Menu Plan Monday ~ January 7th
Welcome to a brand new week!
Somehow over the holidays I wound up with an abundance of food in my freezer so over the next couple of weeks I’ll be trying to use up what I’ve got on hand. Not only will be this be great for my grocery bill but also for my freezer so I can think about doing the defrosting that is needing to be done!
Also you’ll notice that starting with this week I am going to start including Saturday in my menu planning. I didn’t traditionally plan for the weekends due to wanting to leave room for some flexibility in the weekly plan but I’ll still have Sunday open for that. Saturdays have become busy family days and having a menu plan for that day will allow us to spend more time together. Sundays are typically leftover days or soup and sandwich days. Just simple and easy. No fuss, no muss.
It seems I have collected an abundance of recipe links in my Favorites from when I do my MPM crawl each week. I’ve just been adding these recipe links to a folder I simply titled Recipes. However I got frustrated today while trying to search all these links for a particular recipe so right there and then I had to stop what I was doing to create myself some sub-folders titled chicken, pork, beef, meatless, desserts and drinks. Hopefully this will save me some time in the long run.
So my menu plan for this week:
Monday: Ground Beef Spiral Bake (Simple & Delicious Jan/Feb 08 ~ not yet listed on website) ~ this recipe makes enough for two casseroles so one can be frozen for later
Tuesday: Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
Wednesday: Slow Cooked Ribs (Simple & Delicious Jan/Feb 08 ~ not yet listed on website) served with Garlic New Potatoes
Thursday: Leftover buffet
Friday: Pizza Night (I’ve been using my bread maker for the crust and it tastes terrific)
Saturday: Turkey burgers with fries
Sunday: Anything goes
Hey Laura,
Looks good. My week is very easy. I hope to have a huge Once a Month Cooking session next Saturday to replinsh my freezer.
Blessings!
Vickie
Once again we are at a similar place as i too am using some stuff from the freezer that was left over from Christmas! I love that! 🙂
Great idea to organize your links into subfolders too! I usually end up with a nice headache after searching for recipes! LOL
Have a great week and thanks for hosting!
Your menu sounds great. There are several of your meals that I would like to make sometime in the future, especially if you like them. Thanks for hosting MPM, it is one of the highlights of my week and a really helpful part of my life.
You’re the best!
Leeann
niccofive.blogspot.com
I would love to get your pizza dough recipe for your bread maker. We love homemade pizzas! Plus, I really need to use my breadmaker more often (I think I used it last 3 years ago) or I really need to get rid of it!
Your menu looks great Laura! Thank you so much for hosting MPM! I’ve posted mine too.
Great menu. I need to organize my computer recipes files, too. One more thing on my Jan. to-do list 🙂
it’s all sounding delicous…especially the ribs ;-)thanks for hosting every week.
Yep–my grocery list is short this week….
milk, kale, brown rice. I, too, am using what I have on hand!!
That’s a great idea to create sub-folders. I need to better organize all the recipes I am finding through this clever little thing called MPM, too!! 🙂
Great Minds Think Alike ! I’ve just done my Menu Plan Monday and it’s all about using up what we’ve got !!!
Hi Laura,
We always have to plan for Sat. and Sunday: Five growing kids and a crazy schedule–usually I don’t have leftovers either. I guess that’s what happens with teenagers!
Thanks for hosting! I love, love, LOVE Menu Plan Monday!
Making dough for pizza bases is all I use my bread maker for now!
it’s been a number of weeks since i posted a Menu Plan Monday, and it’s nice to be back. thanks, Laura, for continuing to host it – i find it very helpful! have a great week!
I’m glad the freezer will make life easier for you this week. The menu looks delicious!
My dh husband would be thrilled if I were fixing ribs this week! lol!! maybe I’ll add them next week….
What a great idea! I have a freezer full of meat and just keep buying more! Looks a good week to inventory my freezer.
Have a great week!
Your menu looks great this week. It’s so great to be able to clean that freezer out!
It looks like the slow cookers are getting a workout this week – it must be winter!
Anything that combines garlic and potatoes sounds good to me.
Mine’s up! Thanks for hosting!
Please share your pizza recipe! I used to use my bread maker for dough, but was never really happy with it. I’d love to give a new recipe a try.
Looks yummy Laura! Happy New Year!
