[uncooked pink rice]
I've been having something of a menu crisis lately
because I pretty much hate cooking
during these hot summer months.
during these hot summer months.
What are your favorite hot-weather meal solutions?
Showing posts with label menu plan monday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label menu plan monday. Show all posts
Monday, July 29, 2013
Sunday, May 5, 2013
menu
[spicy chicken sandwich]
Well, apparently I wasn't quite as ready to jump back into consistent menu planning as I thought I was. The lat few weeks have been full. We've done some travelling and have all been sick for days on end. It's been a little rough. Today I'm feeling unwell again, and we will be travelling again mid-week, but I'm determined to at least try to follow a plan for this week's dinners.
Su-grilled chicken, rice pilaf, steamed artichokes
M-stir fry over brown rice
T-chili and salad
W-clean-out-the-fridge before travel
Th-Su-to Utah
What are you making this week?
Monday, April 8, 2013
Monday menu
Woah. Writing one of these is like a blast from the past. It's been so long since I've done a structured menu plan. I think I mentioned already that I feel like I'm finally coming out of the pregnancy haze, and I think I may be getting into the rhythm of having four little ones.
Part of what threw me off in the first place was starting to get Bountiful Baskets. Now, Bountiful Baskets are fantastic; however, not knowing what vegetables I would have to work with until Saturday evening forced me to change which days I did my planning and shopping. Also, I've had to adjust to planning meals around the vegetables instead of around the meat or carbohydrate I was serving. It's been a very healthy change. But it's been just that: A Change. And since I'm a creature of habit (who was battling morning sickness at the time), I just gave up.
All of that rambling to say that I've changed my shopping day and my method of figuring what out to cook, and I'm ready to change my neglect of menu planning too. Without further ado, here's what I'm planning for this week.
M-stir fry over rice (I'll cook extra rice to be used through the rest of the week.)
T-Pasta with pesto and salad on the side
W-Chickpea casserole and leftover salad
Th-Vegetarian chili and hopefully fresh rolls
F-Ratatouille's Ratatouille (This is a new one for me.)
S-Black Bean and Brown Rice Cakes (another new one) and roasted veggies
What's cooking at your place this week? Do you have any ideas for using massive amounts of celery?
Part of what threw me off in the first place was starting to get Bountiful Baskets. Now, Bountiful Baskets are fantastic; however, not knowing what vegetables I would have to work with until Saturday evening forced me to change which days I did my planning and shopping. Also, I've had to adjust to planning meals around the vegetables instead of around the meat or carbohydrate I was serving. It's been a very healthy change. But it's been just that: A Change. And since I'm a creature of habit (who was battling morning sickness at the time), I just gave up.
All of that rambling to say that I've changed my shopping day and my method of figuring what out to cook, and I'm ready to change my neglect of menu planning too. Without further ado, here's what I'm planning for this week.
M-stir fry over rice (I'll cook extra rice to be used through the rest of the week.)
T-Pasta with pesto and salad on the side
W-Chickpea casserole and leftover salad
Th-Vegetarian chili and hopefully fresh rolls
F-Ratatouille's Ratatouille (This is a new one for me.)
S-Black Bean and Brown Rice Cakes (another new one) and roasted veggies
What's cooking at your place this week? Do you have any ideas for using massive amounts of celery?
Friday, May 25, 2012
friday menu
[farfalle with fresh tomato-basil sauce]
Since Ben's parents will be visiting for Memorial Day weekend, I'm planning more structured weekend meals this week, starting with Sunday.
S-chicken alfredo and roasted broccoli
M-traditional summer feast: hotdogs and hamburgers, baked beans and corn on the cob, you know the drill.
T-left overs
W-pancakes and fruit
Th-macaroni and cheese and cauliflower
F-to be decided
What are you making this week?
Monday, May 7, 2012
monday menu
[sliced strawberries and homemade whipped cream]
My trip to Washington was quick but good. There are so many unknowns with my grandma's health right now. It's hard to not have answers and to know that so much is in limbo. I am so glad that I was able to visit her and my grandpa...to encourage, provide a helping hand, and introduce Sweet Pea.
