Menu Plan monday - January 30

Here is what we are eating this week:

Monday - Shepherd's pie (with beef, ground lamb is impossible to find)

Tuesday - Rice and beans

Wednesday - Baked salmon, potato wedges, green beans

Thursday - Chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese

Friday - Pierogies with onions and peppers

SNOW DAY!

We finally got some snow here! It snowed Friday night, so we woke up to snow on the ground on Saturday. Titus had a great time playing in the snow (and eating it : ) Here are some pictures from Titus' fun adventure in the snow!

I hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend too!

Menu Plan Monday - January 23

Here is what our family is eating this week:

Monday: Chili and rice

Tuesday: Macaroni and cheese and peas

Wednesday: Bratwurst, saurkraut, and mashed potatoes

Thursday: Cajun chicken strips, seasoned potato wedges, and glazed carrots

Friday: Cheese steaks!

Ready for snow!

I got Titus some snow boots, and he wanted to wear them, because they light up and are awesome. We don't have any snow right now so he just wore them around inside ; )

Downton Abbey Bag

I've been a little obsessed with Downton Abbey lately, and while I was watching one of the episodes I was inspired to make this bag, so I've christened it the Downton Abbey Bag.

A friend of my mom's was getting rid of a dress, and my mom thought I'd like to use the dress as fabric. I love the blue color and the fun stripes! I didn't have a pattern for this bag. I just took a purse that I really like and traced around it, adding about 1" all around. I cut 2 pieces out of the dress fabric and 2 pieces out of white fabric for the inside. I also made a pocket, just for fun.

 I squared the bottom corners (sorry I don't have any pictures of the process) of the outside and inside pieces. Then I sewed the outside pieces together and the inside pieces together. I put the outside bag inside the lining, right sides together, and sew the outside to the lining, leaving an opening for turning that was about 4" wide. I turned the bag right side out, sewed the straps together at the top, and topstitched around the handles and opening of the bag, closing the opening I made for turning.

Now I have a light, summery bag that makes me think of warmer days to come!

Menu Plan Monday - January 16

Here is our menu plan for this week:

Monday - Roast chicken, stuffing, and roasted butternut squash

Tuesday - Italian wedding soup and peasant bread

Wednesday - Beef with broccoli and brown rice

Thursday - Chicken salad sandwiches

Friday - Salmon patties and salad

Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup

I threw this soup together yesterday with ingredients I had around, and I think it turned out pretty well! George, Titus, and I all enjoyed it : )

1/2 pkg. Trader Joe's 17 Bean Soup mix (any packaged mixed beans should work)
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP olive oil
1 cup chopped ham
4 cups (1 quart) chicken stock (I used homemade)

Soak beans overnight. Rinse and drain the beans and put them in a slow cooker. Saute the onion, carrots, and garlic in oil until onion is translucent. Add to soaked beans. Add the ham and chicken stock to the slow cooker as well and cook everything on high for 8-10 hours.

This post is linked to: The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

"God made us: invented us as a man invents a engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other."

- C.S. Lewis

Cooking up something delicious!

 I love watching Titus play in his kitchen! It makes me so happy, because I loved my play kitchen when I was younger, and now I love cooking in my REAL kitchen : ) I am hopeful that Titus' joy of "playing in the kitchen" will carry over into helping me cook when he is old enough to be helpful. I know that cooking with kids can be messy and frustrating, but it is such an important life skill, and, for me, cooking is a fun adventure!

 Titus' kitchen set came from my grandparent's basement. I don't really know the history behind it, but I do remember playing with the awesome oven when I came over to visit (I don't really remember the sink for some reason), and it makes me so happy to have it in my own home!

The dishes came from my mother-in-law. I think they used to belong to George and his sisters. He also got some things for his kitchen for Christmas : )

 Titus' favorite thing to make in his kitchen is tea. He puts blocks, plastic eggs, whatever else he can find,  in the teapot, stirs it around, and calls it "TEEEEEEEAAAAAAA!"

Food is one of Titus' favorite things. He loves all food, even things that aren't actually food, like crayons and play-doh. It makes sense that he loves creating food in his own little kitchen. I am so excited for the days when we can create real food together!

Menu Plan Monday - January 9

Here is what our family is eating this week:

Monday - Bourbon chicken, brown rice, and green beans

Tuesday - Tuna noodle casserole (with peas)

Wednesday - Roast beef, carrots, and twice-baked potatoes

Thursday - Ham and bean soup, naan

Friday - Fried potatoes and roast beef, salad

Spiced Fruit Tea

This hot tea is a drink I put together one morning, using ingredients I had around the house. I used orange juice and apple juice because that is what I had, I think it would also be great with pineapple or cranberry juice.

3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup apple juice
1 TBSP brown sugar
A cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
4-5 cloves
1 tea bag (plain black tea)

Bring juices, sugar, and spices to a boil, and reduce heat until the mixture is just barely boiling. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Turn off heat, add tea bag, and let steep for 5 min. Strain out the tea and spices and serve warm. Makes 1 large mug of tea.

This post is linked to: Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

Pinterest to the Rescue!

I really like planning out our menu for the week, but sometimes I just feel like I have no inspiration. I'll go through the recipes I have bookmarked, but nothing stands out. So, to help organize the recipes we like, and to provide some inspiration through pictures, I pinned all my tried and true recipes to a board called "Meals We Like."  I'm hoping to add more recipes as I try new ones or think of other favorites. I have a separate board for recipes I want to try, this one is just for recipes that have met with my family's approval and are in the regular recipe rotation. I'm very excited about this, just one more reason to love Pinterest!

He just wanted to check his email

This little action sequence illustrates why nothing is safe from Titus anymore. He has a million toys of his own, but nothing interests him as much as the things I keep on the dining room table : /

Menu Plan Monday - January 2

Happy New Year! I am glad to be getting back into the routine of menu planning and grocery shopping. Here is what our family is eating this week:

Monday - Chicken quesadillas and corn

Tuesday - BBQ meatballs, cream scalloped potatoes, and green beans

Wednesday - Mahi Mahi, and Tabbouleh

Thursday - Steak teriyaki, brown rice, and broccoli

Friday - Pizza and salad

This post is linked to: Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie