July 28 - August 3

Th. 28 - Veggie Delight*, Garlic Bread
Fr. 29 - Ham Sandwiches, Tater Rounds
Sa. 30 - Spaghetti, Salad
Su. 31 - Beef Stew
Mo. 1 - Saucy Pork and Pepper, Rice
Tu. 2 - Mojo Chicken, Black Beans and Rice
We. 3 - Grilled Pork Chops, Roasted Potatoes, Broccoli


*Sauted Zucchini and Roma Tomatoes over Penne Pasta 

Zebra Cake - Cross Section

 To make a cake with zebra stripes on the inside, start with a white cake mix and split the batter in half.  Add cocoa and a little oil to one half.  I can't say how much, just taste a dab and see if you like it.  Alternate pools of white and chocolate batter on top of each other.  When you are done, shake the pan gently to get the batter to the edges of the pan.  In hindsight, I would have reserved more white than the chocolate because it seemed like the chocolate batter overwhelmed the cake.  They were also a little flatter than I'd hoped, but that didn't bother the birthday girl :)

July 14 - 20, 2016

14 - Pizza, Salad
15 - Spaghetti and Meatball Bake, Salad, Rolls
16 - Puptent Pie, Carrots
17 - leftovers
18 - Herbed Chicken and Broccoli, Tomatoes, Cottage Cheese
19 - Oriental Fish, Asian Roasted Carrots and Broccoli, Noodles
20 - Hodge Podge Soup, Crackers, Cheese

Everything pink in this photo is actually red.  We made jello poke cupcakes for our 4th of July patriotic dessert.  I followed the instructions on this website.  In hindsight, I was way too conservative with the jello and could have added a lot more.  But they were easy to make and liked by all.

June 23 - 29, 2016

23 - Pizza (Natalie's Birthday)
24 - Chicken Sausage and Pasta (Taken to a potluck)
25 - Grilled Pork Chops, Baked Potatoes, Baked Beans
26 - Tropical Island Shrimp, Quinoa, Broccoli
27 - Fried Fish, Hush Puppies, French Fries
28 - Bramble Beans, Corn Bread
29 - Grilled Chicken, Black Beans, Rice (and Yellow Curry Sauce)

Having a toddler is really taking a toll on my creativity.  Lately, when making a meal plan, the first thing I do is bring out my old meal planner and see what we ate last year on the same week! 

May 12-18, 2016

12 - Ham and Cheese Ziti Casserole, Salad
13 - Chicken Curry, Rice, Carrot Sticks
14 - Fried Fish (caught by Caleb), Slaw, Fries, Pickles (my family always included pickles with fried fish!)
15 - Roast Pork Loin, Green Beans, Dumplings, sauerkraut
16 - Beef Stroganoff, Egg Noodles, Peas
17 - Pizza, Salad
18 - Carnitas, Pinto Beans, Rice

He caught all of these!  The two nearest him are large mouth bass - the longer one is 17 inches.  The lesser 13.5 (if it had been 14 he would have had to throw it back).  The rest are Mayan Cichlids  - an invasive and very abundant fish in the Everglades.  There are no size or bag limits for the cichlids and they taste good.

April 21-27, 2016

21 - Parmesan Chicken, Broccoli, Carrots
22 - Sausage and Potatoes with Peppers
23 - Ultimate Grilled Pork Chops, Potatoes, Baked Beans
24 - Sloppy Joes, Onion Rings, Veggie Sticks
25 - Rustic Summer Pasta, Bread
26 - Beef and Barley Stew
27 - Likely Leftovers!

The Parmesan chicken is an old Taste of Home recipe that I cannot find on their website.  It is basically chicken breaded with Parmesan and bread crumbs and baked.  I used to make it a lot, but haven't in a long time.

April 7 - 13, 2016

7 - Mojo Grilled Chicken, Black Beans and Rice - all from scratch!
8 - Beef Stew
9 - Grilled Bratwurst, Tomatoes with cottage cheese, Carrot Coins
10 - Pork Loin, Green Beans, Dumplings, Sauerkraut
11 - Grilled Chicken on a green salad
12 - Spaghetti, Salad, Rolls
13 - Dinner at church

The 8th is debatable - we are getting a new air conditioner and it will be installed that day and I need to keep the kids out of the house most of the day, so do I see myself making a savory beef stew?  Probably not.

