Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Grilled Chicken & Zucchini Rigatoni

My husband's secret recipe that he brought home after a college mission trip to Italy. This is the first meal he ever cooked for me...right before we started dating. Yep...hooked me with his mad chef skills!


Tuesday: MOPS Spring Fling - potluck. Probably make a casserole, maybe baked macaroni & cheese.


Wednesday: Crock Pot - Italian Stew over Garlic Mashed Potatoes


Thursday: Ritzy Chicken, roasted potatoes & asparagus


Friday: Family pizza & a movie night....trying a new homemade pizza recipe. Will post what I think of it.

Saturday: Cheeseburgers, chips, raw veggie platter

Easter Sunday: Baked ham, cheesy hash brown casserole, peas, fresh baked rolls, orange fluff salad, and I haven't decided on dessert...banana cream or lemon meringue pie?!?

What do you think?

Coming later this week:

• homemade laundry detergent
• budget-saving pizza ideas
• those spring pictures I promised ya last week :)

A day of Mennonite shopping...

A couple of weeks ago, my mom, sister and I headed up north for a day of shopping. Plain-style.
At the Mennonite Community of Lead Mine.

It was a chilly, rainy day. The gps took us on some little dirt roads. We got turned around/lost more than a couple of times. But we had SO much fun!!

Our first stop was to the Wenger General Store, where he carries natural herbs & medicines; books, wooden toys, bolts of solid colored material; black felt hats; sorgham, honey, & jams.

We traveled around til we found the bakery...which is closed til late April.




Next up was the Meadowveiw Dutch Market. Here they sell, bulk grains, flours, pastas, spices, candies, etc....They also have a deli in the middle of this tiny store. Fresh sliced meats & cheeses. They sell sandwiches for lunch outside on picnic tables.

My big wants for this shopping trip - rye flour, bulk yeast, licorice tea, chicken soup base, and spices to refill my jars at home. Found a bag of frozen wheat croissants. Yumm! Also got some lemon drops for the kids :)

Did I mention the rows and rows of spices & herbs stacked on the shelves! Oh, how hard to decide which ones to get. And the prices are amazing.

I came home and washed up all my spice jars/rack. Refilled and ready to cook and season some amazing meals.

Don't they look pretty? --

While I was at it....and while my Mom was helping with the kids...I cleaned out and reorganized the cupboards as well. I had a bunch of Tupperware modular mates stored, but by taking out shelf was able to get them to fit in the cupboard.

So neat and organized--

Five Question Friday --

1. Did you pass your driver's test on the first try?

Yes. Yes I did! I don't remember what my grade was though.

I do remember his marking me down for slowing down to let a robin cross the road... seriously!!!

What?! It was just hopping across the road and I didn't want to hit it :(

2. What is your most embarrassing moment?

Hmmm...this is a hard one. I'm SURE I've had some...at least a few...but I can not remember a single one.

Now ask me how I used to totally embarrass my sister out places :D LOL

3. What TV show would you like to be on- Oprah, Biggest Loser, or What Not to Wear?

Oh definately What Not to Wear! I absolutely love that show. My husband and I have decided that after we are someday rich....we will hire Clinton & Stacy to shop with us in NY for a week.

Ahhh...such a dream. A nice, dreamy, so-not-ever-happening, dream.

4. Would you ever get plastic surgery and what kind?

Honestly, I can't really see that I would do this. I've had enough medical stuff done/recoveries to know I wouldn't choose to go through it on purpose.

However, now that I'm getting deeper into my 30's and those little lines are appearing around my eyes....and mouth....though....I dunno. Just saying.

5. What are your favorite jeans to wear?

Silver was definately a favorite - back in the day when I could afford to just go buy jeans.

Now....just love it when a pair of jeans, any pair, fits and is comfy!

Menu Plan Monday 3-22-10

Monday: Chicken Stir-fry with our spicy shrimp sauce copycat recipe from our favorite Japanese hibachi.



Tuesday: Goulash, peas, fresh rolls



Wednesday: Crock Pot - Italian Stew over Garlic Mashed Potatoes



Thursday: Carnitas



Friday: dinner @ my sister's....send-off dinner for my bro-in-law leaving for a year in Afghanistan



Saturday: Home fellowship group - BBQ....so I think I will try Fried Potato Salad. I have wanted to try this recipe ever since I first saw it on Diner's, Drive In's, & Dives.



Sunday: Breakfast for Dinner - french toast & link sausages, orange juice smoothies

Coming this week:

• our day trip to the Mennonite Stores


• fried potato salad recipe (havent tried this recipe yet, due to baby getting sick/so didnt go to bbq. will post after I try it)


• spring break pictures
  
  

Check out more menus at MENU PLAN MONDAY

Menu Plan Monday

What's for dinner at your house this week?? Be sure and check out orgjunkie.com if you need more great ideas. And also some free printables!!

Monday: meatloaf, mashed potatoes with brown gravy, broccoli with cheese sauce

Tuesday: Crockpot - Vegetable Beef Soup

Wednesday: New Recipe to try -chicken enchiladas

Thursday: Creamy Ranch Chicken, noodles, a veggie

Friday: Family Night - Chicago Style Stuffed Pizza & a movie. Last week we watched the new Veggie Tales movie. Very cute, of course. This week might be Planet 51....I have to check the reviews on how child-friendly it is first.

Saturday: Breakfast for Dinner -

Sunday: Snack Night - venison summer sausage (if I get it made this week!) cheese, crackers, raw veggie tray

Simple Woman's Daybook

For today, March 1st, 2010...


Outside my window... its a gray and chilly 40 degrees


I am thinking...I would like to be alone. Just for the afternoon, or an hour, or even 10 minutes would be good!

I am thankful for...knowing God's promises never fail. And that I can hand it all over to Him.

From the learning rooms...the kids just finished up their water color/salt pictures. By sprinkling salt on the wet paint and leaving it to dry overnight, then when you brush the salt off it leaves water spots on the picture. Very cool effect.

Logan's fish

Ashleigh's fish

From the kitchen...comes the smells of last night's reuben sandwiches. Love love love reuben sandwiches. We had corned beef leftover from last sundays dinner. I tried my hand at homemade rye bread...which wasnt very rye-tasting, we were dissapointed in it, but will try and different recipe next time. And Fred made his amazing russian dressing.

I am wearing... jeans & a purple hoodie.

I am creating...this. Not sure what else. I am going to have to pick up sometime today. I just don't feel like it now...major headache today :(

I am reading...and hi-lighting my way through this parenting book. Hoping to discover the how's and why's of strong-willed children!

I am hoping...to do some up-dating and changes to my blog this week.

I am hearing...the dryer running, Logan watching Olivia on tv and Ashleigh singing along to new TobyMac song on the ipod.

Around the house...baby is finally snoozing.

One of my favorite things....my new pink leather Busy Mom's Bible from Zondervan.

A few plans for the rest of the week: MOPS tomorrow night, skyping with my mother-in-law on her birthday wednesday, homeschool co-op class on Thursday, sorting thru baby clothes that are being out-grown way too fast, as well as cleaning house, daily school lessons, and who knows what else pops up.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...Keira - six months old already - enjoying the jumparoo.

Go to http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ to join the Simple Woman's Daybook.