Menu Plan

I think we will try concocting a Swedish Meatball recipe this week.  It should be interesting.  I have a white sauce recipe/shortcut I use all the time and I'm planning on using that with some beef bouillon, herbs and spices for the gravy.  I'll share a recipe if it turns out.  If not, well, maybe I'll just share my white sauce recipe.  The sauce is very versatile and can be used in several different dishes.  I love it because it is quick and it always turns out perfectly.

That's the plan for the TRY this week, here's what we will be eating:


Monday:  Pulled Pork Tacos, Chips & Salsa, Beans & Rice

Tuesday:  Spicy Chicken Skillet, Rice

Wednesday:  Swedish Meatballs, Egg Noodles, Green Beans

Thursday:  BBQ Beef Sandwiches, Oven Fries, Veggie Plate

Friday:  Stew, Cornbread Muffins

Saturday:  Simple Supper

Sunday:  Off to Grandma's we go...

I'm linking to OrgJunkie's weekly menu roundup.  Check 'er out!

Menu Plan

For the past few years we have gone as an extended family and purchased a beef.  This year, I got 1/4 and we were able to pick it up on Saturday.  Goodness my freezer is full.  As a result my menu plan for the next little while will be heavy on the beef.  (More info on the cow, what we ended up paying and what we ended up receiving in a future post.)

Here's our meal plan:

Monday:  Beef Tacos, Beans & Rice, Chips & Salsa

Tuesday:  Sweet & Sour Chicken

Wednesday:  Pizza

Thursday:  BBQ Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Peas

          (Look for a Recipe and Meatball Method post this week.)

Friday:  Anna's Mac & Cheese, Ham, Green Beans, Rolls

Saturday:  Simple Supper - Momma and Papa OUT!

Sunday:  Salisbury Steak, Boiled Potatoes, Sweet Carrots, Rolls

I'm linking to Org Junkies weekly round-up of menu plans.  Check them out!

Menu Plan

I ran out of money in the grocery budget this week, it's not an unusual occurrence at the end of the month for me, so our meals this week are fairly simple.  Just what we have on hand.  One of the great benefits of having a stocked pantry is that we hardly notice when I skip a week of grocery shopping.  My baby will miss his bananas, but maybe I can convince him that the canned peaches are just as good.


Monday:  BBQ Chicken, Cheesy Potatoes, Green Beans, Rolls

Tuesday:  Pork Barbacoa, Black Beans, Rice, Chips & Salsa

Wednesday:  Hot Dogs, Potato Chips, Carrot Sticks, Dip

Thursday:  Spaghetti, Breadsticks, Peas & Carrots

Friday:  Crock-pot Scalloped Potatoes w/Pork Chops, Green Beans, Rolls

Saturday:  Simple Supper/Leftovers/Out to Dinner (haven't decided yet)

Sunday:  Grandma's


For more great menu plan ideas check out Org Junkies weekly round-up of menu plans.

Our Frugal School Lunch Plan

Since it is back to school time here, and around the blogosphere, I thought I'd share our plan for lunch at school this year.

My girl's are fairly picky when it comes to food.  The oldest one rolls her eyes, but will eat almost anything.  The younger one refuses to eat unless she's forced.  I'm afraid they inherited their pickiness from me.  Sorry mom, now I know.

So, when faced with a strange meal everyday they aren't happy.  Don't get me wrong, I believe it is good for them to struggle and experience new things.  Maybe if they are starving they'll try something new and love it.  They react the same when they get a brown bag from home every day.  "But all the other kids get pizza..."

I also have concerns with them just having school lunch every day.  School lunches have a tendency to be rather processed.  My girl's probably waste any foods they don't like leaving them to eat whatever's left.  Cost is also huge.  The lunches at our school are $1.50 and I'm fairly confident I can pack them something for less than $.50.

Taking everything into consideration, included the kiddos favorite foods, we came up with a plan.  I am not going to advertise this as the only way you can do school lunch with your kids, but it is how we are doing it.  I feel like it has a nice balance of cost and ease.

