Nov 1-6 menus

Today(Monday)- Jeff had meetings, so the boyz & I kinda cleaned out the frig. Someone had a burrito, one ate mini corndogs & I had leftover bbq pork from last week-topped w/ Heffys Spicy BBQ sauce. Boy, is that stuff HOT! I even tried to mix it w/ some milder sauce but the heat just came thru!

Tuesday-salmon patties & homemade mac & cheese, green beans & a fruit

Wed- one of my meals from the freezer, probably French Fri Casserole, peas, & fruit

Thurs- leftovers from Wed.

Friday-typically pizza & a movie, BUT J starts basketball practice so it might be leftovers.

Sat- grilled cheese (something light as we have a b-day party at 1)
Soup sounds good. Maybe a veggie beef or chicken tortilla.

Sun-Meal planning for the 2nd pay period & then another bake day.

Bulk Cooking Marathon....

This past Saturday I did me some mean cookin'. While Jeff & Colton headed over to winterize our travel trailer, Jerrett & I did some shopping at Aldi. I was preparing for a BIG day of baking & cooking. When the weather starts cooling down, this chick enjoys staying inside and gettin' her bakin' on! So on this day, which started a little later in the afternoon than I anticipated, I got to browning my 5 lbs. of meat w/ 2 large white onions. I do not salt or spice the meat so that I can use it in many different recipes.

Here is what I made:

Creamy Beef & Noodles

Pizza Monkey Bread

14 Bierocks

2 French Fri Casseroles

14 Beef & Bean Burritos

Blackend Chicken & Beans

Pork Chops & Apples

Western Meal

Lemon Crumb Muffins

Cream Cheese Apple Muffins

& finally

Banana Muffins

From start to finish, it probably took me a good 8 hrs to complete. Since it was Pastor appreciation month, I divied up the muffins & took to my church for the pastors & staff. What was left my boyz devoured!

So now I have a freezer of food just waitin' to be eatin'. Here is the recipe for my "go to dish", that's easy to make & great for pot lucks or bringing a meal to someone.

Western Meal (original recipe came from the Casserole Cookbook from Homemade Gourmet but I chgd it up a bit)

1- lb. (2 cups) cooked ground beef

1- Taco packet

1- 10oz can Rotel, undrained

1- 15oz can black beans, undrained

1-8oz. can tomato sauce

3/4 c. Minute Rice, uncooked

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven 350. (unless you're freezing*)

2. Combine all ingredients, except 1 c. cheddar cheese, in a greased 9x13 baking dish.

3. Bake, covered, for 45 mins. Sprinkle w/ remaining cheese, bake, uncovered for an add'l 5 mins.

Serves 8.

*So, I like to make a couple of these & freeze one for later. I just dump everything but 1c. cheese into a freezer safe ziploc gallon bag & smoosh together. I pre-lable the bag & measure out 1c. cheese that I tape to the outside of the gallon bag so I have everything together. Be sure to put what is inside the bag, cooking instructions, & DATE IT so you know later!

Oct 25-31 Menu

I really need to go to the store but am trying to stretch what I have till next Monday. We shall see.

Last Night(monday) we had: Leftovers (this will be a common occurance this week). Jeff had an evening meeting so he came home & warmed up pork burritos from Sunday & out the door he went.

Tonight (tuesday): Spaghetti, hot bread, veggie, & fruit.

Wednesday...LEFTOVERS, chili, veggie soup, spaghetti,

Thursday:...Leftovers, again...chili, veggie soup, spaghetti, Will this stuff ever go away???

Friday: homemade pizza, garlic pull-apart bread.

So I made a recipe that's kind of like puppy chow today. Its a yummy snack & quick to make.

Chocolate Chow Mein

Place 3 cups each Rice Chex & chow mein noodles in a gallon size zipper bag. Add 1/2 c. chopped peanuts & 1/2 c. raisens(I used dried cherries). Then melt 1/4 chocolate chips, 1/4 c. peanut butter, & 1/4 c. butter in microwave. Pour over dry mixture in bag. Shake & smoosh together. Then add 2 c. powdered sugar to the bag, close & shake & smoosh together. Colton liked it...so it must be good.

