Monday, Monday.... menu, etc.

After looking over last week's planned menu, let me just tell you that I feel like a big fat LIAR.
I did not cook anything after Tuesday. On Wednesday, my sweet grandparents provided us with an enormous dinner of a gorgeous tossed salad, rolls, burgundy beef tips and gravy over egg noodles, and bread pudding for dessert. On Thursday, we had Open House at our school, and our PTA provided dinner for the teachers. And on Friday, we had leftovers from Wednesday. Saturday, we actually did grill, but I didn't have hamburgers, so we grilled sausage, hotdogs, chicken breasts, and portobella mushrooms instead.

So...
it has been such a blessing to have so many loved ones provide my family with meals. And it was so appropriate for me personally that Laura posted this week dealing with this very thing: Food Tidings. Check it out - very useful tool.

On to the PLAN for this week...
Sunday~ Spaghetti (sauce in the crockpot), parmesan toasts
Monday~ Orange chicken, rice, broccoli (using chicken nuggets, but borrowing the sauce from Sunny Anderson) this is a carryover from last week
Tuesday~ Breakfast for dinner (one of our faves)
Wednesday~ Hubby has class, so ds#3 and I will figure it out when we get there...
Thursday~ Tacos and Macho Nachos!
Friday~ Pampered Chef party for me; hubby & ds#3 will fend for themselves
Saturday~ Crop all day, so I'll probably throw some chili in the crock for an easy dinner when I come home

Share your menus or get inspired at Menu Plan Monday.

Post-surgery menu, week two

Well, last week, I ended up only cooking on Sunday. Every other day, dinner was delivered to us - what a blessing! I was much more tired than I could have imagined after Monday's first day back to work, and a dear woman in our lives called unexpectedly to tell me she was bringing dinner. I am a blessed woman.

On to this week...
Sunday~ Chicken with mushroom gravy (cooked the crockpot), over egg noodles. This was planned for Saturday, but did not get to it, so it moved to this week.
Monday~ dinner from Apple Market, courtesy of my grandparents
Tuesday~ Pasta fagioli (crockpot- I add ground beef too)
Wednesday~ Orange chicken, rice, broccoli (using chicken nuggets, but borrowing the sauce from Sunny Anderson)
Thursday~ Open House at school. Either leftovers or drive-thru.
Friday~ Hamburgers on the grill, tossed salad, chips
Saturday~ WHEW! If everything holds together, it may be a pizza night!

Share in the menu madness at Menu Plan Monday!

Menus, recipe, and an update...

Life, as of late, has been a little crazy.
I had surgery last weekend, and I expected to bounce back and be just fine by Tuesday, and that did not happen.
Which is extremely frustrating, because my life is very busy, and there are simply some things that must be done which no one else can do.
My family, my students, and my friends have been great... but I am beyond ready to get back to normal!!
That said, I cooked today for the first time in over a week - I really cooked. And I like cooking, so it was a good day. Here is one of the recipes I made - and it is a keeper.

5 Minute Individual Potato Gratins

Ingredients

• Vegetable spray
• 2 large russet potatoes, roughly peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese (I used white cheddar)
  
• 2 green onions, finely chopped (I omitted, because ds#3 doesn't like)
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (I used milk instead)
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray 8 muffin tins with vegetable spray. Layer potato slices, cheese, and onions into each muffin cup. Season with salt and pepper and top each gratin with 1 or 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, removing the foil halfway through cooking time. Invert gratins onto plate and serve.

Now... the menus!
Last week's menu was at the kindness of family & friends:
Sunday~ A giant pan of a taco bake with rice, beans, corn, ground beef, and topped with cheddar cheese. Cornbread and brownies to go with!
Monday~ Leftovers
Tuesday~ Pizza
Wednesday~ Ham, potatoes au gratin, peach cobbler
Thursday~ Leftovers
Friday~ Stouffer's Lasagna, french bread
Saturday~ (I cooked!) Marinated flank steak and sausage on the grill, 5 minute individual potato gratins, Caesar salad, bread

And this week:
I'll be going back to work, so the plan is to have something in the crock pot ready so I can come home and rest a little bit before having to fool with dinner. Still a little help from family.
Sunday~ Roast with gravy in the crockpot, mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits
Monday~ Open faced sandwiches with leftovers
Tuesday~ Grandparents bring dinner: KFC (ds#3's request)
Wednesday~ Just ds#3 & me (hubby has class) so probably leftovers
Thursday~ Out to eat using hubby's gift card to Chili's
Friday~ Chicken in the crockpot with mushroom gravy, egg noodles, broccoli
Saturday~ Spaghetti

Check out more menus at Menu Plan Monday.

