Meal Plan January 10, 2011

Monday - soup from the freezer (either corn chowder or lentil) with fresh biscuits or muffins Tuesday - tuna, rice, green beans

Wednesday - dinner with Rachel's family

Thursday - spaghetti, tomato sauce, sausage, applesauce

Friday - (Alex away at CWRU Sci-Fi Movie Marathon) brinner: eggs, toast, and fruit

Saturday - (Alex away at CWRU Sci-Fi Movie Marathon) ??

Sunday - Dinner at Alex's parents

Update on Pantry Month: On Tuesday last week I spent $18 on milk and kefir.  We are out of fresh vegetables today but have frozen green beans and peas and fresh apples and oranges to get us through the week at least.  I ordered $8 worth of tea in our Frontier co-op that came in on Thursday.  We spent $29 on restaurant food during my surgery.  That leaves $45 for the rest of the month which doesn't look good...especially with Alex wanting to spend money on junk food for the Sci-Fi Movie Marathon...

Pantry Month & Meal Plan Monday January 3, 2010

This month we are going to do our best to eat solely from the foods we have in the house right now. I gave our family this challenge to:1) save money (resolution number 1 isn't going to be cheap) 2) clear out massive stores of pantry stuffs and 3) resist boredom in the cold mid-winter.

I put $100 cash in an envelope for us to use for restaurants and grocery purchases as necessary (I know we'll have to buy milk, for instance) but with careful planning I hope we will feed ourselves from the freezers and pantry shelves nearly all the time. We put up a lot of jarred things this past summer, are well stocked on meat and flour, get two eggs a day, and have a full liquor cabinet. We can do this!

Anyone want to join Pantry Month? I plan on updating each Monday with our meal plan for the week.

I figure planning is key to keeping our meals enjoyable. Here's what we will eat for dinner this week:

Monday - ricotta gnocchi and greens (make pumpkin something during the day for snacking and lunches)

Tuesday - Pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, and rice

Wednesday - spaghetti, veggie chili, and cheese

Thursday - macaroni and cheese

Friday - baked fish, stuffed squash, and frozen green beans

Saturday - possible trip to Cincinnati or fried chicken, mashed potatoes and frozen peas

Sunday - family dinner, bring bread or other baked good

Christmas Eve Menu 2010

Planning for our annual English-style Christmas Eve Dinner began back in August when we ordered a fresh goose from Cota Farms.  We pick up the bird at noon and will be cooking all day.  Lil will help cook in her newly dyed and embroidered apron, an early present from me. This year our entire immediate family is joining us for this menu:

First course

Green salad

Roasted local pumpkin soup

Passed entrée and sides

Stuffed roasted goose with sour cherry sauce

Mushroom and walnut dressing

Roasted root vegetable medley of potatoes, parsnips, beets, and fennel

Orange-cranberry sauce

Popovers

Dessert

Buche de Noel

What are you cooking and eating tonight?

Meal Plan: October 24, 2010

This post is part of Menu Plan Monday but I have to start with Sunday. Tonight, Alex made a wonderful paella with shrimp, mussels, and clams for his mother's birthday dinner.  Served with steamed brussel sprouts on the side, the shellfish-loving Baillieul family appreciated every bite.

Here's what we'll eat the rest of the week:

Monday - parent observation night for Lil's ballet followed by Mad Mex for dinner

Tuesday - baked Mahi, roasted homegrown sweet potatoes, and salad

Wednesday - dinner with my parents, last fruit CSA pickup (boo hoo!)

Thursday - adzuki beans and greens soup for extended family to nosh on before or after trick or treat

Friday - spaghetti and homemade meatballs with homegrown tomato sauce

Saturday - Halloween party at Lil's friend's house

Sunday - Alex's family dinner

I have fresh beets and pears to process this week.  I think I'll make some pickled beets for my grandmother and make most of the pears into brandied pears.  There are always more apples to dehydrate and make into sauce...

Meh Meal Plan October 4, 2010

I felt lousy all last week until I finally went to the minute clinic on Friday. Sinus infection. My third this year. Bad sinuses are in my genes and apparently it's my time to suffer. The first antibiotic I tried made my stomach ache so badly that I basically did nothing this weekend, not even sleeping well. Today I switched to a different antibiotic that isn't causing quite the side effects. I was able to do a bit of cooking today and mothered Lil while Alex worked. Hopefully the rest of the week will continue to improve.

