Meal Plan Monday - Better Late

I realize it's Wednesday and posting Meal Plan Monday on a Wednesday doesn't reflect well on my goal to plan well this year.

But it's been a week.

If you are paying attention, you might have noticed I didn't even post a Meal Plan Monday last Monday. I think I was feeling like I was coming down with something then.

If I have learned anything in life it is that there is no shame in picking up whatever you've left where you are.

If that makes sense.

Now for those of you are die-hard "just post the meal plan, lady" folks, I am about to let you down.

My blog. My party. My opportunity to spout jibberish and ramble on about my life and observations as I see fit. Never make apologies for what you feel you need to do.

My need is to ramble on with jibberish nonsense that really won't amount to a hill of beans or change the trajectory of your life. Unless you just like to be entertained by my jibber.

And for that, thank you...AND you're welcome.

For everyone, scroll on.

This week, I am recovering from whatever it was that took me down last week. I started off with a bang by taking Josiah to his first homeschool co-op of his last semester EVAH of High School.

While he was in his first class, I went to Aldi. I threw all kinds of good stuff into my cart. Aldi is a treasure. My only issue is that I tend to forget my shopping bags and wind up purchasing more shopping bags or letting everything free-float in my trunk.

I headed back to Josiah's co-op where I sat in on his science class. I'm the helper. I say "helper" very loosely. The teacher is fantastic. I am only there for the show.

After his classes ended, he and I jumped in the car and went to the Dollar Tree and to Wal-mart. I needed to get a few other things and spent way too long in the make-up section. I am looking for a foundation that is reasonably priced, can cover my rosacea and not pill up in the creaks and crevices of my dry skin.

I am still on the search.

Josiah then reminded me that I promised him I would take him to a record shop someone had told him about. Do they even call them record shops anymore?

This one had strange and cultic looking graffiti painted over every square inch. The parking lot was just a series of potholes and the windows were boarded up by a few 2x4s. I waved a few prayers of protection over him and sent him into that den of devil music.

He wasn't in there too long. He came out with his soul intact. I then dropped him off at another church to meet up with his dad. They were going to lift a few weights and get Josiah some lunch.

I went on to a chiropractor appointment. And then home where I collapsed on the couch...unable to walk the rest of the night.

And I'm not kidding.

The rest of this week is not quite as busy, but there is something going on continuously. So I needed a meal plan (Hah! You knew I would get there eventually) that would be easy to pull off as well as meet the needs of being healthy and budget-friendly.

I think I've managed it.

Monday - Leftovers

I actually didn't plan on leftovers, but that plan became obvious when I came home and couldn't walk. We had some leftover chicken legs, a kale salad, and fruit.

Tuesday - Taco Night

Chicken Burrito Bowl

I made a crockpot of red beans cooking in the crockpot and used a rotisserie chicken I got marked down from Wal-mart in the fridge. I will simply deboned the chicken, cut the meat into manageable pieces and seasonedit with a little taco seasoning. I also made a pot of brown rice (with a little cauli-rice added in), chopped up a little Romaine lettuce and made some salsa.

Good eating.

Wednesday Night - Josiah Cooks

Hamburgers

The boy has been consistent. He has been asking to cook burgers for the past few weeks. We get the preshaped frozen burgers from Aldi. They don't take long for him to cook up and we can use as many or as few as we need. I will eat mine boneless with a side of broccoli.

Thursday Night - Comfort Classics

Roasted Chicken Legs
Baked Potatoes
Green Beans

My easy chicken leg recipe is to cook my chicken legs in a bottle of balsamic vinaigrette from Aldi. The bottle costs under $1 and lasts me a few recipes. I will fix sweet potatoes from myself and white potatoes for my guys. The green beans are canned from my parents' farm. Yum.

Friday Night - Family Fun Night

Various

I am leaving it unspecific because we literally do have a Family Fun Night at church planned. We generally have hot dogs and chips at these events and my guys will eat when they are there. I, however, will probably eat leftovers from the night before. Hot dogs aren't on my meal plan.

Saturday - Frugal Gourmet 

Lemon Shrimp with Spinach Quinoa

I found a recipe I am going to try. I'll let you know how it turns out. The Muffin and I love shrimp. Josiah is not a huge fan, but he will eat a couple.

Sunday - Church Day! 

Tikki Masala (chicken)

I am not going to rely on leftovers this week. I have a jar of Tikki Masala from Aldi in my pantry. I try and keep it stocked up. It is super easy to fix. I also plan on making enough quinoa Saturday night to serve with the Tikki Masala. I also will make sure there is a salad to serve with it. Most of it I will get together on Saturday. I have had success fixing it in the slow cooker too. I simply cut up chicken breasts, add the sauce and turn it on. It doesn't take any time at all to cook through. Easy Peasy.

I also realize that Sunday is the Super Bowl. We don't cancel church Sunday evenings for the game but I"m sure it will still be going on when we get out. I am not planning on any special snacks for my guys. I will probably pick up some easy munchies for them to enjoy. I just haven't thought that far ahead!

