Month of April Menu Planning

I thought I'd try something new and plan our menu out for the month instead of the week.  Well honestly, lately it's instead of the day.  I can't stand the "what's for dinner" question I ask and the farmer ask every evening.  So, here I go.  I'm also trying to plan ahead for the weeks to come when I start my new amazing job but more on that later.  Let's see if I can do this and actually stick to it.

I also think I'm gonna try to somewhat stick to the following template for each week and do up some freezer meals for the hubby for days I'm working late.

• Monday - Mexican
• Tuesday -Meat and 2
• Wednesday - Italian/Pasta
• Thursday - Casserole/Specialty
• Friday -  Leftovers or Eating out
• Saturday - Slow Cooker
• Sunday - Meat and 2

Week 1:

• Wednesday April 4 - Creamy White Chicken Lasagna, Side Salad & Garlic Bread
• Thursday April 5 - Broccoli & Bacon Quiche and Spinach Salad
• Friday April 6 - Leftovers
• Saturday April 7 - Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches & Sweet Potato Fried
• Sunday April 8 (Easter) - Ham, Mac-n-Cheese & Veggie

Week 2:

• Monday April 9 - Black Bean & Corn Salsa Chicken & Cilantro Lime Rice
• Tuesday April 10 - Swedish Meatballs, Rice & Veggie
• Wednesday April 11 - Shrimp Fettuccine with broccoli & bread
• Thursday April 12 (work) - Chicken Pot Pie
• Friday April 13 (work) - Leftovers
• Saturday April 14 (work) - Slow Ribs, Coleslaw, Baked Beans
• Sunday April 15 - Sausage & Cabbage, Scalloped potatoes & Veggie

Week 3:

• Monday April 16 (work) - Enchiladas, Spanish Rice & Corn
• Tuesday April 17 (work) - Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast, Brown Rice & Veggie
• Wednesday April 18 (work) - Spaghetti & Meatballs, Salad & Garlic Bread
• Thursday April 19 (work) - Red Beans & Rice
• Friday April 20 - Leftovers
• Saturday April 21 - Eating out for my lil bro's birthday
• Sunday April 22 - Salmon, Rice & Veggie

Week 4:

• Monday April 23 (work)  - Garbage Quesadillas, re-fried beans & guacamole with chips
• Tuesday April 24 (work) - Baked Chicken, Potatoes & Veggie
• Wednesday April 25 (work) - Spinach and Cheese Manicotti & Bread
• Thursday April 26 (work) - Shrimp & Grits, Salad
• Friday April 27 - Leftovers
• Saturday April 28 - Slow Cooker Pot Roast, Mashed potatoes & Veggie
• Sunday April 29 - Pork Chops, Brown Rice & Veggie

Welp, there it is.  Let's see how this goes.  Now I've got to run to the store to get the few things I need for tonight's dinner.

Menu Planning Monday and a recipe......

I love soup.  Like really love it.  It's like the ultimate comfort food for me.  I also love that it's so easy to make.  Most soups I make involve a crock pot which for me is always a plus.  I mean, I love to cook but sometimes when the end of the day gets here, I'm tired and not in the mood to stand in the kitchen whipping up a masterpiece to put on the table.

This winter has been so cold here this year in the South and this soup recipe has been one of my go to recipes.

Ummmm....doesn't it look yummy?  I mean the soup, not the wine teasing this preggo lady that's hanging around in the background.

Ingredients:

• 6 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 3 1/2 lbs)
• 1 large onion, chopped  
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 3 (14-ounce) cans of chicken broth
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons pepper
• 1 cup whipping cream or half & half
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream (optional)
• 4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (I often use bacon pieces you can buy in the salad section)
• shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Combine the potatoes, onion, garlic, broth, butter, salt and pepper in a 5-quart or large crock pot.
2. Cover and cook on high 4 hours or low 8 hours or until potatoes are tender.
3. Mash the mixture until the potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup in slightly thickened.
4. Stir in cream, cheese and chives. 
5. Top with sour cream, if desired and sprinkle with bacon and cheddar cheese before serving. 

Now for what's on the menu this week.....

• 2/14 Monday - Going out for a Valentine's Day meal with the hubby
• 2/15 Tuesday - Taco Night at the Farm with Spanish rice and beans
• 2/16 Wednesday - Chicken Leg Quarters in the crock pot, potatoes and broccoli
• 2/17 Thursday - Spaghetti, Garlic Bread and Salad
• 2/18 Friday - Chicken Pot Pie
• 2/19 Saturday - Leftovers
• 2/20 Sunday - Farmer Roy's Choice

Hope everyone has a Happy Valentine's Day!!  As always linking up over at the Organizing Junkie.

Menu, Menu, Menu..............

Took the lil' princess to downtown Columbia today with her Auntie and baby cousin to see the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus Elephants Parade into town.  

I don't think the lil' princess knew what she was looking at, but she had a good ole time!!  I think she enjoyed all the other little kids around her, but I love watching her when she is having a good time.  

