Menu Plan Monday: Some Lighter Fare!

It's May! And while that means we still have plenty of chilly days in our future here in Connecticut, it also means that we will likely start enjoying more bright and sunshiney times too. Time to usher in a few "less hearty" meals! This isn't diet fare, my friends, but it won't sit in our guts like a rock either. Perfect for Spring-y days!

Sunday:

B-Cereal, Applesauce, Milk

L-Cocoa Rolls (intrigued? Recipe tomorrow... just in time for Mother's Day!), Sausage Patties, Berries
D- Sunday Supper (Cookout at my parents' house- I brought the pasta salad!)

Monday:

B-Cinnamon & Sugar Toast, Yogurt, Juice

L-Rice, Hard-Boiled Egg, Applesauce, Milk

D-Monte Cristos, Sliced Tart Apples

Tuesday:

B-Oatmeal, Applesauce, Milk
L-Tuna Sandwiches, Cheese, Juice

D-Hawaiian Pork and Peppers over Rice

Wednesday:

B-Smoothies, Grapes

L-Rice & Beans, Juice

D-Fish Sandwiches, Oven Fries, Corn

Thursday:

B-Oatmeal, Yogurt, Juice

L-P, B, & J, Pretzels, Milk

D-Beefy Pasta Skillet Dish, Green Beans

Friday:

B-PB Toast, Applesauce, Milk

L-Buttered Noodles, Green Beans, Milk

D-Pepperoni & Mushroom Pizza

Saturday:

B-Homemade Ham "McGriddle" Sandwiches
L-Leftovers

D-Supper w/ Bama, Papa, and my grandma!

Enjoy this beautiful first week of May and have fun preparing for Mother's Day! I'll have some fun ideas coming up throughout the week, including:

• Cocoa Rolls- a decadent breakfast treat!
• Simple Preschool Flower Craft
• A look at when motherhood begins
• Frugal Flower bouquets

I hope you'll stop back and see me!

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan Monday: 4/25 Some Bloggy Faves

Whew! Can I just tell you how happy I am that it is NOT Spring Break this week? Last week wore me out! We were busy, busy, busy the whole darn time. This week should be more typical, giving me a chance to whip up some old favorites and also enjoy a few new-to-us meals...

Sunday:

B-Cereal, Applesauce, Milk

L -"Eggs in a Hole", Jello, Fruit
D- Supper after the race! I'll be pushing Baby G. in a 5K today that my sister organized. Looking forward to it!

Monday:

B-Oatmeal, Yogurt, Juice

L-Amy's Shrimp Dip with Crackers, Milk

D-Chicken Alfredo Bake

Tuesday

B- Banana Bread, Applesauce, Milk
L-Buttered Pasta, Cheese, Juice
D-Ham & Cheese Frittata, Salad

Wednesday:

B-Cereal, Cheese, Juice

L-Hot Dog in Bread (AKA- I'm out of buns), Fruit, Milk

D-Aussie Chicken, Lynn's Rice Mix

Thursday:

B-Peanut Butter Toast, Sliced Apples, Milk

L-Rice Mix, Chicken, Green Beans, Water

D-Hot & Sour Peanut Noodles

Friday:

B-Banana Bread, Yogurt, Milk

L-Peanut Noodles, Applesauce, Milk

D- Chicken and Mushroom Pizza & a Movie Night, Water

Saturday:

B-Eggs Florentine, Toast
L-Leftovers

D-Mac 'n Cheese w/ Hot Dogs, Green Beans

I'm looking forward to some of my old favorites from around the blogosphere- like Lynn's Rice Mix and Sherry's Aussie Chicken- and trying Amy's Shrimp Dip for the first time! My seafood loving kiddos (including the baby!) are sure to love it!

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan: 4/18... Spring Break!

It's Spring Break for us! My husband took the week off from work to spend time with the kids (and me), so it will be all five of us all week long. I'm looking forward to lots of warm breezes, care-free days, and flexible menu options.

