Menu for Week of June 2-8, 2019

Almost halfway through the year already - unbelievable!!

This week's menu plan is a little different, because I am not at home on my computer.  I am staying with the granddaughters for a bit, and I'm using their computer and don't want to start saving a bunch of my stuff on it!  So this week, no pretty picture to go with the menu, I'm down to the basics!  

Here we go!  All meal plans are gluten free!!

Breakfast all week is Fruit Salad

Dinner and Dessert are as follows:

Sunday, 6-2:  

Tacos

Spanish Rice

Corn

Orange Creamsicle Cake

Monday 6-3:

Crockpot Sausage, Potatoes, and Green Beans   

Dinner Rolls

Ice Cream Sundaes

Tuesday 6-4:

Turkey Sandwich

Tomato Basil Soup

Crackers

Chocolate Pudding

Wednesday 6-5:

Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

French Fries

Pickles

Carrots with Ranch Dip

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

  

Thursday 6-6:

Potsticker Noodle Bowls  

Egg Rolls

Tossed Salad

Strawberry Shortcake Parfaits  

Friday 6-7:

Gluten Free Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza

Tossed Salad

Gluten Free Hershey's Brownies  

Saturday 6-8:

Slow Cooker Taco Chicken Bowls  

Rice

Tortilla Chips

Leftover Desserts

Sorry it's not prettier this week!  But that's a wrap for the coming week!  Hope you can find a meal or two that sounds good for your family!  Have a wonderful week!

Joansy

Menu Plan for May 26-June 1, 2019

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!  I hope you all have a safe, fun holiday while we remember and honor those who served our country.

Here in Indy, we are hoping the weather cooperates with the Indy 500.  This morning it looks good, just hoping the rain holds off until this evening!  We have gone to the race several times, but this year we will listen to it on the radio.  There is nothing like the opening ceremony, it just makes me tear up every year.  I still miss Jim Nabors and Florence Henderson!  Nobody could sing Back Home Again in Indiana like Jim Nabors!

School is out here, and it looks like a busy summer for grandma.  I am watching grandkids for several weeks while parents take some much needed vacation time.  The grandkids are in so many activities, they didn't want to go on vacation but wanted to stay here!  I find that hard to imagine!  But that's okay with me, I will get to spend some grandma time with them!

I totally forgot about Memorial Day when I was making the menu for this week!  Gheesh!  So tomorrow we are grilling out hamburgers and sausages, with potato salad and chips. Nothing fancy, everyone is busy getting ready for trips.  So that will throw my menu off a day, but I will catch up next week.  It will just show up on next week's menu, because I already grocery shopped.

Here is the menu for this week:
If you would like a printable copy, please click HERE.
Recipe links and notes are below.

Sunday:
Fruit Salad - I think I will always eat fruit salad for breakfast!  I have lost 9 pounds so far, and I love this light but filling breakfast!  I take whatever fruits I have, slice and dice and make a HUGE bowl of it, and eat a bowl for breakfast.  This week it is apples, bananas, clementines, peaches, nectarines, pineapple, strawberries, and blueberries.

Gluten Free Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole is from Low Carb with Jennifer - a new recipe for me but it sounds delicious!

Amish Peanut Butter Pie is from The Baking ChocolaTess - I am using a gluten free pie crust

Monday:
Creamy Pea Salad is from The Recipe Critic - love this salad!

Tuesday:
Gluten Free Lasagna is from Gluten Free On A Shoestring - I am cutting a few corners and using jarred spaghetti sauce

Wednesday:
Easy Shepherd's Pie is from Cincy Shopper - to make this gluten free, I am subbing cornstarch for the flour - use 1 tbsp of cornstarch instead of the flour

Pina Colada Fruit Salad is from Taste of Home - so fresh-tasting and summery!

Thursday:
Chicken Fried Rice is from The Cookin Chicks - this is one of my favorites and I could eat it every day!

Apple Pie is from Betty Crocker - I am not making this gluten free, because I don't want to be tempted!  I will just have the ala mode part!

Saturday:
Baked Beans are from The Chunky Chef - these are delicious!

