Monday Mish Mash 3-12-12

In a strange turn of events I did not cook one thing this weekend.  My biggest effort at making food was spooning yogurt into a dish and pouring granola on the top.  Guaranteed the no cooking thing will not be happening again this week so I best get on with the menu plan.  So this week's table will be graced with, in no particular order:

-Crockpot Beef and Gravy
-Oven Baked Sour Cream Chicken
-Tuna Patties
-Paprika potaotes
-Savory Pork Chops
-Chicken Nuggets

We had Daylight Savings Time here in Alberta this weekend.  The infamous "Spring Ahead" occured on Sunday 12:00 A.M.  I'd like to know who had the bright idea of losing an hour sleep every spring.  I'd like a few words with said person.  On top of it Younger Girl worked until 1:15 in the a.m. on Saturday morning.  She should have been off at 11:30 or so.  She was able to get a ride home but I still stayed up because (1) she didn't have her key because I would have normally picked her up and (2) who can sleep when they're "baby" is out that late?  So to say I'm a wee bit tired this Monday morning is an major understatement.  Where did I put my extra large coffee mug?

Sunday after church hubby and I and some friends saw "The Iron Lady".  In spite of mixed reviews, all four of us really liked it.  It provided for much conversation at the restaurant afterword.

So that's about it for our weekend.  How was yours?

Menu Plan Monday

It has gone from record setting warm weather to feeling like we've been plunged into the arctic around here.  Virtually overnight.  No such thing as slowing easing into the cold.  Nope.  Just a shocking plunge.   Today it is -22*C (-8*F).  Brrr.  So my mind is thinking a lot along the soup, casserole and comfort food lines for this weeks menu.

Monday:  crockpot maple ham (didn't happen last week),  scalloped potatoes, brocolli cauliflower mix


Tuesday:  crockpot chicken stew, buns


Wednesday:  Serbian Ground Beef, salad


Thursday:  slowcooker beef and gravy, rice, peas


Friday:  leftover buffet


Saturday:  open


Sunday:  40 clove garlic chicken (family fave & my most searched post), herbed noodles, baby carrots

Hopefully this menu will warm us from the inside out!

Linking up with Organizing Junkie 

Menu Plan Monday

After falling off the menu planning wagon yet again last year, I'm trying to heave myself back on this January.  All part of the "Purposefully" word of the year.  I'm thinking when I'm constantly scrambling on what to cook it is not pursuing the Purposefully thing.  So here's my first attempt of the year.

Monday:  Sausages, eggs, potato pancakes,


Tuesday:  Lentil Soup, biscuits


Wednesday:  Chicken Stir Fry, rice


Thursday:  Firecracker chicken, baked potato, bean mix


Friday:  Hot dogs, fries, coleslaw


Saturday:  Hungarian Goulash


Sunday:  Crockpot maple ham, scalloped potatoes, gingered carrots


Linking on with Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday

Menu Plan

Monday: Roast chicken, rice, mushroom sauce gravy, mixed veggies

Tuesday: chicken ceasar salad

Wednesday: tilapia, crash hot potatoes, veggies and dip

Thursday: crockpot beef stew

Friday: Bev's chicken casserole (from Company's Coming Casseroles), noodles.

Saturday: grill burgers, macaroni salad

Monday Mish Mash & Menu Plan

I'm a bit chatty today as I haven't posted in a while and I just have to, shall we say, talk. So if you just want Menu Plan Monday, scroll on down aways. But please feel welcome to stay and chat.

Well, other than Sunday's Word for the Weekend, I can't believe I haven't posted since last Wednesday. For a person usually spilling over with too many words, this is most unusual. Life, as I know it, was just a little crazy last week. Between getting myself ready for an interview for a new child in dayhome and trying to get 3 teens ready for a weekend camping trip it was a might busy. Thank goodness Kay pretty much just gets herself together. She's been on enough camping trips, youth conferences, and trips to know what she needs to pack. But being she would be the oldest of our family at the camp out, of course, I had instructions for her a mile long.  She very patiently let me ramble all my instructions about medication and acting responsibly and being safe.  

The interview went well and I'll be having a new lovely family in my dayhome starting September. And the kids got off to the camping trip without leaving one thing behind. A miracle around here! LOL.

The rest of the weekend was wonderful. Funny how quiet everything around the house is when 3 teens are removed from it. Hubby and I actually got three dates, count 'em, three dates in on the weekend. Friday night we walked to Starbucks, ordered our fave drinks, a vanilla bean frap for him and a cinnamon dolce latte for me. My fave is usually a white chocolate mocha, hot or iced, but I've had a few of those lately, which is what happens when Starbucks moves into your neighborhood within walking distance, so I thought I'd be wild and crazy and change it up a bit. I know. Nothing but excitement in my life. How do I stand it? LOL. Then we sat on their patio for about 1/2 hour and watched all the fancy muscle and classic cars driving by as they cruised the strip on the car club's special Street Machine weekend that they have once a year. Cars from all over come for this and they put on quite an event filled weekend. Cruising, 100 ft. competition and show and shine, where the public can come and ooh and aww up close over all their fancy cars. Some of the cars are really nicely fixed up and some put on quite a show revving their big engines and showing off. There is no stunting allowed though, and the police are out and about enforcing that rule.

