Meal Planning Monday

This week is Thanksgiving so I am going to keep it simple. Between Thanksgiving prep and DD having a ton of junk at the parties this week, it's just not worth fighting until her taste goes back to normal. Last week I did make my own yogurt.  It is actually quite simple, but takes some practice to get it perfect. We also made crackers and Tortillas instead of bread. I am proud of myself!  I even ended up soaking the baked oatmeal. My daugther who hates oatmeal loved it, so it will be appearing on our menus now. Which leads me to think I have to redo our possible meal list soon.  We have added a few items and done away with some of our shopping list as we learned to make more from scratch.  Also, we found out my husband is allergic to sesame, so that limits the last of the crackers and other packaged items we used to buy.

Monday

Breakfast - Baked Oatmeal

Snack - apple sauce

Lunch - chicken fingers

Snack-  trail mix

Dinner-  chicken pot pie

Tuesday

Breakfast- pancakes

Snack -  crackers with pb

Lunch - salad

Snack - apple

Dinner - chili and pb+j

Wednesday

Breakfast - waffles

Snack - apple sauce

Lunch - egg salad

Snack - trail mix

Dinner - DH cooks

Thursday

Breakfast - Cereal

Late Lunch-  See our Thanksgiving meal plan

Friday

Breakfast- Pancakes

Snack- fruit

Lunch- turkey sandwich

Snack- Freebie

Dinner- salad

Saturday

Breakfast- pumpkin bread

Snack- Banana

Lunch- leftovers

Snack- apple sauce

Dinner- turkey soup

Sunday

Snack- baked oatmeal

brunch - french toast

Snack -  fruit

Dinner- free for all

Thanksgiving Dinner

While I might be a bit ahead of myself since the rest of next week's meal plan is anything but done, I thought I would let you steal all my awesome ideas in time to go shopping. Well... I think they are awesome at least. This menu is soy, maple, sesame, nut, and food coloring free.  As for any other allergy you would have to read the ingredients.  This seems like a ton of food for 8 adults and 3 kids, but my idea is that a) finding great sales, I shop within our normal budget and b) I am spending all day/week cooking anyway.  Might as well put on a nice spread and have plenty to fill up the freezer for later.

Our main dish:

Turkey, we have done this one in the past and I think we might do it again. I found that I can use 100% white grape juice and it still tastes great without all the fructose I find in the white cranberry juices.

 For sides we have:

• Sweet potato mash- We use this Twice baked potato recipie and don't restuff the skins.  Also we leave out the walnuts.

• Thankfull Rolls- any bread in this house has to be homemade and, when I saw these, I just had to try them.

• Stuffing- We made these Cornish Hens last year and I loved the stuffing so much we are making it again. If we didn't have 11 people coming this year I would be tempted to make the hens again. I have yet to figure out what fruit bits are, but craisins are a good substitute.

• Cranberry Sauce- We have always bought it in the can. Boring, I know, and I finally just read the ingredients, so I am giving this a try. I'll be honest: I have a can waiting just in case it doesn't work out.

• Roasted Vegetables - I love the oil and herbs.  It makes it feel like a special dish.

Appetizers

• Vegetable Platter with dip- green and red peppers, carrots, olives, and celery.  The yogurt for the dip will be greek or homemade.

• Hot artichoke and spinach dip with homemade french bread- This is a family favorite that gets made any time we have an excuse. It's a great way to sneak more spinach into our diet. While the artichokes are tasty, you can leave them out and still have a terrific snack.  While I normally would lean toward whole wheat, some of our family tolerate white bread better.

Desserts:

• Pumpkin Pie-  I always made it from a can.  I was tempted to cook a pumkin this year, but the price just didn't make it practical. The pie crust I have always had a problem making so we will be trying this recipie.

• Pumpkin bread- this is always a hit and I try to keep a couple loaves in my freezer for unexpected visits. We replaced the raisins and nuts with craisins.

• Homemade ice cream -mint just happens to be what my daughter has been asking for, and the kids will have a great time playing with our Ice cream ball.

Drinks:

• Tea and coffee
• Hot cider
• juice for the little ones

If you're looking for a cake, don't forget to check out my homemade cake post for a cute turkey.

For more great Ideas check out the Foodie Friday link-up.

Meal planning

I had a chaotic week of no meal plan last week, and I don't know if it was that or having two cars being towed home in a week that caused us to eat out far more than normal. I do know the budget, and our stomachs, can't handle it again, especially not having to buy parts for said cars. As we slowly switch to more whole foods (I know take out is anything but food) I am trying some new recipes. This week we are experimenting with crockpot yogurt, and baked oatmeal. I am debating soaking the oatmeal but might leave that for another week.  DH also had an intolerance test done and we will be getting the results later this week, so we will see if that brings any new changes to the table. 

