Showing posts with label Grass-fed Beef. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grass-fed Beef. Show all posts

Menu Plan Monday~ Busy Week

>> 5.03.2010

If the gorgeous weather isn't proof enough that winter is over then my calendar sure is.  As I was looking over our family's month of May I realized we have only 7 days that are appointment-free!  Between T-Ball starting and end-of-the-school-year activities we are going to be on the move!  This makes it difficult at times to find time to cook, which inevitably means more eating out.  And that's just not an option right now~ so what to do?

For starters, when making my meal plan this week I was careful to include several chicken dishes.  Chicken is so versatile and easy it just made sense that that is where our protein will be coming from this week.  So yesterday my husband marinated and grilled up 4 whole chicken breasts.  The main part of our weekly meals is fully cooked and ready, and then I just tried to come up with a menu that was diversified enough and not boring.  Here's what I came up with:

  • Monday: Grilled Chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, green salad
  • Tuesday: Chicken Fried Rice w/ sugar snap peas
  • Wednesday: Chicken, brown rice pasta & roasted veggies in cream sauce
  • Thursday: Grass-fed Ground beef tacos
  • Friday:  Out to dinner
  • Saturday: Chicken Pot Pie
  • Sunday: Breakfast for Dinner~ Soaked blueberry coffee cake
Enjoy the week!

This post is part of Menu Plan Monday.
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Menu Plan Monday - Simple Week

>> 4.19.2010

I'm keeping it easy with my meals this week, mostly classics and only one new recipe (out of this months edition of Sunset Magazine).  I do have to make one note about Saturday's meal~ this is one of the easiest, most flavorful meals, plus it gives you lots of leftovers.  Don't forget to save the chicken bones along with any left-over chicken to make a yummy soup.  And don't forget to check back daily as I will be posting the recipes each day I make them =)  Have a great week everyone!

Here's what's on the menu this week:
  • Monday: Grilled Chicken, asparagus risotto and a green salad
  • Tuesday: Grass-fed ground beef burgers and sweet potato fries
  • Wednesday: Ham & Potato Soup, steamed broccoli
  • Thursday: Lime-Soaked Chicken Tacos (the Sunset Mag Recipe) and grilled balsamic artichokes
  • Friday: Left-over Buffett
  • Saturday: Roasted Whole Chicken w/potatoes, carrots & leeks, and a green salad
  • Sunday: Breakast for dinner~ Eggs, bacon, fresh hashbrowns and toast
This post is part of Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie
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Meal Plan Monday~ Mixing Traditional & Simple Recipes

>> 4.11.2010


I am so blessed to have a great cook for a mother.  She was born in Italy and migrated to the US when she was thirteen, but not before she mastered some serious skill in the kitchen, taught to her by her mother and grandmothers, one of which had a dirt floor and only an open fire in the middle of her kitchen to cook on.  I love watching mom cook, but to record one of her recipes is almost impossible~ she doesn't measure anything!  She grabs handfuls of flour without touching a measuring cup and she shakes salt in until it "looks about right".  I have been able, though, to scribble down instructions for two of my favorite meals that she makes~ her meat sauce and her meatball recipe.  They are both amazing. 

The problem I run into is the traditional recipes like these always take so much time in the kitchen.  With 3 little boys to look after and a home to keep tidy, it's hard to find time for them, especially when I don't plan.  I have been working on mixing my favorite traditional recipes, or even new recipes that require more then 30 minutes of prep/cook time, with my simple recipes, i.e. grilled chicken, buttered pasta, etc.  I carefully look over my family's weekly schedule as I plan my menu to see what afternoons/evenings are lighter and will therefore allow me more time in the kitchen.  The planning is well worth it.  There are not quite as many "oohs" and "aahs" coming from the dinner table when I serve buttered pasta as there are when spaghetti sauce is served.  So don't shy away from the more involved meals, especially if you love to cook (as I do) but have busy families~ a little planning goes a long way. 

