Menu planning and an everyday vinaigrette recipe

We have fallen off the menu planning wagon (and by we, I mean me) and desperately need to get back on. So here is my attempt at getting back into it:

Monday - Steaks, potatoes, carrots or broccoli
Tuesday - Ham, mashed potatoes, and salad
Wednesday - Homemade pizza with various toppings (recipe for pizza dough to come)
Thursday - hamburgers or hamburger steak (haven't decided)
Friday - leftovers (family swim night)
Saturday - pork tenderloin
Sunday - something roasted (beef, pork or chicken!)

No chicken on the menu this week as it hasn't been on sale for quite some time out here and we are trying to live by the sales these days. I'm hoping that chicken will fall on sale this coming Thursday. If it does, then our menu plan may change slightly.

I haven't been feeling up to cooking too much lately and relying on some tried and true recipes (that I've already posted) for suppers. I've also been adjusting to having kids in school and running around doing drop offs and pick ups. And I really need to get on top of that because in not too long, there will be another little body to take care of!! So on top of menu planning and sorting out our schedules, I want to start getting some freezer meals sorted so that we have meals ready to go come December.

We have been on a wonderful salad kick at our house for the longest time. I'm not sure if it's the salad that we love or it's the salad dressing that's doing it. Well, I already know that for my hubby, it's the salad dressing. I know this because he will use anything to sop up the leftover dressing from his plate and he has been known to actually tilt his plate and slurp up the rest!!

It's another family recipe from my husband's aunt. And I share it often when I bring salad to a pot luck. It's such a great recipe and very versatile, you can adjust it to your tastes very easily.

Tante H's Everyday Vinaigrette
source: Tante H.

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp - 1 tbsp of dijon mustard (I start off with 1 tsp and then increase depending on my mood)
1/3 cup olive oil or canola oil
lemon juice from between 1 - 1 1/2 lemons
2 -3 tbsp olive juice
chopped fresh parsley, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Using a measuring cup, measure out the oil. Add the fresh lemon juice to the oil in the measuring cup and add enough juice so that the total liquid measure reaches 1/2 cup. You can definitely use more or less lemon juice depending on your taste, but that's what works for us. I continue to use my measuring cup as my "bowl" for the dressing until all items have been added. Next, I add the dijon mustard and try to mix it in using a fork. Then I add the rest of the ingredients (olive juice, garlic, parsley and pepper) and pour it into a dressing bottle or mason jar, whichever is closer at hand. I shake it up one last time and put it in the fridge until ready to use. It should last about 5 days.
In our house, I always make a double batch because my hubby likes to use it also as a bread dipper.

Enjoy!
Happy cooking!

Menu Plan for the week of Oct. 15, 2012

I feel like I've been in a rut for a while and had planned on trying 2 new recipes last week. Well, missing ingredients and busy kiddies changed that plan. I stuck to the plan pretty well but didn't make everything I wanted to. So I'm going to try again!! I'm also trying to get some baking in but I blink and it's night time. I really don't know where the time goes.


Monday - leftover spaghetti and meatballs

Tuesday - Baked Chicken Penne (recipe will come, I promise!)

Wednesday - Pizza

Thursday - leftovers

Friday - salmon, broccoli and rice

Saturday - pork chop bake (looking for a recipe!)

Sunday - BBQ (depending on coming sales)

Menu Plan for the week of October 8, 2012

So here is the menu that we are going to work with this week.
There are a lot of leftovers because it is just the 3 of us so we will be eating quite a bit of them LOL.

Monday - Garlic and Rosemary Pork Roast, with new potatoes and veggies

Tuesday -  Ham with potatoes and veggies

Wednesday - Ham, Broccoli and Cheese pouches (using leftover ham) - recipe to come

Thursday - leftovers

Friday - Baked Chicken Penne freezer meal - recipe to come

Saturday - leftovers

Sunday - hamburgers on the BBQ

Have a great week!

Menu plan for the week of Aug 20, 2012

Well I took quite a break from menu planning but now that we are settling in to our new house and vacations are over, I have to get back to it. When I'm not organized, I feel upside down. So it's back on track for us!!
On top of menu planning, I am also going to be planning a freezer cooking day. I want to try and have a few meals frozen for those days that are too crazy to get a fresh meal on the table. We are staying away from fast food and anything pre-made which makes things pretty crazy if I'm having a very busy day. I also LOVE grocery shopping, so I take every opportunity to shop several times a week but that wreaks havoc on the bank account. The menu planning and freezer cooking will make life a little easier and will help the pocket book!!

Monday - Chicken on the BBQ, potatoes, broccoli

Tuesday - Spaghetti

Wednesday - steak on the BBQ, carrots

Thursday - pizza

Friday - ragout de boulettes/meatball stew

Saturday - leftovers

Sunday - slow cooker pork roast (recipe to come)

Menu Plan for the week of June 18, 2012

Hi everyone, I'm sorry that I've been MIA lately. I'm still baking and cooking up a storm but with it being so nice out there, I try to get outside with the kids as much as possible. Plus we are looking at houses, which takes up some more time...but no more excuses!! I'm also taking the "no more excuses" point of view on my eating habits. So this week, I made a point of eating a little lighter. Not all my meals are light this week, but I may still change them up.

