Weekly Meal Plan: Feeding the Family 11/10/23-11/16/23

 

Friday:  Out to Eat (M had a friend spend the night so we took them out to dinner)

Saturday:  Hot Honey Chicken Meatballs, rice, and sautéed zucchini

Sunday:  Za’tar Chicken, potatoes, and vegetable

Monday:  Pasta, salad, and rolls

Tuesday:  Turkey Tacos

Wednesday:  Mediterranean Turkey Burgers, coleslaw, and vegetables

Thursday:  Clean up day or One Pan Lemon Chicken and Potatoes 

Friday night, M had a friend spend the night and they had so much fun.  They always have a nice time together and laugh the entire time.  I love hearing the giggles.  

The rest of the weekend was just doing house work and trying to keep up with the laundry.  

This week I plan on finalizing my menu and grocery list for Thanksgiving.  And I hope to do a little Christmas shopping at the end of the week too.  

I've been watching YouTube videos on Christmas decorating.  They get me inspired.  But the problem is, all of my decorations are mismatched from over the years and I have no plans on going out and spending a fortune to replace them all.  Maybe I should start a YouTube channel on decorating with a hodgepodge.  

I would not start a YouTube channel.  I don't like being on camera, I don't have the voice for it, and I could not be that creative week after week.  But someone should start that channel!😜

Have a Blessed Week!!

Weekly Meal Plan 10/27/23 to 11/2/23: Feeding The Family

 Even though I haven't been putting my meal plans on the blog, I have still been doing them.  I don't know how to plan dinner any other way.  And if you know me, have read any of my blog posts, or have just looked at the "About Me' on my side bar, you probably know that I am constantly trying to lose weight or eat healthy.  Trying being the operative word.  Maybe "failing" would be a better fit here.  Last week I decided to go back to basics.  I know that they say that once you hit perimenopause/menopause the things that worked in the past no longer work, but for me, nothing seems to work.  I have tried it all.  So I decided to go back to what did work for me in the past which was Weight Watchers.  So for now, future menu plans will take on that theme. Will this work? I'm praying so.  The only other variable is that the first time I did Weight Watchers I was in my 20's and I was a pretty heavy smoker and I drank Diet Coke all day.  I'm now in my 50's and I no longer smoke or drink Diet Coke.   But in my 20's, I didn't exercise AT ALL and now I do.  So stay tuned to see what happens.

Friday:  Pasta Puttanesca, Salad, and Bread (for the guys)

Saturday:  Lemony Chicken Francaise, Potato, Veg (from the WW app)

Sunday:  It's our neighborhood Trick or Treat and weather permitting, we bring the fire pit to the bottom of the drive to hand out candy.  Hot Dogs and Turkey Dogs over the fire and low fat cole slaw.

Monday: Chicken Fried Rice

Tuesday: Egg Roll In A Bowl

Wednesday:  Baked Chicken Thighs, Rice, and Veg

Thursday:  Clean Up Day

In an earlier post, I said I was going to shop my freezer for next weeks meals.  The good news with WW is that everything is on plan, I just have to make sure my daily points don't go over.  I really don't want to cook one meal for me and one meal for the family.  Ain't nobody got time for that.

Meal Plan 3/24/23 to 3/30/23: Feeding the Family

 Hi Friends!  What a week!  The big boys came home from college and it was such a blessing to have them here.  I'm a lucky mama.  They had a nice spring break.  No, we didn't go anywhere or do much, but we spent time together and they both worked to make some extra money.  They left for school again today, and they are safely there and getting back into school mode. I sort of have a menu for this week.  Kind of. I did a grocery shopping experiment that I will share with you in another post and I went to two salvage stores not far from our house, so I wasn't really sure what I was going to get.  I also went to Aldi (and forgot to buy a pork butt that was going to feed us for two days) and Giant Eagle (which was not my usual Giant Eagle and they did not have the sale items that I anticipated).  But all is well.  We have food and we will eat.

