Last summer, our chest freezer died.  In the summer.  With meat in it.  In the summer.  When we were gone for a weekend.  In the summer.  Yeah.  Ewwww.  Our in the house freezer is crammed full of stuff and I decided it was time to make lemonade and clear out the freezer.  To eat up the things we’ve been amassing in there.  Do you do that from time to time?  Clean up  and clean out?  Our pantry should probably be next, but I can really only handle one of them at a time.

Monday

Garlic Cheddar chicken,  Pasta Salad with Creamy Chive dressing and veggies of some sort. I know I make Garlic cheddar chicken a lot, but it really is THAT good.  Have you made it yet?   If not, you should.  I also substitute panko for the bread crumbs and it’s just as good if not better.  Really.  I also reduce the amount of butter and cheese.  It’s still delicious, but more healthy.

Tuesday

Grilled Mahi Mahi (with chicken nuggets for the two fish adverse children), grilled veggies and couscous

Wednesday

Grilled Turkey Burgers and Tex-Mex Sweet and Red Potato Salad

Thursday

Turkey Pilaf with chick pea flour flat bread

Friday

Dinner out!
Saturday

Smoked spare ribs (Big Daddy’s special recipe), watermelon and corn on the cob

Sunday

Locally made, German sausage (boiled in a good Irish beer, of course ;), foil potatoes and watermelon

Hey, it’s almost Memorial Day!  What’s your favorite grilling recipe?  We’re always looking for something yummy we haven’t tried.

In addition to all of that, it has now occurred to me, that the Princess only has 11 more days of school and I’m not sure I’m ready for the summer, yet.  The weather’s not sure either, because I’m pretty sure it’s only 40 degrees here this morning, which is just not right.  I’m trying to think spring in my menu planning, but it’s pretty much stew weather.

Monday

Fusili with Caramelized Spring Onions and White Wine

Tuesday

Pressed Cubano sammies with sweet potato fries

Wednesday

Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs with roasted potatoes and a green salad

Thursday

Beef and Broccoli stir fry

Friday

We’ll have company?  Maybe. But I’m not cooking anyhow

Saturday

Shower day!

Sunday

Spiedini of Chicken and Zucchini with Almond Salsa Verde, crusty bread with olive oil and salad

And then, I realized that using my crock pot really helped to stream line dinner.

I know what you’re thinking–you’ve been married 11 years and a mom for 10 and you’ve just figured out that menu planning and cooking with your crock pot works?

I know.  I like to pretend I don’t know things, but then I realize that smart people aren’t wrong and I assimilate.

Monday

Crock pot turkey sloppy joes, tater tots and sliced veggies (carry over from last week.  Turns out, Big Daddy and I were flying mostly solo last Thursday and we opted for dinner out.)

Tuesday

Turkey Bake with Whole Wheat Pasta, veggies and garlic bread

Wednesday

CSA pickup day

Sour Cream Pork chops, couscous and more veggies

Thursday

The girls spend the night with Auntie Awesome on Thursday nights leaving Big Daddy and me to our own devices.  We might cook in.  We might eat out.  The world is our oyster.  Kind of.

Friday

Pizza Night!  WOOOOOOOOT!

Saturday

Family in the kitchen night

Our girls love to help cook.  And, one of the best things about our new kitchen is that there is a ton of space for everyone to get in on the act.  I want to try harder to get the girls into the kitchen, not only because they love to cook, but it’s a valuable skill.

Cheesy volcano meatball sandwiches,  tater tots and veggies

Sunday

Pasta with pancetta and leaks, salad and homemade bread.

For more menu plans, check out:

Well, not really, but…I think three of them are.  I have no idea where all the damn pork came from, but there it is.  In all of it’s porky goodness.

Monday

Umm….pork!

Actually, Baked pork chops (to also use up tomato sauce and brown sugar) with crash hot potatoes (to use up potatoes)

Tuesday

soccer practice

Buffalo shrimp over rice and veggies

Wednesday

Girl Scouts-Last meeting of the Year

Mystery Casserole!! And veggies

Thursday

Soccer Practice

Maple Honey Mustard Pork Chops, pasta and veggies

Friday

I’m not sure, but not pork.

