Menu Plan - week of 3/4/13

A day late but I'm finally getting around to posting our menu plan for the week.  Some carryover from last week's plan, since I forgot to get the chicken out the deep freezer to thaw in time to make last week.   Instead, we had Chinese takeout one night and homemade pizza the next.  So, there is more chicken yumminess on this week's menu (assuming I get the thing out of the freezer...)

Monday:  we had "make your own sandwich night" using homemade bread (I recently got a new KitchenAid mixer and made the dough w/ it...my first foray into making bread without a bread machine!)

Tuesday:  Crack Pasta (new recipe!), lettuce salad

Wednesday:  Sticky Chicken, Sweet Potato Tator Tots (new recipe!), garlic toast (using leftover homemade bread)

Thursday:  Creamy Chicken and Rice, fruit salad

Friday:  Clean out the fridge night!

Check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for menu planning links and ideas - and I'm also thinking of joining her 31-day organizing challenge.  My mudroom/laundry room is in need of major help!!  Stay tuned to see if I get ready to take the plunge...

Menu Plan: Week of 2/4/13

We did a pretty good job of sticking to the menu plan last week.  I wasn't feeling the greatest so there was one night when dear hubby picked up Chinese takeout on his way home instead of having me cook supper.  Otherwise, we did pretty well.

Here is what is planned for us this week:

(Homemade Chicken Nuggets)

Breakfasts:
Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins (recipe to come soon)
cereal and fruit
Eggs and toast

Lunches:
sandwiches, chips, fruit
Spaghettios (my son's FAVORITE and I allow it once a week), carrot sticks
Fish sticks, cottage cheese, orange slices
Homemade chicken nuggets (my plan is to make a huge batch of these to keep in the freezer), veggie chips, apple slices

Suppers:
Mexican Black Bean Quinoa (new recipe) for mom and dad; Classic Baked Mac and Cheese (new recipe) for the kids; carrot sticks and ranch  (I don't normally make something separate for the kids but my hubby has been on a quinoa kick lately and my kids won't touch it, so hence the mac and cheese.)

Cheddar Beef Enchiladas (from the freezer), chips and salsa, grapes

Homemade Tomato Soup (new recipe), ham and swiss melts, apple slices

Homemade Pizza, romaine salad with ranch, grapes

leftovers

This post is linked to I'm An Organizing Junkie - tons of organizing and menu planning resources!

Menu Plan: week of 7/16/12

Wow, it's been soooo long since my last post that I don't even recognize the Blogger page to type my posts anymore!  It is next to impossible to find a spare moment to come down the basement (where the computer is) by myself for longer than two minutes to type a post.  I've tried doing it with three kids running/crawling around me and that just leads to frustration and a cranky mommy shouting "Please give me five minutes of peace to type!"  So today I've squeezed in a few moments while all three kids are resting at the same time.  This will be short and sweet.

It is 100 degrees here today (again) so I've planned a menu using my stovetop and slow cookers.  Here is what is on our menu this week:

Monday:  Slow Cooker Roast Beef (my mom's recipe - just throw in two cans of Golden Mushroom soup with the roast and you have instant tender roast w/ gravy), Crockpot baked potatoes (yes, I have both slow cookers going today), corn, watermelon
Tuesday:  Beef and Bean Burritos (making up a recipe using leftover roast beef), chips and salsa
Wednesday:  Mac and Cheese soup (new recipe), fruit salad
Thursday:  Clean out the fridge night!
Friday:  Homemade pizza, Caesar salad

Check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning ideas!

