Home!

OK, so I've been a little sidetracked with two big trips for work ... Nine days in Alaska and four days in St. Louis. The trip to Alaska was a first, and I did find a little time to have some fun. I'm saving that for another post.

Since I'll be home for a bit, I thought I would get back on a menu planning path. This week:
Sunday: fajita stir-fry over rice
Monday: quilt guild night
Tuesday: breakfast for dinner - pancakes & bacon
Wednesday: slow cooker pork roast with sauerkraut
Thursday: work meeting night
Friday: date night
Saturday: Nebraska FIRST LEGO League Championship Tournament

I also need to make twelve dozen cinnamon rolls this week for the FLL Tournament. In addition to being the judge advisor, I am in charge of volunteer hospitality. Coffee, rolls, fruit, snacks for morning and afternoon. Yumminess for our awesome volunteers!

A little late with the menu this week ....

This week's post is a day late.  I work for a university so for me, this weekend was a three-day weekend.  It is also the first weekend in awhile that we didn't have a work, extended family or some other commitment that ate the whole weekend!  I love hosting FLL tournaments, and all, but it is nice to have a weekend!

On Saturday I took Anne to her first tumbling class.  What a blast!  She can be a little shy so it would not have surprised me if we spent the whole session standing in a corner observing, but she dove right in, literally.  At the end of the half hour, it was a good thing I had a trip to the small town bakery for doughnuts and the library up my sleeve.

Yesterday was free after worship and the church's annual meeting.  We spent the day reading, playing with the Minnie Puppy and hanging out on the Big Girl Potty.  Today, we are off to the local children's museum.  I know, it will be crazy as many local schools are off today and so are lots of parents ....

This week is a little bit of quiet before the storm.  On Saturday, I get to fly to Anchorage.  Yes, Anchorage, Alaska.  I am so excited!  I get to be there for a little over a week, mostly training a new site for work, but I hope to get to do a little exploring along the way.  Because of crazy airfares, it was cheaper, a lot cheaper, for me to fly in on Saturday rather than Sunday so I get one whole day to explore!  It will also be the only explore day I'll have during daylight hours.  This week is pretty quiet with a regular work schedule and only one night activity.

To give you the full week's menu plan, I'll start with last night.  Last week's plan was mostly from Pinterest. This week, I've got a couple of sources, but a couple of meals are coming from what has become my go-to cookbook the last few years, Rachel Ray's 365: No Repeats.

• Sunday:  Pork Chops with Bacon and Cabbage from Everyday Food via the Bitten Word.  Delish!  And, since the hubs isn't so fond of cabbage, two days of lunch leftovers for me!
• Monday: "Big, Thick, Hearty Thighs ... and That's a Compliment" RR 365, page 46
• Tuesday:  Thyme Pork Chops with Roasted Cauliflower.  This link is similar to a recipe I've made enough times that I cannot find the book in which it is published.  I thought it was the RR 365 book ....
• Wednesday:  Swiss Mushroom Melts from Perry's Plate.  I have some leftover roasted chicken I think I'll use instead of the turkey.
• Thursday:  Spring Rush for the sorority I advise
• Friday:  Beef Goulash, RR 365 page 3
• Saturday:  I am off to Alaska!

Have a great week!  I am posting this to Good, Cheap Eats Pantry Challenge.

dinner this week ...

Many of the blog and Facebook posts I've read over the last few weeks have focused on deep winter purging. While parts of my house, especially the toy room, could benefit from this, I am choosing to focus January on the pantry and freezers - yes, freezers. We have three. The itty bitty one above the refrigerator that holds mostly opened things like bags of frozen veggies, the current toaster strudel box, batteries, etc. The hand-me-down little chest freezer that lives in kitchen room #3 (another post for another day) with a lot of flours, grains and I don't know what in it. And, finally, the big beast that came with the house. It is by far the most organized, inventoried as it is, at times, empty. Recently, it has been the primary home of meals I have prepared for easy microwave nights, bags ready to dump in the slow cooker and some supplies for an upcoming work event. So, my goal in January is not only to cook more than eating out or eating cereal for dinner, but to go shopping in my own freezers and pantry for the bulk of my supplies.

So, with the week's calendar in mind, here is my plan for the week of January 8, 2012:

Sunday >> Pappardelle alla Bolognese with a tossed salad and baked apples

Monday >> I have quilt guild and George has to work ...

Tuesday >> Shrimp Fra Diavolo with a tossed salad and oranges

Wednesday >> I have a dinner for work and George has to work ...

Thursday >> Quick and Easy Leftover Chicken Fajita Melts with black bean and corn salad and baked apples

Friday >> Blackened salmon, baked potatoes, steamed veggies and oranges

Saturday >> Braised Pork and Cabbage with warm chocolate pots de creme

Wow, this process always makes me hungry. It is good that dinner is coming up soon!

I am linking up to Good Cheap Eats.