December Menu

The Christmas Eve Pulled Pork....Yum!

The Bussan family menu for December...

I've tried to put links to recipes where I could.  Our focus these days is eating out less and keeping the variety from day to day.

So here we go!

1  -  Chicken Enchiladas*
http://foodfamilyfinds.com/recipe-easy-and-creamy-white-chicken-enchiladas/

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2  -  Ultimeat Pasta
http://thecheesepusher.tumblr.com/post/2615469893/ultimeat-pasta

3  -  Sticky Buns, Eggs & Sausage

4  -  Tuna Noodles
(I will post the recipe in a week...it's SO good!)

5  -  Pizza Pull*
http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/pepperoni-pizza-pull

6  -  Angel Chicken
http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/chicken/slow-cooker-angel-chicken/ Such a good dish...my mouth is already watering!

7  -  (Eat Out)

8  -  Left Overs

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9  -  Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings*
http://www.bubblecrumb.com/2010/02/14/crock-pot-chicken-and-dumplings-recipe/

10 -  Tacos

11 -  Pigs and Blankets
Cresent Rolls, Hot dogs and velveeta...YUM!

12 -  Hamburger Sliders*
http://www.hy-vee.com/meal-solutions/recipes/Easy-Gourmet-Sliders-R6762.aspx

13 -  Peanut Butter French Toast*
http://www.marthastewart.com/902460/peanut-butter-stuffed-french-toast

14 -  (Eat Out)

15 -  Mushroom-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/mushroom-stuffed-pork-tenderloin-recipe/index.html

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16 -  Chicken (Slow Cooker)
http://www.budgetsavvydiva.com/2012/02/crock-pot-chicken/

17 -  Pizza

18 -  Garlic Chicken Puffs
http://tidymom.net/2009/garlic-chicken-puffs-christmas-party/

19 -  Roast Beef Sandwiches
http://www.campbellskitchen.com/recipes/recipedetails?recipeid=60570&fm=internal_search

20 - Shrimp & Creamy Garlic Pasta
http://thecheesepusher.tumblr.com/post/2719857351/creamy-garlic-pasta  Along side the pasta I will sautee some shrimp in Olive Oil and garlic

21 -  (Travel to my parent's for Christmas!)

22 -  (Eat Out)

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23 -  Big Eddie's Rigatoni
http://www1.gooseberrypatch.com/gooseberry/recipe.nsf/55e548eeef8c89b9852568d4004c5ffe/011EA759044C0C808525785D005A9A11

24 -  Christmas Eve dinner at my Grandmas!  Pulled Pork Sandwiches & Gorgonzola Salad
http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/perfect-pulled-pork-slow-roasted-seasoned-savory.html  Gorgonzola Salad Recipe to follow!

25 -  Christmas Dinner at my mom's!

26 -  Popcorn & Milkshakes

27 -  Silver Dollar Sour Cream Pancakes*
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/silver-dollar-sour-cream-124287.aspx

28 -  (Eat Out)

29 -  Christmas DInner at home!  PW Meat Loaf and Mashed Potatoes
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/09/my-favorite-meatloaf/ Oh. Sweet. Heaven.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/11/delicious_creamy_mashed_potatoes/ Oh. Sweet. Heaven. Part 2.

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30 -  Chicken Empanadas
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/cheesy-chicken-empanadas-120124.aspx

31 - (Eat Out)

*indicates new recipe...  Most found on Pinterest. (Follow my boards!  http://pinterest.com/jennifer_bussan/) Some found in various magazines!

Happy eating!!!  I will be planning out January and February during my winter break.  I will post January before the new year!

November Menu

Meal planning is something that I really enjoy as long as I do it in advance...like, way in advance.  I like to plan 2 months at a time.  At a minimum I have to do one month...if I don't then life gets stressful and expensive! By planning that far in advance I can stock up on things as they go on sale and it's easier to make, and stick to, grocery lists.  I shop once per week...usually on Sunday.  We do not do a left overs night unless we have tons of them...most leftovers are taken for lunches throughout the week.

The Bussan family menu for November...

I've tried to put links to recipes where I could.  Our focus these days is eating out less and keeping the variety from day to day.

So here we go!