Postcards from Pullman

Not only do I like to cook, but I really enjoy reading. This has been the first year in a very long time that I've actually sat down and read. Both boys are in school & I don't head to work until 10:30a.m., so I'm able to get up in the morning & get the boys ready for school, to the bus stop, & usually do a chore b/4 I sit for a bit & read.

I just finished a 3 book series called Postcards from Pullman by Judith McCoy-Miller. The series is set in the 1890's in Pullman, IL. 2 ladies from England head to America for different reasons & end up becoming friends. The books follow Olivia's life from England as a kitchen helper to landing an assistant chef position at an upscale hotel in Pullman. I received the 1st book as a gift & then proceeded to the Wichita public library to find books 2&3. What I really loved about this series, is each book is a continuation of the book b/4 it. I've read quite a few different series in the past few months & they go together but don't focus on on main character. Although I do like them, I prefer the continued character storylines. Anyway, here are the books in the series, In the Company of Secrets bk1, Whispers Along the Rails bk2, & An Uncertain Dream bk3. I wish this story could go on. There were some "supporting" characters that I would like to know how their stories end. Maybe in the future. Who knows?

Week 3 Menu (Tuesday-Sat)

Tues: Tuna Burgers, peas, fruit
1 lg + 1 sm cans albacore tuna in water, add 2 raw eggs, 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped, 1/2 a small onion, chopped, 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, s&p to taste. Smoosh together & top on your leftover hamburger buns(open faced). Bake till hot & melty.

Wed: Leftover hotdogs from camping w/ veggie chili, chips, & fruit

Thurs: Chili (add 3/4 - 1 lb) ground beef to the veggie chili above, saltine crackers, & salad.

Friday: Appetizers & Movie Night. Mini corndogs, buffalo chicken fingers, pizza pocket slice thingys, & mini chicken tacos. Super healthy...I know.

Sat: sandwiches for lunch b/4 we head to Gaeddert's Corn Maze (www.kansasmaze.com)
Pork roast w/ potatoes, carrots, onions- this will be in the crock pot & ready when we get
home.

I'm a little behind on the menu this week...kind of wingin' it. I don't like winging it. I am a planner, I need a plan for meals. Here's the rest of the week & weekend.

Friday- leftover vegetable soup from earlier this week & grilled cheese sandwiches
We're camping on Sat so we'll be having camping food.

Sat.-cereal b/4 we hit the road to pick up the trailer
Lunch- ham sandwiches/grapes/chips
Supper- hotdogs or hamburgers/ chips/fruit/s'mores. I got the bigges marshmellows I've ever seen a couple weeks ago at Alco. Can't wait to light those babies up for some yummy s'mores!

Sunday breakfast- campers breakfast- sausage/eggs/potatoes sprinkled w/ cheddar cheese. Heart attack on a plate. YUM!

Lunch-if anyone's hungry after breakfast...ham sandwiches or pbj/chips/fruit
Supper- whatever we didn't eat the night b/4. Hamburgers or hotdogs.

Monday breakfast- I cheated...I got premade ham/cheese/egg mcmuffins or cereal.

Lunch- you guessed it...ham sandwich or pbj/chips/fruit

We'll pack up & head home. Piano lessons at 5. Then we'll probably grab a $5 pizza from Little Skeeza's for dinner. Maybe a side salad for me.

Hopefully I'll get the next few weeks of menus planned & grocery list ready so I can do some shopping on Tuesday.

It's been a loooong time!

Hi All, I can't believe it's been since January since my last post. Ok, I can believe it. For me, it is hard to keep up on this blog thing. You know, there's always housework, work, kids, church, & of course, Facebook. I have so much catching up to do, I can't even believe it. So instead of looking back, which I'll do eventually do, I'll look forward to what is ahead of me. Starting with this weeks menu:



Sunday- Meatloaf, cheesy beans, hot rolls, & peaches. Meatloaf recipe below.

