Dinner time! What's on your menu? Fast food, you say? Honestly, we do not usually eat out just for the fun of it. Usually the service isn't that great, the food is just OK, and for a family of six it is just plain expensive. Nope, we usually are only tempted to eat out when mom does not know what is for dinner. It is irritating, it is unhealthy and it is costly.
But I struggle with menu planning. Can anyone relate? The planning part is not so bad really but the coming up with things to actually put on the plan, well, that is another story. I waffle between feeling like I am boring my family to death to trying out long, fancy recipes that take a lot of time and they all turn their nose up in the end anyway. So. Done. With. That!
I have a new solution! You are going to love it!
I have just finished up my second round of cooking what someone else tells me to cook for a 13 week stretch. I love it. I just open the book and follow someone else's plans and recipes. Easy!
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| My worn, well loved copy! |
I have mentioned Rachel Master's cookbook, Supper's on the Table, Come Home before. In this 253 page, spiral bound gem, Rachel gives you 13 weeks of 5 meals each with sides along with their recipes. To sweeten the deal she also adds a complete shopping list for each week- staples included! AND to make it even better, a special dessert and one snack idea are included for each week with all the recipes AND ingredients list. What else could you need?
It was written by a mom with kids for a mom with kids. 'Ya know what I mean? None of that creame de 'la something, or fancy-smanshy, I cannot pronounce nor will my family ever eat recipes. Just real life stuff, with real life ingredients.
These are good solid meal plans- a main dish, a veggie recommendation and often a bread of some sort or a fruit. Did I already mention kid friendly? I admit to having 3 out of 4 picky eaters. I do not know how it happened, but yes, my kids are somewhat picky and opinionated about food. Out of the 80 meals listed I only replaced about 5. And they were pretty easy fixes. Where split pea soup was listed, for example, I just changed it to pork loin. (sorry Rachel) I simply marked out the ingredients for that meal on the shopping list and added my own. Now when I shop, I copy the week's ingredients list, mark out all the things I already have on hand and go get the rest of what Rachel tells me I will need.
A no brainer.
And a life saver.
Could it get any better?
Well, actually it can! Because at the end of the book are bonus recipes for everything from homemade mixes (we use the biscuit mix recipe all of the time) to holiday meal ideas and a even section on food allergies.
Why reinvent the wheel?
Actually, I did reinvent the wheel a little. I admit the organizational side of me loves this concept, so I got out a notebook and the recipes I have that my family loves and made my own 13 week schedule, complete with shopping lists. It is not nearly as well done as Rachel's, but it will do. Now I do not have to menu plan for 26 weeks. Yea me!
This cookbook makes a great gift for young people just starting out with cooking. Because most recipes are not too labor intensive, it is an opportunity to learn how to ease into cooking. Rachel gives start times for each portion of the meal, helping to get it all on the table at the same time.
Want one? You can order a copy of Rachel's book, Supper's on the Table, Come Home from her website ~ for $15.00.
Or...
Rachel is going to bless one of my readers with their own copy for free! Enter the rafflecopter below to win. I know you will love it. Thank you Rachel!
Looking for ways to save money? Menu planning can be a great tool to keep you out of the grocery store too often, and keep you from those impulse items that end up costing us way too much. Give it a try and see if it doesn't help!
Blessings,
This post is being linked up with Amy, At Raising Arrows!
This post in being link to Caroline at The Modest Mom!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer- Opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced in any way by the publisher. I did not receive compensation in any form for this review. The cookbook offered is from the generous offer of Rachel!
Welcome! Follow our family of 6 on our military moving, God loving, homeschool adventure! We are honored you have joined us and look forward to hearing from you.
The cookbook I use most often is the binder with all my favorites written (or photocopies) into it. My favorite real cookbook is probably Desperation Dinners.
ReplyDeleteI have one like that Cristi! The problem is I always forget what is in it and so gets ignored. Plus I end up stuffing random recipes to try out in it that never get looked at again. I need to do better! :)
DeleteMy favorite recipe is Ginger Chicken, but the rest of the family would all pick different ones.
ReplyDeleteI also want your own 13 week recipes! Some of your recipes are my favorites - including chicken pot pie which is what I always take when making a meal for someone and they always ask for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteToo funny, Marcy! Some of your recipes are in MY 13 weeks! I will share if you come visit me again. ;)
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ReplyDeleteMy favorite cookbook is the one that got started at one of my wedding showers and I have added to it over the years. My favorite recipe that is hard maybe my moms taco pie or my aunt chicken casserole. Judomomof4@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI will havet oget your chicken casserole recipe, Melanie! We eat a lot of chicken here!
DeleteMy favorite cookbook is one that was started at one of my wedding showers and I have added to it over the years. It is full and has been for many years and I have started many others. My favorite recipe would be my moms taco pie or my aunts chicken casserole.
ReplyDeletemy favorite is an old local church cookbook - love every recipe in that thing!
ReplyDeleteChurch cookbooks have the best "comfort food" recipes you can find! ;)
DeleteFavorite recipe - chicken pot pie!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cookbook is a binder of Taste of Home magazines! I hope that counts (if not please let me know and I will change it). I LOVE this magazine, but I would love the chance to try this amazing cookbook. I recently started meal planning and would love to use something already planned out for me as we pack and move. Thank you for the opportunity to win such a helpful resource.
ReplyDeleteWe love Taste of Home recipes. Don't get the magazine anymore, but still use a lot I have collected!
DeleteMy family's favorite recipe lately is my Cajun Shrimp Caesar Salad. I cook the shrimp separate for Alyssa and add fewer spices. My hubby says he could eat it several times a day. It was a fly by the seat of my pants recipe one evening when we had few ingredients on hand for dinner. It worked well!
ReplyDeleteThat's a hard one, I pull recipes from everywhere. I love my Taste of Home/Quick Cooking magazines but I also pin a lot of recipes on Pinterest that I now regularly use as well.
ReplyDeleteFamily's favorite recipe I'd have to say is my homemade stromboli (I make the dough, sauce & everything).
ReplyDeleteI dive into The Pioneer Woman's cookbook pretty much every week around here, and I often use recipes from her blog. She's pretty much no-fail in my book!
ReplyDeleteMy family loves a Lemon Chicken Pasta I found on pinterest -- and it's pretty healthy, too!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cookbooks have been the ones I've gotten from church sales. I seem to find most of the recipes we like in those. :-)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cookbooks have been the cookbooks that churches put together.
ReplyDeleteA favorite recipe of ours is chicken lasagna. Yum!
ReplyDeleteI use one my mom and sister put together of family recipes when we first got married 20 years ago. It's still a favorite! Hope I win - this sounds like a good one! :) (from the TOS crew)
ReplyDeletegenerally, my favorites are from churches & junior leagues. my most treasured is a copy dedicated to a great-great-aunt who was very active in her community. my most used is one from the Louisiana Women's League.
ReplyDeletefavorite recipe is one that my sister made up as a teenager - a chocolate peanut butter mousse pie with a chocolate crust & shaved chocolate on top.
ReplyDelete