Food Rut: Getting Back to Menu Plan Monday...

I am in a bit of a food rut.
Remember that old Dunkin' Donuts commercial.. "Time to make the donuts".
That's me right now..."Time to make supper." {sigh} {double sigh}

Everyday I honestly don't know what to cook for my family.

That's not good!

I think I am still on post-vacation hangover....I was away for 5 weeks staying with my parents and my Mom did all the meal planning.

She is so awesome like that....so good at taking care of other people!

In an attempt to get my mo-jo back, I am going to try new recipes this week.

I am not going to check the freezer to see what I have. {Gasp}

I am going to simply pick 5 'Lookin Good' recipes and go from there.

Anyone else in a food rut?

Monday

Pork & Green Bean Stir-Fry from Martha Stewart.

Tuesday

Cheese Tortellini Soup from Edie at Life in Grace & Crusty Bread

Wednesday

Tangy Potato Salad with Ham & Coleslaw

Thursday

 Cobb Salad & Fresh Baguette

Friday

 Grilled New England Seafood Bake from Martha Stewart
{except I will use sausage, shrimp, potato & corn on the cob}

Saturday

Grilled Steak & Vegetable Salad from Martha Stewart

And tomorrow I will be visiting one of my favorite blogs, "I'm An Organizing Junkie" to see all the links

for Menu Plan Monday for more inspiration!

Menu Plan Monday & A Recipe for Corn Chowder...

     I had a craving for a nice bowl of homemade corn chowder after I read Laura's meal plan for Menu Plan Monday a few weeks ago over at her blog "I'm an Organizing Junkie".
So I decided to make corn chowder for our family.

My hubby, although he loves soup, is not a fan of chowders, {Gasp! A Maritimer who doesn't like chowders!} so I tend to make chowders when he is travelling for work.

I expected the kids to bawk a bit at the mention of corn chowder for supper....but surprise, surprise...they each ate 3 bowls! I love when that happens!

There are times when I really wish that I had paid more attention when my Mom made chowders.

No born and bred self-respecting Maritimer would ever use a recipe for a chowder.

But it helps to watch an expert at work!

Corn Chowder

4 medium potatoes

2 large carrots

1 large onion

2 staulks celery

2 cans of corn niblets

2 cans of cream of corn

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 can of evaporated milk

2 cups of skim milk

Chop potatoes in large dice or rough chop. Prepare carrots, onion and celery  in small dice. Place these 4 ingredients in large pot and cover with just enough water. Bring to boil and turn back to medium heat. Simmer until potatoes are tender.  Do not drain off water. Add 2 cans of corn niblets, 2 cans of cream of corn and cream of mushroom soup. Add salt & pepper to taste. Then add milk or cream of your choice depending on how rich you want the broth to be. I used a can of evaporated milk and finished off with about 2 cups of skim milk. {Maritimers tend to use a can of evaporated in their chowders because it adds creaminess without a lot of calories and there is usually always a can in the pantry.}

This meal is great served with fresh-from-the-oven biscuits and a green salad with a simple viniagrette. And I always like my chowder topped with a dash of freshly ground pepper.

This week our family will be eating:

Monday

Spaghetti & Meat Sauce

Tuesday

Corn Chowder & Fresh Biscuits

Wednesday

Chicken Breasts on a bun with jalapeno havarti cheese & caesar salad.

Thursday

Shepherd's Pie & veggies & dip

Friday

Bratwurst Sausage on buns with home fries.

Saturday

Dad cooks.

This post is linked to:

Menu Plan Monday and a recipe for Italian Wedding Soup...

I am not sure about everybody else, but I am still full from Thanksgiving Dinner over a week ago!

We had a fun week of leftover turkey and desserts.

We managed to squirrel away two lots of turkey soup for the freezer~it will make a great future supper on a cold night with homemade bread.

On this week's menu for our family:

Monday~ Leftover buffet {we have roast beef, ribs and chicken leftover from the weekend}

Dinnertime: 4 pm due to skating and hockey practice.

