My Grand Central Kitchen

Menu Plan Monday: May 2012, Part 1

twobarefeet — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 22:53:34 +0000

This one is a little slapdash as I am forehead deep in studying for my final on May 1st as I type this! Fancy, no, but it gets the job done.

School Night (last of the semester!): FFY Buffet.
hamburgers on the grill, salad
grilled cheeses – I am out trying to reconnect with some friends before the next semester starts!
baked haddock & mashed potatoes
Happy Cinco de Mayo! Grilled chicken tacos.
FFY, I am gone practically all day for a baby shower.
Mediterranean Crockpot Chicken
mini meatloaves
FFY Buffet
BFD: bacon, eggs and pancakes
spaghetti & meatballs
suitNtie are off for a vacation ALL BY OURSELVES. I’ll be back for Part 2 of the month, a little late due to our trip.

Menu Plan Monday: April 2012, Part 2

twobarefeet — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:09:11 +0000

woohoo! Look at me, on time! The end of April gets a little busy…these last two weeks have 25% of my grade crammed in via three exams. Sigh.

16. bbq chicken ( supposed to hit 90, so I’m grilling)
17. School Night:FFY buffet, I have a lab exam this night.
18. broiled haddock
19. School Night: lower fat baked penne with chicken & sundried tomatoes (inspired from here but adapted for less fat/cals)
20. BFD: bacon & eggs & toast
21. hot dogs
22. FFY Buffet
23. grilled chicken salad with craisins, goat cheese, arugula and pecans
24. School Night: crockpot applesauce chicken
25. takeout pizzas. I probably will have the kids with me at my classmate’s house for study group through dinner hour until suitNtie picks them up!
26.School Night: FFY Buffet, I have my final lecture exam.
27. BFD: pancakes & eggs
28. hamburgers on the grill and pasta salad (I really need to put my pasta salad recipe up)
29. rigatoni & meatballs
30. FFY Buffet: last minute studying for cumulative final exam the next day.

Menu Plan Monday: April 2012, Part 1

twobarefeet — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 11:58:24 +0000

only a day late this time… hey, I’m improving.

But seriously, this month is a rough one for me. However, it’s good practice because June is positively evil. School is getting hectic really quickly. Combine that with the kids’ activities, family activities (what little I can actually make it to), other responsibilities…my calendar is overflowing. Here’s hoping I can stick to the meal plan.

If you look closely, you’ll see I’m using the “cook once, use several times” option a few times in the meal plan (brown rice, kielbasa, black beans). Any shortcut I can take with time this month I’m taking!!!

1. Sammies
2. Spaghetti & Meatballs (I am at a study group)
3. School Night (an exam night, if I’m doing full disclosure): Italian Beef Stew (from the crockpot)
4. Salmon with zucchini & brown rice
5. no class! peanut butter pork tenderloin w/ brown rice
6. FFY buffet
7. grilled cheese & soup – lots of kids activities this day and I have a major Ikea trip I’m planning.
8. Happy Easter! We’re having brunch locally and then we’ll have baked ham here at home with family. Sides are TBD.
9. BFD: ham & spinach hash with eggs
10. School Night: baked sweet potatoes w/ warm black bean salad
11. kielbasa with yellow rice & vidalias & black beans
12. School Night: FFY Buffet
13. low fat corn & kielbasa chowder
14. FFY Buffet (because really, the chowder is to die for.)
15. roasted chicken & veggies

Menu Plan Monday: March 2012, Part 2

twobarefeet — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:44:44 +0000

a busy second half of the month, for sure. Birthdays and classwork and holiday preparation for the first part of April…oh, my! Not a super impressive meal plan, but it gets the job done.

