Tag Archives: cooking

August Menu Plan

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Does anyone know where July went?  ’Cause tomorrow is August, and that’s just nuts.  What’s even more nuts is that my plan of attack for August is to prepare for the Yomim Tovim (which are coming up in September and October).  Now, don’t get all cranky at me for reminding you that Rosh HaShanah is practically around the corner.  If I didn’t plan this far ahead, I would be a total basket case in the weeks preceding these High Holidays.  It may seem insane to plan ahead this far, but it is actually to maintain my sanity that I do it.  Don’t hate.

I’m feeling a little more ambitious in the kitchen arena this month, but I’m also trying to make larger portions and have them stretch over two days.  This frees me up to make slightly fancier (read: more fun for me) dishes.  I also tried to choose dishes that I could easily make extra portions for freezing.  My freezer is looking a little sparse, and now that I have more energy, I’m happy to start restocking.

Here’s the plan (just like last month, anything in italics means I’m pulling it from my beautiful, beautiful chest freezer, an asterix means I’m making extra of that dish to freeze):

Week One

  • Wednesday, the 1st:  lasagna*, green salad
  • Thursday, the 2nd:  the same
  • Friday, the 3rd:  Tuna Patties, salads, chicken soup, carrot kugel, beef with pearl onions, ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 4th:  All of that, minus the soup and the beef, plus cholent 

Week Two

  • Sunday, the 5th:  leftovers, as usual
  • Monday, the 6th:  carrot and cilantro soup* (Fresh and Easy Kosher Cooking), cranberry couscous salad (Kosher by Design Lightens Up)
  • Tuesday, the 7th:  the same, plus meatloaf
  • Wednesday, the 8th:  breaded tilapia, orzo and green salad
  • Thursday, the 9th:  homemade pizza*, green salad
  • Friday, the 10th:  chicken soup, potato kugel, balsamic glazed chicken* (KBDLU), Israeli cabbage salad (Quick & Kosher), ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 11th:  all of that, minus the soup and chicken, plus cholent

Week Three

  • Sunday, the 12th:  leftovers
  • Monday, the 13th:  creamy thai sweet potato soup* (Kosher by Design Short on Time), beef with pearl onions
  • Tuesday, the 14th:  the same
  • Wednesday, the 15th:  sundried tomato salmon (F&E), rice
  • Thursday, the 16th:  quesadillas with pico de gallo* (KBDSOT)
  • Friday, the 17th:  tuna patties, wine-braised brisket, cucumber dill salad (KBDSOT), lokshen kugel (Spice & Spirit), brownie bites (KBDSOT), ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 18th (Rosh Chodesh Elul): everything, minus the brisket and plus cholent

Week Four

  • Sunday, the 19th (still Rosh Chodesh Elul):  leftovers (yum yum brisket)
  • Monday, the 20th:  roasted tomato soup, salmon with bok choy and tomatoes (KBDLU)
  • Tuesday, the 21st:  tex-mex meatballs* (KBDLU), rice, guacamole
  • Wednesday, the 22nd:  lasagna, green salad
  • Thursday, the 23rd:  the same
  • Friday, the 24th:  borscht, gefilte fish, sautéed veggies and lentil salad (KBDSOT), honey rum carrots (KBDSOT), ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 25th:  all of that, minus borscht plus cholent

Week Five

  • Sunday, the 26th:  leftovers
  • Monday, the 27th:  phyllo confetti halibut (KBDSOT), angel hair pasta
  • Tuesday, the 28th:  carrot and cilantro soup, curry chicken salad (KBDLU)
  • Wednesday, the 29th:  the same
  • Thursday, the 30th:  macaroni cheddar salad (Q&K)
  • Friday, the 31st:  lacquered salmon* (KBDSOT), salads, corn kugel*, sautéed chicken* ice cream, chocolate chip cookie bars*

Here are some more pictures of Little Lady, and also the boys.  Enjoy!

awww, so happy!

 

it’s cute, but does she kind of look like she’s searching for escape?

July Menu Plan

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With a newborn in the house, I gotta have a plan.  If not, no one eats.  Well, no one eats anything except snack food and cereal.

In my nesting phase, I cooked, baked and froze a ton of food.  A chest-freezer full amount of food.  Thanks to this frenzy of food-making, I am able to feed my family for close to a month with meals from the freezer.  Whatever food I do make fresh will be extremely simple.  And that’s (partially) how I keep my postpartum sanity.

