Menu Plan Monday - Week of 4/5

It's been a whirlwind week around here, and it's not about to let up yet! I'll be teaching a shopping/couponing/money saving class at my church this week as part of their presentation of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. It's always fun, but I've got some last-minute finishing touches to put on the presentation. That plus working three days means that my menu plan has to run like a well-oiled machine! Here's the easy-on-mama plan for this week.

Monday
Leftover Fest

Tuesday
Tuna Noodle Casserole

Wednesday
Cheesy Chicken Pasta

Thursday
Cheeseburger Pasta

Friday
BBQ Chicken Pizza
(Homemade pizza crust with BBQ sauce, cooked chicken, and cheddar cheese)

Saturday & Sunday
Up in the air right now... Once I make it through Friday, I'll head back to the grocery store and plan through the weekend.

For some great menu planning resources, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 3/29

Last week was a crazy one for us. Let's just say that two trips to the ER in two weeks is a bit much for one family! And it can really throw your menu plan into a tizzy. Fortunately everyone is okay and we're going to try to get back into the swing of things this week.

Here's the big plan for this week......

Monday
Crock Pot Chili
Cornbread

Tuesday
Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry over Brown Rice

Wednesday
Leftover Chili

Thursday
Homemade Pizza

Friday
Chicken Pasta

Saturday
??????????? Hopefully I'll have some inspiration before the weekend rolls around.

Sunday
Easter! We usually spend the afternoon at my grandma's house and eat lunch there. I may put some soup or something like that into the Crock Pot before we leave. Or maybe it will be grilled cheese and canned soup night. We aren't usually really hungry by the time we get home from a holiday celebration with family, so a light dinner does the trick.

For more great menu planning ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 3/21

Can I tell what a dinner disaster last week was? Did you happen to notice that I didn't post a menu plan for the week? Is there possibly a connection between having no plan and having a dinner disaster?

Yep.

Fortunately, I had frozen some cooked, diced chicken. Fortunately, my family likes pizza enough to have it twice. Fortunately, we made it through the week with only one meal out, and that meal was sort of planned because we knew our schedule would be hectic that day.

But I have to tell you how incredibly stressful it was to not know exactly what I wanted to make for dinner each night. The good news is that last week's experience made me get on the ball and get this week's menu planned. Here's what I'm planning.

Sunday
Rotisserie Chicken
Baked Yams
Green Beans

Monday
Crock Pot Sweet Beans
Homemade Bread

Tuesday
Broiled Tilapia Parmesan
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Green Beans

Wednesday
Leftover Beans & Bread

Thursday
Crock Pot Chili
Cornbread (Using a freezer mix!)

Friday
Leftover Chili

Saturday
Homemade Pizza


Hmm... Sounds like a lot of beans this week, but for some reason that's just what sounds good to me as I sit down to plan. If we get tired of beans, I do still have some cooked chicken in the freezer. So I could always make something different with that. But at least I have a plan!

Are you making anything yummy this week??

For some great menu planning inspiration, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 3/8

I just realized that I didn't post my menu plan from last week! I promise that we had a plan, and I actually followed it! Here's what's on the menu for this week.

Sunday
Lasagna

Monday
Leftover Lasagna

Tuesday
Chicken Roll-Ups
This is a pretty simple non-recipe meal. Combine cooked chicken, refried beans, and salsa. Wrap in tortillas and bake until warmed through. Sprinkle with cheese and bake long enough to melt the cheese.

Wednesday
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Corn

Thursday
Homemade Pizza

Friday
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & Soup

Saturday
Bistro Mac & Cheese
This recipe is from a Taste of Home Magazine.
Corn or Peas

It's nothing fancy, but it's quite manageable with my work schedule for this week! What's cooking at your house?

For more great menu planning ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

The Wanna Cook It Book

Did you notice that this week's menu plan has been MIA? I've learned the hard way that I can't operate without a plan, so I really do have one. I just haven't had the time to get it posted quite yet.

My plan this week revolves around my newly organized Wanna Cook It Book. This is a book that I just finished putting together last week. It's filled with recipes that I've been wanting to try - been meaning to try! - but haven't remembered to include in my weekly plan.

I don't know about you, but I love finding recipes online and in magazines. I print them, clip them, and then stuff them into my recipe box. My box was so full that I was having trouble finding the recipes that I use on a regular basis. So I sorted through them and pulled out the recipes that I had found online and in magazines. I left my go-to recipes and the ones that had been given to me by friends and family.

