Family meals week one

I have decided that I need a goal with my blogging. I need something to focus on otherwise I get waylaid with everything else and then I seem to be weeks behind in the blogging world and that just doesn't fly with me. The old saying "give a busy person a job and it will get done" is 100% true where I am concerned!

Since moving back to Australia over a year ago (how time flies) I have kind of let my cookbook go by the wayside. I originally wrote it with my good friend Jessie Knadler for the American market. After all this was the place I raised my kids; Max ate his first meal, bar mushed up fruit, porridge and soggy crackers, in the U.S.A.
America was where I had my first mums' group. Chicago was the first place a group of like minded mums taught me it was OK to feel like I was losing the plot--we all learned the highs and lows of parenting together and it is with these wonderful women that I wanted to share my knowledge of food when it came to feeding our hungry kids.
When I first put my idea out there I was overwhelmed with the positive response and when I asked for testers I was ecstatic to have so many willing volunteers. It also made me think there are other families out there who are sick of doing the double meal deal (one meal for the kids and one for mum and dad) or sick of eating mac and cheese with the kids when they were really dreaming of chicken curry or Thai fish cakes--you get my drift.
It was with this thought in mind that started me down the path of 'Family of foodies'.
To get back on the horse I have decided to re-work the book for an Australian audience and also live in hope I can still sell it to my American moms.
 Part of my efforts will be blogging my meals as I go. I have written out a two month meal plan for Monday through to Friday and I am going to see if-

a) They REALLY are family friendly meals (having a fussy 4 year old and an eat anything 8 year old I think I have a pretty good guide)
b) Does it work with a busy family schedule.

I hope you enjoy the ups and down of my weekday meal routine (I am so not good with routine but thank goodness I have a husband who thrives on it!)  Of course I would LOVE feedback from you all so don't be shy in telling me what you think.

Ok meal plan for this week includes:

Beef and red cabbage stir fry with rice (Monday)
Broccoli, sultana (rasin) tomato and pine nut linguini (Tuesday)
Bean and veggie nachos (Wednesday)
Parmesan and rosemary chicken with green beans (Thursday)
Thai fish cakes with Asian coleslaw (Friday)

The beef and cabbage is a favourite of mine, Nic invented it one night when we were living in Chicago in the early days of living on a shoe string budget. Not a combination I would of automatically thought of, but when coriander (cilantro), oyster sauce and a few other bits and pieces are added it is a really delicious meal.
Because we are cooking for the family we didn't add the chilies until it was cooked and the boys were served. We still add the coriander, not a big hit with the boys, especially Alex however he is slowly coming round. I find the best way to get the kids to try new flavours it to keep introducing it to them little by little and then before you know it they are happily eating it in their meal without to much fuss (I am not 100% there with Alex yet but we are getting so much closer!)
I wish I had a photo to show you but I have to confess the beginning of my monthly dinner schedule started on a really busy day for the Baker family. Max was down for the count with a virus, Alex was well fine just being hungry and four and I came home late so Nic cooked and when dinner was served we were all to hungry to think about a photo.......I am happy to say I DO have one of tonights meal (Tuesday) so stay tuned...