Menu Plan Monday - January 24th

Wow it’s been a tough month. Holiday bills are coming in, the car died and needed replacing, property taxes are due, we’ve got 2 feet of snow with more to come, the heat pipes in the basement froze (thankfully we were able to thaw them), one of the garage doors has a snapped coil, and then the truck wouldn’t start this morning (it’s 3 degrees outside).

My husband has been working ridiculous hours which include a temporary night shift from 2pm to 2am. His next check will be great but we’ve got to get through the rest of January as well as the first week of February before he gets paid. So the $353 I’ve spent so far this month on groceries along with maybe another $20 for milk and produce is going to have to be enough.

My menu goal this week is to prepare dinners my kids won’t moan about that also provide hearty enough leftovers for my husband to take to work.

Sunday – Kielbasa, Pierogies, Roasted Cauliflower

Monday – Crunchy Oven Baked Chicken Toes, Baked Potato Wedges, Carrots and Celery with Ranch Dip

Tuesday – Turkey Meatballs in Gravy, Egg Noodles, Green Beans

Wednesday – Pork Cutlets Parmesan over Spaghetti, Salad, Garlic Bread

Thursday – Crockpot Steak and Potatoes, Broccoli

Friday – Breakfast for Supper – Pancakes, Sausage, Orange Juice

Saturday – Pizza (hopefully homemade but possibly takeout)

For tips on menu planning, menu ideas and more links to recipes check out Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

Have a great week!

Menu Plan Monday - October 18th

Well here’s my menu for the week posted a couple days late. In addition to being behind on a bunch of household chores, I’m struggling a little with this week’s menu due to lack of inspiration. I have several busy days this week without an opportunity to do any real grocery shopping. So time constraints as well as the desire to stick to my grocery budget have me trying to plan from the freezer and pantry once again.

Monday – Chili Mac Casserole, Tossed Salad

Tuesday (Soccer) – Chicken Cutlets, Brown Rice, Green Beans

Wednesday (Dance) – Spaghetti w/Meatballs, Tossed Salad, Bread

Thursday – Pork Chops, Pierogies, Broccoli

Friday (Brownies) – Homemade Pizza Night

Saturday (Mom’s Night Out) – No clue!!!

For great menu ideas (sure to be better than mine this week!) and links to recipes check out this week’s Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - October 11th - Use It Up Week

One of the things from last week's menu that I planned was a roasted chicken stuffed with my 4th attempt at my mother in law’s stuffing recipe. And….YES I NAILED IT!!! Hubby was thrilled and ate a small mountain of it that night. The Crockpot Swiss Steak was not so good and the Crockpot BBQ Pork Ribs never got made – those are getting pushed to this week. On Saturday we ended up doing an appetizer night with our guests – it was a very fun evening.

So on to this week. My husband is home today and the kids will be home again tomorrow. Sunday we had a lazy day and our menu comprised things made out of leftovers. That’s the theme for this week – Use It Up. The soup I made was very good – it thickened up to almost a stew and was very tasty.

Here are some of the things I need to use up this month (some sooner than others):

Sour Cream
Green and Red Peppers
Chicken stock
Already cooked chicken (full breast and cut up dark)
BBQ Cubed Steak
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Hot Italian Sausage
Apples
Boneless Pork Ribs
Hot Dogs (I have a TON of them it seems)
Ricotta Cheese
Mozzarella Block

Sunday
Lunch – Open Faced BBQ Cubed Steak Sandwiches, Hot Dogs (kids), Carrots and Celery w/Ranch Dip, Homemade Potato Chips

Supper – Refrigerator Soup – Sausage, Chicken Stock, Cannellini Beans, Green Beans, Pasta, Tomato, Onion, and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Monday – Columbus Day (No School) – Grilled Chicken, Noodles Alfredo, Broccoli

Tuesday (No School / Soccer) – Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Tuna Mac, Freezer Pickles, Carrots and Celery w/Ranch Dip,

Wednesday (Dance) – Crockpot Chicken and Rice Casserole, Green Beans

Thursday – Blackened Blade Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Salad

Friday – Make Your Own Taco Night

Saturday - Boneless Pork Ribs w/Apples and Onions, Baked Beans, Mashed Potatoes, Carrots

Looks like I still have to find something to do with the peppers (I can freeze them if I don’t use them this week), and I have plans to make a lasagna within the next week for the freezer as well. The sausage, along with a few peppers, is getting thrown into the leftover potato chips this morning as hash browns.   I think the kids and I will bake something with the apples later today or tomorrow.  I know I have a few more things lurking in the freezer that need to get used up. We’ll see what other things I find and I’ll share any great ideas I might have for using them.

