Hadn't planned on the Hodgepodge ...

 

 ... but I can't resist this week's main topic and simply have to join Joyce and the gang for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.   Planning is the key to me accomplishing anything in life these days.  So here we go ...

1. When did you last have cancelled plans? Were you happy about that or disappointed? 

Last Thursday we had planned to attend a potluck supper and a movie being sponsored by a local group.  Then on Friday we had planned to go out to breakfast with our friend Terry.  Both plans got cancelled because my hubby was entertaining a stomach bug.  We were disappointed on both counts but there was absolutely no way around cancelling.

2. On a scale of 1-10 how much of a planner are you? 

Since you didn't ask how well I do with carrying out my plans, I can say I'm probably an 8 or 9.  I have a number of plans going right now.  A menu plan of course, goes without saying.  I'm also planning menus and groceries for an upcoming event -- cooking for  a small group of volunteers at The Wilds of New England.  I'm planning a devotional for our church ladies' meeting in May.  Essentially very little happens in our house without a plan -- getaways, vacations, work trips, special events, projects at our cottage ... you get the idea.  A lot of my planning happens simply with pen and paper, though I have some other planning tools as well, that I have made.

 3. Do you have a menu plan for the week? If so tell us one or two things that are on it. If not, what's your plan for not having a plan lol? 

I've been planning menus my entire married life.  If you would like to know how and why I menu plan you can check this link.  I have an entire category of menu planning in the label cloud at right, so you may wish to check that out as well.  (ETA: I just remembered I was supposed to tell about a couple menu items on this list.  Well, tonight we're having spaghetti squash stuffed with feta and cherry tomatoes -- a super easy meal I've made a half dozen or so times since seeing it on Instagram.  So good.  Another item on my list is a Greek Pasta Salad which I'll be taking to a birthday party for two of my teen grands on Saturday evening.  It's a huge favorite of theirs.

4. The Hodgepodge lands on National Bucket List Day. Do you have a bucket list? Is it written down or just in your head? What is one thing on your bucket list? If you don't have a list, what is one thing you'd add to a list if you did? Yes I'm going to make you think about it. 

I don't have a written bucket list. The Grand Canyon and Zion were on my mental list, and we did get there.  Another thing is an Amtrak vacation to some national park or other out west.  It's just deciding where and when.

5. Rain buckets, a drop in the bucket, couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, sweat buckets, cry buckets...which 'bucket' idiom applies to your life in some way currently? 

I'll take the easiest way out and say rain buckets.  We've had a lot of rain this spring and it is raining as I write this. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

We are working on cleaning out my craft closet and the project is 3/4 completed.  We've generated three large bags full of trash, passed a few things on to grandchildren who enjoy crafting, and are working on our fourth thrift store donation box. I really have no idea how many things have left the house, but it's probably in the hundreds.

 
And there is the Hodgepodge for this week!  Even unplanned, it was still fun.

Supper in a hurry

My season of life right now is quite a busy one.  Last fall, it seemed that we often found ourselves finishing up a work session at my childhood home just in time to come home and figure out supper.  This spring, we are apt to get involved in work sessions at our little cottage, as there is much to do there to make it truly livable and comfortable. So we will be facing the same situation again.  I was talking with my friend Jennifer the other day about how challenging this is and how important it is to have in mind in advance what supper will be.

Many days, of course, I'll put something in the slow cooker ahead of time, and that works perfectly.  But there are many other days when a last-minute meal is in order.  It occurred to me that others might like some ideas for this sort of meal.  After all, the working person gets home just as tired and often has the same problem of figuring out a meal.  So does a stay-at-home mom with a fussy baby or a busy homeschooling schedule.  So I'll just share a few ideas I've relied on over the years, and a couple of newer ones.  Most of these meals use regular items you can just pull out of your pantry.

