It's all very serious, usually ordering a meal brings some joy & excitement to the table.

The proof will be in the pudding.

Goldfish Crackers go great with Homemade Chili a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

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Ranch Fried Chicken is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Home Voulunteer's Nutrition Guide and Meal Planning distributed by your gas company in the interest of the National Nutrition Program, c.1942 by Servel, Inc., Manufacturer of the Servel Electrolux Gas Refrigerator.

Herb Garden by Toni Spilsbury The Organized Cook a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

January 3, 2010

Yesterday a few of you asked about my #10, I always make a menu and stick to it. You wanted to know if I really did it and if I ever changed my mind.

Sometimes I do have a change of heart and each time I do I make note of it...on the menu. I save all the old menus and so I can look to them when I make the next menu. I thought I would share my tips for sticking to a menu.

Leaca's Menu Planning Tips =]

1. Make the menu before you go shopping. I do mine the week before I shop.

2. Have your calender/planner close by when you do this so that you can see your schedule and what days are busy and will need quick fixes. On the nights my daughter has basketball it is always a crockpot meal. The meals that take more time are on the other days.

3. I always have my grocery list right next to me and I fill it out as I plan.

4. I only place on the menu plan meals that we love or I think we will love, as I usually do something new each week. I used to menu plan and never stick to it and finally I looked at our menu and some of the meals did not excite me very much. I try to keep it fresh and fun. Cooking should be fun and delicious.

5. Print the menu off and place it on the fridge or somewhere you will see it a lot. I also put one in my planner and in our office area. I am never too far from the menu. NO EXCUSES!

6. Keep notes on the menu. Sometimes foods do not work or you need to change something. Sometimes the idea of making that certain meal just made you want to shoot yourself....keep notes. When you go to plan again you will be glad you did.

7. Keep all the old menus. I keep mine on a clip board so I can rifle through them with ease.

Additional tips: Take out ingredients and place them on the counter the night before. I take any meat out and defrost it in the sink overnight and then place it in the fridge in the morning. I mostly take out the cans and then the spices and items like that and place them on the counter. When I am using a crockpot meal I make sure the crockpot is out and ready. I prepare crockpot meals and casseroles first thing in the morning.

My friend and I are working together on a food blog but we are in the very early stages. She is a mother of three young boys and I have two teens at home. We wanted to do a blog that helped busy women in any stage of their life. So I will keep you posted. We are pretty excited about it. We will share recipes and tips like this .

Pictured above is Sunday Beef Stew from this blog. The recipe is one of my favorites and it is so easy to make.

Barbeque Chicken Sandwich recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Baja Fish Taco is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Chicken Enchiladas is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Tuna Casserole recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Chicken Pot Pie recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Menu from The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System

Meatball Subs is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

I write about food and recipes at bit.ly/thisab. This photo was also posted to Instagram, right here - ift.tt/1PCi0Xl

Home Voulunteer's Nutrition Guide and Meal Planning distributed by your gas company in the interest of the National Nutrition Program, c.1942 by Servel, Inc., Manufacturer of the Servel Electrolux Gas Refrigerator.

Home Voulunteer's Nutrition Guide and Meal Planning distributed by your gas company in the interest of the National Nutrition Program, c.1942 by Servel, Inc., Manufacturer of the Servel Electrolux Gas Refrigerator.

Home Voulunteer's Nutrition Guide and Meal Planning distributed by your gas company in the interest of the National Nutrition Program, c.1942 by Servel, Inc., Manufacturer of the Servel Electrolux Gas Refrigerator.

Spanish Paella is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Tortellini Soup recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Recipe:

Ingredients:

4 cups potatoes

4 cups baby carrots

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tablespoon sage leaves, crumbled

1 tablespoon parsley leaves, crumbled

1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 roasting chicken

Directions:

1. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; cut each piece crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices.

2. Combine Worcestershire sauce with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, sage, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and black pepper.

3. Place onions and water in bottom of glass pan; then, place chicken, breast side up, in center of pan, placing carrots and potatoes around it.

4. Brush chicken, including cavity, thoroughly with Worcestershire sauce mixture.

5. Cover with foil.

6. Roast at 190ºC for 90 minutes, or until done; brush chicken with Worcestershire sauce mixture every 30 minutes and stir potatoes and carrots.

7. Remove from oven; let chicken stand 10-15 minutes before carving.

Pork Fried Rice is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Recipe:

Ingredients:

4 cups potatoes

4 cups baby carrots

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tablespoon sage leaves, crumbled

1 tablespoon parsley leaves, crumbled

1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 roasting chicken

Directions:

1. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; cut each piece crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices.

2. Combine Worcestershire sauce with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, sage, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and black pepper.

3. Place onions and water in bottom of glass pan; then, place chicken, breast side up, in center of pan, placing carrots and potatoes around it.

4. Brush chicken, including cavity, thoroughly with Worcestershire sauce mixture.

5. Cover with foil.

6. Roast at 190ºC for 90 minutes, or until done; brush chicken with Worcestershire sauce mixture every 30 minutes and stir potatoes and carrots.

7. Remove from oven; let chicken stand 10-15 minutes before carving.

and cleaning out the coupon folder/planning the menu for the week.

Pork Fried Rice is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Sesame Chicken is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

I love my new whiteboard. Yes, I had another whiteboard, but this one is better because I now have a list on the left-hand side for groceries I need to pick up. Of course, half the time I forgot to put a needed item on the list, but that's because I'm still not used to even having a list. We have stuck to this menu all week long, and I am very proud of myself. I have been sorely tempted to eat out, especially yesterday when we ran out to grab something at the grocery store last-minute, but I restrained myself. Yay!

Egg Fried Rice is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Chicken Alfredo Pasta is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Italian Baked Chicken is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Saving Time by The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Spaghetti Bolognese is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Stuffed Pasta Shells is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Stuffed Pasta Shells is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Rosemary Chicken is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Herb Baked Salmon is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

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BACK TO MENU PLANNING . . . Love this new, healthy-recipe cook book! It gives me all the information for diabetic exchanges, details if I want to use either the Weight Watcher Core or Flex plans and WONDERFUL color photographs which inspire me.

Next weekend's recipes are for Shrimp Linguini, Tangy BBQ Pulled Pork and Pork Lo Mein . . . Guilt Free and delicious looking too.

What are you using for inspiration, Health Partners?

Happy "Take Time for Health" Tuesday,

Nighty ;->

Herb Baked Salmon is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Coconut Chicken Curry is a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

Enchiladas recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

via Instagram ift.tt/1iXPQhr

Helping Hands in the Kitchen by The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu

A kid favorite Homemade Chili a recipe from The Weekly Meal Plan System by The Organized Cook is a family dinner meal planning guide making cooking simple and easy through organized menu planning for the weekly family dinner menu