January 2011 Menu

Sunday, Jan. 2: "Christmas" with my family in northwestern NJ. Mom served spiral ham, roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and vegetables.

Monday, Jan. 3: Tandoori chicken, cheesy potatoes (from a box), broccoli

Tuesday, Jan. 4: Shepherd's pie

Wednesday, Jan. 5: Cheesesteaks

Thursday, Jan. 6: Spaghetti

Friday, Jan. 7: ate out

Saturday, Jan. 8: Chili with rice

Sunday, Jan. 9: Slow cooker maple-dijon chicken. Good flavor but the texture was weird. I think I'd use this sauce on baked, bone-in, skin-on chicken as I loved the sauce!

Monday, Jan. 10: Chicken & noodles

Tuesday, Jan. 11: Beef paysanne, noodles, green beans

Wednesday, Jan. 12: Chicken piccata bites, broccoli, rice

Thursday, Jan. 13: anniversary dinner out

Friday, Jan. 14: Baked pork chops, cheesy potatoes (from a box)

Saturday, Jan. 15: Pizza

Sunday, Jan. 16: Italian roast beef sandwiches

Monday, Jan. 17: Chicken marsala

Tuesday, Jan. 18: Enchiladas (maybe Barbara's recipe with my sauce) I wound up making Pie Pan Enchiladas. YUM!

Wednesday, Jan. 19: Chicken & dumplins (Middle Sister's request!)

Thursday, Jan. 20: time to make the big batch of spaghetti and meatballs!

Friday, Jan. 21: takeout.

Saturday, Jan. 22: Pot roast with carrots and onions, noodles and gravy

Sunday, Jan. 23: Chicken Fajita Soup. I tweaked the recipe a bit and the changes are reflected here. On the side, French Country Bread or, as my kids call it, "Salty Bread."

Monday, Jan. 24: Cashew chicken, rice. I found a recipe in the newspaper that looks great! If we like it, I'll post it. (Note: not that great. I'll stick with my old method of making this dish, linked above.)

Tuesday, Jan. 25: Pulled pork sandwiches, tater tots, vegetable

Wednesday, Jan. 26: Chicken Swiss Melt, rice, broccoli

Thursday, Jan. 27: Spaghetti

Friday, Jan. 28: Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

Saturday, Jan. 29: our church is having a bowling party so we'll be eating there

Sunday, Jan. 30: Chinese takeout

Monday, Jan. 31: Balsamic Chicken with Thyme, rice

Post-Christmas Menu Plan

On Christmas Day, we ate: roast of filet mignon, garlic baked potatoes in the slow cooker (YUM), broccoli, mashed rutabagas and Portuguese Easter Bread.

Christmas: The Day After was supposed to be at my parents' house, but the snow put an end to those plans. We had leftover "Christmas meat" in Beef Paysanne over noodles.

Today is Middle Sister's birthday. She wanted "bread-crumb chicken." I think she means Cheesy Garlic Chicken. She's requested broccoli and white rice with that. I made a chocolate pound cake and am going to go for a homemade chocolate glaze on top. Recipe (and maybe a photo) after the taste-test, and only if it tastes good.

Tuesday: Soft tacos

Wednesday: we're going up to my cousin's for a Christmas celebration.

Thursday: Spaghetti

Friday: New Year's Eve.

Saturday: New Year's Day.

For the Record

If I didn't keep this list in the planner, I'd have no idea what we wound up eating.

OCTOBER
1: pizza
2: Fall Festival at our church. Polish food!
3: Tandoori chicken
4: Pot roast, noodles
5: Chicken barley soup, rolls
6: Fajitas
7: Spaghetti
8: Chili's
9: London broil, pasta salad, beans
10: Balsamic chicken with thyme and onions, rice
11: Italian chicken, pasta
12: Pork chops, roasted garlic potatoes
13: Sliders, pasta salad
14: Spaghetti
15: Tilapia
16: chili
17: pizza
18: Beef paysanne, noodles
19: Honey drumsticks
20: Chick-Fil-A (school fund-raiser)
21: Spaghetti
22: Flounder
23: not home
24: Pork roast
25: Chicken Caroline
26: Tacos
27: Enchilada soup & bread
28: Spaghetti
29: pizza
30: Honey mustard chicken
31: Pepperoni bread

