Wisdom Teeth...

So, it's taken me a while but finally I am writing on here :)

 

I really wish I was better at this whole meal planning thing... I think it would make our lives w a y easier, but right now it's difficult for me to plan a whole weeks worth of food. I'm starting to plan at least a couple meals a week, which really helps on the nights my husband gets home late from work.

 

PLUS

 

It totally helps with the budget!!! We avoid these late night conversations

 

Me: Sorry babe, things got crazy, forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer, what do you want for dinner?

Husband: I don't care, what do you want?

and so on and so on...

Husband: Fine, let's go get jack in the box.

 

Not good for the budget, not good for my thighs!!! :-P

 

Back to the title of this post....

 

I got my wisdom teeth pulled on Tuesday, which totally screwed up my plan for meal planning once again *next week Ashley... next week* I was planning on making a delicious sounding crock pot meal off of Pinterest (recipe down below) and using some of our leftover ingredients from homemade pizza last week.

 

But No

 

Soft foods for a week

 

Good news!! I found a way to liven up the boring soft foods I have been forced to endure.

Caution: by "liven up" I mean adding a crazy amount of calories 

 

-Rosarita refried beans

-Auntie Ann Mac and cheese

-Ramen Noodles

 

BORING

 

-I added some milk, butter and cheese to the beans and voilà a little bit better

-I couldn't really make the mac and cheese any better, but I added some shredded cheese to make it tastier

-Ramen noodles are against my better judgment and I fully believe I will pay for it on the scale after this week is finished BUT I strained the noodles, added the seasoning, and an egg....Pretty good, believe it or not.

 

I can not wait for this phase to pass. *Crossing my fingers I'll be able to enjoy some Easter ham* We made a last minute stop at Stephanie's tonight to drop off some stuff for the kids and I was so jealous I couldn't enjoy her birthday shrimp scampi. Happy 25th Birthday Steph!! ;) And today my husband got to enjoy those left over pizza ingredients by making pizza bread on some semi-stale French bread. Who knew ketchup with a little oregano and garlic salt could make a decent pizza sauce?! Needless to say, I'm pretty excited for the meals I will prepare next week!!!

 

And I promise to keep my blog on here updated! This blog is a such a cool idea!

 

Here is the yummy Pinterest recipe:

4 thawed chicken breasts

 6oz. package of Stove Top stuffing mix

 1/2 cup sour cream

 1 can of cream of chicken soup

 Chicken on bottom - Stove Top over chicken, Cream of Chicken/Sour Cream mix on top. Cover and cook for 4 hours on low.

 

Sounds so yummy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

French Bread

French Bread

Step 1:
5 tablespoons yeast
2 tablespoons sugar

dissolve in 1 cup of warm water

Step 2:
2 tablespoons salt
1/2 cup sugar
16 cups flour

mix in bowl and make a "well" in the center of the dry ingredients

Step 3:
5 cups warm water
1/2 cup oil

Put liquid into the well and mix dough well, then knead until smooth.  Let sit in large bowl.

Step 4:
Punch dough down every 10 minutes for 1 hour.

Step 5:
Separate into 3 parts and knead just until smooth.  Shape into 3 loaves, split top and butter.

Step 6:
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

ENJOY!!

Stef

Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/4 cup flour
2 cups oats
1 package of chocolate or butterscotch morsels (optional)

Cream together butter and sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add salt, soda, powder, flour and mix just until combined.  Add oats and morsels and mix with a wooden spoon.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes.