Monday- Fried steak, mashed potatoes, white gravy, fresh apples & veggies

Tuesday- Meatloaf sandwiches, veggie & fruit

Wed- crockpot pork roast(one of my favorites), roasted veggies, & fruit

Thurs- BBQ pork sandwiches, chips, apples

Friday- homemade pizza or leftovers



I love this time of year, when it's cool in the morning & evenings are just right for sittin' outside w/ a cup of joe or an occasional glass of wine. It also gets me in the mood for cooking yummy soups, casseroles, & MEATLOAF! I love meatloaf. Here is the best meatloaf recipe I've used. There's nothing fancy to it & there's no wierd stuff in it (like carrots). It's good ol' meat.



All-American Meat Loaf from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook


2 lbs. ground chuck

3/4 c. uncooked quick-cooking oats

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 c. ketchup

1/4 c. milk

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 c. ketchup

3 T. brown sugar

2 t. prepared mustard



*Combine 1st 8 ingred. in a lg bowl, smoosh into a 9x13 pan(or shape into 2- 7 1/2" x 4" loaves). Place on a lightly greased pan. Bake 350 degrees ro 4o mins.



* Combine 1/2 c. ketchup, b.sugar, & mustard, spoon over meatloaf, & bake 15 more minutes or until meat thermometer registers 160 degrees.



Yields: 8 servings 337K, 17.8g Fat, 734 sodium

Homemade Crackers

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour (rye,buckwheat or cornmeal can be substituted)
1/2 t. salt
2 T. olive oil
4 T. water, add more as needed
1 t. seasoning such as chili powder or dried herbs (optional)

Preheat oven 400 degrees

MIx together 1 c. flour, salt & oil. Add 3 T. water & mix well. Gradually add more water, mixing after each time. Should eventually make a compact ball. If it seems too sticky, add more flour.

Sprinkle work space w/ additional flour & roll dough until it's approx. 1/8" thickness. ( I roll it out on cookie tray so I don't have to move it.)

Place dough on cookie tray. Cut w/ pizza cutter.

Bake for 10-15 minutes. You may need to flip after 10 or so minutes, to make sure inside crackers get done.

Yields: appox. 1 pound.

It's the FINAL Countdown.....

This is the last week of my fast. Overall it has been an excellent experience. I can see myself doing it again next year. I thought I'd list a couple of my favorite recipes that I'll probably continue after the fast.

Spicy Mexican Bean Burger

1 16oz can of red kidney beans, drained & mashed
1- medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, steamed & mashed
1/8 c. picante sauce (spicy or mild to your taste)
1 c. crushed rice cakes (approx. 2)
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 t. salt or to taste
1/2 t. black pepper or to taste
dash chili pepper

1. Min all ingred. in a lg bowl. Add more flour to create a firmer mixture or more salsa if mix is too stiff.

2. Form mixture into balls & form into patties

3. Bake 450 degrees 15-20 minutes, until firm, brown, & done.

Yields: 8-10 burgers depending on size.

Menu Jan. 17-23

Sunday Lunch: pizza leftovers. Kelly-veggie bean soup/wheat crackers
Dinner: BBQ pork, potato salad, fruit salad. Kelly- Spicy Mexican veggie burger.

Monday: Jambalaya w/ veggie & fruit. Kelly-soup

Tuesday: Salmon patties, fried potatoes, & pears. Kelly-whole wheat pasta/crushed tomatoes

Wednesday: Leftovers, veggie/fruit

Thursday: spaghetti/hot bread/green beans. Kelly-leftoverse

Friday: soup & cheese sandwiches. Kelly-soup & corn chips

Saturday Lunch: sandwiches
Dinner: eggs/bacon/french toast. Kelly-salad & popcorn

This ones for Rachel!

Let's see...its been at least a couple of months since I listed out my menu. As you know, I'm doing the Daniel Fast so this is for the boyz.

Today: Lunch at Logan's
Dinner: leftovers from lunch, Kelly-mushroom soup (recipe follows)

Monday: Sloppy joes on a bun or chip dip(that's how Jeff prefers to eat it), veg, & fruit. Kelly- whole wheat spaghetti w/ tomatoes/mushrooms/onions/garlic

Tues: Clean out the fridge night-sloppy joes, ravioli, some random red stuff. Kelly- black bean soup, veg, fruit

Wed: Stromboli w/ dipping sauce, veg, fruit. Kelly-leftovers....

