Lauren's Kitchen: Menu

My husband has been not-so-subtly hinting that I try making new recipes so often that there isn't usually a "second chance" for dinners he really enjoys. (Let's ignore the fact that I am always asking for his input when planning my meals and he never gives it...!)

So I decided that once every month or two, I will devote an entire week to old favorites. Here is round 1:

Monday: "Old School" Pork Chops and Butternut Squash Risotto
Tuesday: Dad's Mac and Cheese and Green Beans with Mustard Vinagrette
Wednesday: Cheeseburger Meatloaf and Garlic and Chive Mashed Potatoes
Thursday: Veggie Enchilladas
Friday: Grilled Chicken Thighs and Roasted Tomatoes
Saturday: Pizza Casserole
Sunday: Cheesy Baked Tortellini

There are a couple of things on here that aren't on my blog yet, but overall there won't be too many updates this week. Happy Cooking!

Monday, June 30, 2008

Menu: June 29

My weekend's plans are a bit sketchy right now, so I've only planned through Thursday. Also, I didn't make everything last week, so there are a couple of rollover recipes...

Sunday: Linguini with Chicken Ragu

Monday: Sweet and Sour Sirloin

Tuesday: French Onion Casserole with French Onion Risotto

Wednesday: Baked Gnocchi

Thursday: Turkey Provencal with Broccoli and Cheese Polenta

Monday, June 23, 2008

Menu: June 23

I have been so slacking in the planning department. But I have (sort of) regular computer access, AND the school year is over... so between the two, I should be back to "normal." Anyway, here's what's cooking this week:

Monday: Mozzarella Cheeseburgers and Spicy Steak Fries
Tuesday: Roast Citrus Chicken with Lemon-Thyme Gravy, Smashed Potatoes, and Green Beans
Wednesday: Ravioli with Creamy Tomato Sauce
Thursday: Parmesan Chicken
Friday: Sweet and Sour Sirloin Stirfry with Ranch Mashed Potatoes
Saturday: My first attempt at homemade gnocchi!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Menu: May 25

I am late this week... again... and very unorganized. This lack of computer thing is really messing with me...

Also, there will likely be no pictures this week because I left my camera at my cousin's house during a barbeque. :(

Sunday: Rotelli Bolognese

Monday: BBQ @ Cheryl's

Tuesday: Sweet and Sour Pork Chops and Corn Muffins

Wednesday: Out to the Cheesecake Factory for my birthday :)

Thursday: Chicken Stew and Mashed Potatoes

Friday: Orange Beef and Broccoli

Saturday: Breaded Pork Chops

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Menu: May 5

We're not going to be home much tomorrow, so I needed to do my grocery shopping today. Therefore, in order to make my list, I had to know what I was cooking... so I did my menu today. Most of these came from blogs...

Sunday: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NANA!! Out to dinner...

Monday: HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO! Chili Dog Cheeseburgers and French Fries

Tuesday: Fresh Raspberry Chicken and Garlic Carrots

Wednesday: Taco Bake

Thursday: Grilled Bruschetta Chicken and Creamy Orzo

Friday: Herb Roasted Pork with Honey Dijon Mustard and Scalloped Potatoes

Saturday: Ziti Bolognese and Florentine Meatballs

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Menu: April 28

I usually go through my saved recipes on various websites, my Google Reader, cookbooks, computer files, etc... This week, for some strange reason, I didn't even finish going through my recipe box on the Food Network's site before I had my whole menu done. Thanks mostly to Rachael and Giada, here's what's cooking at my house this week!

Monday: Chicken Piccata with Lemon, Capers, and Artichokes

Tuesday: Meatloaf with Smothered Mushrooms and Cheesy Cauliflower

Wednesday: Chicken with Creamy Mustard Marsala Sauce and Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto
Thursday: Florentine Mac and Cheese with Roasted Chicken Meatballs

Friday: Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Pork

Saturday: Chili Dog Cheeseburgers and Fiery Fries

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Menu: April 21

Monday: Baked Ziti and Roasted Asparagus

Tuesday: The Outback's Alice Spring's Chicken

Wednesday: Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Thursday: Apricot Pork Chops

Friday: Pizza

Saturday: No Cooking - Spending the day in Philly

Sunday: French Onion Mac and Cheese

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Menu: April 13

Sunday: Out for a belated tenure-celebration dinner! YAY! I'm thinking Maggiano's...

Monday: Kung Pao Chicken and white rice

Tuesday: Sweet Potato Ham Casserole

Wednesday: Pasta Bolognese with Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs

Thursday: Pork Milanese with Creamy Caper and Lemon Sauce with mashed potatoes and veggies

Friday: Pizzaria Uno Pizza (they sell them "fresh" at the grocery store!)

