I thought I would share a few samples of what I've planned in the past, with the hope you might be inspired, and better yet, that I might glean from my readers' vast repertoire. I use these as starting points and add sides or switch up the vegetables according to fancy (usually either Chuy-the-shopper's fancy or the grocer's fancy of what to stock/put on sale). Some days our schedule gets out of whack and I don't use the menu planned, but for those days when we're so engrossed in history I can't stop to think, pre-planning saves the day!
Monday to Friday, week #1
- Leftovers
- Potato-cakes, steamed zucchinni with onion, tomato and a bit of cheese
- Thin-cut beef (cooked on a griddle with MSG-free tenderizer or fajita seasoning), grilled tomatoes, onions and a side of rice (recipe here)
- Chicken soup with rice, see link above
- Picadillo--a soupy dish of ground beef with potatoes and tomatoes, rice and/or beans
Monday to Friday, week #2
- Boneless chicken thighs (1 lb.) in 8oz pasta with cream (100g, about 8T), vegetables
- Meatloaf and salad
- Tuna salad served with crackers
- Chicken soup served with rice
- Leftover soup--I try to do something to make it different. Maybe add cornstarch to thicken it, or pureed boiled tomatoes or boiled elbow macaroni.
Monday to Friday, week #3
- Hot dogs and Macn-N-Cheese (a very rare treat), simple salad: lettuce, carrot and cucumber
- Tuna salad with crackers
- Navy beans (crock-pot) with tomato sauce (I use puree and add a bit of sugar, salt, pepper and herbs/spices to taste) served with pork chops pan cooked with sprinkled basil (mmmmm, the best!)
- Chicken with rice (soupy) and beans
Monday to Friday, week #4
- Chicken salad
- Cauliflower with Ground Beef Soup
- Baked potatoes and leftover soup
- Fish and rice cooked with carrots and brocoli
- Chicken in mole sauce, beans and rice
Well, folks, that's simple cooking at my house! I'd be happy to share recipes, just ask for them in the comment box below. More than anything, I'd love some fresh ideas to fill in the next few month's menus! Can you help spice up our life with some culinary variety?
get a few slices of bacon, cook all of them and freeze....then you can add a slice or even only one half slice to some of your dishes to give some zing.....and different flavor.
ReplyDeleteAnother idea is to chop leftover meat and brown it lightly in the skillet (esp good with a little butter and onion). This can also be frozen to add a small amount to a variety of dishes to give a different taste. Any meat will do.