So that's it! Hope I've given you a few ideas.

Meal Plan Monday - A Pantry Challenge

Hello, my friends.

I'm back with another Meal Plan Monday.

I'll try and make it short and sweet. (She says half-convincingly in her head while knowing full well it is not in her nature to be short or mostly sweet)

Anyhoo.

When I make my meal plan every week I try and take into account the week's activities, what I already have in the pantry and freezer and my energy level.

This week is one that I need to try to make do with what I have in my pantry. This can be an exciting challenge. It's almost like creating your own Chopped kitchen show.

The Muffin is also at the tail end of his recovery with THE PLAGUE. I'm hoping that my role as the primary caregiver of one with THE PLAGUE is about at its end.

Amen and Amen.

Monday

Lentil Love

It's legume night at the Teague house! The recipe above is my go-to lentil recipe. I will also cook up some brown rice in the ole rice cooker and add even more veggies for my benefit.

Tuesday 

Pork Tacos

Taco Tuesday! On this night I will be using some pork taco filling someone gave me. It's currently in my freezer and I need to use it up. I will serve mine over a large bed of romaine and make sure we have plenty of taco fixings. This includes my Thrifty Gal's Salsa.  It is a staple in our house. I try and keep the ingredients always on hand.

Wednesday 

Hamburgers

Josiah is cooking on this night. He's chosen hamburgers. I will eat mine bunless and with a big side of broccoli. I also love to saute up a hefty portion of mushrooms and onions to serve on top. I doubt that will happen this week. I probably have a small can of mushrooms in my pantry but fresh ones are in small supply.

Thursday

Oven-Baked Cod, Roasted Okra and Cauli Rice

I have some Cod in my freezer that will be perfect for this night's meal. I also have some frozen okra from my parents' garden that I need to use. I might do regular rice for my guys and leave the cauli rice for me. This will be a low-calorie meal and they might need a bit more bulk.

Friday 

Personal Bagel Pizzas

It's Family Night! We most likely watch a movie on Disney Plus or Netflix and will need something festive to add to the fun. We used to do pizza more frequently, but I have to do a little more planning with my meals than our favorite take-out pizza. For this night, I plan on setting out the ingredients for my guys to make personal pizzas. I think I have some bagels in my freezer that will make perfect crusts. For myself, I will use a whole-wheat tortilla. The rest of the toppings will depend on what I have on hand.

Saturday 

Edie Wadsworth's Best Ever Beef Stew 
It's my frugal gourmet night. This is the night I plan on doing something a bit fancy...if I am so inclined.  Beef Stew isn't necessarily considered a gourmet dish, but this Beef Stew recipe will change your life. It takes all day and I have a little bit of stew meat in my fridge that is calling out for this treatment. I will just serve it with some crusty bread.

Sunday 

Leftover! Or sandwiches. We shall see what is what by then. I always have salad fixings and stuff for a ham sandwich.


That's it! Hopefully, I've supplied some easy supper inspiration. Let me know what you do when you try and eat out of your pantry.

Meal Plan Monday - It Begins Again!

As promised I am starting up my Meal Plan Monday posts again.

It's been a while, my friends.

I have to tell you that these won't be especially inspiring posts...unless you are seeking to create a healthy lifestyle for yourself and your family.

My son (Josiah) and The Studly Muffin don't have to follow my same eating plan, but I fix what I fix. There might be a few additions or substitutions I with them in mind. However, they have been really on board with what I'm doing thus far. Which is good for them.  I've never made separate meals...unless somebody wants Ramen. Then they are on their own.

I also have been making my menus around nightly themes. I take into account what our average week is like and planned accordingly. Though we won't start Homeschool Co-op back up for a few more weeks, I still planned like it's a thing this week. It's just easier that way.

At a later date, I will explain what my eating plan requires me to have for every meal. I am also supposed to have a serving of fruit which I haven't listed in my menus. I am required to have 2 cups of non-starchy veggies with each meal. I can have them anyway I want them...though I imagine deep-fried in batter would be a definite no-no.

Monday - Easy Peasy (Homeschool Co-op Day)

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans 
I don't even bother soaking the beans. They just simmer all day in the slow cooker with a little ham bone, an onion and spices.
Cornbread Muffins (for my guys)
Kale Salad ( I LOVE this recipe. I don't use the honey because it spikes my blood sugar. I add just a bit of sweetener instead. I also purchase one of the those precut Kale bags at Aldi for convenience)

Tuesday - Taco Night! 

We love us some tacos. I usually do some variation of taco salad. On this night I am planning on making Mrs. Criddles Taco Salad Crunch.  It is super yummy. I will use leftover pintos instead of the canned beans it calls for.

Wednesday - Josiah Cooks

I used to have him do this more often. He's gotten out of the habit since we've moved to Indiana. This week he is making spaghetti. I am going to fix myself a side of zoodles instead of the pasta.
This is an easy slow cooker spaghetti recipe from Skinnytaste.com. We have some ground pork we need to use up and I will have him add some extra Italian seasonings. We will also be using canned tomatoes from my parents' garden.