She is becoming such a good little walker.  I love watching her grow more confident, but it reminds me how fast she is growing up and isn't my little baby anymore.  Her aunt caught this cute little pic of her walking back to the car after seeing the elephants.

So here is the whats on the menu for this week.  I'm gonna declare now that I'm sticking to this!!

• Monday 1/31 - Pizza night {no, not homemade....yummmm}
• Tuesday 2/1 - Swedish meatballs, rice & something green
• Wednesday 2/2 - Asian chicken lettuce wraps & Veggie Fried Rice  {I've never made these, but devour them every time we are out....I'm a bit excited to see how they turn out}
• Thursday 2/3 -  Crockpot sloppy joes with homemade rolls & sweet potato fries
• Friday 2/4 -  Beef Stew a la crockpot & grilled cheese sammies
• Saturday 2/5 - Farmer Roy's night
• Sunday 2/6 - Leftovers

I'm linking up as always over at the Organizing Junkie.  

Menu Planning Monday.....well almost.....

I just never found the time yesterday to sit down and plan the menu for the week.  It was really obvious when the farmer and I stared at each other around dinner time trying to figure out what we were going to eat.....I hate that, I really do.

Apparently a woman's brain has a way of blocking out how you feel when your pregnant.  I forgot how tired you are during your first trimester.  I'm ready for the next few weeks to fly by and my energy to come bounding back to me.  Finding the strength to do anything other than take care of the little princess has been a struggle this last week.

Speaking of the little princess, check out this beauty:

Now if that isn't a face only a mother could love, I don't know what is.  I was actually trying to capture her licking the last little bit of ravioli off her plate before she launched it to the floor {fun, I know}.  Poor child, guess I should feed her more so she doesn't have to lick her plate.

Okay, here's what's on the menu for this week:

• Monday 1/24 - Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with Broccoli  {this was so good the last time...}
• Tuesday 1/25 - Country Fried Steak, Mashed Taters & Sugar Snap Peas
• Wednesday 1/26 - Beef Stew a la crock pot & Grilled Cheese Sammies
• Thursday 1/27 - Cornish Game Hens in the Crock pot, Scalloped Potatoes & broccoli
• Friday 1/28 - Salmon, Brown Rice & Mixed Veggies
• Saturday 1/29 - Farmer Roy's Choice
• Sunday 1/30 - Leftovers!!

If you notice some repeats from last week, that's because I wasn't very good about sticking to the menu last week.  Like I said, I was tired.....oh well, made this week easier.

As always, I linking up over at Organizing Junkie.  So, go check out the other cool peeps that Menu plan like me!!

Menu Planning Monday

Yum, Yum.....

Yeah, it’s Menu Planning Monday!!!  Is it sad that I’m so proud of myself for sticking with this for 3 whole weeks now?  It really is making my life around dinner time so much easier.  Oh and shhhh….don’t tell but I’m really, really starting to look forward to this every Monday.  This may be partly because I usually feel a bit brain dead on Mondays from working all weekend and these post don’t require too much on my part except glancing in the freezer.

I promise to do a post soon explaining the above pic.  No, those aren't chickens wearing seat belts.  Those are my peeps hommie!! 

Here’s what will be on the table when the dinner bell rings:

• Monday 1/17 – Chicken Pot Pie {a farm favorite}
• Tuesday 1/18 – Red Beans and Rice {from the freezer}
• Wednesday 1/19 – Work meeting so it's everyone for themselves
• Thursday 1/20 - Cornish Game Hens, Scalloped Potatoes & broccoli {not sure how I’m gonna prepare the hens, any ideas?}
• Friday 1/21 – Country Fried Steak, Mashed Taters & Sugar Snap Peas
• Saturday 1/22 – Farmer Roy’s choice
• Sunday 1/23 – Leftovers 

I'm linking up again over at The Organizing Junkie go check out all the other uber cool people. 

Menu Planning Monday

Please rise, please rise, please rise.....

  
It’s snowy and cold out here on the farm today, so getting any motivation to do anything has been a challenge.  It’s also my birthday & the hubby is home from teaching for a snow day so I can do whatever I want {said in my most grown up 12-year-old-voice}.  I did just manage to get a loaf of bread mixed up since unlike everyone else around here, we did not go run to the store for a loaf of bread and other non-perishables for the blizzard of 2011.  I love making bread anyways.  Sometimes it comes out more like a brick of bread rather than a loaf, but I love to try.

Okay here goes the menu for the week:

• Monday 1/10 – Baked Potato Soup and Salad 
• Tuesday 1/11 – Tacos & Quesadillas, Refried Beans & Spanish Rice {last week this ended up getting bumped for pizza night, so I’m adding it again this week}
• Wednesday 1/12 – Going out to eat Japanese for my Birthday, YEAH!!!
• Thursday 1/13 – Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo
• Friday 1/14 - Going out to celebrate the farmer's birthday....party, party!!
• Saturday 1/15 – Farmer Roy’s choice
• Sunday 1/16 – leftovers

I’m linking up over at I’m an Organizing Junkie.  Go check out all the other great weekly menus.  You never know, you might just find some good ideas.

