I am getting excited for the new addition to the blog site Stephen is working on! He is working on making a fun background design option when printing recipes. I am getting ready to print out a whole bunch of recipes and I really wanted to have them look cute – so he has delivered! I have been working on a project called 30 meals, an idea I found from this blog: littlenannygoat.blogspot.com/2009/04/30-meals-step-1.html
Yesterday I went through all of my recipe books and boxes and files and took out all of the recipes I actually use and added them to the recipe file here on the blog. I then threw everything else away! Such a good feeling. I am going to print and laminate the recipes that everyone in our family will eat, then sort and organize them into bundles on a ring as follows: Main dishes, Desserts, Side Dishes, Special Ocassion, etc. (Most of the time I actually use my computer/blog to reference my recipes) The only requirement the recipe has to have to make my bundle is if everyone in my family will eat it. I’m finding this is harder than I thought it would be. (7 different people with different taste – Taco soup didn’t meet the requirement!) As far as recipes like taco soup and others like it that most people like but not everyone – they will go into their own bundle and still come out every once in a while. These people need to learn how to deal with eating things they don’t like once in a while it’s good for them. But I really like the idea of diminishing whining, wasting, and delivering a healthy meal to an eagerly waiting & hungry child. I want them to remember liking to eat the food I cook. Food carries with it happy or bad memories.
I am also doing away with my monthly meal planning calendar and going to a weekly one. This way I will be able to shop from what is on sale better. By seeing what is on sale I can then go to my recipe card bundles and pick recipes that go with ingredients that are on sale. I will also be able to stock up on items that I know for sure will get used! I am hoping this will make meal planning a snap by choosing recipes that I know everyone likes for 4 days of the week. Then for the 3 other days a week I will try a new recipe, go easy with opening a can of soup, or fit in a meal from recipes that most of us like but didn’t meet the requirements. Having them laminated and on a ring will make it easy to take it out for the week and easily accesible when planinng my grocery list and cooking.
I have a question for you? What are some of your family’s favorite meals? I am finding it hard to come up with 30 that everyone likes. I am always excited for a new idea that is a family pleaser.
Here are some of our family favorites (most of the recipes can be found from the family recipe link):
#1 favorite meal is macaroni and tomatoes, crock pot cream cheese chicken, beef pot roast with potatoes & carrots, shepherd’s pie, spaghetti, pork burritos, bean & cheese burritos, chicken pot pie, ham & scallopped potatoes, creamed peas & potatoes, cool veggie pizza, bbq (beef or pork) sandwiches, easy lasagna, stuffed shells, cheesy manicotti, best bet burgers, tacos, nachos, chicken & noodles over mashed potatoes, five hour stew, no fuss potato soup, sweet & sour chicken, pizza bombs, meatloaf with bake potatoes, beef topping for baked potatoes, chili rice & corn casserole, homemade macaroni & cheese, ham fried rice
I will keep you posted on my project ….until then…