Meal Planning Monday - the moving into February away from snow edition!

So, as we established, blogging to say we had no snow backfired on me in a big way, with two lots of snowfall, the second a significant amount that arrived in the space of a few hours and took everyone by surprise (hence the M6 being closed nearby and several people got stuck there overnight).

The snow's gone in a flash though and we're now looking forward to some warmer, but wetter, weather. And it's February - hoorah. It may be my birthday, but January is not my favourite month so I'm always glad to see the back of it. I can feel the days getting longer and the warmer temperatures will help me feel that little bit closer to spring.

What's going on this week? Well, husband is off work for two days as I have got some governor training on Tuesday night so he needed to take the evening off and decided to add Monday to that too. He will however be working the weekend so it's swings and roundabouts.

The recipes are a mix. Monkey chose two dishes from his recentish favourites, I've had some things on my list that I wanted to try making, and there's one carried over from last week because I couldn't be bothered going out to the garage to the freezer. And to complete the week, I fancied a lamb recipe cooked in the slow cooker so a search threw up a nice curry.

Here is the coming week told in our meals.

Monday - Cheesy chicken pot pie
Tuesday -  Slow cooker lamb and sweet potato curry
Wednesday  - Mini meatloaves and jackets with broccoli
Thursday  - Fish chowder
Friday -  Slow cooker veg tamale pie with cornmeal crust
Saturday-  Boerenkool Stamppot (Kale Hash)
Sunday - Cheese and ham toasties (just because my kids ask for them for tea, heathens!)

So that's us. What's on your menu? When you've finished here, mosey on over to Mrs M's for more lovely entries in this week's linky.

Meal Planning Monday - the no snow edition!

(OK, so the weather forecast decided to make a fool of me. I wrote this late last night and overnight, we unexpectedly got 2-3 ins of snow and it's kept snowing today. Still, school is open so it is not a snow day officially here, just snow-y. )

Yes, what seems like everyone is going on about snow. We, on the other hand, have very little. It snowed on Friday, true, but not a massive amount. Where we live, we seemed to have more than the rest of the local area because we are that bit higher up and exposed but down at school there was much less so that remained open, and as you head to Preston, the snow all but dies out. I really don't mind - the children had enough snow to play in for a while, but everything continued to function. And it's been cold but not too bad - really, Friday was the worst day and on Saturday, I didn't even have to turn the heating up or back on.

It's a bit odd, really. I know it's going to continue to be cold this week so I have tried to keep warming stuff on the menu. I've just realised that I'm meant to be going out for lunch on Thursday so have done a quick last minute reshuffle so I'm not cooking lots in the afternoon and this now means a full week of meals. We have nothing special this week - no parties, events or anything. Sounds boring but it's nice to have a quietish week from time to time. A couple of these recipes, I have snaffled from reading other people's meal plans last week. If that's you, then thanks for the idea. I have a few more lined up for future weeks as I couldn't fit it all in.

Our week looks very much like this.

Monday -  Carrot sesame and chickpea burgers
Tuesday - Lamb meatball and pea pilaf
Wednesday -  One pot prawn pilau
Thursday - Potato and parmesan soup
Friday - Root veg and pancetta toad in the hole with gravy
Saturday - Cheesy chicken pot pie
Sunday - Sausage cassoulet

What about yours? Mrs M is the place to go if you want more Meal Planning Monday magic. 

Meal Planning Monday - the back to normal January edition!

Today - or sometime this week at least - marks the return of the normal routine for most people, with children returning to school and the lucky ones with long Christmas holidays going back to work. In our case, the children go back to school today, and my birthday always marks the end of Christmas and New Year celebrations. And much as I love my children, I need to get back into a routine and do some proper work! My husband has been working slightly different shifts over the holidays and so, although he's been working, he goes back to his normal evening shifts tonight too. We do have our friend staying for a day or two more, and the only other thing that is different is that I am going to London for a meeting on Saturday and am going to be out for 12 hours. Luckily, when I made crispy cheddar pie on Saturday, the quantities were vast so I made a separate one and froze it so that can be done without anyone doing any cooking.

I've got a booklet from BBC Good Food this month (actually, the February edition, it works very strangely!)  on healthy meals which is where most of the meals come from. I actually sat down last week and put this plan together and I've already planned next week too, as there was so much to choose from. It certainly makes shopping easier when you know what you're having. We're trying to get back into the healthy eating thing again now all the excesses of Christmas feasting is done.

Eyes down, look in, here is our meal plan for the week.

Monday - Veggie packed shepherd's pie (recipe pretty much identical)
Tuesday - Pork goulash and rice
Wednesday - Mexican chicken stew with flatbreads
Thursday - Indian chickpea and vegetable soup
Friday - Easy eggs with ratatouille
Saturday - Crispy cheddar pie from the freezer
Sunday - Lamb meatball and pea pilaf with cucumber yogurt

And that is that. More meal planning love can be found over at Mrs M's.

What does your meal plan look like? Is it healthy eating all the way or comfort food (or both!). Do let me know.

Meal Planning Monday - the first 2013 edition!

So, that was 2012, that was. Today is the last day and 2013 starts tomorrow. Really, this is my first meal plan of the year, especially as I'm not planning to cook tonight so the 2012 kitchen is well and truly closed. The children and I are planning to have a Chinese tonight - hubby will be at work until midnight so won't be partaking. I'm leaving New Year's Day open as well as I'm not really sure what we're doing - we still have family to deliver presents to, so we might be out.

