cooking

1/18/2021 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThe kids have off today for MLK Day, so we’re planning some socially distanced shenanigans (shell collecting at the beach, picnic lunch, and picking up our Dream Dinners order). The past few weeks have been so busy, and this week plans to be jam-packed as well.

My friend Brooke recently hosted a Dream Dinner Virtual Party, and I took advantage of one of the deals- 6 dinners (each dinner serves 2-3 adults) for $99.00. I’ll be posting more info and details in the coming weeks, but for those of you who want to meal plan, but don’t know if it’s for you, Dream Dinners is a great resource.

I did my weekly trip to the store yesterday for bread, milk, salad, and ice cream. The kids have requested chocolate chip cookies, I’ll try to make a batch tomorrow.

I’m trying hard to stick to our budget of $100/week for groceries and prepare dinners that are filling and hearty.  It can be a struggle, but I shop sales, discount grocery stores, and use my cashback apps.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids.  The kids are nuts about pancakes. The Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

No school tomorrow, but I think we’ll have a picnic while we’re out and about. The rest of the week it’s 1/2 days for the littlest bit, and full days for the big dude. This afternoon I need to pop over to the store and pick up some lunch goodies. Big kid takes his lunch to school, but little bit has lunch at home after school.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:  Veggie Burgers on Salad (that’s what we ended up having, I had planned to do smoothies and caulifries too, but nah…)
  • Monday:  Pasta, Salad, and Garlic Bread
  • Tuesday:  Frozen Entrees & Salad
  • Wednesday: Protein shakes/smoothies, toast, and fruit
  • Thursday:  Dream Dinners Meal & Veggies
  • Friday:  Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Dream Dinners Meal & Veggies

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

1/11/2021 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgWe’re starting to get into the swing of our 2021 schedule, and this week is going to be my OMG busy week. Have you ever noticed that there is usually 1 week each month that is crazy busy? Lots of appointments, phone calls, errands, etc.? This is my week- Insanity.

I had some free time over the weekend, and I spent it in the kitchen doing some meal prep for this week. I made a lot of lunch stuff for the littlest kiddo and myself. I also prepared veggies and stuff for stir fry.

I’ll go to the store this morning and get some more fruit and veggies. And Milk. Always milk.

I’m trying hard to stick to our budget of $100/week for groceries and prepare dinners that are filling and hearty.  It can be a struggle, but I shop sales, discount grocery stores, and use my cashback apps.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids.  The kids are nuts about pancakes. The Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

The kids go back to school tomorrow! 1/2 days for the littlest bit, and full days for the big dude. This afternoon I need to pop over to the store and pick up some lunch goodies. Big kid takes his lunch to school, but little bit has lunch at home after school.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:  Leftovers (we all had big lunches, so it was mostly light snacking)
  • Monday:  Salad and Soup (We’ve got leftover beef stew from a few weeks ago- I stashed the extras in the freezer)
  • Tuesday:  Chicken and Cauli-rice casserole (It’s a frozen meal from Birdseye)
  • Wednesday: Veggies Burgers, Veggies Nuggets, fruit, and chips
  • Thursday:  Stir Fry with Veggies and rice
  • Friday:  Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Egg scramble (with veggies and cheese), Toast/Bagel, and Fruit Salad

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

Recipe: Beef Stew

Abby H.
Thick, rich, and ready to get in my belly!

I love a good, hearty beef stew. It can take a little effort, but oh, man is it worth it.

I made this last week, and I started off by looking at How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman, which is a great cookbook if you are looking for something beyond the basics of Betty Crocker or Better Homes and Gardens. Each recipe has tons of variations and substitution suggestions to make each dish your own.

This recipe is an amalgamation of Mr. Bittman’s recipe and several additions that give a rich, thick, hearty stew.

