Each season of the year often ushers in variations on our favorite meals. Though none more than cold to warm (or warm to cold) transitions… especially the shift to summer! Soups turn into skewers, oven-roasted chicken takes a turn on the grill, and toasty sides become refrigerated salads. The month of May sees an overlap of two seasons, with a hinge on that final Monday and Memorial Day’s unofficial kick-off to summer, picnics, and cookouts.
For many, this month is also often busy with school year wrap up (especially if there is a graduate in the house), garden going in, and spring cleaning that often shifts to sprucing up our yards. Engrossed in activities both in and out of the house, quick low-mess meals are appreciated. While the weather may be warmer, it is still nice to come in from an afternoon of digging in the garden to relax with a ready-to-go meal fresh out of the slow cooker or to celebrate the weekend by firing up the grill and throwing your favorite meat on to sizzle.
In our household, it is job-hunting month. Sadly, hubby lost his employment unexpectedly (long story) so budget-tightening and meal stretching are on the docket. We had to cancel our trip back East, missing our family there so much, but are hopeful for our daughter and her little family to visit from the West at the end of the month. Garden is definitely going in, we have already begun preliminary work, and seedlings are coming along GREAT. After the storm which demolished a good portion of our large elm lasts month (see Instagram if you missed it), the three old dying trees in our yard were taken down this past week which translates to A LOT of sunshine for more garden items to grow. For these penny-pinching times of unemployment, I am hopeful for a good harvest before too long.
With hubby off work, we are also planning to make use of our smoker a bit more. I have penciled in one day most weeks for filling our smoker with chicken (a cost effective meat). Since there are only 4 of us to chow-down, we ought to have plenty leftover which I plan to revive in secondary recipes. Our grill was annihilated when the portion of tree fell but I do have a fire pit table we may try some burgers or hot dogs on one evening. I’m definitely thinking we need to spend some coin and grab marshmallows to enjoy some roasting. A small pleasure!
I am grateful to have regained a descent amount of strength through the month of April. I know, after surgery last May, I was told it could take at least a year to heal. Last month I did a hybrid of freezer + homemade when I had to take over all meal prep through my daughter’s surgery and recovery. By week three, however, I was cooking homemade meals completely on my own!! (Praise the Lord). Granted, I am still doing some modifications to make my time-in-kitchen and clean-up, shorter. This month’s menu is a celebration of no more freezer/quick-fix dinners needed!!! Well, not “needed” but we are doing frozen chicken strips each weekend because homemade are VERY messy and time consuming AND hubby loves the brand we buy…. It will be our one little treat, served with homemade fries OR a salad (depending on the week).
After last month’s rather mundane in-article list, I decided to just jump-in and throw together a printable menu for any menu-geeks out there like myself! Back in the earlier days of my homemaking, Woman’s Day magazine used to publish a monthly menu which I usually tore out and slipped into page covers in my menu binder for reference! I don’t know if they still do this, I haven’t bought a Woman’s Day in years!! I’ve never forgotten it though. I honestly didn’t actually follow their menus completely. I kept them because they were inspiring and I would try or modify some of the suggestions.
For my menu (you can click on image to download a FREE PDF copy), I did include a few recipes as well as notation to dishes where I have saved recipes on Pinterest. You can visit my Pinterest account to find them or simply do a general search for a version you might enjoy. Feel free to message me in email, in the comments below, or on social media if you would like a specific recipe I have not included. I’d be happy to share! Also, since I always use a printed copy of my “Menu Worksheet” to handwrite my monthly plans on, I thought it would be fun to simply use the same format to type it up in! (The blank version is available for FREE download on the Resource page.)
You will notice, we have burgers weekly. It is our go-to meal for unwinding and it is hubby’s favorite! I did go with my budget friendly favorite: Pork Loin from Sam’s Club which I spent a whopping $17 on and got 4 meals out of (that is $4.25 per meal for four people to enjoy)!! A picture montage` from an old blog post on the topic:
I could have gotten 5 if I hadn’t opted for a pork roast one night! You will see this ‘other white meat’ re-occurring weekly on the menu as well. You won’t see beef steaks or roasts nor fish (we aren’t big fish eaters) because they are spendy-er cuts when you are trying to stretch. My goal this month, however, has still been variety + ease. I will have Ashley’s help back in the kitchen for at least half the week, still, we both will be busy with house, yard (as mentioned), and business as we prepare for the local end-of-year homeschool book sale which we plan to have a table at. Oh, AND we are launching some new products in our Etsy shop (while I also work on the next installment in my This Homeschool Life series).
Seasons may shift and change, causing our cooking and eating habits to keep up, but one thing remains constant: life keeps trucking forward and balanced nourishment fuels the drive!
What is on the slate for to-dos and cooking in your home this month?
Happy Eating!
Blessings,
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