NOVEMBER
1: Skillet stroganoff
2: Chili's
3: Hawaiian chicken, rice
4: spaghetti
5: Scallops
6: slow cooker pork carnitas, roasted potatoes
7: chicken & noodles
8: lemon mustard herb chicken
9: pot roast
10: enchiladas
11: spaghetti
12: ravioli with marinara
13: pizza
14: roast chicken
15: Skillet stroganoff
16: Chicken lo mein
17: Pork chops, potato patties
18: spaghetti
19: Salmon burgers, rice
20: Pizza
21: Chicken parmesan bake
22: lemon & garlic chicken, rice
23: Chinese
24: Beef paysanne
25: Thanksgiving dinner
26: Leftover Day
27: meatball sandwiches
28: Throwback's
29: Chicken crescent casserole
30: Shepherd's pie

DECEMBER:
1: Chicken
2: Chick-Fil-A (school fundraiser)
3: Tortellini with marinara
4: rainbow stir-fry
5: ate at neighbor's
6: tacos
7: Turkey noodle skillet
8: leftovers
9: spaghetti
10: french-bread pizza
11: not home
12: Olive Garden
13: Garlic cheesy chicken, potatoes
14: Skillet stroganoff
15: Beef stew
16: spaghetti
17: macaroni and cheese
18: diner
19: roast chicken, roasted potatoes & sweet potatoes

Menu Plan for September 23-30, 2010

Thurs 23:  Chicken Caroline, rice

Fri 24:  Flounder, hash brown casserole, green beans

Sat 25:  Pot luck dinner after 5:00 Mass.  We hosted.  Our contributions:  meatballs and sauce and beef barley soup.

Sun 26:  Sloppy Joes.

Mon 27:  Ham steak

Tues 28:  Sichuan chicken, rice

Wed 29:  Spaghetti

Thurs 30:  Takeout.  We had a hellish schedule and I gave in to the pressure.

Menu Plan for September 16-22, 2010

Thurs 16: Spaghetti and meatballs

Fri 17: Salmon burgers

Sat 18: "Fend for yourself" night. I had Polish Gnocchi.

Sun 19: Chicken on the grill

Mon 20: Nachos, salad

Tues 21: Pasta party for the Freshman Field Hockey team. I served spaghetti and meatballs, ziti, baked ziti with cheese and beef, Italian bread, salad, brownies and banana bread.

Wed 22: Beef paysanne (made with leftover pot roast--whoa, this was the best paysanne yet--even better than when we make it with leftover filet mignon!) over noodles

Menu Plan for September 9-15, 2010

Thurs 9: Spaghetti and meatballs. I made a big batch, enough for 9 more dinners! I love having spaghetti sauce in the freezer, ready when I need it.

Fri 10: takeout pizza

Sat 11: Honey Garlic Chicken thighs (recipe soon! This was a keeper!)

Sun 12: dinner out in honor of TheDad's birthday

Mon 13: Roast chicken, garlic roasted potatoes, skillet brussels sprouts

Tues 14: Cheesy garlic chicken, rice, green beans

Wed 15: Pot roast in the slow cooker

Menu Plan for September 1 - 8, 2010

Wed 1:  Chicken Marsala, rice, broccoli

Thurs 2:  Spaghetti with meatballs

Fri 3:  Pizza rolls (new recipe--we weren't too crazy for these; my kids all said my regular recipe is better)

Sat 4:  Barbecued chicken, orzo, mixed vegetables

Sun 5:  picnic at a friend's house

Mon 6:  went to Oktoberfest in Philly.  Potato pancakes!!

Tues 7:  Taco Skillet Dinner Kit style, salad

Wed 8:  Slow-Cooker Pork Chops, rice, broccoli

Menu Plan Week of May 10, 2009

SUNDAY: burgers and hot dogs at my in-laws'

MONDAY: Dr. Pepper Roast Pork, alfredo noodles, vegetables

TUESDAY: German Style Chicken

WEDNESDAY: Pulled pork sandwiches (using the leftovers from Monday)

THURSDAY: Pot roast, noodles, gravy, vegetables

FRIDAY: Spaghetti

SATURDAY: Honey Mustard Chicken, roasted potatoes & sweet potatoes, vegetables

Menu Plan for May 3 through 9, 2009

SUNDAY:

MONDAY: Chicken Parmesan Bake and Italian Bread

TUESDAY: Buttermilk Baked Chicken and Baked Potato Wedges with mixed vegetables (entering the Alicia and Annie recipe contest!)

