# Monthy Menu help, please



## CakePoet

I am planning the monthly menu for this house, I am trying to get back to loving  cooking again.  I havent planned for 2 month and I need to do this.

This is  the plan:

Monday: Chicken filet as in  kebabs or more "whole" dishes x4
Tuesday: sausage dishes  , have recipes for these
Wednesday:  Ground beef x4
Thursday:  Chicken filet as in  casseroles, stew and similar  x 4
Friday: comfort food,  have recipes for these.
Saturday: Curry with chicken x4
Sunday:  Pulled pork and pork roast,  I need a recipe for each.


So  could you  help me with some good and lovely recipes?
It cant contain  mixes, soups or canned sauces, I am in Sweden, I am not willing to pay 4 dollar for a tin of rotel. I cannot have citrus,  mold cheeses, coffee or rosewater.

Please help me, please, I need to get the love back in cooking


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## Mad Cook

CakePoet said:


> I am planning the monthly menu for this house, I am trying to get back to loving  cooking again.  I havent planned for 2 month and I need to do this.
> 
> This is  the plan:
> 
> Monday: Chicken filet as in  kebabs or more "whole" dishes x4
> Tuesday: sausage dishes  , have recipes for these
> Wednesday:  Ground beef x4
> Thursday:  Chicken filet as in  casseroles, stew and similar  x 4
> Friday: comfort food,  have recipes for these.
> Saturday: Curry with chicken x4
> Sunday:  Pulled pork and pork roast,  I need a recipe for each.
> 
> 
> So  could you  help me with some good and lovely recipes?
> It cant contain  mixes, soups or canned sauces, I am in Sweden, I am not willing to pay 4 dollar for a tin of rotel. I cannot have citrus,  mold cheeses, coffee or rosewater.
> 
> Please help me, please, I need to get the love back in cooking



I'm not vegetarian but I enjoy a good home-made veg curry occasionally. Easy to work it round your allergies. No recipe as it depends on what's in the 'fridge and what I fancy on the day.


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## CakePoet

Vegs currys does happen as part of dinners sometimes, it just that my husband loves chicken curry Saturday.


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## Katie H

You remind me of what I used to do...plan meals for a month or so at a time.

What I began with was a blank 30-day calendar with large "day" squares.  They're easy to find on the Internet.

Once I printed out my calendar pages, I inserted S, M, T, W, Th, F and Sat for the days across the top.

In the upper corner of each day, I wrote a smallish date corresponding to the month for which I was planning the menus.

Next came the fun, at least for me.

We like variety, so I would begin with B (beef). P (pork), C (chicken/poultry), F (fish/seafood), L (lamb), ML (meatless), and LO (leftovers).  One of those notations would go in the daily squares, making sure I didn't repeat within a given 7-day period.  Easy to do since there were 7 categories.

Then I could get creative.  If I found a recipe for any of them I though was interesting and new, I would write the name of the recipe and set the recipe aside in a small envelope or folder, in order of its use.

Depending on the volume of a recipe, I could count on a leftover meal quite often and simply eliminate the day it could replace an already marked recipe.  That recipe would be excused and play the next month.

Occasionally we'd not be hungry for supper because we'd been out during the day and had a late or larger than usual lunch, so that dish would join its buddy in the game next month, too.

I enjoyed doing this because, we were able to try many new things and kept us out of the rut of "same old, same old."  But that's not to say that I would include some of our old standby favorites in the month's menu offerings.

After I created my month's plan, I took the recipes and checked any needed canned/frozen/or packaged items not in my stockroom and made a list, in order of first needed.

This allowed me to see what I could purchase as sales arose and have a well-stocked pantry at the same time.


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## CakePoet

All leftovers becomes  the next days lunch and my planning is based  on what is  cheap in the  flyers on payday.

I base my whole menu on the idea that a  month is four of  each day.   Then I take 1 main ingredient and  find  four  recipes and that is  all Mondays planned at ones and   then the next day and so on .
Friday is always comfort food, because it food to wind down the week.


After that I  grab a old menu , I have saved on my computer ,  set in the dates correct and  add in the  dishes I have found and  I am set.  Seldom any repeats in a whole month unless it something the family really loves. 