Ingredients

  • 2.5-3 pounds of beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 T. cooking oil (I used avocado)
  • 2T butter
  • 2 sweet onions, chopped
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • 3 potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 3-4 carrots, peeled and cut into coins
  • 1/2t. dried thyme
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Kosher salt
  • fresh cracked pepper
  • 1/2c red wine
  • 2T. Tomato Paste
  • 3T. All-purpose flour

Directions

  1.  In a large stockpot, heat oil, and cook the beef in batches to brown. If your pot is large, there may not be a need to cook in batches.
  2. After the beef is browned, add the onions, and cook until clear and tender.
  3. Sprinkle flour over the meat and onions, and stir to combine.
  4. Brown the flour gently, this may take a few minutes. Stir frequently to avoid burning. the flour will stick to the meat and onions- this is ok. While string, you may notice the flour forming a paste that browns- this is what you want.
  5. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
  6. Add beef stock and thyme, and stir to combine and continue to stir as the mixture thickens.
  7. As the stock thickens, add wine, tomato paste. Allow the stew to cook on low for 20-30 minutes.
  8. Add potatoes and carrots and cook soup on low for 20-30 minutes with the lid on the stockpot.
  9. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
  10. Continue to simmer as desired, if you want thinner stew, add more stock. If you like a thicker stew, remove the lid and allow the stew to simmer for 10-20 minutes until the stew reaches your desired thickness.

Some notes: I add wine and tomato paste because the acid in both helps break down the collagen in the meat, making it more tender, and giving the stew broth a more luscious mouthfeel. You can do without one or the other if you prefer.

I don’t like peas, so I omit them from my stew. If you like them, add 1/2-1 cup frozen peas about 10 minutes before serving. This keeps them from getting mushy or falling apart.

If you like more of a French-style beef stew, add 1/2-1 cup chopped mushrooms when you add the other veggies.

This recipe makes about 8-10 servings of stew. I like to serve the stew with crusty french bread, or sourdough toast, and of course SALAD. I like a peppery arugula (or rocket) salad with beets, goat cheese, and a simple vinaigrette. That combination really pairs well with the richness of the stew.

And of course, this stew freezes well and tastes better the next day.

1/3/2021 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgWe stayed home a lot last week, so I really need to hit the grocery store for snacks and lunch food today.

I batch cooked a few things yesterday, so we have ready to go dinners for two nights this week, but additional meals for later weeks.

I’m trying hard to stick to our budget of $100/week for groceries and prepare dinners that are filling and hearty.  It can be a struggle, but I shop sales, discount grocery stores, and use my cashback apps.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids.  The kids are nuts about pancakes. The Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

The kids go back to school tomorrow! 1/2 days for the littlest bit, and full days for the big dude. This afternoon I need to pop over to the store and pick up some lunch goodies. Big kid takes his lunch to school, but little bit has lunch at home after school.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:  Hot Beef Sandwiches and salad (I cooked the beef in the crockpot yesterday during my batch cooking day)
  • Monday:  Spaghetti Bolognese, steamed veggies, and garlic bread (I made the bolognese sauce yesterday during my batch cooking day)
  • Tuesday:  Frozen Entrees and salad
  • Wednesday: Waffles and fruit salad
  • Thursday:  Chicken Satay, salad, rice
  • Friday:  Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Shenanigans

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

12/28/2020- Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgWe were given a Grocery Outlet Gift Card for Christmas! I used most of it yesterday to stock up on pantry staples, but I also bought us a few treats too.

There is a balance on the card, so I’ll be using it over the next few weeks to pick up some deals.

I’m trying hard to stick to our budget of $100/week for groceries and prepare dinners that are filling and hearty. This week, we are having a lot of easy to make meals that will give us leftovers for lunches.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids.  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

This is the second (and final) week of Winter Break. It’s cold and rainy today and will continue for a few more days. Our plan is to stay inside, play with new toys and games, read, and cuddle under warm blankets. If the weather clears up, towards the end of the week we’ll go check out some cool places that have water features after rain (Adobe Falls area for sure). Don’t Forget- I am giving away a $50 Amazon Gift Card- Entering is super easy!

