So….

It’s been awhile sense I’ve shared a monthly meal plan. The last one I shared was at the beginning of May.

Then the summer happened. And it happened faster than I could keep up.  Two week long trips…a wedding and hosting a blogging conference…and that was enough to make me fall off the bandwagon.

Trips always through me for a loop with meal planning. The stress of packing up the car…with hours and hours of activities and enough snacks and food…plus all the other “to-do”s that come with being a matron of honor and entertaining 150 people in a place you’ve not set eyes on. That was enough.

Somehow we made it through the summer without a monthly meal plan…but I need dinner time structure again!!!

Badly…

September Meal Plan

(Note: Any recipes without links are new ones I plan to try…will post recipes as I make them!)

For Breakfast and Lunch

• Pumpkin Pecan Granola
• No Bake Apple Crisp
• Almond Raspberry Breakfast Cake
• Whole Wheat & Maple Cinnamon Rolls

New Recipes to Try

• Chicken Avocado Pasta – from Mary
• Biscuits on the Grill – from Katie
• Southwest Wild Rice Pilaf
• Grilled Jerk Chicken
• Zucchini Crust Pizza
• Apricot Walnut Chicken
• Spaghetti and Meatball Pie
• Tabbouleh with Quinoa
• Grilled Pizza
• One Dish Cajun Red Beans and Rice
• One Dish Slow Cooker Mango Chicken

Old Family Favorites

• Spaghetti
• Tacos
• Smothered Pork Chops
• Loaded Potato Frittata
• Spicy Southern Chili in Bread Bowls

Want to know more about why I plan my menus out each month? Read more here…

Want to give monthly meal planning a try?!?…check out all the printable planners and templates that will help with your weekly and monthly meal planning!

May is always nuts. A gazillion end of the year school activities, Mother’s Day, graduation festivities, and the start of wedding season with a number of friends getting married, the first of which were married this past Sunday.  This May for us looks a little like the previous sentence, plus T-ball practice and games. A food blogging conference in Atlanta. And my sister’s wedding festivities!

I think I may need to sit down. *sigh*

Oh wait, I am sitting down. *deeper sigh*

And I forgot to mention the fact that I need to get 30 recipes tested and worked up for my One Dish Dinners manuscript.  If you are in the Dayton area and know someone who needs meals…I will have plenty to share this month!!! Hit me up!

(This is me…passing out now. Would someone please wake me up on June 1st.)

It’s during times like these that I need a plan…and it needs to be solid!

May Meal Plan

New Recipes to Try

• Almond Crusted Tilapia
• Grilled Chicken
• Apple Chicken Meatballs
• Chilled Quinoa Salad with Garden Herbs
• Pork Chops
• Apricot Chicken
• Spaghetti and Meatball Pie
• Tabbouleh with Quinoa
• Pan Fried Tilapia
• Grilled Pizza
• Grilled Panini

Old Family Favorites

• Spaghetti
• Curried Quinoa with Chicken and Peas (for Tyler!)
• Tacos

Want to know more about why I plan my menus out each month? Read more here…

Want to give monthly meal planning a try?!?…check out all the printable planners and templates that will help with your weekly and monthly meal planning!

It’s that time again!

I really liked how I had the lists for New Recipes to Try and Old Favorites. It’s enough of a plan and gives structure to dinner time, but I really appreciate the flexibility of it!  There were 6 recipes that I never did get made in March, so we’ll carry them over to April

Here’s the list!

New Recipes

• Apple Chicken Meatballs
• Pizza Loaves
• Black Bean Chili
• Minestrone Casserole
• Lasagna Buns
• Kale and Black-eyed Pea Soup
• Apricot Chicken
• Spaghetti and Meatball Pie
• Tabbouleh with Quinoa
• Pan Fried Tilapia
• Mini Pizza Pockets
• Slow Cooker Confetti Chicken
• Maple Pecan Caramel Rolls – Breakfast Treat

Old Favorites

• Loaded Potato Frittata
• Spaghetti x 2
• Beef Tamale Skillet Dinner
• Tacos x 2
• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Cranberry Pork Chops

Want to know more about why I plan my menus out each month? Read more here…

Want to give monthly meal planning a try?!?…check out all the printable planners and templates that will help with your weekly and monthly meal planning!

