Monday, May 3rd: Grilled Asian Burgers, Potstickers
Tuesday, May 4th: Dinner out!
Wednesday, May 5th: Cinco de Mayo! Chicken Quesadillas, Rotel and chips
Thursday, May 6th: Grilled steak and veggie kabobs, Roasted Ranch Potatoes
Friday, May 7th: Apple Rosemary Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Green beans
Saturday, May 8th: Date night out!
Sunday, May 9th: Happy Mother's Day to all you ladies out there! No cooking allowed! :)
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Week of April 26th
Finishing out the month and sliding full-speed into May! This will be kind of a busy week for us, so the meals are pretty simple as a result.
Monday, April 26th: Dinner at my step-son's National Honor Society banquet
Tuesday, April 27th: Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry, Potstickers
Wednesday, April 28th: Chicken Baseballs, Veggies
Thursday, April 29th: Quick 'n Easy meal night- Frozen steamer bag
Friday, April 30th: Caramelized Onion and Walnut Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Chips, Fresh Fruit
Saturday, May 1st: BFD (Breakfast for dinner) night... Pancakes, Hashbrowns, and Bacon
Sunday, May 2nd: Slow-cooker BBQ Pulled-Pork Fajitas, Rotel
Monday, April 26th: Dinner at my step-son's National Honor Society banquet
Tuesday, April 27th: Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry, Potstickers
Wednesday, April 28th: Chicken Baseballs, Veggies
Thursday, April 29th: Quick 'n Easy meal night- Frozen steamer bag
Friday, April 30th: Caramelized Onion and Walnut Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Chips, Fresh Fruit
Saturday, May 1st: BFD (Breakfast for dinner) night... Pancakes, Hashbrowns, and Bacon
Sunday, May 2nd: Slow-cooker BBQ Pulled-Pork Fajitas, Rotel
Thursday, April 15, 2010
New look!
Yes, you are in the right place! I'm procrastinating on bigger things that I should be working on, and decided to update the look of the blog instead. What do you think? (About the new look, not my procrastination!)
Monday, April 12, 2010
Week of April 19th
Another week of beautiful weather, another week of yummy meals!
Monday, April 19th: Individual Chicken Pot Pie Pockets, Salad
Tuesday, April 20th: Pepper of a Steak (Cooked on the grill), Roasted Ranch Potatoes, Mixed Veggies
Wednesday, April 21st: Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes, Fries
Thursday, April 22nd: Jumpin' Jack Chicken (I only make the chicken portion of this recipe), Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli
Friday, April 23rd: Polynesian Pork Chops with Pineapple, Green beans
Saturday, April 24th: Date night!
Sunday, April 25th: Turkey, Bacon, Guac wraps, Chips, and Fruit
Monday, April 19th: Individual Chicken Pot Pie Pockets, Salad
Tuesday, April 20th: Pepper of a Steak (Cooked on the grill), Roasted Ranch Potatoes, Mixed Veggies
Wednesday, April 21st: Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes, Fries
Thursday, April 22nd: Jumpin' Jack Chicken (I only make the chicken portion of this recipe), Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli
Friday, April 23rd: Polynesian Pork Chops with Pineapple, Green beans
Saturday, April 24th: Date night!
Sunday, April 25th: Turkey, Bacon, Guac wraps, Chips, and Fruit
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Recipe Review: French Onion Burgers
So last night we had French Onion burgers, and garlic fries for dinner. Since this was my first experience with this recipe, I thought I would share my review and some tips if you decide to make it.
First off- it was a big hit! Both boys, my husband, and even me (yes, I'm usually the picky one in the family) really liked it! Overall, it was pretty easy to make (especially when you sweet-talk your husband into forming the ground beef into patties for you.) :) I would absolutely make this recipe again.
A couple of notes:
1) It did take longer than the 5 minutes shown in the recipe for the burgers to thoroughly cook in the soup. So unless you like really bloody burgers (yuk!), I would leave them in a little longer and just keep an eye on them.
2) I put a little bit of butter (well, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, actually) on the buns and then toasted them on a griddle. I personally just like the taste of grilled buns for my burgers.
3) We were all a little hesitant to use the leftover soup as a dipping sauce. However, after the first dip, we were all believers. Definitely serve the remaining soup with the burgers. It gave it a great "french dip" taste.
4) I only had American cheese on hand. However, next time I think Provolone cheese would be great on these burgers.
OK- that's it. I would love to hear comments from any of you that tried this recipe at home. What do you think? Winner or Loser?
First off- it was a big hit! Both boys, my husband, and even me (yes, I'm usually the picky one in the family) really liked it! Overall, it was pretty easy to make (especially when you sweet-talk your husband into forming the ground beef into patties for you.) :) I would absolutely make this recipe again.
A couple of notes:
1) It did take longer than the 5 minutes shown in the recipe for the burgers to thoroughly cook in the soup. So unless you like really bloody burgers (yuk!), I would leave them in a little longer and just keep an eye on them.