Monday - Uncle Frankie's spaghetti sauce and noodles

Tuesday - Chicken and ribs on the BBQ (chicken for me!), salad, veggies

Wednesday - Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore (recipe to come)

Thursday - leftovers

Friday - Salmon, broccoli and rice

Saturday - Steak on the BBQ, salad, veggies

Sunday - Ragout de Boulettes / Meatball stew

Menu Plan for the week of May 21, 2012

With today being a holiday, it was tough for me to sit and put together my menu. We enjoyed our day as a family, beautiful weather and lots of playing. It was the most perfect weekend!

Monday - Steaks on the BBQ with veggies and homefries

Tuesday - Chicken wings and drumsticks with HotWing Sauce (recipe to come) and some teriyaki sauce (recipe to come)

Wednesday - Steak subs, veggies and side salad

Thursday - Chicken on the BBQ, veggies, side salad and rice

Friday - leftovers

Saturday - Baked Chicken Parmesan (recipe to come) with pasta and some steamed broccoli

Sunday - Hamburgers on the BBQ, potato salad, veggies

Menu Plan for the week of April 30, 2012

I'm going to be trying some new recipes this week. Mainly slow cooker ones so I'm hoping that they taste great!

Monday - Ragout de Boulettes (Meatball stew) (recipe to come)

Tuesday - Steak subs

Wednesday - Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore (recipe to come)

Thursday - leftovers

Friday - Slow Cooker Balsamic Pork Roast (recipe to come) with carrots and potatoes

Saturday - leftovers

Sunday - Spaghetti and meatballs with Uncle Frankie's Marinara sauce and Uncle Frankie's meatball recipe (to come)

Menu Plan for the week of April 16, 2012

Here's my latest menu for the week. And although it's late on Monday, I still want to get this out!
Enjoy your week!


Monday - Spaghetti with Uncle Frankie's Marinara Sauce and Buttery Garlic Knots (recipe to come)

Tuesday - leftover pork roast and spaghetti (not together LOL)

Wednesday - Lemon and Garlic chicken on the BBQ, veggies and rice

Thursday - leftovers

Friday - Calzones made with homemade pizza dough

Saturday - Ragout de Boulettes or meatball stew (recipe to come), with potatoes and veggies

Sunday - leftovers

Definitely a lot of leftover meals this week, but if I don't then I will end up tossing food and wasting it.
So more leftovers it is!!

Menu Plan for the week of April 9, 2012

This week I want to be prepared for some big baking days, so I need to be organized and plan with lots of leftovers or easy meals. I haven't found a recipe that I would like to try yet for my slow cooker pork on Saturday, but I'm going to keep looking. I'll update when I have found something. Have a great slow cooker pork recipe? Please share it with me in the comments.

Monday - Ham and veggies. No carb with supper.

Tuesday - Salmon, broccoli and rice

Wednesday - Mother-in-law's cabbage rolls

Thursday - Steak subs with veggies and salad

Friday - leftovers

Saturday - Slow cooker pork, recipe to be selected

Sunday - Spaghetti with Uncle Frankie's Marinara sauce

Menu Plan for the week of April 2, 2012

Yet another crazy week here. My son is sick and the rest of us are fighting it. So now I have to make some easy meals. I'm going to have to do a few freezer meals soon so that I have a few items to choose from. Freezer meals are a great way to make sure you have a homemade meal when you don't have time or energy. I know some people are able to make a lot of meals in one day so that their freezer is stocked, but I don't have that luxury. But I manage to make a few over the course of a few weeks. I'll have to sit down and plan a day for at least 2 meals for the freezer.
I still haven't had the chance to really sit down and organize a meal plan this week, so it may change as I come up with better ideas. Sorry for not being better organized this week. It's just so crazy.

Monday - leftovers from the weekend

Tuesday - Chicken fajitas

Wednesday - need to check my freezer and pick a meat. Otherwise, salmon, rice and veggies

Thursday - leftovers

Friday - Pizza as it is my DH's birthday and it is a tradition for us to have pizza. May be homemade or bought.

Saturday - Slow cooker meal, yet to be determined

Sunday - Ham, potatoes and veggies for our Easter Sunday meal

Menu Plan for the week of March 26, 2012

So I'm a little late this week. I was so lazy yesterday after a busy baking weekend. I was lucky enough to have leftovers, so that's what we did. I am going to try to organize something a little better for this weekend as it will be another crazy baking weekend LOL. I'm on the hunt for the perfect slow cooker recipe for Saturday and that will give us enough leftovers for Sunday. Fingers crossed.

Monday - Leftovers

Tuesday - Chicken Pomodoro (recipe to come)

Wednesday - Salmon, broccoli, rice

Thursday - leftovers

Friday - pork chops recipe (looking for an all in one dish)

Saturday - slow cooker chicken thigh recipe (to come once I find it!)

Sunday - leftovers

Menu Plan for the week of March 19, 2012

I'm really glad that I'm menu planning. I may not always follow it to a "t" but it definitely helps to make things run a little smoother around here and it also takes a lot of guess work out of dinner time. Since I am going to be  busy baking up a storm towards the end of the week, I have to be sure that I am on top of meals.

