on some super-quick meals for most of it.

Last night, I made Pad Thai.  I overcooked the noodles somehow (never had that happen before!), but other than that, it was great!

Tonight, we're having taco salad.

Tomorrow, it'll be crock pot roast beef.

Wednesday, roasted Cornish game hens.

Thursday, should be leftover night but we'll see if we have any!

Friday, lemon pepper chicken.

Enjoy your week!

For tons of great menu ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com!