This Week's Menu Plan

Hey there! Long time, no write! It has been such a busy time for us. Most likely you've been busy too! We just returned from our week at the cabin in Wisconsin and are settling back into our normal routine. Here's what's cooking at our place this week: Monday: B- Apple granola D- Hot dogs, beans and corn (dogs leftover from the cabin week) Tuesday: B- Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins from the freezer D- Taco Tuesday with Homemade Refried Beans from the freezer Wednesday: B- Apple Granola D- Cheesburger Macaroni, Green Beans Thursday: B- Breakfast Burritos from the freezer D- Hot Dogs, Beans and Corn (again! we have a lot of hotdogs to eat) Friday: B- Toast, yogurt with fruit D- Pizza night with homemade dough Saturday: B- Butter Braid D- Steaks and Potatoes on the grill, Corn on the cob Sunday: B- Perpetual Pancakes, sausages D- Hobos, Fruit (mmm, I'm already missing our cabin week menu, so that's why I threw in these hobos) This week's menu is all about easing back into things here. I love Kitchen Stewardship's Cheeseburger Macaroni recipe for that purpose. It's easy, healthy AND my guys love it! I also love the Apple Granola from Finding Joy in My Kitchen. Yum...a great cereal substitute. What are your favorite go-to recipes when you're taking it easy?

For more menu plans and recipes, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie.

This Week's Menu Plan

Ah, another week...and I really didn't even have time to share any recipes last week! Things are really starting to pick up with summer activities here, so I will try to post as much as possible. I am cooking up a storm though these days, so if I could carve out some time, I would have good things to share. Here's what we're having this week: Monday: B- toast with peanut butter and honey D- Chow Mein Casserole (new recipe) Tuesday: B- Scrambled Eggs D- Leftovers Wednesday: B- Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins from the freezer D- White Bean and Apple Chili (new recipe) Thursday: B- Apple Cranberry Granola D- Egg Salad Sandwiches Friday: B- Breakfast Burritos (new recipe) D- Pizza Night Saturday: B- Pancakes D- Sunny Broccoli Salad for a potluck Sunday: B- Egg Bake (new recipe) D- up in the air, we may be visiting family for this meal For more menu plans and recipes, head on over to I'm an Organizing Junkie.

This Week's Menu Plan

Ah, another Monday and another menu plan and grocery shopping day. Today is my bigger shopping trip to our neighboring town, while next week's trip should be fairly small as I will pick up most items today. We have a family camping weekend coming up this week, so I have a few dishes to make for a group of about 20. The women in my family really got detailed with our menu plan this year, which I think is great! A weekend of fun and great food sounds amazing to me! Last week we had some delicious dishes. Top on my list were homemade refried beans and skillet enchiladas. If you're looking a dish that is a 10 out of 10, those enchiladas from Amy are your best bet! I will share the refried beans recipe this week. Who knew making your own refried beans was so easy and tasty!

Mmm, the best enchiladas!

Oh-so-yummy refried beans

Here's the plan for this week

Monday:

B- Granola

D- Homemade Chicken Nuggets and French Fries (moved from last week)

Tuesday:

B- Scrambled Eggs

D- Leftovers Wednesday: B- Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins (from the freezer) D- Spaghetti with Homemade Sauce and Meatballs (new recipe) Thursday: B- Apple Cranberry Granola (new recipe) D- Dinner Our (we will be gone all day and evening) Friday: B- Perpetual Pancakes Camping Weekend: Appetizer- Cowboy Caviar Main Dish- Seasoned Chicken for Tacos Snacks and Desserts: Crockpot Yogurt Oatmeal Chocolate Cake (new recipe) Homemade Chewy Granola Bars (new recipe) Oh, did I mention that I scored a TON of rhubarb at our Farmer's market no too long ago? I froze it and am so excited to use it all up!

Do you have any foods (like my refried beans) that you make from scratch and are extremely easy to make? I'd love to give them a try! Now I know that some of you make everything from scratch...so just one idea will be plenty :)

For hundreds of menu plans and recipes, head on over to I'm an Organizing Junkie.

This Week's Menu Plan

Last week was filled with some great recipes and some not-so-great recipes. We loved the granola bars I made, the Amish Oatmeal Bake, the spinach and blueberry smoothies were tasty, as were the apple squares. Also, this recipe for egg salad sandwiches was a big hit with my husband.

What didn't work for us was grilling artichokes. We looked for weeks for artichokes in the grocery store and after finally finding them, the end result was disappointing. They just did not soften up and so we ended up wasting most of them. I also tried out making fruit leather from apple sauce. While my husband and I thought it was great, our son just was not liking the texture.

Aren't they pretty though?

Tough artichokes (the chicken and dip were great though)

Apple Sauce fruit leather...not so tasty for an 18 month old

Well, I do think they taste great, but since the little one didn't care for them, they don't make for a very good fruit snack substitute. I'll have to ditch that idea and try to think of something new.

We did try grilling up sweet potatoes this week. WHAT AN AMAZING DISH! I didn't take pictures, but trust me, slice those things up, put them in tin foil with some butter and salt and you will have a GREAT side dish for steak or any other grilling fare. Here's our menu for this week: Monday: D- meatloaf, baked sweet potatoes (both new recipes) Tuesday: B- Granola (new recipe) D- Leftovers Wednesday: B- Scrambled Eggs D- Skillet Enchiladas (new recipe), salad Thursday: B- Perpetual Pancakes D- Tuna Salad Sandwiches on Whole Wheat Rolls, Carrots, Apple Slices Friday: B- Granola D- Baseball Game...dinner at the stadium Saturday: B- Potato Pancakes, Sausages D- Birthday Party for some friends' kids Sunday: B- Butter Braid D- Homemade Chicken Nuggets and French Fries (new recipes)

What do you have planned for this week? Are most of your recipes tried and true, or are you adding in lots of new dishes? For more menu plans and recipes, check out I'm An Organizing Junkie.

This Week's Menu Plan

Last week's dishes were outstanding...the Cheesy Mushroom and Broccoli Hotdish, Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins and Potato Pancakes were all highlights of our family's meals. By the second week of our no boxed cereal efforts, I'm hardly noticing the lack of cereal and milk (although I have noticed that we're drinking less milk now).

This week, we're starting off Memorial Day by grilling and it continues to look like a promising week from there. Here's the plan:

Monday:

B- Apple Squares

D- Cheeseburgers, Grilled Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus

Tuesday:

B- Scrambled Eggs with ham and veggies

D- Leftovers

Wednesday:

B- Oatmeal with Raisins

D- Meatloaf (new recipe), Baked Sweet Potatoes, Salad

Thursday:

B- Oatmeal Pancakes (new recipe)

D- Egg Salad Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, Apple Slices (going to watch husband's softball game)

Friday:

B- Apple Squares

D- Homemade Pizza

Saturday:

B- Fried Eggs, Sausages

D- Date Night (husband's choice)

Sunday:

B- Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins from freezer

D- Steak, Grilled Sweet Potatoes, Salad

Snacks and Desserts:

Apple Rhubarb Crisp

Root Beer Floats with Homemade Ice Cream

Apple Fruit Leather (new recipe)

Granola Bars (new recipe)

Blueberry and Spinach Smoothie (new recipe)

That's what we have planned! What are you excited about for your menu plan this week?

As always, check out Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie for hundreds of menu plans and even more recipes.

This Week's Menu Plan

Last week we had some great meals here in our home. I hope yours were tasty too! A new thing for us was planning out breakfasts instead of eating boxed cereals. This was a great success for us. All but one day we had homemade breakfasts...eggs, pancakes, granola and muffins. We did run out of steam this morning, so we ate some of the cereal we still have leftover, but that just shows me we need to plan something easier on Sundays before church.

Some of the menu highlights from last week were the apple granola , a new taco seasoning recipe , delicious strawberry rhubarb muffins and yummy broccoli on the grill. Stop back later this week for the muffin and broccoli recipes.

This week's plan was easy! I planned for two weeks last week, so we're all set for our meals this week. We're trying several new recipes, so I will plan on sharing them once I know that they are as tasty as they seem. For this week:

Monday:

B- Apple Granola

D- yummy leftovers from last week...tacos!

Tuesday:

B- Scrambled Eggs with veggies

D- dinner at my grandma's house

Wednesday:

B- Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

D- Cheesy Mushroom and Broccoli Hotdish (new recipe)

Thursday:

B- Perpetual Pancakes

D- Macaroni and Cheese (we didn't get to make this last week due to a change in plans)

Friday:

B- Apple Granola

D- Steaks on the grill

Saturday:

B- Potato Pancakes (new recipe)

D- Homemade Chicken Nuggets and Fries (new recipes)

Sunday:

B- Apple Squares (new recipe)

D- Cheeseburgers, Grilled Potatoes and Asparagus, Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

I got a lot of good ideas from you last week for breakfast options...thanks!

This week, I'm wondering if you have any easy and healthy side dish ideas that pair well with steak. We recently purchased beef from a farmer. My husband's family all went in on a whole cow and now we have WAY more steaks than we're used to. My husband is just giddy about all this steak and I want to make sure we have other great foods to go with all this beef. Any ideas you have would be much appreciated!