WEDNESDAY: "Homemade hamburger helper" with corn

THURSDAY: Spaghetti and meatballs

FRIDAY: Um, something meatless!

SATURDAY: Another First Communion party

Menu Plan for Last Week, April 26 - May 2

SUNDAY: Barbecued chicken on the grill, pasta salad

MONDAY: tacos (used canned tomato sauce instead of water in the tacos. It really tasted good!)

TUESDAY: Hawaiian chicken, rice, vegetables

WEDNESDAY: spaghetti

THURSDAY: Chicken Enchilada Soup

FRIDAY: Sports banquet at the kids' school

SATURDAY: we attended a First Communion party

Menu Plan for Easter week and April 19-25

Yeah, I'm super late, so this will contain 2 weeks at a time.

EASTER SUNDAY: ham dinner at my brother-in-law's

EASTER MONDAY: Chicken parmesan bake (I made this one up as I went along and we really liked it. Except for Little Brother, who is in an anti-casserole phase. It had BETTER be a phase.)

TUESDAY: Boiled ham, cabbage, and homemade mac & cheese

WEDNESDAY: Dinner at my parents' house (pork roast, turkey london broil, noodles & gravy, vegetables)

THURSDAY: Pizza

FRIDAY: Spaghetti

SATURDAY: we were invited to our friends' house for grilled roast beef, sour cream & onion mashed potatoes, broccoli with homemade cheese sauce and caramelized carrots

SUNDAY: we went to Chili's

MONDAY: Ham & cheese strata

TUESDAY: Chicken piccata, rice, mixed vegetables

WEDNESDAY: I'm leaning toward Taco Skillet but that could change...it's Prom night for Big Brother so he won't be eating, and we're all running in different directions.

THURSDAY: spaghetti

FRIDAY: homemade calzones with marinara sauce for dipping

SATURDAY: Mexican steak

Menu Plan April 5 - April 11

SUNDAY: Turkey Gyros

MONDAY: Barb's Italian Chicken over mini penne

TUESDAY: Pork roast with honey-mustard glaze, roasted potatoes

WEDNESDAY: Tilapia, rice, vegetables (we never ate that tilapia last week!)

THURSDAY: Spaghetti (what else?)

FRIDAY: Our church hosts a "soup and bread dinner" after Good Friday liturgy.

SATURDAY: Undecided on that one just now!

Menu Plan March 29-April 4

As usual these days, I am oh so late!

SUNDAY: Roast chicken, boiled red potatoes, broccoli

MONDAY: Tacos

TUESDAY: Beef Paysanne, noodles, fresh cucumbers

WEDNESDAY: I have the flu. TheDad was out of town. The kids made boxed mac & cheese, stuffed their faces and cleaned up after. Thanks, kids!

THURSDAY: Spaghetti

FRIDAY: Baked tilapia, rice, vegetable

SATURDAY: My choir has the 5:00 Mass and since this weekend is Palm Sunday, it's sure to be crowded and longer than usual. I'm trying a new recipe for 20-clove-of-garlic chicken since it's quick prep. On the side, Alfredo noodles (thanks, Knorr mix) and green beans.

Menu Plan: the 2-week-at-a-time version

Here's what we ate for dinner last week.

MON 9: turkey pot pie

TUES 10: tacos

WED 11: turkey chili blanco

THURS 12: spaghetti & meatballs

FRI 13: pizza (takeout)

SAT 14: family reunion at my sister's house; I brought vegetable platters & cole slaw

SUN 15: Spanish Garlic shrimp, rice

MON 16: chicken lo mein (was supposed to be something else, but 2 of Big Brother's friends were still here so I needed something I could expand!)

TUES 17: pot roast, noodles, gravy, vegetables

WED 18: New England Boiled Dinner because I refuse to serve corned beef on St. Patrick's Day just out of spite. It's not an Irish meal!

THURS 19: spaghetti

FRI 20: I want to try this meatless paella

SAT 21: Spaghetti Dinner at our church

Menu Plan for Last Week and a hint of what's coming up

Last week I forgot to do the menu plan. Here's what we ate.

SUNDAY: Red Lobster for my father-in-law's birthday

MONDAY: Pork paprikas.

TUESDAY: Taco mac & cheese. The mac part was great & everyone wants it as a standalone dish. I will post that recipe later.

