So, here's the menu plan for the week. I did make one last week, but never got around to posting it up. I'm not going to plan every single meal, since almost every meal ends up making enough for an extra meal or two. If not stated, breakfast is cereal or premade breakfast from the freezer
Monday
Lunch: Roasted cauliflower, squash, and beets with tomatoes and cheese melted over the top
Dinner: Crock pot chicken with black beans, corn, and tomatoes
Tuesday
Breakfast: French toast and sausage (and make enough for the freezer as well)
Lunch: Leftover crockpot chicken
Dinner: Baked beans and smoked sausage with spinach
Wednesday:
Lunch: Curry roasted cauliflower
Dinner: Borscht from the crock pot
Thursday:
Lunch: Leftover borscht
Dinner: Sausage, leek, apple, and potato, roasted
Friday:
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Quiche with mushrooms and sausage
Saturday/Sunday
Leftovers from the week or freezer meals
Dog's meal plan
Monday: Rabbit
Tuesday: Elk scrap
Wednesday: Elk scrap
Thursday: Chicken quarters
Friday: Elk scrap
Saturday: Rabbit
Sunday: Pork roast
For more menu planning ideas, visit I'm An Organizing Junkie.
Showing posts with label Menu Planning Monday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Menu Planning Monday. Show all posts
Monday, January 9, 2012
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Menu Plan Monday
I've been slacking on the menu planning for the past little while. But, I need to get back into it I think, because all too often I have just been grabbing a granola bar when I'm hungry and not making real food.
Breakfast: Bagel/cream cheese; Blueberry pancakes; granola
Lunch/Dinner: Italian chicken sausage barley soup; Potatoes au Gratin; Baked breaded chicken; Braised veggies; Sweet potato fries; Baked beans with hot dogs; Orange chicken and rice.
Not a whole lot of ideas, but hopefully will be something to flesh out my go to snacks of granola bars and fruit cups, supplemented heavily by ginger-lemon tea for my sore throat and cough, because, I am sick again. Stupid flu.
Dogs and cat are having elk scraps, turkey, and goat liver this week.
For more recipe ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday and StoneGable.
Breakfast: Bagel/cream cheese; Blueberry pancakes; granola
Lunch/Dinner: Italian chicken sausage barley soup; Potatoes au Gratin; Baked breaded chicken; Braised veggies; Sweet potato fries; Baked beans with hot dogs; Orange chicken and rice.
Not a whole lot of ideas, but hopefully will be something to flesh out my go to snacks of granola bars and fruit cups, supplemented heavily by ginger-lemon tea for my sore throat and cough, because, I am sick again. Stupid flu.
Dogs and cat are having elk scraps, turkey, and goat liver this week.
For more recipe ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday and StoneGable.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Menu Plan Monday
Once again, it is Monday. At least this week I am just about over my cold.
Last week, the only things I ended up making were potato cheddar soup (served over lightly steamed broccoli) and homemade chicken noodle soup, with home made broth. I ate the leftovers most of the week, and had some of the extra chicken meat on some biscuits for a take-to-work lunch. And, my awesome Mom brought by some black bean soup for me that she had made. Between the three soups and instant oatmeal for breakfast, I was set for the week with leftovers.
This week's plan will use some of the stuff I didn't make last week. First on that list is curry, which is going into the crock pot right now. Chicken breasts, potatoes, carrots are going in now with the coconut milk and curry powder. Before I leave for work at 5 tonight I will add the bell peppers and bok choy to the pot as well. I haven't made curry in the crock pot before, but I am assured by many online recipes that it will turn out great, so I am hopeful. I LOVE leftover curry, so it would be awesome to be able to make a big batch at once. Plus, while tonight I will probably eat just the curry, tomorrow I will put some rice in the slow cooker to serve with the leftovers.
The last bowl of my mom's black bean soup is also on the menu this week. Probably for lunch today or tomorrow.
A pot roast in the crock pot is also sounding really good, made just with some chicken broth, sea salt, potatoes, carrots, and onions.
And, hot dogs in baked beans is another menu item. For some reason, to me, baked beans don't make a meal by themselves. However, if you either put hot dogs cut up in them, or serve them with a grilled cheese sandwich, that makes a full meal. Don't ask me why.
The dogs and cat are having chicken quarters, pork roast, the last of the venison scrap, and some goat liver/kidney. I'm being hopeful that some elk-hunting friends will bring back some elk heart, liver, and other scraps for me soon since elk hunting season opened last week.
Last week, the only things I ended up making were potato cheddar soup (served over lightly steamed broccoli) and homemade chicken noodle soup, with home made broth. I ate the leftovers most of the week, and had some of the extra chicken meat on some biscuits for a take-to-work lunch. And, my awesome Mom brought by some black bean soup for me that she had made. Between the three soups and instant oatmeal for breakfast, I was set for the week with leftovers.
