Menu June 14-21

In Wyoming, if you don't like the weather, usually you just have to wait 15 minutes.  Last week it was 4 days of rain and cold.  My menu plan heavy on grilling, not to mention, lovely dinners on the patio, went out the window.  Cool weather makes me want to cook.  And that's what I did.  I made a big pot of red chili on Thursday night with apple and cheddar beer bread.  Friday I stuffed acorn squash with apples and chicken and apple sausage.  Saturday I made crepes, and remembered to take pictures!  Saturday I filled the crepes with leftover chicken, mushrooms, and a cream sauce.  Sunday morning I filled the crepes with maple flavored marscapone and topped them with strawberry sauce and fried apples (I bought a big bag of apples.)  Thank goodness the rain has stopped!  Diet, I've missed you.

Crepe in the pan

Crepe batter

BBQ spice rub, blended in the spice grinder

My DH had his heart set on smoking ribs Sunday, so I made BBQ rub and let him stand out in the rain and tend to his smoker.

This weeks menu is every bit as set in stone as last weeks and follows:

Monday:  Grilled Pork Chops, Steamed Cauliflower, Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Tuesday: Beer Can Chicken, Spinach Salad  (rubbed with BBQ spice above)

Wednesday: Spaghetti, Garlic Toast, Salad (sauce from the freezer)

Thursday: Fish and Chips, Coleslaw

Friday: Steak Salad, Dinner Rolls (leftover steak frozen from last week)

Saturday: House Warming Party for Friends

Sunday: Braised Beef Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans with Bacon

Need more ideas?  Visit Laura at organizing junkie for more MPM

Budget Gardening

I love to garden.  I also love free stuff.  This year my garden is full of free stuff.  One of the seventh grade classes where I work grew vegetable starts to give to the staff.  I received peppers and cherry tomatoes.  

My Mom called this weekend and her raspberry bushes had outgrown their space and were blocking the gate.  I dug up the offending canes (and weeded her flower garden.)  I also dug up some columbines that had volunteered outside of the bed and thinned her chives.

We've had some cool days since I transplanted the raspberries so I hope they'll take hold.  The chives and columbines already look like they are adjusting.

Woodrow loves to help in the garden.  Unfortunately, he is best at digging holes.

My columbines were already blooming.  Several of the transplants had buds, hopefully they will bloom this season, too

I ran out of room in the garden so the peppers found a home on the patio.

Transplanted raspberries

Big bucket o' raspberry, chive and columbine.

Menu June 7-13

School's out and we're busy swimming, gardening and enjoying the nice weather.  I've filled the fridge with fresh fruits and vegies for snacks and home baked muffins and scones for breakfast last week.  I've been getting up early and walking 3 or 4 miles before everyone else is up and going.  I fell out of the habit last fall, but remember that I felt better when I was walking and eating healthier.  Getting back into the habit has been pretty easy, but my body hasn't forgiven me for the long break.  It will be  few more days before the sore muscles go away.

The weather is beautiful so we will be grilling and eating on the patio almost every night.  Breakfast and lunch choices have not changed much this week.  Breakfast includes oatmeal, fresh fruit, and scrambled eggs.  Lunches will be leftovers and sandwiches.

Monday: Grilled Chicken with Maple and Mustard Glaze, Rice Pilaf, Green Beans

Tuesday: New England Seafood Bake, Cheddar Biscuits

Wednesday: Garlic and Mustard Marinated Steak, Hobo Potatoes, Sauteed Mixed Vegies

Thursday: Steak Salad, Beer Bread

Friday: Margarita Braised Chicken, Green Rice

Saturday: Pork Lettuce Wraps, Chicken Ponzu, Rice, Stir Fried Vegies

Sunday: Country Style Ribs, Cole Slaw, Deviled Eggs, Corn Bread

We grill a lot in the summer time and I love hobo packets.  Both the baked fish and hobo potatoes utilize this technique.  For the potatoes, I slice them thinly, sprinkle with salt and pepper and whatever herb I have on hand, usually rosemary or thyme, and drizzle with a little olive oil.  They cook on the grill with the main course and there's no dirty pan!  I never thought of putting fruit in a hobo packet, but saw a recipe last week for fruit desserts.  I adapted this recipe and used strawberries, black berries, and cherries, since that's what I had on had.  They were excellent and we will definitely make them again.

Don't forget to check out The Organizing Junkie's Meal Planning Monday for more ideas

Menu May 31 - June 7

School's finally out!  Last week was pretty busy with lots of end of the year activities.  My daughter, K,  has become quite the baker and she made no less than 3 cakes for our end-of-the picnic.  Hopefully she'll keep us in snacks this summer.

We visited a friend's ranch for branding Saturday.  My son, D, is not quite big enough to wrestle the calves, yet, but enjoyed watching the action from a safe distance.  The kids helped milk cows and collect eggs and later, enjoyed ice cream made from them. 

