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Menu Plan Monday

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Since I usually spend as much time away from the computer as possible on the weekends, I always have a hard time getting back in the blogging groove on Mondays.  This Menu Plan Monday thing just might be the ticket.  Last week I posted about my menu planning routine and how it has been saving me time and money, to say nothing of aggravation.  I love knowing what I’m going to make each night and what I need to buy and what prep work I need to do.

Last week we didn’t quite get through all of our menus, and that’s typical.  We had a leftovers night, and then the weather inspired us to grill hot dogs (uncured — no nitrates) on Sunday afternoon.  The rain held out for a gorgeous Sunday evening in the ‘hood, but this morning we woke up to a heavy rain so I’m not sure I’ll be feeling motivated to get to the grocery store today.  Fortunately I have a few meals left that I can pull from.

When I don’t get through the meals I have planned for a week, I roll them into the next week.  It’s nice because I don’t have to come up with seven new dinner ideas, and I already have some of the ingredients in the house.

I realize these recipes are pretty labor intensive.  It is NOT necessary to make fancy meals to eat well.  I enjoy cooking, and I’m at home so I can prepare throughout the day.  I realize not everyone shares my enjoyment of the kitchen or has the time to devote to meal prep, and that is just fine.  If you’re looking for simpler meals, the salmon cakes and meatloaf come together quickly.  Because the meatloaf cooks for an hour, I planned to try the roasted brussels sprouts recipe that night because it looks like it will be more time consuming than my typical veggie dish.

So here’s what’s on the docket for this week:

Monday: salmon cakes, quinoa, roasted asparagus (recipe coming later this week)

Tuesday: meatloaf, potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts

Wednesday: crustless quiche, salad

Thursday: lasagna, Caesar salad

Friday: Shaved Parmesan Chicken & Lemon Creme, fresh spinach blanched and sauteed in butter

Saturday: pot roast with potatoes and carrots — This is one of the first meals I ever learned to make, and it’s still one of our family favorites.  I’ll share the recipe next week.  I love that it’s a one-dish meal.  So easy.  I can’t wait to use the new Le Creuset dutch oven that my mom sent me for Mother’s Day.  Thanks, Mom!!

And speaking of Mother’s Day.  I’m not sure what we’re doing for Sunday dinner, so I didn’t include a meal plan.  I might beg my husband to take us out to eat so I don’t have to cook.  Or we may entertain one of the moms in my life.  What are you doing for Mother’s Day?

the Motherhood TalksAlso, join me later today for a Talk at The Motherhood with Ellen Galinsky.   We’ll be discussing Ellen’s new book, Mind in the Making, and given my recent series on Raising Responsible Kids, I’m excited to hear what she has to say.  The talk begins at 11am and goes on throughout the day, so you can pop in whenever it’s convenient for you.  I’ll be in and out, as time allows.

This post is also linked to Mindful Menus at Chive Talkin’.

This post contains affiliate links.

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15 Responses

  1. Okay yum. I’m coming over for dinner one night. Maybe tonight (Salmon Cakes sound delish!) or Friday? LOL just kidding but wow – I have to take a page out of your book and start being better about menu planning. I just can’t get it together in time to do it and then 5 pm rolls around on any given day and I have no idea what I’m making…

    1. I have been making myself sit down and do it on Monday mornings. It really does help A LOT. 🙂

  2. I’m coming home from the hospital on Saturday, so our Mother’s Day plans will definitely be low-key and at home. My mom arrives sometime that day to spend a few days with us, helping with the kids and doing any driving that may be required. If someone is not bringing us a meal we will probably just order takeout. I pretty much give my husband a pass on gifts on that day, and this time I definitely will, since he’ll have been handling things at home while I’m in the hospital. 🙂

    1. I’m so excited for you!!!!!

      We don’t do gifts for Mother’s Day either, but I do try to get a break from cooking. 🙂

  3. wow great menu! I love seeing what you are cooking for the week. And the salmon steaks sound yummy! I am heading to Trader Joe’s this week {havent been there in a long time}. What are some of the items that you buy from them?

    1. Good question! I used to get overwhelmed going there, before I knew what to buy.

      canned salmon
      Jam (they have a low-sugar version)
      maple syrup
      salsa
      tortilla chips
      cheeses (they have the best price on parmesan and gruyere, and they have a good selection of raw milk cheeses)
      string cheese (for kids’ lunchboxes)
      lunchmeat (Applegate farms)
      hot dogs (Applegate farms)
      pork tenderloin (sliced into boneless pork chops)
      nuts
      coffee
      fresh fruits and veggies
      organic butter
      organic milk
      cocoa powder

  4. Love these menu postings as they give me inspiration and motivation! I also enjoy the fact that your menus are “whole food” healthy and practical without a lot of unusual ingredients that I don’t keep on hand.

    We love roasted veggies and use lots of combinations. Brussels sprouts are my DH’s fave. I usually add carrots, mushrooms, onions, red potatoes, etc. They are all yummy! Ina Garten gave comination suggestions on one of her shows…eggplant, tomatoes and zucchini; carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and parsnips; broccoli and cauliflower.

    I plan to tackle your sandwich bread recipe this week.

  5. We have found that menu planning is a great strategy for us on our quest to eat healthier and spend less. While our fresh meat and produce bill is still high, we don’t mind because we are buying more local and less preservative laden foods. We unfortunately don’t have a Trader Joe’s locally, so we find the majority of our shopping needs met at Wegmans. Does your family purchase meat from a local source or a store?

    1. I love Wegmans! That’s one of my 4 major grocery stops. We get our meat from local sources. We’re fortunate to have a plethora of options. I find that it’s pretty pricey, though. People in the south seem to get grass fed meat at much better prices.

  6. I commend you for meal planning. I’m a chef and I have to plan for my employer, so I fly by the seat of my pants when it comes to meals at home. I seldom know what I will make until a few hours before it is time to do so! Wegmans- I love Wegmans, but the closest one is an hour and a half away. We have Trader Joes and Whole Foods(my hubby calls it Whole Wallet).

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