For more great menu ideas and links to recipes check out this week's Menu Plan Monday at I'm and Organizing Junkie.  Have a great week!

Menu Plan Monday - October 4th

Last week's menu went pretty well.   We enjoyed the Ritz Cracker Eggplant Casserole.  I used cream of mushroom soup instead of golden mushroom, only blanched the eggplant briefly and used a little more cheese and ritz crackers than the recipe called for. 

This week is a little busy with plans to have company for dinner over on Saturday.   My daughter has two birthday parties on Saturday - a Boo Bowling Party and a Movie Night Sleepover.   I have to get gifts and finish her Brownie sash (the iron on patches sooo didn't stay on!).  On Friday my son's preschool is taking a field day trip to a local farm. We get to go on a hayride, pick apples, have snacks and bring home a pumpkin.   Of course I think he is most excited about riding on a school bus.

This week I'm planning the following:

Sunday - Homemade Pizza - Cheese for the Kids, Eggplant and Onion for Mom and Dad (this was AWESOME!)

Monday - Soup and Sandwich Night

Tuesday (Soccer) - Roasted Stuffed Chicken (my mother in law's stuffing recipe), Gravy, Mashed Potataoes, Broccoli (leftover chicken used for lunches and Thursday's dinner, bones used to make stock)

Wednesday (Dance)  - Crockpot Swiss Steak (I will add chopped tomatoes to this recipe), Noodles, Green Beans

Thursday - Chicken, Sausage and Broccoli over Pasta, Tossed Salad

Friday - Crockpot BBQ Pork Ribs, Baked Beans, Homemade Potato Chips, Carrots and Celery with Ranch Dip

Saturday (Company for Dinner) - Still working on a menu plan for this....considering doing a hearty appetizer type buffet but I'm not sure yet.

For more great menu ideas and recipes check out Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.  

Have a great week!

Menu Plan Monday - September 27

I'm trying to avoid the grocery store until Friday - which is the first day of the new month and payday.   The checkbook is a bit tight and most of our bills are due end of month.  October happens to be a three paycheck month so hopefully we can work on getting a little ahead of ourselves before plunging into the holiday season.

My husband has been away since Thursday and my daughter and I attended our local Girl Scout Council's Camporee Camp Out over the weekend.   I neglected to menu plan last week and it was HORRIBLE.   I had a hard time coming up with ideas and felt that all I did was rush and not feed my family very well.   Needless to say we are back on track this week.

Here's what I'm planning for dinner at our house this week:

Sunday - Breakfast for Supper

Monday - (Hubby is still away) - Corn Dog Muffins, Baked Beans, Carrots and Celery w/Ranch Dressing

Tuesday - (Soccer) - Thyme Pork Cutlets, Ritz Cracker Eggplant Casserole, Buttered Noodles, Green Beans

Wednesday - (Dance) - Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie, Salad

Thursday - London Broil with Bobby Flay's Fra Diavolo Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Friday - Spaghetti and Meatballs w/Homemade Sauce, Eggplant Parmesean, Bread, Salad

Saturday - Dinner at my Aunt's house

Additionally I'd like to make the following items for snacks and for the freezer:  Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, Zucchini Bread, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and of course Spaghetti Sauce. 

For more great menu ideas and links to recipes check out Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.  Have a great week!

Menu Plan Monday - September 13th

I was able to stick to last week’s menu plan pretty well. The only meal I didn’t make was the Asian Pork Chops as we were running errands that evening and decided to eat out. The Cinnamon Chicken went over very well – I wasn’t sure as the combination of cinnamon and tomatoes was a little odd to me. I personally liked the Creamy Beef Over Noodles – although we had it over mashed potatoes as we had noodles the night before. The big hit with the kids were the Corn Dog Muffins. I made them mini sized and they were snacking on them all weekend.

