At the start of each week I come up with a meal plan that I very rarely follow. Some weeks I come close and some weeks, well, not so much. This week has fallen into the latter category
This was the bold ambition for what I had planned:
Tuesday: I spent a good part of the day taking care of Mom's business affairs then moved into my laundry room to begin some major cleaning . (My laundry room is both a place to do laundry, sewing room and studio space. Right this minute it looks like a large gypsy caravan moved in, set up camp, then left without packing up their stuff. Worst of all I have only myself to blame) I did not even begin to think about dinner until time to actually make it. I knew I had more than half a pack of dinner rolls and I had some ground chuck in the freezer. WHen you have to make a hamburger fit the small dinner roll, just change the narrative and pretend it is what you had planned all along It's not like TheHub reads my blog and has any clue what I meant to have anyway!
Grilled sliders with fixings, cauliflower "potato" salad
This was the bold ambition for what I had planned:
1. Taco salad
2. Grilled burgers with fixings
3. BBQ chicken thighs, coleslaw, tomato slices, rolls
4. Out to eat with our Mandarin class. (Chinese of course!)
5. Crack chicken over rice or cauli rice, tomato cuke and onion salad
6. Sloppy Joe's, french fries (or not) coleslaw, tomato slices, green beans
And this is where real life beat my plans to a bloody pulp!
2. Grilled burgers with fixings
3. BBQ chicken thighs, coleslaw, tomato slices, rolls
4. Out to eat with our Mandarin class. (Chinese of course!)
5. Crack chicken over rice or cauli rice, tomato cuke and onion salad
6. Sloppy Joe's, french fries (or not) coleslaw, tomato slices, green beans
And this is where real life beat my plans to a bloody pulp!
Monday: I have no recall about Monday and I forgot to document anything. Just one glance at us will let you know we are not poor underfed waifs, but for the life of me, I have no clue what happened or what I did for a meal. I know I did not go grocery shopping until Wednesday so___
Something, with something green most likely, and probably something else. It was either regrettable and needed to be forgotten but more likely it was truly uninspired and forgettable.Tuesday: I spent a good part of the day taking care of Mom's business affairs then moved into my laundry room to begin some major cleaning . (My laundry room is both a place to do laundry, sewing room and studio space. Right this minute it looks like a large gypsy caravan moved in, set up camp, then left without packing up their stuff. Worst of all I have only myself to blame) I did not even begin to think about dinner until time to actually make it. I knew I had more than half a pack of dinner rolls and I had some ground chuck in the freezer. WHen you have to make a hamburger fit the small dinner roll, just change the narrative and pretend it is what you had planned all along It's not like TheHub reads my blog and has any clue what I meant to have anyway!
Grilled sliders with fixings, cauliflower "potato" salad
Wednesday: I had gone o the grocery store and bought 3 packs of boneless thighs and some lovely cauliflower. I had planned on having BBQ chicken thighs but saw this recipe at Happier Than A Pig In Mud. It looked simple and used the grill so I decided to give it a try. OMG it was delicious. I will vary the veggies and do this all summer!
Chicken with char grilled vegetables, rolls or keto rolls
Chicken with char grilled vegetables, rolls or keto rolls
Thursday: We have been taking a Mandarin class and it is a very small group. We decided to go out to eat as a class and ate in a traditional Chinese manner, according to our instructor . We sat at a round table with a large lazy susan in the middle. Everyone ordered what they wanted, but it was served family style. You just rotated the susan until whatever you wanted to try came near you. If you are ever in Birmingham and want Chinese definitely go to The Red Pearl on West Valley. It is delicious! (Try the Basil Chicken!)
Various appetizers, entrees and sides
Various appetizers, entrees and sides
Friday: TheHub and I knew we needed to run to the lake place to grab some things for our upcoming several day houseguests. (Things like 3 mattresses, 6 pillows, sheets, towels, beach towels, etc.) We decided we would just go Friday evening, spend the night, load the van and return Saturday morning. I had fully intended to take something for us to eat but I didn't. There is no place near the lake to eat so we stopped on the way.