If you have an hour and a half-- this will be mostly unattended cooking -- make Chili-Topped Baked Potatoes.  Bake potatoes in the oven as you usually would.  Then, maybe 15 minutes before serving,  heat up canned vegetarian style chili to serve over them.  Serve with any kind of toppings that would be good on tacos -- shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, shredded lettuce, chives or green onions.  This makes a wonderful supper on a cold night.  You could serve it with maybe a salad or baby carrots.

If you have an hour and fifteen minutes -- again, this will be mostly unattended baking -- make 

POLENTA BAKE

1 package of chicken sausage (fully cooked type such as Al Fresco) -- in the sweet apple flavor
1 large sweet onion
1 large apple (Honeycrisp is the best!) or 2 smaller apples
1 tube garlic and herb polenta
Olive oil
Salt & pepper (optional)

Have a 9 x 13-inch baking dish ready and just add the ingredients as you prepare them.  Slice up the chicken sausages.  I slice each one lengthwise and then cut them into about 1/4-inch slices crosswise.  Peel the onion, cut it in half and cut each half into wedges.  (Or cut them smaller if your onion is really huge.)  Wash, core and slice the apples into wedges.  Don't bother to peel them.  Then slice your polenta.  I cut it in quarters lengthwise and then slice it between 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch thick.  Now drizzle some olive oil (at least a tablespoon, but it's up to you) over the ingredients in the baking dish.  Salt and pepper to taste if you like, but it's really optional.  I forgot it last time and the dish was still wonderful.  Stir everything together well.

Bake at 375º for 1 hour.

I think you could make endless variations on this dish by using other flavors of sausage and including different vegetables like peppers, zucchini, etc. rather than apples.

This is the sausage that I use

If you have 45 to 60 minutes, you could make Corn Chowder or Clam Chowder.  Here is how I make corn chowder:

CORN CHOWDER

Use a heavy kettle or Dutch oven that will hold enough soup to feed your family. Chop 1 or 2 onions and, if you like (though these aren’t “traditional” ingredients) you can also chop a couple of celery ribs and shred a couple of carrots. Saute´these in your heavy kettle in some butter or olive oil. You won’t need much -- maybe a couple of tablespoons. Cook and stir until the vegetables are tender. Now, peel and dice as many potatoes as you need to feed your family. I would probably use at least four medium potatoes. Now add hot water to nearly cover the potatoes. Add a few shakes of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add 1 (15 oz.) can of whole kernel corn, undrained, 1 (15 oz.) can of cream style corn, and 1 can (13 oz.) evaporated milk. If you have a large family or a large kettle, you can add one more can of each. Heat through and add salt & pepper to taste. If you enjoy the flavor of herbs, a sprinkle of thyme and/or marjoram go nicely with corn chowder. Sprinkle with paprika before serving.

This would be great with whole wheat or multigrain bread. If you are feeding even heartier appetites, you could serve the chowder with grilled cheese sandwiches or tuna melts.

And here is my easy recipe for 

SIMPLE CLAM CHOWDER

2 Tblsp. butter
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
4 potatoes, peeled and diced (I like Yukon Gold)
2 cans chopped or minced clams, not drained
1 large can evaporated milk
Salt, pepper, Old Bay seasoning and paprika to taste

In a large soup pot, melt the butter. Add celery and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are almost tender.  Add the clam juice; refill the bottle with water a couple of times and add the water to the pot as well.  Add the potatoes; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.  Stir in the clams and evaporated milk; heat through.  Add seasonings to taste.

There would be time while this simmers to make biscuits to accompany the chowder, if you like.  My favorite recipe for  biscuits is Iron Skillet Biscuits from Marilyn at Mountain Top Spice.

If you only have a half hour or so, you can make an easy dish we really like: Tuna Mac'n'Cheese.  Just make up 2 packages of boxed macaroni and cheese according to the package directions.  We buy the Annie's organic type so we don't feel quite so guilty about it.  The variety pictured below is the one I most often use.  Then just drain and flake a can of solid white tuna, mix it into the macaroni and cheese, and heat through.  That's it.  It would be good with a bagged salad, or coleslaw, or cooked frozen green beans or canned beets, heated, or even grape or cherry tomatoes.  Something to make the plate a little more colorful.

