Bloggy, blog, blog, blog!

It's been quite a while! I mostly need to dust off this blog to get back into menu planning. Now we have basketball practices (for TWO kids) and all of the the other fun stuff families have going on. We'll see how it goes!





This week:


Tuesday - Lasagna


Wednesday - Leftovers


Thursday - Grilled cheese and tomato soup


Friday - Home made pizza


Saturday - Home made bierocks


Sunday - Grilled sirloin kabobs

Happy new year everyone!

Menu Plan Monday 3/28/2011

Well, it has been a while. I've been planning on paper and using index cards ... just trying to find the right system for me. So, going through my index cards here's my FOOD FORECAST for next week! (Fitting in a little bit of my weather stuff in there too! LOL!) Click here to see more Menu Plan Monday followers. What's up for the week of 3/28/2011 Monday: Steak, salad and french fries. (Carl is supposed to get gas for the grill and we have potatoes that MUST be used!) Tuesday: Sweet and sour chicken with rice Wednesday: Spaghetti with meat sauce with bread Thursday: Ham and beans with cornbread Friday: Chicken noodles and mashed potatoes Saturday: Baked Chicken Chimichangas Sunday: Try a new recipe (to come) At the end of the week, we'll see how we did! Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

It's been a while!

Well, I never took that challenge I posted about back in FEBRUARY! Geeze ... I did clean up a bit, but it's still a mess. My quest for domestic organization still evades me. I will get there though someday!
I think I will start posting menus again. I have been menu planning on paper, just not getting it onto the blog. I should get back on the wagon. We'll see!

All right, ladies and gentlemen, many of you know I have a lifelong quest to be organized and know where everything is ... in some rooms I am doing pretty good. In a few rooms I am NOT! There is a challenge on one of my favorite blogs ... orgjunkie.com ... Coming up for the month of February that has me very excited to focus on just one room ... My Office/Scrap/Craft room. It is a horrible mess and the photos I just took make it look even worse! (Too embarassed to post them just yet!) It looks almost like a room shot from an episode of "Hoarders". It's bad, really bad. There is a little cluttered path to my computer and that is it. I really must get this room under control. FAST! So, wish me luck. I will be posting "before" pics as soon as I get the guts to show my mess. Then "after" pics very soon. Wish me luck!

Menu Plan Monday - 1/11/10

It feels good to be back to menu planning! I have my shopping list for today from this week's menu and off I go!

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What's up for the week of 1/11/10

Monday:
Fajitas with Flat iron Steak

Tuesday:
Chicken Fried Rice and Egg Drop Soup

Wednesday:
Spaghetti and Meatballs with bread

Thursday:
Chicken Enchiladas with homemade enchilada sauce

Friday:
Meatloaf made in the pressure cooker, mashed potatoes, corn

Saturday:
Crockpot Roast, potatoes, veggies

Sunday:
Baked Chicken Chimichangas

HOW WE DID LAST WEEK

Monday:
Breakfast for dinner - Made it, ate it.

Tuesday:
Fast Chicken Pot Pie - Made it, ate it.

Wednesday:
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup - Made it, ate it.

Thursday:
Home Made Pizza - Made it, ate it.

Friday:
Eat out at new local bar and grill -Good!

Saturday:
Try something new day! (I'll be scouring the cookbooks and the recipe sites for something awesome!) - Went to Outback instead

Sunday:
Stuffed Chicken Rolls in the pressure cooker
- Miss Vicki's Page 236 - Still the plan! ;-)


Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Menu Plan Monday - 1/4/10

Whew! It has been a while! I started back to work and my routine fell apart! Talk about when you need menu planning the most! ACK! It was tough because it was Christmas, new job and busy all at once! But, we managed ... so this week, I actually had the menu plan, but just didn't get it up here. So, here it is! I am also working on this next week already! Go me! Happy New Year everyone!

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What's up for the week of 1/4/10

Monday:
Breakfast for dinner

Tuesday:
Fast Chicken Pot Pie

Wednesday:
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Thursday:
Home Made Pizza

Friday:
Eat out at new local bar and grill

Saturday:
Try something new day! (I'll be scouring the cookbooks and the recipe sites for something awesome!)