Thursday - Comfort Food

Baked Chicken Legs
Baked Potatoes (sweet for me)
Roasted Green Beans Fries

It doesn't get any self-explanatory than that.  I generally marinate my chicken legs in a little vinegarette salad dressing then bake them in the oven.

I like to wrap up my potatoes in foil and also cook them in the oven. I can have a little bit of butter on my sweet potato and I also like to sprinkle it with a little salt and pepper.

If you haven't made Green Bean Fries you are missing out. They are The Muffin's favorite. This recipe is close to the way I make mine. Though I don't make a dipping sauce and I use olive oil instead of coconut oil.

Friday - Family Night

This meal is generally an easy one that I try and make more fun. This Friday we are having Burrito Bowls with brown rice, leftover pinto beans, roasted leftover chicken, and a few extra toppings. Burrito bowls are so easy to make and you can customize them to fit your family's needs and tastes. I will use cauli rice with my brown rice to help with my non-starchy veggie requirement.

Saturday - Frugal Gourmet

I usually have a bit more time on Saturday to cook. It doesn't mean I'll take it. But I do like to be a little bit fancier on Saturdays. At least, as fancy as my budget allows me to be. This week my Saturday meal is still fairly easy to put together.

Garlic Butter Baked Cod
Roasted Broccoli
Quinoa Salad with Spinach and Almonds
This quinoa recipe is really good. I didn't pick up radishes to go in it so I probably will forgo those. I also will use the walnuts I already have instead of almonds. I probably will add extra cauli rice in my cooked quinoa to beef up my non-starchy veggie requirements. If your folks aren't all about the quinoa you can certainly substitute brown rice.

Sunday - Leftovers

Hopefully, we will have a few. If not I will make a survey of the pantry and fridge Saturday night and do something simple. A simple veggie soup is always easy to throw together.

That's it! Let me know if you have any questions.

What I'm Fixin' - February 23, 2015

Some yummy food is going to be springing forth from my little kitchen this week...baring any unforeseen events. Like the plague or an impromptu trip to Tahiti.

I've got a few favorites I bring back every week or so. The Muffin is really easy to feed. Josiah less so, but he does is fairly predictable with what he likes.

This is what I'm fixing this week.

Monday - Patty Melts (a burger on toasted bread with cheese and sauteed onions), Broccoli Salad (I make mine with apples, bacon and toasted almonds...you can't go wrong)

Tuesday - Roasted Chicken (I got 2 last week on special ...this is round 2), Smashed Cauliflower and Brussel Sprouts

Wednesday - Crab Patties (These are made with flax meal so it cuts down the carbs), Baked Potato (for The Muffin and Josiah) and Thai Coleslaw.

Thursday - I adore these Korean Style Chicken Lettuce Wraps. I am also making The Pioneer Woman's Sesame Noodles. Josiah made these last week and they were a big hit. 

Friday - It's Mexican Food night! I'm making all the fixings for a Burrito Bowl. Which will be black beans, baked brown rice, homemade salsa and probably some taco meat for the carnivores. 

Saturday and Sunday are going to spent at my parents' farm. This past weekend, Mom cooked up a big ham, pinto beans, cornbread and I made a smashed cauliflower casserole (which mimics a hashbrown casserole) and an apple cobbler. There is nothing like some hillbilly comfort food on a cold day.

Have a wonderful week!

I am linking up to Meal Plan Monday!

What I'm Fixin': Going Bunless...

Yes, Ma'am! It's Monday.

Boo! Hiss!

You can tell I've jumped into my week with a sweet attitude. The weekend was absolutely gorgeous. Sunny. Warm.

Then.

I woke up this morning to 35 degree weather. Really? I know some of you are rolling your eyes. How can I complain about 35 degree weather? Let's see. Cloudy, cold and miserable. Sunny, warm and springy. You take your pick. I know which one I would rather go with.

Despite my protests Monday is here and so begins the week. My menu this week has to be easy and healthy. We have a busy week and thankfully, I only have to worry about what to fix 4 nights this week. I do follow the Trim Healthy Mama Eating Plan and we are generally at my parents' farm for the weekend. Thus the strange references to certain products.

Monday - Take out burgers. Yep. I did it. The Drive-Thru is sometimes my friend. Josiah has swim team practice tonight and we have to leave early to run an errand. Sometimes the $1 menu is what we have to do. This is one of those nights. In my defense, my burger is going bunless. It is has been hard for my frugal self to set aside my bun, but I sure feel so much better without it.

Tuesday - Chicken Tetrazinni and roasted asparagus.  I don't exactly have a recipe figured out for this yet. My traditional recipe is not Trim Healthy Mamafied so I'm going to attempt to do just that. I'm using Dreamfield's pasta.

Wednesday - Burrito Bowl (inspired by Chipolte).

