Menu Plan: 1/26 through 2/2

A day late, but here nonetheless. Here's my weekly menu plan for dinner:

Wednesday (yesterday): Pasta with Vodka Sauce

Thursday (today): Crock Pot Italian Chicken & Veggies on Rotini; Whole Wheat dinner roll

Friday: Burgers on Sandwich Thins & Sweet Potato Oven Fries

Saturday: Spanish Tortilla & baked apple pancake

Sunday: Classic American Pot Roast

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Lentil Soup with Turkey Sausage

Wednesday: Steak, Fries, Broccoli, and Dinner Rolls

What's on your menu this week? Are you trying anything new?

Menu Plan 1/19 through 1/26

To help keep variety in our menus, I've implemented a commonly used strategy in my meal planning. The skeleton of the plan is done for me, and all that's left to do is fill in the blanks. Here's what I mean:

Every Monday, I'll serve leftovers. On Tuesdays, poultry will make an appearance on my table. Wednesdays will fill us with some sort of beef. Thursdays are reserved for my Crock Pot or a casserole dish, often featuring beans. Fridays are my junky days (made wholesome, of course), with hand-held foods like burgers, pizza, tacos, or a simple pasta dish. Saturdays, it's breakfast for dinner. And Sundays will always feature a traditional roasted family meal, like ham or whole roasted chicken, or roast beef.

Having the plan in place speeds up menu planning and helps me make sure I'm serving a wide variety of foods. Here's what this week looks like:

Wednesday: Shepherd's Pie

Thursday: Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Ham

Friday: Bowties with Sausage and Veggies

Saturday: Pumpkin Waffles & Baked Apples

Sunday: Roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, and broccoli

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Chicken Soup with Butter Dumplings & Toasted Baguettes with cheese

Wednesday: Chicken-fried steak, rice, and collard greens

What's on your menu plan for the week? Do you have a weekly guide like me?

Menu Plan for the week

I hope the week has been treating you all well so far. Wednesday is my new menu plan day. It works out better for me because the sales ads come out on Wednesday so it allows me to plan my meals based on sale items. Here's the plan for this week. Later today, I'll be sharing a slow cooker chili recipe, just in time for all this cold weather across the United States.

Wednesday: Asparagus, Bacon, and Cheddar Fritatta and fresh fruit

Thursday: Slow Cooker Chicken Burritos

Friday: Eating with friends -- Chicken & Noodles and dessert

Saturday: Steak Hash & scrambled eggs

Sunday: Baked ham, cornbread dressing, broccoli, and dinner rolls

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Panko-Parmesan Drumsticks, Sweet Potato Fries, and cooked cabbage

Menu Plan Monday 11/29 - 12/5

Breakfasts will include:

• eggs/whites cooked in olive oil, with veggies (onion, green pepper, broccoli, spinach) and sometimes cheese
• fruit & yogurt smoothies
• English muffins
• Gingerbread Muffins
• Oven Oatmeal

Lunches discussed daily at 360 Lunch Boxes

Dinners this week:

• Thanksgiving Soup
• White Winter Vegetable Stew
• Busy Day NOT Gourmet Chicken Cacciatore
• Meatball Pizza
• Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks
• Build-Your-Own Hoagies & Fresh Fruit Salad
• Chili & Cornbread

Planned Baking/Snacks:

• the gingerbread muffins from breakfast
• peppery popovers
• double chocolate muffins

Menu Plan Monday: Thanksgiving Edition

Hello friends new & old! Here we are in the last full week of November. Can you believe it? I've been blogging here at All Home Cooking for almost a full year. I've been giving some thought as to what to do with this blog when the year comes to a close. My url says cook at home 2010...soon, it won't be 2010 anymore. I know that I won't be shutting the blog down. I'll still be cooking new things and sharing them with you. I just haven't decided what to do about the url just yet.


I've been sick! And busy! I am just getting over bronchitis (and when I get bronchitis, it's bad. I'm lucky if it doesn't settle in and make a nice little pneumonia out of itself).

My daughter (Bayberry) just turned twelve and we had a slumber party for her. I just saw my husband off for a few days-- he's gone to Texas for a meeting. And we got some very, very, very good news! Oh, and I have  a personal blog now. I'd love for you to check it out. It's a good way to get to know the person behind the cookbook, if you're interested. :)

Anyway, this week brings more busyness with it. There's Thanksgiving to prepare for (don't forget to take your turkey out of the freezer!). And there's Black Friday. Are you done Christmas shopping? Have you even begun? I'm just about done. There are a couple of things left to purchase, but my bulk is done. I'll be staying home for Black Friday, thankyouverymuch.

