Menu Monday - Mach 30th - April 5th

Surprize! Surprize!! I actually followed my menu this week. LOL
And it made my days much more pleasant.

This week is using up items in the freezer so grocery shopping was for fresh produce, milk and snacks only.

Sunday: Meatloaf burgers, home fries, broccoli, coleslaw
Monday: Roasted chicken thighs,gravy, mashed potatoes, salad, corn
Tuesday: Salmon, rice, green beans, coleslaw
Wednesday: Pierogis, sausage, coleslaw
Thursday: leftovers or wraps
Friday: Homemade pizza
Saturday: Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad

For more appetite pleasing ideas check out I'm an Organizing Junkie

Menu Monday : March 23rd - 29th

It's Monday again. Another week and another menu. Yup! Reoccuring theme!!!
Last week's review....wasn't a week I followed the menu very closely. Started the week okay, then I wasn't feel great and then we were home and it just fell apart. Friday we snacked on hot wings because I wasn't in the mood to cook much. Saturday, we ate out for lunch and no one was very hungry come supper time.

Monday I did make the "Irish" stew and potato rolls.
Stew was pretty standard but the rolls were from a new recipe. And we will definitely be having them again.



Potato Rolls

2 small russet (baking potatos), peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
5 - 5 3/4 cups bread or all purpose flour
2 pkgs active dry yeast
2 tbsp butter, melted

In a small saucepan, cook potatoes, covered, in enough boiling water to cover for 15 ot 20 minutes or until tender; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Using a fork, mash the potatoes; set aside. Add buttermilk, the 1/4 cup butter, sugar and salt to the hot cooking liquid; heat until warm and butter almost melts.

In a large bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour and the yeast. Stir in the buttermilk mixture and mashed potatoes. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining four to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic ( 6 to 8 minutes total) Shape dough into a ball. Place in a buttered bowl; turn once. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 hour)

Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease three baking sheets ( or line baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough into a 10 x 6 inch rectangle (3/4 inch thick). Cut each rectangle of dough into fifteen 2 - inch squares. Place squares 2 to 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Brush tops with the 2 tbsp melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.

Bake in at 375F for 15 - 18 minutes or until golden. Immediately remove rolls from baking sheet. Cool slightly on a rack. Serve warm.

Oh well....time to try again. LOL

Sunday: Tacos, Mexi-fries
( I know its Easter but I still have turkey and ham in the freezer from Christmas and New Years, so we dared to be different)
Monday: Fritatta, Salad
Tuesday: Pork chops with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, broccoli
Wednesday: Egg Rolls, Fried Rice, Pineapple Chicken
Thursday: Leftovers or wraps with veggies
Friday: Chicken thighs, gravy, mashed potatoes, beans, salad
Saturday: Steak, baked potato, salad, corn


More menus can be found at Organizing Junkie

Menu Monday: March 16th to 22nd

Another week and another menu. It is helping - when I decide to follow the plan ;-)

Sunday: Pizza
Monday: Irish Stew, Potato Rolls
Tuesday: Spaghetti with meatsauce, salad
Wednesday: Salmon, Rice, Beans, Coleslaw
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Egg Rolls, Fried Rice, Pineapple Chicken
Saturday: Roasted chicken with gravy, mashed potatoes, broccoli

For more ideas check out Menu mondays

Menu Monday : March 9 - 15th

Wow! Last week was a busy one but thanks to my menu I was ready each and every night. It was a great feeling to know exactly what needed to be in the house for each meal.

Highlights....



Saturday night I relived my memories of university by making Indian Tacos.
I noticed the recipe on many a blog lately and just had to make them. My summer job during University was at a replica "whisky trading post" and we had living history. Fry bread was a staple food made in the kitchen for tourists to sample and as a treat for the staff we had Indian tacos after everyone had left. The recipe didn't leave me disappointed and even though I am not sure it was loved by all in my home, I can honestly say I will be eating this lovely stuff again in the future.



Now Friday was hubby's 42nd birthday. In honor of the occasion I started out making a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate creme filling. I baked the cake successfully. Put one layer on the plate when cooled and placed the yummy cream filling over top. Then I placed the second layer ontop and proceeded to frost the cake. As the chocolate frosting oozed down the sides of the cake a cake earthquake must of happened....the cake began to split in half and then half again. I stood in shock! What should I do? This can't be happening!!!!

Then I just giggled, grabbed my largest bowl and dropped in on top of the natural disaster. I inverted the bowl and presto.....bowl chocolate explosion cake. LOL

In spite of the "disaster" no on seemed too disappointed in the cake!











This week I am utilizing my deep freeze stash to plan.

Sunday: ribs(from freezer), baked potato, beets, coleslaw
Monday: Turkey soup (broth and meat in freezer), buns
Tuesday: S & S meatballs (freezer), rice, beans, coleslaw
Wednesday: Salmon crown (pantry salmon), rice, corn, salad
Thursday: Chicken thighs (freezer), roasted potatoes, peas/corn, salad
Friday: Roast beef dinner with mashed potatoes and glazed carrots (beef in freezer)
Saturday: Leftovers

Happy planning everyone. For more ideas check out
Menu Monday

Menu Monday : March 2 - 8

This week is full of celebrations...so let's see if I can stick to the plan.

