January Menu

I know I'm running a *little* behind on all fun things to blog about (will get to that this week!)... but I wanted to get my January menu plan out!  Two nights are open for dinner out (Katie's birthday is this month as well as the Robert Burns dinner in which the girls are dancing at == we tend to go out for dinner after they get done dancing!).

Hope this helps someone .... but at least, I hope that this helps ME with planning our meals and of course, I know planning menus help me out big time when it comes to having a budget for groceries!  I tend to make dinners that fall under 30 minutes. -- I refuse to be a slave in the kitchen over food.   If anyone who is reading wants any of the recipes, I have attached the link from my recipe blog so it's easy access for you!! You can find more recipes in my recipe blog.  Yes.. I know... who eats cottage cheese with their chicken enchiladas?  We do... we're strange.  :) 

I tried to have one Chinese (we LOVE stirfry here!) menu item a week, one Mexican, one Italian, etc.... plus the problem of not having chicken two to three (or four) times in a row which tends to make Mike roll his eyes b/c even though I LOVE chicken, he likes a little variety.  Not to mention, the nights I know he's not eating dinner with us, I go easy for the girls & I (or make things he doesn't like...)

On Mondays & Wednesdays for the next few months, it is CHAOTIC in my house, so I rarely have time to actually make dinner (unless we want to eat at 7:00 p.m. -- however, you haven't met Katie when she's hungry.  She's a monster .. so dinner is ready by 5:30 usually..) -- those nights are usually a Crockpot Meal, or something I can throw in the oven (or stove) super fast, or even something the girls can pull together if I'm not around to make it.

Since I am striving to be a better eater for myself, I will exhort portion control (OK... attempt to should be a better word!) -- and load up on veggies and a small portion for the main meal. 

january 2012 dinner menu

SUNDAY	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY
1	2	3 Sesame Chicken Rice Egg Rolls	4 Spaghetti Salad Bread	5 Chipotle Burrito Bowl	6 Grilled Cheese & Soup	7 Baked Potato Bar
8 Break the Fast dinner	9 Crockpot Meal: Beans Fritos/Tortilla	10 Chicken Stir fry Rice Egg Rolls Fruit Salad	11 Tortellini Salad/Veggie Bread	12 Saucy Parmesan Chicken Broccoli/Cheese Rice Veggie	13 Homemade Pizza	14 Hamburgers Chips Baked Beans
15 Lasagna Salad Bread	16 Crockpot Meal: Chicken & Potatoes Cottage Cheese Salad	17 Fettuccini Alfredo Salad or Veggies Bread	18 Chicken Patty Sandwiches Tater Tots Veggies & fruit	19 Baked Ziti Salad Bread	20 Chicken Enchilada Cornbread Cottage Cheese	21 BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad
22 Crockpot Meal: Roast Beef Potatoes & Carrots Cottage Cheese Rolls	23 Crockpot Meal: Shredded Salsa Chicken over Salad or tortilla	24 Katie’s Bday	25 Sloppy Joes Fries Veggies & fruit	26 Cheddar Chowder Salad Rolls	27 Grilled Chicken Baked Potato Veggies	28 Burns Dinner
29 Mexican: Fajitas or Tostados Guac & chips	30 BBQ Chicken in oven Baked Potatoes Veggies	31 Chicken Stirfry Rice Egg Rolls Fruit	Ideas in a pinch: Burritos Canned Soup Sandwiches Tortellini Homemade Pizza	Chicken nuggets Hot Dogs