Can I just reiterate how nice it is to have a menu planned? I used to just stand looking in the freezer/pantry/fridge at 4:30 every night trying to figure out what to eat.
We ate a lot of spaghetti, tacos, and pasta with pesto. In other words, not a lot of variety.
Now it's nice that these are just my go-to easy meals if something falls through on the planned menu (though we like these and they are often on the regular menu, too).
Not everything works out, but that's OK. Like last week, I planned to make roasted vegetables on Thursday and use them in a Shepherd's pie on Sunday. It was a recipe I had torn out of a magazine that looked good. Two things happened to make this not work:
We ate up all the roasted vegetables on Thursday and I had only 20 minutes to make a meal quick for a hungry crew on Sunday or they were going to raid the refrigerator. I suppose the main thing was lack of the vegetables, but even if I had them, it wasn't a 20 minute meal.
Maybe another day.
The other great benefit to menu planning is that daily question from kids, "what's for dinner?"
To which I can say, "go look at the menu." And I get no grief about it, because for some reason they think because it's written down it's unchangeable.
And that's OK with me. :-)
Monday- Dijon Chicken Stew with Potatoes and Kale, carrots and dip, artisan bread
Tuesday- Roasted-Vegetable Bisque, shrimp curry over rice, Asian slaw
Wednesday- Haystacks made with slow-cooked chili beans
Thursday- *Appetizer Dinner: glazed chicken wings, bruschetta & tomato topping, vegetable plate with feta dip, bacon and cheese dip with crackers, deviled eggs
Friday- Potato and Caramelized Onion Frittata, Quick Breadsticks, salad
Saturday- Homemade Pizza
Sunday- Spaghetti with red sauce and sausage
*Every once in awhile I like to have an appetizer meal where we can have all the fun finger foods we like without having to worry about saving room for dinner! Try it- it's fun. :-)
-Jami
5 comments:
Your Appetizer-Dinner Night sounds like fun! Sometimes DH and I will have homemade nachos for dinner..I love that!
We love to do appetizer nights too! My husband especially loves the homemade potato skins and my daughters love the homemade chicken tenders.
Just recently discovered your blog and am really enjoying it - thanks!
Once again your menu looks wonderful!
Did I tll you I made the roasted Vegetable Bisque last week? It was a huge hit! My picky 5 year old even ate it and my husband liked it so much he suggested I make it for Thanksgiving dinner. Oh! and I brought some of the left overs to work for lunch the next day and one of my co-workers saw it and asked me for the recipe.
Janelle-
Isn't it great when you serve something you know is mostly vegetables (hence, good for you)and everyone loves it? Best feeling!
April and Amanda-
Glad to know some others have appetizer nights, too. Thought I was kinda weird...but we like it!
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