I also have another Meal Train meal with week.  I noticed that since the family went from one meal per week, to two meals per week, the sign ups were not being taken.  Since feeding people is my love language, I've signed up for as many as I can.  During the week of Lent and the week after Easter, I had to skip (the doggie is having surgery and I can't just leave her alone), but after that we are back on track to bless this family with food (and least I hope they feel blessed.  I'm always worried that other families won't like my cooking - lol). 

This weeks menu:

Friday:  Baked Cod and Mrs. T's pierogi (tater tots for the child with a wheat allergy)

Saturday:  Take Out Pizza from our favorite pizza restaurant (to celebrate the boys last night home)

Sunday:  Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Monday: (meatless Monday) Fish, Jacket Potatoes, and Veg (since I don't eat fish, I will have eggs or grilled cheese)

Tuesday:  Pork Chops, Potatoes, and corn

Wednesday:  Hamburger Steak, Asparagus, and Rice

Thursday:  Baked Chicken, Rice, and Veg (Meal Train Meal:  Baked Chicken, Rice, and Veg)

I feel like Mrs. T's has saved my butt this Lent.  They are on sale during Lent, we love them, and they are filling.  My mom and I used to make homemade pierogi, but when I had a child that was anaphylactic to wheat, we stopped.  I'd love to start again, but we need to get her healthy and get her cancer under control.  We are Polish ladies, and we love a homemade pierogi. Please say a prayer for my mama.

We planned on take out pizza on Saturday evening, and it worked out for the best.  We had a crazy wind storm here, and we were out of power.  Luckily the pizza restaurant didn't lose power.  They have safe Gluten Free pizza for my son and he was so looking forward to it.  Power was out Saturday from 2 pm to 3 am Sunday morning.  They gave us 3/27 at noon to get our power back but it did come back early.  Then today they called to tell me that it wouldn't be on again until 3/28 at 4 pm.  Even though our power was back, I was nervous that they might shut us down to get other people back up again.  I did ALL THE LAUNDRY today.  We are ready, but I think we will be ok.  Even our church had no power today.  It was chilly, but I'm so thankful we had mass.

I hope you have a blessed week ahead.  And if you are in an area that is having bad weather, please know that you are in my prayers.  

Meal Planning 3-16-23 to 3-23-23: Feeding the Family

 Happy St. Patrick's Day!  I hope you had a good one.  We did our St. Patrick's Day dinner 3-18-23.  Even though our Bishop gave a dispensation for meat on St. Patrick's Friday in Lent, we decided to keep that Friday meatless.  And I was making a soup for soup supper at church, so I did creamy potato which was meatless too.  The boys came home for spring break on Friday.  It's so nice to have them home.  It's only for a week and I know that week will fly by.  At least we'll get to see them again in a few weeks for Easter.  This week I shopped at Aldi and Marc's.  I spent more than I wanted to, but I have two extra mouths to feed and I had a meal for soup supper.  This week I have a meal train meal for our church family.  I plan on making chili and gluten free corn bread.

This week's menu:

Thursday: Hamburger Casserole

Friday:  Creamy Potato Soup for church soup supper

Saturday:  Corned Beef, Mashed Potatoes, Cabbage, Sauerkraut, Swiss Cheese, and Rye Bread

Sunday:  Turkey Meatloaves, Baked Red Skins, and Vegetable

Monday:  (Meatless Monday for us, but meat for the college boys) Baked Chicken Thighs and Fettuccini Alfredo

Tuesday:  Taco Night (and chili for meal train meal)

Wednesday:  Hamburger, Hot Dogs, and Vegetables

Thursday:  Tater Tot Casserole

I'm going to try to shop at some salvage stores this week for groceries, but the problem with that is that you never know what you are going to get.  There are also some bulk stores by the salvage stores so I may check them out too.  I just really want to get our grocery budget down, but I don't want us to eat garbage either.  

I don't think I ever posted the Lent Tree:

Have a blessed week ahead!!