I put the printed and clipped recipes into page protectors and organized them all into a three-ring binder. I'm calling it my Wanna Cook It Book and keeping it in my kitchen. I was even able to make the recipes that were on tiny pieces of paper more visible by putting several of them on the same page.


My goal is to incorporate at least one of those recipes into each week's menu plan. As I use the recipes, I'll either keep them in the book (if we love them) or toss them (if we don't). This week, I decided to kick start this idea by using 6 of the recipes.

Here's the plan for this week.

Monday
Leftover Cheeseburger Soup (recipe coming soon)

Tuesday
Popcorn Chicken
This recipe is from Laura at Heavenly Homemakers. This girl can COOK!
Sweet Potatoes with Glaze
Healthified Brownies

Wednesday
Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan
This recipe is from Erin at Five Dollar Dinners. Be sure to check out her cookbook!

Thursday
Crock Pot Pasta Fagioli Soup
Homemade Bread or Cornbread

Friday
Pita Pizzas

Saturday
Bistro Mac & Cheese
This recipe is from a Taste of Home Magazine.
Corn or Green Beans

Sunday
Leftover Pasta Fagioli Soup
Bread

For more ideas that work, stop by Works for Me Wednesday hosted by We Are THAT Family.

For more great menu planning ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - The After-Birthday Party Edition

It finally stopped snowing long enough for us to have Emma's 5th birthday party this weekend! Since we just had a family party, we had more grown-up food than you would normally find at a 5 year old's party. That means leftovers! Here's what I'm looking at in my fridge and cupboards:

• sliced red, yellow, and green peppers


• baby carrots


• crackers, crackers, crackers (We had soup.)


• Crock Pot Black Bean soup


• potatoes (from the Cheeseburger Soup)

There are some other odds and ends, and my plan is to make the most of them for my menu plan this week. Here's what I've come up with.

Monday:
Chicken Stir Fry (uses leftover peppers)
Rice

Tuesday:
Leftover Black Bean Soup
Cornbread

Wednesday:
Leftover Stir Fry & Rice

Thursday:
Broiled Tilapia - I'll coat it with some type of cracker and herb seasoning mixture.
Baked Potatoes
Green Beans

Friday:
Crock Pot Chili
Cornbread

Saturday:
Cheeseburger Soup (recipe coming soon!)
Homemade Bread

Sunday:
Our FPU group will be meeting, and my parents will be watching Emma. I might put a pizza together for them to bake. Any more creative ideas?

For more great menu ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 2/8

After my guest post at Money Saving Mom last week, I spent some time reading and responding to some of the comments. One of the commenters, Jaime, left a comment that included a link to the website Supercook.

I checked out Supercook, and - OH MY - what a resource! Just type in the ingredients that you have, and Supercook searches thousands of recipes to find one that matches what you have on-hand! I enter a strange combination of kidney beans, onions, and diced tomatoes. I had the ingredients to make three recipes and only needed one more ingredient to make LOTS more. (Yes, the site even notes which one ingredient you're missing.)


Here's what's cooking at our house this week:

Monday
Country Bean Soup

Tuesday
Leftover Bean Soup

Wednesday
Chicken & Seasoned Rice (Diced cooked chicken mixed into a flavored rice mix)
Veggies & Dip

Thursday
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Green Beans

Friday
Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

Saturday
Due to the HUGE amount of snow we got last weekend, we had to reschedule Emma's birthday party to this weekend. We'll be having soups, crackers, etc. for dinner at her party.

Sunday
♥ ♥ Valentine's Day Heart Dinner ♥ ♥
♥ ♥ Heart Shaped Pizza ♥ ♥
♥ ♥ Heart Cookies ♥ ♥

For more great menu ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 1/31

I'm creating this week's menu plan to coordinate better with our calendar. I'm going back to work this week, but it's not my normal schedule. I definitely won't feel like cooking on the days I'm working, so planning with this in mind means that I'll be more successful at actually sticking with the plan. Here's what's on the menu for this week.

Monday
Chicken 'n Noodles

Tuesday
Broiled Tilapia Parmesan
Seasoned Rice Mix (from my January Kroger stock-up trips)
Green Beans

Wednesday (Jason Cooks)
Scrambled Omelets (Scrambled eggs, mushrooms, peppers, and cheese)
Applesauce
Toast

Thursday (Jason Cooks)
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Friday
Country Bean Soup
Homemade Bread

Saturday
Emma's Party!!!
We'll be serving two soups, crackers, bread, and birthday cake & ice cream.

Sunday
Our small group will be meeting. I'm planning on saving some of the bean soup from Friday for my parents. It always tastes better a day or two later. Maybe grilled cheese with it?