Easy and I know I food to last the whole month.


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## Kayelle

More power to all of you but such intense menu planning just isn't my style and sounds like a heck of a lot of work!! 

I've always cooked more on the fly as I was raised in a house attached to my parents meat market/grocery store and everything was available every day.
It was wonderful.  

Now I keep a well stocked freezer, and large well stocked 8'x12' pantry so I can pretty much put most meals together as I choose. Different strokes for different folks I guess.


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## GotGarlic

So to clarify - you're asking for four dishes using whole or diced chicken, four chicken soup/stew/casserole dishes, four ground beef dishes, four chicken curry dishes and one recipe each for pulled pork and pork roast? 

You could take a look at the recipe forums for each of those. I mean, we could just start posting what we like, but we don't know what ingredients you have available and/or like to use. Are there particular cuisines or seasonings you prefer? 

Also, just out of curiosity - no fish or seafood? That surprises me, since you live in Sweden.


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## CakePoet

I be using chicken breast, filets or what it is called,  twice  per week  well  actually 3 times if we count the curry,  so I try too keep to one day is  stews and casserole and the other day it is more like fried chicken,  chicken kebab.

And yes I do  need ideas or recipes , four dishes using whole or diced chicken breast , four chicken soup/stew/casserole dishes, four ground beef dishes, four chicken curry dishes and one recipe each for pulled pork and pork roast.


I have posted what I cant use, I am up for anything people like  because I dont  cook any more with happiness and joy as I used to and I need to get the spark back again.
I been going through so many pages and all I feel is meh over any  food, so I though if some else is passionate about the dish, I might feel more positive towards it.  

If I can make it  and it sounds yummy, it will be on my menu.


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## GotGarlic

Okay, then  Lemme see what I can come up with ... back in a few.


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## GotGarlic

DH and I both like bell peppers with onions and garlic and I make them with a variety of meats in a bunch of ways. You can sub broccoli and/or cauliflower in some of these, if you like. 

Chicken:
- Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe from Betty Crocker (can also use pork or meatballs)
- Chicken Fajitas Recipe | SimplyRecipes.com (can also use beef)
- Thai Green Chicken Curry recipe | Epicurious.com (can also use pork)

Ground beef:
- Beef Tacos with Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix Recipe - Allrecipes.com
- Savory Meatloaf recipe from Betty Crocker (I serve this over mashed potatoes with gravy made from the pan drippings, and green beans)
- Spaghetti Sauce with Ground Beef Recipe - Allrecipes.com (I use half of a green, red and yellow bell pepper in the sauce; serve over spaghetti or other pasta with a garden salad)

I posted this recipe for pulled pork in the slow cooker a few years ago. We serve it in sandwich rolls with coleslaw and hot sauce on top, or on the plate, with coleslaw and baked beans on the side. If you don't have a slow cooker, you can cook it covered in the oven for a few hours, till it's tender.
- Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork
- Easy Baked Beansl
- Creamy Coleslaw

A few options for roast pork:
- Herb-Crusted Pork Loin Recipe : Melissa d'Arabian : Food Network
- Maple-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
- Tuscan Pork Roast

Pork kebabs with Greek salad:
- Grilling: Pork Souvlaki with Pita and Tzatziki Recipe | Serious Eats 
- Easy Greek Chopped Salad Recipe | Serious Eats

Hope this helps


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## GotGarlic

In case you want to try sausages a new way, this has become one of our favorite summer dinners:

- Grilled Bratwurst With Beer, Mustard, and Sauerkraut Recipe | Serious Eats (This can be done in a pot on the stovetop, then brown the sausages under the broiler/grill)
- Mustard Aioli Grilled Potatoes with Fine Herbs Recipe : Bobby Flay : Food Network (grilling the potatoes is optional but delicious. Use any mix of herbs you like)


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## Kayelle

Those are some helpful and good looking recipes there GG. 

CP, if you really want to get your cooking mojo back, I suggest inspiration along with pictures can be found at the nightly dinner thread where people are actually cooking every day. You can read the archive of all the past nightly posts here..