Saturday I went shopping with my mom and spent way too much moolah. But alas, it was on nothing frivalous. It was all stuff that was needed. But more on that tomorrow. In the evening hubby and I went and enjoyed a bowl of won ton soup at a little Chinese restaurant that is on a second story on one of the city's more main streets. We got a window seat and again got to watch the fancy dancy cars going by again.

Sunday found us at down at the river bottom park Samson, the dog and furry, four footed member of the family, having a hamburger picnic and enjoy the gorgeous day.  It was absolutely beautiful.  Birds chirping, the sound of kids farther away by the playgrounds, the sounds and smell of the river. Hubby and doggy by my side meandering the trails.   Ahhh.  One of my favorite places.

I tell ya. Maybe I need to be sending these kids off of more camping weekends. The "dating" thing is pretty nice. LOL

So back to routine and Menu Plan Monday. I've been seeing it's got to simplify. Between hubby working evenings and the two oldest working their own work shifts, I have been cooking way too much food and the fridge is burgeoning with leftovers by the end of the week. Sometimes that no one is eating. Last week the "Inside Out Ravioli" was a huge hit and made 2 meals for us. I did add about a cup of drained cottage cheese to the sauce because we like cottage cheese in our ravioli. It was delish!

Monday: Layered potatoes and sausage, mixed veggies

Tuesday: Marinated grilled steak and veggie bites

Wednesday: mac and cheese, carrots

Thursday: Slow Cook Thai Chicken (I'll post the recipe on Thursday), rice, brocolli

Friday: Ground Beef and Pepper Saute, noodles

Saturday: BBQ burgers, potato salad, fresh veggies

Sunday: not sure yet

For more great menu ideas and recipes see our host for Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie

Monday Mish Mash & Menu Plan

Whew, finally I have a chance to get on here and post a little something. The day has just got away from me. I hope all my friends from the States had a wonderful 4th of July. It was a normal workday for me. And believe it or not, just like July 1st, our Canada Day holiday, we had a rip snorting thunderstorm. Just call our fair city an equal opportunity storm center. This time we did not get a whole lot of rain, but boy, did we get the lightning and thunder. We had three thunder storms that day. The morning one was right over top of us and black and nasty. It was so dark inside we had to turn on all the lights. When the lightning came the thunder accompanying it was almost simultaneous and so loud it rattled the windows. A bit unnerving for some of the kiddos.

Sunday found hubby and I on our own so we went for lunch at my favorite restaurant. What a nice time to just spend together and as usual the service there was great and the food awesome! It's the same restaurant that our "singing waiter" hailed from. Speaking of which, better set the PVR so I don't miss Canadian Idol tonight. My heart goes out to you guys below the border who are in AI withdrawl. I don't know how you make it through the summer! :vD Anyway, after lunch we took our furry four footed family member for a walk by the river. It was absolutely beautiful. Warm, not windy, not many bugs. The birds were chirping and it was lovely. But alas, I forgot the camera. Darn. There were some nice shots I could have got, too!

So here it is Monday and the Menu plan. There won't be any guarantees that I can follow this exactly but we'll see what happens this week.

Monday: dill potatoes, jerk sausages, broccoli mix
Tuesday: ceasar chicken wraps, fresh sliced tomatoes
Wednesday: grilled cheese burgers, salad
Thursday: inside out raviolli, mixed veggies
Friday: leftovers
Saturday: crockpot bbq ribs, mashed potatoes & caramelized onions, cooked carrots
Sunday: Grilled three herb steak, grilled fan potatoes, mixed bean salad, roasted asparagus

For more menu ideas see Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

More Mish Mash and Menu Plan Monday

I haven't been doing a good job sticking to the menu plan at all. I'm still getting the hang of all the conflicting work schedules for everyone so once again, there might be repeats on here. And who knows how much I'll be sticking to it.

Monday: grilled burgers, coleslaw
Tuesday: grilled cheddar smokies, pasta/veggie salad
Wednesday: Layered Potato Casserole (with leftover smokies), mixed beans
Thursday: Chicken Pineapple Curry (from Island Sparrow)
Friday: Pizza
Saturday: Pork and Brussel Sprout with spaghetti
Sunday: grilled steaks, baked potato, roasted veggies

So how was everyone's weekend? Ours was busy as usual. I can't seem to get away from that lately. But one can always learn things no matter how busy they are, right? Here's a few things I learned this weekend.

