Mid-July Monday

Monday's Pickings

Here we are, mid-July, already!  Didn't this month just start?  

On Monday morning, I went to the garden to see what I might find and I found another egg, two unripe nectarines that had fallen, and  ripe tomato.  One of the fallen nectarines had about three-quarters of it eaten by a bird or, maybe a squirrel, so I left it under the tree to be finished by whatever animal might want it.  The other was was only pecked at in one spot, so I brought it in.  I don't think it will ripen even if I put it in a paper bag and keep it on the counter.  But, I think I can make a pickle or cook a curry with it (similar to green mango curry).

Monday was a fairly productive day.  I stripped my bed and did a load of laundry.  Cleaned the fridge (wiped down the shelves and the bins and relined the produce bins; didn't clean the shelves in the door, this time around).  Took out the trash cans and walked for 10 minutes or so.  Watched the news and first hour or so of the Republican National Convention.  Then, I watched a couple of programs on the History Channel. 

And I cooked dinner: 

Dinner: Rice and Curries

Dinner was rice, sauteed curried cabbage, tomato curry, and beef curry.  As I had expected, the Berkeley Tie Dye tomato tasted better as a curry to me.  For dessert, I had sauteed apple slices.

Brunch had been a hot dog as I had the package of hot dog buns I had bought earlier.

I haven't made a proper meal plan for the week, yet, but, to start off the week, there will be hot dogs for brunches, along with scrambled eggs or omelets, depending on how generous Chicken Little decides to be and rice and curries for dinners, and there will be fresh fruits for snacks.

On Monday, I was grateful for:

- Another egg from Chicken Little
- Fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden
- Working appliances
- A pleasantly warm, but, not too hot, day 
- Keeping in touch with friends

Monday's joyful activity was picking garden produce.

Plans for Tuesday include another load of laundry and watering the back garden.

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for Tuesday?

June Meal Plan - Week 2

This was my June Week 1 meal plan:

Brunches: Leftover milkrice and chicken curry✔, leftover waffles with bananas and blueberries✔, cold cuts sandwiches✔, egg salad sandwiches✔, maybe even cereal and milk✔, scrambled egg with toast

Dinners:
- Chutney glazed chicken drumsticks, salad, corn✔
- Chicken Shrimp curry with rice, green beans, chick pea curry, cucumber salad✔
- Pizza✔
- Cold cuts sandwiches (on a day when I don't have them for brunch!)✔
- Leftovers✔

Snacks/desserts: yogurt✔, fruit✔, crackers✔, granola bars, treats from neighbor S

Here's how it turned out:

Monday:
Brunch - 1 waffle with banana slices; leftover milkrice and chicken curry
Dinner - Tomato chutney glazed broiled chicken drumsticks, salad, corn; canned pineapple chunks

Tuesday:
Breakfast - Cereal with milk
Lunch - Cold cuts sandwich
Dinner - Leftover Tomato chutney glazed broiled chicken drumsticks, salad, corn; fresh mango and chocolate wafer cookies

Wednesday:
Brunch - Cold cuts sandwich
Dinner - Rice with shrimp curry, chick pea curry, curried green beans, cucumber salad; didn't make a note of what I had for dessert - might have been another mango

Thursday:
Brunch - Scrambled egg with toast
Dinner - Leftover rice and curries from Wednesday; again, didn't write down what I had for dessert - maybe cherries or grapes

Friday:
Brunch - Cold cuts sandwich
Tea - Homemade potato chips
Dinner - Slice of pizza; didn't write down what I had for dessert - maybe more grapes and chocolate wafer cookies

Saturday:
Brunch - Leftover slice of pizza
Tea - Peanut butter sandwich
Dinner - Leftover rice and curries (chick peas and green beans - a vegetarian meal as I didn't feel like having the shrimp curry); dessert was the first peach of the season; yogurt

Sunday:
Brunch - Egg salad sandwich
Dinner - Cereal with milk, followed by cantaloupe and other treats from neighbor S

I also enjoyed orange juice with most of my brunches.

That worked out quite well, didn't it?  I changed the meal plan a little bit, but, I followed the meal plan more closely than on some other weeks! 

On to this week's meal plan!  I am planning the menu based on what I have on hand.  I am not planning to go grocery shopping again, so soon after my previous trip, BUT, with Fathers' Day approaching, if the stores have good deals on meat, etc., then, I might be tempted.  

June Week 2 Meal Plan:

Brunches:  Egg salad sandwiches, cold cuts sandwiches, salads, scrambled eggs and fried potatoes, banana/blueberry muffins, maybe pancakes or waffles, again.

Dinners:  Leftover chicken drumsticks with salad and potatoes or corn; leftover shrimp curry and chick pea curry with rice and snowpeas; spaghetti with ground turkey sauce and salad, coconut roti or yogurt flat bread and chicken curry. leftovers

Snacks/Desserts:  Fresh fruit, yogurt, crackers with peanut butter, granola bars, cereal, roasted cashews

As always, I am grateful for the fact that I am able to meal plan.  It is a blessing to know that there is sufficient food available, that I can plan for variety, that I will not go hungry.  

Did you meal plan last week?  If so, did you keep to your meal plan?  Are you making a meal plan this week?

On the First Day of April

Surprise Dinner from Friend S

On the first day of April, I made my usual milkrice for breakfast and I cut fresh flowers (red roses and jasmine) to place at the altars and on the mantelpiece next to my mother's picture.

Then, it was time to drive daughter to the airport.  There was a long line of vehicles to get to the airport. with people traveling after spring break and Easter, but, we had left in plenty of time and daughter wasn't late for her flight.  I dropped her off in front of the Departure's building and drove back home.  Later, she texted me to say that her check in luggage was 12 pounds over the weight limit and she had to repack her suitcase, transferring most of the food items I had given her from the suitcase to her carryon luggage (her backpack and purse).  She also said that the TSA agent had asked her if she was going on a camping trip, after inspecting her carry on luggage, because she had so much food with her, but, she had laughed and explained that she was going back to her apartment after visiting her mother and her mother always gives her food to take back.

Daughter had a safe flight and journey to her apartment.  Then, she unpacked her suitcase and put away the food, went to the corner convenience store to buy a small container of half and half for her coffee, and went to chorus practice.

I came home after dropping her off at the airport and realized that my home phone was not working!  It had stopped working, yesterday, but, my daughter was able to reset it and it worked until this afternoon.  She talked me through the steps to reset it again, this evening, but, it is still not working and I think it is due to an equipment malfunction.  I need to call the phone company, later, and put in a service request.

There was also an email from the vet about Dancer's blood test results and apparently, he needs his thyroid medication dosage increased.  She will call it into the pharmacy and wants to see him again in two weeks.

I had planned to visit friend R in the afternoon, but, I spoke with her (at least my cell phone worked!) and we decided to postpone the visit till Wednesday.  