Meal Planning: 3-9-23 to 3-18-23: Feeding the Family

 Hello Friends!  I hope you are well.  I have been feeling very overwhelmed lately, so blogging went to the back seat.  Meal planning has been going on, and the family has been eating.  All is well here.  I've been busy.  Sometimes during Lent, I think I take on too many things. But I'm moving along and just putting all things into perspective. 

The boys will be coming home from college this Friday.  I.am.so.excited.  Don't tell them that mom misses them, or they will take advantage of that when they come home.  I have been trying so hard to get my grocery budget under control, but with them coming home, it's going to be out of control.  I just have to put it in perspective.  I don't mind spoiling them with good food while they are here (summer break will be a different story, because it will be for several months).  These boys (really men) will not be under my roof much longer, and mama wants to feed them.  Feeding people is my love language.  So I have a meal plan set for when they are home, but I have a meal plan for next week before they come home.

This weeks meal plan:

Fri:  Soup Supper At Church   Our water system broke and we had no water.  I had a repair man come out, and that didn't work, so I spoke with an after hours repair man that helped me get my water working again (and he saved me the $250 emergency fee), but our water is seriously orange (heavy iron content...do not look at my sinks or toilets right now) because we had to by pass our iron filter.  Friends, just know that having well water is not an easy thing.  They will come Monday to try and fix all the things.  We did not make it to soup supper, so Mrs. T's potato and cheese pierogi from the freezer saved our meatless, Friday dinner.  Yay Freezer Stash.

Saturday:  Well this went in a whole other direction.  I planned on One Skillet Creamy Chicken, but the 10 year old had a friend over and by 4 pm they were starving.  I was not home all day and hubby had the kids.  He called me to say they were hungry and M's friend is a super picky eater and wasn't interested in anything he offered ( including potato chips...God Bless You, Kid). So I picked up pizza on my way home and we were just not hungry for dinner.

Sunday:  One Skillet Creamy Chicken.  Chicken thighs, Veggies, and Mushrooms in a cream sauce.  

Monday:  Potage - This is a French Veggie Soup and I will serve it with bread (meatless Monday)

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla 

Wednesday:  Red Beans and Rice With Chicken Sausage

Thursday:  Clean up or Egg Roll in a Bowl

Friday:  Soup Supper (and I'm making Cream of Potato Soup so we HAVE to go).  Yes, it's St. Patricks Day.  Our Bishop gave us a dispensation for eating meat "if you must".  We do not need to eat meat.  It is not a "must" for us, so we will be keeping Meatless Friday.

Saturday:  St. Patricks Day Feast:  Slow Cooker Corned Beef, potatoes, and veggies.  (THIS is the day we will have our St. Pat's meal) - rye bread and Swiss cheese for sandwiches.

This weeks meal plan goes a bit longer because I already know what we will have the next few days.  Thursday 3-9-23 I did a meal train meal of slow cooker corned beef, mashed potatoes, St. Patricks Cheese Soup, and honey glazed carrots for my church family.  Please keep them in your prayers.  Mom is traveling to a specialized clinic Monday and Tuesday and we are praying that they have a plan for her to keep her healthy (ALS is such an insidious disease).

I hope you are having a blessed Lenten season.  I pray that you have a blessed week ahead!!

Meal Plan 2-17-23 to 2-23-17: Feeding The Family

 Happy Soon To Be Lent!  Lent starts Wednesday (although my husband starts today).  We have 3 meatless days this week.  Friday, Monday, and Ash Wednesday (fast and abstinance).  I have my plans for Lent and I will share them in a separate post. 

Valentine's Day was nice.  Since it was Tuesday, we kept it pretty low-key.  Candy was had by all.

One month until the big boys come home for spring break.  My grocery budget is already crying 😢 😂 .  

Wishing you all a happy, fruitful lenten season.

