3/14/10 - This week's menu

Another week - Monday is just around the corner again! What's up with that?! Anyway, my sister's best friend (Molly) just had her 2nd baby this past week. I am planning on doing some cooking so I can take food over to her tomorrow. So several of our meals will do double duty, which I love!

Sunday, getting in the mood for St. Patty!!
- Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner
- Mrs. O'Callaghan's Soda Bread

Monday:
- Chicken Tetrazzini (I love this recipe! It's a staple!)
- Breadsticks

Tuesday:
- Four Cheese Stuffed Shells (another staple!)
- Salad
- Garlic Bread

Wednesday:
- Quick Taco Salad
- Fruit

Thursday:
- Barbecued Pork Chops
- Kimchi Style Slaw
- something else I haven't quite decided on (maybe rice?)

What's cooking in your kitchen this week?!

3/7/10 - This week's menu

I missed the pork sandwiches last week, so those are going to be tomorrow night's dinner. I've also found my slow cooker cookbook, so I have 2 crock pot meals on the menu for the week! I hardly ever cook in the crock pot, so this will be a treat!

What's cooking in your house this week? Cathy? Mary Helen!? Anybody else!? :) Hope it's going to be a yummy week for you!

Sunday:
Chicken & Vegetables with Herbs (slow cooker)
Mashed Potatoes
Salad

Monday: (never made this last week)
Stuffed Pork Sandwiches
Black Bean Salad
Melon

Tuesday:
Beef in Red Wine Gravy (another crockpot meal!)
Egg Noodles
Brussels Sprouts

Wednesday:
Pasta Carbonara with Asparagus
Salad
French Bread

Thursday:
Stir-Fried Chicken and Broccoli with Black Bean Sauce
Rice
Egg Rolls

Friday:
Dinner out!

3/1/10 - This week's menu

Forgot to post this yesterday!! Busy week in the kitchen - what's cookin at your house?!

Sunday:
Coffee-Braised Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions
Roasted Root Vegetables
Dinner Rolls

Monday:
Leftovers!

Tuesday:
Teriyaki Marinated Chicken Legs
Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
Salads

Wednesday:
Chicken Enchiladas
Spanish Rice
Refried Beans

Thursday:
Broccoli-Cheese Pie
Spicy Hashbrowns
Melon

Friday:
Stuffed Pork Sandwiches
Black Bean Salad
Strawberries

2/21/10 - This week's menu

I'm super excited that we have a NORMAL WEEK coming up. *faint* this is rare lately and I can't wait!! Here's what's on the menu this week for our house.


Sunday:
Barbecue-Rubbed Pork Chops
Creamy Cheese Grits
An experimental green bean recipe

Monday:
Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Steamed Rice
Egg Rolls

Tuesday:
Pasta e Fagioli
Salads

Wednesday:
Indonesian Chicken
Roasted Cauliflower with Fresh Herbs
Fresh Fruit

Thursday:
French Onion Burgers
Steak Fries

Friday:
Dinner out with the family

What's cooking at your house this week?

2/16/10 - This week's (short!) menu

Yesterday was a holiday which made for a long weekend. We had house guests (my best friend and her husband were here), which derailed my menu planning for the week. Small price to pay :) I don't get to see her nearly as much as I'd like to, that's for sure.

Anyway, this week is short because on Friday my little sister is flying in for the weekend (I know - we are always on the go, it's just how we roll!!) and we'll spend the weekend shopping for bridesmaids dresses! Yay!

So this week cooking in my kitchen:

Tuesday:
- Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Turkey Sandwiches

Wednesday:
- Creamy Cajun Shrimp Linguine
- Green Salad
- Breadsticks

Thursday:
- Cinnamon Bun Pancakes with Maple-Butter Icing (holy crap does that sound insane?!? I can't help myself!!)
- Bacon
- Fresh Fruit

What's cooking in your kitchen this week???

2/7/10 - This week's menu

I have a busy week this week! We're gearing up for the opera I'm singing in, so I have rehearsal every night this week (except Friday). I'm planning on doing a ton of cooking today and then I'm taking the day off on Thursday, so I will do a little more then!

Today's Cooking:
The Superbowl Meal....
- Baked Cajun Shrimp Dip
- Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
- Green Beans w/Remoulade
- Buttermilk Pralines and maybe some homemade vanilla ice cream!!

The rest of today's work....
* The stir-fry meal from last week that I never made:
- Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry
- Brown Rice
- Egg rolls

* An Italian Meal:
- Light and Easy Lasagna (I'm adapting this from The Chicago Tribune's Good Eating cookbook)
- Salad
- Triple Cheese and Garlic Bread

* Some spicy cheese dip for a work function tomorrow
* Some homemade chocolate chip cookies for a work function tomorrow (and a few for us too!)