Stef

Stef's Menu 3/16-3/22

Well, my menu has been hectic and not very orderly for the last week.  But we food shopped and planned a bit, so here is what we are looking at for the week:

DINNERS:
Pork carnitas nachos (had these Saturday-oh dear, incredibly easy and soooo good!)
Corned beef and cabbage (thank you Mom and Dad-a good time was had by all whether we looked like it or not)
BBQ chicken pizza (I'm going to give Krislyn's pizza dough a whirl.  Krislyn has found her inner-baker and I believe a monster has been unleashed!!  Hehe!)
BLT's
Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, spinach salad
Bean burritos (1 can chili, 2 cans refried beans mixed together)

LUNCHES/SNACKS:
Cream cheese and salami on Costco's parmesan bagels
Scrambled eggs with veggies and toast
Sandwiches (tuna salad, chicken salad, grilled cheese) on homemade sourdough
Ants on a log
Carrot sticks
Goldfish crackers/Pretzels

BREAKFASTS:
Cereal
Oatmeal
Sourcream scones
Pancake muffins and bacon

Now, a couple of things I wanted to share:

1)  We are going to incubate and hatch meat chickens.  I am so excited!  Not exactly sure how we are going to keep our 5 month old bird dog away from 1 day old baby chicks, but I'm confident that we will do it.  We have some friends at church that raise chickens for eggs and meat and we can now hatch all the birds for them in exchange for some meat in the future.  Pretty cool to get in touch with our food source.  Our garden is probably going to be a bit weak this year since we are getting a later start than we would like and because of the previously mentioned puppy who is...what is a good word...OUT OF CONTROL!  Oh, look!  Three great words to describe him!  He's learning, he's just a puppy though and I really don't want to worry about un-caged garden plants this year.  That means tomatoes, peppers and maybe one zucchini if we can fence off a small area.  So, with a weak veggie production, we are going to work on a meat source.  Cool beans!

2)  I saw a great inspirational thought the other day regarding our priorities.  The person writing the article was talking about how we regularly say we "don't have time" for things as an excuse for not doing them.  The writer made the point that we make time for things that are priorities for us, no matter how trivial.  Some make time for scrapbooking, baking, TV shows, personal grooming or manicuring, internet browsing (ahem, blogging), or any other activity that is not particularly NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL.  So, when we say we do not have time for something, what we are really saying is that the thing is not a priority.  So, as we go about our day and we say, "I don't have time to read that book," or, "I don't have time to listen to that story about your co-worker, dear," or, "I don't have time to exercise," the truth is that we DO have the time.  Replace "don't have time," with, "is not a priority," and you will be surprised at the tasks you will feel you suddenly have time for an the tasks you feel are no longer priorities.  "Reading that book to you is not a priority for Mommy," or, "Listening to you vent about work is not a priority for me, dear," or, "My health is not a priority," suddenly seem like bad excuses when you realize that you are now turning down your child's request for reading a book and inadvertently prioritizing sweeping, dishes, the internet, or some other thing above your child's need, husband's need or your own health.  I know this seems silly, but really think about the stuff you say you don't have time for.  What messages are you sending with the priorities you fill your day with?  Because whatever you are filling your day up with is what your priorities are.  Made me think, maybe it will make you think too...

Lindsay's Menu 3/11-3/15

Since I have no job (breathe...don't cry...pull yourself together, Lindsay!) I decided that this week, I would do something I haven't done my whole marriage...grocery shop sans the husband. I hear your concerns, "you ALWAYS grocery shop together? Are you scared to go alone? That's slightly co-dependent...."

Since we always worked during the week, we just made a habit of going on Saturday's together. And the fact that we visit three stores on average each week (to try and save money...hello, gas is $4/gallon...do you think that even saves much??) meant that it was almost an all-day adventure. We got the cold items on the latter half of the trip so we could stop for lunch mid-shopping.

 I figure that now I can get the shopping done during the week, and our Saturday's can be filled with fun things! (I dreamed of hikes and trips to Monterey, maybe even Half-Moon Bay...matinee movies, and restaurants where server's actually came to your table, not cafeteria-style lines...). Sigh....I told myself I would start next week...but this Saturday, we would still tackle the groceries together.

