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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

In Honor of Menu Monday

I had the AH-mazing opportunity to travel to the Czech Republic and Slovakia last week. On the way I met awesome people, saw incredible things, made some unforgettable memories AND ... ate a wide variety of food.

In honor of my regularly posted Menu Monday I submit to you Menu Monday Mission Trip-Style!
Czech it out (get it!)



Sunday breakfast - Plain yogurt with Chocolate granola

















Sunday lunch - Beef Tips with Bread Dumplings



Monday breakfast - scrambled eggs, poached potato, mushrooms, sausage & toast



Monday dinner - Margherita (aka cheese) pizza from this stone oven


Tuesday breakfast - a doughnut and latte from Tesco (similar to a Wal-Mart)



Wednesday - traditional Czech breakfast (bread, ham, cheese, scrambled eggs and ham)
I was supposed to get one OR the other but due to some for-real "lost in translation" moments I got a double breakfast portion. p.s. this happened to me more than once on the trip. p.s.s. therefore I did not loose a single pound while traveling.

















Wednesday Dinner - a (flexible) chicken steak and mashed potatoes


Thursday breakfast - more ham and eggs for breakfast (looks identical doesn't it?)


Thursday lunch - Kofola (soda) and pasta with chicken
(and what most closely resembles ketchup sauce)


Thursday breakfast - latte at Tesco with chocolate croissant


Thursday dinner - fried cheese and half a cheese pizza


Friday- more lattes and more croissants


Friday dinner at Sonya's house. A buffet of sandwiches, pretzels, cake and chips.


And then later ..... Chicken schnitzel and chips.


Saturday lunch - chicken gnocchi and spinach


Saturday dinner (potluck with the roomie) granola bars, pretzels and trail mix



Sunday - dinner in Prague spinach soup, bruschetta and the star of the show gelato





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Monday, November 5, 2012

Menu Monday

Happy Cooking my friends!


Sunday - French Toast Bake with Grandma Betty's Applesauce & Sausage Links (you don't have to use french bread. I've used plain old white bread and it's been fine fine fine!)

Monday - General Tso's Chicken with Rice (I'll admit ... I'm not usually down with a recipe with so many steps BUT this is totally worth it. Plus I have found boneless dark meat at Wal-Mart. Once I tried to cut it off the bones myself but THAT'll never happen again)

Tuesday - Oven Fried Chicken with Crockpot Potatoes, Corn and Corn Bread (these potatoes require no mashing. there are made from red potatoes which is yum AND no clean up. NONE. you line your crockpot with foil. heeeelllll-o! easy peasey!)

Wednesday - Haystacks (what is this? well at our house it's rice and taco meat ((remember to make extra)) piled with whatever you want; lettuce/tomato/salsa/crushed chips/cheese but what ever you do you must top it off with melted nacho cheese! lots and lots of melty cheese)

Thursday - leftovers because BASKETBALLSEASONHASBEGUN

Friday - Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwiches with Fries (Sweet Potato for me & Crinkles for the kids! and bytheway ... the precooked bacon is NOT bad. Why fry it for sandwiches is what I always say. ok I don't but still.)

Saturday - Taco Soup (my hubby says he likes this more than chili!! we love it with tortilla chips)


if you like my blog please share it!

Grandma Betty's Applesauce

Grandma Betty is the sweetest, shortest, most pleasant woman. Once she whipped up at batch of this homemade applesauce in the hills of Missouri and it was so good I demanded she write down the recipe. Boy am I glad she did as it has become a staple in our home each Fall.

5 or 6 medium Golden Delicious Apples, peeled and chopped
1 cup of water

Bring to a boil, cover and boil gently for 10 minutes or until apples are soft.
Remove from heat and mash those apples.
I have used a potato masher for chunky applesauce or put it in my blender for smooth applesauce.
Than add 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in the pan, of course.
Stir and stir and stir.
Return to heat and bring to a boil. Stir and then turn off the burner.
Try not to burn yourself because you can't wait until it cools.
p.s. your house will smell awesome!