We have a pretty active week ahead – soccer, curriculum night at school, dance class as well as a math project that my daughter needs to get finished. I tried to put together a relatively easy menu plan that utilizes what I have in the freezer and has some variety. Here’s what I came up with for our dinner table this week:

Monday – Skillet BBQ Cubed Steak, Roasted Cauliflower, Oven Roasted Potatoes, Broccoli

Tuesday (Soccer and Curriculum Night) - Kitchen Scavenge Night

Wednesday (Dance) – Crazy Slow Cooker Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Thursday - Brown Sugar Chicken (crockpot), Rice, Corn

Friday – Hot Dog Casserole, Cheesy Bread, Salad

Saturday (Soccer and birthday party) – Fried Rice (use up leftovers) Chicken Strips, Vegetable Medley

For more great menu ideas and links to recipes check out this week’s Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - Labor Day Monday

I'm starting my menu this week on Sunday.   We actually have a picnic to attend Sunday afternoon so I'm not sure if we'll really be eating dinner when we get home.   If not the chicken is already cooked and I'll use it for my husband's lunches throughout the week (chicken sandwiches, chicken salad, etc, etc).  I'm trying to use up a few things from the freezer - kielbasa, stew beef, pork chops and hot dogs.   Also trying a few new recipes so I'm rather excited about that - dinners have been a bit boring around here.   

Here's what will be on our table this week:

Sunday – Chicken and Roasted Vegetable Quesadillas

Monday – Mom’s Skillet Kielbasa, Salad

Tuesday – Cinnamon Chicken ($5 Dollar Dinner Mom Cookbook), Vermicelli, Broccoli

Wednesday – Creamy Beef over Noodles, Salad

Thursday – Asian Pork Chops ($5 Dollar Dinner Mom Cookbook), Green Beans and Carrots, Brown Rice

Friday – Make Your Own Taco Night – Taco meat, lettuce, tomato, salsa, sour cream, refried beans, shredded cheese and corn

Saturday – Corn Dog Muffins, Baked Beans, Carrots and Celery with Dip

Lunches for DH this week will consist of chicken sandwiches, Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad, Bisquick Quiche, and of course - leftovers.

For more great menu ideas and recipes check out Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - July 26th

Last week’s menu went pretty well. I did end up skipping the cube steak and the kielbasa as we used up some leftovers those nights instead. This week our schedule isn’t quite nailed down so rather than planning for individual nights I’ve come up with a list of meals we can have and based on our plans for the day, I’ll pick and choose. I know that one night we’ll be meeting up with my brother in law and his family and we are also planning to spend a couple nights at the beach house weather pending. I’m heading out on Friday morning for a girl’s weekend in Hampton Beach, NH. I can’t wait – beach time, trashy magazines to read, nails to paint, shopping, fried dough, a nice dinner, cocktails and dancing ourselves silly. I’m sure my husband will be ordering pizza Friday night. I only needed to plan 3 dinners this week as well have breakfast, lunch and snack foods available.

Here’s what I plan on cooking this week:

Italian Marinated Split Chicken Breasts, Grilled Mixed Vegetables and Potatoes
Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Baked Beans and Corn on the Cob
BBQ Cubed Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Corn, Cucumber Salad

Breakfast will be cereal, waffles and yogurt.   For lunches we have tuna, leftovers, peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese and tossed salad.

For more menu ideas and links to recipes check this week’s Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

Have a great week!

Menu Plan Monday - July 19th - Penny Pinching Menu

I have just recently gotten back into menu planning and really need a penny pincher menu this week. We just got back from 10 days at the Rhode Island shore after spending 7 days at our family’s house on Long Island Sound. I am dog tired, yet I have to climb Laundry Mountain and feed everyone this week. After vacation expenses and upcoming bills, I really need to try to stay out of the grocery store until after payday. So in between washer cycles I put together this menu for the week:

Sunday – Pantry Scrounge

Monday – Steak Kabobs, Grilled Zucchini, Yellow Squash and Onion (with the exception of the onion these are from my garden!!), Bread Maker Bread

Tuesday – Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs, Rice, Green Beans (also from my garden)

Wednesday – Crock Pot Cubed Steak, Mashed Potato, Corn

Thursday – Birthday Girl’s Choice – My daughter turns 7 and gets to choose dinner. Right now it sounds like she wants pancakes or French toast. Easy, yummy and budget friendly – I’m not going to complain!

