Menu Plan Monday August 17

 

Share Your Menu Plan!

 
Happy Monday! The weather has been cooling off a lot here in Central Virginia, thanks to all the rain and flash storms we are having. Hope it doesn't get too cold to finish off the dozen of popsicles still left in the freezer!

Anyway, the past couple of weeks we've been having one-pot-pasta. It is the best thing ever! The dried spaghetti cooks with the veggies and sauce all in one pot at the same time. It's revolutionary like baked tacos! This week, we're having Filipino spaghetti cooked as one-pot-past. I don't think I can go back cooking it another way.


Yes, there are green peas in this spaghetti. It did not damage the taste!
 

Breakfasts:

pancakes, waffles, muffins (the last batch of pre-mixes I made)

homemade blueberry compote from the U-pick blueberries

cereal (for Saturday morning cartoons, of course!)

 

 

 

Lunches:

chili and cornbread (when the weather is below 80)

tuna sandwiches ($0.79 a can at CVS!)

lentil-brown rice casserole

Filipino spaghetti

pool party snacky foods

Snacks:

popcorn, popsicles, cake, and fruit, smoothies



Missing those fresh U-pick strawberries

Dinners:
lots of salad (Kroger produce sale!)
arroz-caldo or lugaw (Filipino rice porridge)
sotanghon (Filipino noodle soup)
adobo (Fiipino chicken stew)
Church dinner


 

 
 

 

 

Menu Plan Monday July 15-21

This post is linked to Menu Plans at orgjunkie.

Happy Monday! Last week was a blur at mealtimes. The children were at VBS in a church far from our house so we ended up eating out a couple of times like our free Cow Appreciation Day dinner. And since we were having so much fun with our impromptu dinner dates, the menu plan kind of fell by the wayside.

This week, I hope we stick more to eating at home. My tummy is still upset at the wonderful-now-awful-later feeling of eating more than one Krispy Kreme donuts.

Breakfasts:
waffles
muffins
cereal
omelets
breakfast smoothies

Lunches:
sweet and sour meatballs
rice and mung beans 
homemade pizza
community pool party (with Great Wraps!)
sandwiches: egg salad, tuna salad, bbq chicken

Dinners:
sausage and peppers
fried rice and poor man's asparagus
ham stir-fry with sweet potatoes
nachos and homemade salsa
boiled eggs and creamed peas

Menu Plan Monday July 8

I mentioned that I grabbed a few cookbooks from different bloggers because I am in desperate need of fresh recipe ideas. This week, I am trying out Shrimp Tacos from Not You Mother's Make Ahead and Freeze Cookbook. I haven't decided other recipes, but will add them later.

If you have a menu plan, why not share it? Link-up to Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.

Here is our menu plan this week:

Breakfasts-
fried eggs with dill
hard-boiled eggs
waffles
cereal

Lunches-
burgers and hotdogs
chicken fingers
chicken salad
bbq sandwiches
shrimp tacos from Good Cheap Eats

Snacks-
yogurt shakes
cantaloupe coolers
cake and ice cream
fruit- watermelon, blueberries, strawberries

Dinners-

veggie stirfry
calzones
fried chicken
homemade pizza
ham and cheese sandwiches

Menu Plan Monday July 1

Still making same old tried and true recipes that are super easy and pantry-challenge friendly. I did pick up several cookbooks from the library from some favorite and new bloggers that I am hoping to add some new finds to our weekly meal plan. But for now, I plan to take it easy and enjoy the 4th.

I would love to get ideas for easy summer recipes from you, too! If you have a menu plan, why not share it? Link-up to Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.

Here is our menu plan this week:

Breakfasts-
breakfast burrito
hard-boiled eggs
pancakes
waffles
muffins
cereal

Lunches-
rice and beans
spaghetti
lunch out
burgers and hotdogs
chicken fingers
chicken salad
bbq sandwiches

Dinners-
veggie stirfry
calzones
fried chicken
homemade pizza
Hawaiian meatballs
spring rolls

Snacks-
yogurt shakes
cake and ice cream
cookies

Menu Plan Monday June 2

My favorite dish from last week was the Escabeche. Which, of course, I did not follow the recipe. I made it from how I remembered it from 22 years ago. A vague fusion of Southern meets Filipino ~ in a word: delicious!