As a fun project, this month, I made the menu plan pretty and hung it on the fridge.

camp mommy, for Mommy

I got tired of having to print the plans out from my computer.  This method works better.  An added bonus – as I was making my pretty menu project, I realized that there are two fast days, the Three Weeks AND the Nine Days this month.  Good thing I noticed that, since I had originally scheduled to serve two meat meals during the Nine Days and regular meals on the fast days.  Oops.

Here’s the skinny on the menu (anything in italics means the meal comes from my beautiful, beautiful deep freeze):

Week One

  • Sunday, the 1st:  meatballs and rice.
  • Monday, the 2nd: squash soup, bean salad, orzo
  • Tuesday, the 3rd:  salmon, potatoes
  • Wednesday, the 4th:  sautéed chicken, rice, green salad
  • Thursday, the 5th:  cheesy noodle casserole, tomato salad
  • Friday, the 6th:  tuna patties, salads, corn kugel, beer beef stew, ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 7th:  all of that, minus the stew, plus cholent (most likely vegetarian cholent, since my husband doesn’t like to eat meat too many days in a row).

Week Two

  • Sunday, the 8th:  fast of The 17th of Tammuz (observed).  We’ll break the fast with leftovers.
  • Monday, the 9th:  French roast, carrot kugel
  • Tuesday, the 10th:  tilapia, california salad, rice
  • Wednesday, the 11th:  borscht, potatoes, coleslaw
  • Thursday, the 12th:  cheese blintzes, green salad
  • Friday, the 13th:  salads, broccoli kugel, sautéed chicken, ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 14th:  everything but the chicken, plus cholent

Week Three

  • Sunday, the 15th:  leftovers, glorious leftovers
  • Monday, the 16th:  roasted tomato soup,  faux potato kugel, green salad
  • Tuesday, the 17th:  the same
  • Wednesday, the 18th:  Italian pot roast, green salad
  • Thursday, the 19th:  burritos with spinach, cheese, tomato and bean filling, corn salad
  • Friday, the 20th (Rosh Chodesh Av):  salads, fish, corn kugel, sautéed chicken, ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 21st:  the same, minus the chicken, plus cholent, a small, small cholent.

Week Four (the Nine Days)

  • Sunday, the 22nd:  tuna patties, corn salad, potatoes
  • Monday, the 23rd:  bean and cheese burritos, salad
  • Tuesday, the 24th:  fish, rice
  • Wednesday, the 25th:  caramelized shallots, chickpeas and orzo
  • Thursday, the 26th:  cheesy noodle casserole, salad
  • Friday, the 27th:  salads, broccoli kugel, beer beef stew, ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 28th:  the same, minus the stew, plus a teensy, potentially vegetarian cholent

“Week” Five

  • Sunday, the 29th:  Tisha B’Av observed.  For the break fast, roasted tomato soup and leftovers (not meat, though)
  • Monday, the 30th:  salmon, rice
  • Tuesday, the 31st:  french roast, caramelized shallots, potatoes

And there you have it.  Yummy dinners, minimal preparation.  Ahhhhh (that was a sigh of relief, not a shriek of anguish, ftr).  If you’re interested, the cookbooks I mainly used for these meals were:  Fresh and Easy Kosher Cooking, Kosher by Design Lightens Up, Spice and Spirit, Hadassah Jewish Holiday Cookbook, Kosher by Design Short on Time, and Quick and Kosher.

What are you making for the Nine Days?  What are some of your favorite freezer meals? 

And, just because, here’s a picture of the girl in pink:

pink pink pink

Back in the Menu Planning Saddle Again

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Photo of a typical refrigerator with its door ...

As of late, I have slacked off to the max on the meal planning.  A combination of energy level, disorganization, and a reluctance to acknowledge that my cooking needs have shifted have made a different strategy a must.  Instead of developing that new strategy, I’ve just avoided menu planning entirely.

And how’s that working out for me?

Not good.  Not good at all.  There have been more than a few nights of scrounging around for something suitable for dinner (not always a successful venture).

