What's Cooking
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Well last week we were back home from our cruise vacation but the week didn’t go quite as smoothly as we were hoping it would. We ended up going through the nasty sickness crud that’s been going around. One of the girls had a double ear infection and the rest of us had sinus infections. Before the week was up all of us had made a trip to the doctor. The good news is we are all starting to feel better again, just in time for the next adventure, ha. It is hard to believe we will be celebrating the Valentine’s Holiday this week and the girls birthday next week! Time flies by when your having fun. I didn’t get everything I hoped accomplish last week so hoping this week is more productive.
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
- Read On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls – I started reading Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume to the girls on the trip so we have been going through that one more this week
Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night beforeDaily School Activities & Homework CompletedAttend After School Activities- Plan one special Activity with the Family – we decided with all the sickness it would be better to have time for everyone to recover
Unpack & put everything away from Cruise Vacation
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week – with the fever, aches, and sickness this didn’t get done, hoping to get back into the swing of things this week
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day – it was more gatorade this week but I keep up with drinking fluids
Start with my new YouVersion plan(s)– I was able to catch up from being gone last week! Yay!- Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp – got through more of this great book but didn’t have as much reading time this week
- Finish reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan- going through this book with a group of friends
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – I had soooo much laundry, it was scary, it took me two days to get through everything (and yes I went over my 4 loads a week average too)
Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the weekPay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attention
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
For my January Grocery Budget I am replacing my typical Groceries $40 for 4 with my Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping in order to use up some extra items in my fridge, freezer, and pantry.- Payoff the Van – working on it
- Pay medical bills in full – started making payment
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Read On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls
- Read Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume to the girls
- Read Imagination Station: Voyage with the Vikings by Marianne Hering
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
- Attend After School Activities
- Plan one special Activity with the Family
- Girls Dentist Checkup
- Pick up Brina’s Glasses
- Celebrate the Valentine’s Day Holiday
- Prepare for the Girls Birthday
- Spend Extra Time with Extended Family
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Start with my new YouVersion plan(s)
- Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
- Finish reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan- going through this book with a group of friends
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Pay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Work completed for clients
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- For my January Grocery Budget I am replacing my typical Groceries $40 for 4 with my Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping in order to use up some extra items in my fridge, freezer, and pantry.
- Payoff the Van
- Pay medical bills in full
- Complete 2012 Taxes
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.
Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping (Week 5)
Our family finished week 5 of our no grocery shopping goal. Every new year we set goals, challenge ourselves to reach new heights, and to focus on what’s really important in life. I have made it a goal to simplify my life more by enjoying the blessings and not wasting what God has given me. One of the ways I did this was by going through several No Grocery Shopping weeks, picking up only necessities while trying to use the items we already had in our fridge, freezer, and pantry.
When I did it this 2011 it was my intention to go 1 month, but I made it 8 weeks (with only a few hiccups). It is my plan to do this again with the hope of making it at least through the month of January. I will be sharing with you the successes and challenges on those specific areas in my life as I go through them.
Life Simplified Goal:
- No Grocery Shopping (except for necessities) in the month of January.
Explanation of the Goal: My goal during the month of January is to not shop for groceries other than necessities (milk, eggs, bread). Our freezer is full of meat, produce from our garden this summer, fruit, and other great items. Our pantry is also overflowing with all the great deals that we have picked up over the past few months. One of the reason for the goal is that I want to use the items I have and not waste them. Stockpiling is wonderful but there may come a point when we need to eat through that stockpile before it expires, save the extra money to work on a financial goal, and be creative with what we have at home. I have been thinking about this challenge for several weeks over the Holidays. Over the past few months (including our experience traveling to India) it has really hit me that we have been really blessed yet there are children and families that content with a lot less. Menu planning may take a little extra creative thinking on my part but I think I can do it. If I do purchase something it needs to meet one of the following criteria:
- FREE – I don’t want to waste free grocery coupons that my family will use while doing this goal
- Necessity – Milk, Eggs, Bread, etc…
- For Someone Else outside of my household. For example I make meals for new Moms in our church and if I need to pick up an item for them on the way to deliver a meal that will be an exception.
What Happened this week?