Menu Plan Monday - 1/30/12

This week's menu plan is pretty short as the kids and I are leaving town on Thursday for at least seven days while we are having nearly the entire interior of our house painted. We'll be staying with my parents (about a 3 1/2 hour drive away) for the week. On a quiet farm with no internet access...should be relaxing (hopefully!) We will miss my husband dearly, who of course has to stay behind, work, and put up with the paint smell and mess for the whole week. Here is what I have planned for our very short cooking week:

Breakfasts:
Waffles and bananas
cold cereal and toast
Blueberry Muffins and yogurt

Lunches:
Leftovers
Chicken strips, carrots, cottage cheese
Cheese quesadillas, apple slices, chips and salsa

Suppers:
Monday: Spaghetti with slow cooker marinara sauce (from the freezer), fruit salad, garlic toast made with leftover buttermilk honey bread (recipe for the bread to come this week!)

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Chili (carryover from last week), cornbread, fruit salad

Wednesday: clean out the fridge night!

Thursday - next week: out of town!

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday: week of 1/23/12

This last week held two "firsts" for me: First, I made it out of Target with buying ONLY what was on my list...that has never happened. :-) Second, the list of suppers I had mapped out for the week went exactly as planned. Each supper was made on the planned evening, and that has NEVER happened before. Funny, though, that it was a week when I didn't post my menu plan! Anyway, I made barbeque sandwiches, tomato tortellini soup, homemade pizza, and spaghetti with meatballs (with plenty of leftovers, of course.) Here's what I have planned for this week:

Breakfasts:
Whole Wheat Banana Muffins, fruit
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes (from freezer), bananas
cereal and toast
Yogurt and Peanut Butter Granola

Lunches:
Creamy Mac and Cheese, carrot sticks with ranch dressing
Kitchen Floor Picnic (sandwiches, chips, pickles, and juice boxes)
Cheesy Egg Sandwiches, clementines
Crackers and hummus, fruit, cottage cheese

Suppers:
Monday: Burritos (from freezer), chips and salsa, fruit salad
Tuesday: Crockpot Chili, cornbread, fruit salad
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: Teryaki pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes, green beans
Friday: Chunky Chicken Soup (from freezer), lettuce salad, whole wheat bread machine buttermilk bread (favorite new recipe coming soon!)
Saturday: Clean out the fridge night!
Sunday: ??

Check out more menu plans at I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Menu Plan - week of 11/7/11

I have been menu planning lately but the craziness of life with a newborn and two preschoolers (I can no longer say I have a toddler since my little boy turned three years old last week!!) has led me to not really follow my plan too much each week. Thank goodness I still have some of my freezer meals left (but not many!) which have made things a bit easier. So hard to believe my little girl is five weeks old already! While I am in absolutely no hurry for her to grow up any more quickly than she already is, I do look forward to the "normalcy" of life again in a few months when I'm able to cook more, plan more, and just relax a bit more.

Here is the menu for the week:

Breakfasts:
Who am I kidding? Lately my two older kids have been eating cereal bars or dry cereal out of a bag in front of the TV in the mornings. No planning here.

Lunches:
Poor Man's Pizza, orange slices
PB&J, carrots, chips
Creamy Mac and Cheese, apple slices
Chicken strips, cottage cheese, grapes
leftovers

Suppers:
Monday: Ham and Cheese Casserole (from my freezer stash), fruit salad
Tuesday: Slow Cooker Barbeques (or Sloppy Joes...whichever you call them), baked beans, carrots, chips and dip
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: Burritos (also from my freezer), chips and salsa
Friday: Lentil Soup, lettuce salad, fruit

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan - week of 9/26/11

Baby #3 is due to arrive this week....hopefully. I'm still hanging in there - trying to enjoy my two little kids before I head off to the hospital without them for a couple of days, trying to keep the house clean and laundry done, and still trying to menu plan because the family still needs to eat! Here is what we have planned this week:

Breakfasts:
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, melon
Cereal and toast
English muffins and scrambled eggs
Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Lunches:
Poor Man's Pizza, orange slices
Pita chips, hummus, carrot sticks with ranch dressing
Creamy Mac and Cheese, apple slices, raw broccoli with ranch dressing
PB&J, crackers and apple slices
leftovers


Suppers:
Monday: Slow Cooker Angel Chicken with broccoli, lettuce salad

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Turkey Chili, cornbread, melon

Wednesday: Chicken Wild Rice Soup made with leftover Angel Chicken, cornbread, apple slices

Thursday: leftover buffet

Friday: Hot and Sour Soup, potsickers and eggrolls (store-bought from the freezer), green beans

Please stop by I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning resources!

