Menu Plan Monday

  Do you like to make a menu plan on Mondays?  I do.  I don't always have one but when I do, what a difference it makes in my week!  

Here's a recent one of mine.  I hope you find something helpful.   

MONDAY:  Chicken and Dumplings, baked carrots
     I cook boneless, skinless, chicken breasts in chicken broth in the crock pot all day.  About 30 minutes before serving I use the recipe on the back of the Bisquick box to make dumplings.  I plop the dumplings right into the crock-pot and they always turn out great.  For the carrots just pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees, cover a cookie sheet with carrots and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Bake until soft (approximately 45 minutes - or less, you just have to check them).  

TUESDAY:  Steak, pasta, peas
     This is one of my short-cut meals.  I serve this when I'm limited on time.  I use frozen fajita steak strips and a couple of envelopes of Knorr pasta and a bag of frozen peas. 

  It makes a yummy meal and is quick.

WEDNESDAY:  Homemade pizza 
     Anyway you want to do it - here's one of our favorites.  

THURSDAY:  Pork chops, cheesy potatoes, corn, green beans, and yeast rolls
     I usually marinate my pork chops in Italian dressing overnight and then cook them on the grill.  If you want my recipe for Cheesy Potatoes you can find it here.  Cheesy Potatoes rank in our family's top 5 all time favorite recipes.  

FRIDAY:  Spaghetti and meatballs, salad, garlic bread
     Another short-cut meal if you don't have time to make homemade meatballs.  (You may find several short-cut meals on my menu plans in the weeks to come.  With a little infant nursing every few hours my time for cooking has been temporarily altered.)  There are several varieties of frozen meatballs at the grocery store.  We like Armour.

     I put my spaghetti sauce in the crock-pot in the morning and add the meatballs to that.  After cooking all day they are simply delicious.  All that's left to do is cut up a salad and boil some pasta.  

SATURDAY:  Breakfast for dinner- eggs, bacon, and biscuits
     Easy peasy and the whole family loves it!

SUNDAY:  Chicken salad croissants, crackers, and fruit
     Everyone makes chicken salad their own way.  Here's mine.  I like to get the croissants from SAMS or COSTCO.  

MONDAY:  Sloppy Joes, tater tots, carrot sticks
     This is an easy meal.  Just throw your Sloppy Joe ingredients in the crock-pot in the morning and let it cook throughout the day.  When dinner time comes you can simply scoop it onto hamburger buns and serve.  Need a good Sloppy Joe recipe?  Here ya go!

TUESDAY:  Taco Soup
     We love Taco Soup!  Do you?  I love to use my crock-pot for dinner as often as possible, especially during the summertime.  There's something so relaxing about knowing that dinner is cooking away in the crock-pot while I am doing my daily work.  Taco Soup is easy and tasty.  I normally serve it with chips and salsa but most recently we ate it with cornbread my girls made.  It was super delicious and I was super excited that my girls wanted to make it.  They love to cook and bake and are becoming quite a big help in the kitchen.  Yay! 

WEDNESDAY:  Grilled Chicken, green beans, Cheesy potatoes
     I know, Cheesy Potatoes again.  Honestly, my family would eat them every night of the week.  For this meal I marinate boneless, skinless chicken breasts in Italian dressing all day.  When my husband gets home from work he throws them on the grill.  It doesn't get any easier than that!

THURSDAY:  Pork Barbecue Sandwiches, coleslaw, potato chips, carrot sticks
     Another quick and easy meal you can do in the crock-pot.  I'm not turning my oven on much this summer.  :)

FRIDAY:  Ranch Chicken Tacos corn, chips and salsa
     This recipe makes my family so happy.  Recipe credit goes to my sister.  She served this to us once when we visited and my whole family loved it.  Everything you've seen so far on this menu plan is super simple and this meal is no different.  I have to keep things simple during this season of life.  I've got a busy family with people coming and going in different directions plus a new little one.  I can't be fussing with difficult or time consuming recipes.  You're probably busy too.  Hopefully this menu plan will help you out. 

     I sometimes get into a recipe rut.  Does that ever happen to you?  This coming week I've got something fun planned.  I've saved many years worth of Taste of Home magazines and I'm planning to go through them and find new recipes to try.  My husband loves to do this too so I'm going to give him a stack to look at as well.  It will be fun to see what he picks out.  If I find something particularly wonderful I will be sure to pass it on to you!  Many of my favorite recipes have come from Taste of Home and I'm excited about finding new ones in these old magazines.   

