The Testosterone Palace

The week of travel

2012-02-13T09:54:00.000-08:00

This week, we are traveling....

Marine Son is returning from deployment

and we are going to see him!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not much of a menu plan as we are on the road -
Saturday, we packed a picnic lunch and stopped at a state park to eat lunch. That night, we stopped at a Cracker Barrell for dinner.

Sunday~ breakfast at Cracker Barrell, visited the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum, lunch at Wendy's on the road
Monday~ another Cracker Barrell breakfast, looking at pizza for dinner
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday~ eating on the road
We hope to be home by Friday!
Saturday~ burgers on the grill AT HOME :)

Share your menu at Menu Plan Monday!

February menu, week 2

2012-02-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

What an exciting week lies ahead!

We are getting ready to meet our Marine Son - he is due to return from deployment and we can't wait to have him back in the States.

We are also wrapping up History Fair...

Dinners this week will be of the using-up-leftovers and quick-and-easy varieties.

Sunday~ SUPERBOWL! Sliders and hotdogs, chips & salsa
Monday~ Ds#3 has an Art Show at school, so we'll pick him up, see the art, and go out to eat
Tuesday~ Hubs has a History Fair meeting, and ds#3 will 'practice' for his interview with the judges, then we're out to eat with a friend
Wednesday~ Leftover roast and mashed potatoes
Thursday~ Breakfast for dinner
Friday~ Frozen pizza
Saturday~ on the road... picnic lunch at a state park on the way

Last week....

Our taco night was a success. Woo hoo! (It only took a month...)
I burned our spaghetti crockpot dinner. It was sad. And gross.

So we went out to eat.

I also finished handling the last of 40 pounds of ground beef.
Have I mentioned just how much meat that is????

I made hamburger patties & froze them
I made sliders for Super Bowl Sunday
I also tried making homemade beef sausage, and hubs (the sausage connoisseur) actually liked it!!!

Here's the recipe I used:
Approx. 2 lbs ground beef
1 tsp diced onion
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground sage
2 tsp salt

Mix together, and let sit in refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight.
Shape into links or patties. Fry in pan or cook in oven at 325.
Can also be used as crumbles in homemade "skillets".

Share your menu marvels at Menu Plan Monday!

The end of January's Pantry Challenge...and our menu

2012-01-29T13:24:00.000-08:00

Well, overall, the pantry challenge was less successful than I wanted it to be, but not too terrible.

We went out to eat once a week, which I was not pleased about, but took one for the team.
We did reasonably well with shopping, as I really did try to limit trips to necessities only.
We did make a large purchase of ground beef through Zaycon Foods, and have been pleased with the quality and the price. Forty pounds of ground beef is a lot. More than it sounds. A LOT.

We will probably continue the pantry challenge in some way this month - gotta think about it and devise a plan!

So this week? Here's what's cookin':

Sunday~ Chili in the crockpot, served with noodles and shredded cheese
Monday~ Taco salad (have not been successful with a taco night at home yet... but I'm determine to try!)
Tuesday~ Spaghetti in the crockpot (both Mom & Dad have meetings after school, so we need something waiting for us)
Wednesday~ Roast in the crockpot, green beans (the crockpot is getting some L-O-V-E this week!!!)
Thursday~ Breakfast for dinner
Friday~ Frozen pizza, tossed salad
Saturday~ Burgers on the grill

Share what's cookin' in your casa at Menu Plan Monday!

Menu, Pantry Challenge, and the end of January

2012-01-22T13:05:00.000-08:00

Well, this week was amazing.
Amazingly crazy.
On Wednesday, I took LOTS of middle school girls to an opera.
On Friday, I tool LOTS of middle school boys to a "Men Sing" day at our local university.
Talk about your contrasts.

Anyway, the menu got a little wacky this week, but we managed.
Here's the plan for this week:

Sunday~ moving Marinated Flank Steak to today when I've got time to cook it. Will serve with a tossed salad.
Monday~ Ham slices (frozen from Christmas), blackeyed peas (from the garden this summer), rice, collards (also from the garden)
Tuesday~ Breakfast for dinner: cheese grits, biscuits, eggs, bacon/sausage
Wednesday~ Leftovers (there are plenty - roast with gravy, grilled chicken, etc.)
Thursday~ Frozen pizza, tossed salad
Friday~ French onion soup
Saturday~ Out to eat for my sister's b-day

Breakfast consists of eggs for hubs and waffles for ds#3 (I use whole wheat flour).
I'm not a big breakfast fan, and have to wait to eat breakfast because of meds, so it's usually something like cheese toast.

Lunches are leftovers for hubs & me, and pb&j or 'pizza burritos' for ds#3 (pepperoni & cheese rolled in a tortilla).

Check out Menu Plan Monday for some inspiration, or visit the Pantry Challenge to boost your creativity!

Week 3 of the January Pantry Challenge

2012-01-15T13:48:00.000-08:00

Well.
I feel like a failure at the Pantry Challenge so far.
We went out to eat on Friday...
Not because I wanted to, but it is a way for the family to release some stress...

So hopefully this week will go a little better. It's going to be REALLY busy, but we have a plan, so that should help.

Should.

I hope.

Chocolate helps, too.

Sunday~ Pasta Fagioli
Monday~ Steak, sausage, and chicken on the grill
Tuesday~ Meatballs, gravy with mushrooms, egg noodles, green beans
Wednesday~ Mom is taking the girls in choir to see Madama Butterfly, so the guys will fend for themselves
Thursday~ Tacos (we've gone out to eat for Mexican once a week since we began this challenge... so this week, we're trying for a meal at home...)
Friday~ BBQ pork, collards, baked onion rings
Saturday~ Flank steak on the grill, tossed salad (Mom has a rehearsal so Dad will be in charge of dinner!)

Here's to a more successful week...

Share your menu at Menu Plan Monday and get inspired by the Pantry Challenge!

Pantry Challenge update - midweek

2012-01-11T18:02:00.000-08:00

I'm participating the Pantry Challenge at Good Cheap Eats this month. It's a good way to use up groceries, discover freezer adventures, and trim the budget!

This week has been going fairly well - I had to revise the original plan because I wasn't going out of town as I thought when I made our menu. We've followed the plan thus far, except I switched our beef roast to Wednesday, and we'll do tacos on Thursday.

I did order some ground beef from Zaycon Foods this month. I have ordered their chicken before and been pleased, so I'm hoping it will go as well with the beef.

Can't wait for the long weekend ahead!!!

Pantry Challenge: The plan as it was...and the changes

2012-01-08T06:26:00.000-08:00

Here was the original plan:
8~ Turkey (from the freezer) & gravy, stuffing, broccoli with cheese OR green beans
9~ Taco Night! (I'm going out of town later this week, so gotta get it in early)
10~ Hubby & ds#3 are attending a dinner together, so Mom's on her own
11~ Leftovers
12 - 14 ~ I could make dinners, but I'm going out of town to a conference, and I know my guys will eat out...so I'm not going to obsess about it.

I am no longer going to be out of town, so here's the amended plan:
Sunday~ Turkey (from the freezer) with gravy, stuffing, green beans (this has not changed)
Monday~ Breakfast for Dinner (change #1)
Tuesday~ ds#3 has artwork on display at an art gallery downtown - thinking I might take him to the reception, then meet dh at a local seafood restaurant as planned
Wednesday~ Since I'll be home... Taco Night! (change #2)
Thursday~ Roast in the crockpot, whole wheat egg noodles, tossed salad (change #3...moved from last week)
Friday~ Either macho nachos with taco leftovers OR pasta fagioli (bump up from next week)
Saturday~ Leftovers

Share your progress on the Pantry Challenge at Good Cheap Eats.
Revel in menu marvels with Menu Plan Monday at Organized Junkie.

Pantry Challenge update

2012-01-07T14:05:00.000-08:00

I've been participating in the Pantry Challenge at Good Cheap Eats. This week has been a decent week, with a couple of changes (what else is new??) but overall, successful.

Wednesday, we went out to eat, because I walked in the door later than usual, hubs was starving when I got there, and he wanted to go to our fave Mexican spot. So we did.

Thursday, I made chili mac as scheduled and it was YUM!

Friday, roast was on the menu.... but I discovered a container of beef chunks with mushrooms and some kind of gravy, so I decided to be brave and toss that in the crockpot with a little more gravy. I came home to discover a yummy concoction, hot and ready to eat. Just heated some egg noodles, and dinner was on. (Small triumph!)

Saturday, we'll see a reappearance of Thursday's chili. This was not on the planned menu, but hubs wants to watch football, so my take on Rachael Ray's Chili Cheese Fries is what's for dinner! I'll roast the potato wedges in the oven, pour on my chili, and top with cheese. Happy people! :) Oh.... and for lunch on Saturday, I passed off some dried out chicken as BBQ chicken sandwiches (SMOTHERED - and I do mean SMOTHERED - in BBQ sauce.) My boy was delighted - he ate two.

I *did* go to the store this week - mostly for non-food items (Rx, toilet paper, etc.), but I did pick up some tea bags and cheese. So far, so good!

I won't be going out of town next week as planned, so I'll shift a few things around to accommodate dinner.

Every day's an adventure - join in the Pantry Challenge and share yours!

Failure and Success... Pantry Challenge

2012-01-05T16:59:00.000-08:00

Well, yesterday was a total FAIL for the Pantry Challenge. I got away from school late, and consequently was a little behind picking up ds#3, and when I got home, hubby was ready to eat. As in NOW. I had planned to make tacos, and actually could have thrown them together quickly, but hubs said, "I hate to see you walk in the door and go straight to cooking. Let's go out."

There was no point in arguing...

So we went out.

But tonight...
The crockpot comes to the rescue!!!

I actually put everything in there last night, so all I had to do was put in the 'pot', plug it in, and let it go before work. We came home, and the chili was ready. All I had to do was boil noodles.

Yum! (And success.)
I made my chili with roasted tomatoes from this summer's garden - I pureed them after they were thawed. Then I tossed in a can of Rotel (that I bought on sale, of course). Added my already-cooked-and-frozen ground beef, and red and black beans that I soaked and cooked ahead of time. Tossed in a few spices, and it was yummy.

