Menu plan

Well, plans have a habit of not quite working out that way... :)

Here's the updated version of what we were supposed to eat last week:

Monday 20/5: I've changed this to chilli con carne with rice, corn chips and salad since we didn't have the hot chook last night (was Asian chicken noodle soup ) All good
Tuesday 21/5: Spaghetti and rice Bolognese (freezer) I've started putting red kidney beans in the Bolognese too. All good
Wednesday 22/5: Stir fry Silly me - I was trying to be prepared and got the frozen Bolognese for Tuesday night out of the freezer on Monday night and put it in the fridge to defrost. Totally forgot about this on Tuesday, and got a new one out of the freezer. So, we needed to use up the one in the fridge so we had Bolognese again.
Thursday 23/5: Crumbed chicken with roast veggies (instead of parmesan)
I was coming down with a cold on Thursday (which is still hanging on) and the idea of doing a roast just didn't happen. Freezer Bolognese again.
Friday 24/ 5: Spaghetti and rice Bolognese (freezer) After Bolognese three nights in a row, we were getting a little over it so we got a takeaway hot chook which is a bit of a Friday night favourite.
Saturday 25/5: Stir fry Since we had the hot chook on Friday, we did Asian chicken noodle soup. It hadn't been planned so I bought some fresh pak choy on Saturday morning but forgot the chicken stock. We usually use the liquid tetra stuff, but I had to run up to the corner store which only had stock cubes. There were an acceptabel substitute, but we do like the liquid tetra packs better.
Sunday 26/5: Scavenge A last minute invitation from my mum for early dinner was accepted with much enthusiasm! 


Plan for the next fortnight:

Monday 27/5 Crumbed chicken and roast veg (also do daycare cupcakes)
Tuesday 28/5 Bolognese
Wednesday 29/5 Chilli con carne (make large batch to freeze, eat one serve each tonight)
Thursday 30/5 Stir fry
Friday 31/5 Bolognese
Saturday 1/6 Slow cooker chicken curry
Sunday 2/6 Scavenge

Monday 3/6 Chilli con carne with rice, corn chips and salad
Tuesday 4/6 Asian chicken noodle soup
Wednesday 5/6 Parmesan chicken with roast veg
Thursday 6/6 Stir fry
Friday 7/6 Hot chook with chips and steamed veggies
Saturday 8/6 Bolognese
Sunday 9/6 Scavenge

New handbag - again

 

Well, I caved. The smaller handbag I was going to try? Nope, I couldn't do it. Feel free to tell me "I told you so".

 

Der Husband and Chubs bought me this one for Mothers' Day. It's actually quite big, the photo makes it look shorter than it is.

 

So, why the switch back? Well, two main reasons. Now that Chubs has pretty much toilet trained, we don't always need the nappy bag - sometimes one nappy, a pack of wipes, a change of undies and a snack in my handbag is enough for a short trip. Also, since I have a tablet now, I'm often carrying it around too.

 

This one has both short handles and a long strap. Long strap is essential - means I can put it over my shoulder when carrying Chubs (plus nappy bag plus play group snacks plus picnic rug plus potty et al) out of the car when we aren't taking the stroller.

 

So yes, in short, I couldn't do it. I do still love my little bag though and will keep it for kid free outings :)

Groan

This was doing thr rounds and I found it exceptionally funny.

Chicken freezer hint

Since we got our new oven, I've been doing roast chicken pieces a lot. Since I like to do pretty much everything in bulk, I'll cut up the breasts into strips and cover with the crumb or otherwise prepapre it.

 

 

Freeze in meal sized portions (and labelled) and I toss it all in the freezer. The day before we are going to eat it I pop it in the fridge to defrost and then into the oven for dinner time.

 

I would much rather get my hands messy and crumby once, and then be good for a few weeks. It also means that i can do the time consuming crumbing bit at a convenient time, not at disaster whyisn'tdinnerreadyyet!!!! time. 

 

I only ever do this with fresh chicken, so it only gets frozen once.

Crumbed chicken

 

 

This faily simple meal is on frequent rotation at our house.

 

 

Chicken

 

Ingredients: (to serve four)

- two large chicken breasts

- 1 egg and a small amount of milk whisked together

- 1 - 2 cups of breadcrumbs

- 1/2 cup of flour

 

Roughly slice chicken breasts into large strips

Put the flour, egg and milk, and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls.

Make an 'assembly line' - coat each piece of chicken in flour, then the egg mixture, then the bread crumbs.

*If freezing, then put in the freezer at this step*

 

Put some olive oil in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the chicken strips in the pan. Bake in the oven for approximately 25 minutes. Check that the chicken is well cook all the way through by cutting a strip at the widest point. There should be no pink at all.

 

Serve with roast veggies and some steamed green beans and carrot. Lemon juice is yummy on the chicken :)

Monday menu plan

Monday 13/5 : Hot chook (from the supermarket) with steamed carrot and beans
Tuesday 14/ 5: Asian chicken noodle soup (with Monday's leftover chicken)
Wednesday 15/ 5: Crumbed roast chicken with roast veggies and steamed green beans and carrots.
Dear Husband was very sick this week, so chicken noodle soup was the way to go. Luckily I'd been slack and hadn't crumbed and frozen the chicken breasts on Monday night when I intended to, so I poached said chicken on Wednesday night, and we had Asian chicken noodle soup for dinner on Wednesday and Thursday. No veggies on Thursday because we'd run out and I didn't have the energy. Some days you do what you gotta' do.
Thursday 16/ 5: Beef stir fry (Dear Husband) See above
Friday 17/5: Spaghetti and rice Bolognese (freezer)
Saturday 18/5: scavenge
I had said scavenge since DH was going out, however we were all ill this week and that didn't happen. We had chilli con carne from the freezer instead.
Sunday 19/ 5: Hot chook Crazy exhausting day and we didn't even have the energy to go out for a hot chook, so we had Bolognese.

Monday 20/5: I've changed this to chilli con carne with rice, corn chips and salad since we didn't have the hot chook last night (was  Asian chicken noodle soup )
Tuesday 21/5: Spaghetti and rice Bolognese (freezer) I've started putting red kidney beans in the Bolognese too. (insetad of chilli since we'll have that on Monday.
Wednesday 22/5: Stir fry
Thursday 23/5: Crumbed chicken with roast veggies (instead of parmesan)
Friday 24/ 5: Spaghetti and rice Bolognese (freezer)
Saturday 25/5: Stir fry
Sunday 26/5: Scavenge

Linked

Guest posting: feeding your family when flying solo

I've been guest posting! If you want to read my post about Feeding your family when flying solo, head over to Double Blessing Boutique.