A week full of celebrations!

Landon has been anticipating this week for MONTHS!!! Finally, it's birthday time and Grandma time and cousin time and Christmas time! Could there possibly be a better week....ever?!? The only bummer is, that I have a mandatory choir rehearsal on Landon's birthday. Ouch! Lucky for me, Grandma's going to take him on a lunch date and his dad and brothers are going to take him on a special birthday dinner date! Whew...saved by my awesome family! We'll have his 'at-home' birthday dinner a day early (and believe me, there was no crying when we told him he gets to open his presents a day early!)

Here's my menu for the week of celebrations!
Monday: Chicken Alfredo Pasta, Carrots, Broccoli, Jello with Oranges and Birthday Cupcakes! (quite a sophisticated birthday dinner of choice for a six year old--eh?)
Tuesday: Birthday Dinner Date
Wednesday: Slowcooker Chicken Tortilla Soup garnished with Sour Cream, Cilantro, Cheese and Tortilla Strips
Thursday: BBQ Glazed Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans
Friday: Larson Family Christmas Party!
Saturday: Wall Family Christmas Eve!
Sunday: Our traditional Christmas fare of: Meat and Cheese platters, Rolls, Vegetable Tray with dips, Crackers with Cream Cheese and Jalapeno Jelly, Chips and Salsa, and several varieties of Sparkling Ciders

December Traditions

It's been a fun and tradition filled December. I just love the holidays and all the excitement in the air. I love the smell of our fresh cut tree in the front room and the lights on house! There is truly something magical about this time of year.

Here's my menu for the week:
Monday: Baked Southwest Egg Rolls with Creamy Chipotle Dipping Sauce and Spinach Salad
Tuesday: Beef Stroganoff over Brown Rice with Green Beans
Wednesday: Artichoke Chicken over Pasta and Sauteed Vegetables
Thursday: Crockpot Egg Casserole, Spinach Salad and Fruit
Friday: Pizza Night!
Saturday: Mom's night off!
Sunday: Greek Chicken and Vegetables with Artisan Bread

An Unconventional Thanksgiving!

We returned home last night from our unconventional Thanksgiving! Just think, sitting by the pool on Thanksgiving morning, not even thinking about whether the turkey will be done on time, or how long the rolls need to rise! Yes, that's what I did. We went to St. George with some close family, and we had a blast! Thanksgiving morning we spent at the Paintball course, I refereed, while the boys and cousins and uncles played pretend war with paint! It was a lot of fun! We spent a lot of time at the pool, did some Black Friday shopping, lots of paint balling, went on a great family bike ride, enjoyed the St. George temple, and dressed Jud up like an old geezer and paraded him around town for his fortieth birthday! And yes, we ate dinner at the "Golden Corral!"

Here's my menu for the week:
Monday: Fabulous Orange Chicken, Brown Rice, Vegetable Stir-fry
Tuesday: Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken Stacks
Wednesday: Jud's birthday dinner! French Dip Sandwiches, Cottage Fries, Spinach Salad and Banana Birthday Cake! (Here's how I do my Cottage Fries: Peel and slice potatoes quite thin into rounds and spread out on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle generously with olive oil, garlic salt and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Check them often to be sure they don't burn!)
Thursday: Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup, Cheese Toasties
Friday: Pizza night!
Saturday: Mom's Night Off!
Sunday: Brown Sugar Meatloaf, Baked Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives, Spinach Salad

I love food!

It was such a busy week, and I would like to think that next week will slow down, but I know I'm fooling myself. Oh well, life is to be lived, right? I'd hate to be bored....:)

Here's my menu for the upcoming week. Did I mention I love food!
Monday: Chicken in Basil Cream over Angel Hair Pasta with Steamed Broccoli
Tuesday: Taco Soup with Avocados, Sour Cream, and Shredded Cheese
Wednesday: Chile Verde Enchiladas with a Mandarin Mixed Green Salad
Thursday: Bacon Roasted Chicken, Oven Roasted Potatoes, and Mixed Veggies
Friday: Pizza Night!
Saturday: Mom's night off! :)
Sunday: Larson Family Dinner

A bit of everything....and nothing! :)

I've been looking forward to today for about a week now, my husband is finally back from a business trip! I can finally sleep again! It's seems when he's gone, I always find myself a good book and then stay up all night long reading. No one's there to make me go to bed! Myself and my children :) always suffer the next day!

The snow has fallen, and I'm looking at about 4 inches on the grass. I went to feed the chickens this morning and their water was frozen solid. Poor chickens! They have to get cold out there!

