Menu Planning

  • 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

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    Last week was more like our normal again after the Holidays, surgery, and everything else.  🙂  I had a lot of items on my list and was able to get a good bit done, but this week is jammed packed with a whole bunch of stuff going on that really must be done.  I am hoping to continue making steps in the right direction.  Jake had to travel to Ohio last week, so we are glad to have him back with us again.

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Read Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls  – finished reading it to the girls, they LOVED it!
    2. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    3. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    4. Attend After School Activities – last week some of these got canceled because the teacher was sick
    5. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    6. Finish going over our 2013 goals – Jake has been so busy with work and everything else we haven’t been able to complete this one yet
    7. Doctor Appointments

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Start with my new YouVersion plan(s) – going through 2 separate plans currently
    4. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp – this one got put on hold for the week with everything going on

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email
    3. Email a meeting notes from Alms & Legs Ministry Team meeting

    Financial Goals

    1. 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.
    2. Payoff the Van – made a payment and thrilled to see it decreasing
    3. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses – this one’s going a lot slower, but we’re making some headway

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Read On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls – we just finished Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder so I tried to get them to switch to another book to change it up a little bit, but they insisted that they REALLY wanted to continue with this series! 🙂
    2. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    3. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    4. Attend After School Activities
    5. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    6. Finish going over our 2013 goals
    7. Doctor Appointments

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Start with my new YouVersion plan(s)
    4. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
    5. Finish reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan- going through this book with a group of friends

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email
    3. Email a meeting notes from Alms & Legs Ministry Team meeting

    Financial Goals

    1. 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.
    2. Payoff the Van
    3. 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.

  • Phillycheese Steak Sandwich

    Jake made this meal for us a little while ago.  I love his Phillycheese steak sandwiches.  They are delicious!  This time around he did a Phillycheese steak sandwich with a side of freshly sauteed vegetables.  Do I need to mention how much I love it when he cooks? 🙂

    Phillycheese Steak Sandwich

    • 1 pound thinly slice Beef Steak
    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1/2 medium Onion (thinly sliced)
    • 8 ounces Fresh Mushrooms (thinly sliced)
    • 1/2 cup shredded or 4 slices Provolone Cheese
    • 4 Hoagie Buns

    Trim off any extra fat from the beef and cut the meat into thin slices.  Set aside.  Heat oil on medium-to-high in a large frying pan.  Add onion and season with salt and pepper, stirring occasionally.  In a few minute (about 5) once the onions have softened and started turning brown add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until they are slightly browned.

    Move all the vegetables to one side of the pan and add in the meat and cook for a few minutes until it is no longer pink.  Divide the meat and vegetables into 4 equal piles.  Spread the cheese evenly across the 4 piles of meat and let set aside for a moment.

    Slice each hoagie bun and set on a plate.  Transfer a pile of meat with a spatula to each hoagie bun and serve immediately.

  • Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping (Week 2)

    Our family finished week 2 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 second week of this goal.   The only things I purchased this week were a 1 gallon of Milk, a jar of Mayonnaise, and soft foods for my daughter who was recovering from tonsil surgery (bananas, popsicles, drinks, yogurt, etc…).  I was able to plan our menu around the foods we had on hand, plus Jake was traveling for a couple days this week so we tried to keep it a little simpler.

    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 always glad when I put forth the effort to plan the weekly menu, however, there are days (like last week) when schedules change so you may have to adjust or go with plan B for an evening.  Having the menu planned in advance allows me to have more flexibility and less stress in the evenings when the whole family is home.  Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:

    Our Weekly Menu Plan

    • Monday (Beef or Seafood Entree):  Tilapia, Steamed Vegetables 
    • Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook):  Everybody’s Choice Sandwiches, Fresh Fruit
    • Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree):  Chicken Noodle Soup, Cornbread
    • 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

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    Last week I spent most of my time with one sweet little girl who was recovering from surgery.  We played a lot of games, did crafts, read books, and while she napped I tried to get everything that I needed done in that hour (unfortunately, everything didn’t get done).  I did make some headway this past week just most of it happened in the evenings or during nap time.