Thursday:
- I have a ham that Im going to cook
- The Pioneer Woman's Mac & Cheese
- Steamed Broccoli

Friday:
- Since it's my only night off (and it's payday!) I think we'll go out for a family dinner. Maybe some sushi or Thai! YUM!

What's cooking in your house this week?! Please share!!

Decisions, Decisions

Ok, I think I finally figured out what the heck our Cajun meal is going to look like. I REALLY want to make a King Cake, but realistically (1) I don't bake very often/well (2) we're trying to eat light and (3) I don't have a ton of extra time. So here's the lowdown on Sunday's menu...

Appetizer
- Baked Cajun Shrimp Dip

Main Meal
- Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
- Green Beans w/Remoulade

Dessert
- Buttermilk Pralines and maybe some homemade vanilla ice cream!!

Do I need bread with the main meal? Cornbread? French bread? Rolls? I'm open for suggestions...

So is anybody else making a special Superbowl meal in the works!? I'd love to know what you're cooking!!

1/31/10 - This week's menu

This week is being deemed 'clean out the freezer' week :)

Sunday:
- Ultimate Beef Chili
- Chile-Cheese Cornbread

Monday:
- Parmesan Polenta with Sausage and Mushrooms
- Caesar Salad with Homemade Dressing

Tuesday:
- Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole
- Fresh Fruit

Wednesday:
- Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry
- Brown Rice
- Egg rolls

Thursday:
- Fancy BLTs (bacon, tomato, basil, fresh mozzarella on a baguette)
- Oven fries or roasted potatoes
- Marinated Vegetable Salad

Friday and Saturday are opera rehearsal nights for me, so that means LEFTOVERS!! Then you'll see me again on Sunday :)

1/24/10 - This week's menu!!

After a trip to Pittsburgh and a clean-out-the-fridge hiatus, I'm back with a real menu...

Sunday:
- Beef, Mushroom, and Barley Stew with Goat Cheese Toasts (I am not sure of the real name on this one, but it's something similar!)
- Salad

Monday:
- Chicken Baked in White Wine Marinade
- Roasted Potato Wedges with Rosemary Butter
- Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday:
- Slow-Roasted Pork Tacos
- Fiesta Rice
- Pineapple

Wednesday:
- Shrimp Bruschetta Pasta (this is an Amy creation)
- Salad
- Garlic Bread

Thursday:
- Moroccan Chickpea Stew
- Brown Rice
- Green Beans of some sort...

So what's on your menu this week!?

1/10/10 - This week's menu

The menu this week will be short and full of leftovers! My husband is on a business trip (soon to return) and then we'll be visiting with family at the end of this week, hence the heavy emphasis on leftovers!

Sunday:
- Meatloaf (it's actually a WW recipe... hoping it will be good!)
- Buttermilk-Parmesan Mashed Potatoes (CL)
- Roasted Green Beans w/Mushrooms (CL)

Monday:
- Rigatoni Mediterranean (CL - this was on last week's menu but never got cooked)
- Salad
- Garlic Bread

Tuesday = leftovers (chorus night)

Wednesday:
- Chicken Green Chili w/White Beans (CL)
- Bacon-Cheddar Corn Muffins (CL - this one has mixed reviews online, so I'm interested to see if we like it or not!!)

Thursday:
- leftovers or sandwiches

And that's it for us this week! What are you cooking?! 

1/3/10 - This week's menu

Yay! Happy New Year! Let the games, er, I mean cooking begin!! Instead of going for 210 new recipes in 2010, I think I will just try to beat my own record! I got off to a slow start in 2009 because we were all sick, sick, sick (darn daycare germs!). So my goal is to hit 100 by my daughter's 2nd birthday (June 30th).

This weeks menu:

Monday:
- Turkey Reuben Sandwiches
- Cheese Fries
- Cherries

Tuesday:
- Pork Chops with Maple Mustard Glaze
- Crisp Mashed Potato Cakes
- Leftover collard greens

Wednesday:
- Corn & Red Bell Pepper Chowder (Bon Appetit)
- Salad
- Crescent Rolls

Thursday:
- Cranberry-Apple French Toast Casserole
- Bacon
- Canteloupe

Friday:
- Rigatoni Mediterranean
- Salad
- Garlic Bread

What's cooking in your house this week!?

11/1/09 - This week's menu

It's been a while since I had myself together enough to have a menu and actually cook!! This week is going to be crazy. I have concerts on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. That means there are rehearsals Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights! RIGHT. So that means EVERY NIGHT this week I have to be somewhere. If I don't eat well, I'll really feel junky, so I am going to attempt to do a little bit of cooking ahead today and then make easy stuff the rest of the week!