I learned:
-when the city says they have free wood chip for the public to help themselves to, you probably don't want it.
-wood chip or bark in a bag at the store is e.x.p.e.n.s.i.v.e!
-I need about 16 bags of said wood chip
- I will probably have bare dirt for another year.

I learned:
-Driver's Ed lessons are e.x.p.e.n.s.i.v.e.!
-maybe more expensive than any savings in insurance?

I learned:
-I was delusional thinking shopping for a swim suit for son would be easier than shopping for girls
-said son is very picky
-said son doesn't like a whole bunch of colors
-said son thinks swim suits one inch above the knee are too short
-swimsuits don't come below the knees
-board shorts suffice as swim suits
-board shorts come below the knees

I learned:
-when a 13 yr. old interrupts your instructions with "I know, I know", they really don't know.

I learned:
-Chinese dinner for 8 will feed 12

I learned:
-if I don't water these every single day, they will flop
-they don't look so nice flopped over

So what'd you learn this weekend?

Men Plan and Monday Mish Mash

Monday: leftovers from the yummy Father's Day grill yesterday

Tuesday: tortellini salad with added grape or cherry tomatoes

Wednesday: egg salad sandwiches, fries, raw veggies

Thursday: penne pasta with meat sauce, salad

Friday: crockpot pork tenderloin (still hasn't happened from the last two menus)

Saturday: dinner out to celebrate 25th Anniversary

Sunday: grilled burgers, veggie/macaroni salad

Well there's the menu, such as it is. I tell you, since hubby has started this noon - 9 p.m. shift, the menu has gone a little haywire. Almost a hit and miss thing. Last week about half of what I planned, got made. Throw in two teens who also have different work shifts and aren't always around for supper and who want to make a big meal when there is only 2 of us here to eat dinner. So the menu's there but there might be a lot of play in it.

So, last week I'm talking to a young lady we know and we start talking American and Canadian Idol. Well, it turns out she tried out for Canadian Idol this year. She made it before the judges but unfortunately, didn't get the coveted golden ticket. Now all you AI addicts would understand how much more exciting it is when you actually know someone who tries out. It's hard to explain unless you are a fanatic into the show. Anyway, I came home and Youtube-d the Canadian Idol auditions to see if she made it onto the tv cut in her tryout city because I couldn't remember her on there. Couldn't find her, but....

Rewind about a year and a half, when we went out to my favorite restaurant, to celebrate Tia's and my birthday. We had a really nice, friendly waiter, who we found out is a singer. After begging him not to get all the staff to march to our table and sing Happy Birthday, he instead brought over and signed a CD he had made locally. Pretty nice for the birthday girl. Tia, that is. Anyway, we chatted more music with him for a minute as we noticed on the CD we knew the producer of the CD, too. Nice friendly waiter, great meal, and a little extra gift for Tia out of the deal made for a nice birthday night out.

Okay, back to youtube-ing. Can you guess where this is leading? In looking for the young lady we know, we rewatched one of the fellas who really stood out to the judges. I remembered his audition when I saw it a couple weeks ago on the show because he was very nervous. And this time I noticed his name and city. And I'm thinking, hmm, that's really cool. He's from my city. And then I take a good look at him while he's singing. And it hit me. I started yelling to Tia to get that CD and bring it to me and lo and behold, it's our little singing waiter. And guess what, he got the golden ticket and is off to Toronto.

Now the excitement level around here has just gone up a million few notches. We actually know someone on Canadian Idol. If he makes it into the viewer voting I can see what I'll be doing every evening. Voting my fingers off. For our singing waiter.

How was everyone's Father's Day? Ours was wonderful. The weather was perfect. We had my Dad over for grilled steaks and the meal turned out perfect. Answered prayer, I tell you. I felt the pressure. My dad used to grill perfect steaks on the old briquet barbques when I was a kid so I was so nervous that his steak turn out well. Every thing was yummy and the steaks came out just right for everybody. The only thing I was disappointed in was the dessert which I had bought at Safeway on a spur of the moment decision. Banana Cream and Coconut Cream Pies. Looked soooo good. And Hubby loves Banana Cream so I nabbed them. But when I opened them, it wasn't real whipped cream at all, but some phony stuff, probably like Cool Whip or something. Sad, sad, sad. Anyway, for this "real" family, it was a huge disappointment.

After my Dad and his wife left with full tummies, hubby watched the blu-ray movie the kids got him for Father's Day. This show had mixed reviews but we really like it. Interesting story of a guy who can see two minutes into his future and an FBI agent who figures that out and is trying to get him to help stop a national disaster. Then we took the dog for a walk. Cause we're just like that, a thrill a minute family. LOL.

