Menu Planning Monday

Spring has sprung and I am ready for a fresh start. I haven't been menu planning and it has made things truly hectic. I am talking a trip to the store everyday around 3 o'clock(when I pick up my daughter from school). I have not been the least bit motivated to consider what we were having for dinner. Well, I'm truly exhausted from my lack of planning and looking forward to knowing what's for dinner each night this coming week.

We did have one week that was somewhat successful because of a program that I saw on Food Network. I like Robin Miller and her prep ahead for the week strategies. She prepared a menu using a porkloin roast. These 3 recipes, which I made using a 4.5 lb roast, were all a hit with my family. I know that a lot of you probably have several porkloins in your freezers. They were on sale at Safeway/Randalls last week for $.99 a pound. This Pork Out menu will take care of 3 nights for your family if you want to use up a porkloin this week. The lettuce wraps were a huge hit with everyone. Here are the links:

Pork Roast with Cumin-Spiked Mixed Berry Sauce and Roasted Parsnips (this recipe is equally delicious using carrots instead of parsnips which are sometimes pricey)

Radicchio Cups with Pork and Seasoned Rice (we used butter lettuce instead of radicchio to make the wraps)

Chili-Seared Pork with Pineapple Salsa

Here is the link for the prep ahead Game Plan.

Now for a look at some of the recipes we will be making this week:

Monday - Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas (from The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook) with a side of spanish rice and sliced pears (the link recipe uses flour tortillas and the cookbook recipe uses corn tortillas)

Tuesday - Teriyaki Sloppy Joes (from Everyday Rachael Ray magazine) asian coleslaw and fruit

Wednesday - Creamy Shrimp and Poblanos and salad

Thursday - Oriental Chicken Kabobs over rice with grilled pineapple

Friday - Santa Fe Turkey Rotini and salad

Saturday - Dinner Out after Church

Sunday - Roasted Chicken, mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables

I tried to include a little variety in this weeks menu. While I was searching through my cookbooks, I kept selecting mexican inspired recipes. A lot of those recipes will appear over the next couple of weeks. A whole week of mexican food would probably get me kicked out of the kitchen, therefore I mixed up this weeks menu to keep everyone happy.

For more menu ideas, go to Menu Plan Monday.

I will post some of the recipes from this weeks menu tomorrow and later this week.

What are you craving this week?

Please leave a comment, I love hearing from everyone.

Menu Planning Monday

I am finally ready to get back into the swing of things. Christmas is now a memory and life is moving forward. The post holiday sales have slowed down to a trickle and life is a little less crazy.

I love menu planning. It gives me a great sense of peace knowing that my meals are planned. All I have to do is execute the plan. Things don't always go smoothly. However, having a plan is better than just winging it. It helps cut down on the urge to grab something at the drive-thru. It also helps with our budget.

If you have never tried menu planning, try it for one month. I garrentee that you will become a believer. One of the best ways to get started is to checkout Menu Plan Monday. You'll be able to see what others are making, and use a few of their planned days on your menu plan. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. I often checkout other blogs and link to their recipes. I go to Menu Plan Monday and choose a couple of recipes others have on their list. Then, I pick a few of my families favorites. Voila, my menu plan is finished.

Here is my menu plan for this week.

Monday-Tilapia with Avocado Salsa, Lemon and Cilantro Rice (I will post this recipe tomorrow)

Tuesday-Chicken Salsa Chili and cornbread

Wednesday-Crockpot Honey Lentils, brown rice and pears

Thursday-Breakfast for Dinner

Friday-Porkchops w/Mushroom Gravy over bowtie pasta

Saturday-Chicken and Dumplings, side salad

Sunday Supper-Homemade Pizza

We are really looking forward to try the new recipes that we found. I think the one that is most anticipated is the Tilapia with Avocado Salsa.

If you are looking for inspiration this week, you can visit the Menu Plan Monday link at Org Junkie.

If you have just started menu planning and have questions, feel free to leave a comment.

Menu Planning Monday

I have one word for last weeks menu...YUM! Everything was so good last week but if I had to pick a hands down winner it would be Jamika's Salmon with Pineapple Salsa.

As many of you know, my son (12) does not like potatoes of any kind. We continue to serve them and he taste them but usually leaves them on his plate. I keep hoping that his taste will change but so far nothing. This week will be the week of pasta to give him a break and use up some of our stockpile. Once again I have selected several of Rachael Ray's best. I hope you'll give them a try.

Monday - Goodness Gracious, That's Great Goulash, green salad and bread

Tuesday - Peach Glazed Chicken w/corn on the cob and baked beans, fresh fruit for dessert

Wednesday - Tuscan-Style Chicken with Rosemary, pasta w/garlic, oil and parsley, side salad

Thursday - Canadian Maple Turkey Chili, cornbread and fruit

Friday - Fried Cod, pesto pasta, bread and fruit

Saturday - Dinner Out for my birthday

Sunday Supper - Turkey Sweet Potato Shepard's Pie, Hot Rolls and fruit

That's our menu for the week and I'm really looking forward to these fall/winter comfort food recipes. We have tried a few of these last year and can't wait to have them again.