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad is from Genius Kitchen - my family loves this salad!

Gluten Free Almond Flour Brownies are from King Arthur - I have a ton of almond flour and am trying to use it up!

That's it for this week!  I hope you have a wonderful week, and that you find a recipe or two - or even a meal plan - that you like here!

Menu Plan for May 19-25, 2019

Another school year coming to a close this week!  I can't believe it!  Next school year, I will be the grandma of a senior, a sophomore, and a third grader!  It seems like last week that I was going to the senior-to-be's kindergarten graduation!

I guess the saying is true - life comes at you fast!  I think next year will be a whirlwind!

This week's menu plan has quite a variety of foods, except of course for breakfast.  I am continuing on with my fruit salads for breakfast, which is just so good for me!  It holds me well until lunchtime, and I find that I even forget to eat lunch some days until I look at the clock and see it is past 1:00!!  I wish I would have started this sooner!  Last week I weighed in, and have lost 6 pounds.  That motivated me to keep trying!  I have a couple autoimmune disorders, and losing weight just does not happen easily for me.  It will take me forever to lose more, but I feel so much better it is totally worth it!

We are breaking out the grill for summer, so I have a couple meals that are from the grill.  I also chose a main dish salad to lighten up dinner on those hot days.  I don't like to heat up the kitchen in the summer, so I choose a lot of meals from the grill, as well as salads.

Here is the menu for this week:
If you would like a printable menu, please click HERE.
Recipe notes and links are below.

Sunday:
Teriyaki Chicken and Broccoli is from Table for Two - I will not have an egg roll, because I have yet to find gluten free egg rolls!

Gluten Free New York Cheesecake is from Genius Kitchen - basically it is a New York Cheesecake without the crust

Monday:
Crockpot Swedish Meatballs are from The Country Cook - I love these and could eat them every day!  I use gluten free cream of mushroom soup and gluten free French onion soup.

Gluten Free Peach Blueberry Crisp is from Build Your Bite - new recipe for me!

Tuesday:
Crockpot Pork Loin with Gravy is from Recipes That Crock - easy and delicious, I use gluten free brown gravy mix and gluten free cream of mushroom soup.  I also throw in a couple shakes of balsamic vinegar.

Wednesday:
Gluten Free Chicken and Dumplings is from Mama Knows Gluten Free - my favorite gluten free cooking site!  I love this meal!

Thursday:
Sloppy Joes are from The Chunky Chef - easy and delicious!

Friday:
Ham and Cheese Chopped Salad is from The Salty Marshmallow - keeps the kitchen cool!

Saturday:
Brown Sugar and Bacon Baked Beans are from the Chunky Chef - delicious with Italian Sausages from the grill

Another week, another menu!  I hope you find an idea or a meal plan here that you like!  Have an awesome week!

Menu Plan for May 12-18, 2019

Happy Mother's Day to all moms out there!  I am thinking of my own mom today, so many treasured memories of her!  I thank God for her!  I am one lucky lady to have had such wonderful, loving parents, and I don't forget it for a minute.

I hope you all have a wonderful day today.  We are going out to lunch today, and then attending our granddaughters' final symphony concert for the season this evening.  It is always fantastic, and a great way to spend Mother's Day!

Only 2 weeks of school left here for the grandkids!  It is chilly and rainy today, but it heats up into the 80's at the end of the week.  They are all so ready to be out for the summer!

This week, I am continuing my fruit salad breakfasts.  I absolutely love eating fruit in the morning, and I cannot imagine going back to a heavy breakfast.  It feels so good to start the day fresh and light! I think I have lost a few pounds, too, but I'm only weighing myself twice a month so we'll see!

The dinners this week are pretty easy, and I use gluten free ingredients as much as possible.  The desserts this week are not gluten free, and are mainly for sharing with the rest of the family.  They absolutely LOVE the Black Forest Poke Cake, and I haven't made it in awhile.  So they are getting some at the end of the week to kick off the last week of school!

Here is my menu plan for the week:
To get a printable copy, please click HERE.
Recipe links and notes are below.