Later in the evening, my Sri Lankan friend S (not neighbor S), and her husband visited and brought me the lovely rice and curry meal pictured above!  There's basmati rice in the covered container, fish curry and dhal in the small plastic bags, coconut sambol, cashew curry, chicken curry, and fried eggplant in the divided container!  As usual, friend S said it was nothing much, just some rice and a few curries!  She asked if she could have some curry leaves and we picked a bag of curry leaves and some lemons for her to take back.

After they left, I took the trash bins out to the front of the driveway to be emptied, tomorrow.  Later, I called and chatted with aunt C (I had called her, earlier, and left a message explaining that my home phone was not working, so she wouldn't worry if she tried to call me and couldn't get through to me).

After dinner, I video chatted with daughter for a bit.  She has to go into the office, tomorrow, so, she'll have an early start to the day.  I, too, want to wake up early so I can call the phone company to book a service call.

Weekly Meal Planning:

I didn't do any meal planning when daughter was here as we were treating ourselves to take out and snacks, etc.  I was planning to go back to meal planning this week, but, with friends bringing me dinner and plenty of assorted leftovers in the fridge, I think my meal plan for the first week in April will be...leftovers!  LOL. 

On the first day of April, I was grateful for:

- The start of a new month
- Daughter had a safe flight and journey back to her apartment
- Cell phones!
- Friend S bringing me dinner
- The vet contacting me with Dancer's blood test results

Joyful activities on April 1st included spending the morning with daughter before she had to leave, making milkrice and picking fresh flowers for the altars, and a visit from friend S and her husband, bringing me dinner!

Plans for Tuesday include calling the phone company to report the home phone malfunction.

How was your first day of April?  What are your plans for Tuesday?

Starting a New Week on Monday

Avocado Pudding

I went to bed at 2:30 a.m. and slept till 9:30 a.m.  Then, I got up, turned the porch lights off, fed the cats, and went back to sleep!  I can honestly say that I slept all morning!  Daughter had woken up early and was doing her work when I finally came out of the bedroom.

Aunt C called in the afternoon and we had a very long chat for over one hour!  She was feeling lonely and she knows that I will listen to her stories of the past, even though I have heard them many times before.  To misquote John Milton, "They also serve who sit and listen"!  

In the evening, I walked a bit in the garden, took the kitchen waste to the compost pit, and picked some fresh oranges.  I cut up two of the oranges and daughter and I enjoyed them as a snack.  

Then, after daughter finished her work for the day, I had the robot vacuum cleaner vacuum the family room, dining area, and living room.  It was mostly good, today, and responded to the phone commands for the most part, but, there was a bit of confusion at one point (it was in the middle of a job and the phone was telling me that it was charging at its charging station!) and my daughter had to reset it!  But, what a blessing to have it working at a time like this when I am having issues with my leg!  I did a little light dusting in the living room and dining area, as well.

Daughter took the trash cans to the curb for me in the evening and later, she did the dishes and put some rice to cook while I cooked a green beans curry.  Brunch had been salmon sandwiches, with leftover baked salmon fillet as the filling.  We had freshly cooked rice and green beans with leftover pork curry and tomato chutney for dinner.  For dessert, I made avocado pudding with a large, ripe avocado, mashed with sweetened condensed milk.  I don't like guacamole or avocado toast or avocados in salads, etc.  For me, an avocado is a fruit to be made into a pudding and eaten as dessert.  

I put mung beans to soak overnight to boil for brunch, tomorrow.  Dinner will be chicken curry (from the freezer) with leftover rice and green beans. That's the extent of my meal planning for the week! I haven't planned any further than that!

On Monday, I am grateful for:

- Being able to sleep in
- Long phone chats with aunt
- Daughter's help with some of the household chores
- Fresh oranges from the garden
- The robot vacuum helping me to clean!

Today's joyful activity was crocheting.

Plans for tomorrow include doing a little more light housework and putting away some laundry.  

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for Tuesday?

Another Rainy Monday and a Meal Plan of Sorts

A Baker's Dozen of Banana/Blueberry/Cashews Muffins
(in dark blue paper muffin liners)

The day started out cloudy and rather grey; the rain started in the afternoon.  A light rain, but, the garden is getting watered!

On Sunday, I checked my freezer. organized it a little (the bottom bin and two of the five shelves), and updated the inventory.  Then, I took out a package of beef smore/curry, a package of moringa curry, a package containing two cooked mild Italian sausages, and a package of frozen blueberries for this week's meals.  

I had one banana that was getting a bit too ripe for my liking, so I made a batch of banana muffins with blueberries and cashews.  They will be good for breakfasts and snacks (and to share with M when he's here on Wednesday).  The beef curry and moringa curry will be good with rice for dinners and the sausages can be made into something to eat with pasta or with mashed potatoes.

Today, Monday, I went to the pharmacy to pick up a refill of Dancer's thyroid medication.  I asked myself if I wanted to get a doughnut from the store, next door, but, decided I didn't because I had muffins at home.  So, no doughnuts this time around!

After I came home, I had brunch (a slice of toast with the last of the tuna salad I had made over the weekend and two of my muffins), took the trash cans out to the curb, read and commented on a few blogs, cleaned Dancer's litter box, etc., and watched the news.

I also accepted the delivery of this box:

New Yarn!

I had made a few granny squares with some pink yarn leftover from a baby blanket I had crocheted, earlier; my daughter liked the colors and asked for a pink granny squares blanket for herself.  So, we ordered some yarn, on sale for $3.49 per 7 oz. skein) which was delivered, today!  Guess what I'll be doing in the coming days and weeks!

Dinner, tonight, was rice (with some frozen green peas added to it), beef curry, moringa curry, and peach chutney:

Monday Night's Dinner

Last week's meal plan worked out well, enough, although I didn't have the salmon dinner I had planned to have.  Here's this week's meal plan:

Brunches: Tuna salad and toast (Monday), banana-blueberry muffins, spicy sauteed garbanzo beans, milkrice and curry (Friday, March 1), pancakes or waffles, leftovers

Dinners: Rice, beef curry, moringa curry, peach chutney (Monday and Tuesday), sausages with pasta or mashed potatoes and vegetables, turkey casserole or pot pie, leftovers.

Once again, this meal plan is based on what I have on hand.  It might (or might not) change, if I do a grocery pick up this week.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Rain for the garden

- Dancer's medications

- The car started after not driving it for a week

- A safe drive to the pharmacy and back

- Phone calls, emails, and texts from family and friends

Today's joyful activity was crocheting.

How was your Monday?  Any special plans for Tuesday?

It's Another Rainy Monday and a Meal Plan of Sorts

Uppuma (Indian-Style Cream of Wheat)

It was a rainy day, today, with some high winds in the afternoon.  Mostly light rain, slowing down to a drizzle, but, a wet and grey day.  

