Yesterday was the start of the Chinese New Year. It is the year of the snake. My oldest son was still less than thrilled that his birthday made him a snake even if it does mean this is his year! Fat Tuesday is well, on Tuesday. I think it is also called Pancake Tuesday. I honestly don’t know much about the holiday except that you are supposed to eat pancakes and live it up before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Thursday is Valentine’s Day. My boys also only have a 2 1/2 day school week with a teacher conference break that stretches from Wednesday afternoon until next Tuesday. Yikes! I need to be sure and plan some activities or else the entire break may well be spent by them sitting in front of the X-box and while they wouldn’t mind, I think they do need to come up for air and see the outside world every once in a while even on days when school is out. I didn’t do so good at that this weekend as I stated in my Confessions for a Lazy Saturday Afternoon post. However, after giving in to a large amount of laziness over the weekend, I am motivated and ready to run (well, walk) getting things done this morning! Here’s our menu for the week:
Monday
We didn’t have the pork chops that were on last week’s plan so I’m excited to have something ready to go this afternoon.
Porkchops
Pork Chops, Rice, and Apple slices
Tuesday
Source: kingarthurflour.com via Jean on Pinterest
We ate pancakes on Sunday evening so it is a little too soon for me to repeat them. Since we had pancakes on the Chinese New Year day, perhaps we’ll have Chinese Food for Pancake Tuesday! However, it is also the night I need to attend teacher conferences at the middle school so I am more inclined to prepare a crock pot meal. I am currently undecided. We’ll either have beef and brocoli with noodles or roast in the crock pot. I do think I’ll make the Mardi Gras King Cupcakes pictured up above though.
Wednesday
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It’s Valentine’s Eve! That means it is the day of the Valentine’s Party for my youngest son since they will not be in school on Thursday. I am planning on trying the Hummus Crusted Chicken pictured above. I have extra hummus in the fridge (I forgot to take it when I took snacks for the PTA meeting last Tuesday) so this fit nicely into the rotation not to mention I think the recipe sounds amazing! My son opted to go the homemade route with the Valentines this year and wants to make these to pass out to friends:
Source: designsbycp.blogspot.com via Jean on Pinterest
Thursday
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Happy Valentine’s Day! We’ll be having Spaghetti and Meatballs and Garlic Toast although I really do like the idea of the heart-shaped polenta on pasta sauce. Have you ever made polenta? I’m intrigued by it. I’m usually put off by the part of the recipe that says something like “chill for 2 hours” because I’m thinking about making it for dinner at 4:30p.m. in the afternoon. I’ll probably just get each of the boys their favorite king-sized candy bars and that can be dessert.
Friday
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Catfish, fried potatoes, and salad. Seafood is on sale at the store and while I love the idea of shrimp that doesn’t come from a box and shrimp scampi sounds really good, I’m not quite brave enough to cook it. Catfish is also closer to our budget even with a seafood sale. I wish we had some fresh fish in the freezer but unfortunately, we don’t this time around. Maybe we can brave the cold and take the kids fishing somewhere over the weekend. I’ll probably throw some fish sticks in the oven as well just so there is another option in case the catfish is not well received.
Do you celebrate any of the holidays that fall into this week with your menu? I’m linking my menu up to Menu Plan Monday at I’m An Organizing Junkie as well as Menu Monday at Erin Branscom. Be sure to visit both places and check out all the links for inspiration and ideas!
Wednesday: Hummus crusted chicken
Thursday (Valentine’s Day):
Friday:
Sarah @ Feed My Family
My kids {3 and 1} did starburst valentines this year for their cousins. The cards said “I’m “burst”ing to tell you I think you’re a star!” Living vicariously through them I had fun!
Thanks for stopping by!
Sarah @ Feed My Family recently posted..Menu February 11
Jean
I’m hoping they won’t be too hard to assemble. I usually buy the prepackaged “card” Valentines so this may be interesting. I’m also hoping I can find a good deal on Starbursts somewhere!
Elizabeth
I can’t say that I have let any of the holidays play apart in the menu this week I wasn’t really thinking about it when I made a menu plan for the month.
Those valentine’s look cute. We aren’t sending candy this year and I’m betting a lot of other parent’s won’t be in our school district. Apparently there are all sorts of food allergies coming up so all classroom treats and candy with valentine’s must be sent into the nurses office today to be inspected and ingredients gone over. It’s crazy!
Elizabeth recently posted..A few other things done this past week… and insight into next
Jean
Wow, that is crazy. I’m sure the parents with the children who have allergies appreciate it though. I don’t quite get why the kids’ parents can’t inspect the candy but I won’t get on that soapbox
We usually don’t send candy but he wanted to make these. I really think that he just thinks he is going to get out of writing all the names but we’ll see.
Cathy
That shrimp scampi looks really good but I don’t have enough nerve to try to make it either.
Cathy recently posted..Meal Plan for February 11-17
Jean
I know that I would be so upset if I messed something like that up. Better play it safe and just go out to eat for the shrimp scampi
OM
Those shrimp sound so tasty! If I can get my hands on some, I’ll try it, no doubt. I’ve found that shrimps and prawns are one of the easiest cooked food, as they change color so evidently when they are done. And they are so, so yummy!
OM recently posted..Menu plan 02/11
Jean
Maybe I need to just be brave sometime and give them a try?
jan
You really got to give shrimp scampi a try … it’s not hard and it’s not a big deal … buy the shrimp already peeled and devined and remember to not let them overcook … I haven’t made it in a while and NOW I want to put it on the menu … thanks for sharing! (and no, we don’t celebrate all the holidays anymore, kids are grown and life is moving too fast nowdays, it seems)
Jean
With all this encouragement, I am going to have to give it a try sometime soon. Yes, I would have to buy the shrimp already peeled and devined because I don’t think I could do that part–blech!
Brennan's Mom
We are having pancakes for Pancake Tuesday and only because we love pancakes. My husband asked what the significance was and the only thing I knew was “it was religious”!
I usually do a (western) Chinese dinner for Chinese New Years but this year, we had hamburgers!
I have made polenta and both attempts were enormously unsuccessful. It was just “mush” and grainy. I haven’t tried it since!
Have a tasty week!
Brennan’s Mom recently posted..Menu Plan Monday: Feb 9 – 15
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