Monday

Breakfast: cereal with craisins

Snack: Banana

Lunch: salad with chicken

Snack: plum

Dinner: Smashed Chicken, potato and steamed veggie (this is one I grew up with: you smash down the chicken, bread and fry. It is a very yummy quick dinner) 

To Do: Make waffles and apple syrup 

Tuesday

Breakfast: waffles with cooked apples

Snack:  Banana

Lunch:  Leftovers

Snack: trail mix

Dinner: chicken soup 

To do: Make bread and boil eggs

Wednesday

Breakfast: cereal with bananas

Snack: apple sauce

Lunch: egg salad sandwiches

Snack: trail mix

Dinner: Breakfast- husband's specialty.  

To Do: make pizza pockets and yogurt 

Thursday

Breakfast: waffles

Snack: fruit bar

Lunch: Tuna fish sandwich

Snack: Veggie and dip

Dinner: Pizza pockets 

Friday

Breakfast: Pancakes with fruit topping

Snack: Yogurt -keeping my fingers crossed

Lunch: leftover pizza pockets

Snack: banana

Dinner: chicken cordon bleu with steamed veggie and brown rice- DD has been asking for weeks and I finally found some ham on sale.

Saturday

Breakfast: baked oatmeal - I keep hearing people talk about this so it is time to give it a try. I am still debating if I should soak it or not.

Snack: Yogurt

Lunch: Tuna sandwiches

Snack: Birthday party for family

Dinner:  chili and PB+J - quick and easy since I don't know when we will be home

To do : Make English muffins 

Sunday

Snack: cereal

Brunch: egg sandwiches - They are so easy now that we bake the eggs in a muffin tin.

Snack: once again we are out at a party

Dinner: everyone for themselves

Next week I get to go all out planning thanksgiving. I love having people over with all the great sales running. We have one turkey stashed with another joining it soon. What do you stock up on during the fall? 

Meal planning Monday

I am one of the few lucky ones in the state that have power so no getting out of meal planning and cooking for us. I am planning on being home since most activites are canceled.  I also happened to realize we are a bit low on meat due to a lack of sales and just me not paying much attention so we  have pork and beans alot.

Monday - We were supposed to go to family's house, but trick or treating is being postponed till saturday here.

Breakfast- Pancakes

Snack- carrot cake - small treat for the day

Lunch -  Tuna sandwiches

Snack- fruit

Dinner- Pumkin Pizza

Tuesday

Breakfast - waffles

Snack- apple sauce

Lunch- chili for adults and Tuna for DD

Snack-  carrot sticks

Dinner-  Pork loin with potatoes and veggies

Wednesday

Breakfast - eggs and fried potatoes

Snack-  fruit

Lunch- chili and pb+j

Snack-  grilled cheese

Dinner- chicken patties - cleaning out the freezer

Thursday

Breakfast - waffles

Snack- apple sauce

Lunch - chili and tuna fish

Snack-  prezzel sticks

Dinner- leftover pork

Friday

Breakfast- pancakes

Snack- trail mix

Lunch-  leftovers

Snack- fruit bar

Dinner - soup

Saturday

I am leaving this open as a free for all and leftovers. I am not sure on plans with "Halloween" being moved.

Sunday

Snack - banana

Brunch - french toast

Snack-  freebie- she will have plenty of goodies to pick from I am sure.

Dinner-  chicken pot pie

 Now back to planning Thanksgiving. Is it just me or the stores have yet to run any great specials on this front?

Meal Planning

Have you ever sat there looking at your plan and thought it must be so boring to everyone else, but then you look at your statistics and say wow... people actually care? That is me this week. Unusual for us, but we have a couple days where we are either at relatives or friends, so I don't have to cook. We also are going a bit heavy on the fruit. It seems to be what my daughter is leaning towards and, between weaning everyone off of processed sugars and some great sales on organics this week, I went with it.

Monday:

Breakfast: cereal with craisins

Snack: Plum

Lunch: Pulled pork sandwiches

Snack: applesauce

Dinner:  Thank you for the night off Mom!

Tuesday:

Breakfast: whole wheat waffles

Snack: fruit bar

Lunch: Back to my Mom's- my sister and niece are down for a visit, I can only hope some school work gets done.

Snack: trail mix - we have swimming, so this is great in the car

Dinner: I am leaving my husband to fend for himself while I take DD visiting some friends.

Wednesday

Breakfast:  cereal

Snack: Apple slices - with PB

Lunch: Tuna sandwiches with relish

Snack: organic grapes - they were the same price as the regular ones! How could I say no?

Dinner: Breakfast- it is DH night to cook

Thursday

Breakfast: Pancakes

Snack: fruit bar

Lunch: egg salad sandwiches with spinach

Snack: plum

Dinner: Vegetarian sloppy joes - This recipie was in my "to make" pile for a long time

Friday

Breakfast: Waffles

Snack: grapes

Lunch: PB and J

Snack: apple sauce

Dinner: Salad

Saturday

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with peppers and onions

Snack: cinnamon toast

Lunch: stew- leftovers that I have frozen

Snack: veggies

Dinner: pizza

Sunday

Snack: Banana

Brunch: French Toast - We tried this with homemade whole wheat last week and it was awsome but very filling.

Snack: Juice pop

Dinner: Fish with rice and steamed veggies

Like always remember to check out Keeper of the Home and I'm an Organization Junkie for Meal planning link ups.