Getting ready for January... Menu!

Christmas was delightful!

So much fun with my boys and my family... food, presents, laughter... it really was wonderful.

Now this week while we're enjoying the last bit of vacation, it'll be organizational time for me. I will go through our files and get our paperwork in order to do taxes, as well as plan out a menu for the whole month. After all the presents we've bought in January, and college tuition due for hubby's graduate class, we'll need to count our pennies a little more carefully. ;)

This week:

(my brother & his girls are due in sometime this week, so one evening may be scrapped to have dinner with them.)

Sunday~ lunch at my parents' house - yummy leftovers from Christmas Day's dinner!

Monday~ Jambalaya (using ham from our Christmas dinner)

Tuesday~ Black & bleu salad (using flank steak leftover from last week)

Wednesday~ Sticky chicken, mashed potatoes, field peas

Thursday~ Ham & cheese in puff pastry, green salad

Friday~ New Year's Eve... menu TBA

Saturday~ Happy New Year!!! Probably Mexican (tacos, nachos, cheesy dipping things!)

January's menu looks like this:

2~ Rosemary roasted chicken and potatoes, salad

3~ Red beans & rice

4~ Pasta with mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, and feta cheese

5~ Pasta fagioli, garlic bread

6~ Cashew chicken, rice, broccoli, mandarin oranges

7~ Eggs, grits, bacon, biscuits

8~ Loaded baked potatoes

9~ Turkey (bought at Publix when they were .59/lb - didn't have turkey for Christmas, so we'll be okay with this meal!), stuffing, Swiss beans or peas

10~ Turkey sandwiches

11~ Spaghetti and stuffed peppers (this has been on the menu several times, but we've yet to get to it)

12~ Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches

13-15~ Mom's at a conference out of town, so the guys will fend for themselves!

16~ Ham & beans, cornbread, green salad

17~ MLK Holiday... possibly something on the grill

18~ Cole's Ravioli dinner (only cost me $3!!!)

19~ Chicken noodle soup & bacon sandwiches (a slightly healthier version...)

20~ Stuffed eggplant with tomato sauce (frozen this summer when we had eggplant coming out our ears!), spaghetti noodles

21~ Waffles, sausage, fruit

22~ Sticky chicken, baked potatoes, peas

23~ Roast in the crockpot, mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli, salad, rolls

24~ Open faced roast beef sandwiches

25~ Leftovers

26~ Chili mac

27~ Ham slices (wrapped and frozen from Christmas dinner), mac 'n' cheese, biscuits, peas

28~ OUT! :)

29~ Lasagna, tossed salad, garlic bread

The rest of the month will be planned at that time. :)

Share your menu or get some inspiration for your kitchen at Menu Plan Monday!

Christmas is coming; the goose is getting fat! Menu

I can't believe that Christmas will be here this week.

It seems like I've just blinked my eyes, and now it's here.

So what are we eating this week?

Here's our plan:

Sunday~ roast & gravy in the crockpot, served over mashed potatoes

Monday~ Rosemary roasted chicken and potatoes, with spinach

Tuesday~ Marine Son comes home. His request: marinated flank steak (from "Once A Month Cooking"), mashed potatoes, Swiss beans, and our 'Happy Birthday Jesus' cake which is traditionally chocolate!

Wednesday~ Tacos & burritos

Thursday~ our traditional celebration with my grandparents. We'll go out to eat and then back to their house for presents and dessert.

Friday~ a quiet Christmas Eve at home - pizza or lasagna

Saturday~ CHRISTMAS!!!! Honeybaked Ham, roasted potatoes, more Swiss beans (because son #1 loves them), possibly mac 'n' cheese, rolls, and desserts.

Sunday~ Christmas at my parents' house... menu to be determined!

December! Menu Monday

We did a pretty good job of following the menu last week. On Saturday, hubby & I decided to go to a Christmas party for work, so ds#3 spent the night with the grandparents, and I did not have to cook. That menu will roll over to this weekend.

The plan:

Sunday~ Beef tips & gravy, sauteed mushrooms, egg noodles, swiss beans, rolls

Monday~ I will be setting up for a concert. Dh & ds#3 will go shopping, so it's every man for himself.

Tuesday~ Concert night for me, and baseball for ds#3. Another FFYS.

Wednesday~ Chili mac at hubby's request.

Thursday~ Roast with gravy and mashed potatoes.

Friday~ Stuffed peppers (from this summer - I harvested, assembled, and froze when the peppers were ripe off the plant) and spaghetti

Saturday~ the turkey dinner that did not happen last week!

What's cookin' at your house? Share at Menu Plan Monday!

Happy Week-After-Thanksgiving menu... and here comes December

Last week's menu worked pretty well -

Friday was amended slightly (we had Pasta Fagioli soup in the crock) and Saturday was a family seafood fest...but other than that, it went according to plan.

This week, as usual, we'll be busy, and it'll be cold, so here's a hearty menu to go with the weather.

Sunday~ beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes, gravy with mushrooms, swiss beans

Monday~ I had planned ravioli, but it's supposed to rain. We'll have leftover Pasta Fagioli instead.

Tuesday~ ds#3 begins a new baseball clinic every Tuesday evening. We'll make it quick with Cole's Ravioli Dinner, which I scored for a whopping $3.99.

Wednesday~ BBQ chicken in the crock pot (only with bone-in chicken breasts), mac'n'cheese, baked beans in the mini-crock, and cornbread

Thursday~ Breakfast for Dinner: Waffles (using up some leftover sweet potatoes), eggs, bacon

Friday~ Red Beans & Rice with sausage

Saturday~ we didn't have enough leftover turkey for sandwiches, so hubby is requesting a turkey! It'll be roast turkey with stuffing & gravy, and hopefully a salad from the lettuce growing in our raised beds!

What are you cooking? Share at Menu Plan Monday!

Thanksgiving Week Menu

I have so many emotions running through me ...

• This weekend marked the one-year anniversary of my grandfather's passing. There are some days when the grief still overwhelms me, but I am thankful that he is no longer shackled by a weak and sickened body; his soul is now free.
• My second son is across the ocean in a foreign country. Last Thanksgiving, it was son #1, the Marine. Will I ever get used to being a military mom?

Sigh.