Have a great week!

30 Day Dinner Plan

Day 1 - Shepherd's Pie, green beans, salad, and rolls

Day 2 - Sweet and Saucy Chicken, rice, raw veggies with dip

Day 3 - Taco Ring, Spanish rice, and beans

Day 4 - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Tomato Soup

Day 5 - Chicken Supreme, mashed potatoes, broccoli, rolls

Day 6 - Beef Boogie Woogie, egg noodles, peas

Day 7 - Homemade Vegetable Soup and bread

Day 8 - Sloppy Joes, Cheesy Potatoes, raw veggies

Day 9 - Spicy Meatballs, rice, peas & carrots

Day 10 - Shredded French Dip and Creamy Monterrey Jack Soup

Day 11 - Salad Bar

Day 12 - Pork Chops, macaroni and cheese, salad

Day 13 - Chicken Enchiladas, chips & salsa

Day 14 - Saucy Penne and Three Cheese Bake, garlic bread, salad

Day 15 - Broccoli and Cheddar soup, homemade bread

Day 16 - Stuffed Crust Pizza, salad

Day 17 - Burrito Bar

Day 18 - Hot dogs, Cheesy Potatoes, baked beans, raw veggies and dip

Day 19 - Creamy Chicken Breasts and Baked Potatoes, salad, rolls

Day 20 - Ranch Chicken Tacos, Cowboy Caviar, tortilla chips

Day 21 - Pork BBQ sandwiches, potato salad, raw veggies

Day 22 - Spinach Ravioli Bake, salad, garlic bread

Day 23 - Tater Tot Casserole, green beans, salad

Day 24 - Potato Soup, homemade bread

Day 24 - Mexican Lasagna, corn, chips & salsa

Day 25 - Crock-pot Beef and Broccoli, rice

Day 26 - Spaghetti Casserole, salad, garlic bread

Day 27 -Chicken and Broccoli Braid, tossed salad, applesauce

Day 28 -Slow Cooker Pork Tacos, corn, chips and salsa

Day 29 - Cheesy Lasagna Soup, salad, garlic bread

Day 30 - Chili, cheese and crackers

This post is linked up with chef-in-training.

Need a Menu Plan?

Here's one that is simple and easy.

Monday - Breakfast:  Bagels, bananas, milk
Lunch:  Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pretzels
Dinner:  Hamburgers on the grill, Cheesy Potatoes, veggie tray
Tuesday - Breakfast:  Cinnamon Rolls, bananas, milk
Lunch:  Turkey sandwiches, carrot sticks
Dinner:  Lasagna, salad, garlic bread
Wednesday - Breakfast:  Scrambled eggs, toast
Lunch:  Leftover lasagna and garlic bread
Dinner:  Meatballs, rice, peas and carrots, applesauce
Thursday - Breakfast:  Peanut butter toast, milk
Lunch:  Chicken pot pies
Dinner:  Pinto Beans and cornbread
Friday - Breakfast:  Pancakes, banana slices, milk
Lunch:  Grilled cheese sandwiches, apples
Dinner:  Pizza

Summer Cooking

Summer is almost here, less than a month to go, in fact!  Our last day of "school" is scheduled for June 14th, although we do some subjects year 'round.  When summertime gets here we trade long school days for a couple of hours in the morning.  Keeping our schedule this way helps us to always be a little bit ahead.  It also gives us the flexibility to take days off any time during the months that are typically consider "school months".  The longer we homeschool (we are finishing up our 14th year) the less I care about what grade the kids are in, or what day or month it is, and the more I care about them knowing Christ, growing their brains, and developing Christian character.

Back to summer...
I've been thinking about my cooking and cleaning schedules for the summer and how I can get the most out of our days.  We get the most enjoyment out of our time when I am the most organized (and being organized just makes everything better all around).

I've decided to try something a little bit different with meal planning.  I'll share my summer cooking schedule with you today and my summertime cleaning schedule with you in the next post.

Here's what I'm going to give a go for the summer.

Meatless Mondays
Taco Tuesdays
Italian Wednesdays
Comfort Food Thursdays
Fun Fridays

(Tuesday nights aren't just for Tacos, by the way.  These nights are for Chicken Enchiladas, Burritos, Chalupa, Fajitas, etc.) 