I finished the fifth week of this goal! I have to admit this was the easiest week so far! 🙂 It was a great week for us and I didn’t have to purchase anything for groceries this week mainly because our family was away on vacation with extended family. The best part is I didn’t have to cook or clean for a whole week while cruising with my family……it was AWESOME! So thankful for an opportunity to spend some extra time creating memories with family. The freezer and pantry are starting to show dents in them, but I am planning on continuing this goal at least for the next couple weeks of February.
It takes a little more time and focus to come up with a menu but everyone seems to be doing pretty well. The real challenge will come at the end of the month when we are getting low in the pantry and when we host guests!
I will share with you the challenges, successes and what I had to purchase so you can keep me accountable or even go through the journey with me by participating and sharing your story. I would love to extend this goal into February if I can make our pantry stretch!
Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others. Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff” and if you are like us we just have too much. I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives. When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
Honestly, one of the best perks about going on a cruise vacation is that Mommy gets a break from cooking and cleaning which allows for some extra time relaxing and playing with the family. Last week we enjoyed delicious food on Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas as well as a lot of fun adventures with our extended family. Now that I am back from vacation and full swing into our normal schedule its time to plan our weekly menu again. This week will consists of easy meals because I have a lot of unpacking, laundry, cleaning, work, and other activities to do. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Seafood Entree): Beef & Bean Chili, Cornbread
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Kid’s Choice Pizza, Fresh Vegetables
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Chicken Noodle & Vegetable Soup, Fresh Fruit
- Thursday (Pasta or Pork Entree): Poor Man’s Pasta, Steamed Vegetables
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef or seafood entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Our family had a BLAST last week with extended family! We went on a cruise with Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas. We started at Fort Lauderdale, Florida and went to Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Haiti. It was an amazing week full of awesome memories. The kids were really wanting to keep on cruising…..somehow the appeal of chores and schools didn’t sound like as much fun!
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
- Read On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls – still reading it to the girls
- Read the first book of the Imagination Station set Voyage with the Vikings by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker to the girls – decided to read a Flat Stanley book first
Spend quality time with my family and extended family– spent a lot of time with family and extended family on the cruise! YAY!
Take extra pictures so we can remember our time togetherPlan a special activityPlay at least one game
Personal Goals
Exercise at least 5 days this week- Drink 8 glasses of water each day – didn’t keep track of how much I was drinking with all the activities
- Continue reading my YouVersion plan(s) – I did not have phone access while on the boat so catching up this week
- Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp – got some reading done on the plane, but still not completed (stayed pretty busy with the family and kids)
- Finish reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan – got through more of the book
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – was on a cruise so there was more laundry (swimsuits, formals, summer clothes, etc…) so it took more than one day since I was not able to start until the weekend
- Pay all upcoming bills – a weeks worth of mail was delivered on Saturday so have everything ready to be paid this week
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
For my January Grocery Budget I am replacing my typical Groceries $40 for 4 with my Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping in order to use up some extra items in my fridge, freezer, and pantry.– this week was easy since we weren’t home- Payoff the Van – working on it
- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses – was on hold this past week
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Read On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
- Attend After School Activities
- Plan one special Activity with the Family
- Unpack & put everything away from the Cruise Vacation
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Start with my new YouVersion plan(s)
- Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
- Finish reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan- going through this book with a group of friends
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Pay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- For my January Grocery Budget I am replacing my typical Groceries $40 for 4 with my Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping in order to use up some extra items in my fridge, freezer, and pantry.
- Payoff the Van
- Pay medical bills in full
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.
Fresh & Healthy: Lunch Box Meals
The girls bento boxes we picked up for them in India are now packed and ready for lunch
The girls always love taking school lunches. Jake and I picked up these cute little bento boxes while we were visiting India. The girls love taking them in their lunches to school.
A few weeks ago Karlie told me that she loves it when I pack her lunch. Last week Brina told me she would rather take a lunch to school everyday because she likes what I put into her bag, especially when I stick in a special surprise. Taking the time to pack lunches for the kids really does mean a lot to them.
Lunch Box Meal
- Sliced Pork Roast with sauteed Apple Slices
- Cinnamon Applesauce
- Wild Rice
- Fresh Green Beans (steamed)
- Water Bottle
Bento box goodies – pork with sauteed apples, applesauce, wild rice, and fresh steamed green beans
Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping (Week 4)
Our family finished week 4 of our no grocery shopping goal. Every new year we set goals, challenge ourselves to reach new heights, and to focus on what’s really important in life. I have made it a goal to simplify my life more by enjoying the blessings and not wasting what God has given me. One of the ways I did this was by going through several No Grocery Shopping weeks, picking up only necessities while trying to use the items we already had in our fridge, freezer, and pantry.