My Marine will, however, be home this year. And my (not-so-) baby boy is still here... he's only 10 - we've got a few more years with him. And my man... my husband... he is such a constant: faithful, steadfast, strong for me. For these things, I am extremely thankful.

On to the menu.

Last week, we failed miserably. But I did have a plan, as I will this week. We'll see how it goes. :)

Sunday~ Loaded baked potatoes, soup

Monday~ Tacos & burritos (ds#3's request)

Tuesday~ Pizza (from the freezer - also ds#3's request)

Wednesday~ LEFTOVERS... gotta clean out and make room for the Thanksgiving goodies!

Thursday~ Happy Thanksgiving! So much food it makes my stomach hurt just to think of it: Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rice & gravy, sweet potato casserole (a lot like this), swiss beans, ambrosia, my Grandfather's cucumber salad (similar to this one). For dessert: pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple cherry pie. Maybe some brownies for the kiddos. Whew.

Friday~ Mom, sis & I have a Black Friday shopping tradition. My dad is making us Hot Browns after the shop.

Saturday~ Who knows.... some remake of leftovers or maybe just turkey sandwiches. :)

November Menu #3

We have a plan so that there's something in place...

so that we aren't subject to the whims of the day...

so that we don't break the bank going out to eat.

That said, we did not do such a terrific job of FOLLOWING the plan last week!

Wednesday, we ended up with leftovers (which was fine, because there were plenty); Thursday, hubby & I went out because ds#3 was at a local airshow with my dad & brother; Friday, we had spaghetti, and Saturday was out to dinner for my brother-in-law's birthday.

So here's to a new week, and a new plan.

Sunday~ Turkey (Publix has them on sale for .59/lb, which is the cheapest I've seen in a while), stuffing, homemade gravy, butternut squash gratin

Monday~ Open-faced turkey sandwiches (use leftover turkey & gravy), chips

Tuesday~ French onion soup, grilled cheese sandwiches

Wednesday~ Red beans & rice (that we didn't eat last week)

Thursday~ Dear Son has a musical at school - we'll go out to eat afterward

Friday~ Pizza from the freezer

Saturday~ TBA... probably leftovers or something simple to clean out the fridge in preparation for next week!

What's cookin' in your casa?

Share at Menu Plan Monday!

November Menu #2

Time is marching on. What a busy week last week... this week will be no different. I'll have late rehearsals and a district-wide performance, while hubby prepares for a workday with his History Club this weekend. I want to do something special for Veterans Day on Thursday, but haven't decided quite what.

Here's what's cookin'... or at least the PLAN for what we'll cook!

Sunday~ Tacos

Monday~ Chili in the crockpot (using leftover taco meat), with macaroni, homemade rolls

Tuesday~ Fend For Yourself. Ds#3 has to bowl, and I've got a concert.

Wednesday~ Breakfast for dinner. Grits, sausage, eggs. Yum.

Thursday~ HOLIDAY - Thank a Vet!!! Perhaps a cookout with the fam.

Friday~ Red beans & rice with sausage.

Saturday~ Eggplant parmesan. Froze the breaded eggplant when our garden was in full swing. Now to make good use of it!

We all participated in our first 5K this weekend, and I'm very proud of us! We hope to make this a more frequent event. :)

Have a wonderful week -

and share your menu inspirations at Menu Plan Monday!!!

And here comes November... Menu #1

It amazes me that November is already here. But life has been so busy and so eventful that I'm not really sure why I'm amazed... Christmas is not far away now!

On to the menu.

Sunday~ Roast in the crockpot, mashed potatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, multigrain rolls

Monday~ Crock pot Bacon & Cheese Chicken (from Stephanie, the Crockpot Lady!), rice, tossed salad

Tuesday~ Baked potato bar (cook potatoes in crock)

Wednesday~ 60% chance of rain and falling temperatures=soup! Pasta Fagioli and homemade bread

Thursday~ late rehearsal for Mom = FFYS for the boys

Friday~ Leftovers!

Saturday~ Hubby, ds#3 and me will participate in our first 5K together, so I'm leaving the day open... we'll see how it unfolds!

Share in the menu madness at Laura's.

The end of October as we know it...

This week promises to be an eventful and emotional week.

My baby boy turns ten. TEN.

My Marine son will be home for a week with his brothers. (That has not happened in several months.)

My Airman son comes home for a visit, then deploys for six months.

Sigh.

And the troops have to eat, so here's the plan.

Sunday~ family cookout to celebrate son #3's birthday. His request: steak on the grill, baked potatoes, tossed salad, rolls, and cupcakes for dessert.

Monday~ Jambalaya (recipe below), salad, rolls

Tuesday~ Beef tips & gravy, egg noodles

Wednesday~ another family cookout to see all THREE boys at the same time: burgers & dogs on the grill, mac'n'cheese, baked beans.

Thursday~ FFYS. Boys going to an out-of-town ballgame; son #2 flies back to base; Mom has a late rehearsal.

Friday~ either spaghetti or pancakes :)

Saturday~ probably a trip to our local fair, so lots of fattening fair food!

Jambalaya:

(A friend gave me this recipe years ago - I'm sorry that I don't know where she got it, but I can tell you it's super easy and tasty!)

Make this mix ahead and store it (or gift it) in jars, or assemble ingredients when you decide to make the dish.

*1 cup uncooked rice

*1 Tbsp onion (you can use powder but I like to used diced onion. If making a mix, use dried onion flakes.)

*1 Tbsp green pepper flakes (you can also use fresh if you're not making the mix)

*1 Tbsp dried parsley

*1 Bay leaf

*2 tsp beef bouillon

*1/2 tsp garlic powder

*1/2 tsp pepper

*1/4 tsp thyme (I like thyme, so I use a little more)

*1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Combine all dry ingredients and store.

To prepare:

Bring mix along 3 cups water and 8 ounces tomato sauce to boil in dutch oven. Stir in 1 cup chopped cooked chicken and 1 cup chopped cooked ham (or whatever meats your family likes - I like to use turkey kielbasa). Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove bay leaf and serve.

If you use dry ingredients, this is a nice gift with a can of tomato sauce attached; the recipient just adds water and meats of choice. Call it "Dinner In A Hurry". Add a roll mix in a basket with the jambalaya for the whole package!