For more great menu ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday: Pantry Challenge Week 3

As we head into Week 3 of the Pantry Challenge, I'm excited about how well we've stuck with our plan! I've only gotten off track twice. Once was due to my parents treating us to dinner out (Thanks, Mom & Dad!) and once due to me forgetting to defrost some meat. OOPS! Overall, it's been a huge success. Here's what's on the menu for this week.

Monday:
Beef Vegetable Barley Soup
Cornbread

Tuesday:

Southwest Chicken Wraps
This is simply a mixture of cooked/diced chicken, refried beans, salsa, and cheese in a tortilla wrap. They're baked until slightly golden.

Wednesday:

Homemade Pizza

Thursday:
Quesadillas

Friday:
Crock Pot Bean Soup
Cornbread or Homemade Bread (whatever strikes us!)

Saturday:
Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Sunday:
Our small group is meeting, so I'll be making something for my parents and Emma. I'm thinking about making them some of the Crock Pot Black Bean Soup that I made last week. Or I might just leave them some of the Progresso Tomato Basil Soup that my dad likes (and that's already in my pantry!) and ask my mom to make some grilled cheese to go with it. We'll see what we're all in the mood for.

For more great menu ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 1/11 - Still Eating from the Pantry

This is the second full week of the Eat from the Pantry Challenge, and we're right on track! Somehow this challenge has motivated me to stick with my plan more than usual. I did make one change in last week's menu plan. I ended up making Black Bean Soup rather than the Beef Vegetable Barley Soup I'd planned. I was trying to balance the fish-chicken-beef ratio for each week, and it was just a better fit.

I will definitely have to share the Black Bean Soup recipe with you. It was a definite winner!

Here's what's on the menu - and from the pantry and freezer - this week.

Monday
Leftover Black Bean Soup
Homemade Bread (frozen dough)

Tuesday
Hearty Pasta Salad - This is a pasta salad with a creamy dressing. It contains pasta, veggies, ham, turkey, and cheese chunks. I have to get permission from the recipe owner to share it with you. It's truly yummy!

Wednesday
Leftover Pasta Salad

Thursday
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Frozen Veggie of Emma's Choice

Friday
Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
I don't like tomato soup, but I'm going to try this new one from Progresso. Maybe??

Saturday
Beef Vegetable Barley Soup
Cornbread

Sunday
Our small group from church is meeting, so we'll be eating dinner there. I'm not sure if my parents are coming for dinner with Emma or if she's headed to their house. I may have to plan one more meal for this day, but that's okay! I've got some tilapia in the freezer that I could use.

I don't think I even need a trip to Kroger for this week's meals! Wow! It's going to be a stock-up-on-the-deals week for me!

For more great menu planning ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday: Eat From the Pantry Challenge Week 1

This is the first week of the Eat From the Pantry Challenge, and I'm a little behind. Between traveling and getting caught up on laundry, putting away gifts, and unpacking suitcases, the only pantry inventory I've completed is the extra canned goods area. (Fortunately, it's still looking good!)

I really wanted to tackle the freezer this weekend. Looks like that's going to be a job for Monday evening. I did buy 2 bins for my frozen veggies and shredded zucchini today... Does that count toward my organization points?

That said, I'm not totally sure what this week's menu plan will truly hold. My goal was to de-clutter the freezer this week. I have tons of frozen veggies, and I'm pretty sure that some of them are perfect mixes for making soup. Considering the fact that the thermometer on our truck said SIX DEGREES this morning when we left for church, soup is sounding pretty good!!

The only meal I know I can commit to is homemade pizza Monday evening. Other than that, it all depends on what my freezer expedition uncovers! I'll keep you posted.

Are you cleaning out your pantry? Freezer? Have you uncovered any gems that will make for yummy meals?

If you're needing some meal planning ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 12/14

I haven't been very motivated to cook lately, and it's added some stress to our dinnertime routine. So I have to get back into the swing of it this week! Here's my plan.

Monday:
Crock Pot Chili (recipe HERE)

Tuesday:
Chicken Quesadillas made with leftover meat from a rotisserie chicken we had Sunday night.
Corn

Wednesday:
Baked Potatoes with Chili

Thursday:
Homemade Pizza

Friday:
Southwestern Chicken Wraps

Saturday:
Leftovers

Sunday:
TBA - I have to head back to the grocery store Friday or Saturday to figure out what we'll be eating on Sunday.

I'm keeping it pretty simple and working around the days that I'll be working. I know that having a plan and sticking to it will help lower the dinnertime stress levels that we've had around here lately, so I'm really looking forward to that.