For more menu plans you can check out the Menu Plan Monday links over at Org Junkie.

Menu Planning Monday

Well it has certainly been a long time since I posted last. I have been dealing with a lot of craziness at my house and am finally feeling more in control. With the upcoming holidays, menu planning is going to be a huge part of keeping stress at bay. I hope you will join me and your holidays are truly a joy.



We are definitely in the mood for a change in our menus. I have scoured my magazines for some great inspiration and am looking forward to this weeks menu.



Monday - BBQ Pork Sandwiches (made with sliced leftover Spice-rubbed Pork Loin from Sunday), chips and fresh fruit



Tuesday - Maple-Walnut Chicken w/wild rice and sauteed spinach



Wednesday - Sizzling Shrimp Quesadillas w/shredded romaine, guacamole, and black beans



Thursday - Thanksgiving Dinner with all the trimmings



Friday - Jamika's Salmon with Pineapple Salsa, basmati rice, and fresh spinach salad



Saturday - Dinner out after church



Sunday - leftover night

I hope after looking at the recipe links you are inspired to try one of these recipes. I know that seafood can sometimes be expensive but I often pick up ez peel shrimp for $3.99 a pound. A pound of shrimp is all you need for a family of four. The rest of the ingredients for the quesadilla can be picked up fairly inexpensively. This is a restaurant quality meal for a fraction of the cost. As we get close to the winter season, the price of salmon has come down and my daughter has asked for salmon this week (I'm always happy to oblige a request when I can).

I will be posting a couple of recipes that we made last week and really enjoyed. One of those recipes uses canned tuna (which is a stockpile staple) and won ton wrappers. Stop by tomorrow to take a peek at these recipes.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

For more menu plans, hop on over to the Org Junkies Menu Plan Monday post.

Menu Planning Monday

Last week life happened and the menu plan was not followed to the T. My sons football game ran really late because of rain and lightning. I had the black beans and chicken in the crock pot. My daughter had that for dinner since she stayed home to work on her homework (high school has been a killer). I ate at the game and grabbed Chick fil a for my son on the way back to the school to pick him up. It was 9 o'clock by the time he got to eat something. Sean and I had leftovers the next night and Jessica had a frozen dinner with some fruit. We all really liked the Black Bean and Chicken burritos and will make them again.


Thursday we ended up having frozen fish fillets, mac and cheese, and canned peas (all from the stockpile).


Friday we had a Birdseye Garlic Shrimp and Pasta skillet meal (again from the stockpile).


Saturday rolled around and my daughter was dying for something make from scratch. We eat out after church on Saturday nights. So I told her she could make chili and cornbread for lunch. We altered a recipe to use what we had on hand and came up with Canadian Maple Turkey Chili. I honestly believe that this is the best chili we have ever eating or made. If you try it come back and let us know what you think.


Now Sunday we decided to make the Tilapia with Balsamic Browned Butter and Creamy Farfalle with Bacon, Tomato and Peas from Wednesday's menu.


As you can see not everything got made and some things shifted a bit but everyone was fed.


Sometimes life happens but if you have a well stocked pantry and freezer it is easier to roll with it.


Now for this weeks menu:


Monday-Chicken and Apple sausages with leftover Creamy Farfalle with Bacon, Tomato and Peas, and fruit


Tuesday-North African Meatballs with Couscous and Glazed Carrots


Wednesday-Sleezy Chicken, Green Giant Mixed Veggies w/Cheese, and baked potatoes


Put Sticky Chicken in crockpot and cook for use on Friday.


Thursday-BBQ Pork Chops (copied from Simple Frugal in Canada), Ranch Mashed Potatoes, and Broccoli


BBQ Pork chops


Enough pork chops to feed your family (you can also use ribs)
Your favourite BBQ sauce (we like Bullseye)
Onion, cut into rings


Place onion rings on the bottom of the slow cooker. Place pork on top of the onions. Pour enough BBQ sauce over top the pork to coat every piece. Cover. Cook on low for about 5-6 hours.


Friday-Creamy Spinach and Chicken Enchiladas, black beans and a side salad


Saturday-Dinner out after church


Sunday Supper-Leftovers or homemade pizza

Thanks for stopping by.

If you want to see what others have on their menus, hop over to Org Junkie's Menu Plan Monday Link Up.

Menu Planning Monday

Last weeks menu was a great success. The Hoisin Chicken Wraps on last weeks menu was definitely a family favorite and will be repeated before the year is over. The fish taco menu was also very yummy. Jessica especially liked the green rice. We thought that the Spicy Ginger-and-Orange Chicken with Broccoli was not spicy enough. We will add some crushed red pepper flakes the next time we make that one. We only used a 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper this time.



This week my son Sean has his first football game of the season. He is in 7th grade and we are very excited for him. Because we don't know exactly when we'll be home, sloppy joes will be on the menu. Reheating that will make for a quick gamenight meal.