And a culinary highlight from last week:

Hamburger Cupcake

Sack race where hamburger cupcakes were consumed.

March 31 - April 6, 2016

A less inspiring meal plan, since 3 of these days we didn't/won't eat at home.

31 - Gram's Fried Chicken*, Steamed Broccoli, Carrot Sticks
1 - Youth For Christ KIX "Starry Night" fundraiser - i.e. hot dogs
2 - Turkey Marsala* Salad
3 - Church Picnic - we're bringing "Hamburger Cupcakes"
4 - Dijon Pork Medallions*, Green Beans, Mushroom Rice
5 - White Chicken Chili, Tortilla Chips
6 - Probably Leftovers

*Taste of Home, but Subscriber Exclusive

For lunch, about every other week, I make a pinto bean soup in the pressure cooker and then simmer off most of the liquid and serve it as bean burritos the next day.  This is nice in so many ways - beans are cheap and low fat, and eating it twice makes it extra easy.  Cooking in the pressure cooker always feels like I'm cheating the system.  Plus, the kids like both meals.  Yea Mom!

March 24-30, 2016

R 24 - Hamburgers, Baked Mac & Cheese, Broccoli
F 25 - Pepper Chicken Fettuccine, French Bread
S 26 - Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs, Baked Beans, Corn
U 27 - Easter Chili, Crackers, Cheese
M 28 - Hot Dogs, Broccoli, Carrots
T 29 - Skillet Lasagna, Bread, Salad
W 30 - Probably leftovers

At some point over the weekend we will make Resurrection Rolls at Annalise's request.  She made them in one of her enrichment classes today and "they were all wrong, Mom."  But they tasted good.

And here is a throwback - I made this cake for Valentine's Day:

March 10-16, 2016

for Meredith

R - Cajun Red Beans and Rice with Smoked Turkey Sausage

F - Grilled Chicken Thighs, Baked Potatoes, Peas
S - Tacos, Refried Beans, Spanish Rice

U - Roast Beef with Root Vegetables, Copycat Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
M - Thai Red Curry with Vegetable, Rice, Egg Rolls
T - Roast Pork Loin, Sauerkraut, Dumplings, Green Beans
W - Asian Inspired Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Slaw, Tater Tots, Vegetable Sticks

Special Dessert - Coconut Pecan Cake with Coconut Flavored 7 Minute Frosting

I have to say that being one of those people who prefer chocolate desserts, the coconut cake was extremely good and the 7 minute frosting seemed like a magic trick.  I made it for my dad's birthday because someone somewhere along the way said my Nanny used to make him a coconut cake.

June 18-24, 2015

18 - Spaghetti, Salad, Rolls
19 - Chicken Curry, Rice, Steamed Carrots
20 - Beef and Barley Stew
21 - Chili, Cornbread, Carrots
22 - Chili-dogs/Hot dogs, Broccoli, Carrots
23 - eating out for Natalie's birthday (5!)
24 - Quick Italian Vegetable Skillet, Bread

The Quick Italian Vegetable Skillet is from Taste of Home.

I have neglected this blog for a loooong time, but the other day I flipped through my planning notebook and realized that I have months and months of meal plans, so updating this blog should be almost no extra work.

My meal plans have expanded as our family has expanded, I have a plan for all three meals, three planned snack options, and two planned dessert options for each week.  I did this because I've seen that not having to decide what's for breakfast, lunch, or dinner is not only a time-saver, it's a sanity saver too.  It sounds like a mundane decision, but when you are feeding 6 people even mundane decisions can get stressful.  As often as possible, I follow the plan.  The only regular deviation is that if we have leftovers, I sometimes replace them for the scheduled lunch.