Well, here's my menu for the week (a lot of these recipes are from a cookbook called "Eat Free", I highly recommend it!)

Monday: Chipotle Lime Salmon, Artichokes with Basil Lemon Butter, Steamed Broccoli
Tuesday: Chicken Thai Curry with Basmati Rice
Wednesday: Omelets, Zucchini Muffins, Spinach Salad
Thursday: Turkey Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Spinach Salad
Friday: Pizza night!
Saturday: Mom's night off! :)
Sunday: Roast and Carrots, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and Green Salad

Beautiful Oregon!

I was lucky enough to have a few days of my husband and beautiful Oregon this week! We took a quick getaway to the land of GREEN (and red and yellow and orange--oh the fall leaves!!!!). It was a great trip, and we came back to happy boys and their mother is refreshed and ready for a new week. Here's my menu for the week:

Monday: Anniversary Chicken, Quinoa, Acorn Squash and Green Beans
Tuesday: French Dip Sandwiches, Carrots and Celery with dip, Chips and Salsa
Wednesday: Chicken Parmesan, Pasta, Green Salad
Thursday: Crustless Quiche, Pears and Peaches, Zucchini Muffins, Spinach Salad
Friday: Pizza Night!
Saturday: Mom's night off :)
Sunday: Wall Family Dinner

Pumpkin Picking!

We travelled down south for Keaton's Lacrosse game this weekend and afterward stopped at the Warner's farm! We had a blast picking pumpkins and catching flying corn! All of the pumpkins in the patch were enormous, and the boys are quite excited about the prospect of carving the massive pumpkins. But, I have made it clear that I will not be the one scraping the slime out this year!

Landon was pretty cute tonight, trying to get my attention while I was reading on the couch. He looked right into my face and said, "MOM, do you have your listening ears on?" Too cute!

I'm trying to use up as much garden produce as possible this week, so I looked at the garden and then I made my menu. We still have a lot of tomatoes, peppers, onions, green beans, potatoes, carrots, celery, tomatillos, cantaloupe, watermelon, zucchini, squash and beets! I love fresh food!

Monday: Colorful Vegetable Fajitas with Steak, fresh salsa and chips, cantaloupe
Tuesday: Shepherd's Pie, Spinach Salad, and Fresh Peaches
Wednesday: Authentic Enchiladas Verdes, Zucchini, Tomato and Squash stir-fry, Watermelon
Thursday: Roasted Beet and Potato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Friday: Pizza Night!
Saturday: Mom's Night Off!
Sunday: Spaghetti and Meatballs, Spinach Salad, French Bread, and Watermelon

Happy Birthdays and Conference time!

We had a fun weekend, full of fiestas and family! My mom and my darling niece celebrated birthdays, so we broke a pinata, ate mexican food and fiesta'd! Homemade ice-cream and all! And then, we enjoyed family as we watched General Conference. I have to laugh that I spend most of the last session of Conference in constant battle with my children, but I suppose one day I'll miss it....yeah right! :)

Right now we are in full sports mode at our house. There is never a day (besides Sunday) that we are not involved in some sport. Right now Keaton is on the highschool Lacrosse team, which involves a hefty practice and conditioning schedule. Chase is on the Tsunami Swim Team at our rec center, and Brooks is doing Lacrosse as well. It's fun to watch them progress. Chase had a meet this weekend, and both Lacrosse boys have games every Saturday. So we are BUSY! But it's been so nice to spend the time outside watching the games in the beautiful weather we've been having. I'm sure it won't last forever, so I'm sure enjoying it while it's here.

If you notice some repeats in my meals over the next few weeks, you'll know it's because our busy schedule didn't allow me to be home to make the dinner I had planned. I'm sure we'll get back to normalcy sometime soon.....yeah right! :)

Monday: Turkey Burgers, Relish Tray with Herbed Cottage Cheese, Chips and Salsa
Tuesday: Artichoke Chicken, Quinoa, Steamed Green Beans, and Cantaloupe
Wednesday: Grilled Pizza, Garden Green Salad, Apricot
Smoothie
Thursday: Southwest Lentil Soup and Cheese Quesadillas (The Lentil soup is from a new cookbook I'm trying out, it's called Eat Free by Rhiannon Lawrence)
Friday: Scrambled Eggs, Toast, Bacon and Orange Juice
Saturday: Mom's night off!
Sunday: Juicy Roasted Chicken, Red and Purple Garden Potatoes and Carrots and Green Beans and My Favorite Zucchini Bread

It's going to be a week of harvesting!

