I loved Lauren's most recent post about Meal-planning. She mentioned that her friend asked her whether or not last week's menu plan panned out... and I had to smile. Because for me, it's one thing to write it all out and have a plan, and it's another to actually have it all work out, word for word, day by day. For instance, last week's menu was subject to plenty of alterations... mainly due to laziness, forgetfulness, botched recipes and unforeseen ruined schedules that left little time to cook a meal... "Hello fast food." Grrr. Oh well. I'm LEARNING that having a meal-plan on paper is a WONDERFUL thing, but I need to work harder at coordinating our activities with cooking. For instance; don't plan on going to story-time at the library, and then to the park, and then grocery shopping, on the day I had pegged to make that very labor-intensive dish. Also, if I'm gonna use a crock-pot, I need to have it all prepared the night before. Otherwise? It's too late in the afternoon, and I'm chopping vegetables and defrosting chicken breasts, and realizing my crock-pot dish is going to become an oven-roast. Oh well.
This week:
Monday (yesterday's dinner)
-canned salmon and baked macroni and cheese (kinda like Carrie's recipe, only I used a sweet potato). Job LOVED THIS! Who knows if you're family would, but for us it was a winner. He loves just about anything that I serve alongside canned salmon. :D
Tuesday (today! ta da!)
-chicken jambalaya (I never ended up making it last week....)
Wednesday
-lentil soup
Thursday
tater tot/hash brown casserole
Friday (women's retreat night!)
-reheat frozen leftover minestrone from last week, serve with salad
Saturday-
women's retreat in the morning, so no "family breakfast", which I usually attempt to do.
Chicken stir fry stew (from Nourshing Traditions), if no other family plans are made (my sister will be in town!)
Sunday-
Either prepare something in the crock pot for Job and Vasi, or let them fend for themselves as Susy and I will be at my sister's baby shower! :D
4 comments:
I have finally comes to terms (after ten years of denial)with the fact that I am a horrible meal planner. It is so true, like you said, about the night before prep and looking ahead at your week to see what days' events will work with certain meals and not others - whew! my head starts spinning at just the thought of it. Your menu, however, looked quite reasonable. It didn't frighten me in the slightest. Mine goes (every week): pizza, tacos, tofu stir-fry, pancakes, spaghetti (sigh). Just call me Rachel Ray. ;)
How do you like "Nourishing Traditions"? I've got a copy I'm borrowing from friend right now! Any other recipes from there that you'd recommend?!
Yum...tator tot casserole! Can't wait to see you all!
--sister
It seems like my most cooking-wise labor intensive day is Monday. I usually don't leave the house unless I absolutely have to for groceries or something. My friend and I call Mondays "Recovery Day" because it always seems like the house is upside down from those sweet husbands who are home but not exactly cleaning up after themselves. I tend to be lazy on the weekends too, and who isn't after Sunday's DL? I've never been a planner but I'm finding I really have to be or so much time/money/energy gets wasted. Anyway, glad I'm not the only one with it not all together. :)
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