And for dessert? Who doesn't love cookies??? ;)

Share your pantry triumphs at the Pantry Challenge!!

Pantry Challenge...here we go

2012-01-02T19:30:00.000-08:00

Jessica at Life As Mom and Good Cheap Eats is hosting a Pantry Challenge for the month of January. This is something I've done for the past couple of years, as it helps us to trim our eating AND our spending after the holidays.

My goals for this month are:
to minimize trips to the grocery store by using what we have
buy milk, bread, and fresh veg only when ABSOLUTELY necessary
clean out my deep freeze by eating what's in there already

So today...
Dinner was stuffed peppers and spaghetti. I used peppers from our garden, and stuffed them for hubby. Then I made a sauce from tomatoes I'd roasted and frozen during the summer when they were ~~coming out of our ears~~ so abundant. I boiled pasta for ds and me, and that was dinner - simple, satisfying, comforting on the first day back to school for the new year.

Tomorrow's plan has already been amended -
hubby has an after-school meeting and is taking some folks to dinner, so ds & I will have something simple - probably some kind of leftovers - here at the house.

And we'll see how it goes!

January Pantry Challenge - menu for the month!

2012-01-01T05:38:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Here's to a year full of blessings!

Every year in January, I map out a menu for the month. It's my goal to minimize trips to the grocery store, to use what we have, or to creatively do without. I'll buy milk, maybe some bread, and perhaps a little fresh produce, but for the most part, we'll eat what we've already purchased.

For the past couple of years, I've joined Jessica at Life As Mom and Good Cheap Eats in this challenge. It holds me accountable, and gives me a few ideas as I try to use all my creative tricks in staying away from the stores!

So, without further ado, here's January's plan:

Sunday~ Happy New Year! Ham, blackeyed peas (from our garden), collards (also from the garden), a little rice, and a little beef tenderloin and swiss beans left from our New Year's Eve dinner
Monday~ Spaghetti and stuffed peppers (this is comfort food for us, and our first day back to school is going to require some comforting food!)
Tuesday~ Taco Night! Taco salad, quesadillas (my guys have informed me this should be a weekly tradition)
Wednesday~ Breakfast for dinner: eggs, bacon, grits, biscuits
Thursday~ Chili Mac (use any leftover meat from Taco Night)
Friday~ Roast in the crockpot, mushrooms, egg noodles, green beans
Saturday~ East meets West Chicken, homemade mac'n'cheese, coleslaw

8~ Turkey (from the freezer) & gravy, stuffing, broccoli with cheese OR green beans
9~ Taco Night! (I'm going out of town later this week, so gotta get it in early)
10~ Hubby & ds#3 are attending a dinner together, so Mom's on her own
11~ Leftovers
12 - 14 ~ I could make dinners, but I'm going out of town to a conference, and I know my guys will eat out...so I'm not going to obsess about it.

15~ Pasta Fagioli (already prepped and in the freezer - just add pasta when soup is cooked)
16~ MLK Holiday: Grilled chicken, steak, and burgers
17~ Meatballs w/brown gravy, egg noodles, green beans or salad
18~ Leftovers/Fend For Yourself (Taking girls from school to see a local production of Madame Butterfly)
19~ Taco Night!
20~ BBQ chicken, baked potatoes, collard greens
21~ Marinated flank steak, tossed salad

22~ Ham slices (frozen after Christmas), blackeyed peas, mac'n'cheese or these 5-minute individual potato gratins
23~ Breakfast for dinner
24~ Roast & gravy, French onion soup (which we still haven't had) green beans
25~ Taco Night
26~ Frozen Pizza, salad
27~ Spaghetti and stuffed peppers
28~ Leftovers or something on the grill

29~ Chili
30~ My sister's birthday -probably dinner out with the fam
31~ WHEW - we made it - OUT TO EAT!

As always, I share my menu plans at Laura's Menu Plan Monday,

and this month I'll be linking up to the Pantry Challenge too.

Come on in!

It's a Pantry Challenge for January

2011-12-28T11:05:00.000-08:00

January is the perfect month for a Pantry Challenge in our house. After all the huge menus from Thanksgiving to Christmas, our waistlines AND our checkbooks could use a little scaling back.

Every year in January, I plan our menus for the month, to use up what we've got. I will go to the store and get milk and VERY necessary items, but for the most part, I'll use it up, make do with what we have, or change the plan and do without.

Jessica at Good Cheap Eats is sponsoring this challenge. She keeps running posts on what her family eats that day, and how they adapt for this challenge. I usually post weekly, but may try posting daily, just to keep track of my details.

Join in!

From Christmas to New Years Eve... our menu

2011-12-25T17:58:00.000-08:00

What a Christmas...

Airman Son arrived on Friday evening just in time to have dinner with our extended family - grandparents, great-grandparents, and aunt, uncle, and nephews. It was amazing to have him home.

The weather was rainy, in the 70s, and very un-Christmas-like. But on Saturday...

...ds#3 got a letter from Marine Son.

As soon as he found out he had mail, he raced to get it, and sat down immediately to read it. He loves his big brother. AND... his brother loves him. It's enough to make a mama teary. Then, as soon as he'd finished the letter, Marine Son called! He was overjoyed. It was almost more than he could stand.

It's now Christmas evening, and everyone is enjoying their presents while Mom & Dad relax. Here's our plan for this week:

Sunday~ Merry Christmas!! Ham, roasted potatoes, Swiss beans, fried okra (Airman Son's fave), crescent rolls (another fave). Chocolate cake, apple cherry pie, and ice cream pie for dessert. Very full!!!

Monday~ Shopping day with my nieces. We'll have leftovers for dinner.

Tuesday~ Greek Fest! Because we haven't had enough to eat yet. My brother and nieces are in town, and we'll pull out some Greek delicacies that we've purchased to enjoy a feast: moussaka, pastitso, tiropeta, Greek salad, and some grilled chicken for non-Greek fans.

Wednesday~ Lunch at a wonderful seafood restaurant before my brother & nieces head back out of town. We did this last year and it was scrumptious, but we were so full that no one was hungry for dinner, so I'm not planning any.

Thursday~ Ina Garten's ham and cheese in puff pastry, tossed salad.

Friday~ French onion soup (that I've planned several times, but we've not eaten it yet), potato bacon torte

Saturday~ Undecided yet - probably Mexican, with a family movie night planned

Check out Menu Plan Monday for inspiration or to share in the brilliance!

It's finally here... CHRISTMAS! (and vacation)

2011-12-18T11:21:00.000-08:00

Last week, our menu was a little wacky, but we survived. Things got shuffled around to accommodate that thing called LIFE, and we made it work.

This week, we learned that Airman Son will be in on Thursday evening/Friday morning (WOO HOO!!!) so the menus will definitely reflect his preferences.

We made it to Christmas vacation.... here's to a little relaxing!

Sunday~ Sandwiches for lunch, out to eat after a parent/child bowling tourney
Monday~ Tacos and nachos
Tuesday~ French Onion Soup (rain is in the forecast)
Wednesday~ Party with friends, ds#3 spends the night with the grandparents
Thursday~ Spaghetti and stuffed peppers
Friday~ Our traditional outing with my grandparents: out to eat then back to their house for desserts and presents
Saturday~ Dinner and present-opening at my parents' house
Sunday~ CHRISTMAS DAY!!! Honey Baked Ham, Swiss Beans, Fried Okra (ds#2's fave), Crescent Rolls, Mashed Potatoes. Wow. Already I feel full.

And there's more beyond that...
but I'll wait till next week. ;)

Share your menus at Menu Plan Monday.

The week that school gets out!!! Menu...

2011-12-12T05:18:00.000-08:00

Last week's menu went fairly well, as I resisted hubs's advances to go out to eat until Friday - I could hold him off no longer.

Ds#3 and I did make sugar cookies on Sunday night.

11~The bowling tournament that would never end resulted in a trip for pizza.
12~ Meatballs, with either tomato sauce & noodles, or brown gravy, mashed potatoes & broccoli
13~ Out to eat then shopping with ds#3 (part one of History Fair for Dad)
14~ Quesadillas (ds#3's fave)
15~ Out to eat with the fam after ds#3's Christmas play! (part two of History Fair)
16~ Hamburgers & hotdogs....
CHRISTMAS VACATION BEGINS!!

**campout in the living room**

17~ Turkey rice soup, sandwiches

Come share your menu marvels at Menu Plan Monday!

Christmas is coming... the goose is getting fat!

2011-12-04T16:54:00.000-08:00

Last week, I mapped out a plan for us up until Christmas Vacation begins.
(WOO HOO!!!!)
I also made homemade donuts, using this recipe form the Pioneer Woman. (But I baked them instead of frying.) They got two thumbs up from ds#3.

Then, hubs announced his plan to go back to a protein-heavy diet, which makes it challenging with some of the menus I've got planned.
So... we'll probably have some revisions, but here's where we stand.
4~ Nachos (use leftover taco meat from Wed)5~ Breakfast for Dinner
6~ **CONCERT NIGHT** Pasta Fagioli in crockpot
(prepare pasta separately; combine to serve)
7~ Pepper Steak, rice
8~ Leftovers **CONCERT NIGHT**
9~ ~~Frozen Pizza~~ this already got taken from the freezer, so I'll have to come up with some other marvelous idea...
10~ Chili Mac **Christmas Parade**

It's a very busy week, but having a plan makes it much easier. This time next week, all of my pressing duties will be over, and I'll feel like I'm on vacation already!

Share your menus at Menu Plan Monday!

Trying to get organized...and the menu...

2011-11-27T11:19:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was a wonderful holiday....
it had the potential for lots of drama, but things settled down nicely and everyone enjoyed a feast - and the company of the family.

It is a tradition that my mom, my sister and I all go shopping on Black Friday. Last year, we got up to go with the crazy people that stay out all night and fight to get in the doors first. We decided we will NOT do that one again.

Instead, we met at 6:00 a.m., had breakfast, and then began our shopping. We had a marvelous time and did not, thankfully, run into any maniacs.

So I've spent the past couple of days trying to organize the month of December, knowing that it will be very busy. I've mapped out our calendar with all the events, and tried to plan menus up until we get out of school. I've also put together an advent/activity calendar for ds#3... to help us all stay focused on the Reason for the Season.