Monday:
Spaghetti Sauce is from Taste of Home - it is one of our favorite spaghetti sauces.  I use gluten free spaghetti noodles for me, the rest of the family gets regular spaghetti.  It is a delicious sauce!

Tuesday:
Cheesy Broccoli Casserole is from Budget Savvy Diva - I will use gluten free bread crumbs and gluten free cream of mushroom soup

Pecan Cream Pie is from Together As Family

Wednesday:
Chicken Fried Rice is from Rachel Schultz on Homemaking - this is tried and true and delicious!

Pistachio Pudding Cake is from Taste of Home - my mom used to make this cake, and it is so good!  The icing is yummy!  Of course I can't eat it, but my family sure can!

Thursday:
JoJo Potatoes are from Mel's Kitchen Café - these are so yummy!

Carrot Raisin Salad is from 40 Aprons - a nice, fresh tasting salad!

Friday:
Meatloaf is from Yummy Healthy Easy - I use gluten free oats

Black Forest Poke Cake is from Served Up With Love - everyone loves this cake!  And it's so easy!

And that's a wrap for this week!  I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day, and a wonderful week ahead!  As always, I hope you can find a meal plan or a recipe or two that you want to try!  Thanks for visiting!

Menu Plan for Week of May 5-11, 2019

I love May, don't you?  Granted, it's still raining here in Indiana almost every day, but the sunny days we have in May...like today....oh, me oh, May!  Totally love it!  The smallest granddaughter was here most of the day, and she rode her scooter, and her bike, petted the horses that belong to the people behind us, ate an ice cream cone outside and got chocolate all over her face, sat with me on the swing for awhile, just the kinds of things I love about May.  Plus, (she's 8 years old) she played a Pokémon card game with her uncle and had a ball.  She loves Pokémon, and almost every time she sees him he pulls new packs of Pokémon cards out from somewhere and she goes crazy! He is taking her to see the movie Detective Pikachu when it comes out, and you would think they were going to the world premiere of Gone With The Wind.  Sweet times!

We had such a nice week last week, even though it was rainy and kind of chilly.  I have been sewing all kinds of things, but finally finishing up gifts for the granddaughter's (above) teacher and bus driver.  It's Teacher Appreciation Week, and whatever we do for the teacher we also do for the bus driver - because we love them both!  So Monday, a pot of beautiful geraniums for each.  For Tuesday, I made each one a quilted tote bag.  Still finishing the bus driver's, but the teacher's is finished.  I will post a picture later.  Wednesday gift cards to Starbucks, Thursday classroom supplies and note pads and mugs, and Friday a handwritten thank you card from the granddaughter.  A week of celebration to thank them (in a small way) for everything they do each day!
And then, the week ended with prom for the oldest granddaughter, and she looked gorgeous!  A pale lavender dress just looked beautiful on her, and her boyfriend had a white jacket with a pale lavender best and tie -- and he looked like he was made to dress up!  What a cute couple they made, and they had a ball!  Literally and figuratively!

This week, there are a few things going on.  We are going to the end of the year choir concert to see the boyfriend (above) perform.  Marching band practice begins for the high schoolers for next year's show, and I've got lots of housework to catch up on from all my sewing days this past week.  Last week's menu plan worked like a charm for me.  I love fruit for breakfast!  I make a huge bowl of fruit salad twice a week, and we eat fruit every morning.  I kind of switch my dinner and lunch, and am eating our main meal at about 1:00 for lunch, and a light meal for dinner.  It is working for me, and I am feeling great!  So we will continue that this week!

Here is this week's menu:
For a printable copy, please click HERE.
Recipe notes and links are below.

Sunday:
Fruit Salad - This week I am mixing together strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, pineapple, apples, bananas, oranges, mandarin oranges, grapes, peaches, plums, and pears.

Gluten Free Chicken Enchiladas are from My Kitchen Life - a new recipe to celebrate Cinco de Mayo

Monday:
Crockpot Mississippi Pot Roast is from The Country Cook - tried and true

Gluten Free Brownie Cheesecake is from Lazy Gluten Free - a new recipe, I don't know why she calls her blog lazy because she has some awesome recipes on there!

