Menu Plan Monday - Welcome 2010 with weekly Pantry Challenge Meanderings

Hi all, How is your new year starting out? Are you still working on your new goals? I am getting my menu ready for next week and I have a few things that are regular menu items but they may have a few glitches with alternate ingredients exchanged. For instance, I swore I got 3 cans of Rotel last shopping trip but what got home were 3 cans of Italian flavored tomatoes well, anyway, they must are what we have so my menu may have a Guido marries Juanita flavor.

While starting to get my pantry more organized I found over 10 cans of off brand tomato soup. Not my fav for sure but DH acquired them and since we are using what we have well, they must get used. So I ask the following question

Do any of you have ideas for condensed tomato soup and pasta?What would you do with these? Please, oh please leave a comment!!

My menu is looking like what is listed below with my usual disclaimer, I an alter at anytime for any reason yet, limited quantity means limited choices therefore less alterations.....

Mon::hamburger patty, Alfredo noodle, fruit slices

Papa Murphy's pizza - DH paid from small paycheck
Tue::chicken noodle and gravy with steamed carrots

Burger King - Dollar menu I had side salad w/nuggets
Wed::CP Mexican pork, rice and tropical fruit salad

spaghetti, peas, DH cooked forgot garlic bread
Thur:: spaghetti, peas, garlic bread

mexican pork tacos, lettuce/tomato
Fri::beans and rice, orange slices

ham and eggs on toast with fruit slices
Sat:: fast food and shopping day then soup and sammys

expect as planned
Sun::CP roast, potatoes, veggies - been on menu plan for 3 weeks lol

expect as planned or some type of CP meal

For more menu plans here or go to http://www.orgjunkie.com/ - still working on my linking skills Instead of the big bulky link I want to be able to use the words without the www stuff Thanks.....Julie

::::::::::Pantry Challenge Meanderings::::::::::2nd, 3rd& 4th thoughts

Wow, with this menu planned I just realized that I will be doing my WinCo shopping this next weekend. I am afraid if I do not do it when I get food money then I will nickle and dime it at my local Food for more store. Thus, I am thinking that I can actually reduce my original plan of $40 for the next 2 weeks shopping to $25 this week total.Edit:: went grocery shopping for this week and well, it was $40!! there were some expenses that I forgot to calculate see next blog... Again, My biggest goal is to keep DH out of the fast food drive thru at 9 pm for "just a hamburger and soda." This expense costs us maybe $30 a week lol but that is $120 a month and that could be half a used car payment, right?? Now, If I could only get him to quit smoking hehehe

So far I have failed at keeping DH out of the drive thru when HE gets a check...We ate out both Monday and Tuesday--pizza, $15 for take and bake (and cookies) and $10 for burgers and fries (and my salad and nuggets lol) I will not give up and it will be easier as all bills are paid with $8 leftover. I hope I get my paycheck on the 10th but IDK since time card was turned in later because of holidays so we may only have the $8 for groceries. That would cover 2 gallons milk, a pound of margarine, and a few apples.