Share your menus at Menu Plan Monday.

October Menu, week two

Last week's menu went almost according to plan:

we did NOT have spaghetti on Wednesday, so everything got bumped up a night, and hubby decided we should eat out on Friday, which we did.

Now, on to this week:

Sunday~ Ds#1's birthday. He will not be home, but we'll think of him as we have eggplant parmesan (eggplant is from the garden earlier in the summer; I prepped & froze it), spaghetti noodles, french bread rolls.

ACTUALLY... that was my plan, but hubby announced he didn't feel like eating eggplant parm - couldn't we have some leftover roast with mashed potatoes (which, of course, I had already put in the freezer)? So... that's what we had.

Monday~ Ball game @ 5:30. Snack, then spaghetti after the game

Tuesday~ Dinner out with a friend

Wednesday~ Pancakes & sausage. We love breakfast for dinner!

Plan amended again... Chicken Enchilada Suiza casserole, courtesy of Rachael Ray.

Thursday~ First concert of the year at school, and a ball game at 7:15. It's every man for himself.

Friday~ Chicken Enchilada Suiza casserole, courtesy of Rachael Ray. This is new for us, so I'm anxious to see how it turns out.

Another amendment: our city's annual Greek Festival is this weekend and we'll be savoring the food there!!!

Saturday~ TBA - perhaps a big family dinner.

What are you cookin'? Share at Menu Plan Monday!

And here's.... October!

WOW... hard to believe that it's already October.

Two of my boys have birthdays this month. The other will deploy at the end of this month. We're still playing fall baseball, and my chorus will present its first concert of the school year.

Yep, life is busy, but we gotta eat.

Sunday~ Pasta, homemade bread with dipping spices

Monday~ Cashew chicken (I have not made this in all the weeks I planned it on the menu), rice, broccoli, mandarin oranges. Might do some egg rolls if I get to the store.

Tuesday~ 5:30 ball game. Snack before the game, soup & twice-baked potatoes after.

Wednesday~ Spaghetti, stuffed peppers (from our garden - our bell pepper plants have been PROLIFIC this year).

Thursday~ 5:30 ball game. Snack, then leftover roast w/mashed potatoes & gravy after.

Friday~ Chili in the crockpot.

Saturday~ Tailgate menu! Hot dogs (with leftover chili for topping), nachos

What's your plan? Share at Menu Plan Monday.

Fall Ball and the end of September as we know it

Last week was a pretty good week as far as following the menu goes. On Friday, we ended up having loaded baked potatoes and saved the tenderloin for Saturday. It will reappear on this week's menu also, as leftovers! Speaking of this week, it won't be glamorous, but it'll get the job done.

Sunday~ Chicken with mushroom gravy in the crock pot, served over egg noodles, with field peas from the garden

Monday~ Ball game @ 5:30. Fast snack before the game. Leftovers later.

Tuesday~ Breakfast for dinner

Wednesday~ Tacos

Thursday ~ Ball game @ 5:30. Snack before, dinner later.

Friday~ Roast cooked in the crock pot with potatoes, mushrooms, onions and assorted veggies. Serve with rice.

Saturday~ To be decided/announced/etc.

Share your menu marvels at Menu Plan Monday!

September Menu #3... and Fall Ball

We are playing Fall Baseball this year.

The last time we played Fall Baseball, ds#3 wasn't even a twinkle in his daddy's eye.

Son #1 was 10.

That would be.... oh.... 15 years ago.

So here we go again- the circle of life and all that stuff!!

And our menu:

Sunday~ Tomato soup & grilled cheese sandwiches

Monday~ Mom has a meeting after school and ds#3 has a ball game at 7:15. We're looking at a Fend For YourSelf night (FFYS).

Tuesday~ Sticky Chicken (this works great with bone-in, skin-on breasts cooked in the crock pot; I just remove the skin and bones when it's time to serve), mashed potatoes, broccoli

Wednesday~ Spaghetti sauce in the crock pot, boil noodles when I get home. Fast & easy spaghetti.

Thursday~ Snack before a 5:30 ball game, then mom goes to Open House at 6:30. Leftovers when we all get home.

Friday~ Beef tenderloin, baked potatoes, green salad.

Saturday~ TBA. Expecting some guests this weekend, so we'll leave it open for the possibilities.

Share your menu at Menu Plan Monday!

September's here.... but where is Fall??

It's still blazing hot here so even though the calendar says it should be fall, it still feels like the dead of summer!

We've begun "Fall Ball" so we'll have practices and games sprinkled in our schedule once again. Can I just say that I love my crockpot for helping me survive those crazy days??

Sunday~ Dutch baby, grits, bacon

Monday~ Aussie chicken, rice, sauteed spinach

Tuesday~ Lasagna (from the freezer), tossed salad, garlic bread

Wednesday~ Soup & Sandwiches

Thursday~ Open House at school. Out to eat.

Friday~ Cashew chicken, rice, mandarin oranges, broccoli

Saturday~ I have no idea yet! :)

Labor Day - Menu Plan Monday!

I am so thankful that we've got a day off. It's been a hectic start to the school year, to put it mildly, and we are all grateful for a long weekend.

As for what we're eating, here it is!

Sunday~ Cock of the Walk restaurant to celebrate my b-day

Monday~ out to the beach with ds#3, then back home - probably Chicken Pesto Pasta for dinner

Tuesday~ FFYS - I have a meeting after school and into the evening

Wednesday~ Crockpot roast, mashed potatoes (leftover from Saturday), broccoli, crescent rolls

Thursday~ Sandwiches & salad

Friday~ Breakfast for dinner

Saturday~ Pasta toss with lots of veggies OR something on the grill

Share your ideas or get some inspiration at Menu Plan Monday!

Can it really be the end of August? Menu

Last week, the students came back to school. By the time Friday rolled around, my own student (ds#3) and this teacher, and hubby teacher were SO exhausted that we did almost nothing all weekend.

This getting back into the routine is hard work!

