Month of Menus

Well, having been inspired by Nancy, I finally bit the bullet and made my first monthly menu. It took longer than expected, but having it done has given me some glorious, much-needed peace of mind. Meal time around our house has been going downhill steadily for the past few months. I was in a "need to run to the store to grab a few things for dinner tonight" cycle that would happen a couple of times a week. I mean, I like Target, but not enough to spend half my waking hours there. And, dinner time was slowly moving later and later, sometimes as late at 8pm. I'm almost ashamed to reveal that little secret here to all of you supermoms, but I rationalize that we're just being really cool and eating like the Europeans. I have made it my goal to have dinner on the table at 6pm every night. It's a lofty goal, and one that will take some planning, but hopefully will be made easier by the following.

Thanks Nancy for the example and encouragement.

Sundays - Crock pot dinners
6 - Crockpot Lentil Soup
13 - BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
20 - Pot Roast
27 - BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

Mondays - Mexican Night
7 - Cream Cheese Enchiladas
14 - Chicken Quesadillas
21 - Burritos
28 - Haystacks/Frito Chili Pie

Tuesdays - Pasta Night
1 - Ravioli Bake (thanks to whoever posted that recipe - I tried it and it was super easy and delicious!!!!)
8 - Old World Manicotti
15 - One Skillet Spaghetti
22 - Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
29 - Lasagna

Wednesdays - Breakfast for Dinner
2 - Eggs in a basket/Bacon/Cinnamon Rolls
9 - Egg Pancake/Hashbrowns
16 - Crepes/Scrambled Eggs
23 - Eggs for a crowd/Muffins
30 - Buttermilk Pancakes/Yogurt

Thursdays - Casseroles
3 - Tuna Noodle Casserole
10 - Potluck Chicken Casserole
17 - Broccoli Rice Casserole
24 - Meatball Subs

Fridays - Pizza
4 - DiGiorno Cheese Stuffed Crust
11 - Homemade Pizza
18 - Nacho Pizza
25 - Veggie Pizza

Saturdays - MYOLO (I love this! Both the acronym and the concept. A night off - Woo hoo!!!)


One Skillet Spaghetti - my husband and daughters gobble this meal up
Yield: 7 servings

-1 lb. hamburger
-2 med. onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
-1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes (I prefer to use smaller tomatoes, such as diced)
-3/4 c. chopped green pepper
-1/2 c. water
-1 can (4 oz.) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
-2 t. salt
-1 t. sugar
-1 t. chili powder
-7 oz. uncooked thin spaghetti, broken into pieces
-1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese, about 4 oz.

Cook and stir hamburger and onions in 10-inch skillet or Dutch oven until hamburger is light brown; drain. Stir in tomatoes (with liquid), green pepper, water, mushrooms, salt, sugar, chili powder and spaghetti; break up tomatoes with fork. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until spaghetti is tender, about 30 minutes. (Add water during cooking if necessary) Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and heat until cheese is melted.

Bon Appetit!