Menu Monday

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Our family menu plans for this week

Monday
Lunch: out (in Washington)
Dinner: freezer dinners (hungry after grocery shopping...not a regular habit)

Tuesday
Breakfast: muffins
Lunch: soup, pumpernickel rolls, raspberry jello
Dinner: homemade pizza, fresh veggies

Wednesday
Breakfast: cereal, cinnamon bagels
Lunch: chicken Caesar wraps
Dinner: fettucine alfredo, fresh green beans, bread

Thursday
Breakfast: yogurt, cereal
Lunch: tuna (Tad out)
Dinner: cheddar broccoli soup (Panera Bread copycat recipe), bread bowls, warm golden apple chunks

Friday
Breakfast: eggs & spinach
Lunch: in Richmond...family Christmas gathering
Dinner: in Richmond...family Christmas gathering

Saturday
Breakfast: cereal, cinnamon bagels
Lunch: soup, salads (or leftovers)
Dinner: Bacon Apple Fest (already made and in the freezer)

Sunday
Breakfast: scrambled eggs
Lunch: out (visiting)
Dinner: leftovers

There you have it! Our super simple dishes for this week!

Here's a picture of the Chicken Mozzarella dish I made last week.P.S. These beautiful white casserole dishes totally make me feel like an amazing homemaker! haha.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are thankful for the two days we were able to spend in Virginia with our families!

On Thursday, we traveled to Salem to visit Tad's grandparents, immediate family, and some of his extended family as well. For the first time, I got to experience a turkey cooked on a charcoal grill! I also learned how to throw a football and not look like a girl throwing a football. Another highlight of that visit was hearing Mema tell the story of how she and Grandfather met.

Thursday night we stayed in Roanoke with my family. Friday we had a great meal with them and also with my grandparents. We loved seeing all of the beautiful changes my family has made to the house since I've been gone! They have a new couch downstairs and have converted my old bedroom into a beautiful "coffee-themed" office for Dad!

We were very tired when we arrived home Friday night just before midnight, but we were so glad that we are still close enough that we could see both of our families at one holiday. At least we're not in China!

Saturday afternoon we got to go to a birthday party for two of the guys in the youth group. It was lots of fun!

Sunday was busy as usual, with Sunday School, Children's Church, and the evening service. Tad teaches the youth SS class and also teaches Children's Church (I helped this past week). Last night, he preached for the evening service as well. His message came from the first four verses of Hebrews and he gave an excellent exhortation of how we should not neglect the Gospel. I'm so thankful for how hard he studies the Word of God so he can properly handle it, not just when he "preaches a sermon," but also when he teaches the little ones in children's church or the teens in the youth group. I'm so blessed by his spiritual leadership!

I Came, I Cooked, I Did Not Burn.

This is my first foray in the kitchen since I've been married to Aliesha. My previous attempts as a bachelor ended in still frozen steaks and cold hotdogs. I was a bit more successful this time. I like to call this dish, Chicken with Pepperjack Cheese and Mushrooms and Onions Topped with Bacon. It tasted amazing, though it might not look that pretty.
All in all, I learned a lesson through this exercise that all men should learn. This lesson is that I cannot multitask.
I forgot about the mashed potatoes and the corn until the end and Aliesha had to come to my rescue. Thankfully the chicken was still hot.
I'm glad that I had this opportunity to cook. Alton Brown better watch his back or I might end up with his job.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

So I made some pretty delicious pumpkin cheesecake cupcakes on Saturday to take to our church fellowship. Thought I would share the recipe with you all! This recipe is from the November 2009 issue of Everyday with Rachel Ray.

You will need:
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
2 large eggs
1 egg white
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with baking liners. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar for 3 minutes. Beat in 1 egg white and 1/2 tsp. vanilla.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, granulated sugar, oil, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Whisk into the flour mixture.

Layer each muffin cup with some of the pumpkin batter, then some cream cheese mixture, then more of the batter. Bake until springy to the touch, 25 minutes. Let cool. (Tops will crack while baking.)Garnish with frosting as desired. I chose to use a generous squirt of whipped cream for a perfectly natural complement to the pumpkin flavor.

I personally think they taste the best WARM out of the oven!

Enjoy!

Menu Monday

We just got back from a busy morning out! We ate lunch with Brittany (a girl in the youth group) at school today. We had a good time! After that, we did our weekly grocery shopping. There were lots of sales, so I stocked up on some items for future weeks since prices were so low!

