Menu Planning Monday - Week 3

I've just gotten back to menu planning. So I was excited when I saw this! This week is actually a bit of a crazy week for me work wise so I'm trying to keep it fairly simple. For better or worse the weather is making me crave warm and savory comfort foods. So here is the plan...

Monday - Trader Joe's Mandarin Orange Chicken with Trader Joe's Brown Rice (very easy to make...you throw the chicken on a cookie sheet and bake it and the rice goes in the microwave)

Tuesday - Ms. Arnita's Meatloaf (I'm not a huge meatloaf fan but I love this meatloaf...it is yummy and relatively easy)

Wednesday - Leftover TJ's Mandarin Orange Chicken (there is something like 2 1/2 servings in the bag so I'll have that to use it up)

Thursday - Leftover Meatloaf (It's even better the next day or two...I'll put some single serve portions in the freezer for use at a later date)

Friday - Leftover Chili (I made a crock pot of chili last week and put some in single serving containers in the freezer so all I have to do is reheat them)

Saturday - Dinner Out

Sunday - I'll have Easter Dinner with Mom either at her house or we'll go to Cinebistro for dinner and a movie

Want to join the fun? Head over to The Young Retiree and Taingamala and link up!

Here's What I'm Cooking This Week

I've begun menu planning...I started with Sunday, July 4th so here it is for this week.

Sunday - Hot Dogs & BBQ - The church we attend had a July 4th Celebration so we ate there...bbq sandwiches and hot dogs. Yummy! And easy!!

Monday - Tacos - I like this dinner because it is easy and good. (After much trial and error I've determined I like the Taco Bell seasoning best for the meat. We use medium because it is a compromise.)

Tuesday - Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches - A big thanks to DAR for this delicious recipe that my husband loves and is easy to make!! You throw it all in the crock pot and then enjoy it when you get home from work.

Wednesday - Grilled Pork Chops - We bought very thick, boneless pork chops that I will marinade in the morning and J can grill that night. We'll have some vegetable with them because I like to round it out like that.

Thursday - WW General Tso's Chicken - This is my husband's favorite Chinese dish and this makes a nice light version with a bit of a kick. And it is easy.

Friday - Hamburger Pie - This is a family favorite from my childhood. And it is really easy and very tasty. {see recipe below}

Saturday - Free Day  - I figure we can use leftovers or go out to get something...just a bit of variety.

* I've noticed a trend in my recipe choices...I like easy.

Hamburger Pie 

1 lb ground beef (I use the leanest ground beef which around her is 93-96% lean)
1 - 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened (I use the 1/3 less fat but please please don't use the fat free)
The next few ingredients depend on your taste...you can use more or less depending on preference.
2-3 Tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce (I use the low sodium French's)
2-3 Tbsp of mustard (I like a spicy mustard)
salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix the ground beef, Worcestershire Sauce, mustard, salt and pepper until well mixed. I use my hands but you can use a large spoon too. 
3. Take half of the beef mixture and place it in the bottom of a pie pan (love my Pyrex) flatten out with some coming up the sides. 
4. Place the cream cheese in on top of this layer and press down a bit but not all the way to the edge.
5. Take the other half of the beef mixture and place it on top of the cream cheese. Seal the edges together.
6. Bake for 15-30 minutes depending on your stove and the doneness you like. We like it a bit less done and our stove cooks fast so I cook it about 20 minutes. 
7. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. (this makes it easier to cut and serve)
8. Serve with ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce, or even steak sauce for dipping. Enjoy!!

(As a side note if you want to make this a bit healthier you can cook it on a broiler pan instead of a pie pan.)

Menu Planning

I would love to tell you that I am one of those people who looks at cookbooks, websites, etc and plans her monthly menu...I'd even be happy to tell you that I do it weekly. But the reality is that it is still an aspiration. Every once in a while I'll decide to plan meals out a day or two ahead. Sometimes I'll figure it out in the morning so that meat is thawing...but most of the time I figure it out when I get home at 6:30 PM at night.

I love cooking. I do. Particularly for others. So menu planning seems like it would go hand in hand with that. But it always gets pushed to the back burner. So I go day by day figuring out what to feed us.

I have decided to set a goal. The 4th of July will start my menu planning. (I'd like to say it is symbolic but really it is just the first Sunday of the month and that makes it easy. I have even designed menu planning sheets that fit into my Franklin Covey Classic planner.

For those of you who menu plan or who want to start here is a free pdf of my menu planner. Please feel free to download and print it. You are welcome to share it on your blog but please link back to mine to do so. It is an
8 1/2 x 11 inch document that has two planners per page. If you have problems printing please let me know.