Please tell me I’m not the only one who does this. I get all motivated to do something and then an event… being sick, crazy schedule, full moon… something out of the ordinary comes up and I fall right off the wagon. I get in these spurts with menu planning where I do really great and then before I know it a couple of weeks go by and I realize we’ve fallen into old bad habits.
So, this week I’m on the wagon – I have my menu planned, groceries purchased and the motivation to hopefully get me through to next weekend’s menu planning session again. You would think that simply looking at my bank account on the weeks that I menu plan versus don’t would be motivation enough to keep me consistent! We do so much better, which means more fun money, when I plan out our meals and stick to it.
Here is my menu for this weeks Menu Plan Monday at I’m An Organizing Junkie:
- Monday: The Pioneer Woman’s Enchiladas
- Tuesday: French Onion Crockpot Roast Beef
- Wednesday: Three Cheese Pizza with Baby Bella Mushrooms, from Epicurious
- Thursday: Chicken Tequila Fettuccine (lightened) from All Recipes
- Friday: Shrimp Tacos, from Rookie Cookie
- Saturday: Ham and Cheese Panini, from Martha Stewart Living
- Sunday: Mom’s Spaghetti and Meatballs
Coming up this week on Dine & Dish:
- A Giveaway from I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
- Meet my Adoptees and an Adopt a Blogger Update
If you are looking for something quick and easy to add to your weeknight menu, this Chicken Stir-Fry recipe is a regular on our menu. Switch up the veggies for what your family likes and will eat!
Chicken Stir-Fry (adapted from Recipezaar)
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 Orange Bell Pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 cup carrots, sliced into strips
- 1 small onion, cut into wedges
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- Cut chicken into 1/2 inch strips; place in a resealable plastic bag.
- Add cornstarch and toss to coat.
- Combine soy sauce, ginger, and garlic powder; add to bag and shake well.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons oil; stirfry chicken until no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove and keep warm.
- Add remaining oil; stir fry bell peppers, carrots, and onion for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender.
- Add chicken broth.
- Return chicken to pan.
- Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
- Serve over rice.
What amazing meals you prepare every week! I’d love to eat at your house. I completely agree, I notice when we don’t plan everything is much, much more expensive. And yes, I think everyone falls off the wagon with meal planning…in fact, we did tonight.
Your dinners this week look incredible! I’d like to be there for dinner. 🙂
if anyone say that doesn’t happen to them they are lying! the important thing is to try and try again.
.-= picky cook´s last blog ..12 sweet ideas for valentine’s day =-.
What a delicious stir fry dear……
.-= sugar plum´s last blog ..A JULIA CHILD OMELETTE,GRILLED SHRIMPY PRAWNS aND AN AWARD I OUGHT TO B HAPPY ABOUT….W A FAIRY TALE… =-.
You aren’t the only one…. it’s so easy to get distracted from organizing goals… but you’re right, menu planning saves us a lot of trouble and money, when we can do it!
This stir fry looks great — colorful and delicious! We make a similar one and add pineapple chunks and their juices… it becomes like sweet and sour chicken! Yum!
.-= Bethany´s last blog ..Chai-Spiced Apple Cake =-.
I should take your lead. I’m terrible with meal planning but with so many great recipes out there there’s no excuse. Tomorrow night looks especially yummy.
.-= Amy from She Wears Many Hats´s last blog ..Dorie made me do it. =-.
I just can’t seem to stick to a menu plan despite the best of intentions so I do what I call “go European” and buy enough groceries for a few days. This works well if you are single.
I just started menu planning myself this past week and in just one time of planning and organizing my grocery list I’ve noticed a major difference in my grocery expenses. I created my menu by keeping in mind of what I already had and going from there. I only spent $2o on a weeks worth of meals for 3! Amazing, right? I’m very excited to see how this week goes and to continue menu planning in the future.
Check my menu plan for the week…. http://savvymommablog.blogspot.com/2010/02/to-menu-plan-or-not.html
.-= Crystal´s last blog ..Valentine’s Day Shout Out!!! =-.
i can’t seem to menu plan for the life of me, haha 🙂
i like this “go european” idea…
Your menu sounds so much yummier than mine. I’ve got chicken, pork chops, and chili. Haha. You’re all fancy and I’m just…not. 🙂
.-= Karly´s last blog ..Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies =-.
That looks delicious, colorful, and healthy! I’m the same way with menu planning. Some weeks I’m really good about and some weeks not so much. I always end up eating a lot healthier on the weeks that I plan!
.-= SugarCooking´s last blog ..Perfect Pizza Crust and Roasted Garlic Chicken Pesto Pizza =-.
Stir fry rules. Great recipe!