Also in the half-hour category:  Pancakes, waffles, scrambled eggs or omelets would all make great quick meals if your family will eat breakfast for dinner.  Mine would always happily do that.  A fruit salad would be nice and you can make one quickly if you keep frozen and canned fruit on hand.

If you only have 15 or 20 minutes, you could make up some quick wrap sandwiches with any kind of wraps or with flour tortillas.  Spread these with mayo or mustard, layer in some sliced cheese, deli meat, lettuce, pickles, sliced tomatoes -- whatever you have.  If you have deli coleslaw, pasta salad or potato salad on hand, that is great.  If not, serve with any type of chips or raw vegetables -- or heat up a can of tomato soup.

Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup is a classic quick supper that most people enjoy.  My hubby and I also like fried egg sandwiches. We just fry the eggs and add a half slice of cheese on top of each.  Sometimes I will saute chopped green peppers and chopped onions (from bags of the frozen veggies) before adding the eggs.  Then we just make toast, sandwich the eggs in between and add ketchup or mustard.  All we need is a side of chips, salad, roasted veggies, baked beans, home fries or whatever we might have.

I hope that these simple ideas are helpful to someone as we come into the busy season of spring cleaning, gardening, house projects and more!

How and why I menu plan

As promised (a l-o-n-g time ago!), here's a post all about menu planning.  I have been planning menus my entire married life, and it's a practice I highly recommend.  I didn't grow up with this type of planning; my mother may have had a rough idea what she was going to serve each week, but she never wrote it down as far as I know.  (When it came to holidays or having guests in for a meal, she did plan the menu.)

However, as a soon-to-be-married gal,  I happened to be in the home of a busy young Christian couple and saw a handwritten menu for the week posted on the fridge.  Right then and there, I decided that I would also menu plan.  It sure helped as a very poor newlywed on an extremely tight budget.  When we started out, we determined to spend $15 per week for groceries.  It never would have happened without a detailed plan, and without paying close attention to what was on sale in a particular week.

Saving money is still one of the main reasons I make a menu plan every week.  I usually start, just as I did over 40 years ago,  by looking at the supermarket flyer for the week to see what's on sale.  Then I plan my meals around what's on sale and what I have in the freezer and refrigerator.

Another way menu planning saves money is that, when I buy something, I have a plan for how to use it.  In the case of produce, it's really helpful to have a plan because it jogs my memory to use the particular fruit or vegetable before it goes bad.

Another reason for menu planning is to save time and frustration. If I look at my menu plan the night before or even the morning of, it helps a lot.  I know what's for supper and can plan accordingly.  If meat or a freezer meal needs to thaw overnight, it can happen.  If it's a slow cooker meal, I can be sure the ingredients get into the cooker in plenty of time.

Okay, so now to the nuts and bolts of how I actually plan my menus.  I have a printed grocery list that I use each week.  I can just write down specifics as to how many, what items, etc. on the lines provided.  It saves a ton of time.  If you want to make a list like this, you will of course personalize it according to items that you regularly purchase.  Mine really needs updating as there are items on here (like Crisco, for instance) that I simply don't buy anymore.

I fold the paper in half, blank side out, and then I jot down the days of the week from Thursday (my usual grocery shopping day) to Thursday.  Then I begin to fill in menus for each day.

When planning menus, I also take into account what my week is going to look like.  This usually saves a trip to the store or a restaurant for take-out on exceedingly busy days.  If I take time to think about it ahead, I will plan an easy meal for those nights, or leave something in the crock pot.

Obviously, the meal for each day varies with the activities the particular day or evening will hold.   For many years, Wednesday night's supper was always pizza along with either soup or salad.  Our granddaughters went to Patch the Pirate Club at church that evening and usually got off the school bus at our house.  Pizza was a favorite and they enjoyed different varieties of soups, in particular.  So pizza and soup was always a given on Wednesdays as I planned.