Tuesday~Homemade mini-pizzas with salad.

Dinnertime: 5 pm.

Wednesday~ Homemade skillet lasagna with Caesar salad.

Dinnertime: 3:30 pm due to hockey practice.

Thursday~ Chicken, rice and Greek salad.

Dinnertime: 5 pm.

Friday~Italian Wedding Soup with homemade bread.

Dinnertime: 4:00 pm due to hockey practice.

And here's a recipe for a family favourite that I would like to share:

Italian Wedding Soup

This a great soup for a chilly night with tiny meatballs, vegetables and chicken broth.

It can be made in under an hour, and is great the next day after the flavours have mellowed.

Mini-Meatballs for the Soup

1 pkg. of ground turkey

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1 tbsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. finely chopped garlic

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Pinch nutmeg

Mix meatball ingredients together in bowl.

Soup

2 L {or more} chicken broth

1 L water

4 garlic cloves roughly smashed

1 onion, peeled and rough chopped

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 cup orzo pasta {or other small pasta}

1 large handful spinach, chopped

To make:

1.In large pot, heat a little olive oil and then add carrot, onion, celery and soup spices except bay leaf. The mixture will smell very fragrant as it cooks. When vegetables are soft, add chicken broth, water and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a simmer.

2. Make tiny, spoon-sized meatballs and drop into simmering soup. Meatballs will rise to top of soup broth when they are cooked. When all the meatballs are dropped into the soup, add 1 cup of orzo pasta and let soup simmer until orzo is cooked~ approximately 15- 20 minutes. Add in handful of chopped spinach.

3. Serve with grated Parmesan or Oregano cheese, and top with a spoonful of basil pesto. [optional].

Serve with a green salad and fresh rolls, biscuits or bread.

This is one of my family's very favourite meals.

Enjoy!
Make sure you visit Menu Plan Monday at
I'm an Organizing Junkie
for more great inspiration!

This post is linked to these great parties:

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Menu Plan Monday... Plus What Everybody Needs to Know About Menu Planning And Feature Family Fav Recipe: Shrimp Creole.

I love Menu Plan Monday.

I just don't feel organized for the week unless my menu plan is done.

I love when dinner time comes around and I have a plan.

I know lots of people who don't do menu planning but wish they did.

The first comment I hear is that they don't know where to start.

Here are my top 3 tips for making a menu plan.

1. Ask family members what some of their favourite meals are. Make a list of meals to pick from for future menu planning.You might think you know what their favourites are, but I have learned that when I ask this question, sometimes I am surprised by the answer!

2. Take a look around your fridge and freezer. What's in your fridge already that needs to be used before it goes bad? What's in your freezer that can be made into a meal? Incorporate these into your meal plan for the week. This saves you money by using things you already have before spending more money on duplicate items. This week, I have broccoli in my veggie crisper that needs to be eaten....so that's the green vegetable for today's meal.

3. Read the grocery flyers to see what's on sale this week. Take advantage of sales in your menu planning. This saves you money, especially in the fruits and vegetables department!

Now, write down 5-6 meals for the week using the information you have collected!  Now you can create your grocery list! Save cooking with new recipes for the weekend when more time is available.

Would you like more menu planning examples and ideas? Visit the blog I'm An Organizing Junkie. She hosts Menu Plan Monday every Monday and over 300 women link up with their menu plans for the week. It's fabulous! Click on the link below to visit!

My menu plan for this week:

Monday-Basa fish, jasmine rice, broccoli & carrots.

Dinner Time: 3:00 pm

{The basa fish was bought on sale and in my freezer already. Broccoli and carrots already in the crisper and need to be used.} Due to sports activities, we are eating at 3pm when the kids arrive home from school starving and hungry. We all need to be out the door by 4:30 pm. Each child will also have snack before bed such as: fruit, toast & yogurt.

Tuesday- Greek chicken with Greek salad, pita bread and tzatsiki.

Dinner Time: 5 pm.

