Enchilada Meatballs

What are Mini Menus? Mini menus are a fraction of the meals you would see on a normal menu and can be completed quickly and efficiently in a few short hours, in the evenings when you are preparing the meal for dinner or during small bursts of times like naps. Mini meal plans are designed for the busy family who wants freezer meals in their freezer but doesn’t have time to do a full months worth of meals. If you are new and not sure how to get started we have a wonderful series starting with 5 easy steps to get you on your way to once a month cooking. Good luck!

**Stay tuned on the 10th of February as we have another 10 Day Mini Menu coming out then that you might also enjoy.

Menu

• Below is a linked list of items we have hand selected for this menu. The links below are to the original recipe. We include these so that you can get a look at what you might be preparing and to give these wonderful blog authors some traffic (they work hard to create great recipes). However, to see our freezer cooking adaptions and to alter the servings to meet the needs of your family you will need to VIEW and PRINT the printable 5 Day Mini Menu February 2012 Recipe Cards.
• This plan gives you 5 recipes that you will make for a total of 5 meals. If you want to turn the 5 day plan into a 10 day plan, you can do so by simply doubling the number of servings you enter into the yellow box. For more details and examples please see the printable 5 Day Mini Menu February 2012 Recipe Cards first page, instructions.
• Having trouble using the Recipe Cards or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Dinners

• White Bean Enchiladas
• Crockpot Sausage and Peppers
• Taco Tater Tot Casserole
• Enchilada Meatballs
  

  Cheesy Potatoes & Ham

• Cheesy Potatoes and Ham**

• Printable 5 Day Mini Menu February 2012 Recipe Cards

**Indicates meals that require NO COOKING on your OAMC BIG DAY aka “throw and go” meals, perfect for the family who needs to adjust to just do the quick meals!

Grocery List

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your 5 Day Mini February 2012 OAMC BIG DAY by area of the grocery store. For more instructions on how to use this, go here.
• 5 Day Mini Menu February 2012 OAMM Grocery List

Instructions

• These are the step-by-step instructions you will need to quickly and efficiently approach your OAMC BIG DAY. After all, if you are going to be in the kitchen for awhile, you best make the most of your time.
• 5 Day Mini Menu February 2012 OAMM Instructions

Labels

These customized labels are designed specifically for this menu. They contain the name of the dish and serving instructions for preparing the dish on your serving day. They make preparation of the dishes hassle free and staying to your eating plan a cinch.

These labels are designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

• 5 Day Mini February 2012 Menu Printable Labels

Pinterest:

Are you a person that likes to see the menus visually? Perhaps you should check out the February 2012 5 Day Mini Menu via Pinterest to see the yummy goodness you will be cooking up on this menu. Not sure what Pinterest is all about, check out what Once A Month Mom has to say about it.

• Link will come available to the February 2012 5 Day Mini Menu later in the day on February 5th.

Facebook Fan Party:

OAMM Facebook Fan Page Party – Month February 12th 2012, 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm EST – We will be able to chat via video AND messaging during the event through FACEBOOK! How cool is that? We will be talking about the current month’s menus, answer your burning questions about freezer cooking and have fun getting to know one another. You can also see other past recordings from that tab as well. This is a great way to meet fellow Once A Month Mom’s or get your questions answered as you get started.

Instructions for viewing live-stream:

• Go to the Once A Month Mom Facebook Fan Page.
• Click on the “FB Fan Night” Tab on the left side margin.
• Hit “view live recording” – If I am live streaming it will show you what is happening in progress. If I am not live streaming at the time, you will have the option to click through other videos that I have recorded in the past.
• Enjoy!

Test Cooks

Each month we have some wonderful volunteers who “test” out the menu prior to publication. They do an amazing job of helping to eliminate confusion and mistakes. They may not catch everything but they sure do catch A LOT! If you are interested in test cook, feel free to volunteer. Here is a little bit about this month’s test cooks:

Teresa – I am a mother of three wild,crazy, and amazing children who keep me on my toes. I am married to an amazing man who supports my every move. I work a full time job as a design consultant and I am also in school.  I am working on a degree in history, while I am interning a couple hours a week at the local Art Museum. I do have my own photography hobby on the side (www.teresagilbeephotography.com) where I let some creativity flow. I also have recently started my own little blog,www.thefroggymom.blogspot.com, where I share some of my scatter brained life and ideas!

Get Started

Are you new to Once A Month Mom or once a month cooking (oamc) in general? If so, you might want to spend a few minutes (or hours) on the Get Started Series. If you are in a real hurry to catch on we have written some simple steps for getting started. Welcome!

If you are feeling abundantly blessed and generous feel free to donate.

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your 5 Day Mini February 2012 Once A Month (OAMC) Mom BIG DAY. You can make a copy of this list and customize it for yourself and your family or use it as is.
• Printable 5 Day Mini February 2012 Grocery List

Having trouble using the Grocery List or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Google Document of Instructions – 5 Day Mini February 2012 OAMM Menu

Instructions

Day of:

Designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

• 5 Day Mini Menu Labels February 2012- White Bean Enchiladas, Crockpot Sausage & Peppers, Taco Tater Tot Casserole, Enchilada Meatballs, Cheesy Potatoes & Ham
• Blank Labels

The Baby & Toddler Food menus are designed for you to make life feeding your baby/toddler homemade food a little easier. We are not pediatricians, please seek counsel from them on timing, allergies and food sensitivities. These menus are simply designed for ease of parents and not necessarily adhere to dietary guidelines. If you are new and not sure how to get started we have a wonderful series starting with 5 easy steps to get you on your way to once a month cooking. Good luck!