Thursday - Meatball Subs and pasta salad. I'm using leftover meatballs that I have in my freezer and making up a pasta salad I can fix ahead of time. I'm using a Joseph's pita for my sub and keeping the pasta out of my salad. I've got broccoli, grape tomatoes and a green pepper to put in the salad. And maybe a can of black olives. Josiah loves black olives.

Friday - The Muffin is taking me out to eat! I'm voting for Sushi. We shall see...

Have a great week!

I'm linking up to Meal Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com

What I'm Fixin: Not Frozen Custard!

Another Monday. Another chance to post my weekly menu plans. 

I'm glad I am doing it this week. It is going to be one of those weeks and I haven't quite got off to a great start. 

I sent The Muffin to work tonight with a can of soup and 2 sandwiches. I have decided, however, that there is nothing wrong with making things easy on myself on occasion. 

This week Josiah is going to be starting swim team practice after a brief time off. His practices are 3 times a week at 6-7 in the evening. Which means that a good portion of the evening is spent somewhere else. 

It is tempting just to drive-thru some place quick. That is neither healthy or budget friendly. I don't want to admit how many times over the years I've driven through our favorite frozen custard place after swim team and called that supper. 

I know. I'm so ashamed. But you really have to try our favorite frozen custard. My favorite is the Strawberry Shortcake Sundae that comes out about June. This isn't June. 

So this week I am doing a little cooking ahead. Tuesdays are my "at-home" days. Which means I don't have to be anywhere. I can take a little more time. 

Monday - Soup and Sandwich! 

Tuesday - Roasted Chicken, Loaded Cauliflower casserole & salad.

Wednesday - Bean Burritos (I'm actually making them up Tuesday)

Thursday - Meatballs and sauce. I can put this in the crockpot then cook up some quick pasta. I am going to eat them with spaghetti sauce I am cooking on Tuesday. 

Friday - Chicken Curry (I am going to try it in the crockpot)

Have a great week!

I'm linking up this post to orgjunkie.com! 

What I'm Fixin' this week!

Hey! It's Monday.

Which means I am posting my meal plan for the week. I didn't post my plan last week. My week started strangely because of the holiday. It was Tuesday before I realized it wasn't really Monday.You know how that happens.

As it is, I have a sick boy to start out this week.

 Poor guy. He handles being puny much better than most grown men.

But that's another blog post.

I am going to keep this short and sweet. Kind of like me. Only I'm "shorter"...And sometimes sweet. And a little strange. Moving on.

Monday
That's today! I'm fixing these Korean-style Chicken Lettuce Wraps. I am subbing out the brown sugar for something more friendly to my eating plan.

Tuesday
Pork Loin Roast (in the Crockpot). My mom has a method that is really easy. I am going to try it out this week and I'll let you know how it works for me.
Mashed Cauliflower (for me) and potatoes for my boys
Pan fried okra. I took a package out of my mom and dad's freezer when I was at the farm this weekend. Yum! Okra is my friend. It could be your friend to.

Wednesday 
Black Bean Quesadillas with homemade salsa & guac. I made these last week and they were literally inhaled. I am posting the recipe this week so stay tuned! I took pictures and everything. Sure. We had them last week. But they were super easy and everybody liked them. I'm striking while the iron is hot! Plus, I have all the stuff ;<)

Thursday
Pulled Pork Sandwiches (using leftover pork from Tuesday). I'm giving my guys buns and using a low carb wrap for me.
Slaw
There are also a bag of chips or two wandering around the house I'm trying to forget about. I did not buy them. I plan on sending them to work with The Muffin.

Friday
Herb and Citrus Oven Roasted Chicken This recipe looks absolutely yummy. I am going to cut it in half.
Roasted Broccoli
Caesar Salad


So that's it. That's the plan. Then again there's always cereal....

I'm linking up to Meal Plan Monday over at orgjunkie.com

What I'm Fixin': Nothing like a good deal...

I'm doing it! Another week and another meal plan. If only I could be as consistent with my laundry.

Saturday we got to visit one of the Discount Groceries in our area. I got some great deals! It makes planning meals so much easier (and cheaper).

Monday

Chicken Salad - Actually it's turkey. My mom sent me home with leftover turkey (including the carcass). Yay! I am going to do whatever I can with that turkey. Starting with an easy, but delicious chicken salad.
Other Stuff- I will set out some kettle chips (for my boys), bread, cottage cheese and lettuce for me to wrap the chicken in, sliced tomatoes...whatever I have in my fridge.

 Tuesday 

Turkey Carcass Soup - this is a good recipe. I'm telling you. This soup is good for whatever ails you. My husband generally likes a sandwich on the side.


Wednesday 

Mexican Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas - I love skinnytaste.com. I am going to eat my serving with low carb tortillas. I did find a wonderful deal on them at the discount grocery for .99 a package. I will also serve homemade guac and salsa.


Thursday - This day is our Reading Club day. Because we are gone for several hours this is a good day to put something in the crockpot. However, this week My Muffin is taking a vacation day. We will still go to our reading club, but I will fix him something special just for being home.

