Menu Plan Monday ~ Nov 29th
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving last week. I sure was jealous of all the delicious food you all were having while I ate my leftovers 🙂
A couple of weeks ago when I was reading one of the PR emails that I get, I laughed out loud at one in particular. I can’t even remember what it was for but I do know it included a recipe. A recipe that had no less than 25 ingredients! Are you kidding me? Boy did they target the wrong person! I take one look at a recipe like that and go running for the hills. Seriously that is not for me. I’m so thankful for my recipe criteria checklist that helps me narrow down in a matter of seconds whether or not a recipe is going to work for my family. This is what has made all the difference in whether or not I stick to my planned menu for the week. If I pretend I’m going to have a lot of energy on any particular day and plan something elaborate, I now know from experience that any kind of spurt of energy is just not going to magically appear (for me) at that time of the day.
It’s about being honest with yourself and planning according to you and your family’s needs. This will look differently for everyone. For instance, I don’t enjoy cooking so for me I want to get in and get out of the kitchen lickety split while still feeding my family delicious and healthy recipes. Others find cooking a stress reliever and don’t mind spending a little more time preparing a meal.
Do you have a list of your recipe/menu planning criteria? If not, try putting one together of what’s important and practical for your household. Nevermind what Sally Jo is doing down the street. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.
On my blog crawl the other day I found another super cute menu board that looks so easy to make using a cookie sheet of all things. So creative! Check it out over at While He Was Napping.
Oh and before I forget I got an email from a reader asking if I wouldn’t mind reminding you all to include your menu plan category after your name in the linky list if applicable (for instance, gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, healthy, frugal, allergy friendly, etc.). It will help with the traffic coming to your site as many readers are looking for particular menu plans. If it doesn’t apply to you then no worries. Thanks so much!
So this week we’ll be eating:
Monday: Dinner out!
Tuesday: Creamy Pasta With Lemon Pepper Chicken
Wednesday: Slow Cooker Beef Stew (family favorite!) served with Bread Machine Garlic Bread
Thursday: Leftover buffet
Friday: Pizza Quesadillas
Saturday: Skillet Pasta and Beef Dinner
Simple Supper Sunday
Have a great week everyone!
WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU PLAN THIS WEEK?
Menu Plan Monday guidelines and banner selections are here.
Thanks for posting the lemon chicken link, I have lemons coming out my ears and am looking for great recipes.
Toni
Toni, you should make lemon chess pie! I just made one for Thanksgiving, and it was a hit…:D
I made dinner rolls in my bread machine on Thanksgiving, and they turned out great! I must try the Garlic Bread in the bread machine.
Thanks so much for hosting another great MPM!
~Liz
Laura, thanks again for hosting!
I agree with you…recipes with 25 ingredients send me running, unless I’m in a Julia Child mood, or something. 😀
25 ingredients-I hope it’s a fabulous dish! Can’t imagine how long it would take to prepare. Never thought about a recipe criteria before. I think I’ll start using one, especially for my weekday cooking. Thanks for the suggestion!
Any more than 10 minutes prep time on a menu and I’m running for the hills!
I just dusted off my slow cooker for the winter. Beef stew sounds really good.
Thank you for the linky.
I do have criteria for recipes and a short list of ingredients is one of them. Another is common pantry ingredients. Thanks for hosting!
Unless those 25 ingredients are all pre-cut, just dump everything into one pot and cook, then it’s out for me, too! Anything that looks too complicated is out unless it’s a “boy do I have some sort of funky energy, spur of the moment” kind of thing!
Love your recipe criteria list! I have the criteria in my head, but I guess it would be very helpful to write it down!
Now I wish we were having beef stew this week…. next week for sure! 🙂
25 ingredients??? Not in my kitchen! LOL!
Love the magnetic menu board…very cute! I would have to think about where I could put it….no more clutter, you know! 🙂
Happy Monday:-)
http://susieshomemade.blogspot.com/2010/11/nothing-was-on-sale.html
Hello, I so agree with those who ask for menu/diet/recipe categories being listed with your name. It is very helpful for those of us who are looking for specific diet or menu planning needs.
Also, I am someone who isn’t fazed at all by a list of 25 ingredients, but I do know that there are days that I need something quick and easy, or that can be put in the crock pot in the morning, or whatever. So, I schedule our meals that way. If our week has a lot going on in the evening or afternoon when I normally make dinner, then the meal for those days are much quicker to execute.
I’ve been looking for a new slow cooker recipe to try, and specifically a good beef stew one. I’ll have to try it out!
Thanks.
I’m still having a lot of trouble getting my menu plan to link (3rd week in a row) I’ll try here!
http://organicprincess.blogspot.com/2010/11/menu-plan-monday-week-of-1128.html
Christy I was able to add your link for you no problem. Not sure why it isn’t working for you, sorry about that.
Laura
Thank you so much!!!
Laura — you are so right about choosing the right recipes. I’ve learned a lot about which recipes I think will work for me and my family. There can’t be more than one new ingredient. And I look for simple yet nutritious recipes. I feel like I hit the jackpot when I find a meal that is easy to prepare, healthy and tasty.
But other people I know really enjoy spending time in the kitchen. Everyone is different!!
I’m finally back to meal planning after a kitchen remodel.
Laura You will love the Creamy Pasta with Lemon Pepper Chicken..So good.Am flattered that you linked to the recipe.
Thanks for hosting, as always! And thanks for the idea and inspiration about recipe criteria. I am one of those people who loves to cook, but I still think it would be helpful to have some stated parameters. I like a lot of yours – especially about recipes with pictures and recommended recipes.
Have a great week of cooking!
I like your top 10 listing for selecting recipes. The slow cooker beef stew is something I’m going to try next week.
I am going to have to try this Creamy Pasta with Lemon Pepper Chicken!
I also look for the simple recipes! 5 or 6 items for most. I will go 10 or 12 if it is a soup or one dish meal. Simple is how I like it!
Bernice
http://livingthebalancedlife.com/2010/afraid-to-let-people-in/
Laura
I have a recipe criteria for when I have time and when I don’t and I try to combine both each week in the menu plan. Some days there is time for chopping and simmering and rounding up a bunch of ingredients and some days I want to toss a few things into the slow cooker and have it magically turn into dinner while I’m running around like a crazy woman.
Thanks for your great ideas and perspective each week. Have good one.
Thanks for linking to our Meal Makeover Moms’ Skillet Pasta & Beef Dinner. Nowhere close to 25 ingredients!! I’ll have to give that slow cooker beef stew a try. It’s getting cold here in New England and we’re craving comfort food.
I totally agree about the long list of ingredients and thinking that I’ll have energy to try something elaborate one night. That never happens!
I look at the prep time (then times it by at least two because they’re never right) then the ingredients. If they’re both short then I’ll actually read and and see if makes the plan.
And I thought I was the only one who immediately turned the page if the recipe had too many ingredients or steps! I also have a weird list of ingredients such as puff pastry that intimidate me that make me skip a recipe.
You know, I clicked over here to find some recipe ideas because I fell so behind this week and didn’t menu plan- and guess what? We’re going out to eat tonight. Luckily, my son came home from pre-school with a flyer advertising a school night at a local restaurant, but when I don’t menu plan, I get so thrown off! I’ve already been to the store twice this week. It really does make such a difference..
If a dessert calls for separating eggs, it better be for a birthday.