Menu for the week of 1/30

My beautiful broccoli!

It's Monday, and this is when I usually publish a menu plan for the whole week. HOWEVER, this week, I am trying something new - a produce co-op with a group of 12 women on my side of town. Every other Thursday, beginning this Thursday, I will get a huge box of produce for $25. I don't know what exactly will be in it, but I've been told it will be fairly common fruits and vegetables. Once every 6 weeks, I will take a turn to go downtown to the produce market and buy the produce, bring it home, divide it up, and wait for each woman to pick up her box. SOOOOO, today, I am planning meals based on things I already have in the freezer, the pantry, and my garden to minimize shopping (plus it's the end of the month and I've already surpassed my grocery budget, spending $624 in January).

This morning, I took inventory of the things in my freezer to help me keep track of what's there. Sometimes at the store, I think, "Oh, I need to buy more strawberries!" Then I get home and discover that I already have a package of frozen strawberries. I keep this list on my phone in ColorNote.

I'm also planning to make up several batches of pizza dough and put them in the freezer. Homemade pizza is so fast when you don't have to think about the crust. I will have 4 extra kids (cousins!) this weekend, so we'll need a lot of pizza on Friday night!

Monday: chicken pot pie crumble with green salad (I have leftover vinaigrette from THIS)

Tuesday: spaghetti with homemade spaghetti sauce, accompanied with steamed broccoli from our garden and focaccia with onions, rosemary, and feta

Wednesday:  Sweet and sour pork over brown rice with garlic and ginger green beans

Thursday: bean burgers (from the freezer)

Friday: homemade pizza

Saturday: pancakes for breakfast, grilled ham and cheese for lunch, dinner.... still up in the air.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to hurry up and make these blueberry muffin top cookies before my boys get home from school!

For more weekly menu plans, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com