Sunday:
Stuffed Chicken Rolls in the pressure cooker - Miss Vicki's Page 236


Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

This is a recipe given to me by a friend. It makes for a very quick weeknight meal. It is one of my husband's very faves! The cool thing is, you can add more or less of anything according to your tastes or the number of people you have to feed and it always turns out great!

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cubed)
1 tbs. oil
poultry seasonings (I use Lawry's, Head Country)
1 slice minced onion (or use dehydrated onion)
1 package of country gravy mix (or make fresh gravy from butter flour and chicken bullion)
1 small package frozen mixed veggies (green beans, carrots, peas corn)
2 rolls refrigerator biscuits ( or frozen biscuits)

Preaheat oven and prepare biscuits for baking. In a skillet, stir fry chicken, seasonings and onion in oil. Meanwhile make gravy in a saucepan according to package directions (or from scratch). Also while chicken is cooking, heat up veggies in a little bit of water in the microwave then strain of water. Put rolls in the oven. Once the chicken is cooked through, add the gravy, and strained veggies. Stir to mix until hot. Split open or tear up biscuits and spoon over chicken/gravy/veggie mix.

Yum!

Menu Plan Monday - 11/30/09

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone. It was a wonderful day spent with those we love the most. Brined the turkey this year. Used Alton Brown's recipe to the "T". Next year, we will brine but then go back to cooking it in the turkey bag too. I think it makes for a more evenly cooked turkey. Plus, that's the way my G-Ma used to do it! :-)

This is my last week of being a SAHM. I plan to make the most of it in getting ready for Christmas and getting the house cleaned and tasks completed. Gotta dig out my work clothes and polish up my shoes. I would also like to buy a couple of new outfits. Last week was way different than the plan, but the plan was a few days late anyway! LOL! So, here we are back on track with the Monday plan ...

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What's up for the week of 11/30/09

Monday:
Chicken Pot Pie - Carl's Fave

Tuesday: NEW!
Home Made Pizza

Wednesday:
Mom's Stew - Since it is my Mom's B-Day and she passed away in May, we have one bad of her stew left in the freezer. We are going to eat this in honor of her on her B-Day. Love and miss you Moma.

Thursday:
Eat Out

Friday:
Stuffed Chicken Rolls - Another of Carl's Faves

Saturday:
Potato Soup - Been wanting to make this since it has gotten colder

Sunday:
Chicken Fried Rice and Egg Drop Soup


HOW WE DID LAST WEEK of 11/23/09:

Monday:
PB&J - Yep

Tuesday:
Spaghetti - Yep

Wednesday:
Grown Ups - Late, late lunch at Chipotle. Kids ate later Raviolis and Spaghettios - Yep

Thursday:
TURKEY DAY! Turkey, dressing, relish tray, green bean casserole, corn casserole, broccoli casserole, salad, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, baked beans, cheeseball, pumpkin pie, white chocolate mochas and pumpkin spiced coffee. - Everything except the coffee!

Friday:
Leftovers! - Ate out. (Did have leftovers for lunch though)

Saturday:
Turkey n Noodles w/ Mashed potatoes - Made turkey enchiladas. They were OK.

Sunday:
Manwich and Velvetta mac n cheese.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Menu Plan Monday - 11/23/09

Better late than never!

This has been a busy, crazy week. Preparing for Thanksgiving and also trying to fit in as much as I can before I start back to work in a couple of weeks! We have mostly been easting leftovers and simple, quick meals. Mostly soft foods because my husband had that surgery on his teeth last Monday.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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What's up for the week of 11/23/09

Monday:
PB&J

Tuesday:: NEW!
Spaghetti

Wednesday:
Grown Ups - Late, late lunch at Chipotle. Kids ate later Raviolis and Spaghettios

Thursday:
TURKEY DAY! Turkey, dressing, relish tray, green bean casserole, corn casserole, broccoli casserole, salad, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, baked beans, cheeseball, pumpkin pie, white chocolate mochas and pumpkin spiced coffee.

Friday:
Leftovers!