Here's what the cooking looks like around here this week:

Breakfasts:

• oatmeal
• Cheerios
• fruit & yogurt smoothies
• eggs (with cheese, veggies, and/or breakfast sausage)
• English muffins with cream cheese and peach freezer jam

Lunches:

• discussed daily at 360 Lunch Boxes

Dinners:

• vegetarian split pea soup with garlic-cheese croutons and salad
• creamy chicken penne pasta
• black bean soup served with flour tortillas
• Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, cornbread dressing, corn pudding, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, sweet peas with pearl onions, honey-nut crunch sweet potatoes with cranberries, pumpkin yeast rolls, crustless pumpkin pie, apple crisp, pumpkin bread pudding, pumpkin mousse
• turkey a la king with pepper popovers
• meatloaf, oven fries, and veggies
• leftovers

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan Monday

Can you believe it's already November 1st? October went by so quickly!


How was your Halloween? We had such a great time. On Friday, Army Man and I went with some friends to see Saw in 3D. What better way to kick off Halloween weekend than to see a slasher film? On Saturday, our community observed trick or treating hours. Army Man and I dressed up to hand out candy while Bayberry and Fancy went trick or treating with friends. Later, we all met up at a Halloween party and had a fun evening. Finally, our holiday weekend culminated in a scream fest at a haunted farm. Just adults, no children. I screamed a lot, got some special cuddles in the haunted barn by various axe murderers, and came home a bit hoarse. What a great weekend! Here we all are in our costumes:

Fancy made a pretty convincing spectre.

I loved Bayberry's eyes here. She wore some long false lashes that really added to the cat look.

Army man as grandpa. He scared most of our trick or treaters with this mask!

Finally, yours truly. The kids weren't so frightened of me. Note the rolled stockings. Oh, and on my head, that's my hair, not a wig. It took at least an hour to roll it and turn it grey. Some dollar store reading glasses on a beaded chain and a cane completed my look.

Lots of folks took our picture that night. :)

Did you dress up? Go to a party? Tell me about your Halloween!

On to the menu plan...

Breakfasts will include pumpkin pie oatmeal (recipe follows), pancakes, scrambled eggs & toast, yogurt, Cheerios (Publix has them buy one get one free through Tuesday!), and fruit.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

serves 1

What You Need:

• 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 Tbsp sweetener of choice

How it's Done:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan with high sides. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer five minutes. Remove from heat and let stand three minutes before serving. My kids love this with a bit of whipped cream on top. I like it plain for a low fat, high fiber breakfast.

Lunches will be posted at 360 Lunch Boxes.

Dinners this week:

• Spinach-Feta Pasta
• Beef Tacos
• Slow Cooker Vegetable Lasagna
• Slow Cooker Chicken Burritos
• Chicken Stroganoff
• Chicken Fried Steak (made healthier!), Pepper Popovers, Mashed Potatoes, and veggies
• Leftovers

Planned Baking:

• Pumpkin pudding

***Enter to win a $50 CSN Stores Shopping Code!*** Lots of ways to enter!***

For more menu plans, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie every Monday. Stop back by for recipes throughout the week.

Menu Plan Monday

It's been a while since I've written out an entire week's menu at once. Following weight watchers makes it tricky to plan an entire week. Instead of doing it like I used to, which was to outline every meal we were going to eat for the week, I'll just list foods that we're likely to eat. And when I make a really great new recipe, you can be sure I'll be here to share it with you all.

Breakfasts will include:

• peaches & cream oatmeal
• hard-boiled eggs
• yogurt
• apples
• cereal with milk
• bagels & cream cheese

Lunches:

• Kids take packed lunches to school, and I photograph them and detail them at my lunch blog, 360 Lunch Boxes.
• Husband sometimes takes a packed lunch. Other times, he eats at home.

Home Lunches for Me (and Husband sometimes):

• egg salad on a wrap
• turkey burger on an English muffin
• Potato & Broccoli, pan-"fried"
• vegetable fritatta
• vegetable spaghetti
• dinner leftovers

Dinners may include:

• turkey loaf
• penne with meatballs and spaghetti sauce
• cheese-stuffed hamburger steaks
• steak tacos
• chicken & bean fajitas
• pizza & salad
• meatball subs & sweet potato fries

Snacks will include:

• fresh fruit -- apples, mainly
• carrot sticks
• applesauce
• crackers & cheese
• popcorn
• yogurt
• smoothies

Menu Plan Monday 9/20 - 9/26

This is going to be a GREAT week! I've got my first Weight Watchers weigh-in. Some of my favorite TV shows come back (Dexter, anyone?). Autumn begins (although no one seems to have notified the weatherman of this. It's supposed to be 100 degrees here today and tomorrow).