Menu Plan Monday - week of 9/19/11

Last week I made everything on our menu plan (that may be a first!) and everything turned out really yummy. As I posted earlier, we really enjoyed the Kielbasa Bow-Tie Skillet and I hope you give it a try! I'm looking forward to breaking into our freezer stash of this meal in the upcoming weeks.

The kids and I visited an apple orchard last Thursday and came home with a ton of apples, so I'm looking for some good apple recipes to use up my stash. I'm looking forward to making the Apple Pie Bread for breakfast one morning (thanks to April at Angel Foods Kitchen for pointing out this recipe last week!) I also made an apple pie and homemade ice cream on Friday evening (of which we are still enjoying the leftovers!) Any other ideas? Please leave a comment with your favorite apple recipe - I'd really appreciate it!

Anyway, still no baby...so I've planned another week of meals. Nothing to double or freeze because my freezer is nearly full. Here's what we have planned so far:

Breakfasts:
Cereal and toast
Waffles and bananas
Honey Crunch Granola (another great granola recipe from Sarah at Clay in His Hands) with yogurt
Apple Pie Bread (new recipe), fruit

Lunches:
Tomato soup, grilled cheese, carrot sticks with ranch dressing
Pita chips and hummus, fruit salad
Homemade Chicken Nuggets, cottage cheese, apple slices
Creamy Mac and Cheese, apple slices, carrot sticks with ranch dressing
leftovers

Suppers:
Monday: leftover buffet from the weekend (ham fried rice, pasta, whole wheat oatmeal pancakes, fruit salad)

Tuesday: Burritos (I have 17 of these babies in my freezer which I'm saving for after baby arrives, but I'm making a fresh batch for us to eat at my hubby's request. I use ground beef instead of chicken), chips and salsa, apple slices

Wednesday: leftovers or out to eat (soccer night)

Thursday: Homemade Pizza, lettuce salad

Friday: Hot Beef Cheddar Subs, sweet potato fries, green beans

Sat. and Sun.: ?? (I don't plan on the weekends anymore because everything is always so fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants)

For tons of menu planning ideas, please check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 9/12/11

I've been on another blogging sabbatical, so it seems. We've been busy with preparing for the new baby's arrival (only 2 1/2 weeks to go!), the start of preschool for my daughter, and a couple of VERY successful weeks of potty training my son. He's been in underwear for the last couple of weeks without an accident. I'm so proud of him - and it's so awesome that I will have about one month of no diapers or pull-ups to change or buy!

But I digress...on to menu planning. I've been nesting up a storm and doing a lot of cooking and baking for easy and healthy freezer meals once the baby arrives. I'll hopefully post more on that soon. But in the meantime, here is what we have planned for the upcoming week:

Breakfasts:
Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread (I doubled the batch and froze one loaf - I also cut back on the sugar and substituted 1 c. whole wheat flour and it still turned out yummy!), bananas
Cereal and toast
Whole Wheat Muffins, strawberries
Bagels with cream cheese

Lunches:
Egg and cheese sandwiches (our homemade version of the Egg McMuffin...my kids love these!), carrots and fruit
PB&J Sushi, crackers, fruit
Creamy Mac and Cheese, carrots and ranch dip
leftovers

Suppers:
Monday: Ham and Cheese Casserole (new recipe - this recipe makes a double batch so I froze one), fresh fruit salad
Tuesday: Homemade Pizza, lettuce salad
Wednesday: T-ball until 6:30 p.m. so it is "clean out the fridge" night!
Thursday: Sausage Bow Tie Pasta Skillet (new recipe - doubling so I can freeze half), mixed vegetables, melon
Friday: leftovers
Sat. and Sun.: our plans always change on the weekends so I've decided to go "meal-plan-free" on the weekends

