Menu Plan Monday 2017 ~ Week of February 13th

Monday

Breakfast for Dinner

Eggs are on sale at Aldi this week, which means I'll be buying a few dozen.
It also means that I'll be eating eggs at least once a day
(most likely for breakfast or lunch) for the next week or two.
I seem to do better on my diet when I eat eggs for a meal or two each day,
so it's a win-win situation.  Budget friendly and calorie friendly!

Tuesday

Valentine's Day 

I wish I could say that we are planning a meal of heart-shaped foods
to impress our cute, 7 year old Valentine, but she's super picky.
While I'm sure she'd get a kick out of seeing a heart-shaped pizza
or red pancakes, I know she won't eat them.
So, at the moment, Valentine's Day dinner is undecided.  

Wednesday

Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder with Bacon

Wednesdays are hectic in our house,
so it will be great to come home to this soup ready to eat
at the end of our work day.  

Thursday

Hearty Black Bean Quesadillas
Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Click the link to see the picture of these amazing Black Bean Quesadillas!
I really cannot wait to try this recipe! 

Friday

Simply Filling Tuna Vegetable Pasta Salad
Leftover Soup

Saturday and Sunday

This is a busy weekend for us, 
so dinners haven't been planned out yet.  
Although take-out is usually the direction we go on busy weekends, 
I'd like to try to keep away from the drive-thru.  
Grilled cheese sandwiches or even some eggs 
could make for a quick dinner for these busy days.  

Now that you know what we're eating this week, let us know in the comments what's for dinner at your house this week! Or, if you need more menu planning inspiration, you can check out my past menu plans.

Week of January 1st ~ Meal Planning 2017

Happy New Year, my friends!

I don't know about you, but I am incredibly excited to begin this new year and try to keep looking toward the positive rather than dwell on the negative.  I guess you can say that is my biggest resolution for the year, among several others!

Meal Planning is something that I plan to use to get myself organized this year.  (Yes, another resolution!) It's a tool I've used successfully in the past and really need to get into the habit again.  Not only does meal planning help keep me organized, it also helps us financially.  When I have a plan set for the week, we deal with less waste and don't end up relying on take out as often.  I'll share more updates on how meal planning works for us in future posts.  For now, I'll just get to sharing our meal plan for the week.

Sunday  ~ Birthday Celebration with friends.

Monday ~ Crock Pot Potato and  Ham Chowder I love this recipe for using up holiday leftovers!  A few slices of spiral ham and some veggies leftover from party trays go a long way in this hearty soup!

Tuesday ~ Venison Fajitas.  I'm using this recipe and using venison steak instead of beef.  This meal is a great way to get in your veggie servings.

Wednesday ~ Leftover Night.  This is the busiest night of the week for us, so we'll be fending for ourselves for dinner.  This is a great way to use up smaller portions of leftovers in the fridge.

Thursday ~ Pasta with Vegetables.  I have a lot of vegetables in the fridge to use up.  Spinach, carrots, peppers, etc.  I'll cook them in a little garlic and olive oil and toss with some pasta.

Friday ~ Kielbasa Sandwiches.  We were gifted with some Kielbasa after Grace's aunt visited Philly for the day.  This will be a real treat for dinner and I'll have to come up with something light to serve on the side.  Maybe just a garden salad for me and some potato salad for Joe.

Saturday ~ I'm sure this will be another leftover night for us.  This would be a night that I'd want to get take-out, but I'm really determined to cut back on take-out and fast food.


Sorry for the lack of photos in this post...I may come back and edit later to add them in.  I'm just a bit behind schedule today and really wanted to get this plan posted!

Menu Plan Monday ~ Week of October 17th

Hello, friends!

I have been having trouble finding the time to sit down at my desk to blog.  School has started and I'm back to work.  I thought once we were getting into more of a routine, that things would be a little less hectic around here, but truthfully, we've been running around so crazy between work, school, play dates, Girl Scouts, etc. that we just haven't been home.  When we are home, the time has been spent walking the dog, working on homework, bedtime routines.  At night, when I do finally have a chance to sit down and relax, I'm usually dozing off on the couch only to have the dog wake me up barking in my face.  Usually because she is hungry, needs to go out, wants a treat, or simply because she wants my spot of the couch.