Saturday:
Turkey n Noodles w/ Mashed potatoes

Sunday:
Chicken Enchiladas


HOW WE DID LAST WEEK of 11/9/09:

Monday:
Leftover Buffet - Leftover Buffet

Tuesday:: NEW!
Potato Soup (Recycled from last week) DH is having surgery on his teeth so we need to have soft foods for a while ... - Mac n cheese, cottage cheese

Wednesday:
Chicken Noodles and mashed potatoes - Egg salad sandwiches, raviolis, cottage cheese

Thursday:
Meatloaf -Tomato soup Mac n cheese

Friday:
Chicken Enchiladas - Ate out

Saturday:
Eat Out - Ate Out

Sunday:
Spaghetti and Meatballs - Leftovers


Have a great week everyone!

Menu Plan Monday - 11/16/09

Isn't that a pretty icon for Thanksgiving?!

We just finished up a very busy birthday week and this week will prove to be just as busy as we get started preparing for next week's Thanksgiving Holiday. WE plan to have it at our house with close family and lots of food. It will be my first without my Mom here. That will be hard, but I know she is peeking in on me and helping me! We are going to have baked beans in her honor. She always wanted baked beand on Thanksgiving. (Even though I thought that was weird!)

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What's up for the week of 11/16/09

Monday:
Leftover Buffet

Tuesday:: NEW!
Potato Soup (Recycled from last week) DH is having surgery on his teeth so we need to have soft foods for a while ...

Wednesday:
Chicken Noodles and mashed potatoes

Thursday:
Meatloaf

Friday:
Chicken Enchiladas

Saturday:
Eat Out

Sunday:
Spaghetti and Meatballs


HOW WE DID LAST WEEK of 11/9/09:

Monday: NEW!
Baked Terikyaki Chicken (I may try this in the crock pot) - ATE ON WEDNESDAY - Tasted good but crockpot texture was icky. May save to try in the oven ... maybe not ... Monday we ate out.

Tuesday:
Roast in the crockpot w/ potatoes, carrots, rolls (Recycled from last week) - DH brought home pizza. OK! Not gonna argue with that! ;-)

Wednesday:
Out to eat, Birthday Girl's choice! - She chose Outback Steakhouse! YUM!

Thursday:
Potato Soup (Recycled from last week) - See Monday above ...

Friday:
Pepper Steak - Friends Birthday Party - Made it, took it, got lots of recipe requests and compliments!

Saturday:
Pizza Party for Birthday sleepover - Pizza, pizza, pizza!

Sunday:
KC Strip, Velveeta Mac n cheese, fried potatoes, veggie (Recycled from last week) Forgot that we were having people over when I made the menu. We actually planned to have a cheesburger/hot dog cookout this day. We did and it was good!


Have a great week everyone!

A New Christmas Tradition!

A few years ago, we got a Hallmark Countdown to Christmas tree for our oldest daughter. We then had to buy one for her sister. Up until this year, we just gave them the ornaments each day to count down ...

Well, this year, I decided to to some activities on each day for the girls (and us) to enjoy!

Snowflake idea from realsimple.com

I am going to write these all out on cards and put them in envelopes with a few puzzle pieces for the girls to open each day of December. I hope they enjoy the new tradition!

Here is the list, not necessarily in the this order:


1 - Decorate Christmas Tree

2 - Give them holiday cups. Found some really cute ones at Walgreens that light up! FUN!

3 - Make cards for teachers/daycare

4 - Camp out in the living room near the Christmas tree.

5 - Pick an Angel off of the Salvation Army Angel tree and shop for a little girl or boy.

6 - Shop as a family for our Christmas ornaments. Carl and I have bought one for us every year us and the girls. Now the girls are big enough they get to pick their own

7 - Daddy to read them a Christmas book.

8 - Music program

9 - Color a picture for Mom and Dad's work

10 - Make snowflake candy necklaces

11 - Build gingerbread houses

12 - Candy making festival with family (An all day and into the late-night affair!

13 - Christmas Caroling with the church

14 - Music Program

15 - Make paper snowflakes

16 - Decorate their bedroom doors

17 - Make red and green bracelets

18 - Camp out in the living room near the Christmas tree. So fun, we're gonna do it again!

19 - Watch Elf and have hot cocoa

20 - Red and Green dinner night

21 - Watch Frosty the Snowman

22 - Christmas Light Limo tour

23 - Make cookies for Santa

24 - Christmas Eve - Church, PJ's get to bed!