Little Man, Brother, and Sweet Pea were so good and sweet even when it was hard for them. I couldn't be more proud of them! On the drive up my mom was with me, but since she's staying with her parents for a while, I was on my own for the eight hour drive home. I was surprised at how smoothly it went (though with the amount of planning I did ahead of time perhaps I shouldn't be so shocked). I told Benjamin when we got home on Saturday that I'm pretty sure that travelling alone for that long with three children four and under must have unlocked a new super-mommy achievement. ; )
Anyway, I'm very happy to be home and am hoping to have a somewhat more routine week ahead of me. As is to be expected, taking an unexpected four day trip made havoc of my tidy little menu. You'll be seeing more repetition this week as I once again plan to pick up "dropped" meals.
M-lemon-garlic grilled chicken, orzo with parmesan and basil, and roasted brocolli (based on this recipe)
T-black bean tacos with corn salsa (no, I still haven't gotten to these)
W-waffles (or pancakes) and fruit
F-grilled steak, green beans, and mashed potatoes
What are you making this week?
Monday, April 30, 2012
monday menu
[hot oatmeal with brown sugar, raisins, and cream]
Well, last week ended up being unexpectedly crazy, and following my menu plan took the back burner. If nothing else, it'll make this week's menu planning a lot easier since I'll just make some of the meals that I didn't get to over the last couple of weeks.
M-roasted chicken. orzo with parmesan and basil, and roasted brocolli (based on this recipe)
T-barbecued pulled chicken sandwiches with left over salad and coleslaw
W-waffles and fruit
Th-black bean tacos with corn salsa (no, I still haven't gotten to these)
F-grilled steak, green beans, and mashed potatoes
S-chicken pot pie
What are you making this week?
Monday, April 23, 2012
monday menu
(about one third as spicy as it's supposed to be)
We have made astonishing progress through out bountiful basket fruits but are still plodding our way through the vegetables. I've been having an especially hard time using up the squash--none of us really hate it, but none of us really love it either. Anyway, this is what I'm planning to make this week.
S (we're having company this week, so I actually planned it into the menu)-roasted chicken (I'm making extra so we'll have left over meat to use through the rest of the week, orzo with parmesan and basil, and green salad
W-french toast and fruit
Th-pasta with red sauce and yellow squash casserole
F-chicken pot pie
What are you making this week?
Monday, April 16, 2012
monday menu
[I love how thinly sliced citrus becomes translucent.]
Last week I made and picked up (well, my parents picked up on my behalf because I wasn't able to make it to the pick up location) our first bountiful baskets order. I am thrilled with the quantity and quality of the produce we received and am excited to see how having such a great supply of surprise fruits and vegetables to use every two weeks affects our diets.
T-black bean tacos with fresh corn salsa (this is a new recipe)
W-tuna melt sandwiches (didn't get to them last week) and fruit
Th-macaroni and cheese and steamed brussels sprouts
F-coconut curry with cauliflower, carrots, and chickpeas over rice (another new recipe!)
What are some of your favorite vegetable-heavy meals?
Monday, April 9, 2012
monday menu
homemade pizza topped with
pepperoni, black olives, mushrooms, grape tomatoes,
parmesan, white cheddar,
and chopped up mozzarella string cheese
because it was the only mozzarella at our store that week
(and yes, string cheese included, it was amazing)
At the moment I am batting a migraine, so nothing really sounds good, but the menu must be planned the the grocery list written because food must be cooked for the rest of the week, so I am plugging on. Hopefully the time I actually get around to making this stuff it'll sound better than it does right now.
T-sweet potato black bean chili and bread
W-tuna melt sandwiches
Th-my adaptation of broccoli-quinoa casserole
F-grilled chicken, orzo with parmesan and basil, and green beans
What are you making this week?