I've doubled, tripled and even quadrupled this recipe! Yummy.
p.s.s. serve it with dinner and pork chops or serve it at breakfast with french toast and sausage. mmmmm.


Crock Pot Taco Soup

My husband says he likes this better than chili!

Taco Soup

1 lb hamburger
1 sm onion
3 cans pinto beans
1 14 ½ oz can stewed tomatoes
1 10oz can Rotel tomatoes
½ tsp cayenne (red) pepper
1 15oz can Hormel chili, no beans
1 16 oz lite sour cream
1 lb Velveeta, cubed
2 cup water
½ tsp garlic salt.

Brown beef & onion.  Drain.  Put all in crock pot.  Cook over low for 2 hours, stir often.  Do NOT boil.  Serve with tortilla chips  (I use all regular, not lite, but use whatever works for you)




Monday, October 29, 2012

Menu Monday - (w New Recipes!!)

I've missed cooking. So this week's menu includes lots of new recipes and time in the kitchen. You see, I like to cook when I have free time. It's my way of expressing my creativity. It also represents an un-hurried life. When I have time to try new recipes it's like I have time to explore new options, create them and (hopefully) savor them! So I have a few links below that were new recipes to our house! Some of them we may even add to the rotation!

SUNDAY - brunch
Cheesy Scrambled Eggs, Sausage Links, Bacon Cheese Pull Apart Bread & PotatoCakes

MONDAY - Swiss Baked Chicken with Crockpot Mashed Potatoes & Green Bean Casserole (we love, love this meal!)

TUESDAY-Crock Pot Macaroni & Cheese
(it's Paula Dean's recipe y'all, so it's gottobe good!)

WEDNESDAY-leftovers

THURSDAY - Pizza Subs w Perfect French Fries  (seriously, these fries are perfect! and with the prep/fry time involved it is a recipe to make when you have time!)

FRIDAY - Tator Tot Casserole
(my hubby's fav-OH-rite! there are a ga-zillion ways to make this but my recipe is simple and super kid friendly)

SATURDAY
Pumpkin Doughnuts (again work but totally worth the effort!)

AND JUST BECAUSE:
Pioneer Woman Apple Pie (yum-o!) (this pie is a slice of heaven)

S'more Bars (my kids loved this. I adapted (as I do almost every recipe) because I only had about 5 regular size Hershey bars. But c'mon chocolate is chocolate, no?)

Cinnamon Roll Waffles (this recipe comes from a website blogger called "Lady Behind the Curtain" !! isn't that an awesome name! ha! I only have a Belgium waffle maker so we used 2 Grands at a time and spiraled them around each other so we had one HUGE cinnamon roll)



I'm always looking for new recipes! Please add yours or a link to yours in the comment section below! Happy cooking! xo Steph

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes

You know how you LOVE mashed potatoes but never serve it because it leaves you standing in the kitchen when you want to be doing other things? I found a crockpot recipe! Now I can have mashed potatoes on busy nights or even for company and I'm not all tied up in the kitchen. I know, you can thank me later after you try it out!

5# potatoes
1 c butter chunked
1 T salt
2t garlic powder
1 t pepper

Add all to crockpot and cook 4 hour on high. Do not drain. When ready add 1 1/3 c warm milk and mash. Enjoy.


Tater Tot Casserole


Tater Tot Casserole
(my hubby's fav-OH-rite! there are a ga-zillion ways to make this but my recipe is simple and super kid friendly)

Bake tator tots according to package until super crispy.
Meanwhile fry up hamburger ((add onions if you like. I like))
Drain meat and add 1 can condensed cream of cheese soup and 1/2 can of milk and mix up with meat. When tots are done put in 9x9 greased dish and fill bottom but save some for the top.
Then layer meat/cheese mixture, cover in shredded cheddar cheese and sprinkle remaining tots on the top.
Add extra cheese for extra goodness and heat through in the oven.
Then accept applause from your children.


FYI I love this with Ketchup but my kids love it with Ranch dressing aka STAPLES in our house!