.-= Bob´s last blog ..Chocolate Valentines, Molten Chocolate Cakes =-.
Menu planning… I’m not naturally organised, but I’m getting there! And for some reason I am really very erratic over evening meals. I can buy a great big grocery shop for the fortnight but do i know when I’ll actually make everything? Not at all, and I always end up going through my cupboards saying ‘can’t make that, its frozen, can’t make that, the peppers have gone dodgy…’ I think this is something I should really take upon myself to develop the will for! It’ll probably make life a great deal easier for myself!
Gorgeous stir fry, looking forward to the Adopt A Blogger updates. 🙂
Oh yeah, been there done that for sure! Something that really slapped me in the face recently was when I decided to go back through three months of bank statements and itemize everything that we spent. I was SHOCKED at the amount of money I spent on groceries alone, simply because I wasn’t planning. I’ve been itemizing everything this month and have everything budgeted out. I am happy to say that I’m on track on my budget so far and if it stays on track I will have saved approximately $600! So yeah, menu planning rocks 🙂
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..TWD: Dorie’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies =-.
I have things come up and ruin plans all the time, so I only plan 3 days at a time. That way, if something does come up, I don’t have any ingredients go bad! This looks like a great weeknight meal.
Looks amazing! I haven’t made a stir fry in awhile. I usually do them with tons and tons of veggies.
Ok so you aren’t the only one that does this…but I thought I was! So thanks for making me feel part of a group. I like to call it Mom ADD, you know where your brain is so into one thing, like menu planning, and then, just like that, it flips to something totally off topic, like laundry. Wouldn’t it be fun to trace the brain waves that take you from delicious recipes to dirty undies.
Love the stir-fry recipe! Thanks!
.-= Kim´s last blog ..Betty Challenge #7: Cheese Ball =-.
Stir fry looks incredible…as does your menu!!! Love to be in your house this week! ;o)
.-= Liesl´s last blog ..Nutella Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate =-.
All your meals for the week look fabulous! Meal planning is my forte. When I shopped at the commisary I planned meals for a month. I had to make good use of my freezer. For some reason my high school students do not understand the concept. Thanks for sharing !
.-= The Teacher Cooks´s last blog ..Sugar Cookies for Your Valentine =-.
I am so proud of you for even thinking of planing for a week! The thought never occured to me. I get inspired in the morning as to what protein I want to cook that day and go from there…
.-= Nanan´s last blog ..Sweet peas and potatoes with a little roux. =-.
I always love looking at your meal plans, what a well fed family 🙂
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Slow Cooked Pork, Chorizo & Sweet Potato Casserole =-.
I always admire your meal planning efforts. I can never get through more than 3-4 days planned at a time before our schedules change, my mood changes, the weather changes—something eventually happens that throws my meal planning off kilter and suddenly dinners are up for grabs. I’ve learned to roll with it though—all things for a reason. Your stir-fry looks yummy though, love the orange & yellow presented in this meal!
.-= Sandie {Inn Cuisine}´s last blog ..Extravagance Defined (Recipe: Chocolate Espresso Pancakes with Raspberry Coulis) =-.
What a great recipe! I recently bought several bell peppers from the grocery and I have been looking for something to do with them. I will definitely be making this for dinner over the weekend!
I’ve been loving the pioneer woman’s blog lately and saw you have her enchiladas on your menu. 🙂
As for wagons, my worst is when I’m motivated over the weekend, menu plan and grocery shop, then some event happens mid week (or I simply lose motivation) and dont make a dish… days slip by, and all of a sudden my green beans are slimy and food has gone bad. Argh! Hate that. Hope your cooking went well this week!
What a great menu plan! I’ve made PW’s Enchiladas, they were really good. Love the stir fry recipe! Thanks for sharing!
~Liz
.-= Liz@HoosierHomemade´s last blog ..Angel Food Cake =-.
I totally know what you mean about making plans and then everything falling apart as soon as something else happens.. :)I love your chicken stirfry though. perfect for weekday meals!
.-= Simone (junglefrog)´s last blog ..White bean salad with bacon and rocket =-.
I love chicken stir fry! I too put it in my weekly menu plan! I’m glad to hear that I am not the only once struggling to keep up with even having a weekly menu.
I know we definitely have to make plans for meals or 1) we bicker for an hour every evening about who has to pick what’s for dinner and what we’re going to make 2) we end up at the grocery store for everything that’s not a cabinet staple. It gets old.
We’ve definitely been happier with planned meals, and it really does save money!
It’s STILL a good menu plan six months later! Struggling with this week’s menu planning, so I’m just borrowing yours (ALL of it!)
Thanks K !!