Friday – BBQ Keilbasa, Baked Beans, Sweet Cucumber Salad (cucumbers are from garden)

Saturday – Sandwich Night, chips, carrots and celery sticks (above mentioned 7 year old is having a Chuck E Cheese party with her girlfriends this afternoon so keeping it simple)

Sunday – Afternoon Family Birthday Party – Appetizers, Cake, Ice Cream. I still need to figure out a few appetizers. I’m trying to keep it easy and inexpensive. The party is at 2pm so it’s between lunch and dinner.

Lunch options for my husband are tuna, chicken or egg salad sandwiches, leftovers or tossed salad. The kids will have peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese, soup, macaroni and cheese or chicken nuggets. Snack choices are goldfish crackers, jello, ice pops, gogurts, applesauce or animal crackers. We really need fresh produce around here. Thankfully the garden has provided a few things.

Grocery day is Friday so in order to make this work I need to do a little bit of scratch cooking. My ‘wish’ list to accomplish is:

Hard Boil Eggs – DONE
Bake Bread
Make Cucumber Salad
Make Jello - DONE
Plan Sunday Appetizers
Bake Cookies (?)

I also need to plan out my grocery trip and should probably draft out a menu for next week based on any good deals I can get on Friday.

For more great menu and recipe ideas check out this week's Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie. Have a great week!

Menu Plan Monday - March 29

It’s pouring buckets outside today and of course the little man and I have to go out twice – once this morning and again after lunch for story time. He is attending a preschool screening at our elementary school this morning. They identify children who require early intervention for the FREE preschool program at our elementary school (yes you heard me FREE – ok we do pay taxes for it….). I don’t see my son requiring intervention however they also have a lottery to fill out the classes from the rest of the kids that are screened. So why not give it a shot – it’s free, 4 days a week 2 ½ hours a day.

I actually planned my menu last week but never posted it. And I did a better job following it than I have in the past few weeks.

I’m planning to grocery shop Wednesday or Thursday (applied to April’s budget). The budget is going to have to be bigger this month due to Easter Dinner and the need to do some freezer/pantry stocking. Pickings around here have just been too slim….while DH likes that I maintain a budget I think he’s getting aggravated with the lack of a few things he’d like. So this week I’m working hard on a grocery list based on sales and coupons. I have an extra $8.00 off my entire order at Stop & Shop so that’s where I’m headed this week as well as CVS and perhaps Aldi.

Here’s the menu plan for this week:

Monday – Chicken Cutlets Parmesan, Pasta, Salad

Tuesday – Pork Chops with Balsamic Sweet Onion Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Wednesday – Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Homemade Bread, Salad

Thursday – Grilled Chicken Legs, Green Beans, Pasta Alfredo

Friday – Burgers and Dogs, Macaroni Salad, Homemade Potato Chips

Saturday – Family Fun Takeout - Egg Coloring Party!!!!

For more great menu and recipe ideas check out Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie. Have a great week!

Menu Plan Monday - March 15th

Most of last week’s menu went as planned. Wednesday the kids and I ended up next door for pizza so on Thursday we opted for Takeout Chinese. This week I’m cooking from the pantry as much as possible with an eye towards providing my husband leftovers for lunches. I’m trying two new recipes from Erin Chase’s new book The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook: 200 Recipes for Quick, Delicious, and Nourishing Meals That Are Easy on the Budget and a Snap to Prepare. One of the recipes has a link and the other is only available in her cookbook.

For dinner at our house this week:

Sunday – Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Soup, Carrot sticks

Monday – Chicken, Broccoli, Mushrooms over Penne, Salad

Tuesday – Honey Glazed Pork Chops, Pierogies, Green Beans

Wednesday – Cowboy Pie (From The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook), Corn

Thursday – Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Casserole (I’m going to have to modify this recipe a little based on what is available in my pantry and my family’s tastes – let you know what I come up with and how it turns out)

Friday – Spaghetti, Homemade Sauce with Meatballs & Sausage (from the freezer), Salad, Homemade Bread

Saturday – Leftover Buffet

Check out Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie for more great recipes, menu ideas and a giveaway this week.

Menu Plan Monday - March 8

We had a few plan changes during last week that affected my menu. The Turkey Pot Pie never got made and on Friday night we had beef stew instead of steak. So I’m bumping those two items into this week. I grocery shopped on Thursday last week (results here) and am going to need to go grab a few things this week as well. After reviewing the fliers and my pantry I think my only stop this week will be at Aldi. Since I spent more than I budgeted last week I’m going to keep this week’s list very short.