And so, here's what's coming up:
Sunday~ Chicken noodle soup, biscuits (it's raining all day here, so we changed to soup)
Monday~ Beef tips & gravy with mushrooms in the crockpot, green beans, leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving
Tuesday~ Turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole
Wednesday~ Tacos (using this taco seasoning from Heavenly Homemakers) & Quesadillas

And December:
1~ Spaghetti & stuffed peppers
2~ Sausage with peppers & onions
3~ Sticky chicken, hm mac'n'cheese, collards, corn

**set up nativity, put up outside lights**

4~ Nachos (use leftover taco meat from Wed)

**watch "It's A Wonderful Life"**

5~ Breakfast for Dinner
6~ Pasta Fagioli in crockpot
(prepare pasta separately; combine to serve)

**CONCERT NIGHT**

7~ Pepper Steak, rice
8~ Leftovers **CONCERT NIGHT**
9~ Frozen Pizza
10~ Chili Mac **Christmas Parade**
11~ Alice Springs Chicken, green beans

**make sugar cookies**

12~ Out to eat :)
13~ Meatballs, with either tomato sauce & noodles, or brown gravy, mashed potatoes & broccoli
14~ Quesadillas (part one of History Fair for Dad)
15~ Out to eat with the fam after ds#3's Christmas play! (part two of History Fair)
16~ Hamburgers & hotdogs....
CHRISTMAS VACATION BEGINS!!

**campout in the living room**

17~ Turkey rice soup, sandwiches

We'll check the status at that point, and make a plan for the rest of the month.

Share your menu marvels at Menu Plan Monday!

Game of Your Life

2011-11-23T06:38:00.000-08:00

P&G and Walmart have
teamed up to design family movies that ensure everyone wins.
Their latest creation: "Game of Your Life."

http://www.vocalpoint.com/GameLifeBlog

Team up with everyone you know for a chance to win $5,000 for your favorite grade school or high school. All you have to do is register and watch the trailer for "Game of Your Life." It's a humorous and heartfelt video gaming drama about a promising young video game designer who has to make a choice that will affect his future and the lives of everyone around him. Then ask all your friends, family, teachers, fellow parents and PTO members – everyone you know – to watch it so they can vote for your school once a day, too. Because if any one of the people you tell wins, your school wins $5,000.

Zach, a high school gamer who lands a scholarship to an elite video game design program, has a bright future as long as he can survive the intense freshman year project that eliminates half the class in the first three months. But when Zach learns that his father is in financial trouble, he has to make a choice that will affect his future and the lives of everyone around him.This humorous and heartfelt drama is a great reminder to kids – and all of us – that the choices they make impact the people around them. “Game
of Your Life” airs Friday, December 2nd 8/7c on NBC.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) 18 or older as of the last day of the month prior to the date of entry. Ends 12/2/11. To enter and for Official Rules, including odds, and prize description, visit http://tremor.promo.eprize.com/gameofyourlife/ Void where prohibited.

To Thanksgiving...and beyond!

2011-11-20T11:02:00.000-08:00

I'm so thankful to have my family surrounding me at the holidays.

I'm missing my two oldest boys terribly, and looking forward to a holiday when we are ALL here. This year, the Marine is deployed and the Airman cannot get leave. So goes life as a military mom.

And still, we must eat! :)

Sunday~ Spaghetti (sauce in the crockpot... how I love that thing!!)
Monday~ Sticky chicken, sweet potatoes, peas
Tuesday~ Chili mac
Wednesday~ Bowling for my guys... so I'll be doing something....
Thursday~ HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!! Turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, swiss beans, mashed potatoes, rice, gravy, and all manner of sweets for dessert.
Friday~ This is our traditional "shop-til-we-drop" day for my mom & sis. It's probably be leftovers for dinner, or something I throw in the crockpot.
Saturday~ Tacos, or burgers if hubby feels like grilling

And the following week:
Sunday~ Beef tips and gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans
Monday~ Breakfast for Dinner
Tuesday~ Turkey sandwiches and various leftovers
Wednesday~ Bowling night for hubby=simple supper for ds#3 and me

That brings us to DECEMBER.... how life is flying by.

Share in the marvelous menu madness at Menu Plan Monday!

Just when you thought it was crazy...

2011-11-13T11:47:00.000-08:00

...there's a full moon.
And then it REALLY gets crazy.
Like last week.

We did stick to the menu reasonably well, but it was an insanely busy, crazy, mixed-up week. One we would not like to repeat.

So this week...
Sunday~ Stuffed peppers
Monday~ Out to dinner for my BIL's b-day
Tuesday~ Breakfast for dinner (some fun ideas are listed here: http://blog.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/2011/09/30/breakfast-for-dinner-recipes/ )
Wednesday~ Fend For Yourself (hubby's bowling night)
Thursday~ Beef tips & gravy with mushrooms and green beans (similar to these: http://www.southernplate.com/2009/04/steak-tips-over-rice-and-the-significance-of-a-doughnut-shop.html )
Friday~ Some kind of chicken to be determined...
Saturday~ Hubby's History Club Workday, Bowling Tourney. Out to eat.

Link up with Menu Plan Monday at Laura's!

November waits for no mom...

2011-11-06T03:50:00.000-08:00

Well.
There was very limited activity in the kitchen last week.
Friday evening was the first night that we were all at home to eat dinner together, so we had spaghetti. Saturday, I scored a great deal on some steaks, so we had grilled steak and sauteed mushrooms. Simple, but very yummy!

This week will be hectic too, but hopefully I've got a better game plan.

Sunday~ BBQ chicken (not grilled - with barbeque sauce), collard greens, mac'n'cheese
Monday~ Dinner in the crockpot: chili
Tuesday~ Fend For Yourself/Leftovers... big county-wide concert for me (ds#3 will come too) and big meeting for hubby
Wednesday~ Leftovers... hubs goes bowling
Thursday~ Soup - maybe French onion (I've got some in the freezer)
Friday~ Veterans Day Holiday: burgers on the grill. Thank you to all who have served and are currently serving!
Saturday~ TBA

Share in the menu madness at Menu Plan Monday!

Out of whack, out of month... trying to get back on the wagon

2011-10-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

Well, the end of October is upon us.
I planned a menu for the whole month.
And as I look at the calendar, it did not happen as I planned.
At all.

Sigh.

The plan for this week goes like this:
23 - ~~Beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes, swiss beans~~ I actually made this earlier in the month, so Sunday's menu was beef tips with mushrooms, green beans, and rice & gravy
24 - Teacher plan day...it needs to be something with chicken but I haven't figured out what yet... maybe chicken parm that I never made earlier this month
25 - Tomato soup, sandwiches
26 - Sausage w/peppers
27 - My baby boy is 11... his choice! (At this point, all I know is that he wants a homemade birthday cake.... "because ELEVEN is a big deal, you know.")
28 - Family dinner out for birthday
29 - Birthday party food

October week #3

2011-10-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

Well.
I ended up not cooking at ALL this week.
Seriously... that never happens.

We savored every moment of the Greek Festival this weekend, and I'm sad to see it go, but happy to have an order form to get some of those goodies in December!!!

The plan for this week:
16 - Beef tenderloin, green beans, perhaps potatoes
17- Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A
18- Mom has late rehearsal - meet my guys for dinner
19- Sweet & Spicy Kielbasa
20- French Onion Soup
21- ~~Chicken with mushroom gravy, egg noodles, green beans~~ hubby has requested no chicken this week, as that is ALL he ate at the conference last weekend... so we'll probably go with leftovers
22- Tacos

Share what's cookin' in your casa at Menu Plan Monday!

October, week #2

2011-10-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

Last week, our plan went reasonably well, with just a few modifications.
This week, hubs is off to a conference, and our local Greek Festival takes place, so ds#3 and I will be enjoying every second of it!!!!
The plan....

9 - ~~Chicken/Eggplant/Meatball Parmigiana~~ mish mash of pasta & sandwiches
10- Pasta Fagioli
11- Leftovers (hubs has dinner meeting)
12- Leftovers part 2 (bowling night)
13- Leftovers part 3 (Dad's out of town)
14- Local Greek Festival!!!
15- Greek!!!

It's an easy week for me, as we try to use up all the leftovers before Dad goes out of town. We'll see how it works out....

Share your plan at Menu Plan Monday!

Welcome, October!

2011-10-02T13:55:00.000-07:00

I love, love, LOVE my crockpot.
Have I mentioned that lately??

This weekend, we had a lovely cold snap that sent night time temps into the 50s, which just happened to correspond with the first weekend of October. What a nice start!
(It will probably be back up into the 90s later this week, but we'll enjoy the 'fall' that we can get while it's here.)

On to our menu....
Sunday~ Leftover grilled meats from Saturday (chicken, sausage, burgers, hotdogs, steaks....take your pick!)
Monday~ Spaghetti (hubby's request), tossed salad
Tuesday~ Roast in the crockpot, green beans, rice
Wednesday~ Leftovers (hubby has bowling, and ds#3 & I will probably go see the great-grandparents)
Thursday~ Breakfast for Dinner. YUM!
Friday~ Out to eat at our favorite local Mexican restaurant
Saturday~ Leavin' it open...

I made a rough plan for the rest of the month as well:
9 - Chicken/Eggplant/Meatball Parmigiana
10- Pasta Fagioli
11- Open
12- Leftovers (bowling night)
13- Leftovers part 2 (Dad's out of town)
14- Local Greek Festival!!!
15- Greek!!!
16- Last Day to eat Greek... YUMMMMM!!!!!!
17- Crock pot Pepper Steak, rice, peas
18- Boys out, Mom has late rehearsal
19- Sweet & Spicy Kielbasa
20- French Onion Soup
21- Chicken with mushroom gravy, egg noodles, green beans
22- Tacos
23- Open
24- Beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes, swiss beans
25- Tomato soup, sandwiches
26- Sausage w/peppers
27- My baby boy is 11... his choice!
28- Family dinner out for birthday
29- Birthday party food
30- Beef stroganoff, rice, green beans
31- Open

Share your plan or get ideas from 300+ menus at Menu Plan Monday!

