Sunday, October 25, 2015

Go-To Meals for Busy Days

I really love to cook. If I can cook undisturbed and have someone else clean up the kitchen, I find it very relaxing. This is all theoretical, of course, because I have yet to experience such a delight. However, I have been tossing around the idea of sending our kids to the grandparents or auntie's house for one evening a month so I can cook up a fancy supper meal for an at-home date.  This way I can experiment with some fancy and expensive ingredients and avoid all the complaining about things like scallops and crab and hopefully not waste much food or money from picky eaters.

In reality, most days I just do not have the time or energy to cook the way I would like, so fast and frugal meals that don't require much effort are what it's at right now.

Here are some of our current favourites that frequently appear on our table:

Spaghetti with Creamy Tomato Sauce (I don't follow the recipe exactly...I also usually leave out the artichokes to save money, but I do really love them in this)

Tuna Stroganoff over Egg Noodles & Cooked Mixed Veggies
(1 can of flaked tuna - not drained, 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1-2 tsp lemon juice, salt & pepper, parsley, a few sliced sautéed mushrooms, and cooked diced onions simmered together for a few minutes and served over cooked egg noodles) I know it doesn't look or sound very appetizing, but this is surprisingly good. My husband really loves this meal, and I love how cheap and fast it is to throw together.

Crispy Southwest Bean & Rice Burritos with Salsa & Sour Cream (Basically I toss together cooked rice, black beans, salsa, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. I mix it all together in a bowl, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on a tortilla, spoon the rice mixture overtop, wrap it up, spritz with olive oil or cooking spray and cook it on a cast iron grill pan until it's nice and crispy.) This is probably our #1 family favourite cheap and quick meal. Served with salsa, sour cream, guacamole if I have avocados in the house, and veggies and dip on the side.

BLT Sandwiches (sometimes on their own or with soup or potato wedges on the side)

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Middle of the Week Menu Plan








We are taking this week off of school since everyone in our house is feeling a bit under the weather (head colds and sore throats). So far I am the healthiest of the bunch and am still feeling pretty good, so I'm trying to get a few things caught up in the house. I am terribly behind on going through pictures and updating baby books, but I think that will have to wait until next week as I have been going through the kids clothes again and have several things I need to get ready to sell online.  Overall, Brielle has been sleeping so much better, and unless she eats something that bothers her stomach, she is now sleeping through the night. This has made such a difference, and I am so grateful.

Monday: Thanksgiving meal with family

Tuesday: Burrito Bowls/Wraps (rice, beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream, lime juice, cumin and chili powder mixed together)

Wednesday: Honey Sriracha Sesame Chicken, Rice (Cauliflower rice for me), Broccoli

Thursday: Frozen Pizza (Thursdays are typically our busiest days activity-wise)

Friday: Tuna Stroganoff, Egg Noodles, Mixed Veggies

Saturday: Turkey Noodle Soup (using leftover turkey from freezer)

Sunday: Leftovers


Monday, October 5, 2015

Menu Plan Monday







I am keeping it very simple this week, and we will be eating lots of leftovers. 

Monday: Crockpot Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, Cooked Mixed Veggies, Cabbage Salad

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Birthday party supper

Thursday: Mennonite Style Turkey Soup (using leftover turkey from the freezer)

Friday: Leftover soup

Saturday: BLTs

Sunday: Thanksgiving

Breakfasts around our house are very basic. My husband eats bread with jam pretty much every single day for breakfast, and he never really gets tired of eating the same things day after day. The kids usually have cereal (rice krispies, honey nut cheerios, or frosted flakes), toast, or oatmeal with whatever fruit we have around. Occasionally they eat scrambled eggs if I make them for myself. I eat the most variety for breakfast, depending on what I feel like eating. If I'm low-carbing it, I usually have 1 or 2 eggs, 1-2 slices of bacon, and coffee with cream. Other times I have oatmeal, or Greek yogurt & berries, or toast. Sometimes I make up a batch of muffins the night before, and we have those for breakfast.

Lunches are also very simple. The kids and my husband usually eat sandwiches (pb&j, egg salad, tuna, or ham and cheese) with veggies & fruit or leftovers. Lately I have been making a big pot of "skinny borscht" (cabbage, onions, celery, canned tomatoes with chicken broth and a package of lipton onion soup mix, dill, and sriracha) and eating that for my lunch most days.
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