A Month of Menus: June 25 - July 22

In talking to my Mom this morning we came to the realization that the menus she was trying to make back in April, when she visited me after Max's birth, are still in the early stages of not completed. In fact, she commiserated that it was so bad my Dad was begging her to make menus.

I've been there. Honestly, I've been there a lot. I'm a frequent visitor to the town of "What's for Dinner"

And since my Mom is the one who taught me to make menus, and because I enjoy being my Mom's absolute favorite child, I am posting what we are eating for dinner for the next 4 weeks... give or take.

But seriously, this really is what's on the menu for the next 28 days:

(As always, if we like a recipe, and it's not already on the blog, it'll get it's own spot of infamy right here on Little Piggy Food.)

25. Mango Chicken and Cilantro Rice
26. Roast Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Corn on the Cob, Spinach Salad, Jello Fluff Salad
27. Carbonara (or this one, or this one...)
28. Mango Chicken Salad (Think Cafe Rio/Costa Vida style. Using the leftover chicken, salsa and rice from the 25th and topped with cilantro lime ranch)
29. Chicken Rolls (using leftover roast chicken from the 26th)
30. Chicken Flautas (using leftover roast chicken from the 26th)
1. Cowboy Burgers (hamburgers topped with pepperjack cheese, onion rings, bacon, and bbq sauce. Going to try these buns)
2. Tinfoil Dinners
3. Pork Milanesa (this is an Olive Garden one my husband had me recreate after having it once. I haven't written down my recipe yet but I used this video as inspiration.)
4. FOURTH OF JULY!!! (We will be BBQ-ing with family this day.)
5. Corn Chowder (My son's birthday and this was his request.)
6. Yakisoba (we're going to wing it, but the link I've included is inspiration)
7. Pina Colada Salad (Inspiration taken from Zupas... hence the Zupas link. I found a dressing recipe here that we'll try)
8. Stromboli
9. Chicken Kabobs
10. Ham and Funeral Potatoes
11. Pesto Pasta (I'm thinking this one or this one or I might just wing it.)
12. California Turkey Sandwiches and Nuts about Berries Salad (once again, it's all about taking inspiration from Zupas; My favorite place that does not exist in my state)
13. Coconut Chicken
14. Taco Pizza
15. Schnitzel and Spaetzle (First time trying this but it looked delicious so I'm going for it!)
16. Hot Dogs and Baked Beans
17. Cola Pot Roast
18. Lemon Chicken Linguine
19. Spicy Honey Chicken Salad
20. Super Spuds (Husband's family's term for a potato bar)
21. Cafe Rio style Burritos (using the leftover beef from the 17th and this rice.)
22. Pizza Party (our favorites are garlic ranch chicken, bbq chicken, and I'm dying to do a Milano)

Any reason to my rhyme?
Glad you asked, our newest "Menu Schedule" goes as follows:

Mondays = Pasta (my 3 year old LOVES pasta and wants it for every meal, so I figure, why not embrace it. Pasta once a week it is.)
Tuesdays = Salad/Sandwiches (It's summer, so let's face it, the majority of the time we want something light and easy. This fits the bill. Poor husband is going to have to start thinking of salads as a meal. But, the two girls in this family need to be represented. It can't be male domination all the time)
Wednesday = Rice/Potatoes (That's not all we're eating, we just used it as a guide to pick dishes that went well or incorporated either rice or potatoes)
Thursdays = Mexican (Like the pasta, let's face it, we LOVE Mexican food in our house so we are going for it.)
Fridays = American (The good old US of A. I find this is a catch all kind of genre. As well as one that plays well to copy cat recipes. And I love a copy cat recipe, especially out here in the "not so much a city")
Saturdays = Grill (It's summer, let's break it out)
Sundays = Sunday Dinner (What else? Down home Sunday food.)

And there you have it. A month of menus and inspiration for those of you who still need to figure out what's for dinner... Mom ;)