Menu and Job Plans

I do love the morning light on this little area I set up for baking!  It just pleases me no end when I see the sun hitting the canisters and highlighting the pictures.

Well...We've had some busy weeks just behind us.  One week away from  home, two weeks working hard and then we finished it off with that new grand baby.  I'm ready though, after this weekend of rest to get back on the work wagon and accomplish a few more tasks.  We were supposed to have company for the latter part of the week ahead but that was cancelled.  The twins are transitioning to toddler beds and their mom felt it was best not to interrupt the process.  A wise decision, no doubt, but I shall certainly miss seeing those kiddos and their older brother.   I was anxious to see how they had grown and what changes had taken place because they do change so very quickly.



I shall likely have other company on Friday and so I must work double time this week to get things prepped for Friday and Saturday's  dinners.  I've been awfully lax lately and have had to prepare meals right from nothing at all practically because I've focused so hard upon work or visiting and not upon meals and meal plans.  I think we had one meal off last rotation's menu and maybe two off the week before that.  Tsk tsk. That's no way to save money but it certainly does make you creative with your pantry and freezer resources.

John decided he was going to have a Father's Day meal of his choosing and so he stopped off and picked up deli chicken and macaroni salad.  He's taking leftovers in his work lunch and leaving me just enough to have a meal myself.

Tuna Salad Plates (lettuce, tomato, hard boiled egg, carrot and celery sticks), crackers, Peach Cobbler
I could do steamed potatoes on the salad plates as well, and might if we're feeling especially ravenous after working.  It happens that way sometime.  Fresh peaches are in season and I'm eating at least one a day just now and shall until the season ends in mid-August.  Now and then, I'll take my daily peach in a cobbler.  I've learned to make smaller cobblers, just enough for two, which is also a help.  

Frozen Lemonade, Pigs in Blankets, Coleslaw, Chips, Cherries
Notice these meals are fairly easy?  That's to allow for lots of working time and little meal prep.

Cream of Potato Soup, Mushrooms Newburg over toast, Sliced tomato and Vidalia onion salad
The soup is easy enough to make and simply fills out the meal a bit.  Mushrooms Newburg are easy too: sliced beefsteak (baby Portabella in my case) mushrooms in a cream gravy.  If John notices the absence of meat, I'm sure there will be a leftover hot dog or two, but usually he doesn't notice.  I balance a meat free dinner with a meat sandwich of some sort for his supper, usually something inexpensive.

Sliced Roast Beef, Garden Peas, New Potatoes with lemon butter and parsley, Green Salad
I should have enough roast left to slice for sandwiches, as well.

Pasta Carbonara, Tossed Salad, Garlic Bread
I'll substitute evaporated milk for the cream and turkey bacon for the bacon.  This will considerably cut down on the fat in this dish.  John bought me some lovely Aged Asiago which has a sharp, salty taste similar to Romano.  It should taste wonderful on the pasta...and if I think of it, I might toss in some green onions and peas just because I have them.

Roast Turkey Breast, Succotash, Cabbage Salad, Muffins
I thought it about time to cook this turkey breast and then I'd have components to make several meals for the freezer, plus have sandwich meat on hand.  

Turkey and Rice Casserole, Green Beans, Pineapple Salad, Biscuits
Using leftover turkey in the rice casserole dish, and will make enough biscuits for dinner as well as Sunday breakfast.  The casserole calls for 'cream of' soup.  I do have a can on hand in the pantry I'd like to use up.

I spent the bulk of last week finishing up the decluttering work I'd begun the week before.  I am well pleased with the results of that job.  Now I'm 'freshening' rooms.  This week I'm going to concentrate on the laundry/ back entry/kitchen/sitting area.  This is essentially a late spring cleaning with a few fun tasks thrown in of decorating anew with old things I'd put away and am ready to pull out and use once more.  Fun!  The deep cleaning part won't be too difficult, as the bulk of that has been done, too, but there's always a bit of work to be done that wasn't thorough the first pass through or was skipped altogether.  This week I will:

Take down curtains, mend and wash.
Touch up the furniture paint here and there.
Paint the back door a fresh coat of white.
Decorate the walls.  Clear the top of the chiffarobe and redo that fresh.
Decorate the shelf at the bank entry.
Alter my kitchen desk slightly.

 I also want to:
Do a full food inventory.
Make up a few entrees for the freezer for future easy meals.
Make up a few more batches of cookie dough for freezer and perhaps freeze a dozen cupcakes which are always handy to have.

And I need to call and schedule two repairs, prepare for company at end of the week, prep food and house for Shabat,  and all the usual household work. That should keep me plenty busy this week...What are you going to be up to?