Tuesday:
Gluten Free Sweet-Chicken is from My Gluten-Free Kitchen - yummy over rice!  and easy!

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Pie is from Maebells - this sounds SO good!

Friday:
Cajun Halibut with Praline Sauce over Dirty Rice is from Everyday Annie - this is pretty fancy for me to make on a Friday night, but it sounds so good, and I think that it will come together quickly - planning to make the rice in the morning, so I just have to heat it up at dinner time.

Gluten Free Hershey's Brownies are from Hershey's - these are very very good!

Saturday:
Meatloaf is from The Country Cook - an excellent meatloaf and great on sandwiches the next day!

That's it for the coming week!  I sure hope you have a wonderful week, and that you can find a meal or two here that you can use for your family!  See you soon!

Weekly Menu Plan for April 28-May 4, 2019

I'm calling in.  I missed a whole week of menus!  Oops!  So sorry!

You know how sometimes life just comes at you and you get super busy?  Well, that's what happened.  I just didn't have time to blog.  Which probably, in the scheme of things, didn't matter much to anyone.  But I'm back!

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter.  We did!  But I made too much food for dinner, ate too much food for dinner, and we ate leftovers for most of last week.  I wish I had taken some pictures of some of the food!  I made a most delicious gluten free carrot cake that was out of this world good!  I think I might have taken a photo of it at some point, so I will look and share that recipe because it was wonderful!  No one even knew it was gluten free, until somebody spotted me eating it and had a panic attack that I was eating CAKE!

But now it's time to move on.  I gave the ham last rites yesterday, and it is gone today.  Anything else that was leftover had a Last Call last night and today it is out of here.  Clean fridge,  new week, back to planning and cooking.

Which reminds me, this week is a bit different.  It looks like I am going to have to change my eating habits in some ways.  A few health issues, nothing major, but of course the doctor is insisting I shed a few pounds.  Either that, or I will have to start going to Omar the Tent Maker for my clothes.

So I figured spring is a great time to lighten the meal load!  With all the fresh fruit and vegetables, I will be making less comfort food and more light meals.  So, I hope you are not disappointed to see that my carb loaded meals are fading from the scene, being replaced with some healthier options.

If you are looking for heavier meals, just use my menu plan as a springboard.  I try to include a variety of meats and veggies each week, but substitute what you or your family likes.  Add some potatoes or rice, or breads.  Use a different recipe that has more of what you like in it!  Use the plan for suggestions and run with it!

Here is my menu plan for the week:
For a printable copy, please click HERE.
Recipe links and notes are below.

Sunday:
Fruit Salad - You notice I have Fruit Salad every day for breakfast.  I am trying to get away from a high carb low health factor breakfast.  So, I am making a HUGE bowl of fresh fruit to start the day.  This week, I am using fresh pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, apples, bananas, sliced peaches, and sliced pears.  I bought a ton of fruit, used a very large bowl, and just sliced everything into the bowl and stirred it up.  I ate a good size bowl of it for breakfast, and it held me through past lunchtime.  That is how I plan to start each day for awhile.  It was quite filling and very enjoyable!

Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake is from Prepare and Nourish - I am not doing a keto or paleo diet, but many of those recipes are gluten free.  So I am trying this recipe because it sounds delicious!  I figure if I eat healthy all day, I can still have a small treat at night.  I don't know if my doctor would agree, but I'm all in!

Monday:
Gluten Free Lasagna is from Lexi's Clean Kitchen - now this has gluten free noodles, and is probably heavier than I need to be eating.  But, since I'm still transitioning to a lighter menu plan, and it has some veggies tucked into the sauce, I thought it sounded good.  I will just have to have a smaller portion than I'm used to!

Tuesday:
Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin is from Number 2 Pencil - I can't wait to try this!  It looks amazing!

Apple Broccoli Cauliflower Salad is from The Real Food Dieticians - I am wanting to try some new salads to keep things interesting!  This one looks like a winner!

Wednesday:
Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos is from The Real Food Dieticians - this is an easy-to-make and healthy dinner.  I am using gluten free Mission tortillas for the shells.

