In an effort to be a whole lot more organized this year, and because everyone is always posting what delicious food they make, here is what I have been serving my family for the past week. I also envision this being a detailed account of how I fail miserably at meal planning when life gets too busy. But hey, it’s real life. Speaking of real life, I am not and never will be a food blogger. If I ever were to post food pictures for you, I apologize in advance for how awful they are.
- Sunday: The weather has been so warm lately that I had to take advantage of it by serving burgers off the grill and rounded out with some cut raw veggies. Except for the fact that it is dark at 5 PM and there are no leaves on the trees anymore, it was almost like a chilly summer evening!
- Monday: I am prepared this week. Not only do I have a fully stocked kitchen, I am sticking with some old family favorites that are easy to make and always go over well. Tonight was a very simple dinner of Sauteed Zucchini with Oregano and Feta, minus the feta since I forgot to buy it. Whenever I make this, I always add some chicken sausage, like this one, to add a bit of protein. Tonight, I also added some flavored rice to make the kids happy. It is not one of the kids’ favorites, but it is easy and one of my go-to meals for delicious and filling without making you feel guilty.
- Tuesday: Tuesdays tend to be a quiet day for everyone. Today was no different. I had intentions to cook, but I was vetoed by my entire family. They did not want the fuss and bother. Thankfully, we had a few leftover burgers and some of the sauteed zucchini. I live to make my family happy!
- Wednesday: We meant to cook tonight, but it ended up being yet another night no one wanted a big meal. It was another night of sandwiches and the like. My kids are so great.
- Thursday: I got home so late from work that Jim had already gone out and picked up some KFC for dinner. Not what I would have done, but I was not about to complain.
- Friday: Sheer laziness made this a Panera kind of night. I think we could have done worse.
- Saturday: Our one night where we have no activities in the evenings always calls for a nice dinner. Given the snow on the ground, it called for baked ziti and a nice fresh salad. This is one meal I tend to throw together without following any particular recipe, but I would guess it is as close to this version as you could get. Like most pasta bakes, it is a forgiving recipe and full of potential enhancements. Easy and delicious, baked pasta of any sort is always a family favorite.
What was for dinner at your house this week?
If I were to sit down and actually take the time to write out what we eat, our menus would be very similar. I start off good but then end up substituting. Like right now, I am remembering that I did not defrost the chicken that we are supposed to eat tonight. The Teen has a concert tonight which means there won’t be time to cook anything so now what? Sandwiches? Cereal? Chicken fingers? BTW, our house has not seen KFC in years, YEARS and when I got back from my doc appt the other day, there was a bucket of it in my house! That is how Dads take care of dinner. The Girl was thrilled. She’d be a fried chicken leg if she could be one.
LOL! That is too funny!
Hmmm…I haven’t made ziti, yet. Need to add that to the list. I love how you can make any kind of pasta and switch up a few ingredients and it’s like a whole new meal.
I haven’t had Panera in awhile, but that sounds really good. My hubby loves KFC once in awhile. I admit their mini chicken sandwiches are tasty.
I tried two new meals this weekend that were big hits. A beef and noodle bake and Italian Wedding Soup. I think my husband is getting a little too used to me cooking, so he’s on the grill tonight. 😉
Ziti is a good one, and the leftovers are just as tasty. Panera is one of my favorite out-to-eat places. I used to walk there for lunch over the summer.
Yay for new recipes! Even better that you are forcing your husband to grill. That is the one downside to always cooking – the family gets used to it and expects it more often, if not all the time.