It's been a rough several weeks.  Especially when it comes to meal time.  We've been grabbing too much take-out, whipping up quick boxed meals, or simply grabbing a bowl of cereal when out of time or ideas.

This week, I have a few days off of work.  I'm determined to take advantage of the time and prepare some decent food for us!  I might even prepare a couple of bigger meals and freeze leftovers for busy nights.

Here are a few things we'll be eating this week:

Spicy Chipotle Pot Roast 

with mashed potatoes, corn

Giant has Eye Roast on sale this week.  

Joe took my car to get gas and I had him pick up a nice 2 1/2 lb roast.  

Perfect for this simple crock pot recipe!  

Spaghetti with a Simple Tomato Sauce 

Garden Salad, Crusty Bread

Such a pantry-friendly meal, I don't know why I don't 

prepare this more often!  

Easy Beef Barley Soup

I love using the leftover Spicy Chipotle Pot Roast 

for this tasty soup recipe.  

Those are just a few of the things we'll be eating this week.  I will also plan for some quick Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Soup and side salads.  BLTs will be a hit as well for a really simple, quick meal for one of our busier nights this week.  

I'd love to hear some of your favorite go-to meals for when you have a million things to do after school or work!  Please share in the comments!  

I'm Back...with a Menu Plan!

Hello, friends!

Have you missed me?  I know it's been a long time since I've last posted.  Probably about two years. In that time, Gracie has gone through Kindergarten and First Grade and we are currently starting our second week of Second Grade.  OH MY!  Did I just say that?  SECOND GRADE???  Wow!

Another new development since I've last been here, is I started working.  I found myself the most perfect (for me) part-time job, with a great boss and fabulous hours!  I'm sure I will share more about that in another post.  Yes, I plan on posting regularly again.  Mainly, because this blog helped keep me on my toes and I've realized that my life became a mess without the blog.

So, I'm back....and what better way to kick off being back than with a Menu Plan!

Monday

Dinner with Friends

We celebrated Labor Day with friends.
I picked up some yummy desserts
on the way to their house
for a BBQ.

Tuesday

Grilled Chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetable

Grilled chicken is one of our favorite go-to foods.
Joe usually grills a big, family pack of chicken breasts
in the beginning of the week.
Leftovers serve up easily on days when meals
don't always go as planned.  

Wednesday

Chili over rice

It's been a while since we've had chili.
I don't even remember if I made it at all last winter.
I've decided this week, I'll try a new recipe
found via Pinterest.

Thursday 

Fend For Yourself Night

I'm going to the gym tonight.  

No, I'm not bragging.  

Just putting it here in writing to keep me accountable.  

I'll most likely grab some of the leftover grilled chicken.

On nights like this, Joe will usually make an omelet 

or a bowl of oatmeal.  

Friday

Porcupine Meatballs 

This is a recipe we enjoy,
but not one I use very often.
Maybe because it's not really a
quick-cooking meal.
The flavors of this dish,
make the one hour simmering time
so very worth it!


Saturday

Leftover Night

Chili dogs are on the menu for tonight.
Quick and easy, perfect for fitting into whatever
plans we have for a busy weekend!


Sunday

Easy Beef Barley Soup

As you know, I love soup!
This is one of my favorite recipes!
So simple and delicious!  

Well, that's all for this post!  I'll be back soon with more posts, new recipes, and lots of Wordless Wednesday photos!  

Menu Plan Monday 2014 ~ Week of August 18th

Sorry for the late posting of this week's menu plan.  I had a really busy weekend that didn't allow me time to sit down to work on my plan or get anything else posted.  With the busy weeks ahead, I'm thinking of working on a month long menu plan for September.  

Monday 

McDonald's
As part of my driving lessons,
Grace's uncle thought it was very important
that I know how to get to McDonald's
to get Grace's favorite meal ever!

Tuesday 

Tex Mex Quinoa 
I didn't have all the ingredients on hand for this one,
so I had to adapt the recipe a bit.
I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out!

Wednesday

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches 
This is the perfect meal for a busy week
since there's always tons left over!
This shredded buffalo chicken is
great on buns, in a wrap or even on top
of a baked potato!

