Plans that are easily changed seems to be my forte. I make one, I change it, or ignore it. This is my life, I guess. Meanwhile the freezer stock seems to remain about the same. Curses, foiled again!
This was planned for the week:
1.Vegetable beef soup, cornbread
2.Grilled fish, tossed salad, something else
3.Stuffed bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, brown rice
4.Crack chicken, tossed salad, green beans
5.Hamburgers and fixings or Sloppy Joe's and coleslaw
6.Takeout
7.Whatever happens with whatever I thaw. No inspiration here
Monday: I guess this was the number 7 meal plan. It was later in the evening and I had taken nothing out of the freezer. Oops! TheHub called to tell me he was going recreational shopping at Publix, and asked if I needed anything. Yes! Something for dinner!
Rotisserie chicken, (Thanks, Publix!) mashed potatoes (yes I used instant) coleslaw (I keep grated cabbage in the fridge nearly all the time and have it almost everyday at lunch)
Tuesday: The night was finally cool enough to have soup, which used all the bits and pieces of frozen leftovers along with the almost wilted beyond resurrection celery. The only thing left to rescue was an apple.
Vegetable beef soup, Waldorf salad, toast or keto zucchini muffin
Wednesday: I knew I would be out for a part of the day so I loaded up the crock pot early in the morning.
Crack chicken, broccoli
Thursday: TheHub had a business reception he needed to attend, so no cooking here. Instead I had leftovers. Turns out the reception only had heavy hors d'oeuvres
Vegetable soup, 2 pods of pickled okra, keto popsicle.
Friday: New order date night meant we rode to the bluff to watch the sun go down before running by a restaurant for some take out.
Grilled flounder, coleslaw, turnip greens or new potatoes from The Shrimp Basket (decent but not great)
Saturday: TheHub and Son2 went to Alabama game while DIL2 came to our house to watch it and eat with me. I think I got the better deal!
Sloppy Joes, chips or none, coleslaw
Sunday: We ran around a little after streaming church, and wound up having a late lunch on the patio of a restaurant. We were not very hungry by dinner time so. . . punt.
Tossed salad
What's up for the week:
1. Butternut squash soup, cabbage, roll
2. Chili, cornbread, roasted Brussels sprouts
3. Creamed collards with sausage (Jury is out on this but I am trying it anyway)
4. Anniversary dinner out
5. Grilled swordfish, salad, asparagus, and something else
6. Hub has a dinner meeting so leftovers for me
7. Chicken, rice (orcaulirice), green beans, tomato slices
None of this sounds really good, but it does not sound bad either. I imagine things will change__or not!
Used from the freezer:
bag of assorted veggies from summer veggie meals
pack broth
half pack browned ground chuck
1/2 bag mixed vegetables
2 zucchini muffins ("forgotten find"one dinner, one lunch)
1 "banana" pecan chaffle ("forgotten find"lunch)
1/2 bag frozen broccoli
pack ground chuck (plus the other half of the frozen ground chuck)
Put into the freezer:
Keto pops
bag of broccoli florets
Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all.
You may think you're punting, but I think you produce good meals week after week. Whatever it is you're doing is working.
ReplyDeleteWe never go to bed hungry unless it is by choice. The meals are fine but lackluster. But then so am I!
DeleteLife is what's happening while you're busy making other plans.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Isn't that the truth!
DeleteLife does get in the way doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteI really like your date nights though and have been trying to suggest them here.
Life does intervene with plans.
DeleteAfter the kids were out of toddler stage we had date nights that included them most of the time because sitters are expensive. Once they could stay by themselves it was just like now and just TheHub and me. We are starting to venture to restaurants with outdoor dining and if the Covid rates continue to go down might gravitate to a few indoor places. (Providing they have space between the tables)
I cannot plan a whole week because what is appealing today becomes unappealing in a few days. I need to make space in the freezer for fresh fish. So far, I have used a small bag of beans, all the marble cake (uncle liked it), a couple of bags of pureed tomatoes and some bread. I still need more space though.
ReplyDeleteI just need to use more. My sister had a novel idea. She suggested I quit buying stuff! What a concept. I have never passed up a bargain at the meat counter.
DeleteI love getting quick meals like you did with the rotisserie chicken. You are a great planner!
ReplyDeleteSometimes a 5 dollar rotisserie chicken is the best deal of the day. (Kim close your eyes!)
DeleteLove recreational shopping at Publix! I'm making the crack chicken this weekend, but a bit concerned about the ranch dressing/dip mix. Have you any tips to reduce the sodium -- or can recommend a substitute? TY!
ReplyDeleteI do not use the ranch dressing mix. I just use dill weed, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, chives, salt and pepper. I toss in about a teaspoon of each except for the pepper, garlic, and salt. I don't like much salt at all so I use maybe 1/4 teaspoon of it and about the same garlic powder. We like pepper and use about 1/2 teaspoon but you might want to cut down on it a little.
DeleteI've been in a real cooking rut, so I hear you. Sometimes it's less about menu planning, & mostly just an exercise in reducing waste of things that need immediate use.
ReplyDeleteThe reducing waste is where I am finding myself right now. It is not a very fun place to be.
DeleteWell, you didn't put much in the freezer so that seems to be a win. I agree with other comments, no matter whether you go off plan or not, you always eat well.
ReplyDeleteWe always eat and have more than enough, but sometimes it is boring and not what either of us want.
DeleteCreamed Collards?....oh my word!
ReplyDeleteI will definitely let you know if it is a thumbs up or down.
DeleteI always love your menu's especially the something else. Hubs just used the bacon I was going to use for my corn chowder tonight drat the man!
ReplyDeleteWell sometimes something else is the best I can come up with. I like to cook but I wish when I went to the store they would just tell me what I need and what to cook.
DeleteMy family came to visit over the weekend so I actually had to plan meals! We had Mexican night and Greek/Mediterranean lunch. My granddaughter asked for a recipe, so I think it was ok. Now we are back to planning when it's time to cook. Have you ever considered trying out a no-plan week?
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I spent years and years perfecting the art of no plans. But then I had three sons with large appetites to eat pretty much anything as long as there was a lot of it. Now there are just the two of us and I have a hard time scaling down without some sort of plan, even if I go completely off script.
DeleteYour menu sounds delicious, Anna. And this is perfect weather for vegetable beef soup. I need to make some of that soon too.
ReplyDeleteThe soup was really good. In fact TheHub asked for it again soon. If I get more stuff out of the freezer, I can make a huge pot and freeze it in meal size portions.
DeleteThe meals you plan all sound very good and the meals you actually have also sound very good! You also used up more from the freezer than you put in, so that works out well, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteI am counting less in than out as a very small win!
Delete