Golden Cauliflower Rice is also from The Real Food Dieticians - the recipes on this site look delicious and healthy, so I'm giving them a go!

Thursday:
Gluten Free Beef and Broccoli is from Iowa Girl Eats - a wonderful gluten free cooking blog!

Gluten Free Peach Apple Crumble is from Bless Her Heart, Y'all - looks delicious!

Saturday:
Gluten Free Chicken and Dumplings is from Mama Knows Gluten Free - I figured by Saturday I would need some comfort food as a reward!  This recipe is tried and true, and one of my favorites!

Gluten Free Apple Pie is from Lexi's Clean Kitchen - this looks delish and fits right in with my comfort food meal!

So there you have  what's cooking this week at my house!  I am looking forward to trying all these new recipes, and hopefully making some changes for the better!  I hope you all have a great week, and can find an idea or two here that you can use!

Menu Plan for Week of April 14-20, 2019

...or is it that April showers bring April flowers??  I'm loving the daffodils, tulips, and forsythia!  And I've seen grape hyacinths in bloom, along with violets and pansies.  It is just so pretty!  Every morning when we go for our walk, we see some new flowers blooming and growing!  The magnolia trees are in full bloom here, too, and they are just gorgeous!

The week before Easter is probably a busy one for all of us.  We are having the kids and grandkids over for Easter dinner, so I've got to be extra careful to get my cleaning done early in the week.  That way, I'll have lots of baking time for Easter dinner.

I will have to post my Easter dinner sometime during the week.  I haven't finalized it yet, but I bought a spiral ham today at Aldi's for $0.85 per pound, and that is fantastic!  They have the best hams!  Seriously, if you haven't tried one, you need to run to Aldi's and get one before they are all gone.

I usually have deviled eggs, baked ham, broccoli and cheese, mashed potatoes, and a couple salads I haven't decided upon yet.  Dessert will definitely be carrot cake and a lemon pie of some sort.  I have a recipe for a carrot cake that hands down beats all the other carrot cakes I've made.  If I can remember to take a picture of it, I will try and post it next week.

For this week, I have lots of goodies planned.  There are a couple new recipes for me to try, plus some tried and true oldies but goodies.  I am in the mood to bake, so there are several new gluten free recipes for breakfast I am going to try this week.

Here is my menu plan for this week:
For a printable copy, please click HERE.
Recipe links and notes are below.

**GF indicates a gluten free recipe

Sunday:
GF Cherry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake is from Eat Cake For Dinner - this recipe is not gluten free, but I am going to try and adapt it to gluten free.  Wish me luck!  If it works, I will share the recipe!

GF Chicken and Dumplings is from Mama Knows Gluten Free - this is one of my favorite comfort foods!  If you haven't visited her blog, you should!

Monday:
Ham, Swiss, and Spinach Egg Cups are from Grab A Plate - new recipe for me to try!  They sound delicious!

Hot Turkey Sandwiches are from Cincy Shopper - I am tweaking this recipe, and making gluten free turkey gravy served on gluten free bread

GF French Silk Pie is from Ehow - another new recipe for me

Tuesday:
GF Pumpkin Scones are from The Peaceful Haven

Sheet Pan Honey Balsamic Pork Chop Dinner is from Betty Crocker

GF Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake is from Gutsy Gluten Free Gal - another new recipe!

Wednesday:
Texas Hash is from A Family Feast - yummy!

Peanut Butter Cookies are from My Crazy Good Life - they are gluten free as well!

Thursday:
Chicken Salad is from Dinner Then Dessert

Lemon Cheesecake is from Taste and Tell Blog

Friday:
Where's The Crust Pizza is from Plain Chicken - a gluten free pizza that is very good

Saturday:
Meatloaf is from Taste of Home - this is my go-to recipe for meatloaf, and every time I make it everyone loves it

That's it for this week!  I know it sounds like lots of baking, but I love to bake and for some reason I am in the mood to bake bake bake!  I think I am realizing that summer is coming, and when it gets too hot to bake I really miss it!  So I better get baking while it's still cool enough. 

Have a wonderful week, and I hope you find a meal plan or two here you want to make for your family!