Crazy week ahead. Cooking anything complicated is not on the agenda. I hope to go shopping this afternoon, but my back is not playing nice and I’m coming down with a cold (thanks for sharing, Little Four), so chances are I’ll only stop at one store. But even though I’d rather nap than think about meal planning, I’m going to jump in and do it anyway, knowing that the week will spiral out of control if I don’t. At least this is one chore that I can do from the couch with a cup of coffee.

So here’s just what popped into my head (all fall into the category of Things My People Will Eat Without Complaint), while trying to picture what I think is already in the pantry and freezer (I can’t summon the energy to actually get up and look).

Monday: Pasta Carbonara, salad

Tuesday: Split pea and ham soup (in the slow cooker), croutons

Wednesday: Sausage and potatoes, big salad

Thursday: Pan-fried fish, tartar sauce, veg to be determined

Friday: Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches (maybe in the waffle iron!)

When you’re facing a busy week, what’s your default dinner plan?

Another busy weekend, so I’m just now getting to my week’s menu plan. Last week I did a little last-minute switching of the menu, mostly because Friday I just didn’t feel like making the effort for enchiladas. Instead, I cooked a big pot of rice (hoping to have enough to go with enchiladas on Saturday–there was), and scanned the pantry. I saw the bag of red lentils that I bought a couple of weeks ago, and did a quick search on some of my favorite blogs. I found this recipe for Red Lentil Soup with Lemon and I was sold. Did I have all the ingredients? No. I substituted water and a tablespoon of beef bouillon for the chicken stock, and skipped the cilantro (didn’t have any) and cayenne (kids don’t like heat). The prep was all of 20 minutes, and I served the soup with a scoop of rice in the middle. The kids all had seconds, and even ate some more over the weekend. That one’s going in the rotation!

But back to this week. Once again, I’m working from whatever meat or fish we have in the freezer, and plan to shop for a short list of produce and dairy. I’m trying one new recipe from La Tartine Gourmande (guess which one!), and the rest are mostly old favorites.

Monday: Turkey meatloaf, mashed potatoes, kale chips

Tuesday: Garlic scampi with angel hair pasta, salad

Wednesday: Caramelized cherry tomato, zucchini and goat cheese clafoutis, salad

Thursday: Chicken fried rice, broccoli

Friday: Slow cooker short rib soft tacos

What are you cooking this week?

Welcome to Monday Menu: The Post-Holiday Edition. I don’t know about you, but my refrigerator is stuffed with leftovers. I’m really hoping not to cook for another three days. In reality, I’m sure it will disappear faster than that–no doubt the rest of the deviled eggs will vanish in an after-school feeding frenzy!

Monday: Ali Baa Baa sandwiches (leftover Easter lamb!), salad

Tuesday: Leftovers! Pork roast, roasted garlic scalloped potatoes, green beans

Wednesday: Potstickers, some kind of salad with tofu and kale, mango sorbet

Thursday: Chicken thighs with fennel and onion (I use a similar, but simplified, Rachael Ray recipe from one of her early 30-minute meal cookbooks)

Friday: Enchiladas

Do you have some leftover holiday goodies to start your week? Chocolate bunnies?

At last! I planned the menu first and then let my husband do the grocery shopping. (This is a little bit of a family joke. My mother used to say, “I’ll let you do the dishes, honey,” as if conferring a special privilege. Now we say, “I’ll let you do ___, honey,” whenever we want someone else to do a job for us. It doesn’t really apply, here, though, because my husband ‘s favorite sport is grocery shopping, so I’m not exactly passing off an undesirable chore. Convoluted, much?)

Monday: Southwest turkey cheeseburgers, black bean & corn confetti salad (I was going to make this last week with our tacos, and forgot about it!)

Tuesday: Homemade pizza

Wednesday: Quiche and green salad

Thursday: Pork Loin Hunter Style (from a battered, well-used copy of The Inn Cookbook–an old cookbook that is only available used at an incredibly inflated price–I guess we should take better care of it!), cranberry sauce, spätzle

Friday: Tuna noodle casserole (I make it pretty much like this recipe)

Do you have an old cookbook or recipe that you couldn’t replace if you lost it?

