Family Bites

Meal Planning Monday

      

It's nothing but super simple foods being served up Chez Scott this week. I'm attempting to rein in our food bill after spending a whopping $1,000 plus on groceries last month.  I'm happy to say that operation lower-the-food-expenses has been successful, and we've been very mindful of what we cook and, more importantly, what we buy.  I don't even think that we noticed that we spent four hundred dollars less in September than August, which just goes to show how great you can eat for way less money.

I'm curious, do you find your grocery bills to be high, or are they on par with your budget?  As a food writer, I'm obligated to buy more food than most, I think, but I can't bring myself to spend four digits on our monthly edibles.  

Here's what on our meal plan for the week.  What are you cooking up in your kitchen these days?

Monday:: Black bean and cheese enchiladas with ranchero sauce

Tuesday:: Cabbage, white bean and bacon soup, crusty bread, salad

Wednesday:: Potato, spinach and goat cheese frittata, sweet potato biscuits, mixed greens

Thursday:: Mac and cheese, chicken, roasted veggies

Friday:: Rob's making dinner this night...it's a surprise!

PS - The above photo is a bbq chicken pizza the kids and I made.  It was fantabulous and I'll share the easy-peasy recipe with you soon.

Meal Planning Monday and an Article of Interest

 
As I type this, late Sunday night, I'm sitting comfortably for the first time since Friday.  The kids are tucked in upstairs, the dog is resting on top of our feet and Rob and I are both online playing catch-up after a weekend that included seven hours of baseball games, hockey, a baptism, pizza dinner, visits with cousins and the menial tasks that come with each Saturday and Sunday. 

I'm working on this week's meal plan, but didn't have any time to visit the grocery store yet, which is unusual for us.  I didn't make it to the market either, and while I feel simultaneously both guilty and disappointed about that, I know that somehow we'll survive.  I've checked the freezer and pantry, and have managed to assemble a week's worth of food for our dinner plates this week.

Monday:: Pasta e ceci soup, salad, crusty bread

Tuesday:: Lemon and herb roasted chicken, broccoli au gratin

Wednesday:: Homemade potato pizza

Thursday:: Sausage, kale and white bean stew

Friday:: Wild mushroom risotto, mixed green salad

I wanted to mention that last Friday the official website for the Food Bloggers of Canada organization launched.  I was honoured that the founders asked me to contribute to their Blogging 101 series by sharing my thoughts on how and why I meal plan.  Feel free to check out the article if you're wondering why I started diligently planning our dinners. 

PS - See the photo above?  I could eat that for dinner every night, and be perfectly content. 

Meal Planning Monday

I'm sitting here late Sunday night, at an hour well past when I should have climbed the stairs to sleep and I've finally finished planning this week's meals. I've also just finished chopping all the vegetables I need for tomorrow's dinner, and by the time you read this I hope to have a pot of crunchy cabbage simmering away in my favourite dutch oven, accompanied by some smokey bacon, new potatoes and tender beans.

It may sound odd, but I have an affinity for starting my dinner early in the morning whenever I can.  I feel so much more organized, and efficient, if components of my evening meal are prepared by the time the boys leave for school. This can be as simple as marinading my meat and grating some cheese for pizza, or more laborius like making a pot of soup.  Either way, what takes thirty minutes in the evening somehow only takes ten or fifteen in the morning, and I have no explanation for why that it is.

What are you cooking up this week?  Anything exciting?  Are you still eating summer-ish foods or have you switched to full Fall mode?

 Monday::  Cabbage, white bean and bacon soup with crusty bread for dipping

Tuesday:: Roast chicken with Dijon cream sauce, wild rice and veggie pilaf

Wednesday:: Swedish meatballs, boiled red potatoes and yellow beans

Thursday:: Caramelized onion and goat cheese frittata with mixed greens

Friday:: Farfalle with roasted veggies and feta

PS - Here's a funny story...The photo above is what was for dinner last Monday night.  We came home late from a Blue Jays game with intentions on making risotto.  I discovered I was out of arborio rice, parmesan cheese and stock....kind of a problem since those items are hree of the main components of the meal.  I replaced the rice with a long grain variety, the parmesan with cream cheese and the stock with water and a bouillon cube mixed with beer!!  Believe it or not, it worked great.  I added some pan-fried grated zucchini and topped it with a fried egg (no runny yolks for Ben) and everyone was  happy.

