I didn't stop blogging, I'm just knitting!

Nothing quite ready for pictures yet, but I'm hoping in the next few days to have completed a few things to share. Lots of business going on here, but due to a major lack of sleep, not much thinking about blogging. :) But I did want to share my menus...it is such fun to do this! I'm thinking of doing a series of posts on the follow through of the menu. With pictures of the food each day along with recipes, what do you think?

Well, for now, here's what's coming up on our plates.....

Breakfasts: Oatmeal with brown sugar, raisins and milk

Lunch: PB&J or leftovers

Snacks: Yogurt, string cheese, cookies, crackers (Mommy- trail mix, yogurt)

Dinners:

Mac'n'cheese with green beans

Creamy garlic chicken pizza

Chili & cornbread

Sweet and sour meatballs (new make ahead recipe)

Crock pot roast, roasted vegetables, rolls, broccoli "Wellesley Fudge Cake" (new recipe)

Spaghetti & meat sauce, garlic bread, green beans

Chicken & rice pot pie (new recipe)

Oven baked Chicken Chimichangas (new recipe)

I'm doing more new recipes than usual, but I am feeling the need for some fresh inspiration, and my latest "Cooks Country" magazine arrived just in time! :) Also, since we will be gone for a few days over Thanksgiving, there are a few days planned simply as "left overs" so that we can clean out the fridge before we go. I hate coming home to nasty food!

As for special Thanksgiving things, I'm planning on making two loaves of THIS Cranberry Orange Bread, and a batch of spiced nuts (new recipe). I'll be sure to share recipes and details for the good new things! Saturday will be a busy day of cleaning, cooking and crafting, (and Joe's going to put our Christmas lights up, because we like to turn them on the first Sunday of Advent) then Sunday Joe and I have a date to finish up the last of our Christmas shopping. After that I will just have to get busy with my crafting! I can't wait to pull out our Christmas bins! I have some new plans for Advent this year, and I am so excited to share!

What yummy things are you making??

Menu Plan:: November 6-19

I'm trying to use what we have in the freezer and pantry this time so that I can do a bit of fabric shopping. (Those of you have seen my sewing room please stop laughing, I need a few things for my wardrobe!!) So without further ado...

All breakfasts: Fried egg sandwiches (two pieces toast, 1 fried egg, 1 piece bacon)

Morning snack: Doodles- "mix up", Mommy- yogurt

Lunches: Vegetable soup with pepperoni rolls (the Doodles might just eat the rolls)

After nap snack: Doodles- Applesauce and muffin, Mommy- Trail mix

Dinners:

Friday- Homemade mac'n'cheese, green beans

Saturday- Homemade pizza (family night)

Sunday- Crockpot roast, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes and pie for dessert (have to choose a kind!)

Monday- Lasagna, salad, and garlic bread

Tuesday- Chicken pot pie

Wednesday- Pancake night (at my sister-in-law's--I bring eggs and or bacon)

Thursday- Leftover night/or PB&J (Joe almost always works late Thursday, so I like to keep it easy)

This time I'm trying a new way of writing this out. I normally just put it in my notebook, but this week I'm also trying writing each day out and posting it on my fridge. I think it will help things go smoother to have it right there in front of me! What's on your menu?

Shopping Day ~Menu

I'm pleased t report that we did pretty well last time, but I hope to stick to the menu even better this time. I'm also hoping to get some chili made up to freeze to have on hand for back up dinners. :)

Breakfasts- Bagels and/or cereal

Snack- Animal crackers and or yogurt

Lunches- Sandwiches- pb&j or grilled cheese

Snack- "finger cookies", raisins etc.

Dinners-

Cheeseburgers and F.F.

Joseph's chicken, salad, rolls

Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, vegies

Spaghetti w/ meat sauce, garlic bread, salad (brownies for desert)

Pizza and sundaes (family night)

Left overs or chili and cornbread (depending on left overs quantities)

Off to the store!

Menus

Inspired by Emily's post on menu planning, I thought I would start sharing our menus. They are nothing fancy, and I am always learning on this front, but I like seeing such things on other blogs, so I thought I'd share. :) I have a few things that I try to keep in mind when menu planning...

What do I already have?

What sorts of local produce will we be getting in our CSA share?

Add least two new recipes

The other important things to mention are that I plan for two weeks at a time, sometimes 10-12 different dinners, sometimes 5 or 6 that get rotated twice. I try to factor in snacks so that we keep everyone's blood sugar levels up and friendly, and try to balance frugality, healthiness and yumminess. :) We've just started doing family night on Saturday, and we try to fit in a date night or two over the two weeks. This is probably the lamest one we've had in a while, in terms of healthiness, but I felt the early stages of a fever/cold while making it and I needed simple things

Menu~ August 15-28

Breakfasts~ Bagels or oatmeal, OJ (coffee!!)

Snack~ pretzel sticks

Lunch~ pb&j/grilled cheese/turkey & cheese, milk, "finger cookies" maybe raisins etc.

Snack~ animal crackers & raisins

Dinners~

Spicy Spaghetti Pie

Cheeseburgers & french fries

Fried Rice

Stuffed Peppers, flavored rice

Chili & cornbread

Pizza (family night), Banana splits/Sundaes

Date night or leftover night (in a pinch we'll do eggs and pancakes)

Desert/Snack~ (mostly for grown ups after babies are in bed!) Ice cream/Oreos/Chips

So there it is! My new recipe this week is spaghetti sauce, I'm starting with whole tomatoes, so we'll see what happens! So how do you menu plan? What's on your menus right now?