Menu Plan Monday

This week's food preparation goals are somewhat daunting. We have a whole bunch of food on hand and I have to figure out a way to run it through the kitchen and either into our bodies or into our freezer before it goes bad. This is due in part to my husband's first foray into cooking in our "new to us" upright smoker. He is not exactly pleased with the results, but I told him he has years to perfect the recipes. The results are not bad, but I have over 3 pounds of pork shoulder and almost 10 lbs. (yes!) of brisket to work into the menu! We also have some leftover items from a party this weekend and I need to get those processed as well. Here's what's on my mind for this week:
Breakfasts:

Cereal

Oatmeal

Eggs w/cheese and sausage

Waffles/Eggs

Yogurt

Lunches:
Nachos
Pork tacos with salsa
Muffeletta on a stick
Pimiento Cheese with Bacon Sandwiches
Chicken Pesto Wraps
 Dinners:
Beef Empanadas with Zucchini
Shredded Beef and Chile Enchiladas with dressed up refried beans and corn on the cob
Mexican Cobb Salad
Indian Food Date Night
Jumbo Shrimp with Chive butter
Lake McQueenie's (a family recipe, so simple it is embarrassing!)

So, I would also like to make some pesto, blueberry muffins, dry out some tomatoes, and a batch of waffles. As always, here's hoping!

Note: this is linked to OrgJunkie's menu plan Monday meme.  Go check out other menu plans for more inspiration of what to cook this week.

Cheap Tricks

So, apparently along with our fresh start, we are now going to attempt for the next two weeks to eat only at home (minus our date night in San Diego - so excited for Indian food!).  It is part of our quest to be frugal for a while to get the show on the road with some of our goals for the household (new refrigerator, please?).  In light of that, I have been racking my brain to have some beans and rice type meals.  So far, here's what's on the line-up for this week:

Breakfasts: oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, fruit, banana bread from the freezer

Lunches: chicken salad sandwiches, quesadillas, Mexican tuna salad (a favorite around here), pimiento cheese sandwiches

Dinners:  Mexican Burrito Bake,  Macaroni and Cheese (adult style), BBQ Chicken in the slow cooker with rice and veggie, homemade pizza

Here's hoping...

This post is linked up to Org Junkie's Menu Plan Monday

Menu Plan Monday: Week of 08/30 - 09/05

This week I finish up my Baking Course (more posts about that to come), so I will have a little more time to work on menu planning!  Getting back on track!

Monday: quick dinner while prepping final exam!

Tuesday: Lunch: Bacon Pimiento Cheese Sandwiches
Dinner: Balsamic Flank Steak, Vegetable, Potato

Wednesday: Dinner: Smoky Pork Chops, Vegetable

Thursday: Lunch: Tuna Salad w/ Lemon Aioli
Dinner: BBQ Shrimp, Mashed Potatoes

Friday: Dinner: Thai Chicken Stir-Fry Salad

Saturday: Lunch: Buffalo Club Sandwiches
Dinner: ? (Gotta keep the mystery somehow!)

Sunday: Lunch: out
Dinner: Chicken, Pesto & Tomato Flatbread

Menu Plan Monday: Week of July 5-11

This week we are trying something different as part of the All You Grocery Challenge.  We are going vegetarian!  It has been hard to come up with all new recipes for veggie week, but I have figured it out and I hope it goes well.  Here is the rundown:

Monday:
Lunch: Sandwiches
Dinner: Vegetable and Brown Rice Stir Fry

Tuesday:
Lunch: Fresh Pesto Pasta Salad, Fruit
Dinner: Hearty Minestrone w/ Barley, Sage, and Beans

Wednesday:
Lunch: Grilled Cheese
Dinner: Ranch Style Beans, Cornbread

Thursday:
Lunch: Couscous Salad w/chickpeas
Dinner: Bacon (sneaking in some meat!), Lettuce, Avocado Bread Salad

