I didn't get around to posting menu last week - the "school thing" had me pretty wiped out! But here's a short re-cap with the links, in case anything sounds good to ya.
CrockPot Beef Burgundy - Mr. Mamie did NOT like this very much, which was a rare event. He thought the red wine taste was too strong, and I agreed. I think if I tried it again, I would replace the red wine that goes into the Crockpot for the main cooking time with beef stock, and only use the smaller amount of red wine that's added at the end (with flour) to flavor and thicken the gravy.
Shredded Chicken Sandwiches - These were quick and easy to do in the CrockPot. I used about three pounds of chicken but the same amount of seasoning and liquid. We had them on little panini rolls, broiled with cheese (Swiss was especially good!). Since there were only three people here for dinner that night, there were plenty of extras to freeze and have available for a future dinner.
Mexican Corn Chowder - DELICIOUS! For the corn kernels I used FRESH corn cut from the 50 ears I got from Bountiful Basket (which I had blanched, stripped, and frozen). We really liked the flavor and texture of this soup. I took it for lunch two days in a row, and got some ogles and comments from other teachers. Highly recommended!
Italian Pot Roast - This was a good way to fix pot roast in the CrockPot. I added carrots at the beginning, and 30 minutes before serving put some sliced yellow squash in on top to get steamed. It was moist and flavorful, and Mr. Mamie especially loved the addition of the yellow squash.
Beef and Bean Chimichangas - Loved these too! I thought Nephew would especially like them, but he ended up leaving before dinner to go to the high school football game, where he ate heaven-knows-what. Niece was asleep in the recliner, exhausted after a long week in second grade, and didn't appreciate be woken up for dinner (I know, how rude). So although her enthusiasm was at a somewhat low ebb, the rest of us liked this version of chimis very much. Again, I used fresh corn kernels, which makes SUCH a difference! The filling + one can of Amy's Kitchen organic refried beans gave us 8 large-ish chimis (using the larger-sized flour tortillas from Costco). There was enough filling left over to make 4 more burritos (with no beans), which I froze along with the leftover chimis. Mr. Mamie is eating one for breakfast right now as I type....
Tonight it's "breakfast for dinner" featuring banana pancakes, which I am really looking forward to! I will surely need to double this recipe to serve five, and I'll definitely use at whole wheat flour for at least half the total amount. I'll also add some wheat germ and ground flax meal as well. We'll have scrambled eggs made by either Mr. Mamie or Niece, and potatoes and/or sausage. I LOVE having breakfast for dinner on Sunday nights!
You can read about our yummy birthday dinner for Niece and GolfDad soon... as soon as stoopid Blogger will let me add all my photos!
This week's menu:
Pork Scallopini (organic, Maverick Ranch brand), organic wild rice, sauteed yellow squash (from our garden!), green salad.
Grilled "Flat" Chicken (Coleman brand organic chicken breast from Costco), fettuccine Alfredo (whole wheat noodles with sauce made from the "Simply Organic" brand mix), green salad. "Flat" chicken is made by pounding boneless/skinless breasts quite thin, then marinating in Italian salad dressing. The chicken grills super-fast, and is VERY yummy! I learned this years ago while at the cabin with my cousin L and our Grammie.
Ground Beef and Barley Soup, cheddar muffins, green salad.
Spaghetti using whole wheat noodles and homemade sauce from the freezer, Italian Cheese Bread, green salad.
Bean and Brown Rice Burritos, using Eden brand organic pinto beans and Lundberg organic brown rice (available from Costco in a HUGE bag!).
Homemade pizza - create-yer-own!
Breakfast for Dinner, with the pancake/waffle course yet to be determined.
Have a great week filled with yummy meals!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Menus 8/9/10 - 8/15/10
Re-cap from last week:
- Bean and Cheese Enchiladas with Spanish Brown Rice - the enchiladas were VERY yummy, especially since we added lotsa cheese! This made a good "meatless meal," since beans + rice = complete protein. The filling made 8 LARGE enchiladas (flour tortillas), which was enough for four people for dinner and two lunch left-overs.
- Brown Jug Soup with Garlic Muffins - the soup was tasty, though it needed a healthy dose of salt and pepper at serving time. NO WAY did I cook it in the CrockPot for 10-12 hours on low, as the directions stated - about 5 - 6 hours on low was PLENTY, at least in our CrockPot (which I had anticipated). These muffins were new to us, and VERY yummy. I was a little leery of the chopped raw onion in the muffin batter, but they baked up deliciously.