This week's plan will use some of the stuff I didn't make last week. First on that list is curry, which is going into the crock pot right now. Chicken breasts, potatoes, carrots are going in now with the coconut milk and curry powder. Before I leave for work at 5 tonight I will add the bell peppers and bok choy to the pot as well. I haven't made curry in the crock pot before, but I am assured by many online recipes that it will turn out great, so I am hopeful. I LOVE leftover curry, so it would be awesome to be able to make a big batch at once. Plus, while tonight I will probably eat just the curry, tomorrow I will put some rice in the slow cooker to serve with the leftovers.
The last bowl of my mom's black bean soup is also on the menu this week. Probably for lunch today or tomorrow.
A pot roast in the crock pot is also sounding really good, made just with some chicken broth, sea salt, potatoes, carrots, and onions.
And, hot dogs in baked beans is another menu item. For some reason, to me, baked beans don't make a meal by themselves. However, if you either put hot dogs cut up in them, or serve them with a grilled cheese sandwich, that makes a full meal. Don't ask me why.
The dogs and cat are having chicken quarters, pork roast, the last of the venison scrap, and some goat liver/kidney. I'm being hopeful that some elk-hunting friends will bring back some elk heart, liver, and other scraps for me soon since elk hunting season opened last week.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Weekly Menu Plan
I spent Sunday in Portland at a Pet First Aid class. It was a lot of fun, and even though I already knew a lot of the material, I learned a good bit as well, and had fun. However, I didn't have fun with the 2 hour drive to get there first thing in the morning, and really didn't like the hour I spent lost in Portland before the 2 hour drive to get home again. And now I think I'm getting sick, with sore throat, constant sneezing fits, and possibly a fever (though I couldn't find my thermometer when I looked, so not sure on that part).
When I am sick, I generally spend my time in the house, with the heater up absurdly high, wrapped in blankets, sitting on a heating pad, eating hot soup and drinking hot tea. But, I have no soup makings, no tea, and need to do dishes to have any clean bowls or cups. And, I need to go shopping for some actual food in the house.
So, Menu Plan.
Breakfast: Instant oatmeal for as long as I am sick probably, since it is hot, easy on the throat, and super quick to make.
Lunch/dinner: Potato soup (need to pick up broth, milk, celery, carrots at the store); lentil soup (need the carrots and celery, and broth for this too); Yellow curry chicken, potatoes, carrots, and veggies (especially if this ends up being the head cold type sickness, then the curry is a lifesaver, so will probably use more celery and carrots, but need to pick up the curry, coconut milk, more potatoes, and some other veggies); Stew (so, need to pick up beef, which I will probably only do if a roast is on sale)
I'll think of other stuff to eat later in the week if I run out of food. I have to go do some shopping first thing tomorrow if I want to eat much at all. But, maybe being sick will motivate me to work on some more NaNo writing? Because I have, at the end of today, used up all the extra words I wrote earlier in the week, so need to start writing seriously again tomorrow.
For the dogs and cat:
Monday: Venison scrap
Tuesday: Chicken quarters
Wednesday: Venison scrap
Thursday: Chicken quarters
Friday: Goat or pork liver (whichever I grab) and beef kidneys
Saturday: Chicken quarters
Sunday: Chicken quarters
Probably going to do a good bit of chicken quarters this week, since it is the quickest thing to toss to the pups. The venison scrap is courtesy of my mom's neighbor, who had leftover trim and scrap from hunting this year. I hear he also set aside the turkey hearts, necks, and gizzards for me from the ones they just butchered as well. Then, if I am not super sick this week, it is about time to harvest some rabbits, so some of the menu might change for the pups if that happens. They have never had rabbit before, so it might be an interesting, new experience for them.
Oh, and for those wondering about the grey kitten in the Wordless Wednesday post last week, that is Grey Kitty, also known as Kitty. Martha was pregnant when I first brought her home, and I didn't know about spay/aborts as an option back then, so Kitty was born on September 11th, four years ago. Kitty lives with my mom, while Kitty's two siblings, Azu and Vida, live across the street from my mom with a long time neighbor/family friend.
For more menu planning ideas, visit StoneGable and I'm an Organizing Junkie
When I am sick, I generally spend my time in the house, with the heater up absurdly high, wrapped in blankets, sitting on a heating pad, eating hot soup and drinking hot tea. But, I have no soup makings, no tea, and need to do dishes to have any clean bowls or cups. And, I need to go shopping for some actual food in the house.
So, Menu Plan.
Breakfast: Instant oatmeal for as long as I am sick probably, since it is hot, easy on the throat, and super quick to make.
Lunch/dinner: Potato soup (need to pick up broth, milk, celery, carrots at the store); lentil soup (need the carrots and celery, and broth for this too); Yellow curry chicken, potatoes, carrots, and veggies (especially if this ends up being the head cold type sickness, then the curry is a lifesaver, so will probably use more celery and carrots, but need to pick up the curry, coconut milk, more potatoes, and some other veggies); Stew (so, need to pick up beef, which I will probably only do if a roast is on sale)
And this is a picture of some beans. Because I am low on pictures and low on energy/motivation to take actual relevant pictures for this post.