• Below is a linked list of items we have hand selected for this menu. The links below are to the original recipe. We include these so that you can get a look at what you might be preparing and to give these wonderful blog authors some traffic (they work hard to create great recipes). However, to see our freezer cooking adaptions and to alter the servings to meet the needs of your family you will need to VIEW and PRINT the printable Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 Recipe Cards.
• Recipes are intended to be used by one baby or toddler on a oamc cooking day. If you are cooking for more than one toddler, download this document or make a copy for your personal use. Then indicate how many toddlers in the yellow box below to automatically adjust information the recipe cards. Do the same thing for the grocery list.
• Having trouble using the Recipe Cards or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Mini Veggie Frittatas

Breakfasts

• No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars
• Green Supreme Smoothies
• Mini Veggie Frittatas
• Homemade Poptarts

Lunches

• St. Patrick’s Day Green Mac-n-Cheese
• Chicken Pot Pie Bundles
• Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
• Football Turnovers
• Chicken Stix
• Spaghetti with Meatballs

Secret Ingredient Fudgy Brownies

Snacks

• Cheddar Coins (aka Healthy Cheez-Its)
• Secret Ingredient Fudgy Brownies
• Balls of Energy

Printable Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 Menu

Grocery List

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 OAMC BIG DAY by area of the grocery store. For more instructions on how to use this, go here.
• Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 OAMM Grocery List

Instructions

• These are the step-by-step instructions you will need to quickly and efficiently approach your OAMC BIG DAY. After all, if you are going to be in the kitchen for awhile, you best make the most of your time.
• Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 OAMM Instructions

Labels

These customized labels are designed specifically for this menu. They contain the name of the dish and serving instructions for preparing the dish on your serving day. They make preparation of the dishes hassle free and staying to your eating plan a cinch.

These labels are designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

• Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 Printable Labels

Pinterest:

Are you a person that likes to see the menus visually? Perhaps you should check out the Toddler Food 18+ Month February 2012 Toddler Food Menu via Pinterest to see the yummy goodness you will be cooking up on this menu. Not sure what Pinterest is all about, check out what Once A Month Mom has to say about it.

Facebook Fan Party:

OAMM Facebook Fan Page Party – February 12th 2012, 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm EST – We will be able to chat via video AND messaging during the event through FACEBOOK! How cool is that? We will be talking about the current month’s menus, answer your burning questions about freezer cooking and have fun getting to know one another. You can also see other past recordings from that tab as well. This is a great way to meet fellow Once A Month Mom’s or get your questions answered as you get started.

Instructions for viewing live-stream:

• Go to the Once A Month Mom Facebook Fan Page.
• Click on the “FB Fan Night” Tab on the left side margin.
• Hit “view live recording” – If I am live streaming it will show you what is happening in progress. If I am not live streaming at the time, you will have the option to click through other videos that I have recorded in the past.
• Enjoy!

Test Cooks

Each month we have some wonderful volunteers who “test” out the menu prior to publication. They do an amazing job of helping to eliminate confusion and mistakes. They may not catch everything but they sure do catch A LOT! If you are interested in test cooking, feel free to volunteer. Here is a little bit about this month’s test cooks:

• Jennifer Jordan – I’m an RN married to an Air Force dentist living in San Antonio TX. I’ve taken some time off work to be at home with my 2 year old son. Since staying at home, I’ve turned to cooking and baking as my nap time hobbies and enjoy trying new recipes and new ingredients!
• Kelli Sanders – I am wife, working mama to 4, and a quilter. School, sports, and church activities keep us very busy. High school sports and rec league sports keep us running during dinner time, so I am on the hunt for simplifying meal times. I love the ‘thaw, heat and eat’ approach… it gives me more time to spend with the kids, and more quilting time is never a bad thing! Happy MOM is the key to life, right!

Get Started

Are you new to Once A Month Mom or once a month cooking (oamc) in general? If so, you might want to spend a few minutes (or hours) on the Get Started Series. If you are in a real hurry to catch on we have written some simple steps for getting started. Welcome!

If you are feeling abundantly blessed and generous feel free to donate. And if this time frame doesn’t match up with your child, please check out our other baby and toddler food menus.

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your Toddler Food 18+ Month  February 2012 Once A Month (OAMC) Mom BIG DAY. You can make a copy of this list and customize it for yourself and your family or use it as is.
• Printable Toddler Food 18+ Month  February 2012 Grocery List

Having trouble using the Grocery List or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Google Document of Instructions – TODDLER FOOD 18+ Month February 2012 OAMM Menu

Instructions

Meat used:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Chicken Pot Pie Bundles, Chicken Stix)
• Canned tuna (St. Patrick’s Day Green Mac-n-Cheese)
• Lean ground beef – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Football Turnovers, Spaghetti with Meatballs)

Thaw (in refrigerator)

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Chicken Pot Pie Bundles, Chicken Stix)
• Lean ground beef – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Football Turnovers, Spaghetti with Meatballs)

Night Before:

• Optional (but HIGHLY recommended) – chop up all vegetables. (See Chopping Amounts sheet on Recipe Cards)
• SEE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Day of:

Designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

• 18+ Month February 2012 Toddler Food Labels 1 – No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars, Green Supreme Smoothie, Mini Veggie Frittatas, Homemade Poptarts, Green Mac-n-Cheese
• 18+ Month February 2012 Toddler Food Labels 2 – Chicken Pot Pie Bundles, Roasted Tomato Soup with Croutons, Football Turnovers, Chicken Stix, Spaghetti with Meatballs
• 18+ Month February 2012 Toddler Food Labels 3 – Cheddar Coins, Fudgy Brownies, Balls of Energy
• Blank Labels

