Making the Menu for the week...feeling 'Blah' and Need Ideas!!

OMG... I am going through the SAME thing!
Arghhhhh!
I hate making my grocery list and menu!
The bane of my chores.

And yes, normally I am real good about making my list.

Last week, my Husband picked up a Spinach and Chick Pea patty thing. Vegetarian. There are several in a pack. Refrigerator item. But it was good, even my daughter liked it. So maybe that is an idea, if you shop at a Costco.

But fish items are always good. And easy.
It can be poached or baked, or using foil or parchment paper pouches, put individual fillets in it and with some lemon and herbs and onions, and then stick it in the oven. My family likes that.
And then, just roast some veggies. Real easy.

Or, just get take out!
Or Subway sandwiches!

Here's my menu for the week:

Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches:
http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/09/slow-c...

Taco Pizza (vegetarian):
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/05/taco-pizza/

Slow Cooker Beer Carnitas Tacos:
http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/05/crockpot-beer-carnita...

Thai Chicken Enchiladas:
http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/04/thai-chicken-enchiladas/

Spaghetti and Meatballs:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/real-meatba...

Fudge cake for dessert:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/king-arthur-flours...

Bistro Salads:
Ingredients

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large eggs
1 head frisée (6 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 romaine lettuce heart (6 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces

Instructions

1. Combine vinegar, shallot, mayonnaise, mustard, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Slowly whisk in oil until thoroughly incorporated; set aside.
2. Cook bacon in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Heat fat over medium-low heat. Fry eggs, covered, until whites are just set, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, toss frisée and romaine with dressing and divide among individual bowls. Top each salad with fried egg and bacon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Sesame Chicken with Broccoli and Peppers:
Ingredients

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stalks peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Instructions

1. Whisk together ½ cup broth, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and sesame oil in medium bowl. Toss chicken, remaining 1 tablespoon soy, remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to coat in large bowl.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate and tent loosely with foil.
3. Add broccoli and remaining ¼ cup broth to now-empty skillet and cook, covered, until broccoli begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and bell pepper and cook until spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk sauce to recombine and add to skillet with chicken and any accumulated juices. Cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve.

Hope that helps!

Check out this website, it may help you: http://www.makedinnereasy.com She sends you the menu of 5 dinners with the recipes AND the shopping list for the ENTIRE week! The website has the prior weeks available if you want to go back and see what kind of recipes she sends. I have not done this in awhile, but I did it for a couple of the weeks and everyone liked them. I'll have to get back into it again. Good luck!!!

I feel for you. I was sick my entire pregnancy, and I couldn't really do anything. It is an awful feeling. I hope you feel better soon!!

One of my favorite quick dinners, is a pasta I make. All you need is butter (Or olive oil,) fresh herb/herbs, and anything else you'd like to add. We typically add some Parmesan cheese and cherry tomatoes on top, at the end. Oh, we use whole wheat linguini or fettuccine noodles.You cook the noodles and drain. Return the noodles back to the empty, but hot pot. Put in the chopped up herbs and butter or oil, and stir together. (We put the tomatoes and Parmesan when the pasta is on the plate.) We usually pair this with a salad or veggies, and some fruit. It's a really light, tasty meal.

A few of our repeats:

Crockpot fajitas (use the pre-seasoned chicken or beef, throw it in the crock pot with sliced onions & sweet peppers, serve with corn tortillas and salsa, refried beans)

Whole roasted chicken with red potatoes (put small red potatoes on cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt & garlic, roast until tender) and a veggie

Turkey taco salads (with salsa, sour cream, cheese, black olives, guacamole, and leafy greens)

Homemade chicken noodle soup

Pork roast (crock-pot throw in pork roast, potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, seasoning, little bit of water; Next day, with leftover roast, you can make bbq pork sandwiches by heating the leftover pork roast and adding bbq sauce)

Stir-fry (cut up chicken or pork, sautee with onion & garlic & celery. Throw in stir-fry veggies, cook til tender, add stir-fry sauce, serve with egg rolls)

Tilapia filets with mango salsa (pan-sear the fish; serve with mango salsa which contains diced mango, lime juice, cilantro, diced jalapeno, red onion)

BBQ bnls pork chops (bake boneless pork chops until slightly browned, pour bbq sauce over, let simmer in the oven until done)