{The chicken is already in our freezer from Costco. The tzatsitki needs to be eaten before it expires soon, as does the romaine lettuce.}

Wednesday-Pulled Pork Sandwiches & coleslaw.

Dinner Time: 3:00 pm

{We are eating dinner early today because of sports activities.Pork already in the freezer from Costco.}

Thursday-Italian wedding soup and crusty bread.

Dinner Time: 5:00 pm

{Ground turkey from Costco already in the freezer.}

Friday- Order out night.

Saturday- Make your own Pizzas.

And now for one of our family favourites:

Shrimp Creole

This is a classic Louisiana dish which tastes great on a cold night.

1 tbsp.  vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 staulks celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp. drimed thyme leaves

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper

1/2 to 1 serrano chili, finely chopped

1 can 28 oz. diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup clam juice, fish stock, or white wine

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

Zest of 1 lemon

1 lb. shrimp, cooked, peeled with tails off.

Directions: In skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and green pepper and cook, stirring, until softened. Add garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, & chili pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, stock or wine and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil. Turn heat to a simmer and add shrimp, parsley and lemon zest. Stir thoroughly and heat until shrimp is hot. Serve immediately. {Don't allow to simmer once you have added shrimp because the shrimp will turn tough and chewy.}

Serve with hot rice, a green salad and hot crusty bread.

Our entire family loves this meal. It tastes great when heated up the next day too!

This blog post is linked to these great parties:

<

Menu Plan Monday and a recipe for our fav Strawberry dessert...

(photo credit: My Home Ideas)

Now that fabulous weather has arrived, we have been eating our lunches outside.

It is such a nice change.

We have been experimenting with a lot of different types of sandwiches.

All of which are so good.

We like red onions, radish sprouts, avocado slices, different cheeses, olives, and artisanal breads.

Yummy!

Our menu plan for this week:

Monday- Toasted Shrimp sandwiches with veggies & dip.

Tuesday-Pita Pizzas on the grill.

Wednesday-Pasta with marinara sauce and ground beef & salad.

Thursday-Grilled chicken with caesar salad.

Friday- Picnic supper.

I thought I would share my absolute favourite summer dessert~Strawberry Soup.

I first learned to make strawberry soup in a cooking class in 2002.

My teacher was a fabulous chef with the most amazing recipes.

It is very simple to make... all you need for equipment is a blender.

And it only takes about 10 minutes to make....most of which is assembling the ingredients.

Strawberry Soup
Base:
2 cups strawberries
1 c. brown sugar ( I have cut this back to 1/2 cup)
1 c. water
1 large orange
2/3 c. white wine
1 c. plain yogurt
Method:

Place brown sugar & strawberries in food processor/blender and puree 1 minute.
Take orange and squeeze out fresh orange juice. To OJ add white wine. Then add to strawberry mixture. Add plain yogurt. If too thick, add water. If too thin, add more strawberries. This makes soup base.

I usually ladle the soup base into bowls and I finish off with a scoop of vanilla or strawberry ice cream in the middle of the soup, with more fresh strawberries sliced on top. I also usually garnish with some whipped cream and a little finely chopped mint, but in the picture of the soup above, I did not have the chance to do this because the kids wanted to eat the soup right away and did not want to wait for me to whip the cream.

The ice creams melts down into the soup as you eat it, and it is oh-so-delicious!!

Even my 'Mr. Picky Eater' loves this for dessert!


I am linking this post to:
Menu Plan Monday @ I'm An Organizing Junkie
{Head over there for an abundance of meal plan ideas}
Delicious Dishes @ It's a Blog Party
Tasty Tuesday @ Balancing Beauty & Bedlam
Strawberries @ Crunchy Betty

menu planning for the week....

(image from Amy Butler)

Lately, I have been on a kick where I have been looking for meal ideas which are super easy peasy.

For a long time, I have been cooking from recipes,

but there are times when just simple and homemade will do.

One thing that we really enjoy are pita bread pizzas.