Pizza Subs

Get your favorite sub bun or hoagie roll.
Layer in it:
Ham
Salami
Crumbled, cooked sausage
Pepperoni
(and anything else you like on a pizza)
top it off with Mozzarella &/or Provolone Cheese
and pizza sauce.

Wrap it in foil and warm it in the oven. Enjoy!


Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Menu Monday (on Tuesday)

You don't mind, right? If my menu is on Tuesday rather than Monday? I mean a menu is a menu is a menu? Either way, we have to eat. The Tribe gets restless every night around 5 p.m. and I get asked "What's for dinner?' over and over and over
and ...

Good thing I know ahead of time what we're having!

Monday
Rachel Ray's Baked Potato Soup & Grilled Cheese with Apple Crisp (fall makes me want soup! what can I say? the kids don't love soup though so that's a problem but this reheats well and makes a yummy lunch!) p.s. sometimes I use precooked bacon. 


Tuesday
Cornbread Pizza (Hubby put this meal together for me because I was delayed coming home! He hit it out of the park! He said "it was easy!" Now THAT's a winner recipe!)

Wednesday
Lauren R's Pasta Italian Casserole bake (truth is hubby loves this more that the kids. if you don't love cream cheese I recommend cutting back a little. I doubled the recipe and shared a pan with a friend. I hope her family liked it :) )

Thursday
LEFTOVERS

Friday
Taste of Home's Cheeseburger Soup (seriously, this is worth every minute it takes to make it. this batch I left out the celery and carrots because I didn't have any AND I always double the Velveeta. because cheesier IS better, no?) p.s. I made this with homemade bread. don't be impressed it's the frozen dough you set out all day. it rises on it's own and all you do is pop it in the oven. your friends will be impressed!

Saturday
Pillsbury's Chalupa (That's not what it's REALLY called and FYI my kids don't know this is a biscuit shell! If they did they would have snubbed it. - thus I make up my own name for recipes! Also, I always have taco meat in the fridge as I always make too much for this exact reason!)

Sunday brunch - Buttermilk Pancakes
(These are nothing - NOTHING - like biscuit mix pancakes. They are oh so good! I even keep the dry ingredients mixed up in a baggie so that I can whip them up in 3 minutes on school mornings!)


p.s. I love recipes! Please add your favorite meal below and maybe I can work it into one of my MENUs! Thanks!

Monday, October 15, 2012

Menu Monday - Oct 15

Oh yeah! You asked for it, you got it!
Menu Monday is baaaaacckk!
Holla!

Ok whatever. That's a little over the top. But still, like 4 people asked me to get back to Menu Mondays so in response to my "fans" ... here it is!

Go ahead, give me some lovin!

Sunday Brunch
OverNight Apple French Toast
perfect perfect perfect for fall!

Monday
Pasta Bake with Bread Sticks
My family loves Pizza Hut's Pasta Bake. I figured ... I can do that better! 'Course Pizza Hut delivers and keeps my kitchen clean .....

Tuesday
Walking Tacos Tailgate (in honor of Ebay's bday) I made the taco meat ahead of time, warmed it up in the crockpot the day of and took individual bags of Doritos, tons of lettuce and cheese along with salsa and ranch! The boys could pile up their bags however they wanted and I had zero mess to clean up. Atta-girl!

Wednesday
Campbell's Creamy Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas
Seriously, this has become a staple at our house!

Thursday
Crockpot Chicken n Dumplings
This was my first go at this recipe and I liked it....the kids were eh! but you can't beat the ease and convenience!

Friday
Pizza-Dillas
Please use real butter and real cheese. Please. It is so good,

Saturday
Chili and Hot Dogs with Tortilla Chips and Queso Dip
Truth is ... the hot dogs are for the kids. In fact, they don't even eat chili. But this way we are all happy!


If you like my blog today would you please tweet, like or Pinit? Thanks!

