I posted my goals for 2011 yesterday (see tab above).  Yes, I know…normally people make goals at the beginning of a year and I waited until April 22.  But there’s no time like the present for making change and I didn’t want to wait for another entire year.

This year I’ve made my goals simple.  They’re designed to improve my health, my spirit, my community and my finances.

One of those goals involves reducing the amount of money I spend on the convenience of eating out.  It’s a convenience that’s really not necessary since I only work part-time and have plenty of hours in the day to cook a healthy dinner.

However,while I’m now committed to eating/cooking more at home, I still believe eating out (not at a fast food diner, but at a restaurant) is a nice luxury I can allow myself occasionally.

Moderation is the key to making changes last. So, I’m not cutting it out all together, just reducing it to once a month. That way, a nice dinner out  will be a special treat as it should be…as it used to be.

Having written all that, today will count as my one trip eating out this month and it’s well worth it.

A good friend who I haven’t seen in over three years is in town (she lives six states away) and she’s asked Wombat and I to go out for lunch to catch up. I had thought of cooking something for her instead. But without a dinning room table to sit at and with two golden retrievers who have perfected the art of the “sad starving puppy look”, it makes balancing a plate on your lap a bit difficult.

While I’m use to it, I don’t think she is.  

• Saturday:  Crock pot BBQ chicken sandwiches, tomato & avocado salad
• Sunday:  Grilled rib eye steaks, grilled carrots and asparagus, BBQ beans
• Monday:  Sausage & potato bake, corn
• Tuesday: Leftovers or sandwiches
• Wednesday:  Broccoli chicken divan, green beans w/ almonds, noodles or rice
• Thursday: Parmesan sage pork chops, maple glazed carrots, mashed potatoes
• Friday: Spiced pot roast, roasted broccoli with garlic, potato salad

Tonight, I went with a Mexican theme.

Photo courtesy of Lillian

• Vegetarian enchiladas
• Mexican rice

It wasn’t bad. Although, the enchiladas could have used a bit more sauce.  I also added a jalapeno pepper and a yellow bell pepper to the Mexican rice.

Score from 1 to 10:  7

Photo by cookin’mama

• Serbian Ground Beef, Veggie and Potato Bake
• Salad

I’m hoping to get a camera soon so I can take photos of my own cooking rather than having to use others. But until then….

(Photo by tibbadee)

• Vegetarian Korma
• Indian Style Basmati Rice
• Indian Tandoori Chicken (for Gecko Boy)

I’m hoping it will let up soon and I can get back to regular posting.  

Here’s our weekly menu:

• Sunday:  Pancakes w/ sausage (veggie sausage for me) and hashbrowns
• Meatless Monday:  Pasta Primavera w/ Smoked Gouda
• Tuesday:  Pork Chops w/ Blue Cheese Gravy (Now one of Gecko Boy’s favorites.)
• Wednesday:  Pasta Con Broccoli
• Thursday:  Kielbasa
• Friday:  Tator Tot Casserole (By request of Gecko Boy)
• Saturday: Leftovers

Yes, you read that correctly.

But I’m not going to make just one meatless meal.

Nope.

I figure if I’m going to jump in, I might as well jump with both feet.

So, I”m making TWO meatless meals.

I’m thinking I can get the chili by Gecko Boy.  The broccoli & pasta dish….well, we’ll just have to wait and see.

• **Saturday – Crockpot Mexican chili
• Sunday- Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast
• **Monday – Pasta con Broccoli
• Tuesday – Pork chops with Blue Cheese Gravy
• Wednesday – Chicken Divan
• Thursday – Grilled steak & baked potatoes
• Friday – Slow Cooker Lasagna

Keep your fingers crossed.

Every.  Single.  Time.

Thing is, we really don’t eat it as often as he thinks.  I purposely plan meals which incorporate more pork and beef because I know he doesn’t like chicken.

Some would (and have)  suggested we go meatless.

• It’s better for us.
• It’s better for the environment.
• It’s not as cruel.

Believe me,  I agree with all those statements.

However,  don’t even think about asking my family go meatless.

It’s just not going to happen.

I know.  I’ve tried.

They usually just nod politely and say, “Oh.  You’re in your ‘vegetarian phase.’”

And, so far, my attempts at Meatless Monday have not gone over well.

All right, let’s be honest.

They’ve failed.  Miserably.

“Please don’t make that FAKE shepherd’s pie again. Ever.” (FYI – this was not the one I made on Sunday.  That had hamburger.)

“Where’s the real food?  No.  Really, where is it?”

So, tonight I’m cooking ‘real’ food.

But not the normal baked, broiled or stewed beef.

No.

Tonight, I’m attempting a not-really-authentic Curried Coconut Chicken.

Yes, Gecko boy.

We’re having chicken, again.

I’ve been busy between extra hours at my job, working on a writing contract and then hurting my lower back.

Last week flew by and I’m a little embarrassed to say I didn’t cook at all.

Wombat was out of town.  So, between sandwiches and take-out from WaWa’s, Gecko Boy and I really didn’t live up to the title of my blog.

Simple living was replaced by convenience.

(One good thing though…I had no food waste for Food Waste Friday. )

Granted, I spent Thursday afternoon, all day Friday and most of the day Saturday in my recliner with a bottle of Ibuprofen next to me.   I’m very happy the Olympics is on or I would have been bored to death.

My back was feeling better last night, so I decided to take a chance and cook.

Success!

Both Wombat and Gecko Boy gave my Shepherd’s Pie two thumbs up.  Yay!

My Simple Sunday consisted of a bit of writing, stitching on Wombat’s Christmas gift, watching the Olympics and taking a lovely afternoon nap.

How was yours?

It’s tax season and that means more hours at work for me.  It’s not the 70+ hours, I used to put in when I was full-time, but still more hours than normal.

I’m not complaining.  More hours allow me to pay off more debt and move closer to my dream.

What’s my dream?

Well, that’s a post for another day. 

For tonight, it’s the Olympics, stitching and relaxing for me.

How about you?

How are you spending your Saturday night?