Blogging Break

Hi, my friends!

Just wanted you to know I'm going to take a little break from blogging. Life is super busy and since I've only been posting menus for a while now, I thought I'd just go ahead and take a little time off.

I hope the rest of the summer is awesome for all of you!

Menu Plan July 6-12

Did everyone have a great Fourth of July? We kept our celebration low-key. It rained much of the weekend so it was cooler than normal for this time of year. We grilled hot dogs, hamburgers and pork chops then watched the Disney World firework display online since rain washed our community's fireworks out. Even though it was not a huge to-do this year, we enjoyed our family downtime.

This week is shaping up to be a busy one.

First, the Princess turns 13 on Wednesday. Now I'll have 2 teenagers in the house! Wow!

Then Mr. Lego leaves on Thursday for a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. He'll be gone for 9 days. In a foreign country. Without me. Oh, Lord, calm this mama's heart! Even though I'm a little nervous, I pray the Lord uses him and his team for His glory.

So here's what I've got planned for this week's menu:

Monday
Cheeseburger rice, roasted brussel sprouts

Tuesday
Panko crusted salmon, zucchini noodles

Wednesday
Pretzel dogs, homemade fries

Thursday
Chicken pot pie, mashed potatoes

Friday
Pizza

Saturday
Grilled chicken, grilled veggies

Sunday
Crockpot beef bourguinon

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan June 29-July 5

We had a lovely weekend here in the Deep South. Some cool air breezed through and temps stayed tolerable with little to no humidity. That's quite rare for summertime here, so we enjoyed it very much.

I've got a busy week ahead. My son is getting ready to go on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic next week, so we've got preparations to make for that.

Then tomorrow, the ladies from my church are coming over for Ladies Night Out. I guess you could call it Ladies Night In for me! Every other month or so, we meet at a restaurant for a time of food and fellowship. This time I was asked to host the meeting just to add a little variety. Everyone is bringing a salad of some sort or a dessert. I'm really looking forward to it!

So here's what is on the menu this week:

Monday
Ladies Night Out

Tuesday
Moroccan chicken, Parmesan couscous

Wednesday
Jambalaya, cheesy garlic biscuits

Thursday
Baked cube steak with potatoes and carrots

Friday
Pizza

SATURDAY
Grilled hamburgers, hot dogs and pork chops
Watermelon, mac and cheese, pasta salad

Sunday
Leftovers 

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan June 22-28

Last year we had a Sam's Club open up about 2 miles from our house. I've been able to find some good deals on healthy foods there, especially produce. I want to share a couple of other finds we've made there.

First is this quinoa kale mixture from the frozen section. There are four separate steamable bags in this one big bag.

Quinoa really isn't that difficult to cook. But it's nice to have some ready to go. It can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop. I like to add tomatoes and zucchini along with more herbs to this mixture. Very filling and an easy side dish. Add some chicken or beef for a tasty main dish.

We've been trying to cut out processed foods and one of the things I've really missed is Cheez-its. When hubby found these cheese crackers with broccoli at Sam's with no artificial ingredients, I was a happy girl.

Of course, making homemade cheese crackers from scratch would be better. But being able to grab a handful of these crackers is a nice treat. The cheese taste is not as sharp as Cheezits, but they're less greasy and salty. Our whole family enjoys them.

Now on to this week's menu:

Monday
Crockpot cabbage rolls, veggie pancakes

Tuesday
Asian salmon, quinoa & kale with veggies

Wednesday
Skillet lemon glazed chicken, roasted brussel sprouts

Thursday
Garden meatballs over brown rice spaghetti

Friday
Pizza night!

Saturday
Grilled chicken and hot dogs

Sunday
Leftovers

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan June 15-21

Can you believe we're in the middle of June already? We're still staying cool with our skylight sun shield.

I hosted a super fun Bunco night with some ladies from church. It was a relaxed way to get together and fellowship with friends. Each person brought a salad of some sort or sandwiches to share, so no one person had the responsibility of cooking for an entire group.

At the end of the evening we shared prayer requests and prayed together. I realized that everyone is dealing with burdens and hurts. As Christians we need to pray for each other and hold each other up. It helps to ease the burdens and heal the hurts.