Menu Planning Monday

Here it is.  This is my New Years Resolution.  “I AM GOING TO MENU PLAN EVERY WEEK"  Now, I know this may seem like a small resolution, but believe me I could come up with about 1000 other resolutions that I know ultimately I wouldn’t keep.  This is one commitment that I think I can conquer.  If you see that I start to slip, please call me out on it.

I’ve read a lot, I mean like a whole lot, about menu planning.  I love when I do it because that million dollar question in our house is “what’s for dinner?”  Life is just a little more organized and a little more relaxed.  So here we go, week #1:

• Monday 1/3:  I’m having a ladies night, so the hubs is on his own.  (great start, huh?)

• Tuesday 1/4:  Taco Soup served with Fritos, Sour Cream & Cheese (any excuse to eat sour cream is a good excuse for me!) (Oh yeah.....recipe soon to follow on here)

• Wednesday 1/5:  Crock pot Lasagna (I’ve never tried this before, but I’m brave)

• Thursday 1/6:  Polish sausage & cabbage, scalloped potatoes & broccoli (I substitute cabbage for the sauerkraut in this recipe....sauerkraut makes me gag....)

• Friday 1/7:  Turkey Meatloaf, Mashed Taters & a veggie of farmer Roy’s choice

• Saturday 1/8:  Roast a la crockpot, rice, veggies

• Sunday 1/9:  Leftovers or Farmer Roy’s choice….I gotta work

Well there it is, week one!!  Yeah me!! 

P.S.  Aren’t those plates up there the coolest??  Wonder if I got them would little bit actually be tricked into eating veggies?  I’m dreaming, I know!

P.P.S.  I'm linking up over at I'm an Organizing Junkie to keep my butt on track.  Go on over there check her out and leave some love......her site is awesome!!!

Menu planning take 2.............

Friday April 16 - Flank Steak a' la Publix, veggie and baked potato
Saturday April 17 - Chicken Spaghetti (have some leftover turkey I need to use up in the fridge that I think I'm gonna substitute in this for the chicken)
Sunday April 18 - Smoked Sausage, veggie, and Roy's choice for a carb
Monday April 19 - Quiche & Salad
Tuesday April 20 - Roast in the crock pot, rice and a veggie
Wednesday April 21 - White Chicken Enchiladas

That's as far as I'm planning right now. I'm tired, I'm done pumping and my bed is screaming my name. Nite all!!

Menu Planning.........

So I'm determined to start menu planning to make life here at the farm a little easier. Roy and I are always at a loss when it comes to dinner time if I haven't thought it out before hand. All the freezer meals I made when I was nesting have been long gone and man I miss them. So, here's my plan for the next week. If you have any recipe questions, ask away and I'll try to let you know. I'm off the the grocery store.........

• Tuesday, March 16 - Chicken Pot Pie (this is the best recipe ever, so yummy)
• Wednesday, March 17 -Crockpot Philly cheese steak sammies, sweet potato fries and a veggie of farmer Roy's choice
  
• Thursday, March 18 - Quiche and Salad
• Friday, March 19 - Shrimp and Grits
• Saturday, March 20 - Manicotti, Salad, & Garlic Bread
• Sunday, March 21 - Leftovers!!!!
• Monday, March 22 - Red Beans & Rice

OAMC............

So nesting has begun.....I've been planning and shopping and cooking like a fool since last Thursday. I've decided to embark on a Once a Month Cooking endeavor. So here's my list:

Breakfast foods

• Breakfast Burritos - 19 made (had to eat 1 for breakfast, they looked too good)
  
• Muffins - 12 Cinnamon & 12 Blueberry done
  
• Granola Bars - 2 pans cooling as I type
  

Dinner foods

• Spaghetti Sauce - 3 bags with 5 cups of sauce each
  
• Taco Soup - 2 bags done
  
• Chili - 2 bags done
  
• Red Beans & Rice - 2 bags done and had for dinner last night
  
• Mac-n-Cheese
• Lasagna - 2 pans done
  
• Chicken pot pie
• Salisbury Steak
• Meatloaf - 2 made and ready for the oven when we are
  
• Stuffed Peppers - 2 pans done
  
• Baked Ziti - 1 really large pan done, may use for a night when lots of family are over
  
• Southwestern Egg Rolls
• Chicken & Rice Casserole
• Beef & Black Bean Enchiladas - 1 pan done
  
• Taco Meat - 1 lb made and chillin'

So far that's about 18 meals + some quick breakfast options for us. I'm sure some of them will leave us with leftovers as well. I still want to pick up a roast and whole chicken to cook as well. Hope everything I've made turns out ok after it comes out of the freezer. I'll have to let you know. I guess it's back to the kitchen to finish up!! Except for having a bit of a head cold and getting exhausted easily, this is kind of fun!!

When the freezer is stocked, I'll share a picture. :)