I just chop up ingredients and shred some mozzarella and then we can all choose

our fav pizza toppings.

And after putting the pizzas in the oven for 10-15 minutes and whipping up a green salad,

our supper is ready.

The meal plan for this week:

Monday-BBQ'd chicken with roasted potatoes & a green salad.

Tuesday-Flat bread pizzas.

Wednesday-Pasta & salad.

Thursday-Salmon burgers with sweet potatoe fries.

Friday- Grilled steak with orzo pasta salad.

Saturday-Invited to a BBQ.

Sunday-Dad or Hunter cooks.

Baking projects for the week:

Oatmeal raisin cookies.

Bran brownies.

menu planning for the week...

I love spring weather not only because of the warm temperatures but also for the gradual changes that appear in our meal choices.

Although no one feels like a sandwich when the snow is swirling about, a paninni on the grill makes everyone happy when things are looking green and lush outside.

And is there anything that hits the spot like warm sun on your face, a sandwich with a few chips and veggies on the side along with a tall glass of iced tea?

My kids love this kind of meal.

Monday-Steak, small potatoes in Montreal Steak Spice with a green salad.

Tuesday-Shrimp Creole with rolls.

Wednesday-Ham & harvati paninnis on the grill.

Thursday-Chicken stir fry.

Friday-Pizza night for Hunter & I. Boys are away at a hockey tourney.

When I was stocking up on groceries at Costco yesterday, I came upon this brand of baking cocoa in the baking aisle. I have never tried this brand before and it intrigued me, so I threw it in the cart.

After I got home, I opened up the foil to smell the cocoa.

Oh. My. Word.

I have never smelled anything so good as this cocoa.

Full force chocolate aroma right in the face.

Simply divine.

I CANNOT wait to make a double batch of my mother's brownies recipe.

I have a feeling this cocoa will elevate them to a new kind of deliciousness.

Baking projects for this week:

Brownies.

Brownies.

Brownies.

Menu Plan Monday.....Mrs. Easy Peasy..

I am still working on a binder of 30 of my familly's favorite meals which I will share when I have completed. The purpose of having the recipes all in one binder is to make planning meals easier.

No flipping thru cookbooks for ideas. No last minute 'can't find it' search.

Everything in one place.

Favorite recipes in cookbooks will be photocopied for the binder.

Simple dimple.

Among my categories for the binder are the standards...chicken, fish, beef, soup, slowcooker, etc.

But I have also saved room for a section called "Easy Peasy".

Simple go to meals.

Our homemade fast food if you will.

Not every meal needs to be fancy schmancy from a cookbook.

Sometimes you need those 'throw together' meals.

Something that everyone likes.

Fast, hot & yummy.

Our meals for this week:

Monday- Beef burritos. Hunter had skating and Tyler had hockey, so we needed something that could be heated up at different times.

Tuesday-Pasta. This is a simple recipe that my mom used to make for us. Pasta, ground beef. Tomato Soup. Salt & Pepper.

Wednesday- Pork Tenderloin with Orange-Balsamic Glaze, roasted potatoes, green beans & carrots.

Thursday- panko-crusted fish with rice and salad.

Friday-Creamy Seafood Lasagna with leeks & Bell Peppers.

Saturday-Dad cooks.

I am linking back to an organizing junkie.com as she hosts Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan Monday...

I really love 'Menu Plan Monday'. It has become a nice habit for me...I enjoy weekly menu planning. It makes the week just feel so much better having a plan. January is a great time of year for soups. I am so lucky that my family truly loves a good bowl of soup....lots of my friends tell me that they can't get their families to eat soup for dinner. Tonight we had a favorite....taco soup. This time I added tons of mushrooms for a different twist.

