Tag Archives: menu planning

This Week’s Eats

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to a much more structured week! It was a little chaotic here last week with the kids on vacation and having to drive them here and there. So things should be back to normal with our typical schedule, which makes meal planning much easier! Here’s what I’ve got down for this week (subject to change, of course!)

Sunday: Easter dinner out

Monday: Turkey taco salads

Tuesday: Grilled chicken, asparagus, salad

Wednesday: Turkey meatballs, red lentil rotini, salad

Thursday: Grilled sirloins, baked potatoes, broccoli

Friday: Out with a friend. Maybe pizza for everyone else?

Saturday: Burgers, cole slaw

On the Menu

Posted on by — 3 Comments ↓
  • Monday: Turkey meatballs with gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce 
  • Tuesday: grilled chicken, rosemary roasted red potatoes, asparagus 
  • Wednesday: Date night! Restaurant week at Terrapin
  • Thursday: Crock Pot pulled pork, coke slaw, macaroni and cheese
  • Friday: Kale and chickpea stew, naan
  • Saturday: Grilled steak, salad

Waiting on the Snow

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

Storm, storm, storm. It’s all anyone has been talking about today. Rain or snow? How much? I thought winter was over! LOL, it was quite the day. Accumulation predictions have been reduced to 6-12″ but it’s supposed to be wet, heavy snow with wind gusts up to 40 MPH, which mean there’s high potential for downed branches and power outages. Nothing to do but wait and see!

Meanwhile, I have my meal plan ready for the week!

  • Monday: Subs
  • Tuesday: Ham, mac & cheese, steamed zucchini
  • Wednesday: Crock Pot beef stew, salad, cheddar-garlic biscuits
  • Thursday: Gyros, fries
  • Friday (St. Patrick’s Day, dispensation granted woo hoo): Corned beef sandwiches, potato salad
  • Saturday: Jake’s choice! (His last night home on spring break)

Also, we got great news over the weekend! N. was accepted into his first choice music program! I am super proud of him — he put so much work and time into this. Although this was the first acceptance letter he received, he has gone ahead and accepted. It was the program he wanted so, really, why wait and delay that decision? So we definitely celebrated his success and I can’t wait to see the amazing things he will do!

Well, I guess that is about it for today. I’ll be back tomorrow with the snow update. I’m sure you all will be waiting with bated breath, LOL!

Menu Plan Monday, 2023 Week 6

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

You guys, I am sorry for the lame posts the last few days, I have just been so busy during the day and by the time I think about blogging I am just wiped out. Honestly I barely even have a meal plan this week because Drew is travelling for work and I have barely even considered it. I’m throwing some ideas together but… I may very well just be throwing dinners together, LOL. I’ll see how the week goes. 

  • Sunday: Pot roast, mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli
  • Monday: Baked ziti & sausage, Caesar salad
  • Tuesday: Chicken curry, basamati rice
  • Wednesday: Tuna melts, cole slaw, French fries
  • Thursday: Take-out (?)
  • Friday: no idea 
  • Saturday: no idea

Friday night there is a dance, and my daughter is going and then her friend is sleeping over afterwards. Saturday, Drew and Noah will be in the city — Noah has his audition for Berklee. Thankfully no plans for Sunday, so hopefully it can be a day to relax!

Hope you all have a great week!  

Menu Plan Monday, 2023 Week 5

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

I’m already two dinners into the week, but better late than never for my Meal Planning Monday post, right? Well, you’ll have to forgive me — we were dealing with some heating issues today (all fixed for now, thankfully). As you can imagine, I was otherwise occupied! 

Anyway, I wanted to mention that last week got thrown so off the rails. I am not sure why I even made a meal plan up because I barely followed it at all. We will see if this week goes any better! Hopefully it will.

Sunday: MYO pizza (we use an Aldi cheese pizza and everyone tops a quarter of it with their favorite toppings), Buffalo wings.

  • Monday: Drew’s marinara with hot Italian sausage, whole wheat spaghetti, Caesar salad
  • Tuesday: Rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans
  • Wednesday: Something in the Crock Pot – haven’t decided yet
  • Thursday: Cod piccata, roasted potatoes, steamed broccoli
  • Friday: Probably take-out
  • Saturday: Copycat Texas Roadhouse Roadkill burgers, oven fries, garden salad

For baking, I have some tired bananas for banana bread will definitely be find its way into the oven on Wednesday. I also have a new recipe for Indian Lentil Soup that I want to try. I’m hoping it’s close the soup I used to get an a local Indian restaurant. 

Are you trying any new recipes this week?