Here’s what we’re eating at our house this week:

Monday – Turkey Pot Pie, Salad

Tuesday – Grilled Chicken, Broccoli, Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday – Cheeseburgers, Baked Beans, Carrot Sticks

Thursday – Takeout Pizza (my birthday and dance lesson night)

Friday – Steak with Mushrooms and Onions, Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans

Saturday – Grownup birthday dinner out

Sunday – Dinner at my parents

For my birthday I’m requesting The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook: 200 Recipes for Quick, Delicious, and Nourishing Meals That Are Easy on the Budget and a Snap to Prepare, which I already previewed from the library. It has some great shopping tips and family friendly, frugal recipes. Also my husband once again has microwave access for lunches so that will be a great time and money saver – he can once again take leftovers!

For more menu planning ideas and great recipes check out Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

March Freezer Cooking

My March Freezer Cooking is really a necessity to get through the next two weeks with nothing left in my grocery budget until the next payday. My goal is to prepare things that will make easy, inexpensive meals and keep me out of the store and away from restaurants and take out. I need to accommodate breakfast, boxed lunches, snacks and dinners from my pantry. I think that by doing some freezer and advanced cooking I can achieve tasty healthy meals for my family without entering the grocery store.

Here’s my plan for cooking over the next 3-4 days:

Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs and Sausage (I have some canned tomatoes and ground beef, ground turkey, sausage as well as some tomatoes in the freezer)

Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Blueberry Bread

Cake Mix Cookies (with blue and red sprinkles – Go USA!!)

Roasted Turkey (leftovers to be used for sandwiches, pot pie, stock and soup)

Turkey Stock

Turkey Pot Pie

Macaroni Salad

Homemade Bread


My Menu Plan for this week springboards off my freezer cooking efforts. See my Pantry Challenge Menu Plan Monday post for details.   For more Freezer Cooking ideas check out the March Freezer Cooking posts at Money Saving Mom and Life as Mom.

I'll be posting on Wednesday with the results of my freezer cooking.

Menu Plan Monday - March 1st - A Pantry Challenge A Bit Early

I plan to grocery shop on payday – which is Thursday. My goal for this month is to spend approximately $60 a week (so $240 for the month). I can’t shop before Thursday and am planning to do some freezer/advanced cooking this weekend as well as early in the week. Hopefully with utilizing my pantry/freezer and pre-cooking, I can get through until Thursday without hitting the store. I took this menu plan only through Friday as I don’t know what kind of deals I will be getting on Thursday and don’t want to plan out further until shopping. Friday’s menu includes some items I will purchase regardless of price.


SATURDAY
Breakfast – French Toast (with homemade bread from freezer)
Lunch – Sandwich Steak Quesadillas, PB;J and Bananas
Dinner – Chicken, Carrots and Green Beans over Rice

SUNDAY  
Breakfast – Waffles
Lunch – Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Canned Soup
Dinner – Kids at Grandma’s House/Us at US Olympic Hockey Game Party

MONDAY
Breakfast – Raisin Toast with Peanut Butter
Lunch – DH – Tuna Sandwich, Carrots, Macaroni Salad, Banana Muffins / DD – Turkey Wrap, Carrots, Popcorn, Juice Box, Cake Mix Cookies
Dinner – Spaghetti, Meat Sauce, Romaine Salad, Homemade Bread

TUESDAY
Breakfast – Waffles with Butter and Jelly
Lunch – DH – Meatball Sandwich, Romaine Salad, Blueberry Bread / DD – School Lunch, Banana Muffins, Juice Box
Dinner - Roasted Turkey, Mashed Potato, Broccoli

WEDNESDAY
Breakfast – Cold Cereal
Lunch – DH – Turkey Sandwich, Macaroni Salad, Banana Muffins / DD – Turkey Wrap, cheese Stick, Juice Box, Banana Muffins
Dinner – BBQ Cubed Steak, Sweet Potato, Broccoli

THURSDAY
Breakfast – Waffles with Peanut Butter
Lunch – DH – Turkey Salad Sandwich, Carrots, Cheese Stick, Blueberry Bread / DD –  School Lunch, Popcorn, Juice Box
Dinner – Turkey Pot Pie

FRIDAY
Breakfast – Toast, Cereal
Lunch – DH – Chef Salad, Yogurt, Fruit / DD – Turkey Wrap, Carrots, Yogurt, Juice Box, Cookies
Dinner – Steak, Onions & Mushrooms, Roasted Potatoes, Salad, Rolls

Check out my March Freezer Cooking post for more details on what I prepared this week. For more great menu plans and recipe ideas check out Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie

(ps....I'm having a hard time with aligning my text....will work on that more for next time - sorry!)