Last menu for September

2011-09-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

We followed last week's plan relatively well...
so here's hoping we're equally successful this week!

(BTW, Saturday, I made burgers & hotdogs, so those will make repeat appearances this week.)

Sunday~ Local seafood festival with extended family to celebrate my dad's birthday. YUM!

Monday~ the Bourbon Chicken that we've been putting off, with fresh green beans that we just picked from our second round in the garden
Tuesday~ Leftover burgers & dogs. Open House at school.
Wednesday~ Taco soup in the crock pot
Thursday~ Another crockpot meal... (LOVE IT!) Pepper steak, whole wheat egg noodles, green beans
Friday~ Must-goes or out to eat.
Saturday~ TBA

Share your menus at Menu Plan Monday!

Two weeks in September...

2011-09-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

Last week, I did not post at all...
It was crazy and insane AND a full moon...
And I think that many of my students were howling at it!!!!

So anyway, we did eat last week:

leftover chicken, blackeyed peas, collards, corn salad
out to dinner as a treat for my family who volunteered to notarize a ton of papers for my students
stuffed peppers, eggplant, and pasta
pork BBQ sandwiches
out to eat (again...)
chili

And the plan for this week?
Well....
Sunday~ Sticky chicken, orzo pasta, collards, blackeyed peas, corn on the cob
Monday~ School Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A
Tuesday~ Macho Nachos (using leftover chili)
Wednesday~ Sausage with peppers & onions
Thursday~ Open House night. Out to dinner.
Friday~ Celebrating my dad's birthday with a surprise dinner. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy, Swiss beans, biscuits, cake & ice cream. YUM!
Saturday~ TBA

Share your menus at Laura's Menu Plan Monday!

September Menu #1

2011-09-04T17:50:00.000-07:00

September has arrived!

We've had our first tropical storm, and we're about halfway through the season. I hope the second half is as quiet as the first.

Our garden is exploding with blackeyed peas and eggplant. We've also got bell peppers and collards galore. I'm so thankful for my husband's green thumb... and desperately in need of some creativity to use all this gorgeous produce.

So...
Here's our plan for the week. We'll see how well we follow it!

Sunday~ Sausage, hotdogs, hamburgers

Monday~ LABOR DAY holiday! I'll decide then.

Tuesday~ Beef stroganoff (using leftover eye of round from the freezer), mushrooms, whole wheat egg noodles, tossed salad

Wednesday~ Stuffed peppers, spaghetti, salad

Thursday~ Mom has an evening meeting. Leftovers or out to eat.

Friday~ Taco salad

Saturday~ BBQ chicken, collards, blackeyed peas, corn on the cob or corn salad

Share your menus at Menu Plan Monday!

The last week of August/start of September menu

2011-08-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

We never had our Bourbon Chicken last week, and on Saturday I scored some great deals on reduced meat, so we grilled. We'll be eating some of those throughout the week.

The lunchbox menu worked pretty well too!!

Sunday~ Steaks (from Sat) on the grill, stuffed mushrooms, tossed salad

Monday~ Pork BBQ (from the crock pot), baked beans, mac'n'cheese
Lunchbox: PB&J, juice, fruit snacks, cheese stick, choc chip cookie

Tuesday~ Omelets (we haven't had them yet either)
Lunchbox: Lunchable

Wednesday~ Leftover hamburgers, hotdogs & sausages
Lunchbox: Slim Jim, cheese sticks, milk box, granola bar

Thursday~ Out to eat with a friend at our fave local Mexican restaurant
Lunchbox: PB&J, cheez-its, juice, choc chip cookie

Friday~ Something easy, but I'm not sure what yet...
Lunchbox: Lunchable

Saturday~ Out to eat with the fam (it's my birthday!)

Woo Hoo!!! Labor Day Weekend.... we're going to ENJOY it.

Share your menus at Menu Plan Monday.

And school begins... and the menu goes on...

2011-08-21T04:37:00.000-07:00

It has arrived... Monday, everyone goes back to school!
We followed last week's menu pretty well, except that instead of Bourbon Chicken on Friday, we had spaghetti. We needed some comfort food.

So here's hoping the menu this week makes life a little less stressful for everyone. :)
Sun 21st~ Tacos
Mon 22nd~ ~~Spaghetti, cheese crisps, tossed salad~~ Subbing the Bourbon Chicken in here, with brown rice and green beans (lunchbox: PB&J, cheez-its, brownie, juice)

Tues 23rd~Crockpot Roast, pearl onions, green beans, mashed potatoes (lunchbox: Slim Jim, cheese stick, granola bar, milk)
Wed 24th~ Omelets w/veggies, fruit (lunchbox: Lunchable. Yes, I know. A mom needs a break sometime, and it's a treat for him)
Thurs 25th~ Stuffed peppers, leftover Spaghetti (lunchbox: PB&J, fruit snacks, granola bar, juice)
Fri 26th~ Frozen pizza, tossed salad (lunchbox: Slim Jim, cheese stick, cheez-its, homemade cookie, milk)
Sat 27th~ Open... after the first week with students back, we may be in hiding... ;)

Lunches for hubs and I will be leftovers or salads.

Check out Menu Plan Monday for more menu inspiration.

The end of our summer and August menu #3

2011-08-13T20:54:00.000-07:00

We officially return to school this week.
Back to routines.
Goodbye, lazy mornings, and hello, let's get moving!

(Last week's menu was very successful, and the only thing I didn't make was the Watermelon Lime Slushies. Which I really want to try this week.)

So I've actually planned out the rest of the month.
AND I took the giant leap of writing out breakfast, lunch, and dinner for our return to school. Which brought some huge revelations to me!

I pack lunch for my son every day. We tried the school lunch routine when he was in kindergarten, and he did not like anything that was served (or not enough to justify paying for it). So I pack his lunch. He really prefers hot lunches, which is fine when we're at home during the summer, but it's pretty challenging when it comes to taking it to school. We've done cheese & crackers, turkey roll-ups... tried tortillas (with no success), sandwich on buns (again, fail), and salad (mediocre reception at best).

This year, I decided to have a chat with him about packing his lunch. And he informed me that he would love to have Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches in his lunch!!!!!!!!!

Shocking.

"I like crunchy peanut butter," he says.
"And what kind of jelly? Grape? Strawberry? Does it matter?" I ask, still stunned.
"Well, I really like grape, but strawberry's okay too as long as it's not lumpy," he replies.
"So you want crunchy peanut butter, and smooth jelly," I confirm.
"Yes, that's it," he acknowledges.

I am so amazed.
He has never let me in on this secret before, and it could have made my life SO MUCH EASIER.
Why is it that they never tell The Mother these things????????????

So with that bit of newfound knowledge, I set to work on the menu. (This week's lunches will be a variety of out-to-eat with colleagues and catch lunch on our break from work, so I'm not listing those yet.)

Sun 14th~ Sausage, peppers & onions
Mon 15th~ Omelets, bacon, roasted potatoes
Tues 16th~ Leftovers (I have an evening meeting)
Wed 17th~ Crockpot Pepper Steak, brown rice, tossed salad or maybe spinach (I've got some that needs to be used up)
Thurs 18th~ Pork BBQ (already cooked & shredded, in the freezer, ready to reheat and add sauce), homemade mac'n'cheese (with butternut squash puree 'hidden' in there), homemade baked beans, and collards from the garden
Fri 19th~ Crockpot bourbon chicken, green beans from the garden, brown rice
Sat 20th~ Turkey breast (previously cooked, and frozen), mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans

Sun 21st~ Tacos
Mon 22nd~ Spaghetti, cheese crisps, tossed salad (lunchbox: PB&J, cheez-its, brownie, juice)

Tues 23rd~ Crockpot Roast, pearl onions, green beans, mashed potatoes (lunchbox: Slim Jim, cheese stick, granola bar, milk)
Wed 24th~ Omelets w/veggies, fruit (lunchbox: Lunchable. Yes, I know. A mom needs a break sometime, and it's a treat for him)
Thurs 25th~ Stuffed peppers, leftover Spaghetti (lunchbox: PB&J, fruit snacks, granola bar, juice)
Fri 26th~ Frozen pizza, tossed salad (lunchbox: Slim Jim, cheese stick, cheez-its, homemade cookie, milk)
Sat 27th~ Open... after the first week with students back, we may be in hiding... ;)

Lunches for hubs and I will be leftovers or salads.

Check out Menu Plan Monday for more menu inspiration.

August Menu #2

2011-08-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

First... you should check out this calendar of food celebrations in August. So fun!
We've had a great time celebrating Ice Cream Sandwich Day, and Rootbeer Float Day, and we look forward to S'mores Day this week!

Next, a quick review of our week:
Tuesday, ds#3 spent the night with a friend, so hubby and I had a chance for a date night. Which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Wednesday, we had sandwiches at a church supper.
Friday, we were invited to have dinner with friends, so I didn't have to cook at all!
Which brings us to this week!

We are getting back into school-time routines, as hubs & I return to work next week.

Not that we ever truly left it.
We've both been working at school all summer.

Anyway.

The plan:
Sunday~ Bruschetta chicken (I'm using leftover grilled chicken and adding the topping to make it something 'new'), Low-carb linguine, tossed salad, and cheese crisps
Monday~ ~~Roast in the crock pot with gravy, green beans, whole wheat egg noodles, and more salad~~ Hubs declared he did not want roast so we are having chef salads!
Tuesday~ ~~Hubs has a dinner meeting, so it's leftovers for ds#3 and me~~ Hubs decided to have dinner with us instead of at the meeting (he went later) so we had stuffed peppers and ds#3 had noodles.
Wednesday~ Eggplant parm with the eggplant from the garden. Earlier this summer I attempted freezing cucumbers as this recipe for cucumber salad shows, and we're going to see how successful we are with it. (We know it's good after marinating for a day, but I'm a little skeptical about thawing...)
Thursday~ Tacos and taco salad
Friday~ Strata (that we did not eat last week), bacon, strawberries, and perhaps trying these watermelon lime slushies
Saturday~ Probably leftovers of some sort. Or something else. TBA.

Need inspiration?

Check out Organized Junkie's Menu Plan Monday!

The beauty of a PLAN!

