Now that just after one week my house is 100x cleaner than it has been in a long long time I am feeling a lot more relaxed I've decided to go one step further and try out the monthly meal planning...
Here it goes! This is what the Bakers are having for Supper (and Sat. Breakfasts) for the month of January!
MONDAYS
7th: Tacos or Texmex scrambled eggs
14th: Southwest bake
21st: Taco Salad
28th: Taco Soup
TUESDAYS (slacker day)
8th: Mac & Cheese
15th: Hot Dogs (ewww)
22nd: Lipton Sidekick of some sort
29th: Soup - Ramen or Tomato
WEDNESDAYS
9th: Spaghetti and Meatballs
16th: Penne Rose
23rd: Creamy Pasta Salad With Seashells
30th: Macaroni Tuna Casserole
THURSDAYS
10th: Chili
17th: Sloppy Joe's
24th: Jambalaya Express
31: Italian Hamburgers
FRIDAYS
11th: Potato Corn Salad
18th: Garlic Shrimp
25th: Sausage and Egg Breakfast Pizza
SATURDAYS
5th: Mustard Marinated Steak----Bacon and Eggs
12th: Saturday Night Supper---Honey Pancakes and Sausage
19th: Chicken with French Onion Biscuits--- Grits and Rye Toast
26th: Tomato and Pesto Stuffed Sirloin---Fruit Salad with English Muffins
SUNDAYS
6th: I'm going to try that Potato Chowder recipe
13th: Pineapple Brunch Bake
20th: Vegetable Frittata
27th: Banana Gingerbread Muffins with Yogurt or Cottage Cheese and fruit
So there you go! I'll give it a try and I'll let you know how well this turns out. I figure leftovers will make a great contribution to the kids school lunches as well as easy Sat/Sun lunches!
Here are a few recipes...
SATURDAY NIGHT SUPPER:
1lb ground turkey (I use beef or chopped chicken)
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 can Italian style tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups cooked small pasta shells or elbow macaroni
3/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Heat oven to 400 degrees
Cook your meat in a frying pan until cooked through
Spread the meat in a casserole dish, stir in veggies, tomato sauce, seasoning, and pasta. Cover and bake 30 min or until veggies are tender, sprinkle with cheese.
QUICK FRENCH ONION BISCUITS
2 cups Bisquick baking mix
1/4 cup milk
1 container French onion dip
Heat oven to 450
Mix all ingredients until a soft dough forms. Drop dough into 6 mounds on ungreased cookie sheet
Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Friday, January 4, 2008
Kitchen helps
I have to admit that I never have followed a whole month's menu. We substitute meals all the time! But I find that at least by having an idea for every day I can relax more and not spend half the day wondering what we're going to eat. And I know how old the leftovers in the fridge are if we don't happen to use them up....
Anyway...
Andrew just sent me this link. I haven't looked at everything, but it's chock full of ideas, some of which you may find useful.
We love Lifehacker over at our house.
Anyway...
Andrew just sent me this link. I haven't looked at everything, but it's chock full of ideas, some of which you may find useful.
We love Lifehacker over at our house.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Month Menu and ramblings
I decided that after the first month of trying the month menu, I want to share my evaluation. As I knew about myself, I did not follow the menu to the T. Sometimes I don't feel like cooking. Sometimes in December we ended up eating with family when I hadn't anticipated doing so. I even ran out of ingredients sometimes so I wasn't always able to cook what I had planned. I knew before I started that these things would happen. I'm just a little sporadic in my cooking. So it goes. This made me reluctant in the first place to even try such a thing. The point of all this is: I'm glad I tried it even though December was a little crazy. Two days of work to prepare the menu and do the major shopping saved me lots of work throughout the month. I loved that. Matt also loved that I was more likely to cook more real meals since I was so planned out. So I like it. I got a late start this month, but I decided that that is OK because it gave me a chance to see what many of you are cooking this month so that I could steal ideas. I also decided that for this month I am including on my own list the amount of time each recipe is supposed to take. That can help me plan ahead a little I hope.