So what do you like to do when you get together with friends?

Now on to this week's menu.

Monday
Pretzel dogs, mac and cheese

Tuesday
Chicken zucchini bites, steamed cabbage

Wednesday
Crispy baked cod, mashed cauliflower

Thursday
Crockpot Hungarian goulash over mashed potatoes

Friday
Homemade pizza

Saturday
Chicken curry casserole, roasted brussel sprouts

Sunday
Father's Day - hubby's choice of restaurants (we phone in an order after church and pick it up on our way home to avoid the crowds and long wait times)

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan June 8-14

Greetings from the Sunny South! We've had some really warm temperatures here lately, so I've had to cover our kitchen skylight to survive the heat. We're going to replace it one day with a skylight that has a built in cover so we don't have to use this ugly thing. But until then, I'm happy to have a way to reduce the heat in the kitchen this summer!

Last week we had VBS every night, so it was a busy five days. It was a great time of ministry, but it wore me out! I'm glad to have the opportunity but this week I'm going to rest up a bit!

So here's what I've got on this week's menu:

Monday
Out for dinner with friends

Tuesday
Crockpot calico beans, roasted brussel sprouts

Wednesday
Jambalaya, cheddar biscuits

Thursday
Crockpot Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes

Friday
Bunco Night at my house

Saturday
Grilled hot dogs and brats, grilled veggies

Sunday
Crockpot lasagna, garlic bread

For more meal planning inspiration, visiting Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan June 1-7

It's hard to believe this is the first week of June! I'm enjoying the longer daylight hours and the appearance of fireflies in our yard. Not as fond of the humid Alabama temps, but thank the good Lord for air conditioning!

Our church is conducting our annual Vacation Bible School this week, so we'll be on the go. Plus my sweet hubby is celebrating his birthday on Tuesday, so we're going to postpone the celebration until VBS is over.

So here's what I've got on the menu for this busy week:

Monday
Pretzel dogs (from my freezer stash), spiralized potatoes

Tuesday
Steak bites, twice baked potatoes

Wednesday
Panko crusted salmon, spinach Parmesan

Thursday
Cheeseburger macaroni, oven roasted brussel sprouts

Friday
Homemade pizza

Saturday
Grilled pork & veggie kebabs

Sunday
Crockpot beef tips and gravy, mashed potatoes

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan May 25-31

Sorry this is late, but I've had a busy, busy weekend!

On Saturday we purchased a new mattress set for our king size bed. We've had a memory foam mattress for about 2 years and I never really liked it. I woke up with sore shoulders and neck almost every day. I finally came to the conclusion that memory foam just isn't for me. Charles agreed that he really didn't find it all that comfortable either.

So we found a great deal at Sam's Club and snagged the last king size set they had of this particular style. I have to say, I love it already. Sore shoulders are gone! Charles isn't quite ready to give his seal of approval since it takes him a long time to get adjusted to anything new. But he's pleased that I'm pleased with it.

Sunday was of course a day of church activities and then Monday was Memorial Day. I did a lot of grilling prepwork and we hosted some friends. So I've barely had time to sit down at my laptop.

Now that I have, here's what is on this week's menu:

Monday
Grilled burgers, hot dogs and brats

Tuesday

Jambalaya, crusty bread

Wednesday
Baked egg rolls, garlic sesame noodles

Thursday
Homemade pizza

Friday
Girls' night - all the guys are going camping

Saturday
Grilled steaks

Sunday
Leftovers

Hope y'all have a great week!

Menu Plan May 18-24

Last week I had to clean out my chest freezer to make room for half a cow we had purchased. The meat was processed and we needed a place to put it! If you can find a good source of grass-fed beef, I highly recommend purchasing a quarter or half a side of beef. It's a large expense all at once, but well worth it in the long run.

I was so glad when the farmer called us to let us know it was time. I was completely out of ground beef from our last half cow. And nothing you can buy at the grocery store tastes like locally grown beef.

So a lot of my cooking this week involves beef, as well as some other family favorites. I'm even trying a meatless recipe, Unstuffed Pasta Florentine.

