The Good Wife - Season 2

Loving the DVD. This has nothing to do with this post.

Archer was almost 2 months old when I started this blog. By the 2 month mark, I was ready to go. I was sick of being at home but wasn't quite sure what to do with my time or rather, how to spend my time with this little crying, pooping, cutie (literally) attached to me for many hours a day.

My mom helped me out a lot with this. When she came to stay with us, she showed me quite literally how to go out with Archer, how get basic chores done both in and out of the house with Archer and how to meal plan, grocery shop and cook with Archer.

In short, like my best law professors taught me how to be a lawyer (actually none of them taught me how to be a lawyer but that's another blog altogether), my mom taught me lessons on how to "own" my home in my new life as a mom. How to be a "Good Wife". It's sounds all very1950s Mad Men doesn't it? But I am eternally grateful for those lessons. And I will happily pass them on to both Isla and Archer when they grow older.

Boys should know all of this too.

But as I write this, with my little girl now just 2 weeks old, with my husband going back to work full-time tomorrow and my mom thousands of miles away in Hawaii (sigh...), I am on my own. And I'm not sure if I'm ready for all of this again! But I have gone back to some of my earlier blogs for a bit of a refresher course. And I've learned that before I figure out anything else, I must figure out food.

It's back to meal planning! Woo hoo! So without further a do, here is the plan for the Week of January 9, 2012:

Monday - Meatloaf and Sweet Potato Mash
Meatloaf recipe: 
1 lb. g. beef or g turkey 
1 c bread crumbs ¼ c milk 
1 beaten egg 
Dash worchestireshire sauce 
Seasoning: 
¼ c. finely chopped onion 
½ tsp mustard Mix well together . Form into loaf . Drizzle ketchup over top & bake in oiled loaf pan 1 hr @ 375. Let sit 10 min before slicing.

Sweet Potato Mash (from Everyday Food):
Bake 3 Sweet potatoes at 400 for 1 hour and when cool scoop and mash along with 2 tbls butter and 1/8 cup maple syrup and s/p until smooth

Tuesday - Slowcooker Chicken Chili Tacos  

Wednesday - Order in (actually, will eat delicious lasagna cooked from a friend)

Thurs - Asian Turkey Meatballs & Carrot Rice (from Everyday Food)


Preheat oven to 450. In a medium saucepan bring 1 1/2 cups salted water to a boil. Add 1 cup long grain white rice and boil. Cover, simmer for 15 minutes. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes and stir in 1 carrot shredded and fluff.

Meanwhile, combine 3/4 cup breadcrumbs and 3 tblsp water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey, 3 chopped scallions, 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, 4 tsp fish sauce, 4 tsp hot pepper sauce, 4 tsp sugar, 1 minced garlic clove and salt. Mix into 12 meatballs. Fry in non-stick skillet with 1 tsp oil on medium-high for about 10 minutes and then transfer to baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes.

Friday - Grocery Rotisserie Chicken dinner (will make a chicken casserole with leftovers for weekend).

Grocery List:
6 Chicken Thighs
Taco Shells
Ground beef
Ground turkey
3 Sweet Potatoes
Carrots
Rice
Breadcrumbs
Cilantro
Scallions
Garlic
Monterey Jack Cheese
Salsa
Eggs

Tomorrow, we're doing our first solo grocery shop with my new mat leave budget in mind. Wish me luck!