Thanksgiving Menu

Thanksgiving
Menu 2015

Spinach Artichoke Dip in Bread Bowl

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese Bites

Carrot Ginger Soup

Caramelized Onion & Cranberries over Mixed Greens

Roasted Harvest Vegetables

Mashed Root Vegetables

Bacon Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Autumn Brine Turkey

Traditional Sausage Stuffing

Fresh Cranberry Relish

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Caramel Apple Pumpkin Trifle

Baked Apple Crisp & Ice Cream

Apple, Pumpkin & Mixed Berry Pies

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Declutter Challenge: Week 1

The kitchen, Panty and Dining Rooms:



Begin small... with the fridge & freezer, be mindful of expiration dates and realistic about what will be eaten.  Restaurant leftovers should be eaten within three days of restaurant visit, while home-made meals could be eaten within five-seven days.
Be mindful of fruit and vegetable storage, so food can last longer. 

 Move on to the largest food storage area, DRY foods and spices expire too!

As you can see Mondays task was to clean out the fridge/freezer.  I had already taken the food off my second shelf in the fridge before I remembered to take a picture and there was no way I was going to put it back so I apologize for that.  But this task wasn't as long and scary as I thought it would be.  One thing I was SO grateful for was this fridge tip I tried a couple months back.  It made the job WAY easier!  If you are going to do the Challenge I highly suggest you do it too! - See more at: http://www.day2daysupermom.com/2013/09/declutter-confessions-week-1-kitchen.html#sthash.hLnmREQl.dpuf

As you can see Mondays task was to clean out the fridge/freezer.  I had already taken the food off my second shelf in the fridge before I remembered to take a picture and there was no way I was going to put it back so I apologize for that.  But this task wasn't as long and scary as I thought it would be.  One thing I was SO grateful for was this fridge tip I tried a couple months back.  It made the job WAY easier!  If you are going to do the Challenge I highly suggest you do it too! - See more at: http://www.day2daysupermom.com/2013/09/declutter-confessions-week-1-kitchen.html#sthash.hLnmREQl.dpuf

As you can see Mondays task was to clean out the fridge/freezer.  I had already taken the food off my second shelf in the fridge before I remembered to take a picture and there was no way I was going to put it back so I apologize for that.  But this task wasn't as long and scary as I thought it would be.  One thing I was SO grateful for was this fridge tip I tried a couple months back.  It made the job WAY easier!  If you are going to do the Challenge I highly suggest you do it too! - See more at: http://www.day2daysupermom.com/2013/09/declutter-confessions-week-1-kitchen.html#sthash.hLnmREQl.dpuf

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Yes, I do want to know what you can do for me

Will you be there when I need a shoulder to cry on?
Will you let me comfort you when you are dealing with times of crisis?
Will you pass judgement on me?


A friendship IS what you can do for me... and what I can do for you.

For years, I've wanted a lot of friends, a big group to hang out with and do things with, after-all that's what Facebook shows. I struggle when I see those images of 6,7, 8 people all arm in arm, whole face smiling, having a grand old time. I never had that. It took me a long time to realize, I don't need a lot of friends, I do need a few genuine people in my life that truly love and care about me, hope for my best, celebrate my successes, and comfort me in my failures.

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Zucchini & Sweet Potato Frittata

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter or coconut oil;
• 8 eggs;
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in slices;
• 2 sliced zucchinis;
• 1 sliced red bell pepper;
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley;
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation

1. Heat a pan over a medium-low heat;
2. Add the oil and sweet potato slices and cook until soft, about 8 minutes;
3. Add the zucchini and red bell pepper slices and cook for another 4 minutes;
4. While it cooks, whisk the eggs in a bowl, making sure to incorporate a lot of air in the mixture;
5. Season the egg mixture with salt and pepper and add to the cooking veggies;
6. Cook on low heat until just set, about 10 minutes;
7. Finish the frittata until golden under a heated broiler.
8. Cut the finished frittata into wedges and serve with fresh parsley.

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Baby Girl

Someday I will look back on your fifth birthday and realize how small you still were, but not today.

Someday, I will look back and pray that you are only five again as I did at only one, only two, only three and only four, but not today.

Someday, I will wish back this year, this silliness, this delightful age, but not today. 

Someday, I will want to hold five-year-old you in my arms again, but not today.

Someday, I will think five is still little, but not today.

Today, I look back at the five years I have held you in my arms and see how much you have grown. I watched your tiny tears fade and your silly smile cover your beautiful face. I have heard you utter your first word, and my ears have swollen hearing every word since. I watched you take your first step, caught you when you took your first tumble, and now I run along side you to witness the athlete you are becoming. I rubbed your bald head each night and sang a sweet song my voice cracking all the while, and now I brush and braid your hair each morning and we rock out along to the radio. You had a rough start, I held you night after night, day after day, barely leaving your side until we began to see some progress, and say that first silly smile. We are truly blessed to begin to get a handle on keeping you the happy and healthy, beautiful gift from God that you are....No longer a little kid, truly a big girl, and always my baby.