- Mustard Grilled Chicken with Wild Rice - we always love this chicken; it's very flavorful with a hint of spiciness. I cooked the wild rice in an onion soup broth, which made it very good.
- Beef and Barley Skillet Dinner - another tried-and-true favorite. I cooked this over at GolfDad's house the night he came home from the hospital after his hip replacement surgery, and it met his requirements for low fat/high protein and fiber. If you use NON-quick-cooking barley be sure to allow close to an hour of simmering time for the barley to get tender. This freezes well and makes a good take-to-work lunch.
- Stuffed Pita Pockets - made this at GolfDad's, using fresh corn kernels, chopped red and green bell pepper, garlic, red onions, and black beans in a vinaigrette of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lime juice.
- Herb and Cheese Stuffed Burgers with Zesty Italian Potatoes - didn't have these, as a some friends of GolfDad brought over a hot spaghetti dinner. These burgers will get bumped to next week.
- Israeli Chickpea Salad in Pita Pockets - this was a new recipe I found on while cruising the Interwebz Saturday afternoon, and since I had all the ingredients, we made it for Sunday lunch. I had intended to put the container of feta cheese out on the table to add to the pitas, but forgot. Mr. Mamie and I both liked the salad, and we think that adding feta will make it perfect. There was enough left over that we'll get to test that theory tomorrow! This will also make an excellent lunch item for me to take to school.
- Sesame and Chicken Pasta Salad - this is put together and sitting in the fridge for us to have for dinner tonight at GolfDad's. I think it's going to be very good, based on the aroma. I used two organic, boneless/skinless chicken breasts, which I cooked in the oven with some salt, pepper, and herbs de Provence as seasoning. The pasta bow ties are the Barilla "plus" variety. There should be a fair amount left over to serve as work/school lunches this week.
- Monday, 8/9: Tender Grilled Pork Chops, Wild Rice w/ Mixed Vegetables, Green Salad [report-back day for teachers!]
- Tuesday, 8/10: Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta, French Bread (from the freezer), Green Salad
- Wednesday, 8/11: Beef and Brown Rice Soup (CrockPot), Cheddar Muffins, Green Salad [first day of school with kids!]
- Thursday, 8/12: Leftovers/C.O.R.N [Back-to-School night, and Mr. Mamie has an evening class]
- Friday, 8/13: Italian CrockPot Supper, Italian Cheese Bread, Green Salad
- Saturday, 8/14: Herb and Cheese Stuffed Burgers , Zesty Italian Potatoes, Fruit Salad (made from whatever we get in our Bountiful Basket today)
- Sunday, 8/15: Breakfast for Dinner - Spiced Pumpkin Waffles, Scrambled Eggs, Sausage, Fresh Fruit (from our Bountiful Basket)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Ten Things Tuesday 8/2/10
Ten plus one things ready in the classroom...
Tables, with name tags and number lines.
Assessments, dictionaries, and "Morning Work" to keep us busy in the first few days.
Clipboards with name grids for math, literacy, writing, and behavior.
Classroom library.
Team points, team jobs, and daily schedule.
Rug area.
Teacher tools cart by the rug.
Manipulative bins.
Writing Center and Listening Center.
Math Center.
Homework basket and backpack cubbies.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Ever need a weekend after your weekend?
Some weekends just feel like a constant round of running, shopping, cleaning, cooking, fixing, etc. I always feel like I need a weekend to recover from those weekends!
The most recent whirlwind started on Friday, the day designated for kids’ back-to-school shoe and supply shopping. I started by dropping Mr. Mamie off at his office, and then I went to Tar-jay to do some back-to-school shopping myself. I got a bunch of various classroom items, plus household stuff, dog treats, toiletries, etc. Headed home to pick up the kids (who had been dropped off by Mrs. Igor), then returned to the BigTown, where we collected Mr. Mamie.
After a late-ish lunch at SmashBurger, we hit the shoe store. Niece ended up with some very cute Nikes, while Nephew chose some cool black skater shoes. Then it was BACK to Target for their school supplies – Nephew had a very specific list, provided by the Village Intermediate School. We got those items, plus two sets of “at home” supplies for homework time both at Casa Mamie and at their own house. Niece got a nice new backpack, and I needed a few MORE items for my classroom, so those were obtained as well. Dropped Nephew off at a friend’s for a sleepover, and then returned Niece to our house to stay with GrandmaT.