I've had a lot going on in the past couple of weeks and as a result, I have not been able to do any garden harvesting. So, this week is going to be a big week in the garden. I have green beans, tomatoes and beets that will all need to be canned this week. It's gonna be fun.....and exhausting!

Here's my menu for the week:
Monday: Beef Stroganoff, Brown Rice, Stir-fry Green Beans and Garden Watermelon (this was on last weeks menu, but we had a change of plans, so we'll use it tonight!)
Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pie and Spinach Salad
Wednesday: Baked Salmon, Zucchini, Onion, Tomato Stir-fry, Corn on the Cob
Thursday: Southwest Lentil Soup and Cheese Quesadillas (The Lentil soup is from a new cookbook I'm trying out, it's called Eat Free by Rhiannon Lawrence)
Friday: German Pancakes with fresh berries and jam
Saturday: Dinner at Grandma's house! Taco Bar and Birthday Cake.
Sunday: Roast, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Garden Vegetables, and Sweet Dinner Rolls

GREAT couple of weeks!

It's been a wild, crazy, super busy, GREAT couple of weeks! For starters, I took a whirlwind trip with my siblings and parents to Colorado to visit my sister and her family. It's a pretty happenin' time when we all get together, and this time was no different! Late nights, lots of laughing, good food, and did I mention no sleep? The whole trip was organized around the Broncos vs. Raiders Monday Night Football game, and we definitely got the full NFL football game experience. Field passes and the works! I only looked slightly stupid for my lack of football knowledge, but I cheered loud and had FUN! And quite honestly, I think my stupidity was a bit entertaining to those around me. Glad I could provide some enjoyment! :)

And then this weekend we had a fantastic family wedding and two baby blessings. I'm exhausted yet so happy! I love being around family and I'm so grateful to have a wonderful family and to have married into a wonderful family. Life is good.

Here's my menu for the week:

Monday: Taco Soup and spinach salad
Tuesday: Easy Shake and Bake Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Wednesday: Beef Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce, Spanish Rice, Shredded Lettuce Salad
Thursday: Toast Cups (Add peas and diced ham to freshly made white sauce, toast buttered bread in muffin cups under the broiler, serve the white sauce mixture over the toast cups. It really is delicious!)
Friday: Easy Bagel Melts, Chips and Fresh Salsa, Vegetable Platter
Saturday: Mom's night off :)
Sunday: Beef Stroganoff over egg noodles with Stir-fry Green Beans and Fresh Fruit Salad

Labor Day!

There is just something great about having your husband home on a week day! Even if it is a holiday :) Right now he's outside fixing all the bikes and then we're going to take off for a family bike ride and a picnic. Happy Day! Here's my menu for the week:

Monday: Labor Day! Grilled Chicken, Grilled Vegetables, Fresh Fruit Salad
Tuesday: Honey Ham, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Corn on the Cob, Stir Fried Green Beans
Wednesday: Lettuce Wraps (I prefer this recipe with ground turkey, rather than ground beef), Potstickers and Brown Rice
Thursday: Meatball Subs on these amazing Baguettes, Sliced Carrots and Celery, Chips and Fresh Salsa
Friday: Tomato soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Saturday: Mom's Night Off!
Sunday: Dinner with Awesome Friends!

Kindergarten firsts!

Tomorrow is Landon's first day of Kindergarten! He can hardly wait, and at this very moment is having a terrible time falling asleep. One of my first memories is of Mrs. Kemp in Kindergarten, she was the sweetest, kindest woman in the world! I hope that Landon has as good of an experience as I did. Here's the menu for the week:
Monday: School BBQ (but because I can't stand hot dogs, I'm bringing Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls with creamy chipotle dipping sauce for my family)
Tuesday: Sloppy Joes, Garden Carrots and Celery, Corn on the Cob
Wednesday: Chicken Coconut Kurma (I always add some brown sugar and more garam masala, but this is close enough :), Basmati Rice, Green Peas
Thursday: Sweet Lime Chile Enchiladas, Green Salad, chips and fresh salsa
Friday: Soup and Cheese Toasties
Saturday: Mom's Night Off :)
Sunday: Grilled Steak, , Sweet Potatoes, Green Bean Stir-fry and Sweet Dinner Rolls

School's in!

Today was the first day of school! It felt so good to have all the kids up early, practicing piano, getting into a routine again! This is going to be a great year!

Summer was fantastic! It seems like we were going non-stop....Florida, Bear Lake, Trek, Lagoon, Bear Lake some more, Fairview and more. We had a great time together, and I'll post pictures soon.