We are participating in the Eat Local Challenge so I will put my best effort into eating locally this week, despite the sickies. Here's the mind addled plan:

Monday - roasted red pepper and local tomato soup with homemade bread crouton, baked homegrown potatoes

Tuesday - Jeni's Tour! Before the tour we'll have Charlie's apples, nuts and crackers for a snack. After, if we're still hungry, we'll munch on leftovers.

Wednesday - Crispy tacos with homemade chorizo (pork from Blues Creek Meats), cabbage, fresh salsa with last of home grown tomatoes and peppers, queso blanco, beans, rice

Thursday - brinner: backyard eggs, toast, homemade applesauce

Friday - maybe pick more Charlie's apples (I might be obsessed), shrimp with linguine and local kale

Saturday - My birthday!! There's a surprise going on midday and I'll decide on that day what I want for dinner.

Sunday - My birthday part two!! I'm demonstrating jam canning at Oakland nursery from 12 - 1 and then more birthday festivities.

Read more menus at Menu Plan Monday.

Meal Plan September 27, 2010

The weather turned cool quickly and this means our menus will change as well. We're including more oven baked and stewed foods because those are warming on a cold night. Our dishes aim to make best use of seasonal vegetables which are changing, too, from tangy tomatoes to sweet winter squash. This week and next we are responsible for bringing snack to Lil's classroom. The school requests nutritious nut-free food and we obviously want kids to enjoy it too. My plan is to bring two of the following eight snacks each day: carrot sticks, apple slices, grapes, cheddar squares, pretzels, corn chips, graham crackers, rice crackers.

Monday - lentil barley soup with garden vegetables, cornbread Tuesday - poutine, garden green beans Wednesday - fish en papillote, stuffed acorn squash Thursday - spaghetti with garden fresh sauce, make key lime pie and chocolate brownies for 'plan my life' team Friday - something with green tomatoes - any ideas?? Saturday - dinner in Cincinnati or on the road Sunday - family dinner

You'll note that on Tuesday we are practicing for Canadian Thanksgiving by making poutine. We'll make our own french fries for the first time, use cheese curds from Blue Jacket Dairy, and reduce sauce from Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook roti de porc au lait for gravy. Expect a report back soon!

Meal Plan September 13, 2010

As part of my 30 before 30 goals, I intend to lose five pounds by October 9th.  One of my strategies to lose weight is to get back to meal planning.  Sticking to a plan makes better use of fresh produce and deters me from relying on calorie laden snacks and restaurants. Here is this week's busy plan:

Monday - goat cheese stuffed baked garden tomatoes with baked zucchini fries

Tuesday - Taste the Future! This will be a splurge day with lots of great food and hopefully good conversations with restaurateurs and chefs.

Wednesday - Ohio corn chowder with guanciale

Thursday - pork, bean, cheese, and pepper burritos

Friday - homemade pizzas with home grown home canned sauce

Saturday - Fish and Shrimp Fest.  The food and festivities were so much fun last year that we have to return to Ohio's largest freshwater fish farm.  My dad's band plays at 5 and 7 pm.  Come join us!

Sunday - Charcuterie class from 12 - 2 pm (two spaces still available!). Lil's birthday dinner - spaghetti, homemade meatballs, and fruit salad as she requested.

This week's meal plan was added to Menu Plan Monday.

Labor Day Camping 2010 Menu

We're taking off for an extended family camping trip at East Harbor State Park this afternoon. After managing a thousand details for the Canadian back country canoe trip earlier this summer, plans are lax for this weekend.

I did work out a very basic campfire cooking menu:

Fri night - grilled sausage, buns, veg sticks, fruit, chips Sat am - english muffins and cream cheese Sat lunch - hummus, veg sticks, pretzels, fruit, nuts Sat dinner - taco-truck style pork, corn tortillas, queso blanco cheese, cilantro, salsa Sun am - backyard eggs, bacon, homemade bread for toast, jam Sun lunch - Peaches Perch Pierogi Fest I am very excited about this! Sun dinner - grilled chicken, white and sweet potato packets, slaw Mon am - leftovers, english muffins, toast

I'm also bringing homemade cowboy cookies (a cross of oatmeal and chocolate chip), a barrel of pretzels, and a tub of mixed nuts for snacks. Beverages will include Snowville milk for Lil and beer and sangria for us.

As I'm looking forward to relaxing this weekend I bought most of the food pre-prepared. It's all made with high quality ingredients, just not by me. Sometimes we all need to give ourselves a break.

If you happen to be around a computer (I won't!) please vote for me (@racheltayse) to win a conference ticket to Asheville North Carolina once a day. Thanks! Have a wonderful weekend and Labor Day holiday!