I'll think of other stuff to eat later in the week if I run out of food. I have to go do some shopping first thing tomorrow if I want to eat much at all. But, maybe being sick will motivate me to work on some more NaNo writing? Because I have, at the end of today, used up all the extra words I wrote earlier in the week, so need to start writing seriously again tomorrow.
For the dogs and cat:
Monday: Venison scrap
Tuesday: Chicken quarters
Wednesday: Venison scrap
Thursday: Chicken quarters
Friday: Goat or pork liver (whichever I grab) and beef kidneys
Saturday: Chicken quarters
Sunday: Chicken quarters
Probably going to do a good bit of chicken quarters this week, since it is the quickest thing to toss to the pups. The venison scrap is courtesy of my mom's neighbor, who had leftover trim and scrap from hunting this year. I hear he also set aside the turkey hearts, necks, and gizzards for me from the ones they just butchered as well. Then, if I am not super sick this week, it is about time to harvest some rabbits, so some of the menu might change for the pups if that happens. They have never had rabbit before, so it might be an interesting, new experience for them.
Oh, and for those wondering about the grey kitten in the Wordless Wednesday post last week, that is Grey Kitty, also known as Kitty. Martha was pregnant when I first brought her home, and I didn't know about spay/aborts as an option back then, so Kitty was born on September 11th, four years ago. Kitty lives with my mom, while Kitty's two siblings, Azu and Vida, live across the street from my mom with a long time neighbor/family friend.
For more menu planning ideas, visit StoneGable and I'm an Organizing Junkie
Monday, October 31, 2011
Menu Plan Monday- And Happy Halloween!
Well, I made no plan last week since I was dead tired from the flyball tournament Sunday evening and spent Monday recovering. By then, I just gave up on doing a plan. I ended up eating lots of random thing, none of them well planned. Ran to the store to pick something up too many times, and decided to just have a snack instead of a meal a few times too.
So enjoy the menu plan for me and the dogs, and a smattering of Halloween-ish pictures.
So, here goes for this week. As usual, I will probably make enough of each lunch/dinner dish for 2-4 meals and have the leftovers the next day or two.
Breakfasts: Cereal, french toast, garlic bread awesomeness (french rolls, in half, with super garlicy garlic butter spread on them, topped with cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese, in the toaster oven until the cheese gets all nice and brown on top)
Lunch/Dinner: Chicken fajitas (chicken breasts, onion, red and green bell peppers, tortillas); Chicken chili; Cabbage and noodles (just cabbage, noodles, and a little butter cooked together); Breaded chicken w/ veggie sides; Cheesy zucchini and yellow squash bake (with bok choy thrown in); Crock pot pork roast with potatoes, carrots, onions (and probably some cabbage and bok choy).
Can you tell I bought a family size pack of chicken? And that I am working my way through a head of cabbage and a bunch of bok choy? These things don't really come in sizes appropriate to living alone. Luckily they keep for a good long time in the fridge, compared to other veggies.
Meals for the Beasts:
Pork. Every day. All week. With some goat liver and pork spleen on the side, perhaps.
Normally I mix it up more than this, but I got a huge thing of super meaty pork ribs that should last most of the week, with extra liver and organs on the side to cover the slight difference between the weight of this pork the and amount needed for the week. Pork ribs a totally edible by most dogs (most pork bones are edible). Normally, pork ribs are too boney to feed often, but these are tons of pork, just a little bone. Not sure whats going on with them, really, but they were on sale for 90 cents per pound, which is a steal of a deal on red meat (pork is red meat, no matter what the pork council tries to tell you).
For more menu planning ideas, visit I'm An Organizing Junkie and StoneGable
So enjoy the menu plan for me and the dogs, and a smattering of Halloween-ish pictures.
So, here goes for this week. As usual, I will probably make enough of each lunch/dinner dish for 2-4 meals and have the leftovers the next day or two.
Breakfasts: Cereal, french toast, garlic bread awesomeness (french rolls, in half, with super garlicy garlic butter spread on them, topped with cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese, in the toaster oven until the cheese gets all nice and brown on top)
Pallo thinks pumpkins are for eating
Lunch/Dinner: Chicken fajitas (chicken breasts, onion, red and green bell peppers, tortillas); Chicken chili; Cabbage and noodles (just cabbage, noodles, and a little butter cooked together); Breaded chicken w/ veggie sides; Cheesy zucchini and yellow squash bake (with bok choy thrown in); Crock pot pork roast with potatoes, carrots, onions (and probably some cabbage and bok choy).
Can you tell I bought a family size pack of chicken? And that I am working my way through a head of cabbage and a bunch of bok choy? These things don't really come in sizes appropriate to living alone. Luckily they keep for a good long time in the fridge, compared to other veggies.
Meals for the Beasts:
Pork. Every day. All week. With some goat liver and pork spleen on the side, perhaps.