2011-08-05T05:05:00.000-07:00

Jessica at Life As Mom is posting on today's Frugal Friday about how to eat at home and save money.

How I have learned that lesson.

And I've learned how important it can be to share the plan.

My husband loves to go out to eat. It is one of the ways he copes with stress. This can be tough on the budget. So I've had to come up with some creative ways to help him feel nourished emotionally and physically in the kitchen, where it's cheaper to relieve stress!!

All of Jessica's tips are right on target, and I've learned the beauty in each one. This very week, even.

Hubs loves to eat out, especially at lunch time.
And he has a favorite restaurant, where he loves to eat a salad bar.
So.... I intentionally purchased salad items that I don't normally have on hand to satisfy that 'salad bar' craving. And it cost less than one trip to said salad bar. One day at lunchtime, hubs was feeling the need to go out. I told him of my stock-up, and ~~threw together~~ lovingly prepared his salad. Which was perfect (he had seconds). Success!

We had two unplanned events come up this week. Ds#3 spent the night with a friend, leaving hubby & I alone for a rare date night, but I did not want to spend money out. Then we were invited to some friends' house for dinner. This means we had a dinner that I needed to make date-worthy, and then a dinner I didn't have to make. These were fairly easy adjustments, but if I hadn't had a plan, we would end up spending money to go out for the date night (nothing wrong with that at all, just better for our budget right now to stay in), and I would have had to spend money to purchase items to take a dessert to our friends' home.

The plan is flexible, and can be changed, but it provides a framework for success!

Check out Frugal Friday on Life As Mom for money-saving inspiration.

And.... it's August.

2011-07-31T20:18:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a short vacation... and it was so much fun. It's been years since we got away as a family, and it was wonderful. How could it not be awesome, when we got to see sights like this one???

So we got home on Friday, and Saturday I did some cooking. I finally made the Eggplant Rollatini, which we'll have this week. (It looked and smelled yummy!) I also made a big batch of homemade macaroni and cheese, and pureed some butternut squash from the garden to 'hide' in there. Ds#3 ate some this weekend, and I froze the rest. Gotta get those veggies in my boy however I can!

So things may get switched around a little this week, because I know we will have a couple of occasions to get together with friends, but here's the plan:

Sunday~ Beef short ribs in the crockpot, green beans, mac'n'cheese for ds#3, low-carb linguine for hubs. Zucchini brownies for dessert (we were given the largest zucchini I've ever seen. Really.)

Monday~ The now infamous Eggplant Rollatini, tossed salad

Tuesday~ Chicken breasts in mushroom gravy, whole wheat egg noodles, green beans, corn on the cob. (It's National Ice Cream Sandwich Day, so that's my plan for a special dessert!!)

Wednesday~ Chef's salads

Thursday~ Cookout with friends!!! Burgers, chicken, sausage, perhaps baked beans, coleslaw, deviled eggs, etc, etc...

Friday~ Strata, bacon, perhaps some diced potatoes, and watermelon or canteloupe (both were given to us, and we'll polish off whatever's left of them!)

Saturday~ Probably leftovers. We'll make it interesting with National Rootbeer Float Day! (I am having fun finding out about these wacky food holidays.)

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

The last July Menu

2011-07-24T19:50:00.000-07:00

Sigh.
It's the end of July, and that signals so many things.
First, we are going on a mini-vacation this week, so that is a good thing.
Next, the end of July means that August is almost here. That means summer is almost over for us. (That is not a good thing.)
And we didn't follow the menu plan very well this week. Par for the course!

I'm giving up on the Eggplant Rollatini for now. I've made an oven-baked version of Eggplant Parm this week that has been super yummy - it's not layered with cheese or doused with sauce; it's kind of deconstructed. I made the eggplant, and it's covered in panko, which means it's super crispy which I love. I've got homemade tomato sauce to dip it in, so I can eat it like an appetizer, or layer it with cheese and sauce it for a heavier dish. Yummmmmm.

I made several jalapeno poppers for hubby this week - enough for him to snack on for a few days, and some for the freezer! (I slice mine in half to make them easier to manage.)

We did have the Pesto Chicken and it was yummy. I used the leftovers mixed with pasta and some Laughing Cow cheese for lunch. I loved the smell of basil in the kitchen.

This week will be a short week as far as the kitchen goes, because we'll be out of town for a few days... seeing old friends, taking in a baseball game, and going to the LEGO store!!

So here's our plan this week:
Sunday~ Leftovers: turkey, butternut squash casserole (which was VERY yummy), watermelon.
Monday~ out to dinner to celebrate my grandpa's birthday.
Tuesday~ Some feat of leftover wizardry to use up all the perishables before we go.
Wednesday - Friday~ no cooking for Mom ;)
Saturday~ back to our routine, probably lunch with friends, and an easy crockpot dinner involving some kind of chicken (because that's what we have the most of!)

So, what's cookin' in your casa?

July Menu #3

2011-07-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

We switched things around this week.... again... but that's okay.

I thawed the turkey and roasted it on Friday, so instead of having the Eggplant Rollatini on Saturday, we had turkey. We've also got butternut squash in our garden, so I picked a couple and made a butternut squash casserole kind of like this one, and I put a streusel topping on it (brown sugar, pecans, etc...yummmm.).

So this week:
Sunday~ Leftover turkey, butternut squash, collards (cucumbers for me)
Monday~ I may attempt the Rollatini tonight, with optional pasta for non-adventuresome types.
Tuesday~ Pesto chicken (I will make pesto from the abundance of basil in our garden), tomato mozzarella melts (which we did not have last week), and Garden Delight noodles that I love from Ronzoni (they help me get veggies into my child when he resists them in their natural form!!)
Wednesday~ Layered taco dip, quesadillas
Thursday~ BLT wraps
Friday~ Burgers (preferably on the grill, if hubby feels like it; if it's too hot outside, I'll just cook them on the stove), mini ears of corn on the cob
Saturday~ Omelets, bacon

I'm finding that lunchtime is a trouble spot for us...so in order to prevent a trip out to lunch every day, I'm concocting a plan. Sandwiches are a no-go, since hubs is limiting carbs, so I've got to be a little more creative! Here are my thoughts, and I'd love to read yours...

Salads (topped with tomatoes, cukes, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, and various lunchmeats)
Leftovers (which works on an extremely limited scale)
Meatballs with various combinations (tomato sauce, peppers & onions, perhaps pasta)

So we'll see how this works. If we do each option twice, that puts us in good shape. Lunch for ds & me is much easier since I can include pasta and wraps (chicken nuggets are always a fave!), so we'll see how this works for my man.

Get some menu inspiration at Menu Plan Monday!

July Menu #2

2011-07-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

Last week, I planned out a menu for the whole month. And so far, we've only switched around a couple of things, sticking fairly close to the plan. :)

Last week, we had everything on the plan, except I swapped chicken bbq for pork, and I didn't thaw the turkey... so on Saturday, I pulled up sausage with peppers & onions from later in the month, and we had that instead. Which meant that I also had to improvise for Sunday's menu....

So here's the plan for this week:
Sunday~ Chicken taco soup (used leftover chicken from Alice Springs Chicken which was not covered in cheese & mushrooms)
Monday~ Seven layer southwestern salad with taco-seasoned meat from the freezer
Tuesday~ Hot dogs on the grill, nachos, jalapeno poppers, and Cracker Jack in honor of the MLB All-Star game!
Wednesday~ ~~Hoping I can sneak some leftovers in here... or maybe I'll roast the turkey in the freezer...~~ hubby informed me that we are going out to eat with a friend...
Thursday~ Roast in the crockpot, green beans, baked potato for ds#3, cucumber salad, and perhaps tomato mozzarella melts

Friday~ Leftover roast, etc.
Saturday~ Thinking I might try this Eggplant Rollatini recipe as we've got tons of eggplant ripening in the garden, almost anything with sausage pleases my hubby, and I've got homemade tomato sauce that needs using. And ds#3 can have pasta if he's not feeling brave. :)

July Menu #1

2011-07-04T04:55:00.000-07:00

Oh how I loved having all my boys home... we had a great time.
And I cooked... a lot.
And they ate... a lot.
And there were no leftovers.

I had forgotten how they can devour a table full of food.

This week, we're back to 'normal', and here's our plan.

Sunday~ Burritos and tacos, with homemade taco seasoning from Heavenly Homemakers, lettuce, homemade salsa, cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Monday~ Happy Independence Day, USA! We are planning an all-day outing, visiting a Library of Congress exhibit and our city's annual 4th of July celebration, followed by fireworks (my favorite part!!). We will eat as we go, just enjoying the day.

Tuesday~ Back at home, we'll have cheese omelets with all the veggies from our garden, and bacon or sausage for the guys. We'll also have strawberries or watermelon, depending on what's left!

Wednesday~ Alice Springs Chicken in the crock pot, green beans, and sliced tomatoes, both from our garden.

Thursday~ Pulled chicken BBQ, collard greens, coleslaw, homemade mac'n'cheese

Friday~ Flatbread pizza

Saturday~ Sliced turkey & gravy, collard greens, sliced tomatoes, Swiss beans

Visit Menu Plan Monday and share your plan!
Or stop by On the Menu Monday and link up!

The my-boys-are-all-home!!! menu

2011-06-27T05:02:00.000-07:00

Well, for a few days, I'll be blissfully cooking for a houseful of boys, listening to them wrestle with each other, playing baseball/football in the backyard, delighting in all kinds of 'boy' things.

Marine son got here on Thursday, and Airman son didn't arrive until Sunday, but that was fine!!! I swear I think my Airman has grown since I last saw him (he is just returning from deployment, so it's been a while).

Our menu was kind of topsy-turvy but we managed just fine.

Here's the plan for this week:

Sunday~ family cookout. Burgers, dogs, sausages on the grill, cucumber salad, potato salad (courtesy of my mom), homemade salsa w/chips, homemade roasted tomato dip w/pita chips, and s'mores for dessert (yummmmmmmmm!).

Monday~ busy day for everyone. We'll come home for steaks on the grill, mashed potatoes, fried okra (my big boys' fave), and salad.

Tuesday~ Airman leaves this evening. Boys are planning a fishing trip, and if all goes well, we will have fish. If not... we'll have leftovers!

