Menu Plan Monday {10.11.2010}

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I have been trying really hard this past week to be better about my eating habits {i.e. sitting down to actually eat lunch} and paying a better attention to what I actually eat {ahem}. It’s amazing what you realize you are {or are not} doing when you actually track what is going into your mouth.

Overall the week went great and was…shall we say enlightening? I made a big batch of veggie soup and will be sharing the recipe with you all on Thursday ~ so yummy, especially with a slice of homemade whole wheat bread !

I’m still working on my main dish menu planner and updating my recipe book. Depending on how much free time I have this week, I’m hoping to share some of that with you all next week. My pile of recipes is getting sorted and making a little more sense now which helps a lot!

Here's the plan for the upcoming week:

Monday

• Breakfast ~ Bagels
• Dinner ~  Ravioli & salad with garlic toast
• Extra ~ 4 loaves of homemade whole wheat bread

Tuesday

• Breakfast ~ Baked oatmeal or cinnamon raisin whole wheat bread
• Dinner ~  Loaded BBQ Potato Casserole and green beans
• Extra ~ Homemade granola bars {adding some peanut butter to this batch!!}

Wednesday

• Breakfast ~ Eggs & toast
• Dinner ~ Parmesan Chicken

Thursday

• Breakfast ~ Whole wheat pancakes
• Dinner ~  Leftovers
• Extra ~ 4 loaves of homemade whole wheat bread

Friday

• Breakfast ~ Cereal
• Dinner ~ Homemade pizza {I promise I’ll share the crust recipe next week!!!}

Saturday

• Breakfast ~ Scrambled eggs, bacon & toast
• Dinner ~ Chicken BLT salad

Sunday

• Breakfast ~ Cinnamon rolls
• Dinner ~ Popcorn & smoothies

As Always: I’ve linked to any recipes that I’ve already posted. That’s it for the week ~ what on your menu?

 

 

A Stunning Likeness

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Kaleb has been a little drawing fiend lately. In the past two weeks he has actually started trying to draw things ~ other than a basic line or circle or whatever. Helicopters, mini stick people…and most recently…me.

Can you see the similarities?

I probably should have had my picture taken next to it in the morning, because I think that’s more what he was focusing on. Before my morning cup of coffee it can be pretty hairy…

Butterscotch Apple Crisp {Recipe}

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One of the great things about this recipe is that it's versatile. You can plan ahead and make it in your slow cooker or you can throw it together last minute and pop it in the oven. Either way, don't count on the baking dish being full for long. Unless of course you possess more self-control than certain members of our house. But I'm not mentioning any names (ahem). Lately, Rick and I are more in the mood for it being a little more on the crispy side, so I've been using the oven, but either way, it's great!

I originally posted this back in 2008, but am updating it with a downloadable recipe card so you can print it off to use in the future. :)

Butterscotch Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

• 6 cups peeled and sliced tart apples (about 5 large)
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 package (3 1/2 ounces) cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup cold butter or margarine

Directions:

1. Place apples in a 3-quart slow cooker (or in bottom of a 9x13 baking dish).

2. In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, oats, pudding mix and cinnamon. Cut in butter until the mix resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the apples.

3. If using slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 5 hours or until the apples are tender. If using oven, bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until the apples are tender and topping is browned.

Note: This recipe was submitted by me to Quick Cooking magazine in the fall of 2003 and was a $300 runner-up in one of their recipe contests. I posted this awhile ago on my blog, but am reposting because it is too yummy to be missed!

Book Giveaway: Love’s First Bloom

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Ruth Livingstone’s father has worked tirelessly over the years to rescue prostitutes from the streets and brothels of 19th century New York City. When he is accused of killing one of the women, he sends Ruth away to avoid the media frenzy, but also to help protect someone else innocent ~ the woman’s 18 month old daughter.

Ruth assumes a different name and in the her new village she is known as Widow Malloy. She waits anxiously for news of her father’s trial and is unable to tell anyone her true identity. Reporters are searching for Ruth, including Jake Spencer. After he moves to Ruth’s village and gets to know her better, he is torn between revealing the secrets Ruth holds or protecting her because of the growing affection he has toward her.

My Thoughts

At first I though I had the storyline in Love’s First Bloom by Delia Parr all figured out, but there were several twists that kept me interested until the very end of the story ~ enough that I stayed up way too late one night. One of the things that really struck me is the tendency we have to gossip and believe stories that are ‘sensationalized’ just for the sake of selling news. Love’s First Bloom is a wonderful story of God’s redemption and the importance of following God’s principles ~ not man’s.

Find Out More

~ Visit Delia Parr’s website

~ Buy Delia’s book at Amazon

~ Read my review of another of Delia’s recent books, Hearts Awakening

The Giveaway

Would you like to win a copy of Love’s First Bloom? I have one copy to mail to one of my readers! Leave a comment on this post ~ be sure there is a way for me to contact you. The giveaway will be open until Tuesday, October 12th at 8pm.

This book was provided for review by Bethany House. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Wasting Money?

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Silly bands have been all the excitement in our house ~ to the point that I have started avoiding going anywhere with the kids because I really don’t want them spending all of their money on another pack of bracelets.

I know, I’m such a mean mom.

After the kids had been saving their allowance for a few weeks, Zachary was holding his money in his hands and said to me {in an oh-so-serious voice}:

"Mom, I don’t want to waste my money on silly bands, but I have to tell you this ~ I’m going to waste my money on silly bands.”

On the bright side, at least he gave me a heads up.

Head on over to Mary's at Not Before 7 for some more Tiny Talk Tuesday!!

Menu Plan Monday {10.03.2010}

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I haven’t shared my menus in a bit because of the Bible in 90 Days posts. I am working on redoing my recipe binder and cards at the moment since they are a MESS!!! I’m weeding out the unused recipes in my box and binder and updating our main menu planner to try to make life easier for myself.

If I have enough time I even have a dream of putting together a rotating meal schedule that I can just plop into the calendar as we go along ~ and make life easier for myself! :)

Monday

• Breakfast ~ Bagels
• Dinner ~  Lasagna, broccoli,  & fresh bread
• Extra ~ 4 loaves of homemade whole wheat bread

Tuesday

• Breakfast ~ Baked oatmeal or toast and applesauce
• Dinner ~  Chicken w/yellow rice, spinach and summer sausage {another recipe I need to share since it’s one my family in Holland gave me}

Wednesday

• Breakfast ~ Eggs & toast
• Dinner ~ Taco Salad
• Extra ~ 4 loaves of homemade whole wheat bread

Thursday

• Breakfast ~ Whole wheat pancakes
• Dinner ~  Kids: Mac and cheese; Mom & Dad: fundraising banquet

Friday

• Breakfast ~ Cereal
• Dinner ~ Homemade pizza ~ I have a new recipe that I can’t wait to share!!

Saturday

• Breakfast ~ Scrambled eggs, bacon & toast
• Dinner ~ Leftovers!! and Butterscotch Apple Crisp

Sunday

• Breakfast ~ Coffee Cake
• Dinner ~ Popcorn & smoothies

As Always: I’ve linked to any recipes that I’ve already posted. That’s it for the week ~ what on your menu?