Whoa, I can now see I'm being chatty Cathy today and this post is turning into a marathon. If you stuck with me through to the end....bless you. So, onto another week and I have to go set my PVR to make sure I don't miss Canadian Idol and our singing waiter.

Monday Mish Mash and Menu Plan

What a busy weekend! It just seems there is never enough time in a weekend to get everything done that I need or want to get done and find some relax time at the same time. Saturday was spent scouting around town trying to find a pair of lamps that we liked but was still in our budget. There was plenty of lamps around that were really nice but with average price tags of $299.00 EACH, (and we needed two), those were totally out of the question. I would just cry if they got bumped by one of the dayhome kids, and crashed down into a million little pieces. So we finally found a pair that were on sale and we liked them okay. Didn't looooove them like the expensive ones, but I liked them well enough and they were tri-light which is what hubby wanted. Sold.

Seeing hubby and I were on our own we went for a nice lunch at the new Swiss Chalet in town. That's the first time I've ever been to a Swiss Chalet. The food was good and they fed you plenty but it sure isn't a fast food price. Hubby and I were commenting that now that the kids are grown into teenagers and kid's menus are no longer an option, it is costing us mega bucks to eat out even in a family type restaurant. With the average price of a meal running around $12 and up, plus the tip, eating out as a family is becoming a treat, not the norm, on a weekend.

And on that note, we segue quite nicely into Menu Plan Monday. This is getting more important for me now as I can see a definite curbing of the eating out plan. Last week was interesting as the first week that hubby was working the evening shift, which means he wasn't home for supper. Something that hasn't ever happened in our married lives. Which will be 25 years next week. Wow. 25 years. That's a quarter century. Whoa. I feel old. Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah. He's not home for supper. But I still make enough for him to have in the morning as a large breakfast because he's getting chores done around here that very much need doing and have sort of been pushed aside due to lack of time. So with all that in mind, here is the plan. But things might change up. One never knows what may happen around here as evidenced by the fact that quite a few of last weeks meals didn't happen and are showing up again this week. I'm not sure what happened. Ah well, such is my life. :v

Monday: Chicken quesadillas, veggies/dip

Tuesday: Jeremy's favorite chili, buns

Wednesday: Fish and chips, stir fry veggies

Thursday: Bruschetta Chicken Bake (recipe below), california mix veggies

Friday: pizza

Saturday: Caribbean Spiced Slow Cooker Ribs, herbed noodles, baby veggies

Saturday: Bacon wrapped sirloin steaks grilled on the bbq, potato salad, bean salad, marinated veggies all for Father's Day. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right?

For more meal plan ideas or to add your own, stop by I'm An Organizing Junkie.

BRUSCHETTA BAKED CHICKEN (easy)

-19 oz. stewed tomatoes, undrained

-1 pkg. stove top stuffing mix for chicken

-2 cloves of garlic, minced

-1 1/2 lbs (3/4 kg) skinless chicken breast, cut in bite sized pieces

-1 tsp. dried basil leaves

-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400*F. Place canned tomatoes in medium bowl. Add stuffing and garlic. Stir until just moistened.

Place chicken in lightly greased 13 x 9 inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and basil. Add cheese over top. Top with the stuffing mix.

Bake for 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Monday Mish Mash and Meal Plan

Monday already. I can't believe how fast the weekend went. It seemed I blinked my eyes and it was over. The passage of time seems to be going so, so fast lately. I don't know if it's because I'm looking at my oldest leaving home for school pretty soon, or that I feel so busy nowadays, or if it's just because I'm just getting, gulp, older.

Anyway, it was lovely here. Sunny and warm all day Saturday. I was busy with all the usual weekend housecleaning, getting hair cuts for the kids but not before I had a glorious Saturday morning spent in my jammies with coffee cup in hand, reading a book. I'm all of a sudden having to urge to read alot again after a couple months of just sort of barely plugging along with my Spring Reading List. Now I can't seem to put the books down and have to force myself to put them away and do what I'm supposed to in the day. But the evenings? Oh the evenings are all about the reading.

Sunday found the weather change yet again with the clouds rolling in and rain is forecast for most of next week. Again. So I think a few crockpot meals are going to be happening this week. Hubby is going to be working a shift I can't ever recall him working. Noon to 9 p.m. This should make it very interesting with the meal planning department. I know he'll love leftovers the next day. Because he'll still be rising early with plans of catching up on some chores around the house that have been hard to get to for awhile, he'll be eating a good, hearty breakfast. And good leftovers fit that bill. Especially when it's sandwiches he'll be eating for supper. And being that he's a guy, he'll probably be losing weight what with eating the bigger meal earlier in the day and then doing some physical work in the mornings. Hrmmph. I might have to drag out the old eliptical for myself.