Potato Kale Soup

The vegetarian menu this month is designed not only for vegetarians and vegans, but also for those of you who will be eating meatless later this month for Lent (Ash Wednesday falls on February 22 this year). The menu this go-around is filled with vegetables, grain proteins and beans and has only one meat substitute (mock ground beef), which is considered a great “beginner” mock meat. It tends to take on the flavor of the sauce in which you serve it (in this case it’s spaghetti sauce in the Simple “Meaty” Vegan Spaghetti Sauce). Breakfasts include a couple of simple muffin recipes (including Lemon-Poppyseed Muffins ) and a hearty savory-sweet blend breakfast poundcake using seasonal citrus fruit (Tangerine-Ricotta Poundcake).

Seasonal cauliflower makes a grand showing in Aloo Gobi Curry while kale and spinach are highlights in the Potato Kale Soup and Spinach Empanadas. And if you’re Looking for a Valentine’s Day vegan treat, you can try Cupid’s Favorite Quinoa, filled with roasted tomatoes.

For a detailed explanation of what is involved in creating the vegetarian menu we have a post explaining it all. If you are new and not sure how to get started we have a wonderful series starting with 5 easy steps to get you on your way to once a month cooking. Good luck!

Menu

• Below is a linked list of items we have hand selected for this menu. The links below are to the original recipe. We include these so that you can get a look at what you might be preparing and to give these wonderful blog authors some traffic (they work hard to create great recipes). However, to see our freezer cooking adaptions and to alter the servings to meet the needs of your family you will need to VIEW and PRINT the printable Vegetarian February 2012 Recipe Cards.
• The Vegetarian menu is designed for you to enter the NUMBER OF PEOPLE you are cooking for. The menu will yield you approximately 6-10 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 16 dinners. Throughout the month you will be eating each entree 2 times. No, this is not enough to feed you for every meal, but it should be enough to get you most of the way, after all, we still do eat out or eat with friends on occasion. If you are willing to eat the same meals up to 4 times each month (lunches and dinners) you can double the number of people that you are cooking for and you will get the quantities needed for each. For more details and examples please see the printable Vegetarian February 2012 Recipe Cards first page, instructions.
• Having trouble using the Recipe Cards or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Breakfasts

• Carrot Spice Muffins
  

  Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

• Lemon-Poppyseed Muffins
• Tangerine-Ricotta Poundcake

Lunches

• Potato Leek Soup
• Lentil-Spinach Soup
• Simple “Meaty” Vegan Spaghetti Sauce**
• Chickpea Croquettes**

Dinners

• Cheesy Zucchini Enchiladas
• Aloo Gobi Curry
• Golden Potstickers
• Cupid’s Favorite Quinoa
• Broccoli Brown Rice Bake
  

  Spinach Empanadas

• Zucchini Burgers**
• Potato Kale Soup
• Spinach Empanadas

• Printable Vegetarian February 2012 Recipe Cards

**Indicates meals that require NO COOKING on your OAMC BIG DAY aka “throw and go” meals, perfect for the family who needs to adjust to just do the quick meals!

Grocery List

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your Vegetarian February 2012 OAMC BIG DAY by area of the grocery store. For more instructions on how to use this, go here.
• Vegetarian February 2012 OAMM Grocery List

Instructions

• These are the step-by-step instructions you will need to quickly and efficiently approach your OAMC BIG DAY. After all, if you are going to be in the kitchen for awhile, you best make the most of your time.
• Vegetarian February 2012 OAMM Instructions

Labels

These customized labels are designed specifically for this menu. They contain the name of the dish and serving instructions for preparing the dish on your serving day. They make preparation of the dishes hassle free and staying to your eating plan a cinch.

These labels are designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

• Vegetarian February 2012 Printable Labels

Pinterest:

Are you a person that likes to see the menus visually? Perhaps you should check out the February 2012 Vegetarian Menu via Pinterest to see the yummy goodness you will be cooking up on this menu. Not sure what Pinterest is all about, check out what Once A Month Mom has to say about it.

Facebook Fan Party:

OAMM Facebook Fan Page Party – February 12th 2012, 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm EST – We will be able to chat via video AND messaging during the event through FACEBOOK! How cool is that? We will be talking about the current month’s menus, answer your burning questions about freezer cooking and have fun getting to know one another. You can also see other past recordings from that tab as well. This is a great way to meet fellow Once A Month Mom’s or get your questions answered as you get started.

Instructions for viewing live-stream:

• Go to the Once A Month Mom Facebook Fan Page.
• Click on the “FB Fan Night” Tab on the left side margin.
• Hit “view live recording” – If I am live streaming it will show you what is happening in progress. If I am not live streaming at the time, you will have the option to click through other videos that I have recorded in the past.
• Enjoy!

Test Cooks

Each month we have some wonderful volunteers who “test” out the menu prior to publication. They do an amazing job of helping to eliminate confusion and mistakes. They may not catch everything but they sure do catch A LOT! If you are interested in test cook, feel free to volunteer. Here is a little bit about this month’s test cooks:

• Carol Weaver -  I am a graduate student studying space science physics.  In my free time I love to knit, cook, and read science fiction.  My occasionally updated blog is: http://couscouscarol.blogspot.com/

• Christie Wittmeyer – I am a stay at home mom to a 6-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter. I have an amazing husband who supports all my crazy cooking flings. I am new to freezer cooking and I usually do a few meals a week versus an entire cooking day.