Being that there are only nine days left in the month, I think I can handle scrabbling together a menu plan for the rest of the month.  After some contemplation, here are the factors I’m working with:

  1. I like to cook, and I enjoy complicated recipes.  I don’t mind cleaning up, but at this moment, I have neither the time nor the energy to clean up a massive mess if it’s not for Shabbos prep.  So, good-bye fancy recipes, for now.
  2. We can (and should) do leftovers, and if I can get two nights of dinner out of one day of work, that is fantastic.
  3. The slow cooker is my new favorite kitchen gadget
  4. I still need to work on doubling recipes for later use.  I also need a second freezer, since the one attached to my fridge is teeny.
  5. Wiggle room is something I need.  This means I’m searching for the balance between planning things out (saves time, money and sanity), and being able to improvise (feeds my creative spirit, takes some pressure off planning and shopping).  I’m still working on that part, and any suggestions would be much appreciated.
  6. I want to switch my shopping day from the beginning of the week (Monday) to the middle of the week (Wednesday), but am firmly entrenched in my current shopping mindset.  The idea of shopping for the days after Shabbos is just beyond me at the moment, but I’m working on it.

And so, with those musings in mind, and a determination to use easy, healthy recipes, I give you…the plan.

This Week:

  • Sunday, the 22nd ~ Leftovers from Shabbos
  • Monday, the 23rd ~ Zucchini Lentil Soup (Kosher by Design Lightens Up).  I love this soup, and will freeze whatever we don’t eat.
  • Tuesday, the 24th ~ Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie (from the February issue of Real Simple).  This actually a slow cooker recipe, and I’m using chicken leftover from a big batch of chicken soup.  I have to kosherize the recipe (it calls for heavy cream with the chicken, a kashrus no-no.  I’ll probably make roux from Earth Balance margarine, flour and soy milk).
  • Wednesday, the 25th ~ Leftovers from Tuesday! 
  • Thursday, the 26th ~ Noodles with Sautéed Veggies, which I will try to do in the morning as to reduce dinnertime pressure.  We’ll probably also have cheese on the top, ’cause that’s how we roll.
  • Shabbos, the 27th & 28th ~ Tuna Croquettes (Kosher by Design Short on Time); Salads (made from random veggies I shall pick up from the store); Heart of Palm; Chicken (I’ve taken to making chicken on the stovetop and simmering it with various sauces and vegetables.  It’s working for us for now), Potatoes (cooked with the chicken).  Dessert will probably be something I cobble together from the fillo dough in my freezer and strawberry jam in the pantry.  And ice cream in case that’s a flop.  :)

Next Week:

  • Sunday, the 29th ~ Leftovers from Shabbos
  • Monday, the 30th ~ Cheese Sandwiches, but awesome ones with lots of yummy veggies, condiments and on multi-grain bread.  Cut-up Veggies (red peppers, cucumbers, celery) plus homemade dip for a side.  The dip will probably be something along the lines of mayo, olive oil, dill, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and parsley (basically like the dressing in Quick and Kosher’s Sun-Dried Tomato Caesar Salad).
  • Tuesday, the 31st ~ Noodles with Pasta Sauce and Salad.

And that’s where we’ll stop for now.  I’m hoping to make a monthly plan for February.  Will keep you posted.

How often do you tweak your planning?  Have you found your rhythm? 

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Image via Wikipedia

September Menu Plan

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I have a confession to make:  I didn’t menu plan at all in August.  Not once.  You can imagine me, wandering the aisles of the supermarket aimlessly, with only a list of essentials, without focus and drive.  Our dinner situation was less than ideal many times.  It was a disaster!  Thankfully, my husband is supremely understanding.

Why did this happen?  Partly, my lack of a functioning oven (thanks to my curious toddler) has seriously dampened my drive to cook.  There are only so many things I can do on the stove-top before I start wishing that I could just pop a kugel in the oven.  Plus, my toaster oven bit the dust, so there goes my milchig repertoire!  Ah, Murphy’s Law.  Those losses, combined with the upheaval of moving, resulted in the lack of menu planning.

However, some good did come out of the chaos.  I tried some new things that I wouldn’t have previously, and I introduced some new regulars into my snack routine.  I learned that I like a little wiggle room in my organization.  So, I’m going to add one “wild card” item to my shopping list each week, that way I can explore other food choices without feeling like I’m deviating from my plan.

And how happy am I to present this month’s plan?  Very.

Note that for about a week before Rosh Hashanah I am basically not making dinner, just pulling out meals from the freezer.  I want to try and simplify the cooking preparation for the holiday, and hopefully go into the new year with a low stress level.

I’ve never actually planned for this many RH meals before, as we’ve always gone out for most of them.  However, now that the kids’ bedtimes are a factor, as well as just wanting to be home and be a host for a change, I’m trying to plan these out.  So, if you have any suggestions for ways to make things smooth, I’d love to hear them!  Also, if you want to come for a meal, we’d love to have you!

