Another Monday,

time again to figure out what we'll have for dinner this week.

In the fridge/pantry I've got the following things* that need to be used up this week:

• a lb. of fresh spinach
• a big head of broccoli
• 3 links of sweet Italian sausage
• a 1 lb. package of bacon that's missing 3 slices**
• half of a head of green cauliflower
• romaine and leaf lettuce
• cheese ( parmesan, cheddar, provolone)
• ham
• several potatoes
• garlic croutons

Meal plans that will use up those ingredients for dinner:

• spinach/bacon quiche (spinach, bacon, provolone. I've got a pie crust in the freezer)
• Beef noodle stir fry*** (broccoli)
• White bean and sausage rigatoni (Italian sausage and parmesan cheese. The penne {rather than rigatoni}, white beans, and crushed tomatoes will come from my food storage)
• cheesy ham and potato casserole with caesar salad (potatoes, ham, lettuce, parm and cheddar cheese, croutons)

I think that with leftovers, a wedding reception on Saturday, and date night that will be all the cooking I have to do this week. I will also bake bread twice this week, and pressure-can some ham stock made from the ham bone after I cut all the spiral-sliced ham off it.  I don't really care too much for cauliflower, green or otherwise, so I might try to give that away.

My grocery list includes:

• 1 1/2 lbs. sirloin tip steak
• a container of feta cheese
• dry mustard
• orange juice and milk again later this week

and I think that's it!

*I always have what I consider to be "staples" on hand. Eggs, milk, butter, flour, onions, beans, canned veggies, breakfast foods, juice, various types of pasta, etc.

**The missing 3 slices of bacon went into a roasted brussels sprouts dish I made last night. It was really good. I don't know where I got the recipe but I didn't invent it. It had a couple of small apples, a small onion, a pound of brussels sprouts, the bacon, maple syrup, butter, salt and pepper, and then roasted in the oven. When it came out I stirred in some apple cider vinegar.

***From Nony here. I will use broccoli (that I have on hand) instead of the green beans, like she does.