I need to start writing down my recipes so I can remember it next time I cook. (Anyone relate?!) My escabeche version is pretty much fried fish with sautéed and julienned vidali onions, red pepper and carrots. I used chicken broth, soy sauce, and fresh oregano to season the veggies. Then mix of 2 Tbsp cornstarch to half a cup of water was added to thicken the sauce. It is so, so good!

Oh! Also, success this week! I remembered to put the menu plan on the fridge and referred to it everyday. I didn't try to change the recipes but did change the order of some things. This is a big plus for me because I always get tied up in knots in the kitchen. Instead of being frazzled I remind myself there is already a plan in place to follow! If you are like me, post your menu plan. It will keep you sane- at least in the kitchen!

Here is my menu plan for the week:
Breakfast:
cereal, scrambled eggs,
matzo crackers and Nutella,
fried rice,
overnight waffles, pancakes, muffins

Lunch:
rice and beans, tacos, nachos supreme
omelets, crustless quiche,
Church picnic

Snacks:
cupcakes, apples, boiled eggs, yogurt

Dinner:
fried fish, pizza
ham steak and zucchini,
corned beef and cabbage soup,
lentil soup with mini meatballs,
chicken tenders with Kraft Fresh Takes,
Filipino spaghetti (I forgot how much I love this!)

Menu Plan Monday linky parties over at Laura's orgjunkie.com and Susie at Susie QT Pie Café. Make sure you check it out!

Menu Plan May 27

Our menu for the week is again pretty simple. But I am trying out some new recipes for dinner like escabeche. Loved that fried-fish with peppers when I was growing up. I am looking forward to Saturday's FREE Chick-Fil-A breakfast (for wearing pajamas).  

Breakfasts
Oatmeal
French Toast Casserole
Continental Breakfast
Overnight Waffles
Chick-Fil-A Pajama Day
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
 
Lunches
Burgers and Hotdogs (Memorial Day)
Rice and Beans
Spinach Scrambled Eggs
Filipino-Style Spaghetti (with banana ketchup and hotdogs)
Slow-cooker Cauliflower-Rice Casserole
Lentil Rice Casserole (from $5 Dinner Mom)
BBQ Sandwiches
 
Dinners
Sweet and Sour Pork (Ham and Sweet Peppers)
Fried Fish Escabeche
Nachos Supreme
Ham and Sweet Potatoes
Meatball Subs
Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup
Beef Stew with Homemade Beef Broth
 
Have a menu or recipes to share. Link it up with Menu Plan Monday or at Susie's QT Pie Cafe!
 
 
 

Menu Plan Monday: The Birthday Edition ~May 20

What a terrible week of not following the Menu Plan! I only planned dinners last week and suffered greatly! Our lil' rice cooker got a workout- I think we had rice at least once every single day. But hopefully not this week. Instead of racking my brain with a new menu, I just tweaked an old menu from March. We pretty much eat the same foods regularly anyway. Maybe this summer we'll be more adventurous!

Today is also my birthday! So we are having cake and strawberry picking this week. I also signed up for birthday clubs, so lots of freebie sandwiches and Starbucks coffee!

This is the menu plan I have for this week:

Breakfasts:
Oatmeal in the rice cooker
Overnight Waffles
French Toast Casserole from ($5 dinners)
Banana Bread Muffins
Matzo Crackers and Nutella
Pancakes
Cereal

Lunches:
Rainbow Salad
Nachos with Homemade Chips
Chicken Sandwiches 
Ham Sandwiches
Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Omelets and Buttermilk Cornbread (from Life as Mom)
Pancit (Filipino Lo Mein)


Dinners:
Arroz Caldo (Filipino Rice Porridge)
Adobo (Filipino Chicken Stew)
Chicken Fingers (with Kraft Fresh Takes)
Fish Chowder
Pizza Pockets (from Money Saving Mom)
Hamburgers and Fries
Roast Chicken and Veggies with Oat Rolls (from Money Saving Mom)

Link up your Menu Plan with OrgJunkie.com

Menu Plan Monnday: May 13

Hope all you mothers had a great day yesterday! I got to do my favorite things like visit the park , eat a light lunch out in the backyard and got serenaded by my husband!

