Category Archives: menu plan Monday

Hoping the meteorologists are on target

Monday: Hawaiian chicken

Rockford is the primary pineapple fan in our house, and he wasn’t even here when we tried this the first time. I think he’ll like it.
Menu Plan Monday

Tuesday: Red beans and rice

I made a large pot of red beans and meat a few weeks ago, and I have two meals’ worth still in the freezer. So this will be a super-easy meal.

Wednesday: Cheeseburgers

The Weather Channel tells me we’re supposed to have nice weather on Wednesday. I’m hoping they’re right, because I’m planning to grill these.

Thursday: Grilled tuna

And Thursday is supposed to be even lovelier than Wednesday!

Friday: Undecided

I’m going to be trying Bikram yoga on Friday evening with a friend, so Rockford and the kids will be dining without me. It’s also known as “hot yoga,” apparently, because the room is heated to a ridiculous temperature. I would not be surprised if I passed out.

Free chickens are the best chickens

Alton Brown's Who Loves Ya Baby-Back Ribs. Or as we like to call them: Rockford's Lunch.
Alton Brown's Who Loves Ya Baby-Back Ribs. Or as we like to call them: Rockford's Lunch.
Monday: Breakfast for dinner

We may or may not also have barbecued ribs, because I forgot to put the rub on them yesterday in time to have them for dinner last night. I might make them for the World’s Most Luxurious Monday Afternoon At-Home Lunch.
Menu Plan Monday

Tuesday: Roast chicken, glazed carrots and salad

A local grocery store had a coupon a few weeks ago for a free chicken. Three cheers for free chickens!

Wednesday: Tortilla stackups

These will have chicken in them if there’s any leftover from Tuesday night. Otherwise, it’ll be black beans and friends.

Thursday: Red beans and rice

Pete and I ate red beans and rice every night for a week once while Rockford was out of town, and we enjoyed every last dish of it. I’m not making enough for that this time around, but I’m looking forward to it anyway.

Friday: Pizza

We’ll be making it at home this week.

Hard-boiled eggs and casseroles don’t mix

My dear friend Amy got me a subscription to Food Network magazine, and the latest issue grabbed Poppy’s attention. She was fascinated by the “Mix & Match Baked Pasta” feature, which is in the “Fun Cooking” section of the magazine. Well played, Food Network magazine. Anyway, I told her she could help with the mixing and matching, and we’d make it for dinner one night this week. She chose:

Fusilli + shredded chicken + hard-boiled eggs + artichoke hearts + a creamy sauce + mozzarella

The very idea of hard-boiled eggs in a baked pasta makes me gag a little, so I planned to leave that out. The rest of it sounded fine, though, so I put it on the menu. And I told her later that we’d be having it on Monday night. “Great!” she said. “I won’t eat it.”

Of course not.

We did reach an agreement, though. I’m going to make her a dish of just pasta and sauce, and I’m going to put some chicken on the side.

She’ll grow out of this someday. I was a picky kid, too — not as picky as some people, though — and I grew out of it. Eventually. When I was 20 or so.

Sigh.

Monday: Baked chicken & pasta

I’m making it with chicken, roasted red peppers and spinach.Menu Plan Monday

Tuesday: Meatballs & polenta

Tuesday is usually kids’ choice night, but since Poppy chose something other than eggs or spaghetti this week I decided to have two kid nights. This is Pete’s choice. The meatballs are, anyway. I’ve never made polenta before. I’m counting on it to be awesome.

Wednesday: Dinner with friends

Thursday: Kung pao chicken

Thursday is supposed to be bean night, but this week it’s Rockford’s Choice night. And he picked kung pao chicken. I’ll be following the Cook’s Illustrated Kung pao shrimp recipe. The ingredient list is approximately two miles long, but it comes together easily and is delicious.

Friday: Pizza