Monday, April 2, 2012
monday menu
[mocha and magnificent caramel roll from a cute little shop in Billings]
With the warm weather we've been having, I'm thinking that my soup-and-hot-pasta-dominated-menu days are coming to an end. I enjoy the warm weather, but I'm so much better at making comforting cold weather food that part of me dreads the hot days on the horizon. (I guess it's a good thing I live in Montana and not Arizona, right?) Here's my menu for this week (and I'm not abandoning my comfortable hot foods yet!):
T-hearty chicken stew with butternut squash and quinoa (new recipe) and homemade bread
W-french toast and fruit
Th-garlic-ginger chicken, soba noodles with sweet ginger scallion sauce (another new recipe!), and roasted broccoli (based on this recipe)
F-brazilian style beans and rice
What are you making this week?
Monday, March 26, 2012
monday menu
[bread dough and vintage pyrex]
It looks like the week ahead will be the perfect blend of laid back and busy. I'm looking forward to trying some more new recipes this week as well as using some familiar standbys.
M-white chili over rice (I'll make a crock pot full of shredded chicken for use in this recipe and to put in the freezer for use over the next few weeks.)
T- chicken cacciatore
W-something easy (probably grilled cheese and tomato soup or french toast and scrambled eggs--Wednesday night is our worship team practice night. Benjamin is the director, so he's there every week, and I'm there a lot of the time too playing my flute alongside him, so I need a quick, fuss free dinner.)
Th-a bean concoction (loosely based on this recipe) topped with corn bread (I just randomly had the idea; we'll see how it actually works. It looks a lot crazier written down than it sounded in my head.)
Monday, March 19, 2012
monday menu
["the juice and zest of one lemon"]
Speaking of lemon zest, last week I discovered that stirring a little lemon zest into my honey lemon tea along with the usual honey and lemon juice adds a nice, extra lemony zing. (I don't like chunks of stuff in my beverages, though, so I strained it out before sipping away.)
This week will be a little different than usual since Sweet Pea and I are travelling with Benjamin to a work conference at the beginning of the week while the boys stay with my parents. He's attending the conference while we get some extra sleep and do some shopping and sight seeing.
This week will be a little different than usual since Sweet Pea and I are travelling with Benjamin to a work conference at the beginning of the week while the boys stay with my parents. He's attending the conference while we get some extra sleep and do some shopping and sight seeing.
M-out to dinner to eat something nice that we don't get in our small town
T-we'll probably pick something up on the drive home
W-grilled cheese and tomato soup
Th-creamy chicken orzo soup (This is a new one, and hopefully it'll taste okay. I'm not usually a fan of cabbagey things, but we have cabbage left over from our St. Patrick's day dinner, and I don't want it to go to waste.)
F-chick pea casserole (I love chick peas, and in this recipe, they're just fabulous.)
What's on your to-make list this week?
What's on your to-make list this week?
Monday, March 12, 2012
monday menu
[apple salsa]
Short and sweet, here's this week's plan for dinners:
T-Brazilian style beans and rice
W-something quick and easy
Th-grilled chicken, garlic-lemon roasted potatoes, and roasted broccoli (I've never tried the roasted broccoli before; I hope it's good.)
F-homemade pizza
What are you making?
W-something quick and easy
Th-grilled chicken, garlic-lemon roasted potatoes, and roasted broccoli (I've never tried the roasted broccoli before; I hope it's good.)
F-homemade pizza
What are you making?
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
menu on Tuesday
[one of Benjamin's excellent breakfast sandwiches]
Sorry for falling off the face of bloggyland last week. I had a rather crazy, sleep-deprived week, taking care or sick children, trying to finish projects, and preparing to vend at a small local craft/direct sales fair. Plus I was in a strange, anti-social mood and did not feel like taking photos and writing. This week I am in a more sane frame of mind, and since I just finished a bunch of projects, prepare for an avalanche of posts.
Here is what I'm making this week if everything goes according to plan:
M-tacos
T-black beans and rice with chicken and apple salsa
W-pancakes, scrambled eggs, fruit
Th-ginger lime stir fry
F-creamy-sauced pasta of some sort
What are you making this week?