Menu Plan Monday, 2023 Week 4

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

 

Sunday: Bacon cheeseburgers, oven fries

Monday: Sheet pan Greek chicken & potatoes, salad

Tuesday: Meatballs & sausage, whole wheat pasta, steamed broccoli

Wednesday:  Chicken korma, rice, cauliflower, cucumber & onion salad

Thursday: Crock Pot beef stew, garlic-cheddar biscuits

Friday: Naan pizza, salad

Saturday: Buffalo chicken salads

Meal Plan Monday, 2023 Week 3

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

?
Sunday: Subway after the movies 

Monday: rotisserie chicken and salad

Tuesday: London broil, baked potatoes, steamed broccoli 

Wednesday: Avgolemono, gyros

Thursday: Crock Pot beef stew, garlic-cheddar biscuits 

Friday: Jake’s choice (last home cooked meal before heading back to college)

Saturday: Chinese take-out

 

Weekly Menu Plan, 2023 Week 2

Posted on by — 3 Comments ↓

Happy Monday everyone! It is a chilly one here — 34 degrees as I type, brrr. We’ve got a busy week over here. Tonight I have my monthly meeting with the Board of Trustees. I always try to do a slow cooker meal whenever I have an evening meeting like this (or book club, or a committee meeting). The evening meetings are probably the least favorite part of my job, but board members are all volunteers, and many of them also have full-time jobs so we have to schedule around their availability. This week also starts high school musical rehearsal. My senior has one of the lead roles for Once Upon a Mattress, and I am so happy that this year rehearsals will be right after school with a much earlier pickup than in years past. 

Anyway, here is my plan for the week. Something will change, I am sure. It did last week! There was an extra day when we got take-out, and I switched a few things around, but it all worked out great. 

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Crock Pot Mexican chicken over brown rice (bumped from last week)
Tuesday: Chicken fettuccini Alfredo, garden salad 
Wednesday: BBQ pork tenderloin medallions, broccoli, smoked gouda mac & cheese
Thursday: Naan pizzas, salad
Friday:  Turkey burgers, fries, salad
Saturday: ??? Maybe pizza ???

One thing I would like to do to better help me plan is to do a freezer inventory. I grocery shop based on sales, and then meal plan based on what we already have. I’ve been buying chicken breast like crazy because ShopRite has been selling it for $1.99/lb, but after I vacuum sealed everything yesterday and I was putting it in the deep freezer I realized that I have so much chicken breast. So I need to do a little freezer organization. I also need to use up a lot of what is in there so in the spring we can wheel it outside and defrost it. I love my stand-up freezer, and it was definitely the best pandemic purchase we made, but it does require upkeep and a good defrost is long overdue! 

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

thanksgivingdinnerCan you believe that Thanksgiving is in just two days? Time just flies this time of year. Normally, I consider Thanksgiving my favorite holiday but due to the nature of this year I’m not quite as into it as I usually am. Nevertheless, I’m doing my best to make it a good holiday.

As usual, we will be hosting at our house. I don’t find the cooking to be a chore, and honestly we really like not having to drive anywhere on Thanksgiving. (Plus, I can have an extra glass of wine — ha!) Drew’s mom and aunt will be coming up, but that’s all so it will just be seven people.

My Thanksgiving menu doesn’t change much from year to year. I keep it pretty traditional, though I’ll try a new recipe or two sometimes. Usually one of the appetizers or desserts will be something new.

Here’s my list…

Cheese ball and crackers
Devilled eggs

Roast Turkey with sausage-cranberry stuffing
Gravy
Mashed potatoes
Roasted sweet potatoes
Asparagus (it happens to be on sale this week and Drew requested it)
Cornbread with cranberry honey butter (new recipe)
Tossed salad
Corn
Cranberry sauce

Sugar-free blueberry pie
Pecan pie or sugared pecan topped cheesecake

For wines I have a riesling, a vino verde, and a petit syrah. I also found a non-alcoholic black currant cordial that I thought might be nice either mixed with seltzer or kicked up with vodka. So we will try that, too! 

A couple weeks ago I made a 9-lb. chicken, so this 12.5-lb. turkey won’t be too far off! Of course, I will also have my Crock Pot ready with onions, celery, and carrots to make an overnight turkey stock. I look forward to the soup as much as the roast bird! And of course I also love a turkey sandwich on Thanksgiving night. I always like to have it on white bread with American cheese and lots of mayo. It’s one of those things from my childhood that still just makes me feel all happy and at home!

Today I also started a cranberry fluff, which we will be taking to the “feast” in my daughter’s class tomorrow. If it comes out good I’ll be sure to write about it.

What about you? Are you hosting Thanksgiving or travelling somewhere? Anything new and exciting on your menu or do you also keep things fairly simple and traditional?