To avoid confusion we will be sticking to this basic plan:

Mondays - Snack Lunch (Crackers, Cheese, Meat, Veggies, Fruits)

Tuesdays - School Lunch (could be traded with another day)

Wednesdays -  Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich w/ fruit slices

Thursdays -  School Lunch (Pizza Day!)

Fridays - Ham and Cheese Sandwich w/ Veggies

Any of the sandwiches can be made on any variety of bread, buns or tortillas (just depends on what we have on hand).  I'll also include a partially frozen water bottle for cooling/drinking purposes.

You may have also noticed I don't include snacks/juice/chips/pretzels a.k.a. junk food.  I'm not against them.  I'll include them if and when I can find them at a good enough price.  But, at our house those items are available for only rare or special occasions, it's not an everyday occurrence.  Just trying to keep it consistent.

  To Do: On Sunday afternoon read through lunch menu with girl's and have them initial the meal they want that week.

Buy these great divided containers, with a coupon of course, next time I'm at Wal-mart.

So, that's our plan for this year.  I really hope it will work as well as I hope.  What are your school lunch plans? (for those of you with school-age kiddos) and/or What was your favorite/least favorite part about school lunch growing up?

Note:  This post does contain my Amazon Associate link and I linked up to Org Junkie's Menu plan Roundup.

Menu Plan

I am officially back in meal planning mode.  This week and next are crazy busy with all the school activities end of year brings.  We are also planning a little camping trip for this weekend.  The whole car issue is going to be a challenge.  I'm planning easy, well known meals till school gets out.  Nothing new or fancy here.

Monday:
     Sweet & Sour Chicken, Salad

Tuesday:
     Black Bean & Corn Chicken Quesadillas, Chips & Salsa

Wednesday:
     Homemade Pizza, Salad

Thursday:
     Penne w/Cheese, Ham Steaks, Green Beans, Rolls
          (I'm out of macaroni but have lots of penne, we'll see how it works.)

Friday:
     CAMPING - Hot Dogs over the fire, Chips, Veggie Tray

Saturday:
     CAMPING - Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Salad

Sunday:
     Grandma's House
          (Why is it always Grandma's house?  Grandpa lives there too...)

I'm linking to Orgjunkie's weekly menu plan roundup.  Check out all the great meals and recipes planned for this week.  Hopefully I can find some new recipes for when school gets out.

Menu Plan

We are going on a little camping trip this week so the menu plan is really very simple.  Since we are traveling with family we share the food responsibilities.  I'm taking a breakfast and a dinner, my mom is taking a breakfast and a dinner, then we will do a cereal bar for one breakfast and out to eat one dinner.  Lunches are just sandwiches or snacks.

I love how easy this method of planning is.  We don't have to  remember to pack everything for a ton of different meals.  Plus, I only have to cook twice the entire trip!

Here's the plan:

Monday:
     Anna's Mac & Cheese, Grilled Chicken, Green Beans, Rolls

Tuesday:
     Vegetable Chowder, Bread

Wednesday:
     Camping Trip - Out

Thursday:
     Camping Trip - Mom

Friday:
     Camping Trip - Me (Spicy Chicken Skillet, Salad)

Saturday:
     Breakfast for Dinner

Sunday:
     Grilled Chicken, Cheesy Potatoes, Peas & Carrots, Rolls

I'm linking to OrgJunkie's weekly menu roundup.

Menu Plan

Have you checked out the case lot sales yet?  I spent half my months grocery budget this past weekend, but that's okay.  I hit Costco for milk, cheese, yogurt and chocolate chips.  Then I went to the bread store and filled my cart with bread, buns and bagels.  Next I grabbed several "case lot" deals at Maceys: popcorn, black beans, tomato soup, ketchup and cake mixes.  Finally, I picked up tomato sauce, fruits and veggies at Smith's.  Four stores is a bit much for me.  I like to keep it to one or two a week.  Hopefully there will be a couple of times this month I'll only head to the store for fresh fruits and veggies.  That's the way I shop.  By the end of the month it will all even out.