19. Pork tenderloin with potatoes grandmere (homecooked birthday celebration for a friend)
20. school night: FFY Buffet
21. grill night: burgers and salad
22. Happy Birthday, Boo! school night, but: chicken nuggets, french fries, and Spiderman birthday cake.
23. BFD: scrambled eggs & pancakes & bacon
24. FFY buffet: probably picking through leftover snacks from Boo’s little birthday celebration
25. grilled cheese and soup
26. beef soft tacos with yellow rice and black beans
27. school night: hot dogs and mac & cheese
28. grill night: strip steak with sauteed mushrooms and onions
29. school night: FFY buffet
30. french dip sammies
31. out for family birthday party

Menu Plan Monday: March 2012, Part 1

twobarefeet — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:58:35 +0000

Please excuse the late post. Unfortunately, I had internet issues, followed immediately by a computer issue that required a complete clearing of my hard drive and installing a new OS. All is well, now!

In more Kitchen related news…trying to use up more ground beef, so I’ll be making a chili this week for suitNtie (since I am on “spring break” from classes this week). I have about four more cuts of beef from my cow purchase this past fall. I can’t believe how fast that went. That said, I still have a lot of ground beef. I just got the email from the farm owner about ordering again for this coming fall. Definitely going for it…and considering buying half a pig, too. Considering how good the grass fed beef was, I can only imagine the awesomeness of the bacon and ham. Drool.

Yup, still not a vegetarian.

Boo’s birthday is coming up and will be a pretty quiet affair compared to years past. It’s really all my schedule can handle. However, suitNtie and I are bringing him into Boston for a day of fun, probably to the science museum. It’s a day of being an only child. We did that for Moo for her birthday last year (to the American Girl store) and it went over very well. So, there’s really no preparation for his birthday here since I am keeping it very limited, to just snacks, cake and his classmates. And I’m buying the snacks premade. Lazy girl. Oh, well.

1. School night: FFY Buffet
2. chef salad
3. Italian beef stew
4. Spaghetti & meatballs
5. Broiled salmon
6. Grilled chicken & caprese salad
7. FFY Buffet
8. BFD: pancakes & scrambled eggs
9. suitNtie and I are out for dinner with friends
10. FFY Buffet: I’m out for a birthday celebration
11. Roast beef with slow cooked tomatoes & garlic
12. sammies and soup night – last minute studying for exam
13. school night: FFY Buffet
14. balsamic glazed pork tenderloin
15. school night: funky lime pizza

Menu Plan Monday: February 2012, Part 2

twobarefeet — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:31:31 +0000

Don’t hate me! I blinked and missed the middle of February. Eek.

Late but still fabulous meal plan:

19. maple dijon pork tenderloin
20. Salisbury steak
21. school night: turkey club pockets
22. irish beef hand pies
23. school night: crockpot Mediterranean chicken
24. low fat corn & kielbasa chowder
25. low fat chicken & dumplings (adapted from link)
26. FFY Buffet
27. BFD: mini egg beater frittatas (adapted from link)
28. school night: BEST pitas (Bacon, Egg, Spinach, Tomato)
29. strip steak and roasted veggies

Menu Plan Monday: February 2012, Part 1

twobarefeet — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:24:27 +0000

Settling in and finding not only a groove, but a few new places for recipes. My best friend is now vegan (due to some recent food allergy discoveries) and has been throwing some great vegan websites my way. I’ve long wanted to bring more meatless options into the Kitchen, and I’m looking forward to trying some of what I’ve found.

In other news, I also lost 12 pounds in January. So I’m very happy with my progress, considering I don’t feel like I’ve started eating flavorless food or anything like that. Some small changes in the Kitchen make a big difference!