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

 

  • Sunday: Leftover Beef Stew, Garlic baguettes, Fruit Salad
  • Monday: Vegetarian Chili, cornbread, salad
  • Tuesday: Bean, Rice, and Cheese bowls
  • Wednesday: Skillet casserole (probably Chicken Tetrazinni)
  • Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner (fruit salad, protein shakes, toast with butter)
  • Friday:  Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Shenanigans

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

12/21/20 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI went to the grocery store over the weekend: The kids needed food to keep their tummies full over the next week of winter break, and we were out of a lot of shelf stable stuff. And salad. I am nuts about the Taylor Farms Salads (tangerine Crunch and Avocado Ranch are THE BEST). Our local Grocery Outlet and 99 Cents Only both carry various varieties for CHEAP.

I’m trying hard to stick to our budget of $100/week for groceries and prepare dinners that are filling and hearty.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids.  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

The next two weeks are Winter Break, so we’ll be eating at home a lot. Most places are still closed as cases here surge. Our tradition of zoo trips will be on hold for now. I’m planning a drive to the desert for the day, complete with a picnic lunch and some fun photos. And of course, lots of time next week to play with toys or whatever the kids get for Christmas.

I’m planning on making two batches of soup for lunches. Beef stew and probably vegetarian chili.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:  Meatloaf, fruit, noodles, & rolls Meatloaf recipe will be posted this week
  • Monday: Soup, salad, and fruit
  • Tuesday: Grilled Cheese, Fruit, and salad
  • Wednesday: Nugget Night (With Birdseye cauli fries)
  • Thursday: Pizza Night
  • Friday:  Pot Roast in the crockpot, oven roasted vegetables, salad
  • Saturday: Leftover Shenanigans

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

Recipe: Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup

Abby H.

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you may remember that I posted pics of my soup extravaganza on Saturday.
I made two batches of soup: one of potato cheese soup (recipe here), and today’s recipe: broccoli cheese soup!

I’ve been told it tastes like Panera’s, but I’ve never had their broccoli cheese soup. I’ll take it as a compliment.

I added a little cooked, puréed cauliflower to the white sauce to give it a little more body. Also, it’s great for adding a little extra veggies to the soup!

Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients

  • 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup celery
  • 1 cup carrots
  • 2 cups onions
  • 1 T. Garlic, minced
  • 4 T. Butter, divided
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 Tablespoons AP flour
  • 1.5 cups whole milk
  • 4 cups cheese (I like medium cheddar, but you could use colby, or a sharper cheddar)
  • 2 cups cauliflower, steamed and pureed (I used my immersion blender)
  • 2t. dry mustard
  • Dash Cayenne pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large stockpot, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter and saute onions until clear and slightly browned.
  2. Add carrots and celery, cook for another 5-10 minutes, until veggies are soft.
  3. Add all of the chicken broth/stock, broccoli, and bay leaves. Cover pot and cook on low for 10-20 minutes.
  4. In a smaller pot, melt the remaining 2 T. of butter. Sprinkle melted butter with AP flour and stir until paste forms over low heat. The paste should brown slightly- DON’T BURN IT!
  5. Pour milk into the flour/butter paste and whisk briskly. You do not want lumps. Cook over low heat until the mixture thickens. This may take a few minutes. As the mixture thickens and there are no lumps, add the cheese slowly, about 1/2 cup at a time, until it is incorporated/melted into the sauce. Once the sauce with complete, remove from heat.
  6. Mix in cooked/pureed cauliflower to the cheese sauce.
  7. Add the cheese sauce to the soup mixture slowly, stirring constantly. Once it is fully mixed, remove the bay leaves, season dry mustard, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
  8. Simmer soup for another 5-10 minutes, allowing spices and flavors to meld.
  9. Serve Soup hot with crusty French bread. Resist the urge not to eat it all in one sitting.

This recipe makes about 10-12 servings of soup. It can be frozen. And it makes a great gift!

12/14/2020 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI went to the grocery store over the weekend and picked up some much-needed essentials (bagels, fruit, and vegetables chief among them).