So, here's the Meal Plan so far. I reserve to right to change it up just in case this is not working. This is certainly going to be a learning experience for me.

Monday: Rainbow cheese tortellini with alfredo sauce, honeyed carrots

Tuesday: soft tacos

Wednesday: almond chicken, buttery sauteed rice, baby veggies

Thursday: Jeremy's Fave chili, buns, salad

Friday: Homemade mac and cheese, mixed veggies

Saturday: Smokey slow cooker ribs, baked potatoes, corn

Sunday: crockpot pork tenderloin with mushroom soup gravy, whipped potatoes, brocolli mix

Monday Mish Mash and Menu Plan

If you're here for Menu Plan Monday, welcome! The plan is at the end of the post but you are most welcome to grab a coffee and visit.

This morning I could have used a few more minutes of sleep, in fact, I could have probably used a few more hours. Heck, let's throw in a whole day off. I'm still reeling from the busy, busy weekend.

Saturday found me and the kids, with their youth group standing in a parking lot on the edge of town, donning reflective red vests and work gloves and hitting the ditches between here and the next town doing highway clean up. Me with only half a cup of coffee in me in a parking lot at 6:30 a.m. Let me tell you, I was a draggin' and we hadn't even started. The youth leader, God bless him, bought me a coffee an hour later on one of the gas station bathroom runs. I am forever indebted. A word of advice if you ever do a highway cleanup or have to walk for 6 1/2 hours in one direction in any circumstance, when applying your sunscreen in the morning, DON'T FORGET TO APPLY IT TO YOUR NECK! And if your partner, who is lugging a huge bottle of the stuff in a little backpack, offers you some at least 3 times throughout the morning, TAKE IT and stop telling her you've already applied. Because if you don't take the offered sunscreen you will have a very lovely, very painful, very obvious, glaring "farmer's" sunburn on one side of your neck in church the next morning announcing to all your stupidity.

Just saying.

Oh, and another little hint. Make sure you have a massage appointment set up for as soon after as is possible. Your gonna need it. And it will feel like heaven. And you just might almost fall asleep during it. Again, I'm just saying.

After all that, there was still hair appointments to get to and shoes to find and I still don't know exactly what I'm wearing. Sigh. But a little joy and God's blessing was finding a great deal. I love me a great deal and especially now that my budget has seriously been restricted, I found both Kay and my shoes for under $40.00. Payless had their infamous bogo sale on and I got a pair of nice black sandals and Kay some dress flats which she needed for her dress for graduation mass on Friday evening. And hers were on sale, and then the bogo on top of it, I paid all of $6.00 for these adorable shoes. Six bucks. Regular $32.99. Now is that a blessing or what! That kind of a deal almost makes me giddy at the best of times. Now it almost made starting breaking out in the hallelujah chorus at the till. But I restrained myself in order not to embarass Kay.

But seriously, aren't these the cutest things? But, shhh, don't tell Kay that. She doesn't do "cute". So use the word "nice" or "splashy" or something like that. But not cute. Don't use cute.

Sunday found us at a dear friend of Kay's baptism. We had invited her for lunch because her family is not here, but the celebration found that about 5 of their friends showed up to see her baptized. So our little lunch swelled just a touch. Good thing I had this in the crockpot is all I can say!

But with all that, grocery shopping just didn't get done so for Menu Plan Monday I'm sorta flying by the seat of my pants, because I have no idea when I'm going to be able to get to grocery shopping with everything I still need to do this week. Can I say I'm a tad bit tired. Anyhoo, here it is such as it is:

Monday: bbq burgers, buns, coleslaw,

Tuesday: sweet & sour meatballs, rice

Wednesday: chicken breast supreme, noodles, brocolli

Thursday: leftover ham, cheese scalloped potatoes, roasted carrots

Friday: taco salad

Saturday: grad banquet

Sunday: our traditional Kentucky Fried Chicken

Thanks to Laura for hosting MPM's.

Menu Plan Monday

**To enter the Steven Curtis Chapman CD giveaway go here.


It's still snowing and c-c-c-cold here, -11*C, 12*F. Praise God, the blizzard warning was lifted yesterday evening. So needless to say, I'm feeling the urge for lots of comforting, crockpot kinds of meals. What is up with the weather? I know it's Southern Alberta and all, and that we usually have a spring snow, but Mr. Weatherman must we have the below 0 winter temperature? This is nasty even for the most seasoned Eskimo.

Monday: crockpot honey orange chicken (didn't happen yesterday), rice, california mix veggies

Tuesday: Layered Potatoe/sausage Casserole, green/yellow beans

Wednesday: Crockpot maple spice pork chops (adapted from this recipe), buttered herb noodles

Thursday: crockpot ranch drumsticks, whipped potatoes, mixed veggies

Friday: scrounge day

Saturday: Mexican Lasagana,

Sunday: Jeremy's Fave Chili, buns

For more menu ideas and recipes, head on over to Laura's.