When I'm in those moods, I just buy whatever meat is on sale, side of simple steamed veggies (brocc, caluflower, baby carrots, green beans etc) and then another side which can be quick rice, noodles, or even just whole wheat bread and butter!!!!
We love pizzadillas - tortillas with a little pizza sauce, pepperoni and mozz cheese in it, toasted up quesodilla style!
Mac and cheese with tuna in it (short cut tuna noodle cass ;) and peas on the side.
spa and meatballs
big ole homemade cheeseburgers!!
Homemade bean/cheese burritos with or without taco meat - lettuce, tomato, onions - or nachos in the oven.
Salads with all the fixin's!!!
Beef stronganoff - cook meat in crockpot, then add sour cream, mush soup and a splash of ketchup - serve over noodles.
Grilled cheese and tomato soup
Fish with rice and steamed veggie
Garlic bread toasted subs!!!
red beans and rice with tomato and avocado on the side..
Make you own pizza night!
Minestone/veggie soup - I like kidney and garbanzo beans, carrots, cabbage, green beans and onion. with chicken broth and canned tomatoes(undrained).

Do you have a half-price book store near you? Get a new cook book. :) That's what I've done.

My husband is trying to loose weight and I'm trying to maintain while I'm pregnant.

Here's one my daughter liked:
Quesadilla's
Goat cheese
Corn (Roast it in a skillet)
Green onions (Finely chop a stalk or two)
Optional chicken (I used tinned chicken)
Mix everything into a bowl and fill tortillas. Skillet them lightly and serve.

Well, without knowing what they like....

Crock pot roast - one roast, some seasonings you like (or a packet of mix), an onion, baby cut carrots, chopped pepper or other veggies you like (but not broccoli...doesn't work well). Put it in and forget about it til dinner.

Shake and bake chicken legs - what kid doesn't like chicken legs? Veggies and rice for sides

Spaghetti and meatballs - you can get premade meatballs, or enlist the kids to help or just skip them. Serve with Texas toast and salad.

Tacos - let the kids deconstruct them. My 3 yr old likes to eat the ingredients apart. Get a taco kit for the basics. 1lb of meat. Use chopped tomato from a can to make your life easier. We usually skip the onion but include some sour cream. Whatever they like.

Pizza - either from the frozen section or get some shredded cheese, pepperoni and chop some veg (onion, peppers, etc.) on bagels or pre-made pizza crusts.

Grilled cheese and soup! Easy and quick.

Broiled or pan fried fish (we like talapia) with couscous/rice/crusty bread and salad or other veg.

Hope that helps.

I got some roasts that were on sale had Beef tips in gravy with mushrooms and onions over noodles ( you could make the gravy and put some aside for your daughter w/o meat)

( I have had a roast in the broaster since 9 this am to make) open faced shredded roast beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes and gravy over the top ( used up the left over gravy from the beef tips)

Chicken on the grill with pasta side dish and corn on the cob ( also cooked on the grill)

Pork chops on the grill with mashed potatoes and veggie

Other things could be goulash, spaghetti, lasagna

so many different things you can make with chicken... fried/ grilled/ baked chicken, chicken breasts, cube the chicken and make any casserole or chicken Alfredo

Shepard's pie ( you can even leave out the hamburger or make a smaller one w/o hamb for her)

we like baked pork chops with cream of mushroom soup and rice mixed and baked over the top.

meatballs, meat loaf

chicken fried steaks

stroganoff ( with or with out the meat)

casserole made with chicken, tuna, hamb or meatless ~ crazy as it is and so easy to make my kids like a box of mac and cheese w/ any meat and mixed veggies

bbq's ( with hamb or shredded chicken)

grilled ham and cheese and soup

If you want any recipes to these let me know and I will inbox ya.

Risotto
Philly cheesesteak
Ribs
Quiche
Gaspacho
Enchiladas
Biscuits & Gravy
Paninis
Breakfast for dinner
Pot Pie
Caprese Salad & pasta
Lentil (& sausage or not) soup
Chicken or Veg Tagine
BBQ pork or beef Sammie's (slow cooker)
Penne Alfredo w broccoli
Meatball subs
Frittata
Burgers (veg, chicken, turkey, beef)
Nachos
Fish tacos
Take Out

http://www.mamapedia.com/questions/18326411087949529089

I asked a question about sharing websites yesterday. A whole lot of these are great recipe sites. You are bound to find some inspiration on one of them.

My easiest crockpot meal is to dump into the crockpot: a package of chick (thighs or breasts), a jar of salsa, a can (or equivalent) of black beans, a cup or two of corn (fresh, frozen or canned) and a small can of green chilies. Cook it on low all day. The chicken gets shredded and you can serve it as a chili or taco/burrito filling or on tostadas with cheese, sour cream, green onions, cilantro, avocado etc...