Normally I mix it up more than this, but I got a huge thing of super meaty pork ribs that should last most of the week, with extra liver and organs on the side to cover the slight difference between the weight of this pork the and amount needed for the week. Pork ribs a totally edible by most dogs (most pork bones are edible). Normally, pork ribs are too boney to feed often, but these are tons of pork, just a little bone. Not sure whats going on with them, really, but they were on sale for 90 cents per pound, which is a steal of a deal on red meat (pork is red meat, no matter what the pork council tries to tell you).
For more menu planning ideas, visit I'm An Organizing Junkie and StoneGable
Monday, October 17, 2011
Meal Plans and Pumpkin squares (And Lure Coursing pictures)
We are off to a flyball tournament this weekend, so that means stuff like cleaning the house, cleaning the car, and packing all have to happen as well. Luckily (or unluckily, monetarily speaking), work is super light for the next week, so I'll have plenty of time.
As requested, the recipe for the pumpkin bars I posted last week:
Make pumpkin cream cheese (1 package cream cheese, 1/4 cup canned pumpkin, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 2 T brown sugar).
In a greased baking dish, lay out one layer of crescent rolls (I just used the off-brand package of them, and did a small pan, which took one tube). Pinch the seams together. Spread with Pumpkin Cream Cheese. Lay the other half of the crescent rolls over the cream cheese, pinching the seams together. Top with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon, and scatter a few small chunks of butter across the top. Bake at 350 until golden brown and flaky (about 15 minutes in my toaster oven).
Slice and serve. They are great warm out of the oven, or cold the next day for breakfast.
Meal plans for the week:
Lunch/Dinner meals:
Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches: a roast was on sale, which I got for the dogs, and cut off my own portion of the meat, plus I have two bell peppers to use up still, and some onions, and a few hoagie rolls left from the apple butter meatballs last week, which I ate as hot meatball subs.
Fajitas: with the same mix as the cheese steak, minus the cheese and plus fajita seasoning and a tortilla
Chicken/corn chowder: Plan is to cook a chicken quarter in the crockpot (after removing the skin/extra fat). I'll remove the meat from the bones and brown up the meat in the pan, then make my normal corn chowder, adding the chicken in. The bones from the quarter, along with some vegetable scraps like onion skins, will get made into chicken broth the next day, in the crock pot.
Quesadillas: Since I have tortillas, this is one of my fall-back foods. Made in a cast iron pan, please, as I can't stand a soggy tortilla from the microwave.
Pumpkin French Toast: Because it sounds amazing, and I am still trying to use up all that canned pumpkin. I really need to just freeze it into an ice cube tray next time to use in small amounts as the need comes up.
Cheese Sandwich: A cheese sandwich, made on five seed bread, with cream cheese, cheddar cheese, apple slices, sprouts (alfalfa/radish/clover/chia mix), and sunflower seeds. Because I used to get this at a coffee shop down the street from my college, and its an amazing sandwich. Might have this a few times, to use up all my sprouts and fully solve my craving.
*Shopping list: Milk, eggs, maple syrup, Halloween candy (my contribution to our team potluck over the weekend, along with some blackberry liquor)
And, here are the dogs with the two Qualifying ribbons each, from the CAT yesterday (check out yesterday's post for videos)
Dog meals for the week:
As I mentioned above, we are gearing up for a flyball tournament. Which for my dogs means a week of no organs, slightly more bone, and consistent meals. Last thing I want is a dog suffering from too much organ meat, too little bone, or a new-food reaction at the tournament (or stinking up the car on the drive).
Monday: Chicken Quarters (Yes, out of the same bag as I am feeding to myself. Its the benefit of buying meat at the grocery store for the dogs.)
Tuesday: Beef heart
Wednesday: Beef heart
Thursday: Chicken quarters
Friday: Beef heart
Saturday/Sunday (at the tournament): Chicken quarters, with a small portion of beef heart in the late afternoon after racing is over.
It is about two-days-worth more bone than I usually feed to my dogs. Bone firms up stools, so I feed it a bit more heavy for tournaments and traveling as a dog with the runs is 1) not feeling their best, 2) not pleasant to be around, and 3) likely to soil in the ring, which I DON'T want to continue our reputation of. This is the same reason I omit organs in the week leading up to a tournament, or any new/rarely fed protein source.
I will also be freezing some tuna juice into ice cubes to add to the dog's water if they aren't drinking. Koira barely drank at all at the last tournament, and the dogs need to stay hydrated.
For more meal planning and recipe tips, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie and StoneGable.
As requested, the recipe for the pumpkin bars I posted last week:
Make pumpkin cream cheese (1 package cream cheese, 1/4 cup canned pumpkin, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 2 T brown sugar).
Slice and serve. They are great warm out of the oven, or cold the next day for breakfast.
Meal plans for the week:
Lunch/Dinner meals:
Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches: a roast was on sale, which I got for the dogs, and cut off my own portion of the meat, plus I have two bell peppers to use up still, and some onions, and a few hoagie rolls left from the apple butter meatballs last week, which I ate as hot meatball subs.