French dip subs and salad (using leftover roast beef)
School night: FFY Buffet
Soup & Sammie night (Boo and I are both recovering from MD appts and will need some comfort food.)
Sloppy joes with homemade hamburger buns
SUPERBOWL-GO PATS! meatball pitas, twice baked potato skins (from the Pioneer Woman’s cookbook), veggies and dip, and the ultimate splurge for the week: buffalo chicken dip. I saved up two weeks’ worth of splurge meals for today.
Crockpot Beef Stroganoff over egg noodles (adapted with fat free cream of mushroom and dip)
School night: BFD: blueberry pancakes and a cheese frittata. Yes, I know I’m making vegan pancakes with a very non vegan side.
FFY Buffet: I am studying like a boss.
School Night: my first exam of the semester… Hot dogs and baked beans.
pork with parsnips and grapes
stuffed flatbreads (NEW!)
Salisbury steak
chana masala (NEW!)
School Night: FFY Buffet. Also, Happy Valentine’s Day!
Pizza night: whole wheat margherita

Menu Plan Monday: January 2012, Part 2

twobarefeet — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:32:32 +0000

Class is back in session and we’re all trying to find our groove again. Let’s see how this goes!

15. Turkey club sandwiches
16. We are out to see Beauty and the Beast 3D over dinner. ☺
17. School night: rigatoni and meatballs.
18. arugula salad with grilled chicken
19. School night: grilled cheese & soup
20. broiled salmon
21. FFY- I am to Boston for my sister’s 16th birthday celebration.
22. beef stew with homemade bread
23. BFD: bacon & eggs with homefries and toast
24. School night: quick chicken soup
25. chicken tacos
26. School night: hamburgers
27. FFY: I am out with some friends at an ice bar.
28. N/A: suit and I are out for date night at the movies.
29. roast chicken
30. pulled chicken sandwiches
31. School night: hot dogs and macaroni and cheese

Menu Plan Monday: January 2012, Part 1

twobarefeet — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:00:00 +0000

Happy New Year!!! A little late with the plan due to holiday madness, but it’s here and I’m happy with it.

2012 has renewed my (forgotten!) commitment to eating healthier and being accountable for what I use to fuel my body. Simply by tracking what I ate, I lost 20 pounds last year…only to gain 17 back during my fall semester. Sigh. I will try to supply nutritional information on the recipes that I have not already posted for, as they are eaten.

In any case, I am climbing back on the horse and the meal plan reflects that. Happy and Healthy 2012 to all!

PS- dear supermarkets: Please put fresh haddock or salmon on sale. Thanks.

Happy New Year!!! FFY Buffet
Leftovers from our NYE dinner (off to a great start, right?!)
Quick Chicken Soup (based on this)
Salisbury Steak (I’m healthifying from here)
BFD: Poached eggs on toast & fruit (I’ll scramble for kiddos)
Ground beef stew over mashed potatoes (healthifying from this)
Low fat corn & kielbasa chowder
FFY Buffet!
Baked chicken breasts
Loaded twice baked potatoes
chicken & grape skewers (NEW!)
BFD: breakfast tostada
grilled cheeses & soup
prosciutto, apple and blue cheese pitas (jumping point from here)
arugula salad with blue cheese and strip steak

Menu Plan Monday: December 2011, Part 2

twobarefeet — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 22:07:05 +0000

Another year is coming to an end. Crazy!

16. Kerri’s Cottage Pie
17. n/a – suitNtie and I are going to go out to dinner for a belated birthday celebration
18. peanut butter pork tenderloin
19. pizza night: funky lime pizza
20. mini meatloaves
21. FFY Buffet
22. grilled cheeses & soup
23. BFD: cereal and fruit night – I’m prepping for the holidays!
24. Christmas Eve: Feast of Seven Fishes. I’m bringing Christmas Eve Haddock and strawberry-Grand Marnier cheesecakes.
25. Merry Christmas! We’ll be having beef wellington, caprese salad, roasted veggies and some sort of dessert. In the morning, though, we go as a family and deliver breakfast to our town’s police and fire stations. This year, we’re bringing the Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls. Yum.
26. Christmas Part Two: we’ll be having spaghetti & meatballs with my family- and cheesecake for dessert.
27. FFY Buffet
28. baked chicken breasts
29. BFD: eggs and bacon and homefries
30. burgers and salad
31. New Year’s Eve! We are taking the kiddos out to a local restaurant for a NYE party and balloon drop.