Menu Plan Monday - July 9, 2012

Ants!  Yes, you heard it right, ants.  Blah!  What a weekend it has been.  Buckets full of candy from the July 4th parade led to the ants marching into my house and invading my pantry.    It's my fault, I know.  I should have taken the candy and put it directly into baggies and washed the buckets.  Sigh.  The good news is that the pantry has been completely cleaned, organized, purged of candy, and most items (besides the canned goods) bagged and double bagged.  Seven years in this house and barely an ant, and now, days of them - yuck!  I am hoping for an ant-free day today.

Now, doesn't that make you want to hear about my menu??  I'm keeping it simple this week.  Hope to post some more during the week of more projects going on. 

Monday - Veggie Chili in tortilla bowls

Tuesday -  Pasta night, maybe ravioli?

Wednesday - Grilled Chicken and grilled veg. quinoa

Thursday - Pizza

Friday - Spaghetti and Meatballs (kids' request)

For more menu ideas, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com

Menu Plan Monday - July 2, 2012

Hot, hot, hot!  After a weekend of scorching 100+ degree heat, this week is all about grilling and chilling.  Although the temperatures are supposed to ease back down into the 90's, my goal is to turn on the oven as little as possible this week.

smashed potato and corn salad

Sunday - Hamburger sliders, smashed potato and corn salad, watermelon

Monday - Grilled portobello mushroom burgers, Boca burgers for the kids, salad

Tuesday - Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs, corn on the cob

Mini Corn Dog Muffins

Wednesday - To bring along for the parade:  Corn dog muffins, fruit, granola bars and maybe stained glass jello (in jars).  I have read that you can use sweetened coconut milk in place of the condensed milk...I'll have to investigate further.    Later, tequila lime chicken, plaintains, watermelon.  What I really want to make though is a red velvet sheet cake.  I have a bottle of Lorann Red Velvet Bakery Emulsion that I feel compelled to crack open.  Red velvet cake seems so perfect for the Fourth, too!


I need to give a special thanks to Jennifer at Adventures in Breadland (and Mamaland) for introducing me to these Bakery Emulsions way back in December in this post.  I ordered the Red Velvet and the Princess Cake and Cookie Emulsion.  I used the Princess one in just about all of my baking for my daughter's birthday.  The cake, the icing, the cookies and all I can say is "WOW!"  Really great stuff.  I substituted about half of the vanilla extract called for in each recipe with the bakery emulsion.  I can't wait to try the red velvet cake...yum!  I think I may have to try the sweet dough one the next time I make an order to KAF.    


Anyway, back to the menu:

Thursday - Grilled Pizza, veggies

Friday - Shredded Chicken egg rolls (baked), cold sesame noodles, broccoli, challah

For more menu ideas, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com