Menu Plan Monday - February 8th

Last Week’s Menu Plan around Loss Leaders and Sales Items went pretty good. The Rosemary Chicken got a little dried out but that was a timing issue on my part. We love the sweet potatoes with rosemary – very tasty. The Quesadilla Surprise didn’t thrill my husband (I put kidney beans in there – he could have done without those!). The Crockpot BBQ Spareribs were very tasty but a little fatty and greasy. I think they could have either used more time in the oven before being put in the crockpot or time in the oven or on the grill after cooking in the crockpot. I also ended up substituting baked beans for the mashed potatoes that night as I was crunched for time after dancing lessons. However the leftover ribs were awesome in the Pork Fried Rice.

I won’t be grocery shopping this week so we’ll be eating from the freezer and pantry. Also we will be leaving a week from Tuesday to visit my Father in Law in Florida so I opted to plan my menu out through the Monday night before we leave.

Monday – Baked Ziti (from freezer), Sausage, Salad, Bread,

Tuesday – Grilled Chicken, Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli

Wednesday – Soup and Sandwich Night

Thursday – Dance Lessons – Out to Eat Night....The 99 Restaurant with a coupon

Friday – Thyme Pork Cutlets, Pierogies, Applesauce, Green Beans

Saturday – Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Corn

Valentine Sunday – Steak, Mushrooms & Onions, Salad, Rolls, Dessert (Yet to be determined)

Monday – Use it Up Leftover Buffet

Check out Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie for more great menu ideas and recipe links.

Menu Plan Monday - Planning Around Sales and Loss Leaders

Last week’s Pantry Challenge Menu went relatively well but was pretty boring. I had hoped to get to the store on Thursday but never did. On Sunday morning I did a loss leader/sales shop at Stop and Shop and on Monday morning I’ll be completing my grocery shopping at Shaws. Check my blog on Tuesday for the results of those two shopping trips.

My menu plans for the next two weeks will take advantage of the sales items I was able to get at both stores. This week I’m focusing on using the more perishable items in my menu and next week I’ll work with what I have left. My grocery goal this month is to feed my family on $200. The majority of that is going to be spent this week so I’m going to have to make things stretch.

Here is the plan for this week:

Sunday – Flying Pantry Gourmet (in other words I’m winging it!)

Monday – Broccoli, Mushrooms and Sausage over Penne

Tuesday – Rosemary Chicken Dinner (I'm substituing sweet pototaes for the white potatoes in this recipe), Broccoli

Wednesday – Quesadilla Surprise (utilize leftover chicken and leftover veggies)

Thursday – Crockpot BBQ Spareribs, Coleslaw, Mashed Potatoes, Corn

Friday – Soft Taco’s, Rice, Salad

Saturday – Pork Fried Rice (use leftover rib meat and leftover rice)


Lunches this week will consist of sandwiches, chef salads and leftovers.   The kids and I are going to bake Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies later today for a treat throughout the week.

For more menu planning ideas and great recipes check out Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - January 25th - The Extra Challenging Pantry Challenge

Last week’s menu went over pretty well. I had to get a bit creative on Wednesday as Aldi didn’t have sweet potatoes and I didn’t have any rosemary for the chicken recipe. Also on Monday I didn’t have sausage for the penne and broccoli dish so I made mini meatballs instead. Our Saturday dinner for company was a big hit – and everyone had a great time.

This week I really need to start cutting back on our expenses so I’ve tried to work out a Pantry Challenge menu. And based on the total lack of meat in my freezer it was a definitely a difficult menu to plan. I don’t have any recipe links as I’m flying by the seat of my pants with this menu. It’s also subject to change based on leftovers or any brilliant new ideas I conjure up during the week. Here’s what I came up with:

Monday – Leftover Buffet – We have steak, potatoes and corn leftover from Saturday night. Not enough for all so I’m going to add in a salad and probably hot dogs for the kids.

Tuesday – Turkey Pot Pie – There are cooked legs, thighs and wings in the freezer. There are potatoes in the pantry as well as carrots, onions and celery. I can do a Bisquick crust for the top.