Seriously y’all…these months keep flying by.  The days seem to be going faster (which is great news, because I need spring. desperately.) The kids won’t stop growing. And with all these things happening so fast, I don’t have time to not have a plan.

Plans keep me sane. Keep me focused and keep me one step ahead of myself.

(Which is the only way I can keep up with these days and months flying around like they are.)

This month I’m going to do something a little different…I’m going to write out a list of new meals that I’d like to try, along with a list of family favorites that I know we have the ingredients for in the pantry. (Pantry staples recipes found here.)  I will get the new recipes that we try posted as quickly as possible!

New Recipes

• Rigatoni with Dried Tomatoes and Grilled Chicken
• Apple Chicken Meatballs
• Orange Honey Teriyaki Chicken
• Hawaiian Chicken in the Slow Cooker
• Loaded Potato Frittata
• Black Bean Chili
• Chorizo and Lentil Soup
• Black-eyed Pea Soup of some sort!
• Southwest Macaroni and Cheese
• Curried Quinoa
• Apricot Chicken
• Skillet Lasagna
• Tabbouleh with Quinoa
• Mini Pizza Pockets

Old Favorites

• Spaghetti with Herbed Meatballs
• Meatloaf with Potatoes and Veggie (from my recent batch cooking adventure)
• Tacos
• BBQ Chicken Pizza
• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Cranberry Pork Chops

Want to know more about why I plan my menus out each month? Read more here…

Want to give monthly meal planning a try?!?…check out all the printable planners and templates that will help with your weekly and monthly meal planning!

It’s so lovely having a plan. Even if it doesn’t get executed as you’d hoped, it’s still lovely to have a plan! Especially a meal plan!

There is nothing worse than walking up to the refrigerator at 5 pm wondering what in the world you’ll be having for dinner.

Nothing worse.

It’s such a terrible feeling.

(OK, so there may be some worse things in life.)

But back to the plan.  A meal plan can eradicate the feeling for good.  Mama’s happier. Daddy’s happier. Kids are happier.

If you’re not meal planning, I highly encourage you to start. And get rid of that awful what’s for dinner feeling!

It’s February.  A short month.

I’ll be out of town for a few days later in the month.  Nana is coming to the boys’ rescue!

And I’m planning on doing another Vintage Recipe Week!  I’ll be whipping up a few meals from my grandmother’s cookbook from 1942, and wishing I was in her vintage kitchen cooking along side her.

31- Dinner at Church
1- Slow Cooker Creole Chicken with Veggies
2- Burger Goulash on Mashed Potatoes
3- Pork Roast
4- Breakfast for Dinner…probably Spiced Pumpkin Waffles
5- Pork Chops
6- Leftovers or Sandwiches

Vintage Recipe Week

7-  Corn-Sausage Casserole
8-  Spanish Rice
9-  “Baked Beans That Are Different”
10-  Spaghetti Souffle
11-  Spanish Stew
12-  Out for Dinner – Celebrating V-Day early!
13-  Leftovers or Sandwiches

14- Skillet Lasagna
15- Pork Chops
16- Mexican Pizza
17- Chicken and Smothered Okra
18- Italian Wedding Soup
19- Leftovers or Sandwiches
20- Mama’s out of town – Nana’s in charge!

21- Mama’s out of town – Nana’s in charge!
22- Mama’s out of town – Nana’s in charge!
23- Mama’s out of town – Nana’s in charge!
24- Chili in Homemade Bread Bowls
25- Pan Fried Tilapia
26- Rolled Pizza Bread
27- Leftovers or Sandwiches

Want to know more about why I plan my menus out each month? Read more here…

Want to give monthly meal planning a try?!?…check out all the printable planners and templates that will help with your weekly and monthly meal planning!

Better late than never, right?!?