2) I put a little bit of butter (well, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, actually) on the buns and then toasted them on a griddle. I personally just like the taste of grilled buns for my burgers.
3) We were all a little hesitant to use the leftover soup as a dipping sauce. However, after the first dip, we were all believers. Definitely serve the remaining soup with the burgers. It gave it a great "french dip" taste.
4) I only had American cheese on hand. However, next time I think Provolone cheese would be great on these burgers.
OK- that's it. I would love to hear comments from any of you that tried this recipe at home. What do you think? Winner or Loser?
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Week of April 12th
Time for another week of meals! Hopefully you will find some recipes here that appeal to you!
Monday, April 12th: Mexican night! Chicken Quesadillas with Tortilla Chips and Guacamole! Ole! (I don't really have a specific recipe I follow when making quesadillas, and I'm sure most of you have your own quesadilla recipes already. However, I typed something up just to give you an idea anyway.)
Tuesday, April 13th: Eating at a friend's house for Glidol night (Glidol= GLee + American IDOL). Yay! So you're on your own for tonight!
Wednesday, April 14th: Roast Beef and Swiss Panini, chips, fresh fruit
Thursday, April 15th: Broccoli, Cheddar, and Ham bake
Friday, April 16th: Cajun "Fried" Chicken with Sauteed Vegetables, Mashed Potatoes
Saturday, April 17th: Date night! Going to watch my brother-in-law's band, Shotgun Charlie, at Cue N Brew. Show starts at 7pm... come on out and join us!
Sunday, April 18th: Tuna Casserole (I don't have an exact recipe for this to share with you. But since this is probably the recipe my youngest step-son requests the most, I'm making it in honor of his 16th bday!)
Monday, April 12th: Mexican night! Chicken Quesadillas with Tortilla Chips and Guacamole! Ole! (I don't really have a specific recipe I follow when making quesadillas, and I'm sure most of you have your own quesadilla recipes already. However, I typed something up just to give you an idea anyway.)
Tuesday, April 13th: Eating at a friend's house for Glidol night (Glidol= GLee + American IDOL). Yay! So you're on your own for tonight!
Wednesday, April 14th: Roast Beef and Swiss Panini, chips, fresh fruit
Thursday, April 15th: Broccoli, Cheddar, and Ham bake
Friday, April 16th: Cajun "Fried" Chicken with Sauteed Vegetables, Mashed Potatoes
Saturday, April 17th: Date night! Going to watch my brother-in-law's band, Shotgun Charlie, at Cue N Brew. Show starts at 7pm... come on out and join us!
Sunday, April 18th: Tuna Casserole (I don't have an exact recipe for this to share with you. But since this is probably the recipe my youngest step-son requests the most, I'm making it in honor of his 16th bday!)
Monday, March 29, 2010
Week of April 5th
On to Week #2!
Monday, April 5th: (Chinese take-out)... You're on your own, folks. Have some yummy leftovers from yesterday's holiday dinner!
Tuesday, April 6th: BFD (Breakfast for dinner) night! Pancakes, hashbrowns, and bacon
Wednesday, April 7th: French Onion burgers, fries
Thursday, April 8th: Pan-roasted Pork Chops, Sweet Potato Fries
Friday, April 9th: Grilled Asian burgers, potstickers
I know this recipe sounds a little unique, but it is one of our favorite meals!
Saturday, April 10th: Date night!
Sunday, April 11th: Leftovers night
Monday, April 5th: (Chinese take-out)... You're on your own, folks. Have some yummy leftovers from yesterday's holiday dinner!
Tuesday, April 6th: BFD (Breakfast for dinner) night! Pancakes, hashbrowns, and bacon
Wednesday, April 7th: French Onion burgers, fries
Thursday, April 8th: Pan-roasted Pork Chops, Sweet Potato Fries
Friday, April 9th: Grilled Asian burgers, potstickers
I know this recipe sounds a little unique, but it is one of our favorite meals!
Saturday, April 10th: Date night!
Sunday, April 11th: Leftovers night
Week of March 29th
Here we go! Kind of a simple week of meals, but I have to start somewhere, right?
Monday, March 29th: Creamy Basil Parmesan Shrimp & Pasta (Macaroni Grill box kit, but add shrimp instead of chicken), Parmesan Garlic Green Beans
Tuesday, March 30th: Seasoned steaks on grill, Roasted Ranch Potatoes, mixed veggies
Wednesday, March 31st: Slow Cookin' Pulled Chicken sandwiches, Tots
*Note: We have TONS of BBQ sauce that we got for free. So when I make this recipe, I'm just going to use the regular BBQ sauce in place of the other ingredients.