Get Started

Are you new to Once A Month Mom or once a month cooking (oamc) in general? If so, you might want to spend a few minutes (or hours) on the Get Started Series. If you are in a real hurry to catch on we have written some simple steps for getting started. Welcome!

If you are feeling abundantly blessed and generous feel free to donate.

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your Vegetarian February 2012 Once A Month (OAMC) Mom BIG DAY. You can make a copy of this list and customize it for yourself and your family or use it as is.
• Printable Vegetarian February 2012 Grocery List

Having trouble using the Grocery List or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Google Document of Instructions – VEGETARIAN February 2011 OAMM Menu

Instructions

Day of:

Sample Label

Designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

The labels come two per recipe to a sheet with five recipes on each sheet. If you are only cooking for 1-4 people you will need 1 copy. For every 4 people you will need a second set of labels. For example if you are adjusting your recipe cards to 6 people you will need 2 sets of labels. If you need extra labels for some reason print out a set of the blanks to use. Make sense? I hope so! Enjoy

• 2012 February Labels – 1 – Carrot Spice Muffins, Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, Tangerine Poundcake, Potato Leek Soup, Lentil Soup
• 2012 February Labels – 2 – “Meaty” Vegan Spaghetti Sauce, Chickpea Croquettes, Zucchini Enchiladas, Aloo Gobi, Golden Potstickers
• 2012 February Labels – 3 – Cupid’s Quinoa, Broccoli Brown Rice Bake, Zucchini Burgers, Potato Kale Soup, Spinach Empanadas
• Blank Labels

For a detailed explanation of what is involved in creating the gluten free dairy free menu we have a post explaining it all. If you are new and not sure how to get started we have a wonderful series starting with 5 easy steps to get you on your way to once a month cooking. Good luck!

Menu

• Below is a linked list of items we have hand selected for this menu. The links below are to the original recipe. We include these so that you can get a look at what you might be preparing and to give these wonderful blog authors some traffic (they work hard to create great recipes). However, to see our freezer cooking adaptions and to alter the servings to meet the needs of your family you will need to VIEW and PRINT the printable Gluten Free Dairy Free February 2012 Recipe Cards.
• The Gluten Free Dairy Free menu is designed for you to enter the NUMBER OF PEOPLE you are cooking for. The menu will yield you approximately 6-10 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 16 dinners. Throughout the month you will be eating each entree 2 times. No, this is not enough to feed you for every meal, but it should be enough to get you most of the way, after all, we still do eat out or eat with friends on occasion. If you are willing to eat the same meals up to 4 times each month (lunches and dinners) you can double the number of people that you are cooking for and you will get the quantities needed for each. For more details and examples please see the printable Gluten Free Dairy Free February 2012 Recipe Cards first page, instructions.
• Having trouble using the Recipe Cards or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Gluten Free Dairy Free Baked Oatmeal Bars

Breakfasts

• Berry Lemon Muffins
• Banana Pancakes
• Baked Oatmeal Bars

Lunches

• Beef and Bean Stew
• Teriyaki Chicken
• Ham and Broccoli Pupusas
• Quinoa with Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms

Dinners

• 

  Gluten Free Dairy Free Sweet Potato Chicken Casserole

  Hawaiian Pork Chops**

• Taco Casserole
• Tilapia with Lemony Spinach and Mushrooms
• Sweet Potato Chicken Casserole
• Honey Garlic Chicken Slow Cooker Recipe**
• Calico Beans**
• Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes**
• Meatballs

• Printable Gluten Free Dairy Free February 2012Recipe Cards

**Indicates meals that require NO COOKING on your OAMC BIG DAY aka “throw and go” meals, perfect for the family who needs to adjust to just do the quick meals!

Grocery List

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your Gluten Free Dairy Free February 2012 OAMC BIG DAY by area of the grocery store. For more instructions on how to use this, go here.
• Gluten Free Dairy Free February 2012 OAMM Grocery List

Instructions

• These are the step-by-step instructions you will need to quickly and efficiently approach your OAMC BIG DAY. After all, if you are going to be in the kitchen for awhile, you best make the most of your time.
• Gluten Free Dairy Free February 2012 OAMM Instructions

Labels

These customized labels are designed specifically for this menu. They contain the name of the dish and serving instructions for preparing the dish on your serving day. They make preparation of the dishes hassle free and staying to your eating plan a cinch.

These labels are designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

• Gluten Free Dairy Free February 2012 Printable Labels

Pinterest:

Are you a person that likes to see the menus visually? Perhaps you should check out the February 2012 Gluten Free Dairy Free Menu via Pinterest to see the yummy goodness you will be cooking up on this menu. Not sure what Pinterest is all about, check out what Once A Month Mom has to say about it.

• Link will come available to the February 2012 Gluten Free Dairy Free OAMM Menu later in the day on February 1st or 2nd.

Facebook Fan Party:

OAMM Facebook Fan Page Party – February 12th 2012, 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm EST – We will be able to chat via video AND messaging during the event through FACEBOOK! How cool is that? We will be talking about the current month’s menus, answer your burning questions about freezer cooking and have fun getting to know one another. You can also see other past recordings from that tab as well. This is a great way to meet fellow Once A Month Mom’s or get your questions answered as you get started.