Wednesday~ Marine son's last evening at home. Whatever he requests is what we'll eat.

Thursday~ back to just the three of us... perhaps some simpler fare is in order. I'm thinking flatbread pizzas will be good, with a caprese salad. Our tomatoes are gorgeous, basil's in full production, and I scored some fresh mozzarella that I'm dying to eat!

Friday~ Perhaps dinner with my dad. We have an annual tradition for Father's Day that my sis & I go out to dinner with him, and we had to put that off this year, so we're scheduled for our raincheck this weekend!

Saturday~ TBA.... I love summer!

Share your menu creations at Menu Plan Monday!

It's still June...we still have a garden...and a menu...

2011-06-18T19:40:00.000-07:00

I continue to be amazed at the amount of produce that is coming from our garden. Son #3 has actually asked if he could start selling tomatoes... there are so many of them!

I found a recipe for freezing cucumbers that has proven to be a hit. I've roasted and frozen so many tomatoes that I'm sure we'll have enough for the whole winter! I've made several variations on jalapeno poppers and frozen 'empties' for later. We've made delicious salsa too.

So I'm doing my best to include as much of our bounty as I can. I'd love it if beef went on sale soon, because with hubby's eating plan, we gotta have protein.

Sunday~ HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! Hubby has requested a dinner at home of spaghetti and meatballs. We will also have the cucumbers I mentioned above. No bread, so I'll probably make some cheese crisps.

Monday~ Leftover roast (from last week), green beans and new potatoes from the garden, cucumbers and tomatoes.

Tuesday~ Homemade salsa and chips, tacos using this seasoning from Heavenly Homemakers

Wednesday~ Hubby and I will be home alone (I know - GASP!) so we may have a date night. Out or in has yet to be decided.

Thursday~ DS#3 comes back home with Marine Son, and Airman Son will descend too. YEA! I'm planning to roast a turkey from the freezer, and have collards, sliced tomatoes, corn on the cob, and Swiss beans to go with it.

Friday~ I'll have a rehearsal, but we'll grill when I get home: burgers, dogs, sausages, and maybe some of our various veggies.

Saturday~ My dad & sis are involved in a local musical that we'll see, so I'm leaving things open.

Find menu inspiration at Menu Plan Monday.

Fabulous Food Friday

2011-06-17T06:57:00.000-07:00

I'm a first time participant in Recipe Lion's Fabulous Food Friday blog hop!

As our garden has been in full swing, I've been experimenting with all kinds of veggie recipes - mostly tomato and cucumber (as that's what we have the most right now).

Hubby's fave to date has been a homemade salsa, which is so easy that I'm embarrassed to call it a recipe. The other is a cucumber salad, courtesy of my grandfather, that we all love.

First, the salsa...

Tomatoes, seeded and diced

onion to taste

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (more, if you like more heat)

lime juice

salt & pepper

My husband does not like garlic, so I leave it out. Seed and dice as many tomatoes as you'd like.

Dice some onion (I use the green onions from our garden for a milder onion flavor)

Dice one jalapeno (if you have sensitive skin, PLEASE WEAR GLOVES. The juice from the ribs and skin WILL burn you. And it hurts. A lot.)

Squeeze the juice of one lime (I used True Lime in a pinch and it worked well too)

Add salt and pepper to taste.

You can also add herbs like cilantro for added flavor.

Stir, and refrigerate.

Fresh and delicious!

On to the cucumber salad:

This is a recipe that needs to marinate. So plan ahead if you choose to make this one.

Cucumbers

Vinegar

*Oil (the recipe calls for equal parts vinegar and oil, but I usually only use a Tbsp of oil at the most. Sometimes I leave it out altogether.)

Sugar

Salt & Pepper

Peel and slice cucumbers. Lay them in a colandar, and sprinkle with salt. This will help to draw the liquid out. (I usually do this step in the morning, and come back later in the day to check.)

After several hours, squeeze cucumbers, rinse (to get rid of the salt), and squeeze again.

In a bowl, put cucumbers, just enough vinegar to cover, oil (if using), sugar (I have used Splenda with success), and salt and pepper to taste. Stir; cover and refrigerate.

After several hours, or overnight, taste cucumbers. If you want them sweeter, add sugar and stir.

Peppers.... what to do?

2011-06-15T08:40:00.001-07:00

I've got a bucket full of these guys.

And more in the garden that I just haven't picked.

We've got jalapeno poppers...

what else can I do with these beauties??

Please... help a girl out...

Visit Real Food Wednesday for Real Food tips and recipes.

Summertime! Menu #2

2011-06-13T05:44:00.000-07:00

I love summer! And all the fresh produce from our garden is quite amazing too. One of our favorite snacks this week has been fresh salsa with homemade tortilla chips.

Well, last week, we followed the menu a little...

There were some events that I forgot, so we had to adjust things.

But that's okay. That's why it's a plan.

So on to this week:

Sunday~ Grilled chicken, corn on the cob, collard greens

Monday~ Roast in the crockpot with pearl onions, cucumber salad, red potatoes

Tuesday~ Bourbon chicken, stir fry veggies, maybe some green beans

Wednesday~ Leftovers (there should be plenty!)

Thursday~ Spaghetti and meatballs (no pasta for hubby)

Friday~ Sticky chicken, sliced tomatoes, collards

Saturday~ TBA

Share your menus at Menu Plan Monday!

Cars 2... video game!

2011-06-06T14:52:00.000-07:00

My house is so excited about the release of Cars 2. Everyone, from my 10 year old son, to my 3 year old nephew, to my own father is waiting anxiously for it to come out! And the promise of a video game? Well, that's almost too sweet to take.

Here's a description of what the game promises:

Your kids' (and your) favorite characters from Radiator Springs are back in action and ready to save the world in Cars 2: The Video Game. Join the team at C.H.R.O.M.E. and jump into a whole new world of fast-paced intrigue, exotic locations and fun for the whole family without leaving the house!

There's even a facebook page to explore: Disney Pixar Cars Game

Check it out!

(I should mention that I received an opportunity from bzzagent.com regarding the Cars 2 game. I am a BzzAgent and am lovin' it!)

School's out!!!!!!!!!!!!!! June menu #1

2011-06-05T14:57:00.001-07:00

WOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(School's out. We're excited.)

Hubby & I are working just a couple of days this week. As usual, we'll be back up to school for various things, but official work days end Tuesday. YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

So, I'm going to plan lunches AND dinners, because we'll be eating at home more and this will help me be prepared with the groceries.

Sunday~ lunch: leftover hotdogs & hamburgers

dinner: Chicken (crockpot) with green beans (garden),

new potatoes (garden), and cucumber salad

(garden... yea for the garden!)

Monday~ lunch: Sonny's (we have a BOGO coupon!)

dinner: Tacos (still haven't had it yet... we'll use

this seasoning from Heavenly Homemakers)

Tuesday~ lunch: quesadillas (or out... last day of work)

dinner: BBQ chicken sandwiches, cucumber salad,

coleslaw (cabbage from the garden)

Wednesday~ lunch: leftover bbq chicken

dinner: Roast in the crockpot, mushrooms, pearl onions,

tossed salad or sliced tomatoes (garden again),

corn (friend's garden!)

Thursday~ lunch: Chef's salad

dinner: Make Your Own Pizza (using flatbread)

Friday~ lunch: TBA

dinner: Marinated flank steak with peppers, rice for ds#3,

cucumbers and tomatoes with feta

Saturday~ our 17th wedding anniversary. Leaving it open :)

Share your menus at Menu Plan Monday!

A Little Like Life on a Farm... and a menu

2011-05-28T10:57:00.001-07:00

We have a garden.

Thanks to my husband's amazing green thumb, we have an abundance of produce right now.

Including, but not limited to:

cabbage, collards, tomatoes, green beans, jalapenos, bell peppers, new potatoes, onions, cucumbers, and blackeyed peas.

And now I'm working on ways to use it.

I've made collard greens galore, and blanched them for the freezer.

I've cooked many green beans, given some away, and blanched some more for the freezer.

I've made jalapeno poppers, frozen some 'empties', and have a bucket full on my counter right now awaiting inspiration.

I've made coleslaw with the cabbage, and am trying to get brave enough to attempt sauerkraut. (Which my husband loves but I do not.) And maybe use it in stir fry.

Sliced tomatoes, tomatoes on salad, etc.

Cucumbers in salad, and a bread-and-butter pickle experiment.

We've never had a garden this big, and I'm a little overwhelmed.

Can you tell?

So here's my attempt at including this produce in our menu for this week.

Sunday~Burgers & sausage on the grill, with tons of grilled veggies to go with

Monday~ HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! With the fam, swimming, and eating chicken. Making green beans and cucumber salad to accompany.

Tuesday~ Back to work for the last week with students. And it's payday. Pulled pork BBQ in the crockpot (on buns for ds#3 and me), collards, mac'n'cheese, coleslaw

Wednesday~ Leftovers

Thursday~ Spaghetti & meatballs, cucumber & tomatoes w/feta cheese

Friday~ WE MADE IT!!! School's out, and we'll go out to celebrate.

Saturday~ We'll decide when we get there. ;)

I'd love to hear any ideas you have for using fresh produce! And you can share your menu for the week - or get some inspiration -

at Menu Plan Monday.

I've fallen down... but I'm getting back up...

2011-05-22T18:34:00.001-07:00

I've fallen down on the menu planning job.

Life has been insanely busy these last two weeks... and will continue to be until we get out of school, but I'm going to try to plan this week anyway.

The picture shows what hubby grilled on Sunday evening for dinner, and we'll use it all week long.

Sunday~ from the grill: chicken, sausage, hotdogs, jalapeno poppers, corn. From our garden: collards, cucumber salad, coleslaw.

Monday~ Hubz leaves early for a trip with his history club. Ds#3 and I will probably have leftovers from the fridge, or go see my grandparents and have dinner with them.

Tuesday~ Hubz comes home (relatively) late from his trip. I'll have a roast in the crockpot, with green beans from the garden, pearl onions, and some rice (for ds#3).

