Meal Planning...Simplified

Here are some of the things on my new menu. Simply click on the item to view the recipe.

Hamburgers

Pathetically Painless Pulled Pork

Slow Cooked Cabbage Rolls

Chicken Kabobs

Little Slugger Chili Mac

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Breakfast Night

Sweet 'n Sour Chicken Crockpot

Pizza

Meal Planning...Simplified

As requested...my menu plans for the coming week. You can click for recipes.

Grilled NY Strip steaks, Herbed Potato Fans [new recipe...coming soon], and southern green beans

Pot Roast and Gravy, mashed potatoes and sweet corn

Italian Bean Soup

Chicken and Veggie Fried Rice

Garden Penne

Wedding Soup

Brenda's Manicotti, Salad and Foil Garlic Bread

Roasted Chicken with Veggies [new recipe...coming soon]

Home Team Dessert - Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

Meal Planning...Simplified

Parmesan Garlic Crusted Chicken Toni

Spinach & Bacon Hashbrown Quiche

BBQ Bacon Hamburgers

Wedding Soup

Little Slugger Chili Mac

Chicken Fiesta

Pizza Pork Chops & Orzo with Parmesan & Basil

Meal Planning...Simplified

I am so sorry for not posting my meal plans recently. The last month has been crazy around here. Luckily I keep all of my menus, grocery lists, etc in a notebook (so I will probably post a couple in a row to catch up). Here are some ideas to help kick-start your menu planning. Simply click on the name to get the recipe.



Asian Beef & Noodle Bowl


Sweet & Spicy Grilled Chicken & Seasoned Broccoli Spears


Grilled Steaks & Grilled Pocket Potatoes


Hamburger Casserole


BBQ Chicken Club Wraps

Vegetable Fried Rice

Pizza

Meal Planning...Simplified

Happy Spring! I hope you had a wonderful Easter celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord & Savior. I hope you had some yummy food too (and no the marshmallow egg doesn't count)! We sure had a feast. Some of the things we made are on my blog: Alton Brown's City Ham , Orzo Salad , Deviled Eggs, Corn Souffle, and a few other things I am going to add soon.

Here are some of the dinners on my menu for the coming week:

Cube Steak Casserole

Cheese Tortellini Soup

Burritos

Grilled Chicken Legs

Meal Planning...Simplified

Hello everyone! It's that time again - menu planning! Since I have heard from some of you that you like the meal planning, I am passing along some more from my Bistro. Take time to have dinner with the family this week! Enjoy! By the way, we had friends over for pizza & rollers so that is why you see all of those goodies.

Pizza

Spinach Rollers

Roni Rollers

Hot Dog Bean Soup

Cheddar Spirals & Hamburgers

Baked Chicken Breasts

Pork Piccata

Garden Vegetable & Chicken Skillet

Little Slugger Chili Mac

Black Bean Enchiladas

Meal Planning...Simplified

I am excited about a few new recipes I am trying out over the next 2 weeks. I hope to share some yummy dishes with you. Here are a few things on my menu for the next week or so. What are you cooking???

Kielbasa & Bean Soup

Sweet & Sour Chicken Crock Pot

Chicken Kabobs

Crock Pot Meatloaf

Orzo Salad

Artichoke Spinach Dip

Spinach & Bacon Hash Brown Quiche

Lasagna Stoup

Meal Planning...Simplified

It's that time again - meal planning which means going to the grocery store (not my favorite thing to do). I have listed a few of the things from my meal plan for the coming week.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches

Lemon Apricot Chicken

Pizza Feast

Crispy Herb Coated Pork Chops

Burritos

Parmesan Garlic Crusted Chicken Toni

Hamburger Casserole

Breakfast Night (we love to have a night of breakfast foods- waffles or pancakes, eggs, bacon, etc.)

Meal Planning...Simplified

Here are some ideas from my menu for the next week or so. I have a few news items that I will post after I make them. Simply click on the name to get the recipe. Happy cooking!!!