Here's my plan for the week. For lots more, visit orgjunkie.com each Monday morning.

Breakfasts:

• oatmeal -- with cinnamon & brown sugar, or apples & honey, or whatever concoction we devise
• Bagel Thins (my new favorite breakfast item) with cream cheese or an egg
• peanut butter & jelly on whole grain bread

Lunches:

• posted daily at 360lunchboxes.blogspot.com

Dinners:

• Pot Roast with some sort of bread
• Roasted Chicken, Wild Rice, and Steamed Vegetables, again, with bread
• Italian Potatoes (simple recipe follows)
• Tortilla Soup with cornbread
• Chicken & Noodles
• Steak Parmesan
• Leftovers

Planned Baking:

• granola
• bread pudding

Italian Potatoes:

This is a simple meal that's filling and fast.

For each serving, you will need 1 baked potato, 1/2 a cup of meat sauce, and 2 Tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese.

Cut the potato in half lengthwise, almost all the way through (leaving the bottom skin intact). Slice almost all the way through the other way, 3 or 4 times. Top with the meat sauce and mozzarella. Bake at 350 (or microwave) until heated through and cheese is melted.

Have a great week! :)

Menu Plan Monday

For more menu plans, visit orgjunkie.com

Here we are, at another Monday. It seems like the weeks are flying by, one big blur of time. I've been away from my blog for several days because I needed to take care of home first, and home has been hectic! Soccer and cross country, elementary and middle schools, homework, class projects, cooking, cleaning, driving, meeting...Thus is my life at the beginning of the school year. I think my system is settled now. This week, I have to drive two kids to and from NINE practices and meets and games each week. My husband's in an Army school that's super-intense so he can't help till the middle of October. So, days have been full and busy and are about to get fuller and busier as my children play their chosen sports. I don't know how people with kids in more than one sport each handle it. I'm good with one per kid. Anyway, on to the weekly menu.

I'm going to have to rely on cooking ahead, slow cookers, my rotisserie, and other shortcuts to get me through mealtimes this month. I have plenty of time each morning, so breakfasts aren't a problem. It's dinner that's going to be the struggle. I'm going to do as much prep work ahead of time as I can!

Breakfasts:


Eggs Benedict Arnold
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Breakfast Pizzas
Banana Coffee Cake
Breakfast Burritos
Banana Bread Crepes
Hash Brown Casserole


Weekday Lunches: Posted at 360 Lunch Boxes


Weekend lunches:

Frito Chili Cheese Wraps
Chicken Salad Sandwiches


Dinners:
Chili
Lasagna
Beef Stew
Steak Parmesan
Breakfast for Dinner
Macaroni and Cheese
BBQ Beef


Planned Baking:

Apple Cake
Buttermilk Bread
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sausage Balls
Ranch Roll-Ups

Menu Plan Monday 8/30 to 9/5

Wahoo! It's almost September! September, how I love thee! Apples, apples, and more apples! I'm so looking forward to apple recipes. Are you? I hope so, because I intend to share quite a few!

This week's been slow around here, with not many new recipes to share with you. But here are three we made and enjoyed:

Polenta Tots

Messy Lenny -- Such a hit that we're doing it again this week!

Crackers

Anyway, here we are at a new week, and  that means it's time for menu planning. The timing's perfect, because I've got to go to the grocery store tomorrow and do my shopping. So, I've looked over my store's sales ads, and here's what I'm planning for this week:

Breakfasts will include:

• Greek yogurt with fruit and granola
• Scrambled eggs with veggies and maybe some cheese
• English muffins with fruit and cream cheese
• Hash Brown Casserole
• Breakfast Bagel Pizzas

Lunches are packed for everyone but me. I consulted the lunch box crowd, and they'd like to see bagel pizzas, shredded chicken, tacos, macaroni and cheese, and hot dogs. Gee, I wonder who's being influenced by poor cafeteria food choices! So, it's my mission to send them to school with lunches they love and ingredients I'm comfortable giving them. Follow my mission at 360 Lunch Boxes.