Fajitas: with the same mix as the cheese steak, minus the cheese and plus fajita seasoning and a tortilla
Chicken/corn chowder: Plan is to cook a chicken quarter in the crockpot (after removing the skin/extra fat). I'll remove the meat from the bones and brown up the meat in the pan, then make my normal corn chowder, adding the chicken in. The bones from the quarter, along with some vegetable scraps like onion skins, will get made into chicken broth the next day, in the crock pot.
Quesadillas: Since I have tortillas, this is one of my fall-back foods. Made in a cast iron pan, please, as I can't stand a soggy tortilla from the microwave.
Pumpkin French Toast: Because it sounds amazing, and I am still trying to use up all that canned pumpkin. I really need to just freeze it into an ice cube tray next time to use in small amounts as the need comes up.
Cheese Sandwich: A cheese sandwich, made on five seed bread, with cream cheese, cheddar cheese, apple slices, sprouts (alfalfa/radish/clover/chia mix), and sunflower seeds. Because I used to get this at a coffee shop down the street from my college, and its an amazing sandwich. Might have this a few times, to use up all my sprouts and fully solve my craving.
*Shopping list: Milk, eggs, maple syrup, Halloween candy (my contribution to our team potluck over the weekend, along with some blackberry liquor)
And, here are the dogs with the two Qualifying ribbons each, from the CAT yesterday (check out yesterday's post for videos)
Dog meals for the week:
As I mentioned above, we are gearing up for a flyball tournament. Which for my dogs means a week of no organs, slightly more bone, and consistent meals. Last thing I want is a dog suffering from too much organ meat, too little bone, or a new-food reaction at the tournament (or stinking up the car on the drive).
Monday: Chicken Quarters (Yes, out of the same bag as I am feeding to myself. Its the benefit of buying meat at the grocery store for the dogs.)
Tuesday: Beef heart
Wednesday: Beef heart
Thursday: Chicken quarters
Friday: Beef heart
Saturday/Sunday (at the tournament): Chicken quarters, with a small portion of beef heart in the late afternoon after racing is over.
It is about two-days-worth more bone than I usually feed to my dogs. Bone firms up stools, so I feed it a bit more heavy for tournaments and traveling as a dog with the runs is 1) not feeling their best, 2) not pleasant to be around, and 3) likely to soil in the ring, which I DON'T want to continue our reputation of. This is the same reason I omit organs in the week leading up to a tournament, or any new/rarely fed protein source.
I will also be freezing some tuna juice into ice cubes to add to the dog's water if they aren't drinking. Koira barely drank at all at the last tournament, and the dogs need to stay hydrated.
For more meal planning and recipe tips, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie and StoneGable.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Menu Planning Monday, and Lure Coursing photos
Another week, another menu plan. I find that I am getting better about eating planned meals rather than staring at the cupboards wondering what there is to eat, or lamenting that there is no food (despite the totally full cupboard). Not every meal I plan on gets made every week, and sometimes I change it up and make something different, either because of time, cravings, or not having the ingredients I thought I had.
This week's meal plans:
Breakfast: Cream cheese squares (made with Pumpkin Cream Cheese), That same pumpkin cream cheese on some English Muffins, Apple cinnamon muffins, apple cinnamon pancakes (trick is it is the same exact mix, only one gets baked in a muffin tin while the other gets poured in a pan), Toast w/ apple butter (because I am still not sick of it)
Cream cheese squares:
Dinner: Rice w/ peas and Parmesan cheese (it rhymes, and is super cheap and easy to make), Cheesy Zucchini bake, Apple Butter Meatballs, Grilled cheese and baked beans
As per usual, lunch is normally dinner or breakfast leftovers, or I'll make a dinner dish at lunch time and have leftovers for dinner.
A few lure coursing pictures
The Week's Menu of Raw Feeding for the Dogs and Cat:
Monday: Deer bones, beef scrap (to meat out the otherwise bone-heavy meal)
Tuesday: Pork kidney, spleen
Wednesday: Beef scrap (frozen in a Kong to make it more difficult and stimulating to eat)
Thursday: Chicken quarters
Friday: Pork roast
Saturday: Beef scrap
Sunday: Deer bones, beef scrap (or organs)
I got a bag of deer bones for free this week, from a person who knows a person who butchers deer for his friends. The bones still have a bit of meat on them, tendons, connective tissues, and more, all of which is great mental and physical workouts to eat and is a great natural source of glucosamine for the dogs. However, I need to add beef scrap and feed boneless meals before and afterwards, otherwise it is way too much bone. Even so, I only have about two weeks worth of deer bones at the most, so hoping I'll be able to get some more, maybe even some meatier ones like necks!
As usual, for more recipe and meal planning ideas, please visit I'm an Organizing Junkie and StoneGable.
