I’ve pretty much given up this blog (although I have been knitting and crocheting like crazy!). But it is helpful for me to record food ideas so I can have some suggestions when I am in a food rut and don’t know what to make for dinner! We’ ve enjoyed the following this week:
From the Cooking LIght cookbook Super-Fast Suppers:
Shrimp-Fried Rice
Chili-cheeseburgers
Sausage Frittata
Kielbasa and Potatoes
Chicken Vegetable Toss
And, homemade Bean with Bacon Soup
Since Ben started South Beach diet (and lost 23 pounds) we’ve been eating differently. So I thought I’d post our weekly menu so I can come back here when I’m not sure what to cook.
Broiled turkey sausages, onions and peppers
Oven fried chicken, Asian green beans
Turkey Burgers, spinach balls
Asian lettuce wraps (cook ground beef, add 1/4 cup hoisin sauce, 1/4 cup peanut sauce). Mix with chopped cucumber and shredded carrot.
Tilapia, possibly covered with shrimp and scallops
White chicken chili
As my 9 year old daughter mentioned, “We’ve been eating really well since Daddy started the South Beach diet!”
1. Be still, my soul: the Lord is on your side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
leave to your God to order and provide;
in every change God faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: your best, your heavenly friend
through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
2. Be still, my soul: your God will undertake
to guide the future, as He has the past.
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;
all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.
3. Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
when we shall be forever with the Lord,
when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
sorrow for forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
Amen.
Happy New Year! Here’s my list of things I’m proud of that I did in 2008:
1. I ran more weeks than I didn’t run. Which is a huge deal, since I’ve never exercised regularly in my life. And now, when I take a week (or more) off, I know that I can come back to running. That I don’t have to stop FOREVER just because I’ve missed a few weeks.
2. I crocheted. A lot. Made MANY gifts for loved ones and friends. Used crochet as therapy, prayer, and relaxation.
3. Learned to KNIT! Woo-hoo. I’ve already made 3 pair of fingerless gloves and 2 hats. I’ve tried straight needles, circulars, and DPNs. I plan to start my first sweater next week.
4. Started (and then abandoned) this blog.
5. Began a new job. In October, I began a long-term job as a sixth grade English teacher. I continue to work my other job (music administration and choir directing) at my church, and will continue to teach until the regular teacher is well enough to come back.
6. Learned how to cook South Beach Diet style for my husband, who has now lost 21 pounds! Great job, Ben. I’m proud of you!
7. Continued having devotions regularly, even when life was difficult. Sought to draw close to God in the midst of trial and challenge.
8. Watched my two oldest children begin to read the Bible on their own and develop their own relationships with God.
9. Finally gotten into a great rhythm with the dog! For the first year we had her, she continued to go to the bathroom in her crate if we left her for any length of time. Finally, I got rid of the crate. And she stopped pooping in the house. Huge blessing!
10. Turned 40. That’s older than I ever imagined being.
I can’t even begin to predict what 2009 might hold. But I know that God is walking with me every step I take on this strange journey. My prayer is that I would trust Him more this year regardless of the circumstances. I probably won’t blog again for another few months. But I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. And I’ll check back here next New Year’s, to see what God has done.
I decided to plan 3 weeks of meals using the food in my house. My desire is to cut our monthly grocery bill. I’ve stocked up so much, I can easily plan a 3 week menu around what we have in the house. I’ll definitely need to restock fresh fruits and vegetables. But other than that, I shouldn’t be spending much. Then I hope to plan meals around the weekly specials at the grocery store, and really work on curtailing my spending.
So here is the 3 week plan:
Pizza (this is a standard Monday night meal). We’ll have this 2 or three times.
Fish with broccoli and rice
Meatball Hoagies
Chicken with peach adobo sauce, veggies. Corn bread.
Fettucini Alfredo (light)
Breaded chicken cutlets, corn bread, veggies.
Spinach and Mozarella Ravioli
Tuna Casserole
Ham steak with smashed potatoes and veggies
Thai chicken in coconut sauce over rice
spinach and feta quesadillas
Linguine amatriciana (with ham steak)
Breakfast for dinner! Pancakes, eggs.
Mexican casserole
Cheeseburgers, fries, veggie.
tacos
Fajitas
Chicken with warm black bean salsa. Corn bread. Veggie.