Hamburgers & Cheddar Spirals

Rigatoni with Prosciutto & Parmesan

Chicken Fiesta

Wedding Soup

Orange Teriyaki Pork Chops & Savory Mushroom Pilaf

French Toast Casserole

Meal Planning...Simplified

Here are some great meals for the week. Just click on the name to access the recipe.

Hot Dog Soup

Burritos

Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Roll-ups

Homemade Pizza (in our house we call it Pizza Feast)

Stuffed Peppers

Meal Planning...Simplified

Here we are to the start of a fresh new week which also provides us with the opportunity to try fresh new foods. Take the challenge to try at least one of these meals in the coming week. Once you had a yummy dinner come back & drop a note.

Just click on the day below to access the recipe:

Monday's Meal

Tuesday's Meal

Wednesday's Meal

Thursday's Meal

Friday's Meal - Classic french toast made on the Texas Toast, crispy strips of bacon & fluffy scrambled eggs

Saturday's Meal

Meat Tip

When you go to the grocery store, look for the meats that are on sale. Buy them & place them in your freezer. I love to hit Winn Dixie for their buy one get one free deals. Just last week I picked up 2 chuck roasts (each was over 3 #) for less than $13.00! I only needed one of them for my menu, but stuck the other in the freezer for a later date. The other thing to watch for is family packs - a lot of the stores (I know in our area Winn Dixie & Publix do this) will discount the price per pound when you buy more than 3# or 5#. Even if you only need a pound for a recipe, buy more, portion it out & freeze it. Just the other day I was making meatballs & sauce. I only wanted about 1 1/4#, but I bought the family pack & saved $$. I took the ground chuck left after I made meatballs & made hamburger patties. I wrap each one individually in a sandwich bag & then put all in a freezer bag. Now I can pull out the number of hamburgers I need.

I bought ground chuck to make meatballs & sauce:

But buying a family pack also netted me 7 hamburger patties

Which are now ready for the freezer

It's November & Time to Plan

Your Thanksgiving Dinner! Our family (that would be my side of the family) is BIG on planning the next meal. When we are all together my mom is constantly planning the next food list. For example, we will be eating lunch & mom is already planning out the next day's lunch & dinner. When it comes to the Holiday meals, we start planning a month or more out. I have to admit for our Christmas meals we have been known to start make a list a year in advance (are we pathetic or what). This year we will be traveling to TN for Thanksgiving dinner with my sister, her husband & my nephew. My sister & I have cooked Thanksgiving dinner (without our master chef mom) on 2 or 3 other occasions. My mom will say that NO ONE cooks better than her, but we have done a pretty good job alone. The last time we did our own dinner was when Ellie was 4 months old (2 years ago). Don't tell our mom, but our stuffing (dressing to those in the south) was as good as hers.

Our base menu:
Turkey (the largest frozen Honeysuckle White we can find in the store i.e. 24 # or more)
Stuffing/ Dressing (made with toast & cornbread)
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
Corn
Green Beans
Sweet Potatoes (topped with marshmallows)
Cole Slaw
Dinner Rolls
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie

Last year we had our meal in Gulf Shores. We were cooking in mom's condo & in my brother's condo. We ate at my brother's because he had more eating room (we need to spread out). My Aunt Jean & Uncle Woody also joined us. My brother wanted us to cook a Turducken (turkey, duck, chicken, and Cajun sausage). I didn't taste it because I couldn't get past what it looked like before it was cooked. Kevin tried it & did not like it. I think it was a bomb & won't appear on the menu again. Sometimes we cook a second turkey by deep frying it. Last year we did that at Christmas instead of Thanksgiving. One of the funniest things from last year's meal was my dad using a blow torch to brown the marshmallows on the sweet potatoes. He wanted to be like Paula Deen!

I encourage you to plan something wonderful for Thanksgiving this year. Try something new! Most importantly spend time with your family & thank the Lord for all your blessings!