Weekly Meal Plan

Well...Decorating is just about done. I have only to put out John's old light-up Santa and our stockings and that will be that.  The wreaths are on the door, the tree is fully done, without a purchase made, though I shall see if I can't find a much larger star to put on  top of the thing. 

I'll be doing some minor holiday baking next week.  Nothing much, just sugar cookies and thumbprints, chocolate cookies,  stove top cookies and perhaps a cake of some sort, something festive like the Williamsburg Orange cake I so enjoyed  a few years ago.  Or a luscious Devil Food with peppermint filling?  Or the German Chocolate Cake I've been wanting to make for the past few months?  Or maybe I'll wait and do a cake for the New Year?  As always I am undecided when it comes to cake.  I think this next year I shall work on my resolution  anew and bake a cake once a month!  And maybe to balance cake, I'll bake a pie a month as well.



We had rain this weekend.  Real honest to goodness pouring down hard rain complete with thunder, as opposed to the misty sort of foggy rain we've had of late which seems more autumnal to me.  This was more like winter rain, as I know it from years past.  It was still pinging on the bathroom fan vent when we went to bed.  This morning the first thing I heard was gusty winds.  Brrr!  Right out of the North.  It blew away the clouds but gracious goodness the heater has been running routinely ever since.

Now let me plan my meals for the week ahead.  John and I had a bit of a miscommunication this morning and he didn't get the meal he wanted.  Just a minor thing really, but we've had an ongoing conversation about the meal and three times we've changed our plans.  This last time he agreed with me 100%...and I found out later that he hadn't been listening.  I told him to please agree with me more often when he wasn't listening, lol!

I won't serve these meals in this order, but the first meal is what we ended up having today.  As you can see the majority of the cooking will be done right away on Monday and then it's just a matter of light prep work later in the week.  I expect to cook the chili, and prep the vegetables for chowder and pot pie, make pie crust and cornbread cakes on Monday.  I'll roast the chicken Tuesday and prepare the alternate two meals right away after dinner that day.  The rest of the week will be easy as chicken pot pie.

Smoked Turkey Cranberry  Sandwiches, Chips, Angel Food Surprise
Angel Food Cake Surprise is easy enough to make.  I use Angel food slices, whipped cream, chocolate syrup or lemon curd and then top with chopped nuts.  It's very pretty, looks complicated, is easy as pie and tastes far more marvelous than you'd think.  You could also use strawberry or raspberry jam, white chocolate syrup, etc.


Steak, Twice Baked Potatoes, Kidney Beans with Sherry, Garlic Bread
The side dish of beans is another easy recipe that gets all dressed up in a minute.  Open and rinse one can of red kidney beans.  Sprinkle with a bit of oregano and add 3-4 tablespoons of Sherry to the beans, then heat.  Very tasty!



Roast Chicken, Cauliflower Au Gratin, Green Beans with Peppers and Onions, Ambrosia

Chicken Pot Pie, Cranberry Relish, Salad Wedges

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Chowder, Snack Crackers, Assorted Cheeses, Clementines

Dinner out with Mama/Leftovers for John

Chili, Rice, Corn bread, Baked Apples

Tortilla Tower, Tossed Salad, Chocolate Pudding
An old favorite from Mama's kitchen.  She used to make thin cornmeal cakes and layer with grated cheese and chili mixture and bake.  It was called 'Tower' because she stacked it up as high as her tallest casserole dish which was quite deep.  Very warming and hearty for a winter meal and still a favorite.