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Read Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls – still reading (almost through it)
    2. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    3. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    4. Attend After School Activities
    5. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    6. Take care of the little one recovering from surgery  thankful for my extra time with her and that she seems to be recovering well
    7. Write Thank You Notes
    8. Finish going over our 2013 goals – working on it, Jake had to go out of town at the last minute for work so some things got postponed

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week – I did it (this one is a challenge some days)!!!!
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Start with my new YouVersion plan(s) – enjoying listening to my new plans as I exercise and prep for the families breakfast
    4. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp – loving this book, but didn’t have a lot of extra time to read it this week

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Complete a current client work project

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email
    3. Email a meeting reminder to the Alms & Legs Ministry Team

    Financial Goals

    1. 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.
    2. Payoff the Van – making progress
    3. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses – this one’s going a little slower, but at least we’re moving in the right direction

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Read Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls
    2. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    3. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    4. Attend After School Activities
    5. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    6. Finish going over our 2013 goals
    7. Doctor Appointments

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Start with my new YouVersion plan(s)
    4. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email
    3. Email a meeting notes from Alms & Legs Ministry Team meeting

    Financial Goals

    1. 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.
    2. Payoff the Van
    3. 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.

  • What To Do With 25 Pounds of Fresh Organic Carrots

    A few months ago I found this 25 pound bag of Fresh Organic Carrots marked down to $2.99 at our local Ingles store.  Yippee!!!  I checked to make sure all the carrots looked fresh and good.  I was super excited because our family loves carrots, these looked great, and having a big bag could be beneficial for several recipes over the next few of months.  We counted the carrots and if I remember correctly there were 76 large (some very large) full size carrots in this bag.

    What did we do with all the carrots?

    • Eat It – we ate them raw, in salads, dishes, cooked, and a variety of other great ways (our kids love munching on raw carrots or really anything with carrots in it)
    • Share It – we gave several bags of carrots away to friends and family to use in their cooking too.
    • Feed It – since we have goats they enjoyed a lot of delicious carrot treats over the next few months.

    A bowl of fresh sliced carrots

    How did we store all the carrots?

    After scrubbing, washing, and drying the carrots we did a number of different things with them:

    • Dehydrated Carrots – we sliced up a dehydrator full of carrots to use in soups, stews, and as treats for the goats.  The goats LOVE crunchy dehydrated carrots as a snack!
    • Frozen Carrots – some of the carrots we sliced up or shredded then put into Ziploc bags in the deep freezer to use for future recipes.
    •  Fresh Carrots – we used some right away for various recipes, ate raw carrots, and stored them in the refrigerator.  We put the carrots in a drawer with other vegetables and our BluApple to help keep them fresh longer.

    Tray full of sliced carrots ready to be dehydrated

    Dehydrating 5 trays of sliced carrots – these are very good in soups and the goats love these as a special treat!

    The carrots were still really fresh and I didn’t have to throw any out.  These carrots lasted for several months frozen and dehydrated.  Even though it is a lot of work when you get a big bag (25 pounds) up front the benefits will last a long time so it can be really worth it.

  • What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan

    We are starting to return to our more normal schedule with half the family at school and work while one little one continues recovering from surgery.    So thankful for the Holidays and an opportunity to spend some extra time with my family.  I enjoyed time celebrating, playing, and relaxing.  Now I am ready to get back into the swing of things.  Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:

    Our Weekly Menu Plan

    • Monday (Beef or Seafood Entree):  Roast, Mash Potatoes
    • Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook):  Grilled Cheese, Fresh Fruit
    • Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree):  Lime & Parmesan Chicken, Steamed Vegetables
    • Thursday (Pasta or Pork Entree):  Lasagna Roll Ups, Garlic Bread
    • 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