Monday: Chicken Bruschetta Bake (I haven't had a chance to eat this yet, that's why it's on my menu yet again)

Tuesday: Pork roast, veggies, potatoes

Wednesday: leftovers (there should be some)

Thursday: Steak subs

Friday: BBQ (if able to)

Saturday: leftovers (again there should be some)

Sunday: Pomodoro pasta with chicken or shrimp

Menu Plan for the week of March 12, 2012

With my hubby being home for 3 days this week, our meals are going to be a little different because I will actually be able to prepare a little more or use the BBQ a little more. And we may stray from the menu more often than usual. So here's a "plan" for this week

Monday - Hamburgers on the BBQ

Tuesday - Pork or Steak on the BBQ, potatoes and veggies

Wednesday - Quesadillas

Thursday - Salmon, rice and veggies

Friday - Bruschetta Chicken bake, veggies, rice

Saturday - leftovers

Sunday - lasagna

So this is the plan. I'm sure it will change but I have a guideline to go by.

Have a great week!

Menu Plan for the week of March 5th

I am making this an easy week on myself as I'm my 3yo is sick and my DH will be busy with work. So it is a very simple meal plan this week. Things that take next to no time to make, which is just perfect this week.

Monday - leftovers from the weekend

Tuesday - Salmon, rice pilaf, broccoli

Wednesday - chicken fajitas

Thursday - spaghetti with Uncle Frankie's marinara sauce

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Homemade pizza

Sunday - roast beef, veggies and mashed potatoes

Have a great week!

Menu Plan for the Week of February 27, 2012

Wow another week already!! I have a lot planned for the week but I'm not sure how much of it I am going to get through. I'm just going to do what I can. With all the stuff that I have to get done, planning my meals takes some guess work out of supper time making me less stressed. On top of my meal plans, this week I will be making some tacos in sleeping bags to freeze and some zero point soup for me. And of course in addition to all this, I am working on various sweets recipes, getting them ready and deciding which ones I will be selling. Yes, I am finally going to sell my baking. More on this in another post though. Back to the task at hand, this week's menu. Nothing really over the top, but there is one new recipe for us: chicken souvlaki, rice pilaf and lemon potatoes.
It's going to be a good week!!

Monday: Ham dinner (was supposed to be Sunday but it didn't happen), potatoes, broccoli

Tuesday: Chicken Souvlaki, rice pilaf, lemon potatoes, salad and maybe a veggie (recipe to come)

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: BBQ Steaks (salmon for the kids), baked potato, carrots, salad

Friday: Homemade Pizza (recipe to come)

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Open for suggestions :)

Have a great week!

Menu Plan for the week of February 20, 2012

So I'm a little late getting this out there. I had it completed on Sunday as I always do but I never got around to posting it up here. I have this great weekly calendar that I received as a Christmas gift from my mother-in-law that is on my fridge. It is awesome! I take it down on Friday or Saturday and then work on my plan for the week. I go through what's in my fridge, what's in the freezer and what we need to pick up. This week, I didn't have much to pick up. Just some fruits and veggies. This week's menu came together pretty quickly and I'm a little disappointed, but we are only trying 1 new recipe this week. I'll have to make it up next week!

Monday: Chicken Quesadillas (recipe here)

Tuesday: Steak subs (quick and easy recipe - to come)

Wednesday: Ribs or salmon on the BBQ

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Homemade pizza (recipe is coming soon)

Saturday: BBQ Steaks

Sunday: Maple & brown sugar ham

It's a simple week. When I made this menu, I was still sick. I am actually still sick but getting better at least. Here's hoping that next week I will have new recipes to try!!

Have a great week!

Menu Plan for the week of Feb 13, 2012

I'm hoping that by posting my menu for the week, it will keep me a little more organized. But we'll see. I'm also hoping that it may give you a few new ideas for meals. And if you share your menu plans with me, I can add to my go to recipes.
So here we go. Breakfast in our house is pretty much the same every day. It varies between toast, bagels and sometimes pancakes. We aren't a cereal house. I don't know why, we just aren't. And we haven't done oatmeal in a while. I may have to try that again with the kidlets. I try to keep my lunches quick and painless as the kids usually nap right after. And supper, well sometimes they eat it and most times not.
So here we have our suppers for the week:

Monday - Easy Chicken Enchiladas (recipe here)

Tuesday - Spaghetti (recipe for an awesome marinara sauce coming soon)

Wednesday - Paté Chinois/Shepherd's Pie (another great recipe to share soon)

Thursdsay - Leftovers

Friday - Homemade pizza (recipe to come from OAMM)

Saturday - Ribs on the BBQ with salad and veggies

Sunday - Chicken Bruschetta bake (recipe to come from kraftcanada.com)

The only meal that I'm not quite 100% happy with is our Sunday dinner. I think I would rather do a roast of some sort but I guess we will see. So that's the plan! I'll keep you posted on how it goes. And I better get cracking on sharing these recipes with you hehehe! I'll update with links as soon as I can.

Happy eating this week!