 Sunday has often meant a potluck lunch at church, so my menu for Sunday has usually included a slow cooker meal or something that will stay hot on a warming tray.  On a potluck day, it will also include some sort of salad and some sort of dessert.  If there is no potluck at church, I will either plan on leftovers  from a previous day or make a slow cooker meal on Sundays.

If we are having company for supper on a particular evening, then of course my menu plan will reflect that.

I try to plan seasonally, too -- lots of main-dish soups or stews in fall and winter, lots of main-dish salads in summer -- and use in-season produce in my menus.

Slow cooker meals are a blessing in any busy season.  I'll plan on making one anytime I want or need to be busy with something else -- be that cleaning, blogging, crafting, or some sort of ministry.  It's just good to have meals that will cook themselves while the cook has to be busy elsewhere.  I've even taken my slow cooker on vacation if we are staying in a cabin or cottage.

In general, I plan to serve several -- usually around four -- meatless meals each week, with chicken and fish or seafood making up the rest of the choices.  I will have pasta or rice once or twice during that time.  I try to vary the flavors -- Italian, Mexican,  etc.  Usually I will plan one "breakfast for dinner" type meal based on eggs.  In hot weather, main-dish salads are a mainstay for us.

One thing I've been trying to be mindful of this summer is to pay attention to what I serve as a side with main-dish salads.  Often my tendency is just to serve some sort of bread -- corn muffins, or French or Italian bread, or biscuits.  I've been trying to serve lighter sides like a cooked vegetable (zucchini or summer squash) or a side salad or just sliced tomatoes and/or cucumbers.  This Smashed Cucumber Salad is one quick and tasty option.

Invariably there are some menus that don't get used in a particular week.  We might eat out or be invited to someone's home for supper.  We might have enough leftovers to stretch for another meal or two.  (Good thing we both like leftovers!)  When this happens -- when there's a menu that doesn't get used -- I just move it to an appropriate day when I plan the next week's menus.

I feel as if this is just a haphazard list of tips and suggestions, but hopefully it will be helpful to someone.  One final thought:  Years ago I often participated in Menu Plan Monday with Laura over at I'm an Organizing Junkie.  Although I've gotten away from posting my plans here on the blog, Menu Plan Monday is still going strong.  Click the link and you will also find links to Laura's informative pages as to how she menu plans and why she menu plans.  She considers this practice to be life-changing.  Maybe you will too!

Meatless Moussaka

In the "better late than never" category, I am posting this recipe!

Some years ago, I often participated in the Menu Plan Monday linkup at I’m an Organizing Junkie.  Over the years, I've continued to plan menus, but have gotten away from taking the time to link up and post my menus.  Maybe I need to get back to that!

Anyway, back in 2008 I had Meatless Moussaka on my menu plan at some point.  And one of my readers, Kelli, had asked if I could tell her more about that dish.  Yesterday, I was searching for something on my blog and up popped that menu plan, along with Kelli's comment.  You can imagine that my face was red!

I have no idea if Kelli is still interested in this dish, but I will post the recipe now for her and/or anyone else who might be interested.  It's the recipe I go to whenever eggplant is available at a good price.

If you already have a moussaka recipe you like, here's how to make it meatless. Omit the meat, obviously. Then make a mixture of 1 beaten egg, 1 cup cottage cheese, and 2 T. Parmesan cheese. In your 13x9 pan place half the sauce and half the prepared eggplant. Spread all of this cheese mixture over the eggplant. Then on top of cheese mixture, place the remaining prepared eggplant and then the remaining sauce, sprinkling between layers with additional Parmesan cheese. Bake as your recipe directs.

If you do not have a moussaka recipe or just want to try mine, here you go:
*MEATLESS MOUSSAKA
1 large eggplant, pared and cut into 1/2 inch slices (I often cut the eggplant slices in half or quarters, depending on how large they are)
Olive oil for brushing eggplant
Salt and pepper
1 jar spaghetti sauce -- you need about 2 1/3 cups (or, if you prefer to make your own sauce, see below)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cottage cheese
2 T. Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling

So, preheat your oven to broil.  Then place the eggplant slices on a cookie sheet and brush them with olive oil.   Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Broil the slices for 5 minutes.  Then turn them over, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Broil 5 minutes more.