Here is our meal plan for this week:

Monday:
     Sweet & Sour Chicken, Rice, Spinach Salad

Tuesday:
     Pizza

Wednesday:
     Anna's Mac & Cheese, Grilled Chicken, Green Beans, Rolls

Thursday:
    Vegetable Chowder, Bread
          (we didn't get to it last week)

Friday:
     Hot Dogs, Chips, Dip & Carrot Sticks

Saturday:
     Breakfast for Dinner

Sunday:
     Chicken Cordon Bleu, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Peas & Carrots, Rolls

I'm linking to OrgJunkie's menu plan roundup.

Menu Plan

Photo Credit: Tammy's Recipes

Last week instead of tacos I found this really yummy quesadilla recipe.  Grilled Chicken Quesadillas w/Black Beans and Corn.  My kids had seconds, one star.  All the ingredients were cheap and on hand, one star.  They were super easy and quick to make, uh duh quesadillas, one star.  And they tasted delicious, one star.  Four out of Four stars.  I think this recipe is going in the rotation.  I need to find more recipes like this to replace all the soups and stews that will soon be disappearing from my dinner plans.

Since one minute it is snowing outside and the next it is warm with sunshine I'm planning a lot of warm comfort food this week.  Gotta eat it while I can.  That's one thing I'll miss about the cold weather.


Monday:
     Beef Stew, Cornbread Muffins

Tuesday:
     Pizza

Wednesday:
     Penne with Marinara & Meatballs, Salad, Breadsticks

Thursday:
     Vegetable Chowder, Green Salad, Bread

Friday:
     Sloppy Joes, Chips, Dip & Carrot Sticks

Saturday:
     Leftovers

Sunday:
     To Grandma's House

I'm linking this post to OrgJunkie's weekly menu roundup.

Menu Plan

Photo Credit: The Fishographer

The recipe for the Mediterranean Lemon Chicken Penne last week came from the back of the Ronzoni Garden Delight Penne Rigate box.  I'm giving it 3 out of 4 stars.  One star because the kids devoured it fairly quickly, one star because it was super quick and easy to make, one star because the ingredients were cheap and on hand.  The last star, of which this recipe lacks, is for yumminess.  There wasn't enough flavoring on the pasta for me.  I'm sure with some tweaks we can make it work.

For this week, this is what we have planned:

Monday:
     Hamburgers, Chips, Dip & Carrot Sticks

Tuesday:
     Homemade Pizza

Wednesday:
     Spicy Chicken Skillet, Rice, Spinach Salad

Thursday:
     Chicken Penne Alfredo, Caesar Salad, Breadsticks

Friday:
     Tacos, Beans, Rice, Chips & Salsa

Saturday:
     Stew, Cornbread Muffins

Sunday:
     Grandma's House

I'm linking this post to OrgJunkie's roundup of weekly menu plans.

Menu Plan

I lost my camera for five days this week.  The plan was to post my meatball recipe with a gorgeous set of pictures.  It didn't happen.  Maybe next time.  I finally had to promise extra allowance for the kid who found my camera.  My oldest found it in the center console of the car.  Why it was there I will never know.

I'm hoping this week will go smoother, but with kids home from school today anything goes.  Here's the food plan for this week:

Monday:
     Sloppy Joes, Chips, Dip and Carrot Sticks

Tuesday:
     Homemade Pizza

Wednesday:
     Crockpot Porkchops and Scalloped Potatoes, Corn, Rolls

Thursday:
     Garden Pasta, Salad, Breadsticks
     (This is a new recipe so pictures and review next week.)

Friday:
     Tacos, Beans & Rice, Chips & Salsa

Saturday:
     Semi-Annual Out to Dinner after Stake Conference

Sunday:
     Salisbury Steak, Boiled Potatoes, Sweet Carrots, Rolls

I'm linking this post to OrgJunkie's round-up of menu plans.  If you don't know what to make for dinner you can find a ton of ideas over there.