While I like to cook, feeding 4 kids means cooking a lot almost every day.  It is exhausting.  So I have learned to find and use shortcuts.  Some that work for me are:
*Buying onions in bulk (3lb) about once a month and chopping them all - I wear a mask because the fumes are intense.  I spread them thinly on a cookie sheet and freeze them overnight, then put them in a gallon bag.  This is not suitable for onions consumed fresh, but for recipes calling for diced onions, this is fine and saves time.
*Rotating meat weekly - I budget $15 for meat and buy a different category of meat each week.  I am still working on getting it right, but it should work out that we have extra frozen each week to use in the next week or two.  Buying it like this means I can process larger amounts without it being too complicated.  Frozen chicken is already done for me, so I try to do onions that week.  I buy $15 of ground beef once a month, brown it with onions and portion it in half and whole pounds and freeze.  It is a huge time saver both in cooking and washing up.
*Meals are non-negotiable.  The kids have to eat what's served.  Is this severe?  I don't think so.  If the food is truly inedible, that's different.
*A sink full of suds - while dinner is cooking I run a big hot sink full of soapy water.  After the meal, the dishes can slide right in to soak.  I rarely have time to wash dishes immediately after a meal.  I like to cook but I very much dislike washing dishes!!!

For now, I also have to plan to prepare a little extra food on the side that Irene can eat.  In the past, I made lots of baby food, but I needed the easy out this time.  She began rejecting jarred baby food a couple of weeks ago.  Most of our food is fine for her, but lacking molars, she has some extra needs. 

February Eatz

I am not sure what we ate in January!  I tried to keep things as simple as possible because thinking about food and looking at cookbooks was just too much for me!  Now that I am able to think about food again, I was glad to have a meal plan to lean on.  I've decided that cost and nutrition aside - the most appealing recipes right now are the ones that generate the least number of dirty dishes!

Weeks 1 & 3
W - Chicken with Curry Sour Cream Sauce, Rice, Broccoil
R - Spaghetti, Salad, Rolls
F - Ham, Home Fries, Peas
S - Cajun Shrimp, Grits, Broccoli
U - BBQ Apple Pork, Baked Beans, Cucumber Salad
M - Meatballs over Egg Noodles, Peas
T - Skillet Cassoulet, Bread

Weeks 2 & 4
W - Mediterranean Chicken with Lemon, Broccoli
R - Tacos, Refried Beans
F - Fried Rice, Dumplings
S - Pizza, Salad
U - Hodge Podge Soup, Crackers
M - Pork Marsala, Egg Noodles, Carrots
T - Red Beans and Rice, Carrots

November Eatz

Clearly there will be some amending of this meal plan on the 4th week.   (We are on week 2 already.)

1st and 3rd

M - Cuban Sandwich, Black Beans, Rice
T - Bean Soup with Sausage, Homemade Bread
W - Red Beans & Rice, Carrots
R - Fish Tacos, Refried Beans
F - Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Peas
S - Pizza, Salad
U - Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes

2nd and 4th
M - Pork Chops, Baked Potatoes, Carrots
T - Chicken Black Beans Soup, Tortilla Chips
W - Chicken Curry, Rice
R - Mojo Chicken, Black Beans & Rice
F - Spaghetti, Salad, Texas Toast
S - Fried Rice, Egg Rolls
U - Pork Loin, Green Beans, Sauerkraut, Dumplings

A couple of weeks ago, spaghetti was on the meal plan and I had a sudden craving for Texas toast.  After investigating online I made a loaf of Challah/Egg Bread and sliced it, buttered it lightly, sprinkled it with garlic powder and toasted it - voila - it was sublime!  There is a neat trick to make garlic toast without butter - you just toast the bread and then cut a clove of garlic and rub it over the hot toasted bread - it really is super garlic-y that way.

September Eatz

1st & 3rd
M - Brazilian Chicken Curry, Brown Rice, Broccoli
T - Pork Chops, BBQ Lentils, Carrots
W - Chicken Riggies, Salad
R - Easy Ropa Vieja Stew, Tortillas, Carrots
F - Corn Dogs, Broccoli, Carrots
S - Mojo Chicken, Black Beans, Rice & Yellow Sauce
U - Pork Loin, Sauerkraut, Dumplings, Green Beans

2nd & 4th
M - Falafal with Yogurt Sauce on Pitas, Cucumber Salad
T - New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice with Smoked Sausage
W - Kung Pao Chicken Stir Fry, Rice, Chinese Dumplings
R - Spaghetti, Salad, Rolls
F - Antipasto Salad, French Bread
S - Oven Fried Drumsticks, Garden Quinoa Salad
U - Slow Cooked Ribs, Macaroni Salad, Baked Beans

Brazilian Chicken Curry

I have a few experiments on this list - I'm not sure how the BBQ Lentils, Falafal, or Quinoa Salad are going to go over.  I've never made Chicken Riggies before either, but based on the ingredient list, I'm not expecting any dissenters! 