Thanks for hosting MPM! I’m new (this is my 2nd week) and I love getting on to see what everyone else is having and getting new recipes to try! Thanks again! It helps keep me on track!
Have a wonderful Menu plan Monday!! Mine is up for today.
Great menu. Hope you had a wonderful holiday! Thanks for hosting this.
Everything sounds good. Have you made the chicken crockpot dish before?
I’m so behind right now, that my menu will probably not be up for a little while but I do know for tonight it will “Bev’s Chicken Casserole” from Company’s Coming Casseroles book.
Your menu sounds really good. I would like to know about you Spiral Beef thing your making tonight. It sounds really good. I did the freezer meal over Christmas Break since I was so sick. It helped alot…I think I have one more left. I’m going to the Dr today so I can get rid of the stuff I have. AGHHH!
Another yummy week!
I love the link organizing idea.
Have a great week,
Stacy
Looks great- thanks!
Sorry, I left the wrong blog link above. I reposted the right one. 🙂
So you are part of my new years resolution this year. I am going to do better about planning and sticking to my plan for my families meals. I have joined in twice on MPM but I hope to become a regular…:o)
Happy New Year!!!
My ,my Laura look at your list of names here. Goodness your meme has prospered look at the difference your making in community. I am so proud of you for this is a great help to so many.
That ground beef sprial thingie sounds interesting! I used to make pizza dough all the time in my bread machine…back when I had one.
MPM really helped last week and this – so glad I joined in on the fun!
Great menu Laura, thanks for hosting this every week 🙂
Got my menu up for this week!
Everything on your menu sounds delicious! I am back at posting my weekly plan after a little time off.
Penny
penny-penn.blogspot.com
Looks like a good week. Thanks for hosting!
MJ
I loved my bread maker for pizza crust, but now I use my large stand mixer for breads and pizza. Great menu!! Mine is up here. Have a wonderful week!
Thanks for always hosting MPM – it’s been great!! I am a lurker on your site, but coming out to ask if you know of a particular poster on your site who focuses on low carb/glycemic index meals. I have gestational diabetes and am having trouble getting my meal planning done. Thanks!!
I’ll try to post my pizza dough recipe this week for you. Thanks!
Jenni I don’t know of anyone offhand but perhaps someone will see your comment and visit to let you know.
Thanks for delurking!
Laura
Thanks for always hosting!
I visit your site often but this is my first time actually participating in MPM! 🙂
Holy cow, girl – look at all those people linking to you – that is awesome! I just wanted to pop in and say hi – hope your JAN is going well. 🙂
Why am I so resistant to the weekly meal planning thing! Maybe I’ll try it again, but I’ve been able to get around it by doing freezer cooking. It’s been working for us so far, but your linky is really inspiring me!
This is such a great idea and resource! This is my first week participating! Thanks for hosting!
I love planning out what we are going to eat each week. And I really like that we can come here and see what everyone else is eating, too. Gives me good ideas for upcoming weeks!
Getting the recipes organized is a goal or mine for 2008.
hi, am new to your web site. can u explain to me the purpose of planning a menu. it is just my husband and I. I’am retired and he works long hours. he was always the cook before when kids were home. I used to be a terrific cook, but to tell u the truth have just gotten out of the habit of doing it. I need to plan a grocery list(I do not grocery shop,he does)but I think I should, as he works so hard. I do not know how to plan a grocery list or a weekly menu. I know sounds dumb,right! so if anyone can help me to get started that would be terrific..thnks so much,sheri
Hi Sheri,
If you click on the Menu Plan Monday tab at the top of the page you’ll find some information about how and why I menu plan as well as instructions for joining. I noticed your link didn’t work.
Feel free to email me and I’ll give you a hand.
Laura
I am trying this for the first time. I suffer from “What’s for Dinner?” every night. I sure hope this helps the week go more smoothly.
This is the third time -maybe 4th- I have signed up to be a part of this group. My name always appears when I sign up and then when I come back, it’s gone. Am I an outcast or what? I visit other names on this list and wish I could get visitors also….
OK I figured out that I need to link back directly to my most recent MPM. I don’t know how to link back to you though. Do I have to redo this every Monday?????
I forgot to put first timer–sorry…
DUH! Now I feel so silly. Of course, I have to repost each week. I still need to know how to link back to you. Sorry to be such a pain….