Menu Plan:

Friday: Red and White Mostraccioli from the Food Nanny

Saturday:  Hot Dogs and Hamburgers with frozen fries (tried to be kid friendly for a sleep over the 10 yr old had)

Sunday:  Left Overs

Monday:  Salmon, sweet potato, and Brussels Sprout sheet pan

Tuesday:  BLT's (we normally do Shrove Tuesday, but we just had pancakes for dinner 1.5 weeks ago)

Wednesday:  Crustless veggie quiche and hash browns

Thursday:  Steak Tacos

and I'm throwing Friday on here because I've already got that planned

Friday:  Soup Supper at our church after Stations of the Cross.  I'm bringing slow cooker cream of potato soup and bread.

I love soup supper at our church.  It's a several people who make simple soup and they usually have bread or rolls (and Mac n Cheese for kids).  It's a simple meatless meal for Fridays during Lent and it also helps to bring our church community together.  This is the first time it's back at our parish since Covid.

Have a blessed week ahead!!

Menu Plan 1/20/23 to 1/26/23: Feeding the Family

 The big boys are back at school.  They left in a snow storm on Sunday.  I was stressed for almost 5 hours until they made it there safely.  We miss them, but we are glad that they are back doing their studies and becoming independent adults.  So I'm back to cooking for just the three of us.  My grocery budget will be happy.

This weeks meal plan:

Friday:  Frozen pizza for boys/Mom and Dad date night before we lose our sitters to college

Saturday:  One Skillet Chicken With Green Beans and Mushrooms

Sunday:  Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Monday:  BBQ Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad

Tuesday:  Sesame Chicken and Broccoli

Wednesday: Hamburger Soup

Thursday:  Clean Up Day

I have next weeks meal plan put together and I scheduled a Walmart pick up for it.  I'm really trying to save money.  And my budget is less than when the big boys were home.  But not enough to make me happy.  I KNOW everything is more expensive, but I need to do a better job and saving money.  

Have a Blessed Week ahead!!

Menu Plan 11/28/22-12/1/22: Feeding the Family

 Post-Thanksgiving exhaustion has set in.  We had a wonderful day with family.  A few family members were under the weather and weren't able to make it, and they were surely missed.  But overall, it was a wonderful day.

Friday, we spent the day decorating for Christmas.  Most of the decorations are up, but I still have to do the tree in the basement.  I may get to it this week.  Or I may not.  I'm not going to stress over it.  If it were totally up to me, I'd skip it this year.  But I know the boys love having a tree down there too.  

Yesterday was the Ohio State/Michigan game.  The outcome wasn't what we hoped for.  But we had some family friends over and J had a few friends over and despite the loss, we had a really great day.  I made 6 pounds of taco meat, and we did walking tacos. I also made nachos fabuloso and 7-layer dip. 

Today was church and after that, we took the boys to brunch.  The big boys just left for college, and we wanted to fill them up before they left. I sent the oldest back with 5 pounds of ground beef and 5 pounds of chicken thighs.  He was also gifted lunch meat, cheese, and a loaf of bread.  The Middle left with the left-over taco meat (probably around 3 pounds), walking taco bags, corn chips, potato chips, and pepperoni.  

I miss them already. I will worry for the next four hours until they are safely back at college.  Mama's always worry.  

This week's meal plan starts tomorrow because we have been eating Thanksgiving leftovers and then yesterday was the game day taco fest.  We are all full from brunch so I think dinner tonight will be something light.  

This week's meal plan:

Monday:  Dirty rice with chicken sausage

Tuesday:  Chicken Tortilla Soup

Wednesday:  Quiche 

Thursday:  Clean up Day

Today is the first Sunday of Advent.  The Advent season has officially begun.  I have Christmas shopping to finish up and even though I ordered the Christmas cards weeks ago, I still have to get those out.  That is what I will be concentrating on for now.  Plus, cleaning... and laundry.   The boys will be home again in 2 weeks, and they'll be home for a month and half.  I will be counting down the days. 

