Real Life: Live & Unscripted

Menu Planning

I was on twitter uhh the other day and we were talking about menu planning.

Since my surgery my menu planning was pretty much null & void. I didn't do ANYTHING. Didn't want to. Didn't have to, so I didn't lol.

Normally things run like a well oiled machine here. MOST TIMES. EVERY now and then things just kinda go crazy. I have these lazy spells where I don't want to do ANYTHING, so I don't. *shrugs*

Anyway, we were talking about menu planning and seems like my entire TL seemed to think I was crazy because I plan for the whole month. YEP. THE ENTIRE MONTH.

**clutches pearls**

That is what works for us me.

I've tried to do it a week at a time and it would work for a little while but I found myself spending more and more time in the grocery store. I mean I have OTHER stuff to do lol.

So I changed it to monthly.

AND THE ANGELS SING. It WORKS for us me.

I don't have picky eaters, so feeding them is fun. I love to cook, they love to eat. It's seriously a win-win situation.

The way it works, normally I will take some things that I've previously cooked that I know everyone likes and just pick some days and put them on the calendar.

The kids will sometimes get online and find things they want me to cook or sit and look through the cookbooks and find something. Tony has fallen in love with all the food on pinterest and he will look for something on there lol.

They all give me ideas. It works.

I strategically place the items on the calendar. ANYTHING involving a crock pot is made on Tuesday OR Saturday so we can have leftovers. I don't like cooking on Wednesday or Sunday.

There are a few days during each month when I'm "off" or I'll put "feed yourself". Hey I'm entitled.

Once it is all finalized, I print it and put it on the fridge so EVERYONE can see. Do NOT ASK ME WHAT IS FOR DINNER. LOOK AT THE CALENDAR.

I make my grocery list. I check my pantry and cabinets for things I already have (I keep a pretty well stocked pantry) so I normally don't need much unless I'm replacing something I've run out of OR trying something super new that requires me to buy stuff I don't normally use.

It is THAT easy.

I did my shopping for May yesterday. Only took a couple of hours, I did have a list.

Yep I'm a little late in the month but hey I'm still healing. I put up the cold stuff left all the other stuff for everyone else to put away.

TECHNICALLY we are supposed to be having leftovers tomorrow BUT they killed it and I doubled the recipe. I said ok. Tomorrow is Friday soooooo they can eat whatever lol.

Planning a menu for the entire month has ONE drawback... what if I have a craving for something else.

I will do one of two things. I will either just cook it and make what I was going to make that day later OR add it to the next months calendar. It works for me.

I normally work on the next months menu as soon as I print the current menu out. It stays open on my computer and normally by the middle of the month I'm about ready to make my grocery list. I know how much we use certain things so I can always tell if I'm going to need more for the next month.

The ONLY time I go to the store during the month is if I have forgotten something OR if I'm buying fresh items. That's IT. I hardly ever forget to put anything on the list OR pick it up but it does happen lol.

Ok, that's about it. Any questions? Feel free to ask!
Toodles!

 

Chicken Parmesan Wraps

Sooooo pinterest... lol. That's about all I can say lol

I saw this on there and I was like whoaa that looks good!

I made this YESTERDAY lol. I hardly EVER post recipies that quick. It was THAT good.

Original Recipe

Chicken Parmesan Wraps

makes 6

8 oz raw chicken breast

1 cup marinara sauce, plus more for serving (see my favorite recipe here)

6 egg roll wrappers (each 7 inches squared)

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Place the chicken breast in a small pot and fill with enough water just to cover. Bring to a boil on your stovetop, reduce the heat slightly, then simmer for about 12 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain and let cool before shredding with two forks, pulling against the grain of the meat.

Mix the meat with the marinara sauce in a small bowl.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Lay the egg roll wrappers on a clean work surface.

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE, GET SOMEONE ELSE TO COME HELP SO YOU CAN TAKE PICTURES...

Ok, continue...

Layer each with a few leaves of spinach, then chicken, followed by mozzarella and parmesan.

(Ignore the crappy cell phone picture lol)

Lightly brush two adjacent sides of the wrapper with water and fold the upper left corner downward, covering the filling, and press to seal on the bottom right corner. Press to seal each of the sides. Repeat with remaining wraps.

 

Place all 6 filled wraps on a greased wire rack set over a cookie sheet, coat each in cooking spray or a light brushing of olive oil, and bake for about 12 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn a golden brown.

Serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

 

I didn't use marinara sauce for dipping. I used the Asian Sesame dressing from the other day. I seriously put it on everything and it was OH so good on this!

The only thing I will do differently next time is add more spinach. This is GOOD. I actually cooked the entire pack of egg roll wrappers. They KILLED it.

Nutrition information for 1 wrap:

Calories: 178, Fat: 4.4g, Cholesterol: 32.8mg, Carb: 17.7g, Fiber: 1.1g, Protein: 15.7g