Menu Plan Monday ~ October 8, 2012

This is my first Menu Plan Monday post!  I'm super excited!  Here's the deal.  Little Man and I just moved into this apartment.  We signed a pretty short lease (8 months).  Some big life changes are coming soon!  :)  My pantry space (actually my kitchen space as a whole) is really limited.  I'm trying to use up the ingredients that I brought with me so I can start over with better ingredients!  Therefore, my menu plans are not going to be very exciting.  However, I do have a plan for each week to make my menus somewhat creative...

Here's my recipe system.  I have a recipe box that includes recipes I've tried several times and I know we love as a family.  These are usually recipes that have been modified, tested, tasted, and approved.  Then, I have a notebook.  Whenever I try a recipe, I almost always start by following the recipe exactly.  Then I'll switch it up as needed.  If I like the overall idea of the recipe, it goes in the notebook.  Each time I cook it, I'll write the changes I made until the recipe is perfect.  This can take awhile.  It happens. Last, I obviously try new recipes that I just can't stand.  I'm sure we've all experienced this.  

Each week, I try to include at least one or two favorites from the recipe box, one recipe that's "in progress" and one new recipe.  With our schedule, we also have our fair share of dinners on-the-go.  With my son's schedule with his dad, we also have some date nights scheduled in the week.  I generally include a "Whatever Wednesday" in my menu plan to allow us to include a dinner out or a collection of leftovers.  Also, I almost never make the meals in the same order that I plan them.  I just want to make sure I have the ingredients for certain meals.  Then I'll cook whatever sounds good that night!  :)

Here's the plan for this week...

Monday

Taquito Casserole (in progress recipe)

Sweet Corn

Tuesday

Chicken Nuggets

Mashed Potatoes

Green Beans

(I'm trying to use up some of the frozen foods I stocked up on during the weeks before we moved)

Wednesday

Whatever Wednesday

Thursday

Red Beans and Rice

Cornbread

Friday

Linguine with Creamy Mushroom Wine Sauce

Green Salad

Saturday & Sunday

We'll be traveling this weekend, so dinner will be with some other couples on the road.

I'm linking up at Organizing Junkie!