Welcome February! 11 more months of 2010 - doesn't it pass quickly? We have three birthdays to celebrate in February. First Alex, turning 7, then Reese and Shawn on the same day... 3 and thirtysomething. Poor Daddy has to suffer this year with a Barbie birthday cake. Funny. He doesn't mind though... he likes cake. Reese is coming in to her three's with a little stubborn streak, although she is still so joyful and easy. This weekend she made up a song "I like to jump - EV-ERY-DAY!" No truer words have ever been spoken, or ummm sung. She does like to jump. She literally hops around where ever she goes, with a big smile on her face. I wish I had the energy (and leg muscles) to jump around ev-ery-day.
The challenge this week is to jump around - actually, I'm kidding - it’s to find joy in something every day that you typically don't notice, and be grateful for it. And I want you to do one more thing. Give whatever you're struggling with right now, be it big or small, to God. Give it over to Him completely to take care of it. I did it last week and He's already working through my issue in a way that I couldn't have. He does things so well... and it's not my way or your way, but it is the best way and the easiest way! Just trust Him with it. He knows what to do. And then sleep well. And find joy in a restful sleep.
Meals this week:
Monday - Beef tips with egg noodles, steamed broccoli and whole wheat rolls. Yes, beef, we rarely eat it! I bought a big sirloin steak on sale and cut it in to small pieces (trimming all the fat off too.) I shook the pieces up in a baggie with flour, salt and pepper. Then brown it in a little olive oil, not much, just coat the pan. Dump in one diced onion, couple of cloves of minced garlic, 4 large carrots, peeled and diced, and a package of fresh sliced mushrooms. Sauté till the onion starts to soften, and add in a can of diced tomatoes (14 oz), two cups of red wine, about a tsp of oregano, basil, and thyme. Throw in a couple of bay leaves. Simmer for an hour on the stove top. If it is thin, you can add in a bit of corn starch mixed with a little water (about 10 minutes before you're ready to eat.) Cook the noodles and the broccolini (if you haven't tried it, it is very good - a cross between asparagus and broccoli) while the beef tips are simmering. When the broccolini is a deep green it's ready, take it off the stove and drain any water that is left, put a pat of butter on it, a squeeze of lemon if you have it, salt and pepper.
Tuesday - Pork Tenderloin, Polenta, Swiss chard. I've never made Swiss chard before so I'm looking forward to trying it! It looks like big spinach leaves with red stalks. Pork tenderloin - sliced it like medallions, about the same size, sprinkled with seasoned salt and pepper, browned in tiny bit of olive oil for about five minutes each side and then transferred to a plate and covered. Kids love them this way! The polenta I buy in a tube, and then heat, adding chicken broth and/or milk until they're the consistency of mashed potatoes. Update: Okay, the Swiss chard was not a success but I'm not giving up! The recipe I decided to try called for sherry vinegar and it came out way to "vinegar-y" tasting for most of us, but I will attempt this veggie again another time! It is so beautiful. I had to get back-up veggie fast - frozen green peas heated with some dill and butter. The peas actually tasted great with the polenta and pork.
Wednesday - (Easy) Chicken Parmesan, fettuccini, steamed squash. Dredge chicken breasts first with a little flour, then a dip in some egg mixed with a bit of water, and then seasoned bread crumbs. Brown in a little olive oil then lay in a dish that you've spread a jar of pre-made spaghetti sauce. Top the chicken breast with a slice of provolone. Bake for about half an hour. I know this is not the "real" deal but hey it works for a week night. Boil fettuccini noodles while cooking the chicken and slice and steam some yellow squash.
Thursday - Baked Potato Soup and Salad. So comforting and good on a cold, wet day! Bake 4 large russet potatoes. While they're baking, chop one onion. Cook about six slices of bacon in a skillet; remove when done, set aside. Reserve the bacon grease (or 1 T of it) and cook the onion in it when the potatoes are done. Add 1/2 cup of flour to the onion and stir, stir, stir so no lumps form, for about 3 or so minutes, till the mixture turns golden. Now, add in slowly six cups of hot (just cook in the microwave) chicken broth - wisking the whole time to avoid the flour from clumping up. Add in 2 cups milk, and then the potatoes that you've cubed up. Bring to a simmer and add 1 tsp basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley. If you have an emulsion blender - stick it in and give it a whirl, or you can scoop out (I know this is a pain) at least 1/3 and blend in a blender. Return to the pot, simmer for 10 mins but don't boil. Top with some crumbled bacon (or you can mix it in) and cheddar cheese. Serve with a salad.
Friday - Bible Study with the Small Group, the kids will have a sitter - we're ordering pizza.
Stay Strong!
Mecca
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Week of Jan 25 Meals and Challenge
I'm a little late in getting the blog out to you all this week. Friday unexpected challenges came my way. Last week was actually challenging in multiple areas. Once I moved pass one, another one came. The worst was an issue with work. Violating trust, credibility, and respect. Lots of areas that hit you hard, like a punch in a soft stomach.
My results focused self wanted to react emotionally and cut ties. I am very fortunate to have caring, compassionate people in my life that talked me out of it. And how good our God is that He spoke to me, through our Pastor, in church on Sunday. Sunday morning around 1am I felt very alone. I sent emails to 2 of my closest friends in my bible study group and told them that I would not be at bible study on Sunday evening. I wanted to hide from everyone. My confidence was shattered from harsh words... but wait, I am STRONGER than that!
What happened to me this weekend just proves to me yet again that my strength does not come from me. It comes from God. Every time I tell someone that I have five children and a full time job, they always ask me "how do you do it?" That is the most common question I get. I think the second most common question is "Huh, you really love kids, don't you?" (I say, No but I love slave labor and soon I'll not have to lift a finger at home. - just kidding!)
