Menu Plan Monday, Week of 7/20/09

Last week's menu of new recipes went over so-so. The Drunken Chicken was good and definitely something I will make again. On the flip side, nobody liked the Moussaka, so that one will never grace the table again! I never got to a couple of the new recipes because we were all a bit gun-shy after the Moussaka. :) So some things got changed around a bit. This week, we're sticking with mostly family favorites, and I actually have some links this week! Here we go...

Monday - Honey Lime Chicken, steamed rice, green beans, homemade rolls.

Tuesday - Lasagna, salad from the garden, the rest of the rolls.

Wednesday - Grilled ribeye, baked potatoes, corn, whole wheat banana muffins.

Thursday - Rotisserie style chicken, fried rice, glazed carrots, cornbread.

Friday - Pizza night! I foresee leftover chicken, so it will be Chicken Alfredo pizza on a sourdough crust.

Saturday - Chicken enchiladas (the rest of that remaining chicken), tortilla chips and salsa.

Sunday - Pork Piccata, mashed potatoes, "fried" apples, biscuits.

Menu Plan Monday, Week of 7/13/09

Last week I discovered a new cookbook. Okay, so it had been on my shelf for awhile, but I had never even leafed through it, so I can still consider it a discovery! :) It's called "Desperation Dinners" by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross. All the recipes are said to be made start to finish with no prior planning, in 20 minutes flat. I don't know about that part of it, but some of the recipes looked appealing to me. It is very rare that I actually follow a recipe; I simply use them as guidelines and do my own thing. This week, my menu is focusing on several recipes from "Desperation Dinners" with my own twists. I don't have many links right now, but I can definitely post recipes if anyone would like me to!

Here is my plan for the week, loaded with LOTS of new recipes:

Monday - Drunken Chicken with rice, green beans from the garden (for the kids), steamed zucchini from the garden (for the parents), the rest of the sourdough bread I baked tonight.

Tuesday - Moussaka in Minutes, "fried apples," Cheddar Corn Cakes.

Wednesday - Sloppy Joes (this one isn't new!), home fries or tater tots (depending on my mood), corn.

Thursday - Tuxedo Chicken over pasta, glazed carrots, homemade rolls.

Friday - Our traditional pizza night. I'll have some alfredo sauce left from making the Moussaka, so I think I'll do chicken alfredo pizza.

Saturday - Heartland Rice and Beef, corn, Sour Cream Biscuits.

Sunday - Tempting Thai Chicken, Fragrant Rice Pilaf, garden salad, breadsticks.

That is EIGHT new recipes! I don't think the kids are going to know what to do with that many new things on the menu! We're all interested in trying the Moussaka recipe, as DH is the only one of us who has ever eaten eggplant. I'm sure we'll like it!

For more great menu plans, hop over to Menu Plan Monday!

Menu Plan Monday, Week of 7/6/09

How can it be July already?? It seems like the summer is just flying by, doesn't it?? I'm definitely enjoying the slower pace and all the time with my kids - I dread them going back to school. We're just having too much FUN this summer!!!!

This week was an easier-than-usual plan because I have two nights where I don't have to cook - woohoo!! I've got one new item on the menu, and am excited to try it. Here's the plan:

Monday - Pretzel-crusted chicken (I would link to the recipe, but I can't find it online - it's from a Sandra Lee cookbook), oven fries, glazed carrots, homemade rolls.

Tuesday - Swiss steak (simple - I put a large round steak in the Crock Pot and pour a can of diced tomatoes over the top and cook on low all day!), rice, corn, rest of the rolls.

Wednesday - Pizza mystery shop.

Thursday - Social function with DH's work. Dinner will be provided along with the entertainment (minor league baseball game - lots of fun!)

Friday - Pizza night. Probably ham and mushroom on a sourdough crust. The kids can never seem to get enough pizza!

Saturday - Pork piccata, mashed potatoes, "fried" apples (from the freezer), White Lily biscuits.

Sunday - Lasagna (due to some changes I didn't get this made last week), garden salad, soft buttery breadsticks.


Just in case you haven't noticed, I've added a subscription form at the top of my blog (and the Leftovers one, too!). Please subscribe for regular updates. I plan to start posting a lot more regularly and you don't want to miss out! :-)

And for more great menu plans, be sure and visit the official Menu Plan Monday!