I plan to get back to my menu posting. During the summer we were so laid back, but I still did my menus! I can't live without them. I was just too lazy to post.

Here's to a great school year!

Monday: Unbelievable Chicken, Garden Corn, Garden Artichokes with Lemon Butter, and sliced fresh tomatoes
Tuesday: Family Favorite Chili and Corn Bread (The chili recipe I use is in the red and white Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, it's the easiest chili and I've won two blue ribbons with it! Delish!)
Wednesday: Caesar BLT wraps, Fresh Carrots and Celery from the garden, tortilla chips and fresh salsa
Thursday: Cub Scout BBQ at the park
Friday: Baked Potato Bar
Saturday: Waterskiing and Tubing and BBQ at the Lake with our West Virginia friends
Sunday: Wall Family Dinner

Back on track!

My computer died on me...so that's my excuse for no menus for the past two weeks. We also spent an AWESOME week in Florida, so that's my other excuse. I like to plan one extra fun vacation for my family every year. It has been one of my favorite traditions. The best thing about it is the unity and togetherness I feel as a family. The boys all get along, they play together, we laugh together, and we just REALLY enjoy being a family! No outside friends, no outside pressures, just us. This year we visited the new Harry Potter section of Islands of Adventure Universal. Hands down, the best ride I have been on in my life! So fun! We loved the Airboat ride through the everglades, eating gator nuggets, and playing at the pool. The weather was great and we all came home a bit sun kissed! Now back to real life...
Monday: Chicken and Dumplings (Try making your own Dumplings)
Tuesday: Baked Southwest Eggrolls with Creamy Chipotle Dipping Sauce, Garden Salad
Wednesday: Perfect Grilled Burgers, Fruit salad, and Chips
Thursday: Calzones, Mixed Green Salad
Friday: BBQ Grilled Chicken, Orzo with Parmesan and Basil, Pineapple Spears

Oh, BTW, all of the lettuce, arugula, spinach and herbs are harvestable from my garden! I love this time of year! YUM!

Countdown!

The kids have started to "countdown" to the end of school. Only 14 days left! And let's face it, the last week really doesn't count, right? Here's looking forward to a great summer!!!!
Here's my menu for the week:
Monday: Sweet Lime Chile Enchiladas with Sweet Pepper Rice and Romaine Salad
Tuesday: Sloppy Joes, Yogurt and Fruit Salad, Relish plate
Wednesday: Sue's slow cooker chicken, brown rice, and green beans
Thursday: Toast Cups (Add peas and diced ham to freshly made white sauce, toast buttered bread in muffin cups under the broiler, serve the white sauce mixture over the toast cups. It really is delicious!)
Friday: Mom's night off! :)
Saturday: Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Sunday: Rosemary Ranch Grilled Chicken, Sweet Dinner Rolls, Fruit Plate and Green Salad

Lovin' my girls!

Today was a bitter-sweet day for me. After three great years as Young Women's president in my ward, I was released. I'm happy and sad all at the same time. I sure love those girls! Being the mom of four boys, I needed my girl fix every week! They are sweet, amazing and full of love! I'll miss being with them so often! But on the other hand, I'm kind of excited! I'll have Sunday mornings at home with my family (no more meetings--YAY!) and I can join a choir I've wanted to join, but couldn't, because it practices on Wednesday nights. And I'm so excited that one of my best friends was called as the new Young Women's president. She will do a fantastic job, and it makes it that much easier to be released when you love the person replacing you so much! Phew, I guess I'll be onto the next adventure!

Here's my menu for the week:
Monday:Hashbrown Bake, fresh fruit, spinach salad
Tuesday: French Dip Sandwiches, chips, fresh veggies
Wednesday: Slowcooker Chicken and Vegetable Tortellini Stew, Buttermilk Cornbread
Thursday: Build your own Burrito Bar
Friday: Mom's night off! :)
Saturday: Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house!
Sunday: Greek Chicken and Vegetables, spinach salad, rustic artisan bread

My poor, sick hubby :(

My cute husband has been yucky sick all week. Even feeling terrible, he's such a hard worker, and totally spoiled me today. I'm a lucky girl! Here's my menu for the week:

Monday: Crustless Quiche, french cheeses and breads (leftover from the fabulous french Mother's Day dinner he made me), fresh fruit salad
Tuesday: Shepherd's Pie, spinach salad, fruit smoothie
Wednesday: Stromboli, Marinara and Ranch dipping sauce, Caesar Salad and chips
Thursday: Grilled Fish Tacos with Chipotle lime dressing (Last Thursday was a bit crazy and I didn't have time to make this, so we'll try it tonight!)
Friday: Mom's night off :)
Saturday: Oat Waffles, eggs, bacon and fruit
Sunday: Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house!