What was said in church is this: God loves me, and I love me, and WHO CARES about anyone else. And that is strength. If someone rejects you, it doesn't matter. I live for an audience of ONE. The ONE who made me, the ONE who has my life already written, the ONE who loves me. And everyone else can take their feelings about me and go home. How much more do I get done when I'm simply trying to please my maker? SO MUCH! How do I treat people when I simply follow God's rules - WONDERFULLY! I am not hateful to the people that don't like me. I'm not ugly to the people who speak ill about me. I remember that God loves me and I love me and I have a plan to follow. God's plan. And that, my friend, gives me ALL the strength I need to go on.
My challenge this week is to live for Him. To speak to Him every morning and every night with gratitude for all the blessings that He has provided to me. I am also treating the body He gave me better. I am working out for 10 minutes every morning to my 10 minute strength training DVD. It goes by so quickly and then I'm sore! I can't expect huge improvements, after all it's only 10 minutes each day. But it does make me feel good.
Here's the meals this week.
Mon: Quick Chicken Gumbo. Southern Living recipe for February 2010. I used the meat from a rotisserie chicken. Dice one onion, one small bell pepper, and two stalks of celery and set aside. It called for andouille sausage but I could not find it and added beef sausage that was pecan smoked. I cut three sausage links up in small pieces (round, about 1/4 inch thick), 3 cans chicken broth. One package of frozen cut okra, thawed. 1/2 cup peanut oil, 1/2 cup flour. 2 garlic cloves minced. 2 tsp Cajun seasoning. In a dutch oven (or big pan) put in the oil, get hot (medium high heat), add in the flour and STIR CONSTANTLY, till the flour turns the color of milk chocolate. Don't burn it... you have to stir constantly with a wisk. Add in the diced onion, celery, and pepper, stir more (yes, your hand gets tired) for a couple of minutes. Add in the garlic, stir one minute more. Add in three cans of chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Add in the cajun seasoning and sausage. Cook about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook three slices of bacon until crisp. Use the bacon grease to saute the thawed, drained okra. Cook a few minutes. It called for half a diced onion to go in there with the okra - which I did - but I can't tell that it really made that much difference. When the onion was soft, you take it off, toss it with a package of premade cajun rice. I just tossed it with regular white rice that I made. Sprinkle that with the bacon that you've crumbled up. At the last minute, add in your chicken. Then put the okra / rice combo in a bowl and top with the gumbo. It was good, not great, but something different for dinner. The amount of seasoning I put in was good for my kids, you probably want to add more... so I would just taste it and adjust as needed.
Tues: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn and peas.
Meatloaf: 1 lb ground beef, 1/2 lb ground pork, two eggs, 15 saltine crackers crushed, 1 tsp yellow mustard, 1 tsp Worcestershire, 1/2 diced onion, 1/4 cup diced bell pepper. Mix it all together and bake at 400 for 45 minutes. (I bake it in a loaf pan.) At the end of 45 minutes, pour off any juice that is sitting on the top, then mix together 1/3 cup of brown sugar and equal part ketchup, spread on the top, bake for 15 minutes more. It was very good and very tender! Get your meatloaf in the oven and then you can get your potatoes boiling and then mashed. I make frozen corn and peas because they are my family's favorite with mashed potatoes.
Wed: Baked cod, cauliflower gratin, sweet potato fries.
I'm much more excited about the cauliflower dish than the fish... but I needed something healthy to pair with it!
Cauliflower: In a large pan on the stove on medium high heat, melt 1/4 cup butter, 1 head of cauliflower that is separated into florets, 1 small diced onion, and two cloves minced garlic. Saute for about 10 minutes or until golden and tender. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp flour, 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, 1/2 tsp salt. Remove from heat. Put in a baking dish and drizzle with 1/2 cup of whipping cream. Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese (I could not find so I'm using swiss), 2/3 cup panko, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes or less to make the fish... so the cauliflower and fish will share the oven for 10 minutes, then the cauliflower comes out when I broil the fish.
Cod (thick fillets), 1 Tbsp butter, 1/2 juice of lemon, sliced tomato, grated parmesan cheese and a spice blend of: 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp paprika, dash of pepper and dash of cayenne. Directions
Combine all spices in a small bowl and set aside, place fillets in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, brush with melted butter, squeeze little lemon juice on the fish, then sprinkle the spice blend evenly over the top of each fillet, cover with a tomato slice (or two) and sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top of that. Bake the fish, uncovered, for 10 minutes on 400, then turn oven to broil and cook until cheese is browning... about 6 to 8 minutes.
Thurs: Chicken broccoli stir fry with brown rice. My mom makes this all the time and it is very good and very easy. Just brown some cut up chicken in a little bit of olive oil. Add in fresh broccoli florets, and then equal parts Hoisin sauce and Very Teriyaki sauce. Cook on the stove top till everything is done... literally takes like 10 or 15 minutes... not long at all. Serve with brown rice. If you feel like you need something else on the plate, give your kids some mandrin oranges.
Fri: Spaghetti and meatsauce, zucchini and salad. Another easy one. I use, you guessed it, ground italian mild turkey sausage out of it's casing, and a jar of premade spaghetti sauce. If I really feel like I need to doctor it up more, I can cook the sausage in a bit of white wine before I dump in the sauce, or I can add fresh garlic or fresh basil. I saute the zucchini in a bit of olive oil (sliced thin) and put a tiny bit of salt on it. Add a salad and garlic bread and you are good to go for a fast supper for the end of your week.
Stay Strong, and remember it doesn't have to come from YOU.
Till next week.