Sunday:

B-Cereal, Yogurt, Juice

L -French Toast, Ham, Fruit
D-to be determined! We usually do Sunday supper with my parents, but this week they're in AZ visiting my grandma... and bringing her back with them for a visit! Can't wait! Baby G's named after her.

Monday:

B-Smoothies, Fruit

L-Grilled Cheese, Grapes, Pretzels, Water

D-Garlicky Clams Linguine (we just had this on the 9th for my nephew's eighth birthday, so I'm thinking I'll be substituting something different here... suggestions?)

Tuesday

B- Oatmeal, Fruit, Milk
L-Cheesy Beans & Rice, Juice
D-Italian Batter-Dipped Chicken Sandwiches (recipe coming tomorrow!), Broccoli w/ parm

Wednesday:

B-PB Toast, Applesauce, Milk

L-Chicken Strips, Toast, Yogurt, Juice

D-Loaded Nachos, Salad

Thursday:

B-Pancakes, Grapes, Milk

L-Lasagna Roll-Ups, Water

D-Homemade Fried Rice

Friday:

B-Oatmeal, Applesauce, Milk

L-Rice, Yogurt, Grapes, Milk

D- Ham Pizza & a Movie Night, Water

Saturday:

B- Scrambled Eggs w/ Cheese, Cinnamon Rolls (my fave breakfast combo, EVER)
L-Ham & Cheese Sandwiches, Apple Slices

D-Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Carrots

I'm excited to get some things done this week and enjoy the whole family! Spring Break in the Midwest was always mid-March, so this feels pretty late to me. Here's hoping we get some nice, warm days as a result!

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan: 4/11... Showers and Flowers

April is such a fickle little month! Temperatures in the seventies crept up into the high-eighties last week (yikes!) only to dip back down in the fifties for the weekend. Rather than complain about it, it seems like the perfect opportunity to enjoy some last "comfort food" meals while throwing a few lighter, fresher options on the menu too... because, like April, I can be fickle. ;)

Sunday:

B-Cereal, Applesauce, Milk

L -Migas, Fruit
D- Sunday Supper with Bama & Papa

Monday:

B-Oatmeal, Yogurt, Juice

L-PB&J, Applesauce, Pretzels, Water

D-Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti

Tuesday

B- Cinnamon & Sugar Toast, Fruit, Milk
L-Buttered Noodles, Yogurt, Juice
D-Lentil & Rice Burritos w/ homemade salsa

Wednesday:

B-Oatmeal, Applesauce, Milk

L-Cheese Quesadillas, Corn, Juice

D-Egg Noodles w/ Creamy Mushroom Marsala Sauce

Thursday:

B-Cereal, Yogurt, Juice

L-Egg Noodles, Cheese, Crackers, Milk

D-Chicken Scapariello over Pasta

Friday:

B-Jelly Toast, Cheese, Milk

L-Rice, Diced Chicken, Fruit, Milk

D-Jalapeno Burn Pizza & a Movie Night, Water

Saturday:

B- French Toast, Sausage
L-Leftovers

D-Italian Wedding soup, Italian Cheese Bread

The more I write these menu plan posts, the more I realize I really need to get my act together and post more of my recipes! If there's anything in particular you ever want to see, please let me know in the comments, 'k? Enjoy the showers and flowers that are so much a part of April's beauty!

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan Monday: Happy Easter 4/4/10

Happy Easter!! It feels like maybe Spring has finally sprung around here! We're excited to get out there some more as T-ball season begins and family walks brighten our weekends...

Sunday:

B-Cereal, Yogurt, Juice

L-Easter celebration with family!

D-Leftover picking if anyone's hungry...

Monday:

B-Jelly Toast, Yogurt, Juice

L-Mac & Cheese, Corn, Milk

D-Spinach and Feta Stuffed Turkey Burgers w/ Red Onion, Roasted Greek Potatoes

Tuesday:

B-Oatmeal, Red Grapes, Milk (I found Steel Cut Oats marked down at my Aldi for 89 cents a canister!!!)
L-Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Yogurt, Pretzels, Water
D-Garlic Spaghetti, Broccoli, Garlic Toast (that's a lot of garlic!)