Over at Eat at Home Cooks, they are charging $7 for meals plans now!  It's 6 meals and one dessert (recipes included) with the shopping list provided.  So maybe that is worth it.  Meal planning is enough work that I'd like to get paid for it!  But it does really pay for itself.  When you compare the cost of eating at home to the cost of eating out, you can eat just about anything you'd like at home and save money.

August Eatz

Fear not - we did eat in July - but for one reason and then the next and the next July was anything but normal!  So here it is August already!

1st and 3rd:
F - Fresh Corn & Tomato Pasta
S - Speedy Tacos, Carrots
U - White Chili, Tortilla Crisps
M - Spaghetti, Salad, Rolls
T - Grilled Chicken, Marinated Vegetables
W - Italian Garden Pea Soup, Bread
R - Fish Tacos, Refried Beans

2nd and 4th:
F - Hero Pasta Salad, Rolls
S - Spinach Pizza/Sausage Pizza, Salad
U - Red Chili, Corn Bread Muffins, Carrots
M - Bean Chicken Salad, Bread
T - Skillet Lasagna, Salad
W - Black Bean Salsa over Eggs
R - Ground Beef Spiral Bake, Salad

We're already several days into this meal plan.  The Fresh Corn and Tomato Pasta was super yummy - it is from Taste of Home, but is "subscriber only" so let me know if you'd like the recipe.

June Eatz

If you are wondering where the May Eatz went, I did not make a month's meal plan for May.  There was so much left over from January to April, I mostly planned meals out of the pantry so that I could free up some room.

June 2013

1st & 3rd
M - Portabella Pasta Bake, Salad
T - Sausage Pizza, Salad
W - Beefy French Onion Pot Pie, Salad
R - Chicken in Tomato Caper Sauce, Pasta, Cucumbers
F - BBQ Mini Meatloaves, Mashed Potatoes, Carrots
S - Grilled Shrimp Scampi, Rice, Corn on the Cob
U - Pork Loin, Sauerkraut, Green Beans, Dumplings

2nd & 4th
M - Lentil & Mushroom Spaghetti, Rolls
T - BBQ Sandwiches, Garden Bow Pasta Salad
W - Chicken Enchilada Bake, Salad
R - Cuban Sandwiches, Black Beans, Rice
F - Fish Tacos, Refried Beans
S - Beef over Savory Polenta, Cucumber Salad
U - Bean Soup with Ham, Crescent Rolls

The Month of the Mushroom continues!  I told the kids it would go on until May 15 and after that mushrooms might pop up unexpectedly, but not with so much frequency.  I've not really been trying to hide them in food.  Annalise is very game to try new things and usually likes it.  Caleb tries it obediently, but with undisguised disdain.  Natalie is the sort of eater that picks every topping off a slice of pizza, eats the cheese and leaves the entire base of the crust and declares herself "full", that - in some form or fashion - is how she approaches most food.

April Eatz

1st and 3rd

T - New Orleans Red Beans and Rice, Carrots
W - Pizza, Salad
R - Mojo Chicken, Black Beans & Rice, Yellow Sauce
F - Skillet Lasagna, Salad
S - Fried Rice with Ham, Egg Rolls or Miso Soup
U - Pork Loin, Baked Potatoes, Broccoli
M - Tostadas, Mexican Rice

2nd and 4th

T - BBQ Chicken, Baked Potatoes, Green Peas
W - Hearty Sausage and Beans, Salad
R - Garlicy Beef & Tomatoes, Salad
F - Fish Tacos, Refried Pinto Beans
S - Pork Chops, Baked Beans, Baked Sweet Potatoes
U - Bramble Beans, Salad
M - BBQ Ham, Savory Polenta, Broccoli

We have gotten a little off schedule already!  Tonight I made the Mojo Chicken and while it was on our "grill" (aluminum roasting pan with perforations topped with our old grill's grate), Mako pulled the grate off the coals, knocked the lid off (another aluminum roasting pan), and ate six pieces of half cooked, bone-in chicken.  He is lucky to be alive.