Monday Mish Mash and Meal Plan

If you're here for Menu Plan Monday, feel free to scroll down abit if you don't want the chat. But you're always welcome to grab a coffee and join in on the chat!

Whew, what a busy weekend. I'm sitting on the couch this morning trying to get my eyes to stay open. Friday night saw me sitting at the walk in clinic. It seems I have a little infection developed in my hand where one of the stitches was. The doctor didn't seem too worried and thought it was just my body taking care of the "inner" stitches like it's supposed to but that it was coming up to the surface. In any case, I'm now on a round of anti biotics to get that all cleared up. I see the surgeon for my 6 weeks check tomorrow so hopefully it will be all gone by then and hopefully he'll tell me I can get rid of that red splint for good!

Saturday saw me at the mall instead of outside enjoying the beautiful weather looking for a dress to wear to Kay's graduation. I can't believe her graduations ceremonies are in less than a month. I'm starting to feel all melancholy, what with the grad coming up and all the plans starting to kick in to get things arranged for her moving away for school come fall. It's hard to even type those words. I know it's a natural order of life, this letting go of your child to become an adult, this letting them out of the nest you created, where they will be totally making their own decisions, but it has just come upon me so fast. I'm so not ready to watch her leave, but I know God has good things in store for her. Told you I was getting melancholy. Just to say, I did not find a dress. Sigh. Now I have to that whole shopping trip again next weekend.

The weather was just gorgeous here. Guess what we did Sunday? We grilled steaks for the first time this year. Yes, spring is truly here when we can grill steaks and actually sit outside to eat them. It was 24*C (that's 75* F for my States friends). With no wind. Sunshine galore! There was people in church with sun burns. Sorry Beck. I know you're digging out. But I'm sure we will get one more dump of the white stuff sometime before the end of May, usually right about the time the trees just start to open their buds. So far, they are predicting 0*C (32*F) and snow for next Sunday. We'll see how right them weather men are. I wouldn't mind if they weren't right this time.



Onto Meal Plan Monday, and can I just say that the Chicken Creole and the Taco Bowl from last weeks menu were absolutely delish. The only thing I did different on the Chicken Creole was add a little extra of the Cajun seasoning because we like it spicier and then I added cornstarch mixed with a bit of water to thicken up the sauce in the last half hour of cooking time. It was soooo good. Definitely a keeper. The taco bowl was a huge hit with the kids. Thanks to Laura for that one.

Monday: spaghetti/meat sauce, Barb's Cheddar Bay Biscuits, apple walnut salad

Tuesday: crockpot pulled jerk pork sandwiches, home fries, sliced cukes

Wednesday: poppyseed chicken, noodles, broccoli/cauliflower mix

Thursday: Sweet and Sour Meatballs, rice

Friday: scrounge day

Saturday: grilled smokies, buns, coleslaw

Sunday: crockpot honey orange chicken, rice

For great menu plans and recipe ideas head on over to our gracious host Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

Monday Mish Mash and Menu Plan

Well, you ladies sure know how to make someone feel good. I'll have to be careful I don't get a swelled head. Thanks for the lovely things you said about my new do. I had to chuckle at the thought of being called "sassy". I think I need a new wardrobe to go with all this sassiness. LOL. But seriously, if you would have seen me sweating yesterday morning as the time ticked away to get to church and I couldn't make it look exactly as the girl had done. Any visions of sassiness were seriously under question. But I got it sorta like that. Maybe a bit poufier, 'cause I can't seem to not do "pouf". Anyway, thanks for all your graciousness. You all do a girl good!

This weekend had a bit of a mixed up feel to it. It's funny how I don't realize how easily I fall into a routine and not even know it until something happens to shake it up and all of a sudden I'm totally lost. My days have such an easy, flowing routine to them. The dayhome children thrive in a routine based day and one day melds into another. We do different things and have lots of activites but they sort of follow a basic time routine. The weekends were sort of becoming the same for me. With no children of my own in sports or drama or weekend sceduled activites there was a sameness going on there too. Hubby works every Saturday so housecoat, coffee and blogging or reading was always my morning followed by housecleaning or errands. That routine was shaken as hubby had Saturday off this weekend. For the first time in almost forever. I was totally lost. My routine world was put into a spin. Funny how that is.