Thursday

Pasta Night 
I'm not sure what sort of pasta dish I'll prepare this night,
I just know we're long over-due for an Italian-inspired meal.  

Friday

Leftover Night

Have I mentioned before how much I love leftovers?

Saturday

Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, 
Macaroni Salad

Sunday 
Undecided

Now that you know what we're eating this week, let us know in the comments what's for dinner at your house this week! Or, if you need more menu planning inspiration? Follow me over to Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie! Or, if you like what you see here, you can check out my past menu plans.

Menu Plan Monday 2014 ~ Week of August 11th

Last week was drama-filled and stressful.  I wasn't able to work on a menu plan, nor did I care much about exercise or weight loss.  Mainly we ate a lot of quick thing like sandwiches or hot dogs.  One night I made some delicious fried chicken and Joe and I even had dinner out one night...dinner that did not require shouting into a speaker from the car window!  

This week, I'd like to get back on track with my diet and am looking forward to some healthy dinner choices.  

Monday 

Lemon Fettuccine with Carrots 
After all of the not so healthy choices I made last week,
I think this light meal is what's needed
to start the week off on the right track!  

Tuesday 

Spanish Quinoa 
Corn Quesadillas 
I've been toying with the idea of replacing our rice with Quinoa
in our favorite Spanish Rice recipe.
Great minds think alike since my buddy Nicole from Colie's Kitchen
obviously had the same idea!
Check out her recipe by clicking the link above!  

Wednesday

Chicken Fajita Soup
All this back to school talk has me thinking about the autumn
and all of the fall-weather comfort foods.
Trying a new recipe for soup this week,
I'll be sure to share if it's a success!

Thursday

Leftover Night 

Friday

Chili over Quinoa 
Another quinoa idea that's been inspired by my buddy Nicole!
So loving quinoa right now!  

Saturday

Family BBQ
I'll probably bring something a little on the healthy side
so I won't have an excuse to pig out all day!
Sure, I'll probably cheat, but not too much since
Weigh In Day is Sunday!

Sunday 

Chicken Taco Salads 
A big batch of chicken taco filling is just
what I need in the fridge!
A little goes a long way when added to fat free
refried beans and some fat free salsa
on top of a bed of lettuce!

Now that you know what we're eating this week, let us know in the comments what's for dinner at your house this week! Or, if you need more menu planning inspiration? Follow me over to Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie! Or, if you like what you see here, you can check out my past menu plans.

Menu Plan Monday 2104 ~ Week of July 28th

Last week, I didn't pay much mind to my menu plan or my diet and a 1.4 lb weight gain was the result.  I really need to work on following a plan this week.  Not just for the sake of my diet, but for our budget as well.  The meals I planned this week are all Simply Filling friendly if I allow myself to use a few indulgence points here and there.  If you're following the Weight Watchers Simply Filling program all of that will make sense.  If not, no worries.  You will still enjoy the meals I planned for this week!  

Monday 

One Pan Mexican Quinoa
I have recently jumped on the quinoa band wagon and I am so glad I did!
I'm really enjoying it!  So far, I've made and Enchilada Casserole with Black Beans and Quinoa that I really loved!  I've also added it to some grilled veggies on a wrap for a light, but filling, lunch!
I can't wait to try this recipe since the quinoa cooks right in the same pot as the rest of the meal!  

Tuesday 

Hot Dogs and baked potatoes
Reduced Fat hot dogs make it possible to enjoy this simple summer dinner
without causing damage to my diet!
Normally, I'd serve baked beans with the grilled hot dogs,
but all of that brown sugar and syrup would be a diet killer for sure
since I know that I couldn't be trusted to eat just one serving!  

Wednesday

Chicken Taco Salads
Tacos are the best thing for me to eat when I'm on a diet.
I love junk food and making taco meat using lean ground beef or diced chicken
is a great way to trick myself into thinking I am eating something bad!
I love keeping a big container of this Chicken Taco Filling in the fridge,
so I can eat from it all week.
Sometimes I splurge and allow myself a taco shell or two,
or I use a Simply Filling allowed wrap,
but most often, I just add a scoop of the taco meat to a bed of lettuce
with some fat free refried beans and fat free salsa!