For the love of chickens!

I think I mentioned in a previous post that my husband thinks he's a farmer. He's a very cute farmer, and as long as he keeps our "farm" to the size it's at now, I'm thinking it's going to be fun! At present we have 15 chickens, and my boys are in LOVE with them! When hubby starts talking about cows and goats, I think I'll have to put an end to the fun! :) Or we'll have to move! We went to the farm store on Saturday and he bought us each a pair of rubber farm boots. It's getting serious....

Here's my menu for the week:
Monday: Lettuce Wraps (I use ground turkey rather than ground beef in this recipe and omit the sesame oil) and potstickers
Tuesday: Sweet and Sour Meatballs over brown rice and spinach salad
Wednesday: Easy Bagel Melts, chips and salsa, veggies and dip
Thursday: Grilled Fish Tacos with Chipotle Lime Dressing
Friday: Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
Saturday: Mom's night off :)
Sunday: Mother's Day! I think I'll let someone else handle this meal! :)

Happy Easter

Happy Easter! It's been a great day at our house! We started with a fun egg hunt--who wouldn't love eggs filled with quarters??? The kids were surprised to find season passes to Lagoon in their Easter baskets, church was very inspiring, and we ended the day at Grandma's house with cousins and great food. We are so blessed!
Here's my menu for the week:
Monday: Chicken Parmesan, Penne Pasta, and Caesar Salad
Tuesday: Taco Soup, Tortilla chips and toppings
Wednesday: Greek Style Pita Sandwiches, Greek Salad and chips
Thursday: Pizza, Spinach salad, and Smoothies (I use whey protein, and coconut milk in this recipe)
Friday: Scrambled eggs, toast, and orange juice
Saturday: Mom's night off! :)
Sunday: Steaks with Balsamic-Caper Vinaigrette and Oven Roasted Potatoes, Sweet Dinner Rolls, Strawberry Spinach Salad and I'll think I'll add some brownies in there! Yum!

Bolero

I tried to be cultured this weekend (ha!) and went Ballet West's 'Bolero'. Can I say WOW?!? It was spectacular! Bolero was actually the last performance of the evening, and well worth the wait! Generally I'm not a ballet girl, men in tights--I just don't love it. But Bolero was heart pounding, blood pumping, intenseness (is that a word???)! Anyhow, on to my menu for the week:

Monday: Marinated Grilled Chicken, Baked Sweet Potatoes, and Cranberry Spinach Salad
Tuesday: Brooks' birthday dinner! He chose Lasagna, Garlic Breadsticks, and Caesar salad
Wednesday: Baked Barbeque Chicken, Brown Rice, Fruit, Spinach Salad
Thursday: Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls with creamy chipotle dipping sauce with a huge green salad!
Friday: Leftover party!!!
Saturday: Easter party with Larsons!
Sunday: Easter dinner with Walls!

Is it really April?

If you were to look out my window anytime in the past few days, you would definitely question whether it is April or January! Seriously, we accumulated about 8 inches of snow in the past 3 days! We had to put the truck into four wheel drive to get home from dinner last night! Is it really April? The calendar tells me so, I'm still waiting for the proof! Here's my menu for the week:
Monday: Tuscan Garlic Chicken, fettucine and broccoli
Tuesday: Chayote Soup, quesadillas and spinach salad (I love trying new things and my friend gave me some chayotes from her Bountiful Basket this week. We'll see how this soup goes over!)
Wednesday: Brown Sugar Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and steamed green beans
Thursday: Potluck with some friends who are visiting from Hawaii. I think I'll make my favorite Dinner Rolls
Friday: Tuna melts and my bottled tomato soup! Yum!
Saturday: Mom's night off :)
Sunday: Grilled steak, grilled vegetables, quinoa and spinach salad.

Spring Break!

