Meal Planning Options for February Week 3

 

Slightly Over Baked Curry Puffs

I haven't meal planned in a couple of weeks, but decided I should do some meal plan options for this week.  I meant to post this yesterday (Monday), but, time got away from me!  

On Saturday, I baked a batch of curry puffs - puff pastry turnovers with a curry filling.  I usually make these with curried ground beef, but, with ground beef  costing $8.49/lb. for the 80% lean/20% fat and $9.99 for 90% lean/10% fat, I haven't bought much ground beef, lately.  Instead, I used canned chicken breast I already had in my pantry, which needed to be used up soon (as in already beyond the best by date).  Sauteed with onions, a grated carrot, some shredded cabbage, and the usual curry leaves, curry powder, chili powder, lemon juice, a tiny bit of soy sauce, a handful of cooked garbanzo beans from a package in the freezer (in lieu of potatoes since the only potato I had left was soft and sprouting; it will be planted in the garden), and a little coconut milk leftover from making milkrice on the first of the month, the canned chicken made a good filling.  Unfortunately, I left them in the oven a bit longer than ideal and they got overbaked!  The burnt parts were easily scraped off and we enjoyed some of them for dinner and the leftovers have been eaten for brunch or snacks (mostly by me!)

On Sunday, daughter made a big pot of Zuppa Toscana, using a smoked sausage I had bought the  previous week and frozen, potatoes from the new bag of potatoes I had bought earlier that day when I picked up my groceries after the store mix up, and kale she picked from the garden:

Zuppa Toscana

She used milk, instead of the cream the recipe called for since we didn't have cream (not something I would normally buy).

I was planning to make a new loaf of bread to have with it, but, I didn't.  I have been experiencing some sciatica pains, on and off these past few days, so have not been up to doing much; that's my excuse for not making the bread.  I am still planning to make some bread to go with the rest of the soup as we have many servings of the soup left.  

However, on Sunday, even though I didn't make the bread, I cooked a beef curry with some of the beef I had bought earlier in February and frozen.   Daughter wanted some of the beef to make black pepper beef; she left the beef to marinate overnight and cooked it, adding some kale to it, on Monday. 

Black Pepper Beef with Kale

I am planning to make a chicken curry with some of the chicken I bought on Sunday and these dishes will form the basis of our meal plan options for this week:

February Week 3 Meal Plan Options:

Brunches:  Scrambled eggs with sausages and fried potatoes (Monday); Pancakes (Tuesday); Bagels; Curry puffs; Black pepper beef and rice; Soup; French toast; Leftover pasta from the previous week

Dinners:  Soup and bread; Black pepper beef with rice (Monday); Beef curry, sauteed greens, and rice; Chicken curry,  sauteed curried cabbage, and rice; Leftovers

Snacks/Desserts:   Bread/toast with banana and peanut butter; yogurt with fruit and cereal (me); cereal and milk (daughter); fruit; leftover pancakes; chocolate pudding (maybe).

I've added the links to the previous grocery shopping posts, only to show how I will often buy something when it is on sale and then, cook it later.  

I am grateful for:

- The luxury of choice when it comes to meal planning
- Daughter making some of this week's meals
- A well-stocked pantry and freezer
- Fresh greens from the garden
- Being able to cook (the availability and access to a working stove, electricity, fuel, etc. - things we often take for granted)

What are you planning to have for meals this week?