When I did it this 2011 it was my intention to go 1 month, but I made it 8 weeks (with only a few hiccups). It is my plan to do this again with the hope of making it at least through the month of January. I will be sharing with you the successes and challenges on those specific areas in my life as I go through them.
Life Simplified Goal:
- No Grocery Shopping (except for necessities) in the month of January.
Explanation of the Goal: My goal during the month of January is to not shop for groceries other than necessities (milk, eggs, bread). Our freezer is full of meat, produce from our garden this summer, fruit, and other great items. Our pantry is also overflowing with all the great deals that we have picked up over the past few months. One of the reason for the goal is that I want to use the items I have and not waste them. Stockpiling is wonderful but there may come a point when we need to eat through that stockpile before it expires, save the extra money to work on a financial goal, and be creative with what we have at home. I have been thinking about this challenge for several weeks over the Holidays. Over the past few months (including our experience traveling to India) it has really hit me that we have been really blessed yet there are children and families that content with a lot less. Menu planning may take a little extra creative thinking on my part but I think I can do it. If I do purchase something it needs to meet one of the following criteria:
- FREE – I don’t want to waste free grocery coupons that my family will use while doing this goal
- Necessity – Milk, Eggs, Bread, etc…
- For Someone Else outside of my household. For example I make meals for new Moms in our church and if I need to pick up an item for them on the way to deliver a meal that will be an exception.
What Happened this week?
I finished the fourth week of this goal. The only thing I purchased this week were a few small items for an upcoming trip. I wanted to clean out the fridge so we ate up some of the leftovers from the past weeks meals.
It takes a little more time and focus to come up with a menu but everyone seems to be doing pretty well. The real challenge will come at the end of the month when we are getting low in the pantry and when we host guests!
I will share with you the challenges, successes and what I had to purchase so you can keep me accountable or even go through the journey with me by participating and sharing your story. I would love to extend this goal into February if I can make our pantry stretch!
Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others. Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff” and if you are like us we just have too much. I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives. When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Last week was crazy busy with doctor appointments, activities, and everything else. Jake was out of town again for a couple days so packing and unpacking for him done as well. Thankfully this week we’ll be spending extra time together since he doesn’t need to travel for work. Hopefully, we’ll get in some extra quality family time too! This week will be different than normal because our schedule is switched up a little bit, but I still plan to set some goals and have fun with it! We’ll be spending some extra time with extended family members too this week! 🙂
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
- Read On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls – we got started but were not able to finish it this week, it may take us a little longer because it is a bigger book. The girls are loving it!
Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night beforeDaily School Activities & Homework CompletedAttend After School ActivitiesPlan one special Activity with the FamilyFinish going over our 2013 goalsDoctor Appointments
Personal Goals
Exercise at least 5 days this weekDrink 8 glasses of water each dayStart with my new YouVersion plan(s)- Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp – made a little progress
- Finish reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan- going through this book with a group of friends so not quite down yet
Home Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one dayWeekly Dinner Menu planned out for the weekPay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attention
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchWrite and Send Out Community Group EmailEmail a meeting notes from Alms & Legs Ministry Team meeting
Financial Goals
For my January Grocery Budget I am replacing my typical Groceries $40 for 4 with my Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping in order to use up some extra items in my fridge, freezer, and pantry. – wrapped up week 3 of this goal (WooHoo!!!) 🙂- Payoff the Van – made another payment
- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses – didn’t make any headway this week but at least we’re holding steady
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Read On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls
- Read the first book of the Imagination Station set Voyage with the Vikings by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker to the girls
- Spend quality time with my family and extended family
- Take extra pictures so we can remember our time together
- Plan a special activity
- Play at least one game
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Continue reading my YouVersion plan(s)
- Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
- Finish reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Pay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- For my January Grocery Budget I am replacing my typical Groceries $40 for 4 with my Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping in order to use up some extra items in my fridge, freezer, and pantry.
- Payoff the Van
- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.
