What's for Dinner? Week 3

Since Weeks 1&2 were so easy to put together, we thought we'd keep going with week 3.  Our meal planning this week started with the all-important question "Does anyone have any suggestions or requests for dinners this week?"  I got two answers.  "Pizza" from Monkey; "Enchiladas" from Brian.

We've had pizza the past two Fridays, and Enchiladas in the last week.  Thanks for the help, guys.

I like to plan my menu by looking at two three things:

1. What do I already have that needs to be used up?
2. What are my staples that I always have on hand?
3. What is on sale at the grocery stores?
   

To use up:  half a bag of potatoes, more hamburger in the freezer from the last 2 weeks.
On hand:  rice, eggs, pinto beans, canned tomatoes, tortillas
On sale:  stirfry vegetables, brown rice, broccoli, pork, bacon and chicken. 
                (Pork and chicken for next week)


Monday:  BLT's and Country Potato Salad

Tuesday:   Stirfried vegetables with brown rice and egg rolls

Wednesday: Pasta (somthing easy since there is a softball game AND Cub Scout pack meeting)

Thursday:  Burrito Casserole in the Crockpot
With Spanish Rice

Friday:  Navajo Tacos
I'm making these on Friday (instead of pizza!) because we'll be gone most of the weekend and the "fried food" smell will have time to dissipate.  I really don't like frying food in oil because it seems like the whole house stinks like a greasy-spoon! (Does anyone use the term greasy-spoon anymore?  Come to think of it, I haven't heard anyone but my Grandma or Mom use that to describe a restaurant.)

For a treat I'm thinking about trying Nanaimo Bars.  Strictly as an experiment, mind you.  I'm not planning on eating them at all.  No, not at all.

As I make my menu and check off the things I have on hand, I'm also making my grocery list for the rest of it, usually fresh fruits and veggies and the meat and dairy.

I also write the main dish down on the calendar for each day.  Then everybody knows the answer for that age-old question, "Mom, what's for dinner?"

I'm linking here:

Flowers-How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

 Almost every page or project that I make seems to have a flower or flower-ish shape gracing it, even though 3 out of my four kids are boys.  This is a page I made a few years ago about Joe's flower pot that he painted, planted a flower in, and gave it to me.  The journaling is on the tag tucked behind the picture.  I used Jenni Bowlin papers, Cloud 9 chipboard, the frame around the picture is My Mind's Eye, the tag is Jenni Bowlin and I can't remember where the blue quote is from.  The sheet of music is from an old music book.

Here's a close-up of the flower. I cut the circles free-form using scalloped scissors, layered them and just stitched an X over them. When I sew on pages I use very little adhesive, just enough to tack things down. Then I use my sewing machine to do the rest! Like the recipe book I made for my sister using no adhesive. It's easier on the scrapbooking budget, that's for sure, because I go through a lot of tape runners!

This page uses papers from K&Co., Cosmo Cricket, Jenni Bowlin, and one other paper.  Good golly, I keep forgetting one product!

You'll also notice that I use a lot of shipping tags.  Because I love them.  Really, they are so versatile.  This one has the sonnet XLIII by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.  I realize that it is no longer in the 14 line sonnet format because I had to change it to fit the tag, but the words are still just as beautiful.

This flower was made by first punching a circle out of an old cardstock sticker that I wasn't going to otherwise use.  {Yes, I recycle my scrapbooking supplies!}  Then I covered the top side of the circle with adhesive and started winding the lace from the outside edge to the inside, like a reverse funnel.  The button stuck on with a pop-dot.

Add caption

The little flower is three layers of cardstock mod-podged together, then covered with patterned paper and punched twice to make a fake chipboard fake button.  {Yes, I meant to type fake twice.  I not only recycle my supplies, I fake it when I scrapbook.  I also use "mod-podge" as a verb.  It is an action word, you know.}

I backed this fake chipboard fake button with a layer of the same lace as the top button by zipping some adhesive on the back side edges.



This scalloped fake button is made like the button above, except with the scalloped circle punch.

 

Now, onto the next page...the Christmas card picture.  This is a little bit busy since sometimes I just keep adding things until the page weighs about two pounds.  Notice the tag again?  Why mess with a good thing?  I also used the lovely scalloped circle-pseudo flower again.  I dug into my stash to find a Rhonna Farrer diecut patterned paper from a few years ago.

