Menu Plan (September 12-18)

My adorable nephew, Levi (AKA Nay-nay). Don't you just love him?!!

Menu Plan (September 12-18)

Sunday

Breakfast – cereal

Lunch – Bombay Chicken (from freezer) and Quinoa

Dinner – Dinner Out

Monday

Breakfast – simple soaked pancakes

Lunch – Bombay chicken leftover

Dinner – Lentil and Rice Casserole and green salad

Tuesday

Breakfast – Eggs and toast

Lunch – Lentil and Rice leftover

Dinner – 5-Minute Southwest Layered Salad (with shredded chicken from the freezer)

Wednesday

Breakfast – Eggs and Fruit

Lunch – Leftover southwest salad

Dinner – Salmon Melts and green Salad

Thursday

Breakfast – Eggs and Toast

Lunch – salmon melts leftover

Dinner – Chicken Pesto and Rice

Friday

Breakfast – Green Smoothies and oatmeal

Lunch – Chicken Pesto leftover

Dinner – Beefy Enchilada Bake

Dessert – Strawberry shortcake or (this recipe) Strawberry Shortcake

Saturday

Breakfast – Breakfast Burritos

Lunch – beefy enchilada Bake leftovers

Dinner – Dinner Out

Menu Plan (September 5-11)

My Husband took our little angel away today, to play with her cousins at Grandma and Papa's house. Mommy had a marvelous time without her! I even got my menu done. But, I do love you, my beautiful Gwendolyn!

Menu Plan (September 5-11) - Click on the meals to see recipes!

Sunday

Breakfast – Green Smoothies and Eggs

Lunch – Out with Family

Dinner – Italian Roast Wraps and watermelon

Monday

Breakfast – Baked Oatmeal

Lunch – Steak Salad - leftover from Sunday

Dinner – Grilled Veggie Sandwiches

Tuesday

Breakfast – Eggs and toast

Lunch – Grilled Veg Sandwich - leftover

Dinner – Chicken Tortilla Soup – from freezer

Wednesday

Breakfast – Eggs and Fruit

Lunch – turkey Sandwich and Chicken tortilla soup - leftover

Dinner – Spicy Lentil soup and Salad

Thursday

Breakfast – Eggs and Toast

Lunch – Spicy Lentil soup – leftover, and salad

Dinner – Chicken and Brocolli Stir Fry

Friday

Breakfast – Green Smoothies and oatmeal

Lunch – Sweet Potato and Salad

Dinner – Chili and Cornbread – both from freezer OR Pizza

Dessert – Fruit and Yogurt

Saturday

Breakfast – cereal

Lunch – chili and cornbread - leftover

Dinner - Chicken Pesto – from freezer, and Rice

Menu Plans for ME

I think I look very LARGE in this picture...but It's me with both my kids...so it's worth posting

Oh, there are so many Blogs I want to write...an update on Augustine, pics of my beautiful family, book musings...but what I need most right now is just a little ORDER in my life! I need the basics to start running smoother...like how I'm going to feed my family good food, give them clean clothes to wear and, somehow make our home more comfortable than just a huge pile of toys, dishes and clothes.

I've got to say, the CONSTANT nursing is really starting to get to me and make me CRAZY. But, it's very important to me, so I'm going to keep doing it. But, I've got to figure out how to make the other stuff go smoother, or I may truly go insane. It takes time and energy to get organized...but I feel like I am exerting MORE energy not having some procedures in place.

I often use my blog to "talk to myself," and today is no exception : ). I am going to begin posting my menu plans for the week (or the month) depending on how often I am able.

WHY? Is it because I am looking for more things to do? Uh...no. It's because, when I have had a menu plan in place, I have shopped smarter, spent less time preparing food, and have just enjoyed my day more. Also, I really want to lose this baby weight...while still eating well (and enough), for the health of my breast milk. That takes planning.

These menu plans will be, almost entirely, made up of recipes stolen from other people and will be based on the kind of food I want my family to be eating.

I have the right to change the menu on any given day...so if you come to my house on "Taco Tuesday" and we are eating waffles...I don't want to hear anything about it! I also don't want to hear anything should you see me out one day, devouring a beautifully iced, chemical-laden cup-cake. I'm very interested in preparing nutritious, real food at home. But the Lord has given me many delightful blessings on this earth...and a cupcake is one of them.

Stay tuned for my menu plans...maybe you will see some things you like!

Honey Balsamic Chicken (from Kelly the Kitchen Kop)

I made the best recipe last night! It was SO easy and SO delicious and SO good for you...according to pretty much any eating plan.

This Honey Balsamic Chicken Recipe comes from Kelly the Kitchen Kop's website...and she got if from Amy D.

I'm pretty used to Kelly having great recipes...but this one will be an all-time fav!

Enjoy!

