Borrego family menu

My goal:
Have a menu of quick and easy meals that I cook a lot and am extremely comfortable making. Try to keep the ingredients on hand for the meals so we won't be tempted to eat out because of not having food in the house.

I am in the process of coming up with meals like this. I intend to buy chicken more in bulk, and put it in 1 lb bags in the freezer for future use. (Actually I like getting slightly under a pound - it's cheaper and we often don't need as much meat as recipes call for. I rarely notice the difference.)

I figure I'd like to get 10 meals to start with. That's 2 weeks worth, and I will make them over and over until I am not afraid to make them. I will slowly add recipes to my list as I get more confident. It will be eating a lot of the same stuff in the beginning, but I think it will pay off in the end with more homemade meals and more confidence in the kitchen.

So, here is my initial list:
1. Tacos. (Tortillas, ground meat, cheese, and taco seasoning on hand. I'd love to find a great taco seasoning recipe but in the meantime I can use the little packets. Will have to buy lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream.)
2. Busy-day Baked Fish (The only problem is that fish is a more expensive meat. Perhaps I could try this recipe with chicken? Fish is good for you though; it wouldn't hurt us to eat it more often. I could try to make an effort to get it when it's on sale.)
3. Easy Chicken Crock Pot (Chicken and cream of mushroom soup... It doesn't get simpler than this, provided that I remember to turn on the crock pot!)
4. Mexican Corn Bread (Another crock pot recipe. I'm wondering if this is too many ingredients, though. I hate cutting up onions even though it doesn't make me cry.)
5. Noodles with Chicken & White Sauce (something of my own creation; super easy and pretty good)
6. Cheese baked chicken (this recipe sounds so good, although my one attempt didn't turn out very well)
7. Hamburgers (I love love love hamburgers. The only problem is this requires us to buy buns, which come in packages of 8. Soo... we'll have to have hamburgers 4 times in two weeks so the buns don't get moldy. ;-))
8. Fajitas (I love this recipe. I often make this when people come to visit.)
9. Tuna Noodle Casserole (Once I remember that the noodles need to be cooked FIRST, I'll be doing great!)
10. Meatloaf (Easy to make, tastes delicious, goes with a variety of sides. The one downside: it takes over an hour to cook.)

Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Mac

This is from the back of a box of Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner. I LOVE this recipe - but then again, broccoli is my favorite vegetable. :-)

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup milk
1 pkg. (14 oz) Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen broccoli florets, thawed

Directions:
1. Spray large skillet with no stick cooking spray. Add chicken; cook and stir on medium-high heat 5 minutes or until cooked through, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, milk, and macaroni; stir until well blended. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 15 minutes or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Add contents of cheese sauce pouch and broccoli; cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Goals for 6/30

1. Farmer's Market. it was closed by the time we were ready to go
   
2. Buy Olivia's birthday present (any suggestions?) think we're buying some Veggie Tales paraphernalia online
   
3. Return bike pump.
4. Take in recyclables
5. Walgreen's free stuff. not out yet
   
6. CLEAN SHOWER (optional)

Possible Dessert

Should I attempt this?

Maybe once the kids' noses stop running and they go to sleep... if I'm not also sleeping, that is.

6/29 Goals

1. Fold diapers
2. Hang up laundry
3. Make granola
4. Make some kind of dessert that doesn't require all-purpose flour (we're out)
5. CLEAN SHOWER (optional) :-P
6. Walgreens free stuff
   

Italian Sausage Side-by-Side Calzones

This is a Pampered Chef recipe. This is not a shameless plug, it's just that I didn't start cooking until I started selling Pampered Chef and my husband looked through their cookbooks and started making a wish list. When I saw how happy good food made him, I started liking cooking a whole lot more! So here's one of his favorites, which also happens to be dinner tonight!

Ingredients:
1/2 c chopped onion
1lb hot turkey Italian sausage (about 4 links) Can't find "hot" turkey sausage at Wal-Mart, so ours is "sweet" :-D
1/2 c diced green bell pepper
1/2 c putted ripe olives, sliced
1 can (8oz) pizza sauce
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 packages (13.8oz ea) refrigerated pizza crust
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1 Tbs Pantry Basil Oil (I use olive oil - don't own Basil Oil, it's a PC thing)
1/4 c grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400. Chop onion. Remove and discard casings from sausage. Cook sausage and onion over medium-high heat 8-10 min until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles. Drain and set aside
2. Dice bell pepper. Slice olives (Ha! I buy mine sliced, thank you very much!). Combine Sausage mixture, bell pepper, olives, pizza sauce, and pressed garlic; mix well.
3. Lightly flour Rectangle Stone (I always forget this step, but it's all good).Unroll one package of pizza crust across baking stone. Gently stretch dough into a 10x14" rectangle. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over dough to form two length-wise rows, leaving a 2" separation between rows down center and a 1" border around outside edges. Scoop filling mixture evenly over both rows of cheese. Unroll second package of pizza crust and carefully place over first crust. match edges of dough around edges; press to seal around edges and down center.
4. Cut down center of dough to form two strips. Lightly spray dough with oil (or you could use a pastry brush). Grate Parmesan cheese over top of dough.
5. Cut five 2" slits in top of each calzone to vent. Bake 22-25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes (I forget this step often as well, but it really does help to wait - makes it less liquidy). Serve warm.
   