For brunch, I made my version of uppuma or Indian-style cream of wheat, which is a savory breakfast dish with curry leaves, dried red chilies, and other additions such as vegetables and nuts.  I added the last of a jar of roasted peanuts; if I didn't have peanuts, I would have added cashews.  I had listed uppuma on my meal plan a couple of weeks ago, but, didn't make it then.  I also made another freshly squeezed juice drink to have with my brunch - oranges, lemons, and passionfruit, diluted with water and sweetened with sugar as the juice was rather tart.  

I spent a good portion of my day reading one of my library books.  In between, I put away the last of the load of laundry I had done earlier, washed a pair of wool knitted socks by hand, cleaned up after Dancer, took the trash and recycling cans to the curb, watched news and some TV programs on one of the public TV channels.  

Dinner was soup and a deli meat sandwich.

Later, I video chatted with my daughter.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Rain for the garden
- Working appliances
- Hot water on tap
- Library books
- Video chatting with my daughter

Today's joyful activity was reading.

February Week 3 Meal Plan Options:

I am not following my meal plans that closely, but, I like seeing the options written out!

Brunches: Uppuma (Monday), French toast,  the last of the yogurt flat bread with chicken curry, soup, a sandwich with the last of the deli meat, peanut butter toast, scrambled egg and toast, muffins (if I feel like baking)

Dinners: Sausage stir fry with rice or pasta; baked chicken with corn and snow peas; baked salmon (from the freezer) with sides of rice and broccoli; leftovers!

Those are the meal plan options for this week, unless I change my mind and have something different!  LOL!

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for the rest of the week?  Are you doing a meal plan this week?

There are more flowers on the peach tree, now:

Peach Blossom

Mid-Week Catch Up

A New Face Peeking at Me!

Isn't it just adorable?  I've been seeing a new calico cat hanging around in the garden this past week or so.  It seems rather wary and ready to run and hide in the crawl space under the house at the slightest movement, but, the lure of Mama Cat's bowl of kibble is hard to resist!  I was able to photograph it through the sliding glass door, on Tuesday:

Calico Cat

Mama Cat, however, is not having any of it!  She, who can't be bothered to chase away Chicken Little, chased the calico cat before it could so much as get a bite of kibble.  Last week, I put a separate bowl of kibble for the calico cat; I might have to continue to do that.  I don't know whose cat it is or if it is a stray.  At first, I thought it might belong to the new neighbors, as I've seen a cat sitting in one of their window sills, but, I think that cat is bigger and has different markings.  I do hope that it isn't a complete stray!

Monday was a productive day.  In addition to ordering and picking up the groceries, I changed the bed sheets, did a load of laundry, dusted the living room and dining area, renewed two of my library books, took the trash cans to the curb, emptied the dish washer, wiped down the kitchen counters, and started cleaning the fridge.  I had a banana and bread for brunch; for dinner, I cooked a smoked sausage with onions, bell pepper, and tomato and had it with rice.

On Tuesday, I put away the dried laundry,  brought in the emptied trash cans, finished cleaning the fridge, did a little weeding in the front garden, visited a bit with neighbor S who saw me in the front garden and called me over to show me that she and her mother had planted the pomegranate and fig plants she had bought, cleaned the litter box, took the kitchen compost to the garden, chatted on the phone with aunt C, with friend R, and with former neighbor T.  

Brunch was a Fuyu persimmon, a banana, and the last of the bakery bread I bought on Friday.  At tea time, I ate two leftover American style pancakes with leftover lentil curry.  Dinner was the last of the sauteed chicken and rice.

This week's meal plan:

Brunches: Bananas and buttered bread, deli meat sandwiches, scrambled eggs and toast with or without bacon, peanut butter toast, maybe grilled cheese sandwiches?

Dinners: Smoked sausage stirfry with rice; sauteed chicken and rice; chicken curry with cucumber salad and rice; leftovers

Snacks/desserts: Fresh fruits (apples, oranges, pomegranate, a single passionfruit picked off the vine), bread pudding (I found a lot of bread ends/heels in the fridge when I cleaned it out!), yogurt

I am grateful for:

- Sunny days
- Chats with family, friends, and neighbors
- Working appliances
- Being able to order things online and have them delivered to the door
- Garden fruit

My joyful activities have included reading, crocheting, and, as always, video chatting with my daughter.

Plans for Wednesday include tending to the garden with M, dusting the family room and my bedroom, and vacuuming.

What are your plans for Wednesday?

Another Rainy Monday and Maybe a Meal Plan?

Mama Cat

Guess what?  We had more rain, today!  According to the news, we have received as much rain in a twenty-four hour period, as we would have normally received in six months!  That is a lot of rain for us!

My aunt C called in the morning for a chat and she said their den roof is leaking.  Of course, nothing can be done to repair it until the rains stop!  I spoke with friend R, too, as she lives just a few blocks south of an evacuation warning area.  She said the streets near her apartment building are flooded, but, she is okay.  

It rained steadily all day, but, during a period when it had slowed down to a drizzle, I took the trash cans out to the curb and collected the mail from the mail box.

I also gave Mama Cat a new box in which to shelter.  Her old box was sodden and so was the old sweatshirt I had put down in it as her blanket.  I covered the outside of her new box with foil to try and make it a little more water resistant and gave her a new blanket.  I am using my old sweatshirts and sweatpants, that were too worn to donate, but, I didn't want to just throw, to make blankets for Mama Cat. 

Mama Cat in her new box

By the way, the side door to the garage is left ajar for her to seek shelter in the garage if she wants to do so (even if that lets some of the rain beat in), but, so far, she seems to prefer being in her box.  It's her way of asserting her feral status, I suppose, even if she will consent to sleep in a box I prepare for her.  Today, she was visited by Chicken Little who had a lot to say for itself and made such a noise that I went to see if it was being attacked, but, no, it was probably complaining that I didn't prepare a box for it!  I also noticed a new calico cat, but, it ran away before I could get my phone to take a picture!

Neighbor S called in the late afternoon to say her daughter N had made some desserts and would I like to have some.  You know me, I can't say no to desserts!  A little while later, N brought me some treats:

Desserts Compliments of Neighbors S and N

There were two pieces of a gelatin dessert, two pieces of homemade baklava (made by a member of the extended family) and a frangipane blondie that N had made.  I froze some of the baklava and the blondie for my daughter to try on her next visit home.  

Speaking of daughter, she has had two back to back migraines in the past few days.  I wonder if they are triggered by the weather?  

I vacuumed the family room, today, and washed a few wool knitted items by hand.  I also did a little self care/pampering and gave myself a pedicure, soaking my feet and applying some foot lotion that was a New Year's gift.  I didn't apply any nail polish, though, as I wanted to put on a pair of wool socks before my feet got cold!

