What's For Dinner?

If you don't want to be stuck in the kitchen tonight at 6 o'clock staring at the pantry with a blank look on your face, then you need a plan.  Planning is everything when it comes to feeding your family delicious, healthy meals.  (Having a plan will also save you big $$$ on your grocery budget.)

Here is a sample meal plan.  One thing I try to do is keep it simple.  The more complicated your plan the less likely you will follow it. 

Sunday:
Breakfast - Cereal, bananas, juice
Lunch - Hot dogs on the grill, cheesy potatoes, tea
Dinner - Sandwiches, pretzels, apple slices

Monday:
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs, toast
Lunch - pb&j sandwiches, pretzels
Dinner - Shepherd's Pie,  peas, rolls

Tuesday:
Breakfast - Oatmeal, blueberries
Lunch - chicken salad, chips, fruit
Dinner - Stuffed crust pizza, salad

Wednesday:
Breakfast - Cereal, fruit
Lunch - grilled cheese sandwiches, carrot sticks, apple slices
Dinner - Tacos

Thursday:
Breakfast - Sour Cream Blueberry Bread, milk
Lunch - leftover tacos
Dinner - Roasted chicken, baked potatoes, veggies, rolls

Friday:
Breakfast - Muffins, fruit
Lunch - sloppy joes, carrot sticks
Dinner  - Crock-Pot chicken and rice, green beans, peach tea

Saturday:
Breakfast - Cereal, fruit
Lunch - homemade burritos
Dinner - Chicken Parmesan, salad, garlic bread

Next to having a plan, using the Crock Pot is my favorite secret weapon.  You can plop the ingredients into your crock-pot in the morning while your coffee is brewing and dinner will cook itself all day while you work on other things.  The house will smell yummy and there will be no need for panic at the dinner hour.

Here is one of my favorite recipes to get you going with your crock-pot!  This one is from Gooseberry Patch's Flavors of Fall.

SLOW-COOKER MONSTER STEW

1 - 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 10-oz. cans pizza sauce
9.9 oz. jar sliced mushrooms, drained
8 oz. pkg. rotini, cooked
4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
10 oz. pkg sliced pepperoni

Brown ground beef and onion together; drain.  Add pizza sauce and mushrooms, heating thoroughly.  Layer sauce mixture, rotini, cheese and pepperoni in a slow cooker; heat on low setting for 8 hours.  Serves 6 to 8.