This week is different for a number of reasons. Firstly, a friend who used to live across the road and now lives in Cambodia is coming to stay for a few days. The children are still off school, and husband's shifts are longer than usual. Finally *whispers* it's my birthday on Sunday and we're probably going to go out for lunch then. More normal service WILL be resumed next week. I hope.

Here is the plan, such as it is, for the week.

Monday - Chinese
Tuesday - keeping free
Wednesday - Chilli Marrakech
Thursday - Sausages with cauliflower cheese mash
Friday - Chicken satay with rice (I think!)
Saturday - Crispy cheddar pies
Sunday - I am so not cooking today!

That is us. How is 2013 starting in meals for you? Do tell. And then pop by Mrs M's to check out some other meal plans.

Happy New Year!

Meal Planning Monday - the Nearly New Sale edition!

Yes, it's that week. The week when I'm busy as anything. Way too much going on and Saturday is a day when I walk miles. I've done *counts on fingers* 14 nearly new sales in my time, mostly handling the money. Since stepping down as the branch's treasurer, I've always helped count the money, which is good as this weekend, I'm counting the money again and running the show as the current treasurer can't make it as she's away on a course. Saturday after a Nearly New Sale is always Chinese. Always.

The rest of the week is going to be kept as simple as possible as I also have a governor's meeting on Tuesday night and Friday, I will be helping to set up the hall for the sale. Although I went shopping with Monkey yesterday and there is food everywhere. Perhaps I will be having a "no shop" meal plan next week!

Eyes down, look in here we go.

Monday - Lazy cheesy vegetable hotpot
Tuesday - Spicy bean burgers
Wednesday - Slow cooker chicken and mango pilaf (recipe coming up)
Thursday - Red lentil, chickpea and chilli soup
Friday - Slow cooker barbecue ribs
Saturday - Chinese
Sunday - Roast pork etc.

And that's your lot. And before you go, two things. First, bob over to Mrs M's to check out everyone else's meal plans. Second, if you are in the Lancashire area, bob on over to our sale on Saturday, which is at St Michael's High School in Chorley, 12 noon start or 11.30 if you are an NCT member and can show your card. £1 entry, bargains galore.

Say hi if you see me, I'll be the one dashing around looking a bit stressed, but visualising my Chinese in the evening!

Meal Planning Monday - the vegetarian edition!

Today sees the start of National Vegetarian Week so in its honour, I'm cooking a week's worth of veggie meals. Well, kind of - Missy Woo is going to a party after school tonight and Monkey wants to play there so the grown ups are having leftovers from our Sunday roast for tea but apart from that, the week is vegetarian.

For a long time, I didn't eat meat. I never called myself vegetarian because I ate fish and seafood - but now I'd have the label pescatarian to call myself. We still eat veggie at least once a week and then a few weeks back, I came up with the idea of cooking veggie for the week and then discovered how soon National Vegetarian Week was. So this is totally off my own back - no-one has asked me to blog about it. I like cooking veggie things and so a lot of these meals are already firm favourites. There isn't a lot new because it is a very busy week - parties galore for the children, sports day and school fair on Friday afternoon and I am going to be in school all day on Tuesday as part of an interview panel for a new teacher. Eek!

So here's the plan:

Monday - leftovers for the grown ups, children out for tea
Tuesday - Mushroom burgers and sweet potato chips
Wednesday - Roast veggie moussaka with feta
Thursday - Squash, ricotta and sage pasta bake (tho the children will still be getting sandwiches)
Friday - Asparagus, mushroom and red onion quiche sans pate
Saturday - keeping free for now as the children are off to parties again
Sunday - Mixed vegetable curry with chickpea pancakes

I've realised after doing this plan that this is a lot of vegetables, a bit of dairy and not a lot else! Usually, I would choose at least one dish containing beans but I guess with it being almost summery (we're promised some warmer weather this week), they feel a bit wintery and these appealed more.

Are you having a veggie week this week? Tell me what you're having and then don't forget to check out Mrs M's place for more MPM entries.

Meal Planning Monday - the post-Easter edition!

Hope you had a lovely Easter and aren't too sick from chocolate overload. We've had a quiet one thanks to work (husband's not mine!) but we've another week of school holidays to go. This week is a mix of things I wanted to try making or am trying to perfect - you might have seen the Thai fish pie a few weeks back; well, I'm trying out my own version of it that is a) cheaper b) healthier and c) more family friendly - ie not as hot and more acceptable to children's palates. When I get it right, I'll blog the recipe

Here's our week.

Monday -  Garlic mushroom and turkey bake
Tuesday - Mushroom stroganoff
Wednesday - Bolognese bake
Thursday - Vegetarian sausage, butternut squash and pepper stew
Friday - Thai fish pie
Saturday - Lemon spiced chicken with chickpeas
Sunday - keeping free

And don't forget that you can find more Meal Planning Monday entries at Mrs M's place but before you go, take a few minutes to tell me what you're having this week.

Meal Planning Monday

So, I survived the first week of the summer holidays and mealwise, everything went pretty much to plan. The children especially liked the honey and mustard pork I made for them on Sunday (recipe - mix runny honey and wholegrain mustard, spread on pork chops or pork steaks and bake in the oven!) so that was good as it was a first for them. They've asked for it again soon. I could easily have given them more, it was pleasingly gone in just a few minutes. 

Silent Sunday: Here's one I made earlier

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

Find more Silent Sunday posts at Mocha Beanie Mummy