Mecca
My results focused self wanted to react emotionally and cut ties. I am very fortunate to have caring, compassionate people in my life that talked me out of it. And how good our God is that He spoke to me, through our Pastor, in church on Sunday. Sunday morning around 1am I felt very alone. I sent emails to 2 of my closest friends in my bible study group and told them that I would not be at bible study on Sunday evening. I wanted to hide from everyone. My confidence was shattered from harsh words... but wait, I am STRONGER than that!
What happened to me this weekend just proves to me yet again that my strength does not come from me. It comes from God. Every time I tell someone that I have five children and a full time job, they always ask me "how do you do it?" That is the most common question I get. I think the second most common question is "Huh, you really love kids, don't you?" (I say, No but I love slave labor and soon I'll not have to lift a finger at home. - just kidding!)
What was said in church is this: God loves me, and I love me, and WHO CARES about anyone else. And that is strength. If someone rejects you, it doesn't matter. I live for an audience of ONE. The ONE who made me, the ONE who has my life already written, the ONE who loves me. And everyone else can take their feelings about me and go home. How much more do I get done when I'm simply trying to please my maker? SO MUCH! How do I treat people when I simply follow God's rules - WONDERFULLY! I am not hateful to the people that don't like me. I'm not ugly to the people who speak ill about me. I remember that God loves me and I love me and I have a plan to follow. God's plan. And that, my friend, gives me ALL the strength I need to go on.
My challenge this week is to live for Him. To speak to Him every morning and every night with gratitude for all the blessings that He has provided to me. I am also treating the body He gave me better. I am working out for 10 minutes every morning to my 10 minute strength training DVD. It goes by so quickly and then I'm sore! I can't expect huge improvements, after all it's only 10 minutes each day. But it does make me feel good.
Here's the meals this week.
Mon: Quick Chicken Gumbo. Southern Living recipe for February 2010. I used the meat from a rotisserie chicken. Dice one onion, one small bell pepper, and two stalks of celery and set aside. It called for andouille sausage but I could not find it and added beef sausage that was pecan smoked. I cut three sausage links up in small pieces (round, about 1/4 inch thick), 3 cans chicken broth. One package of frozen cut okra, thawed. 1/2 cup peanut oil, 1/2 cup flour. 2 garlic cloves minced. 2 tsp Cajun seasoning. In a dutch oven (or big pan) put in the oil, get hot (medium high heat), add in the flour and STIR CONSTANTLY, till the flour turns the color of milk chocolate. Don't burn it... you have to stir constantly with a wisk. Add in the diced onion, celery, and pepper, stir more (yes, your hand gets tired) for a couple of minutes. Add in the garlic, stir one minute more. Add in three cans of chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Add in the cajun seasoning and sausage. Cook about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook three slices of bacon until crisp. Use the bacon grease to saute the thawed, drained okra. Cook a few minutes. It called for half a diced onion to go in there with the okra - which I did - but I can't tell that it really made that much difference. When the onion was soft, you take it off, toss it with a package of premade cajun rice. I just tossed it with regular white rice that I made. Sprinkle that with the bacon that you've crumbled up. At the last minute, add in your chicken. Then put the okra / rice combo in a bowl and top with the gumbo. It was good, not great, but something different for dinner. The amount of seasoning I put in was good for my kids, you probably want to add more... so I would just taste it and adjust as needed.
Tues: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn and peas.
Meatloaf: 1 lb ground beef, 1/2 lb ground pork, two eggs, 15 saltine crackers crushed, 1 tsp yellow mustard, 1 tsp Worcestershire, 1/2 diced onion, 1/4 cup diced bell pepper. Mix it all together and bake at 400 for 45 minutes. (I bake it in a loaf pan.) At the end of 45 minutes, pour off any juice that is sitting on the top, then mix together 1/3 cup of brown sugar and equal part ketchup, spread on the top, bake for 15 minutes more. It was very good and very tender! Get your meatloaf in the oven and then you can get your potatoes boiling and then mashed. I make frozen corn and peas because they are my family's favorite with mashed potatoes.
Wed: Baked cod, cauliflower gratin, sweet potato fries.
I'm much more excited about the cauliflower dish than the fish... but I needed something healthy to pair with it!
Cauliflower: In a large pan on the stove on medium high heat, melt 1/4 cup butter, 1 head of cauliflower that is separated into florets, 1 small diced onion, and two cloves minced garlic. Saute for about 10 minutes or until golden and tender. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp flour, 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, 1/2 tsp salt. Remove from heat. Put in a baking dish and drizzle with 1/2 cup of whipping cream. Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese (I could not find so I'm using swiss), 2/3 cup panko, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes or less to make the fish... so the cauliflower and fish will share the oven for 10 minutes, then the cauliflower comes out when I broil the fish.
Cod (thick fillets), 1 Tbsp butter, 1/2 juice of lemon, sliced tomato, grated parmesan cheese and a spice blend of: 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp paprika, dash of pepper and dash of cayenne. Directions
Combine all spices in a small bowl and set aside, place fillets in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, brush with melted butter, squeeze little lemon juice on the fish, then sprinkle the spice blend evenly over the top of each fillet, cover with a tomato slice (or two) and sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top of that. Bake the fish, uncovered, for 10 minutes on 400, then turn oven to broil and cook until cheese is browning... about 6 to 8 minutes.
Thurs: Chicken broccoli stir fry with brown rice. My mom makes this all the time and it is very good and very easy. Just brown some cut up chicken in a little bit of olive oil. Add in fresh broccoli florets, and then equal parts Hoisin sauce and Very Teriyaki sauce. Cook on the stove top till everything is done... literally takes like 10 or 15 minutes... not long at all. Serve with brown rice. If you feel like you need something else on the plate, give your kids some mandrin oranges.
