Between Christmas and New Years... and getting ready for a Pantry Challenge

What a lovely time we've had, celebrating with our oldest son and his wife, with family from near and far, and with dear friends.  We are so blessed.

We have feasted immensely, so in January, we'll be working on a Pantry Challenge.  I will be gone for a week, so during that week, all bets will be off, so to speak, but when I am home, we'll be eating in.

Here's what we have planned for the week ahead:
Sunday~  chili after church.  The guys are going out in the evening to watch the Steelers football game.
Monday~ weekend leftovers
Tuesday~ Barbecue: brisket for hubs & chicken for ds#3 & me
Wednesday~ vegetable soup
Thursday~ Ham slices (frozen & packaged from Christmas), sautéed kale, scalloped potatoes, scalloped butternut squash (like the sweet potato-butternut squash gratin, but only with the squash - because that's what I've got on hand!), broccoli
Friday~ Easy peasy tomato soup with homemade croutons
Saturday~ Turkey breast w/ homemade gravy (hubs smoked it last week), greens, mashed potatoes, cranberry-cherry sauce, broccoli

And that should take us back to work, and into the Pantry Challenge!

If you have not planned menus for your family dinners before, I highly encourage you to jump in for the new year!  Even if something goes awry and you can't follow the plan, it's much easier to switch gears to adapt than to create something when the family is moody and hungry.  Check out Menu Plan Monday for tons of ideas and resources!

Christmas Week menu

I can't believe that Christmas vacation is here.
Or that this year is winding down so quickly.
Even my 14 year old commented about how fast time was flying.
So this week, our menu is filled with lots of celebrating with family and friends.... and trying to rest and savor the moments.

Mom's Lasagna

Sunday~ lunch with my parents - my mom's famous lasagna.  I'm bringing a big green salad, and she's got a chocolate ganache cake for dessert.
Monday~ out to dinner with friends
Tuesday~ annual Christmas dinner & gift exchange with my grandparents.  We all go out to eat at a local restaurant, then go back to their house for presents & dessert.  I'm in charge of bringing cookies.

Swiss beans

Wednesday~ Christmas Eve - our son & daughter-in-law come in!! Beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes, Swiss beans, green salad, marinated mushrooms, homemade pumpkin pie and a flourless chocolate torte.
Thursday~ ds#1 and his wife will be headed off to her parents' house in the afternoon, so we're having a Christmas brunch (a first in this house!) - ham, scrambled eggs, cinnamon rolls, maple-citrus salad.
Friday~ leftovers from the big day
Saturday~ my family is coming over to have Christmas with the newlyweds, so we will have a sandwich & salad bar with chips and whatever dessert anyone wants to bring.

My sweet boy is now taller than me - even when I'm wearing heels.  He passed my flat-footed self earlier this year, but now, I don't even have shoes that will make me taller than he is!  We're still doing our best to eat mostly Paleo during this season... I'm being very intentional about lots of veggies wherever I can.  But we will focus on enjoying our time with those we love, and remembering the Reason for the season.  Merry Christmas!