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan - Week of 7-25-11

What a crazy summer! Husband working terribly long hours, house guests in and out of our home for the past two weeks, and some crazy hot and humid weather haven't really allowed me to follow much of a menu plan the last couple of weeks. I still have carryovers on this week's menu so nothing too new or exciting. However, I am thrilled that we are blessed with a houseful of food this week. My husband took both kids to a Twins baseball game on Saturday (by himself...a brave man!) which allowed me an entire afternoon of do-whatever-I-wanted-to-do-by-myself. Being the crazy gal I am, I headed to Costco (where I've never been without the kids) and enjoyed roaming the aisles at my leisure and picking up LOTS of great deals. I spent a pretty penny but we are completely stocked up for months to come (plus I got some great deals on fresh produce, cheese, milk and eggs - I cannot believe Costco's great prices on organic items!)

Anyway, despite my Costco excitement...here's what we have planned for the week:

Breakfasts:
Cold cereal and toast
Blueberry muffins
Whole Wheat Pancakes (leftovers from Sunday)
Fruit and yogurt

Lunches:
leftovers
PB&J, chips, carrot sticks
Fruit salad and cottage cheese
Egg sandwiches, carrots and dip, fruit
Creamy Mac and Cheese, fruit

Suppers:
Monday: Slow cooker Chicken Tacos (carryover), chips and salsa

Tuesday: Dijon chicken breasts (new recipe + carryover), lettuce salad, sweet potato fries

Wednesday: T-Ball night so probably out to eat afterwards

Thursday: Homemade pizza, Caeser salad, fruit

Friday: leftover buffet

(I'm not planning anything for the weekends this summer - who knows what our plans will be!)

Check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning fun!

Menu Plan: Week of 7/11/11

Back to "formal" menu planning - hooray! Pretty simple menu plan for us this week, as hubby will have a busy week at work and may be working late some evenings. Plus, I'm trying not to use the oven much to keep the house a bit cooler. Here is what we have planned:

Breakfasts:
Cereal and fruit
Scrambled eggs and toast
Yogurt
Whole Wheat Muffins and fruit

Lunches:
PB&J, carrot sticks, yogurt
Mac and Cheese, grapes
Pita chips and hummus, fruit
Poor Man's Pizza, carrot sticks, fruit
leftovers

Suppers:
Monday: Veggie/Black Bean Burgers (from the freezer), pasta salad, fruit salad
Tuesday: Slow Cooker Angel Chicken, lettuce salad, green beans
Wednesday: Daughter's first night of T-Ball so we'll be eating out afterwards or home for leftovers
Thursday: Dijon Chicken Breasts (new recipe), sweet potato fries, lettuce salad
Friday: Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos, fruit salad
Sat and Sun: ?? (I'm not really planning much on the weekends anymore during summertime!)

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan: Week of 4/4/11

I have been half-hazardly menu planning since our decision to sell our house. Boxes everywhere + cleaning + an attempt to de-clutter = my desire to fly by the seat of my pants a bit with our meals. On that note, it's no surprise that we ate out a lot and ate a lot of unhealthy foods during this time. So, back to it. I'm trying to use up some foods we have in the freezer and pantry so there isn't much shopping this week. Here's what we have planned:

Breakfasts:
Applesauce bread
Oatmeal, bananas
Cold cereal, toast
Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes (leftover from Sunday)

Lunches:
Tomato Soup and grilled cheese, apple slices
Hummus, pita chips, carrot sticks
Chicken strips, cottage cheese, oranges
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese, peas, fruit salad
leftovers

Suppers:
Monday: Turkey Noodle Casserole (using leftover frozen turkey)
Tuesday: Tilapia, brown rice, peas
Wednesday: Sticky Chicken in the Crockpot, mashed potatoes, gravy (this will be my first time ever attempting homemade gravy - pray for me.), green beans
Thursday: Chicken Noodle Soup (using leftover chicken and broth from Wed.), grilled cheese, fruit salad
Friday - Sun.: in-laws are in town so it's up to the husband and probably out to eat a couple of times

Check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for menu planning ideas!

