Monday, September 12, 2011

Me? A menu-plan?

Okay. I have to fess up. I've never been good at menu-planning.  As a free spirit, I find it constricting.  It's true.  I mean what if I just don't want the chicken burritos today?  I don't want to have to eat the chicken burritos.  I refuse. I refuse. I refuse.

What a baby! Sometimes I have the tendency to act like a very misbehaved toddler. :P  Well, not anymore.

One of my goals as a homemaker is to reduce the cost of weekly food as well as provide natural and organic foods as often as possible.  We'd also like to be a little more self-sufficient, but that's for when the Lord blesses us with a house that has a garden-able (is that a word?) backyard.  Living on the third floor of an apartment complex doesn't make good for chicken keeping and gardening... just sayin'.

So, when  I saw Keeper of the Home's new Plan It-Don't Panic series I was inspired to join in on the fun and be effective in stewarding all of our resources.  My goal was to take all the things that comprised of my grocery shopping list (aka the things that were on sale and I had coupons for!) and come-up with a menu that would incorporate all those items.

Caleb and I have also decided to purchase our meats in bulk once a month and visit a local farmer's market for our weekly fruits and veggies.  I'm currently looking into partnering with a chicken farm (helloooo fresh eggs and chicken!) and hopefully get into some kind of co-opish deal.  Pray that I receive wisdom and revelation on how to go about doing this, please!

Personally, I've also decided I want to try (at minimum) one new recipe a week.  I find myself making the exact same things over and over... and over... and over again.  Gotta keep it fresh in the kitchen fo' my man! (Okay, that was cheesy. I may have to go back and delete that statement).  Brace yourself because this week I'm attempting two new recipes AND some freezer cooking.

So, without further adieu, here's my Menu Plan for the week of September 12-19

Breakfasts:
Cornmeal (x3)
Amish Friendship Bread & Fruit (x2)
Honey Muffins (x2)

Lunch:
Sandwiches (x2)
Corndog Muffins (x2)

Dinner:
Mexican Crab Enchiladas (Mmm! Sooo excited to try these!)
Marinated Chicken Breasts with brown rice & steamed veggies
Pastelon (the one I make is slightly different, but it's close)
Rice & Beans Burritos (freezing a ton of these, hopefully)
Chicken Carbonara
Lime-Baked Tilapia with salad
Rice with Gandules (chick-peas in english?) and ground beef (leftover from making pastelon)
Snacks:
Fruits & Vanilla Wafers

What're you cooking up in the kitchen this week?

P.S. Thanks Mary Jo for letting me "steal" some of the recipes on your blog and for the coconut flour, hehe.

2 comments:

  1. I love planning my meals...I like changing up all the time too....I normally plan dinners...Lunch since its just Grace and I we just kind pick whatever....Here is this weeks dinners...Mon- Chicken Alfredo Tues- Grilled chicken breast, oven roasted potatoes n broccoli, Wed- Peninni (not sure if I spelled it right) sammys Thurday- Pollo guisado n sliced tomatoes, Friday- Papa Murphy night Sat- Grilled mahi mahi and pesto pasta, Sun- We have a b day party so I m off the hook ;)

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  2. i am just like you when it comes to meal planning! i, with God's help, am starting to discipline my self to plan out meals each week and to save money and be healthy doing it. i'm so tired of every day looking at each other and asking the same darn question, "what do you want for dinner?" lol i've found that crock pot meals can be super easy and cheap! so good luck with your week! i've got my dinner in the crock pot right now :) mmm

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