Today's Menu - Discuss Cooking - Cooking Forums


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## GotGarlic

Kayelle said:


> Those are some helpful and good looking recipes there GG.
> 
> CP, if you really want to get your cooking mojo back, I suggest inspiration along with pictures can be found at the nightly dinner thread where people are actually cooking every day. You can read the archive of all the past nightly posts here..
> 
> Today's Menu - Discuss Cooking - Cooking Forums



Thanks, Kayelle. The daily dinner thread is a great idea


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## CakePoet

I do have a crock pot  which my husband gave me as morning gift after the wedding night, normal people get jewelry I get a crock pot.

Some the recipe posted had mixes and some had citrus, yes  green curry has citrus  and it sucks since I love it.   But  I have found some good  recipe  and the pulled pork sounds lovely.

Any more ideas?

I been  looking at the daily menu thread  but bit hard when I am bordering on depression but I am trying.


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## Cheryl J

CakePoet said:


> I do have a crock pot which my husband gave me as morning gift after the wedding night, normal people get jewelry I get a crock pot.
> 
> Some the recipe posted had mixes and some had citrus, yes green curry has citrus and it sucks since I love it. But I have found some good recipe and the pulled pork sounds lovely.
> 
> *Any more ideas?*
> 
> *I been looking at the daily menu thread but bit hard when I am bordering on depression but I am trying.*


 
Hi CakePoet.  

I second Kayelle's suggestion of hanging around here and going through the daily menu threads.  A lot of us here get pretty excited about seeing what others are having for dinner and get a lot of inspiration from those posts.   

Several folks here have offered suggestions of what has worked for them, and provided links to some great sounding recipes.  Finding what works for you and your family isn't going to be an overnight fix, but a process. And it can be a lot of fun! 

(I hope you're considering getting medical help for depression - that's certainly not anything to mess with....)


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## CakePoet

Most people here seams  to have a good sense of taste, it not like the Swedish forum I help at that thinks  potato salad and  lentil curry is a lovely meal.

So if you like it, there is a big chance we find something new and yummy.

But the main problem is I need to set a menu now, since I am on  fixed budget and I need to at least know we have food for one month.

I have help but I am not there yet and since I have the motivation of trying to turning around my doctor thinks  I  can do it with no meds.


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## CWS4322

I just wing it. I cook a roast beef on Sunday, the leftovers are used for sandwiches (hot and cold), and then what is still leftover is used for a quick stir fry.  I pull chicken breasts out of the freezer, those are cut up for chicken fingers and I will cook a pan of breasts to make sandwiches, etc.  A salmon fillet leftover is used to make a salad where I use summer greens, topped with the salmon and an avocado dressing.  Pull a pork roast out of the freezer and then use the leftovers to make Spanish rice and then use the leftovers from the Spanish rice to make burritos.   I just wing it. Whatever I can pull out of the freezer, pantry, and crisper flies for me.


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## CakePoet

That what I been doing for 2 month and well  it is getting boring because I made same dishes over and over again.  Left overs goes in to boxes so my husband have lunch at work and the little that is left is for me to make something for my lunch.


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## GotGarlic

CakePoet said:


> I do have a crock pot  which my husband gave me as morning gift after the wedding night, normal people get jewelry I get a crock pot.
> 
> Some the recipe posted had mixes and some had citrus, yes  green curry has citrus  and it sucks since I love it.   But  I have found some good  recipe  and the pulled pork sounds lovely.
> 
> Any more ideas?
> 
> I been  looking at the daily menu thread  but bit hard when I am bordering on depression but I am trying.



Maybe we're not communicating well. As far as I can tell, only one of the recipes I posted had a seasoning mix and it was homemade. When you said no mixes, I thought you meant no store-bought mixes. Is that not right? 

You can leave the lime out of the dishes that use it. It's a garnish, not an integral part of the dish. 

Have you thought about talking to your doctor about how you've been feeling? He or she might be able to help.


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## GotGarlic

If you can get kaffir lime leaves, you can get lime flavor in a marinade without citrus. You can also use lemongrass, lemon balm or thyme, tamarind paste, sumac, and, in some cases, various types of vinegar to replace citrus.