Dinners. Dinner is my favorite meal to plan. I love sitting around the table with my family at night. Here's what's on the menu this week:

• Slow Cooker Lasagna with salad and garlic bread
• Beef Stroganoff on Egg Noodles, which I'll attempt to make from scratch without a machine
• Messy Lenny sandwiches on Soft Sandwich Rolls, cole slaw, and cinnamon apples
• Brew Stew (recipe will be posted this week), crusty bread
• Out to eat
• Chicken & Gravy over biscuits
• Soup (Broccoli Soup), Salad, and Bread sticks

Planned Baking:

• Apple Cake
• Buttermilk Bread
• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Snack Mix
• Fruit Roll-Ups
• Sausage Balls for FOOTBALL!

A couple of other fun things you can look forward to this week are a coffee drinker's review and a guest post.

While you're here, don't forget to stop by and enter to win a loaf of Rudi's Organic Bakery bread. There will be FIVE winners and there are very low entries so far, so your odds of winning are great! I'll draw for a winner Tuesday morning.

Menu Plan Monday is a weekly link-up hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie. Head on over and link up your weekly plan.

Menu Plan Monday -- Last Full Week of August!

visit orgjunkie.com for more menu plan ideas

I'm so happy that we're at the end of August! Time seems to be flying by. My kids have already been in school 3 weeks. It's almost September, which brings with it weather that's a tiny bit cooler. Then, there's October, which brings with it my wedding anniversary and Halloween, and cooler weather still. And before we can blink, it'll be November, with Thanksgiving and the newest Harry Potter movie (so excited about this!), and Christmas will sneak up on us, and we'll be back to New Year's Day!

So what will that mean for cookathome2010.blogspot.com? We'll have some changes, but it will all be for the better. Anyway, I'll talk about that when the time draws nearer.

Three exciting things coming this week: two reviews and a giveaway! Stay tuned for details on those.

We really enjoyed these foods last week:

Maple Dinner Rolls

Shortbread Thumbprints with Dried Fruit Filling

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

Chicken & Pepper Pasta

Here's what I'm planning to cook this week (and Monday of next week):

• Something with two gigantic Porterhouse steaks. I'd like to do something new with them, rather than the same delicious grilled steaks we usually do. This is the only meat meal we'll have all week.
• Lentil Sloppy Joes on homemade rolls
• Black Bean Burgers, also on homemade rolls
• Quiche
• Rice & Vegetables with Gravy
• Pintos & Rice. Possibly with cornbread.
• 2 nights of leftovers, to use up whatever's needing to be eaten.

The above will be served with any number of the following:

• carrots
• parsnips
• broccoli
• green beans
• corn on the cob
• cauliflower
• cucumbers

And here's what I'll likely be baking this week:

• several varieties of bread
• sugar-free coconut macaroons
• honey popovers
• muffins of some sort

Lunches: Army Man, Picky Eater, and Bayberry take lunch each day. I'll be eating whatever's leftover or whatever looks good.

Breakfasts: pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, fruit, eggs, and juice

Menu Plan Monday 8/16 - 8/22

Good morning! I hope this finds you off to a good start to your week. This is a big week for us, as our littlest family member rounds the corner into seven years old, and our oldest daughter attends her first ever school dance. She's even been asked by a boy. They're meeting outside before the dance.

Last week, I went hiking and biking, but also made some delicious foods. Here are a couple of highlights from the week:

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Patty Melt & Sweet Potato Fries

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

This week, here's what I have planned:

Breakfasts:

• 
  
  eggs, bacon, & toast
• 
  
  overnight oatmeal
• 
  
  breakfast casserole
• 
  
  pancakes
• 
  
  quiche
• 
  
  bagels; fruit
• 
  
  French Toast

Lunches are packed for everyone except me. I eat leftovers or whatever I whip up in the middle of the day.

Dinners (in no particular order):

• 
  
  Grilled steaks, home fries, and veggies
• 
  
  Coconut Black Beans & Rice
• 
  
  Spicy Pasta Bake
• 
  
  Birthday Girl's Choice: Bacon, Sausage, Eggs, and Toast with Strawberry Cake for dessert
• 
  
  5-layer burritos
• 
  
  Chicken & Pepper Pasta
• 
  
   Broccoli-Cheese Soup & Garlic Toast

For more menu plans, visit orgjunkie.com. And for lunch box inspiration, visit me at 360lunchboxes.blogspot.com

Menu Plan Monday -- First Full Week of School

I'm going to stop planning every meal, since the kids are in school and my husband is in school, too. They're both taking lunches each day, and I'm sharing lunch box details on my new blog, 360 Lunch Boxes. I hope you'll join me there.