One thing I have noticed about menu planning among my friends is that my generation really has menu planning backwards. Yes. I say backwards. Why? My generation makes a menu plan, a grocery list based on the menu plan, and then goes shopping for the items on the list. This method does not make the best use of a family's grocery dollar. A wise plan would be to look around the pantry and freezer first to see what is already on hand...and then make a menu plan based on what is on hand (and has been, hopefully,purchased on sale). This is one step that takes a little extra time, but saves money in the end because you are not paying full price for something at the grocery store because a grocery list says you need it. I always take a good look through my freezer and fridge before I determine the week's menu. I look at what is about to expire, or what needs to be eaten up, before I decide on meals. I have a weekly goal of trying one new recipe for dinner...which doesn't always happen for different reason, but I do try. In generations past, meals were made with what was on hand, in the pantry or came from the garden. There was no last minute dashing to the grocery store to buy items at a King's ransom price. My grocery list is always made after I have studied the sales fliers.

I am really surprised by the large number in our generation who either don't cook or eat out several times a week on a regular basis. I know of 2 families among our circle of friends where Mom openly states that she doesn't "like to cook". One mom is a busy mother to 3 children who all have extra-curricular activities, and supper is eaten out 3 or 4 times a week. I can't imagine what their monthly food bill totals. I feel so thankful that I grew up with a mother who cooked supper every single night and always made amazing meals with whatever she had on hand. She set a wonderful example to me. My Grammie Ada was another woman who cooked supper every night and I have vivid memories of her dinner waiting on the stove for my Grandfather to arrive home from work. There was no driving through Mcdonalds for a hamburger. Not ever.

Nothing says 'family' to me like a homemade supper eaten around a dining table with all bodies present. It's an important part of our day and the only daily meal that we eat together.

This week's menu plan:

Monday-Taco Soup with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and sour cream. Everything for this meal came from our pantry and freezer.

Tuesday-Paula Deen's wild rice, cheese & shrimp casserole with a spinach salad. This meal is inspired by a box of fresh spinach in our fridge that needs to be eaten, along with shredded cheese that needs to be used very soon.

Wednesday-Baked chicken with roast potatoes, green beans & carrots.

Thursday-Homemade pizza with a whole wheat crust and fresh veggies.

Friday-Pulled pork sandwiches and veggies & dip.

The best part...I didn't need to go to the grocery store this week to buy anything for these meals. I am using what we already have.

Menu Plan Monday...

It's Menu Plan Monday again...(except that it's Tuesday already!) and I took a peek through my freezer to see what could become this week's menu. Yesterday I found the package of 5 lbs. of chicken I got on sale for $6.73 at the local grocery store. The price works out to about $1.50 a pound, which is an extremely good price for chicken. I got out my stock pot and made a huge pot of homemade chicken soup. I keep my chicken soup very simple and classic..chicken, fine egg noodles and carrots. We ate soup for dinner last night and then it went into the kids' lunch today.

Monday-Homemade chicken soup with fresh rolls

Tuesday-Homemade waffles and sausages

Wednesday-Meatloaf (from the freezer) mashed tators, corn and carrots.

Thursday-Pork chops, baked potato and sweet potato with green beans.

Friday-My vote is Panago Pizza.

Saturday-Dad cooks. Likely bbq steak, mushrooms and caesar salad.

Sunday-Our leftovers night. Hunter & I have a Christmas party and potluck to attend after skating and we are taking taco soup and homemade chocolate dream cookies.


Kelly at the Party Dress has done it again with this 'feast for your eyes' "Reindeer Game Night". I just love how this party idea looks and what fun!!!
I think I am going to have a girlfriends night soon, except I think I might ask my guests to come in their Christmas jammies.

(Images: Top, myhomeideas.com, bottom, thepartydress.net)

Menu Plan Monday....

I love 'Menu Plan Monday'. It's an exercise that just makes my week feel so much more oranized. My blog posts for 'MPM' were inpsired by Laura at "I'm am Organizing Junkie". She is a Canadian who writes a fabulous blog on getting your home & life organized. If you would like additional inspiration for 'Menu Plan Monday', please go visit her site to find links to more menu plans than you could ever imagine. Your head will be spinning with ideas...trust me!