We *did* eat last week:

Last Sunday~ Spaghetti, texas toast (that I got with a FREEBIE coupon)

Last Monday~ leftovers from Sunday

Last Tuesday~ Breakfast for dinner: pancakes & bacon

Last Wednesday~ Sticky chicken in the crockpot, mashed potatoes, cucumber salad, biscuits

Last Thursday~ Chili mac

Last Friday~ Pizza from the freezer

Last Saturday~ Eggplant parmesan (eggplant from our garden)

On to this week:

Sunday~ Grilled cheese sandwiches & tomato soup (it's been raining all weekend)

Monday~ Pasta fagioli, homemade bread

Tuesday~ Breakfast for dinner: grits, eggs, bacon, hashbrowns

Wednesday~ Bourbon chicken, rice, mandarin oranges, cucumbers (the last ones from the garden)

Thursday~ Lasagna from the freezer

Friday~ My birthday - my guys are taking me out to dinner! :)

Saturday~ TBA

Share your menus at Menu Plan Monday!

Back-to-Work August Menu #3

I can't call this "Back to School", because the kids are not back yet, so I guess it'll just be "Back to Work" for hubby and me.

I've gotten into the routine of going to the gym every weekday this summer, and intend to continue (L-O-N-G story, but this is needful for me). So our routine will be altered a little, and we will eat dinner a little later than we are accustomed to. That means I've got to be on the ball so it can be ready in a snap after I walk in the door!

We'll see how it works this week.

Sunday~ DELICIOUS homemade lasagna at my parents' house, complete with green salad, garlic bread, and banana pudding.

Monday~ Chicken breasts in cream of mushroom soup (cooked in the crockpot), egg noodles, cucumber salad

Tuesday~ FFYS... leftovers. Mom has a meeting and won't be home till late, and the guys will go bowling.

Wednesday~ Roasted veggie tart (I just used a pre-made pie crust), salad (I made the tart this weekend, so it just needs to be reheated)

Thursday~ Tacos (ground beef is already cooked, just needs to be heated & seasoned)

Friday~ Pizza from the freezer

Saturday~ Roast turkey from the freezer, stuffing, swiss beans

I love it when a plan comes together, and I hope it does this week!

Share your menu plans at Laura's Menu Plan Monday!

August Menu #2

Last week, we did a good job of sticking to the menu until Saturday - we ended up going out to eat...which was okay. I was vague about dinner plans with hubby and when there's not a clear plan, he always opts to go out... so we did. One day I'll learn. :)

So on to this week:
Sunday~ Roast in the crock pot, mashed potatoes, gravy, sliced tomatoes
Monday~ Leftover roast & potatoes (no cooking - just reheating!!)
Tuesday~ BLTs, chips (we got some gorgeous tomatoes, so I'm using them. YUM!)
Wednesday~ Bourbon chicken (which has no bourbon), rice, mandarin oranges (okay... this is the third week on the menu. Maybe we'll get to it this week.)
Thursday~ Loaded baked potatoes, tossed salad
Friday~ Breakfast for dinner
Saturday~ sis & BIL for dinner. On the grill: burgers & dogs.

What's YOUR plan? Share at Menu Plan Monday!

August is here... menu #1

The end of summer is coming... in two short weeks, we'll be back at work and into the 'daily grind' again. So we are making every effort to savor these last few days!

Last week's menu went pretty much according to plan. The eggplant parm was the highlight!! Crispy, cheesy and delicious... even my carnivorous husband had seconds.

On to this week:

Sunday~ Spaghetti, garlic bread

Monday~ Leftover spaghetti, stuffed peppers

Tuesday~ BBQ Chicken sandwiches, baked beans, fries

Wednesday~ Bourbon chicken, rice, mandarin oranges... if I get really industrious, we might have another go at egg rolls

Thursday~ Sticky chicken, mashed potatoes, tossed salad, crescent rolls

Friday~ Tomato soup & sandwiches

Saturday~ Tacos

Several meals will go into the crockpot this week, as I try to get back into school-time routines. I love that little device.

Share your menu at Laura's Menu Plan Monday!

The end of July... and the menu

Last week's menu was mostly successful...

I ended up making the Southwestern Layered Salad on Tuesday, buying a rotisserie chicken and serving that on Wednesday with mashed potatoes & gravy (from the fridge), Thursday was leftovers, and hubby & I had a date night on Friday because ds#3 spent the night with a friend.

So, this week, here's the plan:

Sunday~ Family dinner @ Olive Garden to celebrate my grandpa's birthday

Monday~ Taco salads

Tuesday~ Family bowling night. Frozen pizza (we haven't had it yet!!)

Wednesday~ Eggplant Parmigiana (using the ABUNDANCE of eggplant from our garden), french bread

Thursday~ All day shopping trip w/mom & sis. Bone-in chicken breasts cooked in the crock pot with cream of mushroom soup, egg noodles, cucumber salad (from our garden), biscuits

Friday~ FINALLY getting to those egg rolls, cashew chicken & rice

Saturday~Leftovers or some other creation I feel like whipping up :)

Share your menu or get some ideas at Laura's Menu Plan Monday!

July Menu #3... and preparing for back to school...

July is such a bittersweet month for me as a teacher. It marks the place in summer where I truly begin to relax and enjoy the lazy days (or at least being able to choose some things about my day!), but it also reminds me that summer is half over for me, and that back-to-school is closer than I think.

Sigh.

Last week's menu worked fairly well, and planning breakfast, lunch, and dinner really was a help to me. This week, I'm in a workshop from 8-5 for most of the week, which will be like practice for returning to work. So, crockpot will return to *very* active duty, and I'll do lots of prepping ahead.

Sunday~ Cookout with friends: burgers & dogs.

Monday~ Spaghetti in the crock pot (sauce, that is. Boil noodles when I come home.)

Tuesday~ Family bowling night. Either frozen pizza or out to eat

Wednesday~ Southwestern Layered salad & quesadillas

Thursday~ Pesto Chicken Pasta (pesto made with fresh basil from our garden - LOVE IT!!), cucumber salad (cukes from our garden), butterhorns

Friday~ Soup & sandwiches

Saturday~ TBA... maybe I'll get around to those egg rolls this week...

Share what's cookin' at Menu Plan Monday!

July Menu... week 2. Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

This week, I decided to plan all 3 meals each day, because we're home, eating all 3 meals. So to ensure that I've got enough groceries, and that we don't go out to eat too often, I'm planning. And I love it when a plan comes together.