For more great menu planning ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 12/7

So... Fly by the seat of my pants is probably a bad option for this week, right? I am really not in the mood to menu plan. There's no specific reason for not wanting to, but we all get into those cooking funks, don't we? (Please say that you do... Humor me... Otherwise I'm going to think I'm weird.)

Even though I don't want to, here I sit menu planning as I type. I have a pretty good idea of what's in my kitchen right now. And I know that having a plan (even if I digress from it) will keep me from driving through on the way home some evening and calling that a nutritious meal. So, here goes!

Monday
Breakfast for Dinner
Eggs, Fried Potatoes, Baked Apples

Tuesday
Homemade Pizza

Wednesday
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (maybe baked pasta w/ lots of cheese and meat sauce?)

Thursday
Chicken Stir Fry

Friday
Leftovers

Saturday
Chicken Tetrazzini (recipe HERE)
Green Beans or Corn (Emma's choice)

Sunday
Leftover Tetrazzini

Now then... That wasn't so bad. And I actually feel better because I have a plan! For more menu planning ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday: Planning Backwards!

My usual mode of menu planning is to assess what we have on hand, figure out what meals I'd like to make, and then pick up any stray needed ingredients at the grocery store.

This week I worked my menu plan completely backwards!

We stopped by Kroger on Sunday for a few things we needed, and I decided to pick up a few odds and ends that I found on sale while we were there. Rather than having to make another trip to Kroger, I'm going to be using what we bought along with what we already have on-hand to plan this week's menu. Here's what I came up with.

Monday:
Turkey Tenderloin
Leftover Mashed Potatoes (with skins mixed in)
Corn

Tuesday:
Chicken 'n Noodles (using leftovers from the rotisserie chicken)
Salads

Wednesday:
Five-Can Soup (recipe HERE)
Homemade Bread (made in our machine by Jason!)

Thursday:
Leftover Soup & Bread

Friday:
Homemade Pizza

Saturday:
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Salads
Breadsticks??

Sunday:
TBA

I'll most likely be heading to the grocery store again before Sunday, so we'll see what I come up with for that meal.

For more great menu planning ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 11/23

Emma helped me plan our menu last night, so I let her choose one night's dinner. Her choice? Grilled cheese. Works for me, little lady! We'll be traveling to see my mother-in-law and her husband for Thanksgiving, so we have two days of meals that won't be on the plan. My mother-in-law insisted on making everything since we were traveling. Here's what's on the menu for the rest of the week.

Monday
Leftover Lasagna
I will be reaping the benefits of planning ahead. I have to work and will be home at 4:30. We have parent-teacher conferences at Emma's school, so we have to drop her off at my parents' house at 5:30. Eeks! That's not much time for dinner, is it? But we'll be able to reheat, eat, and run.

Tuesday
Soup, Grilled Cheese, and Cucumber Slices
This was the menu chosen by Emma... with my little addition of the soup.

Wednesday
Homemade Pizza
I tried making the crust dough in my bread machine last week, and I'm sticking with it! It wasn't flat and lifeless, much better than what I was getting before.

Thursday & Friday
We're traveling these days, so I won't be preparing any meals. I have planned ahead a bit and have snacks and drinks ready for our travels.

Saturday
Chicken 'n Noodles
Corn

Sunday
Broiled Fish with Italian Seasoning (Didn't get to it last week)
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans

For more menu planning inspiration, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday

After two weeks of rather haphazard menu planning, I'm ready to get back into the swing of things again. It's amazing the amount of stress that can be avoided with a simple plan. Here's what's cooking at our house this week.

Monday:

Chicken Cacciatore
Salads

Tuesday:

Crock Pot Potato Soup (recipe HERE)
Beer Bread
I forgot to get the recipe from my friend last week, but I'm going to try again this week.

Wednesday:
Leftover Potato Soup & Bread

Thursday:
Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken (recipe HERE)
Green Beans

Friday:
Broiled Tilapia - We're going to try just sprinkling it with some Italian seasoning this time.
Corn
Crock Pot Baked Potatoes (recipe HERE)

Saturday:
Homemade Pizza - I'm going to try making the crust in my bread machine this week. Does anyone have any good recipes for making crust this way? My crust is SO inconsistent! I want to try something that might work a little better. Your ideas are welcomed!

Sunday:
Lasagna (which I didn't get to make last week)

Looking for some menu inspiration? Head over to Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday: Another Late Edition

I certainly can't go another week without a menu plan! Whew! Here's what's on the menu for this week.