Fri: Spaghetti and meatsauce, zucchini and salad. Another easy one. I use, you guessed it, ground italian mild turkey sausage out of it's casing, and a jar of premade spaghetti sauce. If I really feel like I need to doctor it up more, I can cook the sausage in a bit of white wine before I dump in the sauce, or I can add fresh garlic or fresh basil. I saute the zucchini in a bit of olive oil (sliced thin) and put a tiny bit of salt on it. Add a salad and garlic bread and you are good to go for a fast supper for the end of your week.
Stay Strong, and remember it doesn't have to come from YOU.
Till next week.
Mecca
Monday, January 18, 2010
Menu and Challenge, Week of Jan 18 '10
Hello!
With the disaster in Haiti, I have become fully aware of my blessings. At night, when we watch CNN and see the ongoing crisis, I am so thankful for healthy children, my big and comfortable home, my salary, our healthcare system. Watching those people just waiting for help is amazing. Doesn't it keep us in check when we get irritated that we have to wait even half an hour for a doctor's appointment? Please keep the people of Haiti in your prayers and be thankful for every single blessing we have in our lives. I've said it before, our problems are just inconveniences... we are not sitting, waiting, as our loved ones are in terrible pain or worse, dying in our arms. The horror.
This week, I am going to build on something that I heard in church. Our Senior Pastor said: "Unlovely people are unloved people." His challenge to us was to spend FIVE MINUTES a day of undivided attention with each family member this week. (Watching tv does not count.) To count, you have to be giving the person full eye contact and full active listening. Okay, so take the challenge with me... and if you think you don't have enough time, remember I have six people in my family that I'm doing this with. :) I am also going to challenge myself this week to actually figure out how much my family spends on a monthly basis. Yes, I know 'roughly' how much we spend, but I am actually going to write it down on a spreadsheet so I can figure it out and know the ultimate monthly $ of our complete spend. This is my first step in a future financial challenge. I can do this... baby steps.
Menu this week
Mon: Pork tenderloin, smashed roasted garlic red potatoes, snap peas. The pork tenderloin I will coat with honey mustard (I have some that I bought premade at the store) salt, pepper, a little bit of dried thyme and rosemary (about 1/2 tsp each), and bake for 40 minutes at 400. Take out, cover, and let rest. Also throw in a whole bulb of garlic drizzled with olive oil and wrapped in foil. While the tenderloin is in the oven I boil red potatoes till they are tender - about 20 mins. The garlic should be done when the tenderloin comes out. I put some of the garlic (which I squeeze out of the individual piece - it pops out of the skin like toothpaste) in the potatoes and mash them. Then add butter, some milk or sour cream, salt and pepper. I leave the skins on. Yummy. Snap peas: little bit of olive oil in your pan, then I use a spoonful of the garlic and ginger blend and stir fry (keep them moving) for about 5 minutes. Add salt as needed.
Tues: Penne pasta with zucchini / mushrooms / carrots, grilled chicken, and white sauce. You can julienne your carrots and zucchini or dice them... just make them the same so they'll cook evenly. I slice the mushrooms. (You can use any of your favorite veggies with this - it is very versatile.) First put the penne on to boil. I either will cook the chicken (salt, pepper, drizzle of olive oil) in a grill pan on the side, grill outside, OR if you want to save on dishes, cube it up and cook just till it is done in your same pan. Set chicken aside, then saute veggies in a bit of olive oil and garlic, adding your mushrooms last because they cook quickly. Sprinkle with italian seasoning. If it gets dry you can add just a bit of white wine or chicken broth. Then as soon as the veggies are tender (doesn't take long!) add a pint of whipping cream, then the chicken back in... Toss with the now drained pasta and add at least a cup of parmesan cheese. Add some crusty bread on the side and you're good. This is very easy - you may want to add more flavor by seasoning your chicken with italian dressing (put in baggie and let marinate) or add some more italian seasoning. Update: I put in zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, snap peas (I didn't use them all Monday night) and frozen CORN. Then when they were all cooking, just before they were done, I added in about a fourth cup of cream cheese, and when that melted, I added equal parts cream and chicken broth. Then dumped in all the parmesan and tossed it with the grilled chicken and pasta. It was very yummy.
Wed: Tomato Basil Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. (Remember, I am a working mom! I get a break sometimes. LOL!) I do the grilled cheese sandwiches on sourdough bread and add either ham or bacon to them on request. Tomato Basil Soup - SOOOOOO Good. Start with a can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 cup tomato juice, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 cup red wine. Throw in about a tsp dried thyme and a couple of minced cloves of garlic. Simmer for 20 minutes. If you have an immersion blender, blend so that there are no "chunks" of tomatoes. I had to scoop out as many chunks as possible and blend in my blender and put back in the pot - either way - this really changes the way the soup looks / tastes. Add in half a cup of cream, bring back to a simmer, add in a handful of chopped fresh basil, blend again. You are done! We all love this soup so much. My oldest son took it to school the next day in his lunch and had the last bit on Friday night. He asked for it again on Saturday!
Thurs: Cheese and "beef" enchiladas, black beans, spanish rice. Recipe: brown ground turkey (I use the preseasoned taco ground turkey, but you can put in some taco seasoning - like half a package - when you're browning either beef or turkey if you don't have preseasoned meat) with half a diced onion. When it is brown, I add about a cup (or a little more) of shredded 'mexican blend' cheese. In another pan, melt one can of cream of chicken soup with a block of the smallest velveeta you can buy. If you buy a big (I think it's two pounds) use a quarter of it, and if you have the medium size, use half. Melt that and add in EITHER a can of mild green chili peppers (diced) which is what I use OR a drained can of rotel. Rotel will obviously be spicier. In a damp kitchen towel, microwave about 15 corn tortillas for about a 1 minute or a bit more. Carefully, while they're still pliable, fill with the meat/cheese mixture, roll it up, and put in a 9X13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. This recipe makes a lot - I fill the whole pan. Cover it with the soup/cheese mixture. Top with more shredded cheese if you feel like it, but you don't have to. Bake until everything is bubbly... maybe 30 mins at 350. These are very good and once you get the hang of it, actually very easy to make. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, rice and beans.