Menu Plan

The Turtle Soup from last week wasn't exactly my favorite.  First, it took some convincing to get my kids to eat.  They had a strange notion that there were turtles in the soup.  Silly kids.  After I explained what tortellini is they decided to try it.  Next, there was a tanginess to the tomatoes I didn't like.  If I make it again I'll probably add a little sugar.  Finally, the tortellini was EXPENSIVE.  I could only find a name-brand-fresh-type at my store.  Maybe frozen would be cheaper.

Anyway, here's the plan for this week:

Monday:
     Out to Eat for Family Home Evening

Tuesday:
     Homemade Pizza

Wednesday:
     BBQ Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Peas, Homemade Bread

Thursday:
     Spaghetti, Caesar Salad, Breadsticks

Friday:
     Anna's Mac & Cheese, Ham, Green Beans, Rolls

Saturday:
     Hot Dogs, Chips, Carrot Sticks, Dip

Sunday:
     Over the River and Through the Woods...

I'm linking this post to Orgjunkie.com and her round-up of menu plans.

Menu Plan

At a recent class I stressed how much money you can save by cooking from scratch.  A few of the ladies wanted to know just exactly what we eat at the Frugal house, so I thought I would start sharing my weekly menu plans.  This is what I'm planning for this week:

Monday:
     Lasagna, Breadsticks, Green Salad

Tuesday:
     Hawaiian Haystacks

Wednesday:
     Turtle Soup, Crust Bread, Green Salad

Thursday:
     Crockpot Pork and Scalloped Potatoes, Corn, Rolls

Friday:
     Homemade Pizza

Saturday:
     Breakfast for Dinner

Sunday:
     To Grandmother's House we Go

I'm linking this post to Orgjunkie.com and her awesome round-up of menu plans.

Menu Plan Monday

Here is what we are planning for dinner this week:

• MONDAY - Tortilla - Taco Salad
• TUESDAY - Easy - Homemade Pizza
• WEDNESDAY - Pasta - Chicken Parmesan, Angel Hair Pasta, Caesar Salad, Breadsticks
• THURSDAY - Lite - Out to EAT!
  
• FRIDAY - Chicken - Sweet & Sour Chicken, Rice
  
• SATURDAY - Beef - BBQ Beef Sandwiches, Salad, Fruit & Veggie Tray
• SUNDAY - Nice - Beef Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Sweet Carrots, Corn on the Cob, Rolls
  

I just found this Sweet & Sour Chicken recipe and we absolutely love it! Most of the recipe can be made ahead so you'll only spend a few minutes cooking:

Sweet and Sour Chicken

1 pound of boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1" chunks
1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 10-ounce can pineapple chunks (reserve juice)
1/4 cup juice from the canned pineapple
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 teaspoon table salt
2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

In a bowl, combine the chicken with the egg white, salt and cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

In the meantime, whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, salt, and brown sugar.

Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water instantly sizzles and evaporates. Pour in the 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat. It's important that the pan is very hot. Add the chicken and spread the chicken out in one layer. Let the chicken fry, untouched for 1 minute, until the bottoms are browned. Flip and fry the other side the same for 1 minute. The chicken should still be pinkish in the middle. Dish out the chicken onto a clean plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.

Turn the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Let the oil heat up and then add the bell pepper chunks and ginger. Fry for 1 minute. Add the pineapple chunks and the sweet and sour sauce. Turn the heat to high and when the sauce is simmering, add the chicken pieces back in. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Timing depends on how thick you've cut your chicken. The best way to tell if the chicken is done is to take a piece out and cut into it. If it's pink, add another minute to the cooking.

Taste the sauce and add more brown sugar if you’d like.

Serves 4.

Tips to make ahead:

• Cut and Marinate Chicken, place in refrigerator
• Cut Peppers, place in refrigerator
• Make Rice (I always make a huge batch of rice and freeze in meal size portions)

All that's left is mixing up the sauce and start cooking. I love when I can find recipes that are quick and easy and taste really good!

Be sure to check out Organizing Junkies Round-up of 500+ menu plans for more inspiration on what to make for dinner.

Menu Plan Monday

Kids are back in school and life will be much more structured. {thank goodness!} I'm a little giddy about grocery shopping with only one little (my middle child starts kindergarten on Thursday) and anxious to get down and do some serious blogging.