Monday
Breakfast: cereal, bacon muffins (finished up the last batch), juice
Lunch: with Brittany at school
Dinner: GIRLS' NIGHT IN* (Chicken Mozzarella, cucumber tomato salad, french bread, pumpkin cupcakes, sweet tea)

Tuesday
Breakfast: eggs, toast, juice
Lunch: with Matt and Lance at school
Dinner: TAD COOKING** (Bacon Jack Chicken, corn)

Wednesday
Breakfast: french toast, juice
Lunch: baked potatoes, cheese, sauteed mushrooms and onions; applesauce
Dinner: skillet lasagna meal, salads

Thursday
THANKSGIVING!
Breakfast: muffins to go (I froze a big batch last week)
Spending the day with Tad's family; taking Angel Rolls and Sweet Potato Casserole

Friday
Spending the day with my family; taking Angel Rolls and Sweet Potato Casserole

Saturday
Breakfast: cereal, juice, applesauce
Lunch: soup, salad, homemade croutons
Dinner: tacos (made already), the fixings, chips, etc.

* We're having a girls' night in tonight! Andrea (our pastor's wife) and Carrie (another pastor's wife in the area) are coming over for dinner and fellowship.

** Yes, you read that correctly! Tad is cooking for me for Date Night this week! We're excited to try out a new recipe. We'll let you know how things go!

My wonderful husband does SO many dishes... and I am very thankful for him!

Marvelous Meatloaf

To me, meatloaf is pretty high on my list of "comfort foods."

Thursday night I planned on making meatloaf for dinner, and I decided mid-afternoon (after assembling the elliptical machine) that I was definitely in the mood for trying out a new recipe. I found a recipe on the internet and adapted it slightly. Sorry I don't have a better picture! Tad devoured it before I could get a good shot. I think he asked for thirds of this meal. :) It's not really the prettiest meatloaf, but it is very tender and tasty!
Italian Meatloaf

1 lb. ground beef (I would also like to try this with ground turkey)
1 Tbsp. ketchup
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (Run them through your garlic press!)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 egg
2 cups bread crumbs (Just tear up a couple of slices of bread)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used shelf-stable, not fresh)
salt and pepper

Next time I make this I will also add about 1/4 cup finely chopped onions

Mix all ingredients together by hand. Shape into a loaf and bake (wrapped in foil) for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Turn the oven up to 375 degrees and bake it for an additional 15 minutes uncovered to allow a nice crust to form.

This makes about 6 slices (end slices are generous).

One thing I love about this recipe is that it is so easy...and you really don't have to measure anything! Just "eye" it! I would recommend serving it with steamed veggies and mashed potatoes.

How to Put Together an Elliptical Machine

Step 1: Dump the contents of the box onto the living room floor (not all parts shown).
Step 2: Study the very simple directions. Resist the urge to hire a professional. Run to Wal-mart to buy batteries (not included). Step 3: Begin assembling. Stop partway through to admire your work.
Step 4: Finish assembling elliptical machine. Hide any leftover parts. Test out the machine for stability and ease of use.
Enjoy!

One Month Anniversary

Since today is our one month anniversary of being married, I thought I would share a couple of our favorite wedding pictures, taken by the VERY TALENTED Andrea Wood! I actually have about 450+ favorite photos (including tons of great family photos), but I can't post them all here. To see all our pictures (and order any, at wonderful reduced rates!), click here to go to Andrea's Zenfolio.Tad's only working half a day today, so we're looking forward to a "date night" tonight.

I am so thankful for my wonderful husband!!

Bacon Muffins: The Recipe

These are a yummy breakfast food...and so easy to make! I like to cook my bacon ahead of time to make it easier to throw these together first thing in the morning. I literally can climb out of bead, turn the oven on, and by the time I have mixed them up, the oven is pre-heated. If I can do this first thing in the morning (before my coffee!!), so can you!

Bacon Muffins

6 bacon strips, diced (cook ahead of time)
2 cups biscuit mix (like Bisquick)
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup milk

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine biscuit mix and sugar. In a small bowl, combine egg and milk. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in diced bacon. Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm. Yield: 8-9 muffins.

We can't eat 9 muffins in one morning, so we keep them in the fridge and reheat in the microwave for later! They are also a great on-the-go snack.

Enjoy!

