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

Shredded Chicken Tacos

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.

Tacos

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!”

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.

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.

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!

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.

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…

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!

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. 

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