So here is the list:
Tuesday (Mexican except on New Years, I just through something together because I didn't have a plan):
1 Spaghetti
8 fajitas
15 southwestern casserole
22 tacos
29 mexican meat loaf
Wednesday:
2 pizza
9 tortilla soup
16 parmesan chicken fingers
23 skillet lo mein
30 chicken stuffing casserole
Thursday (Chicken):
3 chicken rolls
10 Italian tomato-herb chicken
17 chicken a la king
24 Stoeffer's Skillet & ice cream - This is Matt's birthday. He chose the dinner. It's a nice freezer dinner. Lucky me.
31 chicken kiev
Friday (Rice-ish stuff):
4 Baked Rice with Green Chilies
11 risotto
18 polenta (and a side)
25 curried rice
Saturday (Beef):
5 mexican beef and bean
12 meatballs
19 chicken-fried steaks
26 sloppy joes
Sunday:
6 Leftovers
13 Leftovers
20 Leftovers
27 Leftovers
Monday (Breakfast for dinner):
7 Santa Fe Brunch bake
14 huevos rancheros
21 breakfast burritos
28 classic cheese souffle
Mexican Beef and Bean Casserole is one of our favorites that we happened upon soon after we got married. We have it every few months and love it. So here's the recipe:
1 lb. ground beef
2 cans (15 to 16 oz. each) pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1/2 cup thick-and-chunky salsa
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup shreaded Monterey-Jack cheese (4 oz.)
1. Heat oven to 375.
2. Brown beef.
3. Mix beef, beans, tomato sauce, salsa, and chili powder in ungreased 2-qt casserole dish.
4. Cover and bake 40 to 45 min, stirring once or twice, until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered about 5 min. or until cheese is melted.
Try it. It's delicious. Thanks for all your dinner ideas!
So here is the list:
Tuesday (Mexican except on New Years, I just through something together because I didn't have a plan):
1 Spaghetti
8 fajitas
15 southwestern casserole
22 tacos
29 mexican meat loaf
Wednesday:
2 pizza
9 tortilla soup
16 parmesan chicken fingers
23 skillet lo mein
30 chicken stuffing casserole
Thursday (Chicken):
3 chicken rolls
10 Italian tomato-herb chicken
17 chicken a la king
24 Stoeffer's Skillet & ice cream - This is Matt's birthday. He chose the dinner. It's a nice freezer dinner. Lucky me.
31 chicken kiev
Friday (Rice-ish stuff):
4 Baked Rice with Green Chilies
11 risotto
18 polenta (and a side)
25 curried rice
Saturday (Beef):
5 mexican beef and bean
12 meatballs
19 chicken-fried steaks
26 sloppy joes
Sunday:
6 Leftovers
13 Leftovers
20 Leftovers
27 Leftovers
Monday (Breakfast for dinner):
7 Santa Fe Brunch bake
14 huevos rancheros
21 breakfast burritos
28 classic cheese souffle
Mexican Beef and Bean Casserole is one of our favorites that we happened upon soon after we got married. We have it every few months and love it. So here's the recipe:
1 lb. ground beef
2 cans (15 to 16 oz. each) pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1/2 cup thick-and-chunky salsa
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup shreaded Monterey-Jack cheese (4 oz.)
1. Heat oven to 375.
2. Brown beef.
3. Mix beef, beans, tomato sauce, salsa, and chili powder in ungreased 2-qt casserole dish.
4. Cover and bake 40 to 45 min, stirring once or twice, until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered about 5 min. or until cheese is melted.
Try it. It's delicious. Thanks for all your dinner ideas!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
My Cleaning Schelude
I like Abra's idea on having a cleaning schedule. I did this at one point in my life before I had kids and it worked out pretty well for me and I wanted to do it again so what better time then now, a new year's cleaning resolution. This is what I am going to try to do:
Mondays: Mop entry way & kitchen, vacuum stairs
Tuesdays: Clean kitchen (this includes counters, sinks, microwave, oven, & cleaning the fridge)
Wednesdays: Dust downstairs & clean/straighten our bedrooms
Thursdays: Bathrooms
Fridays: Organize something, a drawer, the hall closet, the linen closet, the garage, a cupboard, basically anything I feel that needs organizing at the time.
Oh and I have to vacuum downstairs & sweep the entry way everyday. Hopefully by posting this I will actually stick to it!!!!
Mondays: Mop entry way & kitchen, vacuum stairs
Tuesdays: Clean kitchen (this includes counters, sinks, microwave, oven, & cleaning the fridge)
Wednesdays: Dust downstairs & clean/straighten our bedrooms
Thursdays: Bathrooms
Fridays: Organize something, a drawer, the hall closet, the linen closet, the garage, a cupboard, basically anything I feel that needs organizing at the time.
Oh and I have to vacuum downstairs & sweep the entry way everyday. Hopefully by posting this I will actually stick to it!!!!
My New Year's Resolution....
