We’re having a lot of beef this week. Not sure how it happened, but there just seems to be an overabundance of hamburger in the freezer, plus I already have some prepared that should be used. One gal whose blog I read intentionally has, each week, 1 beef dish, 1 chicken dish, 1 venison dish (husband is a hunter), 1 seafood dish, and 1 vegetarian dish each week. It’s really a good way of looking at it and helping to plan your meals. I don’t do that.
I told Jeff about that lady’s methodology. Here’s how that conversation went down:
Me: Jeff, we’re having lots of beef dishes this week. Is that okay?
Jeff: Sure.
Me: Jeff, there’s a lady that intentionally menu plans for 1 beef dish, 1 chicken dish, 1 seafood, 1 venison, 1 vegetarian.
Jeff: Vegetarian!?! Doesn’t she like her husband?
Me: I’m sure she likes her husband. I’m just guessing that she likes to be healthy and her food budget too.
Jeff: Hum.
Me: I’m guessing there are vegetarian dishes that I could make you that you’d like.
Jeff: Yes, I bet you’re right. I bet there are vegetarian dishes that I wouldn’t automatically throw in the trash.
Me: So, not a fan of meatless dishes?
Jeff: You could say that.
So…I don’t think I’ll be doing any vegetarian dishes soon. I count it as an accomplishment to get him to eat the salad I put on his plate.
(This wasn’t the exact conversation. The exact conversation was funnier and harder to remember.)
Here’s the plan for this week:
Monday – Tacos. I have some leftover browned hamburger in the fridge that goes great inside tacos. I hand fry flour tortillas and we love ‘em!
Tuesday – No cooking for me! I have dinner plans with a girlfriend. Jeff has a Chiropractor appointment and Bible Study out west, so he’ll probably fast food it. Which he loves.
Wednesday – Italian Meatloaf. I used to hate meatloaf – was on a 14-year streak of not eating it, when I found a recipe for Italian Meatloaf. So I made it. I actually liked it! Then I made it again months later. No good! This time I’m trying another version – from Pennies on a Platter. Praying for the best!
Thursday – BBQ Beef Casserole Again, using a recipe from Pennies on a Platter.
Friday – Beef Enchilada Casserole. Another new one for us.
Saturday – A wedding! We’ll eat dinner at the reception.
Sunday – We’ll be eating lunch and playing games with friends (I think). We also might head out to Mahoney State Park as Jeff’s company is having a company family outing.
Not sure we’ll actually get to all of that. If these dishes are good, we’ll probably end up turning Friday into a Leftover night. Or we’ll have a couple of leftover nights the following week. I try to cut recipes in 1/2 if I can, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes, I freeze leftovers. But not everything is freezing friendly.
Instead of basing my meals around meats, I’ve found it works best for me to make my menu plan basing each night on one of with these: beans (usually black beans- on our Mexican Monday), one night with potatoes, one night with pasta, one night with rice, and one around bread (like our Friday night pizza, or a calzone, etc). That way I can work various meats in (usually the most expensive part of the meal) as it is on sale or available in my freezer. And I like having a “starting place” for meal planning~ otherwise it can get overwhelming, or too much of the same thing.
Yeah, I’ve heard that idea too. I think you guys have a pizza night most Fridays – I think that’s totally fun! One of my goals for the month of September is to experiment with making my own pizza dough with yeast. Right now, I just use a packet – not a pre-made crust, but the “powder” stuff you add water to and stir. Baby steps!