Mr. Mamie and I then headed to town AGAIN, but this time for “date night!” We saw “Salt,” which was GREAT – very exciting with some twists. I love a good spy movie, and it’s even better when the hero is an a**-kickin’ girl! After the movie we had dinner at “Rexus Toadhouse,” as Mr. Mamie calls it. Not to fancy or spendy, but fun and a nice change. After that it was home to bed.
Saturday was the big monthly shopping day for the Mamies. We started at Costco, which is where the bulk of our food and household items are purchased. $296 later we took that carload home, then loaded up all the recycling (which FILLED the Rav!) and hauled it into town. We got a whopping $6.84 for our aluminum and steel cans (nothing paid for the plastic and paper). Lunch at Wingers, and then we spent our “big” recycling payment on an iced green tea (me) and a caramel frappucino (Mr. Mamie) at Starbucks.
We then hit Home Depot, where I exchanged the staple gun and staples I purchased last week for a better model – my hallway bulletin board at school requires “the big guns.” OfficeMax took our money in exchange for a couple of printer ink cartridges and some Velcro dots, and then we went to Natural Grocers for part two of our grocery shopping.
Headed home and collected GrandmaT and the kids for a trip to NewWalmart. Grandma got the kids some shorts and jeans for school, as well as Nephew’s required P.E. outfit while Mr. Mamie and I gathered a few final grocery and household items. Finally, home again for good… at which point I was so exhausted that I gave in and ordered Domino’s Pizza for dinner. As expected, it was vile, but it was fast and easy and that was a higher priority at the time!
Sunday we slept in quite a bit, and then Mr. Mamie and I made trip to OldWalmart for a replacement toilet handle (the one in the master bath broke in the night) and some other odds and ends. Back home to laundry and other fun things.
The kids had husked 6 ears of corn from the week’s Bountiful Basket, which I blanched and stripped to get some fresh corn kernels for the freezer. I had three roasts purchased at Costco to deal with – two went directly in the freezer, and one got cut into stew meat. Cleaned out the kitchen fridge and started some brown rice cooking. Made the pinto bean filling for enchiladas, then rolled 8 and got them baking. Finished the rice, steamed some brocoflour, cut some fresh pineapple, and then we could sit down to dinner – finally!
After dinner Nephew had to be driven home to grab his Scout shirt, and then taken to the church for his Scout Review Board. While he was there, Mr. Mamie cut up a cantaloupe and mango for the week’s breakfast smoothies while I prepped celery, onion, carrots, and potatoes to go into the Crockpot for Monday’s dinner. Niece took the opportunity for an hour-long bath in our jetted tub – she loves it, because you can see the TV in our bedroom from the bathtub. OK, I love it too! Picked Nephew up from the church, and congratulated him on achieving Boy Scout First Class rank. On to Star! Except, football starts TODAY, so he won’t be doing much Scouting for the next three months.
I spent the rest of the evening under the ceiling fan on the bed surfing the interwebz and reading my latest trashy mystery while Mr. Mamie continued the work of networking various computers as part of his home-office set-up (today is his last day in the physical office, and then he’s going to be working at home). There was a flurry of excitement when Mrs. Igor came to pick the kids up – she was confronted by a 6-inch long scorpion hanging out on the wall of our house right by the front door! Mr. Mamie got the task of capturing it and disposing of it while the other 5 of us watched and screeched and shouted directions (I’m sure we were very helpful).
By the time I collapsed in bed at close to 11, I was ready for some gooooooood rest. Too bad we were up early to haul GolfDad to the hospital for his hip replacement surgery! He’s being sawed open right now, while I lounge in the waiting room and Mr. Mamie’s at the office for the last day. It’s going to be an interesting month, with GolfDad virtually incapacitated and pretty dependent on us, Mr. Mamie beginning to work from home, school starting, and who knows what else… by September, I’ll need a vacation!
The most recent whirlwind started on Friday, the day designated for kids’ back-to-school shoe and supply shopping. I started by dropping Mr. Mamie off at his office, and then I went to Tar-jay to do some back-to-school shopping myself. I got a bunch of various classroom items, plus household stuff, dog treats, toiletries, etc. Headed home to pick up the kids (who had been dropped off by Mrs. Igor), then returned to the BigTown, where we collected Mr. Mamie.