Fri: Sausage, potato, green beans. (This was posted before.)
Have a great week. Give thanks. Stay Strong.
Mecca
With the disaster in Haiti, I have become fully aware of my blessings. At night, when we watch CNN and see the ongoing crisis, I am so thankful for healthy children, my big and comfortable home, my salary, our healthcare system. Watching those people just waiting for help is amazing. Doesn't it keep us in check when we get irritated that we have to wait even half an hour for a doctor's appointment? Please keep the people of Haiti in your prayers and be thankful for every single blessing we have in our lives. I've said it before, our problems are just inconveniences... we are not sitting, waiting, as our loved ones are in terrible pain or worse, dying in our arms. The horror.
This week, I am going to build on something that I heard in church. Our Senior Pastor said: "Unlovely people are unloved people." His challenge to us was to spend FIVE MINUTES a day of undivided attention with each family member this week. (Watching tv does not count.) To count, you have to be giving the person full eye contact and full active listening. Okay, so take the challenge with me... and if you think you don't have enough time, remember I have six people in my family that I'm doing this with. :) I am also going to challenge myself this week to actually figure out how much my family spends on a monthly basis. Yes, I know 'roughly' how much we spend, but I am actually going to write it down on a spreadsheet so I can figure it out and know the ultimate monthly $ of our complete spend. This is my first step in a future financial challenge. I can do this... baby steps.
Menu this week
Mon: Pork tenderloin, smashed roasted garlic red potatoes, snap peas. The pork tenderloin I will coat with honey mustard (I have some that I bought premade at the store) salt, pepper, a little bit of dried thyme and rosemary (about 1/2 tsp each), and bake for 40 minutes at 400. Take out, cover, and let rest. Also throw in a whole bulb of garlic drizzled with olive oil and wrapped in foil. While the tenderloin is in the oven I boil red potatoes till they are tender - about 20 mins. The garlic should be done when the tenderloin comes out. I put some of the garlic (which I squeeze out of the individual piece - it pops out of the skin like toothpaste) in the potatoes and mash them. Then add butter, some milk or sour cream, salt and pepper. I leave the skins on. Yummy. Snap peas: little bit of olive oil in your pan, then I use a spoonful of the garlic and ginger blend and stir fry (keep them moving) for about 5 minutes. Add salt as needed.
Tues: Penne pasta with zucchini / mushrooms / carrots, grilled chicken, and white sauce. You can julienne your carrots and zucchini or dice them... just make them the same so they'll cook evenly. I slice the mushrooms. (You can use any of your favorite veggies with this - it is very versatile.) First put the penne on to boil. I either will cook the chicken (salt, pepper, drizzle of olive oil) in a grill pan on the side, grill outside, OR if you want to save on dishes, cube it up and cook just till it is done in your same pan. Set chicken aside, then saute veggies in a bit of olive oil and garlic, adding your mushrooms last because they cook quickly. Sprinkle with italian seasoning. If it gets dry you can add just a bit of white wine or chicken broth. Then as soon as the veggies are tender (doesn't take long!) add a pint of whipping cream, then the chicken back in... Toss with the now drained pasta and add at least a cup of parmesan cheese. Add some crusty bread on the side and you're good. This is very easy - you may want to add more flavor by seasoning your chicken with italian dressing (put in baggie and let marinate) or add some more italian seasoning. Update: I put in zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, snap peas (I didn't use them all Monday night) and frozen CORN. Then when they were all cooking, just before they were done, I added in about a fourth cup of cream cheese, and when that melted, I added equal parts cream and chicken broth. Then dumped in all the parmesan and tossed it with the grilled chicken and pasta. It was very yummy.
Wed: Tomato Basil Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. (Remember, I am a working mom! I get a break sometimes. LOL!) I do the grilled cheese sandwiches on sourdough bread and add either ham or bacon to them on request. Tomato Basil Soup - SOOOOOO Good. Start with a can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 cup tomato juice, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 cup red wine. Throw in about a tsp dried thyme and a couple of minced cloves of garlic. Simmer for 20 minutes. If you have an immersion blender, blend so that there are no "chunks" of tomatoes. I had to scoop out as many chunks as possible and blend in my blender and put back in the pot - either way - this really changes the way the soup looks / tastes. Add in half a cup of cream, bring back to a simmer, add in a handful of chopped fresh basil, blend again. You are done! We all love this soup so much. My oldest son took it to school the next day in his lunch and had the last bit on Friday night. He asked for it again on Saturday!
Thurs: Cheese and "beef" enchiladas, black beans, spanish rice. Recipe: brown ground turkey (I use the preseasoned taco ground turkey, but you can put in some taco seasoning - like half a package - when you're browning either beef or turkey if you don't have preseasoned meat) with half a diced onion. When it is brown, I add about a cup (or a little more) of shredded 'mexican blend' cheese. In another pan, melt one can of cream of chicken soup with a block of the smallest velveeta you can buy. If you buy a big (I think it's two pounds) use a quarter of it, and if you have the medium size, use half. Melt that and add in EITHER a can of mild green chili peppers (diced) which is what I use OR a drained can of rotel. Rotel will obviously be spicier. In a damp kitchen towel, microwave about 15 corn tortillas for about a 1 minute or a bit more. Carefully, while they're still pliable, fill with the meat/cheese mixture, roll it up, and put in a 9X13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. This recipe makes a lot - I fill the whole pan. Cover it with the soup/cheese mixture. Top with more shredded cheese if you feel like it, but you don't have to. Bake until everything is bubbly... maybe 30 mins at 350. These are very good and once you get the hang of it, actually very easy to make. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, rice and beans.
