Happy Week-After-Thanksgiving menu... and here comes December

Last week's menu worked pretty well -

Friday was amended slightly (we had Pasta Fagioli soup in the crock) and Saturday was a family seafood fest...but other than that, it went according to plan.

This week, as usual, we'll be busy, and it'll be cold, so here's a hearty menu to go with the weather.

Sunday~ beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes, gravy with mushrooms, swiss beans

Monday~ I had planned ravioli, but it's supposed to rain. We'll have leftover Pasta Fagioli instead.

Tuesday~ ds#3 begins a new baseball clinic every Tuesday evening. We'll make it quick with Cole's Ravioli Dinner, which I scored for a whopping $3.99.

Wednesday~ BBQ chicken in the crock pot (only with bone-in chicken breasts), mac'n'cheese, baked beans in the mini-crock, and cornbread

Thursday~ Breakfast for Dinner: Waffles (using up some leftover sweet potatoes), eggs, bacon

Friday~ Red Beans & Rice with sausage

Saturday~ we didn't have enough leftover turkey for sandwiches, so hubby is requesting a turkey! It'll be roast turkey with stuffing & gravy, and hopefully a salad from the lettuce growing in our raised beds!

What are you cooking? Share at Menu Plan Monday!

Thanksgiving Week Menu

I have so many emotions running through me ...

• This weekend marked the one-year anniversary of my grandfather's passing. There are some days when the grief still overwhelms me, but I am thankful that he is no longer shackled by a weak and sickened body; his soul is now free.
• My second son is across the ocean in a foreign country. Last Thanksgiving, it was son #1, the Marine. Will I ever get used to being a military mom?

Sigh.

My Marine will, however, be home this year. And my (not-so-) baby boy is still here... he's only 10 - we've got a few more years with him. And my man... my husband... he is such a constant: faithful, steadfast, strong for me. For these things, I am extremely thankful.

On to the menu.

Last week, we failed miserably. But I did have a plan, as I will this week. We'll see how it goes. :)

Sunday~ Loaded baked potatoes, soup

Monday~ Tacos & burritos (ds#3's request)

Tuesday~ Pizza (from the freezer - also ds#3's request)

Wednesday~ LEFTOVERS... gotta clean out and make room for the Thanksgiving goodies!

Thursday~ Happy Thanksgiving! So much food it makes my stomach hurt just to think of it: Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rice & gravy, sweet potato casserole (a lot like this), swiss beans, ambrosia, my Grandfather's cucumber salad (similar to this one). For dessert: pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple cherry pie. Maybe some brownies for the kiddos. Whew.

Friday~ Mom, sis & I have a Black Friday shopping tradition. My dad is making us Hot Browns after the shop.

Saturday~ Who knows.... some remake of leftovers or maybe just turkey sandwiches. :)

November Menu #3

We have a plan so that there's something in place...

so that we aren't subject to the whims of the day...

so that we don't break the bank going out to eat.

That said, we did not do such a terrific job of FOLLOWING the plan last week!

Wednesday, we ended up with leftovers (which was fine, because there were plenty); Thursday, hubby & I went out because ds#3 was at a local airshow with my dad & brother; Friday, we had spaghetti, and Saturday was out to dinner for my brother-in-law's birthday.

So here's to a new week, and a new plan.

Sunday~ Turkey (Publix has them on sale for .59/lb, which is the cheapest I've seen in a while), stuffing, homemade gravy, butternut squash gratin

Monday~ Open-faced turkey sandwiches (use leftover turkey & gravy), chips

Tuesday~ French onion soup, grilled cheese sandwiches

Wednesday~ Red beans & rice (that we didn't eat last week)

Thursday~ Dear Son has a musical at school - we'll go out to eat afterward

Friday~ Pizza from the freezer

Saturday~ TBA... probably leftovers or something simple to clean out the fridge in preparation for next week!

What's cookin' in your casa?

Share at Menu Plan Monday!

November Menu #2

Time is marching on. What a busy week last week... this week will be no different. I'll have late rehearsals and a district-wide performance, while hubby prepares for a workday with his History Club this weekend. I want to do something special for Veterans Day on Thursday, but haven't decided quite what.

Here's what's cookin'... or at least the PLAN for what we'll cook!

Sunday~ Tacos

Monday~ Chili in the crockpot (using leftover taco meat), with macaroni, homemade rolls

Tuesday~ Fend For Yourself. Ds#3 has to bowl, and I've got a concert.

Wednesday~ Breakfast for dinner. Grits, sausage, eggs. Yum.

Thursday~ HOLIDAY - Thank a Vet!!! Perhaps a cookout with the fam.

Friday~ Red beans & rice with sausage.