1  -  Biscuits and Gravy

(http://allrecipes.com/recipe/super-sausage-gravy/  I shake in a little Cayenne Pepper to give it a little zing!)

2  -  Crepes

  (Dinner & Movie night...my pick!  We are watching Beauty and the Beast so I went with "French" food!)

(http://allrecipes.com/recipe/basic-crepes/  I will fill them with bananas and Nutella..top them with whipped cream)

3  -  (Meeting my parents for dinner)

4  -  Marinated Flank Steak

(recipe similar to this... http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1927,142166-236200,00.html )

5  -  Corn Dog Muffins

(http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Corn-Dog-Muffins)

6  -  Quesedillas

(http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/speedy-salsa-chicken-quesadillas-105222.aspx  we sub Salsa Verde for the regular salsa...YUM!)

7  -  Baked Potato Soup (Slow Cooker)

(http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/2011/03/outback-aint-got-nothin-on-me.html  Seriously...if you try ONE new recipe this month do this one...insanely good!)

8  -  ?? (Seattle trip - mom watching Aidyn)

9  -  ?? (Seattle trip - mom watching Aidyn)

10 -  ??(Seattle trip - mom watching Aidyn)

11 -  Fish Fillets & Rice

12 -  Taco Salad

13 -  Kielbasa Bow Tie*

(http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Kielbasa-Bow-Tie-Skillet)

14 -  Chicken Cordon Bleu*

(http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Easy-Chicken-Cordon-Bleu)

15 -  Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

16 -  (Aidyn's Dinner & Movie night)

17 -  Ham & Cheese Pretzel Bites*

(http://www.pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/2012/2/27/ham-cheese-pretzel-bites.html)

18 -  Salisbury Steak (Slow Cooker)

(http://www.wrinkledmommy.com/2011/08/salisbury-steak-in-the-crockpot/#comment-1786  This looks HORRIBLE.  But the taste...OMG...I don't even LIKE Salisbury steak and I love this...)

19 -  "daddy" eggs

20 - Spaghetti & Meatballs

21 -  Chicken Crescent Casserole

(http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/1881796-Chicken-Crescent-Roll-Casserole)

22 -  Thanksgiving dinner...Turkey & all the fixins!

23 -  Pizza

24 -  Sausage Pancake Bites*

25 -  Lasagna Soup*

(http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2011/03/24/lasagna-soup/)

26 -  Cupcake Pizzas*

(http://reallyfrompinterest.blogspot.com/2012/04/cupcake-mold-pizzas.html)

27 -  Blender French Toast*

(http://cookingalamode.blogspot.com/2010/03/blender-french-toast-with-coconut-syrup.html)

28 -  Caesar Pasta Bake

(http://momandwife.com/2011/10/creamy-caesar-chicken-pasta-bake/)

29 -  Beef Pot Roast (Slow Cooker)

30 -  (Dave's Dinner & Movie night)

*indicates new recipe...  Most found on Pinterest. (Follow my boards!  http://pinterest.com/jennifer_bussan/) Some found in various magazines!

Happy eating!!!  I have December completed and hope to get it up in the weeks to come.

Monthly Menu Planning - What you need...

I love menu planning.  There...I said it.  I genuinely love to plan out dinners for a month, or even two months, at a time.  It saves me a ton of time and a ton of money.  Time?  Instead of making multiple trips to the grocery store every week I just make one.  Instead of standing in front of the refrigerator and pantry trying to decide what to cook for dinner I can get right down to business.  Money?  With fewer trips to the grocery store I have less opportunity to make impulse purchases.  By only buying what is on my shopping list I am buying only the ingredients that I need and I'm not wasting food.  Also...by planning ahead I can space out the "bigger" casseroles and make sure that there are plenty of "fresh" left-overs to take for lunch throughout the week.

So how do I keep it organized?

First, you need a big binder.  Make it pretty...it's about to become your friend!

 Next, pocket dividers.  The number is up to you.  I like having one for every month and a few extra.  You MUST get the pocket divider...you will be using the front pocket for your menu and the back pocket for your grocery lists.

 Next, calendar blanks.  I like to use blanks and just write in the numbers.  It's faster...I can print out a bunch and keep them in a spare pocket divider at the back of the binder.

























