Menu Plan Monday

One of my resolutions for 2008 is to simplify my life. And while meal planning does simplify my life, the attach-a-meal-to-a-specific-day part doesn't.

"Let's see. I'm sure that at 6:45pm on Tuesday Itty will happily sit in his high chair so I can chop green peppers and mince garlic for that evening's pasta recipe."

NOT.

And although most of the meal-planning Moms at I'm an Organizing Junkie don't cook on the weekends, I like to take advantage of Daddy's ability to entertain our heros and make more complex recipes then. (Especially now that Itty's favorite pastime is opening the broiler drawer.)

So my solution is to plan four specific meals a week so I won't run into the dreaded staring into the pantry hoping to be inspired with a dinner idea at 6:30pm panic attack. But which meal gets made will depend on our schedule, the boy's temperaments and the Mommy fatigue factor. The other three nights will consist of one leftover night, one pizza/take-out night and Thursdays are something simple for the boys because Daddy works late night.

Dan and I also resolved in 2008 to return to meatless Fridays. As Sister Mary Martha so entertainingly explains, Ask Sister Mary Martha: Meat or No Meat, the 'no meat on Fridays' rule was lifted with the understanding that we do another penance in it's place. And since I'm not ready to give up the computer or coffee on Fridays I'm doing the no meat thing. (And Lent is a mere 3 weeks away so might as well get back into the habit now!)


This Week's Meals:
Hawaiian Chicken Bake
Spaghetti Pie
Italian Sausage Subs
Alton Brown's Grilled Cheese & Soup