It’s Spring Break here at the Home Baked house, and we’re staying home. We have scheduled a couple of playdates, a visit to the Field Museum, and a whole lot of lounging about in our pajamas. The fridge is stocked with all sorts of goodies from a weekend shopping spree, so we are well prepared for relaxing and eating at home.

This morning, Miss Six is helping me choose a menu. We have two children’s cookbooks that I would recommend for kids aged six and up: DK Children’s Cookbook and Honest Pretzels. They have real recipes for foods I would actually eat–and often make myself–and are filled with engaging step-by-step photos or illustrations. With no homework to supervise and few activities, I’m feeling more adventurous and willing to put some effort into cooking this week, including cooking with the kids. I promised Miss Six we’d make some cinnamon sticky buns this afternoon, and maybe some fruity popsicles (or ice cream) and cookies later in the week. We finished off the frozen chocolate chip waffles this morning, and making something from scratch (probably while still in our pajamas) sounds infinitely more appealing that taking three kids to the grocery store.

Monday:  Artichokes with garlic mayonnaise, crostini with various toppings, orange & grapefruit salad

Tuesday: Cheese & potato pockets and tomato soup*

Wednesday: Penne with Asparagus, Peas, Mushrooms and Cream

Thursday: Braised pork ribs, smashed potatoes, kale with anchovies, garlic and pecorino (from Cook This Now)

Friday: Falafel and tzatziki*

*Meals selected by Miss Six

And now it’s time for me to get dressed, forage for lunch, and make sure that Little Four–recently introduced to the wonders of the computer–still has his mouse pointed to PBS Kids.

Do you like to get away for Spring Break, or stay home?

Here it is Monday again, and I don’t know what’s for dinner yet! What about you? Get out your pencils and let’s do it together!

Looking in my fridge, I see we have a bunch of leftovers. My first task is going to be transferring all the leftovers in large containers and pots and pans into smaller containers, perfect for popping into a lunch box. That will also give me a chance to assess what we have already that could inspire another meal this week.

A little messy!

(By the way, I love this set of food storage containers from Ikea. I have a set that I bought about four years ago, and though we’ve lost several containers, the ones we have left are in good shape. I like the clear plastic–BPA free!–and rectangular shapes for stacking in the fridge, and the lids seal well but aren’t too hard for a kid to open by herself. They wash up nicely in the top rack of the dishwasher. I just bought a new set and recycled a bunch of mismatched yogurt containers that were stuffed in the drawer. They are also so cheap that I don’t get upset if the kids lose some taking them back and forth to school–they’re awfully good about bringing them home, though.)

***

Hey, look how much space there is in the fridge now! I found several things, shall we say…past their prime? A couple completely empty containers, too! While I was at it, I wiped off the empty shelves and took out the garbage.

Much better.

But back to the menu….We have lots of potatoes and a little bit of corned beef, and a decent amount of meatballs and marinara from Sunday’s spaghetti dinner. A tomatillo, one big sweet potato, half a cabbage, celery, carrots, red pepper, lettuce, cilantro, apples, oranges, strawberries, limes, and tofu. I think my grocery list is going to be pretty short this week.

Monday: Chicken sausages, corned beef hash, salad

Tuesday: Meatball subs, Soybean and Cherry Tomato Salad

Wednesday: Crunchy Vietnamese Cabbage Salad with Tofu, potstickers

Thursday: Roast chicken, baked sweet potato fries, salad

Friday: Fish tacos, Black Bean Confetti Salad (with corn)

How do you manage your leftovers? Do you toss them, eat them, or transform them?

After a perfect weekend at home–no schedule, no activities, no deadlines, and plenty of leftovers–I’m feeling refreshed. I clocked my fair share of lounging, but somehow with nothing required of me, I was motivated to get a good start on sorting through the inevitable piles of stuff in the basement. I love feeling rested and productive.

My personal chef spent Saturday at the grocery store and in the kitchen and came through with some fabulous chicken liver pâté (he says the secret is to strain it for perfect smoothness), orecchiette with pulled pork ragout, and a brown butter cake that was divine (especially for those of us who prefer our sweets less tooth-achingly sweet). Sunday dinner was roast chicken and a lemony potato salad (and more cake), accompanied by dinner conversation in which we learned that Mr. Nine wants to be an astronaut when he grows up (“because I’m fascinated with space,”), Miss Six wants to be a teacher, and Little Four wants to be a teacher, too (and was promptly and justly accused of being a copycat).