Thursday, April 1st: Scalloped Chicken and Potatoes, Spinach Salad
Friday, April 2nd: Broiled Tilapia Parmesan, mashed potatoes, mixed veggies
Saturday, April 3rd: (Eating out with friends)
Sunday, April 4th: (Dinner with family) Happy Easter, everyone!
Monday, March 29th: Creamy Basil Parmesan Shrimp & Pasta (Macaroni Grill box kit, but add shrimp instead of chicken), Parmesan Garlic Green Beans
Tuesday, March 30th: Seasoned steaks on grill, Roasted Ranch Potatoes, mixed veggies
Wednesday, March 31st: Slow Cookin' Pulled Chicken sandwiches, Tots
*Note: We have TONS of BBQ sauce that we got for free. So when I make this recipe, I'm just going to use the regular BBQ sauce in place of the other ingredients.
Thursday, April 1st: Scalloped Chicken and Potatoes, Spinach Salad
Friday, April 2nd: Broiled Tilapia Parmesan, mashed potatoes, mixed veggies
Saturday, April 3rd: (Eating out with friends)
Sunday, April 4th: (Dinner with family) Happy Easter, everyone!
Welcome!
What can I say? I am a bit of an obsessive planner. I've been planning weekly menus for several years now, and I've also been creating an extensive recipe database in the process.
I have found numerous advantages to creating menus for our family, including:
1) We don't waste money on unnecessary items at the grocery store that won't be used in our meals.
2) It saves time and energy in the evenings because you don't have to figure out what you are going to make for dinner after an already long day.
3) You don't have to make extra trips to the grocery store during the week to pick up extra ingredients for meals. If your menu is planned out prior to your shopping trip, you can buy everything in one-stop.
4) It reduces money spent on dining out/carry-out because you "have nothing to eat at home."
Since I know time is at a premium for so many of you, I thought I would start this blog to share our planned menus, as well as links to the recipes included. My hope is that I might help to simplify your evenings a little bit and give you a little extra time and less stress with your families!
A couple of things to keep in mind:
1) I never claimed to love to cook or to be a great cook. (Given the choice I will pick going out to eat any night! However, our dining out budget just does not support that habit.) So if you are an avid chef, these meals will probably be pretty simplistic for you.
2) We try to eat moderately healthy at our house, but some nights are better than others. You will find that some of these recipes are actually Weight Watchers recipes. For the less "healthy" recipes, I frequently make modifications to them to make them healthier (i.e. substituting reduced-fat products.) However, I am including the original recipe so you can modify the recipe as you see fit.
3) To save money, I try to plan our meals around what is on sale at our local grocery store, or with what ingredients we already have on hand. I know this may vary for you, so I encourage you to alter the schedule of these recipes to help you do the same for your budget!
4) I do not claim to be the creator of these recipes. I have gotten them from numerous sources throughout the years. Some that I post will be tried and true family favorites. Others will be new adventures for us!
5) In addition to myself, I am typically cooking for my husband and two teenage step-sons. They are definitely carnivores, so you will not find any vegetarian meals here. Sorry!
6) And finally- I do enjoy trying new recipes. So please feel free to share your favorites with me!
Bon Appetit!
I have found numerous advantages to creating menus for our family, including:
1) We don't waste money on unnecessary items at the grocery store that won't be used in our meals.
2) It saves time and energy in the evenings because you don't have to figure out what you are going to make for dinner after an already long day.
3) You don't have to make extra trips to the grocery store during the week to pick up extra ingredients for meals. If your menu is planned out prior to your shopping trip, you can buy everything in one-stop.
4) It reduces money spent on dining out/carry-out because you "have nothing to eat at home."
Since I know time is at a premium for so many of you, I thought I would start this blog to share our planned menus, as well as links to the recipes included. My hope is that I might help to simplify your evenings a little bit and give you a little extra time and less stress with your families!
A couple of things to keep in mind:
1) I never claimed to love to cook or to be a great cook. (Given the choice I will pick going out to eat any night! However, our dining out budget just does not support that habit.) So if you are an avid chef, these meals will probably be pretty simplistic for you.
2) We try to eat moderately healthy at our house, but some nights are better than others. You will find that some of these recipes are actually Weight Watchers recipes. For the less "healthy" recipes, I frequently make modifications to them to make them healthier (i.e. substituting reduced-fat products.) However, I am including the original recipe so you can modify the recipe as you see fit.
3) To save money, I try to plan our meals around what is on sale at our local grocery store, or with what ingredients we already have on hand. I know this may vary for you, so I encourage you to alter the schedule of these recipes to help you do the same for your budget!
4) I do not claim to be the creator of these recipes. I have gotten them from numerous sources throughout the years. Some that I post will be tried and true family favorites. Others will be new adventures for us!
5) In addition to myself, I am typically cooking for my husband and two teenage step-sons. They are definitely carnivores, so you will not find any vegetarian meals here. Sorry!
6) And finally- I do enjoy trying new recipes. So please feel free to share your favorites with me!
Bon Appetit!
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