Saturday~ Eggplant parmesan. Froze the breaded eggplant when our garden was in full swing. Now to make good use of it!

We all participated in our first 5K this weekend, and I'm very proud of us! We hope to make this a more frequent event. :)

Have a wonderful week -

and share your menu inspirations at Menu Plan Monday!!!

And here comes November... Menu #1

It amazes me that November is already here. But life has been so busy and so eventful that I'm not really sure why I'm amazed... Christmas is not far away now!

On to the menu.

Sunday~ Roast in the crockpot, mashed potatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, multigrain rolls

Monday~ Crock pot Bacon & Cheese Chicken (from Stephanie, the Crockpot Lady!), rice, tossed salad

Tuesday~ Baked potato bar (cook potatoes in crock)

Wednesday~ 60% chance of rain and falling temperatures=soup! Pasta Fagioli and homemade bread

Thursday~ late rehearsal for Mom = FFYS for the boys

Friday~ Leftovers!

Saturday~ Hubby, ds#3 and me will participate in our first 5K together, so I'm leaving the day open... we'll see how it unfolds!

Share in the menu madness at Laura's.

The end of October as we know it...

This week promises to be an eventful and emotional week.

My baby boy turns ten. TEN.

My Marine son will be home for a week with his brothers. (That has not happened in several months.)

My Airman son comes home for a visit, then deploys for six months.

Sigh.

And the troops have to eat, so here's the plan.

Sunday~ family cookout to celebrate son #3's birthday. His request: steak on the grill, baked potatoes, tossed salad, rolls, and cupcakes for dessert.

Monday~ Jambalaya (recipe below), salad, rolls

Tuesday~ Beef tips & gravy, egg noodles

Wednesday~ another family cookout to see all THREE boys at the same time: burgers & dogs on the grill, mac'n'cheese, baked beans.

Thursday~ FFYS. Boys going to an out-of-town ballgame; son #2 flies back to base; Mom has a late rehearsal.

Friday~ either spaghetti or pancakes :)

Saturday~ probably a trip to our local fair, so lots of fattening fair food!

Jambalaya:

(A friend gave me this recipe years ago - I'm sorry that I don't know where she got it, but I can tell you it's super easy and tasty!)

Make this mix ahead and store it (or gift it) in jars, or assemble ingredients when you decide to make the dish.

*1 cup uncooked rice

*1 Tbsp onion (you can use powder but I like to used diced onion. If making a mix, use dried onion flakes.)

*1 Tbsp green pepper flakes (you can also use fresh if you're not making the mix)

*1 Tbsp dried parsley

*1 Bay leaf

*2 tsp beef bouillon

*1/2 tsp garlic powder

*1/2 tsp pepper

*1/4 tsp thyme (I like thyme, so I use a little more)

*1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Combine all dry ingredients and store.

To prepare:

Bring mix along 3 cups water and 8 ounces tomato sauce to boil in dutch oven. Stir in 1 cup chopped cooked chicken and 1 cup chopped cooked ham (or whatever meats your family likes - I like to use turkey kielbasa). Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove bay leaf and serve.

If you use dry ingredients, this is a nice gift with a can of tomato sauce attached; the recipient just adds water and meats of choice. Call it "Dinner In A Hurry". Add a roll mix in a basket with the jambalaya for the whole package!

Share your menus at Menu Plan Monday.

October Menu, week two

Last week's menu went almost according to plan:

we did NOT have spaghetti on Wednesday, so everything got bumped up a night, and hubby decided we should eat out on Friday, which we did.

Now, on to this week:

Sunday~ Ds#1's birthday. He will not be home, but we'll think of him as we have eggplant parmesan (eggplant is from the garden earlier in the summer; I prepped & froze it), spaghetti noodles, french bread rolls.

ACTUALLY... that was my plan, but hubby announced he didn't feel like eating eggplant parm - couldn't we have some leftover roast with mashed potatoes (which, of course, I had already put in the freezer)? So... that's what we had.

Monday~ Ball game @ 5:30. Snack, then spaghetti after the game

Tuesday~ Dinner out with a friend

Wednesday~ Pancakes & sausage. We love breakfast for dinner!

Plan amended again... Chicken Enchilada Suiza casserole, courtesy of Rachael Ray.

Thursday~ First concert of the year at school, and a ball game at 7:15. It's every man for himself.

Friday~ Chicken Enchilada Suiza casserole, courtesy of Rachael Ray. This is new for us, so I'm anxious to see how it turns out.

Another amendment: our city's annual Greek Festival is this weekend and we'll be savoring the food there!!!

Saturday~ TBA - perhaps a big family dinner.

What are you cookin'? Share at Menu Plan Monday!