Well, it's that time of year again. The time of year that I look at the calendar, my heart starts beating really fast, and I realize that there are only nine weeks of school left, minus one for spring break this week! Wow! Where in the world did the school year go? I'm going to be sad when the school year is over, mostly for my buddy Brooks. He has the greatest teacher this year, and LOVES school! He has said several times that he never wants summer to come! No wonder this teacher has won all sorts of awards; kids who don't want summer break--unheard of! Anyhow, we don't have any grandiose plans for spring break--except for spring cleaning! Aren't the kids going to love me for that one?????
This week's menu:
Monday: Chicken Cordon Bleu (I substitute Simply Apple for the wine), brown rice, stir fried green beans with garlic and lime
Tuesday: Sloppy Joes, chips, veggie tray
Wednesday: Cauliflower soup, cheese toasties and spinach salad
Thursday: Tacos and apricot smoothie (This smoothie is a fun memory from my youth! And it must be served every time we have tacos :) Take a quart bottle of apricots, dump it in your blender and add a tray of ice cubes. Tastes like apricot nectar--yum!)
Friday: Creme Brulee French Toast, fresh raspberries, grilled ham, spinach salad. (Thanks for the shout-out on this recipe Tricia, I can't wait to try it!)
Saturday: Mom's Night Off! :)
Sunday: Turkey breast, stuffing, potatoes and gravy, brocolli

General Conference Weekend!

Ahhh, it's supposed to be 65 degrees on Saturday and to make it even better, it's General Conference weekend! I'm certainly looking forward to it!
Here's my menu for the week:
Monday: Curried Lentil Soup (add about 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 tsp. salt to this recipe) and Pita bread
Tuesday: Easy Lasagna, French Baguettes, Spinach Salad
Wednesday: Crustless Quiche, Cinnamon chip scones, fresh fruit (This quiche is so easy--mix 2 c. cooked ham or chicken, 1 c. sour cream, 6 beaten eggs, and 1/4 c. grated cheese together. Put in square baking dish, cover with buttered breadcrumbs and bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with Tiger sauce or salsa.)
Thursday: Pizza Rolls (you'll need to scroll down for the recipe), dipping sauce, and spinach salad.
Friday: Leftover night!
Saturday: Going to Grandma's house for a little Conference get together!
Sunday: Family get together! I'm cooking the roast--we'll see what else comes!

Bread, bread, bread!

I love to make my own bread! I know you can find some pretty good breads out there, but there's something so satisfying about making your own and feeding your family with it. Do not be even a smidge impressed, because I totally cheat! My breadmaker does all the work and puts in all the time. The only thing I don't do with the breadmaker, is bake it in it. For some reason, I don't like the crust and it doesn't taste nearly as good when it's baked in the breadmaker. So, all of the recipes I use, I add the ingredients to my breadmaker and set it to the dough cycle. When it's finished, I rise it in my own bread pans and bake it in the oven. Oh, YUM! I actually don't eat a lot of bread, but my kids go through it quickly with sandwiches for their lunches and toast for breakfast. And now that I've found a delicious recipe for 100% Whole Grain Spelt bread, I can eat it without my thyroid going crazy on me! So, just for kicks, here are my favorite bread recipes. FYI--I made my own bagels today. They are SO GOOD!

Flax and Sunflower Seed Bread(I often substitute brown sugar for the honey, and olive oil for the butter. It's good both ways.)
Light Oat Bread (I refuse to have margarine in my kitchen, so I'll either use butter or olive oil in this recipe.)
Delicous, Nutricious Spelt Bread (I love this recipe! I use 4 cups of whole grain spelt flour (that I grind in my Vitamix) and no xanthan gum. I don't braid it, I just raise it in a regular bread pan and bake!)
Sweet Dinner Rolls (You cannot go wrong with these! I follow the recipe exactly!)
French Baguettes (I use this recipe for all the subs I make for my fam, and when I want some good french bread. Oh, and these with French Dip Sandwiches--YUM!)
Bagels (You can vary the toppings, I use sesame seeds or Parmesan cheese or Cinnamon Sugar)
Pita Bread (My family does not like store bought pitas, but they LOVE these! Who knew making pitas could be so easy, and that they could be so delish!)

While I was making my bagels my breadmaker started to sound sick! Yikes! I guess I've had it since I got married (15 years ago), but I'll be so sad if it dies!

Busy Week!

Busy but fun week ahead! Here's my menu:

Monday: Baked Chicken Taquitos, chips and salsa, fresh veggies
Tuesday: Beef Stroganoff (I absolutely love this recipe! I substitute stew meat and use Simply Apple juice rather than the wine), egg noodles, green beans
Wednesday: Chicken Tortilla Soup, Cheese Quesadillas
Thursday: Babyback Ribs, Baked Potatoes, Spinach Salad
Friday: Cobb Salad (have you tried BoltHouse's Yogurt Ranch Dressing--it' in the refrigerated section! Yum!) and cheese toasties
Saturday: Mom's night off! :)
Sunday: Dinner at Grandma's house!