I totally appreciate everyone who posts their meal plans... I'm not that organized... I have no idea what's for dinner tonight even! It's crazy having such a hectic working schedule... (I work two jobs and have a busy family with three crazy wonderful children)
One of my resolutions for this year was to get a handle on my house cleaning (I can always throw together a meal of some sort I figure.) What I really needed to do was get more organized in my cleaning. In the past I've had lists, charts etc... All of which seem too overwhelming at times and shortly goes out the window. The last few months, things have really piled up and I've been feeling very overwhelmed with it all. So I made this simple little chart for myself. This one, I think I can keep up with....
Monday:
Mopping (and sweeping) the floors, Mirrors, and Vacuuming (kind of goes along with Mopping...)
Tuesday:
TSM, and TSM.... (Toilets, sinks mirrors, and Tidy, sweep and mop if needed)
Wednesday:
Walls (I pick a set of walls ie: Stairway, or Bathroom walls...) and Washing (see laundry) and Windows
Thursday: TSM and TSM
Friday:
FUN DAY! PICK A CHORE YAY! (hahaha, this is where I've put eight different chores that don't need to be done weekly into a jar and pick one!
The eight I've picked are:
1. Clean garage
2. Clean storage area
3. Clean fridge and microwave (gasp Nancy I actually put it on my cleaning list)
4. Wash baseboards
5. Wash light fixtures
6. Piper's Bedroom
7. Boy's Bedroom
8. My Bedroom
Saturday:
Stairs, Sweep and Mop, Dust, Stove
Sunday:
NOTHING!!!!
By associating the chores with the first letter of the day their supposed to be done... I just might be able to keep this one going...!
By the way, I love the Cheese Chowder Recipe... I've been wanting a good chowder one and this sounds really yummy thank you!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
One of my resolutions for this year was to get a handle on my house cleaning (I can always throw together a meal of some sort I figure.) What I really needed to do was get more organized in my cleaning. In the past I've had lists, charts etc... All of which seem too overwhelming at times and shortly goes out the window. The last few months, things have really piled up and I've been feeling very overwhelmed with it all. So I made this simple little chart for myself. This one, I think I can keep up with....
Monday:
Mopping (and sweeping) the floors, Mirrors, and Vacuuming (kind of goes along with Mopping...)
Tuesday:
TSM, and TSM.... (Toilets, sinks mirrors, and Tidy, sweep and mop if needed)
Wednesday:
Walls (I pick a set of walls ie: Stairway, or Bathroom walls...) and Washing (see laundry) and Windows
Thursday: TSM and TSM
Friday:
FUN DAY! PICK A CHORE YAY! (hahaha, this is where I've put eight different chores that don't need to be done weekly into a jar and pick one!
The eight I've picked are:
1. Clean garage
2. Clean storage area
3. Clean fridge and microwave (gasp Nancy I actually put it on my cleaning list)
4. Wash baseboards
5. Wash light fixtures
6. Piper's Bedroom
7. Boy's Bedroom
8. My Bedroom
Saturday:
Stairs, Sweep and Mop, Dust, Stove
Sunday:
NOTHING!!!!
By associating the chores with the first letter of the day their supposed to be done... I just might be able to keep this one going...!
By the way, I love the Cheese Chowder Recipe... I've been wanting a good chowder one and this sounds really yummy thank you!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Bockholt meals, and what's for dinner tonight
I'm jumping on this wagon, but I only do a 2 week meal plan, and do my grocery shopping after every payday (which is every two weeks, makes my life easier):
my two weeks go from Dec 29-Jan 11, then Jan 12-Jan 25:
Wed 2nd: Chicken rolls (or cheese chowder)
Thurs 3rd: Noodles Florentine
Friday 4th: Tacos
Saturday 5th: Pasta night/leftovers
Sunday 6th: Chicken alfredo/pesto lasagna
Monday 7th: leftovers/unknown
Tuesday 8th: Empananadas (and I'll bake bread that day too)
Wed 9th: Chicken w/ pasta and pesto
Thurs 10th:Mac and cheese
Friday 11th: tortellini kabobs w/ pesto ranch dip
Saturday 12th: Pasta night/leftovers
Sunday 13th: Twice baked potatoes
Mon 14th: Chicken and Rice
Tues 15th: Artichoke stroganoff
Wed 16th: Spaghetti
Thurs 17th:Funeral potatoes
Friday 18th: pizza/eat out/leftovers
Saturday 19th: pasta night/leftovers
sunday 2oth:
monday 21st:
tues 22nd:
Wed 23rd:
Thurs 24th:
Friday 25th:
That's as far as I've gotten. . .I'm open to suggestions though! I'm going to post tonight's recipe as well, in case anyone wants it. And I hope those of you who have your plans post your recipes as well, then we can all benefit from some variety! that's my problem. Well, one of them.