Wednesday:

B-Peanut Butter Toast, Applesauce, Milk

L-Mac & Cheese, Mixed Veggies, Juice

D-Pigs in Blankets, Pickles, Baked Beans

Thursday:

B-Smoothies, Fruit

L-Grilled Cheese, Apples, Milk

D-Bourbon Chicken & Rice with Carrots & Broccoli

Friday:

B-Pancakes, Apples, Milk

L-Cheesy Beans & Rice, Milk

D-Pepperoni Pizza

Saturday:

B-Homemade "McGriddles"

L-Pasta Fagiola, Bread Sticks

D-Fish Sticks, Fries, Corn (I have not had fish sticks since I was a young child and my children have never tasted them... we'll see how this goes! ;) )

I hope you all had blessed Easters with your own families and are ready to embrace the rest of this lovely Spring!

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan: 3/28/10

This week, like last week, involves one wild Wednesday. Appointments with specialists and birthday parties add to the "usual run-around". Still, it should be a fun one!

The weather is so funky lately.... balmy and Spring-y for a couple days, frigid and rainy after that. This week's menu plan has dinners to suit both kinds of weather!

Sunday:

B-Cereal, Yogurt, Juice

L-Cinnamon Rolls, Sausage, Milk

D-Sunday Supper at Bama & Papa's (those would be my parents, fyi)

Monday:

B-Oatmeal, Applesauce, Milk

L-P, B, & J, Yogurt, Pretzels, Juice

D-Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwiches, Homemade Soup, Fruit

Tuesday:

B-English Muffin Egg Sandwiches, Juice
L-Hot Dogs, Bread, Corn, Milk
D-Spaghetti & Meatballs, Broccoli

Wednesday:

B-Jelly Toast, Cheese, Juice

L-PB Crackers, Yogurt, Fruit, Milk

D-Crab & Mushroom Crepes

Thursday:

B-Cereal, Fruit, Milk

L-Grilled Cheese, Crackers, Juice

D-Batter-Dipped Chicken Sandwiches (I am a hero around here when I make these- recipe coming soon!), Baked Beans, Corn

Friday (meatless- it's Lent):

B-Steel-cut Oats, Yogurt, Juice

L-Cheesy Beans & Rice

D-Pizza (extra cheese for the littles, tons of veggies-including lots of peppers- for the bigs), Water

Saturday:

B-Sausage Pigs in Blankets

L-Leftovers

D-Pasta Salad with Cubed Chicken and Veggies

What's your family cooking up these days? Have any of you busted out the grill yet? Ours is still in Indiana (boo hoo!), so that hasn't happened here. If we could just sell that house...

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan Monday: 3/21/10

I haven't shared many Menu Plan Mondays in the past but, believe it or not, I have some of the most detailed menu plans most people have ever seen. I plan every single breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the week. As sort of a kick in my own tail to get some more of my recipes on here, I'm going to try post my weekly menu plans more consistently. Here goes...

Sunday:

B-Cereal (more on why we choose to eat cereal around here on Wednesday!) , Applesauce, Milk

L-Scrambled Eggs with Bacon, Toast, Fruit

D-Sunday Supper at Bama & Papa's (those would be my parents, fyi)

Monday:

B-Breakfast Burritos, Milk

L-Rice, Grapes, Yogurt, Juice

D-Poor Man's Chicken Parmesan, Pasta, Green Beans

Tuesday:

B-Steel-cut Oats (they sell these at Aldi now- yahoo!), Yogurt, Juice

L-Italian Cheese Bread, Fruit, Milk

D-Beef Soft Tacos w/ Peppers, Onions, Lettuce

Wednesday:

B-Cinnamon & Sugar Toast, Apples, Milk

L-P,B,&J, Yogurt, Pretzels, Water

D-Pizza Omelets

Thursday:

B-English Muffins w/ PB, Yogurt, Juice

L-Mashed taters w/ Pepperoni & Cheese, Fruit, Milk

D-Chicken Lo Mein

Friday (meatless- it's Lent):

