Meal Plan Week 13

Trying to keep a sense of organization around dinner-time, and having this baby's due date looming ever closer has been a bit tough going. Tiredness, a craving for Taco Time, and friends inviting us to their house for homemade Vietnamese Spring Rolls and Bun Thit Nuong (BBQ'd Pork Vermicelli) made for a meal plan that fell to the wayside...but that's the beauty of meal plans right? It's not there to be stuck to like glue, it's there to help you out. And help me out it did on the nights I did cook, so it served it's purpose.

The baby's due date is in two days, so this week I'm taking a Pantry Challenge. Our church provides families with new babies with a week of meals so I really don't want to go to the store, buy a shwack-load of groceries, only to go into labor and have things spoil because we are in the hospital and then having other people cook for us. This way any meals I don't get to will be no skin off my back.

It was interesting doing the Pantry Challenge (creating meals from only things in your pantry, fridge and freezer). I was surprised how many meals you can come up with. For a lot of my meal ideas I used a website called SuperCook where you type in all the ingredients you currently have on hand and it gives you lists of recipes from other recipe websites that you can make. My one beef with the pantry challenge is that you are sort of confined to casseroles, soups and one-pot meals...kind of boring food fare in our house, not to mention it's not the healthiest foods.

Nevertheless, the meals are planned and baby could make her debut any day now...here's to hoping it's soon :)


Day 1: Honey-Dijon Ham, Hashbrown Casserole and Sauteed Spinach
We didn't get to this one last week so I'm recycling.

Day 2: Leftovers

Day 3: Baked Potato Soup
Not the healthiest of soups, but I figure I can stock up on calories now since I only have a few more days with an excuse to be huge :)

Day 4: Potato Skins, Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings and Carrots & Celery with Dip
Saving the potato skins from making Baked Potato Soup to make this meal.

Day 5: Banana Waffles with Toasted Pecans and Warm Maple Syrup
Taking advantage of my new waffle maker and the frozen bananas in my freezer.

I also have plans to attend the Interfaith Kitchen on Friday afternoon, assuming I haven't had the baby yet. This will provide us with one more meal...I don't know yet what we are making.

Grocery List:

MEAT

3 lb ham
1 lb bacon
1 lb chicken wings

PRODUCE
Spinach
4 potatoes
8 green onions
2 cloves garlic
4 celery sticks
4 carrots
3 bananas

DAIRY
2 3/4 cups butter
8 1/4 cups milk
2 1/2 cups sour cream
5 cups grated cheddar
3 eggs

FROZEN
2 lb bag of hashbrowns

DRY GOODS
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsp sugar
2 cups crushed cornflakes

CANNED GOODS
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 tbsp orange juice

SPICES, SEASONINGS AND SAUCES
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup honey
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
Salt
Pepper
1/3 cup hot pepper sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
Maple Syrup
Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing

For more meal plan ideas check out my Complete List of Meal Plans or the Menu Plan Monday Links at Orgjunkie.