Menu Plan Monday ~ Week of May 1, 2011

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It’s Sunday afternoon and we’ve almost survived the week intact. My run this morning was fantastic. I set a new personal record for this race, knocking almost two minutes off of last year’s time and I’m feeling great without a nap or significant downtime which is just as much of an accomplishment. The kidlet’s show has been such a success they’ve added a second performance today and we managed to get through all of the dress rehearsals along the way. All-in-all, I’ll say we survived the week relatively intact.

We only stuck to about half of my meal plan because some nights I simply ran out of time and energy, but we didn’t rely on the fast-food line as a substitute. I raided the freezer for some sausages one night and we let our local sushi spot make dinner on another night. And while I wish all had gone according to my plan, I’m glad I had backup options and some solutions that didn’t include the drive through.

This week we’re back to the normal schedule and I’m even not overloaded with food events so I’m looking forward to a calm week and an opportunity to get back into the kitchen.

The Plan

I’m bringing some of last week’s meals into this week’s plan to be sure I use the ingredients before they go bad. I’m also trying a couple of new recipes over the weekend for fun and to fill the freezer.

• Monday: Bulgur salad with chicken and spring vegetables (recipe in development)
  I continue to look for ways to add more whole grains into our weeknight meals and bulgur is similar enough to rice that it’s a good transition grain for my family. I’m working on a recipe for a quick entree salad that takes advantage of a rotisserie chicken that works equally well for a weeknight dinner or a summer party.
• Tuesday: Lettuce wraps [freezer stash]
  This is one of last week’s meals that didn’t quite get made in the frenzy so I’m moving it forward to this week. That’s the great thing about the freezer stash, it stays frozen until you need it.
• Wednesday: Ground buffalo and black bean burritos with salad
  I’m still set on making a version of these freezer-friendly burritos and this week I should have more time to give to the project.
• Thursday: Jambalaya with steamed broccoli
  I didn’t mind moving this meal from last week to this week because the ingredients keep well. This one-pot dinner will come together quickly on a week night when I’m sure I’ll be running low on energy.
• Friday: Korean-Style Beef Skewers with soba salad
  Skewers I can marinate the night before are perfect for a Friday dinner with the family. All I have to do is toss them on the grill for a few minutes and they’ll be done. The soba salad is fresh and healthy and it will provide great leftovers for weekend lunches.
• Saturday:
  Chile-Braised Pork Shoulder Tacos with cucumber and tomato salad
  Before it gets too warm I want to add some slow-cooked pork to my stash for easy tacos and empanadas in the coming months. I bought 15 pounds of pork shoulder so I’ll triple the recipe.
• Sunday: Mother’s Day farmers market dinner
  I’m planning a trip to the market on Sunday and will figure out what I want to make for dinner based on what market finds I come home with. It will be a special treat for me and the family.