Buckle fracture....oh no!

So, we had a blast this past weekend at a condo in Eden with some of our great friends! Their kids were ski racing at Wolf Mountain resort, so we decided to go up and watch the kids race and make it a family skiing/boarding weekend! Well, we really had a fun time with one exception....Chase broke his wrist! Such a bummer! The first day we got there, the boys went night skiing. Sure enough, Chase was doing the half pipe on his snowboard and hit some ice. He tried to catch himself with his hands, and snapped his left wrist. So many snowboarders break their wrists, it's like skiers tearing their ACL, it just happens a lot! Saddest part of the story--Chase has been preparing for piano Federation for the past six months. He's memorized and polished two very challenging pieces for him. Now no Federation, no piano recital, and he can't finish his basketball season. So sad! But he's being optimistic about it--he's excited he doesn't have to practice piano for 6 weeks, and he's excited to get a hot pink cast! Crazy kid!

Here's my menu for the week:
Monday: It's my Birthday! I'll let Jud take care of this meal!
Tuesday: BBQ Chicken Pizza and Spinach Salad
Wednesday: Steak Fajitas (Fajita marinade)
Thursday: Baked Slowcooker Chicken, potatoes and carrots (I put them in the bottom of the crockpot instead of the foil)
Friday: Meatball Subs, fresh veggies, and chips
Saturday: Mom's night off!
Sunday: Dinner at Grandma's house!

15 man tubing run!

We had a great time this weekend with my family at a cabin in Heber that my parents rented. The highlight was the tubing at Soldier Hollow. Imagine a 15-person, hooked together, down the big hill, tubing run! It was hilarious! You really fly with that many bodies! Landon was next to me in the mass of tubes, and giggled hystericallly the ENTIRE time! It was hilarious!

Here's my menu for the week:
Monday: Cheesesteak Subs, Baked Sweet Potato Fries, and pears (I can't wait until I can bottle some more, I'm running out! :)
Tuesday: Scratch Baked Macaroni and Cheese and green peas
Wednesday: Slowcooker Split Pea Soup with Bread Bowls (of course I'll use my bread machine!!!), and spinach salad
Thursday: Baked Chicken and Sharp Cheddar Cheese Taquitos(you have to scroll down for this recipe), and Southwestern Salad
Friday & Saturday: We promised to take the kids boarding and skiing this weekend! I'm always too tired to cook afterward, so I'm guessing grilled cheese sandwiches!
Sunday: Roast, Potatoes, Carrots and Dinner Rolls

Have a GREAT week!

March...yay!

My favorite month is upon us! Not just because I was born in the wonderful month of March (although that helps!). But it's also the time when Spring starts showing it's face! I love the little crocus flowers that start peeking through this time of year, and I'm hoping to see our daffodil varieties that we brought home from Amsterdam and I planted in December (I know, crazy!). Ahhh, spring! May it come soon, and may it last long!!!!!
Here's my menu for the first week of MARCH!
Monday: Provolone Turkey Bagel Melts (Layer turkey, tomato, and Provolone cheese onto cheese bagel halves. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dried basil. Broil until the cheese is melted), hummus and carrot/celery sticks
Tuesday: Chicken and Dumplings (I'm using leftover chicken from last week. Makes it easy! And try making your own dumpling mix!)
Wednesday: Beef Enchiladas, Black Bean and Corn Salad, Spanish Rice (BTW--my enchiladas I make are so easy! Fill tortillas with shredded cheese and ground beef browned with onion, salt, and pepper. Place in greased 9x13 pan. Mix 1 1/4 cup El Pato Enchilada sauce (less for less spicy) with 1 14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes. Pour over filled tortillas and then generously sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375 for 30 to 45 minutes depending on how crispy you like your enchiladas! Yummy and easy!
Thursday: Puffed Oven Pancake, fresh berries, spinach salad (Just FYI, I basically triple this recipe twice and put it in a 2 9x13 pans)
Friday: Pizza and Green Salad!
Saturday: Mom's Night Off!
Sunday: Ham and Twice Baked Potatoes, Spinach Salad, and rolls

Better late than never!

Yesterday, my grocery shopping day, I decided to take my three oldest skiing and snowboarding! We had a great day trying out a new resort! The weather cooperated and I even got a bit of a sunburn :) But, I didn't get my menu and grocery shopping finished. Better late than never, right?