It's a good thing I challenged myself ahead of time; One phone call from the husbands boss early Saturday morning and my dreams were shot to H-E-double-hockey-sticks. I found myself at Winco, alone...grocery list in-hand...but, I felt oddly empowered. (P.S. download the "Buy Me A Pie" grocery list app...it's a lifesaver). We have an $80/week budget for groceries...which we can push to $100 on large weeks...

I zoomed through Winco, dodging people I knew...then off to Target (helloooooo TWAPP sisters!) and then to Trader Joes. Let's just say I failed. Failed. Failure. I've decided my in-brain calculator is broken. I got in my car, and tallied the receipts...$115 dollars! I didn't even get ONE sweet treat! And you know that hurt this sugar-addict! I passed all extra's...no chips, no crackers...even bought 4 bay leaves in the bulk section to avoid buying a whole bottle...9 cents for the bay leaves and I STILL wen't over budget. I had a weeping moment. The poor man in the blue SUV next to me...he probably thought my dog perished or something. But, that $115 has produced a "fab-o-lus" (in Fronk's voice) menu for this week....feast your eyes...

Diced chicken soft and crunchy tacos. Toppings: olives, shredded extra sharp cheddar, sour cream, dr'd up salsa w/cilantro, shredded lettuce, diced tomato and scallion. Red beans and rice on the side.

Homemade broccoli cheddar soup in homemade sourdough bread bowls. Caesar Salad.

Shepherd's Pie in a pie crust (homemade this time!) w/brown gravy and a green salad.

Teriyaki Crockpot chicken with pineapple over white rice. Carrot Slaw.

Frozen Key lime pie (for dessert one night)

Breakfasts: Blueberry waffles, yogurt parfaits, protein shakes, chocolate pb smoothies

Lunches: Leftovers, Lemony Shrimp salad over couscous

Snacks: Watermelon spears (thank you, Vinny, for letting Annie know these are scrumptious), yogurt cups, jarred peaches

Lindsay's Menu 3/4-3/8

Like Stef, I create menu meals for the week, but do NOT schedule them by day. The husband does not like to know what we are having for dinner ahead of time (weird, right?). He wants it to be a surprise. I think it's his distaste for structure...and he married me! Ha! So I will post our menu meals for the week, but not by the day. We make extra dinner to have for lunches. I pack a container of  (whatever we had) and put it in the fridge and the husband's lunch is DONE! We eat at my mother and father in-laws house once a week. And we alternate who cooks. On the weeks that we cook, I will plan four meals. On the weeks they cook,  you will only see three meals. On Friday nights, we get wild...Panda Express, Chipotle, Rubios... or if we are really breaking the budget...pizza!

Turkey and Beef meatballs over white rice w/brown gravy. Green salad (I like ranch, he likes "Champagne" dressing).

Beef stroganoff with crimini mushrooms and pearl onions over parpadelle egg noodes. Homemade Sourdough bread.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole w/red mole sauce. Green Salad. Chocolate Minted Malt ice cream for dessert.

Baked Potato Bar w/yukon gold potatoes (I olive oiled and poked their skins, then sprinkled salt on them. Baked at 400 for 45 min...no foil, no sheet tray, just the potato on the baking rack...crispy, salty, DE-LICIOUS!)
Toppings: Butter, Turkey Chili, bacon bits, scallion, shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese & sour cream

Baking Lemon Crinkle Cookies with Stephanie

We finally got to try these "award winning" Lemon Crinkle Cookies from this Pinterest pin http://www.ldsliving.com/story/64185-food-dish-cookie-recipe-contest-winner-recipe and let's just say they were AHmazing!  Stephanie actually made them and I did my part by eating them!  I loved them so much that I did venture to make them on my own and surprisingly they turned out the same!  I'm fortunate to have married into a family of great bakers!  So thank you and I better go and knead my sour dough bread now before I ruin that!

Krislyn's Menu 3/11-3/17

Not only have we been meal planning and actually sticking to it now for 2 weeks...we have been ordering our groceries through Safeway Delivery which has helped keep down our grocery bill and not running to the store every other day.  We will be trying a couple more Pinterest recipes too this week and so far Pinterest has been good to us!