25 - Open presents and have a meal and enjoy Christmas music

Menu Plan Monday - 11/9/09

Last week was pretty busy so our menus got all switched around! But, that is pretty normal for our family anyways! :-)

Thank you for the prayers on the job front. I am waiting on paperwork and it is looking positive that I will be headed back to work very soon. Being a working mom forever, I have never worked and planned menus at the same time! So, I'm sure my new habit will be great for those busy work nights.


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What's up for the week of 11/9/09

Monday::: NEW!
Baked Terikyaki Chicken (I may try this in the crock pot) (Recycled from last week)

Tuesday:: NEW!
Roast in the crockpot w/ potatoes, carrots, rolls (Recycled from last week)

Wednesday:
Out to eat, Birthday Girl's choice!

Thursday:
Potato Soup (Recycled from last week)

Friday:
Pepper Steak - Friends Birthday Party

Saturday:
Pizza Party for Birthday sleepover

Sunday:
KC Strip, Velveeta Mac n cheese, fried potatoes, veggie (Recycled from last week)


HOW WE DID LAST WEEK of 11/2/09:

Monday:
Fajitas w/ Flat Iron Steak (Recycled from last week) - Raviolis and Spahgettios - boring, but easy.

Tuesday:: NEW!
Baked Terikyaki Chicken (I may try this in the crock pot) (Recycled from last week) - Fajitas from Monday

Wednesday:
Homemade Pizza (Recycled from last week)-Grilled ham and cheese/tomato soup. Ham was from freezer stash from last Xmas.

Thursday:
Sweet and Sour Chicken (Recycled from last week) - Homemade pizza from Wednesday's plan

Friday:
Roast in the crockpot w/ potatoes, carrots, rolls - Out shopping at a local family restaurant.

Saturday:
Potato Soup - Carl was out fishing me and the girls had sandwiches. He came home and made Hamburger Italiano (Baked goulash) at about 9pm. It was good!

Sunday:
KC Strip, Velveeta Mac n cheese, fried potatoes, veggie - Carl made steak kabobs with rice, green beans and mini baked potatoes. (quartered, sliced and microwaved with a little water and butter).

Have a great week everyone!

Menu Plan Monday - 11/2/09

First Menu for November. WOW, this year is just flying by! It's pretty much non-stop for our family from now until almost March! It all starts with Halloween ... Then Lauren's birthday, Thanksgiving, Candy making festival, Christmas, New Years, Superbowl, Lindsey's birthday and Valentines day ... Hold on! Here we goooooo!

Also, still waiting to hear on the job front ... please say prayers that that works out the way it is supposed to be. Thank you!


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What's up for the week of 11/2/09

Monday:
Fajitas w/ Flat Iron Steak (Recycled from last week)

Tuesday:: NEW!
Baked Terikyaki Chicken (I may try this in the crock pot) (Recycled from last week)

Wednesday:
Homemade Pizza (Recycled from last week)

Thursday:
Sweet and Sour Chicken (Recycled from last week)

Friday:
Roast in the crockpot w/ potatoes, carrots, rolls

Saturday:
Potato Soup

Sunday:
KC Strip, Velveeta Mac n cheese, fried potatoes, veggie


HOW WE DID LAST WEEK of 10/12/09:

Monday:
Chicken Enchiladas - Made it, ate it!

Tuesday: NEW!
Cheese Stuffed MeatLoaf Moved to Wednesday - Leftover Buffet

Wednesday: NEW!
Baked Terikyaki Chicken (I may try this in the crock pot) Made Cheese Stuffed MeatLoaf from Tuesday. Very yummy! (Had to cook 15 minutes longer than recipe to make sure it was done throughout).

Thursday:
Fajitas with Flat Iron Steak - Ate Chicken and Noodles from freezer stash - YUM!

Friday:
Sweet and Sour Chicken - Busy errand day. Ate out at a place we have a credit.

Saturday:
Homemade Pizza - Halloween - Ate out after Trick or Treating

Sunday:
Stuffed Chicken Rolls. Miss Vickies Pressure Cooker Cookbook Pg 236 - Made it, ate it! Husband really likes this. (Need to get more stuffing in the chicken though, perhaps use fresh chicken not frozen).

Have a great week everyone!