MPM- two for the price of one!

So I missed posting last week - hubby & I both had our first day with students on Monday, and ds#3 had 3rd grade to get ready for, so posting on the blog got left in the dust. This week, I'm posting our menu from last week (I did make the plan, just didn't post it), and the plan for this week!

Last week:
Sun~ ate at my parents' house - beef & chicken on the grill, Mom's famous scalloped potatoes, peas & butterbeans, and biscuits.
Mon~ Lasagna, tossed salad, bread
Tues~ Chicken nuggets, homemade mac'n'cheese, broccoli (ds#3's request)
Wed~ Fend For Yourself (FFYS). Hubby had class.
Thurs~ Roast turkey breast, homemade gravy, stuffing, green beans
Fri~ OUT to eat, to celebrate our survival of the first week of school!
Sat~ OUT with my fam to celebrate my upcoming birthday.

This week:
Sunday~ Hubby will grill burgers, sausage, & beef tenderloin. We will EAT the burgers today, with baked beans & chips.
Monday~ PAYDAY!!! Tenderloin (grilled on Sunday), twice baked potatoes, broccoli
Tuesday~ Hubby has an eye appt & I have a meeting at school. Some fast food fix somewhere.
Wednesday~ Hubby has class. Leftover turkey & gravy with rice for ds#3 & me.
Thursday~ My b-day... either breakfast at home or out to eat.
Friday~ Outpatient surgery for me. I probably won't be eating... my mom will take care of ds#3.
Saturday~ whatever my sweet family brings over. I'll be propped up recuperating.

Share in the menu madness at Laura's.

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

I'm going to share a recipe today that I have not made, but I have eaten, and it's divine!!!

Tomato Pie
1 deep dish pie crust (pre-baked)
3-4 ripe tomatoes (peeled & sliced)
1 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
4 oz feta cheese
1/2 c. mayo
Salt
Pepper
Basil and oregano (I use fresh basil and oregano if possible- 4 or 5 leaves)
Green onions (1 bunch chopped)
Italian bread crumbs
1. Layer sliced tomatoes in crust.
2. Sprinkle with spices and onions.
3. Do another layer of tomatoes, spices and onions.
4. Mix cheese and mayo and spread over tomatoes.
5. Cover and bake (350) for 35 min.
6. Uncover, sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake another 15-20 min.
7. Cool and serve
Very good left over the next day.

Share your temptations at Blessed With Grace!

August Menu Plan - week 3

We go back to the school routine this week. Hubby & I are back at work, although students won't arrive until next week.

Can I just tell you that we totally loved the Potato Torte from Melissa d'Arabian? I made another, and subbed ham for bacon, and added a little swiss cheese. YUM. Perfect with a salad or a bowl of soup.

So for this week:
Sunday~ lunch @ church
Monday~ Crock pot roast, mashed potatoes, cucumber salad
Tuesday~ Leftover ham and potato salad from Sunday, field peas cooked with the ham bone (in the crock pot. LOVE IT!)
Wednesday~ French dip sandwiches using leftover roast
Thursday~ Penne with chicken & pesto
Friday~ Breakfast: French toast, bacon, fruit
Saturday~ Turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and Swiss beans (we'll use the leftover turkey in sandwiches for back-to-school lunches. Yum!)

What's cookin' at your house? Share at Laura's.

Frugal Friday - CSA question

For those who do...
I have some questions for you about your CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).

• Were your family members huge veggie lovers before you became a part of a CSA?
• How difficult has it been to incorporate all the items into your menu?
• For those purchasing meats, how have you had to cook differently? (Does the meat require different treatment than what you would get at the grocery store?)

We've found a local farm and I'm very excited about it, but I want to know fully what we're getting ourselves into. There are a couple of ways to look at this venture:

• A small, local farm will not give WalMart-type discounts. They just don't operate the same.
• BUT~ I am thrilled ~ and very much believe in supporting local industry as much as possible. So in that regard, I see this as a frugal move.

We've had a summer garden for years, and we grow what we like. But with a CSA, there is a wider variety. On one hand, I'm delighted to give my family a reason to eat different veggies than our norm. On the other hand, I don't want anything to go to waste so I know I'm going to need some new repertoire to be successful!

Thanks in advance for all the tips. I can't wait to hear them! Share more at Frugal Fridays!