Reality Comes Calling

I’ve been off work for the past week.  Glorious time!  A mini family vacation, lots of play-time for DD, and cleaning up the house with a drop off at Goodwill to boot!  Satisfying.  I know I am headed into a super busy April but the promise of summer break is on the horizon.

Having just that sliver of free time has given me space to do some goal setting instead of just surviving.  On my mind today:

• Switching out of vacation mode and into “making dinner” mode.  A busy week ahead means a meal plan must be dealt with.  Not my favorite chore, but not planning is 10X worse.
• Continuing to edit our “stuff”… being on vacation always makes me appreciate how little you need to be happy.  Pat on the back for setting a rummage sale date this summer with my  mom.
• Flylady’s habit for April is making the bed.  Talked to DD about adopting this routine along with me.  We are pretty good about making the bed, but hopefully the diligence in this area will spill over into picking up clothes off the chair!
• We reconcile the weekly expenses every Saturday evening.  Now is a good time to make sure we have accounted for summer expenses, especially kid expenses, and fund any categories that still need money.

Vacation living – the food comes to you!

What’s on your mind at the start of April?

Menu Plan Monday – Sept 22

The theme of this week’s menu is using what we already have as a starting point for meals.

Monday – Haircut night, meeting Dad for a sandwich dinner out!

Tuesday – Fajitas, to use up tortillas, beans, cheese, sour cream we already have.  One chicken breast will be enough for all of us in combination with beans.

Wednesday – Greek salmon salad, to use up salmon patties in the freezer.  Combined with romaine, feta, olives, and “Good Seasons” Greek Vinaigrette

Thursday – Sloppy Joes, already in the freezer from a prior meal

Friday – ‘Cheaters’ Cuban Sandwich, boiled ham, provolone, mayo/whole grain mustard, pickles in the Foreman Grill.

For more menu inspirations, visit orgjunkie!

Menu Plan Monday – 6/24

We grow spinach in a big pot! Spinach is in the pasta salad recipe.

Monday – Grilled Sausage Kebabs with Pasta Salad – A new recipe for me from Food Network Magazine. I already have Cajun Chicken sausage from a double coupon purchase and my garden has the spinach and basil for the pasta salad.  Hope it’s a winner!

Tuesday – Sweet and Sour chicken and rice

Wednesday – Summer dinner of tuna salad, lettuce, fruit.

Thursday – Evening outdoor concert and meal out

Friday – Blueberry pancakes and turkey sausage

If you are looking for more menu inspirations, head over to orgjunkie.com~

Menu Plan Monday – 6/17

A whole lot of arugula in the garden…

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

This week I aim to get back to more vegetables in our meals.  I feel I ought to have the time to be more thoughtful about this now that I am home for the summer with my daughter.

Monday – Jamie Oliver’s Fajitas with refried black beans.  This recipe is a mainstay in our home. Jamie never disappoints!

Tuesday – Make your own big salad with leftover fajita chicken as a topping choice.  I am making the AMAZING home-made salad dressing – Honey Chipotle Vinaigrette.  You must try this, but go easy on the chipotle until you give it a taste-test.

Wednesday – Egg Fried Rice – giving the extra vegetables from the salad on Monday a home.  I hope to use my bok choy from the garden which is on its way to bolting.

Thursday – Bike race (as in bicycle) – we will grab some sandwiches and go watch.  Free and fun!

Friday – Hamburgers and whatever fruit and veg we have left at the end of the week.  I have some hamburger buns in the freezer that need to see the light of day!

If you are looking for more menu inspirations, head over to orgjunkie.com~

Menu Plan Monday – 6/10

Just a few more days until we downshift into ‘school’s-out-for-summer’ mode!

Monday – The Amazing Broccoli Cheddar soup (less fat) from the cookbook Super Natural Every Day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen.  This is my favorite soup recipe.  Don’t skip the whole grain mustard in the soup – essential!

Tuesday – Daughter’s teacher is hosting a party for the end of the year.  We will have a light dinner when we get home as there will be snacks and fruit at the party.  We have a frozen pizza and similar offerings in the freezer.

Wednesday – Meal out to celebrate end of the school year!

Thursday – Turkey burgers topped with salsa and avocado

Friday – Frittata with roast potatoes and kale.  Yogurt fruit parfaits.  I loosely follow the recipe from Cook Yourself Thin but use whatever you like in terms of veg and meat

For more menu planning inspiration, head on over to orgjunkie.com.  Have a fabulous week!

