Monthly Meal Plan: December 2010

I've been planning our monthly meal plans for over a year now.  I cannot tell you how much easier life flows when you have just one small detailed ironed out, like "what's for dinner".  We eat out a lot less, saving quite a bit of money (money we didn't have anyway).  We eat a lot less junk food (which we don't need anyway).

Last month we picked up on the cheap sweet potatoes ($.35/lb at Food Depot).  I'll probably pick up a few more pounds to puree and freeze in 2 cup portions.  We also got a free turkey from Kevin's work and I bought one at Publix for $.59/lb.

We might have a few changes along the way, but here's the game plan.

Here's what we're planning for December:

1. Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs, Hashbrown Casserole*, Oranges
2. Crock Pot Chicken, Potatoes, Broccoli and Green Beans
3. Pizza
4. Soup: Chicken Tortellini Soup*, Peasant Bread
5. Chalupas
6. Tex Mex:  Mexican Pasta Shells* with Sante Fe Salad
7. Crock Pot Chicken, Broccoli Rice & Cheese, Green Beans
8. Breakfast:  Frittata with Fried Taters and Oranges
9. Soup:  Yakisoba Chicken Noodle Soup*
10. Pizza
11. Turkey Dinner:  Billisu's Oven Roasted Turkey, Cornbread Dressing, Southern Style Collards, Squash Casserole, Sweet Potato Souffle, Mashed Potatoes, Rolls, Sawdust Pie*
12. Ravioli Lasagna*, Salad with Garlic Bread 
13. Tex Mex:  Burrito Casserole with Sante Fe Salad
14. Crock Pot Chicken, Red Quinoa Pilaf, Sweet Peas and Carrots
15. Breakfast:  Pancakes, Bacon and Grapefruit
16. Soup:  Italian Sausage Vegetable Soup, Peasant Bread
17. Family:  Subway
18. Family Dinner
19. Family:  Subway
20. Crock Pot Bean Enchiladas* with Guacamole Salad and Corn & Tomato Salad
21. Crock Pot Maple Chicken with Sweet Potatoes* with Broccoli and Cheese
22. Breakfast:  Frittata and Apple & Spinach Salad
23. Soup:  Lasagna Soup with Peasant Bread
24. Pizza
25. Leftovers
26. Pork Chops with Apricot Sauce*, Warm Lentil Salad*
27. Tex Mex:  Turkey Taquitos*, Spicy Baked Sweet Potato Fries
28. Crock Pot Chicken, Rice and Green Beans and Corn
29. Breakfast:  Pancakes, Sausage and Oranges
30. Soup:  Creamy Chicken Noodle Lipton Soup with Crackers*
31. Pizza

We have a few new recipes to try this month.  Some things I made quite a lot, but have never documented for Sissy's recipe blog.  I'll be blogging those recipes over there.  The ones that are successful, will make their way to her blog as well.

As for the freezer cooking this month, I've sort of been working on it a little this week.

• Southern Style Collards - using up some collards we got while at Callaway Gardens
• Soaking Great Northern Beans and cooking them today in the crock pot for meals this month
• Lemon Poppyseed Muffins - I didn't get to make these last month, but hoping to get to them this week
• Oatmeal Pouches - trying maple and brown sugar flavored this time around
• Cinnamon Banana French Toast Sticks - the kids gobbled them up fast!  They really loved them and so did I!
• Baked up some sweet potatoes yesterday, mashed them and bagged them for the freezer for Sweet Potato Souffle later this month
• Crunchy Granola - I've got about a cup left
• Homemade Pancakes - I'll do this in a batch cooking job when we eat them for the first time next week, then I'll freeze up the rest

Hope you have a great month!

Enjoy!

This has been linked to:

• Mommy's Kitchen Meal Plan Monthly
• Life as Mom - December Freezer Cooking