This week's meal plans:
Breakfast: Cream cheese squares (made with Pumpkin Cream Cheese), That same pumpkin cream cheese on some English Muffins, Apple cinnamon muffins, apple cinnamon pancakes (trick is it is the same exact mix, only one gets baked in a muffin tin while the other gets poured in a pan), Toast w/ apple butter (because I am still not sick of it)
Cream cheese squares:
Dinner: Rice w/ peas and Parmesan cheese (it rhymes, and is super cheap and easy to make), Cheesy Zucchini bake, Apple Butter Meatballs, Grilled cheese and baked beans
As per usual, lunch is normally dinner or breakfast leftovers, or I'll make a dinner dish at lunch time and have leftovers for dinner.
A few lure coursing pictures
Getting ready to let Pallo loose
Pallo loves lure coursing
Koira loves it too, but is so fast she is super hard to get pictures of her
This is after her run. She went to the lure, ripped the bag off, then ran back to me with it.
The Week's Menu of Raw Feeding for the Dogs and Cat:
Monday: Deer bones, beef scrap (to meat out the otherwise bone-heavy meal)
Tuesday: Pork kidney, spleen
Wednesday: Beef scrap (frozen in a Kong to make it more difficult and stimulating to eat)
Thursday: Chicken quarters
Friday: Pork roast
Saturday: Beef scrap
Sunday: Deer bones, beef scrap (or organs)
I got a bag of deer bones for free this week, from a person who knows a person who butchers deer for his friends. The bones still have a bit of meat on them, tendons, connective tissues, and more, all of which is great mental and physical workouts to eat and is a great natural source of glucosamine for the dogs. However, I need to add beef scrap and feed boneless meals before and afterwards, otherwise it is way too much bone. Even so, I only have about two weeks worth of deer bones at the most, so hoping I'll be able to get some more, maybe even some meatier ones like necks!
As usual, for more recipe and meal planning ideas, please visit I'm an Organizing Junkie and StoneGable.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Menu planning Monday
I've been wanting to try making a pot pie in the toaster oven lately. However, I don't have any potatoes and have decided I seriously need to clean out the cupboards a bit before I do any more grocery shopping. So, I was super excited to find this Lentil and Squash Pot Pie Recipe.I have some acorn squash I still need to use, and I know I have a bag of lentils buried in the cupboard somewhere. Plus, I have puff pastry in the freezer, just waiting for something to use it on, so that will be used as the crust/topping. Probably I will end up tossing in some bok choy (because I have it) for some extra greens in it as well.
As for the rest of my meal plan for the week, I have a few dishes I am planning on, and the rest of it I figure I can scrounge something up...
Lunch/Dinner: Pad Thai (with rice noodles, seasoning, cashews, variety of veggies, possibly with chicken if I find some in the freezer); Pulled pork sandwiches (w/ buns I picked up last week for the single hamburger I made for myself after pulling ground beef out of the freezer instead of chicken); Grilled cheese w/ baked beans; Pot Pie!
And of course, I cook enough for 2-3 servings of each dish every time I cook, giving me leftovers for 1-2 meals later in the week. When you live alone, it is really hard to cook a dish small enough for a single serving, so this is my compromise. Plus, makes for less overall time spent cooking. (I enjoy cooking, but there is only so long I can stand to argue with my hotplate and toaster oven.)
Breakfast: Toasted PB&J; Toast w/ apple butter (I will probably make another batch of apple butter this week as well); Eggs, bok choy, and sausage served up on a bagel thin; Cereal w/ berries
I have various types of cereal, all of which seem to have less than one serving left in the box. So, hopefully I'll clear out that part of the cupboard and make some room.
On the menu for the beasts this week:
Chicken quarters (the cat gets only a leg or a thigh, not a full quarter)- Monday, Thursday
Beef scrap- Wednesday, Friday, Sat/Sun
Goat liver- Tuesday
They will probably also get a pig kidney or two thrown in at some point this week, and may or may not end up with more chicken than that, depending on how they do with so little bone and the organs meals.
And, as always, for more meal planning ideas, check out StoneGable and I'm an Organizing Junkie.
Apples in the dehydrator.
My goal is to have a full gallon of dried apples before the end of the season.
As for the rest of my meal plan for the week, I have a few dishes I am planning on, and the rest of it I figure I can scrounge something up...
Lunch/Dinner: Pad Thai (with rice noodles, seasoning, cashews, variety of veggies, possibly with chicken if I find some in the freezer); Pulled pork sandwiches (w/ buns I picked up last week for the single hamburger I made for myself after pulling ground beef out of the freezer instead of chicken); Grilled cheese w/ baked beans; Pot Pie!
And of course, I cook enough for 2-3 servings of each dish every time I cook, giving me leftovers for 1-2 meals later in the week. When you live alone, it is really hard to cook a dish small enough for a single serving, so this is my compromise. Plus, makes for less overall time spent cooking. (I enjoy cooking, but there is only so long I can stand to argue with my hotplate and toaster oven.)
Breakfast: Toasted PB&J; Toast w/ apple butter (I will probably make another batch of apple butter this week as well); Eggs, bok choy, and sausage served up on a bagel thin; Cereal w/ berries
I have various types of cereal, all of which seem to have less than one serving left in the box. So, hopefully I'll clear out that part of the cupboard and make some room.