Wednesday~ It'll be leftovers: sausage & dogs (the chicken was overcooked and I tossed what was left... it was too hard to eat!), mac'n'cheese (for ds#3), and cucumbers & tomatoes for hubby & me.

Thursday~ Flatbread pizzas using FlatOut! flatbreads. This is a new addition to hubby's diet, and one that I am DELIGHTED to see!!! We'll top with turkey pepperoni, tomatoes from the garden, basil from the garden, and some string cheese (lowfat mozzarella). Ds#3 likes this too, as he can choose what he wants on his 'pizza'.

Friday~ WOO HOO... a long weekend! Tacos have failed to make it to the menu every time I've scheduled them in recent weeks, so we'll give it a try again for Friday!

Saturday~ TBA

I should note that we have tons of fresh veggies from the garden, and I try to have ds#3 taste them all, but he's pretty picky.

I keep offering, and he tries them, but often chooses not to partake.

We are on the home stretch to SUMMER and are sooooooo excited to see it coming...

Share your menu at Menu Plan Monday!

May... menu....

2011-05-08T17:53:00.001-07:00

I didn't post at all last week - I was preparing to go out of town with my chorus and knew that we wouldn't be eating at home much, so I just didn't expend the mental energy!

This week, we will eat at home.... more than we'll eat out, anyway. ;)

Hubby's birthday is this week and he hasn't quite figured out how he wants to celebrate, so we'll have to see what he decides.

Sunday~ Mother's Day. But since I've been gone for three days, I ended up cooking anyway. We had collard greens, mac'n'cheese, and chicken.

Monday~ Chicken with rosemary and mushrooms, rice, fresh green beans.

Tuesday~ Ham & mushroom crustless quiche, tossed salad (tomatoes from the garden!)

Wednesday~ Tacos/taco salad

Thursday~ Hubby's b-day... my guess is a steak dinner

Friday~ Teriyaki chicken, stir fry veggies, leftover rice

Saturday~ TBA

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

Easter week menu - and IT'S SPRING BREAK!

2011-04-24T18:24:00.001-07:00

First, allow me to say how delirious we all are that we've finally arrived at Spring Break.

Whew.

And now, on to the menus.

Sunday~ Happy Easter! Dinner with the fam: lamb, beef tenderloin, scalloped potatoes, swiss beans, tossed salad, rolls. Plus sour cream pound cake, apple-cherry pie, and various berries tossed with whipped cream, along with homemade sugar cookies for the kiddos.

Monday~ French onion pot roast, salad, green beans

Tuesday~ Lemon Thyme chicken, zucchini ribbons, green beans, (all served with rice for ds#3)

Wednesday~ Meatballs with tomato sauce, and spaghetti for ds#3 and me

Thursday~ Burgers, hotdogs, and sausage on the grill

Friday~ Smoked turkey, collard greens, leftover swiss beans

Saturday~ I'm hosting a Moderation Nation! party. I'm so excited!!!!!

Share your menus or find some inspiration at Menu Plan Monday.

The Week-Before-Spring Break Menu

2011-04-17T18:33:00.001-07:00

We thought it would never come.

Well, we knew it would come eventually...but it felt like it would never get here.

SPRING BREAK.

It's almost here and we can hardly stand it.

This week will be very busy so we'll be eating lots of leftovers and very simple meals.

Sunday~ BBQ chicken that did not get eaten last week, with coleslaw from the cabbage in our garden!!

Monday~ One of hubby's last two weeks of grad class. Ds#3 and I will go see the great-grandparents. Dinner will either be with them, or leftovers.

Tuesday~ Ds#3 goes to see Disney On Ice with the great-grands. Dinner will depend on what time he leaves.

Wednesday~ Hubs has requested breakfast for dinner. This will involve eggs, bacon, and probably waffles for ds.

Thursday~ Hubby has a meeting so dinner will be late. Once again, leftovers.

Friday~ GOOD FRIDAY. Lately, Hubs is loving this grilled shrimp & spinach salad from Applebee's, so we will try to recreate it with the spinach from our garden.

Saturday~ We will try our hand at smoking a ham.... let you know how it goes!

Sunday~ EASTER!!! Celebrating with the fam at my parents' house.

April has arrived.... our menus....

2011-04-09T11:59:00.001-07:00

Well, I did not get around to posting our menus last week, but here's what we had:

Chicken and baby bellas with sauteed spinach (from our garden). Made a yummy sauce with Philly's Italian Cheese and Herb Creme. Yummo (and hubs loved it too)!
Sticky Chicken with collards (from our garden), mac'n'cheese also for ds#3.
Dinner out (once with grandparents and once for just us)
Leftovers

and.....

PIZZA!!!!!!!!!

Yes, folks, you read it right...

Hubby reached a milestone in his weight loss, and he decided he wanted to treat himself to pizza for one night. So, we went to a family-owned local pizzeria and had the most SCRUMPTIOUS margherita pizza we've had in a while. Because it's been a while since we've had pizza at all.

So for this week, here's the plan:

A beautiful organic beef rib roast that I'll slice into steaks and grill, along with zucchini, mushrooms, and some spinach from the garden
Taco night with all the trimmings
Leftover sticky chicken with butternut squash and greens
Leftover rib steaks turned into salads
New chicken recipe: East West Barbecued Chicken, green beans

Ds#3 has been sick this weekend, so he may be eating bowls of pasta while hubby and I eat what I've planned. Or the whole week could be scratched in favor of whatever he can tolerate. But at least we've got a plan to begin with! :)

Menu Plan... can't believe March is almost over!

2011-03-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

Last week, we ate:

Black 'n' Bleu salad (essentially a steak salad with bleu cheese)

Chicken sauteed with peppers

Leftovers

Family cookout (burgers, hotdogs, and sausage on the grill)

This week, hubby will be leaving on Wednesday to go to a conference, so ds#3 and I will have 4 days of whatever kind of eating we want! :) We will probably go out to dinner at least two nights with family. The other nights? Well, here's how the week is shaping up:

Sunday~ Leftover chicken & peppers mixed with the new Philadelphia Cream Cheese Santa Fe Cooking Creme... yummmm! A decadent flavor boost with no work at all. Wrapped in a tortilla for the carbers.

Monday~ Leftovers from the grill - burgers, hotdogs, or sausage. Pick your protein.

Tuesday~ Whatever hubby requests on his last night at home for this week.

Wednesday~ Out to dinner with Mimi (my mom - who is now home from the hospital and doing VERY well!!)

Thursday~ Something from the house... some kind of carb-lovers meal, probably :)

Friday~ Out with the grandparents - they are living in an extended-stay while their house is being gutted and rebuilt after the fire

Saturday~ Get ready for Dad's return - probably frozen pizza

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

March Menu #3

2011-03-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

Sigh.

What a month we've had so far!

My grandparents' home caught on fire.

My mother went into ICU.

My Marine son came home.

My mother moved out of ICU into a regular room.

My grandparents are beginning the process of sorting through their belongings and deciding what to keep, what to toss.

All these things can wear a girl out!

But the fam's gotta eat.

So here we go:

Sunday~ Taco salad (did not get to it last week. Hubs loved it - good change of pace for him.)

Monday~ Leftover hotdogs from the grill with sauerkraut for hubby, leftover pizza for ds#3. I'll be at the hospital with Mom.

Tuesday~ Low-carb Texas chili, macaroni for ds#3, cheese crisps.

Wednesday~ Roast in the crockpot with pearl onions, mushrooms, and potatoes (hubby can skip those).

Thursday~ Stuffed peppers and spaghetti.

Friday~ Who knows by then...

Saturday~ OPENING DAY for baseball. Baseball junk food.

Share your menus at Menu Plan Monday!

And here comes March... another menu!

2011-03-06T11:21:00.000-08:00

Well, we *did* eat last week; I just didn't get around to posting it.

This protein-heavy diet is working well for my husbands weight loss, but it is tough to plan family-friendly menus around it. We are all eating a little less, which is not a bad thing, but my whole method of menu planning has had to change.

Traditionally, I plan a protein, a starch, and at least one non-starchy veggie.

But now... the starches have pretty much disappeared. At least for now.

They may reappear.

About 100 pounds into our future (however long that takes).

So for now, ds#3 and I are enjoying our starches when Dad is not around, so we don't tempt him.

The plan for this week:

Sunday~ Marinated chicken breasts stuffed with spinach, parmesan and feta, served with green beans w/almonds and rice for ds#3

Monday~ Hubby has class. Leftover burgers & dogs from the grill.

Tuesday~ Taco salad (seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream)

Wednesday~ Alice Springs chicken (I'll make mine in the crockpot, and serve with rice for ds#3)

Thursday~ Fend For Yourself night

Friday~ out to eat with Marine Son

Saturday~ French onion soup and roast

So... if anyone out there has great success or ideas for continuing on this eating plan, I'd love to hear from you! Fat intake is also monitored, so it's not quite an Atkins plan, but I can usually adjust those recipes.

Share at Menu Plan Monday!

February menu: week 4... week 3 of the diet!

2011-02-20T17:22:00.000-08:00

We hardly followed last week's plan at all.

It's an adjustment for all of us as hubby learns a new way of eating, and it's a bit of a challenge for me. I'm a carb-lover, and he's a protein-lover, by nature. This new lifestyle requires him to eat lots of protein, and I don't want to tempt him with the carbs, so I'm moderating what I eat as well.

And let me tell ya, it's not easy!

So I had him make a list of foods he wanted this week in an effort to plan FAMILY meals, and not just "make-sure-that-everyone-is-fed" meals.

Sunday~ GRILL!!! We grilled steaks, sausage, and hamburgers, and ate steaks for dinner.

Monday~ Hubs has class. But he *will* be hungry when he comes home, so I will be ready with meatballs for him. Ds#3 has baseball practice, so when we get home, it'll be pasta or chicken nuggets from the freezer.

Tuesday~ Meatza for hubby (like pizza but with meat as the 'crust'), meat sauce with mushrooms and spaghetti squash for me, and genuine pasta for ds :)

Wednesday~ Stir fry veggies with chicken. Add rice for ds.

Thursday~ Hamburgers from the grill, reheated in the oven, topped with cheese. No bun for hubs. Veggies on the side for me.

