Comments on: Experimenting with a Two-Week Menu Plan

By: Dawn

Dawn — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:33:12 +0000

Crystal, You are a woman after my own heart – cooking from scratch. (smile). I have our family blog at triglife.blogspot.com. In there I have a folders for “Bread Machine Recipes”, “Make Ahead Spices and Sauce Mixes”, and “Premixed Breads”. You are welcome to take a look. Blessings!

By: Jonica

Jonica — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:33:11 +0000

I make alot of dough for bread and let it rise once shape and freeze on cookie sheet then put it in baggies. Then take it out and arrange on cookie sheet or baking dish and cover with towel and let unthaw and rise. I do this with all bread. I make some extra for the freezer for that time when I just do not feel like making bread. Also there is a book out that will help called “Artisan bread in five minutes a day” This has really made a difference in our house. Even my husband can take the dough out of the fridge and shape it and let it rise and put it in the oven.

By: laura

laura — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:02:28 +0000

I like to make a batch of cookie dough, roll it into balls, freeze them on a cookie sheet, and then store them in a ziploc. You can pull out however many you need and they taste fresh.

By: Brooke Hammond

Brooke Hammond — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:43:36 +0000

This is such an awesome idea. Although, I don’t think I could plan do a two week menu. I do good with my weekly menu plan. I should try this at least once to see how I do. Thanks for the post.

By: Katharine

Katharine — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:39:24 +0000

I always enjoy reading your blog, so hopefully I can help you out this time!

This is one of my favorite sites, I’ll direct you right to a page with all her convenience foods. her side-dishes are mostly make-ahead mixes, and there are other mixes listed on that page as well.

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/homemadeconveniencefoods.htm

there is also a ‘make a mix’ cookbook by karine eliason.

By: Jessica @ Life as I See It

Jessica @ Life as I See It — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:35:49 +0000

(some how a whole bunch of my post didn’t publish!! Here is the rest of it, for some reason It was saved on my computer!)

From my recipe blog:

http://honeydinnersready.blogspot.com/2008/11/breakfast-burrito.html

– that is a recipe for a breakfast burrito and we LOVE it! The best part about it is the recipe is so flexible, you can add whatever you have on hand or whatever sounds good to you! We use to keep them in our freezer all the time (every few weeks make a large batch of them up) but we haven’t in a while – I need to do it again!

http://honeydinnersready.blogspot.com/2008/05/cinnamon-rolls.html

– those are my favorite cinnamon rolls. I cooked them and then put them (un-iced) in the freezer, individually wrapped. It worked really well and it was a delicious treat without much work! (And knowing I could freeze them meant that we didn’t have to eat them all right away!)

http://honeydinnersready.blogspot.com/2008/03/healthy-oatmeal-raisin-cookies.html –
Oatmeal Raisin cookies – with whole wheat flour and honey. Yummy and easily freezable.

One thing we did last year as gifts for people was make up spice mixes that the recipient would then add to sour cream/mayo to make a dip out of. It was SO inexpensive to make (and yet fairs sell them for about $4/pack). I made up cute labels on my computer and the people who got them raved about them. It’s not a freezer item but it was a mix of sorts

Our oven is being installed TOMORROW MORNING!! So I’ll finally be able to start baking again!!

By: Rochele

Rochele — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:20:19 +0000

Hey Crystal I was wondering where you get your tortilla shells from since you do a lot of burritos and that southwest chicken wrap, I find them expensive but if you have a secret I would love to know it…THanks Rochele

By: Rachel

Rachel — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:43:32 +0000

This is my second month of doing two week menu plans, and I cannot tell you how much it has simplified my life. Before, I was going through all the sales each week, driving and spending time at the grocery and then doing it again the next week. I wanted more simplicity, so I now plan for two weeks at a time based on that week’s sales. This has saved me about 2-3 hours of work since my time spent menu planning and shopping is now consolidated. Not to mention the gas savings too! Definitely the way to go in my opinion.

Oh, and less trips to the grocery store means less impulse buys which means you save even more money!

By: LANA

LANA — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:35:44 +0000

Thanks for the menu ideas. I often get caught in that food rut where I seem to be making the same foods over over. Lunches and breakfasts are the easiest, but supper just seems to be so tough!

