meal planning - Page 2

[Peggy O'Mara]

I've never made Shepherd's Pie though I love the idea of it. Is it pretty much just a stew with biscuits on top? Do you just make the stew first and then plop the biscuit dough on top and bake? You know what I love is a homemade pot pie. Now, that's what I'm going to make this weekend.

[sunnygir1]

Originally Posted by Peggy O'Mara 

I've never made Shepherd's Pie though I love the idea of it. Is it pretty much just a stew with biscuits on top? Do you just make the stew first and then plop the biscuit dough on top and bake? You know what I love is a homemade pot pie. Now, that's what I'm going to make this weekend.

I always thought Shepherd's Pie was with mashed potatoes on top, but maybe that's because our family has been gluten free for 25 years.  I start the stew on the stove top, sautee things together like making soup, then top with mashed potatoes and bake it.

[Chicky2]

I use leftover meat and veggies (and add more if I need) for Shepherd's Pie.  I make a quick gravy of some sort, and then cover the whole thing w/mashed potatoes.  We like a combo of sweet and white potatoes.  Then sprinkle some good quality cheese on top and some herbs and you've got supper.  MMMMM. 

[Mummoth]

I use ground beef, peas, corn, onion and usually carrots but I was lazy & didn't chop some up this time. I put in a cube of boulion and some minced garlic & pepper to season it. On top goes mashed potatoes with some paprika on top for colour, and it gets baked for 45 minutes- an hour, depending on how whiny the kids are being :)

[onlyzombiecat]

Originally Posted by ancoda 

Everyone's lists are giving me some more good ideas for things to add to our lists. Thank you. 

Onlyzombiecat- Can I get your recipe for potstickers?  My boys love potstickers, but any time I try to make them at home they never come out right. They either taste all wrong or fall apart.

Unfortunately, I'm still using pre-made potstickers as I haven't figured out a good recipe to use either.

[mommy212]

Tonight we are doing chicken, brocolli, and carrot stir-fry with lo mein noodles. Last night we had beans, cornbread and collar greens. You can also try puree soups (tomato is out favorite, also try butternut squash, brocolli, carrot) with bread or biscuits.

[Mummoth]

Originally Posted by mommy212 

Tonight we are doing chicken, brocolli, and carrot stir-fry with lo mein noodles. Last night we had beans, cornbread and collar greens. You can also try puree soups (tomato is out favorite, also try butternut squash, brocolli, carrot) with bread or biscuits.

Mmmmm, sounds good! I'm doing stroganoff to use up some of the slider beef patties I bought by accident. I thought they were these pre-assembled mini burgers that my kids used to love & bought them for a treat when we went to the cabin for the weekend. It's the second time I made the same mistake and I've never actually seen slider buns, so it's not like I can use them to make mini burgers. Anyway, the kids will at least eat noodles with parmesan on them, if not  the sauce. I'm not expecting it to be a great meal but oh well! I can't be magnificent every day :p

[wishin'&hopin']

Try making biscuits to eat the slider patties on...that might be tasty (says the vegetarian ;)  

I've been trying to do the scheduling in Simplicity Parenting SO, that means:

Sunday night--pizza night, this week was veggie sausage, onion and mushrooms

Monday night--a bean dish (this week a red beans and rice with coconut milk as some of the liquid it was cooked in) with a veggie side (this week was cubes of roasted pumpkin)

Tuesday night--burritos/quesadillas (often using leftovers from Monday) with guac, veggies, cheese (this week some leftover veggie sausage, orange peppers, mushrooms and broccoli)

Wednesday night--DW works late so it's pasta or egg night, tomorrow will be peanut noodles with lots of ginger and tofu 

Thursday night--Stew/Soup/Bread  this week it will probably be black bean soup and tortillas for dipping

Friday night--out to dinner!

Saturday night--game night with friends, we alternate who makes dinner, this week it's us and due to a friends allergies it's gluten/dairy/soy/tomato/cane sugar free--probably a quinoa/pineapple/black bean pilaf thing

lunches are leftovers and/or sandwiches

[Chicky2]

Potstickers aren't really hard to make--just time-consuming.  Just get some good wonton wrappers (I like the ones from the Asian market better than reg. grocery stores, but use what you can get), and make little meatballs, highly seasoned w/ginger and garlic and mushroom soy sauce or oyster sauce.  Assembly is easy-get a wrapper, plop the tiny meatball in the center, wet your finger and run it along 2 sides and fold into a triangle.  Then fold the edges like a fan (remember making fans as a kid?) and cook as you would any other potsticker.  I also use the same method to make crab rangoon and then fry them.  MMMMM

[Peggy O'Mara]

Originally Posted by sunnygir1 

I always thought Shepherd's Pie was with mashed potatoes on top, but maybe that's because our family has been gluten free for 25 years.  I start the stew on the stove top, sautee things together like making soup, then top with mashed potatoes and bake it.

Duh, you're right, it is mashed potatoes. I think I was getting confused with the chicken and dumplings my grandma used to make. She would blop biscuit dough on top of her thick chicken stew. Another yummer! 

[Chicky2]

I really need to make a schedule of what type of meal to have on each night, instead of winging it.  At least I'd have some sort of plan.  I like the "pizza night", "pasta night", "roast night", "soup", etc...I really need to adopt that method.

[Peggy O'Mara]

Originally Posted by Chicky2 

I really need to make a schedule of what type of meal to have on each night, instead of winging it.  At least I'd have some sort of plan.  I like the "pizza night", "pasta night", "roast night", "soup", etc...I really need to adopt that method.

Yesh, it saves my life, but you have to find a time each week when you can do a meal and shopping plan to go along with your themes. I do it before I go shopping. I make a list of five suppers, based on my themes or I go through cookbooks or my recipes to get ideas. Then I plan four meals and then make a shopping list from that. Even when I don't make the specific meal I made, I have a plan I can adapt to something else and the found in the house to do it. When could you make your list?