Menu Plan Monday - March 5-16

I haven't menu planned in a while, because we've been sick, running to appointments, concerts, and the like for the past two weeks. This week's menu plan is a combination of what I haven't had a chance to make with a couple others added in. There are a couple meetings I should probably attend after school this week, but I've decided to clear my schedule and take advantage of quiet evenings at home with my family. We need to slow down! This is what we'll be eating for the next two weeks, in no particular order:

Meatloaf w/ mashed potatoes, gravy & corn
Leftover meatloaf w/ potato pancakes {made from leftover mashed potatoes}, mixed veggies
Calzones w/ garden salads
boneless wings with build your own baked potatoes & broccoli
Grilled am slice with scalloped potatoes & veggie
Breakfast for dinner
Soup and grilled cheese
Broccoli cheese soup with fresh rye bread
Pork, hot dogs & sour kraut w/ mashed potatoes
Quesadillas {sliced green olives, cheese, bacon} w/ sour cream, salsa & rice
Homemade pizza
Burgers on the grill w/ homemade mac & cheese
Stuffed shells w/ garden salads

Share your menu plan at Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan Monday - week of February 5

 Last week was crazy busy with Dan away for two days for work in Atlanta and two days and an evening of parent-teacher conferences {same two days he was gone}.  It made for some interesting changes in our schedule, eating out a night, leftovers a night, and pizza delivery another.  What can I say?  I was in survival mode.  My weekly menu plan was not on my mind.  Everything I had planned for stayed in the freezer.  And guess what?  I don't have one ounce of guilt, because we survived, and that was my main goal.  And also because I'd like to think I made up for it by spending a fun weekend with my family.  Saturday was filled with a soccer game and homemade microwave popcorn {thanks to the Frugal Flamingo}. I am, however, laden with guilt for not making it to church on Sunday {the sermon was on Amazing Grace, and I am so sad we missed it - I will catch it online, but it will not be the same}.  We had big plans to go to the early service because we had tickets to the Hershey Bears vs. Wilkes Barre Penguins hockey game.  I miscalculated our time and fell sleep after I fed Joel at 7, instead of getting up and ahead of the game {literally} by picking church clothes out, preparing food for the Super Bowl, and packing for the hockey game.  It was a fun family day that we needed, and I am thankful for the time we had together.  We stopped for a quick lunch at Red Robin on our way to the game, and then came home to some really good snacks for our little Super Bowl party.  There are so many recipes on Pinterest that I want to try, but I stuck with our tried & true boneless wings {my uncle's recipe - I will try to post it soon} & baked potato bar {broccoli, cheese, sliced green olives,  bacon, butter & sour cream}.  I did make bloomin' pizza bread from Pinterest, but I wasn't really impressed.  At first I didn't have enough cheese on it, so I added more and baked it longer...but it still wasn't my favorite.  We topped it off with our favorite peanut butter pie {I'll also try to get that up one of these days}!
On the menu for the rest of the next two weeks:
Stuffed shells, tossed salad & Texas toast
Beef stew over noodles tossed in olive oil & parsley and biscuits
Broccoli-cheese soup with French bread
Meatloaf with mashed potatoes & corn
Sloppy joes w/ homemade mac & cheese {didn't get to this last week}
Baked ham slice with fried potatoes and a veggie {didn't get to this one either}
Stromboli with tossed salad
Breakfast for dinner
Soup & subs
Baked chicken tossed in olive oil, bread crumbs, and paprika with mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing & gravy


What's on your menu this week?  Share at Menu Plan Monday :)

Menu Plan Monday ~ Jan. 23-Feb.4

I had slight anxiety as I planned meals for the next two weeks, because they are filled with evening activities and commitments that make me just want to pull the covers over my head until Friday rolls back around.  Daniel has Envirothon on Mondays after school until 4:30 - this forces me to work late, so I get lots done... but I hate that Joel is at the sitter an hour longer than normal.  I have a dinner meeting on Tuesday for my student teacher {I'm actually excited about this, but don't like the fact that I won't be home with the kids and Dan until after 8 - which leaves him to prepare dinner - but I know he can handle it & am so thankful that he's so willing to work from home that day so he can take over :)}  Wednesday is our kindergarten parent night; so I have to rush home, pick up the kids, grab a quick dinner, and head back to school- kids in tow.   So...the first three meals of the week are up in the air.  I think I'll be in survival mode; we will be eating leftovers, quick sandwiches, and Kraft mac & cheese.