Here is what I plan to make for dinner this week:

Monday: Kidney Beans Sofrito Americano; cornbread
Tuesday: Black Bean Tortilla Casserole
Wednesday: Vegetable-Stuffed Baked Onions with Salad and Bread sticks
Thursday: Homemade Spaghetti-Os & "Milk Shakes" (another smoothie, no ice cream involved)
Friday: Quiche & Toast & Fruit Smoothies
Saturday: Beef Burgundy with Egg Noodles & yeast rolls
Sunday: Steak Soft Tacos with salad

And here's my list of things I hope to get around to making this week:

• soft sandwich bread
• soft pretzels
• cream puffs
• danish
• croissants

For more menu plans, visit orgjunkie.com every Monday. See you throughout the week for some great recipes!

Menu Plan Monday

Good Monday Morning to you! What do you have planned this week? School starts this week for us. We're all done school shopping. My brand new middle schooler has her uniforms. My brand new second grader has her cute outfits. All the supplies are marked with names. Hair is freshly trimmed. Eyesight is checked (and Picky Eater is now in glasses). Lunch boxes are ready to go. You can check out our daily lunches at my new blog, 360 Lunch Boxes.

Here's what our week looks like:

Monday:

Breakfast: grits & orange juice

Lunch: husband - bacon, lettuce, and cheese wrap; cream cheese on celery; nuts; iced tea / kids & me - baked potatoes loaded with toppings

Dinner: Marinated Portobellos, Cheesy Orzo, and Glazed Roasted Vegetables

Tuesday:

Breakfast: pop tarts & orange juice

Lunch: Husband - Tuna Salad; Hard-Boiled Egg; Iced Tea / Kids & me - ?
Dinner: Soybean Burgers & Fries

Wednesday:

Breakfast: oatmeal & orange juice

Lunch: Husband - Tuna Salad; Hard-Boiled Egg; Iced Tea / Kids & Me - Grilled Cheese & Minestrone Soup

Dinner: Chili Bean Burritos

Thursday:

Breakfast: Egg & toast

Lunch: Husband - Egg Salad stuffed into peppers; Celery with Ranch to dip; Pickle; Iced Tea / Kids & Me - Leftovers

Dinner: Pizza

Friday:

Breakfast: apple pancakes

Lunch: Kids - ? / Me - Vegetable-Stuffed Baked Onion / Husband - Shrimp salad in a wrap; Pickle; Apple; Iced Tea

Dinner: Black Bean Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries, and Pickled Cukes with Onions

Dessert: Surprise for kids since it's the first day of school! Honey Cake

Saturday:

Breakfast: Danish pastry

Lunch: Hasselback Potatoes

Dinner: Sofrito Americano Pink Beans & Cornbread

Dessert: Cream Puffs

Sunday:

Breakfast: waffles

Lunch: Homemade Spaghetti-Os

Dinner: Beef Burgundy with Butter & Parsley Noodles


Other things I am making this week:

• Fairy Wands
• Taco Muffins
• Meatloaf Muffins
• Blueberry Cornbread
• Apple-Carrot Cupcakes with Honey-Butter Frosting
• Peanut Butter & Jelly Biscuits
• Pizza Shells
• English Muffins
• Egg Bread
• Amish Friendship Bread

For more menu plans, visit orgjunkie.com. See you throughout the week for recipes!

Menu Plan Monday 7/26 - 8/1

Happy Monday to you! Monday is my favorite day of the week. It's a new start...a fresh slate...a chance to begin again. It's also a day to reflect on last week: Did I reach my goals? Did I have  a good week? Here are some of the things we enjoyed last week:

Mini Maple Cupcakes with Honey Butter Frosting

Coconut Black Beans & Rice

Smokey, Spicy, Chunky Chili

It's Use it Up Week here at my house, which means creativity at its finest! I've decided try weekday vegetarian, eating meat only on Saturdays, sometimes Sundays. My girls are free to eat the same thing I'm eating (which they usually choose) or some of what dad's having, instead. I just feel better eating less meat, and I know it -- but I do love me a juicy burger or Porterhouse steak. I'm just reserving my indulgence for the weekends! I'm also trying to do away with dairy almost completely, because it doesn't agree with any of us. The Hubs loves cheese, so we'll always have it around. However, there are delicious alternatives (none of those fake cheese slices do it for me, but I'm going to show you some that meet my approval throughout the next few months). Those alternatives don't make me feel congested, sleepy, and icky. And I've never been a huge cow's milk fan anyway, so I'll be using non-dairy milks exclusively now.