Brunch was two of the banana muffins I baked earlier.  Dinner was a bowl of my ham and split peas soup with a slice of buttered toast.

Which brings me to meal planning!  I haven't been meal planning lately.  I've been finishing up leftovers and making a few easy meals as and when I felt like it.  Which works out well when there is just one person to please.  I do want to have some meals planned, though, so that I don't stand in front of the fridge or freezer and wonder what to make for brunch or dinner.  

So, here's my meal plan options for this week, based on what I have on hand:

Brunches: The last two banana muffins; leftover ham and split pea soup; scrambled egg with bacon and toast or hash browns, uppuma(Indian style cream of wheat). deli meat sandwich, waffles or pancakes

Dinners: Ham and split pea soup with toast or drop biscuits; sauteed chicken (from the freezer) with pasta and vegetables (snowpeas and broccoli, perhaps, also from the freezer); rice, beef curry (from the freezer), dhal, and eggplant; leftovers.

Snacks: Homemade yogurt, fruit, cookies, crackers and peanut butter, nuts, cereal

Let's see how that works out! 

On Monday, I was grateful for:

- More rain for the garden
- A good non-leaky roof
- Still having electricity, phone, and internet services
- Working appliances
- Neighbors S and N sharing treats with me

Monday's joyful activity was giving myself a pedicure.  

Well, it was still Monday when I started writing this blog post and now, it is Tuesday!  

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for Tuesday?

January Grocery Shopping Part 2 and Meal Plan

I picked up an order of groceries on Monday.  I mostly needed tuna for Dancer (he's back to refusing his canned cat food).  But, I also bought a few other items of groceries for myself, partly to qualify for free pick up and partly to take advantage of some sales, even though I had said I will be eating mostly from the freezer and pantry this month. 

I bought:

3 Bananas, 1.02 lb. @ $0.68/lb. = $0.70 

1 lb. ground beef (80/20), reg. price $6.29, with digital coupon = $3.74

3 cans tuna, store brand, reg. price $1.29@, on sale for $1@, with $0.50 off 3 cans coupon $0.83@ = $2.50

Deli meats/cold cuts, roast beef, 7 oz., reg. price $6.49, on sale with coupon = $3.49
Deli meats/cold cuts, uncured honey ham, 9 oz., reg price $6.49, on sale with coupon = $3.49

1 loaf multi grain bread, reg. price $3.49, on sale with coupon = $2.99

1 box cereal, 13.5 oz., reg. price $4.99, free with "best customer" coupon = $0

My grocery total = $16.91

In addition, I bought 15 cans of tuna, on sale for $1@ for Dancer = $15

My total order total (with Dancer's tuna) = $31.91

Meal Plans for January Week 3

Brunches: Cheese and spinach burek (Monday), cold cuts sandwiches, scrambled eggs and fried potatoes, leftovers

Dinners:

- Cold cuts sandwiches, Armenian potato salad (Monday)

- Spaghetti with meat sauce (will use pasta and canned pasta sauce from the pantry, some vegetables from the freezer, and the ground beef purchased on Monday)

- Mackerel curry and coconut roti (will use canned mackerel from the pantry, leftover coconut milk from the almsgiving that's in the fridge and leftover grated coconut from the freezer)

- Mackerel curry, moringa curry (from the freezer), and rice with peach chutney 

- Soup?

- Leftovers

Of course, this meal plan is subject to change!  

If anyone is wondering about the burek and the potato salad - my neighbor S brought over dinner and dessert on Sunday:

Sunday Dinner Compliments of Neighbor S

S made the potato salad, her sister-in-law made the cheese and spinach phyllo pastry and rice pudding,  her mother made the potato kuftha, her friend made the cheese and spinach burek, and a niece made the sour cream and gelatin dessert with the canned cherry sauce.  I gave S some love cake and Serrano chilies.  

A Quick Catch Up and a Sort of Meal Plan

More Tents on Sunday
(Photo taken through my side window)

The days are going by faster than I can record them!

Last week Thursday, I handed over the care package to my late friend A's daughter C, to be taken up to my daughter.  C and her sister A drove up to Berkeley on Friday and reached there, safely, shortly after my daughter finished work for the day.  My daughter had cooked rice and curries for their dinner, but, C had wanted to go out to eat, so they did.  They went to a Thai restaurant near my daughter's apartment and afterwards, they did an escape room.  

I took it easy on Friday, mostly to rest my foot as my toe was still a little painful.  Gardener M tended to the garden in the evening and he planted more green beans for me.  

On Saturday, my daughter and her friends visited the California Science Academy during the day and went out to dinner to celebrate C's birthday.

I spent another fairly relaxed day on Saturday.  I did a load of laundry, cleaned the bathroom and mopped the floor, and spent the afternoon repairing the quilt (I had put it aside while I was busy with the peaches).  

On Sunday, my daughter and her friends went on an early morning hike and afterwards, her friends left to drive back to Los Angeles.  They had offered a ride home to my daughter ("You can surprise your mom!"), and my daughter said she was tempted, but, she would prefer to quarantine for at least a week before she comes home in order to protect me because I am still staying home for the most time.  The girls reached home safely and I called and texted C to thank her for taking the care package up.

On Sunday, I heard the sound of metal poles being dropped and when I looked out my side window, I noticed that the neighbors had put up three tents in their drive way and this bus was parked in front of my house:

Bus Parked in Front of My House
(Photo taken through the front window)

At first, I thought it was a school bus (a note to my international readers: school buses in the U.S. are usually painted yellow), and wondered what a school bus was doing parked outside my house on a Sunday afternoon.  But, a closer inspection revealed what it was:

Video Game Bus
(Apologies for the glare from the camera)

Yes, the neighbors were having another party.  A birthday party for one of the children.  Yes, there was music with a DJ, but, not a live band and while the DJ spoke with a microphone, there were no amplifiers.  Also, since it was held on a Sunday afternoon, the party ended around 9:00 p.m.  I was happy with the level of noise and the fact that it ended early.

On Sunday, I did a little cleaning, ran the dishwasher, sewed on the quilt for a bit, chatted on the phone with former neighbor T, video chatted with my daughter, and watched some videos online.

On Monday, I watered the back garden in the late morning.  Then, I called and spoke with cousin P's daughter to check on her and on cousin P.  Later in the evening, I took the trash cans to the end of the driveway.  Former neighbor T's daughter K was at the house (she was taking out their trash cans) and we chatted for a bit.   She said that the realtor took pictures of the house over the weekend; I suppose it will go on the market, soon.  I told her, half jokingly, but, also, half seriously, to make sure that the realtor doesn't show the house on a weekend when there is a full blown party going on, next door!  I'm hoping that it won't be bought by people who like to have noisy parties!  