Friday:
Lunch: Spicy Southwest Sandwiches
Dinner: Tomato-Jalapeno Pasta

Saturday:
Lunch: Egg Salad Sandwiches
Dinner: on the way to a concert in LA

Sunday:
Lunch: TBD
Dinner:  Sopes with Black Beans

Menu Plan Monday: Week of June 28-July 4

This is the second week of the All You Grocery Challenge and I am working hard to keep the budget under $50.00.  Last week's grand total spent on groceries was $40.27, but we were gone for much of the week.  Here's hoping we are going to make it this week.   Here is the plan*:

Monday: Breakfast: yogurt and fruit
Lunch: Leftovers (pizza for me, chili for Drew)
Dinner: Triple Decker Tortilla Bake

Tuesday:  Breakfast:  Bagels and fruit
Lunch: Mexican Tuna Salad
Dinner:  Grilled Chicken w/ Baja Black Beans and Rice (carry over recipe from last week)

Wednesday:  Breakfast: English muffins and fruit
Lunch:  Pesto & Prosciutto Poached Egg Sandwiches
Dinner: Black-eyed Pea Cakes w/ Collard Greens

Thursday:  Yogurt and Fruit
Lunch: Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil Panini
Dinner:  Black Pepper Shrimp

Friday: Bagels and Fruit
Lunch: Lobster Ravioli w/Pesto
Dinner:  Going to local baseball team game!

Saturday: Oatmeal and Fruit
Lunch: TBD - hoping for chipotle!
Dinner:  Sausage & Pepper Calzones

Sunday:  Smoothies
Lunch: TBD
Dinner: Celebrate the 4th of July at the Parents' house

 *The best laid plans, and all that junk...

Let Me at It...oh, Wait...

We got back today from our modified staycation (e.g. free nights at a local hotel) and I was ready to sprint to the store and get started on our All You Grocery Challenge.  In my opinion the first trip to the store, sets the tone for how the rest of this challenge is going to go.  So, I had my coupons, had my list, had everything I needed.  And then...I was attacked with stomach cramps that I have been looming for the last 24 hours.  They make me in the mood only to lay and hope someone will come along and take out my insides because I am sure I don't need them any more. 

Which brings me to what I have been thinking about regarding this challenge.  Always be ready with PLAN B.  Drew, unbeknownst to me (due to my prone passed out state), went to the freezer, grabbed one of the many convenience freezer meals we have (purchased on sale, with a coupon, and got a giftcard, thank you), and made dinner!  What a wonderful husband I have! 

So my tip for the day: Be prepared for plans to change.
This can mean having convenience foods on hand to make for a day when you are under the weather. 
This can mean having snacks in your purse, when the day stretches a little further than you were expecting. 
If you have a secondary plan, it will prevent those desperation trips to the drive-thru and help preserve your waistline!

Check back tomorrow for details of my late-night trip to the grocery store. 

Menu Plan Monday: Week of June 21 - 27

We have a crazy week ahead of us!  This marks the beginning of the All You Grocery Challenge and the first day of school for me.  I am taking a Professional Baking course (more on that tomorrow) and I am so excited about what I am going to learn.  We are also taking advantage of two free nights at a local hotel.  To top that off, we are hoping to have some family over later this week to celebrate yet another birthday!  So, with all that in mind here is the plan*:

Monday:  Breakfast: yogurt and fruit
Lunch: leftover pasta (from last night)
Dinner: snacks we are taking to the hotel (my class is tonight)

Tuesday:  Breakfast: TBD
Lunch: TBD
Dinner: out at a restaurant (we have a gift card)

Wednesday: Breakfast: TBD
Lunch: Sandwiches
Dinner: Mushroom and Bacon Stuffed Trout, Grits and Greens

Thursday: Breakfast: oatmeal or yogurt and fruit
Lunch: English Muffin Pizzas
Dinner: Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Friday: Breakfast: oatmeal or yogurt and fruit
Lunch: Tuna Garbanzo Salad
Dinner: Sopes, Sopecitos Con Chorizo

Saturday: Breakfast: Pancakes and Eggs (maybe some bacon)
Lunch:  Sandwiches
Dinner: on the way to a concert in L.A.