Menu Plan: Week of 1/31/11

I cannot believe it's almost February! Despite being cooped up during this long, cold Minnesota winter, we are still eating fairly healthy in our house. I'm trying to clean out some things from my freezer and pantry this week, and so far my grocery list only has 5 items on it for the week! Here's what we have planned for the week:

Breakfasts:
Blueberry and Spinach Smoothies (new recipe - we'll see how my kids like this one!)
Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes (leftover from Sunday), bananas
cold cereal, toast
bagels with cream cheese, fruit

Lunches:
Fish sticks (a new kid favorite - not from scratch but it's a treat every now and then!), apple slices, crackers
PB&J, crackers, grapes
Tomato soup, grilled cheese, carrot sticks with ranch dressing
Hummus and pita chips, orange slices
leftovers

Suppers:
Sunday: Homemade Pizza, lettuce salad
Monday: Vegetable Barley Soup (from the freezer), grilled ham and cheese, pineapple
Tuesday: Turkey and Spinach Enchiladas, refried bean dip (half of this recipe), chips
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: Beef and Bean Chili (yes, for the THIRD week in a row! My husband loves this stuff!)
Friday: Chipotle take-out!
Sat. and Sun: ??

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan: Week of 1/24/11

My husband has FINALLY surpassed the two weeks of "Phase 1" of the South Beach Diet (no carbs, no fruit, no sugars) and we have now entered a much more enjoyable and menu-planning-friendly "Phase 2" (whole grain carbs and most fruit allowed). However, two the "Phase 1" meals are such hits that we are having them again this week: the Beef and Bean Chili and Chicken Parmesean were delicious! (And I made the Pork Satay last night and husband said it was some of the best pork he's ever had). So, despite eating very healthy, we are also eating very well. Here is what is in store for us this week:

Breakfasts:
Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes (leftover from Sunday), bananas
cold cereal, toast
Pumpkin Spice Granola (didn't make last week), yogurt
Whole wheat bagels, cream cheese
Pear Blueberry Muffins (from the freezer - recipe to come soon!)

Lunches:
Chicken strips, cottage cheese, carrot sticks
PB&J, pickles, apple slices
Creamy Mac and Cheese, orange slices, green beans
Vegetable soup, crackers, cheese sticks, apple slices

Suppers:
Chicken Parmesean, whole wheat noodles, lettuce salad
Beef and Bean Chili, lettuce salad
Chipotle Beef Burritos, whole wheat tortilla chips, salsa and sour cream
Chicken Quesadillas, green beans, applesauce
Tilapia (didn't make last week), broccoli

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan: Week of 1/10/11

We are leaving for Florida in less than a month!! Hooray for vacations in warm, sunny weather. We cannot wait to escape the sub-zero temps of Minnesota in February. But, my hubby is a bit concerned about hitting the beach after this cold, comfort-food-filled Minnesota winter. So, he is following the South Beach diet this month in preparation for a beach life in a few weeks. We both followed the South Beach diet a year or so before we had children, and with great results. While I am not a fan of fad diets, this one really promotes healthy eating, whole and unprocessed foods, and low sugar. I felt terrific when I generally followed the South Beach eating plan. Don't we all strive for that every day?

That being said, I'm trying to help him out and support him this week by creating a menu plan following the "Phase 1" foods of the South Beach Diet. All of these recipes I found in this cookbook I bought about four or five years ago, The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook by Arthur Agatston. Should be a tasty week! The kids and I will eat with hubby in the evening (but will secretly eat our carbs during the day when he's at work!)