Weekend meals were mostly leftovers (pasta with ground turkey sauce, rice and shrimp curry with garbanzo beans and sauteed green beans), scrambled egg on toast, an individual cheese pizza from the freezer, teriyaki chicken drumsticks (from the freezer) with homemade fries, etc.  On Monday, I had the last frozen burrito for brunch, teriyaki chicken drumsticks with leftover sauteed green beans and freshly cooked rice (cooked the rice in some of the stock from the turkey and vegetable soup I made, last week).  

I haven't meal planned for a couple of weeks, now, but, here's my tentative meal plan for the last week in June:

Brunches: Frozen burrito (Monday); scrambled egg and hashbrowns; tuna salad on crackers; pancakes or waffles; muffins (if I bake some)

Dinners: Teriyaki chicken drumsticks, rice, sauteed green beans (Monday); Baked chicken thighs with leftover rice or baked (or mashed) potato, green beans and/or snow peas and carrots; smoked sausage stir fry with vegetables over rice; leftovers.

I am grateful for:

- My daughter's friends had a safe drive to Berkeley and back
- Daughter and friends had a lovely weekend
- Neighbors' latest party was not too loud and ended at a reasonable hour
- Green beans from the garden
- Sunny and warmer days

Joyful activities have included harvesting green beans from the garden, watching videos, and chatting/exchanging emails with friends.

Plans for Tuesday include some tidying up and maybe baking muffins.

What are your plans for Tuesday?

Gloomy Monday and a Not Really a Plan Meal Plan!

Baby Tomatoes

Another cloudy and cool Monday, with a high of 69F.  

Today, I did a load of laundry, dusted and vacuumed the living room and dining area, gave Dancer his medications and cleaned his litter box, picked more blueberries, picked some peaches (weighed them and there were 9 lbs. of peaches), did the dishes, and took the trash cans to the curb (I kept them in front of the driveway as usual, but, later, I noticed that someone had lined them up neatly along the curb!  Wonder who did that?)  I also watered the two indoor plants that I have (the third one is a rooted cutting that is growing in water, which I haven't potted up, yet).   

I also cleared the small dining table that is in the family room, although I mostly put what was on the table in the bookcase I got from neighbor T.  I am not sure if that is cheating or not!  LOL.  It was mostly files and paperwork and some of it is destined to be stored in the garage and the rest of it is meant to be filed in the new filing cabinet.  So, the bookcase is, actually, a temporary holding space for them, until I sort through them.  Not ideal, by any means, but, it did get the table cleared!  I need that table to start processing the peaches that I picked today, since I don't have a kitchen table (no room in the kitchen for one).  All the cutting and chopping and weighing and measuring get done at this table.  My plan is to make a batch of chutney with the peaches I picked today.  That is the plan for tomorrow.

Meal Planning:

I was supposed to make a meal plan for this week, but, I've decided to just finish up the leftovers before I plan anything else!  There a little rice (I'm thinking I'll make fried rice), mackerel curry gravy (will be good with leftover lavash), pasta and sauce, enough egg salad and bacon for one sandwich, lahmajoon, and burek.  Once all that is over, I will maybe make some soup and there will be leftovers from that!  

Brunch today was the cheese filled flat bread that neighbor S gave me.  The cheese filling was a bit spicy, which surprised and pleased me; I enjoyed it very much.  

Dinner was some of the leftover rice, shrimp curry, and cucumber salad.  With a fresh peach and a cream puff for dessert!  The peach was good; the cream puff was delicious!  

Today, I am grateful for:

- All the blog comments
- Fresh fruit from the garden
- Working appliances
- Dancer's eye seems to be a bit better and he's not sneezing as much
- What I was able to accomplish

Today's joyful activities included picking fresh fruit from the garden and chatting with my daughter.

Plans for tomorrow include making peach chutney and bringing in the trash cans.  I'm not sure if I'd be able to do much more than that!

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for Tuesday?

April Meal Planning: Week 4

I didn't make a meal plan last week and I didn't keep very good records of what I ate, either!

But, brunches included yogurt flat breads/roti with katta sambol one day (Monday) and with chicken curry the next day (Tuesday), an egg salad sandwich (Wednesday), a frozen burrito, a salad, scrambled egg and toast, and a cheese sandwich (Sunday).

Dinners included rice with chicken curry and cucumber salad (Monday); a cheeseburger made with the last frozen hamburger patty, bread ends for the bun, and a slice of American cheese, plus a side salad (Tuesday); rice, chicken curry, and mango curry (Wednesday), fried rice (Thursday), gyoza/pot stickers (Friday); rice, ground beef and vegetables mixture from the freezer, with stir fried broccoli (Saturday and Sunday).

Desserts/Snacks included fruit cocktail dump cake (Monday and Tuesday), fruit salad (Wednesday and Thursday), hazelnut wafers, bananas, grapes, yogurt with treacle, and cereal.

Which was not too bad for not making a meal plan!

Onto this week, the 4th week of April!

Brunches: Sardines on toast, salads, peanut butter on toast, lavash (Armenian flat bread) with seeni sambol or chicken curry

Dinners: Spaghetti with ground turkey (and vegetables) pasta sauce, rice with chicken curry, broccoli, the last of the mango curry and/or cucumber slices, patties with ground turkey filling, leftovers

Desserts/Snacks: Gata (Armenian cookies), yogurt with treacle, fresh fruits, cereal, etc.  

Today (Monday), I had sardines on toast and a banana for brunch, lavash with seeni sambol at tea time, together with some strawberries and gata, and spaghetti for a late dinner.  

The lavash (Armenian flat bread), gata (Armenian cookies), and strawberries were given to me by neighbor S.

Lavash (on top), Gata, and Strawberries

That is the plan and, as always, it is subject to change!  Are you making a meal plan for this week?

April Meal Planning: Week 1 Review and Week 2

I started the first full week of April with lots of leftovers and they dictated the meal plan options, which were as follows:

Brunches:  Leftover pancakes (1 serving)✔, leftover milkrice (1 serving)✔, leftover mackerel curry (at least 2 servings) ✔, a leftover piece of cornbread✔, salads✔, frozen burritos, boiled mung beans

Dinners:

- Leftover beef stew (1-2 servings; maybe I will make that pot pie, after all?)✔(twice)

- Chicken drumsticks in teriyaki sauce curry, rice, dhal, broccoli stir-fry, baked potato chunks(Saturday)

- Battered fish fillets (frozen), rice, snow pea pods✔ (twice)
- Stir-fried shrimp, rice, tabouleh (Good Friday night)
- Easter meals compliments of friends and neighbors
- Turkey and vegetable soup
- Leftovers

Desserts/Snacks: leftover bread pudding (about 3 servings) plus a bit of leftover custard✔, fresh fruit (apples and mandarins)✔, canned fruit, baked chicken wings, cookies, chocolates/Easter candy

I'm afraid I didn't keep a detailed record of what I ate each day, but, I ate leftover pancakes with mackerel curry for brunch on Monday, leftover milkrice and mackerel curry for brunch on Tuesday, salads for brunch on Wednesday and Thursday, the leftover piece of cornbread on Friday, followed by a banana after I picked up my groceries.  On Saturday, I had a banana and a bagel with cream cheese for brunch and, on Sunday, I had another bagel with cream cheese.

