Resolution: Make a weekly menu

Resolution: Eat better meals, eat more vegetarian

When I have a full pantry and frig, it is so much easier to make dinner. When I start the week with a rough menu, shop with the list based on that menu, it all seems easier, quicker and less stressful. Most people don't make a menu for the week or even shop with a list. There isn't a lot of support out there for that kind of organizing. Certainly no one ever reminds me about my planning and list making.

In my work at DinnerSmith, I got to see what that kind of planning does for families especially for moms. Mostly I have a conversation with the regular customers once a month where we planned the month. We try to balance favorites and proteins. It is so easy to add some vegetarian meals and some fish or seafood meals when making a list of 20 meals for the month.

Try it this week. Think of 10 meals you would might want to have. Balance the proteins by adding more. Look for synthesis: ground beef and tomatoes diced might into chili and spaghetti with meat sauce. Leave out new (I-never-tried-this-before) recipes. Make your shopping list: adjust in store for sales or unreasonable pricing. I won't pay $5 a pound for beef steak.

At home, do some prep while putting away. Cut some veg or onion and freeze chopped and ready to use. Divide the meat in to meal size. Post your possible menu on the frig. Starting from ten possibilities, there could be seven left.

I think it is easier to plan dinner in the morning if I know everything is there ready to cook. I can look at the menu, make a choice and on the way home think about cooking and prepping, Or ditch the whole thing and order Chinese. I am not forced to get Chinese because there is nothing else. I choose!

Happy New Year!

Bacon egg and cheese on a roll

DinnerSmith is all about the best meals prepared ahead in batches. My sister called me and suggested i try this..freezer-breakfast-sandwiches-from-scratch. I read thru the whole blog post and think this is a great idea. With modifications. 

I use an English muffin because they are sturdier. This breakfast needs to travel and stay together. Also i used bacon instead of sausage. I cooked the whole pound of bacon up first and chopped in smaller pieces and cooked it into the eggs. This way the bacon stays in the muffin and doesn't fall out. I recommend use this recipe first. Then modify it for your personal taste, like sausage or taylor ham. Note: a dozen eggs seems like a lot: it wasn't.

Bacon egg and cheese on a roll.

Dozen eggs
 one pound of bacon
cheese, pre-sliced or not
6 English muffins

Cook all bacon and chop in to 1" pieces

Scramble eggs in a bowl and cook in one large piece in the pan, adding bacon at the begining.

slide eggs onto cutting board, cut into pieces that fit into a muffin, you can use an upside water glass as  a cutter. or just squares. 

Assemble sandwiches , laying out all muffins and layering cheese and egg . 

Wrap in foil or put in individual ziplocks.

This was a big hit around here! try it and make a lot at one time: they disappear!

Chickpea salad inspired vegetarian fare

Another hot weather idea. Try this during the heat wave. Lots of protein and you can substitute your favorite salad dressing. This is a simple salad I make up in a big batch for side dishes or lunches or a filling snack.


Chickpea salad


1 can of Chickpeas
1 bunch of parsley ( i like flat leaf)
1/2 cup each of vinegar and oil
1/2 cup scallions or red onions
juice and zest of one lemon


Drain can of chickpeas.


remove leaves from stalks on parsely and mince with knife


cut onions in small slices or dice. Or leave them out.


mix all together with lemon and oil and vinegar.


Best the next day when chilled. ( Never lasts so long here.)

Heat wave coming!!!

Heat wave this week..Here is my hot tip for today.make a plan now to beat the heat.


1. Make a menu for the week. include things like coleslaw, potato salad, your favorite pasta salad and baked goodies. Think of grilled dinners like chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs. see also my early post about roasting a pork shoulder.Pork roast because you need time


2. Make a list and do all the shopping at once. Remember hamburger and hot dog rolls and lots of beverages.Also check to see if you have pantry items like mayo and salad dressing.


3. In the cool evening, boil pasta and potatoes, bake cake and breakfast muffins or bread. While waiting for pasta to boil and cake to bake, chop up veg for the salads. Store everything in frig.


4. Eat good food according to plan, keeping cool in the kitchen!

Pork Roast: because you need time to garden!!!

Pork Roast is very inexpensive this week. At $.99, it is good cheap eats. Here is a recipe that anyone and everyone can do. This  was a seven pound roast and i rubbed it with a store bought spice rub and put it in this alum pan. The oven was set to 250 degrees and left the roast in there for 12 hours. Yes 12 hours. This is an overnight. you can cover it with foil if you want. It was so tender : like butter. It can be in sandwiches or with potatoes and veg. It was so simple and so good. The bone is going in the crockpot with two pounds of split peas and water to cover....So much good eating but me not in the kitchen. Thinking about flowers and vegetables. Gardening. If you dont garden , this roast will give you plenty of time for whatever your passion is!!!

DinnerSmith is a bargain!!!!

This story was from today in the Times. Short story. This restaurateur will fill your lasagna pan and you can bake it at home. FOR $55. Really well it makes sense: who doesn't love a home baked lasagna and it is a mess to make.

There is so much to do these days. We are spring cleaning and freshening the house for Summer First on the list, window treatments. I made a list, measured every window and noted all hardware and curtains needed. The windows were cleaned inside and out last fall so I noted touch-ups. So far all the hardware is purchased and up. All the blinds need to be washed so every night a set spends overnight in the tub filled with soapy bleachy water. All the curtains and treatments are chosen and will be purchased this week.

The only way I can tackle these kind of projects to imagine the project as a paid job. I make a list and set goals just like an web design or catering job. It makes it harder to put it off. I can reschedule, but not procastinate. The payoff is the transformed space we call home.

Next project...artwork and wall treatments.