Hi gorgeous people, how are you? Happy start of a brand new week. My kids are back to school today so that means we will be back to routine, yay! Routine is good for everyone and makes me happy. What doesn’t make me happy is getting three kids up and out the door early in the morning. Blah.
New Year’s:
I hope you all had a fantastic New Year’s Eve. We did a family fondue party and it was so much fun. We did one pot of cheese and one pot of oil served with cubed steak, canned whole potatoes (they cook up so easily), carrots (parboiled first), mushrooms and cubed baguette. When I posted this picture below on Instagram some people asked for the recipe.
I don’t really have a recipe though as I just kind of mix some melted butter with some cornstarch (or flour if you aren’t gluten-free) in a pot on the stove and then add some milk and cubed cheese until it’s the right consistency. I don’t measure anything…I’m pretty sure you can’t really mess it up if I can do it 🙂 The cheese really is my favorite part of the whole fondue meal. I like to cook my mushrooms in the oil and then dip them in the cheese sauce. Oh my, so good!! The other fun thing we normally do is if your food falls off your fork into the fondue pot, you have to sing a song. This time though we decided that if your food falls off you have to answer a question. I printed off these fun free family dinner questions from the How Does She site. We had so much fun taking turns asking them. So many laughs!
Recipe Highlight:
We tried a recipe last week that I found off a site that I just discovered. The recipe is called Parmesan Spaghetti Squash with Italian Sausage and let me tell you, it was so delicious. I gobbled my dish up so fast! Plus it’s totally healthy for you which is awesome. Seriously go check it out.
Free Printable Menu Planner:
Crystal from Crystal & Co. has a brand new free menu planner printable available. Click on the graphic below to print it out.
My Weekly Menu Plan:
Monday: Best Sloppy Joe’s Ever
Tuesday: Smothered Pork Chops served with rice and broccoli
Wednesday: Dr. Pepper Chicken served with roasted red potatoes and corn
Thursday: Leftover buffet
Friday: Quick Homemade Pizza (I just buy a gluten-free crust for myself)
Saturday: Slow Cooker Creamy Bacon Corn Chowder
Sunday: YOYO (you’re on your own!)
WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU PLAN THIS WEEK? JOIN US!
Menu Plan Guidelines, banner selections and recipe helpers are here.
More family favorite recipes here.
Don’t forget to join the growing Menu Plan Monday Facebook Page!!
One of my favorite menu planning resources:
Cathy @ Chief Family Officer says
The fondue party sounds fun! I’ll have to try that – I think my kids would love it. Thanks for the idea, and as always, for hosting 🙂
Laura says
Happy New Year Cathy!
Kate says
Yum, the corn chowder sounds yummy! I need to get better organized with my meal planning for 2014 so it’s fun to read what everyone else has in store and get some great ideas 🙂
Laura says
Yes you will definitely find lots of ideas here Kate!
Janet says
Happy New Year! I’ve never made fondue but you make it sound so easy. And the Parmesan Spaghetti Squash dish sounds and looks delicious.
Laura says
You should try it Janet, it’s so much fun!!
Ruth A. Stiles says
Hi Laura. I have joined MPM sporadically throughout the years, but this year I am going to make an honest effort to post every week. We are very simple and eat very simply, but sometimes simple inspiration is helpful. Having had some financial difficulties over the past few months I am looking for other great recipes to make on a budget or to tweak to fit my budget and family preferences. Thank you so much for hosting a simple gathering place on the web where we can share out favorite foods we are eating or our “boring” menus! Have a blessed New Year!
Laura says
I love simple! Sometimes we tend to complicate things too much and then wonder why we can’t stick with it. You are on the right track!
Jean says
Thanks for hosting! I’m so excited to get back into a routine over here although I have my boys home yet another day because of super cold weather (-10 this morning). I love the idea of the family dinner questions and will have to go check those out.
Laura says
Stay warm Jean!
Kristina says
What a great place to get meal ideas. I love all the links to different menus!
Laura says
Welcome Kristina!
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
Oh my goodness, Laura! You are just the best! Love this post!!! Your fondue party sounds like such fun – perfect for New Year’s! And the whole singing a song/answering a question is genius (great link to the family dinner questions, too 😀 )! My kiddos are off school today and tomorrow, due to the excessive cold here in Ohio, so some interesting questions would be a super-fun activity to keep us laughing (and not squabbling!). Thanks so much for featuring our Parmesan Spaghetti Squash, too! It’s so surprisingly delicious! As we ate it for the umpteenth time recently, my husband said something like, “This just isn’t the sort of meal I would think I’d like, but I really love it!” My kiddos chow it down, too! Yay!
Laura says
Oh my goodness did I ever love it. My husband as well wasn’t expecting to love it but he did too. Excited to try more of your recipes 🙂
Stay warm!
Crystal & Co says
What a great New Years Eve Party! Can you believe I have never had fondue?
Thanks so much for sharing my newest free printable meal planner.
Have a yummy week!
Laura says
It’s so much fun Crystal…we use electric fondue pots and it makes it so easy to do!