Menu Plan Monday - 10/26/09

After spending last weekend with friends in a cabin, this week we have all been recovering from colds, fever and other yuck! So, next time we will get together well in advance of cold/flu season!

Pumpkin carving yesterday was fabulous! Chili and French Onion soup were prefect! (Carl made me carmelize the onions outside on the grill burner so it wouldn't make the house stink! LOL!)
Hopefully, the sickies are over and next week, I may be headed back to work! I will know more on Thursday. :-)


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What's up for the week of 10/26/09

Monday:
Chicken Enchiladas

Tuesday: NEW!
Cheese Stuffed MeatLoaf

Wednesday: NEW!
Baked Terikyaki Chicken (I may try this in the crock pot)

Thursday:
Fajitas with Flat Iron Steak

Friday:
Sweet and Sour Chicken

Saturday:
Homemade Pizza

Sunday:
Stuffed Chicken Rolls. Miss Vickies Pressure Cooker Cookbook Pg 236


HOW WE DID LAST WEEK of 10/12/09:


What's up for the week of 10/26/09

Monday: Just got home. Oatmeal and cereal night. - As planned

Tuesday: Grilled cheese and Tomato soup - As planned

Wednesday: Pepper steak, crab rangoon, rice and egg drop soup. - As planned

Thursday: From the Freezer: Beef n Noodles with mashed potatoes - As planned

Friday: From the Freezer: Mom's stew. This is the last stew Mom made last winter. Bittersweet to eat it because it is the last she made for me before she passed away. - Since everyone still had stuffy noses, I want to wait to eat this when we can taste it. Instead we had snacks for supper.

Saturday: Sandwiches then a Halloween Party! - Tortilla roll-ups and oatmeal scotchie cookies. After the party, we went to Red Robin.

Sunday: Pumkin carving party! Chili with all the fixins and frend onion soup. - Yummy and oh, so FUN!


So, next week, my menus may drastically change. When I go back to work, I will need menu planning more than ever!!!

Have a great week everyone!

Menu Plan Monday - 10/19/09 - A Little Late!

The cabin weekend was great!!! The weather was a little cold but warmed up nicely the day we left! LOL!



The leaves were changing and falling. It was beautiful! The best things was spending time with our very good friends and their children.

We took pantry staples like spices and such, but bought everything perishable when we got there. The shopping trip was fun and we had a list so we only over bought on just a couple of splurge items. We were blessed and ate very well for the weekend!


We returned late on Monday and it's taken me a couple of days to catch up. Here's this weeks Menu Plan Monday on a Thursday! LOL!!!


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What's up for the week of 10/19/09

Monday: Just got home. Oatmeal and cereal night.

Tuesday: Grilled cheese and Tomato soup

Wednesday: Pepper steak, crab rangoon, rice and egg drop soup.

Thursday: From the Freezer: Beef n Noodles with mashed potatoes

Friday: From the Freezer: Mom's stew. This is the last stew Mom made last winter. Bittersweet to eat it because it is the last she made for me before she passed away.

Saturday: Sandwiches then a Halloween Party!

Sunday: Pumkin carving party! Chili with all the fixins and frend onion soup.


HOW WE DID LAST WEEK of 10/12/09:


Monday: Baked Chicken Chimichangas (Taste of Home Cookbook Pg 174)-(Recycled from last week). Yep. Good!

Tuesday: Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes, Corn and Rolls. Chicken Fried Rice, Egg drop soup.

Wednesday: Yakatori Chicken with rice and Egg Drop Soup (Recycled from last week). Can't remember, but it wasn't this.

Thursday: Flat iron Steak Fajitas w/ Mexican rice (Recycled from last week). Can't remember, but it wasn't this.

Friday: Chili (At the Cabin) Yep. Good!

Saturday: Fish Fry - Hopefully! (At the Cabin) No fish. Grilled Chicken.

Sunday: Grilled burgers and dogs. Yep. Good!





The weeks are getting busier and the nights are getting colder. I am fighting the urge to turn on the furnace. Trying to hold off a little longer!!!

Menu Plan Monday - 10/12/09

We've got a busy week coming up! We are headed to a cabin on a nice lake to spend the weekend with some excellent friends! Had a quick conversation with my friend about what to eat while we are there. We have to take all of the food so we're trying to keep it simple!