B-Steel-cut Oats, Applesauce, Milk

L-Buttered Noodles, Fruit, Milk

D-Pizza (mushroom and red pepper flakes for the littles, tons of veggies for the bigs), Water

Saturday:

B-Egg Sandwiches on homemade rolls

L-Chicken Noodle Soup, Beer Bread, Fruit

D-BBQ Hot Dogs (I was introduced to these in Indiana... does anyone else eat them?), Macaroni & Cheese, Salad

Aside from Wednesday- which is a total day of madness here with five extra places we need to be- it should be a fairly typical week! What's your family cooking up these days?

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday.

Showin' the Love, Food-Style

In case you didn't already know, I'm really into Valentine's Day. Love it! So this week is a fun one for me. Here are some ways I'll be showing my family lots of love through the food I serve up in the days leading up to February 14th:

Breakfasts:

• Cinnamon Pancakes with butter and red sugars
• Oatmeal with a heart-shaped drizzle of maple syrup
• Toast with raspberry preserves and a dusting of powdered sugar
• Vanilla Blackberry Muffins with fresh whipped cream
• Kashi heart-shaped cereal

Lunches:

• Tuna sandwiches cut in heart-shapes with cookie cutter
• English muffins with heart shaped cheese, strawberries
• Spaghetti marinara on pink plates
• English muffin pizzas topped with "shrimp hearts" (two shrimp turned tails together to form a heart)
• French toast with cream cheese and berry jam

Dinners:

• Linguine with pink vodka sauce
• Chicken Marsala (Valentine's Date Night meal- recipe coming on Thursday!)
• Individual heart-shaped pizzas
• Chicken & Noodles with heart-shaped biscuits
• Cupid Quesadillas (cheese quesadillas made with two tortillas, an arrow and heart cut out of the top tortilla)

Snacks:

• Grandma's Sour Cream cut-out cookies (recipe coming on Friday!)
• Graham cracker sandwiches with pink icing
• Sliced strawberries and whipped cream
• Saltine crackers with strawberry jelly
• Conversation hearts

That's what you'll find on our table... can't wait to enjoy some festive meals and treats! What are you serving up this week?

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For more Meal Plan Monday, check out I'm An Organizing Junkie.

For more Valentine-y Meal Ideas, be sure to stop by A Simple Walk!

Be sure to come back all week for more Valentine's Inspiration and Ideas!

Slacking and Celebrating All In One Week!

As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, I've been in kitchen slack-off mode. The name of the game right now is just coming up with meals that I can stomach putting together and that my family will eat. That is my only goal. Given my truly un-ambitious streak right now, this makes it a strange week for me to do my very first Menu Plan Monday post for Org Junkie... but, hey!, why not?

So here's what'll be happening in our home this week:

Breakfasts: cereal, oatmeal, or English muffins
applesauce or yogurt
milk or juice

Lunches: sandwiches, soup, lo mein, bagel pizzas, pasta
fruit
milk or water

Suppers:
Mon. 12/15- (ultrasound day!) Frozen Chicken Parm dinner, pasta, broccoli
Tues. 12/16- Hot & Sour Peanut Noodles
Wed. 12/17- Grilled (ahem, grill PAN) Chicken, mashed potatoes, salad (this is a fabulous
salad, people... be sure to join us for our Bloggy Progressive Dinner this whole week...
I'll be sharing my salad recipe on Wednesday)
Thur. 12/18- Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwiches, soup
Fri. 12/19- Veggie Omelets, Toast, Applesauce
Sat. 12/20- We're celebrating C's 3rd Birthday! Tradition holds that the birthday child gets his or
her favorite foods at the party so we'll be having macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, and grapes.... and
cake, of course! Poor girl never gets a party on her real day... Christmas Eve.

For a lot more interesting menu plans, head on over to Org Junkie! To start joining us on our Bloggy Progressive Dinner, be sure to head over to Five J's where Joy is serving up drinks today!