Menu Plan Monday, Week of 6/29/09

This week, I was determined to have something new in the menu to make up for not having any new recipes last week. I did end up making a couple of new things for breakfast last week, so I wasn't completely without excitingly different meals. I turned to my very neglected recipe box this week - I don't think it's been out of the cabinet in months. I have many recipes in there that I have never tried, and this week, I've actually picked a couple to try.

Monday - Chicken tetrazzini, corn, homemade rolls.

Tuesday - Sweet and Tangy Pork Chops (new recipe, and I'll add pineapple and juice to it), rice, green beans, rest of the rolls.

Wednesday - Grill night: hamburgers, grilled three-cheese potatoes (another new one), salad (from my garden, amazingly).

Thursday - Grill night #2: barbequed ribs - the free ones! (cooked in crock pot all day, then crisped up on the grill to perfection), rice pilaf, glazed carrots, sliced bread (soaked in the sauce, Kansas City BBQ style).

Friday - Apple Havarti Chicken (using this recipe as a guideline, but using havarti instead of swiss since I have some on hand), crunch top potatoes, "fried" apples (using up my freezer stash from my brother's tree last fall), biscuits. The entree is another new recipe I've had in my box for some time but never tried.

Saturday - Pizza night has been moved to Saturday this week due to the 4th of July holiday. DH will have to work, and then we'll head over to an overlook to watch several big fireworks displays from one location - I'll be taking popcorn, sodas, and other snacks for the fun). I think it will be a ham/mushroom/pineapple pizza on sourdough crust.

Sunday - Lasagna, salad if the garden has enough, or corn if not, and breadsticks.

Next week will be a pretty easy week to plan due to evening activities and the second day of lasagna. Check back next week for that plan!

For more great menu plans, be sure to visit Menu Plan Monday at OrgJunkie!!

Menu Plan Monday, week of 6/22/09

I finally did a menu plan! I've been winging it for weeks, and decided this weekend that I really should have a plan for the coming week. It does make it easier. :-) So, here is what I think we'll eat this week:

Monday - Sonja's Chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, homemade rolls. (I use bone-in chicken breasts for this and it's wonderful!)

Tuesday - Chicken stir fry, rice, rest of the rolls.

Wednesday - Grilled orange/apricot pork chops, potato salad, applesauce, deviled eggs. (I created a marinade that we all enjoy - orange juice, apricot jam, and a bit of soy sauce)

Thursday - Grilled ribeye, baked potatoes, salad from the lettuce that's actually growing in my garden!!

Friday - Pizza. Not sure what type yet - depends on what leftovers I end up with by Friday! We have very creative (and delicious) pizzas. It will probably be on a sourdough crust.

Saturday - Crock Pot roast, potatoes, carrots, rolls from the freezer.

Sunday - Quiche out of the leftover roast, "fried" apples, biscuits.


I don't have anything new to try on this week's menu, and I'm not happy about that, but I will try and remedy that for next week.

For more great menu plans, be sure to visit Menu Plan Monday at OrgJunkie.

Menu Plan Monday, 5/18/09

**If you're looking for the giveaway, click here!**

Okay, I'm going to get back on the train this week and try and have a plan! I've done okay at winging it, but today I actually felt like planning things a bit. I involved the kids, and they actually decided on 5 of the 7 meals, so I'm pretty sure they will eat well all week!

Monday - Baked ziti, soft buttery breadsticks, green beans. I'm not sure what exactly we will be having, but I have a just-expired container of cottage cheese in the fridge, and no lasagna noodles, so I'm going to make something resembling a lasagna, but with penne pasta. Wish me luck! :-)

Tuesday - Jack's Ranch Chicken, rice, corn, homemade rolls.

Wednesday - BBQ ribs, baked potatoes, grilled corn on the cob, rest of the rolls. I still have to figure out how to fix the ribs, but I've looked at some online recipes and it sounds like slow cooking for most of the day and then a quick visit to the grill makes good ones. We'll find out!

Thursday - Macaroni and cheese, glazed carrots, biscuits.

Friday - Chicken alfredo pizza on a wheat crust.