Fri: Sausage, potato, green beans. (This was posted before.)
Have a great week. Give thanks. Stay Strong.
Mecca
Monday, January 11, 2010
Menu and Challenge, Week of Jan 11 2010
Hello Friends!
The last couple of days have been rough... my sister was in a car accident and is still in the hospital. Driver was drunk (so was she) and hit a tree full on... no brake applied. She broke her left femur (completely in two) and had 1.5 feet of small intestine removed because the seatbelt squished her insides. She lost over a liter of blood and had multiple transfusions. She will be ok. I pray that it will be a wakeup call for her as the father of her five year old son now has custody of him and she'll really need to change things to get him back.
It is difficult to see a family member go through something like this. It is really, really difficult to see a child reap the consequences of his mother's poor choices. He will start the third new school of his kindergarten year this week. This is only one of many hard things that he has had to go through. I pray that his father can be a stable force in his life.
I am challenging myself this week to speak with loving words to my children every time I talk to them. It is a challenge... this morning my oldest boy grabbed the remote control and turned on his favorite morning show, when he wasn't fully ready for school yet (which is our "deal" - in order to watch tv before school ALL (school-aged) children must be fully dressed, breakfast finished, shoes on, backpacks ready to go, and teeth / hair brushed and ready to go) I said in a VERY loud voice "I DON'T THINK SO MISTER!" I had to catch myself and lovingly remind him that he had things to do before TV was permitted. I was intending to challenge myself with another physical challenge (I guess another week of teeth brushing / doing squats will have to do) but after what has happened this week with my sister and nephew; I just feel the need to do this.
If I were in an accident that kept me away from my children for any length of time, or worse, I need to know that I leave a legacy of LOVE. My kids know deep down that Mommy loves them. I just don't think that I do my best every day to demonstrate my love through loving words or actions. Yes, of course, I make their meals... listen to guided reading... review homework... kiss them goodnight... but I am challenging myself to go above the routines and LOVINGLY speak to my children. And of course with that comes attentive listening. I'm pretty poor in that category too. I hope you'll join me in this challenge if you think it could benefit you.
Here are the meals this week:
Sun: We had a late lunch after church, so I threw together this: Bowtie pasta with jarred alfredo sauce... I just made five strips of bacon and then cut the bacon in to little pieces and added it to the alfredo sauce -amazing how yummy it was- and served it with roasted broccoli. This fed the whole family and was so easy as well as cheap! The way I roast my broccoli is I cut it up, put it in a ziplock baggie with just a little olive oil (maybe a teaspoon) and shake it up to coat the broccoli... then put it on a cookie sheet, salt and pepper it, then bake it for 15 or 20 mins in a 425 oven.
Mon: Saucy Pork Chops, white rice, fresh green beans (steamed). Ingredients for Pork Chops:
2 T Butter, 1 onion sliced, 1 T flour (plus some salt and pepper), pork chops, 1 beer, (or you can use 1 cup chicken broth), 1 pinch of sugar, 2 T Dijon mustard. Saute onion with half the butter in pan, set aside, mix flour, salt and pepper and cover the meat with it (I shake it in a baggie), brown the meat, then add the onion and beer to the pan. Cook covered for 30 mins, take the pork chops out, stir mustard and sugar into the sauce, pour over the chops and serve.
Tues: Frittata. Recipezaar recipe: Vegetable Frittata Recipe #25253. Basically a few eggs and milk, plus some sauteed veggies, cheese, and cubes of bread baked for half an hour. Protein, calcium, and all the veggies in one dish.
Wed: Chicken Bryan with noodles and roasted brussel sprouts. I've not ever tasted this recipe (at Carrabbas or otherwise) but it looks very good. I am going to not use the full amount of butter and use chicken broth instead... Carrabba's Chicken Bryan Recipe #64356 Recipezaar.com. Roast the brussel sprouts like the broccoli above. (But pick the outer leaves off the brussel sprouts... don't be afraid, they are great!)
Thurs: Turkey tacos, guacamole, corn and black beans. Hubby has a meeting on Thursday so I am just doing tacos for the kids. I use the Jennie O pre-seasoned ground turkey meat. So incredibly easy.
Fri: Flat Iron Steak, baked potatoes, roasted butternut squash & shallots, sauteed spinach. Make a rub for the steak with equal parts (1 tsp) wasabi powder, dry mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, then half the amount of salt and pepper. If you don't have wasabi powder, don't go buy it as it's $11 a jar! I just had it already from another recipe. You can add chili powder if you have it, or leave it out all together. Then drizzle it with olive oil and grill (indoors if you have a grill pan). The roasted butternut squash is one squash peeled and cubed, and about 4 shallots with the papery skin removed and cut in half lengthwise. In a baggie, shake the squash and shallots with 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoons olive oil. Put on a cookie sheet and salt and pepper them... bake at 475 for 20 minutes. Really amazing taste.
Stay strong and love those kids!
Mecca
The last couple of days have been rough... my sister was in a car accident and is still in the hospital. Driver was drunk (so was she) and hit a tree full on... no brake applied. She broke her left femur (completely in two) and had 1.5 feet of small intestine removed because the seatbelt squished her insides. She lost over a liter of blood and had multiple transfusions. She will be ok. I pray that it will be a wakeup call for her as the father of her five year old son now has custody of him and she'll really need to change things to get him back.