I’m finally home from most of my travels, and I’m anxious to get back in the kitchen!!!   I’m continuing with my December plan to cook mostly from the freezer and pantry, and I have just about everything I need on hand for the following meals!  Here’s the tentative plan for the month…

• Beef Tamale Skillet Dinner (sharing recipe tonight)
• Stuffed Spinach Chicken
• Scrambled Eggs and Pancakes from the Freezer
• Baked Salsa Chicken
• Chofan – A Dominican Rice Dish
• Mini Pizza Pockets
• Pasta with Diced Chicken, similar to this one
• Rolled Pizza Bread
• Italian Wedding Soup
• Slow Cooker Creole Chicken
• Baked Beans
• Rosemary Chicken Thighs

I will also be making a couple batches of Lynn’s Whole Wheat Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, as I have quite a bit of diced and shredded zucchini in my freezer from a ginormous zucchini that I bought at the farmer’s market this past summer!).

Plus we have 3 nights this month where we’ll be dining with friends…one time I’m feeding the crew, another time I’m bringing the dessert, and we’re still finalizing plans for the 3rd night out!

Want to know more about why I plan my menus out each month? Read more here…

Want to give monthly meal planning a try?!? Check out all the printable planners and templates that will help with your weekly and monthly meal planning!

This month is proving to be quite the challenge from a meal planning standpoint!

Here’s why this month is a challenge…I’ll be out of town for a few days. We’ll be eating out a number of times with family and friends. We’ll be enjoying a few holiday parties. And we’ll generally be running around with our heads loosely attached to our necks.

The holidays get so crazy and hectic, but somewhere in all the madness, we have to stop to cook and eat. This month, I’m just going to create a list of about 18-20 meals that I will be making.  Also, I already have on hand most, if not, all of the ingredients I will need to prepare each of the meals on the list below.

So that being said…I hereby officially declare December a Pantry and Freezer Challenge Month!  The goal will be to spend less than $35 per week at the grocery store each week during December.  (I should also note that I am not at all responsible for any part of our Christmas meal, so that will help me keep our overall grocery budget down this month too.)  I’ll be getting the basics…produce, milk, snacks, maybe some meats, if the price is right. I’m hoping to create a little more room in the freezer and pantry as we move into 2011!!!

Oh, and we’ll probably be having each of these meals with spinach…as I found 10 (yes, 10) packages in the freezer!!!

• Cider Beef Stew

• Sausage Split Pea Soup

• Garlic Chicken in Slow Cooker

• Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Thighs

• Apricot Walnut Chicken

• Red Beans and Rice

• Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

• Grilled Chicken Fajita Pasta

• Shrimp Scampi and Corn Cobs (in the freezer)

• Salsa Chicken - a baked version

• Chicken Zucchini Stew on Rice

• Pasta with Chunky Bolognese Sauce

• Cranberry Pork Chops

• Chili Topped Potatoes and Honey Baked Lentils (found only in The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook)

• Pumpkin Pancakes (also found in soon-to-be-released The $5 Dinner Mom Breakfast and Lunch Cookbook!)

• Waffles, Eggs and Bacon

• Breakfast: Katie’s Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (Doubled this recipe on Thanksgiving morning and froze 3 pans worth!)

That’s what I’ve got! Recipes that I have not added a link to will be posted sometime during the month. Let the Pantry and Freezer Challenge Begin…

Want to know more about why I plan my menus out each month? Read more here. Want to give monthly meal planning a try?!…check out all the printable planners and templates that will help with your weekly and monthly meal planning!

Oh my. It’s November!

I don’t know why I’m surprised at how quickly every new month comes, but I am!  November brings so much warmth back into the kitchen…I can’t wait to use the slow cooker more, use up some of the last veggies from the farmer’s market (LINK), and of course plan and execute a most amazing Thanksgiving feast!

I’m getting hungry, just thinking about it

1- Beef, Mushroom and Barley Soup
2- Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Medley
3- Slow Cooker Spicy Chili
4- Breakfast for Dinner
5- Grilled Taco Pizza
6- Spaghetti
7- Zucchini-Sausage Cornbread (Reader Recipe!)

8- Individual Beef Pies
9- Cuban Black Beans and Rice from The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook
10- Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps (Slow Cooker)
11- Pumpkin Waffles and Scrambled Eggs
12- Brown Rice with Black-eyed Peas and Greens
13- Tacos
14- Leftovers or Sandwiches

15- Tuna Melt Pie
16- Pantry Staples Meal
17- Pasta Salad
18- Baked Chicken Marsala
19- Spaghetti
20- We’ll see what’s on sale this week and make a “bargain meal!”
21- Leftovers or Sandwiches

22-  Beef Stew or Soup
23- Pasta with Tomatoes and Olives
24- Sandwiches or Pancakes – Super Light Supper!
25- Thanksgiving Meal – Still working on the plan
26- Leftovers
27- More Leftovers
28-Sandwiches or Out to Dinner

Want to know more about why I plan my menus out each month? Read more here…

Want to give monthly meal planning a try?!?…check out all the printable planners and templates that will help with your weekly and monthly meal planning!

In order to have a little fun, while adding a little more structure to my meal planning, I thought we’d have themed weeks this month!  This first week, I’m going to attempt to clean out the pantry during Pantry Staples Week.  I’ll use up the ingredients by making some old favorites, and trying out some new recipes too.

Vintage Recipe Week is a tribute to my grammy, who passed away earlier this year.  I’ll be making recipes from a cookbook of hers from 1940!

And now that Autumn is here to stay, we’ll be celebrating with a warm your tummy and your heart Soups and Stews Week.

Pantry Staples Week
4- Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken
5- Janet’s Pasta with Bolognese
6- Chicken Enchilada Chili
7- Jamie’s Cajun Meatball Stew
8- Chorizo and Black Bean Soup
9- Grill sumpin’
10- Leftovers or Sandwiches

Vintage Recipe Week
11- German Coffee Cake
12- Chicken Croquettes
13- Smothered Pork Chops
14- Shipwreck Stew
15- Swedish Tea Rolls
16- Back to 2010 Food…and we’ll go out to dinner!
17- Leftovers or Sandwiches

18- Breakfast Tacos for Dinner
19- Spaghetti - Mama’s Out of Town
20- Homemade Pizza with Carrot Sticks – Mama’s Out of Town
21- Ranchero Black and Pinto Beans
22- We’ll see what’s on sale this week and make a “bargain meal!”
23- Sesame Chicken Stirfry
24- Leftovers or Sandwiches

Soups and Stews Week

We’ll be trying reader recipes all week.  Will post as we make them.

Want to know more about why I plan my menus out each month? Read more here…

Want to give monthly meal planning a try?!?…check out all the printable planners and templates that will help with your weekly and monthly meal planning!

We’ll be starting the September Meal Plan after Labor Day…mostly because I already know what we are having this week.  And I have no idea what we’ll be having this weekend…other than Rehearsal Dinner Food, Wedding Reception Food, and Cake! Yum!!!

6-
7- BBQ Chicken with Mini Corn Muffins
8- Out with Family
9- Black Bean and Salsa Chicken
10- Pasta E Fagioli
11-  Sandwiches or Leftovers
12- Grill Burgers

Gonna be a little heavy on the carbs this next week…as Steve will be running in the Air Force Marathon on Saturday…

13- Pasta with Corn and Bacon
14- Adobe Chili and Apricot Chicken - Get Green, Be Well…thanks Kimberly!!!
15- Emeril’s Essence Chicken
16- Pasta with Italian Sausage (Warning:  This will not be a $5 Dinner!)
17- Spaghetti – Carbo Load Night
18- Sandwiches or Leftovers (or whatever the marathon runner wants!!!)
19- Grill Burgers

20- Turkey Pumpkin Chili
21- Mini Cheesy Salsa Meatloaves - A Southern Fairytale…thanks Rachel!!!
22- Chorizo Breakfast Tacos
23- Lentils and Rice of some sort
24- We’ll see what’s on sale this week and make a “bargain meal!”
25- Sandwiches or Leftovers
26- Birthday Dinner!!! I’ll be celebrating the 8th anniversary of my 25th birthday!

I’m off to NYC this next week…but I’ll be leaving behind some favorites!

27- Chicken of some sort
28- Meatloaf
29- Spaghetti
30- Out on a Daddy Date!
1- Pork Roast with Apples and Pears
2- Chicken Sliders
3-  Will we still be grilling?!  I hope so!

Want to know more about why I plan my menus out each month? Read more here…

Want to give monthly meal planning a try?!?…check out all the printable planners and templates that will help with your weekly and monthly meal planning!