Here's this week's plan:

Monday - Salad Bar

Tuesday - Chicken Tortilla Soup (crock-pot)
Wednesday - Cheesy Lasagna Soup (crock-pot)
Thursday - Cheesy Potato Puff & Ham Bake
Friday - Hamburgers (on the grill) with all the trimmings. 

Get Ready...Get Set...Monday!

I love a cozy Sunday afternoon!

Everyone has changed out of their church clothes and into their comfy stuff.  All members of the family occupy the beds and couches and favorite chairs.  Some are reading, some are sleeping, and a couple are watching a race.

I've curled up in my favorite chair with a borrowed lap-top (mine is still on the fritz) and a steaming hot cup of coffee.

Would you like to know two of my favorite activities for Sunday afternoons? - Reading and planning.  I love, love, LOVE to read.  I can be found reading just about any time I have an extra few minutes, day or night.  I also love to plan.  I find Sunday afternoons are a perfect time to plan out the coming week.

• First, I take a look at our family calendar.  I always need to refresh my memory on appointments, practices, and lessons we have scheduled for the week.  I make notes on the calendar and set up reminders if needed.  This week we have music lessons and soccer practices and several other things.  I will need to keep these in mind as I plan our school days and our meals.  I like to be sure to make crock-pot meals on the nights we have somewhere to be.  AWANA nights and soccer nights are crock-pot meals for sure.
• Next, I make a meal plan for the week.  I check the refrigerator and pantry when I do this and if necessary make a grocery list.  (With our new driver in the house it is a simple thing now to hand over my grocery list and a short time later have all the ingredients stocked away for the coming week.)
• I write out a school-work list for each child.  It's usually something like 10 Math lessons, 5 Language Arts lessons, Book Report, watch Science video, 15 Phonics pages, etc.  It helps me and the kids to know what we need to accomplish by the end of the week.  
•  I make a list of the errands I need to run during the upcoming week and make a plan for combining them.  My goal is to simplify and consolidate as much as possible so that I am not running the roads every single day.
• Every week I have cards to send so on Sunday afternoons I jot down a quick list for that.  I write down what I'm sending and who I'm sending to  - Birthday, Get Well, Thank You cards, etc.  Having the list helps me to remember, and once I've made the list then I can jot out just one or two cards each day.  I'm usually able to finish my card list by the time Friday rolls around.   

Having some planning time on Sunday afternoons gives me a head start on my week.  If nothing else, I feel organized.  When Monday morning arrives I know what I'm fixing for dinner, I know what school work we need to get started on, and I've got a basic idea of where we need to be and when. 

Before I sign off I'll share my dinner plan with you.

Monday:  Beef Stew, applesauce, and bread

Tuesday:  Chicken Casserole, green beans, mashed potatoes

Wednesday:  Cheesy Lasagna Soup, salad, garlic bread

Thursday:  Hamburgers and Hot dogs, Cheesy Potatoes

Friday:  Stuffed Crust Pizza, veggie tray

What do you do to get organized for the coming week?  Please share!

Happy Monday!

Got a busy week coming up?  We sure do!  A good busy, but busy nonetheless.  The best part of all is friends from out of town are coming to stay.  I couldn't be more happy about that!

The best way to head into a busy week is to have a plan, especially with meals.  Knowing what's for dinner each night, before it's time to serve it, saves a lot of time and frustration.  We have soccer 4 out of 5 nights this week and the one night we don't have soccer we have AWANA, so it's crucial that I have dinner on the table on time.  Here's what I've got planned...

Monday - Broccoli and Cheese soup, homemade bread
Tuesday - Taco Bar
Wednesday - Vegetable Soup, crackers (and special dessert)
Thursday - Meatballs, rice, carrots
Friday - Pizza, salad

This is also the third week in the Clean Before Spring 4x4.  It's time to work in the living room.  Here is the detailed cleaning list.

Dust
Clean windows
Straighten bookcases
Clean off tables
Straighten closets
Throw away trash
Clean out magazine racks
Clean under cushions
Vacuum or mop

Find the best way to divide this list up and do a little bit each day so that you are not overwhelmed or neglecting the other things you need to do.  As I mentioned earlier we have company coming and I would like to finish before they arrive, which is Tuesday.  I'm planning to do some of these chores today and Tuesday morning.  This way I will finish my spring cleaning for this room but also manage to take care of the children and teach school.  If I tried to do all of this in one day I would probably neglect the kids or neglect my school responsibilities.