Thursday

Simply Filling Tuna Vegetable Pasta Salad
Corn on the cob
Grilled Veggies

Friday

Southwest Scramble 
I love breakfast for dinner!
Especially when it's this hearty and flavorful!  

Saturday

Tilapia, baked potatoes, corn on the cob

Sunday 

Undecided

Now that you know what we're eating this week, let us know in the comments what's for dinner at your house this week! Or, if you need more menu planning inspiration? Follow me over to Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie! Or, if you like what you see here, you can check out my past menu plans.

You can also find this week's menu plan linked to On the Menu Monday hosted by Yvonne at Stone Gable. If you haven't checked out Yvonne's blog before, I suggest you drop everything and head on over to check out her delicious recipes, inviting tablescapes and stunning photographs!

Menu Plan Monday 2014 ~ Week of July 21st

We're busy most of this week around dinner time, so meals will be easy this week.  Super-easy.  If I don't keep things simple, I'll want to resort to take-out every night and I can't afford to do that.  Our wallet and my diet just can't handle take-out and fast food all week long!  

Speaking of dieting, I took a break this past week.  Mentally, I just couldn't do it.  I was dealing with a lot of stress last week and Grace was really pushing my buttons on top of all of that.  I ate what I wanted and didn't count a single point (Weight Watchers).  But, I'm ready to get back into the swing of things and start the week off with healthy choices.  

I'll be drinking lots of smoothies for breakfast this week and since I'll be following the Simply Filling Plan again (Simple Start for WW beginners), eggs and potatoes will also be part of my daily routine.  Probably for lunch.  

Monday 

Brunswick Stew 
I'll use leftover Balsamic Pork for this delicious stew.  

Tuesday 

MorningStar Farms Burgers
Roasted Acorn Squash 
I have some burgers left in the freezer from my MorningStar Farms
House Party this weekend.
I'll serve them up on some low point sandwich thin buns
and serve some roasted acorn squash instead of fries.  

Wednesday

Taco Salad
I've been loving taco salads for lunches and dinners for the past several weeks.
The flavors fool me into thinking I am eating junk food,
when really it's just some lean meat with some low-sodium taco seasoning!
I load up on the black beans and fat free refried beans and all that protein really helps keep me full!
No need for dressing with all of those great flavors!  

Thursday

Leftover Night
This will be a fend for yourself night utilizing any leftovers available in the fridge.
This will not only keep meal time easy for me,
it will also give me a head start in cleaning out the refrigerator.

Friday

Coney Island Hot Dogs 
Grilled Potatoes
I've been wanting a Coney Island from Sonic for a few weeks now.
We're not very close to a Sonic, so unless we are heading that way
for other stuff, we rarely get there anymore.
I have some low-cal hot dog sauce and reduced fat hot dogs
that will be perfect for this fast food knock-off.  

Saturday

Dining Out

Sunday 
Undecided 

Now that you know what we're eating this week, let us know in the comments what's for dinner at your house this week! Or, if you need more menu planning inspiration? Follow me over to Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie! Or, if you like what you see here, you can check out my past menu plans.

You can also find this week's menu plan linked to On the Menu Monday hosted by Yvonne at Stone Gable. If you haven't checked out Yvonne's blog before, I suggest you drop everything and head on over to check out her delicious recipes, inviting tablescapes and stunning photographs!

Menu Plan Monday 2014 ~ Week of March 10th

Last week was pretty crazy around here and we seemed to never be home long enough to get dinner to the table.  It kind of worked out though, since Joe wasn't feeling well for most of the week and didn't have much of an appetite.  Lunch meat,  salads, veggies with hummus, cold cereal and leftovers got us by for most of the week.  I guess that's how it goes sometimes.  

This week, I'm working on organizing my office.  Blogging from the living room just isn't working.  After spending several hours at the computer last week, I had a tension headache and horrible pains in my neck.  We've made a lot of changes around the house lately.  No remodeling or anything major like that, but changes to our furnishings and whatnot.  As a result, I was shoving extra stuff into my office until I thought of a new plan for those things.  It's to the point that I can barely get into that room and it really needs to get cleared out.  I see a trip to our favorite thrift shop in our near future.  I'll be bagging up unwanted items to drop off at the donation dock.  

