Menu 2013: December 31-February 3

I am finally getting caught up on things. We had a nice Christmas break and spent some time relaxing with immediate and extended family on both sides. Unfortunately, we did not get any of our remodeling stuff done as everyone wound up sick at some point or another during break. Both Jared and I had bronchitis, and the kids have all had nasty colds and a stomach bug over the last 2 weeks. The one good thing was that we had lots of time with our kids as no one wanted to go anywhere or do much of anything. :o)

We have so much going on this month and lots of potential changes in the coming weeks so I plan to keep things simple (and hopefully light). We are trying to get back into the swing of things with our food and fitness  goals, and I am going to attempt to get things more organized around the house with the possibility of a move in the near future. Yes, I do plan to share any tips and tricks that I come across in the process.

I plan to stick with the following format for this month - Comfort food, Salad/soup/sandwich, Spicy (cajun, tex-mex, etc.), Italian, and a Miscellaneous dish (breakfast for dinner, new recipe, etc.)

December 31-January 6

• Our New Year's Eve celebration (Comfort food): Steaks, fresh veggie tray, loaded mashed potatoes, side salad, and fresh fruit salad for dessert
• Salad - Chef salad with grilled chicken and bread bowls
• Italian - Penne with Garlic Cream Sauce and Shrimp, mixed veggies, and French bread (I roasted an extra head of garlic and then rolled it up into the French bread, which was delicious!)
• Spicy - Stuffed pepper soup and corn bread muffins
• Misc. - Appetizers for dinner since we'll be watching the Packer game: chicken wings with assorted dipping sauces, cucumber cups with tuna salad, antipasto kabobs, and baby carrots and dip

January 7-13

• Italian - Homemade pizza and side salad
• Comfort - We're having a birthday dinner for Mr. R. today. He's turning 6 on the 9th and this is one of his favorite meals. Rotisserie Chicken (in the crockpot), mashed potatoes and gravy, glazed baby carrots, dinner rolls, and mini cheesecakes with fresh fruit instead of caramel. 
• Spicy - Tex-Mex Mac'n'Cheese (Macaroni and Cheese + ground beef + peppers + onions + taco seasoning (cut out the salt) + salsa)
• Misc - Breakfast for dinner: Cinnamon oat pancakes, sausage, and scrambled eggs
• Soup - Minestrone and French bread

January 14-20 

I am only planning 4 meals this week as we have a calendar planning meeting at church. We will also be out of town.

• Italian - Spaghetti, mixed veggies, side salad, and French bread
• Comfort food - Chicken Not Pie
• Spicy - Tacos with homemade tortilla shells  and black beans and rice
• Sandwich - Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and side salad

January 21-27

• Spicy - Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Chile Sauce (I also plan to add the leftover black beans and rice to the enchiladas)
• Comfort food - Garlic herb pork loin roast, steamed veggies, and mashed potatoes.
• Italian - Olive garden type salad (red onions, olives, homemade Italian dressing, croutons, pepperoncini, etc.) topped with grilled chicken, and breadsticks
• Soup - Creamy chicken and wild rice soup
• Misc. - BLTA (bacon, lettuce, turkey, and avocado) pitas, fruit salad, and fresh veggie tray

January 28-February 3

• Comfort food - Chicken and stuffing bake
• Spicy - Quesadillas
• Italian - Inside out lasagna, side salad, and breadsticks
• Misc - Farmer's omelets (onions, peppers, cheese, steak, and mushrooms) and  hasbrowns in the waffle maker
• Soup - Chili and corn bread

For more menu ideas, check out the master list or last year's menu.