Get your week off to a great start by making a meal plan.  Make sure you have all the ingredients on hand so you are ready to prepare dinner each night.  Don't forget to love on your husband and kiddos.  Cooking and cleaning are an important part of a cozy home but not as important as love!

Have a great Monday!

Menu Plan March 4th - March 10th

Monday - Sub sandwiches, raw veggies and dip

Tuesday - Saucy Penne and Three Cheese Bake, garlic bread

Wednesday - Crock-pot Mac & Cheese, salad

Thursday - Crock-Pot Beef and Broccoli, rice

Friday - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans

Saturday - Chicken and Dumplings*, carrots

Sunday - Baked potato bar  (Remember, on Sunday we will be springing forward!)

*My new favorite (easy and delicious) way to make chicken and dumplings is this...Put frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the crock-pot and cover them with chicken broth.  Allow them to cook all day until they are falling apart and easily shredded.  About 30 minutes before time to eat mix together 2 cups Bisquick and 2/3 cup milk until soft dough forms.  Drop by spoonfuls onto boiling chicken broth.  Reduce heat; cook uncovered for 10 minutes.  Cover; cook 10 minutes longer.  Makes 10 dumplings.  Super yummy!

A Very Veggie Weekend

A favorite uncle is coming to visit and he just so happens to be a vegetarian.  I had to think through our menu for the coming days to include foods he will eat and make sure my family is satisfied also.  Here's my plan. It might be useful to you when you are looking for a meatless menu.

Breakfast - cereal, fruit, oatmeal, French Toast Casserole, muffins, eggs

Lunch - grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, pbj sandwiches, pretzels, salad bar

Dinner - Spinach Ravioli Bake, salad, garlic bread
               Stuffed Crust Veggie Pizza
               Vegetable Soup and homemade bread
               Crock-pot mac and cheese, Spinach Squares

Desserts - Mtn Dew Pound Cake, Teresa's Cream Puff Dessert

5 Nights of Winter Comfort

Here is my dinner menu from last week.  These recipes are simple and deliciously satisfying.  They are perfect for gathering the family around the table at the end of the day.

Monday - Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops, mashed potatoes, and broccoli.

6 pork chops
1 pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix
10 oz can cream of chicken soup
Place in crock pot.  Cook 4-6 hours.  Easy and delicious!

Tuesday - Homemade Chicken Pot Pie, tossed salad

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 9 inch unbaked pie crusts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a saucepan combine chicken, frozen mixed vegetables and celery.  Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

In the saucepan cook onions in butter until soft.  Stir in flour, salt and pepper.  Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk.  Simmer over medium heat until thick.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust.  Pour hot liquid mixture over.  Cover with top crust.  Seal edges.  Make several small slits in the top.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Wednesday - Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas, Spanish rice, corn

1 10 oz can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup picante
2 tsp chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
6 flour tortillas, warmed
1 small tomato, chopped
1 green onion, sliced

Stir soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in medium bowl.  Stir 1 cup soup mixture, chicken and cheese in large bowl.  Divide chicken mixture among tortillas.  Roll up tortillas and place seam side up in 2 quart shallow baking dish.  Pour remaining soup mixture over filled tortillas.  Cover baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until enchiladas are hot and bubbling.  Top with tomato and onion.  Makes 6 servings.

Thursday - Sloppy Joes, raw veggies and dip

Friday - Cheesy Lasagna Soup, tossed salad, and garlic bread

Menu (with recipes)

Friday Night Dinner:

Strawberry Spinach Salad

2 Tbs sesame seeds
1 Tbs poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp Worcestershire
1 Tbs minced onion
10 oz spinach
1 qt strawberries sliced
1/4 cup almonds
Whisk dressing ingredients together.  Cover and chill for one hour.  I put the dressing in a glass jar with a good tight lid so I can shake it really well.  Combine spinach, strawberries and almonds.  Pour dressing over and toss.  Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Sloppy Joes in the Crock pot
Brown 3 lbs ground chuck in skillet.  Drain and rinse well.  Put into crock-pot.  
Add: 2 onions finely chopped, 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped, 2 - 8oz cans tomato sauce, 1-8oz can water, 2 pkg sloppy joe seasoning mix, salt to taste.  Cover and cook on low 4 hours.