Meal Planning Monday

There is something about the first week of school that propels me into high organizational mode.  Since the beginning of last week I have organized all of my spices, our pantry cupboard, the freezer and the boy's bedroom closet.  Rob and I have also built them a custom desk for their room (it looks so good!) and I've stocked the freezer with cookie dough, pizza dough, pizza sauce, fresh peaches and blueberries which are sliced and ready for smoothies and lots and lots of corn. Knowing that we're coming into a busy week of school, hockey, baseball, work for me and Rob's annual four-day golfing trip, it's nice to know that things are in place and we're ready to go.

Despite the warm temperatures I'm feeling a little influence from fall in my meal planning this week.  As you'll see we have soups and casserole-style meals on deck which will allow me to use up the goods from my freezer clean-up while giving me leftovers for lunches.  Something I haven't missed packing over the past ten weeks.

Here's what we're eating for dinner this week.  How about you?  What are you planning to cook to up for your family?

Monday:: Zucchini risotto, cucumber and mint salad

Tuesday:: Mixed mushroom soup with homemade bread and salad

Wednesday:: Simple sausage and apple cassoulet, green and yellow beans

Thursday:: Lobster mac and cheese, peas with lemon

Friday:: Homemade pizza and caesar salad

 

Meal Planning Monday and An Update

Reading my Twitter feed last night, I realized that some of you have kids who go back to school today!  I can't believe that school starts so early in some parts of North America, and I'm grateful to have three more weeks with my kids at home.  

We have some local (but fun!) things planned for this week, cousins coming for a few days to play, a birthday party and then we're off on our annual camping trip.  This year we're heading to Vermont and Lake Placid, which will be our third trip to the Adirondacks.  Both Rob and I are unplugging while we're gone, and I can't wait.

Before we leave though, I wanted to share with you a few places that you can find me other than here at Family Bites.  I'm over at the Eat Savvy Blog twice a week sharing kitchen tips and ideas for breakfasts, lunches and snacks. In the past few weeks I've talked about the many ways to enjoy watermelon, my favourite knives, how the book The Help inspired my cooking, and what kinds of foods and recipes are meal deal breakers.  

I'm also excited to share that I'm now blogging for The Huffington Post (Canada edition).  I know, right?  Big! For me, anyways.  Last week I wrote about winning friends and influencing people with good food, and I expect to be in the space once a week talking about plenty of topics relating to food and family.

So, now that the summer update is out of the way, let's talk dinner.  This week's meals are simple ones, as I've planned them to allow me to use up what's in the fridge and freezer in order to leave nothing left behind when we go away.

Monday:: Creamy polenta with garlic greens and a fried egg

Tuesday:: Veggie and couscous pie, mixed green salad

Wednesday:: Fish tacos

Thursday:: Make your own grilled pizza bar

Friday:: Turkey burgers and grilled corn

 

Meal Planning Monday

I'm looking forward to dinner this week.  I've planned five nights of simple soups and seasonal meals and I'm excited to eat, and cook, them all.

We're into the last four weeks of summer vacation and trying to revel in each and every day we have.  In addition to our meals, we're also hoping to make a few batches of ice cream, rather gelato, this week as Ben has decided that ice cream makes him feel sick to his stomach, but milkshakes and gelato are okay.  I will truly miss the quirky habits of both my kids when they grow of out of them, and for now I'm happy to make "gelato" if that's what makes everyone (Ben) happy. I love kids.

We're also planning picnics in the park for lunch, a few batches of frozen banana bites, a trip to an amusement park and possibly even a day at the beach. And if I can sneak in a trip to an antique store or market at some point, I will end the week as a very happy mama.

 

Monday:: Corn and Cheddar Chowder (again!)

Tuesday:: Taco salad

Wednesday:: Chimichurri chicken and black bean salad

Thursday:: White bean and summer vegetable soup, corn bread muffins

Friday:: Lobster rolls and grilled corn

 

 

 

Meal Planning Monday

Hello, August.  How did you get here so quickly?  I'm not sure how it's happened, but summer is officially half over, and I'm feeling a little panicked that our vacation to-do list still has so many items yet to be crossed off.

We're now making a strong effort to do one fun thing each day, for next thirty-one days, and this will include things like watching movies outside, eating dinner in the park, making waffles and taking a train somewhere.

