WholeHearted Home: Menu Plan Monday

Friday, January 11, 2013

Yikes! What's Cooking? Week One

It is time to get back into the groove of homemaking the wholehearted way!! Now that I have our home somewhat under control, I sat down and made up a menu for the week. I have not been consistent in planning my menu and I am tired of thawing meat and wondering what I am going to do with it?!

Photo Credit

So you thought I was totally and wholeheartedly organized?! Not completely so, but I do try!!

One reason to blog about menu planning is because I love all those encouraging comments you ladies leave. There is a sense of accountability when different bloggers blog about 'what's for dinner.' I don't want to find that there is nothing because I went to the cupboard and the cupboard was !bare!

I thought about visiting my recipes on Pinterest, but didn't feel like spending an hour there. It is a rare treat when I do. I thought about looking at my ZipList clips, but no, I wanted the tried and true ideas for this week.

I went to my 30 Meal List and decided (for once!) not to be so random. I took the first 5 meals and copied and pasted them into a new Evernote page. Then, I made a grocery list (minus staples like salt and pepper) and typed them under the 5 menu meals.

I titled it Winter Menu: Week 1 as next week, I plan to add five more recipes for supper.

Voila!!

Easy Peasy, don't you think?!

You can use these recipes as they link into my Plan to Eat account (tell me if they don't do this for you). That is where I store my tried and true recipes.

I will tweak these recipes according to my finances. For instance, when a recipe calls for Alfredo sauce I make my own. If I don't have mushrooms or someone doesn't like them, I delete them. If I want to simplify....I leave extra non-necessary ingredients (like onions?)! If it is a special occasion I use all the ingredients. Following a recipe like this is no-nonsense family cooking. I leave the recipe as is.

I will add to this list items for lunches and breakfast. We don't need any more snacks, RIGHT???

We always have pizza on Saturday and so that leaves one day free and simple (maybe canned soup and sandwiches?)

So get your 'thinking cap on' and tell me what you are cooking for your clan??

Menu Planning: Week One

Grocery List

Meat:

chicken breast tenders

sweet sausage

beef brisket

cooked ham

Produce:

tomatoes

lettuce

mushrooms

potatoes

onions

peppers

green onions

Dairy:

eggs

milk

cream cheese

butter

fettuccine

cottage cheese

sour cream

Parmesan cheese

cheddar cheese

Misc:

creamed corn

BBQ sauce

Pam

Alfredo sauce

uncooked noodles

lasagna noodles

cold cuts

American cheese

canned chicken

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WholeHearted Home Wednesdays

In Christ Alone,

~Judith~

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Menu Planning Mania: Behind the Curve Ball!!

Yesterday was Monday (you didn't know that, did you?!) and I had no idea what was for supper other than chicken. You'd think that I would be motivated by the concept from Menu Plan Monday...or by my own post about the 30 Meal Deal!!

Procrastination seemed to be the name of the game for me and I had my feet headed in the wrong direction this week!! I should do what I blog just as much as we should do our pins. If we don't, we are not redeeming the time!!

Of course, I have a good excuse (don't we all!!) since my oldest son drove 16 hours to get home for a long weekend. We were all still enjoying him.

So, I made a salad.

Then, I threw corn into a pot. I was really behind the curve ball because it needed to be DONE but it was supposed to cook 4 hours in the crock pot!!

My sweet 19 year old daughter came to the rescue when I discovered that I had run out of oil. No miracles here. I had neglected to buy it...but have plenty of food in the house. It is cheaper at Sam's Club would be my excuse. She suggested that she would make Chicken Fingers instead of a recipe which called for oil.

So, I thought you'd like to have these delicious recipes to add to your Menu Planning while I sit down and make out my dinner menu's for this week. It's Tuesday, and like I said, I am behind the curve ball!!

Cheesy Corn

From Emily over at Honeymooning Hargetts

3 16oz. packages frozen corn

8 oz. package cream cheese, cubed

1/4 cup butter, cubed

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons sugar

6 slices American cheese

Directions:

Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 4 hours.

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Ultimate Chicken Fingers

From Naomi Anna over at Starlight and Sunshine

2/3 cup Bisquick Mix

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt/garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2" strips

1 egg beaten

3 Tablespoons of butter, melted

Directions:

Mix Bisquick, cheese, salt and paprika in 1-gallon-re-sealable bag. Dip half the chicken strips in egg, place in bag of flour mixture. Shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle butter over chicken.

Bake 12-14 minutes, turning after 6 minutes, till no longer pink in center.

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It is easier for me to operate without a plan and it takes a real effort for me to sit down and menu plan. When I do, I find so many benefits, how about you?

Do you plan your menu out? Do you take the time to read blogs that encourage you to to menu plan?