Saturday - Pastitsio, green beans, sourdough bread.

Sunday - Ham and scalloped potatoes, corn, cornbread.

It's a simple week of family favorites, but that's what you get when you let the kids do the dinner planning! :-) Now we'll see if I can actually stick to it!

For more great menu plans, visit OrgJunkie!!

Menu Plan Monday, Week of 12/8

Okay, we're getting back on track with the menu plans! Last week I made mostly very quick and easy dinners, but I'm finally starting to feel more like myself, so this week should be better! So, here's the plan:

Monday - Honey Lime Chicken (I bake in the oven, covered in the marinade), rice, corn, whole wheat banana muffins.

Tuesday - Crock Pot night: Pot roast with potatoes and carrots, sourdough bread.

Wednesday - Cheeseburger soup, using shredded leftover pot roast instead of hamburger, and homemade rolls.

Thursday - Macaroni and cheese, applesauce, rest of the rolls from yesterday.

Friday - Homemade pizza with whole wheat crust.

Saturday - Pastitsio, green beans, biscuits.

Sunday - Pork chops in mushroom soup, mashed potatoes, corn, breadsticks.

For more great menu plans, check out orgjunkie!

Menu Plan Monday, week of 11/10

Another week gone by, and we're only a month and a half from Christmas - Thanksgiving is even closer! Yikes!! In anticipation of shopping for the upcoming food holiday, and a tighter-than-usual budget this month, I've planned this week around food I already have (or can make) so I do not have to go to the grocery store!

Monday - Sloppy Joes on homemade buns, rice, corn (cost approx. $3.40) I'm going to try and sneak in the ground turkey in this one, as I'm thinking with all those seasonings, hopefully nobody will notice! Wish me luck....

Tuesday - DH's birthday: Lasagna (his favorite), salad, buttery breadsticks, and probably a chocolate cake for dessert - yum! (cost w/ cake approx. $6.25)

Wednesday - Pumpkin french toast, "fried" apples (due to DH bringing home the key ingredients from his restaurant when they discontinued this menu item, cost approx. $1.50)

Thursday - Smoked sausage, Yukon Gold potatoes, glazed carrots, cornbread (cost approx. $4.00)

Friday - Ham and pepperoni pizza w/ sourdough crust (cost approx. $3.25)

Saturday - Mushroom-broccoli penne w/ chicken, green beans, garlic bread (cost approx. $4.25)

Sunday - Potato corn & chicken chowder (this recipe is kinda similar), homemade rolls (cost approx. $4.75)


Not a very thrilling week, but everything is kid approved, which always helps! My youngest won't be happy about Monday night, but she will have her bun with cheese or turkey lunchmeat on it and will be fine! And I certainly can't complain about my costs per meal. Some of them surprise even me!

For more great menu plans, be sure to pop over to I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Menu Plan Monday, Week of 11/3/08

We've finally reached election week! Although I pretty much hate commercials in general, I will be so very glad when I no longer have to hear the various local and national candidates twist the truth in any way possible every few minutes of what little television I take time to enjoy! But let's not dwell on that...let's get to the menu plan that seemed to take me forever this week!!!

Monday - Chicken parmesan, spaghetti noodles, salad, soft buttery breadsticks. (Approx. cost for 5 of us - $4.75)

Tuesday - Crock pot roast with Yukon gold potatoes, baby carrots, applesauce, cornbread. I'll be volunteering at the district cloting center in the morning and the school all afternoon, so it's a perfect crock pot day! (Approx. cost $5.50)

Wednesday - Creamy burrito casserole with leftover roast from Tuesday, corn, any leftover bread from the past couple of days. :) (Approx. cost $4.60)

Thursday - Honey lime chicken (new recipe - gotta use up some limes in the fridge!), steamed brown rice, green beans, sourdough bread. (Approx. cost $5.80)

Friday - Homemade pizza w/ a wheat crust. We'll top it with what's left of the roast. (Approx. cost $4.25)

Saturday - Pork chops in mushroom soup, mashed potatoes w/ the mushroom gravy, corn, biscuits. (Approx. cost $5.10)

Sunday - Pork and mushroom stuffed bread, potato soup. (Approx. cost $3.30)

For LOTS of other great menu plans, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie!