Menu Plan Monday ~ Jan 14th
What a week! My menu plan didn’t go as planned but thankfully by weeks end it all worked itself out. On Tuesday morning I got up and realized I’d forgotten to thaw the chicken for my slow cooker meal. So I quickly went to the internet to find a similar recipe that could be made in the oven later in the day to give my chicken time to thaw. I ended up making this recipe instead. My family liked it but I wasn’t crazy about it myself. Then if that wasn’t bad enough I did the exact same thing the next day and forgot to thaw my ribs. So the ribs got moved to Thursday and we ended up having Saturday’s meal of burgers and fries on Wednesday. Friday ended up being our leftover day. So you see it eventually works itself out. That’s the beauty of a plan. I already had the weekly ingredients I needed in the house so I just had to look to the plan and re-adjust which meant no panic when I realized my error. It’s all good!
It has been snowing here for weeks. The snow on our front lawn is well over 5 feet! I’m feeling a little closed in so I’ve decided it will be a simple week for us and I’m keeping it light. I’m in the mood for some summer salads, perhaps to trick my mind into thinking summer is just around the corner….hah!
Last week some of you had asked for my pizza dough recipes. I posted them here.
I hope you all have a wonderful week with hopefully not as much snow as we’ve got!
Monday: Quesadillas with Crunchy Romaine Strawberry Salad
Tuesday: Italian Beef with Spaghetti served with Ceaser salad
Wednesday: Soup with Herbed Tuna Sandwiches
Thursday: Leftover buffet
Friday: Honey-Dijon Salmon and Asparagus served with Bacon-Swiss Tossed Salad
Saturday: Tortellini Primavera
WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU?
I forget to thaw my meat more times then I would like to share! Thank God for defrost in the microwave!!! :-)
Great menu, have a blessed week!
I absolutely love your blog! I am so new at blogging, but I love it! Your menu looks wonderful!
We don’t always have the meals on the planned days, but it is nice to have the ingredients so you can shift things around as needed.
Thanks for the salad recipes. I’ve been eating more of them lately, too!
I am all about trying to trick my mind into thinking it is summer. I need more sunshine and I don’t even have 5 feet of snow to deal with!
Thank you for hosting. I hope you have a delightful week. I am doing a step further on this by pre-cooking some items for the weeks meals to have prep time reduced when I am tired in the late afternoon.
Your menu sounds great. Thanks for letting me participate!!
We are in the middle of a very hot summer, so we have been doing lots of swapping of meals around to suit the weather. I love the fact that I don’t have to take the kids out on a 40 degree day to go to the supermarket, to get the things I need.
Once again, we’d love to come visit you. My family loves the snow but we live in the wrong place. We’ve gotten a whopping trace of snow so far this year. Hope you have a good week!
SOOOO Sorry I have double linked – hopefully Mr Linky will fix that! I LOVE your website, and hope that MPM can become great motivation for me to cook more creatively!
Darn it! I meant to do this and completely forgot. I’m gonna add it to my schedule for next week. I wanna participate in this on my food blog. See ya next week for SURE!
I have a couple feet of snow in my yard too. I have pictures of it on my Menu Plan Post! Winter in Utah!!!
Have a great week!
Thanks for hosting this! It worked well last week, so I’m continuing the trend.
I linked, need to figure out the widgets so I can use your too cool banner but at least I am starting the menu planning!
Thanks, love your blog.
Kiy
Hi Laura it all sounds delicious especially the Italian Spaghetti:)
Thank you for hosting every week..Have a great week.
Thanks for keeping me on my toes!
Hi Laura,
Sorry about the snow. If you can, get outside and get some air everyday, it helps with the SAD (Seasonal Depression) that is so common in the Northern states. Menu looks good.
I have two blogs now~
A Place for Everything and
http://misslionheart-aplaiceforeverything.blogspot.com/ (My foodie blog)
Have a great week in the kitchen, everyone
I do not miss the snow, not even a little bit. I didn’t do well in the frozen tundra of Minnesota and would take mini-vacations in the bathroom. I’d plug in a portable heater, fill the tub, fix myself a margarita, and lose myself in a beach read. It helped, but thankfully it’s no longer an issue.
I hate it when I forget to thaw something!
Wow, the snow! We’ve had the opposite thing here, melt, melt, melt….to the point that the thawing and freezing, thawing and freezing has caused many foundation cracks in peoples’ homes!
I think I may have to do a week of salads in the near future, too. Great idea. :)
Great menu plan. Thanks for hosting. I feel like it’s my personal weekly challenge to plan out my meals. My good friend MJpuzzlemom has 52 weeks of planning under her belt! Congrats MJ! Thanks Laura.
THanks for hosting Monday Menu, it has help our family out alot! Many Blessing to you and your family.
this Menu monday is definitely making my life easier. There is something quite reassuring knowing what will be on the table in the evening :-)
Your menu sounds yummy! Be sure to check out a pizza recipe on my blog–it’s TERRIFIC!
Thanks for hosting this each week!