A common chicken soup variation, with egg nood...

chicken soup: it's just so good

Dinners

Week One

  • Sunday, the 4th ~ Noodles with cheese, Marinated Zucchini Salad
  • Monday, the 5th ~ Ribollita con Ceci – a seriously yummy sounding soup from Ilana-Davita, leftover salad from yesterday
  • Tuesday, the 6th ~ Honey-Thyme Glazed Chicken with 3-Onion Jam (from Kosher by Design Lightens Up), Near East Rice
  • Wednesday, the 7th ~ Za’atar-Rubbed Halibut (KBDLU), steamed green beans, Israeli couscous
  • Thursday, the 8th ~ Pasta with Middle Eastern spices,  Lemony Chickpea Salad
  • Shabbos evening, the 9th ~ Gefilte Fish,  Spreads (Hummus, olives, heart of palm),  Sweet Potato Salad (KBDLU), Chicken Soup (from freezer), Noodle Kugel (store bought, unless my oven is finally fixed), Delicious Juicy Chicken, Coconut Milk Ice Cream.  I’ll probably bake something if I can.

Week Two

  • Sunday, the 11th ~ leftovers from Shabbos
  • Monday, the 12th ~ Black Bean Chili, Cornbread (assuming the oven works, that is)
  • Tuesday, the 13th  ~ Curry Chicken (KBDLU), Basmati Rice
  • Wednesday, the 14th ~ Salmon Burgers (KBDLU), Baked Spicy Sweet Potato Fries (Quick & Kosher)
  • Thursday, the 15th ~ Pasta Mama Rosa, Wilted Red Peppers with Garlic
  • Shabbos evening, the 16th ~ Tuna Croquettes (from Kosher by Design Short on Time), Spreads, Purple cabbage salad, Lentil Soup (Q&K), Broccoli Kugel (Q&K), Confetti Chicken (KBDLU), Frozen Pumpkin Pie (KBDLU)

Week Three

  • Sunday, the 18th ~ leftovers from Shabbos
  • Monday, the 19th ~Creamy Cauliflower Soup, Israeli couscous
  • Tuesday, the 20th ~ Chicken Lo Mein
  • Wednesday, the 21st ~ Black Bean Chili (from freezer)
  • Thursday, the 22nd ~ Pasta Salad
  • Shabbos evening, the 23rd ~ Tuna Croquettes (from freezer), Spreads, Beet Salad (Spice & Spirit), Chicken Soup (from freezer), Broccoli Kugel (from freezer), Duck Sauce Chicken (Q&K), Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Week Four

  • Sunday, the 25th ~  leftovers from Shabbos
  • Monday, the 26th ~ Salmon Burgers (from freezer)
  • Tuesday, the 27th ~ Creamy Cauliflower Soup (from freezer)
  • Rosh Hashana Evening 1, the 28th ~ Yummy Round Challahs (yay!),  the Simonim, Sweet and Sour Salmon (S&S), Waldorf Salad (S&S), Chicken Soup with Kreplach (Hadassah Jewish Holiday Cookbook), Honey Chicken (Q&K), Tzimmes (HJHC), Honey Cake Minis (HJHC)
  • Rosh Hashana Day 1, the 29th ~ Sweet and Sour Salmon (leftover), Spreads, Broccoli and Olive Salad (S&S), Pot Roast (S&S), Tzimmes (leftover), Oatmeal Apple Crisp (S&S), Honey Cake Minis (leftover)
  • Rosh Hashana Evening 2, the 29th ~ Baked Gefilte Fish, Waldorf Salad (leftover), Chicken Soup with Kreplach (leftover), Bruschetta Chicken (KDBLU), Lokshen Kugel (S&S), Oatmeal Apple Crisp (leftover), Ancie’s Carrot Cake (KBDLU)
  • Rosh Hashana Day 2, the 30th ~ This meal is basically just leftovers from the previous three meals.

Lunches

As always, my husband takes his cheese sandwich, fruit & chips combo to work.  On the days that he’s home, he usually eats the same thing, so that’s easy.  I tend to finish leftovers or make an egg or pasta dish.  Or, I just finish whatever my kids don’t eat from their lunch.  Whatever is the easiest, really.