Sunday~ Grits, Eggs, Bacon, and Watermelon

Roast in the crockpot, mashed potatoes, broccoli, bread

Open-faced roast beef sandwiches (using the roast from lunch)

Monday~ Pancakes w/fruit, bacon
Watermelon Feta Salad
Nachos Supreme (watching the MLB Home Run Derby)

Tuesday~ Breakfast Smoothie

Chef Salad

Hotdogs, baked beans, Cracker Jacks (watching the MLB All-Star Game!)

Wednesday~ Breakfast Skillet, biscuits

Sub sandwiches

Tacos & quesadillas

Thursday~ Cereal with fruit

Pasta with roasted veggies

Smoked chicken & smoked sausage, baked potatoes, sliced tomatoes

(hopefully we'll have some cukes ready from the garden)

Friday~ Breakfast smoothie, pancakes, sausage

Loaded baked potatoes

Homemade egg rolls, Cashew chicken & rice

Saturday~ Eggs, sausage, fruit

Leftovers from the week

Turkey, stuffing, and whatever veggies are ripe from the garden

Share at Laura's, or get some inspiration... at Menu Plan Monday.

Is it truly July?? Menu

Wow - the first month of summer has flown by so quickly...we're into the first week of July already so I guess I better get in gear and post that menu!

Sunday~ HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY,USA!!! Fried fish (cooked by my dad), fried chicken (my first attempt), potato salad, seven layer salad, baked beans, corn on the cob. Yummmmmm!

Monday~ Hubby volunteered to grill steaks (I think he missed grilling on Sunday). So it's steak on the grill, skewered veggies (mushrooms, tomatoes, bell pepper chunks, potatoes), salad and homemade rolls. (I'm also going to have him grill some extra hotdogs for later in the week.)

Tuesday~ BLTs (using some GORGEOUS tomatoes that were given to us... our garden has not really produced any yet), chips

Wednesday~ Aussie chicken, rice, tossed salad.

Thursday~ Hotdogs, baked beans (left over from the 4th), mac'n'cheese

Friday~ Chef's Salads and bread

Saturday~ Pasta of some sort

Share your menu marvels at Laura's!

Back in the Saddle! Menu

We left to go out of town for a bowling tournament for ds#3 so I didn't plan any kind of menu until after we got back. Last week after we got home, we did have Pesto Penne Pasta and french bread (we never got to it the week it was planned), Spaghetti (always a good comfort meal), and Beef tenderloin, stuffed mushrooms, mashed potatoes & tossed salad. All were delish after eating on-the-road food for six days.

This week, we are settling back down into a normal routine, so here's the plan:

Sunday~ leftover tenderloin & mashed potatoes

Monday~ Sticky chicken, roasted potatoes (from our garden!), salad, cornbread

Tuesday~ BBQ pork (from the freezer) on buns, chips, veggies & dip

Wednesday~ Appetizer night!

Thursday~ Taco salad

Friday~ Frozen pizza

Saturday~ TBA

What's cookin' in your casa?

The We-Have-Survived-the-School-Year-Week-One Menu

Last week went essentially according to plan, except we didn't have Bourbon chicken (we'll have it this week) and we had the same dinner two nights in a row at hubby's request: Citrus Basil chicken, fresh corn on the cob, and new potatoes from our garden. That is a big deal, as he does not ever ask for leftovers!!!

We are going out of town at the end of the week, so I'm only planning through Thursday.

Sunday~ Bourbon chicken & rice

Monday~ Rachael Ray's Texas Chili Cheese Fries (I actually have some leftover taco meat that I will 'doll' up and then add the cheese, but this recipe is the inspiration)

Tuesday~ Club sandwiches, pita chips & hummus (this is the kind my hubby likes, but we're experimenting with several flavors right now)

Wednesday~ Chicken Pesto Pasta (I use milk instead of cream, and make pesto with the abundance of basil in our garden!)

Thursday~ Out to dinner with my dad and my sister to celebrate Father's Day with him

Friday~ traveling...

Saturday~ there...

June is bustin' out all over!!!

Last week, I did not post a thing.

It was the last week with students at school, and even crazier than the week before.

We did eat... steaks on the grill on Monday, Aussie chicken on Tuesday, sandwiches on Wednesday, leftovers on Thursday & Friday, and burgers & hotdogs on the grill for Saturday.

So this week, we have a couple of days of post-school duties, then hubby has a workshop. I'll still have some meetings, but our official school year will be over. It isn't really like work when the kids aren't there, so this will be a very relaxing week.

Sunday~ Leftovers from the grill, baked beans, stuffed mushrooms, and chips. Team party at our local minor league baseball park this evening.

Monday~ FFYS (Fend For YourSelf). Mom has a p.m. meeting with other choral directors.

Tuesday~ Bourbon chicken (which has no bourbon), rice, salad, Parmesan Thyme rolls

Wednesday~ Pork BBQ sandwiches (cook pork in crock pot), pasta salad

Thursday~ Tacos & burritos, refried beans

Friday~ our 16th wedding anniversary. No plans - Hubs is supposed to be in a workshop all week, so we may stay in.

Saturday~ NO PLANS because I don't have to plan... I can wing it if I want because I'm OUT OF SCHOOL!!! :)

Last Menu of May

Last week's menu was no less crazy than the previous week, but I guess I planned it a little better because we were a little closer to target! There were still a few changes (Friday night, we went out to eat, and Saturday we ate leftovers from Friday!) but everyone ate and I guess that's the goal.

On to this week:

Sunday~ Spaghetti (which we never ate last week)

Monday~ Beef in the crockpot, rice, peas in the mini-crock after the baseball game.

Tuesday~ Cashew chicken, rice, broccoli before the baseball game.

Wednesday~ Tacos & burritos (I browned a large batch of beef on Sunday, so I'm using the other half for Mexican tonight)

Thursday~ Sandwiches and chips before the baseball game. (It's the last game of the season!!)

Friday~ Chef's Salads (this could change, as Marine Son is scheduled to come into town this weekend.)

Saturday~ I have no idea, and I'm not going to plan, because it's a long weekend and we are going to RELAX.

Need some menu inspiration? Stop by Laura's!

May is CRAZY at my house...

Well, let's just say that last week's menu plan went about like I expected.

