Meal Planning Monday (21 October 2013)

Well last week went to pot when I was ill and didn't end up going away.  I really didn't have the energy but so needed to go and sort somethings out.  Looks like I will be making a trip sometime next month now.

This week we will be having:

Monday - Left over Sunday lunch

Tuesday - Turkey Curry 

Wednesday - Liver & onions (batch cooked some a few weeks back)

Thursday - Tacos 

Friday - Sausage casserole

Saturday - Cottage pie (will be making extra to freeze some for future weeks)

Sunday - Some sort of Roast - will see what the butcher has towards the end of the week followed by Chocolate self saucing pudding made in the slow cooker.  I double up the quantities and then eat 1/4 and then freeze the rest in 3 batches.

Pop on over to Mrs M's blog to see other meal plans.

Meal Planning Monday (14 October 2013)

It's a bit of a funny week here at the House By The Sea as I need to go back to The Midlands for a few days to organise of something relating to my house there and my Dad will be here looking after the shop and the kids for me.  I therefore, need to leave little cooking dishes for him to do as he is no Jamie Oliver in the kitchen!

This week we will be having:

Monday - Fridge left over Pasta

Tuesday - Turkey Curry (so much cheaper to buy that chicken breasts)

Wednesday - Chicken burgers

Thursday - Tacos (I'll cook the meat and my Dad will just reheat and heat the tacos)

Friday - Sausage & chips

Saturday -Lamb burgers (supper tasty ones from our butcher, can't recommend enough)

Sunday - Homemade Pizza, bases and tomato bases in freezer just top with fridge pickings

Well this is the plan whether my Father sticks to it the end of the week I don't know, possibility of takeaways is high!  For me, takeaway Thursday, will have no motivation after travelling, out Friday with Friends, probably out Saturday with my Brother and then Sunday will be a snack of some sort on toast.

What are you cooking this week?

Pop on over to Mrs M's blog to see other meal plans.

Meal Planning Monday

I've not taken part for some time and need to get a rein on food costs.  I;ve not been planning for the last 5/6 weeks and the food bill is getting out of hand.  This week we are having:

Monday - Sunday roast left overs and lots of veg

Tuesday - Liver and bacon casserole

Wednesday - Paprika Chicken

Thursday - Mexican

Friday - promised the kids a Chinese takeaway

Saturday -Cottage pie

Sunday - Roast Pork and all the trimmings.

What are you cooking this week?

Pop on over to Mrs M's blog to see other meal plans.

Meal Planning Monday

This is our menu for this week:

Monday - Not sure what we are having tonight as will look for a bargain when I do

the shopping this afternoon.

Tuesday - Chicken in a cream sauce with pasta

Wednesday - Chicken burgers

Thursday - Fajitas 

Friday - Sausage Cassarole

Saturday - Lasagna

Sunday - Roast Pork

Linking up with Mrs M.

Meal Planning Monday

Afraid it is short and sweet this week as I have a million and one things to do and the list is getting longer by the minute.  I complete one thing and another 2 are added to the list.  Nobody told me juggling work, kids, house etc would be like this!

This is our menu for this week:

Monday - Roast pork & all the trimmings

Tuesday - Chicken in a cream sauce with pasta

Wednesday - Brinner

Thursday - quiche and salad

Friday - BBQ chicken

Saturday - Lasagna

Sunday - Some sort of roast, depends what bargains there are 

at the butchers

Linking up with Mrs M.

Meal Planning Monday

Things went a little chaotic towards the end of the week and we totally didn't stick to the meal plan.  I think I have reached the point this week where I only need to buy bread, breakfast cereals and some fruit and veg.  A cheap shop this week!

This week we are having:

Monday - Roast chicken & all the trimmings

Tuesday - Chicken in a cream sauce with pasta

Wednesday - Brinner

Thursday - Enchiladas

Friday - Away for the weekend so having sandwiches whilst travelling

Saturday - Off Out

Sunday - Still away so eating out

What are you cooking this week? Don't forget to pop over to Mrs M's Blog to see other meal plans for this week.

Meal Planning Monday

Managed to keep to the meal plan last week but still got way too many veg left over.  Planning on making a soup with it all today for lunch then freezing the left overs.

