Menu Plan Monday! (July 14th)

The menu from last week went really well. We tried two new recipes, and they were both keepers. However, I must say, that everyone's favorite was the Fuss Free Ravioli and Cheese Bake! YUMMY! Definitely, going back on the rotation list.

This week, I am trying to use up some of the stuff we already have in the pantry and freezer. I will have to go back to the store for a few things, but I think it should work out pretty good.

So, here goes:

Monday: Chicken & Dumplings
Tuesday: Philly Cheese steak (HH), Cheddar Bay Biscuits, Green Beans
Wednesday: Spaghetti, Bread Sticks, Salad
Thursday: Meatloaf, Broccoli Rice Au Gratin, Peas or Cream Style Corn
Friday: Easy Chicken Bake, Salad
Saturday: Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Corn
Sunday: Baked Potato Bar (Cheese, Bacon Bits, Sour Cream, Chives, etc.)

I doubt that I will post menus for the next two weeks, because Mr. Mister and I, will be in and out of town. Most likely, we will just grab whatever we can find.

If you are tired of hearing the dreaded "What's For Dinner?" question, and want to see what hundreds of other menu planners are eating this week, head on over to Laura's at Organized Junkie, to get some ideas, and maybe even a few new recipes to try.

Menu Plan Monday! (July 7th)

I have been wanting to participate in Menu Plan Monday (MPM) over at Laura's for a while now. Finally, I am getting around to posting my first menu here.

I am going to try two new recipes! This is what our week looks like:

Monday: Italian Sausage & Rigatoni (Bertolli), Rolls, & Salad

Tuesday: Pork Chops, Cheddar Bacon Potatoes, & Cream Style Corn

Wednesday: Stroganoff, Homemade Bread, & Green Beans

Thursday: Stuffed Bell Peppers, & Salad

Friday: Sour Cream & Bacon Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, & Tomato & Cucumber Salad

Saturday: Cheeseburgers, Brats, French Fries, & Corn on the Cob

Sunday: Fuss Free Ravioli & Cheese Bake, Garlic Bread, & Salad

If you would like more recipe ideas, stop by Laura's blog to see what everyone is cooking up this week!

In other news, we had a lot of fun in Tennessee! My in-laws live way out in the country, so it was nice and quiet. We had a great time just RELAXING! There was a lot of talking, and laughing going on. Of course, there was delicious food. You HAVE to have lots of that on the 4th right? LOL! And Mr. Mister decided that his inner child had to come out and play, so he went and bought fireworks to set off.

Where are all the pictures of our good times, you ask? Well, there aren't any! Can you BELIEVE that I didn't take any pictures? Actually, I did "attempt" to take a few of the fireworks, but they were so blurry (I forgot my tripod at home) that I deleted them.

One of these years, I am going to take AWESOME pictures of fireworks! ONE OF THESE YEARS! LOL!

Menus

After talking with Rick, we have decided that we are going back to using menus for dinner. We have been eating out WAY TOO MUCH! I used to make up menus all the time. It made it easier for us when we went shopping for groceries, and I didn't have to hear "What's for dinner?" all the time! I could just say "Look at the Menu!"

It's great because each night I can glance at the menu for the next day and figure out what needs to be taken out of the freezer. In the morning, I can throw everything into the crock pot, walk out the door for work, and come home later to a house that smells "DEVINE!" If I am feeling really rambunctious I can pull out some frozen loaves of bread and let them rise all day so that we have warm bread to go with our "home cooked meal." (I wore my bread machine out and need to buy another one)

Who knows...I may become so domesticated that Rick will come home one day and I will be wearing one of these cute "little" aprons.



Ummmmmmmmm.........I think NOT! (But if you want to wear one you can find them here I actually saw them posted on Nitty Gritty's blog.

So, with all my aspirations of being the next Rachael Ray, I have begun searching the web for some delicious new recipes to try. We have become huge "baked potato soup" fans and I am on the hunt for the perfect recipe. We want it to taste like the soup from St. Louis Bread Company (Panera). I have also fallen in love with the sourdough croutons from Cracker Barrel and have found some great recipes for making my own.

The "Taste Of Home" magazine I purchased at the store today looks like it has some VERY yummy recipes in it as well.

I am inspired (at the moment....LOL) and looking forward to eating at home. My kids tease me all the time about our dining room table only being for "looks" and not something we actually sit down to eat at. Who knows, I might buy some pretty new dishes, candles, and a bottle or two of wine, with all the money we will be saving by not eating out.