Hello! Today is a super special day around here. It’s my daughter’s 16th birthday! She is such an amazing girl and I just love her to bits. Her favorite meal is homemade mac and cheese so of course that’s going on the dinner menu and then some yummy cherry cheesecake for dessert. I’ve got some other surprises planned but I don’t want to spoil anything just in case she visits here. It’s going to be a fun day!
Are you celebrating any birthdays this week?
Seasonal Menu Planning:
We had snow this past weekend which is just so depressing. I am so ready for spring menu planning which will include lots of food on the grill and yummy salads. I think it’s so much easier to plan my menus each week in the spring and summer. What about you? Which season do you find the easiest to make and stick to a menu plan or does it matter to you?
I hope you all have a fabulously organized week 🙂
My Weekly Menu Plan:
Monday: Sweet sixteen birthday! Baked Macaroni and Cheese and No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
Tuesday: Crockpot Chili
Wednesday: Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken
Thursday: Leftover buffet
Friday: Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin and Apples served with rice and broccoli
Saturday: Italian Pasta Casserole
Sunday: Picking night!
WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU THIS WEEK? JOIN US!
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One of my favorite menu planning resources:
Miz Helen says
Good Morning Laura,
Happy 16th to your daughter, I am sure you are saying where did the time go. Enjoy your day and thanks for hosting!
Miz Helen
Kelly @ Dysfunctionally Functional says
I’m the opposite! It really hard for me to make menu plans — and STICK to them! — in the summer. The kids are home, there’s nothing going on, and we spend A LOT of time in the pool and on the deck…I NEVER feel like cooking! More often than not, it’s some kind of meat on the grill with either a salad or just some raw veggies, right outta the garden (or fresh from the farmer’s market)!
Happy Birthday to your daughter! Have a wonderful celebration today! That cheesecake looks SO yummy!
Have a great week, and — as always — thanks for hosting, Laura!
Cathy @ Chief Family Officer says
Happy birthday to your daughter! Thanks as always for hosting 🙂
Jon Spee says
Hey Laura,
I agree about Spring and Summer being easier! I’m just getting really tired of peeling all the winter root vegetables… the flavours are still great but Spring and Summer foods are just easier to deal with… however, does the ease of Summer make us complacent with our menu planning? (I’m new to formal menu planning so I don’t know what I’ll do when I can just step out the backdoor to the garden and eat/cook the first thing that looks good).
Kimberley says
Happy Birthday to your daughter!!! I love that her favorite meal is mac and cheese, a classic!!
I don’t think I have a season that is tougher to follow my menu plans in, I just remember the disaster it was pre-menu plans and I stick to it 🙂 It helps we don’t have a restaurant/fast food option to fall back on as we live way out in the boonies!!
Thanks again for hosting this fab link-up!!
Kim says
Definitely easier to plan in spring/summer! Bring on the warm weather. As always, thanks for hosting MPM!
Morgan says
My son is turning 10 today! So, I am busy making a cake and his Birthday Dinner – Taco Bar. Thanks for the inspiration and for the link party!
xo
Morganize w/Me!
Laura says
Happy birthday to your son!
Elizabeth ... Polka Dot Skies says
Wishing your daughter a fabulous 16th birthday!
Sinea Pies says
Happy 16th birthday to your little girl. What a special time in her life.
Susan says
My oldest turns 16 a month from tomorrow. I’d love to hear more (later) about the day’s surprises. It sure doesn’t seem like mine should be 16 already. Where do the years go?
Laura says
I know it’s crazy isn’t it? I planned a surprise luncheon for my daughter with all her friends. She loved it.
Novus says
Happy birthday to your daughter! I’m making mac & cheese today also – it’s a fabulous recipe that’s super easy to make gluten free because it doesn’t require making a béchamel sauce. You just have to use gf pasta instead of regular macaroni. Anyway…hi, I’m new. 🙂 I look forward to checking out the meal plans that have been posted.
Laura says
Welcome to MPM!!
Keri says
Summer is definitely easier to meal plan because we just eat whatever I get at the farmer’s market. The hardest time has to be right after school starts because we are adjusting to a schedule after the laziness of summer. Happy birthday to your daughter!
youthleadergina (@youthleadergina) says
I love the menu plan ideas. Thank you for hosting! I did all my meal planning this week using meals from my favorite store @FreshandEasy here in southern California. That store my makes my life so much easier as a working mommy in youth ministry.
Janet @ Frugal & Focused says
Happy 16th Birthday to your daughter! What a special day. Thanks for hosting.
Susanne says
Happy, happy birthday to Sweet 16! I can’t believe she’s already 16! Oh my.
Looks like your crockpot is going to be busy, busy this week making delicious dinners!
Laura says
We have two weeks of swimming lessons from 4:00 to 4:30 so thank goodness for the slow cooker is all I can say 🙂
Andi (The Weary Chef) says
Thanks so much, Laura! Our schedule is pretty much the same all the time, so I don’t think my meal planning varies. I always love to eat, so it’s fun for me to plan what to cook any time of year 😉
Ginny says
How to NOT menu plan
Ginny says
I am sorry about this comment! It got cut off and left what looks like a nasty little spam comment! What I MEANT to say was, that I just posted my “organized way to not menu plan”. I personally struggle with meal planning – so this is my solution! Take a look!
Ginny
http://moderncommonplacebook.com/2013/04/09/how-to-not-menu-plan-part-one/