Turn oven heat to 350º.  In a 9-inch square baking dish, place half the spaghetti sauce.  Layer in half the eggplant.  Mix the egg and cheeses together and spread over the eggplant.  Sprinkle on additional Parmesan cheese.  Layer remaining eggplant on top and spread remaining sauce over eggplant.  Sprinkle generously with Parmesan and bake for 40 minutes.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

(To make your own sauce, saute' 1 chopped onion and 1 minced clove of garlic in olive oil in a skillet.  When tender, add 2 cups tomato sauce (16 ounces) plus a 6-ounce can of tomato paste.  Add 1/2 tsp. oregano and 1 T. chopped fresh parsley if you have it.  Heat to a simmer, then remove from heat and proceed with moussaka recipe as directed.)

* This recipe makes a 9-inch square baking dish of moussaka.  If you need a larger quantity, just double the recipe and use a 13x9-inch pan.  Enjoy!

A simple fall supper

Every week I make a menu plan when I prepare my grocery shopping list.  Like many people who menu plan, I don't stick rigidly to my plan.  If I don't feel like preparing a particular meal on the menu on a given night, I'll switch to one I have planned for later in the week.  Monday night was just such a night.  It had been a beautiful day but cool and windy.  I just didn't feel like making the meal on my plan for the night.  So I looked further down my list and found this one:

Clam Chowder
Iron Skillet Biscuits

Perfect!  Just the ticket for a cool windy evening.  And my husband loves those biscuits.  The chowder recipe (not written down; it's in my head) is simple and basic, but I thought I might share it anyway in case anyone is interested.

SIMPLE CLAM CHOWDER
2 Tblsp. butter
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
4 potatoes, peeled and diced (I used Yukon Gold)
2 cans chopped or minced clams, not drained
1 large can evaporated milk
Salt, pepper and paprika to taste*

In a large soup pot, melt the butter. Add celery and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are almost tender.  Add the clam juice; refill the bottle with water a couple of times and add the water to the pot as well.  Add the potatoes; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.  Stir in the clams and evaporated milk; heat through.  Add seasonings to taste.

* Now I have no idea at all why it took me so long to think of this seasoning trick, but I will share it here with anyone else who may not have thought of it.  I was adding salt and pepper and wondering what else to add to zing up the flavor a bit.  I glanced up at my spice rack and noticed the can of Old Bay seasoning.  (I had recently bought this item for the first time, on the recommendation of a friend who told me it was wonderful in tuna salad.)  What could be better with clams than Old Bay seasoning?  I measured out a half teaspoon and added it to the chowder.

Wow!  This is how I will make my clam chowder from here on out.  Added just the right touch of flavor.

For the biscuits, I used the recipe for Iron Skillet Biscuits from Marilyn at Mountain Top Spice. What a perfect meal for a blustery evening!

Menu ~ Thanksgiving 2012

I am going to jot down our menu here prior to tucking the menu list away in the back of my Christmas notebook to refer to another year.  Here it is :

THANKSGIVING 2012
Turkey, Ham
Duck (brought by guests)
Mashed Potatoes
Stuffing/Gravy
Squash (brought by guests)
Peas (brought by guests)
Onions (brought by guests)
Salad       (brought by guests)
Bread & Butter Pickles, Mustard Pickles (brought by guests)
Cranberry Sauce (brought by guests)
                ~
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Cranberry Mince Pie
Custard Pie (brought by guests)
Key Lime Pie (brought by guests)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pie (brought by guests)
~ Coffee ~

Oh, the joys of a potluck Thanksgiving!  As you can see, we enjoyed a sumptuous feast, and the cooking was shared around.  One of the most relaxed Thanksgiving days I can remember.