But I can be spontaneous. I actually had a couple days of spontaneous, what with the hair and all. And then Hubby and I went on a spontaneous date. That's a nice result of him getting an odd Saturday off. He took me to my fave restaurant. Not the fancy-dancy kind of super expensive restaurant, nice and casual, but my fave non the less. It was so nice to have that time with him. And I got my favorite dinner there. He tried to get me to shake it up a bit and get something different. But I so rarely get this dish anymore that I invariably end up ordering it. I grew up on it and my mom made the best in the world. Alas I don't cook it 'cause no one else wants to eat it. So this restaurant makes it almost as good as my mom. Almost. And I just can't pass up a very well made liver, bacon and onion entree. I know, I know I'm losing most of you now. Don't leave. Will it make it better if I end on what I had for dessert. My favorite. Okay, get the liver and onions out of your mind and put this in. A dish of hot, steaming apple crisp with tender apples and cinnamon topping. Add two scoops of vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel and a shake of nutmeg slowly melting over the top. Serve with two big spoons to share with a handsome hubby. Heaven. How's that? Better now?

Now that you're drooling, I'll move onto Meal Plan Monday and I promise the dinner from above is not on the meal plan for the week.

Monday: Crockpot Chicken Creole (didn't happen last week), Rice, sauteed carrots

Tuesday: Taco Salad Bowl (Laura's suggestion)

Wednesday: Apple Dijon Pork roast, whipped potatoes, brocolli/cauliflower

Thursday: Chicken fingers, celery/cheese, home fries

Friday: scrounge day

Saturday: Laurel's Sticky Chicken, herbed noodles, bean mix

Sunday: Bbq steak (Yipee! grilling weather!), baked potatoes, marinated veggies

For lots of menu ideas go to I'm An Organizing Junkie .

Menu Plan Monday

After a month of lots of pre-made foods from Costco and super simple stuff, I'm so missing cooking. I can hardly wait to really get back to it, but for now it's still requires really thinking it through. Requirements for dinner around here right now? Simple, has to be able to be made basically one handed which means it has to be chunky, rough chopping, nothing fine. If anything needs draining I have to be sure there is someone around to do that. Likewise, if it requires putting in and out of the oven. And definitely add a chunk of time to the equation because everything takes longer to do. It has certainly been an interesting challenge. We've had a few really mediocre meals. I'm just really glad Kay works at pizza hut and we get a nice discount when she's on shift. But this week I'm trying to get back to planning rather than flying by the seat of my pants. No guarantee's on sticking to it though. ;v)


Monday: Barb's Beef Stew, home baked bread

Tuesday: Spinach/Cheese Ravioli with garlic cream sauce, tossed salad

Wednesday: Jule's Apricot Pineapple Chicken, rice, mixed beans

Thursday: Cheeseburger Macaroni, mixed vegatables

Friday: scrounge day

Saturday: Crockpot chicken creole, rice, brocolli/cauliflower

Sunday: BBQ burgers, macaroni/veggie salad

For more great menu ideas visit Laura ay I'm An Organizing Junkie

Menu Plan Monday

UPDATED WITH RECIPE BELOW

Last week was such a crazy week, I'm so glad to be getting back to a bit of routine!

Monday: sloppy joes on cheese buns, home fries, carrot sticks

Tuesday: crockpot roast (didn't happen last week), mashed potatoes, bean medley

Wednesday: mac & cheese, green salad

Thursday: Chicken a la creme, rice, baby vegetables

Friday: scrounge day

Saturday: pasta dish or pizza

Sunday: Sticky chicken, baked potatoes, mixed veggies

Update with recipe: The recipe for sticky chicken has been requested, so I thought I'd just post it for everyone. It's a recipe I got from the lovely Laurel at Laurel Wreath's Reflections.

STICKY CHICKEN

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 whole roasting chicken, about 3 pounds

1 cup chopped onions

Combine all spices (first 8 ingredients) in small bowl.

Rinse chicken, inside and out. Drain well.Rub spice mixture over skin and the inside of chicken.Place in a resealable plastic bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to roast, stuff cavity with onions.Place chicken breast side down in roasting pan.Roast uncovered at 250ºF (that's not a typo...it's really 250º! Anything over 225º is safe as long as the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 155º, which this does, and more) for about 5 hours. Baste occasionally with pan juices or until pan juices start to caramelize on bottom of pan and chicken is golden brown.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: cheeseburger soup, drop biscuits

Tuesday: Italian marinated chicken drumsticks, whipped potatoes, mixed veggies

Wednesday: Out for supper for Kay's 18th birthday

Thursday: Perogies, chicken breast, ceasar salad

Friday: sweet and sour pork, rice, stir fry veggies

Saturday: Greek chicken pitas, tater tots, veggies/dip

Sunday: crockpot roast, whipped potaotes, baby veggies

Check out the great menus at Laura's at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

I'm taking a small break from blogging today as it's Family Day here in Alberta. And I'm going to, you know, spend some time with my family. Tomorrow I'll be posting at Faith Lifts. Please come on over there and join in the conversation about the Word of God.