Better than Pizza Hut Pasta Bake

1 box Rotini or Penne noodles (cooked according to directions & rinsed in cool water)
2 jars of your favorite pasta sauce
1 pound sausage (cooked & grease drained)
2 T Sugar
2 cups of your favorite Italian Cheese (we love mozzarella & provolone)


Spray a 2 quart casserole pan with nonstick spray and put in enough sauce to cover bottom of pan. Then pour in the noodles. Scatter sausage on that. Pour on the more sauce. Sprinkle the cheese. Bake. Bake till bubbly and yummy. 350 for 24 minutes or so! Let set before you dish up to avoid excessive runny-ness!


Monday, September 10, 2012

A Note to Self




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Monday, May 7, 2012

Menu Monday

It is Menu Monday here at To Write a Better Story.

And I've got no menu for you.
Turns out I can't even meet my own standard for cooking.

Sure we've got dinner in the crock pot right now but
2 kids are at a practice
Darling Hubby is out coaching
the teenager bops in and out so much I'm not sure whether she's coming or going
and I think the other 2 kids are around here somewhere....

o yeah, they're here, I remember! They just helped me carry in 6 bags of groceries so we'd have food for tomorrow.

Also, I just broke my cardinal rule of never going to the grocery store without a list.
I didn't have a list.
I don't have a menu.
Heck, I'm not even sure I had the money to buy the food we're about to consume.

Yeah, it's been like that lately.

Did I mention .... nah, forget it! Even to myself if I continue down that path it sounds a little whiny. And you now what? I'm alive!
I'm alive and well. Healthy enough to clean my kitchen (that my family left for me from 6:30 this morning, grrrrrr!!!). While the fries are cooking in the oven I've got 2 seconds to post Menu Monday and at least I had my wits about me to get something in the crock pot when I left the house this morning.

So Menu Monday? NO!
A recipe? Yes!
And a darn good one!
Mark this one down....it's my flippin lifesaver crock pot recipe:

Italian Chicken


In the crock pot add:
1 bag of frozen, boneless chicken breasts
1 can of Chicken Broth
1/4 cup of Pepperocini juice (optional - it just adds a hint of flavor-flav)
2 packets of dry Italian dressing

Cook on low until it easily shreds or falls apart. Serve on toasted buns with your favorite cheese (we love Provolone or Pepper Jack).

and by the way - leftovers are even better!
and BONUS!
keep any left over for ANY recipe you need that uses precooked chicken i.e. Enchiladas, Quesadillas, Burritos, Chicken & Rice casserole, Potato Chip Casserole, Chicken Noodle Soup, Cream of Chicken Soup, Chicken Nachos ........

Seriously ... it's that good!

Hope you are all well!
For what's left of this Monday - may you rock it!

For more awesome Menu ideas visit www.orgjunkie.com Her Menu Plan Monday is really great!


Monday, April 2, 2012

Menu Monday

Hi! Are you cooking this week? I don't feel like cooking but my hungry tribe demands food so rather than stress out about what to do/what to eat/what to buy I compulsively plan out our evening dinners. There are no new recipes here .... we're in that season where I gotta fall back on our tried & try recipes to get me by. I have no time lately to invent recipes and try out new ideas. But that's exactly what recipe boxes & food boards on Pinterest are all about .... collecting and falling back on your favorite foods!
Here's our favorite/quick/inexpensive meals this week! Try some out if you want or heck, steal the whole menu and you could feed your family this week!

Sunday
Fried Potatoes, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs & Monkey Bread (....mmmmmmMonkey Bread!)

Monday
Pioneer Woman Dr. pepper Pork Sandwiches (minus the adobe sauce) & Crock Pot Potatoes
(seriously - this was the easiest, quickest meal for me to clean up!)

Tuesday
Spinach Stuffed Shells, Garlic Bread & Two Cheese Salad
(even though I only use one cheese :)

Wednesday
YoYo aka Your On Your Own

Thursday
Homemade Pizza - sausage, pepperoni or cheese but sometimes we do Chicken and Alfredo!
(thank you Boboli!)

Friday
Campbells Creamy Chicken Enchiladas w Chips & Cheese

Saturday
Beef n Cheddar with Sweet potato fries (my favorite yum!)


As always I love the link up at Menu Plan Monday! Check them out for even more and even better menu ideas!