Monday-  Chicken Tortilla Bake  http://turvs.net/quick-chicken-tortilla-bake/

Tuesday-  Sausage Sandwiches

Wednesday-  Hamburgers and Corn  (It's going to be a very warm day, BBQ TIME!)

Thursday-  Chicken Fajitas

Friday-  Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells  http://joelens.blogspot.com/2010/05/pesto-chicken-stuffed-shells.html

Saturday - Fried Rice and Sweet 'n Savory Chicken

Sunday-  Sausage and Pasta (Unless Mom and Dad are making a St. Patty's meal???)

Juicy!

A little fresh lemon, grapefruit, and orange juices.  My fruit pile in the corner was getting out of control so we made this stuff.  The orange juice is gone...  The lemon juice has made a gallon of lemonade thus far and there is plenty left.  The grapefruit juice you ask?  Not the most popular.

Krislyn's Dinner Menu Plans 3/4-3/10

Last week's dinner menu worked out great and tasted awesome as well.  I'm thinking we have a "heavier" menu this week too! LOL.  We are doing a couple new dishes that we haven't done before this week so let's hope they turn out well and should they not I will say "remove from menu!" 

Monday- Steak and Roasted Potatoes (using this Pinterest recipe:http://www.myadventuresinthecountry.com/2012/03/23/oven-roasted-potatoes/

Tuesday-  Beef and bean burritos with enchilada sauce and mexican rice

Wednesday-  BLT's (we actually add turkey, cheese and avocado)

Thursday-  Tuna Noodle Casserole with salad

Friday-  Stuffed Shells

Saturday-  Chicken Parmesan and Pasta

Sunday- Sausage and Spaghetti (as always)

Our leftovers have primarily been our lunches.  

Krislyn's Dinner Menu Plans 2/28-3/3

I realized that the image cannot be seen on every computer so here was our menu last week.

Monday- Potstickers and Sweet and Tangy Chicken (recipe here:http://syrupandbiscuits.com/sweet-and-tangy-chicken/

Tuesday-  Beef Tacos

Wednesday-  Chicken Pesto Pasta and Cucumber Tomato Salad

Thursday-   Spanish Rice Bowls (used the leftover meat from Tuesday's tacos).

Friday-  Hot dogs and Potatoes

Saturday-   Pot Roast Stew

Sunday-  Sausage and Spaghetti

Stef's Dinner Menu Plans 3/2-3/8

I don't tie myself down to a day of the week to make a meal.  I pick a variety of meals for the week to buy ingredients for and then I play the day by ear.  Big tragedy day=simple meal.  Smooth day=more complicated meal and maybe even dessert.

Breakfasts:
cereal, oatmeal, cream of wheat, eggs and toast

Lunches:
bean/rice burritos w/ cilantro salsa, tuna, egg salad or deli meat sandwich, top ramen (all with canned veggie and/or fruit)

Dinners:
Steak fajita quesadillas, pineapple chunks (save pineapple juice for hawaiian chicken)
Slow cooker Hawaiian chicken, brown rice, green beans
Shrimp and brocolli fettucine bowls w/ sourdough bread
Fried panko-coated chicken, salad w/ranch, garlic red mashed potatoes w/sourdough
Homemade Mac n Cheese w/ peas
German pancakes w/strawberries and real whipped cream, bacon
BBQ chicken pizza

Desserts:
brownies, fruit/yogurt shakes, apple/crescent roll pinterest recipe, german chocolate cake,

Yes, yes, this is a heavy week.  Bet you can guess where I am in my "cycle."  I have an idea!  A punch in the nose to the first person who gets it right!!

~Stef  :-)

Short Intro To Us Ladies...

We are daughters, sisters, wives, mommies, and many other things including crazy!  We are all different, but we are also alike.  This is where we will share our stories, recipes and other fun ideas.  So, here goes an adventure of technological sorts.