(image: myhomeideas.com)

Here are some of the meals that will be served at our house this week:

Monday: Pork Chops, rice, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots & ceasar salad.

Tuesday: Ribs & baked potatas with yellow & green beans and carrots.

Wednesday: Grilled ham & cheese paninis with coleslaw

Thursday: Taco Soup

Friday, Saturday & Sunday...Mom's away....so Dad cooks!

Yes! I am off to a scrapbooking retreat later in the week. Yahoo! I can't wait. Lot's of rest, relaxation and creative 'me' time.

Menu Plan Monday....

(image:myhomeideas.com)

I find menu planning so useful for keeping me on track with our food storage and food budget. When I plan meals for the week, I often poke through the freezer to see what needs to be eaten and I avoid unnecessary purchases at the grocery store. There are a more than a few mommy bloggers that are writing great stuff on meal planning, cooking for the freezer and how to get the most out of food storage. One mom with a family of 6 to feed keeps her grocery bill to $160 a month! She is extremely frugal AND creative with her grocery budget...still her family eats very well. So my challenge this month is to keep our family grocery budget to $160 from Nov.15 to Dec. 15. So far, I am making bread since we are out of bread and I refuse to pay $2 a loaf at the grocery store. The bonus is that my kids actually prefer homemade bread over anything else.
Our menu plan for the week will include using up all of our fresh fruits and vegetables so nothing goes to waste.

Monday-Pulled pork sandwiches with a veggies tray & dip. Fresh fruits parfaits for dessert.

Tuesday-Lobster stuffed salmon with wild rice, carrots and steamed asparagus.

Wednesday-Chicken & vegetable stir fry with rice.

Thursday-Meatloaf with baked potatoes, carrots and green beans.

Friday-Casserole. Undecided as to which casserole, but it will be made on Thursday to eat on Friday.

Saturday-Dad cooks.

Sunday-Homemade soup with sausages and lentils.


The Party Dress has done it again with a wonderful take on an "Apple-Picking and Fireside Dinner Party". Her photo collages are such a feast for the eyes...doesn't the party below just look divine?

Menu Plan Monday....

Here is our meal plan for this week...even though it's Wednesday already!

I love cooking dinner for my family. Often, dinner is the only meal of the day where we all eat together and I really treasure this family time. Some of our best family laughs arrive at the dinner table with the food as we hear about someone's day. A meal plan, which is a simple task, makes each day go so much better....no fretting at 4 pm about what's for dinner. One thing that really helps is if I do all the dinner prep in the morning so that later in the day I am just turning on the stove and/or oven and mixing a salad.


Monday-I had to work a Bingo for the skating club at 5pm and left the house at 4:15 pm. Hunter made pasta for herself and Ron made mini-pizzas for himself & Tyler. I had a cold salad plate at Bingo.

Tuesday- maple balsamic marinated chicken with rice, oven roasted sweet potato and steamed asparagus.

Wednesday-I made homemade waffles with an sliced apple topping for lunch. Ron and Tyler had hockey in the late afternoon and Hunter and I went to the movie....so we had tuna melts as people arrived home.

Thursday- seafood stuffed salmon with rice, green beans and carrots.

Friday-pork loin with baked potatoes, asparagus and carrots.

Saturday-Dad cooks.

Sunday- shrimp and wild rice casserole with an apple pecan salad.


I also have a rule where I try a new recipe for dinner once a week. This keeps us from getting tired of the same meals and lends variety to our eating habits.

Menu Plan Monday...

It's been awhile since I posted a 'Menu Plan Monday' post...but there is nothing like fall and a busy afterschool schedule to inspire meal planning. I find my day just starts so much better if I have supper made in the morning...both the prep and the assembly. That just leaves cooking time for a meal to be on the table.

Sunday~Shrimp & Wild Rice Casserole (Paula Deen recipe). Since we ate this yesterday, I can report that it was a hit with requests for an encore.

Monday~sad to say...but we ate McDonalds. Just trying to keep it real.