We stayed in town for the holiday weekend and spent time with lots of friends.  Now that things have settled down I'm looking forward to working in the garden and deep cleaning the house before summer school starts.  Since we'll be home for breakfast and lunch, I'm including those options with my menu.

Breakfast: Raspberry Scones, Apple Cider Steel Cut Oatmeal, Fruit and Yogurt, Blueberry Muffins

Lunch and Snacks: Chopped Salmon Salad, Cheese Crisps, Sandwiches, Apple Snack Cake, Strawberry and Mango Smoothies

Dinners

Monday: Barbecue Chicken, Potato Salad, Corn Pudding

Tuesday: Flank Steak with Shiitakes, Rice, Pot Stickers

Wednesday: Baked Mac & Cheese with Ham and Peas, Salad

Thursday: Jasmine Rice Stuffed Peppers, Salad (I didn't fix these last week)

Friday: Baja Fish Tacos, Beans and Rice

Saturday: Steak Kebabs with Soy-Ginger Glaze, Potatoes Grilled in Foil Packets, Salad

Sunday: Cheeseburgers, Pasta Salad, Strawberry Gelato

Visit Laura, the Organizing Junkie for more Menu Planning Monday

                  

Horseradish!

We have a small clump of horseradish in the garden.  We've tried processing it on several occasions, but had trouble getting the consistency just right, before the fumes chase you out of the house.  Thanks to Eugenia Bone, at Well Preserved, I finally got it right.

I honestly planned to photograph the whole process, but apparently a child felt they needed the camera more than I did, so that didn't work out for me.  I did, however end up with 3 half pint containers of fresh horseradish, with a minimal amount of discomfort.

I'm fixing pork chops for dinner and J always likes a dab of horseradish to go with them.  I'm also going to make a batch of deviled eggs with just a little mixed into them, as well.

As for the rest of the week, my schedule is packed with training and end of the school year events, so most meals need to be pretty easy.

Monday:  I won't be home for dinner so it's Hamburger Helper.  I think it's disgusting, but J and the kids love it.

Tuesday:  Flank Steak and Shitake Stir Fry with Jasmine Rice

Wednesday: Herb and Cheese Stuffed Chicken and Spinach Salad

Thursday:  Potato Soup

Friday:  Jasmine Rice Stuffed Peppers

Saturday: Beer Can Chicken

Sunday: Memorial Day Cookout

Check out Meal Planning Mondays at The Organizing Junkie For More Ideas

Menu Plan May 17-23

The hoop house is up and plants are growing.

The last two weeks of the school year are always busy, but hopefully we will be able to stick to our plan. As soon as school is out, I'm hoping to start watching what I'm eating better and lose some weight.

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread

Wednesday: Pork Chops, pasta salad

Thursday: Chicken Parmesan

Friday: Minestrone

Saturday BBQ with friends

Sunday: Too far in the future to decide

Meal Planning Wednesday?

Yesterday I completed my last final this semester. Between working on finals and chaperoning school trips, I got behind on everything! I did get my hoop house completed for the garden, but I'm still waiting out this cold spell before I put anything out. Currently, my kitchen is half food prep area and half greenhouse. Hopefully I'll be able to get everything out this weekend. I also hope to figure out getting pictures from the camera to the blog.

I mostly stuck to my plan for the last couple of weeks, but did give in to convenience and pick up pizza or take-out a couple of times.

Here's this week's menu.

Monday: Beef Stew and Biscuits

Tuesday: French Onion Soup I made beef stock this weekend and J brought home a giant bag of Vidalia onions from the Shriners

Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie

Thursday: Apple Stuffed French Toast

Friday: Pork Chops, Rice Pilaf and Veg

Saturday: Minestrone (didn't get to it last week, still need to use the vegies)

Sunday: Potluck BBQ with friends

Rice pilaf is a stand by in my menu planning. I buy big bags o Jasmine Rice when I'm in Denver and everyone loves it. Here's my rice pilaf recipe. I adapted it from a Better Homes and Gardens recipe, but replaced bullion cubes and always use fragrant, jasmine rice instead of long grain white rice. It's a great way to use up extra vegetables.

Melt 2 TBS of butter in a medium saucepan. Add about 1 cup of any combination of diced vegetables. I usually use carrot, shallot or onion, celery, bell pepper, and mushrooms, depending on what I have in the fridge. I love garlic, so I add 1 or 2 cloves of diced garlic. Saute vegies until they start to soften. Add 3/4 cups rice to the pan and saute 1-2 minutes then add

1 1/2 cups chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 20- 30 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Sometimes I have to add extra broth if the liquid cooks away before the rice is tender. Fluff with a fork. I don't add salt to many things in the kitchen. If you prefer things a bit saltier, add salt with the broth.