Monday, March 19, 2012

Menu Monday - Dear Working Mom

this is not me but it could be!
Dear Working Mom,
I don't know you or your situation, I only know mine, but I feel incredibly bonded to you today. No one really, I mean really, gets all that we go through to take care of our family... except us.

Or maybe you have it all under control and I'm the only one drowning this week. And by drowning I mean head-under-water-gasping-for-air-drowning. I'm not able to keep anything a float. I've dropped the ball so many times with the important things that I've completely lost my ability to keep a handle on the little things.

And with that truth I struggle. I struggle because I never wanted to be that mom that had too many kids to keep an effective eye on each of them, to not know where my kids were, or where they needed to be ...

My humongous calender on the wall is of no use if I can't even find the time to write our commitments on it.

Nonetheless, despite all the times I've blown it this week, we still had to eat. My tribe began their daily ritual of pestering me at 4 o'clock waiting for the food to appear on their plates. I had to feed my family.
 So here's what we had this week. It's short and sweet and to the point. The only thing quicker than this week's menu would have been to order pizza or hit a drive-thru but since our budget can't accommodate that here's how we got by. It's Menu Monday on To Write a Better Story. I wish you quick healthy meals that despite however you busy you are, you find the time to gather your team around the table for an imperative time of connectivity!

SUNDAY Brunch Apple French Toast

MONDAY Chicken 'Sketti
(recipe doubles easily and freezes well!)

TUESDAY Popcorn Chicken Wraps

WEDNESDAY YoYo
(Your On Your Own)

THURSDAY Ruebens & Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Pioneer Woman's Perfect French Fries (ok! fine! the fries aren't super quick but I made them the night before and lemme tell you ... it beats frozen fries ... hands down!)


FRIDAY Tacos


SATURDAY Super Nachos
(use leftover taco meat)

We also had Sugar Cookies decorated like Shamrocks for St. Patty's Day and when cleaning out the pantry I found 2 neglected boxes of Rice Krispies and marshmallow fluff....viola! Rice Krispie Treates!

If you love recipe hunting online like I do check out the Organized Junkie's website. She has a wonderful Menu Plan Monday link-up!





Baked Apple French Toast

I've saved this recipe for over 20 years. It was served to me at a women's brunch when I was newly married and still finding my way around the kitchen!

image from mykitchenquest.blogspot.com
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 c butter
2 Tablespoon corn syrup
2 large Granny Smith apples peeled & sliced
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
9 slices of French Bread

In a small saucepan cook brown sugar, butter & syrup till thick - about 5 - 7 minutes. Pour into an ungreased 13x9 pan and arrange apples on top. In mixing bowl beat eggs, milk & vanilla. Dip bread into egg mixture for 1 minute. Place over apples. Cover and refrigerate over night. Remove 30 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

yum!


Chicken Spaghetti





Bake a Chicken and de bone it. Or buy a Rotisserie Chicken and de bone it. Or buy any chicken and put it in a pot, cover it with water and boil it. Then de bone it. Either way I think you have the idea.

Then cut celery, onion, green pepper, red pepper and a clove or 2 or 3 of garlic. (all the veggies and how much of them you want is optional, of course) in a sauce pan with 1 stick of butter.

Cook 2 large boxes of spaghetti (use a huge pan) and rinse with cold water.
Mix noodles, sauteed veggies, chicken and
6 cups chicken broth
4 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans of tomato soup
Worcestershire sauce and salt & pepper.
Divide the creation in half I used two 9x13 pans
Freeze if you wish.
Bake defrosted 350 for an hour or so.



Monday, February 27, 2012

Menu Monday

It's Menu Monday here at To Write a Better Story. And I'm happy to share with you what I call Leftover Recipes. That is the meals I create from a previous version of a dish I've already made. These second time around meals are important to me for 2 reasons. 1. We're on a super tight budget so I never, ever throw food away. and 2. As a ridiculously overworked mother of 5 why wouldn't I take every chance I have to cut my kitchen prep time down?

