Menu Planning Mondays #1

Well, like I talked about in Goal setting for 2012  I started my menu planning and cooking at home more on January first.  It has been a TREMENDOUS success.  We have stuck to it (Big Pat on my own back as the chief cook and bottle washer) and we have already tried lots and new recipes and new foods.

Some we liked, some we didn't, but that is okay we are learning!  My plan is to save the recipes that we like to put into a new binder for 2013 and I'll be so far ahead of next years planning.  If it all works out, in a few years I will just have to pull out my shopping lists and be all prepared for the next two weeks ( lets Hope!)

But since I am behind getting these posted, I am going to share the first week now, then post week #2  and then you can come back tomorrow and we will be all on track for Menu planning Mondays.

Sunday, January 1- Traditional Ham dinner with all the fixings, this was preplanned and no recipes needed.

Monday, January 2- Balsamic pear, chicken and asparagus This was not a favorite for us, but it did use
up some of the pears I got from Bountiful Baskets

Tuesday, January 3- Mexican Night ( Cleaning out the freezer to start the new year)  Chicken Fajitas, Baby Tacos, Taco Salad, Taquitos ( no, we didn't each eat all of these, just sampling of the bits and pieces that I had in the freezer) with Rice and Refried Beans.

Wednesday, Jan 4- Had to stay late at work, and ended up going out to eat BUT we used a gift card that we had been given for Christmas and it only cost us $5 out of pocket- so in my mind, we are  still on track.

Thursday, January 5- Stromboli/Calzones ( My husband is a meat eater and I like the cheese fillings, so that is why we had both) we tried one recipe that I won't link to because it didn't turn out and I don't know if it was the flour I used or the recipe itself.  So we ended up buying store bought pizza dough and still stayed on plan with an additional $4 out of pocket.

Friday, January 6-Unstuffed Peppers- I follow a traditional recipe (in my head) for stuffed peppers, but no one in my family will eat the whole peppers once they are cooked, so I use less peppers and cut them up and mix them in with the stuffing and then bake it in a 9 x 13 Pyrex baking dish.  By doing this, you still will get the pepper flavor, without the waste and it stretched a recipe that normally feeds 4 to feed 6 with leftovers for a meal for two. I often pack leftovers for my lunch, which is why you won't see many posts for lunch menus this year.  My DH works at a casino and they are fed there.  We pack a lunch for my son and I may share some of those and DD goes to Grandmas house so she has lunch with them. 

Saturday, January 7- Ham and Bean stew ( stay tuned for a post on this, when I write it, I will post back)


There was no shopping list for this week as much of the menu was created using items from my pantry and freezer, I just picked up a few items as they were needed. 

To my new followers, I promise not to do so many posts in one day, I am just trying to catch up!  So please bear with me.  Sorry for the lack of pics!