This week's menu plan...

I like to take part in Menu Plan Monday when I can, but lately I just don't seem to get around to posting menus on Monday. Part of the problem is that I plan my meals from Thursday to Thursday, which is our grocery shopping day. Since I've just finished planning this week's meals, I thought I would share:

THURSDAY: Crab Quiche, Asparagus Mixed Vegetables

FRIDAY: Tomato/Macaroni/Cheese Casserole, Green Beans, Homemade Bread

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, Homemade Baked Beans, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: Crockpot Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli Salad

MONDAY: Basque Soup, Cornbread

TUESDAY: Greek Spinach Pie, Greek Potato Salad, 3-Bean Salad

WEDNESDAY: Lasagna in a Bun, Pasta Salad

THURSDAY: Shepherd's Pie, Coleslaw, Baking Powder Biscuits

And there you have it. Always subject to change, of course!

Menu Plan Monday for August 10

A humid overcast day here in northern New England. Here's my menu plan:

MONDAY: Vietnam Fried Rice (made with leftover pork chops), Leaf Lettuce Salad with Oranges

TUESDAY: Layered Cheese Omelets, Hash Brown Casserole, Fruit Salad

WEDNESDAY: Pizza, Three-Bean Salad

THURSDAY: Pork Chops with Scalloped Potatoes, Green Beans, Molded Beet Salad

FRIDAY: Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, Coleslaw, Chips

SATURDAY: Hamburgers, Potato Salad, Marinated Vegetables

SUNDAY: Ham & Turkey Subs, Potato Salad, Chips

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Menu Plan Monday for July 20

A bright sunny day here in northern New England. My brain isn't working creativity-wise after a weekend of company meals, but I've gotten together a menu plan. Here it is, including, as it often does, meals that didn't get used last week:

MONDAY: One-Pan Potatoes & Pepper Steak, Broccoli/Cauliflower Blend

TUESDAY: Broccoli Quiche, Breakfast Potatoes, Tossed Salad (garden lettuce and grape tomatoes)

WEDNESDAY: Pizza or Calzone, Pasta Salad or Soup

THURSDAY: Garlic Lime Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

FRIDAY: Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, Coleslaw

SATURDAY: Grilled Chicken, Potato Salad, Marinated Vegetables

SUNDAY: Crockpot BBQ Ribs, Potato Salad, 3-Bean Salad

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Menu Plan Monday for July 6

A bright sunny day here in northern New England. Yesterday was our first sunny day in weeks. There is a possibility of showers later on, and in fact we have already had a sprinkle or two, but I am trusting that the laundry hanging on the line will get dry! Here's my menu plan, including, as it often does, meals that didn't get used last week:

MONDAY: BBQ Chicken, Potato Salad, Vidalia Onion Blossoms (all leftover from Saturday), Broccoli

TUESDAY: Sweet & Sour Pork, Rice, Fruit Salad

WEDNESDAY: Pizza, Pasta Salad or Soup

THURSDAY: Tuna Macaroni Salad, Baking Powder Biscuits

FRIDAY: Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, Coleslaw

SATURDAY: Hamburgers,French Fries, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: Greek Spinach Pie, 3-Bean Salad

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Menu Plan Monday for June 29

A dark, rainy, coolish day [again!] here in northern New England. Lately we have had far more rain than sun. In fact, our newspaper reported that we had (I may have these reversed, but it's still a lot of rain!) twice as much rain as is normal for the month of June, and five times as much rain as last June. Here's my menu plan, including, as it often does, meals that didn't get used last week:

MONDAY: Hot Turkey Sandwiches, Stuffing, Squash, Cranberry Sauce

TUESDAY: Turkey Soup, Cranberry Oat Bread

WEDNESDAY: Pizza, Pasta Salad or Soup

THURSDAY: Mt. Cube Hash (a baked casserole -- layers of carrots, potatoes, ground beef, onions, tomato soup), Baking Powder Biscuits

FRIDAY: Greek Spinach Pie, 3-Bean Salad

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, French Fries, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: (cookout after church) I am signed up to bring hamburger patties and a dessert. Not sure yet what it will be, probably something patriotic-looking.