Cheesy Potatoes

2 lb pkg frozen hash browns
salt and pepper
1/2 cup onion chopped
1 cup sour cream
10 3/4 oz can cream of chicken soup
3 cups shredded cheddar
1/4 cup butter
Place hash browns in a greased 9x13 baking pan; salt and pepper to taste.  In a mixing bowl, combine onion, sour cream and soup; pour over potatoes.  Sprinkle with cheese, then dot with butter.  Bake at 350 degrees for one hour until top becomes golden.

Banana Pudding
1 large box instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
8 oz sour cream
8 oz Cool Whip
1 box vanilla wafers
bananas
Prepare pudding according to package directions.  Stir in sour cream and cool whip.  In large bowl layer vanilla wafers, bananas and pudding.  Repeat layers.


Saturday Morning Breakfast:  (Here's the short-cut I mentioned in an earlier post.)
Cinnamon Rolls

SOOOO good!

Buy this, or something similar, (frozen bread dough).

Thaw one loaf, or all three!

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to a 10x12 rectangle.  

Shout out to Pampered Chef - Baker's Roller!  Love it!

Spread dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter.  Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 2 Tbs cinnamon and sprinkle mixture over dough.

Beginning with 12 inch side, roll dough tightly in jelly-roll fashion.

Cut dough into 12 pieces.  Place pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 cake pan.  Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture.

Let rolls rise until double in size.  For breakfast, rolls may be assembled the evening before, then loosely covered with plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator to rise over night.

 Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  

To frost, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons milk or cream and 1 tsp vanilla.  Drizzle onto rolls.


Saturday Lunch:
Picnic at the lake - sandwiches (sliced peppercorn turkey with Colby Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo/mustard
Chips/pretzels
cold drinks

Pineapple Pretzel Fluff for dessert
1 cup coarsely crushed pretzels
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
1 12 oz cool whip
In a bowl combine pretzels, butter and 1/2 cup sugar.  Press into a 9x13 baking dish.  Bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes.  Cool.  In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until creamy.  Fold in pineapple and whipped topping.  Chill until serving.  Break pretzel mixture into small pieces.  Stir into pineapple mixture and layer some along the top.

Sunday Breakfast: 
Blueberry Pancakes and Bacon
Bacon baked in the oven.  Have you tried this?  I love it.  Bacon bakes in the oven while you work on the rest of breakfast.  Everything is ready at the same time!
Cover large cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Lay strips of bacon side by side.  Bake in 400 degree oven 15 minutes or so.  Yummy bacon with easy clean-up!  

Dinner Plan - this week

Friday:  Stuffed Crust Pizza, carrot and celery sticks
Saturday:  soccer team potluck
Sunday:  Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, salad, yeast rolls
Monday:  Mexican night - burritos, tacos, chips and salsa
Tuesday:  Fish fillet, tater tots, peas and corn
Wednesday:  Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread
Thursday:  Dinner out
Friday:  Cookout - hot dogs & all the fixins, cheesy potatoes 

This Week's Menu Plan

Friday:

Breakfast - Cereal, fruit
Lunch - Sandwiches
Dinner - Homemade burritos

Saturday:

Breakfast  - Blueberry muffins, fruit
Lunch - Potato Soup
Dinner - Parmesan chicken strips, salad, bread

Sunday:

Breakfast - Oatmeal
Lunch - Sloppy Joes, french fries, carrot sticks
Dinner - Salads/Sandwiches

Monday: 

Breakfast - Scrambled eggs, toast
Lunch - Peanut butter & banana sandwiches
Dinner - Chicken Enchiladas

Tuesday:

Breakfast - Waffles
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread

Wednesday:

Breakfast - Oatmeal
Lunch - Cheese crisps, chips & salsa
Dinner - Pinto beans and corn muffins

Thursday:

Breakfast - Cereal, fruit
Lunch - Vegetable soup, crackers
Dinner - Shepherd's Pie, veggies, bread


I grocery shop on Fridays so instead of doing my menu plans from Sunday to Saturday, I've decided to do them Friday to Thursday.  It makes more sense for me to do it that way. 