Monday, February 20, 2012
monday menu
[heart cinnamon roll]
Last week was rough. I thought I was over my cold, but either it returned with a vengeance or I caught something new. I'm still not feeling great, but I'm hoping for a better week. I'm planning on making the following dinners this week:
M-crock pot chili
T-broccoli quinoa casserole (didn't get to it last week)
W-tuna melt sandwiches
Th-beef stew, bread
F-spaghetti and meatballs
What culinary adventures are on your horizon?
What culinary adventures are on your horizon?
Monday, February 13, 2012
monday menu
Valentinesy Breakfast
and heart apples
Happy Valentine's week to you! We kicked off our celebration last week by making and sending valentines to grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, and continued our heart-ful celebration last Saturday with a festive breakfast. In spite of all the celebration, I am planning a fairly simple dinner menu. Here's what I'll be making:
M-broccoli quinoa casserole (I'm going to try increasing the milk this time and leaving out the mayonaise. Bleh. I strongly dislike that stuff...)
T-pasta with creamy white sauce and roasted asparagus
W-french toast and fruit
Th-ginger lime stir-fry and rice
F-minestrone soup and bread
What's going to be on your plate this week?
Monday, February 6, 2012
monday menu
[Benjamin made delicious onion rings for me the other day.]
M-sweet potato black bean chili (a new recipe)
T-roasted chicken, orzo with parmesan and basil, green beans (You really should try the orzo recipe. It's one of our very favorites.)
W-tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
Th-chicken pot pie
F-crock pot stew and bread
What are you mixing up this week?
Monday, January 16, 2012
monday menu
Well, I think we have finally settled down into our post-holiday, Narnia-like always-winter-never-Christmas stretch of the year (that's what we get for living in Montana...). Don't worry, though, we still have Valentine's Day to look forward to, and I have a magnificent stack of projects to prepare for summer vending. : ) On the food front, I'm thankful that everything seems to be returning to normalcy. Here's what I'm planning to make this week:
M-stew and bread (Seriously, try this bread recipe; it's revolutionary.)
T-linguine and meatballs (I'll make a giant batch of meatballs and freeze the leftovers to use in the future.) with green beans on the side
W-crock pot chili and bread (didn't get to it last week)
Th-sweet-n-sour chicken and rice
F-chicken cacciatore
What are you making this week?
M-stew and bread (Seriously, try this bread recipe; it's revolutionary.)
T-linguine and meatballs (I'll make a giant batch of meatballs and freeze the leftovers to use in the future.) with green beans on the side
W-crock pot chili and bread (didn't get to it last week)
Th-sweet-n-sour chicken and rice
F-chicken cacciatore
What are you making this week?
Monday, January 9, 2012
monday menu
[Brother's clementine segments, all lined up]
Here's what I'm planning to make this week:
M-macaroni-and-cheese with leftover, diced ham, broccoli
T-tacos (I'm going to try making my own refried beans this time! It doesn't look like it'll be too hard.)
W-grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup
Th-twice baked potatoes stuffed with ham, cheese, and broccoli (no recipe here; I'm just winging it)
F-crock pot chili and bread
What are you making this week?
What are you making this week?
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
another tuesday menu
[caramel sampling]
I feel decidedly "off" this week. My house, cooking, and menu planning are all suffering because in addition to the usual holiday craziness, I came down with a nasty, nasty stomach flu Christmas night. I spent all day yesterday in misery, feeling rather half-alive. I am thankful that today I've been able to eat a little bit and am hoping that no one else gets sick. I'm pretty sure that this week's menu will be more flexible than usual, but here's the tentative plan:
T-chicken, orzo with parmesan and basil, and green beans
W-breakfast burritos, fresh fruit
Th-scalloped potatoes with ham and green beans
F-crock pot stew and fresh bread (I'd like to try the no-knead 5-minutes-a-day bread.)
What are some of your favorite ways to use leftover ham? I have a lot. : )
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