The plan for this week is to have:

Monday - Roast pork & all the trimmings

Tuesday - Enchiladas

Wednesday - Cottage Pie

Thursday - Brinner

Friday - McD as we are travelling back to the Midlands

Saturday - Off Out

Sunday - Off Out

What are you cooking this week? Don't forget to pop over to Mrs M's Blog to see other meal plans for this week.

Meal Plan Monday

Last week we sort of kept to the meal plan I had set .  We ate all the dishes I had planned however, due to me forgetting I had an appointment at the hospital on Wednesday the meal were switched up a bit and eaten on different days.  Some how I still managed to over buy things and have a fridge full of things we need to eat up.  The veg mountain will be eaten today and tomorrow and then I will make a batch of soup for lunch and freeze some of it in individual portions for the rest of the week.  I am saving a little money on the food shopping bill this week as my Father is coming to visit Wednesday and I have arranged for an on-line shop to be delivered to him which he will drive up to me.

Weather wise here on Saturday was glorious but then Sunday it rained all day.  So typical of UK weather, the sun teases us and makes us think Sprig is finally here and then runs far far away.  Lets hope it comes back soon.

The plan for this week is to have:

Monday - Sunday roast left overs and lots of veg

Tuesday - Cottage pie with lots and lots of veg

Wednesday - Bolognese

Thursday - BBQ Ribs

Friday - looks like we are going out, so a night off for me!

Saturday - Paprika Chicken

Sunday - Roast Pork, all the trimmings and rice pudding.

I did manage to sneak a batch of yummy cinnamon & chop chip pancakes for Sunday lunch:

.

You need:

225g of self raising flour

2 tbsp oft light brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp All Spice

Pinch salt

1/4 lemon, zest finely grated

1/2 vanilla pod or couple of drops of vanilla extract

300ml milk

1 egg

Mix the dry ingredients together.

Add lemon zest

Beat egg and mix with milk & vanilla, then add to dry ingredients.

Stir well.  This will give you a very thick batter.

Place one tablespoon in a hot non stick pan with a little oil or butter. Cook for about 1-2 minutes, turn and cook for a further 1 minute.

Serve with creme fraiche, sprinkle of sugar and chocolate powder.  

What are you cooking this week? Don't forget to pop over to Mrs M's Blog to see other meal plans for this week.

Meal Planning Monday

Since moving and going from employed to self employed with no steady wage we have needed to keep a close eye on our spending.  One thing that I find I waste a lot of money on is food.  When we lived in the Midlands my Father lived with us and he well quite frankly ate like a horse.  Now there is just the three of us and I have really struggled with quantities of food.  Its taking a while to judge amounts to buy and cook for just the three of us.  Just like before we moved I find at the end of the week I am throwing a large amount of food away.  This is so wasteful week after week and I really need to get on top of this to cut costs.

Sadly here I don't have the option of internet shopping to stop those extras sneaking in the trolley each shop but also my kitchen is really small.  I have the sink cupboard then 4 wall units, 2 of which house crockery.  Try storing all the food you need in one double wall unit!

The last few weeks we have been making a menu plan and trying to stick with it.  Yes, extras are sneaking in the trolley still but with the lack of storage there are few of them but as a result we are wasting less food.  Still some waste but much better and my shopping bill has gone down quite a bit as well.

Hoping the weather will warm up soon as I am getting fed up with warming dishes like casseroles and home made soup.  This girl feels like a salad but its been just too cold!

The plan for this week is to have:

Monday - Sunday roast left overs

Tuesday - Homemade tomato soup with homemade sausage rolls

Wednesday - Gammon joint, mash & veg

Thursday - Pasta with cream sauce and left over gammon

Friday - Chicken burgers

Saturday - Homemade pizza

Sunday - Roast Chicken, all the trimmings and homemade apple crumble.

At some point I am hoping to sneak in another batch of these:

Cinnamon & Choc Chip Pancakes
** Added ** I will put the recipe on next weeks post for these.

Personally I love home cooked food and was raised on it.  Being a close knit family with my Grandparents living opposite us I learnt to cook, something which a lot of people now a days can't.  As a family it is very rare for us to have ready meals.  To be honest it really is unheard of; ready meals for us are packets and jars of sauce mixes.  As a family do you eat home cooked food or ready meals?  Is it convenience or are you culinary challenged?  I'd love to know.

What are you cooking this week? Don't forget to pop over to Mrs M's blog to see other meal plans for this week.