By: Mom24inpa

Mom24inpa — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:13:43 +0000

Here is a recipe I have used for about 3 years now and have really enjoyed using it in place of the Bisquick:
3 c whole wheat flour
7 c flour (I recently used sprouted spelt and we loved it)
6 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 Tbsp. salt (I have decreased this to 1 1/2 tsp)
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 c sugar
2 c shortening (I have used butter)
2 c instant nonfat dry milk

Mix first 6 ingred. Use pastry cutter to cut in shortening until the mixture is the consistency of cornmeal. Gently stir in the dry mild. store in air tight container in cool place or freezer if using butter. Use in any recipe as you would the store mix. Have fun and thank you for all the freebie offers and being an example of using your resources wisely. Have a blessed day.

By: Jessica @ Life as I See It

Jessica @ Life as I See It — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:59:38 +0000

From my recipe blog:

http://honeydinnersready.blogspot.com/2008/11/breakfast-burrito.html < -- that is a recipe for a breakfast burrito and we LOVE it! The best part about it is the recipe is so flexible, you can add whatever you have on hand or whatever sounds good to you! We use to keep them in our freezer all the time (every few weeks make a large batch of them up) but we haven't in a while - I need to do it again!

http://honeydinnersready.blogspot.com/2008/05/cinnamon-rolls.html < -- those are my favorite cinnamon rolls. I cooked them and then put them (un-iced) in the freezer, individually wrapped. It worked really well and it was a delicious treat without much work! (And knowing I could freeze them meant that we didn't have to eat them all right away!)

http://honeydinnersready.blogspot.com/2008/03/healthy-oatmeal-raisin-cookies.html < – Oatmeal Raisin cookies – with whole wheat flour and honey. Yummy and easily freezable.

Our oven is being installed TOMORROW MORNING!! So I’ll finally be able to start baking again!!

By: Alea Wassmuth

Alea Wassmuth — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:34:27 +0000

I use the same baking mix as Beth – it’s very simple and really just as fast as canned biscuits (and so much cheaper!) I keep it in a ziplock in the freezer and just scoop out a couple cups to mix with milk (and sometimes shredded cheese) for biscuits.

I also have a muffin mix that I love:
3 C whole wheat flour
3C white flour
1 1/4 C sugar
3 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
Mix together and keep in ziplock.
When you’re ready to make muffins:
2 1/2 C dry mix
1 C milk
1/3 C oil
1 large egg, slightly beaten
Heat oven to 400. Put dry mix in bowl. Mix liquids in measuring cup, add to dry mix, stir until moistened. Add a cup of whatever you’d like: blueberries, chopped apple, mashed banana, etc.
Put in lined muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes.
They’re super fast to make once you have the mix done.

By: Maggie

Maggie — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:29:43 +0000

I love meal planning, I did a lot of it right after we had our son, my husband was working and so was I. The best part was, whoever got home first knew what was for dinner!

By: Christine

Christine — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:25:15 +0000

Sounds great — set the table for four more as we are on our way over!

By: Karilee

Karilee — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:15:32 +0000

A great book for make ahead baking mixes and other make ahead ideas is Make a Mix Cookery. I have an old copy, but there is a new edition (just called “Make A Mix” of it available on Amazon. Maybe you’ve got a Amazon card courtesy of Swagbucks that’ll score you a free/no out of pocket $ copy?!!
http://www.amazon.com/Make-Mix-Karine-Eliason/dp/0762426020/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255983243&sr=8-3

By: Erika

Erika — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:52:04 +0000

When cooking to freeze ahead, I’ve done both the assembled but not cooked version and the “cooked and then reheated” versions. If I assemble and THEN cook later I always cook from frozen (thus stopping things from turning to mush) and if I cook it ahead and then reheat it I usually defrost for a little bit on the counter, then in the microwave and then finish it in the oven (if I space thawing it out in the fridge). I find that if you cook and then reheat, thawing stops the food from getting dry as you wait for it to heat up again. Just thought I’d pass along my personal habits.

I make my own bisquick all the time (so cheap and easy). My recipe (that I got off of a local nutritionalist’s handouts) are here…

http://alaskanbargainhunter.blogspot.com/2009/08/frugal-freedom-make-your-own-bisquick.html

It also explains how to make cake and other things out of bisquick (you can also google “Bisquick recipes” and will be truly amazed what you can make with the stuff .

By: Org Junkie

Org Junkie — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:46:53 +0000

Sounds like a delicious two weeks you’ve got planned. I’d like to experiment with some baking mixes too.

Laura

By: Mandi Harris

Mandi Harris — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:27:48 +0000

How do you warm up your waffles that you prepare/freeze? Don’t they become soggy?

By: Abbie

Abbie — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:06:59 +0000

I didn’t know you can freeze the starter from Amish Friendship Bread! Can someone tell me how that works?
Thanks!

By: Kristina

Kristina — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:58:18 +0000

Kim, I am glad you asked that question… I was wondering that myself…