Hey there friends! Hope you are staying warm with colder weather now upon us. I fought the urge to turn on the heat all weekend. However, when I woke up this morning it was 55 degrees in my house…brrrrr. Even my doggie was cold. So I broke down and turned on the furnace. Now I am nice and toasty as I talk with you about this week’s menu plan.
Before I get to my actual menu plan let’s chat about some menu planning challenges I am having. They are kind of related but separate. It seems that over the last couple weeks I have not been able to get dinner on the table till about 6:15 or 6:30pm. I mostly use meals or meal starters from the freezer but I have also tried making “quick” recipes that require more weeknight cooking. Well since I get home after 5:00pm it seems even the fastest of recipes are taken forever to get on the table. Also, my girls have dance 3 times during the week so I am realizing that I need meals that are super quick, healthy, and don’t require a box of cereal and spoon.
Also, along the same lines, my kids and hubs are STARVING by the time dinner time comes around. Instead of just holding tight for about 30 -45 minutes they slowly start to make their way into the kitchen and graze the fridge while also reminding me how hungry they are – it is very annoying. For some reason, I don’t recall any of this being an issue last year so I am trying to get a handle on the problem. I am thinking they might need a heartier after school snack to eat around 3:30 or 4:00pm.
So those are my meal planning challenges this week. I would love to hear if you have any ideas, thoughts, suggestions, or comments to help out with my dilemma.
As for recipes, I will be doing lots of cooking and baking with ingredients I already have on hand in the refrigerator, pantry, and freezer. I have lots of random leftover ingredients that I need to use up like rolled outs, ½ can of pumpkin, frozen chicken breast, pork tenderloin, clam sauce, rice, frozen veggies, and a bunch of other things. I actually like cooking this way because it allows me to get really creative.
Let’s get to this week’s menu plan.
Breakfast
Bacon and egg breakfast burritos. I will use this recipe but substitute bacon.
Make Ahead Tips
- I still have breakfast burritos in the freezer
- We will be doing a breakfast for dinner night this week so I can get more burritos and pancakes in the freezer.
Lunch
Italian deli stromboli
Greek Stromboli
Leftovers
Make Ahead Tips
- I had a bunch of leftover Italian deli meats, cheese, olives, artichokes, and spinach. I stuffed the ingredients into pizza dough and made 2 different strombolis. After they cooked I sliced them up, wrapped individually, and stored in the freezer for lunches.
- I still have pb & j’s in the freezer.
After school snacks
Cheese and crackers
Yogurt
Apples and peanut butter
Pumpkin breakfast cookies – new recipe
Make Ahead Tips
- Breakfast cookies will be made today.
Dinner
Breakfast for dinner
Slow Cooker Pork and Black Bean Chili – I am also ready to share this recipe.
Homemade Pizza
Tacos
Red Clam Sauce
Chicken Quesadillas
Risotto with roasted tomatoes or shrimp
Make Ahead Tips
- Chili will go into slow cooker today
- Pizza dough and sauce will be made today and stored in the freezer.
- Mexcian chicken will be made in slow cooker on Thursday
- Tacos and clam sauce are in the freezer.
- Roasted tomatoes are in the freezer.
Skinny Mom’s Kitchen participates in Menu Plan Monday hosted by The Organizing Junkie.
The very best advice I would have (which I know you already follow) is to use your slow cooker. Liberally, and creatively. On the nights you know will be busier, like dance nights, especially. That way you can just walk in the door to your waiting meal, toss together a side or two if needed, and you’re set. Homemade frozen pizzas are another favorite of mine, and I actually finally perfected my method thanks to you! As soon as you walk in the door, hit preheat on the oven as you walk by to go change. By the time you’re done with that, the oven’s ready, toss the pizza in, and make a salad or some other side while the pizza’s cooking. Although I love to cook, I almost never attempt actual cooking on busy nights – I rely on my slow cooker or premade frozen meals (like the pizza) on those evenings. Do you have Stephanie O’Dea’s “Make it Fast, Cook it Slow” books? Those are some of my most used books in the kitchen and I get great ideas from them to vary my usual repetoire of slow cooker recipes.
I dislike the whole “I’m hungry”, “what’s for dinner”, and “when is dinner going to be ready” stuff I get from my kids! They also graze from the pantry/fridge and then when it’s dinner time, they eat almost nothing. Then about 8:00 they’re hungry again! URGH! I like your snack idea. Something planned should help things go smoother!
I was also looking at my menu plan for the week. I look at what days we have things planned and then try to organize my menu accordingly! Doesn’t always go as planned but I try! This week will be at least a 2 slow cooker menus! We are also having chili tonight (can’t wait to see your recipe!).
Sometimes I make my vegetable side first, and when my kids come sniffing around for dinner, I hand them their salad. I found they are much more likely to eat it if it’s the only thing in front of them and they are hungry.
This is a great idea! I will have to give this a try.
I’ve heard this suggested before and I think it sounds like a good idea. For my kids, I’ll put out the raw chopped veggies (cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, etc.) and they will gnaw on those while I prep. But if your kids are active enough, then it does sound like you would also want a heartier snack for them in the afternoon. My hubby is usually the hungriest of the bunch and I’m always telling him that he needs to have an afternoon snack at work so that he doesn’t come home starving!