Meal Planning week #1

In keeping with the on going goal to save money and organize our home and life better we are striving to plan our weekly meals better. This is not only a cost saving tool but a time saving tool for those with busy schedules. It also has the added benefit of we are eating better and more healthy food. We definitely feel less rushed at dinner time and feel like we have accomplished something by not eating on the run. A few post ago i talked about the website I am an Organizing Junkie. Each week she does a post called Menu Plan Monday. She post her families menu for the week and asks her readers to post theirs as well. There are so many great meal and recipe ideas there that I just had to join in so starting this week every Monday I am going to post our families menu for the week. I am going to try and include recipes where it is appropriate. I have next weeks menu already done and everything we will be eating are things that we have had in the house either in the pantry or in the freezer. I needed to shop for minimal ancillary items to round out the meal. Most are pretty standard meals in our house with the exception of the Friday night meal that is a new one. I found it while looking for a way to use up the Christmas Ham I have frozen. We will be designating Thursday night as leftover night to give ourselves a brake from cooking and to clear out all the bits and pieces of the meals we have eaten all week. I think it looks pretty Yummy my self...

Menu for Week of Jan. 26th 2009

OK we live in the south so we drink Ice Tea a lot....

Monday - Chicken Tacos with all the fixings and cinnamon crisps. Ice tea with mint and lemon.
(crock pot meal)(prepare extra salad fixings for Tuesday's dinner)

Tuesday - Shepherd's pie, Salad, Brownies and Ice Tea and lemon
(freeze ahead meal)

Wednesday - Italian Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Oh yeah and Ice Tea with mint and lemon. Lemon cake.
(easy meal to prepare after work)(make extra Rice and freeze for Sat. Meal)

Thursday - Left over Smorgasbord and Salad (make extra for Fri. night dinner)
(all the yummies from the rest of the week)

Friday - Ham and Cheese casserole, Salad and Brownies. Ice tea with lemon
(new freeze ahead Recipe)

Saturday - Spicy Chicken Curry Casserole and salad, Coconut Rice pudding and ice tea with mint and lemon.
( also freezes well)

Sunday - Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe with pasta garlic bread and salad. Ice tea with lemon, orange and mint. Lemon Cake.
(quick and easy Italian meal) we always have Italian on Sunday night...

I know this one by heart but there is a recipe I just have to find it. I will post it when I do..



UPDATE, We all ready have an adjustment to this weeks Meal Plan. Tonight my FIL offered to make Meatloaf while he and MIL are babysitting for us and Thursday we were invited to dinner. So Chili Chicken Tacos will be moved to next week and no leftover night for us this week...