After a late-ish lunch at SmashBurger, we hit the shoe store. Niece ended up with some very cute Nikes, while Nephew chose some cool black skater shoes. Then it was BACK to Target for their school supplies – Nephew had a very specific list, provided by the Village Intermediate School. We got those items, plus two sets of “at home” supplies for homework time both at Casa Mamie and at their own house. Niece got a nice new backpack, and I needed a few MORE items for my classroom, so those were obtained as well. Dropped Nephew off at a friend’s for a sleepover, and then returned Niece to our house to stay with GrandmaT.
Mr. Mamie and I then headed to town AGAIN, but this time for “date night!” We saw “Salt,” which was GREAT – very exciting with some twists. I love a good spy movie, and it’s even better when the hero is an a**-kickin’ girl! After the movie we had dinner at “Rexus Toadhouse,” as Mr. Mamie calls it. Not to fancy or spendy, but fun and a nice change. After that it was home to bed.
Saturday was the big monthly shopping day for the Mamies. We started at Costco, which is where the bulk of our food and household items are purchased. $296 later we took that carload home, then loaded up all the recycling (which FILLED the Rav!) and hauled it into town. We got a whopping $6.84 for our aluminum and steel cans (nothing paid for the plastic and paper). Lunch at Wingers, and then we spent our “big” recycling payment on an iced green tea (me) and a caramel frappucino (Mr. Mamie) at Starbucks.
We then hit Home Depot, where I exchanged the staple gun and staples I purchased last week for a better model – my hallway bulletin board at school requires “the big guns.” OfficeMax took our money in exchange for a couple of printer ink cartridges and some Velcro dots, and then we went to Natural Grocers for part two of our grocery shopping.
Headed home and collected GrandmaT and the kids for a trip to NewWalmart. Grandma got the kids some shorts and jeans for school, as well as Nephew’s required P.E. outfit while Mr. Mamie and I gathered a few final grocery and household items. Finally, home again for good… at which point I was so exhausted that I gave in and ordered Domino’s Pizza for dinner. As expected, it was vile, but it was fast and easy and that was a higher priority at the time!
Sunday we slept in quite a bit, and then Mr. Mamie and I made trip to OldWalmart for a replacement toilet handle (the one in the master bath broke in the night) and some other odds and ends. Back home to laundry and other fun things.
The kids had husked 6 ears of corn from the week’s Bountiful Basket, which I blanched and stripped to get some fresh corn kernels for the freezer. I had three roasts purchased at Costco to deal with – two went directly in the freezer, and one got cut into stew meat. Cleaned out the kitchen fridge and started some brown rice cooking. Made the pinto bean filling for enchiladas, then rolled 8 and got them baking. Finished the rice, steamed some brocoflour, cut some fresh pineapple, and then we could sit down to dinner – finally!
After dinner Nephew had to be driven home to grab his Scout shirt, and then taken to the church for his Scout Review Board. While he was there, Mr. Mamie cut up a cantaloupe and mango for the week’s breakfast smoothies while I prepped celery, onion, carrots, and potatoes to go into the Crockpot for Monday’s dinner. Niece took the opportunity for an hour-long bath in our jetted tub – she loves it, because you can see the TV in our bedroom from the bathtub. OK, I love it too! Picked Nephew up from the church, and congratulated him on achieving Boy Scout First Class rank. On to Star! Except, football starts TODAY, so he won’t be doing much Scouting for the next three months.
I spent the rest of the evening under the ceiling fan on the bed surfing the interwebz and reading my latest trashy mystery while Mr. Mamie continued the work of networking various computers as part of his home-office set-up (today is his last day in the physical office, and then he’s going to be working at home). There was a flurry of excitement when Mrs. Igor came to pick the kids up – she was confronted by a 6-inch long scorpion hanging out on the wall of our house right by the front door! Mr. Mamie got the task of capturing it and disposing of it while the other 5 of us watched and screeched and shouted directions (I’m sure we were very helpful).
By the time I collapsed in bed at close to 11, I was ready for some gooooooood rest. Too bad we were up early to haul GolfDad to the hospital for his hip replacement surgery! He’s being sawed open right now, while I lounge in the waiting room and Mr. Mamie’s at the office for the last day. It’s going to be an interesting month, with GolfDad virtually incapacitated and pretty dependent on us, Mr. Mamie beginning to work from home, school starting, and who knows what else… by September, I’ll need a vacation!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Menus 8/1/10 - 8/7/10
This week's menu (with links) is posted on the left-hand sidebar of the blog - you'll need to click through if you're viewing this via a feed reader.
Have a great week!
Have a great week!
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