Instructions for viewing live-stream:

• Go to the Once A Month Mom Facebook Fan Page.
• Click on the “FB Fan Night” Tab on the left side margin.
• Hit “view live recording” – If I am live streaming it will show you what is happening in progress. If I am not live streaming at the time, you will have the option to click through other videos that I have recorded in the past.
• Enjoy!

Test Cooks

Each month we have some wonderful volunteers who “test” out the menu prior to publication. They do an amazing job of helping to eliminate confusion and mistakes. They may not catch everything but they sure do catch A LOT! If you are interested in test cook, feel free to volunteer. Here is a little bit about this month’s test cooks:

• Melissa Hale- I am a mother to three active daughters and married to a husband who works and goes to school full-time.  I love the flexibility that Once a Month cooking does for our family, especially a family that deals with food sensitivities where we need quick on the go meals that are free of allergens.  I keep track of most of my families adventures at mommyhale.blogspot.com.

• Erin Freel-  I’m the busy mom of two boys with celiac disease.  I graduated from the Air Force Academy with a degree in political science and general engineering, and I am now earning my master’s in mommy hood!

Get Started

Are you new to Once A Month Mom or once a month cooking (oamc) in general? If so, you might want to spend a few minutes (or hours) on the Get Started Series. If you are in a real hurry to catch on we have written some simple steps for getting started. Welcome!

If you are feeling abundantly blessed and generous feel free to donate.

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your Gluten Free Dairy Free February 2012 Once A Month (OAMC) Mom BIG DAY. You can make a copy of this list and customize it for yourself and your family or use it as is.
• Printable Gluten Free Dairy Free February 2012 Grocery List

Having trouble using the Grocery List or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Google Document of Instructions – GLUTEN FREE DAIRY FREE February 2012 OAMM Menu

Designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

The labels come two per recipe to a sheet with five recipes on each sheet. If you are only cooking for 1-4 people you will need 1 copy. For every 4 people you will need a second set of labels. For example if you are adjusting your recipe cards to 6 people you will need 2 sets of labels. If you need extra labels for some reason print out a set of the blanks to use. Make sense? I hope so! Enjoy

• Gluten Free Dairy Free OAMM February 2012 Labels 1 - Berry Lemon Muffins, Banana Pancakes, Baked Oatmeal Bars, Beef and Bean Stew, Teriyaki Chicken
• Gluten Free Dairy Free OAMM February 2012 Labels 2 - Ham & Broccoli Pupusas, Quinoa w/Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms, Hawaiian Pork Chops, Taco Casserole, Tilapia w/Lemony Spinach & Mushrooms
• Gluten Free Dairy Free OAMM February 2012 Labels 3 - Sweet Potato Chicken Casserole, Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken, Calico Beans, Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes, Meatballs
• Blank Labels

First of all, this isn’t for the grocery store Whole Foods, it is a menu for those that want to spend more time making their meals from scratch. For a detailed explanation of what is involved in creating this menu we have a post welcoming you to this menu. If you are new and not sure how to get started we have a wonderful series starting with 5 easy steps to get you on your way to once a month cooking. Good luck!

Is your family making the transition to whole foods in 2012? Or maybe you have set a New Year’s Resolution to eat healthier in 2012? Or perhaps you find yourself curious about the whole foods/real food lifestyle? Whatever the case may be, you should consider joining us for our year-long journey to help families transition to real food if they so desire through Get Real 2012!

Menu

• Below is a linked list of items we have hand selected for this menu. The links below are to the original recipe. We include these so that you can get a look at what you might be preparing and to give these wonderful blog authors some traffic (they work hard to create great recipes). However, to see our freezer cooking adaptions and to alter the servings to meet the needs of your family you will need to VIEW and PRINT the printable WHOLE FOODS February 2012 Recipe Cards.
• The Whole Foods menu is designed for you to enter the NUMBER OF PEOPLE you are cooking for. The menu will yield you approximately 6-10 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 14 dinners. Throughout the month you will be eating each entree 2 times. No, this is not enough to feed you for every meal, but it should be enough to get you most of the way, after all, we still do eat out or eat with friends on occasion. If you are willing to eat the same meals up to 4 times each month (lunches and dinners) you can double the number of people that you are cooking for and you will get the quantities needed for each. For more details and examples please see the printable WHOLE FOODS February 2012 Recipe Cards first page, instructions.
• Having trouble using the Recipe Cards or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Breakfasts

• Dark Chocolate Berry Smoothie**
  

  Artichoke Muffaleta

• Quinoa Muffins
• Spinach and Cheese Strata

Lunches

• Spinoccoli Pizza
• Potato Goat Cheese Pockets**
• Brown Rice Casserole

Dinners

• Artichoke Muffaleta Sandwiches**
• Cider Sauced Stuffed Pork Chops
• Flank Steak with Rosemary Chimichurri Sauce**
• Chicken Asparagus Black Bean Enchiladas
  

  Pesto Sauce

• Artichoke Spinach Lasagna
• Ranch House Slow Cooker Pork**

Add Ons

• Pesto Sauce
• Alfredo Sauce
• Cream of Something Soup
• Artisan Bread
• Tortillas

• Printable WHOLE FOODS February 2012 Recipe Cards

**Indicates meals that require NO COOKING on your OAMC BIG DAY aka “throw and go” meals, perfect for the family who needs to adjust to just do the quick meals!