Monday, I got home from work, wrapped some baked potatoes in foil and put them in the bottom of the crock pot, threw some chicken cutlets in some foil on top of them, and turned it on HIGH so that dinner would be ready when we got home from the ballgame. So naturally, we lost, and nobody felt like eating when we got home.

Tuesday, we went out for my hubby's b-day... as expected.

Wednesday was hubby's official b-day, so I made beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes, and salad. The MOST delicious Caramel Pecan Crunch Cake from Publix EVER. I believe we could have a new favorite.

Thursday & Friday were ballgames which meant out to eat afterward.

Saturday, since my grandmother's b-day is also this month, and since she decided she did not WANT a birthday party, we surprised her and threw one anyway at my house. She cried and we loved it.

So this week should be no less crazy.

Sunday, instead of going to church, I slept late (accidentally, but I guess I needed it...) and we will have DiGiorno Pizza & Breadsticks, which I scored free thanks to a Kraft First Taste House Party.

Monday, I have a rehearsal until 6pm, so I'll throw leftover beef roast into the crockpot with some gravy, and we'll have that when I get home.

Tuesday, I have a musical production at school, and ds#3 has a ballgame. It's every man for him/herself.

Wednesday, we will breathe for a few moments, and have leftover sandwich fixin's from the weekend: turkey, ham, & cheese on mini-croissants, with chips, potato salad, mac & cheese, and leftover birthday cake.

Thursday, I have a daytime performance of the musical, and then hubz & I both are required to participate in a pre-orientation meeting at school, where my chorus will perform again (we are going to be EXHAUSTED by the week's end). Ds#3 is also scheduled to have a ballgame that night, but I have no idea how we'll do all that or what we will eat.

Friday, WHEW! I think a comforting, homey meal is in order, so we'll have spaghetti to come home to.

Saturday, if it doesn't rain, I'm hoping hubby will grill some burgers. YUM!

Share your crazy, wild, inspired menus at Laura's.

What a wacky week we've got...

I debated whether to plan a menu at all! However, we'll give it a try, and if we change it... well, it won't be so different from many other weeks, will it??

Last week's recap:

Tuesday, hubby decided he was in the mood for Mexican, so we moved tacos a day early, and subbed Cashew Chicken for Wednesday. Friday we went out, and Saturday, lasagna appeared on the menu because hubby was not in the mood to grill.

This week? We have 3 ball games and two birthdays to celebrate. It's gonna be topsy-turvy. I'm not even gonna assign days.

(Except for today.)

Pasta salad & cheddar biscuits. (We went out to eat for Mother's Day lunch.)

So the rest of the week, choices are:

Sandwiches & chips

Out to dinner for hubby's birthday

Spaghetti

Snacks before early ball games

And something else on the other week night. :)

Get inspired at Laura's!

May is here... and so is the menu!

Pretty good at following last week's plan. Only change was moving the 'out-to-eat' to Saturday... Friday evening turned out to be a 'fend for yourself' kind of night. The next couple of weeks will be fairly busy, so here's our plan....

Sunday~ sticky chicken (I use skin on, bone-in breasts), baked potatoes (in the crock pot), green beans, butterhorns (I've made the plain and the chocolate and both are delish!)

Monday~ leftover roast, rice & gravy, broccoli, rolls

Tuesday~ BBQ chicken (with barbeque sauce - not on the grill), 5 minute potato gratins, salad, cornbread

Wednesday~ Tacos in honor of Cinco de Mayo!

Thursday~ ball game @ 5:30, so a quick snack before we're out the door

Friday~ club sandwiches & chips before the 7:30 ball game

Saturday~ TBA

I also made The Pioneer Woman's chocolate cake... my family is getting spoiled this week.

What are you cooking?

May is on the way! Menu

Last week's menu went sort of according to plan. I guess that is not bad... but here's hoping that this week is better.

Sunday~ spaghetti & meatballs. Ds#3 went to see Disney on Ice with my grandparents and loved it.

Monday~ Apple Market chicken salad sandwiches and chips. Baseball game @ 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday~ Pasta toss. Concert @ 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday~ Crockpot roast with mashed potatoes, mushrooms, carrots & gravy, and either tossed salad or broccoli.

Thursday~ BLTs. I scored some GORGEOUS tomatoes at the store! Baseball game@ 7:30 p.m

Friday~ out to eat. It's PAYDAY!

Saturday~ Steaks on the grill, 5 minute potato gratins, cucumber salad.

What are you cookin'? Share at Laura's!

April Menu, week three

The weeks are speeding by. Last week's menu plan was pretty much a bust... crazy, unexpected events threw us all out of whack. Here's to getting back on track this week!

Sunday~ Grilled steak, chicken, & sausage (leftovers will be used in lunches this week), baked potatoes, leftover Swiss Beans

Monday~ Pasta toss with salad. Baseball game @ 7:30p.m.

Tuesday~ Sandwiches & chips... simple but filling.

Wednesday~ Weekly breakfast for dinner.

Thursday~ Tacos (meat is in the freezer)

Friday~ Snack before ballgame @ 5:30p.m. Probably out to eat at Chick-fil-A when the game is over.

Saturday~ TBA

What's cookin' in your casa?

April Menu, week two

We went back to work (and to school) this week after a marvelous spring break. None of us was ready to go, but no one asked us if we were ready!!

So our menu went mostly according to plan, except that on Wednesday, hubby decided we should go out to eat instead of eat at home. It turned out to be a good move, because some unexpected situations arose at work that required me to stay late.

Our plan for this week:

Sunday~ Spaghetti, sauteed mushrooms, garlic bread

Monday~ Pancakes, bacon, fresh strawberries (yum!!). I have a rehearsal and ds#3 has batting practice, so we'll eat afterward.

Tuesday~ Leftover burgers & dogs from the weekend cookout, chips, homemade mac'n'cheese. I have a concert and ds#3 has a game, so everyone will eat when they can. (We were given a huge bag of hamburger patties and an enormous bag of hotdogs - with all the buns to match - after the cookout! That means we've got burgers for an impromptu gathering anytime!)

Wednesday~ Tacos, 'macho' nachos

Thursday~ Chef salads, baked potatoes

Friday~ Sandwiches & chips before the game.

Saturday~ something on the grill....

