Catzlover’s Cooking

Menu Plan Monday!

We spend so much time renovating these days that it really qualifies as a part time job. I thought you might get a kick out of seeing the house where we are doing all this work. Keep in mind that it is far from finished, especially inside! But we are almost finished with the exterior painting and repairs and hope to have the trim work done and an extended porch in place by the end of October.

Yes, that is turquoise blue! The house was a dull gray and really needed (IMHO) something cheerful. I am not a person who is afraid of color.

House renovations really have an impact on what we are eating for dinner. It is difficult for me to muster up much energy for anything elaborate or time consuming on the days we are painting. If is is not quick, it has to be made in advance and ready to heat. (See Personal Chef Days)

Now onto dinners for this week. As you can see, Breakfast for Dinner is back on the menu this week since I never got to it last week.

Monday – General Tso’s Tofu with Rice
Tuesday – Macaroni and Cheese
Wednesday – Spinach Pie with Phyllo Dough and Greek Salad
Thursday – Breakfast For Dinner – Waffles
Friday – Leftovers or Pizza

What’s on your menu?

Sandra
P.S. If you come just to read the blog, I have a bunch of goodies on this web site. Vegetarian Recipes, Easy Picture Recipes for Kids (via my Bry-Back Manor site), and Super Sturdy Reusable Grocery Bags that I tie dye myself. Check it out!

Menu Plan Monday!

We all thoroughly enjoyed the soup and bread last week. A good thing, too, as this week we are back to summer temperatures and minimal cooking meals.

I have a lot of fresh basil right now, so I experimented with a Pesto bread. Sorry, no recipe, but if you are at all a bread baker you can probably use your own favorite bread recipe with the following add ins: lots of chopped fresh basil and olive oil in the bread. Top this right before baking with toasted pine nuts and chopped garlic and parmesan cheese. It went very well with bean soup and probably would be equally yummy with a nice tomato soup.

On the menu for this week:

Monday – Shepherd’s Pie
Tuesday – Tomato and Muenster Subs
Wednesday – Taco Casserole
Thursday – Breakfast For Dinner – Waffles
Friday – Leftovers or Pizza

My husband commented yesterday on how we seem to have just the right amount of leftovers for weekends (when I am renovating and not cooking). I was pleased to hear that I have achieved a good balance for cooking for three at last!

I was thoroughly enjoying The Happy Honest Atheist Homemaker blog for a while and I see that it has disappeared. If anyone out there knows the author, tell her to please come back!

What’s on your menu?

Sandra
P.S. If you come just to read the blog, I have a bunch of goodies on this web site. Vegetarian Recipes, Easy Picture Recipes for Kids (via my Bry-Back Manor site), and Super Sturdy Reusable Grocery Bags that I tie dye myself. Check it out!

Menu Plan Monday!

I am no longer a Quinoa virgin! The Quinoa last week was a big hit. I decided to leave it plainish but not completely unadorned so I could get the real taste. I tossed it some tomatoes and parmesan and it was quite satisfying.

I ended up with a lot of leftovers last week because my husband put in some long days so we are starting out the week with cleaning out the fridge. I also noticed a few things in the fridge that I should use and I have a handful of snow peas (And I do mean a HANDFUL) and some cucumbers from the rooftop garden that I want to use. So I am planning my menus around things I need to use this week.

The menu this week:

Monday – Veggie Ribs and Leftovers
Tuesday – Bean Soup and Bread
Wednesday – Caesar Wraps (Use that Lettuce!)
Thursday – Sesame Salad (Peas and Cucumbers!)
Friday – Leftovers or Pizza

I have been missing soup and some good home made bread. When I saw that the high temperature for tomorrow in our area is only going to be in the seveties, I couldn’t resist. Soup and bread! Hooray!

What’s on your menu?

Sandra
P.S. If you come just to read the blog, I have a bunch of goodies on this web site. Vegetarian Recipes, Easy Picture Recipes for Kids (via my Bry-Back Manor site), and Super Sturdy Reusable Grocery Bags that I tie dye myself. Check it out!

Menu Plan Monday!

Everything went according to plan last week EXCEPT the Beans and Weinies so it is on the Monday menu this week.

I have a shocking confession to make. I have been a vegetarian for 20 years and have never made Quinoa or even tasted Quinoa. When I was in a local Health Food store the other day, I decided it was high time to try this reputed super grain. There were a couple of interesting recipes on the box, but I am opting to make it plain – at least for the first time.

I see so many other menu planners out there in cyberspace who strive to be frugal or super couponers. Another confession I would like to make is that I am not a frugalista.

There was a time I was a serious penny pincher because I HAD to be. I gloried in the generic section of the SuperFresh (anyone else remember the plain black and white BEER cans?). I bought white bread, white rice, white macaroni because they were CHEAP!

Fast forward a number of years and I am grateful I don’t HAVE to be a penny pincher any longer. Now, don’t get me wrong. I still coupon on occasion and I look for sales and I use my grocery store cards. But, I buy the whole wheat goodies. I buy Olive Oil. I buy the Romaine lettuce, not the iceberg. And so on. We eat for flavor and we eat “good” food.

And since I am only cooking for 3 these days, if you subtract the dog food, cat litter, cat food, bird seed, sunflower seeds, and critter mix (!), my grocery budget is still not completely out of control. Hooray!

The menu this week:

Monday – Beans and Tofu Weinies
Tuesday – Tortellini and Pesto Tofu with Pesto
Wednesday – Veggie Ribs and Potato Salad
Thursday – Italian Sausage w/ Peppers and Quinoa
Friday – Leftovers or Pizza

What’s on your menu?