What's for dinner tonight
Chicken rolls:
(I kinda make this one up. . .)
-1 chicken breast, cooked and cut up small(really small, or torn)
-1 8oz pkg of cream cheese softened, so it mixes easy
-1 pkg of cresent rolls (sometimes you need another 1/2 package)
-pile of cheddar cheese (this is according to your cheesy desire. I love lots of cheese because it melts up so nicely!
-about 2 tbsp melted butter
-bread crumbs (I use italian seasoned, but if you have plain, it doesn't matter, you could throw some italian seasoning in if you want)
-italian seasoning
Preheat oven to 350deg. Open your package of rolls and lay on a plate, so they get a little soft. Mix together the cream cheese, cheddar, and chicken, and add the italian seasoning until you like the taste (a few dashes works well) I also like to add dried chives. Take a roll and kind of flatten it, squish it out to make it bigger, but be careful not to tear it. Put a spoonfull or so inside and then seal it up good. you don't want them leaking all over the pan, (but they might leak anyway, I always have at least 3 that leak). Then roll in butter then bread crumbs and place on pan. Continue until your out of rolls or mixture, whichever comes first. If you have leftover mixture, it makes a good quesadilla, or eaten as is with chips.
Bake for about 20-30 minutes, until they're browned. Serves about 3-4 people--2-3 rolls a person
CHEESE CHOWDER
(serves 4-6)
-2 cups boiling water
-2 cups diced potatoes
-1/2 cup diced carrots
-1/2 cup diced celery
-1 tsp onion salt
-1/4 tsp pepper
-1/4 cup melted butter
-1/4 cup flour
-2 cups milk
-2 cups grated cheese (I put 3 cups in, because I'm a cheese junkie)
-1/2 cup cubed ham (and I leave this out, because we don't ever have any)
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes the water, potatoes, carrots, celery and seasonings. Don't drain! Whiles simmering veggies, makes a white sauce of melted butter, flour and milk. Do this is the microwave, it's easier! Combine and microwave for 90 seconds, stir and repeat 2-3 times until the sauce is thick--add cheese to sauce and let melt (I think I microwave again, just to make sure the cheese melts). Add the ham, the stir into the pot of veggies on the stove. Heat it all together, but don't boil!
I think the chowder can freeze pretty good. I'll find out today, because I'm trying to stock up on freeze meals for when the baby comes, as well as meals Matt can just take to work with him.
That's what the Bockholts are eating! What are the rest of you eating? I want those recipes! :)
my two weeks go from Dec 29-Jan 11, then Jan 12-Jan 25:
Wed 2nd: Chicken rolls (or cheese chowder)
Thurs 3rd: Noodles Florentine
Friday 4th: Tacos
Saturday 5th: Pasta night/leftovers
Sunday 6th: Chicken alfredo/pesto lasagna
Monday 7th: leftovers/unknown
Tuesday 8th: Empananadas (and I'll bake bread that day too)
Wed 9th: Chicken w/ pasta and pesto
Thurs 10th:Mac and cheese
Friday 11th: tortellini kabobs w/ pesto ranch dip
Saturday 12th: Pasta night/leftovers
Sunday 13th: Twice baked potatoes
Mon 14th: Chicken and Rice
Tues 15th: Artichoke stroganoff
Wed 16th: Spaghetti
Thurs 17th:Funeral potatoes
Friday 18th: pizza/eat out/leftovers
Saturday 19th: pasta night/leftovers
sunday 2oth:
monday 21st:
tues 22nd:
Wed 23rd:
Thurs 24th:
Friday 25th:
That's as far as I've gotten. . .I'm open to suggestions though! I'm going to post tonight's recipe as well, in case anyone wants it. And I hope those of you who have your plans post your recipes as well, then we can all benefit from some variety! that's my problem. Well, one of them.
What's for dinner tonight
Chicken rolls:
(I kinda make this one up. . .)
-1 chicken breast, cooked and cut up small(really small, or torn)
-1 8oz pkg of cream cheese softened, so it mixes easy
-1 pkg of cresent rolls (sometimes you need another 1/2 package)
-pile of cheddar cheese (this is according to your cheesy desire. I love lots of cheese because it melts up so nicely!