As always, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for hundreds of menu plans and recipes.

This Week's Menu Plan

This week I'm way ahead with my menu plan, so I thought I'd share.  I'm actually trying to plan two weeks in advance, but I'll just share this week's breakfasts and dinners.  I've found that our town's grocery store selection is ok, but for many things I prefer to go to the larger stores in neighboring towns.  So to limit the number of trips I take, I'm going to plan out my menu for two weeks and only go on the second week for perishables.  We'll see how it works! 

Here's the plan:

Monday:

B- Scrambled Eggs

D- Taco Night with Homemade Tortillas and Seasoning (new recipes)

Tuesday:

B- Apple Granola (new recipe)

D- Leftovers

Wednesday:

B-Perpetual Pancakes (new recipe)

D- Macaroni and Cheese

Thursday-

B- Eggs in a Hole

D- Tuna Sandwiches

Friday-

B- Apple Granola with Crockpot Yogurt

D- Pizza Night

Saturday-

B- Scrambled Eggs and Sausages

D- Dinner out with Family

Sunday-

B- Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins (new recipe)

D- Grilled Steak and Grilled Broccoli (new recipe)

As you can see, I've got a lot of new recipes up my sleeve this week.  I'll share them if they turn out well. 

You'll also notice...NO CEREAL!!!  My husband and I are working out our morning routine to make breakfast together as a family possible.  Not only will we eat healthier, but we'll be able to share more time together! 

I wish all of you the best for this week...I hope it's delicious! 

If you want more menu plans and recipe ideas, head on over to Org Junkie for her Menu Plan Monday. 

Menu Plan Monday: November 30th

Last week I didn't do nearly as much for our meals at home, but I did do a lot of baking!  We went home to my husband's parents house for Thanksgiving and baked tons of Christmas goodies.  These will last us all through the Christmas season.  I love baking weekend because it is such wonderful chance to get to spend time with my husband's family.  We had a great Thanksgiving meal and went to pick out our Christmas tree as well.  Although we were busy the whole weekend with cooking and taking care of kids, I still feel refreshed after such a fun time. 

This week, my sister is coming to visit us from Florida.  She recently moved there to open a Plato's Closet store and has been working EXTREMELY hard to get it up and running.  She and her friend will be staying with us here while they attend training for almost two weeks.  So, I'm VERY excited for that!  Also, on Saturday we have another family Christmas party AND on Sunday the three of us (me, husband and son) are leaving for a week on vacation to Mexico.  So, yet again our week is looking busy and I won't be stressing myself out by trying to cook a whole mess of meals.  I'm keeping it simple! 

What is your week looking like?  Are you having any visitors or going to any parties? 

Here's our menu plan:

Monday: Yoyo (You're on your own)

Tuesday: Restaurant Night

Wednesday: Zuppa Toscana

Thursday: Yoyo

Friday: Restaurant

Saturday: Crab Dip

Sunday: off to Mexico in the AM

I know, two nights out, but my sister is only here for a short time before we leave, so I want to spend more time with her and less time doing the dishes! 

Have a great week :)  As always, check out Org Junkie for more menu planning ideas! 

Menu Plan Monday: Thanksgiving Week

I have yet to post about it, but my Cowboy Caviar was the highlight of our menu last week.  It didn't last two hours at our family's get together on Saturday.  Zuppa Toscana came in a close second, and I will provide recipes for both of those dishes this week. 

This week's menu will be short and sweet.  We'll be leaving for the in-laws on Wednesday, so I'll only be cooking Monday and Tuesday for dinner.  Our Thanksgiving weekend at home will be so much fun!  We're baking cookies and having a great Thanksgiving meal together.  I always enjoy being with my husband's parents and siblings.  Having an amazing family is one thing for which I am definitely thankful.  Can't wait! 

Here is my menu plan for the week:

Monday: Baked Chicken and Acorn Squash, courtesy of Org Junkie

Tuesday: Split Pea and Ham Soup

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday-Sunday: Meals at my in-laws

I just recently made the split pea soup and we loved it. Since my husband's mom loves it too, I'm going to make it again and bring her a batch as well.  Shhh, don't ruin the surprise :)

FYI- I will be taking a blogging vacation Wednesday through Sunday this week, as I'll be away from home.  I look forward to sharing with you our family's baking experiences...we always come home with plenty of treats for the holidays. 

What was your favorite dish from last week?  I'm always looking for new, healthy recipes! 