One of my goals for the New Year is developing and sticking to a budget.  My husband and I are trying to see if we can keep grocery costs at $200 per week.  ( Remember I'm feeding my husband, 3 teenage BOYS, 3 other children, and myself!)  I feel that to keep the groceries under that amount I really have to simplify my meals.  I have to P-L-A-N.  My youngest gal is drinking formula now and is no longer nursing.  We are spending quite a bit of grocery money on baby food and on formula.  Once she can eat from the table we should have more breathing room in the grocery budget.  When I talk about groceries I am talking about only FOOD.  There is another part of the budget for toiletries and cleaning supplies, pet food, and diapers, and other things. 

I'm curious to know if you have a grocery budget and what your best tips are for saving $$$ at the grocery store.  Do you have a great inexpensive recipe?  Do you make a meal plan each week?  PLEASE SHARE!  Leave a comment or email me.  I will happily post your info here and put a link to your blog.

I'm no expert but here are my best tips for saving money on groceries. 

Shop only once a week.  The more often you go to the store the more you spend overall.

Never shop without a list.  Wandering around aimlessly will certainly mean spending more.  A meal plan and list are a must if you want to save money.

Pay attention to unit prices.  Sometimes a "deal" is not a deal.

Never, ever shop when you are hungry.  You are going to buy more if you are hungry and you will probably buy more junk food.

Send hubby to the store if he's willing.  If your honey is game, make him a list and send him to the store.  Men are not usually tempted to buy things other than what's on the list like we women are.  

Simplify meals.  Make a big pot of soup for dinner and serve with bread.  

Try to make as many things from scratch as you can.  Bake your own bread, make brownies for the kids instead of buying pre-packaged cookies.  Cut up your vegetable instead of paying extra for the ones already washed and cut up.  This can save quite a bit of money.  Think carrots.

Learn to use coupons well.  BOGO sales combined with coupons can mean some really great deals.  

Getting Back to Menu Planning

It's been a long time since I posted a menu plan.  Actually, it's been a long time since I even had a menu plan.  Bringing home baby and moving into a new house bounced my menu planning right out the backdoor and I've been flying by the seat of my pants ever since.  Today I decided enough is enough and decided to set things right.  Much of the desire to set things right came from a nice long chat (sitting on the deck drinking coffee *smile*) with my husband this morning.  We were discussing children, schedules, money, and all other romantic topics 2 parents of 6 kids can think up.  He is the voice of calm when I am losing it a little bit, which I was this morning (losing it, that is).  He reminded me that our family does best when we schedule and plan and in order to right some wrongs we would have to do better with that.  So...I'm getting back to meal planning.  I made my list, gathered my coupons and headed out to the store right after our little chat. 

Here's my dinner plan. (We've already eaten the first meal but I wanted to give you the full week.)  
 Monday:  Chicken Fettuccine and green beans
Tuesday:  Tacos with all the fixins
Wednesday:  Chili, cheese & crackers
Thursday:  Sloppy Joes, tater tots, carrot sticks
Friday:  Beef Stew, cheddar garlic biscuits
Saturday:  Homemade burritos, chips and salsa
Sunday:  Homemade chicken salad, croissants, fruit

I'm going to use my crock-pot for every meal this week except Sunday's chicken salad.  Days seem to run so much smoother when dinner is cooking itself in the crock pot by mid-morning. I feel more organized and on top of things just by knowing I have a plan.  It's funny the little things that make a big difference.  Meal planning and having a schedule are 2 of the biggies for me!  So on that note, I have to get back to work on our family schedule the romantic man on the deck asked me to work on.  Here's a favorite crock-pot recipe before I go......

SLOPPY JOES

Brown 3 lbs ground chuck in skillet; pour into colander and rinse well.  Put into crock-pot.  Add: 2 onions finely chopped, 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped, 2- 8oz cans tomato sauce, 1- 8oz can water, 2 packages of sloppy joe seasoning mix, and salt to taste.  Cover and cook on low for 5 - 6 hours.  *Note:  If too liquid, remove cover and set on high for 30 minutes.