Have a BLESSED week ahead!!

The First Sunday of Advent: Be watchful and ready from National Catholic Register

Menu Plan 9/16 to 9/22

 This Thursday Autumn begins.  And I saw on social media that we have 14 weeks until Christmas. I swear the older I get, time flies faster than a rocket ship.  

And we have another week of meal planning.  Saturday night I planned for pizza since we finally celebrated M's birthday with his friends.  Unfortunately for him, his actual birthday was August 14.  That meant we were only back from vacation for 2 weeks, and I was trying to get two boys off to college.  I just could not add in another thing.  So, I promised him a 10th birthday party, but it would have to wait.  Saturday was the day and I think the boys had a fun.  I had Game Truck come for the party and the boys had a blast.  I've used them in the past for the older boys, and they have always done a good job.  But just like everything else, the price increased SIGNIFICANTLY.  I was really surprised.  

We still have football going on and now this week starts basketball tryouts.  I feel like sports just never end and I know I've said it before, but I don't like it.  I would put my foot down and say no basketball, but the therapist says that keeping him in sports, helps with his anxiety.  How do I argue against sports with that logic?  I guess I can't, and I just have to put my head down and plow through. But right now, I'm sports-fatigued.

The puppy and I spent the morning watching the Queen's funeral.  Such a historic event.  I'm sad it's the end of an era, but she lived such an amazing life of service.  Rest In Peace.  Job well done.

This week's menu plan.  I shopped at Aldi this week and supplemented at Giant Eagle for drinks and cake for the party (the $20 ice-cream cake is up to $27...oy)

Friday:  Slow Cooker Tomato Soup and grilled cheese

Saturday:  Sheet pizza for the party

Sunday:  Baked Chicken Thighs, pan fried potatoes, and tomato and mozzarella salad (tomatoes from the garden)

Monday:  Generals chicken with rice and broccoli

Tuesday:  Turkey tacos

Wednesday:  Turkey burgers and hot dogs on the grill, baked potato, and corn

Thursday:  Clean-up Day

I'm still working on getting my grocery budget down.  I'm trying different stores to see where the best place is to save money.  

And I'm toying with the idea of making Saturday night "pizza night" and trying out different pizza types (that I make myself).  But we'll see how it goes.

Have a blessed week ahead!!

Weekly Meal Plan 4/22/22 to 4/28/22: Feeding the Family

 Last week was a lot of leftovers.  I'm cooking again, but I'm reluctant.  I miss leftovers.  But these people need to eat.

Friday:  Left over Mississippi Chicken and potatoes from Thursdays dinner.

Saturday:  Turkey Egg Roll in A Bowl (hot dogs for the kids that don't like cabbage)

Sunday:  Buffalo Chicken Caesar Wraps and melon: (chicken thighs sprinkled with Emeril's Essence and grilled, dredged in Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce [and yes, I get mine at Costco]. And I also picked up an Earthbound Organic Caesar salad kit at Costco.  Layer your wrap with salad, chop up a cooked and sauced chicken thigh and add it to the top of the lettuce.  I added some dressing and cheese that came with the salad kit to ours and left it off J's since the dressing contains egg.  Roll you wrap and eat).  Very Yummy!

Monday:  One Skillet Chicken and Broccoli Dinner

Tuesday:  Turkey Tacos

Wednesday:  Grilled Chicken Salad

Thursday:  Clean up or Poor Man's Meal

I also made a veggie soup for lunch this week:

2 leeks

1 tbs olive oil
2 stalks of celery
1 carrot
1/2 yellow onion
1 carton (4 cups) of vegetable broth
spices (I used garlic, parsley, herb de Provence, salt and pepper)

Clean your leeks (How to clean leeks)

chop up your celery, carrot, onion and sauté in 1 tbs of olive oil until slightly softened

add in cleaned and sliced leeks and garlic

sauté 3 minutes more

add in broth and spices

cook on medium heat for 20 minutes

It's a completely plain soup.  But that is what I want.  Not a lot of fat.  No cheese or cream.  I just wanted a light soup to pair with a salad to get me through the week.