Next, a good grocery checklist.  I realize that many people may think that this is over-board but I honestly consider it the secret to my success.  I can shop for a full week of groceries in under 30 minutes WITH my kid in tow simply by using this checklist.  It takes the guess work out of shopping and makes my trips super fast.  My list is set up for the grocery store that I use most, Hy-Vee in Madison, WI.  When I started shopping there I went into the store with a notebook and wrote things down in the order that I would find them...produce, deli, meat, dairy, frozen (the perimeter) first.  Then I went through the rest of the store aisle by aisle and jotted down the regular things that I would buy.  Pop in a few extra blanks and *bam* you have a fast checklist to make shopping a cinch.  It takes some time to set up but it is worth every second.

















How about the real thing?  Download it!

http://www.box.com/s/z1urcyx053zyktlmnvx8



Almost there!  You need blank dinner pages.  You will use these to jot down the quick dinners that you don't need to follow a recipe for.  Even though you don't need a recipe these will act as place-holders and they are a handy reference for what you will need when you are filling out your grocery list.  Mine look like this...feel free to download and make adjustments as needed.

http://www.box.com/s/vgud0n6tdy506pbln9c9



Finally, you need a LOT of page protectors.  You will have a separate page for every day that you will be cooking.  I keep enough in my binder for several months.

















So...once you have all of that you are ready to plan.  Go get it!!!
How to put it together will follow in post 2...Monthly Menu Planning - How to put it together...

March Menu

The menu for March!

My challenge this month?  Fast food! My mini-me is starting 2 classes and I am back to having an evening rehearsal on Monday so finding time to really cook on 3 nights of the week will be a challenge.

1  --  Tuna Noodles
2  --  (Eat out)
3  --  (Show Choir party)
4  --  Rigatoni w/ Creamy Mushroom Sauce and Chicken*
         http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/everyday-italian/rigatoni-with-creamy-mushroom-sauce-recipe/index.html
5  --  Turkey Joes
         Mix a lb. of Ground Turkey with a can of Manwich and a can of Chicken Gumbo soup...season to taste.
6  --  Chicken Caesar Wraps
         http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/chicken-caesar-wraps-114117.aspx
7  --  Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
8  --  French Toast
9  --  (Eat out)
10 -  (Family weekend in Iowa)
11 -  Popcorn & Milkshakes
12 -  Mexican Dorito Casserole*
        http://www.jamhands.net/2008/12/mexican-chicken-casserole.html
13 -  Drip Roast Beef Sandwiches*
        http://www.campbellkitchen.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?recipeId=60570
14 -  "Daddy Eggs"
         Dave's night to cook...scrambled eggs with milk, sausage and cheese.
15 -  Spaghetti & Meatballs
16 -  (Eat out)
17 -  Chicken Tacos
         http://www.thisiswhatweknow.com/2011/05/09/chicken-tacos-its-whats-for-dinner/
18 -  Bacon Cheeseburgers*
         http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/real-juicy-bacon-cheeseburgers.html
19 -  Slow Cooker Upside-down Chicken Pot Pie*
         http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-upside-down-chicken-pot-pie/5ca0af11-a59d-4dca-b933-a2ab50e0e6c6
20 -  Fish Sticks & Rice
21 -  Marinated Flank Steak
         http://allrecipes.com/recipe/marinated-flank-steak/
22 -  Pancakes
23 -  (Eat Out)
24 -  Ultimeat Pasta*
         http://thecheesepusher.tumblr.com/post/2615469893/ultimeat-pasta
25 -  Crock Pot Chicken*
         http://www.budgetsavvydiva.com/2012/02/crock-pot-chicken/
26 -  Mac n Cheese Lasagna
         http://realmomkitchen.com/8086/mac-and-cheese-lasagna/
27 -  Taco Salad
28 -  Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Quesedillas
         http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/05/grilled-chicken-pineapple-quesadillas/
29 -  PB&J
30 -  (Eat out)
31 -  Angel Chicken
         http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/chicken/slow-cooker-angel-chicken/

(* new recipe for our family)

Anything without a recipe link is something that I toss together and usually pretty self-explanatory!

I am working on a post (or two!) that will go over how I plan out my menus.  Stay tuned...I hope to have them up within the next couple of days.