I think sometimes we as mothers feel that we aren’t doing a good enough job if we don’t pull out the cookbook or try a new recipe each night. We put ourselves through too much, and often are the only one in the house holding ourselves to such a high standard. I remember one time crying in the kitchen because I hadn’t prepared a four course meal for David. This was not anything he had asked for, and he told me I was being silly. He didn’t expect any type of fancy meal, and wasn’t wanting “dinner on the table by six.” We do silly things to ourselves ladies. So, this week’s menu plan is dedicated to making some of the simple classics we all know how to fix. You don’t need to go gourmet each week!
Monday: Pancakes – Why not have a pancake dinner to start off your week? It’s cheap, easy, and pleases the whole family! Grab some fun toppings like whipped cream, fruit, different syrups, etc. and give yourself a bit of a cooking break!
Tuesday: Taco Night! – I like to spread out the toppings and allow my kids to create the tacos for themselves. They love going through the little “salad bar” and making their own tacos. Heat up some refried beans and a little spanish rice and you’ve got dinner! If you want a change from ground beef, do chicken, or go vegetarian and add the rice to the inside of your tortilla, rather than using it as a side dish. I also like to make double decker tacos with a hard shell inside the soft tortilla.
Wednesday: Spaghetti – Does it get any easier? You can do this according to your level of “busy” as well..If you have time, saute up some Italian sausage and veggies and add in your tomatoes. If you are pressed for time, open up a can of your favorite sauce. One thing I do when I use a jarred sauce, is I always season my meat first. I add an envelope of taco seasoning when I have it on hand. When I don’t, I use garlic salt, oregano, and basil.
Thursday: Sloppy Joes – This is a super easy recipe for sloppy joes that I found over on campbells.com. I don’t really care too much for Manwich or bbq tasting sloppy joes, so this is a nice alternative.
Friday: Chicken Stir Fry – Saute up some chicken and veggies. Add in some soy or teriyaki sauce (and I like to add in a bit of brown sugar.) Serve over rice or soba noodles.
Saturday: Hot Dogs – Yes, you can serve hot dogs for dinner! It does not make you a bad mom!! Serve with some fruit, and oven fries!
Sunday: Homemade Pizza – Need some recipes? Check out my earlier post on pizza here: Pizza Post
Enjoy the week ladies. DO NOT slave in the kitchen. Your family just needs dinner…not a five star dinner. Sometimes yes, it is fun to prepare a fancy meal, but you do not need to do that to yourself every day. Relax, and go for some old classics and time-savers. Happy cooking!
