Monday, October 6, 2014

Week #29 Menu Planner

Hey!  What's cook'n, Y'all?!

I've got another fabulous week's worth of menu's for you and your family and friends.  Planning is really important when it comes to saving money, time, hassle and even more importantly, eating healthy.  I've found the more stuff I've got in the pantry, the less I want to go out and spend even more money in a restaurant, while my food at home is get'n old.

One thing you want to remember, this is just a guide.  Any menu plan should be a guide.  Life does sometimes get in the way.  Don't pressure yourself too much, that you fall out of planning.  I rarely eat everything on the menu, every week.  There is always something that has to change.

That being said, let's see what's up for Din's this week.  I'm doing it a lot like I did last week.  My pantry and fridge is still full of food and to save cash and time at the grocer's, I'm going to plan this week's meals around what's already in the refrigerator.  At this time, I have no meat, but absolutely everything else.

Meatless Monday: pasta, baby

I've got some delicious, fresh pasta still in the refrigerator as well as some yummy tomato sauce.  Today's meal is a no brainer.  My kids never argue over pasta and there are so many alternative pastas for those of you who may be cutting back on gluten.  I love quinoa pasta.  There is also rice pasta and gluten free as well as whole wheat pasta.  I do know that fresh is by far the best tasting and not all dried pasta is created the same.  Some are just plain terrible.  Try all different kinds!

 pasta recipe


Tuesday:  bangers and mash

Hehehe...I've got a lot of fresh veggies in the refrigerator.  I've got witloof (Belgian endive) and leek which are not the kids favourite. So, I'll be cutting those up fine along with carrots and mashing it all up with the potatoes and  serving it up with some delicious sauce from all of the drippings of the sausage as well as the water from the potatoes and veg.  The kids will be over the moon and they'll have no idea they are eating all of those other veggies.

If you wanna check out the true, English bangers and mash, check out the link I've got ya hooked up with.  Just do NOT use the sugar in the sauce.  Balsamic is sweet enough and sugar is bad.

 bangers and mash recipe


Wednesday:  slow cooker ribs

I specifically asked for beef ribs at my local, fresh butcher and he obliged.  My hubby grilled up the first batch.  I'm off  to try and show up his recipe with a slow cooker recipe.  Grab your favourite BBQ sauce, onion and your ribs.  You could use chicken breasts, beef, pork...it'll all work.  Slice up your onions and lay them in the bottom of your cooker.  Place your meat on top of the onions, pour your sauce over and dinner's ready when ya get home.  Serve your BBQ with the traditional BBQ fare of corn and baked potatoes. The image is hooked up to a recipe as well.

 ribs recipe


Thursday:  fish, quinoa or rice and veg

This recipe is so darn easy!  Chili, lime and cumin with your fish.  The rice would taste great with this sauce, too.  Maybe some green beans or broccoli?  I really love broccoli with fish.  If ya find rice not easy to make, consider a rice cooker.  I love mine!  Dump in your rice, pour water over your rice and turn it on.  BAM!

 fish recipe


Fun Food Friday:  hoagie buffet

My boys are true Belgians.  Many, many Belgians eat sandwiches.  They eat a LOT of sandwiches.  Typical Belgian families eat them for breakfast and dinner!  They ain't American style sandwiches, though.  Hehehe...  We all love hoagies.  Set up a buffet of sliced tomatoes, lettuce, sliced onions, sliced cheese and the sliced sandwich meats or salads your family loves and let them devour it!  Consider stopping off at the baker and grabbing fresh hoagie rolls for a healthier alternative.  I'll be wrapping my goodies in some form of lettuce or just make a salad with the buffet and adding the meat.

Saturday:  shrimp and pasta formaggio

This recipe it totally awesome!  If you don't have the dosh for shrimp, then use chicken!  Perfect!

 recipe

Sunday:  Belgian Waffles

I HAVE to give you this recipe.  If you have never made your own waffles from scratch for the family, well!  Honey!  It is time to start.  You can serve them with fruit, ice cream eggs, use the waffles and sandwich something up, too.  Waffles are made in minutes.  I mean they are really so easy to make, I'm baffled why people buy the very unhealthy prepared kind or conservative crap filled, prepared batter.  Yuck!  You more than likely have all of the ingredients in your house already!!! If I like making mine with butter milk.

Just give it a try and see how easy it is and how much the family loves them.  If you don't have a waffle iron, well, this recipe just may change that, but you can still make waffles without a waffle iron.  Check out this site to see how.

 recipe

All right!  You are set with a wonderful week's worth of ideas.  Get cook'n folks!

Have a fantastic week and until next Monday!

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