Menu Plan Monday: November 16th

Ah, what a week!  We were busy looking at homes, putting in an offer on one AND our newest little nephew was born early this morning.  Welcome to the world little Dane!  He's a healthy boy and mom is doing great :)  We ended up switching the order around on our meals this week, but we did eat just about everything on the plan, with the exception of the vanilla wafers.  This week I'm trying my hand at 4 new recipes AND I expect our grocery bill to be minimal.  I love this menu planning stuff! 

Here's what cooking in our little home this week:
Monday: Zuppa Tuscana (like the Olive Garden soup, review to follow)
Tuesday: Chicken Lasagna, carrots
Wednesday: Split Pea and Ham Soup
Thursday: Yoyo (you're on your own)
Friday: Pizza Night using crust recipe courtesy of Andi from Laundry on the Line
Saturday: Carrot Casserole and Cowboy Caviar (recipe to follow) for family gathering
Sunday: Yoyo

Snacks: Homemade Vanilla Wafers

All right, I have to fess up about that chicken lasagna.  It's a pre-packaged version I bought a long time ago and haven't used yet.  I know, probably NOT healthy, but I'm purging it from our freezer and will NOT be buying those types of meals again.  I'm finding it's way too easy to make double-batches of meals and freezing those for later.  There, I spilled the beans :)

What meals are you cooking this week?  If you need ideas, head on over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for hundreds of ideas! 

I know nutrition is important, but do you also focus on fitness?  Is your family active?  A major part of Mom Living Healthy is fitness.  I like to make a fitness plan to keep on track and I write about the different workouts that work for me.  Check them out!  If you want to make a fitness plan, I post mine every Friday and you're invited to do so as well. 

Menu Plan Monday- November 9th

Yes, it's Monday again and time for another great menu.  Last week we did a lot of cooking and have lots of GREAT leftovers to show for it!  This week we're trying out a few more new recipes and will eat the leftovers from last week as well.  Here's what's cooking in my kitchen this week:

Monday: Split Pea and Ham Soup, Wheat Oatmeal Quick Bread
Tuesday: Yoyo (You're on Your Own) with leftover Chicken Noodle Soup
Wednesday: Yoyo with leftover ham and Fresh Herb Spaetzle
Thursday: Meatloaf, garlic mashed potatoes with steamed Carrots (recipe to follow)
Friday: Pizza with Andi's homemade pizza crust recipe
Saturday: Tuna sandwiches
Sunday: Sunny Broccoli salad, going to my grandma's for birthday celebration for my son. 

I'm also going to be trying this recipe for Homemade Vanilla Wafers.

What recipe has you really excited this week?  I'm making bread for the first time AND can't wait to see how those vanilla wafters turn out. 

Love meal planning? Check out Org Junkie for lots of menu planning ideas!  Now that you have meal planning down, why don't you try fitness planning?!  Get your fitness plan ready and post it up on Friday as a way to keep your exercise goals on track.

Menu Plan Monday: November 2nd

Another week, another menu plan!  Last week's menu was great and I have yet to share some of those recipes with you.  This week I'm trying a four new dishes and I'm very excited for them.  What meal are you most excited for this week? 

Monday: Ham and Fresh Herb Spaetzle

Tuesday: my mother-in-law's tuna hotdish, as requested by DH
Wednesday: Yoyo (You're on your own...eat those leftovers!)
Thursday: Salad and Sandwiches
Friday: Pizza Night
Saturday: Yoyo
Sunday: Chicken Noodle Soup with homemade chicken stock.  (Recipes from SnoWhite at Finding Joy in my Kitchen)

I'm also going to try this homemade granola recipe from Home...With a Purpose.

Yum, it's going to be a tasty week!  For more menu planning ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday: October 26th

Last week's menu was great and I'm LOVING menu planning!  We have super leftovers, which deter us from wanting to eat out, and I know exactly what to buy at the supermarket.  This week we going out to dinner with friends on Wednesday, so I won't be cooking that night.  We're also going to my in-laws' house to stay this weekend, so things are a little more up in the air because of that. 

If you missed them, here are the recipes for the chili and cornbread that we ate last week.  Yum!

Our menu plan for this week is:

Monday: Pirate Food (modified from a recipe my grandma makes, details to follow!)

Tuesday: Yoyo, (You're On Your Own, or leftovers) due to water aerobics class

Wednesday: dinner with friends

Thursday: Minnesota Heartland Eleven Bean soup from Frontier Soups.  We got this from our local apple orchard last year and loved it, so I thought I'd make it again this year. 

Friday: Yoyo- We have a lot of leftovers from last week!!

Saturday: Halloween Party at the in-laws.  I will be making chili again.  The party is outside and a warm bowl of chili will be so tasty!

Sunday: Tuna Melts

Snack: homemade graham crackers

As always, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for her Menu Plan Monday and lots of other recipes!