The kids will typically eat pasta, cheese sandwiches, peanut butter sandwiches, or scrambled eggs for lunch.  I found  some great microwavable corn on the cob, so that’s a nice side.  I’m trying to introduce more vegetables into their diet. Leftover gefilte fish is usually a hit with them, too, carrots and all.  Peas have been out of the rotation for a while, so I’ll probably reintroduce them.

Snacks

After I go on my baking spree, I’ll have lots of muffins, scones and cookies to choose from.  Other favorite snacks include raisins and almonds (who’s humming the song now?), protein bars (like CLIF or Luna), and maybe, when I’m feeling very good, fruit.  My husband is great about snacking on fruit.  I am great at snacking on carbs.  Sigh.

Happy cooking, and Shanah Tovah!

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image via Wikipedia

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Menu Ideas for the Nine Days

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Illustration of various salmon

fish heads, fish heads, roly poly fish heads

It’s hard to believe that the Nine Days are already upon us.   They just snuck right up.  In case you’re not familiar with the rules for food during Nine Days, meat and wine are off the menu.  Last year I posted some menu ideas, but they were a little light on the protein.  This year, I’m going for a more balanced menu.

It’s not a real menu plan per se, since my husband is working some crazy shifts and won’t always be home exactly for dinner.  I don’t know about you, but when my husband isn’t around for dinner, I am totally cool with eating cereal.  Or chips and salsa.  Or a cheese sandwich.  My kids eat roughly the same selection of food for dinner every night, so they’re good.  I just don’t have the motivation to get things dirty in order to feed myself.  Not the healthiest choice, but, hey, dishes.

Anyways, here are some ideas for dinner plans during these next nine days:

  • Jeff Nathan’s Pan Roasted Salmon with Summer Vegetables – this is from the Summer 5771 Joy of Kosher magazine.  I just got this, and I’m enjoying it so far.  This dish has protein (fish), veggies and I would probably serve it with rice (Near East rice, my favorite).
  • Smoked Salmon Salad – also from the Summer 5771 Joy of Kosher.  This salad also has bagel chips, so it can really fill you up.  I love a salad as a meal.
  • Mediterranean Tuna Burger – again, Summer 5771 Joy of Kosher.  I would include some fries with this burger, but not the deep-fried fries (ewww).  I made the Vegetable Fries from the same magazine, and they were DE-licious.  Sweet potato, parsnip and beet sprinkled with olive oil and baked, then sprinkled with a little kosher salt.  Everyone loved them, even the baby!
  • Vegetable and Cheese Filled Pasta Shells, from CookKosher.com.  This meal is an all-in-one.  You have the starch, the protein and the veggies.  Easy Peasy.
  • This Quinoa and Smoked Tofu Salad from JoyofKosher.com  looks amazing.  I might actually consider making this one for myself..
  • Ilana-Davita shares an Egg Curry recipe, which would be good to make, especially since I have four cans of coconut milk sitting in my pantry.
  • This Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup from Midwest Mama in Israel sounds delicious, and would help me use up the remainder of the butternut squash I have sitting in my fridge.

We’ll see which of these meals I actually make, and which I’ll save for a future menu plan.

What about the meal before the fast?  What is everyone making for that?  Is there a specific dish that you always prepare?  I’d love to know! 

Related articles

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image via Wikipedia

Menu Plan, week of July 17th

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Shortly after I moved, one of my friends asked me when I was going to make a menu plan again.  “After I finish unpacking,”  was my reply.  However, wandering the aisles of my new grocery store (I love you, Seven Mile!) with considerably less focus than usual was not super pleasant, or productive.

Cue heroic music, enter the menu planning. 

I’m not quite organized enough to plan for the whole month, but I will share my plan for this week (I was also going to share my plan for last week, but I used the back of it for my shopping list and it is now MIA.  Sorry).

Three fortuitous incidents helped shape my food choices:

Cover of "Kosher by Design Lightens Up: F...

thanks, Honey!

One, my husband bought me a new cookbook for my birthday (awww, isn’t he great?).  He got me Susie Fishbein’s Kosher By Design Lightens Up.  I had wanted a kosher cookbook that was on the healthier side (read:  no onion soup mix in the recipes, no deep-fried Chinese food recipes which I would wistfully ignore).  So far, I really like it.