This Week's Menu

Monday:  All red dinner for Valentine's Day!  Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, (heart plates, red napkins, red drink {kool-aid} and red dessert {strawberries dipped in chocolate} and candles!)
Tuesday:  Salad Bar.  I cut up everything we have and let everyone build their own salads.  We always do homemade dressing on this night.  (I will share a new salad and dressing recipe at the bottom of this post that I recently ate at a friend's house.  It is DELICIOUS!)
Wednesday:  Spicy Potato Soup, homemade bread.
Thursday:  One Pot Supper, green beans, salad.
Friday:  Barbecue Sandwiches, fries, and cole slaw.
Saturday:  Shepherd's Pie, peas, tossed salad, yeast rolls.
Sunday:  White Chili
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spicy Potato Soup (a favorite, from my Mother in law.)

( I triple this)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 4 cups cubed peeled potatoes (1/2" cubes)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cans (8 oz each) tomato sauce
• 4 cups water
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 to 1 tsp hot pepper sauce

Brown ground beef, drain.  Add potatoes, onion and tomato sauce.  Stir in water, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender and the soup has thickened.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One Pot Supper   (I triple this too)

• 8 oz pkg egg noodles
• 1 pound ground beef
• 8 oz pkg cream cheese
• 16 oz corn
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 10 1/2 oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Cook egg noodles; set aside.  Brown meat and onion.  Drain grease.  Mix in mushroom soup and milk and stir until blended.  Add pepper and cream cheese (cut up in pieces) stir until melted.  Add the corn (drained if canned).  When ready to serve, spoon over egg noodles.  Serves 4.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shepherd's Pie - Psalm 23

• 2 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
• 1 onion chopped - cook with beef
• bag frozen peas
• 8 cups mashed potatoes
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 block cream cheese

After cooking beef and onion, pour in bottom of casserole dish.  Pour bag of frozen peas on top.  Sprinkle about 3/4 of cheese on top of peas (reserve just a bit for garnish on top of potatoes).  Mix sour cream and cream cheese into prepared mashed potatoes.  Spread potato mixture on top of casserole.  Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with paprika.  Bake 350 for 30-45 minutes until potatoes "puff".   Serves 8 to 10.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

White Chili  (another yummy recipe from my friend Theresa P.)

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken beast
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 2 cans chopped green chilies
• 2 cans navy beans, undrained
• 2 cans great northern beans, undrained

Spice blend -

• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 scant tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cilantro
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper

Chop chicken into bite sized chunks.  Saute chicken and onions 4-5 minutes until chicken is cooked and onions are tender.  Stir in broth, chilies, and spice blend.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Stir in beans and simmer 10 more minutes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cranberry Tossed Salad  (from my friend DeAnna T.  This is so good!)

• 10 c. mixed greens
• 1 c. chopped broccoli
• 1 c. chopped cauliflower
• 1 c. feta cheese
• 1 c. dried cranberries

Dressing

• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. oil
• 2 Tbsp chopped onion
• 2 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp strawberry jam
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp poppy seed

Process dressing in blender.

More Menu Planning

Have you been working on menu planning?  I have!  I'm working on planning meals for the entire month of February and making a shopping list so I can buy everything at one time.  I'm sure there will be a couple of trips to the store during the month for milk and maybe bread but I'm going to try to make a 30 day menu and do one big shopping trip.  My goals are to simplify, spend less, and cook more from scratch.  Also, our family is trying to not eat out in an effort to save money and eat healthier.

 I have found a great place to print blank calendars and I have already filled one up for February.  If you would like to print your own click here:  pdfcalendar.com  Even if you do only a week's meal planning at a time it is helpful to use one of these blank calendars.  I hang my completed menu on the fridge and everyone can see what's for dinner.  (A question I am asked many times a day!)

Here is a scrumptious recipe that is on my February menu plan.  Maybe it will help you get started with your planning!!

Spinach Ravioli Bake

2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 package (25 oz) frozen ravioli
2 cups (8 oz) shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Place 1 cup spaghetti sauce in a greased 2 qt. baking dish.  Top with half of the ravioli, Mozzarella cheese, spinach and Parmesan cheese.  Repeat layers.  Bake uncovered at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until heated through.

I usually serve this with a salad and garlic bread.  Everyone loves it!

This Week's Menu!