Now that we have that out of the way {because I know you wanted to know}, here is our menu for the next two weeks {January 23-February 4}:

* Baked veggie potpie {chicken potpie without the chicken} over white rice
* Sloppy joes with homemade mac & cheese {I think I'll try this one from Pinterest}
* Spaghetti with meat sauce, three-cheese Texas toast & tossed salads
* Oven baked chicken breasts {tossed in olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper & Italian bread crumbs - I took this idea from my grandma...it tastes sooooo good, almost like fried chicken, but it's much healthier}, baked potatoes & steamed broccoli
* Baked potato soup & biscuits {I plan to used leftover baked potatoes}
* Stromboli w/ tossed salad {I use frozen bread dough - we stuff them with pepperoni, cheese, ham, sliced green olives, green peppers, bacon, jalapenos, and broccoli}
* Taco bar {tortillas, seasoned ground beef, lettuce, salsa, Mexican cheese blend, sliced green olives, salsa, sour cream, seasoned rice}
* Baked pineapple & ham slice w/ fried potatoes & corn {we didn't get to this one last week}
 *Soup & sandwiches {ham, pepperoni, cheese on fresh deli rolls and either canned or boxed soup}
* Breakfast for dinner {any variation of bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast, pancakes}
* Breakfast pizza {I made this for Daniel's birthday for the first time, and we loved it - so easy & equally delicious- it quickly got thrown into our favorite menu list!}

What are you serving up this week? Go to Organizing Junkie to share!

Menu Plan Monday

This is the first week I'm actually posting my weekly meal plan.  I have been planning weekly menus and corresponding grocery lists since we got married over ten years ago...so, although the buzz is out & about, I've been doing it for over a decade.  Just sayin'.  I typically don't sit down and plan this is what we're having for every single night of the week.  Every other Saturday is my grocery day {with the exception of summer vacation, I take the kids in during the day in the middle of the week}.  If I know we have soccer practice or parent-teacher conferences certain nights of the week, I plan something simple.  Other than that, whatever I feel like getting out of the freezer in the morning is what we'll have that particular night for dinner.  Before I head out to the store, we all sit down together & I ask for dinner ideas.  Everyone throws out their favorites, I write them down, and fill in my computer generated template {which is totally categorized for our specific grocery store for more organized shopping - I get chuckles from family and friends each time it's mentioned}!

 That said, I do all my menu planning every two weeks.  I have enough extra food stocked in the pantry & freezer that we rarely need to make a trip to the store in between, maybe a quick stop for milk, but that is it.  I usually make a big meal on Sunday & know what that will be prior to my shopping trip.
I allow for eating out and ordering in & there are several meals we have every other week like clockwork because they're easy and we all like them - ie: breakfast for dinner, soup & sammies, pizza.  And...I'm not going to lie, there are nights when we do have Ramen noodles, Kraft mac & cheese, or frozen pizza...because that's how we roll.  ;)

Here is our menu for the next two weeks {January 9-21, in no particular order}:
* Leftover baked ziti from last week
* Stuffed peppers with mashed potatoes
* Pot roast with potatoes and carrots in the slow cooker
* Stromboli w/ tossed salad {I use frozen bread dough - we stuff them with pepperoni, cheese, ham, sliced green olives, green peppers, bacon, jalapenos, and broccoli}
* Broccoli-cheddar soup with fresh pumpernickel bread
*Homemade mac & cheese with chicken nuggets
*Baked chicken breasts {tossed in olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper & Italian bread crumbs} with a potato & mixed veggies
*Baked pineapple & ham slice w/ fried potatoes & corn
*Breakfast for dinner {any variation of bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast, pancakes}
*Soup & sandwiches {ham, pepperoni, cheese on fresh deli rolls and either canned or boxed soup}
*Saturday birthday brunch for Daniel - homemade cinnamon  buns {compliments of my mama}, ham & cheese hash browns, and breakfast pizza...served with coffee, OJ, and iced tea

How do you menu plan?  What is your family eating this week?  Hop over to Organizing Junkie & share!