Menu Monday

Weekly Menus

Monday
Breakfast: cereal; bacon muffins
Lunch: on the go
Dinner: lasagna soup

Tuesday
Breakfast: fruit; bacon muffins; coffee
Lunch: ramen noodles (at Tad's request!)
Dinner: chicken stir fry; rice

Wednesday
Breakfast: bacon and eggs
Lunch: fettucine alfredo
Dinner: chicken and biscuits

Thursday
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: leftovers (Tad out for lunch)
Dinner: meat loaf; mashed potatoes; mixed veggies; gravy

Friday
Breakfast: muffins; fruit
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: tacos; tortilla chips; salsa; queso; fruit

Saturday
Breakfast: french toast; syrup; coffee
Lunch: chef salads with hardboiled eggs and croutons
Dinner: bacon apple quiche; green beans

Here are a few pictures of our beef shish-ka-bobs from last week!Andrea, I'll post my bacon muffin recipe for you soon!

Menu Monday...and weekend recap!

Tad and I are back in town after a wonderful weekend at Family Life's Weekend to Remember marriage conference. We enjoyed our time together so much, and the conference really gave us good teaching and helped establish a lot of healthy patterns in our marriage. We were so blessed to be able to attend, and we were grateful that because Tad is a pastor, we were able to go for free! I'm hoping that sometime soon I will be able to blog about some of the teaching we received this weekend. Tad might even join in!

Last week I don't think I made half of the meals that I planned to since I was so sick. I'm still not feeling great, but I am definitely doing better and I am thankful for medicine!

Here are my menus for this week. We definitely did better on our grocery bill this week. I saved about $8 with coupons, which may not seem like a lot, but I was excited. Hey, if I can save $8 every week for a year, I would save $416! Hoping that I will be able to continue to become a coupon mom so that I can be the best steward of our finances that I can.

Monday
Lunch: chicken and rice soup; focaccia bread; fruit salad
Dinner: beef stir fry; rice

Tuesday
Breakfast: pancakes; syrup
Lunch: grilled chicken sandwiches
Dinner: chicken fettuccine alfredo; basil parmesan puffs

Wednesday
Breakfast: cereal; blueberry muffins
Lunch: peanut butter and jelly (yeah, I was out of ideas)
Dinner: homemade spinach and turkey pizza

Thursday
Breakfast: eggs and bacon
Lunch: leftovers (Tad gone for lunch)
Dinner: spaghetti with meat sauce; bread; caesar salads

Friday
Breakfast: bacon muffins (for Tad); yogurt (for me)
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: beef shish-kabobs; rice

Saturday
Breakfast: scrambled eggs and cheese
Lunch: BLTs (Tad's favorite lunch)
Dinner: TBD

I found menu planning to be a struggle today, not because I don't like cooking or can't think of things to make, but because I have NO appetite because of my cold! It's hard to decide what to cook when nothing "sounds good"! I think we still did okay, anyway.

Think Tad and I are going to spend some time together before dinner and make blended frappes.

Marriage Conference Weekend

Tad and I are leaving today for Family Life's Weekend to Remember marriage conference. No, we're not already having problems in our marriage... on the contrary! We are enjoying being married SO much! We are excited about the opportunity we will have this weekend to strengthen our marriage and set a good foundation for the MANY years ahead of us.

Have a great weekend!

Menu... Tuesday

I'm not very good at posting my menus on Monday, am I?

This week my excuse is a horrible sore throat. I think I reached the peak of my misery (ha) today, so I am hoping things get better later this week! Tad has also been dealing with a cold, so we've both been pretty mopey and have been "lying low" this week. Last night we played Othello and went to bed early.

Oh, and here is a picture of what we dressed up as for Hallowhim! I was a pirate and he was an alien.My menus start with Tuesday because I didn't cook at all yesterday due to being sick. Tad bought wonton soup for me last night! My menus end at lunch on Friday because we are leaving after lunch this Friday to go to a Weekend to Remember marriage conference in Virginia! We are very excited about it and are praying we will be feeling better in time!

Tuesday
lunch: cheddar broccoli potato soup; focaccia bread
dinner: burritos (Moe's style); chips and salsa; sweet tea

Wednesday
breakfast: eggs in muffin cups
lunch: Caesar salads with chicken
dinner: hamburgers; homemade fries

Thursday
breakfast: scrambled eggs; toast
lunch: lunchmeat sandwiches and chips
dinner: grilled chicken sandwiches; salads

Friday
breakfast: cold cereal
lunch: grilled cheese sandwiches; fruit salad

Have a great Tuesday!