Super Easy Way to Make Hard Boiled Eggs
I am all about finding ways to help make cooking even more efficient in our household. Our refrigerator typcially has a carton with hard boiled eggs in it for making a quick egg salad sandwich, to stick in a smoothie, make deviled eggs, salad topping, or many other uses we find for it. Several years ago my husband started putting the eggs in the steamer to hard boil them. I LOVED it! It is super easy and my eggs don’t crack (once or twice an egg has cracked if it already has a weak spot or was knocked when put into the steamer)!
Steamed Hard Boiled Eggs
- Eggs
- Steamer
- Water
Stick the eggs in the steamer (we usually do between 10 to 12 eggs depending on how many we have in the carton). Fill the water level up to high. Steam for 25 minutes. Once it is done steaming remove the lid and allow eggs to cool. You can run cold water over them if you need them to cool quicker. Use hard boiled eggs or place back in the carton to use for later.
If you come to our house and open up an egg carton you may encounter something like the picture above. I make sure to mark the eggs that have been hard boiled with an “X” so anyone that wants to grab an egg whether regular or hard boiled it is easy to decipher which ones are which. This especially comes in handy with kids who like to help in the kitchen! 🙂
Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping (Week 3)
Our family finished week 3 of our no grocery shopping goal. Every new year we set goals, challenge ourselves to reach new heights, and to focus on what’s really important in life. I have made it a goal to simplify my life more by enjoying the blessings and not wasting what God has given me. One of the ways I did this was by going through several No Grocery Shopping weeks, picking up only necessities while trying to use the items we already had in our fridge, freezer, and pantry.
When I did it this 2011 it was my intention to go 1 month, but I made it 8 weeks (with only a few hiccups). It is my plan to do this again with the hope of making it at least through the month of January. I will be sharing with you the successes and challenges on those specific areas in my life as I go through them.
Life Simplified Goal:
- No Grocery Shopping (except for necessities) in the month of January.
Explanation of the Goal: My goal during the month of January is to not shop for groceries other than necessities (milk, eggs, bread). Our freezer is full of meat, produce from our garden this summer, fruit, and other great items. Our pantry is also overflowing with all the great deals that we have picked up over the past few months. One of the reason for the goal is that I want to use the items I have and not waste them. Stockpiling is wonderful but there may come a point when we need to eat through that stockpile before it expires, save the extra money to work on a financial goal, and be creative with what we have at home. I have been thinking about this challenge for several weeks over the Holidays. Over the past few months (including our experience traveling to India) it has really hit me that we have been really blessed yet there are children and families that content with a lot less. Menu planning may take a little extra creative thinking on my part but I think I can do it. If I do purchase something it needs to meet one of the following criteria:
- FREE – I don’t want to waste free grocery coupons that my family will use while doing this goal
- Necessity – Milk, Eggs, Bread, etc…
- For Someone Else outside of my household. For example I make meals for new Moms in our church and if I need to pick up an item for them on the way to deliver a meal that will be an exception.
What Happened this week?
I finished the third week of this goal. The only thing I purchased this week was a 1 gallon, 1 loaf of bread, and a handful of fresh produce. Our menu was pretty basic this week, but mostly because it was a busy schedule this week.
It takes a little more time and focus to come up with a menu but everyone seems to be doing pretty well. The real challenge will come at the end of the month when we are getting low in the pantry and when we host guests!
I will share with you the challenges, successes and what I had to purchase so you can keep me accountable or even go through the journey with me by participating and sharing your story. I would love to extend this goal into February if I can make our pantry stretch!
Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others. Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff” and if you are like us we just have too much. I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives. When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
I am not sure how we managed to schedule so much this week but since we have arrived we are plunging into the week with a smile and a steady stride. One of the ways we keep the evenings flowing smoothly is by planning out our dinner menu in advance. With everything that is going on this week I kept the menu simple (a couple of these dishes are being pulled out of the deep freezer, Lasagna and Hashbrown Casserole, for us to eat). I am glad I took the time to make double batches earlier so we can grab a meal from the freezer which saves us a lot of time and extra energy during a busy time. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Seafood Entree): Lasagna, Garlic Bread
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Hot Dogs, Fresh Fruit
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Hashbrown Casserole, Steamed Vegetables
- Thursday (Pasta or Pork Entree): Special Event
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef or seafood entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
