meal planning – Page 2

Meal Planning Monday 7.10.13

Last week was a week of in and out and dashing about which meant meal preparation was tricky. A lot of the meals were either pre-prepared or quick to cook so I could just pop them into the oven or bung a few ingredients in the slow cooker.

Sunday was the exception. For the second week in a row we had a roast dinner. I always make sure we have lots of veggies as I don’t eat meat, and this week we even had a home cooked pudding.

The Craftyguidelets made a gluten free apple crumble. It tasted delicious with a big dollop of custard.

This is what we have planned for this week:

Monday Macaroni cheese

Tuesday Ham egg and chips

Wednesday Freezer dive

Thursday Cider braised pork chops

Friday Fish pie

Saturday Take away or freezer dive

Sunday I’m out all day. Do I get Mr CG to cook a roast on his own whilst looking after the Craftyguidelets?

Linking with Mrs M’s Meal Planning Monday link party. What have you got cooking this week?

Meal Planning Monday 23.9.13

Last week’s menu had it’s successes and failures. Last minute changes to my afternoon schedules meant that the ratatouille had to be made in the slow cooker and turned out a bit soggy. However the chicken cordon bleu went down very well with the family and I’ve been asked to add it to the list of regular meals.

I love making vegetable goulash. The smell of smoked paprika is divine, and look at all these lovely colours together.

I’ve also been busy on the baking front. Rather than make a loaf of bread, I chose to make some rolls from Paul Hollywood’s How to Bake book. I’m so pleased how they came out, although I’m yet to try one and they went straight into the freezer.

I’ve also been baking with the kids. Eldest Craftyguidelet saw a truffle recipe in her Moshi Monsters magazine which contained biscuits. As Mr Craftyguider is gluten intolerant, I chose a truffle recipe from the Eat Yourself Thin book instead, and we coated them with the hundreds and thousands that were in the magazine, with some gluten free sugar strands for Mr CG. I don’t think chocolate and honey mixed with coffee is ever going to make me thin though, so I might leave the family to munch through these.

We also made the Millionaires Shortbread recipe from my favourite gluten free baking book, Cake Angels. The Craftyguidelets rechristened it Minionaires shortbread due to their obsession with all things Despicable Me.

This week is a bit on the busy side so the menu will be fairly simple.

Monday: Ham, egg and chips

Tuesday: Bolognaise

Wednesday: Fish pie

Thursday: Something in the slow cooker

Friday: Vegetable pasta

Saturday: Pizza

Sunday: Roast something!

Linking with Mrs M’s Meal Planning Monday. Have a look to see what everyone else is cooking up this week.

Meal Planning Monday 16.9.13

Finally I’ve managed to have the time to sit down, plan a week’s menu, AND blog about it!

Whenever I plan a menu, I normally spread out on the sofa with a pile of recipe books, my laptop with my Ocado order on it, and my diary. The diary is very important as it points out what the family is doing each evening. Mr Craftyguider’s board meetings mean he’ll be back late so I can plan in a meal containing gluten, onions, spices but no meat for me and the Craftyguidelets. Swimming means that I have 20 minutes to get a meal on the table. When my mother-in-law comes round to babysit while I help with Rainbows, I need to have something that I can prepare and leave for Mr Craftyguider to sort when he gets in from work.

This week, we will be eating:

Monday – tuna pasta bake with sweetcorn

Tuesday – gammon, egg and chips

Wednesday – tuna steak and ratatouille

Thursday – spaghetti bolognaise (meat and quorn versions)

Friday – chicken cordon bleu (and a quorn version)

Saturday – vegetable goulash

Sunday – sausages

Linking with Mrs M’s meal planning Monday. Pop over and get some inspiration for your meal plan this week.