Sherry and I have been chatting up a storm this week, plotting and planning our first ever full Once a Month Cooking Day. We’re so excited!
After looking over the February Once a Month Mom menu, we came up with a few substitutions to satisfy the pickiness needs of our families. Here’s what we’ll be cooking on Monday! (Items from the original menu are noted with OAMM.)
Breakfasts
Lunches
Dinners
- Easy Taco Bake (OAMM)
- Pizza Crust & Chicken Ranch Pizza Topping (OAMM)
- Spicy Pork Tostadas
- Sue Sue’s Casserole (OAMM)
- Curried Chicken Tidbits (OAMM)
- Chicken Marinade
- Asian Pork Roast ($5 Dinner Mom Cookbook) (OAMM)
- Black Bean Salsa Chicken (OAMM)
We’ve scoured our freezers and pantries to see what ingredients are already available. Then we both checked our local grocery sales and divvied up the rest of the goods based on who could get the best prices. Hopefully we haven’t forgotten anything, because there is no “running to the store” when the store is 16 miles away!
As for cheating preparing for the big day, Sherry and I have each agreed on a few tasks that we’ll do before hand to get a head start and hopefully provide a smooth sailing experience. She’s chopping veggies (because she has a handy-dandy food processor!) and slow cooking the spicy pork, and I’m browning all the beef and making the granola. I’m guessing it’ll feel good to have something done when we get started Monday morning.
Any last minute advice for the Once a Month Cooking Newbies?
Visit Money Saving Mom for lots of Once a Month Cooking inspiration.
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Thanks for the recipe links. Our freezers are still too full (they’re too small. that’s the real problem!) I can’t wait to see how Monday goes for you!
My best advice is wear comfy shoes and try to sit whenever possible. It’s hard to be on your feet in a small area of the kitchen for that long.
Did my comment get eaten? Oh bummer…can’t wait to see what you do…you’re so experienced, it will be a breeze and so worth it.
No advice here, rather I am doing some cooking myself tomorrow. One of my girlfriends is due with her second little one while our husbands are deployed with the Army. I’m new to the blogging world and have just discovered this once a month cooking stuff. I’m super excited to bless her with a full freezer so she won’t be so stressed with her hubby being gone. Check out my progress in tomorrows post!
That is friendship at its finest! So kind of you to fill her freezer. I believe food is the best baby gift.
These recipes sound so yummy! I am going to have to try a few – but I’ll have to cut them down some – no sense cooking a huge batch & then finding out we don’t like it after-all and I have to finish it all myself.
Definitely. We’re making smaller amounts of the “new to us” recipes and large amounts of the ones we know and love.
My big cooking day is going to be Tuesday. Good thing, too—this way you can share any tips with this newbie.
I’m needing to update OAMM menu a bit, too. I think I may use some of the recipes you linked. Thanks!
I’m sure I’ll learn a thing or 10!
I used Tricia’s advice and browned all my ground beef in the crockpot–it was such a help!! And SO simple! You just throw it in there with a cup of water and cook on high for 6-8 hours. She has a post on it somewhere.
Jessie
I saw that! That’s my plan, too. Might have to do that Saturday night and put it all in containers Sunday so I can worry about other messes on Monday…
how many pounds can you cook at one time in the crockpot?@Amy,
I did 8 pounds in my 6 qt. crock pot, but I’m sure I could’ve done 10.
We just did our big cooking day (2 months worth of food). Prepping before hand is a great idea. We always cook all of our meat, grate cheese, chop vegetables and cook beans in the days before our official “cook day”.
I was supposed to publish my bulk cooking post today, but didn’t get it finished.
Wishing you success!
I can’t wait to do my OAMC day…it will have to wait until the following week when I have spring break. I am looking forward to your updates…have fun…it’s exhausting but fun and worth it!
Tips: Keep lots of extra kitchen towels handy and keep a sink full of hot soapy water to keep the dishes going.
Some great recipes here…. I’ll be bookmarking them!