Alfred Mac and Cheese with Shrimp - I am going to use the Pioneer Woman's alfredo recipe, Dreamfield's macaroni noodles and some sauteed shrimp. Yummers!
Green Beans - canned from my Daddy's garden!


Friday - Our family day! I plan on making Red Beans and Rice. The best I ever tasted was at a friend's house. I am hoping to get the recipe this week. I'll share :
Red Beans and Rice
Salad

Have a great week!

I'm linking this post to Meal Plan Monday! 

Meal Plan Monday - March 26

I'm linking this post up to Meal Plan Monday over at orgjunkie.com.

Sigh. 

I told myself I really didn't have time to do a Meal Plan Monday post. I should be cleaning my tub. And cleaning out my fridge. And reading a new novel I downloaded on my Kindle. All those important things in life.

But I can't help myself. Just don't tell The Studly Muffin. He's under the misconception that I'm industrious. Not that he would care. He loves me....I just like to pretend I'm industrious.

This week I purposefully planned some easy peasy meals. It's really warm here in the Ozarks. It feels like summer. I'm craving fresh veggies and salads. The garden isn't producing so I have had to settle for the grocery produce section. I'm cutting up veggies like cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers and keeping them in the fridge (ready for easy access). I also have the crisper stuffed with fruit. I'm going to make up a big bowl of fresh tomato salsa for my guys to snack on...Yum! It's almost better than pie. Almost.

Here's the plan for the week.

Monday: Cold Cut Sandwiches with Veggies. Sweet Potato Chips (I got at Aldi's)

Tuesday: Crockpot Teryaki Chicken Wings, Steamed Rice, Asian Slaw. I use this great teryaki recipe.
It's for baked chicken teryaki, but I use it in the crockpot as well.

Wednesday: Tuna Salad (sandwiches again!) Fresh Veggies with Ranch Dip. I love this Tuna Salad recipe. It has crab meat in it.

Thursday: Stuffed Clams, Baked Potato, Cucumber and Tomato Salad. I bought bought these today at Aldi's for just around $3. I am also planning on using the bits of cucumber and tomato left over from our fresh veggies on Wednesday to make a simple salad with (oil and vinegar).

We are off to St. Louis on Friday for the whole weekend and coming home on Monday. This is going to be a belated Birthday trip to visit my Bro-in-law and Sis-in-law. I'm so excited. And I just can't hide it!

Meal Plan Monday - March 19

I'm linking this post up with Meal Plan Monday over at orgjunkie.com

This week I'm keeping it Simple. Well. Kinda. Simple for me. I do have a confession. Last week I had purchased a Corned Beef to serve Thursday evening. Instead I made sandwiches. Actually, I made my sandwich. Everybody else was on their own. I did slice a yellow bell pepper and an avocado and arranged it nicely on a paper plate. That way, The Studly Muffin could pretend he was at his favorite sandwich shop. Call it what you will, but we all need emergency "just be happy this isn't a bowl of cereal" meals. 

I always get tickled at those chefs on the TV who (while busily chop, steam,saute,scramble) assure you that this meal they are making is not any more complicated than going through a fast food restaurant. Sure thing, sweetie. Anyhoo. Here is my menu for this week. Baring any unforeseen events. Like company. Or long days. Or strange cravings. Or just because.

Monday: Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage (this is one I carried over from last week).

Tuesday: Hamburger Sliders & Home Cut Oven Fries. We love hamburgers. And there is nothing like making a pound of ground round stretch like making sliders. Put that with some Oven Fries and Yum!

Wednesday: Reuben Sandwiches. I'm using the left over corned beef for this one. I got a large loaf of Rye bread from the Marked Down Bread rack this morning at the grocery. It's a great mid-week meal.

Thursday: Tacos! I found a large package of ground round marked down this morning (hence the beef heavy week). I had everything else for tacos. Why not?

Friday: Bean Cakes with Sour Cream & Avocado. Salad. This is a great recipe for Bean Cakes. And they are really good for you.

The Weekend is going to be spent with my parents...so who knows! Enjoy your week ;<)

Meal Plan Monday - March 12

I'm linking this post up to Meal Plan Monday over at orgjunkie.com.

I've got to keep this quick. This is one of those weeks that screams "Are You Kidding Me?" I've done it to myself. We are going to have 2 of my little nieces (My Little Bro's youngest) for most of the week. They are on spring break and want to come to Aunt Beke's to "whoop it up." I'm good at "whooping." We'll have all have a marvelous time, but in the meantime I still have to cart Josiah to all his activities and what not. It's the "What Not" I'm worried about.

And (drum roll, please) I am turning the big "4-0" this week. (shhh. Don't tell anyone) Our small group at church last night had a little party for me, complete with cheese cake and nachos. Yum. I could have cheese cake and nachos every night of the week. But I won't.

Instead. I'm going to have this stuff.

Monday: Mexican Mess. I found this recipe on a blog I read regularly. It's a crockpot dish that you serve over tortilla chips. I am making it a little lighter for our needs. But between swim and family water aerobics and hosting 2 little girls I thought this sounded like a perfect solution for a crazy Monday.