Sunday: fend for yourself...didn't feel well
Monday: spaghetti with meatsauce, salad
Tuesday (anniversary): chicken cordon bleu, mashed potatoes, salad, peas/corn
Wednesday: Salmon roll, rice, beans with almonds
Thursday: Quesidillas, veggies with dip
Friday (hubby's b-day): Clay's choice...still waiting for him to decide
Saturday: Indian tacos (saw over at The full-handed housewife's website and it brought back memories of my summer job in University)

For more great menu idea's check out Laura's blog.

Menu Monday - February 24 to March 1

Another week! Another menu!
Last week was a true bust!!
With my daughter out of school for the week and me feeling a bit under the weather, I am not sure if we followed the plan at all. We ate out a couple times, once because we got a call from my old University roommate...a great time.

I knew we had eaten out a bit too much when DD asked to eat meals at home. LOL
That is always a sign that menus for home haven't been followed.

So let's try this again this week.

Sunday: Shake and Bake Pork Chops, baked potato, salad
Monday: Meatballs, rice, broccoli, salad
Tuesday: Tuna casserole, peas & corn
Wednesday: Hamburger pizza, salad
Thursday: Baked potato soup, biscuits
Friday: Thai chicken wraps, veggie sticks with dip
Saturday: Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad

For more menu ideas check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Monday (February 17 - 23)

I have learned a very important lesson! Last week I was lazy beyond belief...I didn't feel like practicing guitar. I didn't feel like posting on my blog. And I didn't feel like making a menu for the week. Lesson learned.....not creating a menu leads to uncertainty, chaos and not always having the necessary food items in the house.

So last night I sat down with my list of family favorites, torn out and copied recipes that have intrigued me and my new cookbook and planned out 4 weeks of menus.
Oh it is not written in stone that those will be the foods eaten on the assigned night...there will be nights that no one is really hungry or nights with unplanned activities or even nights we are just not in the mood for what is planned...but atleast there is a set plan in action.

Sunday: ordering Panago Pizza
Monday: BBQ beef, mashed potatoes, veggie
Tuesday: honey dijon salmon, rice, asparagus
Wednesday: cranberry pork chops, baked potato, salad
Thursday: turkey soup, buns
Friday: ribs, rice, salad, corn on the cob
Saturday: Thai chicken wraps, salad

I will let you all know how meal time goes this week. Until then, go to I'm an Organizing Junkie to get inspired to make your own menu for the week.

Menu Monday - February 3 - 9

Another week gone...another menu planned.

Last week wasn't our best. Oh don't get me wrong, the intensions were all good, however the plan of actions just misfired occasionally. Monday's soup turned out more like a hamburger soup than a beef barley...so I am on the hunt for another recipe. Tuesday's stirfry was good. How can a stirfry go wrong? Wednesday's pizza ended up Thursday's pizza because after eating out for lunch on Wednesday no one was very hungry come supper. Friday's chicken was replaced with fast and easy McDs and Saturday's spaghetti ended up put off until this week because we went out for supper instead. Not a very successful week. Maybe this week will be better.


Sunday: Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad
Monday: baked potato soup, cheese bacon biscuits
Tuesday: short ribs, rice, broccoli
Wednesdy: chicken florentine, corn muffins
Thursday: cheese, bacon and potato pierogis, sausage, coleslaw
Friday: hamburgers, potato salad, corn on the cob
Saturday: nachoes


Don't forget to add to your menu ideas by visiting
I'm an organizing junkie

Menu Monday - January 27 to February 2

This weekend winter hit HARD!
-31C today with a windchill of up to -50C. Can you say BBBRRRR?!?!?!
On days like this I just want to immerse myself into the kitchen with baking and cooking of comfort foods and the rest of the week shows more winter weather.

With this in mind, my menu for the week is full of foods that warm you.

Sunday - Chicken Parmesan, Spaghetti and broccoli
Monday - Beef Barley Soup and buns
Tuesday - Beef stirfry and basmati rice
Wednesday - Homemade Pizza
Thursday - Ham slices, applesauce, scalloped potatoes, salad, and mixed veggies
Friday - Chicken Florentine and corn muffins
Saturday - Spaghetti with meat sauce and salad

For more menus check out Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie

Also on the topic of food, a friend blogger has started something new.
The cookie of the week.
Emily thought it would be interesting to post recipes and pictures for a new cookie each week. WOW! Now there is a lot of recipes to choose from. Love the idea. But in this household we have our famiy favorites and those numbers go no where near 52....so I am going to do a dessert a week.

With the snow and cold I needed something to remind me of the warm days of summer. When I think of the warm season now and even my childood, I think of rhubarb. Growing up we always had a massive plant to use up in all types of recipes. I have images of my grandmother making cakes, muffins, sauces, and more just to use up the tart fruit.

I revisited those memories when we bought this house since there was a large plant already well established.

