How was your weekend?  I managed to get some crafting projects for the baby’s room done that I’m excited to show you once they’re all set up!  Speaking of the baby, it’s only about five short weeks until we get to meet this little one!  We’re getting so excited!

I have intentions of doing a couple of freezer cooking stints shortly (which I will write about), but every week from now on, I’m going to freeze any dinner leftovers we may have from throughout the week.  I find this is a much more manageable way to do things at this point and I will gradually see my freezer fill up!

Here’s what I have in mind for dinners this week:

• Crispy Honey Lemon Chicken, roasted potatoes, steamed veggies
• Perogies and sausage, raw veggies
• General Tso’s Chicken, rice, steamed veggies
• Pepperoni Pizza Puffs, salad
• Out to eat?

What have you got in mind for your meals this week?  How often do you like to try new recipes?

I’ve been feeling pretty tired and unmotivated lately   Especially in the dinner making department.  Thankfully my husband has been picking up some of my slack and making some dinners!  I decided last week that I would make a rough menu (that’s why I never posted it) so I had some sense of what to buy at the grocery store.  My bill ended up costing less than $20 for the week!  We have a lot of basics stocked up so I only had to buy fresh fruits, veggies and some yogurt. Oh, and milk.

This week I’m anticipating another low grocery bill since we’re trying to eat our way through the pantry/freezers.  I’d like to empty our supplies as much as possible so that I can somewhat start over and start filling the freezer with meals before the baby’s arrival.  You’ll most likely start seeing a lot of freezer cooking posts pop up in the next little while on Simply Frugal!

Here’s what I have in mind for dinners this week (I’ll be freezing any leftovers if I can):

• Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili (I’ll be using ground turkey since I have some in the freezer)
• Cream Cheese Chicken over pasta, salad
• At my Mom & Dad’s Tuesday night since my husband will be out of town
• Dill Cream Cheese Chicken packs (recipe coming), salad, raw veggies
• Out to eat

I also have to make a snack/dessert for Wednesday evening.  I’m thinking something Valentine’s day themed that I might find on Pinterest.

What’s on your menu this week?

I think I have to start planning my menus on Friday or Saturday.  By the time Monday comes around I usually have no idea what we’ll be eating and it’s also grocery shopping day, so it sometimes makes for some not well thought out dinners and hectic Monday mornings.   When I do plan our menu on the weekend, it’s much more pleasant and makes me feel like Monday is going to be a great day!

So, with some inspiration help from those over at the Simply Frugal Facebook page, here’s what we’ll be eating this week:

• Vegetable Beef Soup (I’ll be using ground beef instead), biscuits
• Spaghetti, salad
• Chicken Pot Pie
• Beef Tacos
• Out to eat on Friday

A lot of beef this week, it seems!   When you’re needing some menu inspiration where do you typically look for ideas?

Last week, I ended up only making a few of the meals I had planned.    They were pretty tasty too!  One night we had grilled cheese, tomato soup and spinach salad because I think we were tired (lazy) after organizing all day!  Sometimes you just have to have to quick backup meals on hand!

Like I mentioned last week, we decided to “theme” our weekly Sunday dinner at my parents house by creating Chinese food (for Chinese New Year).  I brought along some Fried Rice (I made it without any meat since we were going to have a lot of meat dishes already.  It was also only okay.) and Almond Chicken.  I’ll post that recipe soon!  Our dinner was a success and so much fun!

As I also mentioned last week, my Mom and I were picking up our first produce boxes on Thursday.  I must say that I’m very impressed with the amount and quality of the food!  We ended up getting some green leaf lettuce, spinach, bok choy, onions, potatoes, cucumbers, Roma tomatoes, broccoli, oranges, apples, and bananas.  We actually think we won’t order as much next time, since it could be hard to use some of it up before it goes bad.