I've made refried beans a couple of times now and it is easy and sooooooo good!  First you finely dice some onion and garlic and saute that in a little oil.  Meanwhile puree or mash your beans to your desired consistancy.  Add spices (cumin, chili powder, salt) to the beans and then add the bean mixture to the pan.  You stir to mix in the onions and cook over low for a little while.  I don't think it really matters how long because the beans should already be cooked, you just want it hot.  If it gets too dry you can add some bean cooking broth to rehydrate it.

March Eatz

1st & 3rd...
W - Hearty Sausage & Beans, Salad
R - Minestrone Soup, Crusty Rolls
F - Santa Fe Black Bean Salad, Bread Sticks
S - Spaghetti, Salad, Rolls
U - Red Chili with Beans & Corn Muffins
M - Mojo Chicken, Black Beans, Rice & Yellow Sauce
T - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Tomato soup

2nd & 4th...
W - Bramble Beans, Salad
R - 40 Cloves & a Chicken, Broccoli, Carrots
F - Shepherds Pie
S - White Chili, Tortilla Crisps
U - Pork Shoulder, Dumplings, Sauerkraut, Green Beans
M - Carnitas, Refried Beans
T - BBQ Pork Sandwiches, Baked Beans





I am really starting to like this 4 week mean plan thing.  For one, it really does save money, but for another, it really saves a lot of time thinking.  It also helps me see more clearly how long my staples last.  In typing this out, I see I have a lot of bread the first week and next to none the second.  Well, I guess we will see how that goes. 

The bean eating is going well, the bean cooking is a little tedious, mostly because it requires thinking!  I get tempted to buy canned, but those dry beans are so stinking cheap!  They lure me back.

February Eatz

I am very happy with my January experiment.  I'm not exactly sure how much it took to feed us, but I know it was under our usual expenses by around $100.  And even though planning a frugal meal plan for 14 days is akin to preparing for a final exam, $100 is enough incentive to do it again!  Here's the plan for this month:

1st and 3rd
T - Skillet Lasagna, Salad
W - Broccoli & Cheese Potato Soup, Rolls
R - Bahamian Peas and Rice, Carrots
F - Bean Chicken Salad, Bread
S - Chicken Lo Mein, Broccoli Slaw
U - Chili, Corn Bread
M - Mojo Chicken, Black Beans, Rice, Yellow Sauce

2nd and 4th
T - Spaghetti, Salad, Rolls
W - Ham & Bean Soup
R - Swedish Meatballs, Egg Noodles, Peas
F - Pizza, Salad
S - Bramble Beans, Salad
U - Chicken Fiesta with Black Beans, Tortillas
M - Red Beans and Rice

This should last more than 28 days.  We have a lot going on this month - it is one of the nicest months to be in south Florida and there are a gazillion events on the schedule.  Some of them involve free food!  That also means food someone else cooks and cleans up after!  Hooray!

January Eatz

Meal Planning, oh the drudgery!  Rob is the type that can eat the same thing repeatedly (providing it is in the meat and potatoes line of foods) and I just feel so blah eating the same things.  I am resolving to do something different for at least 28 days.  I made a 14 day menu and bought the non-perishables to make all the meals twice.  So we'll see how this goes.

The 1st and 3rd:
F - Spaghetti, Salad, Rolls
S - Blue Cheese Crusted Sirloin Steaks, Broccoli, Steamed Carrots, Rolls
U - Ham with Pineapple, Pan fried potatoes, Peas
M - Kidney Bean and Cheddar Cheese Soup, Bread
T - Swedish Meatballs, Egg Noodles, Broccoli
W - New Orleans Red Beans and Rice, Sausage
R - Tacos, Pinto Beans, Rice

The 2nd and 4th
F - Pizza, Salad
S - Baked Beans with Brown Bread
U - Chili, Cornbread, Carrots
M - Minestrone Soup, Rolls
T - Mojo Chicken, Black Beans, Rice, Yellow Curry Sauce
W - Skillet Lasagna, Salad
R - Country Style Pork Ribs, Baked Potatoes, Peas

The Steaks and Ham are Taste of Home, Spaghetti, Tacos, Pizza, Skillet Lasagna Chili, and Mojo Chicken are all just the way I make them.  For Pizza I use the Betty Crocker recipe for crust and a recipe I found in Better Homes and Gardens for sauce.  I ought to post it here, it is unbelievably simple and extremely good.  The Swedish Meatballs are from a Cooking with Kids cookbook, and I think all the rest are from a free Beans cookbook someone gave me at a health fair. 