Zapf Menu 6/25-7/1

Monday - Ham N' Noodle Casserole
Tuesday - Steaks (and a hot dog for Olivia) on the grill
Wednesday - Calzones
Thursday - Pizza Burgers
Friday - leftovers
Saturday - Steak and Shake (Yay, gift card!)
Sunday - Italian Beef

Grocery Total - $70.31

my plan

I was talking to my mom about how much I hate cooking. We were trying to figure out how to get over that hatred, because obviously (a) eating all for all our meals or (b) hiring a cook are not viable options. :-)

So here's my plan. I am going to get a list of recipes that: (1) are easy enough for a beginner who is afraid of cooking, (2) can be started and finished after I get home from work and don't have us eating at 10pm, (3) are somewhat healthy (TV dinners don't count!), and (4) have simple ingredients that I can keep on hand.

I'll try to work on these enough until I am comfortable with them, and then I'll start getting adventurous and branching out. I think this will help with last minute eating out dinners because I don't have enough time to cook or don't have ingredients on hand.

Now, to make a list...

~ Ashley

Monday 6/18

We only have part of a week this week before we are headed up to Indiana!

Monday: Chicken Broccoli Macaroni
Tuesday: Tuna Noodle Casserole
Wednesday: Hamburgers, Corn-on-the-Cob

I really need to go shopping. I briefly thought of making my list here, but then I realized that I can't take the computer with me. :-) So I will just make it on a sheet of paper.

Friday 6/1

I am doing really horrible at this. :-)

Since we have guests coming, I shall try to make a loose menu for the weekend and next week.

Tonight: busy-day baked fish
Saturday: fajitas, rice
Sunday: picnic - sandwiches (egg salad, pb&j), chips, apples, dessert
Monday: hamburgers, french fries
Tuesday: easy chicken crock-pot

What do I want in life?

I feel like I am so disorganized at home.

I tried FlyLady for a little while, but a lot of what she said bugged me. Her militant style clashed with my personality and I felt like I must argue with her instead of just ignoring her.

However, I think she had a lot of good things which is why she helped so many people. I think I need to capture those things to help me get organized, without washing off everything just because I disagreed with her style.

One of those things is the baby steps. Another is the beauty of a timer.

What goals do I have in life? What do I want to work towards? What is my life like right now and what can I do to make it work for me?

My biggest problem is a lack of motivation. I think I need to investigate how to motivate myself to do things I don't want to do. I'd like to try a reward system; letting myself do things I want to do AFTER I've done the things I don't want to do. I'd also like to utilize my timer.

Goals, and why I don't do them.
• Keep my house fairly clean and picked up.
- Why: Living in a clean house is more peaceful/relaxing. Also reduces frantic cleaning before guests come over.
- Why don't I do this: Laziness. Perhaps a timer would be the answer here?

• Keep the dirty dishes in the kitchen to a minimum.
- Why: So the dishes are clean when I need them. So they don't pile up and look gross. To keep the kitchen looking clean and nice.
- Why don't I do this: Laziness. I don't particularly care to wash dishes, especially after cooking a long meal. Perhaps I could try to wash dishes while I'm cooking, to minimize the amount after the meal.

• Clean the cat box every day. Be sure to clean up spills/messes immediately.
- Why: To help control the smells. Because it's just the proper way to treat a kitty.
- Why don't I do this: Laziness. Distaste for the smell. I just need to buckle down and do it.

• Cook meals at home every day. Eat out only on Sundays after lunch. Stop buying snacks and cokes when out during the day.
- Why: To save money and eat healthier.
- Why don't I do this: I really hate cooking. I don't like having to do this after a long day at work. I am not organized enough to have the proper ingredients in order, and everything defrosted when I need it. Perhaps learning more good recipes, and attempting crock pot meals more would help.

• Keep ahead of the laundry; don't let it pile up.
- Why: So I can have my things clean and always have an outfit to wear. So things like pants, sheets, towels, etc. can be washed on a regular basis.
- Why don't I do this: Usually I forget. Perhaps a set laundry day to help with this. Also a way of not letting myself forget.

Wednesday 5/30

Dinner for tonight:
Chicken on the grill & pasta side

Goals for today:
• Walk to the new office & back (take Jera)
• Clean all 3 bathrooms
• Do white load (wash guest bed sheets & towels)
• Write checks for Wycliffe and CCO

Rewards:
• Update links list on my blog
• Watch Criminal Minds

Wednesday 5/16

Dinner for tonight:
• BLD Carbonara Pizza

Goals for today:
• Finish 2 loads of laundry
• Vacuum living room
• Pay bills, write checks

Everyday goals:
• Dishes

Menu for week of 5/13-5/19

1. Tuna noodle casserole

2. Crockpot chicken

3. Beef taco skillet

4. BLD Carbonara Pizza