Grocery List

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your WHOLE FOODS February 2012 OAMC BIG DAY by area of the grocery store. For more instructions on how to use this, go here.
• WHOLE FOODS February 2012 OAMM Grocery List

Instructions

• These are the step-by-step instructions you will need to quickly and efficiently approach your OAMC BIG DAY. After all, if you are going to be in the kitchen for awhile, you best make the most of your time.
• WHOLE FOODS February 2012 OAMM Instructions

Labels

These customized labels are designed specifically for the WHOLE FOODS February 2012 Once A Month Mom Menu. They contain the name of the dish and serving instructions for preparing the dish on your serving day. They make preparation of the dishes hassle free and staying to your eating plan a cinch.

These labels are designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

• WHOLE FOODS February 2012 Printable Labels

Pinterest:

Are you a person that likes to see the menus visually? Perhaps you should check out the February 2012 Whole Foods Menu via Pinterest to see the yummy goodness you will be cooking up on this menu. Not sure what Pinterest is all about, check out what Once A Month Mom has to say about it.

Facebook Fan Party:

OAMM Facebook Fan Page Party – February 12th 2012, 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm EST – We will be able to chat via video AND messaging during the event through FACEBOOK! How cool is that? We will be talking about the current month’s menus, answer your burning questions about freezer cooking and have fun getting to know one another. You can also see other past recordings from that tab as well. This is a great way to meet fellow Once A Month Mom’s or get your questions answered as you get started.

Instructions for viewing live-stream:

• Go to the Once A Month Mom Facebook Fan Page.
• Click on the “FB Fan Night” Tab on the left side margin.
• Hit “view live recording” – If I am live streaming it will show you what is happening in progress. If I am not live streaming at the time, you will have the option to click through other videos that I have recorded in the past.
• Enjoy!

Test Cooks

Each month we have some wonderful volunteers who “test” out the menu prior to publication. They do an amazing job of helping to eliminate confusion and mistakes. They may not catch everything but they sure do catch A LOT! If you are interested in test cook, feel free to volunteer. Here is a little bit about this month’s test cooks:

• Kimberly Hale – Hi! I’m Kimberly Hale and I am a full time faculty member of a university, wife, and mom of 3 kids (2, 5, 7). I am also writing a dissertation, which is why the monthly meal planning has been so helpful in the last few months since I found it. I found it to be addictive. After having the convenience of pulling food out of the freezer for a month, I had to stock up again. The frozen lunch and breakfast foods are my favorite to be able to pull out of the freezer and warm up.

Get Started

Are you new to Once A Month Mom or once a month cooking (oamc) in general? If so, you might want to spend a few minutes (or hours) on the Get Started Series. If you are in a real hurry to catch on we have written some simple steps for getting started. Welcome!

If you are feeling abundantly blessed and generous feel free to donate. But don’t feel guilty if you aren’t able.

For a detailed explanation of what is meant by “diet” we have a post explaining what we mean. If you are new and not sure how to get started we have a wonderful series starting with 5 easy steps to get you on your way to once a month cooking. Good luck!

Menu

• Below is a linked list of items we have hand selected for this menu. The links below are to the original recipe. We include these so that you can get a look at what you might be preparing and to give these wonderful blog authors some traffic (they work hard to create great recipes). However, to see our freezer cooking adaptions and to alter the servings to meet the needs of your family you will need to VIEW and PRINT the printable Diet February 2012 Recipe Cards.
• The Diet menu is designed for you to enter the NUMBER OF PEOPLE you are cooking for. The menu will yield you approximately 6-10 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 16 dinners. Throughout the month you will be eating each entree 2 times. No, this is not enough to feed you for every meal, but it should be enough to get you most of the way, after all, we still do eat out or eat with friends on occasion. If you are willing to eat the same meals up to 4 times each month (lunches and dinners) you can double the number of people that you are cooking for and you will get the quantities needed for each. For more details and examples please see the printable Diet February 2012 Recipe Cards first page, instructions.
• Having trouble using the Recipe Cards or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Breakfasts

• Carrot Cake Muffins
• Pink Grapefruit Smoothie
• Healthy Breakfast Hash

Lunches

• Chicken Bruschetta Quesadilla
• Waldorf Chicken Salad
• Mini Turkey Meatloaves
• Spring Tuna Wraps

Dinners

• Creamy Italian Beef Casserole
• Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili
• Mojo Pork Roast
• Thai Basil Turkey Meatballs
• White Lasagna
• Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• Crockpot Hamburger Casserole
• Stovetop Chicken Fajitas

• Printable Diet February 2012 Recipe Cards

**Indicates meals that require NO COOKING on your OAMC BIG DAY aka “throw and go” meals, perfect for the family who needs to adjust to just do the quick meals!

Grocery List

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your Diet February 2012 OAMC BIG DAY by area of the grocery store. For more instructions on how to use this, go here.
• Diet February 2012 OAMM Grocery List

Instructions

• These are the step-by-step instructions you will need to quickly and efficiently approach your OAMC BIG DAY. After all, if you are going to be in the kitchen for awhile, you best make the most of your time.
• Diet February 2012 OAMM Instructions

Labels

These customized labels are designed specifically for this menu. They contain the name of the dish and serving instructions for preparing the dish on your serving day. They make preparation of the dishes hassle free and staying to your eating plan a cinch.

These labels are designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

• Diet February 2012 Printable Labels

Pinterest:

Are you a person that likes to see the menus visually? Perhaps you should check out the February 2012 Diet Menu via Pinterest to see the yummy goodness you will be cooking up on this menu. Not sure what Pinterest is all about, check out what Once A Month Mom has to say about it.