Tuesday: Bacon Ranch Turkey Tenderloin. Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus. This is a repeat meal. I have a few of these turkey tenderloins in the freezer. I'm planning on spending Tuesday at the park and then the Movie Theatre, but this meal won't be to hard to put together.

Wednesday: Who knows? "It's my birthday and I'll make what I want to, I'll make what I want to..."
I'm letting my whims take me wherever...which is always a bit dangerous.

Thursday: Slowcooker Corned Beef and Cabbage. So it's technically not St. Patty's Day. And while I do have a bit of the Irish floating through my Ancestral Gene Pool, I can't claim this as my own holiday. If that were the case I would also have to celebrate Bastille Day, Boxing Day and host the occasional Pow Wow. Anyhoo. Back to the Corned Beef. It's on sale now at the Grocery and I love cooking it in the Crockpot. This recipe has Ale, but if you can always just use water or chicken broth.

Friday: Chicken Strips (homemade), Sweet Potato Fries. Family Night!

The rest of the weekend will be spent at my parent's farm.

Later this week (if I have time) I'll post some cute video I took of my Baby Sister little girls singing with my Mom. They live in OHHH-Klahoma and were visiting last week so I got to see them. And I have a cute tutorial for a 321 cake (microwave) I plan on making with the 2 nieces who are coming to visit.

Meal Plan Monday

I'm linking this Meal Plan Monday to I'm An Organizing Junkie.

"The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley." (or No matter how well this girl plans something...look out! Something will happen to mess it all up). The line is from a Scots poem by Robert Burns. Like my paraphrase? Ain't it the truth! (while the poem comes from Scotland, the "Ain't" comes from my hillbilly upbringing).

Last week I planned what I considered to be a beautifully crafted Meal Plan. It was budget friendly and healthy. I carefully constructed it around bargains I had found, pantry items and some of my guy's favorite foods. I poured through recipe books, cooking websites...looking for those special combinations of ingredients. It was to be a triumphant week of meal planning glory.

Okay. It really wasn't that big of deal. I am prone to exaggeration. But it was a plan. And life stepped in. So life often comes in the form of "Buy A Big Mac Get 1 For .29" or "I don't feel like turning on the oven tonight let's heat up some hot dogs in the microwave." Don't tell me you haven't been there. Of course, I have dealt with the guilt of eating more calories in one sandwich than I normally have in a day. And, really, Microwaved hot dogs? I did toast the buns on top of the griddle....that was a bust. The Studly Muffin and Josiah requested that I never, ever do such a thing again. Apparently, they like their buns soggy.

I don't even like hot dogs that much.

Anyhoo. The point is that sometimes life gets crazy for one reason or another. Or people get sick. Or you decide that spending the evening making Tutu skirts (that is a topic for another post) more important than  making spaghetti for your family. How can one not be drawn to the magic of the Tutu Skirt.

So here is my Meal Plan for this week. It's healthy and budget friendly. And hopefully Big Mac proof.

Monday: Chicken Salad on ciabatta rolls. This is one of our late evenings. Swim lessons, family water aerobics. I picked up a deli chicken that was marked down. In mere minutes I am turning it into a fabulous chicken salad (because I have a fabulous chicken salad recipe). It simply has chicken, a little sour cream & mayo, a little bit of onion and celery and then an apple or a few grapes. I also usually add nuts of some sort. Salt and pepper and then a bit of lime juice. Yum.

Tuesday: Stuffed Turkey Peppers. Roasted Broccoli. I found a package of multi-colored peppers this morning at the grocery store. Put that with the Italian turkey sausage I have in my freezer and we get a delicious meal. The Studly Muffin loves these.

Wednesday: Crab Cakes, Potato Wedges and Corn. I don't have much of a recipe for these. I also need to make a disclaimer. I don't use real Crab. As if. I live in the Missouri Ozarks and have a grocery budget that is less than some people's Starbucks addiction. I am using the imitation crab (which is just white fish). I mix it with an egg, panko, a little onion, salt and pepper. Easy.

Thursday: Crockpot Bratwurst with Peppers. This is one I had planned for last week that got knocked out for a Big Mac.

Friday: Turkey Tenderloin, Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus. Family Night!

Meal Plan Monday (And a little boot scootin' boogie)

I am linking this post up to Meal Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.

Monday. Monday. Monday. Every week has to have a Monday. Yesterday (Sunday) I woke up feeling terrible. My temp was really low. I had a scratchy throat and achy body. Yuck.  I stayed home from church and spent the morning with a cup of tea and the Food Network. I still feel kind of on the 'edge.' But, overall, it's a much better day.

After all. There is This.

My baby did line dancing at Homeschool PE today. Another mom got the picture for me on her phone. His education is now complete. Last week he learned the Electric Slide. I'm thinking he needs to go on the road.

Anyhoo. It's already been a crazy/busy day. And it's not going to get any better. Swim/Water Aerobics/Homeschool. And the rest of the week looks to the same.  My Menu Plans have been a lifesaver! I'm hoping that whatever "sick stuff" I've been flirting with moves on. I'm drinking plenty of water, but I hope I have enough stuff in the Fridge my guys can fix just in case.