Friday~ Sausage with peppers for hubby, and I'm not sure what for ds#3 and me. (I'd entertain any ideas you may have...)

Saturday~ TBA, based on this week's doctor visit!

Get some inspiration at Menu Plan Monday!

February menu: week 3, week 2 on the diet

2011-02-13T17:52:00.000-08:00

We're halfway through February already!

Baseball begins this week... although we don't have a working schedule yet.

This makes it difficult for me to plan meals...

I've make a pound of mini-meatballs, cooked chicken, and am cooking the turkey that I planned for last week but did not get to. Hubby was able to add veggies to his diet this week, so we are definitely excited about that. He's lost almost 11 pounds so far, so I am happy to help him in any way that I can.

Here are my ideas for this week... we'll see how it actually turns out!

Sunday~ Leftover grilled meats for ds#3 and me - mine was tossed with spaghetti squash, grape tomatoes, and feta cheese. Dh had meatballs sauteed with onions, peppers and mushrooms. YEA for veggies this week!

Monday~ Hubs has class. Ds and I will fend for ourselves - probably something starchy that Dad can't have!

Tuesday~ Turkey and green beans that was planned for last week. Maybe with some mushrooms if I go to the grocery store.

Wednesday~ Sandwiches, I think - or some variation with lettuce wraps - oooh!!! I've got it - teriyaki chicken lettuce wraps. That will work! Just have to be careful about the sugar in the teriyaki.

Thursday~ Tuna salad. Been a while since we've had tuna fish, and since I'm needing to include protein with every meal, it's forcing me to be a little more creative.

Friday~ I'm longing for some breakfast for dinner. Hubby goes for another doctor's appointment today, so maybe he'll get to add in some fruits. We'll adjust accordingly.

Saturday~ depends on the doc's new orders! And we may be celebrating my mom's birthday...depends if she has recovered from being sick.

The adventure begins...

2011-02-05T18:08:00.000-08:00

Hubby has begun a medically supervised eating plan.

This first week, he is eating pure protein! This is not terribly difficult for him, as he loves eggs and meat of all kinds (it would kill me!!!), but he is not allowed any carbs at all.

In order to be supportive, all of us are modifying our eating a little, so we don't present more temptation than he can take! On Saturday, we grilled burgers, sausage, chicken, and beef tenderloin, so we have a variety of grilled meats to eat during the week. I also made some meatballs.

Sunday~ Meatballs for my man, spaghetti & sauce for ds#3 and me (I'm making spaghetti squash to limit the intake/desire for carbs)

Monday~ Beef tenderloin for hubby, and roasted potatoes and salad along with beef for ds#3 and me

Tuesday~ Grilled chicken (that's all for hubs) and ds#3 and I will add a salad

Wednesday~ Ds#3 and I will have pasta with veggies, and hubs will have the rest of his meatballs

Thursday~ Sticky chicken, and ds#3 & I will add broccoli (maybe with some cheese)

Friday~ Turkey, green beans with almonds. Hubby will have made his second trip to the doc, so he may be able to add in some veggies at this point. YEA! :)

Saturday~ My nephew's b-day party, and my son is going to see the Globetrotters with my dad, so hubby & I may have a date... maybe we'll grill something yummy!

Share your menu at Menu Plan Monday!

February!!! A new menu

2011-01-30T13:32:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day of January, and my sister's birthday.

I'm so thankful for her - she is not just my sister; she is my friend!

My hubby is beginning a physician's weight loss program this week, so I'm not completely sure what we'll be looking at as far as food goes, but we'll give it a try!

Our menu for this week looks like this:

Sunday~ out to eat in honor of my sis's b-day!

Monday~ hubby has class; must-goes for ds#3 and me

Tuesday~ Feta-stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon (from this recipe, adapted and inspired by my sis), rice, green beans with almonds, tiropeta (which has been in the freezer from our local Greek Festival)

Wednesday~ Eggplant lasagna (from the freezer), Caesar salad, garlic bread

Thursday~ Hubby's diet starts today, and all I know is that he'll be eating lots of protein. So I'm making a roast in the crockpot, and ds#3 & I will add some veggies.

Friday & Saturday ~ Again, depends on what the doc says on Thursday.

Share your menus at Menu Plan Monday!

We're almost there... the end of January... menu week 4

2011-01-23T13:56:00.000-08:00

As seems to be the case lately, I'm using the items on my menu, just switching the order around. Hubby wanted to go out to dinner on Saturday night, and Friday night he chaperoned at a school dance so ds#3 & I fended for ourselves.

On to this week:

Sunday~ the Cole's Ravioli Dinner that we did not have last week. I made a Caesar dressing to go with a salad. YUM!

Monday~ Sticky chicken, mac'n'cheese, crescent rolls and salad

Tuesday~ reheat leftovers from Monday

Wednesday~ Turkey, twice baked potatoes, corn on the cob

Thursday~ Stouffer's Lasagna, Caesar salad

Friday~ Waffles, bacon, grapefruit (from our tree)

Saturday~ TBD :)

Still trying to minimize trips to the grocery store as part of the Pantry Challenge - I know I'll have to go get some bread for hubby's lunches and possibly some cheese. Overall, we've done pretty well this month and come a long way in cleaning out the freezer!

Share your menu at Menu Plan Monday!

Find out what the Pantry Challenge is all about!

January menu - week three...

2011-01-16T11:48:00.000-08:00

I've just returned from being out of town, to discover that my boys did, indeed, go out to eat for almost every meal while I was gone. :)

They were glad to have home cooked meals again, though, as was I. I made french toast with blueberries, eggs, and bacon for breakfast and the guys were delighted.

So for this week, we've switched a few things around from the monthly menu, but still using the things I've planned (just on different days). I'm participating in a Pantry Challenge from Life As Mom, so I'm trying to use up what we've got and go to the store as LITTLE as possible. Here we go:

Sunday~ Chili mac

Monday~ Roast beef (the very last of it), rice and gravy, Caesar salad and homemade bread

Tuesday~Turkey, homemade gravy, stuffing, broccoli, cranberries (I bought several small turkeys when Publix had them on sale for .59/lb so we'll be enjoying one of those!)

Wednesday~ Open-faced turkey sandwiches on homemade bread

Thursday~ Stuffed eggplant with spaghetti sauce, noodles (I froze the eggplant from our abundant produce this summer)

Friday~ Chicken noodle soup, bacon sandwiches (inspired by this recipe, but slightly 'healthified')

Saturday~ Cole's Ravioli Dinner (scored for $3)

I started to make a trip to the store today just to pick up odds and ends, but decided that I really could make do with what we have. We've got plenty in the freezer, and although I may have to get creative, I really don't want to spend the extra money. So far, so good!

Share your menu at Organized Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

January menu - week two!

2011-01-09T19:13:00.001-08:00

Well, our plan got mixed around a little bit last week, but for the most part, I cooked what I had planned (just not on the day I planned it - LOL)!!

Sunday, my parents came over, so I switched to a big pot of Pasta Fagioli and moved the Rosemary Chicken to Thursday. On Wednesday, hubby decided we should go out to eat at a favorite local Mexican restaurant, so we did. We did not have Cashew Chicken at all, so that's moving to this week.

And on to this week's plan:

Sunday~ Roast in the crockpot, mashed potatoes & gravy, field peas (from our garden in the spring), homemade bread (I had planned to cook a small turkey this weekend, but forgot to thaw it, so I moved up the roast from the end of the month. Hubby & son will have leftovers when I am out of town later this week.)

Monday~ Hubby's first night of class. Son & I will have leftovers.

Tuesday~ Cashew chicken & rice, broccoli, mandarin oranges (already cooked for fast reheating, as ds has ball practice and hubby has a meeting.)

Wednesday~ out to dinner at Olive Garden to celebrate a former student's birthday.

Thursday - Saturday~ I will be out of town at a conference. The boys will probably eat at home on Thursday; Marine son comes home this weekend so they will probably go out to eat the other nights!

You can view my plan for the month here.

Share your menu inspirations at Menu Plan Monday!

2011... January's first Menu Plan

2011-01-02T16:05:00.000-08:00

Well, it was a good plan.

Last week, I mapped it out.

And then we did not follow it at all.

On Sunday, we went over to my parents' house for dinner. Monday, we ate leftovers at home. Tuesday, we had dinner again at my parents' house, because my brother and nieces came in from out of town. Wednesday, we had lunch at a fabulous local seafood restaurant, and then did not feel like eating dinner. Thursday, hubby went to a hockey game, and I went out to dinner with my brother and sister. Friday, we FINALLY ate something on the menu plan: Ham & Cheese in Puff Pastry - and it was YUMMMY. On New Years Day, we were invited to a friend's house so we ate there.

Here's the plan for this week. We'll see if we have more success. However, I reserve the right to sub in any meal that was scheduled for last week! ;)

2~ Rosemary roasted chicken and potatoes, salad (well, this was the plan. It got scrapped because my parents came over and we had the Pasta Fagioli that was planned for Wednesday.)

3~ Red beans & rice

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

5~ Pasta fagioli, garlic bread (we had this on Sunday, so we'll swap a day)

6~ Cashew chicken, rice, broccoli, mandarin oranges

7~ Eggs, grits, bacon, biscuits

8~ Loaded baked potatoes

Getting ready for January... Menu!

2010-12-26T15:17:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-19T18:33:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-05T18:43:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-28T18:49:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-21T18:27:00.001-08:00

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

2010-11-14T15:56:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-07T17:48:00.000-08:00

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

2010-10-31T13:08:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-10-24T18:20:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-09T19:31:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-10-03T18:46:00.001-07:00

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

2010-09-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-19T15:53:00.000-07:00

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??

2010-09-13T06:23:00.001-07:00

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!

2010-09-06T06:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-29T18:47:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-15T18:37:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-08T16:26:00.001-07:00

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

2010-08-02T05:42:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-25T12:12:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-07-17T17:06:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-07-11T19:40:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-05T05:22:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-12T17:46:00.000-07:00

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!!!

2010-06-06T14:28:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-05-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-05-09T18:39:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-05-02T18:47:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-11T17:40:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-04-04T18:50:00.000-07:00

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!!

2010-03-28T19:16:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-03-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-03-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-07T18:36:00.000-08:00

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