I was never one of those moms who planned family meals. I was the mom with a well-stocked pantry and freezer who called (interrupted) her husband at work at five o’clock every night and wined that I had no idea what I was going to make for dinner. Then I read this post by one of my favorite bloggers, Liz of Simple Simon and Co. I made sense to me!
Most people that tell you to meal plan say to put all your recipes online and print out shopping lists. Not only did that seem tedious to me, it did not jive with the way I cook. You see, I never really use recipes, I just cook. I use what I have on hand and put together meals for my family. Never will the exact same thing appear, so if you like it, you had better enjoy it now because I will never be able to replicate it again.
I digress. My sister is the complete opposite. She has to have a plan to avoid panic every evening. She is much better at being conscious of her food budget and has a husband who is a much more adventurous eater than my beloved. She started publishing her meal plans on Tumblr long before she had a blog, and I admired her for it, but could never bring myself to follow suit.
But Liz’s meal planning strategy just made sense! Follow the link to her post, but the basic idea is make a list of everything in your regular rotation and sit down for 5 minutes early in the week and plan for the week. Tuesdays are crazy with kid and church activities? Have a frozen meal or something in the crockpot. Have a little more time on Saturday? Perfect time to make five hour stew.
I cannot tell you how much this technique has freed me! I am not worried about what to make at five o’clock. The kids do not whine when they ask what is for dinner. (Although they often whine that they do not like it, but that is a rant for another day.) The biggest bonus is I have far fewer runs to the grocery store and my weekly bill has gone down dramatically. Instead of getting everything I might need in case I make a particular dish, I get only what I will need.
So thank you Simple Simon and Sarah Unfiltered for bringing me to the light of day!
In case you were curious, this is what I planned (in the parking lot after I dropped my kids off at school on Monday) for dinner this week:
Monday- Apple Brandy Dump Chicken
Tuesday- Baked Ziti with homemade turkey sausage (already prepared and in the freezer)
Wednesday- Family Dinner at Grandma’s
Thursday- BBQ Beef sandwiches
Friday- Garlic Butter Shrimp with Pasta
Saturday- Kibbe with Hummus and Taboleh
Sunday- BBQ Meatballs with Brown Rice
Making my way one crazy day at a time-
MollieMaes
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Black and White Scalloped Fabric Flag Bunting
Poached Pear and Blue Cheese Salad
In our house we celebrate Advent for most of December. We use it as a time of preparation for the coming of the Christ Child at Christmas. We do not decorate the home after Thanksgiving and we do not play Christmas music until after Gaudete Sunday which is the third Sunday of Advent. But that does not mean that we do not celebrated Christmas for a long time! There are 12 days of Christmas! December 25 until Epiphany, January 6, is ALL CHRISTMAS in our house.
One of my favorite parts of Christmas is an annual Epiphany party that I host for a group of more than a dozen women who have at one time or another been a part of a faith-sharing small group with me. These are friends new and old who are amazing holy women! All of them have several children, many of them home school, and I love to treat them to a special evening.
This tradition started fourteen years ago and has evolved over the years. My current formula is a cocktail hour, followed by a three course dinner served on my wedding china and crystal. I love preparing this meal, for it is the one time I do not have to think about picky kids (and husbands) and I can serve GIRL FOOD.
Usually I have my menu planned months in advance, but this year I could not hit the right balance….that was until my brilliant sister gave me some inspiration. She suggested Sweet Potato Potpies, and directed me here for a recipe. She then suggested I make trifle in mason jars and a theme was born.
Here’s the menu with recipes. Just note that I never measure anything and much of this was just off the cuff! Enjoy!
Baked Brie and Assorted Cheeses with Crackers
Christmas Cocktail Virgin and Spiked
Poached Pear Salad with Blue Cheese and Pear Vinaigrette
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Almond Berry Trifle with Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
Baked Brie
One round baby brie
One can refrigerated crescent dough
1/4 cup jam
Unroll crescent dough on a cookie sheet and press seams to seal. Place brie in the center and pour jam on top. Bring dough over the cheese and seal in the center and bake at 400 for about 12 minutes until golden brown.
Christmas Cocktail
Cranberry Juice
Lime Juice
Simple Syrup
Ginger Ale
Vodka
Mix cranberry juice with a splash of lime and simple syrup. Add vodka (for spiked cocktails) and top with ginger ale.
Poached Pear Salad with Blue Cheese and Pear Vinaigrette
(Serves 12)
6 firm pears
12 cups tender lettuces
8 oz blue cheese crumbles
1 bottle dry red wine (I used pinot noir)
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
rind of one orange
1 cinnamon stick
12 whole cloves
12 whole peppercorns
6 whole allspice berries
3 whole star anise
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Cup olive oil
Salt to taste
In a large stockpot or dutch oven pour red wine, water, orange peel and spices. Cover and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, peel pears leaving on the stem. Place pears in boiling wine mixture and reduce to a simmer. Simmer covered for 20-25 minutes turning pears occasionally to ensure even cooking. Remove pears from liquid and allow to cool. Continue to simmer wine uncovered until liquid is reduced to about 3/4 of a cup. Strain out spices and orange peel and chill wine.
Cut pears in half lengthwise and remove seeds and stems and chill. This can be done up to 2 days in advance.
Place reduced wine, vinegar, oil, and a little salt in a jar and mix slowly from the bottom up with an immersion blender. Pour dressing over tender greens and plate the greens. Top with a pear half and blue cheese.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Brussels Sprouts
Bacon
Cook bacon until crisp and reserve grease. Clean and cut in half fresh brussels sprouts. Heat a large roasting pan in a 400 degree oven. Add bacon grease and sprouts and stir to coat. Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add chopped bacon and serve.
Almond Berry Trifle with Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
Frozen Strawberries
Frozen Blueberries
1/4 cup balsalmic vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 pint heavy cream
2 packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup balsalmic vinegar
1 cup sugar
2 recipes Almond Cake
Mix berries, sugar and vinegar and let sit in refrigerator overnight. In the bowl of a stand mixer, place cream cheese. Whip until very soft, then slowly add powdered sugar. Beat until smooth then slowly add chilled cream and beat until fluffy.
Layer berries, pieces of cubed cake and cream in a trifle bowl or mason jars and refrigerate for at least four hours.
For the Cake:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cups melted butter
2 eggs
1 t almond extract
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 cups flour
3 T slivered almonds, toasted
Grease and flour a 9 inch round cake pan. Blend sugar and butter, beat in eggs and stir in extracts. Add salt and flour and mix well. Spread evenly into pan and sprinkle with toasted almonds. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