Here is what we are planning for dinner this week:

• MONDAY - Tortilla - Beef Tacos, Rice & Beans, Chips & Salsa
• TUESDAY - Easy - Pasta Primavera, Chicken Fingers, Corn on the Cob, Fresh Fruit
• WEDNESDAY - Pasta - Anna's Mac & Cheese, Grilled Ham Steak, Green Beans, Garden Salad
• THURSDAY - Lite - Sub sandwiches, Chips, Dip, Carrot Sticks
  
• FRIDAY - Chicken - Chicken & Rice, Green Beans, Rolls, Green Salad
  
• SATURDAY - Beef - Marinated Steak, Oven Fries, Fresh Fruit & Veggies, Rolls
  
• SUNDAY - Nice - Beef Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Sweet Carrots, Homemade Rolls
  

Be sure to check out Organizing Junkies Round-up of 500+ menu plans for more inspiration on what to make for dinner.

Menu Plan Monday

More camping with the family on this week's schedule. Thankfully we now have a new-to-us camping trailer to make the whole meal planning and cooking much easier.

Here is what we are planning for dinner this week:

• MONDAY - Marinated Steak, Baked Potatoes, Salad, Fresh Fruit & Veggies
• TUESDAY - Easy - Pizza, Green Salad, Veggies
• WEDNESDAY - CAMPING
• THURSDAY - CAMPING
  
• FRIDAY - CAMPING "MY NIGHT" - Sweet Pork Tacos, Beans & Rice, Chips & Queso
  
• SATURDAY - OUT
  
• SUNDAY - Nice - Beef Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Sweet Carrots, Rolls, Green Salad
  

Be sure to check out Organizing Junkies Round-up of 500+ menu plans for more inspiration on what to make for dinner.

Menu Plan Monday

Now that my season of stress and sickness is over I'm finding I do much better when I have a set plan for each nights dinner. I'll be going back to my old plan of categories for each day of the week.

Here is what we are planning for dinner this week:

• MONDAY - Tortillas - Chicken Enchiladas, Spinach Salad, Green Beans, Chips & Queso
• TUESDAY - Easy - Homemade Pizza, Salad, Veggie Tray
• WEDNESDAY - Pasta - Spaghetti & Meatballs, Salad, Breadsticks
• THURSDAY - Cool - Hoagies, Chips, Veggie Tray
  
• FRIDAY - Chicken - Chicken Pot Pie, Spinach Salad, Fruit Plate
  
• SATURDAY - OUT
  
• SUNDAY - Grandma's House
  

Be sure to check out Organizing Junkies Round-up of 500+ menu plans for more inspiration on what to make for dinner.

Menu Plan Monday

Here is what we are planning for dinner this week:

• Marinated Turkey, Cheesy Potatoes, Mixed Veggies, Rolls, Fruit Plate
• Beef Tacos, Beans & Rice, Chips & Salsa
• Chicken Tenders, Pasta Primavera, Veggie/Fruit Tray, Homemade Wheat Bread
• Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo, Caesar Salad, Breadsticks
• Steak, Baked Potato, Veggy Plate / Green Salad, Whole Wheat Rolls
• Out
• To Grandma's House we go!

Be sure to check out Organizing Junkies Round-up of 500+ menu plans for more inspiration on what to make for dinner.

Menu Plan Monday

Here is what we are planning for dinner this week:

• Chili Dogs, Chips, Veggie/Fruit Tray
• Spaghetti, Caesar Salad, Breadsticks
• Herb Crusted Chicken Piccata, Brown Rice, Steamed Broccoli and Carrots
• Steak Fajitas, Rice & Beans, Chips & Salsa
• Chicken Tenders, Pasta Primavera, Veggie/Fruit Tray, Homemade Wheat Bread
• Out
• Beef Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Sweet Carrots, Rolls

I love my Herb-Crusted Chicken Piccata recipe! I found it in a book called "Saving Dinner" by Leanne Ely. Here's the Recipe:

Herb-Crusted Chicken Picatta

Serves 6

4 T Italian bread crumbs

1 t garlic powder

Black pepper to taste

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 T butter, divided

1/3 c chicken broth

3 T lemon juice

On a dinner plate or pie plate, combine first three ingredients and set aside.