I substituted a lot this week, because our week changed around a lot, but I'm finding that is normal for us! LOL

So check out my plan for this week and also what threw me off plan last week below. :-)

Click here to see more Menu Plan Monday followers.

What's up for the week of 10/12/09

Monday: Baked Chicken Chimichangas (Taste of Home Cookbook Pg 174)-(Recycled from last week).

Tuesday: Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes, Corn and Rolls

Wednesday: Yakatori Chicken with rice and Egg Drop Soup (Recycled from last week).

Thursday: Flat iron Steak Fajitas w/ Mexican rice (Recycled from last week).

Friday: Chili (At the Cabin)

Saturday: Fish Fry - Hopefully! (At the Cabin)

Sunday: Grilled burgers and dogs.


HOW WE DID LAST WEEK of 10/5/09:


Monday: Leftovers because Moma has a meeting! This worked great. Kids also had Spaghetti O's and Raviolis. No cookin' for me!

Tuesday: Grilled Steak Kabobs (Outback seasoned)-Potato, veggie, mac n cheese (Recycled from last week). - Made it and ate it. Steak was GREAT! Instead of mac n cheese, I made a new Risotto recipe that used squash and peppers from the garden. It was ok. Not our new fave, but OK.

Wednesday: Cracker Crust Chicken, mashed potato, corn, gravy, bread (Recycled from last week). Got around really late so I just made fast Hamburger Rice.

Thursday: Flank Steak Fajitas w/ mexican rice (Recycled from last week). - Went to get my hair done in the late afternoon and then took my sister-in-law to Pizza Hut for keeping the girls for me.

Friday: Yakatori Chicken with rice and Egg Drop Soup - Weird night. The kids ate snacks late that kinda doubled for supper. Husband and I both had big, late lunches so we just didn't need supper. Kids ate some Chocolate Malt o Meal for a snack at about 8pm. LOL!

Saturday: Eating out. Moma's going scrappin' !!! - Did this. It was awesome!

Sunday: Baked Chicken Chimichangas (Taste of Home Pg 174) (Recycled from last week). - Really felt like potato soup. So that's what I made! LOL!



The weeks are getting busier and the nights are getting colder. I am fighting the urge to turn on the furnace. Trying to hold off a little longer!!!

Menu Plan Monday - 10/05/09 It's a habit!

I feel comfortable enough, now that this is my 9th week of planning menus that I can stop counting the weeks! LOL!

I subsituted alot this week, but didn't even have to go to the grocery store to buy anything. (Yay!)

So check out this week and also what threw me off plan last week below. :-)

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What's up for the week of 10/05/09

Monday: Leftovers because Moma has a meeting!

Tuesday: Grilled Steak Kabobs (Outback seasoned)-Potato, veggie, mac n cheese (Recycled from last week).

Wednesday: Cracker Crust Chicken, mashed potato, corn, gravy, bread (Recycled from last week).

Thursday: Flank Steak Fajitas w/ mexican rice (Recycled from last week).

Friday: Yakatori Chicken with rice and Egg Drop Soup

Saturday: Eating out. Moma's going scrappin' !!!

Sunday: Baked Chicken Chimichangas (Taste of Home Pg 174) (Recycled from last week).


HOW WE DID LAST WEEK of 9/21/09:

Monday: Beef and noodles with mashed potatoes - Grilled Cheeseburgers cause it was easier! LOL

Tuesday: Julie's Chicken Pot Pie - Made Beef and noodles from Monday

Wednesday: Grilled Steak Kabobs (Outback seasoned)-Potato, veggie, mac n cheese - Easy Spaghetti with marinara sauce.

Thursday: Cracker Crust Chicken, mashed potato, corn, gravy, bread - Pepper steak at family's request.

Friday: Family party at a friend's house. I will take Tortilla roll-ups and Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies. - Did this. It was yummy. Party was a blast!

Saturday: Flank Steak Fajitas w/ mexican rice - Out to eat at Logan's

Sunday: Baked Chicken Chimichangas (Taste of Home Pg 174) - Ended up making baked spaghetti. The other night I accidentally opened a can of ITALIAN stewed tomatoes instead of DICED tomatoes. I saved them and used them tonight and made a meal around them so they wouldn't be wasted!


