Meal Planning Monday - 6 February 2012

Paprika Pork with sautee potatoes

Quorn stir fry with rice noodles

Hash brown quiche baked tomatoes and mushrooms

Cauliflower Rice Pilaf with chicken

Baked Fried chicken

Pot roast beef

I didn't get around to making the turkey meatballs or baked fried chicken from last week's meal plan. I just couldn't be bothered faffing about with meatballs, so made meatloaf instead (which was supposed to be on this week's menu). The Salisbury steak was ok but not something I'll bother with again. The apricot and coconut chicken was a success. It was really easy and definitely one I'll repeat. The taco pie was really nice but very filling and I was acutely aware of how unhealthy it was so I am not sure if I will make that on a normal week again.

I made the cinnamon roll cake twice. It's really nice. I halved the amount of butter used in the cinnamon topping the 2nd time, and reduced the sugar, and it was much better. I found it really oily the first time. It's nice and moist. 

Check out the linky on Mrs M's blog for more Meal Planning Monday inspiration.

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January Meal Plan

The need to feel in control of meals and money again has led me to meal plan early. My aim for January is to bring each week's shopping in at £60 or less. I know I can do it if I plan and shop sensibly. It certainly can't hurt to try.

My handicaps are 2 fussy child eaters, 1 of whom won't eat potatoes or sauce in any form, and one whose likes and dislikes change on a whim; and a husband who eats a lot, but none of it pasta. On my side are my slow cooker, a love of baking, and a wealth of delicious and inexpensive ideas courtesy of all the lovely recipe bloggers out there.

Here are my 28 meals for January. I figure left overs will take care of the other 3 days. I have listed them vaguely order of shopping rather than order of eating. I have a big freezer so will either cook in advance (eg: beef stew will also be pie filling with a few tweaks), or cut meat into meal size portions and freeze.

I tend to use frozen vegetables in winter as they are cheaper and I can cook them in just the portion sizes I need, so where I have just put something like 'pot roast', it will be pot roast, peas and potatoes for example. I'll still be doing Mrs M's Meal Planning Monday linky each Monday.

1.       BBQ chicken fajita layer

2.       Meatloaf

3.       Fridge fajita

4.       Pot roast

5.       Beef stew

6.       Beef pie

7.       Chicken stew

8.       Chicken pie

9.       Chicken curry

10.   Chinese lemon chicken

11.   Creamy Chicken Casserole*

12.   Beer chicken (chicken pieces cooked in crock pot in beer)

13.   Sausage casserole

14.   Sausage plait

15.   Rissoles

16.   Gammon, chips, peas and egg

17.   Pesto baked potatoes and gammon

18.   Ham and Potato casserole*

19.   Chilli and rice

20.   Chilli fajita layer

21.   Pizza

22.   Make you own wraps

23.   Pulled pork

24.   Egg, beans and chips

25.   Cranberry pork*

26.   Quorn, noodle & veg stir fry

27.   Root vegetable stew*

28.   Fridge fried rice