Pasta with garlic bread crumbs and salad.
Of course, I’m supposed to bring a meal tomorrow to some friends who just adopted a baby. So I may need to restock some basics like chicken breasts or ground chicken before the 3 weeks is up. But I’m really trying to be more thoughtful and to plan around the food in my house.
I just finished crocheting a mermaid and a red elephant. The twin girls next door turn 6 on Saturday, so I have to make another mermaid this week. I’ll post photos soon!
Monday: Pizza
Tuesday: grilled peach adobo chicken, garlic green beans. Bread.
Wednesday: Ham Steak, broccoli, hot crash potatoes
Thursday: Date night dinner for adults, bourbon chicken for kids with applesauce, broccoli
Friday: Fettucini Alfredo. Salad. Garlic bread.
Saturday: nachos!
Sunday: Thai chicken in coconut sauce with asparagus over rice
I am seriously challenged in the vegetable department. I need some help preparing fun, creative (simple to make) veggies. any ideas? Suggestions?
On the crochet front, I made my first mitten. I’m also making a fun red elephant. And the Abominable Baby Slippers as a Christmas gift for my nephew. And a few other projects. I’ll post pics soon.
This is clearly the most functional part of my blog. I can go back and see what I’ve served my family, and it really helps me to plan.
Monday: Pizza
Tuesday: Chicken with warm black bean salsa, green beans with garlic, rice
Wednesday: Enchiladas, rice, salad
Thursday: Fettucini Alfredo, salad
Friday: Grilled Turkey Sausages with sauteed onions and peppers
Saturday: Bourbon Chicken, applesauce, spinach
Sunday: Some kind of pasta…
I made both of these yesterday:
The necklace is my first attempt at wire crochet. I’ve never done anything like this before! It’s OK…goes quickly and should make nice gifts. But I need to make it look more like jewelry and less like twisted paper clips!
The Race Car is really a cover for baby wipes. It’s for my friend who is adopting a baby from Korea. I didn’t use a pattern, but my husband helped to decide how to decorate it and make it look more car-like.
These were great projects. This has been a very busy season for me at work and with the kids starting school. But the tech guys had to work on my computer yesterday, so I had a nice break in which to crochet!
No pics yet, but here’s a little bit of what I’ve been making lately:
1. Another monkey for my sister’s friend
2. My first wearable! The Knot Ugly Shrug from the Happy Hooker book. Wore it to church (yay!) and shared it with my daughter.
3. Started my first sweater (from a Moda Dea pamphlet)
4. Another small bear for a friend’s birthday
5. My first venture into WIRE crochet! I made a necklace, which I like but don’t love. My husband thinks it looks like paper clips strung together with beads. He might be right. I’m going to try a few more of these, though. I will definitely post pictures.
6. A “tissue box cover” (for baby wipes, really) in the shape of a race car for a baby shower I’m going to on Saturday. I will post pics of this before I give it away.
That’s all (for now)!
Here’s our weekly menu:
Monday: pizza
Tuesday: Miso glazed salmon, wild rice, peas
Wednesday: Linguini with clam sauce
Thursday: nachos
Friday: cheeseburgers with mushrooms and onions and green beans
Saturday: Zulma Casserole
Sunday: My birthday party! I’ll eat light, since the party is appetizers and desserts.
I’ve kind of given up on this blog. I definitely enjoyed blogging, but find it takes too much of my time to constantly take pics of what I’m working on, and then post them. Mostly, I was finding that blogging and reading blogs takes was taking up time I could be spending with my kids. So I’m just going to maintain this blog for me…particularly to help me as I plan and organize my weekly meals. It’s nice to keep a record, so I can look back if I don’t know what to make. And, I’m sure I’ll still post pics of an occasional crochet project (or 3). This month, I’ve made 3 shawls and a pair of really cool slippers. And I’m getting ready to start on a sweater…my first one!
But first, here’s this week’s menu (really, last week’s):
Monday: pizza
Tuesday: grilled peach adobo bbq chicken, broccoli with feta cheese, grilled flatbread.
Wednesday: meatball subs
Thursday: big salad with leftover chicken
Friday: Chicken enchiladas (campbell soup recipe)
Saturday: grilled sausages, cornbread, broccoli, salad
Sunday: pasta primavera
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