Sunday: Breakfast: smoothies before church
Lunch:  Sandwiches
Dinner:  Slow-Cooked Chile con Carne

*Best laid plans of mice and men..., etc, etc.

Menu Plan Monday: Week of June 14 - 20

Another week, another menu.  We are trying to eat more at home this week as we gear up for our Grocery Challenge, starting next Monday!  Also, we have a couple big events this week.  One of my friends is graduating from nursing school.  We are so proud of her that we are throwing her a party to celebrate!  Also, this week is my dad's birthday and Father's Day - how's that for a busy week?  Here's the plan*:

Monday: Lunch: Sesame Brown Rice Salad
Dinner: Beef Taco Hash

Tuesday: Lunch: English Muffin Pizzas
Dinner: Pollo Dorados

Wednesday: Lunch: Pesto & Prosciutto Poached Egg Sandwiches
Dinner: Grilled Halibut Sarandeando

Thursday: Lunch: Sandwiches/Chips
Dinner: Spicy Basque Style Chicken

Friday: Lunch: TBD
Dinner: Graduation Party Dinner! 

Saturday: Lunch: TBD
Dinner: Asparagus Soup, Chicken Cobb Salad

Sunday: Lunch: TBD
Dinner: Dad's Birthday/Father's Day Dinner!

*The best laid plans of mice and men...etc.

Menu Plan Monday: Week of June 7-13, 2010

Menu Plan Monday is here again and finds us with a busy week! We are going to Disneyland later today so I have it a little bit easier on the cooking front. 

Monday: Lunch: Hot Dogs and fruit
Dinner at z'Tejas (I got a coupon for my birthday - free meal for me!)

Tuesday: junk food at Disneyland (is there a better kind?)

Wednesday: Lunch: sandwiches
Dinner: Scallops with Garlicky Tomatillo Sauce

Thursday:  Breakfast with Mom for her birthday (it's a surprise).
Lunch: Frito Chili Pie
Dinner: Penne with Asparagus, Spinach, and Bacon

Friday:  Lunch: Kesir
Dinner: In'N'Out on the way to a concert!

Saturday: Dinner: Seafood Enchiladas, Sides; Dessert: Churros

Sunday: Dinner: Stir-Fried Szechuan Steak on Rice, Zen Temple Dumplings

Wow!  I am hungry just thinking about what we are going to eat this week!

Wordless Wednesday: Catching up

Menu Plan Monday

Menu Plan Mondays is hosted by Organizing Junkie.  This is my first time to post and link to this meme, so if you are new here are a few things about me and the blog:

1. I cook most nights of the week that I am not too tired. 
2. I cook a new me recipe almost every time I cook. I am what some may call adventurous in the kitchen.  
3. I am priveleged to do the two above things because it is just me and my husband, no kids.  I realize life will not always afford this luxury, so this blog helps me chronicle this season in life and the food we eat.
4. I have decided it's time to keep myself accountable for my menu planning.

  So here goes our first week.

Monday: Spicy Honey Baked Chicken Tenders, Green Onion Champ (potatoes), Green Beans (steamed)

Tuesday: Spinach-Feta Calzone Casserole

Wednesday: BBQ Flank Steak Sandwiches (w/ some sort of starch)

Thursday:  New Orleans-Style Shrimp, Corn on the Cob, New Potatoes

Friday: Grilled Chicken and Tapenade Sandwiches, Potato Chips, Frozen Lemonade with Coconut Rum

Saturday: Out to dinner with friends

Sunday: Mexican Tomato Bean Soup with Corn Dumplings

I am also going to try to get some baking done this week.  Stay tuned for updates.