Sandra

P.S. If you come just to read the blog, I have a bunch of goodies on this web site. Vegetarian Recipes, Easy Picture Recipes for Kids (via my Bry-Back Manor site), and Super Sturdy Reusable Grocery Bags that I tie dye myself. Check it out!

Menu Plan Monday!

I thoroughly enjoyed my Eggplant Parmesan last week! My daughter even had some! In fact, I went a little wild and took part of the eggplant to make a small pan of Moussaka to freeze for another time. I will be posting my recipe for Vegetarian Moussaka on Thursday.

I have mentioned before that my husband and I are currently renovating an old Victorian house. We are in the thick of painting the exterior so my menus this week may be subject to change (Veggie Burger anyone?).

Monday – Great Big Salad w/ Chick’n Patties
Tuesday – Mac and Cheese with Beans from the Roof Garden
Wednesday – Curried Seitan
Thursday – Beans and Tofu Weinies
Friday – Leftovers or Pizza

What’s on your menu?

Sandra

P.S. If you come just to read the blog, I have a bunch of goodies on this web site. Vegetarian Recipes, Easy Picture Recipes for Kids (via my Bry-Back Manor site), and Super Sturdy Reusable Grocery Bags that I tie dye myself. Check it out!

Menu Plan Monday!

It is only August 2 and already it feels like the summer is winding down. My husband is starting to shift his focus to school related things (he’s a teacher) and my daughter only has one more week of day camp to go after this week. I miss the days when school started AFTER Labor Day!

Keilbasa turned into a big salad last week. Oh well.

This week I got inspired via Scrumptious to make some eggplant. My husband doesn’t care for eggplant so I don’t make it often, but I happen to love it.

So this week we’ll be eating:

Monday – Leftover Bean Salad and Corn on the Cob
Tuesday – Tomato and Harvarti Dill Subs
Wednesday – Eggplant Parmesan and Gnocchi
Thursday – Tofurky Keilbasa and Saurkraut w/ Peirogi
Friday – Leftovers or Pizza

What’s on your menu?

Sandra

P.S. If you come just to read the blog, I have a bunch of goodies on this web site. Vegetarian Recipes, Easy Picture Recipes for Kids (via my Bry-Back Manor site), and Super Sturdy Reusable Grocery Bags that I tie dye myself. Check it out!

Menu Plan Monday!

My menus went as planned last week until Thursday rolled around. Shepherd’s Pie became Panzanella and vichysoisse. I honestly can’t remember the last time I made vichysoisse and I can’t remember if I really used leeks in it before. But I followed the traditional recipe (using Harvest Direct “Chicken” Broth and milk instead of cream) and it was very good – especially with some fresh chives from the garden on top.  A little Summer comfort food!

This week I am feeling the need for a little more substance than green salad in the menus. Of course, all of these dinners are subject to change if I am overwhelmed by the heat of the day!

Monday – Veggie Ribs, Leftover Vichysoisse, Leftover Salads
Tuesday – Pasta with Alfredo Sauce (I like to add Quorn to this!)
Wednesday – Tofurky Keilbasa and Saurkraut
Thursday – Southwest Bean Salad (with a bag of dried beans I found in the pantry)
Friday – Leftovers or Pizza

What’s on your menu?

Sandra

Menu Plan Monday!

I find myself somewhat uninspired this week. I don’t know if it is the heat, or that I know I will be busy, or if it is because my grocery budget is reaching that end of the month sad state that means I need to buy less and eat out of the pantry more.

Lack of inspiration is another good reason to sketch out a menu plan. Without a plan, we would probably be eating take out or veggie burgers every night. Yikes!

So here is what we will be eating – in theory. <grin>

Monday – Sandwiches, Three Bean Salad, Pickled Beets
Tuesday – Spaghetti with a side of Spinach
Wednesday – Antipasto Salad (Greens, Olives, Veggies, and Yves Pepperoni)
Thursday – Shepherd’s Pie
Friday – Leftovers or Pizza

What’s on your menu?

Sandra

Menu Plan Monday!

More hot weather means more Salads and more light fare for this week.

There are moments lately when I miss cooler weather and using my oven. I am missing home made bread and bubbling lasana. Oh, I suppose I could get up at the crack of dawn and do a little baking before the heat sets in for the day. Then again…

Spinach Salad turned into Sesame Salad last week. I put it on the menu for Monday so it WILL be made this week. Here’s what we will be eating this week.

Monday – Spinach Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing and Sloppy Joes
Tuesday – Tabouli
Wednesday – Chick’n Caesar Salad Wraps
Thursday – Mac and Cheese Pasta Salad
Friday – Leftovers or Pizza

What’s on your menu?

Sandra

Menu Plan Monday!

The big hit for last week turned out to be the pasta salad I made. I used a vinegar and oil dressing with mini raviolis and grape tomatoes. My husband chowed down even if it wasn’t green!

This week we are having more hot weather and more salads!!

We are doing our Fourth of July BBQ today. Included in the menu is potato salad. I love potato salad! But I do try to make it a little lower in calories with low fat mayo and mustard dressing. Two never fail tips I have learned over the years for a better product are to steam the potatoes instead of boiling them (no more soggy potatoes!) and to put my hard boiled eggs in ice water to make them easier to peel.

Monday – Veggie Burgers, Potato Salad, Corn on the Cob
Tuesday – Greek Salad with Garbanzo Beans and Feta Cheese
Wednesday – Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Pesto
Thursday – Spinach Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing and Sloppy Joes
Friday – Leftovers or Pizza

Yes, I had Spinach Salad and Sloppy Joes planned for last week. I got a pizza instead that day. That is the way the menu plan goes sometimes – especially in the summer!

What’s on your menu?

Sandra