Monday
Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, homemade fries

Tuesday
Unstuffed Pasta Florentine, garlic bread

Wednesday
Chicken patty sandwiches, zucchini noodles (zoodles)

Thursday
Spaghetti, salad

Friday
Homemade pizza

Saturday
Grilled steak, baked potatoes

Sunday
Savory beef roast, crockpot potatoes

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Grinding Your Own Meat at Home

Do you know how expensive it is to buy ground chicken or pork? Not to mention how pricy hamburger is these days.

Well, I've got good news. If you have a food processor, you can grind your own meats at homes. Buy your meat on sale if you can to save even more money. I routinely buy pork loin at Sam's Club for $1.78 a pound. Then I grind part of it up to use as sausage or simply ground pork.

Ground chicken is very expensive. But if you buy chicken breasts on sale, you can grind your own. You have the added benefit of knowing exactly what is going in to your ground meat.

The same is true for beef. If you can get a roast on sale, use some of it for ground beef.

Here's what you do.

Use the metal blade on your food processor. Cut the meat into slices or chunks. You can leave some fat on it because that will help the meat stick together.

Pulse the processor several times until the meat reaches the desired consistency. Don't over do it, or you'll end up with meat paste instead of ground meat.

Now my ground pork is ready to be made into sausage. I just add the spices I want and mix it all together. In this case, I'm making Italian sausage.

Now my ground sausage is ready to be used in my recipe. More likely than not, I'm going to use this to make Italian Sausage Sandwiches. I've stopped buying sausage links and patties now and make my own. It's so much cheaper and healthier!

Menu Plan May 11-17

I hope all the mothers out there had a lovely Mother's Day. I'm so thankful for my kids and the privilege I have of being their Mama. I'm also grateful for the wonderful mom God gave me who set a great example for me to follow.

This is how I spent my Mother's Day weekend:

At the beach in Destin, Florida! My sister-in-law and I took our girls who share the same birthday in July to the beach. We spent two lovely days enjoying the scenery and great food. And we also took a dolphin cruise and got to see many dolphins. Here are the birthday girls:

Now it's back to the real world, which includes meal planning and preparation. So here's what I've got on the menu this week:

Monday
Coconut curry chicken, rice

Tuesday
Baked egg rolls, garlic sesame noodles

Wednesday
Panko crusted salmon

Thursday
Zucchini casserole

Friday
Pizza

Saturday
Grilled hamburgers, homemade fries

Sunday
Moroccan beef patties, Parmesan couscous

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

No Menu Plan This Week

After an extremely busy week and weekend, I'm going to take a week off from posting a menu plan.

We had a wonderful low country crawfish boil here at the house on Saturday and everyone really enjoyed it.

We hosted a youth group fellowship on Sunday night after church, too. I don't mind telling you, I'm beat!

So hopefully I'll see you next week. Hope y'all have a wonderful first week of May!

Menu Plan April 27-May 3

This is going to be an extremely busy week for me.

Two nephews and a niece arrived today to stay for a few days. They are homeschoolers like we are, so while they're here, I'll be administering achievement tests to them. I'll admit, administering standardized tests isn't my favorite thing to do. But I'm happy to help my sister-in-law out, plus it gives my kids time to spend with their cousins.

Both of my teenage nephews love my homemade pretzel dogs, so I made sure they were on the menu. You know how teen boys like to eat, so I'll be spending a lot of time preparing food to fuel their brains for these tests!

The day after they leave, I have a bunco game night with some ladies from church. Then on Saturday, we're hosting a Low Country crawfish boil. And Sunday night after church, the youth group is coming to our house for a time of food and fellowship.

Yeah, I'm going to be in the kitchen a lot this week!

So here's what I've got planned:

Monday
Pasta with Italian sausage

Tuesday
Pretzel dogs, homemade fries

Wednesday
Chicken fried rice

Thursday
Zucchini casserole, homemade bread

Friday
Pizza night (Bunco night for me)

Saturday
Low Country crawfish boil

Sunday
Leftovers

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Hope y'all have a great week!

