Monday, February 22, 2016

This Week on the Dining Table

It's the "Cook Once, Eat Eight Times" Edition--

No photo but I cooked Peanut Thai Chicken, a pan of Lasagna and a Meatloaf on Sunday.  I used up some odds and ends of shredded cheese bags, a jar of premade sauce, a box of lasagna noodles, a canister of bread crumbs, a jar of parsley, an old container of cottage cheese and 1 whole skinless boneless chicken breast and ground beef from the freezer.  These 3 dishes should give us the basis of 8 meal or so when all is said and done/eaten.   I'll probably have to throw some lasagna into the freezer too because we'll get tired of it(at least I will, Hubs could eat pasta 24/7).
I am loving doing a sort of batch cooking on the weekend when the electric rates are lower here. It frees up my week a bit and avoids that "it's 5 o'clock already and I don't have anything prepped for dinner" trap.

Onward to the meal planning!

Here's what was planned last week.......

1. Sunday--Bourbon Salmon, Mixed Veggies, Mac and Cheese
2. Monday--Chicken Parm, Veggies(Spaghetti for Hubs)
3. Tuesday--Chicken Fajitas
4. Wednesday--Bacon Mushroom Quiche(or another frozen pizza augmented with goodies)
5. Thursday--Shrimp, Cole Slaw, TBA?
6. Friday--Leftovers
7. Saturday--Leftovers


And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Bourbon Salmon, Mixed Veggies, Mac and Cheese
2. Monday--Chicken Parm, Veggies(Spaghetti for Hubs)
3. Tuesday--Chicken Fajitas
4. Wednesday--Shrimp, Cole Slaw
5. Thursday--Frozen Pizza(dressed up)
6. Friday--Bourbon Salmon(again), leftover Mixed Veggies, leftover Cole Slaw
7. Saturday--Turkey Club Sandwiches

We needed to eat the frozen pizza as it wouldn't fit into the freezer so the quiche was nixed(besides, I used the mushrooms in the Fajita filling).  And we really didn't have anything leftover to reheat or repurpose as a meal so I ended up cooking every night.
7 meals cooked at home(7 new meals-if you count frozen pizza as a new meal).

As for my grocery spending so far for February.....
Added spending of $45.96 this past week.  That makes a running total of $288.24 spent in February and we have 6 days left in the month.  Between more cheap coffee and more Compleats for College Boy I know I'll go over $300 at this point, unless I advance myself some cash from March's budget.

Leftovers going into this week......Mac and Cheese and Chicken Fajita filling(enough for 2 Fajitas).
The Mac & Cheese came out dreadfully(a quick crockpot recipe using only 4 ingredients I tried) so I'll attempt to "fix" it this week. It was just a big gloppy mess so I'll make a roux and try to sauce it up.  If it can't be fixed it will get pitched.....I hate to do that but, like I said, it is dreadful!  The only other way I can think to "save" it is to breadcrumb it and make fried mac and cheese nuggets which will just make it more unhealthy(if that's possible lol).

And besides, who throws away mac and cheese??  lolz

I also have leftover smoked Pork BBQ too but that will get divided into two Ziploc bags and is going into the freezer for later as we are "bbq-ed out".

Here is this week's "food plan"--

1. Sunday--Thai Peanut Chicken, Rice, Broccoli
2. Monday--Meatloaf, Brussels Sprouts, maybe dreadful Mac&Cheese fixed up
3. Tuesday--Cheese Lasagna, Tossed Salad
4. Wednesday--Kielbasa on rolls, Saute Cabbage
5. Thursday--Fish, Potato Salad, Veggie TBD
6. Friday--Leftovers(Meatloaf)
7. Saturday--Leftovers(Lasagna)

This week will see 5 new meals cooked and 2 meals of leftovers(re-purposed into new dishes or not).
I cooked 1, 2 & 3 on the menu on Sunday(lower electric rates)and will reheat 2 & 3 on their days.  That just leaves 2 meals to cook fresh the rest of this week and they are quick and easy ones.

What I need to buy for this menu? Cabbage and Salad Greens.  We are also out of sour cream.

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Was last week's plan successful, did you go off plan or did you not even plan what was going to be eaten last week?

Any great deals on food at your stores this week?

Sluggy

6 comments:

  1. I checked and we don't have different rates for electricity. I have the feeling we pay the higher rate all the time.
    I love cooking a massive meal or two and then freezing it. This isn't Den's favorite thing but oh well, he is as bad as I am. He cooks for an army and then complains about leftovers.

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    Replies
    1. Y'all need to retire to Mexico and let Den open a food stand there and he can cook for his army while you stay drunk on frozen margaritas! Works for me!!!

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  2. I made a couple pans of hamburger enchiladas last night... I didn't plan it but we had to eat something. :)

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  3. Yum-your meals sound so good. It has been less than organized in meals, but will have a fair amount of pasta, soup,and chicken this week I'm sure.

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  4. Do you have a tried and true Peanut Thai Chicken recipe to send us to? It sounds delicious!

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    Replies
    1. Sorry Kim N., no recipe from me. I used a boxed mix(The Good Table)to coat the chicken and then glazed with my mother's peanut sauce recipe. The boxed mix was a tad too spicy for me so I won't be doing that again. I only like non-spicy Thai food so I don't eat much besides Pad Thai.

      Delete

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