Menu Plan Monday - August 13, 2012

Well, I survived my first week with both kids in school.  (*sniff*)  I think we are finally getting into a routine with school mornings.  So far, the packed lunches have been working out, but that really is a whole other post.  I'm sticking mostly with my plan from last year.  There are a few changes to the plan.  In my son's class, he needs to bring/have milk with his lunch everyday.  While we've pretty much have stuck with dairy lunches anyway for my daughter over the past years, this really solidifies it.  I'm trying out a few new things this year.  Now that I have two lunches (well, really three) to prepare, I feel I need some new inspirations.  I love the idea of the bento box lunch with all of the cutie faces and animals, but I wonder how does all of that stuff stay put?  Lunch boxes get tossed in the car and dropped on the ground and who knows what else before they make it to school.  I imagine everything as a jumbled mess by lunch-time.  I have a few things I'm trying out and hope to post about.  Anyway, another post for another time.

Menu:

Monday - Vegetarian Moussaka (new recipe)with Caprese salad (tomatoes and basil from the garden, yum!) and corn

Tuesday - Broccoli and Bowtie pasta  - a Barefoot Contessa favorite.  I'll omit the pine nuts though, due to allergies.

Wednesday - Mango Chicken, zucchini and corn

Thursday - Homemade Pizza, veggie and dip.

Friday - Orange Chicken and Broccoli, rice, maybe sushi salad?  challah

If you are looking for more menu ideas and plans, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com

Menu Plan Monday - August 6, 2012

Yes, it has been almost a month since I last posted.  We were definitely on a Summer schedule around here.  Not too much planned, a bit of visiting family and relaxing.  Now it's back to schedules again.  school has started.  Today is the first day both kids are in school full-day.  Sigh.  So time to do my plan for the week.

Monday - Mexi-chop salad.  Trying a new recipe.  I'll let you know how it goes.  I probably will use romaine for the kale and real sour cream.  Baby steps.  Also, some homemade baked tortilla chips and salsa.

Tuesday - Pasta night.  Pasta primavera

Wednesday - Chicken piccata, sub in some EVOO for the butter

Thursday - Homemade pizza night

Friday - Onion Pot roast, carrots, potatoes, challah


Looking for more menu ideas, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com

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

Octopus Pops and Sweet Candy Sushi

The other day I wrote a bit about my daughter's birthday party, but I didn't get a chance to give many details.  These octopus pops I saw several places on pinterest.com.  I thought they were really cute little novelty.  Easy - a bag of marshmallows, a bag of melting chocolate (color of your choice), pop sticks, and candy eyes.  Of course, you can buy those googly eyes in the baking supply aisle OR you can be an overachiever and make them like me :).  All you need to do is melt the chocolate either in the microwave or over a double boiler.  Place a bit of the melted chocolate into a small plastic baggie or disposable piping bag.  Cut a small hole in the plastic and pipe 8 "tentacles" onto wax paper sheet.  With the remaining chocolate, dip the marshmallows on a pop stick and place the pop on the "tentacles" and add the eyes.  I used plain white candy dots and added the details for eyes with food coloring pen.  I have to admit, doing the white candy dots was much easier than trying to make a batch of black royal icing and keep it from bleeding in to the white.  I finished them with a sprinkle of colored sugar, but certainly not a necessary step.  In the end, I think I rushed though the project a bit so the chocolate coating looked a little bumpy. While they were really cute and looked nice on the food table, but I don't think anybody actually ate them entirely.  Clearly a novelty item, but still worth the effort.  

Sweet candy sushi (from the Hello Kitty party a couple of years ago)

The sweet candy sushi, on the other hand was truly a hit.  I made it a couple of years ago for my daughter's  Hello Kitty birthday party.  She asked for it again this year when we were planning a mermaid swim party. I found this recipe in Family Fun magazine as well as the inspiration for the Sand Castle cake.  Another very easy recipe and pretty tasty too.  This year I also made "real" veggie sushi  to help balance out the sweets a bit.  This recipe, besides the cake, was definitely the hit.

This year's leftovers

Sand Castle Cake and Turning 7

The sand castle cake.

I can't believe Miss D is seven now.  Wow!  The mermaid party turned out great.  I think the kids loved swimming in the pool and playing in the gym.  We had starfish cookies, octopus marshmallow pops, veggie sushi, sweet candy sushi, fruit and veggies and other little nibbles.  But best of all was this smile!

Menu Plan Monday - June 11, 2012

I know, I know it's been a few weeks.  We've definitely been in Summer mode here.  Memorial Day holiday, my birthday, and summer camps have started the past couple of weeks.  The menu planning continues, although I'm trying to keep it easy. 

Sunday - BBQ Beef Brisket sandwiches, corn on the cob, and matzo ball soup.  I know a strange combo - but my daughter was under the weather and said the soup would make her feel better.  What mama wouldn't say yes to that?

Monday - Manicotti (crepes are in the freezer), crudite

Tuesday -Chili-topped baked potatoes with guacamole

Wednesday - Turkey burgers and grilled veggies

Thursday - Pizza (maybe on the grill?)

Friday - Baked tilapia, challah, not sure?

If you are looking for more menus, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com