Today is menu planning day and grocery list day. This is quite a process for me. I love it and hate it at the same time. I plan for two weeks at a time. We have a reasonable budget for groceries, and I am very thankful for that. My goal is to have a cooking day after grocery day and pack away most of our meals in the freezer for the two week period. I have only been successful or semi-successful in this venture a handful of times.
Many times I plan the menu, buy what I need and then don't follow the menu as I would like. I usually plan 14 main meals or less but plan to double for leftovers. Last time was a little better. The last two weeks' menu was supposed to be as follows...
Home Made Pizza - success
Peppy Pizza Pasta - success
Kathy's Kitchen Spaghetti Pizza - success
Tex-Mex Tomato Hamburger Stew - success
Taco Crescent Bake - success
Hanky Panky's - success (but will probably change recipe next time)
Fruity Curry Chicken - success
Easy Cheesy Chicken Fajita Skillet - haven't made yet
Chicken Marsala - haven't made yet (this will be my first attempt, and purely for my dh)
Swedish Meatballs - haven't made yet (I have looked at 3 grocery stores for the seasoning packet to no avail... did they stop making it? So, I guess I'll learn how to make it from scratch. Probably healthier that way, anyway.)
Tacos - didn't happen either
We did realize this week, once again, how much we don't care for Velveeta type cheese. I planned two recipes using this ingredient this meal period in order to use up what I bought, but I've only made one and may not make the other. I guess I forget after a time that we don't like it.
Anyway, I don't like to make the same foods over and over. I like to find new recipes or old ones that we haven't had in awhile (hence the Velveeta issue). This takes time during menu planning. Not to mention that my menu planning sessions are never in one chunk of time.
But I really do enjoy cooking and learning to create new foods and flavors in the kitchen, especially if I can make it more nutritious as well as more delicious. I rarely make the same thing the same way twice. And there are many nights I take some of this and a little of that and create something yummy but can never completely recreate because I didn't write down what I did.
So, this menu planning period, I think I will go with these meals...
1. Home Made Pizza - this can be made different every time
2. Chicken Tortilla Soup
3. (Turkey) Ham & Pineapple
4. Sweet & Sour Chicken
5. Crock pot Sloppy Joe's
6. Chicken Marsala
7. Pasta with Tuna and Tomatoes
8. Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas
9. Cheeseburger Casserole
10. Our Favorite Meatloaf
11. BBQ Chicken Pasta
12. Calzones of some sort
13. Chicken Tetrazzini
14. Shredded BBQ Beef Sandwiches
15. Lasagna
Now, to plan side dishes, the occasional dessert, lunches, snacks & breakfasts, and I'll be done! Maybe I'll post recipes and updates as to whether I accomplish a Cooking Day and follow my menu plan.
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