The weeks are getting busier and the nights are getting colder. I am fighting the urge to turn on the furnace. Trying to hold off a little longer!!!

Menu Plan Monday - W/O 9/29/09 EIGHT WEEKS Strong!

So ... I am still impressed with this whole menu planning thing. I think the most amazing thing is that I find myself throwing away much less food than I did before. It seems we are able to get things used up BEFORE they go bad. That is good!

I have also added a few more recipes to our menu. I found two REALLY good ones this past week. See my review of last week below this weeks plan.

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What's up for the week of 9/29/09

Monday: Beef and noodles with mashed potatoes

Tuesday: Julie's Chicken Pot Pie

Wednesday: Grilled Steak Kabobs (Outback seasoned)-Potato, veggie, mac n cheese

Thursday: Cracker Crust Chicken, mashed potato, corn, gravy, bread

Friday: Family party at a friend's house. I will take Tortilla roll-ups and Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies.

Saturday: Flank Steak Fajitas w/ mexican rice

Sunday: Baked Chicken Chimichangas (Taste of Home Pg 174)


HOW WE DID LAST WEEK of 9/21/09:

Monday: Easy Spaghetti with sauce - Made it, ate it.

Tuesday: Potato Soup - Made the stuffed Chicken Rolls with Gravy (See Wedensday below) We will for sure add this to the rotation, Carl said that he thought it was the best chicken he as have had! WOW!

Wednesday: NEW RECIPE - (Recycled from last 2 weeks) Stuffed Chicken Rolls with Gravy from Miss Vickie's pressure cooker cookbook. Page 236. Gonna keep this on the menu until we give it a try! Ended up eating out at a local restaurant.

Thursday: NEW RECIPE - Yakatori (marinated, grilled sirloin steak kabobs), oriental green beans, egg drop soup and rice. (Recipes from allrecipes.com and cooks.com) - Swapped Thursday and Friday of this week. Pizza was good as usual!

Friday: Home made pizza - C'Mon garden! One more round of green peppers and tomatoes! Please?!? - Ok so tonight was the night to try the recipes listed for Thursday above. WOWEE!!! This was gooooood! Found out it is really called Yakiniku (Grilled Beef). Yakatori is chicken. Anyway it was amazingly good!!!

Saturday: Cracker Crust Chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn. - Had quick spaghetti with meat sauce and bread.

Sunday: Beef and noodles with mashed potaotes (slow cook roast starting in the morning). - Got stuck out at the lake ... LITERALLY! So we ate a Pizza Hut on the way home. Very late! LOL!

Have an excellent week everyone!!!

Menu Plan Monday - W/O 9/21/09 SEVEN WEEKS Strong!

I would say we have a habit here with this menu planning thing! Whoo hoo!

I committed to making at least ONE NEW MEAL each week.

Click here to see more Menu Plan Monday followers.

(See below for what last week was and what we actually did for supper).

Monday: Easy Spaghetti with sauce

Tuesday: Potato Soup

Wednesday: NEW RECIPE - (Recycled from last 2 weeks) Stuffed Chicken Rolls with Gravy from Miss Vickie's pressure cooker cookbook. Page 236. Gonna keep this on the menu until we give it a try!

Thursday: NEW RECIPE - Yakatori (marinated, grilled sirloin steak kabobs), oriental green beans, egg drop soup and rice. (Recipes from allrecipes.com and cooks.com)

Friday: Home made pizza - C'Mon garden! One more round of green peppers and tomatoes! Please?!?

Saturday: Cracker Crust Chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn.

Sunday: Beef and noodles with mashed potaotes (slow cook roast starting in the morning).


HOW WE DID LAST WEEK of 9/7/09:
Monday: Tacos - Planned it, made em. Ate 'em! With fresh salsa to boot!

Tuesday: NEW RECIPE - Grilled steaks, fried potatoes, velveeta mac n cheese, green beans. I used the Outback Steakhouse marinade from a copycat recipe book. It was wayyyyyy yummy!

Wednesday: Spaghetti & Meatballs with french bread - Littlest daughter thought Pepper Steak sounded better. So that's what we did (pulled from Sunday)! Took the opportunity to let the girls help measure chop (w/supervision) and stir. They were very proud of supper that night and ate really well!

