November Menu Plan

As we approach the holiday season with its inherent over-indulgences, I am setting my mind to keeping things simple in our home. From food to gift ideas to how we choose to spend our time these next 2 months, we will be focusing on how we can serve our Lord and celebrate with our families.

Dinners:

• Taco Casserole (use chicken rather than ground beef), green salad
• Aussie Chicken, yellow rice, roasted butternut squash
• *Toscano Soup (recipe this week), French bread
• Homemade pizza and green salad (x2)
• Chicken Pot Pie (using puff pastry topping), green salad
• *Chicken Taco Soup
• Creamy Corn Chowder with grilled cheese on French bread
• Breakfast for dinner (x2)
• Spaghetti with homemade sauce, green salad, and Garlic Knots (x2)
• Meatloaf Cups, baked sweet potatoes
• *Chicken Stroganoff, egg noodles, green beans
• Sicilian Casserole, green salad
• *Sideline Sausage Soup, cornbread muffins
• Chicken a la king over puff pastry with broccoli
• Grilled steak and fries
  
• *Lasagna, Garlic Knots, and salad
• Beef tacos

* Denotes a slow cooker recipe

I do not have a detailed plan yet for baking and snacks - I will post those from week to week. Stay tuned!

Enjoy this month with your friends and families and "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done." Psalm 105:1

Menu Plan - Week of October 26

Last week's menu plan didn't go quite like I had planned. When we returned from Florida, two of my cousins came into town to help my parents do some home renovations, so we spent 2 nights at mom and dad's for dinner. There are some carryover meals this week because of that. Also, I am trying hard to cut our spending as we approach the holidays so we can enjoy the season with friends and family without stressing about money. And, since I know what ingredients I have on hand, I'll be sticking with the plan this week - Lord willing!

Dinners:

• Beef roast in slow cooker with carrots and potatoes
  
• Honey Roasted Acorn Squash and Chicken (I'll use split chicken breasts rather than legs)
• Whole wheat pasta with Carbonara Sauce and salad
• Crock Pot Lasagna, Italian Cheese Bread, and salad

Baking, Lunch, and Breakfast:

• Pumpkin Soft Pretzels
• Apple Pancakes (triple batch to freeze)
• Stuffed Bread Sticks (little man can eat these for lunch)

Head over and visit Laura for hundreds more menu plans each week!

Menu Plan - week of October 18

Fall has arrived!!! We spent a week in the "Land of Mouse" in central FL and returned to find beautiful scenery with changing leaves, cooler temperatures, lower humidity, and we are thrilled! I went to the grocery and the warehouse club today and have already made apple muffins, French bread, and DH has a pot of beef stew bubbling on the stove. As for the rest of the week ...

Dinners:

• Crock Pot Lasagna, salad, and Italian Cheese Bread
• Pork chops, apples, and sweet potatoes in slow cooker
  
• Aussie Chicken and baked sweet potatoes
• Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff with rice and green beans
• Whole wheat pasta with Carbonara Sauce and salad

Snacks, Breakfast, Baking:

• Overnight French Toast Casserole and bacon (Sunday breakfast)
• Pumpkin Soft Pretzels
• Apple Pancakes (double or triple batch and freeze)
• Apple Chips
  

Menu Plan - Week of October 5

I am amazed that it is October already! Friends and family always tell me that time flies with children in the house and I firmly believe it this year. October will bring many fun things to our house. Little man is turning 4, we are heading to Florida for a dream filled vacation with our favorite mouse, a trip to the pumpkin patch, and much more. This is our favorite time of year in the South!

Weeknight Dinners:

• Vegetable beef soup with Italian Cheese Bread
• Chicken a la king over puff pastry with green salad
• Homemade pizza and cut veggies
• Beef tacos

Baking:

• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (made in mini size - for freezer)
• Banana muffins (use this amazing bread recipe and make into muffins - for freezer)
  

October Menu Plan

As promised! We will be out of town for a week, so the number of meals is reduced this month. I hope you find some yummy ideas for your own families!

Dinners:

• Sideline Sausage Soup
• 40 Clove Garlic Chicken with mashed potatoes and carrots
• Vegetable beef soup in slow cooker
• Chicken a la king over puff pastry with broccoli
• Beef tacos
• Chicken tacos
• Beef stew and homemade bread
• Slow cooker Chicken Stroganoff with rice and green beans
• Salmon patties, pan fried potatoes, coleslaw
• Crock Pot Lasagna, salad, bread
• Chili and spicy cornbread
• Burgers and fries
• Crock Pot Red Wine & Cranberry Pot Roast with mashed potatoes
• Slow Cooker Toscano soup (recipe coming later)

Desserts and Treats:

• Apple Dumplings
• Homemade Pop Tarts (I wasn't happy with the taste using store bought pie crust, so I'm making my own this month)
• Homemade Donuts
  

Breakfast, Baking and Freezer Cooking:

• pancakes and waffles for freezer
• Bacon Cheddar Biscuits for DH
• Bacon Mushroom Breakfast Strata
• Cinnamon and Orange Rolls
  

Brisket in Slow Cooker

I had plans to make a beef brisket in the slow cooker on Monday. I had all my ingredients picked out and sent DH to the store for the meat. He came back with a large sirloin roast instead - brisket looked bad and was too expensive. The nice thing about this recipe though is the meat can be swapped out, no problem. This would be good with any large cut of meat - brisket, chuck roast, or sirloin roast. It would probably work well also with a hearty pork roast. Did I take even one single picture? NO! Many other bloggers photograph their ingredients, equipment, and final products. I probably should do that to - note to self. Anyway, I can definitely share the recipe with you though. Try it and send me a picture of what yours looks like!

• 2-3 lb beef roast
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 1 large sweet onion, quartered
• 4-5 carrots, cut into bote size pieces
• 3 cups beef stock
• 2-3 cups red wine (something you'd like to drink - don't buy the really cheap nasty stuff; it will get sour after cooking all day)
• 2 T Mrs. Dash or other salty free seasoning blend
• 2 t black pepper

1. Put the veggies in the bottom on a lrge (5-6 quart) slow cooker
2. Put the roast on top of the veggies (this way the meat dripping season the veggies and the meat doesn't get too greasy)
3. Pour the beef broth and wine over the ingredients
4. Season with Mrs. Dash and black pepper
5. Cook on low 6-8 hours

Just before serving, DH took the liquid and reduced it into a yummy gravy. We served it with egg noodles and ate the carrots and onions also. Enjoy!