-about 2 tbsp melted butter
-bread crumbs (I use italian seasoned, but if you have plain, it doesn't matter, you could throw some italian seasoning in if you want)
-italian seasoning
Preheat oven to 350deg. Open your package of rolls and lay on a plate, so they get a little soft. Mix together the cream cheese, cheddar, and chicken, and add the italian seasoning until you like the taste (a few dashes works well) I also like to add dried chives. Take a roll and kind of flatten it, squish it out to make it bigger, but be careful not to tear it. Put a spoonfull or so inside and then seal it up good. you don't want them leaking all over the pan, (but they might leak anyway, I always have at least 3 that leak). Then roll in butter then bread crumbs and place on pan. Continue until your out of rolls or mixture, whichever comes first. If you have leftover mixture, it makes a good quesadilla, or eaten as is with chips.
Bake for about 20-30 minutes, until they're browned. Serves about 3-4 people--2-3 rolls a person
CHEESE CHOWDER
(serves 4-6)
-2 cups boiling water
-2 cups diced potatoes
-1/2 cup diced carrots
-1/2 cup diced celery
-1 tsp onion salt
-1/4 tsp pepper
-1/4 cup melted butter
-1/4 cup flour
-2 cups milk
-2 cups grated cheese (I put 3 cups in, because I'm a cheese junkie)
-1/2 cup cubed ham (and I leave this out, because we don't ever have any)
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes the water, potatoes, carrots, celery and seasonings. Don't drain! Whiles simmering veggies, makes a white sauce of melted butter, flour and milk. Do this is the microwave, it's easier! Combine and microwave for 90 seconds, stir and repeat 2-3 times until the sauce is thick--add cheese to sauce and let melt (I think I microwave again, just to make sure the cheese melts). Add the ham, the stir into the pot of veggies on the stove. Heat it all together, but don't boil!
I think the chowder can freeze pretty good. I'll find out today, because I'm trying to stock up on freeze meals for when the baby comes, as well as meals Matt can just take to work with him.
That's what the Bockholts are eating! What are the rest of you eating? I want those recipes! :)
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Dinner with the Buchanan's
I love Nancy's way of doing a meal chart for the whole month. Here is what the Buchanan's will be eating for the month of January:
Sundays: 6 - Thanksgiving Turkey (we still one that Jared got from work)
13 - Cesear Chicken & Rice Pilaf
20 - Pot Roast
27 - Chicken Cordon Bleu
Mondays: 7 - Turkey Leftovers
14 - Ham & Potato Casserole
21 - Root Beer Chicken over Rice
28 - Chicken Cordon Blue Leftovers
Tuesdays: 1 - I had Mc Donalds
8 - Chicken Enchiladas
15 - Chili & Corn Bread
22 - Tacos
29 - Sloppy Joes
Wednesdays: 2 - Chicken Tortilla Soup
9 - Spaghetti Pie
16 - Chicken Fettuccine
23 - Spaghetti
30 - My Mom's Angel Hair Pasta-Roni Recipe
Thursdays: 3 - Baked Potatoes
10 - Turkey Noodle Soup
17 - Potato Soup
24 - Oriental Flank Steak
31 - Teriyaki Chicken
Fridays: 4 - Beef Roll Ups
11 - Pizza
18 - Pizza
25 - Pizza
Saturdays: I don't cook so we eat whatever is easy!!!!
Sundays: 6 - Thanksgiving Turkey (we still one that Jared got from work)
13 - Cesear Chicken & Rice Pilaf
20 - Pot Roast
27 - Chicken Cordon Bleu
Mondays: 7 - Turkey Leftovers
14 - Ham & Potato Casserole
21 - Root Beer Chicken over Rice
28 - Chicken Cordon Blue Leftovers
Tuesdays: 1 - I had Mc Donalds
8 - Chicken Enchiladas
15 - Chili & Corn Bread
22 - Tacos
29 - Sloppy Joes
Wednesdays: 2 - Chicken Tortilla Soup
9 - Spaghetti Pie
16 - Chicken Fettuccine
23 - Spaghetti
30 - My Mom's Angel Hair Pasta-Roni Recipe
Thursdays: 3 - Baked Potatoes
10 - Turkey Noodle Soup
17 - Potato Soup
24 - Oriental Flank Steak
31 - Teriyaki Chicken
Fridays: 4 - Beef Roll Ups
11 - Pizza
18 - Pizza
25 - Pizza
Saturdays: I don't cook so we eat whatever is easy!!!!
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