Facebook Fan Party:

OAMM Facebook Fan Page Party – Month February 12th 2012, 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm EST – We will be able to chat via video AND messaging during the event through FACEBOOK! How cool is that? We will be talking about the current month’s menus, answer your burning questions about freezer cooking and have fun getting to know one another. You can also see other past recordings from that tab as well. This is a great way to meet fellow Once A Month Mom’s or get your questions answered as you get started.

Instructions for viewing live-stream:

• Go to the Once A Month Mom Facebook Fan Page.
• Click on the “FB Fan Night” Tab on the left side margin.
• Hit “view live recording” – If I am live streaming it will show you what is happening in progress. If I am not live streaming at the time, you will have the option to click through other videos that I have recorded in the past.
• Enjoy!

Test Cooks

Each month we have some wonderful volunteers who “test” out the menu prior to publication. They do an amazing job of helping to eliminate confusion and mistakes. They may not catch everything but they sure do catch A LOT! If you are interested in test cook, feel free to volunteer. Here is a little bit about this month’s test cooks:

• Katherine Lansden – Katy’s Easy Kitchen
  
• Katherine Rodman – As a grandmother and teacher at a local state college, my time is full. I love having my freezer full so I can spend time on family, freely serve last-minute needs of families in my community, and still have time to read or do art work and yard work.

Get Started

Are you new to Once A Month Mom or once a month cooking (oamc) in general? If so, you might want to spend a few minutes (or hours) on the Get Started Series. If you are in a real hurry to catch on we have written some simple steps for getting started. Welcome!

If you are feeling abundantly blessed and generous feel free to donate. And don’t forget you can always go back and use February 2011′s menu if you are looking for something different!

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your Diet February 2012 Once A Month (OAMC) Mom BIG DAY. You can make a copy of this list and customize it for yourself and your family or use it as is.
• Printable Diet February 2012 Grocery List

Having trouble using the Grocery List or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your WHOLE FOODS February 2012 Once A Month (OAMC) Mom BIG DAY. You can make a copy of this list and customize it for yourself and your family or use it as is.
• Printable WHOLE FOODS February 2012 Grocery List

Having trouble using the Grocery List or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Google Document of Instructions – WHOLE FOODS February 2012 OAMM Menu

Instructions

• Bacon – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly, (Cider Stuffed Pork Chops, Chicken Asparagus Black Bean Enchiladas)
• Chicken, boneless - it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly , (Cream of Chicken Soup)
• Chicken, boneless - it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly , (Chicken Asparagus Black Bean Enchiladas)
• Flank Steak – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Flank Steak with Chimichurri)
• Italian Sausage – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Turkey Brown Rice Casserole)
• Pork Chops – Cannot be frozen beforehand (Cider Sauced Stuffed Pork Chops, Ranch House Slow Cooker Pork Chops)

• Bacon – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly, (Cider Stuffed Pork Chops, Chicken Asparagus Black Bean Enchiladas)
• Chicken, boneless - it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly , (Chicken Asparagus Black Bean Enchiladas)
• Italian Sausage – it can be frozen beforehand if handled properly (Turkey Brown Rice Casserole)

• Place in chicken for (Cream of Chicken Soup) in  slow cooker and add 3 cups of water and cook for approximately 8 hours on low or until chicken is cooked through.
• Optional (but HIGHLY recommended) – chop up all vegetables. (See Chopping Amounts sheet on Recipe Cards)
• SEE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Day of:

Google Document of Instructions – DIET February 2011 OAMM Menu

Instructions

Day of:

Designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

The labels come two per recipe to a sheet with five recipes on each sheet. If you are only cooking for 1-4 people you will need 1 copy. For every 4 people you will need a second set of labels. For example if you are adjusting your recipe cards to 6 people you will need 2 sets of labels. If you need extra labels fro some reason print out a set of the blanks to use. Make sense? I hope so! Enjoy

• February 2012 Labels 1 - Dark Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie, Spinach & Cheese Strata, Quinoa Muffins, Turkey Brown Rice Casserole, Spinoccoli Pizza
• February 2012 Labels 2 –  - Artichoke Spinach Lasagna, Potato Goat Cheese Pockets, Artichoke Muffaleta Sandwiches, Flank Steak with Chimichurri, Chicken Asparagus Black Bean Enchiladas
• February 2012 Labels 3 - - Cider Sauced Stuffed Pork Chops, Ranch House Slow Cooker Pork Chops
• Blank Labels

If you are having trouble with the above labels aligning when printing or would like to edit them, you may wish to try this work around suggested by a reader:

Install Cute PDF Writer which is a FREE PDF to Microsoft Word converter. You need to download the software to computer and then install the Free Converter. (I have tried it and know it to be a safe download.) When you then open the Labels PDF from above, click print and choose cute pdf instead of your regular printer, this will then convert and allow you to save as a word document. Hope this helps!

Easy Ranch Chicken

When I was getting ready to post this menu I realized it’s the FOURTH February menu, which means Once a Month Mom is celebrating three years of freezer cooking! I (Pam) have been on the OAMM team for a year now, and it’s been so exciting to see the growth of the site, introduction of new menus, and the enthusiasm of YOU, our readers. Your success stories are really what encourage us and keep us going. So thank you, and please — have a piece of cake on us!

In February, most places are still in the depths of winter, so this menu continues to feature cold weather favorites such as hearty soup and comforting casseroles.

The Traditional menu is designed for the “traditional” or “average American family”. It is favorites you would find in a majority of kitchens across the country. If you aren’t the average american family you may wish to try out one of or specialty menus. If you are new and not sure how to get started we have a wonderful series starting with 5 easy steps to get you on your way to once a month cooking. Good luck!

