Monday mornings are the most busy for me. I don't usually do much housekeeping during our weekends; I spend my weekends with my family and friends. This being said, Mondays are not only my re-organizing day but also cleaning and cooking for the week. I typically cook items used throughout the week: i.e. bread, condiments and sometimes meats on Mondays.
I spoke last month about the importance of a monthly meal calendar and it is one of the most useful organizing tips I have ever tried. It doesn't take much time and it helps so much with shopping. As I sat down with my calendar for May and checked off some of the happenings for this latter part of the month, I thought the topic today should be about meal planning.
The Week Ahead
As you look ahead for the week, think about what your schedule holds. Do you have to be out? If so, what days? What days do you plan to be home all day? For me I'm home all day unless I must go out to the farmer's market, grocery, family appointments, post office, pay bills or have scheduled lunch with friends. Since I typically do most of my shopping at once, days out aren't the most common. So meals in the slow cooker are good for the days I will not be about the house.
The Butcher, the Baker, the Candlestick Maker
Making one large meat in the beginning of the week gives you more opportunities to make other meals with the same meat or utilizing the freezer for safe keeping will save some dollars. If you roast a chicken on Monday you can shred the left over meat on Wednesday for chicken salad. Other examples for thinking ahead: soak dried beans or peas on Monday for Tuesday night red beans and rice; soak the rice Tuesday morning in kefir to maximize the nutrients.
Some homemakers bake one weekend a month although I've never done this myself. One friend of mine does this and freezes pies, cakes and loaves of bread for surprise guest, meals sent for sickness and funerals and she feels good about setting aside favorite family items.
Family Time
Canning and freezing your garden bounty also prepares food ahead of time. Our family (my in-laws and brother and sister in-law), put up about one hundred and fifty quart jars of green beans last year. Each family received a large portion because we all pitched in and picked, shelled and canned together. We do this every year and enjoy the family time working together. The end result of such hard work? I just walk to my pantry and pull out beautiful quart jars, only having to heat and season as I wish.
Happy cooking!
Here's another favorite weekend family recipe:
Dan's Scratch Pancakes
2 c whole wheat flour
1 3/4 c milk
2 heaping TBS baking powder
2 eggs beaten separately
]1/2 stick or 1/8 lb melted butter
3 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp sea salt
Combine in one large bowl all dry ingredients first.
In a separate bowl whisk eggs, melted butter, and milk and pour slowly into dry ingredients. Mix slowly and let sit while heating pan. We use a cast iron flat pan with a handle which makes flipping the cakes much easier. Cake batter will rise in the bowl and make fluffy pancakes. We top with pure maple syrup or tupelo honey.
2 c whole wheat flour
1 3/4 c milk
2 heaping TBS baking powder
2 eggs beaten separately
]1/2 stick or 1/8 lb melted butter
3 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp sea salt
Combine in one large bowl all dry ingredients first.
In a separate bowl whisk eggs, melted butter, and milk and pour slowly into dry ingredients. Mix slowly and let sit while heating pan. We use a cast iron flat pan with a handle which makes flipping the cakes much easier. Cake batter will rise in the bowl and make fluffy pancakes. We top with pure maple syrup or tupelo honey.
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