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Lime Chicken (with Wild Rice & Beans)

  PLAN AHEAD MEAL

The day before you plan to eat it, grill chicken breast and cook brown rice, preserve chicken in refrigerator and soak the brown rice for about 8 hours.

Ingredients:

2 oz cooked chicken breast (Grilled)

½ cup cooked brown rice

¼ cup black beans

½ lime

salt to taste.

Directions:

Remember to Soak brown rice for 8 hours before cooking. This makes it more nutritious and much softer almost as good as white rice. Cook in rice cooker if you have one. Mix ingredients, squeeze lime on top and salt. 


This one is perfect for bulk prep (that is if you don't mind eating the same thing every day you can make seven meals of it in one fail swoop)

You can also top with salsa and Greek yogurt.

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Meal Planning

If you're new to all this, the easiest way to start is by planning a week's worth of dinners. Once you develop a routine, it becomes second nature. Here are some suggestions on how to get started.

• Consult a cookbook for tips on using leftovers. For example, use Sunday's pot roast for Tuesday's roast beef hash or vegetable beef soup.
• Plan around the basic food groups: whole grains, meat and poultry, dairy and eggs, veggies and fruits. Keep your pantry and fridge stocked with staples like brown rice and whole-wheat pasta, and common vegetables that will keep fresh for a while, like potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic.
• Cook double or triple portions to prepare extra food for the next day or so.
• Try to plan around your family's activities. Save the easiest meals, like soup and sandwiches, for the busiest days.
• Once you have a few recipes in mind, print out a blank calendar for the week, and write down meals for each day.
• Before you shop, jot down all of your recipe ingredients, and inventory your pantry and fridge to avoid buying duplicate items.
• Keep a notepad attached to the fridge, and write down ingredients as they're used up. If you're like most cooks, you tend to use the same things repeatedly.
• Don't worry about deviating from your meal plan. If you come across a good deal at the grocery store, take advantage of it. For example, if rotisserie chicken is on sale and cheaper than a whole fryer, pick up one or more and freeze the extra.• 
• Repeat your menu every two weeks for a season. Most of us don’t mind eating a meal twice a month, and when you create a two-week menu plan, you can be set for a few months. Try creating a two-week plan for the summer.
• Rather than starting from scratch each week, I have a template of the general types of foods I cook each day of the week and the number of times I use each main food. In other words each week I cook:

• 1-2 Chicken meals
• 1 slow cooker or soup meal
• 1 beef
• 1grain/pasta based meal
• 1meatless meal
• 1 Turkey/Pork based meal

• As you find recipes your family enjoys, make them core recipes that get re-used every few weeks. Try to build up about 20 of these and you won’t ever be bored with your meals.
• Protein is typically the most expensive part of the meal so if you can use less expensive cuts of meat and stretch them, it might allow you to buy organic and grass-fed rather than conventional meats.
• A basic easy recipe can taste completely different just by changing the spices. 
• Don't let the kids be picky! Encourage them AND reward them to TRY everything! Kids are required to try one bite of everything cooked before they can have more of any one food.

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Meal Planning 2

Here's MY plan!

Mondays – Meatless Monday!
Tuesdays – Beef/Turkey Meal

Wednesdays – Chicken Meal
Thursdays –Slow Cooker

Fridays – Take-out (left-overs/home-made pizza in a cash strapped week)

Saturdays – Left-overs, Soup, Salad, and/or Sandwiches

Sundays – Pork, Ham, Chicken or Fish Meal

 

I plan a month out, and repeat for 3 months (a full season).

Spring time Menu (March, April & May)

1.  Cheese Quesadilla with rice & beans
2.  Beef empanadas, with leftover rice & beans
3.  Honey-glazed chicken stir fry  
4.  Slow cooker Minestrone Soup (leftover beans)
5.  Home-made Caramelized Onion Pizza
6.  Left-over Honey-glazed Chicken Panini 
7. Tomato Basil Salmon 
8.  Bow Tie Pasta w peas 
9.  Beef Stir fry with veggies & brown rice
10. Paprika chicken & baby greens 
11. Chicken and sausage gumbo (over brown rice)
12. Ratatouille (leftover stir fry veggies)
13. Baked Eggplant
14. Beef stroganoff and sauteed asparagus in olive oil
15. Chicken spaghetti casserole; sauteed broccoli in olive oil
16. Slow Cooker Sausage & Peppers
17. Home-made Mushroom, ricotta pizza
18. Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato-basil soup
19. Baked spiral ham, steamed veggies, baked potatoes (freeze leftovers for soup)
20. Spring Panzanella 
21. Hungarian Goulash and mixed green salad
22.  Broccoli chicken bake and salad (additional baked chicken set aside for pizza)
23.  Slow Cooker Turkey Gumbo
24. Homemade Buffalo Chicken Pizza (baked chicken)
25. Baked Potato Soup (add ham)
26. Maple Salmon with asparagus
27. Sun-dried tomato and oregano pasta with salad
28. Grilled Turkey Burgers with oven-baked veggie fries
29. Chicken fettuccine with broccoli and salad
30. Slow-Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken
31. Pizza pinwheels 
32. Avocado, Chicken Lime Soup 
33. Baked Pork Tenderloin, baby spinach & baked veggies

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