Baseball games should have started this week.  But due to an inordinate amount of rain, the games were cancelled.  I am going to have to adjust my menus once baseball starts.  It's hard to cook prior to the games but it's no fun eating dinner between 9-10 at night.  On week nights, I might make sub sandwiches and take them with us, but many games are on meatless Fridays and my people will not eat veggie subs.  Baseball season always adds an extra step to the weeks menu.  But I've been doing this for years, so I will figure it out.

What are you cooking this week?  Do you have anything that makes it hard to keep up with your menu?  

Have a Blessed Week Ahead!!

Weekly Meal Plan 4/1/22 to 4/7/22: Feeding The Family

 Happy April!!  Does this year seem to be going by quickly to you?  I can't believe it's April already.  Slow Down 2022!!

This week I shopped at Aldi and at the market at Rothenbuhler Cheese.  I didn't plan on going to the cheese market, but as I drove by, I just had to stop. It's been a few years since I've been there.  I was actually able to get most of the things that I couldn't get at Aldi.  

Friday:  Garlic Butter Shrimp, rice with mushrooms, and veg

Saturday:  Salsbury Steak, baked potato, and veg

Sunday:  Swedish Meatballs, Italian Meatball Casserole, salad, veg, and bread

Monday:  Coconut Curry Ramen Soup, baked fish

Tuesday:  Chicken Divan, veg

Wednesday:  Garlic Butter Chicken Bites, potato, and veg

Thursday:  Clean up or burgers on the grill

I didn't buy any meat this week.  I'm using what I have in the freezer.  I'm also contemplating buying a half of cow (and splitting with a friend).  Grocery prices are crazy and there are so many shortages.  I already paid for my CSA this summer so vegetables will be taken care of (as long as the weather cooperates) but I'm wondering about what to do with the meat.  I just started researching the half a cow since the meat processor we used to use closed (there was a family squabble and they had to shut down which is too bad).  I will keep you posted on how all of that works out.

Have A Blessed Week!!

Weekly Meal Plan 3/25 to 3/31: Feeding The Family

 I tried to update the last meal plan with photos, but some I accidently deleted and one day, I completely forgot what I cooked.  The two-week meal plan didn't really make things easier or save me any money.  The only bonus there was that I had more food on hand and could switch up my meal plan when I needed to, and I seemed to need to quite often the last 2 weeks.  

The oldest was home from college, so I tried to stay off the computer and just enjoy his company.  He leaves for school again tomorrow.  I know he'll be home again in a few months, but I will miss him.

This week I'm going back to a one-week meal plan as that is the system that seems to work best for me.

Friday:  Pierogi, Hot Dogs, and left-over Clam Chowder (the Pierogi were from a Ukranian church in our area and were for a fundraiser organized by the high school to benefit the people of Ukraine.  They raised over $22,000 for Ukraine). Today is the Solemnity of Annunciation which makes it a "meat" Friday, even during Lent.

Saturday:  Tacos

These are blue corn taco shells.  I didn't burn them.

Sunday:  gf pasta with chicken Italian sausage and mushrooms, rolls

Jovial foods gluten free pasta

Monday:  gf Mac N Cheese and veg (meatless Monday)

Tuesday:  BBQ Chicken Salad, rolls (pg 177 of The Food Nanny Saves Dinner...Again cookbook)

I made homemade ranch because my egg allergic son can't eat prepackaged ranch.  I just used sour cream, ranch seasoning, and thinned with milk.

Wednesday:  Tamale Casserole, rolls, salad (pg 71 of the same cookbook)  I ran out of butter (shame on me) so I had to regroup and I made Mongolian Beef bowls, but I only had 1.33 pounds of beef which wasn't going to feed everyone so I mixed the beef in with rice and veggies.

Thursday:  Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Have a blessed week!!