Tuesday~Hamburger soup....light on the hamburger and heavy on the vegetables. Served with cornbread from this month's Martha Stewart Everyday Food.

Wednesday~Roasted chicken breasts in a maple, bbq sauce with rice and green beens.

Thursday~grilled cubano panini sandwiches from this month's Martha Stewart Everyday Food.

Friday~twice-baked pototoes, basa fish and a green salad.

Saturday~Dad cooks.

Baking projects for this week:
~I have lots of frozen bananas in the freezer, so I am planning to make 2 batches of banana chocolate chip muffins for the kids' lunches.
~trying a new cornbread recipe from Martha Stewart Everyday Food.

Menu Plan Monday...

(photo credit: Country Living)

One thing that is helpful about posting Menu Plan Mondays on a blog is that you can look back and see what meals worked and what meals send you back to the drawing board. When I get into a rut when it comes to meal planning, I always spend a few hours with my cookbooks to get inpsired. I like to cook from recipes....it helps me to broaden my horizons and venture outside my comfort zone to try new things. Once I make something a few times from a recipe, then I can tweak it a bit and make it my own...and then the original recipe can be set aside.

Dinners for this week:

Monday-Basa fish with mashed potatoes and veggies

Tuesday-Chicken Enchiladas with greek salad. Strawberries & whipped cream for dessert.

Wednesday-Homemade Poutine with asparagus rolled in prosuitto on the side and a green salad.

Thursday-Italian Wedding Soup with Maritime Brown Bread.

Friday-Ron's birthday supper. Donairs with salad and Ice Cream Cake from Dairy Queen. (by request).

Saturday-Dad cooks.

Sunday-our 'whatever' day.

Menu Plan Monday.....

This week is Spring Break for us. It's really nice to have a break from routine and to just hang out and take the day as it comes.
I have recently been enjoying the blog of Eddie Ross. Eddie Ross was senior stylist at Martha Stewart Living and also appeared on "Top Design". He has gone out on his own to bring his design savvy to the marketplace under his own name. He and his partner have purchased a farmhouse which they are busy at work restoring and refreshing. The above photo is an example of Eddie's style and it is simple, clean and fresh.
The menu for this week:
Monday- Leftover steak and potatoes with carrots & broccoli
Tuesday-Homemade Mac & Cheese with salad
Wednesday-Taco Soup
Thursday-Taco Soup
Friday-Slow cooker Beef Stroganoff
Saturday-Dad cooks
Sunday-whatever day
By the way, yesterday was our "whatever day" and it was a wonderful day. Hunter made cornmeal and blueberry muffins and Ron requested Italian Wedding Soup. I also made a loaf of maritime brown bread with a peach/mango cobbler for dessert. My dear old friend Lis and her son came to hang out for the day and we had a nice meal, the boys had a great playdate and the girls watched Slumdog Millionaire. Ron made us popcorn. It was a good day.
(photo credit: Eddie Ross)

Menu Plan Monday...

With the economy being what it is, and my husband working for a US-based company, we are buckling up our budget, so to speak. This means evaluating all areas where we spend money and re-thinking choices and looking at areas where we can cut back or save.

One area where it is relatively easy to save money is on the grocery bill. Watching the weekly sales flyers on a regular basis can definitely save money if you carefully shop the sales and plan your menu accordingly.

I have taken our household to a "pantry" system, where we cook mainly from our pantry which is stocked with many basic ingredients that have been purchased at the lowest price I can find. Examples of lowest priced goods are: boxed cereals, canned soup, tomato sauce, crackers, chicken stock, tuna, peanut butter, etc. If the pantry is cleaned out of an item, I wait until the next sale before I stock up. Since I have adapted to this system, we grocery shop only 1 or 2 times a month. This does not include replenishing fresh items like eggs, milk, fruit & veggies. I recently stocked the freezer with bulk buying at Costco. I have found Costco to be the cheapest place to stock up on meat and some other goods. I regularly buy bulk packs of meat and divide them at home into smaller sized meal portions for the freezer. The last time I purchased meat was in December...we just ran out!