Think ahead! Can you cook twice as much ground beef, chicken or potatoes as you need now and save what your family didn't eat for a quick meal later? For example:

Roasted or Pan Fried Potatoes = a quick skillet breakfast - add fried egg
Left over chicken = Campbells Chicken Enchiladas
Ground Beef = taco meat - add shells and cheese
Ground sausage = Italian Veggie & Pasta soup (good as Olive Garden's) - add bread sticks
Left over Pork Chops = Chinese Stir Fry - add veggies & your favorite sauce w rice
Ground Sausage = Sausage and Cheese Omelet
Biscuits = Ham, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches
Chicken = Chicken Tacos - add taco seasoning and shells and cheese
Mashed Potatoes = Twice Baked Potatoes
Roast = Stroganoff - add cream of celery & onion soup & sour cream & cooked egg noodles
Roast = Beef Sandwiches - add dry Italian seasoning and broth
Taco Meat = Taco Pizza or Taco Salad
Meatballs = Meatball Subs - use a hot dog bun for easy handling
Roast = BBQ Sandwiches - add your favorite sauce
Chicken = Quesadillas

The point is to think in ways that cut your cooking time by preparing ahead. It seems easier for me to cook five pounds of ground beef at one time than cook ground beef three times in one week. Maybe it's just me?

What are your tips to cutting kitchen time in half?

If you love collecting recipes online you've gotta check out this site!


Monday, February 20, 2012

Menu Monday



Felt good to get at the stove again
and cut stuff
and dice stuff
and broil meat.

Ah! When I have time to cook it's like my outlet for creativity.
I love it when I collect a recipe (Pinterest!! follow me!!), cook food and plate it up only to have my family be nourished and happy.
Ah, nurturing. I can't get away from it.
Anyway ... this is what was on our menu this week!




Monday
Jumbo Shells n Cheese w Best Ever Garlic Bread
(slice sweet bread and smoother with equal parts butter & mayo, sprinkle with garlic powder & italian seasoning and broil!)

Tuesday
Perfect Restaraunt Steak with Baked Potato and Spinach Salad
(FYI it was NOT the perfect steak. I'll stick to my Foreman Grill next time!)

Wednesday
YoYo your on your own

Thursday
Chicken Patty Cordon Blue Sandwiches with Macaroni and Cheese

Friday
Chili and Hot Dogs, Corn Bread & Chips
(Thank you KG as Brooks Beans DO make all the difference in the world!)

Saturday
Chicken Supreme, Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole and Butter Corn
(my version: boneless chicken in pan, slap on a slice of swiss cheese, cover with cream of mushroom soup and top with 1 stick of butter melted and mixed with 1 box of Stove Top, bake 350 for 40 minutes)


gluttony in a pan right here folks!


Also! After searching high and low I found and made the most addicting snack ev-ah! Frito Nachos! (I added chocolate chips, DUH!)




*If you love to collect recipes and are tired of the same old boring stuff go visit organizedjunkie.com! I love all the link ups!


If you enjoy my blog would you please

 the love? Please and Thank You!

Monday, February 13, 2012

Menu Monday

Are you cooking this week?
Why not?
There are so many easy to throw together recipes that you're family will love (well, will probably love). You can nourish your family, bring the kids round the table, have some actual real life no texting required conversations and it doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg or an entire night cooking in the kitchen!

How do I know?
Cuz I do it.
And it's not like I'm home all day. I'm totally not.
Trust me, it can be done.
You can fill your crock pot, oven and pantry with items that come together in a snap!
Don't have the time?
Steal my menu.
I'm serious! Do it! You can take all my hard work and totally glean from it! All you gotta do is go get the ingredients. Everything is planned for you right here! It's Menu Monday folks! Get cookin'!

Friday, February 10, 2012

The (Former) Un-Happy Non-Consumer, Finance Friday


There is a HUGE nonconsumer movement happening.
Some call it minimalism,
others green living

but no matter what label you give it, there is an army of people making decisions to spend their money less and enjoying life more.
Take @thenonconsumer - a very thrifty gal I follow in Twitter.