Don't worry -- the change won't impact the deliciousness around here. And anywhere I use almond milk, you can easily use cow's milk instead, if that's your preference.

By the way, I'm also trying to lose 20 pounds. Saturdays are my cheat days, otherwise, look for moderately healthy meals all-around.


Monday:

Breakfast: Kids - cereal with milk / me - Whole Grain English Muffin with Flax & Cream Cheese

Lunch: Kids - homemade corndogs / me - Almond Grain Burger on Roll with mustard & fries / husband - turkey & cheese wrap with lettuce & onion & peppers; peanuts; dill pickles

Dinner: Lentil-Rice Tacos with Nutritional Yeast Sauce ("cheese" sauce), onions, peppers, and lettuce (husband's on Atkins: Shrimp & broccoli in garlic-butter sauce

Tuesday:

Breakfast: Kids - cereal with milk / me - oatmeal & juice

Lunch: baked beans & sweet potato coins / husband - turkey & cheese salad; hickory smoked almonds; dill pickles

Dinner: Pizza loaded with fresh veggies and olives (husband: steak & cauliflower)

Wednesday:

Breakfast: Tortilla with Peanut Butter & Raisins (Kids will also have a smoothie)

Lunch: leftover pizza / husband - chicken salad on lettuce; peanuts; dill pickles

Dinner: soybean & rice tostadas with nutritional yeast sauce (husband - chicken & broccoli bake)

Thursday:

Breakfast: Kids: oatmeal pancakes with cherry topping / me - oatmeal with raisins

Lunch: Peanut Butter Pasta (husband - chicken salad; beef jerky; dill pickles)

Dinner: Butternut Squash Ravioli with garden veggies, olives, garlic, and olive oil and flat bread (husband: shrimp of some sort)

Friday:

Breakfast: Creamy Breakfast Rice

Lunch: Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins and Fruit Smoothies (husband - banana peppers stuffed with ham salad; dill pickles; low-carb almond butter cookie

Dinner: Bean Burritos & homemade tortilla chips (husband - taco salad without shell)

Saturday: (Saturday is our big shopping day. Not only are we food shopping, but we're also school shopping. We're starting early and won't be back until dinnertime.)

Breakfast: Out to Eat -a sit-down, down-home breakfast as a family

Lunch: Out to Eat - a mall food court or drive through, most likely

Dinner: nibbles at home

Sunday:

Breakfast: Bacon, Eggs, Berries, and Toast

Lunch: ?? depends on sales

Dinner: ?? depends on sales

Things I'd like to bake this week include:

• magic wands
• cupcakes just like Hostess

Don't forget: Enter to win a Soda Stream prize package! Make your own sodas at home in minutes!

For more menu plans, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie each Monday morning. Have a good week. I'll see you back here throughout the week for some yummy recipes.

Menu Plan Monday...Ahhhh, Routine!

I've missed my weekly menu planning! Meal planning keeps me on track -- not only financially, but also mentally. It gives me a plan of action for the week. Not everyone likes to plan as detailed a menu as I do, and I don't always plan every meal, but this week, planning down to the last detail is really going to help me get back into the routine of being home after a long vacation.

Here's what we're eating this week:

Monday:


Breakfast: wheat cereal with strawberries and coconut milk

Lunch: Salad with pecans and cranberries & cheddar twists

Dinner: Chili (packed with veggies!) and polenta



Tuesday:

Breakfast: wheat cereal with strawberries and coconut milk

Lunch: chili and pretzels

Dinner: soybean & rice burritos with fresh peppers and tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream



Wednesday:

Breakfast: bagels with cream cheese, grapes, and orange juice

Lunch: Summer Corn Salad & cheddar twists

Dinner: Cheeseburgers and onion rings



Thursday:

Breakfast: eggs, sausage, and biscuits

Lunch: Leftovers

Dinner: black Beans & Rice with lettuce, tomato, onions, and peppers



Friday:

Breakfast: Oatmeal and Orange Juice

Lunch: Veggie Burgers with Sweet Potato Coins and grapes

Dinner: Steaks on the Grill, Grilled Onions, and Roasted Broccoli

Dessert: Coconut Custard



Saturday:

Breakfast: Waffles with Berries and Syrup

Lunch: Lentil & Rice Tostadas with fresh veggies

Dinner: Chicken & Broccoli Bake

Dessert: Mini Maple Cupcakes



Sunday:

Breakfast: Eggs & Bacon on English Muffins

Lunch: Leftovers

Dinner: Meatloaf, Rice, and Sweet baby carrots

Dessert: Banana Rice Pudding

For more menu plans, visit orgjunkie.com. Next week, I'll get back to my weekly highlights, garden updates, and everything else that I usually do. For now, a simple menu plan is good. :) I'll share the recipes that are new here on my blog as the week progresses, so stop by each day for a new delight. Oh, and don't forget: if you're not already a google friend connect public follower, go ahead and follow. Friday, I'm drawing for a random winner of a Georgia prize pack, including honey, pecans, and more!