I’m trying hard to stick to our budget of $100/week for groceries and prepare dinners that are filling and hearty. We’re looking at some cold night time temps this coming week, so soup is on the menu twice this week! I made potato cheese soup and broccoli and cheese soup on Sunday, and The batches are separated and being stored in the freezer for later this week and beyond. I’ll be posting the broccoli cheese soup recipe this week.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids.  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

Kids are back to school and that means that school-provided lunches are coming home again. Neither kid loves them, but there are things that each kid eats from them, so I try to include those in their daily lunches. The Littlest kiddo has lunch at home, the big kid takes his lunch to school.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:   Soup, Salad, & Rolls
  • Monday: Veggie Burgers, Veggie Fries, fruit
  • Tuesday: Quesadillas and & salad
  • Wednesday: Avocado Toast (with everything but the bagel seasoning- sooo good), poached eggs, orange slices
  • Thursday: Soup, Salad, and garlic bread
  • Friday:  Pizza Night
  • Saturday: Leftover Shenanigans

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

10/26/2020 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’ve started doing weekly meal planning on Sundays. It’s easier to do it while I’m writing up the weekly calendar/schedule and prepping the snack box for the week. I didn’t get a chance to type this up last night. I fell asleep around 8:30. I was tired.

The kids and I hit up the grocery store yesterday morning and loaded up on some stuff we needed (bread, cream cheese, bagels, grapes, and watermelon were chief among our “needs”).  Our meal plan is super light and easy this week.

Our weather is getting decidedly more “fall-like”. Last night I made a big batch of veggie soup, portioned it out, and popped containers into the freezer for later meals. I’ll be doing the same with the potato cheese soup I make later this week- and yes, I’ll be posting the recipe too!

Thanks to some local deals, offers, and the school lunches the kids bring home, I have been able to keep our grocery budget to $60 per week for the past MONTH! It’s amazing. The extra money is going into our holiday savings account.

If you have kids between 2-18, check with your local school to see if they are offering free lunches and/or breakfasts. You can also check the USDA Website– but it might be a little out of date.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids (they love the Kodiak Cakes Mix).  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM. I’ll be posting the recipe for his current favorite this coming week.

Lunches will be whatever the kids want for the time being. The big kid has lunch at school, so it’s whatever he chooses from the lunch box in the cupboard, plus some fruit and juice or milk. Since the little girl is in the morning cohort at school, she has lunch at home. Buttered noodles, yogurt, apple slices, and a popsicle are her go-to lunch.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:  Veggie Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
  • Monday:  Sandwiches and Salad (I bought a rotisserie chicken at Costco yesterday, so we had roasted chicken, bacon, and mozzarella sandwiches)
  • Tuesday: Nuggets and Fruit (Big kid has OT in the late afternoon, so it’s always a quick dinner on Tuesday)
  • Wednesday:  Potato Cheese Soup and Garlic bread (I’ll post the recipe this week- it’s super easy and frugal!)
  • Thursday: Bacon, veggie, and cheese frittata,  fruit
  • Friday:  Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Protein Muffins, fruit salad, and Greek yogurt

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

Baking for the Holidays with Truly Grass Fed (Tryazon Party Opportunity)

Abby H.

Truly Grass Fed is back for the holidays with a new Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, featuring their distinctively creamy and uniquely delicious cheese and butter. No matter what kind of holiday baking you plan to do, Truly Grass Fed is the perfect addition. Because Truly Grass Fed doesn’t just pair with food, it #PairsWithYou.

They have 300 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those chosen will receive a party pack with a variety of Truly Grass Fed products to showcase and sample with friends and family at an in-person or virtual party! Truly Grass Fed will be holding a competition for the best Holiday Baker too!  Learn more and apply here: https://www.tryazon.com/baking-for-the-holidays-with-truly-grass-fed-party/
If you haven’t heard of Tryazon, it’s a Word of Mouth Marketing company that partners with brands and individuals. I’ve hosted a few events with Tryazon before- it’s always a fun time!
I applied, and fingers crossed that I get this one! My family and friends love to cook and it would be a fun way to spend some time (even if we are socially distanced). Plus- Who doesn’t love cheese?