On the menu for the beasts this week:
Chicken quarters (the cat gets only a leg or a thigh, not a full quarter)- Monday, Thursday
Beef scrap- Wednesday, Friday, Sat/Sun
Goat liver- Tuesday
They will probably also get a pig kidney or two thrown in at some point this week, and may or may not end up with more chicken than that, depending on how they do with so little bone and the organs meals.
And, as always, for more meal planning ideas, check out StoneGable and I'm an Organizing Junkie.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Monday meal planning
Well, its Monday again, meaning a great time for some meal planning. I have been looking in my cupboards, fridge, and freezer, complaining to myself that there is nothing to eat. But, since there is plenty of stuff in there, I think the problem is just that I need to get organized, plan some meals from what is in the cupboard, and plan a shopping trip specifically for items to go with what I already have.
Breakfasts: Toast w/ apple butter, bagel thins with fried egg and sausage, toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
I made the apple butter last week, and have more cooking in the crock pot right now. I have half a loaf of bread, peanut butter, jam, bagel thins, eggs, and sausage (though I need to take some sausage out of the freezer to thaw out some)
Lunchs: Pad Thai w/ cashews and veggies, tater tots w/ cheese and ranch, tuna w/ crackers
I already have cashews, various frozen veggies, tater tots, tuna, yogurt, pickles, crackers, and cheese.
Dinners: Crock pot pork roast (preseasoned), pasta w/ veggies, grilled cheese sandwich w/ baked beans, acorn squash/sausage/veggie quiche
The roast is in the freezer and needs to be used, I have plenty of pasta and frozen veggies, and have the bread, cheese, and baked beans. Also have some leftover acorn squash needing to be used.
Other cooking plans: In addition to meals, I am also trying to preserve plenty of the fresh fall produce for use later in the year. I am making a second batch of apple butter right now in the crock pot (skin, core, chop apples, put in crock pot on low 8 hours, smash, add spices and sugar, cook another 6-8 hours). This second batch of apple butter is going to be a spicy batch, with Thai chilis added in (yeah, those are the ones rated as the second hottest chili in the world).
I also have the dehydrator going. I already did blackberries and raspberries. Yams were on sale, so I did a few of those as dog treats (Koira loves them, Pallo is indifferent). It is currently full of acorn squash (also for dog treats). As soon as the squash is done, I will add in more apples and pears. I already did some, but found another tree in my neighborhood weighed down with apples that I got permission to take, so plan on doing a lot more dried apples, and possibly some more apple butter as well.
Depending on time, I might go pick some more blackberries as well to dry. My freezer is full, so no more frozen berries (picked and froze 2 gallons of raspberries and 3 1/2 gallons of blackberries already), but I like the dehydrated berries in cereal. It started raining yesterday, which means if I want blackberries still this season I better get them today. If the berries are soft, I might even try making fruit leather with them instead of just dehydrating whole berries.
My shopping list (stuff I will need to buy to make the meals I have listed above with the stuff I already have): Bread (I only have half a loaf, and haven't had bread at all in the past month and a half, so plan on using quite a bit this week); fresh veggies (whatever is on sale or cheap, to compliment what I have frozen); ranch dressing (used the last of it up last week); Pad Thai noodles and seasoning
What the beasts are eating this week:
I picked up a 50 lb case of beef scrap super cheap while in Washington for the flyball tournament (through a raw feeding buying co-op group). I packaged up most of it into gallon ziplocks and put them in the freezer, but ran out of room for all of it. Its great quality meat, mostly really good red meat, a few organs (maybe 2 lbs of liver, and 3 kidneys total in the box), and a little bit of super fatty stuff (I threw away about 3 lbs of pure fat probably). The good stuff that didn't fit in the freezer is what is on the menu this week for feeding.
Koira and Pallo are loving it. Martha eats all the red meat off of any fat or tendon she gets given, but seems to be enjoying it as well. I did pick up a few turkey necks and meaty pork neck bones as well for providing some bone for the week. Between those few boney additions and the leftover meat that didn't fit in the freezer, it should be about a week's worth of food for the beasts.
For more menu planning ideas, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie and StoneGable
Breakfasts: Toast w/ apple butter, bagel thins with fried egg and sausage, toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
I made the apple butter last week, and have more cooking in the crock pot right now. I have half a loaf of bread, peanut butter, jam, bagel thins, eggs, and sausage (though I need to take some sausage out of the freezer to thaw out some)
Lunchs: Pad Thai w/ cashews and veggies, tater tots w/ cheese and ranch, tuna w/ crackers
I already have cashews, various frozen veggies, tater tots, tuna, yogurt, pickles, crackers, and cheese.
Dinners: Crock pot pork roast (preseasoned), pasta w/ veggies, grilled cheese sandwich w/ baked beans, acorn squash/sausage/veggie quiche
The roast is in the freezer and needs to be used, I have plenty of pasta and frozen veggies, and have the bread, cheese, and baked beans. Also have some leftover acorn squash needing to be used.