Sunday:
Ham
Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes
Thyme-Garlic Roasted Asparagus

Monday:
Chicken Tamale Casserole
Green salad

Tuesday:
Italian White Bean and Spinach Soup
Grilled Cheese

Wednesday:
Skillet Stuffed Peppers
Green Salad
Fruit

Thursday:
Grilled Steaks
Baked Potatoes
Warm Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Red Onions

Friday:
Pizza or some other form of takeout!

Cooking Club Menu

I'm a member of a cooking club. I can't even tell you how many years we've been cooking together? 4 maybe? Time is flying and I've lost track. We rotate months between the houses. The hostess picks the menu and buys the groceries. Everyone pays their part (it seems to have settled right on $20/pp which is a steal for a huge meal + lots of booze!). Tonight we are hosting.

I struggled with the menu. I really wanted to do Sardinian food after seeing the latest episode of No Reservations (I LOVE THAT SHOW. Anthony Bourdain is awesome!), but I just couldn't seem to get it together. So rather than a cuisine as a theme, I went with a chef. I enjoy watching Guy on the Food Network, so we are having BIG BITE NIGHT (I think it deserves to be in all caps, don't you?!). I can't wait!

Drinks:
- Ginger Margaritas
- Red Apple Hooch Bowla (this is a whiskey/cranberry/fallish drink - sounds good!)
- Beer, beer, beer

Appetizers:
- Italian Stuffed Jalapenos
- Beer-Battered Asparagus with Garlic Aioli

Dinner:
- Red Rocker Margarita Chicken (sandwiches)
- Sweet Potato Fries with Malt Vinegar
- some kind of fruit (whatever looks good when I shop!)

Dessert:
- Tequila Lime Tart

So now I ask you - if you cook with others, how do you put your menus together? Do you have any fun suggestions for me for the future? Any questions for me about how we do it? I really encourage everyone to get together to cook! We've had so much fun and learned so much over the last few years!

9/20/09 - This week's menu

I didn't have as much success as I had hoped last week. We got busy and ate on the Brunswick Stew most of the end of the week. So part of my menu is carrying over!

Sunday - Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta (CL), salads
Monday - Shrimp Etouffe w/Rice (CL), fruit
Tuesday - grilled chicken quesadillas (chorus night)
Wednesday - Ancho Rubbed Flank Steak (CL), mashed sweet potatoes, something green
Thursday - Chicken and Cashews (CL), rice, egg rolls
Friday - Breakfast! We'll have pancakes, eggs, and bacon! YUM!

What are you cooking this week!! Reply with your menu for inspiration for others!

9/13/09 - This week's menu

Back in the kitchen! YES! We've been on the road for the last 2 weeks and I'm pooped! But I used some of the car time to plan out this week's menu! Here's what's cookin in my kitchen...

Sunday - Brunswick Stew (VA Hospitality) and cornbread
Monday - Barbeque Sirloin and Blue Cheese Salad (CL), baguette
Tuesday - leftover stew, cornbread (chorus night!)
Wednesday - Mushroom-Herb Chicken (CL), mashed potatoes, broccoli
Thursday - Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta (CL), salads
Friday - Shrimp Etouffe w/Rice (CL), fruit

Are you cooking this week? What's on your menu??

8/30/09 - This week's menu

A few friends and I have been talking about menus lately... and I realized that I've never posted my menu on this blog. I try to plan out my menu and do all of my grocery shopping on Sundays. I put the menu up on a little dry erase board we keep in our kitchen. That way I remember what we're eating that day and also I don't have to answer 'what's for dinner' questions! Score!!

If you're looking for inspiration for your weekly menu, you might also check out one of the blogs I read - This Week for Dinner.

Anyhow - this week's menu is a pretty easy one. I sing with the Jacksonville Symphony and have rehearsals on Tuesday nights. We take a summer hiatus, but rehearsals start back up this week. So most likely you'll see easy meals or sandwiches on the list on Tuesday nights.

Sunday: Eggplant Parmesan, angel hair pasta, salad
Monday: Spicy Basque-Style Chicken, yellow rice, broccoli
Tuesday: leftovers or sandwiches
Wednesday: Pork Tenderloin with Paprika Spice Rub, Two-Corn Polenta with Tomatoes, Basil, and Cheese, green beans
Thursday: homemade pizza, salads

We'll be visiting with our family over the long weekend. I'm sure there will be some cooking going on (my mother-in-law is an AWESOME cook!!), but there's none on my official plan!! I will be back on Wednesday of next week with another menus!