Monday: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and Cranberry Orange Muffins (I had this soup frozen, so it was perfect for a ski day! When I make this, I add noodles to half, then freeze the other half without the noodles. When I thaw it, I add the cooked noodles. It is really good!)
Tuesday: Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers, Sweet Pepper Rice, and spinach salad
Wednesday: Night out because my hubby declared we are going shopping for baby chicks after work on Wednesday! We already have six on order, but they don't get here until the end of March and he can't wait to become a farmer! So, we're going to IFA to hand pick our chicks....
Thursday: Spaghetti and Meatballs, Green salad, and my favorite French Baguettes
Friday: Open faced tuna melts, veggies and dip, chips and salsa
Saturday: Mom's Night Off!
Sunday: My brother in law and his family are in from Virginia! So, dinner at Grandma's house!

Mmmmm....

Here's my menu for this week, I'm hungry so EVERYTHING sounds good right now!

Monday: Smoked Turkey and Artichoke Panini, pasta salad, and fresh veggies. And because it's Valentines Day, we've got to have Chocolate Covered Strawberries for dessert!
Tuesday: Queen Elizabeth's Favorite Quiche, fresh fruit salad, muffins
Wednesday: Chicken Alfredo with Angelhair pasta and Asparagus
I cheat and use Buitoni's Alfredo sauce. You can find it in the refrigerated section. We love it!
Thursday: Halibut Sandwiches, Cottage fries, carrots and dip
I love these cottage fries: Slice potatoes quite thin into rounds and spread out on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle generously with olive oil, garlic salt and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Check them often to be sure they don't burn!
Friday: Game night and dinner with friends!
Saturday: Mom's night off! Hoping for a ski trip!
Sunday: Sweet and spicy pot roast, Quinoa, Sugar toasted almonds spinach salad, Yummy bread (I make the dough in my breadmaker, but then I let it rise in a bread pan and bake it in my oven for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

My Weekly Menu

I have to laugh at myself! When I first started to blog, I decided I'd try a new recipe every week and post it if my family liked it. Well, that lasted about 3 weeks! I had good intentions, really! So, now another good intention that I hope will last longer: My Weekly Menu! I've had several people talk to me lately about the weekly menu I make for my family. I know this isn't any new concept, lots of people do it. I actually got the idea from a Pottery Barn catalog--a cute little white board posted in the kitchen with the menu for the week. I started to do it about a year ago, and I love it! It keeps my grocery shopping trips to a minimal (Monday shopping trips usually last me the whole week :), it saves me from the dreaded question from my children, "Mom, what's for dinner?" (I simply point to the white board--we're actually past this phase, they don't even ask anymore--HALLELUJAH!), and it gives me the motivation to try all sorts of new recipes. When it's posted on the white board, I shop for it, and I make it! I'm strict with myself about keeping to my menu. Sometimes an adjustment needs to be made, such as switching Tuesday's meal for Thursday's meal because of a BBall game or something, but in general I stick to my menu. I even have neighbor kids come and look at the menu, and then they decide when they want to approach the "Can I eat at your house?" question.

So, I've decided to post my menu here each week. Nothing fancy. I'll give the links to the recipes, if they're on the internet. Otherwise, I'll give a quick run down of the recipe. I'm hoping that those who have asked for recipes, and I haven't gotten back to them, will take a look at my blog and maybe I'll be forgiven for my forgetfulness! And perhaps it will help my mom, she's getting more adventurous with her cooking and often asks what's for dinner. So here you go....

MONDAY: Turkey Club Braid, Spinach Salad with Strawberries and sesame cashews
Turkey Club Braid
( just make a turkey/bacon filling instead of the BBQ chicken)
TUESDAY: Crockpot Mango Chicken Burritos
Crockpot Mango Chicken Burritos
WEDNESDAY: Chicken Cacciatore, Angelhair pasta, Green salad
Chicken Cacciatore
THURSDAY: Asian Lettuce Wraps and Potstickers
Asian Lettuce Wraps
(I use ground turkey instead of ground beef, and the Potstickers are from good ol' Costco)
FRIDAY: Soup and Cheese Toasties (I put up tomato/pasta/vegetable soup each summer, it's delish! But the recipe makes 10 quarts and takes ALL day to make and bottle. But if you want the recipe, let me know!)
SATURDAY: Mom's Night Off! :)
SUNDAY: Cubed Steak, Mashed Potatoes, and Sesame Green Beans
For the cubed steak, crush saltine crackers, dip cubed steak in milk, dredge in saltine crackers, salt and pepper to taste, and fry in butter on the griddle. I know, it's a heart clogger! But it's GOOD!