What's on your menu for this week?

How its done (at least here)

I have a lot of people ask me (not on this blog, but in real life) how I do all my meal planning, where I get all my recipes, if I can come over and plan for them.  Well the answer to the latter question is, "most likely, no."  The answers to the former questions are easy and I will here try to make them sound as complicated as possible:

How to do Meal Planning (according to Leah):

1. Take out a planner of some sort (I started by printing out a monthly blank calendar from Outlook and moved up to a spiral bound student planner  because it has lots of room). 
2. Consider what your life will bring you (that you know of) in the next month.  Are you going out of town, are you expecting guests, do you have specific events?  While planning for the month having these days marked will help you to decide how you and yours will eat that night.  Also, you might plan how many nights a week you want to make dinner. Planning when you eat out is just as important as planning what you are going to eat when you are at home. 
3. Consider your budget and what you have on hand.   Is your budget $70/week or $170/week?  What is in your pantry that will help you assemble the meals you desire in the next month.  Knowing what you have on hand will spark in your memory favorite recipes you didn't even know you knew.  Having most of the ingredients for your favorite recipe saves you money at the store because you may only need to pick up the perishables on the ingredient list.
4. Plan according to the needs/wants of your family.  In our house these are the things I consider: I want to make something new almost everytime I cook, I want to feed Drew something that is healthy and balanced, Drew will try almost anything (good quality for him to have), and I don't want to be in the kitchen for a ridulously long time each evening.  Your needs may look quite a bit different than mine.  If you are a mom that wants to make sure your kids actually eat what you cook, your menu will look a great deal different than mine (I hope).  Your family may not be as "adventurous" as ours in regards to food; that's why this is your plan. 
5. Plan specific "nights" of dinners.  In our household we have two nights I strive to keep as part of the week's meals: slow-cooker and breakfast for dinner on Sundays (soon changing to another "night").  In your household this may look like: Mexican night (taco Tuesday, for instance), Pasta night (oh, to be you!), Under the Sea night, etc.  Having these set nights in mind really help you to hone in on the right recipes for your family as you browse through cookbooks, magazines, etc.  Additionally, having these set nights, help you to stock your pantry accordingly when items you use often are on sale. 
6. Challenge yourself.  To try something new each month, to have guest over once or twice a month, to have a special dinner for each member of your family once a month, to add something new to your diet, etc.  Whatever the challenge, make it something that can be easily attainable. 
7. Now that you have got all these things in the back of your mind, go through your treasured recipes from childhood or your favorite cookbooks, favorite magazines, or a  new cookbook.  A word regarding choosing recipes: it is a lot easier to pick a couple of sources for each month.  This keeps you from having to figure out  and sort through multiple books to find where you got a particular recipe every time you are in the kitchen. 
8. As you come across a recipe you want to include in your monthly plan, pick a day and write it down.  Come up with some way of identifying where the recipe can be found. This is what it looks like for me:  Dinner: French Onion Pot Roast (BMWF, 146).  Obviously,  his means we will be eating Pot Roast one night this month.  The abreviation lets me know I can find the recipe in the Busy Mom's Weeknight Favorites Cookbook on page 146.  NOTE: this  recipe brings up a planning tip: find ways to use the leftovers you have to make another dinner.  Cook once, eat twice or three times meals really make meal planning a breeze.
9. Continue this process until you have filled out your monthly menu.  For my advanced readers, try planning your lunches and breakfasts as well. 
10. Be flexible!  Life happens in this house on a regular basis, I do the best I can to adjust and move on.  My menu plan helps me to have dinner on the table.  It does not solve the rest of the world's problems.  I started doing menu planning and continue to do it because I am not quick on my feet to come up with something to eat when its time for dinner.  The best part of life changing is that next month I get to put on the menu all the meals I didn't get around to cooking this month. 

OK, now its your turn to tell me how you menu plan or ask me questions about my process.  I look forward to the conversation!