In a large zipper-topped plastic bag, add three chicken breast halves, close bag and roll them out with a rolling pin to flatten. Do this again with the other three. Dredge chicken in bread-crumb mixture and set aside.

In a skillet, melt half the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook about 4 min. on each side or until done. Remove chicken from skillet when cooked and keep warm. Add broth, lemon juice, and remaining butter using a sire whisk to get everything up off the bottom. Cook 1 minute and spoon sauce over chicken.

Serve with brown rice, steamed broccoli and carrots.

Super quick and easy. I'm all about quick and easy, especially at the dinner hour. Here's a couple tips for making an even quicker meal:

• You can pound the chicken flat just after you buy it, then freeze. (thank you Rachel Ray!) The defrost time on the chicken is nearly half and how many of us forget to take meat out to defrost?
• I bake a large batch of rice on my cooking day and separate it into meal size portions to freeze. All you have to do is throw it in the microwave strait from the freezer and the rice is all done. Yes, I have to bake my rice because I have yet to successfully make rice on the stovetop. It is always either underdone and crunchy or overdone and mushy. By baking I get it perfect every time!
• Chopping veggies can happen in the morning or days before. I also use Ziploc's Zip 'n Steam bags. Just toss the veggies in, set the microwave, and away we go.

Be sure to check out Organizing Junkies Round-up of 500+ menu plans for more inspiration on what to make for dinner.

Menu Plan Monday

It is starting to get hotter round these parts (we've had a very wet, very cool spring) and I have discovered that I do not have nearly enough hot weather dinner ideas. All during the fall, winter and spring I have devoted one night a week to soups or stews. I need to come up with some nice (preferably no-cook) meals to take the hot stuff's place. Anybody have any great suggestions?

Here is what we are planning for dinner this week:

• Anna's Mac & Cheese, Ham, Mixed Veggies, Fruit Plate
• Homemade Pizza, Green Salad, Fruit Plate
• Hoagies, Chips, Dips, Veggies
• Chicken Fettucini Alfredo, Breadsticks, Caesar Salad
• Great Big Neighborhood Party (I'm bringing Rolls!)
• Out
• Marinated Turkey, Cheesy Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli and Carrots, Green Salad, Rolls

Be sure to check out Organizing Junkies Round-up of 500+ menu plans for more inspiration on what to make for dinner.

Menu Plan Monday

My husband and I have decided to plan on going out to eat (with or without the kids) one night a week. Mostly resulting from an excess of eating out on our part. {insert embarrassed smile here!...} This summer has found us working long hard hours on projects and I have been struggling to make dinner every night.

We have decided to allot a certain amount of cash each week. This cash is placed in an envelope on the fridge and when it's gone it's gone. If we decide not to use it that week we'll roll it into the next week (maybe to go out somewhere extra fancy!). Hopefully this will help us save money during this season of our lives.

Here is what we are planning for dinner this week:

• Hot Dogs, Chips, Dip, Carrot Sticks
• Beef Tacos, Tortilla Chips, Salsa, Beans & Rice
  
• Chicken Pot Pie, Green Salad, Fruit Plate
  
• Marinated Turkey, Cheesy Potatoes, Mixed Veggies, Rolls
  
• Chicken Fingers, Pasta Primavera, Fruit/Veggie Tray
• Out to Dinner
• Dinner at Grandma's

I've also found it really nice to have a listing of possible Breakfast, Lunch and Healthy Snack ideas listed on my fridge (thank you Money Saving Mom). The list is helping to keep us from boredom and from running out to the fast food joints.

Here is my snack list:

• Apple Sauce
• Muffins
• Cheese & Crackers
• Dried Fruit
• Quesadillas
• Waffles
• Fruit/Veggies
  

Check out Organizing Junkies Round-up of 500+ menu plans for more inspiration on what to make for dinner.