Menu Plan Monday: December 12

Busy, busy, hectic, hectic. That's what my month has turned out to be! We've eaten way too much take out and frozen food (which isn't healthy for the budget any more than it is for the body and waistline!)  So, I'm challenging myself to use the crock pot a lot this week so that I can avoid that. Here goes nothing.

I'm using various recipes, but the main source is going to be the Year of Slow Cooking blog archives. Love me some blog posts from that site. Yup. Yummy. As usual I'll be either using vegetarian recipes or vege-tizing them. I'm also going to plan on starting a crock of soup as I head to bed each night. This will serve three purposes: 1. We will eat something warm and nutritious for lunch rather than cold sandwiches or fast items. 2. By making a double batch I will be able to pop some meals in the freezer for what will be a very busy few weeks with the holidays. 3. The soup will be finished in the morning so that my nurse mother will be able to fill a thermos full before heading to work therefore giving her a warm and nutritious lunch as well. (It also means that I don't have to make a lunch on art class day for the kid because it will be ready in the morning. Can I get a big WOO HOO for being lazy prepared!) We have multiple crock pots so we'll see how running two at a time will work!

I should mention that I'm much more likely to actually stick to this plan because.... wait for it... we got a new dishwasher! YES! No more dish pan hands. No more fatigue at constantly seeing dirty dishes in the sink because you just can't keep up in a house where three to four people are home all day. (Not only do we homeschooling, but the husband works from home as well. We really like being together evidently!) With the handy-dandy dish washing technology strapped under the counter I'll be cooking and loving it once again. Still, I'm going to stick to the crock pot each day so that I can be sure that the schedule won't get in the way.

Not that it really goes on the meal plan, but I'm drooling over tonight's dinner: Baked Bean Soup with cornbread!

Monday:
B: Bagels and fruit
L: Split pea soup (no bacon) - Did I mention that I don't like pea soup? This is the "mom earns points" meal for the week.
D: CP Cincinnati Style Chili over Spaghetti, salad (for my honey)

Tuesday:
B: Apple Blueberry Oatmeal
L: White Chili (add Quorn Chikin Tenders during the last hour or so - but white chili never seems like chili to me so it's white soup in my world ;)
D: Honey and Orange Tofu with broccoli

Wednesday:
B: Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Couscous (this keeps showing up because I have yet to make it. sigh)
L: Corn Chowder
D: Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers (with Quorn Crumbles added in)

Thursday:
B: Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (we need a grab and go since the kid has class in the am.)
L: Moroccan Lentil Soup
D: Baked Spinach and Cheese Noodles and salad

Friday:
B: Apple Dumpling Delight (Got this from a friend: Wrap sliced/peeled apples in crescent rolls, mix and pour over: 1c OJ, 1c melted butter, 1/2c sugar. Bake. Easy.)
L: Mac and Cheese, apples, and broccoli (babysitting day, and I promised them!)
D: Black bean soup and nachos

Saturday: Family Christmas celebration with one side, so we're eating with family!

Sunday:
B: OYO - On Your Own
L: Albondiga Soup (though I don't know if the mint will freak out the child and husband in which case I will use the parsley noted in the blog comments)
D: Leftovers

Check out more Menu Plan Monday entries at http://orgjunkie.com/ .