Week 28 Menu and Grocery List

I like sparkling water, 90's pop music, romantic comedies starring Reese Witherspoon, and red high heels.

I don't like having a stack of 120 essays to grade over a weekend, losing my car keys, or getting blisters from new shoes.

I like planning weekly menus, making grocery lists, placing dry goods in glass jars in the pantry, and cleaning out my fridge.

I don't like feeling unorganized, having no idea what I'm cooking for dinner, a messy pantry, or a dirty fridge.

I like writing for Blackboard Kitchen every day. I like writing for you.

I like you. Thanks for stopping by. It means a lot, it really does.

A lot of you have been asking for more weekly menus and grocery lists. I took a break from the weekly menus for a while, but because you asked, they're back. Because I've remembered why I started blogging in the first place, they're back. I started this little blog for a few reasons, but mostly because I wanted to help other families eat well - and on a budget. Life is busy. Work is overwhelming. Dinner doesn't have to be like that.

Dinner can be the relaxing end to your day.

You can do it!

I can help.

All weekly menus include 4 meals, cost under $60 and each meal will feed 4 people. Or, you can just feed two. And have lunch the next day. The recipe for each meal will be posted on a day this week...by the weekend, you'll have a full menu, grocery list, and all the recipes.

Next week's dinners? Planned. It's one less thing to worry about!

This week's menu:

28.1: Garlicky Roasted Potatoes with Budget-Friendly Pesto

28.2: French Onion Soup

28.3: Kielbasa with Red Beans and Rice

28.4: BLT salad

 Grocery List:

Produce:

• 1 head Romaine lettuce
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 10 Russet potatoes
• 6 yellow onions
• 2 heads garlic
• 16 oz. baby spinach
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 bunch Italian parsley
• 1 lemon

Pantry:

• 8 cups beef or mushroom stock, reduced sodium
• mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
• white rice
• 2 cans red beans
• 2 cans chickpeas
• 1 cup walnuts

Butcher:

• ½ lb, bacon
• 1 lb. kielbasa

Dairy:

• 4 eggs
• 2 oz. blue cheese crumbles
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 block Swiss cheese
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Bakery:

• 1 baguette

On-hand items:

• extra-virgin olive oil
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• granulated sugar
• all-purpose flour
• garlic powder
• crushed red pepper flakes
• dried basil
• nutmeg
• hot sauce