Monday:
Crock Pot Chili (Recipe HERE)
Cornbread

Tuesday:
Chicken 'n Noodles
Salads

Wednesday:
Leftover Chili over Crock Pot Baked Potatoes (Recipe HERE)

Thursday:
Meatless Lasagna
Salads

Friday:
Leftover Lasagna
Salads

Saturday:
Homemade Pizza

Sunday:
Chicken Spaghetti (Recipe HERE)

For more great menu planning ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday: The Late Edition

I had to work today, I've been trying to catch up with the odds-and-ends at home, and I think I'm getting sick again. So, this week's menu plan will be pretty low-maintenance for me.

Monday
We had leftovers!

Tuesday
Broiled Tilapia Parmesan (recipe HERE)
Crock Pot Baked Potatoes (recipe HERE)
Canned Veggies

I will also be using my second Crock Pot to cook some chicken breasts on Tuesday. I will dice, bag, and freeze these for later meals.

Wednesday
Chicken Spanish Rice
To make this, I make a Zatarain's Spanish Rice mix according to the directions on the box. Then I add in a can of black beans (drained, rinsed) and some diced chicken. Sometimes we sprinkle a little bit of shredded cheddar on top too. Yummy!

Thursday
Leftovers!

Friday
Homemade Pizza

Saturday
Hubby & I are headed to the Ohio State football game!! Yay!! No cooking and a great day of Buckeyes football with my husband... what more could I ask for!?!?

Sunday
Soup & Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

For more great menu planning ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday

First, let me tell you that I absolutely LOVED having all of that cooked, diced chicken in my freezer this week! Last week I told you about how I tried cooking and freezing it for use later in the week. I'll definitely be doing this again!

Considering the fact that I'm still without about 50% of my voice and sleeping on the couch at night so as not to wake my family with my coughing, I'm going to take it easy on myself for this week's menu plan. However, in the midst of taking it a bit easier, my mother-in-law is coming for a quick visit for Grandparent's Day at Emma's school. So here's what I have planned for this week.

Monday:
Leftover Chicken, Broccoli, Rice Casserole (Cooked by Emma with help from Grandma last night)

Tuesday:
Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade Applesauce (if I get it made on Monday!)
Homemade Bread

Wednesday:
Quesadillas with Chicken, Beans, and Cheese
Side Salads

Thursday:
Super Easy Slow Cooker Chicken (recipe HERE)
Crock Pot Baked Potatoes (directions from Good (& CHEAP) Eats HERE)
I do have two Crock Pots, by the way, so these won't be cooking together.

Friday:
Homemade Pizza
I found these adorable little pepperoni minis at Kroger last night. They're too cute, and they'll be a fun surprise addition to our pizza this week.

Saturday:
Leftover-fest

Sunday:
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

I am reserving the right to cancel the menu on any given day and replace the day's plan with subs from Subway!

For more great menu planning ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 10/12

I spent Saturday morning doing some work to make this week's menu a bit easier to carry out. I baked some whole wheat bread, several banana breads (some to eat, some to freeze for later), and a three-pound bag of chicken breasts. I also shredded up, bagged, and froze the last of the zucchini from my uncle. I feel some chocolate zucchini bread coming on!

I've never cooked chicken ahead like this, but I'm giving it a try! The worst part of making dinner (for me, at least) is having to defrost, cut up, and cook the meat. Instead, I dumped the three-pound bag of chicken into my Crock Pot along with two cans of chicken broth. I let it cook for several hours, and then I diced up the cooked chicken. I placed it all in the freezer in 2 cup servings. I also still have the remainder of the last rotisserie chicken that we got, and I'll be using that up first.

That said, this week's plan includes a few recipes gathered from some of my favorite blogging moms. I've searched their blogs for some recipes, mainly recipes involving the chicken I've cooked and stashed in the freezer. Here are my picks for this week.

Monday
Garlic Chicken Pasta (from Heavenly Homemakers)
Side Salad

Tuesday
Bean Soup with Ham
Homemade Bread

Wednesday
Cheesy Broccoli & Rice with Chicken (from Amy's Finer Things)

Thursday
Leftovers from the first three nights

Friday
Homemade Pizza

Saturday
Chicken Pot Pie (from Life As MOM)
Since my husband can't eat pie crust, I'll be making the filling on the stove top and serving it over homemade biscuits... sort of Chicken a la King style.

Sunday
We'll be eating with our small group from church, but my parents will be watching Emma. If Amy's Cheesy Broccoli and Rice with Chicken is a hit on Wednesday, I might make another pan of it for them to eat Sunday evening.

Looks like we'll be making good use of the chicken that I have stashed away! I'm looking forward to not having to deal with too much meal prep this week.

For more great menu planning ideas, stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.