And where there is roast chicken, there are leftovers (and broth in the crockpot) for tonight’s dinner. Speaking of leftovers, I should mention that last week’s Italian Wedding Soup (I followed my own recipe for meatballs) and Salmon and Potato Cakes were enjoyed by the entire family and provided several more lunches. The salmon recipe will go into regular rotation, as it is the first time everyone has eaten salmon without complaint (they like them with the dill sauce on a bun, too).

This week I’ve planned some tried and true favorites, as well as a couple new recipes. I think the kids will forgive the spinach if it’s layered between creamy, cheesy pasta. And they’ve enjoyed take-out sesame chicken, so I’ve been meaning to attempt a version at home (where I can adjust the heat from the chili paste to an acceptable level). I’ll let you know how they turn out!

Monday: Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos, guacamole

Tuesday:  Pork Milanese, pan roasted asparagus

Wednesday: Spinach Pesto Lasagna

Thursday: Sesame Chicken, rice, broccoli

Friday: Spaghetti with tuna pesto

Happily, we have nothing on the calendar for next weekend either, so I’m leaving it unplanned–a blank slate for whatever culinary whims might overtake us.

Is there a new recipe you’ve been meaning to try?

It’s the end of the month–always a good time to shop the pantry instead of the grocery store. (The freezer is getting so empty I might actually have to clean it.) I’m making my week’s menu based on what we already have in the house, supplemented by what produce is on sale this week at my favorite local market. I’m also skimming the March issue of Food & Wine, which seems a little light on dinner options, but has plenty of intriguing recipes for snacks, breakfast and lunch.

So here’s what I’ve come up with.

Monday: Thai ground beef (from this turkey recipe, but my beef is super lean, so I use whichever I have on hand), coconut rice, spinach salad

Tuesday: Chicken and dumplings (basically this recipe, but with homemade biscuit dough and boneless chicken thighs)

Wednesday: Homemade mini pizzas (I have this dough in the fridge that needs to be used up, and plenty of cheese and odds & ends for toppings)

Thursday: Italian Wedding Soup (using the turkey carcass in the freezer for broth)

Friday: Salmon cakes, dill sauce, roasted cauliflower (extra salmon that I bought last week and leftover potatoes)

I don’t have a plan for the weekend yet. It should be a quiet one, so there’s room to wing it in the kitchen. I think I’m going to try this trick for encouraging some fruit and veggie eating, possibly with some yogurty dip or hummus. And since we are low on snacky things to put in lunch boxes, I may break down and finally try this goldfish cracker recipe, but cut them into little squares (I am not ordering a goldfish cookie cutter).

What’s for dinner at your house?

Yesterday morning I returned from a decadent three-day weekend in Palm Beach with some girlfriends. Lots of sleep, sun, reading by the pool, and half-price martinis. Reentry (via a 7 a.m. flight) was abrupt, though sweetened by the curbside airport pickup with hot coffee, homemade muffins and a dazzling welcome home sign.

The kids are home today for Presidents’ Day and we have a playdate scheduled. Tonight I have the first of three chorus rehearsals for this weekend’s concerts, and of course there are still the usual after school activities. And I just noticed that, Hey! Ash Wednesday is this week, and it’s time to start observing some Lenten meat-free Fridays. So most of these meals are either make-ahead (early in the day) or fall into the 30-minute meal category. Just like every other week, right?

Monday: Beef stew with beer, noodles

Tuesday: Tandoori chicken burgers, tzatziki, tomato salad

Wednesday: Thai salmon, rice

Thursday: Baked potato bar, salad

Friday: Pasta pesto

Saturday: Locro (Ecuadorean potato soup)

Sunday: Leftovers and/or soup and sandwiches

Later today, if I’m feeling motivated, maybe I’ll see what kind of fried dough we can dabble in for Fat Tuesday. Anyone have a suggestion for something I can mix up tonight and fry in the morning?