We are using proteins we already have in the freezer to keep the grocery budget down a little this week. Because we had a lot of chicken last week, I have decided to really mixup the menu this week. I hope you are ready. It's going to be a good one.



Monday-Sloppy Joes

Tuesday-Mexican Turkey Casserole

Wednesday-Big Boy Sugo over egg noodles, green beans and rolls (The recipe for the Sugo is from Rachal Ray's Big Orange Book cookbook. After we try it, I will type it up if we feel like it was worth the time it takes to make.)

Thursday-Chicken Sausages, Not Potato Salad, and Cantelope

Friday-Leftover Night

Saturday-Dinner Out after church

Sunday-Garlic and Rosemary Meatballs in Red Sauce, eggnoodles, and salad

After reading our menu plan, I hope your mouth is watering and you are ready to try something new.

Have you tried any new recipes recently that your family liked? If so, feel free to leave a comment and share some of your favorites.

For more great menu options you can visit Laura over at Org Junkie.

Menu Planning Monday

Welcome back y'all. I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe holiday weekend.


Well from looking at what my daughter and I have planned for meals this week, it is the week of the chicken. We've thrown in one fish night for good measure and to throw a curve ball to the guys when they say, "What's for dinner, chicken?" LOL. Can't wait for that one.


As you have probably noticed, we don't repeat a lot of meals often. We like variety and we never get bored trying new recipes. We will pull out a few of our favorite fall and winter recipes from last year. For the most part we will have at least a few recipes that you have not tried. We will always update you the following week if we made any changes to the recipes used.


This week we were in the mood for food with a lot of flavor. I guess it's that whole going from summer to fall transition. We are in the mood for comfort food and our comfort food has a lot of flavor. I am so excited about the fall and winter recipes. I hope y'all will check back to see what we're cooking.

There were no changes to last weeks recipes. We liked everything except the slaw recipe from friday.


Monday-Labor Day Family Get Together


Tuesday-Hoisin Chicken Wraps and sugar snap peas


Wednesday-Bourbon Orange Skillet BBQ Chicken with Cornbread Topper and a side salad


Thursday-Spicy Ginger-and-Orange Chicken with Broccoli, rice and egg rolls


Friday-Fish Tacos with Quick Slaw, Avocado Sauce and Green Rice


Saturday-Dinner Out after church


Sunday Supper-Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings with a side salad



What are some of your family's favorite recipes? Feel free to leave a link to your favorites or just leave a comment. Maybe will be trying some of your favorites next.

To view more menu plans, head over to Org Junkie.

Menu Planning Monday

Last weeks menu was enjoyed by all. The Pecan Crusted Salmon may be a new family favorite. The crust is a mixture of dried breadcrumbs, crushed pecans, grated ginger and shallot. It was very tasty.

My daughter is actually teaching me a thing or two about saving. Yesterday she asked me if we could freeze leftover stock. We buy the stock in the box because we like the slow cooked taste. She hates when we have to throw away stock after 10 days of sitting in the fridge. I told her of course we could freeze the stock in ice cube trays. After they're frozen, we can put the stock cubes in a freezer bag for later use. It really kills me that I didn't think to do this sooner. We've wasted a lot of stock this summer. We don't have a problem in the winter. We make a lot of soups and dishes that require stock.

Anyway, on to the menu plan for this week.

Monday-Chicken Spaghetti, Rosemary Scones, and a side salad

Tuesday-Canadian Maple Turkey Chili w/cornbread

Wednesday-Pork and Pineapple Curry w/rice and Balsamic Nutty Green Beans

Thursday-Leftovers

Friday-Sweet 'n' Sour Sirloin Stir-Fry w/Ranch Mashed Potatoes and Sesame Slaw

Saturday-Dinner Out after church

Sunday-Summer Shrimp Rolls, baked beans, and fresh fruit

I hope y'all are inspired to try something new. Let me know if you try one of the recipes and what your family thought.

For more great menu ideas, head over to Org Junkie.

Why Menu Plan??

Menu Planning has really helped me to focus on the age old question, "What's for dinner?" I generally consider myself a fly by the seat of my pants personality. However, this attitude tends to cause me a lot of stress around dinner time. With a menu plan, I just check that morning to see what needs to be pulled from the fridge.

Because I take the time to do a menu plan, any of the other family members can check to see what's for dinner. They can also help start dinner if for some reason I'm not home. This is going to be very helpful as we start back to school.

I've mentioned before that my daughter has become an excellent cook at the ripe old age of only 14. This has truly been a blessing. We envision her as a chef of her very on restaurant someday. Until then, we will enjoy her wonderful creations and from time to time share with y'all.

I'm not real ridged with the menu plan. I've been know to move things around to suit our schedules. As we all know plans sometimes change. If for some reason we don't have one nights menu then I try to shift it to the next week.

And the final reason that I menu plan is to help use up some of my stockpile. Sometimes I forget what we actual have in our pantry. When I'm working on my menu plan I try to incorporate several items we already have. Having a well stocked pantry is another blessing. What are some of your must have on hand pantry items?