Link to Homemade Smoothie-Popsicles

I really like the PYP Blog: Lots of coupons and savings...and some fun ideas, too!

Check out the Popsicles:

Homemade Smoothie Popsicles

My STOLEN RECIPES Page

Okay, so the more I use the computer, the more I realize...I don't know how to use the computer. It's really quite sad.

Never-the-less I have created a "page" of Recipes on this blog (at the top, under the big picture), where I plan to post the recipes that I have taken from other people's websites and use often.

I don't like this format and I think there is a better way to do it...but I don't know what that way is, just yet : ).

The recipes that I have come to love and want more of are ones that are affordable, nutritious and EASY. I'll be posting these recipes so that you can enjoy them too. Here are just a couple that I made this week, to start...

My STOLEN RECIPES Page

Crock Pot ABUNDANCE!

Okay, now I'm excited! I just looked at Passionate Homemaking's updated Crock Pot Carnival and there are a TON of recipes! I love it!

I love when something else does the work for me and I have time to move my furniture around or spray-paint a garage sale shelf or learn how to use my sewing machine...Oh, I mean, have more time to play with my baby...that's what I meant to say.

I don't know how my mom did it...She just spent all day, everyday, playing with and taking care of the seven of us. I never saw her spray-paint ONE shelf!

Roast & Mushroom Sauce in the Crock Pot

My mom made this one, often, when I was growing up.

It's Easy, quick to prepare and very tasty!

The original Recipe calls for a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup and an envelope of dry onion soup mix.

As I've been reading my labels a little closer, lately, I have been wanting to find tasty alternatives to products with ingredients such as vegetable oil, modified food starch, monosodium glutamate (MSG), high fructose corn syrup, etc. Although I spend more time in my kitchen these days, it is still a place where I am not at all creative...I just get on the Internet and copy other people's ideas and recipes.

Enjoy your Roast!

Roast & Mushroom Sauce in the Crock Pot

1 (2 to 2 1/2lb.) boneless beef chuck roast
-we have, many times, used a sirloin roast and often a much bigger one (for leftovers!)
3 garlic cloves (or garlic powder) - more if you like! Salt Pepper
1 Condensed Creamed Soup Substitute (Recipe from Passionate Homemaking)
-I cut the milk almost in half, and used the full amount of soup made from this recipe
-OR use a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
6 potatoes (or how ever many can fit in your crock pot!), cut into chunky pieces
-my sister uses sweet potatoes and it's really yummy, too!
4 large carrots (again, more if you want), cut into chunky pieces
1 onion (cut into chunky pieces)

• Place veggies in first - as many as will fit under the roast and still allow the Lid to close (so the juices will run down over them)

• Place the roast in the crock pot and rub with garlic

• SPrinkle a light layer of Salt and Pepper on to the roast
  

• Place any remaining veggies around and on top of the roast

• Pour the Mushroom Soup over the top and spread around a little

• Cook on LOW for 6-8 hrs or until Roast is tender

Serve with whole wheat noodles or dinner rolls!

Green Eggs for Baby

So, I've been wanting the book Super Baby Food, but my library doesn't have it and I am trying this new thing where I don't always run out and buy everything I want at all times...not as fun as it sounds.

So, I decided to come up with something of my own. Gwendolyn hated green beans and egg yolk was just too dry...but I wanted to give her both of these things. I also needed something hearty and nutritious that I could have on hand (in the freezer and fridge) for when I didn't have the time or energy to find, cook, and cut-up a good lunch for her. My Green Eggs and Quinoa is a SMASHING success!!!! I had heard about Quinoa (Keen-wa) and found mine at Costco. I'm sure this would work for other grains, such as Millet or Rice, too!

2-3 cups cooked Quinoa (Millet, Rice, etc.)
2+ cups of steamed green beans (reserve the cooking liquid!)
4 hard boiled egg yolks
Butter -or coconut oil- (to taste)
Sea Salt (to taste)

(Keep in mind...I have NO idea how to write or express a RECIPE. These amounts may or may not be good ratios...it's just how I did it and it worked for me.)

• Cook Quinoa (or other grain), set aside
• Hard Boil Eggs and separate yolks, set aside
• Steam Green Beans until tender, reserving the cooking liquid.
• Place green beans into Blender (or food processor) and add cooking liquid to make a pureed consistency.
• Add Egg Yolks to Blender. you will need to add more green bean cooking liquid to maintain the moist, pureed consistency to the green bean/egg mixture.
• Mix the Green Bean/Egg Puree into the Cooked Quinoa. add sea salt and butter to taste. I think these helped with partially disguising the strong green bean smell and taste.

I put mine into baby cubes and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Gwendolyn LOVED this little porridge and wanted a double portion. I did find that my batch seemed a little dry (probably not enough liquid in the puree) but she didn't mind and I just kept her sippy cup filled with water!