Breakfasts:
Blueberry Muffins
Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes (freezer), fruit
cold cereal and toast
oatmeal, bananas

Lunches:
Poor Man's Pizza, pears
Hummus, pita chips, carrot sticks
Tomato soup, grilled ham and cheese, apples
leftovers

Suppers:
Monday: Beef and Bean Chili, cantaloupe

Tuesday: Greek Meatballs, Creamy Cauliflower Soup, lettuce salad

Wednesday: Kale and lentil stew (and probably some sandwiches for the kids)

Thursday: Chinese Steamed Chicken (and probably Creamy Mac and Cheese for the kids)

Friday: Mexican Chicken Soup, spinach salad

Saturday: Baked Barbeque Chicken, Sweet Potato Fries

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm An Organizing Junkie!

Menu Plan: Week of 12/6/10

Another week of trying to get organized, regain some sanity and calmness, and put forth my weekly menu plan. Last week's menu produced a couple of new yummy hits in our family: the Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken was not only delicious, but easy to make ahead during naptime and keep in the fridge till baking time. We also enjoyed the Lentil Burritos, which were healthy, tasty, and a very affordable meal.

This week, I'm trying more new recipes. You may notice my many links to the Heavenly Homemakers blog. I really enjoy all of Laura's recipes and her quest to make healthy, unprocessed, nutritious meals for family is inspirational. Here is what I have planned for this week:

Breakfasts:
CrockPot Apple Oatmeal (carryover from how many weeks ago?)
Cold cereal, toast and bananas
Bagels and cream cheese, strawberries

Lunches:
Hummus and pita chips, apple slices, string cheese
PB&J, carrot sticks with ranch dip
Ham & cheese wraps, pickles, cottage cheese, grapes
Leftovers

Suppers:
Monday:
Turkey Noodle Soup (made with leftover turkey and broth in the freezer from Thanksgiving), honey whole wheat bread (new recipe - I’m cutting this recipe in half)

Tuesday:
Italian Roast Wraps (new recipe), lettuce salad, cantaloupe

Wednesday:
Leftovers

Thursday:
Turkey n’ Biscuits (new recipe), lettuce salad, grapes

Friday:
Homemade Pizza, Caesar salad, green beans, cantaloupe

Saturday:
Crockpot Thai Chicken (new recipe), brown rice, orange slices

Sunday:
Clean out the fridge night!

Please check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for menu planning ideas and recipes.

Menu Plan: Week of 11/29/10

The weather on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving made us cancel our travel plans for Thanksgiving, so we actually ended up staying home and cooking a turkey feast for the four of us. (My husband made the turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy - I made the green bean casserole and pumpkin pie.) Although we missed our family, it turned out to be a very nice, cozy day for our little family.

I'm looking forward to more of a "planned" menu this week. I'm trying a couple of new dishes and just trying to keep things simple and healthy. (I'm focusing on "healthy" because, I must admit, my jeans are fitting quite a bit tighter as I type this.) :-)

Here's what we have planned for this week:

Breakfasts:
Whole Wheat Pancakes (Freezer)
Granola bars
Cold cereal and bananas
Cinnamon Raisin Toast and yogurt

Lunches:
Tomato soup, grilled cheese, carrot sticks
Chicken strips, cottage cheese, apple slices
Hummus and pita chips, carrot sticks, raisins
leftovers

Suppers:
Monday: Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken (new recipe), pasta with marinara sauce, broccoli

Tuesday: Lentil Burritos (new recipe), mixed vegetables, apple slices

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, oven fries, corn

Friday: Chicken Noodle Casserole, lettuce salad, orange slices

Saturday: Father-in-law visiting so probably out to eat

Sunday: clean out the fridge night!

Please visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for great menu planning ideas.