Share what's cookin' in your kitchen at Laura's!

Heeeeeeeeeeeeere's April!

We have been on Spring Break this past week.

It has been WONDERFUL.

I got to spend lots of time with my guys, and with the newest addition to our extended family, my nephew, Nathan. Who, incidentally, is totally a doll.

And I am 100% objective on this.

I was also able to attend a coupon workshop by The Coupon Chick, which was fantastically informative!

Now we are back to the grind, back to ball practice & games, with the long push until June! Here's the plan for this week:

Monday~ Roast in the crockpot with mushrooms, mashed potatoes, leftover Swiss Beans (from Easter Sunday), homemade rolls. Baseball practice @ 5pm.

Tuesday~ Frozen lasagna, tossed salad, garlic bread. Baseball game @ 7:30pm.

Wednesday~ Breakfast for Dinner

Thursday~ Having a bunch of fellow choral directors over for a potluck dinner. Baseball game @ 5:30pm.

Friday~ Sandwiches & chips. Baseball game @ 7:30pm.

Saturday~ Hosting a cookout for our school's faculty & staff. Hubby will be the grillmaster!

The Last Menu of March!!

Hippity, hoppity, Easter's on its way!!!

We are on Spring Break this week, so menus are subject to change if I get a whim to make something else. :)

Monday~ Spaghetti, Caesar Salad, French Bread

Tuesday~ Sticky Chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli, biscuits

Wednesday~ Tacos with all the fixin's!

Thursday~ Chili Cheese Fries a la Rachael Ray

Friday~ Breakfast for Dinner

Saturday~ Soup & Sandwiches

Share what's cookin' at Laura's!

Menus and Baseball... oh how I love thee!

Well, Opening Day for our baseball season was Saturday. This means almost-daily practice and at least 2 games (sometimes 3) every week.

Here's our plan:

Sunday~ Spaghetti and french bread, at hubby's request

Monday~ BBQ pork sandwiches which did not get eaten last Wednesday (we had breakfast instead). Ball practice @ 5pm. My new nephew makes his entrance today!!!

Tuesday~ Chicken w/ mushroom gravy, egg noodles, broccoli w/ cheese sauce. Game @ 5:30pm.

Wednesday~ Frozen lasagna, tossed salad, rolls. No baseball.

Thursday~ Leftovers. Game @ 5:30pm.

Friday~ WHEW.... Spring Break begins. OUT TO EAT. No practice scheduled, but we'll probably have it...

Saturday~ something on the grill if the weather is nice.

What's on your plan?

March Menu... 3rd time's a charm.

Last week was considerably better as far as following the menu.

It was considerably wackier as far as work goes.

Which makes it all the more important to have a plan to follow.

We ate pretty much everything that was scheduled, just swapped a couple of nights around.

This week?

Another insanely busy week... but having a plan does help. So here it is.

Sunday~ Claire Robinson's Citrus-Garlic Roasted Chicken, rice, broccoli w/cheese, homemade rolls

Monday~ Leftovers (hubby has class and son #3 has ball practice)

Tuesday~ Girls' Night Out; Boys will Fend For Themselves. (My sister is pregnant with nephew #2, and is due any day. So we are having a 'last hurrah' before he comes.)

Wednesday~ BBQ Pork Sandwiches, twice-baked potatoes, and some sort of chocolatey-minty dessert thing.

Thursday~ Out to eat at Chick-fil-A. Son #3 has ball practice; I have Choral district festival all day, and Marine Son #1 will be coming in from out of town. I cannot think about cooking.

Friday~ Breakfast or pizza.

Saturday~ OPENING DAY at the ball park... ball park junkish food all day.... it only happens once a year. (That's what I tell myself...)

What's cookin' in your casa?

March Menu, Take Two

Well, last week's menu....did not happen so much. I mean, we ate leftovers on Monday and spaghetti & meatballs on Tuesday as planned, but after that, things pretty much went downhill.

Hubby has been sick... for about two months, with a lingering case of bronchitis which doesn't seem to want to go away. So he has not had much of an appetite.

Baseball practice. Enough said. No further explanation necessary.

So, here's hoping that this week will work better. The kids have standardized testing all week long, so we'll be light on practices and heavy on routine so that our guy can be at his best.

Sunday~ Leftover Marinated Flank Steak, rice, salad

Monday~ Teriyaki chicken (very similar to this), leftover rice, broccoli, crescent rolls

Tuesday~ Pasta fagioli in the crock pot, homemade rolls (it's supposed to rain so this should be a good end to the day)

Wednesday~ Pancakes & bacon (didn't get to this last week)

Thursday~ Tacos

Friday~ Mac'n'cheese (loosely based on this recipe, but I add bacon), salad

Saturday~ TBA

March Menu Plan

This weekend, I did quite a bit of cooking to prepare for baseball season and all of the other things happening in the month of March. It's a busy time for us, and all to easy to eat out, if we don't have a plan. (Sometimes we eat out even if there *IS* a plan, but if there's no plan, it's almost a certainty!)

Here is this week's plan...

Sunday~ I was not feeling well so we just picked at the food in the house. No real cooking.

Monday~ hubby has class and ds#3 has ball practice, so we'll fend for ourselves, which probably means mac'n'cheese or miscellaneous leftovers from the fridge.

Tuesday~ Spaghetti & meatballs, mozzarella sticks. Ball practice @ 6:30.

Wednesday~ BBQ pork tenderloin sandwiches (from the freezer), coleslaw, oven fries. Meeting @ 4pm.

Thursday~ Pancakes & sausage

Friday~ Rachael Ray's chili cheese fries OR out to eat after ball practice @ 5pm.

Saturday~ Flank steak (from the freezer), twice baked potatoes (from the freezer), tossed salad, rolls (made from this recipe).

Share your menus at Laura's!

March Madness - Freezer Cooking

I'm doing some cooking ahead for the busy baseball season. Crystal and Jessica are hosting the March Meal Madness and I decided to join in. Here's what I've accomplished so far:

• brown ground beef
• make double batch of Pasta Fagioli soup
• make Twice Baked Potatoes
• Cook tenderloin and shred for BBQ sandwiches

Still to do:

• make apple crisps with all the apples we have around
• bake this Really Good Bread (for which there is no official name)

Here's hoping that this bit of freezer prep will make life MUCH easier as we head into an extremely busy time of year for us!

