Well, I don't know about our weather coming in like a lion this month, but I feel like I am! I'm excited again this month about my budget and menu planning and I'm really going full force!
This month I'm doing things a bit differently. I planned out my menu with several repeating dinners. I did this so I can attempt a small amount of freezer cooking this month. After doing my grocery shopping (only $153 for the month!!!), I cooked up ALL of the ground beef - 15lb. Then I separated it into gallon sized freezer bags and shoved it in the fridge until I had the time to throw a few meals together. We'll have tacos/burritos a few times, tator tot casserole, friendship casserole, and a few other ground beef staples. Everything will either be assembled and ready to pop in the oven, or divided into meal components, each in it's own labeled bag. Yesterday I boiled a whole chicken to make soup. While picking the chicken clean, I realized just how much meat was there! Way too much for just soup! So I put some away for a chicken fiesta casserole, and quite a bit for chicken salad. Three full meals (plus leftovers) from one $4 chicken - not bad. More chicken will be cooked today or tomorrow on the grill and put aside for meals later in the month.
With baseball/tee ball season starting, it's going to be really hard to get a good tasting, healthy meal on the table that will make everyone happy. At least with a few family favorites in the freezer I know I'll have some options. And don't forget, of course, about that wonderful crock pot! If it's possible to be in love with an appliance, then call me smitten!
This is my menu for the month of March - this is not done in any order at all - I pick and choose each week according to what we feel like and what is going on for us day to day.
- White bean soup*
- chicken stuffing bake (cream of chick, mixed veggies, stuffing)
- oven bbq chicken, potato pockets, crusty rolls
- Salisbury Steak, mashed potatoes, broccoli
- Calzones
- Pesto Ravioli with Chicken
- cheeseburger casserole
- Chicken noodle soup - Southern Plate recipe
- friendship casserole
- friendship casserole
- tator tot casserole
- tator tot casserole
- burrito/tacos
- burrito/tacos
- burrito/tacos
- pulled pork sandwiches
- pulled pork sandwiches
- adobo chicken
- black bean quesadillas
- bbq meat balls
- turkey sloppy joes
- pesto ravioli with chicken
- chicken and dumplings