Menu Plan: Week of 11/15/10

This week’s menu is pretty simple. I’m using mostly what I have on hand, in addition to carrying over some items from last week. Here's what we'll be eating this week:

Breakfasts:
Giant Breakfast Cookies (carryover from last week)
CrockPot Apple Oatmeal (carryover from last week)
Cold cereal, toast and bananas
Whole Wheat Muffins (freezer)

Lunches:
Ham and cheese melts, tomato soup, orange slices
Hummus and pita chips, carrot sticks with ranch dip
Chicken strips, cottage cheese, apple slices
Leftovers

Suppers:
Monday:
Tator Tot Hotdish (made with ground turkey)(carryover from last week), lettuce salad, orange slices

Tuesday:
Leftovers

Wednesday:
Hubby working late – soup and sandwiches for me and the kids

Thursday:
Hubby working late again – Egg and cheese English muffins, bananas

Friday:
Spinach Stuffed Shells (doubling recipe for friend who just had a baby), lettuce salad

Saturday:
My birthday – out to eat!

Sunday:
Chicken Tacos, refried beans, chips and salsa

Please visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning ideas.

Menu Plan - Week of 11/8/10

Ahhh….home sweet home. I am glad to be home again with my little family and settling into our routine. I love traveling to see family but it is always sooooo nice to get home, get unpacked, get the house cleaned, and sigh a little “I love my house and my family” sigh.

And part of that routine is menu planning. I haven’t posted a menu plan for weeks and I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things again. Here is what I have planned so far for the upcoming week:

Breakfasts:
Giant Breakfast Cookies
CrockPot Apple Oatmeal (new recipe)
Cold cereal, toast and bananas
Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes (from freezer)

Lunches:
PB&J, raisins, pickles
Cheese quesadillas, carrot sticks with ranch dip
Chicken strips, cottage cheese, apple slices
Leftovers

Suppers:
Monday:
Stir fry made with leftover grilled pork chops, green beans and mushrooms from Sunday night

Tuesday:
BBQ Chicken Drumsticks, Ranch potato wedges, Mixed vegetables, Apple slices

Wednesday:
Black Bean Salsa Chicken (new recipe), Chips with salsa and sour cream

Thursday:
Hubby working late – leftovers for me and the kids

Friday:
Hubby working late again; Three Cheese Garlic Chicken Pasta (new recipe) and fruit for me and the kids

Saturday:
Tator Tot Hotdish (made with ground turkey), lettuce salad, orange slices

Sunday:
Hubby’s choice…probably out to eat!

Check out I'm An Organizing Junkie for more menu planning ideas.

Menu Plan: Week of 10/11/10

We are coming off of a very busy, hectic week last week. There were days when I felt like I had buckled the kids in and out of their carseats at least 15 times, running between preschool, playdates, appointments, and errands. This week I hope to settle down a bit, stay home a bit more, stress a little less, and enjoy my kiddos.

As for menu planning, I really didn't start doing it until I sat down to write this post. We visited another apple orchard this weekend (our third time this season!) so we have a lot of Haralson apples to use up this week. I'm looking forward to baking with them and just munching away, as well. My menu, so far, only requires me to get one thing from the store: potatoes. I consider that a pretty good "eat from the pantry/freezer" week. Here's our plan for the week:

Breakfasts:
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (freezer)(I'll try to get this recipe posted this week)
Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes (freezer)
Cold cereal and toast
Apple Cinnamon French Toast (carryover from last week)

Lunches:
Poor Man's Pizza, apple slices
Creamy Mac and Cheese (the kids' new favorite lunch!), orange slices, carrot sticks with ranch dressing
PB&J, pretzels, cheese sticks, apple slices
Homemade chicken nuggets, cottage cheese, pickles and carrots

Suppers:
Monday: Cheesy Green Enchiladas (made with leftover frozen pork), chips and salsa, pineapple and strawberries

Tuesday: Chicken wild rice soup made with leftover CrockPot Angel Chicken from the weekend, Honey Mustard Salad

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: hubby working late; grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for me and the kids

Friday: Slow Cooker Beef Roast (new recipe), mashed potatoes and carrots, lettuce salad

Saturday: leftovers

Sunday: Hubby is cooking or out to eat?

Baking and extras:
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (for a treat for my son's early childhood class, and an extra loaf for us!)
Granola bars

For more menu planning ideas, please visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.