I had stew for dinner twice, battered fish fillets with rice and pea pods twice, stir-fried shrimp with rice and tabouleh on Friday, sauteed chicken drumsticks with baked potato chunks and stir-fry on Saturday, and on Easter Sunday, I had Sri Lankan rice and curries (compliments of friend S) for a late lunch and Armenian rice pilaf, fried tilapia, and cabbage salad (compliments of neighbor S) for dinner!  

Moving on to this week (Week 2).  Once again, the fridge is full of leftovers!

Brunch options: Leftover Easter rice and curries (Monday), bagels with cream cheese, tabouleh, garden lettuce salads, cereal, milkrice (Thursday)*, leftover milkrice, egg salad sandwiches

Dinner options:

- Leftover Easter dinner (rice pilaf, fried tilapia, cabbage salad) (Monday and Tuesday)
- Sauteed chicken drumsticks with stir fried vegetables and rice
- Lavash (Armenian flat bread) made into Sri Lankan koththu roti
- Rice, chicken curry, and vegetables
- Leftovers

That is the plan and, as always, it is subject to change!  Are you making a meal plan for this week?

* Milkrice on Thursday - April 13th is the Sri Lankan New Year and it is customary to make milkrice for the first meal of the new year.  

Meal Plans: March Week 5 Review and April Week 1

These were my meal plan options for the last week in March:

Brunches: Sauteed garbanzo beans (Monday)✔, banana muffins✔, scrambled egg and toast✔, salad✔, frozen burrito, milkrice with seeni sambol and mackerel curry (on Saturday, April 1)✔, leftover milkrice and mackerel curry✔,  bread pudding, cornbread

Dinners:
- Smoked sausage/vegetables stir fry with rice (Monday)✔
- Beef pot pie stew (using canned beef stew)✔ 
- Turkey and vegetable soup; biscuits
- Leftovers✔

Here's how it worked out:

Monday:

Brunch: Sauteed garbanzo beans, banana muffin
Dinner: Smoked sausage/vegetables stir fry with rice
Snack: Cereal with milk; raisins

Tuesday:

Brunch: Banana muffin

Dinner: Salad, smoked sausage stir fry and rice, canned pineapple for dessert
Snack: Crackers with peanut butter and apple/cranberry jam

Wednesday:

Brunch: Scrambled egg (1 egg), toast, apple juice
Dinner: Canned beef stew with frozen green peas added.

Thursday:

Brunch: Bara Brith bread pudding
Dinner: Smoked sausage stir fry and rice, another piece of bread pudding for dessert

Friday:

Brunch: Salad (lettuce from the garden, grapes, bottled dressing)
Dinner: Smoked sausage stir fry and rice, bread pudding with custard for dessert
Snack: Canned beef stew

Saturday:

Brunch: Milkrice, mackerel curry, seeni sambol

Dinner: Pancakes, mackerel curry, bread pudding with custard for dessert

Sunday:

Breakfast: Cornbread

Lunch: Milkrice and mackerel curry, apple juice

Dinner: Scrambled egg (1 egg) and toast

Snack: Apple

Well, that didn't turn out too badly, did it?  I followed the meal plan for the most part.

I didn't make the pot pie, but, ate the stew as a stew because it was easier (and I probably didn't need the extra calories from pastry, anyway, especially since I had made bread pudding and custard, etc.)  There is a little more stew left, so there might still be a pot pie, next week!

I also didn't make the turkey and vegetable soup because I didn't feel like having soup, this week.  

Moving on to April!

I start the first full week of April with lots of leftovers and they will dictate the meal plan options!

Brunches:  Leftover pancakes (1 serving), leftover milkrice (1 serving), leftover mackerel curry (at least 2 servings), a leftover piece of cornbread, salads, frozen burritos, boiled mung beans

Dinners:

- Leftover beef stew (1-2 servings; maybe I will make that pot pie, after all?)

- Chicken curry, rice, dhal, broccoli

- Battered fish fillets (frozen), rice, snow pea pods
- Turkey and vegetable soup
- Leftovers

Desserts/Snacks: leftover bread pudding (about 3 servings) plus a bit of leftover custard, fresh fruit (apples and mandarins), canned fruit, baked chicken wings

At least, that is the plan.  How things will actually work out will depend on a number of factors including if I will put in an order for groceries during the first week of April or not!  The above meal plan is made based on what I currently have on hand.

How about you?  Did you make a meal plan for the last week in March and if you did, did you follow it?  Will you be making a meal plan for the first week in April?  If you are celebrating Easter, what will you be having for Easter dinner?  

March Meal Plans: Week 3 Review and Week 4 Plan

This was the plan for Week 3, which I started with a lot of leftovers and some chicken that needed to be cooked and frozen:

Breakfasts/Brunches: Scrambled egg and toast or fried potatoes; ham & split pea soup with biscuits(on a day when I want more of a lunch than a breakfast)✔, yogurt with cereal and fruit preserves (eaten mostly as dessert instead of brunches)✔ 

Dinners: Ham & split pea soup (on a day when I don't have it for brunch)✔, patties with ground beef filling and salad✔, smoked sausage sauteed chicken stir-fry with vegetables and rice✔, leftovers✔.  Or...I might have something quite different!  It'll depend on how much I feel like cooking, or not!  

And this is how it worked out:

Monday:
Brunch: Drop biscuits with cream cheese
Dinner: Rice, sauteed chicken, carrots & broccoli stirfry
Dessert: Yogurt with strawberry jam and cereal

Tuesday:
Brunch: Ham and split pea soup, drop biscuits with butter and golden syrup (the last of the drop biscuits)
Dinner: Patties, salad
Dessert: Yogurt with strawberry jam and cereal

Wednesday:
Brunch: Patties
Dinner: Soup & cheese crackers
Dessert: Yogurt with palm treacle

Thursday:
Brunch: Soup
Dinner: Rice, chicken, stir fried vegetables (broccoli, carrots, snow pea pods)
Dessert: Yoghurt with apple-cranberry jam and cereal

Friday:
Brunch:  Spam sandwich (yes, the canned luncheon meat! Not as good as canned corned beef, in my opinion, but half the price.)
Dinner:  Soup and salad (the last of the ham & split pea soup; shared it with M)
Dessert: Yoghurt with apple-cranberry jam and cereal

Saturday:
Brunch: Spam sandwich
Dinner: Spam fried rice (leftover rice, cubed Spam, an egg, frozen green peas)
Dessert: Chocolate wafers

Sunday:
Brunch: French toast
Dinner: Sauteed chicken, boiled new potatoes, steamed pea pods 
Dessert: Chocolate wafers, ice cream!

