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Last week I went shopping and found some great deals. I used a couple of coupons too. I'm really starting to love using coupons. I used to throw away those coupons I got with my receipts, but since I've been paying attention I've used several, even some for free stuff!
Monday-Roasted Lemon Herb Chicken. Last week I bought 2 whole chickens that were on sale for 67 cents a pound. That's $3 per chicken! Serve with loaded mashed potatoes and corn.
Tuesday-Maayu has a doctor's appointment, which means more shots and possibly a sad baby. So it will be something easy. Spaghetti, salad and french bread.
Wednesday-Nathan's 4th birthday! I'll leave this day open in case we decide to go out for pizza.
Thursday-Broccoli Cheddar Soup. I figured out how to make this recipe with canned cheddar soup and frozen broccoli. It tastes pretty good. Serve with biscuits.
Friday-Hamburgers, chips, salsa.
Snacks: oranges, crackers, grapes, chips/salsa, hard-boiled eggs, hummus
Week 9: Tall Mommy's Menu Plan
Monday, April 19, 2010
Ok, I'll be honest: last week my menu planning efforts were DERAILED. (Mon: leftovers, Tues: Red Robin, Wed: Costco, Thurs: Chilis, Fri: I honestly can't remember, but it was purchased, Sat: Picnic Day and snacks, Sun: Pre-cooked Tri Tip and boxed pilaf. Yeeahh, I think derailed is pretty accurate.)
This week, I'm hoping to fare better.
Mon: Grilled Mahi Mahi, cous cous, cheese stuffed tomatoes
Tues: The burritos from last week's menu
Wed: Avocado, Tomato, Bacon, Bri grilled sandwiches and salad
Thurs: basketball night, so dine out...maybe Chinese
Fri: Tacos!
Sat: Caesar Salad and Tomato and Goat Cheese pizza (possibly with grilled chicken)
Sun: Spring Risotto and Melon & Feta salad
This week, I'm hoping to fare better.
Mon: Grilled Mahi Mahi, cous cous, cheese stuffed tomatoes
Tues: The burritos from last week's menu
Wed: Avocado, Tomato, Bacon, Bri grilled sandwiches and salad
Thurs: basketball night, so dine out...maybe Chinese
Fri: Tacos!
Sat: Caesar Salad and Tomato and Goat Cheese pizza (possibly with grilled chicken)
Sun: Spring Risotto and Melon & Feta salad
Week #9 Small Mommy's Meal Plan
Sunday, April 18, 2010
I have to go grocery shopping this week, so I decided to check out the store ads first. We get Von's, Albertson's and Ralph's. I went through and circled everything I'd like to buy in each ad, then went back and figured out which store had the most and best sales. It turns out it was Von's. They also had some great coupons in the ad that I'm going to take advantage of. And can I say that I am really proud of myself! Last time I went shopping I used 5 coupons, and one of them was for free milk! I'm starting to love coupons.
I'm getting pretty bored with dinner lately. So I tried to come up with something different that was budget-friendly AND that my kids would eat.
Monday-Build your own nachos. That way Josh and I can have nacho salad. Maybe I'll try it with Doritos.
Tuesday-Bbq chicken with pineapple and rice.
Wednesday-Omelettes. (I have a coupon for eggs!) It will be build your own. Probably cheese for the boys and veggie for me.
Thursday-Pork chops, applesauce, and rice.
Friday-Sandwiches. Alex leaves town that afternoon so I want to make something super easy. Probably turkey, cheese and avocado. With chips.
Other snacks: oranges, strawberries, crackers, cheese
I'm getting pretty bored with dinner lately. So I tried to come up with something different that was budget-friendly AND that my kids would eat.
Monday-Build your own nachos. That way Josh and I can have nacho salad. Maybe I'll try it with Doritos.
Tuesday-Bbq chicken with pineapple and rice.
Wednesday-Omelettes. (I have a coupon for eggs!) It will be build your own. Probably cheese for the boys and veggie for me.
Thursday-Pork chops, applesauce, and rice.
Friday-Sandwiches. Alex leaves town that afternoon so I want to make something super easy. Probably turkey, cheese and avocado. With chips.