That all said, here’s what’s on our menu for this week:

• Leftover Chinese food
• Baked Pesto Chicken, roasted veggies, salad (carried over)
• Shredded French Dip, Quinoa Vegetable Pilaf  (carried over)
• Fettucine Alfredo, Greek salad (strange combo…but I have to use the cucumber and tomatoes!)
• out to eat (usually our Friday thing)
• Saturday is usually a fend for yourself night.
• Sunday at my parents

What do you have planned for your menu this week?

If you’d like more menu inspiration, visit I’m an Organizing Junkie!

This week’s menu consists of all new-to-us recipes!  I guess you could say we got bored with the same old, so I thought I would try to find some tasty new recipes to add to the collection!

I’m also pretty excited, because on Thursday, my Mom and I are picking up our very first produce box order!  We’ll be sharing the order as it would be too much food otherwise.  Although the produce included isn’t organic, it comes from a variety of local growers which is great.  I’m looking forward to finding out what we’ll be getting!  I’ll let you know next week what we get.

Here’s what I have planned for this week.  Of course, I’ll be incorporating as many of the items from the produce box as possible.

• Beef & Black Bean Enchilada Bake
• Baked Pesto Chicken, roasted veggies, salad
• Baked Pasta and Broccoli with Ham and Cheesy-Creamy Cauliflower Sauce
• Shredded French Dip, Quinoa Vegetable Pilaf 
• Out to eat?
• Sunday dinner at my parents: we decided to celebrate Chinese New Year so we’ll be bringing almond chicken and possibly a fried rice dish.  (I’ve got to find some good recipes!)

What do you have planned for your week?

Another week!  Another week with meals to eat and prepare!

There are actually two meals that were on the menu last week that never got made.  Only because my husband decided to make something different one night and we used a Burger King coupon another night. (Not really a good choice on our part!)

Here’s what I’ve got in mind for this week:

• Beef Stirfry
• Black Bean & Salsa Burritos
• Crockpot Sesame Chicken, rice, steamed veggies
• Broccoli & Cheddar soup, Peppery Cheese Bread(carried over)
• Dill Cream Cheese packets, salad (carried over, recipe still to come!)

What’s on your menu for the week?

Here we are, 2012!  A time for fresh starts and new beginnings!

Although menu planning isn’t a new thing for me, perhaps it is something you’re wanting to try this year.  I find it not only saves us so much grocery money, it saves my sanity!  Later this year, I plan on doing a series of sorts to help you get started menu planning.  I’d really appreciate any questions you have on the topic so I can give you just what you need to succeed at menu planning!

I would also like to add a new feature to my weekly menu plans in the coming weeks: a printable list of the grocery items needed to make the meals.  What do you think?

Anyways, I’ll get on with the meals I have in mind for this week:

• Broccoli & Cheddar soup, Peppery Cheese Bread
• Sweet & Sour Meatballs, rice, steamed veggies
• Chicken Caesar Pitas
• Dill Cream Cheese Chicken Packets (recipe to come!)
• Out to eat? (since we have to drive my brother to the airport )

What’s on your menu this week?

This week, I’ll be starting some Christmas baking and I’m hoping to start decking the halls today.  That will happen if we can get downstairs tidy enough to set things up.  We’ve been doing some fairly major purging in anticipation of the baby, therefore creating a mess before it gets clean!  We also have out first baby purchase (a stroller and car seat travel system) taking up the living room since we’ve no room in the baby’s room right now!

Since I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by the amount of purging and a smallish kitchen renovation project (our counter needs replacing) that I’d like to finish before Christmas, meals will be simple this week.  Especially if we do the counter, I’ll have no counter or a sink for a time!  Here’s what I’ve got in mind:

• Crock Pot French Dip, salad
• Make Ahead Unstuffed Shells (carried over)
• Black Bean and Salsa Burritos
• Out to eat
• Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken, rice, steamed veggies

Here’s what I’ve got planned for my Christmas baking:

• Ginger Crinkles
• Shortbread
• Oreo Truffles
• Almond Roca
• Homemade Marshmallows
• Butter Tarts
• Possibly a cookie with some peanut butter (I’m thinking those mini Reece’s peanut butter cups)

What will you be eating this week at your house?  And what’s on your Christmas baking list?