Snacks included grapes, homemade cheese crackers, and chocolate wafers
Beverages included homemade passionfruit lemonade and apple juice from the store

Well, that turned out quite well, I think.  I finished all the leftovers I needed to finish and nothing went to waste.  

On to Week 4!  I have some of the Spam leftover and just a little bit of the yogurt I made (which I am keeping as the starter for the next batch).  

Brunches: Frozen burrito (Monday), salads, fried rice, sauteed garbanzo beans, egg salad sandwiches, toast with cheese

Dinners:
- Breakfast for dinner (Monday; scrambled egg, fried Spam, toast)
- Smoked sausage/vegetables stir fry with rice
- Baked frozen fish fillets with rice and pea pods
- Chicken curry and rice? 
- Leftovers

That is the tentative plan for now.  I might change things as I go!  

Did you make a meal plan, last week?  Did you keep to it?  Will you be making a meal plan for this week?   

March Meal Plans - Week 2

First a review of how my March Week 1 meal plan worked out.  

Breakfasts/Brunches:  Banana muffins (3 left)✔, pancakes or waffles, milk rice with seeni sambol (March 1)✔, turkey soup (1 serving left)(added to dinner)✔, scrambled eggs✔ with fried potatoes or hash browns, leftovers✔. cinnamon rolls

Dinners:
- Leftover shredded turkey made into something!  It's been sitting in the fridge for several days, now!✔
- Rice with sauteed shredded turkey chicken* or mackerel curry, dhal, moringa curry*, chutney
- Ham* and split pea soup?
- Ground beef* with mashed potatoes, snow pea pods* or broccol
- Leftovers✔
*Items from the freezer

- Macaroni and cheese
- Roti
- Cup noodle soup
- Lasagna

Ha!  See all the items crossed out?  I didn't make them! The items in blue are what I had, instead! Here's how it all turned out:

Monday:
Brunch: banana muffin
Dinner: Made-over shredded turkey with rice cooked with the last of the turkey soup, cucumber slices

Tuesday:
Brunch: Scrambled egg (by itself)
Dinner: Leftover rice, shredded sauteed turkey, cucumber slices
Snack: Cheese and crackers, banana muffins

Wednesday:
Brunch: Milk rice, seeni sambol
Dinner: Milk rice, chicken curry
Dessert: Home canned peaches with non-dairy whipped topping

Thursday:
Brunch: Leftover Milk rice and chicken curry
Dinner: Roti, chicken curry, seeni sambol
Dessert: Home canned peaches with non-dairy whipped topping

Friday:
Brunch: Leftover roti with chicken curry and seeni sambol
Dinner: Boxed macaroni and cheese, leftover shredded sauteed turkey
Snacks: Half the sugarbee apple, home canned peaches, cheese and crackers

Saturday:
Brunch: Lasagna and cinnamon roll
Dinner:  Cup noodle soup (mostly the broth from it; saved the noodles for another day); half a bagel with cream cheese, mandarin 

Sunday:
Brunch: Half a bagel with cream cheese
Dinner: Lasagna
Dessert/Snacks: Cinnamon roll, the other half of the sugarbee apple

I see a sad lack of vegetables, but, I did add some vegetables to the sauteed shredded turkey.

************

Here is the plan for Week 2.  Once again, I am going with options, instead of a set menu by day, as that seems to work best for me.

Breakfasts/Brunches:  Bagels and cream cheese, leftover noodles from the cup noodles with some leftover shredded turkey added to it (Monday),  scrambled eggs with toast or fried potatoes, lasagna.

Dinners:

- Leftover macaroni and cheese with the last of the shredded sauteed turkey, salad (Monday) 

- Leftover macaroni and cheese with chicken curry

- Rice, chicken curry, dhal, cucumber slices

- Ham and split pea soup?

- Ground beef with mashed potatoes, broccoli

- Leftovers

As always, subject to change depending on how I feel!  

Did you make a meal plan, last week?  Did you keep to it?  Have you made a meal plan for this week?  Or, do you decide on the day of?  

March Meal Planning, Week 1

I got away from meal planning in February!  Or, rather, I didn't do a lot of planning at the beginning of the week and post about it.  Instead, I just cooked various dishes depending on what I had on hand and what I felt like eating and then, either froze some of it (chicken curry and ground beef with vegetables) or ate the leftovers as long as they lasted!  It worked out rather well for me.

All my meals were cooked at home (except for the bagels and the bread which I bought from the store) and included milk rice, fried rice, rice with chicken curry and green beans, scrambled eggs and toast, French toast, pancakes, bagels and cream cheese, toast and cream cheese, banana nut muffins, corn bread, cheeseburger/hamburger, turkey and vegetable soup (two batches), fried potato slices, baked potato wedges, mashed potatoes, sausages cooked with vegetables and eaten with mashed potatoes or added to pasta sauce and eaten with spaghetti, ground beef with vegetables (eaten with rice as fried rice, added to macaroni and cheese, added to pasta sauce and eaten with spaghetti), macaroni and cheese (eaten with ham and with ground beef), and sandwiches.  Oh, and leftovers!  Lots of leftovers!  LOL.  

But, February is coming to an end and March is starting.  Maybe I should try to do some meal planning, again!  I am going to consider the last two days of February as part of March for meal planning purposes.

I only did one grocery shopping pick up in February, on the 10th.  I will be needing to do another grocery pick up in the first week of March because I am out of bread and could do with some fresh fruits (and maybe more bagels - I really enjoyed having bagels and cream cheese for breakfasts and as snacks!)

The March Week 1 meal plan is made based on what I have on hand, though.  

Once again, I am going with options, instead of a set menu by day, as that seems to work best for me.

Breakfasts/Brunches:  Banana muffins (3 left), pancakes or waffles, milk rice with seeni sambol (March 1), turkey soup (1 serving left), scrambled eggs with fried potatoes or hash browns, leftovers

Dinners:

- Leftover shredded turkey made into something!  It's been sitting in the fridge for several days, now!

- Rice with chicken* or mackerel curry, dhal, moringa curry*, chutney

- Ham* and split pea soup?

- Ground beef* with mashed potatoes, snow pea pods* or broccoli*

- Leftovers

*Items from the freezer

I think this will be a good meal plan.  As always, subject to change depending on how I feel.

Have you been meal planning in February?  Will you meal plan in March?

Meal Plans: January Week 4 Review/February Week 1

This was the meal plan for the last full week in January and how it worked out:

Monday: Salmon (from the freezer) sauteed, broccoli, rice - I sauteed the salmon with onions and tomatoes, steamed the broccoli, and cooked fried rice from a boxed mix; we had plenty of leftovers!