This week we're planning two excursion away from the house for our dinners.  One will be a Parisian picnic in the park, and the other is a pizza bbq down by the lake.  For that meal, we'll be packing up our little camping grill and heading off to the waterfront park for bbq pizzas and baseball.

How is your summer going?  What are you cooking up this week?

 

Monday:: Corn and Cheddar chowder, salad, homemade bread

Tuesday:: Parisian picnic in the park

Wednesday:: BBQ Chicken, grilled corn, coleslaw

Thursday:: Rice, roasted veggies and eggs

Friday:: BBQ pizzas in the park, mixed greens salad

 

 

Back Home (and Meal Planning Monday)

               

I'm back home after spending most of last week in New York City with Ben and Jackson, my sister and my five month old niece.  We drove there and, to quote the border guard, were "quite brave" to tackle the trip with three young kids.

It was a great week though, and the kids were troupers as they traipsed through the streets of Manhattan in the obviously obtrusive heat, with sweat-beaded brows, sore heels and strollers that are seemingly offensive to the NYC public transportation officials.

               

But as fun as it was, it is even better to be home.  And coming back, means a return to cooking and meal planning.  I like this week's menu a lot.  I think it's really representative of how we most like to eat, and while some weeks are more popular than others, I do think this week will thrill the masses.

                 

What have you been cooking up these days?  Anything exceptional?  Please feel free to link to any great recipes you've made or come across, in the comments section.

Monday:: Pasta with peas, basil, parmesan and olive oil.  Salad.

Tuesday:: Grilled sole sandwiches on baguette with chipotle aioli.  Mixed greens.

Wednesday:: Taco salad with corn, avocado and pinto beans.

Thursday:: Lemon-oregano chicken skewers, warm pita, tzatziki. Salad.

Friday:: Grilled pizza with mushrooms and goat cheese.

 

Meal Planning Monday: Simple Summer Foods

Simple summer meals are on my agenda this week.  Think lots of salads, fresh fruits, room temperature foods, breads, cheeses and even ice cream.  That's right, ice cream.  We made a summer fun to-do list and one of the activities that made the cut was an ice cream sundae for dinner. As now that it's the second week of summer, it's time to deliver.

What have your dinners been composed of lately?  Are you grilling every night?  Eating outdoors?  Keeping cool in the A/C?

Monday:: Taco salad with pinto beans and cheddar

Tuesday:: Lobster salad rolls

Wednesday:: Ice cream sundaes

Thursday:: Nicoise salad (served family style)

Friday:: Harry Potter day!!  I have no idea what our dinner plans will be, but I know we'll be in the theatre at 6:30pm for the movie.....

Meal Planning Monday and Eggs Magda

I'm not ashamed to admit that we're not grilling every night.  

Simple dinners like this still have a place on our table despite the neighbourly scent of hot charcoal wafting through the backyards each night, and when I'm spending my Sunday afternoons whooping my kids at tetherball watching my boys play, it's hard to pull myself away from the competition fun in order to cook a fancy dinner. 

This week I still have eggs on the menu, but I'm also putting some fun seasonal foods on offer too.  Here is what's on our meal plan for dinner.  How about you? What are you cooking up these days?

Monday: Grilled pizza with leftover veggies and goat cheese

Tuesday: Egg fried rice 

Wednesday: Chimichurri chicken, warm potato salad with peas

Thursday: Mini Italian sliders with romaine and radicchio salad

Friday: Lobster rolls and salad with lime and avocado 

Those eggs you see above? They're knows as Eggs Madga, a slow scrambled combination of eggs, parsley, Dijon and brie. They were a hit with everyone including Ben, my non egg-loving boy, who declared them "nice", which is a strong compliment from an 11 year old who's generally too busy scarfing down the food to notice what's actually on the plate.

Scrambled Eggs Magda

• 10 eggs (see note)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Pinch of salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 cup of gruyere, grated (or brie chopped into small pieces)

Beat the eggs with a fork.  Stir in the salt, pepper, parsley, Dijon and Brie (gruyere).  

Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium high heat. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring gently with a wooden spoon or spatula.  Keep the liquid moving around the pan, turn the heat to low if the eggs seem to be cooking too quickly.

The eggs are done when they are creamy, thick and soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Note: We use 10 eggs because feeding two tween boys is akin to feeding five adults.  Feels free to use less if that works better for your family.