Other snacks: oranges, strawberries, crackers, cheese
Quatro Leoni salad
Monday, April 12, 2010
Several years ago we ate at a restaurant in the piazza della Passera in Florence called La Trattoria dei Quattro Leoni. They served us the most amazing starter salad-seriously, true love formed at first bite. It was also amazingly simple (though difficult to entirely reproduce).
Ever since, I have tried to replicated it at home. I've never gotten it just right-thanks in part to different produce variety and the inability to accurately capture the dressing, but I have captured the spirit of it and my version, while not nearly as enticing as the real deal, is a big hit in our home.
I always use the pre-packaged lettuce--usually the one that is a variety of four different baby salad leaves, always including butter leaf. If you can't find it, pure arugula is the next best bet. Their salad was served with fresh baby arugula, but I've found the varieties at my local store are not fresh enough to taste yummy without a few other types mixed in.
The salad can be served with a very wide variety of cheeses, the catch is there needs to be 2-3 and the flavors must play well off each other. One should nearly always be some form of a Swiss or soft white cheddar, when possible. I'm pretty positive the original salad used a very expensive kind of Swiss cheese. If I don't have Jarlsberg, a close second to what they used, I'll often use white cheddar, regular cheddar and Sicilian jack, or white jack, hot pepper jack, and something creamier like Havarti. Whatever you do, cube it and throw it in. If you have only one kind of super creamy, pretty pricey white cheese, then one cheese would do (their's, as I can recall, had just one).
Dice 1/2 of a granny smith apple, dice 1 whole avocado, finely chop 1/4 small to medium yellow onion (optional).
Top with about 1/8 cup of pine nuts.
Either create your own basil dressing OR for a similar, easier and equally as delicious flavor buy El Torrito's Cilantro Pepita Caesar dressing.
Top with a very small amount of sea salt and a healthy dose of freshly ground pepper.
Manga!
Ever since, I have tried to replicated it at home. I've never gotten it just right-thanks in part to different produce variety and the inability to accurately capture the dressing, but I have captured the spirit of it and my version, while not nearly as enticing as the real deal, is a big hit in our home.
I always use the pre-packaged lettuce--usually the one that is a variety of four different baby salad leaves, always including butter leaf. If you can't find it, pure arugula is the next best bet. Their salad was served with fresh baby arugula, but I've found the varieties at my local store are not fresh enough to taste yummy without a few other types mixed in.
The salad can be served with a very wide variety of cheeses, the catch is there needs to be 2-3 and the flavors must play well off each other. One should nearly always be some form of a Swiss or soft white cheddar, when possible. I'm pretty positive the original salad used a very expensive kind of Swiss cheese. If I don't have Jarlsberg, a close second to what they used, I'll often use white cheddar, regular cheddar and Sicilian jack, or white jack, hot pepper jack, and something creamier like Havarti. Whatever you do, cube it and throw it in. If you have only one kind of super creamy, pretty pricey white cheese, then one cheese would do (their's, as I can recall, had just one).
Dice 1/2 of a granny smith apple, dice 1 whole avocado, finely chop 1/4 small to medium yellow onion (optional).
Top with about 1/8 cup of pine nuts.
Either create your own basil dressing OR for a similar, easier and equally as delicious flavor buy El Torrito's Cilantro Pepita Caesar dressing.
Top with a very small amount of sea salt and a healthy dose of freshly ground pepper.
Manga!
Week 8: Tall Mommy's Menu Plan
Can you believe we have been menu planning for two months already?! Nice. Honestly, some weeks I can credit this blog for us having a semblance of a balanced meal on our table...nothing terribly inspirational admittedly, but hey, don't judge.
This week I have our first Sunday of Primary behind me-lots of work ahead of me, but I need to find balance and know it will be ok now if everything isn't perfect. I'm hoping this week's menu plan reflects that quest for balance...a few easy meals for days I may not feel well *like today* or have a TON to accomplish, and a few meals or treats that inspire the senses and make me actually like to be in the kitchen.
Monday: LEFT OVERS. Pulled pork is so yummy (even Yasmeen loves it) and we have enough for a second dinner, so that is what we are having. Don't want it? Find your own fare.
Tuesday: If the weather is still cold and crappy I'll try this Chicken Chili with Hominy slow cooker recipe; if it is nice I'll probably opt for a fresh spring primavera pasta served with bruschetta.
