Meal Plan – Week 1

Wow! It’s already 2018! I took some time off to get creative, spend quality time with family but now I’m back. The end of 2017 was a success for this blog and it’s motivated me to keep moving, keep pushing, and keep writing. I ended the year with this party plan and a quick look back on 2017. One thing that I slacked at last year was sharing my meal plan every week with you. I gave you the steps to properly meal plan but failed to share actual recipes with you every year. The truth is it became very time-consuming to do so. But, I’ve come up with a strategy to help me streamline the process so you can benefit. Are you ready for Week #1? Well, here is the meal plan for week 1.

 

Boiled Shrimp

Serve this with all the fixings…corn, red potatoes, sausage, and mushrooms. If you have a special sauce be sure to include that too. I don’t like sauce and neither does my family so it’s one less thing I worry about. One tip when boiling seafood is to use 1 tablespoon of seafood boil per pound of ingredients. So if I’m boiling 5 pounds of shrimp I know I’ll need at least 5 tablespoons of seafood boil. Then I account for all the sides I boil and the water. I also use lemons, fresh garlic, onions, and butter. It’s my fave! One tip for boiled shrimp is if you have leftovers, use them the next day for other food like jambalaya, baked potatoes or even eggs.

Always look for ways to re-mix what you have.

Hamburger Soup

Morphed my recipe from Ree Drumond’s version. Think vegetable soup with ground meat. I’ll share my recipe for hamburger soup soon…

Chopped Steak / Mashed Potatoes / Vegetable

Here is the basis for the chopped steak recipe I use. My family isn’t crazy about mushrooms and onions. That means I add in a little less of those ingredients. Either way, always look for ways to make a recipe your own. If you make chopped or hamburger steak, you have to pair it with mashed potatoes. Yes, it’s carbs but you’re doing yourself an injustice without it. Live a little. The vegetable you serve is up to you but I like green beans.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Roux, chicken, sausage, and all the seasonings make the perfect gumbo. Seafood gumbo is my favorite but cost more to make. Plus my family enjoys chicken and sausage gumbo the most. Since it’s been so cold this winter, we’ve been eating all the soups and lots of gumbo. Adding gumbo back to the menu this week is a no-brainer.

Be sure to always cook what brings you happiness and makes your family happy.

Smothered Chicken / Black Eye Peas / Rice

Sometimes, what’s on sale motivates what I cook. If pork tenderloin is on sale, then it’s likely it will be on my meal plan. Also, if I’m craving something or another family member is, then that meal might make the weekly menu. This week cut-up chicken was on sale so I bought 1 pack. I figured I could split it up between my gumbo and another meal. I’m thinking I’ll make smothered chicken but I can also pull off a chicken noodle soup too. It all depends on what’s happeneing when it’s time to cook. Be flexible with your menu and aware of what other options you have based on the food you have.

I’ll be back this weekend with the upcoming week’s meal plan. If you’re wondering on how to get started with meal planning, start with this “3 Best Tips for Meal Planning Success” e-book. Download the e-book and get started this weekend.

What’s your biggest meal planning challenge? Let me know in the comments below. 

Crystal 

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A Look Back on 2017

Meal Plan – Week 2