Fortnightly Menu, Grocery Shopping & our day out

I came up with this idea of doing my menu plan on the actual days instead of waiting until Monday to join in with Menu Plan Monday at Organised Junkie. I thought it would be more honest as my menus always start on the Thursday after I buy the food. However, usually I do the draft with the start of the plan, and by Monday it is all set in stone so to speak.

I did my plan as far as I could get on Thursday night, despite the heat, and now it will look like I didn't actually plan the meals for the days that have gone past while I have been doing the post. Oh well, at least I tried. I have four meals to iron out, and it is Friday. I will correct these as I go I think. Edited to say I got them finished and it is Friday lunchtime, and a strong wind has sprung up outside.

I took the girls grocery shopping. I did some research before I went, I had this idea I would show them the library at that town, since we hadn't seen it. I saw the building on our library site, looked at the maps online with hubby's help, it took a little while, but I had seen the building before so it was easy, and on the way.

We parked under a tree, very hot day, and were just there before the doors opened. There were some boys waiting. They were ushered in, given a bean bag, TV turned on and they were set in the air-conditioning for a morning of games.

I saw the 50c secondhand books and was a little disappointed that I didn't bring any cash. They also had a magazine swap box. As you know I have many magazines, and I am at the point where they may find themselves in the bin.

The library has an interesting roof line and the picture books were very well displayed so you could see the covers in this little nook. The staff were very nice, so I couldn't believe it really. Our eldest daughter had her Dad chase down unsuccessfully a magazine for days, and it was there sitting on the shelf and she was able to borrow it.

I saw some more lavender plants in punnets in the grocery shop, and the girls were very helpful, though they don't quite understand how narrow the aisles were. In our hometown years ago there was plenty of room where I shopped. The shop has gone out of vacuum packed pancetta and prosciutto, and I noted that I think it costs three times as much now, if the vacuum packs held a similar amount. I had done my research by looking at my old dockets I keep in a spare handbag. I saw the new packets last time I shopped there a month ago.

Still anything that is around $6 for meat for our meal is OK I decided. I have already bought the fruit, I am getting an earlier delivery now since they deliver on less days. So I have to plan around what vegetables I have.

Menu

Thursday January 15~ Tomato & Chipolata Hotpot
Friday ~ Baked Pasta, Mushroom & Ham Pie (since it is cool today)
Saturday ~ Stir-fry Pork & Beans with Chilli
Sunday ~ Beans with Sage, Pancetta & Vinegar
Monday ~ Potato and Prosciutto Salad
Tuesday ~ Pork Mince Stroganoff
Wednesday ~ Tomato & Sausage Stew with Soft Polenta
Thursday ~ Honey Mustard Chicken with Mashed Potato, Pumpkin & Green Vegetable (I bought the new cheaper Chicken Tonight copy since it is new in the shop and we all like it)
Friday ~ Antipasto Pasta
Saturday ~ Creamy Cauliflower & Pasta (see below)
Sunday ~ Polish Sausage Salad
Monday ~ Indian Beef Curry
Tuesday ~ Flame Grill Fish Risotto
Wednesday ~ Chili Con Carne with Vegetables

Creamy Cauliflower and Pasta

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 pound whole wheat pasta, such as shells or rotelle
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
4 sprigs fresh Italian parsley, stemmed and chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl, reserving the water. Cook the pasta accoding to package directions in the reserved water. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes, stirring and breaking the cauliflower into bite-size pieces. Add the wine, oregano, olives and red-pepper flakes and cook for 3 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the pasta and toss to coat well. Top with the cheese.

From Simply Organic by Jesse Ziff Cool

If anyone wants to know how to quickly cook in non-metric, use a tea cup for the cups and old-fashioned tablespoons from the drawer. Or recognise that American cups are 200ml instead of 250ml and US tablespoons are 15ml instead of 20ml.