Wednesday – Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry – There are some thin sandwich steaks and broccoli in the freezer.

Thursday – Dance Lesson Night – Spaghetti and Meatballs – Sauce and Meatballs are in the freezer. I’ll add in a salad and maybe bake some bread.

Friday – Homemade Pizza

Saturday - ??? – I will probably go to the store on Thursday morning so I’m going to leave Saturday’s menu open until I see what I can get on sale for meat, etc.

My husband is back to work starting today so I also need to figure out some lunchbox ideas…and I have just a little deli meat left. I’m not sure yet if he has access to a microwave so this might also take some creativity. The bananas on the counter are getting rather pungent so baking banana bread and banana muffins are on the to do list for this afternoon.

For more great menu ideas check out Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - January 18th

I haven’t done weekly menu planning since before Thanksgiving. For quite a bit of that time we weren’t home and the rest was filled with holiday chaos. This week I’m trying to work with the meat I have in the freezer and one trip to Aldi on Tuesday to fill out the rest of my menu requirements. I had hoped to do a pantry challenge next week but I’m not prepared enough yet. Hopefully after a few weeks of budget shopping to restock the pantry and freezer with staples I can give that a try.

Here’s what’s on the table at our house this week:

Sunday – Turkey Noodle Soup

Monday – Mom’s Night Out – Baked Chicken Tenders, Oven Baked Potato Strips, Corn, Salad

Tuesday – Broccoli and Sausage over Penne, Salad

Wednesday – Grilled Mustard Rosemary Chicken Thighs, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans

Thursday – Dance Lessons Night – Crock Pot Flank Steak in Mushroom Sauce, Brown Rice, Salad

Friday – Soup and Sandwich Night

Saturday – Company for Dinner – Bobby Flay’s Porterhouse Steak with Fra Diavolo BBQ Sauce, Cucumber, Onion and Tomato Salad with Honey Basil Vinaigrette, Mashed Potatoes

Lunches: Turkey Salad Sandwiches, Chef Salads, PBandJ, Leftovers


For more great menu ideas, recipe links, etc check out this week's Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - November 16th - The Use It Up Before Vacation Week

We’re leaving for vacation next week and I’m trying not to shop this week. My selections are pretty slim and I’m getting very low on meat in the freezer. So I put together a very basic menu using things I have or can ‘create’ from leftovers. I don’t have any recipes or links to share this week as these are either my tried and true or ‘flying by the seat of my pants’ meals.

On another note I’ve been struggling with a few things over the past week – my attitude and sanity being the biggest. I’ve been snapping at everyone, screaming at my kids and dissolving into tears far too easily. I’ve also managed to drag myself into a state of inactivity and am behind on a lot of things that are important to me. This morning I’ve promised myself that I’m going to stay positive this week no matter what kind of challenges I’m facing. I’m going to stay active and take some time for myself to de-stress and recharge before it’s too late and I turn into that raving lunatic mom (yeah you’ve seen her in your own mirror too now haven’t you????). So that said I’m going to post this menu for the week and get off the computer to accomplish some other tasks.

Here’s what we’re eating this week:

Monday – Pasta, Broccoli and Meatballs

Tuesday – Chicken Pot Pie

Wednesday – Breakfast for Supper

Thursday – Hamburger Helper, Corn

Friday – Pork Chops, Rice, Green Beans

Saturday – Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Sunday – Pork Fried Rice

For more great menu ideas check out Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday - November 9th

I actually wrote my menu yesterday but am only just getting it posted this morning.  In addition to trying to stretch the pantry and freezer I'm feeling a bit low on creativity and inspiration.   My menu just isn't thrilling me but it does take advantage of what we have on hand in the house along with a few things I plan to pick up from Aldi tomorrow.

Here's what I'm planning for the week:

Sunday - Cubed Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Corn

Monday - London Broil, Rice Pilaf, Broccoli

Tuesday - Roasted Chicken Legs, Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans

Wednesday - Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad, Rolls

Thursday - Soup and Sandwich Night

Friday - Chicken Quesadillas, Mexicorn, Rice

Saturday - Homemade Pizza

I guess after typing up the menu it doesn't sound so bad.   Maybe it's just me that's willy nilly today.....oh well - have a great day.   I'm off to get my house under control after a busy weekend.

For more menu plans and hopefully more inspiration than I've lent today check out Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.