My other favorite dinner was roasted venison tenderloin. We were invited by friends out to the country for a bonfire cookout. The children loved roasting marshmallows for s'mores. We even saw a deer walking past the field of harvest-grade hay. What a wonderful experience!

I pretty much stuck to my menu last week, except for a couple things that got switched here and there. I'm so grateful! It's not easy for me to commit to a 7-day plan! I am linking with others for Menu Plan Monday. For this week's dinner menu, this is what I am hoping to make:

Monday: Fried Rice
Tuesday: Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
Wednesday: Spinach Ham Quiche
Thursday: Hamburgers
Friday: Sausage and Peppers
Saturday: Fish Tacos
Sunday: Roast Chicken

The cheesy hasbrown potatoes was posted by Money Saving Mom and is the easiest thing ever! I have even made a version with sweet potatoes. It was kinda like a French toast casserole. (Photo source, from the same blog post.)

Menu Plan Monday

This is the menu plan I have for this week:

Breakfasts:
Oatmeal in the rice cooker
Overnight Waffles
French Toast Casserole from ($5 dinners)
Banana Bread
Pancakes
Cereal
Banana Bread

Lunches:
Rainbow Salad
Nachos with Homemade Chips
Leftover Corned Beef and Cabbage
Corned Beef Sandwiches
Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Omelets and Buttermilk Cornbread (from Life as Mom)
Egg Salad Sandwiches
Pancit (Filipino Lo Mein)

Dinners:
Spinach Pesto Noodles
Adobo (Filipino Chicken Stew)
Chicken Fingers (with Kraft Fresh Takes)
Fish Chowder
Pizza Pockets (from Money Saving Mom)
Venison Burgers and Fries
Roast Chicken and Veggies with Oat Rolls (from Money Saving Mom)

Link up your Menu Plan with OrgJunkie.com

Menu Plan Monday

This is week 4 of the Pantry Challenge. And I am so looking forward to making other dishes besides the same old stuff in my freezer and pantry. We ran out of the basics so I went grocery shopping this weekend. It's hard for me to deviate from the plan without feeling guilty so I just remind myself that the point is to pare down the pantry, which we are doing.

Monday: Cinnamon rolls, cookout with hotdogs and smores, Filipino porridge

(We made Fun-da-middles cupcakes to take to friends for a playdate after lunch.)

Lugaw- a Filipino rice porridge

Tuesday: French toast, burritos, Filipino potato stew

Weds: Mashed potato pancakes, pork chops and homemade mac n cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (to take to Awana)

Thursday: Cinnamon rolls, Couscous and fish, fried rice with pork

Friday: Cereal, cheese fries and sausages, pizza

Saturday: Cereal, stir fry cabbage and noodles, tomato soup and crackers

Sunday: Pop-Tarts and yogurt, chicken broccoli casserole, leftovers

Homemade pizza: diced ham and mozzarella

Tonight, I made cupcakes for tomorrow and some for the freezer. I cooked the rice and beans going into the burritos as well as the potato stew and rice porridge.

Even though we are eating much less than normal with lots of soups and meatless dishes, no one is complaining too much because there is usually dessert served. We also have lots of cereal left that can be eaten for snack in between meals. Plus plenty of holiday candy to add a little happy to the pantry challenge.


Visit orgjunkie to link-up your menu plan!

Menu Plan 2013 Week One

We are going to try this Pantry Challenge this month. The pantry has an assortment of items that don't really go well together. We'll have to see how long we can last without going to the store (except for some milk and bread now and again). So here's to the first menu plan of the year!

Breakfast
Cream of Wheat
Cream of Rice
Bread and Jam
Cereal
Cinnamon Streusel coffee cake

Lunch
Spaghetti
Rice and Beans
Arroz Caldo
Stir Fry
Mac N Cheese

Dinner
Hoppin John 
Chicken Soup
Lentil Soup
Tacos
Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese

This humble menu plan is linked to orgjunkie.com.

