{Our Weekly Menu: March 11th, 2013}

So I don't have a complete menu planned for this week, but I do have a few things planned =)  So here I am, sharing....  lol, I'm not very good at this food/blogging am I?! =) 

Monday

For tonight I offered to take my brother and sister-in-law dinner since they just welcomed Baby Girl to the family two days ago! =)  I had lots of chicken, golden potatoes, green beans, and garlic (even enough for two meals!) and so I made Roasted Garlicy Chicken, Potatoes, & Green Beans for Monday =)  It's a family favorite on my side, and now with Seth and I's family too!  ;)  I just hope Kyle & Kristen enjoyed it!!!  

Tuesday

I have a lot of stir fry veggies hanging out in the fridge from last week... so Stir Fry is the plan!  Complete with onions, colorful peppers, mushrooms (which I had to buy more of =), sugar snap peas, celery, and carrots.  I haven't decided if we'll do chicken or if I'll try and find a steak package in the freezer instead =D  What's your favorite?!  Also... has anyone done stir fry with quinoa?  I'm debating back and forth between trying quinoa or sticking with the familiar brown rice!  

Wednesday

There's left over collard greens in the fridge, and even though I'd love to try them a different way sometime, it isn't going to happen this busy week.  Collard Wrapped Tilapia it is! =)  

Thursday 

Is quite undecided!  I really need to raid the kitchen and see if there are things that need to be used up this week, and also what sounds good to this preggo mommy {meaning: scrumptious and easy! lol!} 

Friday 

I'm planning on soup.  Not sure what kind yet.... maybe something that can simmer on the back of the stove all day, or in the crockpot.  Or, perhaps I'll do chili if Baby Three and I "think" that sounds good Friday morning  =)  

Saturday 

I'll be gone all day at Baby Sophie's (baby) shower!!!  Yay!  Don't know if we'll be having dinner at my parents or at home... if here at home after I'm back, probably a turkey sandwich with lots of romaine lettuce, a thin slice of cheddar cheese, and yummy-I'm-preggo-craving Honey Mustard! Hehe!

Soooo... I'm curious, does anyone else plan a menu for the week?!  Or for the month???  How do you go about planning and budgeting?  I'd love to learn from you any tips and secrets you'd like to share!  =)  

{Monday's Dinner: March 11th}

Tonight we're having a family favorite.... Roasted Chicken Breasts, Potatoes, & Garlic!  Although I am substituting the chicken breasts for thighs and am adding green beans towards the end for a complete dinner meal!  =)  I can't wait to share the pictures and recipe with you all!  It is a good o'le country comfort dinner at its best!  

{Ummm, What's for Dinner???}

Isn't that the age old question for every wife and mother?  "What's for dinner?"  I've heard my Mum ask it of herself.  I've heard daddy ask it, and my husband ask it, and my brother ask it of whoever was cooking that day.  I've heard the younger siblings come in and ask, "what's for dinner mom? I'm hungry!"  I've heard many other mothers and wives lament about not knowing what to cook for dinner.  {And heard other husbands and sons and children ask it of their family cooks!}  It seems to be the question that plagues us in the kitchen the most I think! =)  Don't you?!

Soooo a dinner weekly menu.  Do you have one?!  It sounds a bit trepidating, huh? It definitely takes some planning, the sit-down-and-think about it for-a-little-bit type.  I am not a big scheduler and list person.  (Cheers to those who are, and who don't mind meal planning! =)  Or maybe I should say, if I have to be confined to a specific, daily schedule with no wiggle room and only specific times and strict guidelines and rules then I get claustrophobic, and usually end up ruining the schedule by failing to keep a chunk of it, feel quite guilty about it, and throw it all out!  Anyone else like that?!  =)
However, I definitely see the benefit of having a schedule and lists, etc.  so I try to keep a good balance of not getting so strict, especially on set times, and I DO keep lists, and one of those things I try to weekly do since I first got married is to make weekly menu plans.  ;)  Yes some weeks I forget, or get so busy life just sweeps on by without the schedule/menu plans, and other times I'm just exhausted and so it honestly doesn't get done.  But the weeks that I do take that time to look in the fridge and freezer, check the finances, come up with a week of dinners (and sometimes even breakfasts and lunches!) not only does each day go more smoothly and efficiently but I feel better about what we're eating and it seems like I don't spend nearly as much time out shopping nor spend as much money, which is always a good thing, right?!  Hehe!  =)

Tonight is Monday, which is not usually the day I plan the weeks menu, but this week, well it just so happens to be when I got the time =)
I'd like to share what mine looks like so if anyone needs ideas, or would like to see a practical menu, or if you're just awfully just curious as to what my plans are....  ;)

Tuesday

Slow Cooker Chicken Chow Mein

{note: don't have chow mein and since we're doing paleo/whole foods, I will probably substitute it for brown rice or quinoa}

Wednesday

Sesame Chicken Strips w/ Honey Mustard Sauce

Salad {perhaps Oriental, if I end up having the stuff or the ingredients are on sale}

Thursday

Fish, baked

{tilapia, salmon fillets, or steelhead, I haven't decided}

Golden Potatoes

Steamed Broccoli for Seth and Salad for MBug and I 

{I can't have much broccoli while pregnant, so I'll stick with salad, and we will have DD try a bite or two of broccoli, but will let her have salad as her main veggie as she really likes that}

Friday

We will be gone this night through the weekend... so I will probably plan for some yummy, healthy snacks, and hope we can get leftovers at Papa and Nana's =) 

I have all the meats for this week as I got them when I did the "monthly groceries" shopping.  Unfortunately, Costco did not have a few of the vegetable ingredients {and I walked right by one! ditsy, silly me) I need for tomorrow's dinner, so I will have to go get carrots, snow peas, sesame seeds (for Wednesday), and an assortment of fruit for the week.  I will also check how much cilantro and cabbage is this week so that I can maybe make Oriental Salad for Wednesday if I feel ambitious that day =)  I have all the rest of the ingredients, mostly from last week's groceries (yay!).

I also want to add that I am hoping and planning on making most of the week's breakfasts when I make "Veggie & Meat Breakfast Muffins", which last in the fridge all week long and are so nice to be able to grab out, warm up, and not only do I have something easy and simple for MBug and I, but Seth can also easily grab a few on his way out for school early every morning!  And now... if you're interested in having breakfast ready for the week and made all at one time, head over to the next post where I have the recipe to share! =)