Menu Plan Monday

I've generally always been a weekly menu planner, and Laura over at "I'm and Organizing Junkie" asks readers to post their menu plans for other to enjoy. Generally my menus are based on the weekly sales, coupons, and what I have stocked in the freezer to try to get the most "bang for our buck."

Here is our menu for the week:

• Monday: ??? (not a very great plan, huh?)


• Tuesday: Jambalaya with our new small group (in honor of Jim Braun and Mardi Gras- this was a HUGE success last small group, and the only requested repeat)


• Wednesday: dovers


• Thursday spaghetti with marinara sauce (Chris' favorite)


• Friday homemade pizza night


• Saturday: dovers


• Sunday: Santa Fe chili (this Santa Fe Chilli is also known as Miller Chili in our household because it is Nikki's recipe, and it is a household favorite). Here is the recipe for this one:

Miller Santa Fe Chili

1 lb ground beef or turkey, browned (or this may be eliminated for veggie chili lovers)

1 can pinto beans

1 can black beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can stewed or crushed tomatoes

1 can Rotel

1 can corn

1 can mexi-corn

1 pkg dry ranch dressing

1 pkg taco seasoning

Cook all ingredients in crock pot (high at least 1-2 hours or low up to 6 hours). Serve with tortiall chips sourcream, and grated cheddar.

Nooks and Crannies

Even though I am off to a slow start on my reading list this year, I have had a lot of people lately ask me how I have time to read for pleasure. When I really think about it, my best answer is that I ALWAYS have a book with me and I read in the nooks and crannies of my day. I read in carpool lines (four a day), when I am meeting someone and arrive a couple of minutes early (rare, I know, but it does happen sometimes), and even at stoplights that I know are particularly long (and I rarely get honked at). :) I also rarely watch television, so that becomes my reading time. So, if you really want to read more, pick up a good book and have fun looking for your "nooks and crannies."

It's Works for Me Wednesday over at Rocks in My Dryer, so head on over for some more fabulous tips fromother readers...

Blogable

We have been so busy around here doing blog.- worthy things that I haven't even had a chance to actually blog about them. Here is a recipe that I adapted from several other recipes ...
Thank you, kim for the bananas. I'll take your throw aways any time. This was delicious!

Banana Rama Coffee Cake

Key players

Oops. I forgot the sour cream. Yes, I use so much sour cream that purchasing in bulk makes sense- it also helps when you have a family member in the food service industry to keep your supply full!

Mash the bananas with a fork. 2-3 will do, but I use four just for good measure.

Melt a full stick of butter in the microwave. I told you you were going to love this recipe.

Add melted butter, 1 cup of sugar, 2 beaten eggs, 1 tsp of vanilla and 1/2 cup of sour cream.

Stir together by hand.

Then you take a break to help the man make hot chocolate for the boys. Yummy!

Next...

In a separate bowl, sift 2 cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1 tsp of baking soda, and 1/4 tsp of salt.

Then slowly fold your dry mixture into your banana mixture, stirring just to blend.

Pour into a 9x11 (sprayed of course) and bake for 30-45 min at 350. Youmight need to cover with foil halfway through to keep top from over cooking.

About ten minutes before your cake finishes cooking, combine 3/4 cup brown sugar, one stick of butter, and 1/2 cup half and half in a small pot and simmer for about five minutes. Remove cake and poke holes all over with a toothpick. Pour topping all over the cake and place back in oven for last five minutes.

Serve hot!!!!!!

It may be difficult to see the brown sugar, butter, cram glaze ove the top of this cake, but it is there and it is scrumptious!

Daniel's First Danielism

We got a little bit (and I mean a very little bit) of snow at our house last night. It was the boys' first experience with snow, and they had a blast. I promise to post photos later.
Jonah kept making snow balls by gathering snow from the car, and Daniel loved helping him. Daniel didn't call them snowballs though; he called them "snowman balls."

Wednesday Me For Works

It's Works for Me Wednesday Time over at Rocks in my Dryer one of my regular blog stops. Shannon usually has friends and fellow bloggers add tips for other junkies- mostly moms. Today, she is turning the tables though and hosting SDRAWKCAB (that's backwards spelled backwards just in case you didn't get it) Works for Me Wednesday, where I get to request information from you.
I want to compile some of your most inexpensive menu plans. Be frugal, be thrifty, and let me know some of your favorite recipes that are dirt cheap. Depending on what I compile, I will post some weekly family menus and shopping lists that won't stretch your budget.
One more thing. Thank you!!!

Late Christmas

Sorry to post so few Christmas photos so late, but better late than never, right?Santa's gifts to Daniel
Santa's gifts to Jonah.
Christmas morning
The football team preparing to charge through the "run through" sign.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!!!

Puddles

As Jonah ran through his new Bulldog run through sign sporting his new Bulldogs uni, he excitedly orders his football team to "Puddle Up, Team!!!"
You say Huddle. I say Puddle!

Household projects

The Man and I keep a running list of household/ home improvement projects that we would like to do so that when we have a Saturday or open holiday, we can prioritize what needs to be done. We include one time (hopefully they are one time only) projects like painting the hallway or installing floodlights in the backyard, and maintenance type projects like cleaning the carpets, changing air filters, ect. I also keep a notebook of decorating ideas for "rainy day" or windfall reference. I keep page protectors with magazine photo cut outs with ideas of things that I would like to do around the house or pieces of furniture or paint colors for when I have either the time or the money to get to them. I know realistically that I will never do most of them, but it is a good starting point.

Happy 2008!!!

Wow! What a year! I love the new year. It is a time of reflection and new beginings, and we get a new calendar. I love sitting down to write everyone's birthdates in my new calendar each year. I'm not sure why, but it probably has something to do with being able to sit down all at one time and reflect on everyone that is important in my life. If you are reading this post, you are most likely in my calendar, and have a special place in my heart whether I am able to see you on a daily basis or I just send a Birthday card each year.

To keep it short and simple, I just want to say that I appreciate each of you in my life (all three of you who read my blog), and I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for us as we journey together in 2008. Love to you all!!!