Monday Mish Mash and Meal Plan

If you're here for Menu Plan Monday it's at the bottom of this post but welcome and feel free to read on through if you like!

This is typical in the winter here in Southern Alberta. As I type the temperature outside is -20*C (-4*F in US speak) and by this afternoon it should be 3*C (37*F) by this afternoon. That is if the forecast comes to pass, which last week it didn't. This rise in temperature doesn't happen daily in the winter, we've been sitting in a deep freeze for a week, but it sure is nice when it does come. Almost makes me want to break out shorts and t's. Almost. The blizzardy weather that dropped another blanket of snow all day Friday and Saturday will most likely be a big slushy mess by this afternoon. Our backyard will be a mess as we have our own mini tobagganning hill back there from the snow shovelled off the top end of the driveway. But before that can happen we're going to head out and try to get a few slides in.

UPDATE: It is now noon and the temp has warmed up to 0*C (32*F) already. Pretty amazing isn't it? As the saying goes around here: "If you don't like the weather , wait a minute."

I was absolutely lazy this weekend. I didn't even clean the house in any way, shape or form. Meals were quick and simple. I made this on Sunday and everyone really enjoyed it. I did change a couple things up on it. The things I would do different would be to use two cans of soup instead of one, but my hubby disagrees. He liked it just the way it was. But that's typical, he'll eat pasta and rice just plain and I like mine doing the backstroke in sauce. Oh, and salt and pepper the meat. And I used a 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes, (14 oz. was not near enough). And way more cheese. There is no way 1/4 cup in that whole recipe was enough for two layers of noodles. The recipe said to bake for 1 hour but I found after 35 minutes it was piping hot and ready to feed my starving family. They are always so hungry after church on Sundays.

Saturday found me at the Christian bookstore. I thought I'd treat the fam to a chai tea in the coffee shop. But, heaven help me, it was $40 later that I walked out of there with cards and books. Again. I did that last month too. And I even told myself this time I was not going to let that happen. But they had cards on sale, and I'm a stationary fanatic, and the books I bought were all on sale. Not one book was more than $9.99. But such as that it is, my book bag is now overflowing. Literally, onto my bedroom floor. Help me. I cannot go into that store anymore until I read all the books in my bag, as obviously, I have a sickness where I'm compelled to not pass up any book that has a sale sticker on it. Just take at look at the evidence of my reading and book sickness passion. And I still have 4 to get read from the library. I really do need a job where I can read books for a living.

Sunday Hubby and I were on the hunt for an 18th birthday present for Kay. I absolutely cannot believe I just typed that sentence. Where on earth did the time go? Man, 18 years. Next week she'll officially be considered an adult. I don't know if I'm ready for this. It really hit us when we realized she can actually vote in March in the provincial election. But ready or not, the days keep stepping along and it will be upon us. Anyway, we got a really great idea for an 18th birthday present but I can't tell you yet, because she might read this. And speaking of Kay, she starts a new job today at Pizza Hut. Should be good. She's hoping to make lots of tip money to help herself with bible school and missions. Hmmmm, wonder if they give a family discount at that place. We all know how I love my pizza.

I better wrap up this Monday Mish Mash with my menu plan before I put you all to sleep. I'll have a book review up tomorrow of a biography that moved me to my core.

Monday: West Indian Curried Chicken, rice, baby veggie mix

Tuesday: Cajun cabbage casserole, veggies/dip

Wednesday: beef stroganoff (didn't happen last week), macaroni, beans

Thursday: For valentines, Hubby's fave pork/brussel sprout dish, brownies with homemade ice cream

Friday: scrounge day

Saturday: Asian Pork Tenderloin, rice, stir fry veggies

Sunday: invited out

Monday: lasagna, salad

Tuesday: ham and bean soup, ciabatti buns

Wednesday: firecracker drumsticks, baked potatoes, mixed veggies

Thursday: Beef Stroganoff, macaroni, green beans

Friday: Scrounge Day

Saturday: 40 clove garlic chicken (didn't do last week), rice, peas/carrots/baby corn

Sunday: not sure yet

Don't forget to check out Laura's for more menu plans. I get a lot of great ideas and recipes there.

Menu Plan Monday

It's going to be a totally on the run week around here this week. Tia is in a school production of "High School Musical" so she's got practices and performances everyday until next Wednesday. She's got to be a the theatre by 6 p.m. nightly so I'm not sure how all this will turn out but I'll do a menu anyway and let the chips fall where they may. ;v)

Monday: Crockpot BB beef sandwiches, green salad

Tuesday: lentil soup, fresh baked bread

Wednesday: chicken burgers, lettuce, tomatoes, coleslaw

Thursday: tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, salsa

Friday: dinner omelets

Saturday: Son's birthday, so not sure yet

Sunday: crock stew or 40 clove garlic chicken