Two, until very recently (like, Motzei Shabbos), all my books were packed.  The only reading material I had access to were my friend’s old copies of Binah (thank, E!) and my two years’ worth of Bon Appetit magazine.  So, I’ve been poring over many scrumptious and sumptuous recipes as well as educating myself on various foodie facts (did you know that this is the peak season for pluots?  Me neither.  I don’t even know where to get one, or what it is exactly!).  Jesting aside, I do love that every month, Bon Appetit picks a food at its seasonal peak and provides several delicious ways to prepare said food.  Also, the recipes for each month are appropriate for the season, which is something that I do want to become more familiar with.

Three, my mother is in town (yay!), so I am actually able to potchke around in the kitchen as she enjoys her grandmotherly privileges.

And now, the menu:

Sunday, July 17th

  • Ultimate Veggie Burgers ~ Kosher by Design Lightens Up (KBDLU); Oil and Vinegar Potato Salad ~Bon Appetit, July 2009 (BA 7/09) – it was sooo yummy, and I was able to pop the leftovers in the freezer for next week!

Monday, July 18th (A Pre-Fast Meal)

  • Eggplant Gazpacho (BA 7/09); Flounder with Fresh Dill and Lemon ~ from my brain (fmb); Kasha Pilaf (KBDLU)

Tuesday, July 19th (Shiva Asar b’Tammuz, ain’t no dinner tonight)

  • Break the fast with leftovers from Monday.  I tend to go on baking frenzies on fast days, so we’ll see if there’s anything else to eat)

Wednesday, July 20th

  • Spicy Chicken Peperonata with Lime and Mint Dressing (BA 7/09), served with warm tortillas, pareve sour cream, avocados and Near East Spanish Rice

Thursday, July 21st

  • Huevos Rancheros (KBDLU).

Shabbos night, July 22nd

  • Gefilte Fish, baked with Marinara sauce (fmb); Bok Choy Slaw (KBDLU); Chicken Soup (from freezer); Wheat Germ Crusted Chicken Cutlets (KBDLU); Lokshen Kugel ~ Spice and Spirit; Blueberry Crumb Bars (BA 7/09)

Shabbos day, July 23rd

  • Everything from the night, minus the fish and soup, and add cholent and liver (store bought, that).  Yum!

~ ~ ~

And there you have it.

Now, I do make a different thing every night, and my good friend, E, mentioned that she likes to make double and serve the same thing two nights in a row.  It sounds like a good plan to me, and since my children aren’t old enough to protest, and my husband is okay with leftovers, I may adopt this plan.  What I’ve done in the past is freeze the double portion and bring it back out a different week.  I have to decide which plan I prefer, I guess.

For those of you who menu plan, how do you factor in your leftovers?

———-

image via Amazon

Related articles

June Menu Plan

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Israeli Salad

Image by lynn.gardner via Flickr

Since we’re moving in less than a month (Aaaaahhhhhh!), my June menu plan’s focus is on using up everything that I have in my house.  In the fridge, the freezer, the cupboards (I found a ridiculous amount of corn meal.  Go figure).  I was not looking forward to this inventory of items.  At all.  I put it off for many hours today (thank you, Facebook, for the constant diversions), but in the end it wasn’t nearly as painful as I expected.  Yay!

I had to get a little creative at times with the hodgepodge of items (3 cans coconut milk, 2 jars of taco sauce, 1/2 pack of egg noodles, some wasabi powder, etc.), but the overall menu is actually fairly normal-seeming.  It was actually kind of fun to find new recipes to use some of the items that didn’t immediately bring to mind a favorite recipe.

Without further ado . . . the menu.

Dinners

“Week” One

  • Shabbos, the 3rd ~ Dinner:  Tuna croquettes (Kosher by Design, Short on Time), Israeli salad, Chicken Soup, Walnut Maple Chicken with Sweet Potato Aioli (KBD, SOT), Noodle Kugel, Zebra Cookies (KBD, SOT).  We’re going out for lunch.

Week Two

  • Sunday, the 5th ~ Leftovers from Shabbos, Toasted Barley and Mushrooms (Spice & Spirit).
  • Monday, the 6th ~ Lasagna & Coleslaw.
  • Shavuous!  the 7th through 9th ~  First Night: Savory Baked Chickpeas (S&S), Avocado Salad (S&S), Curried Pepper Steak (S&S), Cornbread, Berry Pie (recipe from a friend).  We’re going out for the rest of the meals.  Don’t hate.
  • Shabbos, the 10th & 11th ~ We’re going out both meals.  Hey, we’re moving and want to socialize while we still can.