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Menu Plan Monday for June 22

A dark, drizzly, cool morning [again!] here in northern New England. Lately we have had far more rain than sun. Here's my menu plan, including, as it often does, meals that didn't get used last week:

MONDAY: Roast Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Squash, Cranberry Sauce (I am roasting a turkey we bought and froze right after Thanksgiving, with the idea of producing lunch meat for the week.)

TUESDAY: Greek Spinach Pie, 3-Bean Salad

WEDNESDAY: Calzone, Pasta Salad

THURSDAY: Mt. Cube Hash (a baked casserole -- layers of carrots, potatoes, ground beef, onions, tomato soup), Baking Powder Biscuits

FRIDAY: Sliced Turkey, Potato Salad, Cranberry Jello Salad, Biscuits

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, Homemade Baked Beans, Coleslaw (This has become our standard Saturday night meal; I sometimes make a simple macaroni salad rather than coleslaw.)

SUNDAY: Italian Wedding Soup, Focaccia Bread

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Menu Plan Monday for June 15

A dark, drizzly, cool morning here in northern New England. Here's my menu plan:

MONDAY: Antipasto Salad ( a main-dish pasta salad leftover from Sunday's potluck at church), Focaccia Bread

TUESDAY: Basque Soup, Cheddar Cheese Bread

WEDNESDAY: Calzone, Pasta Salad

THURSDAY: Mt. Cube Hash (a baked casserole -- layers of carrots, potatoes, ground beef, onions, tomato soup), Baking Powder Biscuits

FRIDAY: Greek Spinach Pie, 3-Bean Salad

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, Homemade Baked Beans, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: Beef Barley Soup, Oatmeal Bread

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Menu Plan Monday for June 8

A bright sunny morning here in northern New England, though rain is predicted for the rest of the week. Here's my menu plan:

MONDAY: Greek Pasta Salad with Chicken, Italian Sweet Bread (leftover from Sunday's potluck at church)

TUESDAY: Oven-Barbecued Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

WEDNESDAY: Calzone, Pasta Salad

THURSDAY: Macaroni & Cheese, Peas, Coleslaw

FRIDAY: Greek Spinach Pie, 3-Bean Salad

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, Homemade Baked Beans, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: (potluck at church -- these are my tentative thoughts) Antipasto Salad, Focaccia Bread, Cookie Dough Brownies

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Menu Plan Monday for June 1

A cool sunny morning here in northern New England. As usual, some meals I planned didn't get used last week, so will be carried over for this week. Here's my menu plan:

MONDAY: Crabmeat Quiche, French Fries, Asparagus Stir-fry Vegetables

TUESDAY: Meat Loaf, Potato Salad, Green Beans

WEDNESDAY: Italian Wedding Soup, Bread or Rolls

THURSDAY: Pork Stir-Fry, Hot Rice, Fruit Salad

FRIDAY: Calzone, Pasta Salad

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, Homemade Baked Beans, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: (potluck at church -- these are my tentative thoughts) Greek Pasta Salad, Focaccia Bread, Four-Fruit Crumble

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Menu Plan Monday for May 25

A cool sunny morning here in northern New England. We will be away on a little getaway for the first few days, but are taking food along. Some of my other meals didn't get used last week, so will be used this week. Here's my menu plan:

MONDAY: Hamburgers, French Fries, Coleslaw

TUESDAY: Smoked Sausage Potato Salad w/Green Beans, Rolls & Butter

WEDNESDAY: Zesty Chicken Cheese Soup, Wholegrain Rolls & Butter

THURSDAY: Pork Stir-Fry, Hot Rice, Fruit Salad

FRIDAY: Crabmeat Quiche, Breakfast Potatoes, Fruit Salad

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, Homemade Baked Beans, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: Italian Wedding Soup, Bread or Rolls