Here's what's on the menu this week:
  • Monday: Grilled Chicken, asparagus, grape bunches
  • Tuesday: "Nonna Emma's" Meatballs
  • Wednesday: Creamy Pasta w/roasted spring veggies
  • Thursday: Baked Chicken Strips w/ Balsamic dipping sauce, mashed potatoes, salad
  • Friday: Spaghetti sauce, salad, spelt-buttermilk bread
  • Saturday: Leftovers Night
  • Sunday: Breakfast for Dinner: Egg scramble, toast, sliced apples

This post is part of Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie
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Eliminate the "4:30 Scramble"

>> 4.06.2010



 I'm an organizer at heart.  It's not the easiest thing, especially on my family who really doesn't care that I've organized the closet starting with jackets on the left, then sweaters, long-sleeve polos, long-sleeve tee's, short-sleeve polos, and finally, short-sleeve tees on the far right.  My poor husband doesn't understand why I don't want his help hanging up our childrens clothes.  He tries to reason with me that there are a lot of clothes (there are!) and it would go so much faster if he helped (and if I didn't go back through the stuff he's hung up and switch it to the "correct" place). 

Anyway, being organized with my meals is something everyone in my house appreciates.  Not only does it help me stay within my monthly grocery budget, it also eliminates the "4:30 Scramble" to throw something together for dinner.  I've gotten away from consistently planning my weekly meals, usually done on Sunday night, but I'm ready to get back on the ball.  Plan on seeing a Menu Plan Monday post every Monday morning from here on out.  I won't have links to a bunch of my recipes yet, but I'm more than happy to provide them for those who want them.  Here's this weeks menu:
  • Monday: Fried Chicken (left over from Easter), potato-leek soup and grilled balsamic artichokes
  • Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pie (this is a favorite of my 3 boys, and I love to pack it full of fresh organic carrots, celery and peas)
  • Wednesday: Homemade breadcrumb-baked chicken, buttered brown-rice pasta, steamed asparagus
  • Thursday: Grass-fed beef tacos
  • Friday: Organic free-range Chicken fried rice
  • Saturday: Cuban Sea Bass and salad
  • Sunday: Breakfast for dinner night (Blueberry sprouted-flour pancakes and bacon)
For those of you who have also planned your meals this week~ enjoy not having to participate in the "4:30 scramble"! =)

This post is part of Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie
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Abundant Harvest Organics

>> 4.03.2010

If you live in Central or Southern California and don't know of and/or don't use Abundant Harvest, I have to tell you what you're missing! On their website Abundant Harvest describes themselves as "an alliance of small family farmers in Central California dedicated to growing superior organic produce and getting it to you in the simpliest manner possible...". Everything is grown locally and they only deliver locally~ which means that all the produce you receive is as fresh as possible. Deliveries in my area are on saturdays and everything we receive was still in the ground the Thursday prior. Two days old! Can you imagine going to the grocery store and picking up fresh and ripe produce that wasn't harvested 5 weeks prior and shot with any number of chemicals? This is what Abundant Harvest offers.

Their prices are so reasonable as well. For a small box (which provides just the right amount for my husband, myself, and our 3 small boys) the price is $19.80 a week. There is also a large box available which runs $33.80 per week. In today's small box we were given: potatoes, clip top carrots, oak leaf lettuce, asparagus, vidalia onions, grapefruit, naval oranges, and mandarin oranges. Those receiving a large box were also given: artichokes, green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce, cabbage and tomatoes. I love getting our box Saturday mornings~ it's like a little present waiting for me. The variety has also forced us to try new veggies. For instance, I had never cooked with a beet or a parsnip (I had to google parsnip for a picture of it so I could identify it that week). But I soon found a recipe for roasted beets, sweet potatoes and onions that is out of this world, and I learned that parsnips are amazing to add into mashed potatoes. There's also a little newsletter in each box that gives pointers on how to store and cook specific items from that week. (click here to see if Abundant Harvest delivers to your area)

And that's not all Abundant Harvest offers. Along with the produce there is a long list of "add-ons" that can be added on to your weekly box. The add-ons range from raw milk to grass-fed beef and free range organic chickens to coffee and composts. Here is an example of their weekly add-ons. We have been buying our raw milk from Organic Pastures through Abundant Harvest and are now adding on all of our boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pastured eggs. It's wonderful to be able to support all of these local farms!

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet and Food Renegade
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