Lately it's been really bad with dinners around here, 2 reasons:
#1: Feeling like puking every time I stepped in the kitchen for two months straight and a husband that needs a little assitance on how to make raw men noodles in the microwave, well....food just wasn't cooked much.
#2: Brooklyn and her tough diet that she has been on due to all her food sensitivities....we had a lot of plain chicken and meat with little seasoning that didn't contain any wheat or milk or corn additives.....much harder than you think!
WELL.....now that I am feeling better and smells don't automatically send me to the bathroom, plus Brooklyn's diet expanding......we are on a roll again.
THE PLAN: For FHE on the first of the month, I got out a lot of cookbooks (I have a lot with pictures....only way to go if you let the family choose) and let everyone in the family choose at least one or more recipe's that they thought looked good. I had a calendar printed off and we plugged those recipe's into the days. We were able to fill a good 2 1/2 weeks worth of new recipe's that I hadn't cooked and that someone thought was really good....plus I made sure it was something that I could modify if needed for Brooklyn (since she still is on a tight diet). I made sure that I put the cookbook and the page number on the calendar so I could go back and make my list of food. I made my food list, checked my coupons and sales at different stores, then went out shopping. Now we have plenty of meals and ALL the ingredients on hand!
MENUS that were chosen:
- chicken noodle soup (shared by my friend Carin years ago....always a winter favorite)
- Pronto Pasta and Sausage Skillet
- Ham and Potato Soup (recipe below)
- Tasty Turkey Tetrazzini
- Asain Lettace Rolls
- Chicken and Noodle Stirfry
- Pork Fried Rice
- Saucy Moroccan Chicken
- Orecchiette (don't know what type of pasta that is) with Spinach sausage and tomatoes
- Cheesy Chicken Chilaquiles
- Potato Crusted Tilapia
- Rush Hour Chicken Fajitas
- Roast (this a Sunday given....every week)
- Meatloaf (all of you out there that need gluten free--I used rice chex instead of bread crumbs...good)
- Shepherds Pie
- Lasagna
THE RESULTS: Wonderful....actual meals and we're not last minute going out to fast food or something. The kids have liked most of the meals so far....Lyndee likes everything, Katelyn is very picky...but dosen't get to eat if she dosen't eat dinner (well....she gets to eat a piece of bread instead), Brooklyn has enjoyed them as well. I've used a lot of gluten free noodles in most of the dishes.
ONE OF MY NEW FAVORITES (SINCE IT'S SO EASY AND BROOKLYN FRIENDLY)
- LOADED BAKED POTATO CHOWDER
3 1/2 cups milk, divided
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp butter
2-3 green onions with tops
4 oz cheese
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Optional toppings (I include some of these right in the soup), real bacon bites, ham, sour cream, broccoli)
1. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise, place in (deep covered baker..from pampered chef....or you can use a microwaveable large dish). Pour 1/2 cup milk over the potatoes. Microwave, covered, on high for 11 minutes. Remove from microwave and rotate potatoes, center ones to outside, etc. Cover, microwave on high 8-11 minutes more or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Remove from microwave and slightly mash potatoes (just into chunks or however your family likes them).
2. While potatoes are cooking, whisk cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add remaining 3 cups of milk. Whisk until smooth. Add cream cheese mixture and butter to potatoes and microwave on high 3-5 minutes or until hot.
3. Add cheese and green onions and any other topping you might want at this point, along with salt and pepper. Mix until cheese is melted. Serve.....
My family really liked this recipe. I've made it a couple of times and am surprised at how good it is every time.
CONCLUSION: Hopefully we can keep this going all year with the menu. I think just having 5-10 minutes a month and making all your kids and your husband help, then it is so much easier at meltdown time (4-5pm everyday!)
PLUS: I forgot to mention that some of the meals I doubled and put in the freezer for a quick meal later in the month! I love freezer meals!
4 comments:
sounds good! I got some ideas from Spencer & Cherie Wirthlin's blog. Lately I have been doing rolls with stuff inside of them.
Hey...Good idea...I may have to copy!
That is a good idea indeed. I haaaaaate trying to think of dinner ideas. Bradley's forever asking me what's for dinner. Drives me crazy.
I recently heard of a variation for a year supply. It was to find you favorites for one month and buy for a year all you can. They said that it worked really good. Quite a relief for a real long time. There was enough stand- bys and favorites that no one got tired of anything, either. Jen, you are such a good mom.
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