Menu Plan April 20-26 and Allergy Helper

It's been rainy here in the Deep South. All last week, it rained and rained some more. Puddles are everywhere!

But there is an upside to the rain. It washes away the pollen which is plentiful this time of year. Between the rain and my daily allergy remedy, I've been nearly free of my usual seasonal allergy symptoms. If I feel itchy, watery eyes coming on, I drink another cup of the remedy.

Here's my allergy helper recipe:

The juice of half a lemon
1 TBSP local raw honey
Hot water

I just put the juice into a regular size coffee mug and add hot water. You don't want it to be boiling water, just hot enough to melt the honey. Stir in the honey until dissolved and then drink warm.

I know, it sounds like an old wives' tale, but lemon juice is known for its antibacterial properties and honey, especially locally produced honey, helps alleviate pollen-related allergy symptoms. I really believe it's made a difference in my fight against seasonal allergies. And if it's all in my head, so what? I enjoy my honey lemon "tea!"

Now here's what I've got on my menu this week:

Monday
Chicken lazone

Tuesday
Panko crusted salmon, mashed cauliflower

Wednesday
Chicken and dumplings, mashed potatoes

Thursday
Quinoa burrito bowls

Friday
Pizza

Saturday
Sloppy joes, homemade fries

Sunday
Savory roast beef sandwiches, crockpot potatoes

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Fluffy Biscuits

For many years, my ability to make biscuits depended on how well I could crack open a can of Pillsbury. But when we decided to start cutting out processed foods, I knew I'd have to start making my own biscuits.

I experimented with a dozen recipes but discarded each one. This one was too dry or that one tasted too much like baking powder. Or they didn't rise and looked like mini frisbees instead of biscuits.

So I came up with a recipe that worked for my family. And I learned the secret to making biscuits rise. Here it is : don't twist your biscuit cutter (or drinking glass or whatever you use). Just press gently down into the dough and lift up.

See, if you twist the cutter, you seal the edges of the dough. The dough then has to struggle to rise while baking and often just gives up. If you lift the biscuit cutter without twisting, you leave the dough open ended and it can soar!

Okay, so here's what you need:

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup white wheat flour
4 teas baking powder
1/2 teas salt
4 TBSP butter, cubed
1 cup milk
1 TBSP butter, melted

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles crumb. Stir in the milk and gently combine.

The dough will be sticky, so flour your hands and a cutting board. Gently pat the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter or drinking glass dipped in flour, cut out biscuits. Lift the biscuits with a spatula to a baking sheet. Gently press together any remaining dough scraps and cut into biscuits. Try not to overhandle the dough.

Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the melted butter.

See all the flaky layers in this fluffy biscuit? And did you notice how many times I used the word gently in the directions? Being gentle and not twisting the biscuit cutter will yield some pretty awesome biscuits!

Menu Plan April 13-19

We had a busy but fun weekend. We hosted our annual Sunday school dessert party Sunday evening after church, so much of our time was spent getting the house ready for company. But it was all worth it! We had about 30 people here, with each family bringing a dessert to share.

Here's a sampling of the goodies we enjoyed:

Chocolate cake with espresso butter cream icing

My grandma's nut rolls

Banana split dessert

A view of the entire table

The rest of the week will be significantly lower in sugar!

So here's what I've got on the menu:

Monday
Hot dogs with West Virginia hot dog sauce, chips

Tuesday
Baked egg rolls, garlic sesame noodles

Wednesday
Coconut curry chicken over rice

Thursday
Steak fajitas, Mexican rice

Friday
Grilled pork chops and chicken, baked potatoes

Saturday
Date night, kids will have pizza

Sunday
Crockpot chicken and rice soup, crusty bread

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Moroccan Chicken

I love Middle Eastern dishes, especially easy ones. This recipe combines wonderful flavors with simple preparation, making it a perfect weeknight dinner. The rub can be applied to the chicken in the morning and then left in the fridge to marinate all day. It takes about 30 minutes to finish and cook in the evening.

I really like using chicken thighs here because of the added depth of flavor. But chicken breasts can also be used if that's your preference. You can even cube the chicken and grill as kebabs. But try the chicken thighs first. You'll be glad you did!