Other cooking plans: In addition to meals, I am also trying to preserve plenty of the fresh fall produce for use later in the year. I am making a second batch of apple butter right now in the crock pot (skin, core, chop apples, put in crock pot on low 8 hours, smash, add spices and sugar, cook another 6-8 hours). This second batch of apple butter is going to be a spicy batch, with Thai chilis added in (yeah, those are the ones rated as the second hottest chili in the world).
I also have the dehydrator going. I already did blackberries and raspberries. Yams were on sale, so I did a few of those as dog treats (Koira loves them, Pallo is indifferent). It is currently full of acorn squash (also for dog treats). As soon as the squash is done, I will add in more apples and pears. I already did some, but found another tree in my neighborhood weighed down with apples that I got permission to take, so plan on doing a lot more dried apples, and possibly some more apple butter as well.
Depending on time, I might go pick some more blackberries as well to dry. My freezer is full, so no more frozen berries (picked and froze 2 gallons of raspberries and 3 1/2 gallons of blackberries already), but I like the dehydrated berries in cereal. It started raining yesterday, which means if I want blackberries still this season I better get them today. If the berries are soft, I might even try making fruit leather with them instead of just dehydrating whole berries.
My shopping list (stuff I will need to buy to make the meals I have listed above with the stuff I already have): Bread (I only have half a loaf, and haven't had bread at all in the past month and a half, so plan on using quite a bit this week); fresh veggies (whatever is on sale or cheap, to compliment what I have frozen); ranch dressing (used the last of it up last week); Pad Thai noodles and seasoning
What the beasts are eating this week:
I picked up a 50 lb case of beef scrap super cheap while in Washington for the flyball tournament (through a raw feeding buying co-op group). I packaged up most of it into gallon ziplocks and put them in the freezer, but ran out of room for all of it. Its great quality meat, mostly really good red meat, a few organs (maybe 2 lbs of liver, and 3 kidneys total in the box), and a little bit of super fatty stuff (I threw away about 3 lbs of pure fat probably). The good stuff that didn't fit in the freezer is what is on the menu this week for feeding.
Koira and Pallo are loving it. Martha eats all the red meat off of any fat or tendon she gets given, but seems to be enjoying it as well. I did pick up a few turkey necks and meaty pork neck bones as well for providing some bone for the week. Between those few boney additions and the leftover meat that didn't fit in the freezer, it should be about a week's worth of food for the beasts.
For more menu planning ideas, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie and StoneGable
Monday, September 12, 2011
On the Menu Monday
I've tried many times to organize my shopping/meals in such a way that I have everything for the week's meals without having to run out to the store again. It never goes quite as planned, but I thought I would give it another shot.
*A note, is that I don't have a kitchen. I have a mini fridge, a microwave, a toaster oven, a hot plate, and a crock pot. I make an effort to cook home made food as often as possible within these limitations. Most of the time I will deliberately cook enough to have 3-4 meals at a time, since I live alone and cooking is a bit of a hassle with my kitchen (oh yeah, don't have a kitchen sink either, and washing dishes in the bathroom sink is a hassle).
What I'll be eating this week for:
Breakfast: Cereal w/ blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, or peaches; Fried egg with chard and sausage, served on a toasted bagel thin with cheese.
Lunch: Tuna salad w/ pickles and cheese, served on crackers; leftovers; quesadillas.
Dinner: Hamburgers w/ caramelized Walla Walla Sweet onions; Sloppy Joes; Fajitas; Meat ball sandwiches out of the crock pot.
This weekend is a flyball tournament, and I want to bring a breakfast item to share that includes some of the amazing blackberries I have been picking. Anyone have a good, easy to make blackberry recipe that would be good for breakfast, travel easily, and is easy to eat?
To see some more menu planning ideas for the week, go visit I'm An Organizing Junkie and StoneGable
*A note, is that I don't have a kitchen. I have a mini fridge, a microwave, a toaster oven, a hot plate, and a crock pot. I make an effort to cook home made food as often as possible within these limitations. Most of the time I will deliberately cook enough to have 3-4 meals at a time, since I live alone and cooking is a bit of a hassle with my kitchen (oh yeah, don't have a kitchen sink either, and washing dishes in the bathroom sink is a hassle).
What I'll be eating this week for:
Breakfast: Cereal w/ blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, or peaches; Fried egg with chard and sausage, served on a toasted bagel thin with cheese.
Lunch: Tuna salad w/ pickles and cheese, served on crackers; leftovers; quesadillas.
Dinner: Hamburgers w/ caramelized Walla Walla Sweet onions; Sloppy Joes; Fajitas; Meat ball sandwiches out of the crock pot.
This weekend is a flyball tournament, and I want to bring a breakfast item to share that includes some of the amazing blackberries I have been picking. Anyone have a good, easy to make blackberry recipe that would be good for breakfast, travel easily, and is easy to eat?
To see some more menu planning ideas for the week, go visit I'm An Organizing Junkie and StoneGable
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