The 2020 week 8 menu plan is fairly uncomplicated. Week 8 happens to be filled with social events that involve the evening meal, making that part of the planning very easy.
Breakfast
The breakfasts planned for the week are all repeats of favorites from the past and heavy on E meals. Links to several of the recipes are from past blogs and can be found below. The BAM Cake and Shakes are from the original Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook.
Lunch
The lunches planned for 2020 week 8 feature 2 new recipes, an eat again soup and two tried and true “fall backs”…tuna and cottage cheese. Last week the ‘Ole Buckeye took me out to brunch and lunch, so we still have lots of the Chicken Jalapeño Popper Soup left to enjoy. This soup proved to be another excellent recipe and is even hearty enough for dinner.
Dinner
I could not believe how easy it was to plan the 2020 week 8 dinner menus. Every once in a while we have a variety of social events spread out during month. This month it appears that nearly all of our social evenings fall this particular week. Yeah for me. No cooking or meals to plan on those evenings. In addition, I have enough cook once/eat twice meals that it appears only a Sunday meal will need to be prepared. Whoop!
I don’t want it to seem like I don’t like to be in the kitchen, but every once in a while when I look at the week ahead it is quite appealing to have the bulk of the meals already prepared!
Recap
We have just completed a week of great eating. All of the meals were really good.
I did not have the opportunity to have the banana oat shake…we ran out of bananas, but the others were excellent. The Mint Chocolate Chip Milkshake was especially enjoyable. I need to fix these more often, at least for me. The ‘Ole Buckeye is not satisfied if he “drinks” a meal.
Thin Mint Chocolate Chip Milkshake
By the way, in my last blog recap I mentioned that I would never again make the Smarty Pants Stroganoff. Well, we had it again for a cook once/eat again meal. This time I served it over mashed fotatoes (page 264 Trim Healthy Table). Delish. What a difference in the 2 meals. I will definitely make the slow cooker stroganoff again and the mashed fotatoes will be my go to recipe for mashed cauliflower. (Believe me, I have tried a multitude of recipes for mashed cauliflower.)
The Balsamic Chicken (TrimHealthy Mama Cookbook page 56) was another success. The layers of flavor were really good and there was enough for an eat again meal.
Balsamic Chicken
Valentine’s Day
For our Valentine’s Day dinner I served a salmon spread appetizer, steaks and roasted mushrooms. Normally we grill steaks, but the weather outside was frightful. I bit the bullet and did the steaks stovetop, using the guidance of a new technique (at least new to me). The steaks were outstanding and I will do them this way again.
As a treat after Valentine’s Day, we enjoyed an evening out at Becca’s…my favorite restaurant in Virginia Beach. On Mondays in February they have “Burger Night”. They offer you a choice of burgers, a side and a glass of wine for $15. A great deal and delicious burgers. I will admit, I ate the ciabatta roll. No will power.
It’s a Wrap
With another successful week of eating complete, I look forward to the eat again meals during 2020 week 8. I am also looking forward to our social calendar, although it is always difficult feeling my way through all of the choices and trying to eat on plan.
There is definitely a reason to be organized and thoughtful when making a menu plan. It eliminates so many temptations. Here’s to week 8. Bon Appetit.
