It’s the middle of May, and my furnace just kicked on.  Although the flowers and tender asparagus shoots assure me that winter is over, I’m  not planning meals that go from grill to patio table yet!   But, I did grab the grocery circular and plan great dinners that fit into our budget, and a few that can be grilled if the weather changes.

Angel Hair Pasta with Italian Sausage and Herbs, Caesar salad.    I like to use crimini mushrooms because we like their more intense flavor, but will buy whatever is on sale! 

Nachos Supreme and fresh pineapple.  Sometimes I give everyone a pie plate and have them assemble their own nachos; everyone likes to get into the act on nacho night!  The real magic is getting them to help clean…

Barbecue Bacon Cheese Burgers, Baked Garlic Fries, and apples.  The beef is on sale, so I’ll buy extra, season it, and shape it into patties for future grilling.  Although the fries call for a package of seasoning, I’ll replace that with garlic powder, salt, and dried parsley from the spice rack.

Stuffed Pork Chops, buttered noodles, steamed broccoli.  I can’t remember the last time I made stuffed chops, so I’ll try this new recipe and see how the family likes them!

Tuscan Roast Chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, and whatever fresh fruits and vegetables look good.  I’ll butterfly the chicken and rub in the seasonings early in the day so they have a chance to really flavor the meat. 

The boys have various things going on so I know we’ll have plenty of leftovers if they’re even home to eat this weekend.

Now that I’ve planned meals that fit my time, diet, and budget I have more time to tackle other things.

Happy Monday!   I hope everyone had a memorable Mother’s Day.  It’s back to work though…  This week I’ve pulled our dinners right out of my favorites.  When there is a recipe that my family has particularly enjoyed I make sure to add it to my favorites so that I can very easily create meals that everyone loves.  Some weeks I just need to get ‘er done!

Parmesan Sage Pork Chops, Buttery Red Potatoes with Chives, Carrot Coins.  My herb garden is already full of fresh herbs!  I will purchase whatever pork is on sale to use for this recipe, along with enough for later in the week.

Chicken Limone and Parmesan Orzo Primavera.  The boys do NOT like the vegetables mixed into their orzo, so I’ll sauté them separately. 

Lemony Marinated Flank Steak, Stuffed Baked Potatoes, Tossed Salad.  Definitely a meal for the guys.  I should probably check the level of gas in the grill’s tank.

Pork Dumplings Deconstructed, vegetable and fruit trays.   This is the recipe that will use the rest of the pork.  I have a meat grinder which I prefer to use over the food processor for this recipe.

Coney dogs, chips, and leftover fruit/veg from above.  This was a request.   In my humble opinion, the hot dog takes up too much space in the bun, so I cut it in half.  Just because a hot dog is high in quality does not mean it is low in fat – so this also counts as I diet tip…

The weekend has us out one day, and the other I’ll just pull out any leftovers and let everyone graze. 

Get your meal plan done, then go out and have a great week

It’s going to be an interesting week around here.   The weather forecasts predict significant snowfall, and there are tell-tale coughs and sniffles coming from the boys.  If anything, this means more food, not less!  We have something going almost every night, but I have a feeling the weather is going to preempt a lot of those plans.

Before I get into this week’s meals, I’d like to report that the Pork Roast with Carribean Jerk Spices was a bigger hit than I anticipated.  Pork Loin roasts were on sale, so I cut 2 pounds, rubbed it with the spices, and let it sit on the counter for an hour (it’s safe).  I cooked it to 150 degrees and it was perfectly done and still juicy.   The leftovers are going to make a great sandwich or two (not kidding – they loved it).  I also made applesauce because other members seemed to put these together a lot.  Definitely a good call.

 Fish and Chips with Dinner Side Salad – I picked this recipe because a pantry inventory came up with a box of Melba Toast that needs to be used.  I searched for recipes containing Melba Toast and saw this, and since fish is on the wish list, it’s a win win.  Depending on my level of industriousness, I may even make the mayonnaise for the tartar sauce.  The child who does not eat fish will get a quickly prepared Bulgogi. 

Basil Pork Cutlets with Dilled Boiled Potatoes and Old Fashioned Green Beans – I have half of a pork loin from last week, and a lot of frozen basil.    This is one of my stand-by meals.

Rigatoni and Cauliflower with Pepperonata – I found pine nuts necessary for this recipe in the freezer.  The boys don’t love this, but since nothing is cooked together I’ll just defrost some pasta sauce for them.  Leftover Pepperonata is good on sandwiches and also as a pizza topping.  It looks like I need parsley a lot this week – so I’ll actually buy a fresh bunch instead of faking it with dry.

   Lemon Chicken Scallopine with couscous and steamed broccoli – this is one of the boys’ favorites, so I have to make a lot of it and keep the batches warm in the oven.  I serve it with packaged couscous and (microwave) steamed broccoli so I don’t have to fiddle with sides while dealing with the quick cooking chicken. 

                 Maybe leftovers, maybe visiting…

Beef Carbonnade with Roasted Carrots Gremolata – the smell of this will drive the boys wild, and it’s perfect for a long relaxing Sunday dinner.  I’m planning on making a dessert to keep them at the table a bit longer, but haven’t decided exactly what I’m going to try.

Have a great week – eat well and stay out of the storm!