Thursday: Chicken Enchiladas - These turned out yummy, even though I left the oven on BROIL!!! (I turn it onto that to preheat and forgot to switch it down! ACK!!) Thank gooness the rack was low enough, just the cheese got crispy, just the way I like it! These rock! Especially the next day for lunch!

Friday: Chicken fried rice and crab rangoon - Ended up out shopping. Suprised the girls and took them out to Red Robin. Sat on the patio. It was wonderful! I had a chicken apple salad with goat cheese and walnuts. Amazing how sitting outside, you can taste everthing totallyy seperate really strong. It was cool!

Saturday: NEW RECIPE - (Recycled from last week) Stuffed Chicken Rolls with Gravy from Miss Vickie's pressure cooker cookbook. Page 236. Gonna give this one a try! - Went out to see "Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs" Ate real quick at a local burger place.

Sunday: (Recycled from last week)Pepper Steak - Once of our faves this summer because it's easy and our garden is still crankin out the peppers! - Celebrated my birthday with some friends that invited us to their house for dinner. Good times!


Have a great week everyone!

Menu Plan Monday - SIX WEEKS! 9/14/09

I would say we have a habit here with this menu planning thing! Whoo hoo!

So, last week. I committed to making at least ONE NEW MEAL each week. Even though we flip flopped some meals this past week, I plan to pick up with this again this week.


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(See below for what last week was and what we actually did for supper).

Monday: Tacos - Made some fresh salsa Sunday will be good to use for this.

Tuesday: Grilled steaks, fried potatoes, velveeta mac n cheese, green beans.

Wednesday: Spaghetti & Meatballs with french bread

Thursday: Chicken Enchiladas

Friday: Chicken fried rice and crab rangoon

Saturday: NEW RECIPE - (Recycled from last week) Stuffed Chicken Rolls with Gravy from Miss Vickie's pressure cooker cookbook. Page 236. Gonna give this one a try!

Sunday: (Recycled from last week)Pepper Steak - Once of our faves this summer because it's easy and our garden is still crankin out the peppers!


HOW WE DID LAST WEEK of 9/7/09:
Monday: Labor Day - Back home from Camping @ the lake late - Ate at the Marina

Tuesday: Grilled hamburgers and french fries. Need to use lefteover thawed hamburger patties from the lake. I also will pre-cook some of it to make nachos later this week out of the extra pound of patties I thawed so they won't go to waste. - Ended up making Hamburger Helper. Husband had already ate. Kids and I really like HB Helper. :-)

Wednesday: Cracker Crust Chicken with red potatoes in gravy and peas - I just use crushed saltines (with some seasoned salt) to coat chicken cubes that have been dipped in egg and then fry them. (This is the third week of this being on the menu. If we don't cook it this week, I'm taking it off the menu for a while!) - Cooked it and we ate it. Made regular mashed potatoes and corn adn some really great homemade gravy. Gotta put this back on the menu everyone really liked it. (Leftovers were great the next day too!)

Thursday: Home made pizza. Still have alot of good peppers from the garden. Plus, I bought pepperoni on sale for camping (to make pizza pockets over the campfire. SEE NOTE BELOW). We didn't end up using it so, Home made pizza sounds good! - Husband brought home pizza in honor of NFL opening night. OK by me!!! LOL!

Friday: Baked nachos using fresh salsa I'm gonna make this week and the ground beef I cooked on Tuesday night. Didn't make salsa. Ended up going out to dinner with husband, kids and sister-in-law.

Saturday: NEW RECIPE - Stuffed Chicken Rolls with Gravy from Miss Vickie's pressure cooker cookbook. Page 236. Gonna give this one a try! - Didn't end up making this so it's on the menu for this week. (See above). We had some good friend's kids over and my oldest daughter requested that I make homemade chicken and noodles with mashed potatoes. We had this several weeks ago and everyone chowed down. If that meal pleases FOUR finicky kids, yes dear, I will make that! ;-)

Sunday: Pepper Steak - Once of our faves this summer because it's easy and our garden is still crankin out the peppers! - Had friends over so we ended up having home made pizzas that were planned for Thursday.

Have a great week everyone!