Tuesday, June 3, 2008 - Tuesday Tidbits...

After getting the Newsletter from the Crystal at the family homestead yesterday, I decided to sit down last night and get my menu planning back under control.  Thanks to Crystal I planned for the month, and will hopefully be able to shop for two weeks + today!  I took her idea of a 10 day menu a little further, and made a list of everything we regularly cook (came up w/ about 35 things) and then plugged those into a monthly plan, so I know what meat I'll need when, and can watch for sales (like the good one Kroger has this week.)  Here's my menu for the next two weeks...

Tue- Honey Chicken

Wed- Salmon Patties

Thurs- Crockpot Chili (I add a can of tomato sauce, and use homemade taco seasoning to season)

Fri- Sausage & Potato Casserole

Sat- Cold Pasta Salad (rotini, chopped chicken, corn, mayo, S&P, onion powder, celery salt)

Sun- Rancher's Sloppy Joes (NHH Newsletter, Vol 3, # 3)

Mon- Crockpot Chicken (toss a whole chicken, and a favorite spice(I like greek) in the crockpot, voila!)

Tues- Chili Nachos (top corn chips w/  l/o chili, cheese, bake, add fav. toppings)

Wed- Chicken Ceasar Salad

Thurs- Shrimp (Al cooks these, we'll have rice & a salad with them...)

Fri- Pizza (homemade, I pick & choose recipes)

Sat- Mac & Cheese(homemade- rotini, white sauce w/ american cheese, chopped ham, broccoli, top w/ bread crumbs, bake till gooey.  yum!)

Sun- Crock Chicken Quesadillas (cook another chicken, use some w/ jack cheese & tortillas, serve w/ sour cream & salsa)

Mon- Spaghetti (old faithful, 1 box of pasta w/ 1 can Kroger garlic & herb pasta sauce)

Tues- Crock Beef (whatever roast is on sale, cook like crock chicken, some tonight for pot roast, the l/o later in the week for a stir-fry)

For B & L we usually do this:

Sun- Yougurt & Fruit, Sandwiches

Mon- eggs, sandwiches

Tues- Oatmeal, cheese tortillas

Wed- Eggs, Salad or Rice -N-Roni

Thurs- Cereal, Sandwiches

Fri- Eggs, Mac & Cheese

Sat- Muffins or Pancakes, Soup & Sandwiches

I'll fill in sides based on what's up in the garden, at local markets, or on sale, and plan sandwich fixins the same way.  "eggs" might mean fried, scrambled, boiled, egg sandwiches, omlets, etc.  I just know I need about 10 eggs (2 each- won't it be a real $ saver once the chickies start laying!) for each day labeled "eggs."   Now I must go shop.  Today is Farmer's Market day, then I'm off to Kroger!  Have a great day!

Shari

Monday, March 17, 2008 - Menu Plan Monday

orgjunkie

Monday: Crock roast, new potatoes, carrots, bread & butter

Tuesday: Crock Chicken, rice, sauteed green beans & garlic, brownies

Wednesday: Sausage & Potato Casserole, Asparagus

Thursday: Spaghetti, garlic breadsticks, salad

Friday: Beany Nachos w/ fixins

Saturday: Homemade Pizzas

Sunday: Ham, Mashed Potatoes, Carrots, Rolls, Cake (maybe)

Friday, March 14, 2008 - Jeepers Peepers!

I hear Peepers!

It must be spring!  I have our BR window open tonight, and can hear about a million peepers- it's SO cool!  As for my asparagus & onions, I got them at Lowe's and here's the Apple Jack Cookie Recipe courtesy of Saxon Math's 2nd Gr. Curriculum...

1 C. Br. sugar

1/2 C. shortening

1 egg

1 1/2 C. Flour

1/2 tsp b.soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 C. chopped, unpeeled apple

Cream sugar & shortening, add egg, sift dry ingredients & add, mix well, add apples, drop in balls on greased cookie sheet, bake @ 375 for 12-15 min.

YUM!  It tastes like spring here too, tonight we had grilled pork chops, grilled asparagus, and the last of my sweet potatoes from the pantry.  mmmmmmmm..........

Now I'm going to go plan my garden fence, and enjoy the peepers!

Buenas Noches~

Shari

Monday, March 3, 2008 - Menu Plan Monday...

OrgJunkie

Monday: Homemade Macaroni & Cheese Bake w/ Ham & Broccoli

Tuesday: Baked Beans, Salad, Cornbread- CROCKPOT

Wednesday: Spaghetti, Garlic Breadsticks, Green Beans

Thursday: 10th Anniversary- Dinner out, I think...

Friday: Cowgirl Beans, Salad, Biscuits

Saturday: Chicken Tenders & Oven Fries (Girls' night in.. movies)

Sunday: Pot Roast w/ Potatoes & Carrots- CROCKPOT

Sunday, February 3, 2008 - This Week's Menu

Sun: D- snacks, cold pizza (no one's very hungry, lunch was late)

Mon: B- cereal, L- pb & j, D- sausage & potato casserole, salad

Tue: B- Daddy's Oatmeal, L- High Tea , D- Coconut Curry Chicken, Rice, peas (shhhh)

Wed: B- cinnamon toast & apples, L- Tomato Soup & gr cheese, D- Spaghetti, G. Bread, Green beans

Thurs: B- cereal, L- PB & J, D- crockpot cabbage rolls

Fri: B- crustless quiche lorraine, L- salad, D- homemade mac & cheese w/ chopped ham & broccoli

Sat: B- muffins, L- beany nachos, D- fish sticks & fries w/ applesauce

Saturday, December 8, 2007 - Mom's Russian Tea mix...

1/2 c. Tang

1 c. instant iced tea mix W/ suger & lemon

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

mix & store in airtight container.  I often double or triple this for the winter. 

to use: mix 3 heaping tsp. per 1 c. boiling water.

ENJOY!!!

Saturday, December 8, 2007 - Basic, Easy Salt Dough Recipe

I've been meaning to post this, so here 'tis!!

1  C. Table Salt

1 C. Flour

1/2 C. Water

mix & Knead until a firm, not too sticky dough forms.    More flour = smoother texture, more salt = gritty, sand-sculpture like texture.  Ready to use, or cover w/ plastic wrap & refridgerate for up to 3-4 days.  Bake creations in low temp oven until golden brown, cool completely.  Can easily be tinted w/ food coloring before use, or painted after, should be coated with a couple coats of poly if you want to keep long term...  Can be cut, rolled & shaped like Play-Doh, makes great tree ornaments, but roll thin for this, they quickly get HEAVY!!!   For ornaments, be sure to use a straw to poke a hole for hanging BEFORE baking.  Enjoy!!