Grocery Planning - another tip for followers

This particular grocery expedition took some extra planning and I feel sure that the program may find an exception during this pay cycle. Here are my challenges:

• My Son's Birthday Party;
• Easter: including Homemade Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday, Egg shapped chocolate truffles, Saturday Pot-Luck Fried Chicken, and Sunday Ham Dinner with fixins; and,
• House guests: 2 adults and 2 children for 4 nights

I don't find any of these things burdonsome but they do add another layer of complication to my shopping list and menu planning. It means that I have specific food to make on specific days and extra food to be prepared for on other days.

I KNOW that my friend will want to contribute to the meals but I really want her to have a vacation from all of those duties while she is at my house so we will see who wins. Either way, I am prepared as is my pantry.

I bought up a lot of things again because there was a great sale on meat and if it wasn't for milk and bread, I could probably go a month without buying another thing at the store.

Here is a snapshot at my menu and loose plan for everything in store:

Menu:
Meatloaf (make an extra one to freeze), mashed potatoes, peas and corn
Stuffed chicken with orzo and spinach salad
Tortellini covered in sauce with salad
Pan Fried Pork Chops, Rice and Gravy, steamed mixed veggies
Beef Stew over rice
2 year old Birthday Dinner:
Spaghetti, Fruit Salad for kids, Green Salad for adults, Garlic Bread, Cake
Easter:
Good Friday – Hot Cross Buns for breakfast (make them on Thursday)
Saturday – Fried Chicken, Ice Tea (for potluck)
Sunday – Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast, Ham, asparagus, au gratin potatoes, peas and mushrooms, dinner rolls
Friend's Visit:
Pasta Bake, Salad, and Bread
Turkey Burgers, Hotdogs, Oven Fries, Fruit Salad
Broiled Pork Chops, Baked Apples, Corn on the Cob, Green Beans (simmered with Cavendar’s seasoning for a couple of hours)
Leftovers - featuring Ham or maybe another Quiche

My tip for this week is to take a hard look at your social calendar to make sure any pot-luck, bake sales, birthday celebrations, or holidays are going to fall in your shopping cycle. Plan for these events and also have some emergency cake/cupcake supplies on hand.

Series 2 Menus

Breakfast and Lunch:
I am stocked up with cereal, grits, oatmeal, bread, muffin mix, eggs and bacon for breakfast for 4 for 2 weeks
I bought sandwich stuff and a couple of pre-packaged lunchables as treats for the boys along with items that I will need to make up my own lunchables. I usually eat leftovers for lunch so, with that, lunch is covered.

Dinner:
I scored BIG on a meat sale at Safeway so we have plenty of protein to build meals around but I planned to buy for the following. Some will be made, some will be set aside for a future dinner, and there will probably be some additions given my growing stockpile of non-perishable items. At any rate, this is where I started:

1. Gnocchi
2. Chicken Stuffed with Sundried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, Basil, and Pine Nuts – served with orzo and a spinach salad
3. Chicken Enchiladas served with saffron rice and Caesar salad
4. Vegetable Casserole
5. Spaghetti
6. Chili
7. Loaded Chili Potatoes
8. Grilled Swordfish Steaks
9. Bacon Mushroom Quiche
10. Soup

First Attempt Menu February 15th through February 26th

I have gotten waylaid over the past weekend by a Gala that I hosted and redecorating my son's bedroom but am now trying to get back on track. I have composed my menu and plan to go to the grocery store tomorrow. I will post the menu here but will wait until tomorrow to post the grocery list. Check the next entry for my "recipe" for tonight's soup.

Week 1:
Monday – Soup and Grilled Cheese
Tuesday – Meatless - Mushroom Risotto and crusty bread
Wednesday – Spaghetti, bread, fruit and salad
Thursday – Meatless - Mushroom, spinach, and mozzarella cheese crepes (make extra filling for pasta on Saturday)
Friday – Mac N Cheese for the kiddos, leftovers for the adults
Saturday – Leftover Remake - Egg roll wrapper ravioli (make filling from Thursday’s leftovers and some sausage meat) with marinara sauce and spinach salad.
Sunday – Fish Day – Grilled Salmon with Herb Crust, couscous, and steamed veggies
Week 2:
Monday – Roast Chicken, rice, mixed steamed veggies (save some rice and veggies for Wednesday)
Tuesday – Meatless - Linguine with Spinach Marinara Sauce, bread, fruit and salad
Wednesday – Leftover Remake - Fried Rice with leftovers from Monday
Thursday – Pork Tenderloin, scalloped potatoes, and broccoli with fire roasted peppers and goat cheese
Friday – Mac N Cheese for the kiddos, payday chili for the adults
Saturday – Loaded Baked Potatoes with leftover chili for the adults, hotdogs for the kiddos
Sunday – Fish Day – homemade oven fried fish sticks, mashed potatoes (make extra for Monday’s Gnocchi), peas and carrots.