Thurs: Homemade Chicken strips, mashed potatoes, fruit, maybe bread. Kelly- potato pancakes/salad

Friday: leftovers if any or homemade pizza. Kelly- leftovers

Saturday: Lunch-sandwiches/chips. Kelly-banana & mixed nuts (favorite snack!)
Dinner: crockpot taco porkloin w/ tortillas & the fixin's. Kelly- veggie chili & salad.


Mushroom Soup
1 T oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 t. dill
1 T paprika
1/8 t. pepper
2 T soy sauce
2 c. veggie stock
2 T oil
3 T whole wheat flour
1 c. sugar free soy milk
2 t. lemon juice

1. In a soup pot, saute onion in oil until soft.
2. Add mushrooms, dill, paprika, & pepper, then saute for 5 mins.
3. Add soy sauce & stock, cover & simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Heat oil in saucepan & add flour. Cook one minute, stirring constantly, then whisk in the soymilk until smooth.
5. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.
6. Add to the mushroom mixture & blend in. Cover & simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Just b/4 serving, stir in the lemon juice.

Yields: 6-8 servings.

Day 2

I'll admit it...I almost failed last night. I tend to get the munchies in the evening & the cravings hit hard about 9. Instead of blowing it, I grabbed a handful of almonds & some soy nuts and LOTS of water. Today, I decided I needed to make some fast snack-y type foods for just an almost "blow-it" moment. I made homemade corn chips as well as whole wheat crackers. To my surprise they both were pretty tasty. Jeff sampled the corn chips and agreed that they were pretty good. In fact he ate 3 of them & said he'd better stop so I'd have some for later.

Breakfast was skipped again this a.m. It is our last day of vacation b/4 school & work begins tomorrow. For lunch, I did pretty much the same as yesterday. Oatmeal w/ 1/4c. dried mixed fruit & 5 chopped almonds and a serving of strawberry/orange/banana juice. For supper, I had made Indian Fry Bread(like a tortilla) earlier in the day, so I had one of those w/ refried beans, avacado chunks, tomatoes & grn chilies, corn, & some leftover bag salad on top. It was really good. I pkgd up the leftovers to take some to school tomorrow.

Day 2

Daniel Fast Day 1

A couple days ago, it was decided(b/w me & the Lord) that I would take part in the Daniel Fast for the next 21 days. About a month ago, our pastor mentioned that the church would be fasting starting today and ending Jan. 24th, on our 6th birthday of the church. At that time, I thought I would give up Facebook as my "fasting". I really started to think & pray about that decision & came to the realization, that knowing myself, I could easily "fill" my facebook time w/ other things electronic (ebay, wii, xbox, blogging...) so I came to the decision to participate in the Daniel Fast.

I thought this might be a good outlet for thoughts & things I'm learning about myself & to become closer to God. I'm hoping to propel my relationship with him and to dig deeper into his word. I will also have pix & recipes of the meals and snax I eat during the day for fellow fasters.

This morning, I skipped breakfast because I got up too late, so for lunch I had 1/2 c. old fashioned oatmeal with 1/3 c. fresh blueberries and an 8oz glass of strawberry/orange/banana juice. Just a side note...I made the mistake of covering my bowl of oats in the microwave which in turn spilled all over the outside of my container & into the microwave.

For supper, above right, I made a pasta bowl of whole wheat rigatoni pasta, crushed tomatoes, 1 pkg of button mushrooms, & a yellow onion. I did add some Itallian type seasonings as well as s&p to taste. I sauteed the onion & mushrooms that I chopped into big chunks in approx. 2 T. evoo, when they were al dente, I added the can of crushed tomatoes & heated till hot. I then added a cup of this mixture to 1 1/2 c. cooked pasta. I went ahead and measure out 3 more meals to take for lunches at work.

Evening snack, I'll probably have a piece of fruit & 10 blanced almonds.