Tuesday: Chicken curry, green beans, dhal, with leftover broccoli and leftover fried rice; I ate patties that were made earlier in the day as a snack, and leftover cucumber salad

Wednesday: Leftovers from Tuesday - leftover chicken curry, cashew curry, rice.

Thursday: Hamburgers (there are 4 leftover hamburger buns to use up) Thai food take out (chicken fried rice, Thai pepper beef, mixed seafood).

Friday: Leftovers and mixed appetizers (gyoza, baked chicken wings, etc.) OR Thai food take out -Rice, sauteed curried green beans, leftover chicken curry, leftover cashew curry

Saturday: Leftovers - Salmon, rice, green beans, peach chutney

Sunday: Breakfast for dinner - egg, hash browns, bacon or ham or soup! Hamburger, salad (lettuce from the garden), fries

That worked out quite well, I think.  We switched a few things around, but, that was fine.

This week is the end of January and beginning of February.  Daughter has left and I am back to planning meals for one.  I want to finish up a few leftovers and then, make some soup.  The plan is to use up a few things that are in the freezer, such as chicken and turkey bones and bits and pieces of vegetables.  

Brunches: Choice of gyoza/pot stickers (Monday), toast with peanut butter or  scrambled egg (Tuesday); milkrice on Wednesday (February 1), leftover milkrice if any (Thursday), frozen burritos, pancakes, cup noodles, etc.

Dinners:

Monday: Leftover salmon, leftover half a baked potato topped with leftover green relish from the samosas, green peas

Tuesday: Leftover chicken curry, rice, green beans, potato curry

Wednesday: Leftover salmon, leftover fries, cucumber slices

Thursday: Hamburger and salad

Friday: Fried rice with ham

Saturday: Chicken or turkey & vegetables soup

Sunday: Leftover soup, drop biscuits (maybe)

Did you make a meal plan for last week?  If so, how did it work out for you?  Will you be making a meal plan for this week?

January Meal Plans - Week 3 Review & Week 4

This was the meal plan for last week's dinners and how it worked out:

Monday: Chicken curry (from the freezer), rice, leftover spicy potatoes, steamed broccoli, cucumber salad, peach chutney

Tuesday: Leftover chicken curry, sauteed green beans, dhal, rice, leftover cucumber salad, if any, peach chutney

Wednesday: Ground turkey(from the freezer) made into a keema curry (with added vegetables - tomatoes, onion, carrot, zucchini, celery, bell peppers, green chilies) and served with rice

Thursday: Leftovers from Wednesday (plus green beans and dhal from Tuesday)

Friday: Hamburgers (need to buy buns), salad (buns were bought)

Saturday: Mackerel (canned) curry, lentils/dhal, green beans, rice Samosas and leftover keema curry and rice, cucumber salad, etc.

Sunday: Beef stew (canned) and mashed potatoes, broccoli Leftover keema curry, rice, cucumber salad, peach chutney

Brunches will most probably be leftovers or toast/sandwiches; I also boiled mung beans on Thursday.

Desserts will be fruits, cake, ice cream, etc.

That meal plan worked out well during the week, but, we ate leftovers during the weekend, partly because they were there and partly because I didn't feel like cooking.

On to this week's meal plan:

Monday: Salmon (from the freezer) sauteed, broccoli, rice.

Tuesday: Chicken curry, green beans, dhal, rice

Wednesday: Leftovers from Tuesday

Thursday: Hamburgers (there are 4 leftover hamburger buns to use up)

Friday: Leftovers and mixed appetizers (gyoza, baked chicken wings, etc.) OR Thai food take out - It's daughter's last night at home; she flies out on Saturday afternoon

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Breakfast for dinner - egg, hash browns, bacon or ham or soup!

Once again, this is a tentative meal plan!  I have taken the last package of chicken from the freezer to thaw, so there will be chicken curry sometime this week, there will be salmon for dinner, one night, and there will be leftovers!  Everything else is subject to change!  LOL.

How is your meal planning coming along?  If you don't meal plan, then, do you decide in the morning what you might make for dinner that evening?  

January Meal Plans: Week 3

This was how last week's meal plan worked out:

Monday: Leftover salmon with freshly cooked rice, cucumber salad, and peach chutney; mango and love cake for dessert

Tuesday: Teriyaki chicken drumsticks with rice, snow peas and carrots stir fry; mandarins mango for dessert

Wednesday: Rice with curried chick peas/garbanzo beans, spicy sauteed potatoes, and green beans; cucumber salad; mango mandarins and love cake for dessert

Thursday: Leftovers (if any); boxed mac & cheese with tuna, if not; Leftover roast pork from the freezer made over into a curry, leftover potatoes and green beans (daughter had the leftover chick peas as a snack, earlier), peach chutney; mandarins for dessert (there will probably be cake, too).

Friday: Pot stickers/gyoza (appetizer); maybe ramen noodles; fruit salad for dessert Pizza!

Saturday: Ham or turkey tetrazzini with green peas; home canned peaches for dessert Leftover Pizza! 

Sunday: Beef stew or beef pot pies if I feel ambitious enough to make pastry; or maybe top with mashed potatoes, instead.  Ice cream for dessert.  Ham and noodle casserole with green peas; apple slices, love cake 

So, I went off the plan a bit and switched things around a bit, but, on the whole, it worked out well, I think.  We didn't stick to the desserts I thought we would have, but, we had assorted fruits, love cake, and there were chocolates, as well!

This weeks tentative meal plan for dinners:

Monday: Chicken curry (from the freezer), rice, leftover spicy potatoes, steamed broccoli, cucumber salad, peach chutney

Tuesday: Leftover chicken curry, sauteed green beans, rice, leftover cucumber salad, if any, peach chutney

Wednesday: Ground turkey(from the freezer) made into a keema curry (with added vegetables) and served with rice

Thursday: Leftovers from Wednesday

Friday: Hamburgers (need to buy buns), salad

Saturday: Mackerel (canned) curry, lentils/dhal, green beans, rice

Sunday: Beef stew (canned) and mashed potatoes, broccoli 

Brunches will most probably be leftovers or toast/sandwiches.

Desserts will be fruits, cake, ice cream, etc.

That is the plan and it is subject to change, as always.  LOL.

I will need to do another grocery order midweek to pick up half and half, more vegetables, and some bananas (I have apples, mangos, and lots of mandarins in the fridge).  

I am grateful that I am blessed with enough food to eat, a varied diet, and the luxury of actually planning and choosing what I want to eat and changing that plan depending on what I feel like eating.  I am very mindful of the fact that not everyone is able to do so.  That, in many households around the world, the question is not what are we going to eat for dinner tonight, but, rather, will we have any food for dinner tonight.

Did you make a meal plan last week and if you did, did you follow it?  Will you be making a meal plan this week?