So sorry about all your snow. I guess that’s one of the benefits/drawbacks of living up north. As for me, no living north of the Mason/Dixon line and I’ll be happy. I am mostly a desert rat! Looks like a tasty week, and I hope it works to trick your mind into thinking it’s summer. I am not that imaginative! :-)
TM
Menu Monday is a godsend.
Nothing is more reassuring than knowing what will be on the table for the evening.
I have a bad habit of ordering pizza when I forget to thaw something. Have a great week!
I had just written about a great, frugal trip to the grocery store when I ran across MPM – so I wrote my first post sharing my menus! I love menu planning; it really helps me stick to my grocery budget. I swap days around, too – especially if DH has a long day at the hospital and won’t be home to enjoy dinner with us, then I’m not cooking an elaborate meal for myself and my two year old! Ha!
Thanks for hosting this! I can’t wait to go see what everyone is having, and get a few new ideas for myself!
Have you ever tried putting the meat in the crockpot while it is still frozen? I forget to thaw my meat out all the time, but I have found that putting chicken (especially tenders) and boneless porkchops in still frozen actually helps them meat stay more tender! So don’t stress next time- just try it out! It works for me every time!
Happy Monday! Your menu looks great – especially the tortellini!
I’ve also just put frozen meat in the crock pot with fabulous results. Wow, that’s a lot of snow! I’m also ready for warmer weather and added some pasta salad for my menu. I love doing the menu ahead like this, for just the reason you said — even if I don’t stick exactly to the plan, I have what I need for the week and am not panicking to get something on the table.
loving your blog so i’m joining up as a newbie….i’ll try to be more technically savvy as time allows! thanks…
Sounds nummy! I think I will have to save a few and try them soon…
Thanks for doing this!
Lisawa
They all sound great! I will have to save some and try a few… Thanks for doing this!
Lisa
Mmmm, summer strawberry salad is one of my favorites! Can you get fresh strawberries up where you are this time of year???
You know, I miss the snow a little (from my PG days). The snow down here has been very on and off, heavy for a day or two, then melts to nothingness, and no more snow for weeks. I do enjoy that blanket of white, the glimmering trees, the back breaking snow shoveling… scratch that. Hope you have a good snow blower!
I forgot to thaw out my meat last week as well and had to do some switching up. I was able to still do my chicken meal though without thawing it first and it turned out well.
Your friday menus sounds wonderful!
Looks like a great week – especially the Salmon and Asparagus! Thanks again for hosting!
Hi, Laura, what a neat site. I can’t wait to look at all the other meal plans and see what people are making. Thanks for hosting this,
new blogger,
Magda J.
Last week’s plan didn’t work out as planned for us either, but I adjusted. I just recycled the plan for this week since I have the ingredients.
I’ve used frozen chicken (breasts, not whole) in the crockpot many times, as long as it’s an all-day kind of recipe it comes out fine. :)
Sorry, the link in my last post isn’t working because it was too long for the spaces available. Here is a working link to my menu plan: penny-penn.blogspot.com/2008/01/menu-plan-monday-6.html
Even though I always plan my menu, this is my first time to participate in Menu Plan Mondays! Thanks for hosting!
Your herbed tuna sandwiches sound interesting…..care to share your recipe? Your menu with salads sound good.We have been doing salads lately too.
I did it Laura! I planned a menu and it feels great. It’s been several months since I have done this. :D
Great Menu Laura :)
The salmon amd asparagus looks good. Thanks for hosting!
MJ
Looks like a summery week! Enjoy!
Hi,
glad to be back to Meny Plan. Have a lovely and tasty week ahead.
I havent been around I did a few weeks of Menu Plan Monday a while ago But I am back I sure have missed doing this and knowing what we are going to have. Thanks
I ran right out and got my new calendar. then this week-end planned my first weekly menu. it is juat Hubby and I but we sure needed some organizing! am so glad to have found ur web site, thanks so much… a newbie..
Hey, I have been a menu plan lurker for a while and joined in this week. Super Fun!!
Thanks for doing this, Laura. It makes me do my Menu Plan each week-even if I don’t post it on my blog!
My family thanks you, too!
-Nancy
I’m updated. hope this gets easier. Off to read your post.
I’m looking forward to cooking with you! Thanks. :)
posted my menu, love your website!
joyful homemaker
Better Late than never! NEW – or rather, returning Menu planner – with recipes!
I’ve been MIA for about a month, but I am back in the game again. Thank you for hosting this!
I am living in France without my cookbooks. A friend turned me on to your blog through her blog, and I am grateful! I am well on my way to my first weekly menu, including some new meals which we desperately need. THANK YOU!
How fun – I was just sent your link. I love to help others plan their meals, while encouraging accountability for myself. I am always looking for great ideas to use with my Homemade Gourmet. Thanks for your hard work!
Bringing families back to the dinner table,
Jen
http://www.easyfamilydinners.com
Check out this great site for meal planning, dinner ideas, and quick dinner recipes!
This is my first time posting.Hope to make a habit of it!