Week Three

  • Sunday, the 12th ~ Tacos with Cornbread.
  • Monday, the 13th ~ Black Bean and Salsa Salmon (Quick & Kosher) with Pea Salad.
  • Tuesday, the 14th ~ Thai Chicken and Coconut Rice Salad (KBD, SOT).
  • Wednesday, the 15th ~ Kidney Bean Omelette with Spelt Rolls.
  • Thursday, the 16th ~ Noodles with Cheese, Salad.
  • Shabbos, the 17th & 18th ~ Dinner:  Sweet & Sour Salmon (S&S), Salad, Chicken Soup (from freezer), Honey Chicken (Q&K), Potato Kugel (S&S).  We’re out for lunch, B”H.

Week Four

  • Sunday, the 19th ~ Leftovers from Shabbos.
  • Monday, the 20th ~ Lasagne and Salad.
  • Tuesday, the 21st ~ Chicken Pot Pie (from freezer) with Cornbread.
  • Wednesday, the 22nd ~ Salmon (this was a big hit with my husband last month), Couscous.
  • Thursday, the 23rd ~ Noodles with Cheese, Salad.  Classic.
  • Shabbos, the 24th & 25th – We’ll be out for both meals.  Our last Shabbos in Cleveland.  :(

“Week” Five

  • Sunday, the 26th ~ Meatballs (from freezer) and Cornbread.
  • Monday, the 27th ~ Moving Day!!!!!!!
  • Tuesday the 28th through Thursday the 30th ~ we’ll be in Baltimore, and at some point, in our new apartment.  I’m not sure what we’ll be eating, but it will either be extremely simple (think noodles and cheese) or take-out.  We’ll see.

Lunches and Snacks:

I have a lot of flour-type ingredient in my pantry (did you see all the cornbread in that menu plan?  It’s out of control!), so I’m hoping to make many batches of muffins, breads, etc.  These should be good for my toddler to snack on, and good traveling food as the time approaches.

As always, we snack on plenty of fruit and yogurt.  I will continue to try to feed my toddler more than just carbohydrates, so I’ll try some eggs, soups and fruits.  He ate a mango today AND some grapes, so that was pretty exciting for me (it doesn’t take much).  I usually eat whatever is left over, though I’ve been thinking about paying more attention to my diet.  Well, probably after the move (my new mantra).

And that’s it for June’s menu planning.  Have a great Shabbos!

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May Menu Plan

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Well.  It’s the beginning of the month again, which means it’s time for menu planning!  Last month I didn’t post my plan because we were out of town for eleven days, and I kept having that nagging feeling that it’s not good practice to advertise extended absences (not that I have much to burgle anyways, but, hey, you know).

That said, I still made a plan.  I find that it’s not only enjoyable to plan what yummy food I want to make, but it makes shopping simpler (and, I think, more cost-effective), and it also makes the what’s-for-dinner-tonight dilemma moot.  ‘Cause I know what’s for dinner.  Every night.  Sometimes I do deviate from the menu, but it’s still overwhelmingly helpful to have all my meals planned out for the month.  Mmmm hmmmm.

And here are the dinners:

Week One

  • Sunday the 1st ~ Leftover from Shabbos.  Simple.
  • Monday the 2nd ~ Crunchy Tofu Thai Salad  – Quick and Kosher
  • Tuesday the 3rd ~ Kalmein (with leftover chicken from chicken soup) – Kosher by Design Short on Time
  • Wednesday the 4th ~ Salmon in Foil, couscous
  • Thursday the 5th ~ Lasagne, salad
  • Shabbos ~ Gefilte fish (half a loaf), salad, Chicken Soup (from freezer), Kishka-stuffed chicken – KBDSOT, Broccoli kugel -  QK, Chocolate chip cookies – QK

Shabbos lunches we’ll be spending with friends we want to see before we move in two months.

Week Two

  • Sunday the 7th ~ Leftovers from Shabbos
  • Monday the 8th ~ Creamy Thai Sweet Potato Soup – KBDSOT, bread
  • Tuesday the 9th ~ Turkey Marsala – KBDSOT, rice
  • Wednesday the 10th ~ Tuna Stir-Fry
  • Thursday the 11th ~ Linguini and tomato sauce florentine – QK, salad
  • Shabbos ~ Gefilte fish (the other half of the loaf), Asian cabbage salad - QK, Butternut squash soup – QK, Primavera chicken – KBDSOT, Broccoli kugel (from freezer), Applesauce cake – QK