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## CakePoet

I saw the home made mix and that is fine, yeah I can have tamarind paste and lemon grass, but not  kaffir lime leafs.  I do have a huge lemon verbena on the balcony.  

I will  try to make  green curry paste!  See now I have mission, made that will make me cook again.

My doctor is fantastic and he thinks  I can do it on my own due to my great support net around me, so that is what I am doing and since  I am free medcare, I see him once a week.  It just I need to kick start this spark again.


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## GotGarlic

CakePoet said:


> I saw the home made mix and that is fine, yeah I can have tamarind paste and lemon grass, but not  kaffir lime leafs.  I do have a huge lemon verbena on the balcony.
> 
> I will  try to make  green curry paste!  See now I have mission, made that will make me cook again.
> 
> My doctor is fantastic and he thinks  I can do it on my own due to my great support net around me, so that is what I am doing and since  I am free medcare, I see him once a week.  It just I need to kick start this spark again.



There you go! Thai red curry is another possibility, to change things up a little. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/thai-red-curry-paste-109465


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## Dawgluver

Very nice and helpful collection of recipes you posted, GG, thanks!


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## erehweslefox

Hey CakePoet, so.. I am seeing a lot of great meat and vegetable preparations with rice and all, and I am 2 thousand percent with you on cooking as a help with depression, got that, been there, got the t-shirt. 

So how about baking? 

To bake bread you need four things, flour, water, salt and yeast.

and let me tell you, it is very satisfying to bake your own bread

So I'd add a pizza to your repertoire above. You can top a pizza with anything you have (great way to use leftovers), to make a pizza you need to make dough. I am gonna share with you my Super Sekret dough recipe, so long as you don't go sharing it about and posting it on internet forums and stuff. I like it because it is simple.

1 cup water
1 tsp salt
3.5 cups flour (14.8 oz if you use a scale)
1 1/2 oz fresh yeast or a packet of instant

That is it. 

It will make a dough, and you can go from there, but that will make a good bread dough, and more important, if you can roll it out, a pizza crust. 

throw some toppings on that, some sauce, a little cheese, and you are in Pizza town.


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## erehweslefox

Oh on that, you have to let it sit and rise a bit. Like for an hour.


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## CakePoet

Bread is not a problem, I have to bake it due to my sensitive tummy, there only one bread from the store I can eat often and that is that horrible white spongy bread.

So I bake my own,  there is a carrot loaf rising in the kitchen at the moment.   And yes, pizza will be made, it is requested.  I am going for a pesto  goat cheese one and the other wants ham, cheese and tomato.

Thanks Got Garlic,  I realized that I might not be able to get everything for the  currypaste at the moment, but I have a friend coming over in end of September maybe end of October from a larger town and I know I can get it all then.


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## GotGarlic

Dawgluver said:


> Very nice and helpful collection of recipes you posted, GG, thanks!



Thanks, Dawg


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## GotGarlic

CakePoet said:


> Thanks Got Garlic,  I realized that I might not be able to get everything for the  currypaste at the moment, but I have a friend coming over in end of September maybe end of October from a larger town and I know I can get it all then.



Sounds good! 

I thought of a few more things. Can you tell I like to think about food? 

Btw, do you have an outdoor grill, or a grill pan for the stovetop? Or do you cook things under the broiler (in the United States)/grill (in the UK) in the oven? Just curious what you have available. 

Anyway, http://www.seriouseats.com is one of my favorite sites for cooking ideas. The writing is fun and the recipes are great. Here are some you might like:

- Chicken - you can use these seasoning ideas and just sauté or broil/grill them: http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/06/food-lab-grilled-chicken-world-tour.html

- Lots of pork ideas. Just choose any that appeal to you and skip any with citrus  Or try replacing it with a fruit vinegar. http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/24-pork-recipes-for-your-memorial-day-grill.html

- You could make extra veggies and make a soup with them the next day. http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/11/rack-of-pork-loin-roast-recipe.html