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Menu Plan Monday for May 18

A cool cloudy morning here in northern New England. A few of my meals this week are repeat ones because we ate more leftovers than usual and the ones I planned didn't get used. That's fine; it saves me thinking up new menus. Here's my menu plan:

MONDAY: Smoked Sausage Gumbo, Cornbread

TUESDAY: Pork Stir-Fry, Hot Rice, Fruit Salad

WEDNESDAY: Roasted Vegetable Subs, either Pasta Salad OR Soup (depending on the weather)

THURSDAY: Garlic Lime Chicken, Potato Salad, Green Beans

FRIDAY: Crabmeat Quiche, Breakfast Potatoes, Fruit Salad

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, Homemade Baked Beans, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: Italian Wedding Soup, Bread or Rolls

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Menu Plan Monday for May 11

A beautiful, sunny, cool morning here in northern New England. And it's high time I got back to posting menus. Here's my menu plan:

MONDAY: Smoked Sausage Primavera, Roasted Vegetables

TUESDAY: Pizza, Pasta Salad OR Soup (depending on the weather)

WEDNESDAY: Crockpot Ribs, Baked Potatoes, Green Beans

THURSDAY: Swedish Meatballs, Bow Tie Pasta, Asparagus Mixed Vegetables

FRIDAY: Crabmeat Quiche, Breakfast Potatoes, Fruit Salad

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, Homemade Baked Beans, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: Italian Wedding Soup, Bread or Rolls

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

A word about my menu planning

... or, when we eat the leftovers


Last week Laura jokingly asked when we ate our leftovers. This got me thinking that maybe I need to explain a bit about my planning.

I seldom plan a day when we will specifically eat leftovers. The only time I might do that would be the day after a big meal like Thanksgiving or Christmas.

But we do eat leftovers. We love leftovers! I just don't usually plan them as menus because I like the idea of having some meals already planned (and the ingredients on hand) that I can use the next week, or whenever.

There are just two of us at home now, but I typically make meals that serve 4. I have one serving, my husband has two, and there is one serving left over which I can eat for lunch the next day.

Sometimes, though, I make a meal that is intended to serve 6 or more -- this happens especially with crockpot meals. In that case -- as today, with the Hearty Pasta Tomato Soup -- we have the same meal the next day, or I might save that meal to heat up on an exceptionally busy day.

I've also been intending to explain that, although I always plan and cook a meal on Thursdays, we ourselves eat out that night. So I never have leftovers from that meal. What happens on Thursday is that I cook a meal and deliver it to my parents; my mom is ill and they need some help with meals. (I try and make it enough food to last them for 2 or 3 meals.) Then, the same night, we do our grocery shopping along with my parents' grocery shopping. It makes for a busy night and it seemed to be taking longer and longer. For awhile we've been eating out every other Thursday night at the Subway in our local Walmart. Then we can get right to the shopping as soon as we finish eating. We made the decision to do this every Thursday when we saw how much time it saved us and how much earlier we were able to finish, deliver my parents' groceries, and get our own groceries put away. It only costs us around $11 -- and it is money well spent because it saves us so much time. I typically wash the dishes as I cook my parents' meal, so I come home to a clean kitchen as well. So that is the deal on Thursdays.

Hope this clarifies my menu planning a bit for those who were wondering. It may sound strange, but it works for us, and hopefully these ideas may be helpful to someone else as well.

Menu Plan Monday for January 8

Well, Monday is here again! Here is my menu plan for this week:

MONDAY: Sweet Potato Chowder, Cornbread

TUESDAY: Veggie Calzones, Spinach Broccoli Soup

WEDNESDAY: Pizza Frittata, Breakfast Potatoes, Baby Carrots

THURSDAY: Veggie Lasagna, Carrot Salad, Wheat Italian Bread

FRIDAY: Corn Chowder, Whole Wheat Bread

SATURDAY: Broccoli Sausage Simmer, Rotini, Wheat Italian Bread

SUNDAY: Hearty Pasta Tomato Soup, Ciabatta Bread