Menu Plan Monday

I'm loving this menu planning thing. It's so nice to know in advance what you are going to have for dinner. It's one less this to think about! If only I could stick to the plan...

Here's what we are having this week:

Slow Cooker Sunday - Pot Roast with potatoes and carrots

Monday - Pan-fried Tilapia, corn bread and steamed vegetables

Tuesday - Thai Stir-fry beef with vegetables and rice (I'm using the Thai Peanut Chicken recipe and substituting the leftover cooked beef from Sunday)

Wednesday - Pumpkin Soup and Planned Leftovers

Thursday - Bratwurst, potato salad

Friday - Pizza (always on Friday)

Saturday - Slow Cooker Peanut Sweet Potato Stew (I really like this stew, just don't overcook the sweet potatoes or you will end up with mush. I also garnish with chopped peanuts for a little more texture.)

Check out what others are eating this week at Menu Plan Monday.

Cream of Pumpkin Soup

For the croutons:

3 Tablespoons margarine, softened

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 slices whole wheat bread

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Spread butter mixture evenly over one side of each bread slice. Place bread, buttered side up, on a baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until bread is crisp and topping is bubbly. Cut each slice of bread into 8 small triangles or squares.

For the soup:

1 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup heavy whipping cream

In a medium saucepan, saute oil in butter until tender. Add 1 can chicken broth; stir well. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Transfer mixture into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

Return mixture to saucepan. Add remaining can of broth, pumpkin, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground pepper, stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in whipping cream and heat through. Do not boil. Ladle into soup bowls and top each serving with croutons.

Serves 6

For more great fall recipes visit the Holiday Food Fest.

Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites

I picked up my first copy of the original "Once-A-Month Cooking" over 10 years ago. I was immediately intrigued by the idea of cooking ahead and cooking so much at once. I am definitely one of those people who likes to cook, just not all the time.

For those of you unfamiliar with the "Once-A-Month" books by Mary Beth Lagerborg and Mimi Wilson, let me explain. You shop for the entire month all at once (shopping lists are provided). You do all of the prep work the next day, freezing or refrigerating those items that need to be kept cold. Then, at dinner time, you have only some quick finishing preparations and dinner is ready. The books give detailed step-by-step instructions.

"Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites" is the latest in the "Once-A-Month" series and I think it is the best. Of course, the success of the meal plans is highly dependent on whether your family likes the recipes included and the recipes included in this book are winners!

The recipes in this book go beyond the basic and very traditional family meals. Some of the tasty meals included are Adobe Chicken, Chicken Wild Rice Soup, Lime-Grilled Mahi Mahi, Gnocchi with Turkey Ragu, and Texas-Style Lasagna.

The book includes plans for two one-month cycles, two two-week cycles, and three specialty cycles (gourmet, summer, and gluten-free). In this book, there is something for everyone.

With shopping lists, great recipes, and cooking plans, Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites has everything you need to get great dinners on the table.

To read about more wonderful things, visit Things I Love Thursday.

This Week at Alice

Once again, I placed not just one but two orders at Alice.com this week. I really needed to stock up on coffee and I was very happy with the prices.

Order #1:

Total $12.51

Here's what I got:

Maxwell House Coffee, 32 ounces--$4.61 after clip-free coupon

Nabiso Premium Saltines, 1 lb.--$1.64 each after clip-free coupon (I bought 4)

Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts, 12 ounces--$1.34 after clip-free coupon

Order #2:

Total $9.78

I purchased 6 Maxwell House Ground Coffee, Smooth Master Blend, 11.5 ounces--$1.63 each

All this, delivered to my door, in the fancy blue and black boxes--you just can't beat it. How nice not to have to clip coupons and make a trip to the store.

If you haven't checked out Alice, sign up here. When you register using this link, you will receive a $10 gift card once your total purchases reach $50 (I'm well on my way to a free gift card).

Remember, the coupons are limited in number so the good coupon deals tend to go quickly. Check back often since I will post Alice.com deals as I find them.

For more grocery deals, visit FiddledeedeeMom and The Grocery Cart Challenge.

My "New" Punch Bowl and Glasses

I purchased this set of a punch bowl and 17 glasses at my favorite local thrift store, Goodwill. Are you ready for the price? $3.19! I know the 17 glasses is a little odd (perhaps at one time there were 20?) but what a deal!

We love punch around here. A family favorite recipe is Zippy Cranberry Cooler. It's a holiday tradition.

Perfect timing for the holidays--punch for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year celebrations!

See more great finds at 2nd Time Around Tuesday, Trash to Treasure Tuesday, and Thrifty Thursday.

Menu Plan Monday

Here's what we will be having for dinner this week:

Sunday: Cincinnati Five Way Chili (we just can't seem to get enough of this)

Monday: Thai Peanut Chicken served over rice

Tuesday: Baked Salmon, Dilly Lemon Rice Blend, steamed vegetables

Wednesday: Planned Leftovers

Thursday: Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Friday: Homemade Pizza

To see what others will be having this week, visit Menu Plan Monday.

What We Should Be Doing Anyway

Tough times are here. If the economy has not affected your family, it certainly has affected someone you know. Many people are trying to "tighten their belt" and cut expenses. People are eager to learn frugal methods and embrace simpler ways of living, using less and wasting less. For some this is the result of necessity. But these are things that we should have probably been doing all along. Things we should have been doing anyway.

When you look at frugality not as a necessity, but as being a good steward of everything that has been given to you, it becomes not a burden but an adventure.

I love the adventure of finding new ways to make do with what I have. Here's an example.

Years ago, on a frugal living site, I read a tip about cutting open a tube of makeup to get out every last drop. Now I consider myself pretty frugal, but that was just not something I would have ever bothered with. Until now.

Yes, it's true.. I really did cut open the tube. And you know what? There is 2 to 3 week's worth of makeup just sitting there trapped in the tube!

I found a new way to "make do" and stretch what I have. That works for me!

How have you learned to "make do" with what you have? Leave me a comment. I would love to hear your ideas.

For more great ideas check out What I Learned this Week and Frugal Friday.

Hot Dip for Tortilla Chips

This is a very simple hot dip to use with tortilla chips. It's a favorite during football games at our house.

Spread 8 ounces of softened cream cheese over a round pizza pan or pie plate.

Cover with Hormel chili without beans (10.5 ounce can)

Cover with your choice of shredded cheese. We use either a Mexican blend or Montery Jack with Jalepeno.

Add sliced or crushed olives and chopped jalepeno peppers. (I put these items only on half--can you guess which half my children eat?)

Heat in the oven (at 350 degrees) until cheese melts. Serve with tortilla chips. This is best if kept warm. You may need to reheat before it's finished.

Menu Plan Monday

Here's what we will be having this week:

Sunday: Hot Dip during football games, Cincinnati Five Way Chili

Monday: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, tossed salad (check out the great deals I got on the rice and chicken broth here)

Tuesday: Leftover Chili from Sunday

Wednesday: Quesadillas with Black Bean Salad and Spanish Rice

Thursday: Pan fried Tilapia with steamed vegetables

Friday: Pizza (check out this great free ebook on making homemade pizza)

Don't forget to see the great meals others have planned at Menu Plan Monday.