Her blog is an awesome compilation of savings tips and thrifty inspiration. Her motto:
Use it up. Wear it out. Make Do. Or do without.
I like it. Has a nice ring, yeah? She's totally making having little look cool.

I, too, am living a nonconsumer lifestyle.
But I've not been one to brag about it or embrace it!
Why?
Because thrifty living was thrust upon me - I didn't choose it, it choose me.

And for anybody who knows me well knows I'm a bit of a contrarian (meaning my very core baulks whenever I am forced or expected to do/feel/or say something).

I want to be free to speak my mind. (I lost my voice for a few years)
I want to be free to do what I want (mothering 5 kids was an adjustment for me)
I like feeling free to make my own choices (what do you mean this town only has one grocery store!?!)
I want to feel like I am conducting my life, not the other way around.

So when life didn't go the way I had planned (can we say way off course?) I lived in the land of tears and frustration.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

In Case Pinterest Frustrates You ...

If you, like me are crafty but skill-less when it comes to crafts
Pinterest is a LOVE/HATE relationship.

I LOVE to look and dream of crafting
but
I never will.

Maybe because I got 5 kids
4 part time jobs
meals to cook
blogs to write
& laundry to do
or maybe it's because the nearest craft store is over 18 miles away.

Either way I would craft if I could

but I don't.

Instead for me, looking at Pinterest -with a holiday like Valentines Day- approaching is
frustrating.

I mean, it's torture to dream about making such cute things
when you know full well you'll never make it.

So this is what I did.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Menu Monday

I love food. I love food so much. I love good food. I love when I cook good food. I love good food at breakfast! Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I could eat biscuits and gravy, pancakes and omelets, cinnamon rolls and quiches E.V.E.R.Y.D.A.Y.

So not kidding.
So menu planning for me....well (dork alert!) ... I sorta enjoy it. I just simply don't want to eat bad food. I don't want to cook something for the sake of cooking something. I'd rather not eat than eat bad food. Gosh, I sound like a food snob don't I? Well, I probably am.

So some of you ask me "How do you do a menu so faithfully?" Well, I do it so I can eat good food. AND I do it because I hate the grocery store. I only want to go there one day a week, get everything I need and be done with it.

This week to save time I cooked taco soup, casserole and the chicken dinner on Sunday afternoon. It took a good hour but it was worth it because turns out our family schedule was INSANE this week. Maybe you'll be inspired to cook good food too! It's not hard! It just takes some good recipes, fresh ingredients and practice! Go on! Make something in your kitchen!

Here's my Menu:

Sunday
Crock pot taco soup

Monday
Italian Hamburger Casserole (thanks L.R.)

Tuesday
Sage Chicken & Sausage, Roasted Red Potatoes, Corn & Grands Biscuits
(Red Potatoes- washed, diced tossed with 1 or 2 TableSp olive oil. Sprinkle generously with your favorite seasoning. Baked on greased pan till fork tender.)

Wednesday
Leftovers (man did we have a lot! The first 3 recipes made a TON! Yeah!)

Thursday
Ham & Cheesy Potatoes with Biscuits

Friday
Campbell's Chicken Enchiladas with Rice and Beans
(I bought a Rotisserie Chicken deboned it and froze the meat for snap preparation!)

Saturday
Ribeye Steaks, Baked Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli


I also made:
Crecent Rolls Breakfast Casserole
Sorta Monkey Bread
Oatmeal Scotchie Cookies
Frozen Hot Chocolate

Monday, January 16, 2012

Menu Monday

Oh, Menu Monday, how I've missed thee. The holidays and basketball seasons have overwhelmed my life with quick meals, missed meals and yes, Gasp!, drive thru happy meals. In fact, true story, I've been so absent from my local grocery store that when I did go through my favorite checkers line last Saturday she actually said, "how have you been? I haven't seen you in forever!" This is true because A.) you can't forget a grocery bill the size of mine too easily and B.) I shop frequently. So here it is. On a budget, semi-homemade meals that are easy to make and will keep your family happy and healthy! Enjoy!