Here is my menu for the week.

Monday: Deli Baked Chicken, Crockpot Baked Potatoes, Salad. I found the chicken marked down in the deli this morning (one of the advantages of doing grocery shopping first thing in the morning). I can also take the leftovers and use it for a chicken salad for lunch tomorrow. The beauty of the deli chicken is that, while I could certainly buy chicken and bake it myself, sometimes it is worth it just for the sake of convience. I normallly don't buy them unless they are marked down. The Crockpot Baked Potatoes are genius. Josiah loves Baked Potatoes. We have even done a Baked Potato Bar some nights. I also got a head of lettuce for .59 marked down. It needs to be used fairly quickly...but come on! .59 cents!

Tuesday: Chicken & Biscuits. I saw this on the Food Network yesterday when I was home from church. It reminds me of a French Dish (and no, it's not Coq A Vin) that my mom used to make...In fact, it was the recipe that I requested on my birthdays are special occasions. One of these days (when I have a workable camera) I'll make the dish and post the recipe. This particular chicken & biscuit recipe is definitely more Cun-Tree (that's country for all you city folks). And because Tuesday is going to be our easy day this week I plan on spoiling my family with comfort food.

Wednesday: Crockpot Bratwurst with Peppers on a Hoagie.  I chose this dish specifically for The Studly Muffin. I found some Turkey Bratwurst links marked down (a little over $2) this morning. Wednesday is another busy day for us. I can put this in the crockpot and send it with him to work.

Thursday: Spaghetti. This is one of my go-to meals. It's easy to put together and is popular with everybody. And because I have a late Water Aerobics class I'll stick in the crockpot so all I have to do is heat the pasta.

Friday: Roasted Dijon Turkey Tenderlion, Oven Baked Brown Rice, Roasted Broccoli. I have a confession. I planned treating my family with Fry Bread Tacos last Friday for our Family Night. But by the time Friday had rolled around I was consumed with guilt about the Chinese Takeout I had indulged in on Thursday for lunch. And no matter how you try and get around it...Crab Rangoon is not the best choice for the healthy eater. Okay. I really wasn't that guilty about it. But I knew I need to lighten up my next couple of meals. So Friday night I fixed a Roasted Pork Loin, Oven Baked Brown Rice & Roasted Broccoli. The Studly Muffin practically licked his plate clean. He raved. And because I am need constant reassurance to survive I am doing a repeat. Except I am using one of those Turkey Tenderloins I found marked down last week. You can't beat 1.99. That's 1.99. Not 1.99 a pound. Just a 1.99. The Oven Baked Rice recipe is from Alton Brown (it's foolproof) and the Roasted Broccoli is to die for. I promise.

This is all I have. And that's okay. Just another little note. Tomorrow is National Pancake Day. I am incorpating into  Math/Breakfast/Creative Writing. Josiah could eat Panckaes 24/7. He's pretty impressed that the Pancake has it's own day!

Meal Plan Monday - 2/13

Woo Hoo! Snow Day! Not that it makes much difference for us. We are homeschoolers and everyday has the potential of being a "snow day." Which I love! For me, a snow day is a chance to cuddle, read, play...do something special and out of the box. Our school day will look like most of our school days...except we are going to miss our outside activities today...and I will be cranking out the hot chocolate and some snow ice cream might be on the menu today if it snows enough.

This was one of those great weeks where I planned my meals around what I already had in my pantry. I would recommend doing that from time to time. Some weeks our finances are such that I have to. This is one of those weeks, however, that the cupboards aren't so bare and I need to use up some of those great deals I've purchased over the past few weeks. I love weeks like this. There is nothing like having a pound of ground turkey fall out on your toes everytime you open the freezer. To me it speaks of abundance...and a few bruised toes :<)

So. Here is my menu for the week. I am linking this post up to Meal Plan Monday over at TipJunkie.

Monday: Beef With Broccoli. This meal is a carry over from last week. I had planned it for our Family Night (Friday nights), but we had a change of plans. We had a nice lunch out and then met friends at Panera for late night soup, sandwiches and some sweets. I love days like that.

Tuesday: Okay. Here is my plan. I want to get a Heart-Shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's to celebrate Valentine's Day. I also have a few other Valentine treats I want to make. Stay tuned. That is also a Swim night so Pizza sounds like a great plan to me :<) I always make homemade pizza, but I think I will take advantage of those $6 pizzas.

Wednesday: Crockpot Taco Soup. This is a lighter, super easy recipe.

Thursday: Spaghetti with Bolognese sauce. This is a lite recipe. I made it several weeks ago. It was a hit. I also found some pancetta marked down last night on a late night run to the grocery store for toilet paper on the way from church (too much information?) I'm excited to use it. It's usually not in my budget.

Friday: Taco Night! Friday night is Family Night and Josiah asked if I would make tacos this week. It remains to be seen what direction our Taco Night will take. I like making my own tortillas (homemade tortillas will change your life), but sometimes it just doesn't make sense.