**Stay tuned on the 5th (5 Day Mini Menu) and 10th (10 Day Mini Menu) of February as we have accompanying Traditional Mini Menus coming out that you might enjoy if you are looking for a lighter cooking day or are just getting started with freezer cooking.

Menu

• Below is a linked list of items we have hand selected for this menu. The links below are to the original recipe. We include these so that you can get a look at what you might be preparing and to give these wonderful blog authors some traffic (they work hard to create great recipes). However, to see our freezer cooking adaptions and to alter the servings to meet the needs of your family you will need to VIEW and PRINT the printable Traditional February 2012 Recipe Cards.
• The Traditional menu is designed for you to enter the NUMBER OF PEOPLE you are cooking for. The menu will yield you approximately 6-10 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 16 dinners. Throughout the month you will be eating each entree 2 times. No, this is not enough to feed you for every meal, but it should be enough to get you most of the way, after all, we still do eat out or eat with friends on occasion. If you are willing to eat the same meals up to 4 times each month (lunches and dinners) you can double the number of people that you are cooking for and you will get the quantities needed for each. For more details and examples please see the printable Traditional February 2012 Recipe Cards first page, instructions.
• Having trouble using the Recipe Cards or YELLOW BOX? See this post!

Instant Oatmeal Packets

Breakfasts

• Coffee Cake Muffins
• Mini Ham and Egg Cups
• Instant Oatmeal Packets*

Lunches

• Mexican Chicken
• Homemade Bagel Bites*
• Pizzadillas*
• Mini Shepherd’s Pies*

Mini Bagel Pizza

Dinners

• Easy Ranch Chicken*
• Chili Verde
• Chicken Parmesan Bake*
• Stirfry Veggie and Rice Packets*
• Taco Pasta
• Chicken Broccoli Bake
• Beef Enchiladas
• Vegetable Beef Soup

• Printable Traditional February 2012 Recipe Cards

**Indicates meals that require NO COOKING on your OAMC BIG DAY aka “throw and go” meals, perfect for the family who needs to adjust to just do the quick meals!

Grocery List

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your Traditional February 2012 OAMC BIG DAY by area of the grocery store. For more instructions on how to use this, go here.
• Traditional February 2012 OAMM Grocery List

Instructions

• These are the step-by-step instructions you will need to quickly and efficiently approach your OAMC BIG DAY. After all, if you are going to be in the kitchen for awhile, you best make the most of your time.
• Traditional February 2012 OAMM Instructions

Labels

These customized labels are designed specifically for this menu. They contain the name of the dish and serving instructions for preparing the dish on your serving day. They make preparation of the dishes hassle free and staying to your eating plan a cinch.

These labels are designed to be printed on Avery 8163 or equivalent! Readers who didn’t have labels available suggested just printing them on paper and taping them.

• Traditional February 2012 Printable Labels

Pinterest:

Are you a person that likes to see the menus visually? Perhaps you should check out the February 2012 Traditional Menu via Pinterest to see the yummy goodness you will be cooking up on this menu. Not sure what Pinterest is all about, check out what Once A Month Mom has to say about it.

Facebook Fan Party:

OAMM Facebook Fan Page Party – February 12th 2012, 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm EST – We will be able to chat via video AND messaging during the event through FACEBOOK! How cool is that? We will be talking about the current month’s menus, answer your burning questions about freezer cooking and have fun getting to know one another. You can also see other past recordings from that tab as well. This is a great way to meet fellow Once A Month Mom’s or get your questions answered as you get started.

Instructions for viewing live-stream:

• Go to the Once A Month Mom Facebook Fan Page.
• Click on the “FB Fan Night” Tab on the left side margin.
• Hit “view live recording” – If I am live streaming it will show you what is happening in progress. If I am not live streaming at the time, you will have the option to click through other videos that I have recorded in the past.
• Enjoy!

Test Cooks

Each month we have some wonderful volunteers who “test” out the menu prior to publication. They do an amazing job of helping to eliminate confusion and mistakes. They may not catch everything but they sure do catch A LOT! If you are interested in test cook, feel free to volunteer. Here is a little bit about this month’s test cooks:

• Debbie Klement - I’m a Canadian, married, 49 yr old mom, with Relapsing/Remitting MS who still has a 20 yr old daughter living at home. Fiber artist, amateur author, hobby chef who se adult children still like to come home to eat. Having meals in the freezer is a necessity of life for me.
• Christine Kelichner – I am a very happy, busy and blessed 43 year-old, married to my prince charming after kissing a lot of frogs!  I have a daughter and son in college (18 and 20) and then started over, so we also have a little girl in preschool (3).  In addition to that crazy chaos, I work full-time as a Human Resources manager for a 24/7 manufacturing company in Northern California, so I really need OAMM!!!

Get Started

Are you new to Once A Month Mom or once a month cooking (oamc) in general? If so, you might want to spend a few minutes (or hours) on the Get Started Series. If you are in a real hurry to catch on we have written some simple steps for getting started. Welcome!

If you are feeling abundantly blessed and generous feel free to donate. And don’t forget you can always go back and use February 2009‘s, February 2010′s or February 2011‘s menus if you are looking for something different!

• Included in this spreadsheet you will find a listing of all the items you will need to complete your Traditional February 2012 Once A Month (OAMC) Mom BIG DAY. You can make a copy of this list and customize it for yourself and your family or use it as is.
• Printable Traditional February 2012 Grocery List

Having trouble using the Grocery List or YELLOW BOX? See this post!