This morning I was working on a list for a menu and I thought, "What's for Supper?" and then my thoughts seamlessly continued..."Grandpa?"
"Chicken Fried Steak. Mashed Spuds. Cream Gravy. Buttermilk Biscuits. Black-eyed peas. And Peach Cobbler with homemade ice cream. " Must be said like Grandpa.
"YUM! YUM!"
Remember Hee Haw? Yes, it was corny, but it was honest to goodness-fun for the family- clean entertainment. And here lately, I've been wishing for a Grandpa like that. You know, one that cooks.
Come to think of it, don't know if I've ever heard of one of those.
Yesterday I read a post from a friend who was bemoaning the fact that it's hard to come up with ideas of what to cook and even if you have a idea, you most certainly will not have the required ingredients to make said meal. I hear you J.
Cue Grandpa's 'What's for Supper' scene.
Around here, our big meal is at noon and we call it Dinner. Our 'supper' is generally light: leftovers, something thrown in a tortilla, or popcorn.
There are days I have it all together and then there are days I do not. However, I figure we can all relate to those 'not' days when you find yourself staring vacantly into the refrigerator and pantry and sighing. You may even have small (or not so small) kidlets clinging to your britches clamoring for their next meal because they are S-T-A-R-V-I-N-G. Those days are a thing of the past around here, but grown kidlets in men's clothing can be just as convincing.
One of the things I have done is make a master list of everything I cook. I have it on the inside of a cupboard door and refer to it on those days I am at a loss. Some things get made more often than others and some only get made once a year, but they are all things we deem as keepers. I'm pretty lucky. My crew isn't picky. They're wonderful guinea pigs although I've made my fair share of "what were you thinking?" recipes. Here's my list:
What’s for Dinner?
1.Catalina Salad
2.Hamburgers
3.Hotdogs
4.Sloppy Joes
5.Steak
6.Barbeque Sandwiches
7.Taco Soup
8.Meatloaf
9.Lasagna
10.Layered Mini Lasagna Casserole
11.Taco Lasagna
12.Bolognese Lasagna
13.Crock Pot Pizza
14.Beefy Beans & Cornbread
15.Beef & Cheese Enchiladas (red & green)
16.Chicken Enchiladas
17.Tacos/Tostadas
18.Burritos
19.Quesadillas
20.Steak Tampequena
21.Spaghetti
22.Chicken Fried Steak
23.Smothered Steak
24.Swiss Steak
25.Slow Cooked Pepper Steak
26.Buckaroo Bundles
27.Beef French Dip Au Jus
28.Hamburger Cornpone Pie
29.Pour-a-Pan Pizza
30.Hungarian Goulash Soup
31.Black Bean Sirloin Chili
32.Chili
33.Hobo Casserole
34.Potato Soup
35.Stew
36.Chicken Tortilla Soup
37.Chicken Strips
38.Smothered Chicken
39.Chicken Spaghetti
40.Chicken Pot Pie
41.King Ranch Chicken Casserole
42.Chicken & Dumpling Casserole
43.Fried Chicken
44.Ravioli Casserole
45.4-Cheese Chicken Fettuccine
46.Ham & Swiss Stromboli
47.BLTs
48.Pioneer Woman’s Sandwich
49.Marlboro Man’s Sandwich
50.Burgundy Steak
51.Steak Burritos
52.Salisbury Steak Deluxe
53.Roast
54.Ribs
55. Venison Backstrap or Tenderloin
56. Beef Tips
57. Chicken Parmesan
58. Homemade Pizza
59. Barbeque Chicken
60. Fajitas
61. Grilled Sausage
62. Breaded Pork Chops
63. Chef Salad w/ grilled beef or chicken
64. Tortilla Stack
Now I won't guarantee you'll know exactly what your cooking every single day, but it does seem to help.
I also try to make a menu for each week. Just jot it down on an index card and then you can refer to the recipes when you're making your grocery list.
I have lots of cookbooks, but I keep our favorite recipes here.
Friends are another great source and mine are great cooks who are more than willing to share their recipes. Something they're completely sick of making might be your family's newest favorite dish! Works both ways! Just added #27 from here. Scroll down for the recipe. Thanks Naomi!
And I'm always looking for new recipes to add to my list so y'all send 'em this way!
In closing, here's a hint: Keep the ingredients for a Cherry Pie on hand at all times. It's guaranteed to put a sparkle in their eye and stop that tummy from rumbling... at least until the next meal rolls around and if y'all ever find a Grandpa like Hee Haw, send him my way.
6 comments:
:-) I love your list... :-) I've been thinking I need to make a master list too. Right now I just make a master list every week of the meals I have the ingredients on hand for.
(If I'd known all my blogging friends were going to love that recipe so much, I would have given it it's own post so people wouldn't have to scroll down for it, ha! :-) So very glad you like it.)
The cherry pie thing is SO true--Except for us that is apple crisp. I should get cherry pie makings though, you've given me a craving.
This is a great idea and I'm going to try it! I'm also going to search for some of the recipes on your list on recipezaar! :) We usually do a big dinner/lunch too. Then leftovers for supper. Of course, during cow works that puts a kink in my routine!
We still call it supper around here! I never saw my Granddaddy cook, but if I ever complained about cooking for 6 or peeling potatoes, he would always tell me about cooking in the army (WWII) and how many pounds of food he had to prepare for each meal. It always made me thankful for cooking for just 6!
I keep lists, too. Sometimes I just can't think of a thing when it comes to menu planning, and it is a great tool! And of course, there are the days, that for one reason or other the plan goes right out the window and you're scrambling to come up with something filling and FAST!
Great list . . . fabulous idea. Now that I have my pantry mostly finished, working on meal planning was gonna be next on my list. I need to keep it properly stocked, especially for when we get snowed in. Like today . . . ugh!
That's a great list. Don't think mine is quite that long.
I need to share my cherry pie recipe with you. Has a few secrets that an Amish neighbor told me to do. :)
Post a Comment