Saturday: Mystery Meal. We commute on the weekends to our "other job" as assistant Pastors. Our Saturday meal is spent at my mom and dad's house.

Sunday: Leftovers and Out to Eat.

Meal Plan Monday - 2/6

I really need to go to bed. Instead I am attempting to rid The Studly Muffin's computer of Malware. Whoever does all this Malware stuff should be drawn and quartered. I mean it. Or at least made to eat jello with chopsticks. My email also got hacked. So this all ranks up there with "you got to be kidding me." I've had a lot of those moments lately.
If you are a regular reader..(and I seriously thank all 3 of you that are)...you might have noticed I am in what seems to be a Mid-Winter Funk. Which is not out of the ordinary for this time of year for me. I am afraid I can be one of those "artsy fartsy" types whose mood changes with the seasons/hormones/or a good episode of Downtown Abbey. I am not so moody or melancholic....just a little crazy. And normally happily so.

Anyhoo. This time of year is pretty rough on my bones and joints and whatever I pulled, broke or tore whenever I had that nasty carwreck all those years ago. I have said this before, but I never could have imagined how one instant could affect the quality of my life...for the rest of my life. Winter seems to make all those pins and screws turn a little tighter.

There are all kinds of I can't change. But there are some changes I can make. I decided that this week I going to use recipes that have a pretty good amount of veggies in the main dish. That is one small change I can make. We eat veggies...I just want to increase our veg consumption.

So here's my Menu for the week:

Monday: Eggplant Parmesan. I found some lovely Japanese Eggplant at the whole foods store for a really good price. I also have some fresh mozzarella I got marked down last week. The recipe I am using is from one of my favorite lite sites. To be honest Josiah will not love this dish. But he loves salad and I will make him a little pasta to have with a few bites of Eggplant.

Tuesday: Oven Fried Fish, Baked Potatoes & Coleslaw. This is going to be a swim team day. So I want something that I can prepare pretty quickly. Plus, Josiah loves baked potatoes & slaw.

Wednesday: Chili with Cornbread Dumplings. This is church night! Which means I need something easy. This is a new recipe, but it looked super simple.  I'll post it if I like it.

Thursday: Chicken Marsala.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it. This particular recipe is a little lighter and a little easier than traditional Marsala. I also have some zucchini I got pretty expensively so I want to make as much yummy stuff as I can with them. I plan on making Roasted Zucchini with my chicken. I will also serve some whole wheat pasta. Probably.

Friday:  Beef & Broccoli with steamed rice. Fridays are our family nights. And unless I can talk The Studly Muffin into splurging on some Chinese Takeout this will be supper. Which is really okay with me. I love this recipe and it's really easy. And if I am so inclined I will make Egg Drop Soup.

Saturday: Mystery Meal. We are going to be at my parents so your guess is as good as mine. Sometimes I cook for them.

Sunday: Leftovers & Eat Out.

Meal Plan Monday

I'm linking this post up to Meal Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie. This is my first time doing it. I've thought about doing it. You know how that goes.

Anyhoo. I'm always curious about what other people eat. Planning my menus helps me to at least organize my week a little better. I can keep better track of my groceries, food choices....It's just a good idea. I highly recommend it.  This week is a heavy poultry week. I found some good deals at the grocery store :<)

Here we go. I linked up to a few recipes. Please know that I am a diabetic and I'm also trying to lose weight. Any recipes I use I modify to fit my needs.

Monday: Fried Chicken Salad
Not the healthiest choice (fried chicken and all), but I found some fried chicken in the deli at the grocery store this morning and a huge bag of already prepared salad that had also been marked down. I also cleaned my oven today and this was a perfect Monday night/oven cleaning meal. I plan on eating mostly salad and just a few of the chicken bites.

Tuesday: Baked Ziti, Salad (leftover from the big ole bag of prepared salad) I found some beautiful fresh mozzarella marked down today. It is certainly a treat. I look forward to using it.

Wednesday: Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup (this is from one of my favorite lite recipe sites)

Thursday: Chopped Steak with sauteed onions, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Lemon Broccoli. Simple and will please my Carnivore Husband.

Friday: (Family night!) Chicken Burger Sliders, Oven Fries and a simple Slaw. Rachael Ray has a great Chicken Burger recipe in one of her cookbooks. It has a delicious Caesar Slaw.

Saturday: Vietnamese Chicken Salad (goi ga bap cai)...and more! Actually, we are bi vocational ministers (which means we work a job as well as work in a church) and we commute every weekend and stay with my parents. I have a lot of fun with my mom cooking a fun meal in the kitchen. This week I want to make Vietnamese Food for my family..yum! I haven't decided what else to fix with the salad.

Sunday: Leftovers or Eat Out (Josiah and I are going to volunteer at a Nursing Home in Joplin this day so The Studly Muffin will be left to his own devices)

Okay. I hope you don't hold me to this. I might get a hankering for Chinese Takeout around Thursday.

Rebekah