It is difficult to see a family member go through something like this. It is really, really difficult to see a child reap the consequences of his mother's poor choices. He will start the third new school of his kindergarten year this week. This is only one of many hard things that he has had to go through. I pray that his father can be a stable force in his life.
I am challenging myself this week to speak with loving words to my children every time I talk to them. It is a challenge... this morning my oldest boy grabbed the remote control and turned on his favorite morning show, when he wasn't fully ready for school yet (which is our "deal" - in order to watch tv before school ALL (school-aged) children must be fully dressed, breakfast finished, shoes on, backpacks ready to go, and teeth / hair brushed and ready to go) I said in a VERY loud voice "I DON'T THINK SO MISTER!" I had to catch myself and lovingly remind him that he had things to do before TV was permitted. I was intending to challenge myself with another physical challenge (I guess another week of teeth brushing / doing squats will have to do) but after what has happened this week with my sister and nephew; I just feel the need to do this.
If I were in an accident that kept me away from my children for any length of time, or worse, I need to know that I leave a legacy of LOVE. My kids know deep down that Mommy loves them. I just don't think that I do my best every day to demonstrate my love through loving words or actions. Yes, of course, I make their meals... listen to guided reading... review homework... kiss them goodnight... but I am challenging myself to go above the routines and LOVINGLY speak to my children. And of course with that comes attentive listening. I'm pretty poor in that category too. I hope you'll join me in this challenge if you think it could benefit you.
Here are the meals this week:
Sun: We had a late lunch after church, so I threw together this: Bowtie pasta with jarred alfredo sauce... I just made five strips of bacon and then cut the bacon in to little pieces and added it to the alfredo sauce -amazing how yummy it was- and served it with roasted broccoli. This fed the whole family and was so easy as well as cheap! The way I roast my broccoli is I cut it up, put it in a ziplock baggie with just a little olive oil (maybe a teaspoon) and shake it up to coat the broccoli... then put it on a cookie sheet, salt and pepper it, then bake it for 15 or 20 mins in a 425 oven.
Mon: Saucy Pork Chops, white rice, fresh green beans (steamed). Ingredients for Pork Chops:
2 T Butter, 1 onion sliced, 1 T flour (plus some salt and pepper), pork chops, 1 beer, (or you can use 1 cup chicken broth), 1 pinch of sugar, 2 T Dijon mustard. Saute onion with half the butter in pan, set aside, mix flour, salt and pepper and cover the meat with it (I shake it in a baggie), brown the meat, then add the onion and beer to the pan. Cook covered for 30 mins, take the pork chops out, stir mustard and sugar into the sauce, pour over the chops and serve.
Tues: Frittata. Recipezaar recipe: Vegetable Frittata Recipe #25253. Basically a few eggs and milk, plus some sauteed veggies, cheese, and cubes of bread baked for half an hour. Protein, calcium, and all the veggies in one dish.
Wed: Chicken Bryan with noodles and roasted brussel sprouts. I've not ever tasted this recipe (at Carrabbas or otherwise) but it looks very good. I am going to not use the full amount of butter and use chicken broth instead... Carrabba's Chicken Bryan Recipe #64356 Recipezaar.com. Roast the brussel sprouts like the broccoli above. (But pick the outer leaves off the brussel sprouts... don't be afraid, they are great!)
Thurs: Turkey tacos, guacamole, corn and black beans. Hubby has a meeting on Thursday so I am just doing tacos for the kids. I use the Jennie O pre-seasoned ground turkey meat. So incredibly easy.
Fri: Flat Iron Steak, baked potatoes, roasted butternut squash & shallots, sauteed spinach. Make a rub for the steak with equal parts (1 tsp) wasabi powder, dry mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, then half the amount of salt and pepper. If you don't have wasabi powder, don't go buy it as it's $11 a jar! I just had it already from another recipe. You can add chili powder if you have it, or leave it out all together. Then drizzle it with olive oil and grill (indoors if you have a grill pan). The roasted butternut squash is one squash peeled and cubed, and about 4 shallots with the papery skin removed and cut in half lengthwise. In a baggie, shake the squash and shallots with 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoons olive oil. Put on a cookie sheet and salt and pepper them... bake at 475 for 20 minutes. Really amazing taste.
Stay strong and love those kids!
Mecca
Monday, January 4, 2010
STRONGMOM CHALLENGE!
Hey StrongMoms! Let’s not set resolutions we can’t keep. So many of us set lofty goals - so lofty that by February we have no way of achieving them and just give up. Here’s my challenge to you – let’s make some healthy changes TOGETHER! Each week I am going to give myself a challenge: be it physical, emotional, spiritual, financial, or relational. I’ll blog my challenge and I would love for you to join me for the weeks challenge item.
Week 1: January 4th
The challenge this week is to do squats while I brush my teeth. I brush my teeth every morning and every night (at least) and I’ll do squats in the morning and night when I brush my teeth. I did it this morning and I'm sore already. (Pitiful, I know.)
Week 1: January 4th
The challenge this week is to do squats while I brush my teeth. I brush my teeth every morning and every night (at least) and I’ll do squats in the morning and night when I brush my teeth. I did it this morning and I'm sore already. (Pitiful, I know.)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Menu 1st week of January
Hello Friends! Tomorrow I am starting a challenge for myself and I do hope you will join me! Tonight, as all is calm, and it is 10:30 pm, I'm simply going to blog my menu and I'll return tomorrow with more thoughts.
Sun: Chicken Tacos with yellow squash added in. I boil the chicken breasts in water and one can of rotel, then shred the chicken as soon as it turns white, then make it according to the directions on the back of a packet of taco mix. In addition to all the taco fixings, I cut yellow squash in half lengthwise, hollow out the seeds with a spoon, and then in a tiny bit of olive oil saute the "boats" for a few minutes on each side till they are tender. Dice it up and add it to the tacos.