WEDNESDAY: Chicken and dumplings.

THURSDAY: Hawaiian Chicken with pineapple.

FRIDAY: Cheese ravioli with marinara.

SATURDAY: Turkey dinner, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, Granma's rolls.

What's coming up!

SUNDAY it will just be the kids as we are going to a church dinner for the parish volunteers.

I have a good amount of leftover turkey including the carcass, so there will be turkey soup happening sometime this week--or at least turkey stock.

I need to make a big batch of spaghetti sauce this week. We are completely OUT of spaghetti sauce. (The horror!)

I had an unfortunate, inadvertent freezing-of-the-red-bell-peppers that should have been on the vegetable platter for today's dinner. They're sliced but no good for eating raw or stir-frying. They'll be fine for chili or something else like that. So I need to either figure out a way to cook them in something this week, or just freeze them until I think of what to make with them. Maybe they'll be good in the Crockpot Jambalaya recipe I found on Family Corner.

Unfortunately, cucumbers that have been inadvertently frozen are not good for anything, as far as I can tell. Ick. Ever try to peel a partially-frozen cuke? I don't recommend it.

Menu Plan February 22 - 28, 2009

SUNDAY: Pork with Spanish rice, corn muffins

MONDAY: Beef paysanne with noodles, broccoli

TUESDAY: Honey mustard chicken, orzo with garlic and onions, mixed vegetables

WEDNESDAY: our traditional Ash Wednesday meal: grilled cheese sandwiches and clam chowder. Yikes, I just discovered that someone has been into the American cheese--I'll have to hit the supermarket tomorrow.

THURSDAY: Spaghetti

FRIDAY: Baked flounder, Alfredo noodles, green beans

SATURDAY: Takeout for the kids; TheDad and I are going to a Beef & Beer that supports a local charity. In my case, it will be a Beef & Soda!

Menu Plan Week of February 8 - 14

SUNDAY: Spanish rice and pork, peas rustica, Sourdough bread

MONDAY: Roast chicken

TUESDAY: Tacos, refried beans, arroz con habichuelas

WEDNESDAY: Barbara's BBQ Chicken Pizza and probably one "traditional" pizza for those who don't feel like being adventurous

THURSDAY: Spaghetti

FRIDAY: Salmon burgers and homemade mac & cheese (we didn't have this last week)

SATURDAY: Valentine's Day! Filet mignon roast, baked potato or yam, vegetable, bread

Menu Plan January 25-31, 2009

Menu Plan Monday is hosted at the "Organized Junkie" blog!

Here are my plans for dinner this week:

SUNDAY: leftovers

MONDAY: hot roast beef and gravy sandwiches on Italian rolls; tater tots; corn

TUESDAY: Chicken Piccata

WEDNESDAY: tacos

THURSDAY: spaghetti

FRIDAY: Linguine with shrimp marinara, Spanish Country bread, salad.

SATURDAY: Honey Mustard Chicken

Menu Plan January 18-24, 2009

SUNDAY: game-day pizza

MONDAY: takeout

TUESDAY: Pork roast with roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes

WEDNESDAY: Sloppy Joes, tater tots, salad

THURSDAY: spaghetti

FRIDAY: baked flounder

SATURDAY: roast beef & gravy sandwiches on Italian rolls, salad

We never did try that Mexican chicken in the crockpot from last week. I'll hold that over until next week!

Menu Plan Monday July 7, 2008

SATURDAY: We had family and friends here for a picnic. Dinner included burgers and hot dogs, barbecued chicken, pasta salad, apple-poppyseed cole slaw (this was fabulous!), Dr. Pepper Baked Beans, and raw vegetable platter. Dessert was brownies, fruit and Lemonade Pie.

SUNDAY: Leftover surprise (it's just me here for dinner. Surprise!)

MONDAY: "Cheater's Beef Burgundy" over noodles

TUESDAY: French Toast

WEDNESDAY: Chicken piccata/Spicy Orange Chicken (2 sauces, same base chicken. Everyone's happy). Served with rice and vegetables.

THURSDAY: Spaghetti

FRIDAY: Shrimp fried rice

SATURDAY: The Boy Scouts are off to camp. The rest of us will eat up some leftovers as we are going to spend some time at my parents' house and I don't want to come home to Science Experiments in the fridge.