I've said it before but it's worth repeating,  having a meal plan makes the job of homemaking easier.  We wives and mothers are SO busy and have SO many things we are responsible for.  We must find a way to simplify and be organized with meal time.  For me, the week runs smoother when I know what I am serving for each meal.  I spend less money when I plan ahead and I get more accomplished each day if I have planned out our meals and have all of the ingredients on hand.  The more often you go to the store the more you will spend overall.  Try making a week, or 2 week, or even 30 day meal plan and shop for everything at one time.  If you are trying to spend less or eat healthier in 2011, making a meal plan helps with both.  If you know what's for dinner, and the ingredients are in your kitchen, you are less likely to pick up chicken nuggets or order a pizza.

Here's my plan for the week:  (I'm only listing my dinner plan this time.  For breakfast I will be rotating cereal, fruit, oatmeal, eggs and toast, and for lunch we will do sandwiches, raw veggies, fruit, soup and any dinner left-overs.)

Sunday: Spaghetti, tossed salad, garlic bread
Monday:  Chicken Enchiladas, chips and salsa
Tuesday:  Beef Boogie Woogie, raw veggie tray 
Wednesday:  Taco Bar (taco meat, soft and hard shells, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion, sour cream, etc.)
Thursday:  Chicken Supreme, mashed potatoes, green beans
Friday:  Breakfast (eggs, bacon, sausage and pancakes), sliced apples, oranges, and bananas
Saturday:  French Dip sandwiches, Monterrey Jack Cheese Soup
Sunday:  Potato Soup, homemade bread

Recipes:

Woodrum Family Chicken Enchiladas  (a favorite at our house!)

1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Picante Sauce
2 tsp chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
6 flour tortillas (6 inch, warmed)
1 small tomato, chopped
1 green onion, sliced

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Stir the soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl.  Stir 1 cup soup mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl.  Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas.  Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side up in baking dish.  Pour the remaining soup mixture over filled tortillas.  Cover.  Bake 40 minutes.  Top with tomato and green onion.

Beef Boogie Woogie (an easy but tasty crock-pot favorite)

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
2 lb lean beef chunks for stew
8 oz mushrooms
1 packet beefy onion soup mix
1/2 tsp thyme
8 oz baby carrots
1 bag extra wide egg noodles

Whisk mushroom soup, water, soup mix, and thyme in a 3 quart or larger slow cooker until well blended.  Add remaining ingredients and stir until coated.  Cover and cook on high 4 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours.  Serve over egg noodles.  Delicious!

Chicken Supreme (passed on from a dear friend, Theresa Pauli)

2lbs chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pint sour cream
chicken broth - enough to moisten
1 cup chopped celery
1 tsp rosemary or sage
1 stick butter
1 pkg Stove Top stuffing
Pepperidge Farm bread crumbs

Simmer chicken breasts with celery and spice.  Use enough water to cover chicken.  Save broth!  Cube chicken.  In separate bowl, mix butter, celery, stuffing, soup and sour cream.  Add chicken and enough broth to moisten - close to 2 cups.  Spread mixture in casserole dish and bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  I usually sprinkle bread crumbs on top.  Super yummy!!!

Shredded French Dip (one of my honey's all time favorites)

1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 lbs)
1 can French Onion soup
1 can Beef Consomme
1 can Beef Broth
1 tsp beef bouillon granules
8 to 10 French or Italian rolls, split

Halve roast and place in slow cooker.  Combine soups and bouillon; pour over roast.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until meat is tender.  Remove meat and shred with 2 forks.  Serve on rolls.  Skim fat from cooking juices and serve as a dipping sauce.

Creamy Monterrey Jack Soup (you won't believe how good this is until you try it!)

2 1/2 cups water
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 can cream of onion soup
1 can cream of potato soup
1/8 tsp garlic salt
8 oz bulk Monterrey Jack cheese cut into 1 inch cubes

In a large saucepan combine the water, tomato and chillies.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes.  Stir in milk, soups and garlic salt.  Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through.  Place cheese cubes in serving bowls; ladle hot soup over cheese.

Aunt Teresa's Potato Soup (best ever potato soup recipe and I've tried tons!)

cook until done:
10 or 12 potatoes, peeled and cut up
chopped celery
chopped carrots
chopped onion

mix well and pour into potatoes:
 1 block cream cheese (softened)
 1/2 stick butter
1 can cream of chicken soup

add:
2 cups milk,
bacon pieces (found near salad dressing in grocery store)
shredded cheddar
salt and pepper to taste

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.