Menu Plan Monday 7/5 - 7/11

I hope your Fourth of July was fun and safe. While you're here, stop by and read about my giveaway. I'm drawing a winner Friday from my Google public followers.

This week is up in the air, because I might have to go to Florida for a little while, so I'm just laying out a plan, not set in stone.

Tonight, we're grilling our Porterhouse steaks. It's a treat for us to have these. They are my favorite cut of beef, but they sure don't fit into any sort of frugal budget on a regular occasion. I have a rule about things like the steaks: Deprivation is the surest way to fail in the frugal lifestyle. If you perceive you're "suffering" or making major sacrifices, you aren't going to be able to stick with this for the long haul. You need to treat yourself. That might mean that you have one expensive (or processed) snack that you buy yourself each week. Or, it might mean that for one month out of the year, you disregard your budget and get what you feel like getting. We've done it both ways. A balance of those two processes works for us. We don't indulge every week, but we do make sure we get things we want, and we usually have a splurge month once a year. This is when I do things like buy truffle oil and big thick Porterhouse steaks. ;)

Breakfasts:

Bacon & Eggs
Eggs & Toast
Oatmeal
Mini Berry Muffins
English Muffins
Fresh Berries, Bananas, & Melons
Greek Yogurt
Orange Juice
Almond, Soy, and Rice Milks

Lunches:

Leftovers
Sandwiches
Salads
Fresh Berries & Melons
Might be playing with Bento Boxes

Dinners:

Porterhouse Steaks on the grill with Corn on the Cob & Grilled Portabellas
Black Beans & Rice
Soybean Burritos
Veggie Burgers & fries
Pasta Primavera & Garlic Bread
Chorizo "Dogs" & Salad
Shrimp Scampi for Husband / Veggie Burgers for the rest of us

Snacks, Desserts, Baking Plans:

Tie Dye Cookies (making)
Pizza Dough for the Freezer (making)
Corn Puffs (making)
Salsa (making)
Chocolate Covered Cranberries (bought)
Peanuts & Cashews & Almonds
Applesauce
Berries
Kiwi
Melons
Bananas

For more menu plans, visit orgjunkie.com

Menu Plan Monday 6/28 - 7/4

Wow! This week's sped right by so quickly I'm feeling a little dizzy! Looking forward to the next seven days, there's no respite in sight. We're a month away from school starting, so that means eye exams, hearing exams, shopping for clothes (one in uniforms, the other not), attending Sneak Peek days at two schools (one in elementary school and the other starting middle school), hair cuts, orthodontist visits, grandparent visits, and family fun days galore! Plus, this weekend it's Independence Day -- a favorite holiday of mine.

If you're new here, why not look around? You might just find something you like. I'm in the middle of a week of bare bones, but healthy, recipes, complete with pictures and money-saving tips.

Here's what I hope to make this week:

Monday:
Breakfast: toast with jam & yogurt
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: Bean Burritos on homemade tortillas

Tuesday:
Breakfast: toast with gravy & oranges
Lunch: egg salad sandwiches & corn puffs
Dinner: Chicken Burgers & lots of veggies

Wednesday:
breakfast & lunch unknown - shopping day, so I will plan as I go
Dinner: Crock Pot Corn Chowder

Thursday:
Breakfast: Peanut Butter & Jelly French Toast
Lunch: unknown, hair appointment
Dinner: Chicken Pizza

Friday:
Breakfast: Baked Donuts & Juice
Lunch: Fried Egg Sandwiches
Dinner: Meatball Sandwiches with Cole Slaw and Beans

Saturday:
Breakfast: whatever's leftover
Lunch & Dinner @ our 4th of July celebration (for some reason, held on the 3rd!)

Sunday:
Breakfast: Strawberry & Blueberry Pancakes
Lunch: Bacon & Blue Cheese Burgers, Grilled Potato Skins, & Fruit Salad
Dinner: Appetizer Spread & Desserts

As for my garden, it's doing well. Look at what we harvested last week:

For more menu plans, visit orgjunkie.com today.