With this in mind I pulled cut rhubarb from my freezer yesterday and made our favorite summer treat....Rhubarb cake.

YUM!!! Just taking a bit takes me back to warm days of summer.



Mix together and set aside:
4 cups rhubarb, chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar

Prepare as directed minus the oil:
1 yellow cake mix

Put batter into a 9 x 13 inch greased cake pan. Pour rhubarb mix over the batter.
Pour 1 1/2 cup cream over everything. Bake at 350F for 50-60minutes.
Serve warm with cream or whipped cream.

menu Monday - January 20-26

Well another week bites the dust, however my menu plan was in tacked and took the sting out of the supper time rush. It is so comforting knowing ahead of time what will be on the table.

The only unpredictable part of last week was we ordered supper from a new Chinese place and had McDs instead of the meal planned for Thursday. Family concensus....we would rather eat food prepared from home than have this stuff. OMG!! Did my family actual say they wanted homemade over bought?? I am shocked beyond belief!! Guess I will be looking for recipes for some of our past favorite take-out suppers.

So that being in mind I am planning a week of family favorites. Sheridan has mid-terms this week and I want to make sure her mind (as well as her body) are well nourished. The best way to accomplish that is to make sure the food on the table is something she enjoys.



Sunday
Roasted chicken with gravy
mashed potatoes
stuffing
carrots
fresh buns

Monday
Homemade chicken noodle soup
Fresh buns

Tuesday
spaghetti with meat sauce
salad

Wednesday
Beef stroganoff
noodles
peas and corn

Thursday
pork chops in mushroom soup gravy
mashed potatoes
corn
salad

Friday
meatloaf burgers
potato salad

Saturday
leftovers or sub sandwiches

To see more yummy menu ideas check out
Menu Plan Mondays

Menu Monday - January 13-19

Organization has never been an easy endeavor for me! But here I am on week two of Menu Monday and I am hoping this habit of organization will stick. It was great knowing what would be on the table for supper. It was even better knowing that the ingredients to make these delicious meals were either in the fridge, freezer or pantry. No having to run to the store at the last minute for forgotten items.

I am trying to get DD involved in cooking as well. Last week she helped by making the cheesecake. This week she helped make the Hobo Packets.





I have fond memories of making Hobo packets and grilling them over an open campfire. We made these for our Outdoor Ed Camp in grade nine. Now there are memories from the past. My group made them....carried them for miles into our camp...stored them in a bag in the river to keep them cool and then cooked them and "bribed"....oh I mean fed them to our instructors as well as ourselves in hopes of a good grade. LOL

Making them in the oven isn't quite the same! The meat doesn't get quite crispy enough for our liking.



But as you can see we had lots of fun making them!

Menu for January 13-19

Sunday: Hobo Packets
Monday: Vegetable Beef Soup and fresh buns
Tuesday: Chicken fingers, noodles and stir-fry veggies
Wednesday: Sweet and sour Pork Stir-fry with basmati rice
Thursday: Primary teacher's delight with creamed corn
Friday: Pizza with raw veggie sticks
Saturday: Take-out...treating to local Chinese food

Also last week I received a couple requests for a chicken recipe I was trying.

Apricot Pecan Chicken

4 chicken breasts, halved
1/4 cup broken pecans ( or walnuts or slivered almonds depending on taste)
2 tbsp. margarine
1/3 cups apricot preserves
1 tbsp. vinegar
1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Rinse chicken and pat dry. In large skillet melt margarine and then add chicken and nuts. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Trasfer chicken breasts to serving platter, reserving juices in skillet.

Keep chicken warm. To prepare glaze: stir preserves, vinegar and ginger into reserved juices in skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is heated through. Spoon glaze over chicken and serve.

Note: This is a first time for this recipe. I made extra glaze to spoon over rice as well as the chicken. Also the nuts singed when place in pan to cook with chicken. Next time I will save toasting the nuts til close to the end of cooking time with the chicken.

Otherwise this recipe is a keeper.

More Menus can be found at Menu Monday's
What a great way to liven up meal time.

Menu Plan Monday - January 7th

With a new year, of course I am trying something new...organization! LOL
I always try to organize my life but over time I seem to get distracted and things fall apart.

This year....I am first trying to get the home menu in order and making a weekly menu helps with food prep, food purchasing and planning my days.

After looking at the weekly activites, I asked family for suggestions on things they would like and then I looked at my collection of new recipes that have caught my eye and then I created!!

Monday: Clam Chowder, Buns

Tuesday: Spaghetti with meat sauce, Salad

Wednesday: Apricot Pecan chicken, Rice, French style Beans

Thursday: Open faced roast beef sandwiches with gravy, Home Fries, Raw carrots and cucumbers

Friday: Tacos, Mexi fries

Saturday: Leftovers, or nachoes


Desserts for week: Leftover christmas treats, pudding, jello and cheesecake

Friday/Saturday I will prepare the menu for the following week.

Here's to success in organizing my family meals.
If you want more Menu Plan Monday, head over to Organizing Junkie