Are you participating in March Madness? Come and share!

Last Menu of February!

So baseball started last week. Which means our menu was shot to shreds. We did not eat the Orange Chicken for the second week in a row (we went out for pizza instead). We did not have tacos (we had leftovers instead). We did not have red beans & rice until Sunday (we went out to Chick-fil-A with baseball buddies instead). We actually ate spaghetti on Monday (I broke up the burgers I made and turned them into sauce), breakfast on Wednesday, leftovers on Thursday, and had friends over to grill on Saturday. It's a good thing it's only a plan.

Hubby & I had a chat about setting limits for going out to eat during baseball season. Any mom who has to transport children to and from sports knows that dinner is always an issue. You need a snack before practice and dinner must be IMMEDIATELY afterward. After 15 years of 'doing' baseball, this routine is all too familiar to me. And we always have discussions about it. How does your family handle this?

With all that said, here is our plan for the last week of February:

Sunday~ Red beans & rice

Monday~ ball practice. Leftovers for ds#3 & me; hubby has class.

Tuesday~ BBQ chicken in the crock pot, sweet potatoes, salad, cornbread (I will not be at ball practice - Dad has the job tonight - so I can actually COOK dinner.)

Wednesday~ Tacos that we did not eat last week.

Thursday~ Pot roast in the crock pot, mashed potatoes, broccoli, rolls

Friday~ open for out to eat with teammates, etc...

Saturday~ TBD

Share your menu and find inspiration at Laura's!

Menu Plan Monday... baseball season begins.

Well, Friday was a 'snow day.'

In Florida.

Nope, I'm not kidding!

But it totally threw a wrench in my menu plans.

That, and my oldest son came home for a visit.

So on Friday, when it was sleeting/snowing, my hubby requested chili and this bread, which was perfectly suited for the weather.

And on Saturday, we ended up out to dinner.

Which means that the burgers I thawed for Saturday's dinner will have to be cooked by Tuesday.

And baseball practice begins, which means late dinners & quick meals.

Sigh.

So this week looks like this:

Sunday~ out to dinner with the fam to celebrate 25 years of marriage for my grandparents (pretty good considering each of them lost their first spouse, and this is their second marriage. They never dreamed they'd be married for 25 years!)

Monday~ baseball practice and class for hubby. Must-goes.

Tuesday~ likely another ball practice, but gotta cook those burgers. So, burgers & hotdogs with fries. Probably late.

Wednesday~ Breakfast for dinner.

Thursday~ Spaghetti & french bread

Friday~ Orange chicken, rice, broccoli, mandarin oranges

Saturday~ Friends over for dinner. TBD.

Baseball practice will probably be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday. Wednesdays are off nights. So I have to readjust to quick easy meals.

Snow and homemade bread

First, let me say that we live in Florida.

The last time it snowed in Florida was about 14 years ago.

People don't know how to behave here when it snows.

That would explain why schools were closed today.

It was freezing and wet all day, although we did not see any actual snowflakes until about 1pm. Ds#3 immediately donned his coat and ran outside to catch snow in his mouth. (Should I worry about that?)

Anyway, with such a cold day, I decided to make some homemade bread. Because it's yummy and comforting hot out of the oven on a cold day, and because the oven would help keep the house warm. I put the ingredients in the bread machine to knead the dough, and then bake in the oven (we prefer the texture from oven-baking).

And the recipe (I cannot find the source, so please forgive me)....

1 cup water

1 egg, beaten

2 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp dry milk (I subbed regular milk)

1 Tbsp up to 1/3 cup sugar (we like 1/4 cup)

1 1/2 tsp salt

3 1/2 cups flour (start with 3 cups and add as necessary - it usually turns out to be about 3 1/4 for me)

1 1/4 tsp yeast

I add all ingredients in the bread machine and put it on the 'dough' setting. When it's finished, I let rise for about 45 minutes and bake in a 350 oven.

I also use a combination of white and wheat flour for this recipe with good results (that means no complaining from my guys).

February's menu... and another pantry challenge??

I just finished our taxes. Bummer. We don't have to pay, but our refund is relatively small. Ugh. We're trying to save some money for upgrades to our house before hurricane season, so I'll be pulling from what we already have in stock, only hitting the stores for milk, bread, eggs, and REALLY AWESOME specials.

This week, we followed the plan really well. Of course, going out to eat twice helped! :) On Saturday, I had planned Chicken with mushroom gravy in the crock pot, but we still had some leftover beef tenderloin to use up. So, I sauteed some baby bella mushrooms, sliced the tenderloin very thinly, and added some gravy. I served it all over mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli on the side. Easy, cheap, and great way to use up those leftovers. (By the way, those tenderloins can be pricey - $9 on sale - but they last my family three meals, so they turn out to be a good deal!)

So, because of our slight modifications, this week will hold a couple of changes as well.

Sunday~ Rachael Ray's Chili Cheese Fries (made with leftover chili from last week, and instead of a cheese sauce, I just sprinkled shredded cheese on top). Fun treat for Superbowl Sunday!

Monday~ Hubby has class, so ds#3 & I will fend for ourselves.

Tuesday~ Pizza pie day! Pizza from our favorite local place.

Wednesday~ Potato-Bacon Torte (this is such an easy, delicious recipe!!), French Onion soup

Thursday~ Chicken in mushroom gravy, egg noodles, broccoli, rolls (looking for a good recipe - any suggestions?)

Friday~ Sandwiches & chips (Olympic opening ceremonies)

Burgers & Dogs on the grill, baked beans, fries (Baseball tryouts)

and for the next week...

Sunday~Happy Heart Day! My grandparents are renewing their wedding vows today and we are going out to eat afterward.

Monday~ Spaghetti, french bread, caesar salad, and in honor of President's Day, Apple Cherry pie for dessert

Tuesday~ Orange Chicken, (I cheat and use chicken nuggets from the freezer, so I only have to make the sauce) rice, mandarin oranges, broccoli, won tons

Wednesday~ Breakfast for dinner: eggs, bacon, grits.

Thursday~ Tacos

Friday~ Red beans & rice, cornbread

Saturday~ TBD.

Share your menu at Laura's!