Mon: Baked tilapia, wild rice, steamed fresh green beans. Tilapia recipe is on recipezaar.com - #99709 - baked tilapia with spice. Don't get scared off by the number of spices in the recipe, it only takes a minute to measure them all out and mix them up. UPDATE: THIS WAS WONDERFUL! Everyone loved it. I used Panko for the breadcrumbs but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I will make this again (and I don't say that often.)
Tues: Orange turkey tenderloins, baked potatoes, steamed broccoli. Turkey tenderloins - just salt and pepper, brown in little bit of olive oil, then mix together 1/2 cup of orange marmalade, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire and dump over the tenderloins. Cook about 15 minutes until the turkey is done and the sauce has thickened. UPDATE: Yuck. These didn't have any flavor and they were overcooked and tough. I will NOT be making this again and if you were planning on it, find a different recipe.
Wed: Crock pot lasagna. I am using ground turkey because of my hubby's cholesterol, but you can use ground beef in the recipe. Brown together 1 lb of meat, 1 diced onion, 2 cloves of minced garlic, then add a 28oz can of tomato sauce, 1 6 oz can tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon oregano. Mix in a bowl 12 oz (2%) cottage cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and one cup of shredded mozzarella. In the bottom of the crock pot, layer some meat sauce, then a double layer of no-bake lasagna noodles (break to fit) then the cheese, then the sauce, then more noodles... end with sauce and top with one cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake 4 or 5 hours on low. Do NOT rush it and cook on high. Serve with garlic bread and a salad.
Thurs: Fried rice. Make the rice some other night this week, maybe Wed night because you don't have to do anything except toss the salad and heat up the bread that night. Put the rice in the fridge - it is important to start with cold cooked rice. You need 4 cups of cooked rice. (you can freeze any leftovers) 1 cup chopped onion - cook in just a bit of oil till tender, then push the onion to the side of the pan and cook one scrambled egg with a few drops of soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil (if you have it) and I do mean drops. Scramble the egg, then push aside and add in 1 cup frozen (but thawed) peas and carrots, a chopped up cooked chicken breast (you can use a rotisserie chicken or even cooked pork or shrimp). Just stir it around for a few minutes. You can add other veggies in like mushrooms or water chestnuts, baby corn... anything that you like. - push it all to the side and add a little butter to the pan, then toss in your rice, and add about 3 or 4 Tablespoons of soy sauce. Mix up! Serve warm.
Fri: Lentil soup. Recipe is on recipezaar.com #99564 - Lentil soup for people who hate lentils... looks amazing.
Till tomorrow!
Mecca
Sun: Chicken Tacos with yellow squash added in. I boil the chicken breasts in water and one can of rotel, then shred the chicken as soon as it turns white, then make it according to the directions on the back of a packet of taco mix. In addition to all the taco fixings, I cut yellow squash in half lengthwise, hollow out the seeds with a spoon, and then in a tiny bit of olive oil saute the "boats" for a few minutes on each side till they are tender. Dice it up and add it to the tacos.
Mon: Baked tilapia, wild rice, steamed fresh green beans. Tilapia recipe is on recipezaar.com - #99709 - baked tilapia with spice. Don't get scared off by the number of spices in the recipe, it only takes a minute to measure them all out and mix them up. UPDATE: THIS WAS WONDERFUL! Everyone loved it. I used Panko for the breadcrumbs but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I will make this again (and I don't say that often.)
Tues: Orange turkey tenderloins, baked potatoes, steamed broccoli. Turkey tenderloins - just salt and pepper, brown in little bit of olive oil, then mix together 1/2 cup of orange marmalade, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire and dump over the tenderloins. Cook about 15 minutes until the turkey is done and the sauce has thickened. UPDATE: Yuck. These didn't have any flavor and they were overcooked and tough. I will NOT be making this again and if you were planning on it, find a different recipe.
Wed: Crock pot lasagna. I am using ground turkey because of my hubby's cholesterol, but you can use ground beef in the recipe. Brown together 1 lb of meat, 1 diced onion, 2 cloves of minced garlic, then add a 28oz can of tomato sauce, 1 6 oz can tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon oregano. Mix in a bowl 12 oz (2%) cottage cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and one cup of shredded mozzarella. In the bottom of the crock pot, layer some meat sauce, then a double layer of no-bake lasagna noodles (break to fit) then the cheese, then the sauce, then more noodles... end with sauce and top with one cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake 4 or 5 hours on low. Do NOT rush it and cook on high. Serve with garlic bread and a salad.
Thurs: Fried rice. Make the rice some other night this week, maybe Wed night because you don't have to do anything except toss the salad and heat up the bread that night. Put the rice in the fridge - it is important to start with cold cooked rice. You need 4 cups of cooked rice. (you can freeze any leftovers) 1 cup chopped onion - cook in just a bit of oil till tender, then push the onion to the side of the pan and cook one scrambled egg with a few drops of soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil (if you have it) and I do mean drops. Scramble the egg, then push aside and add in 1 cup frozen (but thawed) peas and carrots, a chopped up cooked chicken breast (you can use a rotisserie chicken or even cooked pork or shrimp). Just stir it around for a few minutes. You can add other veggies in like mushrooms or water chestnuts, baby corn... anything that you like. - push it all to the side and add a little butter to the pan, then toss in your rice, and add about 3 or 4 Tablespoons of soy sauce. Mix up! Serve warm.
Fri: Lentil soup. Recipe is on recipezaar.com #99564 - Lentil soup for people who hate lentils... looks amazing.
Till tomorrow!
Mecca
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