My cooking goal for 2013 is to increase our bean intake.  I know what they say about beans......but I've also heard that if you increase your beans slowly it cuts down on that.  We already eat beans more than once a week pretty regularly.  I guess time will tell!

I also made macaroons for the first time yesterday.  I had some extra condensed milk from another recipe and two partial bags of coconut flakes.  They were scrumptious and beautiful and the kids drooled over them, took a bite and then rejected them on the basis that they "do not like coconut".  (Natalie's objection was they they were too pokey.)  Ha ha!  More for Rob and me!

July 21-27, 2012

S 21 - Garlic Lime Tilapia, Baked Potatoes, Broccoli and Peach Rhubarb Cobbler
U 22 - Zesty Crockpot Chicken, Couscous, Green Beans
M 23 - Veggies and Penne, Experimental Bread yet to be chosen
T 24 - Fried Rice with Ham, Miso Soup
W 25 - Spaghetti, Salad, Garlic Rolls
R 26 - BBQ Ham, Savory Polenta, Green Peas
F 27 - Mojo Chicken, Black Beans, Rice, and Yellow Sauce

Annalise helped me make the Peach Rhubarb Cobbler. We used Alton Brown's recipe from I'm Just Here for More Food. The rhubarb was left over from Natalie's birthday ice cream. It was really good - I think the rhubarb made it a little extra tangy.

There's nothing quite like taking a picture with kids to make you look old.  I wear my glasses all the time these days.  My contacts were bothering my eyes, plus it just seemed like it would make more sense to not have to buy contacts all the time.  I don't like wearing glasses though - fingerprints...constantly!!!...on them, plus they fog up when I open the oven or the dishwasher or if I go outside and it's really humid.  Anyway, Rob said they didn't look right in the picture, so I took them off and I think I look funny without them. I'm not used to seeing myself clearly without them on.

So I haven't posted a meal plan in a while.  I have not been feeling really confident in my meal planning, plus there are 15,000 other blogs that do it 15,000 times better than I do.  Not that the competition is really why I do it.  Regardless, one that does is strikingly well is Eat at Home.  I think I found it because I was looking for something homeschool related and the family homeschools.  The mom runs the website and it seems most of her kids have already graduated.  Maybe someday I will be able to pull of something so well organized!  Little kids...wow - they are truly a joy to your heart, and a handicap to your sanity at the same time.

Another online resource that I can recommend is the recipe finder of the USDA's nutrition website.  It's really a compilation of different food program recipes from around the country.  It is not fancy looking, but you can search for recipes by cost or by ingredient.  I have found lots and lots of recipes there that are economical and nutritious.  I want to point out that they seem to pad the nutrition facts by leaving salt out of nearly ever single recipe.  Since we eat very little processed food, I don't concern myself much with leaving salt out of recipes.

In bread, I have gotten to a place where I am happy with my rolls, sweet bread, french bread, and biscuits.  I want to branch out and try some new stuff.  Maybe Challah bread...I also found a recipe for Artesian bread that does not require kneading.  I really want to try that out!

And another economical discovery...if you like Miso soup, it is just too easy to make "from scratch".  And by from scratch, I really mean in bulk, because I can't make the ingredients in their useable state.  We had been buying (on occasion) at the Asian market a pack of 8 soups for about $5.  For $15, we got a package of miso paste (500g - everything else on the packaging is in Japanese), a box of Boniato soup stock (aka Dashi), and a bag of dehydrated seaweed.  Other than that you just need water, but you can add tofu or scallions or whatever you like.  You can vary the amounts based on your preferences, but say a tablespoon or so of the miso paste, a half teaspoon of the Dashi and a pinch of the seaweed (it gets a lot bigger) and 8oz or so boiling water.  Voila.  The Dashi is what gives it it's flavor.  It is really fish stock - yup powdered tuna.  We are working through the paste pretty briskly, but the Dashi is going to last a long time.