Whopper from Burger king with (TheHub) or without(me) the bun
Whopper from Burger king with (TheHub) or without(me) the bun
Saturday: When I planned this week's menu I forgot TheHub had a high school class reunion Saturday night. Punt for dinner and instead we ate there. I think he had a really good time reconnecting with his former friends and I had a blast. I moved through the crowd as a solo unit (I had told him to mix and mingle and not worry about me) and would go up to any one who looked interesting and say "Oh my goodness you look wonderful, I have not seen you in ages". (Since TheHub and I grew up in different cities I knew absolutely no one) I would watch them trying to mentally place me before I let them know they really had never seen me before. It is a great ice breaker and led to some interesting conversations and newly found acquaintances.
Heavy hors d'ouvers
Heavy hors d'ouvers
Sunday: We went to church, then ran some errands and came home so we could watch Alabama's women's softball team in the NCAA World Series. Roll Tide Roll. They won the first game which meant a double header so we settled in to watch another game. In between games, instead of cooking we rant to Arby's to grab dinner.
Arby's roast beef sandwich
Yes, I am very aware that we had 4 of 7 meals either out or as take out. This is our life and how this past week rolled. This week should be better, but there are always surprise issues along the way, so here is my plan for the week which may or may not happen.
1. Scallops, asparagus, new potatoes, salad
2. BBQ chicken thighs, caulitato salad, baked beans (or not)
3. Chicken with char grilled vegetables
4. Steak, mashed potatoes (or caulimash), salad
5. Summer salad meal, rolls (or keto rolls)
6. Grilled fish, grilled romaine salad, grilled asparagus
7. Meal after a memorial service
And we are off and running!
Arby's roast beef sandwich
Yes, I am very aware that we had 4 of 7 meals either out or as take out. This is our life and how this past week rolled. This week should be better, but there are always surprise issues along the way, so here is my plan for the week which may or may not happen.
1. Scallops, asparagus, new potatoes, salad
2. BBQ chicken thighs, caulitato salad, baked beans (or not)
3. Chicken with char grilled vegetables
4. Steak, mashed potatoes (or caulimash), salad
5. Summer salad meal, rolls (or keto rolls)
6. Grilled fish, grilled romaine salad, grilled asparagus
7. Meal after a memorial service
And we are off and running!
LOVE your ploy at the reunion. Something I have never attended (and hopefully never will).
ReplyDeleteWe go to several events a year where I know no one but TheHub needs to circulate. I use it all the time. It is a wonderful icebreaker. In April we went to a national event for his company and he had to be available for conversations with everyone. Before the night was over I had invitations to come visit people in Connecticut, North Carolina, The Bronx, and Texas. I think TheHub has finally figured I am a pretty good asset (as long as I keep my filters on and my sailor's mouth shut)
DeleteTake out is okay as long as you can afford it which I think you can. At this point, whatever is easiest is best. That way you can attention to other things if you need to.
ReplyDeleteWe can afford the take out, but it is not what I really like to spend our food budget on. Last week was just life interfering with me at every turn. This week has started out much better__kinda!
DeleteLove your plan for the reunion! I'm definitely more introverted than that. :-)
ReplyDeleteI ate out every meal for the last week (vacation). My pants are too tight!
I think I am what is classified as an amnivert. I love being out and around people. I enjoy meeting new folks and the social chit chat, but I do require some home time to recharge my batteries.
DeleteI get the tight pants/eating out conundrum.
My husband hated for me to circulate! I was supposed to sit still so he could circulate and keep an eye on me. Now that walking is hard, I miss circulating. I like to eat Arby's Grand Turkey Supreme minus mayo and bun.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy meeting new and different folks. Never had a turkey Supreme, but I will have to give it a try.
DeleteWhat a great way to meet people! I'm not sure I'd have the gumption to pull it off but it would be fun.
