I hope everyone had a terrific Christmas! As we begin to look at the coming year I’ve been thinking about how to make MPM an even greater experience for you. One of the things I know many of you like to do is connect with others that are planning similar menus to yours (ie: gluten free, weight loss, carb free, etc..). Jena from Organizing Everyday suggested that I have a prepared KEY that participants could reference and enter after their name on the Mr. Linky list if they are planning a specific menu type that others might be interested in. Many of you already do this so it’s really just a continuation of that. I did a little brainstorming and put together a “working” list.
Frugal
Cooking for 1 or 2
BBC (big batch cooking)
Low Fat
Healthy
Gourmet
Kid Friendly
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Allergy Friendly
Fast/Easy
Low Carb
OAMC (once a month cooking)
Freezer
NT (nourishing traditions)
Vegetarian
Vegan
Slow Cooker
Let’s start with those and certainly if you would like to see others added let me know. Once I have a complete list I’ll add it to the MPM tab at the top of the site for easy reference. I’m hoping this will make it easier for you to search the growing list of MPM links for menus and recipes you are most interested in. And please don’t feel like you have to use any of these. This is just if you regularly plan meals around a certain theme and would like to connect with like minded menu planners.
Last week’s Christmas Eve Santa Pancakes were a big hit in our house. The kids had fun making their own and I can definitely see it becoming a yearly tradition.
My daughter’s pancake creation 🙂
I also found a recipe for a veggie casserole that turned out delicious and was super easy to make. It could easily be prepared in advance too if you want and then just thrown in the oven right before dinner.
The winner of last week’s MPM Taste of Home giveaway is Jeanine from Neenee’s Nook!
On our menu this week:
Monday: Baked Spaghetti with Bread Machine Garlic Bread
Tuesday: Slow Cooker Maple Ham with potatoes and veggies
Wednesday: Leftover buffet
Thursday: Chicken Caesar Wraps
Happy New Year Friday: Family Fondue Party
Saturday: Slow Cooker Beef Stew (using up fondue leftovers)
Simple Supper Sunday
WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU THIS WEEK?
Menu Plan Monday guidelines and banner selections are here.
Angela says
We did a fondue for last year’s NYE. It was lots of fun… dipping… mmmm! We actually took all our boys to a fondue restaurant this year for Christmas Eve, as it was the first time they’ve all been home for Christmas in two years. A very fun time!
PlanningQueen says
Love the pancake creation! Must put pancakes on the menu soon, it has been ages since we have had them. Wishing you and your family a very happy new year!
Liz@HoosierHomemade says
Happy New Year! Thanks so much for hosting another great MPM!
~Liz
Amy says
Happy New Year! A family fondue party sounds like great fun!
Diann @ the Thrifty Groove says
Sounds like a yummy menu to me! loved your special pancake!! 🙂
Clever Colleen says
Hard to believe that this week’s menu ends in the new year! Hope everyone has a wonderful 2010!!
Alea says
We have a fondue party on New Year’s Eve and then eat “poor” on New Year’s Day. Wishing you joy in the New Year!
Bonnie says
I’m amazed that we are to the end of 2009 already ! It’s flown ! I’ve enjoyed participating in MPM and find amazing great new blogs each week through here ! I love your “KEY” idea ! It will be a great resource for lots of us !
purple moose says
Fondue. . . one day I will get brave and try it. But first I’ll have to get the supplies. 😉 Happy new year to you and yours, I hope the job prospects come through for your hubby.
Tamara says
Thank you to your inspiration I am still hanging in here and kept sane while in full swing of the school year. Happy New Year to you and your family.
SnoWhite says
the bread sounds delicious, and fondue is so much fun!
hope you had a blessed Christmas.
ACW says
I am a relatively new reader, but the term ‘leftover buffet’ seems self-explanatory, and has my wheels a-turnin’. What a marvelous concept! 🙂
Ally's Corner says
I would like for you to add crock pot meals.
Judi says
Great idea for the pancakes, what fun!
Susie's Homemade says
Those pancakes are too cute!!
Sarah says
Interested in a key for vegan meals. We have food allergies in our house – so vegan recipes help us out a lot…
Thanks for your blog – it’s wonderful!