Menu Plan Monday – 6/3

Here we are in June!  We’re closing in on 8 days left in school and one busy week coming up.  I know this is going to be a physically demanding week at work so I am planning a menu that is easy and won’t require a lot of prep work.  The week wraps up with a block rummage sale.  Whew!

Monday – Shrimp, Twice Baked Potatoes with home-grown chives, and sautéed bok choy from the garden

Tuesday – “Extreme” Quesadillas – refried black beans, cheese, cilantro, hot sauce, taco meat from freezer, black olives, avocado on the side

Wednesday – inexpensive meal out

Thursday – Blueberry pancakes and turkey sausage

Friday – Pea soup and grilled cheese.  Make lemonade and muffins for lemonade stand tomorrow!

For more menu planning inspiration, head on over to orgjunkie.com.  Have a fabulous week!

 

Menu Plan Monday – 5/20

As I mentioned in my post “What I Did This Week to Save Money“, I am keeping the menu this week focused on using items I already have at home so that our lawnmower and car maintenance appointments don’t hit the weekly budget so hard.  When I put my mind to it, there were a lot of good dinner choices already on hand.

Monday – Sweet and Sour Chicken and Egg & Veg Fried Rice

Tuesday – “Old School” Tacos, corn.  We’re talking hard shell tacos, grated cheese, shredded lettuce – just the way the school cafeteria used to do it up.

Wednesday – Tuna Salad, Deviled Eggs, and Fruit … rescheduled from last week

Thursday – Hot dogs and pea soup

Friday – Eggs, bagels and fruit

If you would like to see some other menu plans for inspiration, head over to orgjunkie.com.  What’s on your menu this week?

Menu Plan Monday – May 13

It’s looking like a warm week ahead, so in menu planning I am thinking of easy meals that let everyone get outside after dinner.

Monday – Make Your Own French Bread Pizza and Caesar Salad
Tuesday – Brats (German sausage) on the grill, baked beans
Wednesday – Busy with activities, husband bringing home Mexican food using birthday coupon
Thursday – Tuna salad, deviled eggs, French bread, fruit
Friday – Fend for Yourself night… Quesadilla, grilled cheese, PBJ etc

If you would like to see some other menu plans for inspiration, head over to orgjunkie.com.  What’s on your menu this week?

Menu Plan Monday – April 29

Spring finally feels like it has arrived in the Midwest! I am looking forward to warmer days and a week without appointments after school.  This week’s menu has a lot of vegetables…must be the spring weather!

Monday – Make your own big salad night with leftover Tandoori Grilled Chicken from Sunday as a topping choice.  I am trying a new home-made salad dressing – Honey Chipotle Vinaigrette

Tuesday – Egg Fried Rice – giving the extra vegetables from the salad on Monday a home

Wednesday – The Amazing Broccoli Cheddar soup (less fat) from the cookbook Super Natural Every Day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen.  This is my favorite soup recipe.  Don’t skip the whole grain mustard in the soup – essential!  I love this cookbook!

Thursday – Frittata with roast potatoes and kale.  Yogurt fruit parfaits.  I loosely follow the recipe from Cook Yourself Thin but use whatever you like in terms of veg and meat.

Friday – planning to go out.  Husband has a birthday this month and we may take advantage of some of the birthday BOGOs that arrive.

If you are looking for more menu inspiration, head over to Menu Plan Monday on orgjunkie.com!

Menu Plan Monday – April 22

Happy Earth Day!  This week I have a heavier work schedule so I am looking for quick, healthy meals that won’t require a lot of trips to the grocery store.

Monday – Make your own Taco Salad Night… made fresher with choices of black beans, oven roasted corn kernels, avocado, salsa, crisp Romaine in addition to the usual suspects of cheese and chips.

Tuesday – Appointment after school so it will be Frozen Pizza and salad from Monday’s leftovers.

Wednesday – Alton Brown’s Split Pea Curry Soup    This is a new recipe for me, but it looks easy, healthy and economical.  Any smooth soup is usually an easy sell at our house

Thursday – Turkey burgers with mozzarella and salsa on top.

Friday – Omelettes with deli ham, muffins and fruit

See more great meal plans over at orgjunkie.com!