Saturday: Chicken and Asparagus with Creamy Orzo

Monday, April 7, 2008

Menu: April 7

Monday: Pasta (based loosely on this, but different)

Tuesday: Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole with Roasted Broccoli

Wednesday: Lemon Fennel Pork Chops with Creamy Orzo

Thursday: Chicken Marsala with Mashed Potatoes

Friday: The T2: Turkey Chili Turkey Chili Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries

Saturday: Veggie Enchilladas

Happy Cooking!

Monday, March 24, 2008

Menu: March 24

Monday: Chicken Provencal, Butternut Squash Risotto, Veggies

Tuesday: Turkey Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries

Wednesday: Meatloaf Muffins, Mashed Potatoes, Veggies

Thursday: Cheesy Baked Tortellini

Friday: Swedish Meatballs w/ Egg Noodles

Saturday: Deep Dish Pot Pie

Sunday: Pork Chops with Golden Apple and Raisin Sauce, Veggies

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Menu: March 16

Usually, the hard part of menu-planning is narrowing down all the yummy-sounding dishes at my fingertips. Between my cookbooks, magazines, blogs, etc... I have enough recipe ideas to last a lifetime.

This week, however, I was in a rut. The only thing I knew I wanted to make was Brooke's "Bread and Pasta All in One," but aside from that... I had nothin'.

But rest assured, blog readers (if there are any...!); I've figured it out!

Sunday: Dinner at Nana's - YAY! :)
Monday: Easy Bistro Chicken (from Kraft foods) with a side of tomato and mozzarella quesadillas
Tuesday: Turkey burgers with sweet potato fries
Wednesday: Creamy Chicken with Artichokes (from Pleasure Cooker)
Thursday: Leftovers (or take out, if we have no LO's left)
Friday: Bread and Pasta All in One (from ...And a Cookie For Dessert)
Saturday: Beef/Potato Stroganoff (from Everyday with RR)

Happy Cooking!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Menu: March 9

Sunday: Beef Stew from an old Kraft magazine

Monday: "Chicken in a Pot, No Pie" - Rachael Ray

Tuesday: Cheeseburger Meatloaf - Rachael Ray

Wednesday: NO COOKING! I'm thinking... Chinese.

Thursday: Citrus Pork Stir Fry - Kraft Magazine, 2005

Friday: French Onion "Soup" Mac and Cheese - FoodNetwork's Ultimate Recipe Showdown

Saturday: Baked Potato Soup - Jill's Blog

Happy Cooking!

Thursday, March 6, 2008

My First Post!

I am finally doing it - plunging into the world of food blogging. I cook almost every night for my family, and I adore it. I am constantly, much to my husband's chagrin, buying new cookbooks and magazines (although I don't hear him complaining when I'm making him food...!). Recently I discovered the Nest's "What's Cooking" board and all the food blogs that come with it, and I'm thrilled to have a whole new world of cooking at my fingertips.

Now that I've leapt aboard the bandwagon, onto my first post - this week's menu!

Tonight: Chicken Piccata (from Giada's Everyday Italian)

Monday: Beef and Cheese Manicotti (from Giada's Everyday Italian)

Tuesday: Champion Chicken Parm (from Best of Cooking Light)

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Pineapple Pork Chops (this is from a food blog, but I don't remember whose - I will definitely credit her appropriately when I make it!)

Friday: Veggie Enchiladas (from Reservations Not Required)

Saturday: Winter Beef Stew (from an old issue of Kraft Foods)

I hope you like my blog... and I hope I can keep up! :)

Happy cooking,
Lauren

Lauren 101

Before my wedding in 2003, my idea of cooking was Kraft mac and cheese. My mother and my mother-in-law even left me several boxes of the blue box on my counter the day we returned from our honeymoon. I believe a few showed up in the wishing well at my bridal shower, too.

Once I became a Mrs, however, I figured I'd need to step it up in the kitchen.

I rarely prepared anything from scratch, though; it was frozen stuff chicken and rice in a pouch all the way.

About a year (and 20lbs) later, I decided that something needed to change in the kitchen. I went on a diet and lost the weight, but knew I needed to lose the habits too.

Armed with Rachael Ray cookbooks and the internet, I slowly began to expand my repertoire. I joined an online cooking forum and subscribed to about eleventy billion cooking blogs.

Cooking remains a challenge, however, as two sweet little boys joined our family over the last few years. Coupled with my full time job, I look for meals that are healthy and easy.

I also discovered a love for photography along the way, and while I'm about as unprofessional behind the camera as they come, I really enjoy honing my skills on my dinner - mainly because it can't run away like my two wild boys can.

I love maintaining this blog, and I hope you like visiting.