May Menu Plan

Visit Menu Plan Monday to link yours or get lots of menu ideas!

It's great to menu plan again. In the beginning of May, my husband and I did a freezer inventory. From this list and food in the pantry, I wrote up a menu plan for May. This time, I taped both inventory and menu plan on the fridge. I'm glad to say that we've followed it every week for the most part. Plus, all these meals are simple family favorites, I don't even use a recipe.

Here's some pictures of what we've been eating this month:
Fried rice for breakfast? That's popular in the Philippines when I was growing up. Very filling.Yay! I finally made pizza from scratch. I used meatballs from spaghetti night for meat. Now my family doesn't like Wal-Mart pizza.
Wal-Mart had Sea Best Tilapia 4lbs for under $10. The first week I fried fish. Then I made angel hair pasta with wilted spinach and vine-ripe tomatoes and served it with pan fried tilapia. Even the children ate it up!

May Menu Plan

Breakfast
Breakfast casserole
Oatmeal, boiled eggs, fruit
Fried rice
cream cheese bites, boiled eggs, fruit
French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage

Lunch
Chicken broccoli casserole
Tacos night
Chicken or tuna salad sandwich, smoothies
Grilled chicken, Angel hair pasta with spinach & tomatoes
Leftovers
Ham and spinach casserole, salad greens

Dinner
Pasta night- spaghetti & meatballs
Adobo, rice, green beans
Pancit & porkchops, ambrosia salad
Lentil soup & tilapia, pineapple cake
Leftovers
Pizza night
Steak, rice and beans

Each list starts with Sunday then it goes down the days of the week. I am very flexible with this plan, picking meals from different days to suit our needs. But I have been sticking to the types of meals that I make. Shopping is easier when I get a fancy idea in my head like, "I love curry-let's make it tonight!" Since it's not on the list and I don't have any ingredients for it, it's easier to tell myself, "No!"

I hate to admit that I get in the way of myself most of the time!

Menu Plan Monday 11.22.10

Is it Monday again already? Homeschooling is getting the better of me! My days are all a blur. But at least have more than enough in food in the house. So I will skip shopping this week (maybe).

Here is what I'm thinking for dinners:
Monday- Adobo (Filipino chicken stew)
Tuesday- Amatriciana (bacon & sausage spaghetti)
Weds- Seafood Pasta
Thursday- Thanksgiving
Friday- Turkey Tetrazzini
Saturday- Shrimp & Lentil Soup
Sunday- Turkey Broccoli Casserole

When Publix had their mussels BOGO, I was able to use two $1 Target seafood coupons and got these for only about $1.50 each. They come in garlic sauce that is really delicious. All I needed to do was add pasta and juice of 1 lemon.
Adobo is the only Filipino dish I can make really well. And I'm happy with that because it's inexpensive but very good. It's my favorite comfort food.
We love turkey around here. So I'm looking forward to all the leftovers. Here, I've made it with cucumber sauce- sour cream and chopped cucumber.
My simple plan of sandwiches and soup for lunch, pasta or rice dish for dinner is working out very well! Breakfasts are generally only 3 options: cereal, oatmeal, or scrambled eggs. We also like granola in yogurt. And french bread has been only $0.19, using Target's $1 bakery coupon at Publix.
Lastly, I wanted to point out this Gold'n Plump whole chicken found at Target's meat section. We are blessed to have a Target that constantly puts their meat on clearance. Last week these were $2.50 each, before I've bought these for only $1.75 using a $1 peelie found on some of the other chicken. So be on the lookout. They will put them on sale a few days before the Sell-by-date.

Now I'm getting so hungry thinking about food. Wishing everyone happy cooking! Share your menu plans at OrgJunkie!

Menu Plan Monday Oct 25

It's been many months since I have planned a dinner menu... Truth be told, I just stirfry most nights or make salad and sandwiches. Although it's been nice to be "creative" I think it's about time to get back to having a plan. This evening I spent some time looking and drooling over new recipes, especially found in Kulinarya (a list of Filipino foodies). In particular, Katrina's French Tartine posts were inspiring. Simple ingredients make yummy sandwiches. The beauty of Paris takes me away from this humid Gulf Coast weather.
When I really thought about food & cooking in relation to the season of my life, it comes down to this: easy and simple is good enough!

