Menu planning

Tammi, a reader (and friend from way back), recently commented:

It has been a goal for a long time to do a 6-week meal plan. Our lives are so hectic and feel that we are on the run constantly. Have you ever done an extensive plan to help simplify things? Would appreciate any advice. One problem that I ran into was that I did not have enough recipes to fill up 6 weeks.

This is an excellent question/comment. It’s inspired me to start a weekly post on how to plan menus. Look for it each Wednesday for at least a couple weeks (aptly named What to eat Wednesday). First up, think in categories.

Mindful Menus – 10/4/10

October. Wow. How’d that happen?

Rees menu for week of 10/4/10

• Monday: Pasta with sausage and peppers
• Tuesday: Ground beef burritoes
• Wednesday: Pintos
• Thursday: Baked spinach dip (made with swiss chard) and whole wheat pitas
• Friday: Pizza

Mindful Menus: 9/27/10

I’ve taken a position that will require me to work onsite at an office again – and not get home until 5:45. As much as I’m excited about it, I’ll need to start being more organized about planning and preparing dinners ahead of time. So each meal will come complete with thought about when it will be prepared and how hubs will finish it for dinner that evening.

Rees menu for week of 9/27/10

• Monday: Beef brisket (this is already prepared and in the pan – hubs will just need to pop it in the oven when he gets home.)
• Tuesday: Mom out with friends – Dad and kid free for all
• Wednesday: Sausage and potato soup (made Monday night)
• Thursday: Bangers and Mash (potatoes will be peeled and onions chopped the night before. Hubs will fry sausages and boil potatoes, I’ll make gravy when I get home.)
• Friday: Pizza (I’ll shred cheese and defrost crust the night before, so I can throw it together easily when I get home.)

What to do with CSA this week: 9/25/10

After a week of travel and exciting new jobs, I’m trying to get back on track this week. Thanks to my three good friends who went to North Market to pick up my CSA for me last week!

• Sweet potatoes – I’m going to add these to the potato basket in the pantry for future consumption
  
• Corn – Smoky corn salsa
  
• Cantaloupe – snacking
• Swiss chard – Sausage and potato soup with greens
  
• Apples – make sauce and/or freeze
• Pears – These juicy delights are for snacking
  

Mindful Menus – Week of 9/13/10

Rees menu for week of 9/13/10

• Monday: Zucchini pancakes and slaw
• Tuesday: Out of town – Dad and kid free for all
• Wednesday: Pasta with roasted tomatoes
• Thursday: Beans and cornbread
• Friday: Dinner at my mom’s

What to do with CSA this week: 9/11/10

This week marks the last week for corn, but the first week for potatoes. Mixed emotions!

• Sweet potatoes and white potatoes – I’m going to let these guys sit in the pantry this week. I’ve got a lot of food to eat that will perish before them.
• Corn – To the freezer with you, to savor later in the fall
• Bell peppers – snacking, cole slaw
• Hot peppers – cole slaw, cornbead, omelettes
• Carrots – I’m going to try to make some carrot bars or muffins. These are starting to pile up and I need to use a bunch of them in one shot.
• Tomatoes – Roast for pasta
• Apples – make sauce and/or freeze
• Pears – These juicy delights are for snacking
  

Mindful Menus – Week of 9/6/10

Rees menu for week of 9/6/10

• Monday: Out, after a day off visiting with old friends and their new babies
• Tuesday: Pork Chops and beans
• Wednesday: Luna Burgers
• Thursday: Potato cakes with homemade applesauce
• Friday: Shepherd’s pie

What to do with CSA this week: 9/4/10

Fall is in the air. I’m a little disappointed to see my beloved scorching heat go, but the idea of fall – and the apples, pears, cinnamon, pumpkins and everything else that goes with it – is starting to grow on me.

• Beans – cooking with bacon and potatoes for a side with pork chops
  
• Sweet Peppers – Sweet and smoky corn salsa
  
• Carrots – Roasted with thyme
  
• Water melon – You should have seen gorgeous yellow fleshed melon. One of the sweetest I have ever eaten.
  
• Corn – Sweet and smoky corn salsa – will post recipe soon
  
• Pears – Eating for snacks, hoping for some more cool nights to eat these with stilton and port.
  
• Plums – Eating, making another plum cake from Hayday Market cookbook – it was delicious! will post recipe soon.
  

Mindful Menus – Week of 8/30/10

Hubs has inexplicably decided that cutting out processed foods and eating less meat would be a good idea. It only took 10 years of me telling him this, but apparently persistence pays off. I’m elated about not having to worry about fixing some sort of meat item every night.

Rees menu for week of 8/30/10

• Monday: Mahi mahi with lemon butter, corn on the cob (We’ve decided that each Monday will be fish night. Will let you know how this goes.)
• Tuesday: Potato cakes with homemade applesauce
• Wednesday: Homemade veggie burgers (inspired by Luna Burger)
• Thursday: Taco salad
• Friday: Beans and Rice, per hubs request

What to do with CSA this week: 8/28/10

CSA? Is it really you!!? I’m so thrilled to see you again!!

After being in North Carolina for two weeks of pickups (thanks to lovely friends and neighbors for covering for me) I finally got to go back and pick up my CSA again.

• Tomatoes – Chopping for taco salad
  
• Hot Peppers – Chopping for taco salad and including in beans and rice
  
• Parsnips – Roasted with thyme
  
• Melon – Eat with mint from my garden
  
• Corn – On the cob for kids, included in cornbread, corn salsa
  
• Peaches – Eating, freezing
  
• Plums – Eating, making a plum cake from the Hayday Market Cookbook – will let you know how it turns out.