Katrina says
Ah I posted twice on Mr. Linky, sorry about that.
Andi says
My husband’s family has always had fondue on new years eve. They cook meat in oil simmering in their fondue pot. Since I don’t eat meat last year I brought my pot over and we did a cheese sauce too – yum! So good on both bread and veggies. Definitely a tradition worth sharing – this year we are at my parent’s place and going to do fondue here for the first time. Happy New Year!
Alicia says
Great idea for the “tabs” to identify the various menus….
I am vegan, and the rest of the household is vegetarian, so I am always looking for ideas.
Just found you a few weeks ago, and am excited to join in and start posting my own menus!!!
Have a great week and a safe New Year’s Eve everyone!
Blessings…
Adrienne says
I’m a MPM newbie! I’m looking forward to visiting all of you and getting some new menu ideas for the New Year!
June says
I am a celiac, so I am very excited about your changes. Having a gluten free category is so great. Because I am always looking for low fat food, I will enjoy that category too. THANKS.
Becky L says
I started making my menu last night. I didn’t get far as I wasn’t feeling great. Working on it today and making potato rolls.
kate says
so excited about the new changes–i will actually not feel overwhelmed in trying to find something new to inspire me. Wonderful idea!!
Heather - Dollar Store Crafts says
Your santa pancake turned out so cute! 🙂 We had pancakes on Christmas morning, and I mixed the ingredients up the night before (dry ingredients & wet ingredients separate), and then I just had to combine them quickly on Christmas morning, which was really great with excited/impatient kiddos! 🙂
Michelle says
I think having a key sounds like a great idea and will definitely help with inspiration! Thanks for hosting such an organized site.
Louise says
I don’t stick to any kind of menu, but it’s one of my New Years resolutions to get back into meal planning
Denise says
I love the prepared key idea! Usually I do something like that when I post my link but of course, this time I didn’t. Ahhh well, I think that’s a great idea. It’s so good to be back. 🙂
Heather says
I still consider myself a newbie at this as my husband has been out of town so much that most my dinners have consisted of spinach salad. Hey, it’s cheap and healthy. However, reality is about to set back in with cooking, so THANKS so much for such an informative resource. Love the key idea as well. I’ll be checking out the low fat ones for sure. 🙂
-Heather @ http://www.savingmoneylivinglife.blogspot.com
Liz - Meal Makeover Mom says
Love the Key idea. I, like many of your readers, need to get more organized with my weekly menu. Yes, I have lots of great kid-friendly recipes at my fingertips, but I love getting new ideas. I am also constantly amazed at the growing number of people following gluten-free diets (one reason I just created a few new recipes using quinoa … which I really like). Happy New Year!
May says
G’day,
Thanks for the great photo’s =) I think I will have to try and find the Chicken Caesar wrap recipe in the archives.
Happy New Year from the land down under
* ) * May this new year bring many opportunities to your way,
* ** ) * (to explore every joy of life
* )* ( * (and may your resolutions for the days ahead stay firm,
* ( * )* * ( * )turning all your dreams into reality
* * ) * ) * ) (and all your efforts into great achievements.
( * * * * ( * ( * Happy New Year to you & your loved ones.
Ranee @ Arabian Knits says
I’m not sure how to categorize our menus. We do eat frugally, I post what I’m using from our pantry, freezer and fridge, we eat meatless for religious reasons at least twice a week and we try to eat more in the Nourishing Traditions way, though not strictly holding to every part of the book/diet. We eat just about everything from scratch, from pastured meat and raw dairy and locally grown as much as we can. Perhaps someone else will have an idea for folks like me.
Kelli @ Couponswithstyle says
I made the baked spaghetti last night and the whole family loved it. Thanks for a great recipe. I passed it on to family and friends.
Melissa says
Thanks for faithfully hosting MPM. It’s a great resource and also fun!
I like the KEY idea, although it’s a tough fit for those of us who are generally frugal, occasionally use the slow cooker, sometimes do freezer cooking, etc. I’d also like to see a KEY for MPM posts that include recipes or recipe links.