I bake most of our treats from scratch. I rarely buy pre-packaged or grocery store cookies, muffins or biscuits. This saves us money and the things I make from scratch are far healthier for us as we are not consuming chemicals, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. I regularly bake cookies for the kids lunches and wrap the cookies in wax paper in packs of 2's for the freezer...ready to add to packed lunches as needed. Same for muffins and I make homemade bread often as well.

One thing I have noticed is that my kids are often happy with just oranges and apples for fruit and often these are the best-priced items in the winter. I do buy other fruits such as kiwis, bananas, pineapple and melons when they are priced well.

My weekly menu is based on what is currently in my fridge to use up. I had a package of ground turkey from Friday that become Italian Wedding Soup for tonight's dinner. I have half of a 5 pound bag of carrots that will become Carrot Ginger Soup for Wednesday night's dinner, along with grilled sandwiches.

Breakfasts this week:
Eggs & Toast
Oatmeal
Cream of Wheat
Oranges
Yogurt

Lunches:
Tuna sandwiches
P&J Sandwiches
Leftover Italian Wedding Soup
Oranges, Apples, Pineapple
Carrots & Celery sticks
Cheese & Crackers
Yogurt
Chocolate Chip Cookies, Flaxseed Cookies

Dinners:
Monday-Italian Wedding Soup
Tuesday-Chicken Breasts with Grilled veggies
Wednesday-Carrot Ginger Soup with grilled ham sandwiches
Thursday- Homemade Pizza
Friday-Slowcooker Meal-Sweet & Sour Shrimp with Rice

Saturday-Dad Cooks

Sunday-Whatever day

Menu Plan Monday...

I love when fall arrives and the menu can move to warm, spicy soups and fresh fruit cobblers and muffins. It so much easier to get inspired in the kitchen when the weather is cool.

Monday:Dad cooks.

Tuesday:Shepherd's Pie and Salad.

Wednesday: Vegetarian Night: Spicy Corn Chowder & homemade bread.

Thursday: Pork Tenderloin in the slow cooker with veggies.

Friday: Fish Night: Quick Fishermens Stew (Shrimp & Clams) and biscuits.

Pickled Beets project: completed
Baking Projects: 6-8 apple pies..some for the freezer and some to give away. (Mom! STOP laughing! My mom knows that MAKING pies is not my favorite thing...however...eating them...different story! I am trying to break out of my comfort zone. Lis, wanna help me make pies?)

In other news....I got a crown today. I wish I could say that it was the kind that was all sparkly and full of diamonds. It was actually the kind that was white porcelain and goes in your mouth and costs mucho dollars for something smaller than the size of a nickel. Hello laughing gas.

Menu Plan Monday....

Since I have been re-organizing and de-cluttering our home, I have discovered many lovely blogs devoted to this topic. One idea I came across was that of 'Menu Plan Monday'. I used to do weekly planning of meals....but I have fallen off the the wagon lately. So here goes:

Monday: Bad mommy day... hot dogs...I had a quilting class to get to tonight and today was my marketing day....so I only had time to make a quick meal....normally hot dogs are NOT a meal choice.
Tuesday: Beef tips in red wine in the crockpot with potatoes, carrots and green beans.
Wednesday: Homemade chicken & veggie pizza with bread machine wholewheat pizza crust.
Thursday: Vegetarian meal:Homemade macaroni & cheese & salad as per Hunter's request.
Friday: Fish night: Grilled Shrimp with Sweet Chilli Lime Drizzle (new recipe) & couscous.
Saturday: Sweet & Sour pork spare ribs, baked pototoes & salad as per Tyler's request.
Baking: Spicy Brownies, Cranberry Orange Muffins, Bread Machine Maritime Brown Bread ( you cannot buy it in Alberta).
Home preserving project: Pickled Beets. This requires wearing a PURPLE shirt!