Wednesday: This Shitake and Pea Risotto though I'll adapt with Ina Garten's secret and add 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese before serving, stirring until creamy and melted for the ultimate consistency. I may also add asparagus. Serve with Romaine-Tomato Salad.
Thursday: Pan grilled fish (likely Halibut) with this rice: from Cooking Light: Cook 1 cup long-grain white rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add ½ cup thawed frozen whole-kernel corn and ½ cup chopped zucchini to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until vegetables are charred. Stir in ½ cup halved grape tomatoes and 1⁄3 cup chopped green onions; sauté 1 minute or until tomatoes almost wilt. Combine vegetable mixture, rice, and ¾ teaspoon salt. I may add either feta or blue cheese crumbles to the rice too.
Friday: I'm hoping for take out-burgers or our traditional Friday night pizza run.
Saturday: These Chipotle Chili Burritos from Cooking Light
Sunday: Fillet Mignon with broiled vine tomatoes stuffed with pine nut cous cous, crumbled blue cheese and basil
Sweet Treat: I'm going to try these Brown Butter Sea Salt cookies from Yummy Mummy
This week I have our first Sunday of Primary behind me-lots of work ahead of me, but I need to find balance and know it will be ok now if everything isn't perfect. I'm hoping this week's menu plan reflects that quest for balance...a few easy meals for days I may not feel well *like today* or have a TON to accomplish, and a few meals or treats that inspire the senses and make me actually like to be in the kitchen.
Monday: LEFT OVERS. Pulled pork is so yummy (even Yasmeen loves it) and we have enough for a second dinner, so that is what we are having. Don't want it? Find your own fare.
Tuesday: If the weather is still cold and crappy I'll try this Chicken Chili with Hominy slow cooker recipe; if it is nice I'll probably opt for a fresh spring primavera pasta served with bruschetta.
Wednesday: This Shitake and Pea Risotto though I'll adapt with Ina Garten's secret and add 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese before serving, stirring until creamy and melted for the ultimate consistency. I may also add asparagus. Serve with Romaine-Tomato Salad.
Thursday: Pan grilled fish (likely Halibut) with this rice: from Cooking Light: Cook 1 cup long-grain white rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add ½ cup thawed frozen whole-kernel corn and ½ cup chopped zucchini to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until vegetables are charred. Stir in ½ cup halved grape tomatoes and 1⁄3 cup chopped green onions; sauté 1 minute or until tomatoes almost wilt. Combine vegetable mixture, rice, and ¾ teaspoon salt. I may add either feta or blue cheese crumbles to the rice too.
Friday: I'm hoping for take out-burgers or our traditional Friday night pizza run.
Saturday: These Chipotle Chili Burritos from Cooking Light
Sunday: Fillet Mignon with broiled vine tomatoes stuffed with pine nut cous cous, crumbled blue cheese and basil
Sweet Treat: I'm going to try these Brown Butter Sea Salt cookies from Yummy Mummy
Week #8 Small Mommy's Meal Plan
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Today I was thinking about how wonderful it would be if there were dinner fairies who magically put dinner on the table every night. *Sigh*
I used to love to cook, but that was back before I had picky children. I'm getting bored of tacos and chicken strips. So I've decided to compromise. On at least 2 days of the week I will cook something I want to eat and then the kids can eat left overs or make a sandwich. That seems fair.
Monday-Grilled chicken (marinated in Italian dressing), rice and veggies.
Tuesday-Loaded baked potato soup. I found this delicious recipe online. It's super easy.
Wednesday-Pork fried rice and veggies.
Thursday-Chicken quesadillas.
Friday-(kids' choice) Macaroni and cheese and chicken strips.
Snacks: strawberries, crackers, cheese, cereal, oranges
I used to love to cook, but that was back before I had picky children. I'm getting bored of tacos and chicken strips. So I've decided to compromise. On at least 2 days of the week I will cook something I want to eat and then the kids can eat left overs or make a sandwich. That seems fair.
Monday-Grilled chicken (marinated in Italian dressing), rice and veggies.
Tuesday-Loaded baked potato soup. I found this delicious recipe online. It's super easy.
Wednesday-Pork fried rice and veggies.
Thursday-Chicken quesadillas.
Friday-(kids' choice) Macaroni and cheese and chicken strips.
