October seems to be one of our busiest months as a family. Granted, much of our time is used for fun outings and harvest events, but we still tend to find much of our time occupied. It’s during these busy months that I am most grateful for meal planning. Before I head out in the morning, I love being able to look at the menu and know what type of meat to take out. I like being able to prep things during recess breaks. I LOVE not standing in front of the fridge at 4:00 wondering what on earth I’m going to make for dinner!

I also tend to gravitate towards homier dishes during this time of year….lots of comfort food.

 

Sunday: Appetizers! Wonton Mozzarella Sticks, Homemade Pretzels, Loaded Potato Skins, Apple Slices, Zucchini Fries

This was a lot of fun, and a great change-up from a traditional dinner. The kids loved the variety and getting to choose what THEY wanted. You can customize this idea with what you like to make.

Monday: Stroganoff, Corn (from the garden)

*If you click through to the recipe, don’t mind the crazy-outdated method of posting recipes! This was in the beginning before I even started to attempt food photography…which I still have not mastered, but am getting better at!

I absolutely LOVE stroganoff. I used ground beef this time, and rotini instead of egg noodles. The sauce is so forgiving. I love the sour cream finish and the comforting feeling of this dish.

Tuesday: Pancakes and Eggs, M&M Cookies

My husband works late on Tuesdays, so the kids and I usually have something super EASY on these days. It also happened to be a not-so-great day, so I had to make some delicious M&M cookies too!

cookie dough

I posted this pic on Instagram. Are you following me yet?

Wednesday: Pulled Pork Biscuit Sandwiches

*Post coming soon for this recipe!

Thursday: Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, Beans

These are so good! Salsa Verde – aka “green sauce” just might be one of my favorite all-time ingredients!

enchiladas

Friday: Italian Chicken and Ranch Roasted Potatoes

Italian Chicken could NOT be any easier! I poured a bottle of Roasted Red Pepper Italian dressing on top of chicken and baked! SO easy! And, despite HATING Ranch dressing, I really love these potatoes. It’s definitely a recipe worth checking out!

Saturday: Hot Dogs and S’mores

We had a great time at a family-style birthday party on Saturday. I left feeling inspired to keep parties SIMPLE! It was so much fun to just let the kids play, and enjoy some fellowship with the parents around a fire. Great day!

The party reminded me of my I Give You Permission: Birthday Parties post! Check it out if you have ever felt the pressure to put on a “production” instead of a party.

Let me know what YOU had this week, or if you plan to try any of these dishes! I love hearing from you!