 

In this close-up you'll see baker's twine, another of my go-to items, and a lovely jumbo button.  Have I mentioned my love affair with buttons?  I'm sure I have somewhere along the line!

And also some stitching details.  If I am at home near my sewing machine the page gets stitched.  Just saying, nothing is safe from the needle and thread.

Have a great weekend!

I'm linking up here:

My old curtains could have a trendy twist

Remember these valances from a couple weeks back?

I picked up the March Country Living Magazine at the library yesterday, and look what's on the cover! 

Photo from Country Living

The same fabric made into lovely curtains and scalloped cover.  Love that they paired it with the BLUE (kind of a periwinkle, which I love)!  I don't think I would've dared, but it looks so fresh!  Loving the ottoman, too.

The valances were hung in a yellow living room in our last house on the farm, which I really liked, but I don't adore the dark red wall in the living room.  But it shall stay the way it is.

What's for dinner? Week 2

This is the second week of the two weeks worth of menus that we planned during Family Home Evening.

Monday:  Taco Soup
I'll change this up a bit by browning the beef {actually using the meat I browned and seasoned last week}and putting everything in the crockpot.  We also like olives added in at the end.

Yo-Yo Cookies for FHE treat


Tuesday:  Enchiladas
    *We switched some things around last week so we didn't get to the enchiladas.  


Wednesday:  Pasta with pesto and Green Salad
We have this pretty much every week.  My favorite way of making homemade pesto is here, but in the winter time we don't have fresh basil growing in the garden, so I've been making a spinach pesto.

Spinach Pesto for Winter
1/2 of a 1 pound bag of frozen spinach, thawed but not drained
1/4 cup dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2-3 garlic cloves
1/3-1/2 cup Olive Oil
Water if needed to thin it out

Just put everything in a blender pitcher and blend it until it is fairly smooth.  Pesto will be a bright, springy green and delish!  You can also add a handful of nuts if yo want.  Toss this with hot, cooked pasta and serve.  We always top our pasta with cheese instead of adding it to pesto. 


Thursday:  Irish Chicken and Dumplings


Friday:  Relief Society Dinner (leftovers for the kids)


Saturday:  Homemade Pizza made with whatever we have on hand and this dough recipe.


Sunday:  Lasagna

I like a basic lasagna recipe, but with spinach, minced garlic, and basil added into the cheese layer.  Sometimes I make the sauce extra saucy and used uncooked lasagna noodles, but usually I just cook the noodles until they're al dente first.

The Times In Which We Live...

I've been reading this article "The Times In Which We Live"  after hearing the talk again on the internet radio station. I remember well the feelings I had while listening to these words the first time, just weeks after the attacks on 9/11.  I can still feel my heart jump to my throat when I heard these words:  "a U.S. missile attack is under way."

These words reassured me:  "We are people of peace. We are followers of the Christ who was and is the Prince of Peace. But there are times when we must stand up for right and decency, for freedom and civilization."

They made me think:  "As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time in case of need. But let us not panic nor go to extremes. Let us be prudent in every respect. And, above all, my brothers and sisters, let us move forward with faith in the Living God and His Beloved Son."

 They lifted my spirit.  "Are these perilous times? They are. But there is no need to fear. We can have peace in our hearts and peace in our homes. We can be an influence for good in this world, every one of us."

I agreed with them, and still do:  “Religion offers no shield for wickedness, for evil, for those kinds of things. The God in whom I believe does not foster this kind of action. He is a God of mercy. He is a God of love. He is a God of peace and reassurance, and I look to Him in times such as this as a comfort and a source of strength.”

They gave me counsel:  "As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time in case of need. But let us not panic nor go to extremes. Let us be prudent in every respect. And, above all, my brothers and sisters, let us move forward with faith in the Living God and His Beloved Son."

And I am thinking about these things again as the people of Japan are struggling to make sense of their new reality. I am amazed by the dignity and  We feel helpless, like we can't do much, but we are going to send some blankets here to be sent on to Japan to hopefully warm some hearts along with some feet. Contact Juli at julinewman@gmail.com if you can help.

One more quote:  "Let us be prayerful. Let us pray for righteousness. Let us pray for the forces of good. Let us reach out to help men and women of goodwill, whatever their religious persuasion and wherever they live."

The people of Japan are in my prayers, as are my brother-in-law Mark, who is over there, and Elder Voss who is serving a mission from our ward.  Be safe.