Here's the recipe:

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 teas cumin
2 teas paprika
2 teas dried parsley
1 teas garlic powder
1 teas sea salt

Trim as much fat from the chicken thighs as possible. Mix the seasonings together and rub all over the chicken pieces. Place in a Ziploc bag or covered dish and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. You can also freeze the chicken at this point.

Heat a little olive oil in an oven proof skillet until very hot. Add the chicken pieces and sear on both sides. It should take about a minute on each side. Transfer the skillet to a 350 degree oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with pita bread or naan and mint.

Menu Plan April 6-12

I hope everyone had a Happy Easter as we took time to remember the sacrifice of our Saviour for our sins and His victory over death. Hallelujah, Christ arose!

After I posted my menu last week, some friends invited us over for Easter dinner, so I've got a ham still to cook and leftovers already planned. My favorite way to use up leftover ham is in soup, but I've got a few other ideas too. Here are some good ones:

Ham and Broccoli Quiche

Cheesy Ham and Veggie Shells

Ham and White Bean Soup - this puts the ham bone to good use!

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

Now on to this week's menu plan:

Monday
Glazed ham in the crockpot

Tuesday
Panko crusted salmon, steamed cabbage

Wednesday
Creamy ham and potato soup, crusty bread

Thursday
Chicken pot pie, mashed potatoes

Friday
Homemade pizza

Saturday
Grilled steak, twice baked potatoes

Sunday
Indian butter chicken over rice

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

My hubby got an ice cream maker for me last month, so I've been experimenting with recipes to make our own ice cream. I've got to say that homemade ice cream is the bomb! I love being in control of the ingredients, too.

I started by following the recipes in the booklet that came with the machine so I could get a feel for what would work. The basic ratio is 3 cups of liquid (I use 1 cup of whole milk and 2 cups of heavy whipping cream), 1/2 cup sugar, a pinch of salt, and then 1 cup of add-ins like fruit or nuts. Flavorings like vanilla or chocolate can be increased or decreased based on your personal preference.

I've found that using heavy whipping cream makes for a very creamy finished product. Milk does work, and it's cheaper. But cream begets cream. And it's amazing!

So here's the recipe for Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream:

1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
a pinch of salt
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 TBSP vanilla
15 miniature Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped

Whisk the milk, sugar and salt together until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the whipping cream and vanilla, then add the chopped peanut butter cups.

Freeze according to your ice cream maker's directions.

Menu Plan March 30 - April 5

My, my, how the month of March flew by!

I'm so happy Spring is here. I've enjoyed watching the buds on the trees burst out with tiny little leaves. Our forsythia bush was full of pretty yellow blooms. And the pink dogwood trees around our neighborhood have been gorgeous this year. It's been one of the prettiest seasons I can remember.

Last week I told you I got an ice cream maker for my birthday. Well, we tried it out with some yummy strawberry ice cream. I used the recipe that came with the machine, but it was a little sweet. I'll try it again soon with less sugar and see how it turns out.

Now on to this week's menu:

Monday
Crockpot pork carnitas

Tuesday
Chicken, broccoli and rice casserole, biscuits

Wednesday
Asian salmon, mashed cauliflower

Thursday

Steak bites, baked potatoes

Friday
Homemade pizza

Saturday
Cheeseburger soup, pretzel rolls

Sunday - Happy Easter!!!!
Glazed ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, crusty bread

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan March 23-29

Last week I had a fabulous birthday. Hubby bought me an ice cream maker I wanted. But I ran out of suger - who runs out of sugar??? - so I haven't experimented with it yet.

I think I'll try strawberry first! Yum!

Then maybe peanut butter cup. Double yum!

I promise I won't eat it all myself.

Now on to this week's menu. Here's what I've got planned:

Monday
Parmesan baked pork chops, zoodles

Tuesday
Pretzel dogs, baked curly fries

Wednesday
Italian sausage sandwiches, spinach Parmesan

Thursday
Pollo fundido (cheesy chicken), Mexican rice

Friday
Homemade pizza

Saturday
Chicken and dumplings, mashed potatoes

Sunday
Crockpot pork carnitas

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.