Week Three

  • Sunday the 15th ~ yeah, Shabbos leftovers again
  • Monday the 16th ~ Cornmeal-Crusted Flounder – KBDSOT
  • Tuesday the 17th ~ Creamy Thai Sweet Potato Soup (from freezer), bread
  • Wednesday the 18th ~ Greek Garlic Chicken – KBDSOT, rice
  • Thursday the 19th ~ Pasta Nicoise - QK
  • Shabbos ~ Black Bean and Salsa Salmon - QK, Israeli Salad, Butternut Squash Soup (from freezer), Maple-Walnut Chicken – KBDSOT, Noodle Kugel, Applesauce Cake – QK

Week Four

  • Sunday the 22nd ~ and…wait for it…Shabbos Leftovers!
  • Monday the 23rd ~ Hot and Sour Soup – KBDSOT, rice and veggies
  • Tuesday the 24th ~ Fiesta Turkey Burgers – KBDSOT
  • Wednesday the 25th ~ Salmon and Fennel, rice
  • Thursday the 26th ~ Spinach and Cheddar Calzone – QK
  • Shabbos ~ Tuna croquettes- KBDSOT, salad, chicken soup, noodle kugel, Honey Chicken - QK, Chocolate chip banana cake -QK

“Week” Five

  • Sunday the 29th ~ Do I even need to tell you?
  • Monday the 30th ~ Fish Tacos
  • Tuesday the 31st ~ Hot and Sour Soup (from freezer), rice and veggies

And for everything else:

  • Breakfast ~ Eggs, waffles and/or cereal
  • Lunch ~  some sort of pasta or carb for my toddler, and for me, usually leftovers or pasta or a sandwich
  • Snacks ~ Muffins, banana bread and lots of fruit.  Some crackers, rice cakes and chips for the little man, and some mashed food for the really little one.

5 ways to tell your husband that you love ‘im

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 Hi!  Welcome to Life in the Married Lane!  If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed.  Thanks for visiting, and enjoy your stay!

Author: Bagande

Image via Wikipedia

Okay, so I don’t really celebrate Valentine’s day (something about holidays that start with the word “Saint” and that it’s not so easy to find kosher V-day chocolates), but it’s always nice to let your husband know that you love and appreciate him, right?  Here are five relatively easy ways to do so.

1.  Compliments!

Update:  When I wrote this post, I though I was being cute, or edgy, or something.  But now I see that in this point I was not as respectful to men as I should be.  So I would like to amend this first sentence.  Ladies, a man is a walking ego.  Everyone loves a good compliment.  Tell him how great he is.  Spend a few minutes thinking about some things you love about him, and then tell him.  Is he great with the kids?  Let him know.  Do you love how he takes charge?  So say it!  He’s a good listener?  He’ll love to hear it.  Try to tell him three things.  He’ll be so happy, and then you will be too!

2. Look good.

Trust me, if I could stay in my pajamas all day, I would (and have, at one point or another).  However, when my husband comes home after a long day of work, I want to be the best thing he’s seen all day!  Even though I know that whatever I put on will be covered in either spitup, little sticky fingerprints, and likely both, it’s still worth it to have my husband see that I want to look nice for him.  So I put on a nice outfit and a little makeup.  And I try to put on my sheitel for him as often as possible, ’cause he likes it.

3. Let it slide.

You know how it’s so annoying when the toilet seat is left up/the thing is not put back in its place/that thing is left in the middle of the floor?  Don’t say anything about it.  No.  Don’t.  It’s not worth it.  Think about it.

4.  Have dinner ready on time

I wasn’t always great at having dinner ready for my husband when he walked through the door.  The day kind of slid by, and before I knew it, he was coming home, and I hadn’t even thought about what to make for dinner.  What’s the big deal? I thought.  Well, I spent a few months working outside of the house, and when I came home I was starving!  So then I understood a little better how hard it is to manage when ravenous.  One of my rabbis at Neve would say that 70% of marital dispute arise because the husband isn’t being fed on time.  Here are some tips on how to get dinner ready on time if you have little ones around.

5.  Little Notes

My husband takes a lunch with him every day to work.  I try and pack a little note with his lunch so that during his hectic day he has a little bit of home.  Even when the notes get repetitive, he still appreciates them.  If your husband doesn’t take a lunch, you could send him a text or email to let him know you’re thinking about him, that you miss him, and that you look forward to seeing him when he comes home.

What are some other ways you let your husband know how much he means to you?

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