Snacks: strawberries, crackers, cheese, cereal, oranges
Week 7: Tall Mommy's Menu Plan
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Better late than never--this week has been crazy. This Sunday we are officially in charge of Primary and I have been running around like crazy trying to get organized!
So, here it is, my (lazy and totally non-impressive, but, hey, at least we're eating) menu plan:
Monday: Eat Out
Tuesday: Sloppy Joes (couldn't be easier-follow the directions on the back of McCormick's seasoning package for sloppy Joes and then I add a little sugar, a little chili powder, and finely chopped yellow onion and bella mushrooms).
Wednesday: Egg salad sandwiches, of course...what else is one to do with all those Easter eggs?! Random recipe, but oh so tasty. To get the perfect hard boil eggs (heat uncovered on medium until boiling then turn off heat, cover, and let sit about 10 minutes (prevents a green ring). Add a little vinegar to the water to prevent any leaking if they crack.)
Thursday: Jacob has a late basketball game, and he doesn't like eating big before a game, so I'm making my fabulous Quattro Leoni salad, and we'll probably have left overs later.
Friday: Pizza out.
Saturday: Maybe fish again, if we can find a nice cut (otherwise filet mignon) with rice pilaf and steamed brocollini.
Sunday: I have a meeting at church at 3; Jacob has one at 1:30, so I'll make my tried and true BBQ pulled pork so it's ready when we can eat it.
So, here it is, my (lazy and totally non-impressive, but, hey, at least we're eating) menu plan:
Monday: Eat Out
Tuesday: Sloppy Joes (couldn't be easier-follow the directions on the back of McCormick's seasoning package for sloppy Joes and then I add a little sugar, a little chili powder, and finely chopped yellow onion and bella mushrooms).
Wednesday: Egg salad sandwiches, of course...what else is one to do with all those Easter eggs?! Random recipe, but oh so tasty. To get the perfect hard boil eggs (heat uncovered on medium until boiling then turn off heat, cover, and let sit about 10 minutes (prevents a green ring). Add a little vinegar to the water to prevent any leaking if they crack.)
Thursday: Jacob has a late basketball game, and he doesn't like eating big before a game, so I'm making my fabulous Quattro Leoni salad, and we'll probably have left overs later.
Friday: Pizza out.
Saturday: Maybe fish again, if we can find a nice cut (otherwise filet mignon) with rice pilaf and steamed brocollini.
Sunday: I have a meeting at church at 3; Jacob has one at 1:30, so I'll make my tried and true BBQ pulled pork so it's ready when we can eat it.
Week #7 Small Mommy's Meal Plan
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Last week took a toll on me! We ate out more often that I had planned. But I had to survive somehow, I suppose.
This week I'm going to take it easy. Especially since Alex is busy and will be out of town all weekend for a conference.
Monday-left over pork roast. It depends on how much is left. Probably tacos.
Tuesday-Grilled chicken, saffron rice and salad (I've got a coupon for the salad-99 cents!)
Wednesday-Sun-dried tomato alfredo with bacon. Just jarred sauce, fettucine and crumbled bacon.
Thursday-Cheeseburgers, baked beans and chips
Friday-Alex will be gone. Costco (usually about $6-8 dollars for the four of us.)? Five dollar meal at Von's? Seven dollar meal at Albertson's? Whatever sounds good that I don't have to cook.
snacks: hummus, crackers, cheese, deviled eggs or egg salad, strawberries, oranges
desserts: jello, cake
This week I'm going to take it easy. Especially since Alex is busy and will be out of town all weekend for a conference.
Monday-left over pork roast. It depends on how much is left. Probably tacos.
Tuesday-Grilled chicken, saffron rice and salad (I've got a coupon for the salad-99 cents!)
Wednesday-Sun-dried tomato alfredo with bacon. Just jarred sauce, fettucine and crumbled bacon.
Thursday-Cheeseburgers, baked beans and chips
Friday-Alex will be gone. Costco (usually about $6-8 dollars for the four of us.)? Five dollar meal at Von's? Seven dollar meal at Albertson's? Whatever sounds good that I don't have to cook.
snacks: hummus, crackers, cheese, deviled eggs or egg salad, strawberries, oranges
desserts: jello, cake
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