ReplyDeleteAs for your meals, daily life has a way of getting in the way. As long as everyone is fed and happy, no biggie.
It is a fun way to meet people and they are always so relieved when I tell them they do not actually know me.
DeleteI love your ice-breaker comment! Even when you ate out, you kept to your Keto diet, it sounds like, so I think you need not worry about eating out as often. :)
ReplyDeleteThe initial comment works just about everywhere I go. Fortunately I am not at all shy, but I do pick my "victims" carefully. I generally approach people who tend to be natural smilers.
DeleteThe Saturday night thing blew keto for the night, but I knew it would and had decided I was not going to worry about it. The keto way of eating is so easy for me to hop back on so one day off is not a deal breaker.
Hahaa it sounds like a fun reunion.
ReplyDeleteI think I had as good of a time as TheHub did, and it was his crowd!
DeleteI agree with the others - what a great way to get talking to people!
ReplyDeleteIt really does work and most people are so relieved to find their memory is not totally failing.
DeleteSome weeks are just like that. The only problem with take out other than the cost, is the lack of veggies and high salt. But boy is it good and convenient.
ReplyDeleteSome weeks it just happens. It was not what I wanted but it is what happened.
DeleteI've never gone to a reunion, but I like what you do. Do you ever feel like giving up on meal planning since you usually don't follow it, or do you like keeping the habit so you have ideas to fall back on?
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I know it is an exercise in futility, mainly because what sounds good Monday morning is not when I actually start thinking of dinner. Still I like having some direction even though I know I will veer off course.
DeleteLove that recipe, thanks for sharing. That sounds like the perfect way to go to a reunion, don't know anyone and fake it! I bet it was a lot of fun lol
ReplyDeleteThat meal was beyond delicious and about as easy as it gets. I will probably alter the veggies as summer progresses but we are going to eat that weekly.
DeleteYum.
ReplyDeleteI do love cooking, but keeping keto and making really tasty food is hard sometimes.
DeleteI don't do reunions, but really like how YOU do them! Great idea. And your Monday dinner -- scallops, asparagus, new potato salad -- sounds wonderful. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe scallops were fabulous!
DeleteI need the caulitato salad recipe. If I hunt long enough on here i'm sure I'll find it.
ReplyDeleteor google it.
And GOOD ON YOU for taking Mandarin!?! Now you can have totally secret conversations with your husband and you won't have to spell in front of the kids! I think they can all spell by now... ;)
Use whatever you normally use for potto salad but the base is cooked and well dried cauliflower instead of potatoes. My DIL is not doing keto and she chooses it over regular potato salad every time she is here and I have made it.
DeleteI use cauliflower, a chopped boiled egg, mayo, mustard, celery, onions, pickles, salt, pepper and paprika
That all sounds delicious, Anne. How neat that what you all ordered in the CHinese restaurant was served family style. That would be so fun.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lot of fun Belinda. I had never been at a table specifically designed for a family style meal. There were only 3 tables in the restaurant like that and our teacher said usually only Chinese families request them.
DeleteMy meal planning is so far off, I shouldn't even bother trying. I feel like life will norm for summer in about a week and 1/2 and then I can norm. Your menus, whether you follow them or not, sound delicious.
ReplyDeleteI am so far off plan this week. I should have done a freezer inventory before I planned, but I didn't.
DeleteI followed your advice and made the buffalo medley chicken and it was delicious. Had to make my own buffalo sauce of course as you can't get that kind of stuff over here but it was easy enough. Think I would use different vegetables next time - not too keen on the cauliflower, but it was still lovely. So thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteI loved it, even the cauliflower but I will probably do it with squash, peppers and onions next time
DeleteHa! Like your style, lady, with the reunion! I do about the same thing, nothing worse than being a hanger-on!!! Your meal plan sounds fine. I just bought groceries for the next week and with luck will stick close to it...maybe... Take care
ReplyDeleteI like the maybe! I am a positive maybe leaning toward probably not!
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ReplyDelete