Saturday Afternoon Meal Planning

Taking a break from worky work to do domestic work (including meal planning), after which I shall go back to worky-work some more.  Although this indubitably sucks, it’s not all work this Saturday – we did squeeze in a trip to the New Orleans Insectarium today, which was by no means relaxing, given the children, but at least it was time to be fully engaged with the kids.  (By “fully engaged with the kids,” I actually mean “staggering under the weight of my giant 7 year old who crawled up my body like he was scaling a tree, and nope, that sensory sensitivity ain’t totally gone.”  There were lots of giant plastic bugs suspended from the ceiling, and this caused some angst, though these days it’s easier to talk him down than it used to be).  Tonight we have a date planned – it may be a double date, not sure if the “double” is confirmed.  Very important to clear the calendar for dates, even when the staggering workload calls your name.

Last weekend was so great – we went to a friend’s place and had burgers on the grill and mad scads of red wine while the kids played in another room.  This weekend is slightly more work-filled for both of us, but so it goes.

I had a comment last time asking about great games for kids.  Well, we LOVE Headbanz, even though Liam is a terrible cheat.  We also love Zingo!; Snap Circuits (for a slightly older crowd, I gave them to my 7 yo for Christmas but the 5 yo loves them too); your basic Memory games (we have a gazillion Disney-themed ones); Spidey Eights (Crazy eights but with spiderman cards); and something called Imagination Patterns, which is a big metal board with several magnets of different shapes and colors, and you get a series of cards that show you how to make pictures with the magnets.  Hmmmm, we also love Marble Run, Mouse Trap, Candyland (gotta be honest, I kind of hate Candyland, but the kids love it), hot wheels tracks, Thomas the train (the big kids are ostensibly too big for it, but the 2 yo loves to lay track and the big kids and I will get absorbed in “helping” and all of a sudden BLAMMO we have a giant sprawling track), and I have an adult coloring book that the kids love to color in (because it’s MINE of course).  Any other suggestions for fun games? Put ’em in the comments!  I’ve got a couple of big boys’ birthdays coming up!

Here are the week’s meals!  And then I shall go back to billing.

Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini – made a few weeks ago and froze leftovers

One of these recipes for chicken drumsticks – they are on sale 49 cents a pound right now, so I plan on buying about eleven thousand pounds to feed these always-hungry children of mine.  In addition we shall have oven fries and frozen veg.

Asian tuna patties, rice, bok choy.  Tuna is also on mega sale, and the Prof hates tuna casserole so we’ll give this alternate flake-tuna dinner option a go.  It looks pretty tasty, though patty/cake style fish is always a challenge, vis a vis keeping the thing intact during cooking.

Parmesan crusted tilapia plus biscuits and green beans – because you guessed it, tilapia and green beans are ALSO on sale.  This eager beaver checked the grocery circular today.  The boys eat SO MUCH and I am attempting to reduce our ridiculous grocery bill by buying things only on sale.  I’m serious they eat so much food.  I’m not kidding you guys.  The food bill.  It is unreal.

One of these beans recipes bc dried beans are 10 for $10.  I’m thinking the tomato and white bean panade.  Does that not look divine?  I mean really, I should buy dry beans more often.  They are not hard and they are cheap as chips, as the saying goes.  Also French bread.  (ninety nine cents for French Bread, am I taking this too far?)

Spaghetti bolognese.  Mmmmm.  Easy, tasty, perfect – ground turkey, chopped onions and mushrooms, carrot coins, spaghetti and red sauce.  Nom.