Dinners this week will be kept on the easy side.  Well, since I tend to keep my favorite meals on the easy side anyway, these are just more simple than usual!  But I will be trying a new recipe this week, too!  

Monday 

Supreme Pizza 
Salad 
I had all the ingredients on hand except for the crust.
Over the weekend, I picked up a twin pack of crusts.
This quick and easy meal is just what I need
after a crazy weekend!  

Tuesday

Chicken Pozole  
Quesadillas
I've been wanting to try Hominy for a while now.
It's one of those things I don't think about
until I see it in a recipe,
then it usually slips my mind until the next time.
Joe was watching the Cooking Channel a couple of weeks ago
and I saw this recipe and immediately added hominy to our shopping list! 

Wednesday

Stuffed Peppers
The filling for the peppers is in the freezer
so this meal should be a cinch to prepare!

Thursday

Hot Dogs, Baked Beans & 
Sliced Potatoes 

Friday

Potato 3-Bean Soup
This meatless soup is the perfect soup for a Lenten Friday.
So delicious and hearty, you won't even miss the meat!

Saturday

Leftover Night

Sunday 
Undecided 

Now that you know what we're eating this week, let us know in the comments what's for dinner at your house this week! Or, if you need more menu planning inspiration? Follow me over to Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie! Or, if you like what you see here, you can check out my past menu plans.

Menu Plan Monday 2014 ~ Week of March 3rd

It's March!  January and February couldn't pass by quick enough for me!  Normally, I am not one to wish the time away, but last couple of month have been brutal!  I blame most of my attitude on the weather. Really, enough with the snow already!  The comfort foods, like soups and stews, that usually help keep my spirits up during the winter months just aren't enough to boost my spirits during these recent storms.  I just want this winter and the snow to be gone!  (As I type this on Sunday afternoon, we are expecting another storm this evening into tomorrow.***edit~we didn't get hit nearly as hard as we expected.  We were preparing for 8-12 inches and woke up to barely a dusting!)

Rant over!  

Since I am wanting to work on other things around the house (in addition to working on taking care of ME), I am planning some easy meals for this week:  

Monday 

Chicken Bott Boi Soup
I'm now to the point that I don't really follow a recipe for Chicken Soup, 
I just throw it together and taste as I go along to adjust seasonings.  
I made a large pot of soup a few weeks ago, 
when I ran to the pantry to get a bag of noodles, 
I spotted several bags of Pot Pie (Bott Boi) Noodles 
and decided to use them in place of our usual wide egg noodles.  
Joe came in from the snow and said he really liked those noodles.  
After telling him that we had more bags in the pantry, 
he said "Good!  Make more!"  So, I did!  
I'll be making another large pot of soup this week.  

Tuesday 

Stuffed Peppers 
We love stuffed peppers and it's been a while since we've had them.
I'm going to try something a little different this time....
I'll let you know how they turn out!  

Wednesday
Baked Potato Soup 
While Grace played quietly in her room over the weekend,
I had the chance to watch a little Food Network!
Guy made a very delicious looking soup,
so I am going to give it a try!

Thursday
Chicken Corn Chowder
This is and has been my all-time favorite soup!
I don't have just one recipe that I love more than the other,
I just love the combination of corn, peppers, potatoes, chicken
and bacon....it's gotta have bacon!   

Friday
Family Date Night
We're running some errands today,
and we'll be going out to eat while we're out and about.

Saturday

Crock Pot Chicken a la King 
It's been a while since we had this dish!
Love how easy this recipe is,
perfect for a busy day around the house!  

Sunday 

Undecided 
Today could end up being a big Sunday dinner
or just simply leftovers from during the week.
Depending on what our plans end up being for the day.  

Breakfast options for the week:  

• Oatmeal 
• Cereal 
• Bagel Thins with cream cheese or jelly 
• Smoothies
• Fruit and yogurt 

Lunch options this week: 

• Sandwiches 
• Veggies and hummus
• Smoothies 
• Leftovers
• Cheese and Crackers

Now that you know what we're eating this week, let us know in the comments what's for dinner at your house this week! Or, if you need more menu planning inspiration? Follow me over to Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie! Or, if you like what you see here, you can check out my past menu plans.