MMC 30-Minute Menus December 14

Has the holiday count-down begun at your house? It sure has at mine. Outside, I see all the beautiful lights of the season. Inside, we light an Advent candle to remind us of the reason for the season. My schedule is very full and I am sure yours is, too.

The menus this week are easy on the budget and time. I just love all the activities this time of year and, with the menus this week, I can participate in them plus serve a great meal to my family every night!

Saturday night we will have a few friends over for a very casual BBQ. I want to keep it casual because of all the other formal and fancy parties going on now it is just nice to kick-back and have a casual night. The appetizers will follow the 30-minute plan for my Tex-Mex 'Party in a Bag' on my website: sharp cheddar wedge; wings; celery, carrots, ripe olives, and sliced red and green apples; blue cheese dressing; farmhouse chutney; tortilla chips and water crackers; and smokehouse almonds.

Do you have a party in your holiday plans? Check out the latest feature on my website - Party in a Bag! The Bags are designed to help you pull your party together in 30 minutes - flat! I love to entertain but don't often have the time required to pull off a big, fancy 'do', so, over the years, I have learned a few short-cuts; I will share them with you.

If you are planning a dinner party, take a look at the Holiday and Special 30-Minute Complete Menu Plans on my website. You will find menu ideas to help with your celebration.

The Family Meals 30-Minute Complete Menu Plans are there to help with both weeknight and special dinner prep. I create Complete Menu Plans using the 30-minute menus from this blog:

• The Complete Menu Plans give you recipes and step-by-step instructions for preparing the complete meal (not just the entree as most meal plans do) in 30 minutes - flat!
• I even include a grocery list to save unnecessary trips to the grocery store.
• These are eComplete Menu Plans so you can purchase the menu plan now and use it for dinner tonight!
• You won't have to spend your precious time thinking of menu ideas and then looking up the recipes - I will send it all directly to you!
• You can purchase a Complete Menu Plan for the introductory price of .25 each.
• If you have found my 30-minute menus helpful, then you must check out the 30-Minute Complete Menu Plans!
• You will find that I use several cooking methods, mix and match, to get dinner on the table quickly! You can always substitute your favorite made-from-scratch recipes when you have more time.

I hope you have a great week!

Sunday:
Roulade de Poulet (boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
Mushroom Rice Pilaf (boxed pilaf)
Broccoli Medley (fresh bagged veg mix)
Nutty Fruit Salad
Fruited Pink Creams (purchased ice cream, liqueurs)

Monday:
Thai Shrimp (Thai peanut sauce mix, cleaned and deveined shrimp; buy extra shrimp for Thursday)
Angel Hair Pasta
Cuke and Honeydew Salad
Strawberry Shortcakes (purchased sponge cake shells)

Tuesday:
Kielbasa and Bean Cassoulet (fully cooked sausage)
Apple Feta Salad
Chocolate Puddings (instant chocolate pudding mix)

Wednesday:
Eggplant Parmesan (jarred pasta sauce)
Pasta of Choice
Green Beans
Orange Crescents (refrigerated crescent rolls, jarred orange marmalade)

Thursday:
Quick Seafood Bouillabaisse (canned seafood, cleaned and deveined shrimp)
Rolls of Choice
Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches (purchased jumbo cookies and ice cream)

Friday:
Beef Stroganoff (dried onion soup mix, jarred sliced mushrooms)
Wide Egg Noodles
Broccoli
Caramel Apple Pies (caramel ice cream sauce, tart shells)

Saturday:
Mixed Grill BBQ Party
3-Bean Salad (jarred salad)
Cole Slaw (bagged slaw mix, prepared slaw dressing)
Corn on the Cob
Potato Chips
Baked Beans (enhanced canned baked beans)
Stacked Brownies (purchased brownies and ice cream)

Get inspired for your weekly menus at OrgJunkie!

I sincerely hope you have fun with your meal planning and preparation,
Elizabeth Randall and Family