Merry Christmas from Blissfully Domestic and Home Ec 101.

This week’s menu is designed to ease the burden of menu planning and list making. Typically I include 6 meals and one night for leftovers, this week I’m only providing four meals as many will have holiday parties and family dinners to attend.

The linked recipes feed a family of 4 – 6 with leftovers that can be used for lunch and one additional meal during the week.  These meals do not have to be prepared in any particular order, simply arrange them as best fits your schedule.

The shopping list does not include basic pantry items such as flour and sugar, but does include all the spices used for this wee, as most families keep spices based on their regional and ethnic traditions. Don’t be scared to substitute and remember many of the spices, dry goods, and cheeses will not have to be purchased every week. The shopping list is after the jump, copy and paste it into a new notepad file, delete the items you have on hand and add the items you need for breakfast and lunches. If you are fairly new to cooking, your grocery bill will drop once your pantry is stocked with basic spices and dry goods.

1. Baked potato soup, tossed salad

2. Fettucini alfredo with blackened beef tips, Caesar salad
If you need an incredibly quick meal, use jarred or refrigerated Alfredo sauce and bagged salad. I’ve got my eyes closed, I won’t tell.