Pinnable Me Friday - Menu Planning

This week, I decided to use Pinterest to get inspiration for my meal planning.  Most of these are main dish ideas so I listed what I intend to serve on the side below the pictures. 

Meal Idea #1

Source: budgetbytes.blogspot.com via Tessa on Pinterest

Source: kalynskitchen.blogspot.com via Tessa on Pinterest

I thought the Asian inspired chicken strips would go nicely with the peanut noodle salad and would make great leftovers to take to work the next day.

Meal Idea #2

Source: find.myrecipes.com via Tessa on Pinterest

This isn't the most low-fat recipe, but I thought it sounded good and Brandon even gave the go-ahead!  I will probably make some kind of salad to serve on the side - cucumber & tomato or just a tossed green salad.


Meal Idea #3

Source: thekitchn.com via Tessa on Pinterest

We like pork chops but I have a hard time figuring out different ways to cook them and this recipe stuck out to me.  I think I will serve sweet potato cakes and some kind of veggie on the side.

Honorable Mention Meal Idea

Source: candcmarriagefactory.com via Tessa on Pinterest

This one didn't make it on the menu for this week because we already had a pork dish, but I think this sounds awesome and plan to make it very soon!

Happy Pinning!

Alternative Thanksgiving

It's November 2!!!  How can this be??  To me, once November hits, the year just flies by, however, this whole year has flown by so I'm not sure what to think about the next two months. 

As November arrives, it also means it is time to start the holiday preparations.  This year, we are celebrating Thanksgiving with Brandon's family but we are celebrating the day after.  While I won't be hosting the official Turkey Day meal, I will be hosting part of the family on Thursday and I want to prepare a fun alternative Thanksgiving meal, but I need help thinking of what to do.  Below are the specs for the day:

• Small gathering = 5 people
• Want to do as much prep ahead of time
• Could be a themed meal
• Not opposed to using my china, however, the thought of hand-washing all of my dishes for just 5 of us is not so appealing
• Football will be on TV
• Thinking of doing a brunch around 10 so we don't have to plan three meals that day

I've thought about doing an Italian meal since I could do a lot of prep ahead of time (enter Grandma's lasagna recipe).  I've also thought about doing heavy appetizers and having a sampling of treats, but that seems like more work.  Because I love to cook for a crowd and entertain and I still want the day to be special, I wouldn't mind making something different and unique, either.  Oh decisions, decisions! 

Has anyone else ever prepared an alternative holiday meal? Any new (to me) recipes out there that I need to try?  Any tips for a stress free day?

Bi-Weekly Menu Plan

I am always looking for new meal ideas and I'm sure other people are too so I decided I would post our bi-weekly meal plan (I try to only go grocery shopping every two weeks...).  I'm trying several new recipes this time.  I think they all sound yummy, but we'll see how they turn out.

• Chicken and Veggie Tostadas*, Spanish rice, tossed salad
• Grilled Cajun Skirt Steak* (or Flank Steak), fresh creamed corn, Regal Romaine salad
• Thai Lettuce Wraps*
• Honey Chicken Skewers*, tomatoes (from the garden) and cucumbers, wild rice or baked potatoes
• Crockpot Roast and all the fixin's
• Patty Melts, macaroni salad*, fresh fruit

*New Recipe

So, there you have it.  You meal planning for the next two weeks is done!!