As an aside, Big Daddy and I joined a CSA in our new location.  We pick up our first box of yummy produce (well, probably a lot of greens at first, frankly) our first week in town.  We can’t wait.

This week, I’m going to be cooking from “Dinner Made Easy”.  It’s a great service from Betty Crocker.com that focuses on getting dinner on the table quickly.  I’ve been getting their e-mail newsletter for a while, but thought that maybe it was time to give a few recipes a try.

Monday
Southwest Chicken Skillet

I might serve it with spanish rice or corn (Littlebit’s favorite) but it really is a fairly complete meal.
Tuesday

Slow cooker pork chops with cherry apple stuffing and veggies

Wednesday
Chicken breasts with creamy mushroom gravy, asparagus and fresh bread

Thursday

Tamale Pot pie and veggies
Friday

Bacon wrapped filet mignon, crash hot potatoes and veggies and onion rings.

Saturday

Pizza Night!

So, it makes my menu planning pretty easy

Monday

Chicken Marsala, pasta and asparagus

Tuesday

soccer practice

Beef Stew and fresh bread

Wednesday

Mexican cornbread casserole and salad

Thursday

soccer practice

Deconstructed broccoli stuffed chicken breasts and veggies

On the go with previous plans for the weekend.

Last week, I noted that we were having caramel apple pork chops for dinner.  They were pretty. I wish I’d have taken a picture, but they were so good all of us sort of inhaled them.  I guess 800+ reviews and an overall rating of 4.5 stars on allrecipes.com really does mean something.  It means yummy.

I’m so excited about not having to plan dinner for 20 of the next 28 days and I’m more than a little sure that this new plan will save us money.

Again, we halved the plan and figure we spent about $200 to do so.  We will be using the meals four days a week (one day a week will be our pizza night, one day a week will be wev. and one night a week will be special requests, grilling, entertaining, etc).

Next time, we will be sure to do ALL of the suggested early preparations EARLY.  Big Daddy spent the first hour or more chopping which slowed down our cooking prep.

Monday

Eating a Chili’s to support St. Jude’s hospital to support the fight against childhood cancer.  Even though I just spent a ga-million hours cooking, we’re going out to eat at Chili’s to offer our support.  If you can manage it,  you should too.

Tuesday

Soccer practice @6p

BBQ pork sammies and sweet potato fries

Wednesday

park play date at 4p

Deconstructed stuffed chicken breasts and pasta

Thursday

soccer practice 5:30p

Beef stroganoff, egg noodles and veggies

Friday

Pizza and a movie night.

Saturday

Usually on the run

Sunday

Caramel Apple Pork Chops mashed potatoes and fresh green beans.

Thankfully, we’re eating (mostly) out of the freezer this week.

Monday

Macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets and cucumbers

Tuesday

Chicken brushetta casserole, garlic bread and salad

Wednesday

Taco spaghetti and corn

Thursday

BBQ pork sammies, sweet potato fries and corn

Friday

Pizza and a movie night

Saturday

Family in town for Littlebit’s birthday party, so we may eat out

Sunday

Littlebit’s birthday!

Next weekend, we will be cooking Once a Month Mom’s September plan with childcare help from my Mother-in-law.  Big Daddy and I are actually looking forward to the process and I’m hoping it will save us money AND time because time always seems like it’s at SUCH a premium.

This is the Princess last October on the Old Mission Peninsula. Not exactly my Dad’s, but still pretty darn good.

Sunday Brats on the grill with corn
Monday Trader Joe’s delicious cheese enchiladas with corn
TuesdayFish Stick Po’ boys and cole slaw
WednesdaySlow cooked chicken djion with rice and sugar snap peas.
ThursdayEasy chicken scallopini with orzo veggie toss (yeah, we had it last week, but I liked it and think I can make it BETTER).
Friday on the go
Saturday on the run