Menu Plan Monday 6/14 - 6/20

Last week went well. I managed to pretty much stay on plan for my menu. Here are a couple of the things we enjoyed:

Cornell Bread

Soy Milk

S'Mores -- Homemade Marshmallows AND graham crackers!

This week's menu plan includes lots of fresh veggies. I haven't listed what my husband's eating (He's on Atkins) because we just play it by ear each day based on his appetite.

Monday:

Breakfast: Hand-held Omelets (recipe follows) & Orange Segments
Lunch: (Kids eat lunch @ school summer program) Lunch for me: Jaime Oliver's Cheesy Corn
Dinner: Burrito Packets, Seasoned Potato Wedges, and Fresh Veggies

Tuesday:

Breakfast: Toast with Blackberry Jam, Boiled Eggs, Orange Segments
Lunch: (Kids eat lunch @ school summer program) Lunch for me:  Vegetable Fried Rice
Dinner: Pinto Beans, Flour Tortillas, Rice, and Veggies

Wednesday:

Breakfast: Biscuits with Gravy, Orange Segments
Lunch: (Kids eat lunch @ school summer program) Lunch for me: Vegetable Fried Rice
Dinner: Beef Stroganoff & salad

Thursday:

Breakfast: Peanut Butter & Jelly French Toast & a big glass of milk
Lunch: (Kids eat lunch @ school summer program) Lunch for me: Veggie-Pasta Stir-Fry
Dinner: Veggie Scramble with Popovers

Friday:

Breakfast: Huevos Not Quite Rancheros
Lunch: (Kids eat lunch @ school summer program) Lunch for me: Vegetable Strudel
Dinner: Orange Chicken with Rice & Fortune Cookies

Saturday:

Breakfast: Bagels with Fresh Farmer's Cheese
Lunch: A Picnic at the Park!
Dinner: Some sort of baked chicken breast dish, Potato Salad, and Glazed Carrots (Possibly some dinner rolls)

Sunday:

Breakfast: Muffins & Juice
Lunch: Quinoa Garden Salad & Italian Bread sticks
Dinner: An Italian Feast!

Hand-held Omelets
Serves 6

Note: I am not known far and wide for my pie crusts, so feel free to use your own recipe. The one I've provided worked really well for this recipe, and tasted fabulous, but I'm well aware that my methods would elicit deep, dramatic gasps from true pastry chefs.

What You Need:

• 9 eggs
• a splash of milk
• salt and peppers to taste
• cheese, meats, and veggies as desired
• 1 2/3 cups flour
• 10 Tbsp butter, cut into cubes
• a dash of salt
• 3 to 4 Tbsp ice water

How it's Done:

• If you're using veggies or meats, cook them as desired. I only used egg and cheese in mine. I recommend cooking your veggies in a little butter in the skillet right before you add the eggs.
• Beat your eggs with milk, salt, and pepper. Add to hot, buttered skillet. Cook and stir until the eggs are firm and set. 
• Remove from heat. Let cool slightly while you prepare your pie crust dough.
• In a food processor (cue gasping here), pour flour and salt and butter cubes. Pulse 15 times or so, until butter is pea-sized. Turn the food processor on (more gasping...someone get that woman an oxygen mask!), and slowly add the water until the dough forms a ball. Turn off the food processor. 
• Move the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to 1/4" thickness. Using a 4" round cookie cutter, cut into 12 rounds. 
• Line a large cookie sheet with parchment, silpat, or nothing at all (I don't use Teflon and don't advise it) if you're brave. Move half of the rounds onto the cookie sheet.
• Mound the filling, about 3 Tbsp or so, onto each round. Cover the filling with the remaining rounds. 
• Press the edges together to seal completely. Using a fork, prick holes in the surface to vent.
• Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or so, until slightly browned. 

Oh, and my garden? Thriving. We're producing more than we can eat and I'm going to start freezing and drying some of what we're harvesting. Here are a few pictures of some of this week's progress:

Watermelon! I think that out of all of our garden, this is the thing I'm most excited about. We have somewhere between 15 and 20 melons growing on our plants.

Our big tomatoes -- the red ones

Our bell peppers are doing well!

One lone Mr. Stripey tomato growing on the vine

I post recipes daily, so please do come back throughout the week to see what's heatin' up my kitchen (or not, as the case may be!) Like what you see? Click Follow! :) For more menu plans, visit Org Junkie today.