Basic menu:
Breakfast- cereal, waffles or oatmeal
Lunch- soup and sandwiches
Dinner- salad and pasta or rice

How's that for simple! I've already made 4 cups of brown rice. Half will go in the freezer for later in the week. Zatarran's was BOGO last week so I made Red Beans and Rice tonight. I added onions, garlic, and chicken stock instead of water for more flavor. We are out of BBQ sauce, which would have been nice for chicken wings. But instead I made hot wings and use half a bottle of Pete's. This was great with the beans and rice. I just need something for the children to eat!

Stumped like I am for dinner menus or have easy ones to share? Post them with other hundreds of bloggers on OrgJunkie's Monday Menu Plan.

Menu Plan Monday 5.10.10

How was your week? I'm glad for taco night, followed by pizza night, then Bertolli pasta meal. Moms should get to take a week off cooking for a real Mother's Day treat. But since we can't (someday in the distant future, perhaps!) I am always on the lookout for those hardly-good-for-you-but-easy-to-prepare meals when they go on sale. And I have coupons. Thanks for the Tombstone coupons, Julie . (We still have 3 pizzas in the freezer!)

Unimaginative as it was, Tacos for Cinco De Mayo seemed natural. Since the kiddos don't like spicy, theirs was plain tomatoes and ours Rotel. It's always fun watching them eat it. Especially my daughter who is still waiting for the tooth bank to bring her two front teeth.

CVS is the place to buy cheap tuna. Bumblebee and CVS must have cut a deal because it's once again $0.49 a can. We still have lots from when the $1 off 5 coupon was available. Instead of tuna sandwiches, I'm making these as tuna dip! Great for using up the crackers stockpile.

In honor of our Gulf Coast community's struggle with that BP Oil Spill, we're having some fish this week. Some fish patties, others fried and leftovers will go to fish soup. There is a Tamarind soup base found at Asian stores used for making sour soup. Add a jalapeno (I use one that comes with Papa Johns pizza), chopped tomatoes, green beans, and baby spinach and you're set!

Another family favorite is beef stroganoff. The peas are supposed to make it healthier.

Here is our dinner menu this week:
Monday- Beef Stroganoff
Tuesday- Bertolli Skillet Meal (Target deal last week)
Wednesday- Mac and Cheese
Thursday- Pizza and Family Movie Night
Friday- Fish and Chips
Saturday- Filipino Beefsteak
Sunday- Tuna Casserole

Breakfasts: burritos, oatmeal, muffins, pancakes and waffles.
Strike the pancakes. I made some this morning with buttermilk and it was the worst pancakes, ever. I think I'll stick to waffles.

Lunches: tuna dip, hummus dip, crackers and cheese, lots of salad- anything that I don't have to be in the hot kitchen nor wash lots of dishes.

What's cookin' at your house? Join the bazillion ladies and link-up your menu at OrgJunkie.

Menu Plan Monday 5.3.10

New month, new menu plan... I've completely avoided doing this in April. Might be why my stress level is a wee bit higher. So this time, try and try again. On the bright side, I cooked a few dishes this weekend that gave me a little headstart.

Crustless quiche, quick and easy, lots of protein!
Cinco de Mayo, Americanized version. Hubs grabbed all the stuff for me at Publix:
BOGO Old El Paso Dinner Kits, $3.03
BOGO Breakstones sourcream 8 oz, $1.09
BOGO Pace Salsa, $2.79 (Minus $2 Qs, only $0.40 each)
Couscous, used really good homemade chicken broth.

Here's the dinner menu plan:
Tuesday: Quiche and Salad
Wedsnesday: Taco Night (Cinco de Mayo!)
Thursday: Pizza Night (Tombstone, only $1.50)
Friday: Soup and Sandwiches
Saturday: Tuna Casserole ($0.30 each from CVS)
Sunday: Crockpot Tetrazzini ($0.10 pasta from Publix)

What's on your table this week? Get inspired from the hundred plans posted at OrgJunkie!