- One of my favorite soups. I add a bone-in, skin-on chicken breast. When it's cooked, remove the skin and bones, shred the meat and add back to heat through. https://food52.com/recipes/4661-smoky-minestrone-with-tortellini-and-parsley-or-basil-pesto


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## GotGarlic

You live in Sweden - please tell me y like salmon 

Sheet-pan dinners are becoming a thing, where everything goes on a sheet pan and cooks together. I'm going to start doing these more when the weather cools down, but here's one I saved. It would also work well with pork chops or chicken breasts cut lengthwise into cutlets. 

http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2016/08/roasted-asian-salmon-and-green-beans.html

And hey DC low-carb friends - this is an easy low-carb meal! The author has been doing South Beach Diet recipes for many years.


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## CakePoet

I have a  bog standard electric  oven, it has  grill settings but no fan setting.  I have a indoor rotisserie grill for kebabs  ( looks like a torture implement), a panini grill and a crock pot.  I have no chance of grilling this year, still a ban due to dry summer even if it rained for a few days, it isnt enough.

I done the Peruvian chicken before!


I loved food too, I have 200+ cookbooks and no will to cook, but I am actually looking forward to  the month to come foodwise now.


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## CakePoet

And we do love salmon, it just that at the moment, that is too expensive however if I get a good deal, I will add that in.  I  buy fish at the fish monger not the weird frozen pieces  I can find in my price range.   I was pondering to make fish and chips.


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## GotGarlic

I love fish and chips, but I don't love deep-frying  Another way to make crispy fish is to dredge it in heavily seasoned flour and pan-fry. Any mild white fish will work. Season with salt and pepper, dried basil and a little cayenne. Or any number of other seasonings. 

I kind of collect Penzeys seasoning blends  I don't imagine you can get them there, but you can look at the blend ingredients and get ideas for making your own. 
http://penzeys.com


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## Dawgluver

I have had great success with dipping chicken strips in plain yogurt, then shaking them in a ziplock bag of seasoned panko bread crumbs.  Then I bake them on a sheet pan.  Nice and crunchy.  Mix up some honey mustard for dipping.

Might work for fish as well.


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## CakePoet

Oh I do not like deep fried stuff, dislikes most fries but that is one of the few things my tummy do like.  So  I do a lovely beer butter  wolf fish with fries or roasties and enjoy it. 

Oh I seen the Penzey, up at the weird store, it has a lot of candy and foreign stuff,  I think they had Mural spice,  Chicago and fox point.  I think I should  go there again.

Dawg, that reminds me of the nacho chicken I used to do, I think I put that on the list.


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## GotGarlic

CakePoet said:


> Oh I do not like deep fried stuff, dislikes most fries but that is one of the few things my tummy do like.  So  I do a lovely beer butter  wolf fish with fries or roasties and enjoy it.
> 
> Oh I seen the Penzey, up at the weird store, it has a lot of candy and foreign stuff,  I think they had Mural spice,  Chicago and fox point.  I think I should  go there again.
> 
> Dawg, that reminds me of the nacho chicken I used to do, I think I put that on the list.



The weird store?  Funny. Yes, Mural of Flavor and Fox Point are two of my favorite seasonings! Sprinkle them on fish, chicken or pork and pan-fry. Fox Point is great on roasted potatoes, too.


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## Dawgluver

CP, get on Penzey's website.  Not only do they have great spices and blends, they also have some nice recipes.  I too love Mural and Fox Point.  And like GG, I have quite a collection of their other stuff.


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## CakePoet

yeah the weird  store,  it sort of candy and  American/ British/ Aussie / Canadian  food and mixed with stuff from Balkan from time to time and in the back, there is special deals of clothes, diapers and God knows what. 

I have a look, I have two chicken dishes left to  find, thanks to you all I did find stuff to make.


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## Dawgluver

Sounds like a fun store!  If you have a chance, Canadian candy is to die for.  Grab some McIntosh toffee, Coffee Crisp and Aero chocolate bars.


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## CakePoet

I have had those, but that is due to husband being British. Is there any different  between Uk version and CA?


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## Dawgluver

Not sure.  I didn't eat candy when I was in UK many eons ago, but it might be similar.


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