Menu Plan Monday- Week of 8/29

The recipes from last week were pretty much a "bust" and I don't know what it was but the shrimp smell from the Shrimp and Grits lingered in the house, I swear, for the rest of the week (gross!).  The chicken with parmesan noodles and the meatloaf we will "redo" but as for the others- I am thinking no way.  The recipes came from a cooking magazine that I think I will be tossing out :).  This week I decided to try some new recipes yet again, but this time sticking to places I have found yummy successes in the past.  We will see how they turn out and what our "food critics" have to say!

Monday- Pizza Roll Up Burritos

Tuesday- Black Bean and Rice Tostadas with Corn Casserole

Wednesday- Amazing Chicken  with Green Beans and Garlic and Herb Couscous

Thursday- Leftovers

Friday- Out to dinner (date night)

Saturday- Cranberry and Blue Cheese Salad with Grilled Chicken and French Bread

A Day on the Farm

Finally, oh finally the weather is starting to "cool" off (it's no longer 100 degrees at 9 a.m.) so we decided to take a little day trip somewhere other than the pool.  Today we made the trekk to an adorable miniature animal farm called Tanglewood Farms with our friends, The Crescis.  We all loaded up in the van (what a treat, getting to fit all of us into one car- loving my new "momma mobile") and made the 40 minute journey though beautiful countryside to the remote farm. 

The grounds had multiple buildings and individual open-air stables for each type of animal to roam around in.  We were able to walk into each of the stables through the green gates (Mia and her friend Katherine were in charge of hunting for each of these prized gates).  Once in the stable we pet the animals and fed them breadcrumbs we had collected into our tin buckets.  Now one would think feeding miniature animals would be very appealing to four little girls...not so much.  It all started with the mini goats.  Upon first glance at them you would think, "Oh these guys are harmless."  On the contrary, they are fiesty little things.  When I handed Mia her bucket full of bread treats to feed the goats, they attacked her (a little dramatic in word choice, but she's my baby; it was attack!) and well, she did NOT like this one bit.  This then caused a frenzy amongst her onlooker friends; everyone from here on out (including the moms) were a bit leary about feeding the innocent miniature creatures.  Nonetheless, we pressed on, finding each of the green gates, exploring the stables to get a glimpse at the wide variety of animals on display.  We got up close and personal with...

...the previously mentioned demons, or miniature goats, rather.

Llama and mini-cows,

(which someone wasn't much of a fan of)...

...little tiny piggies and horses,

as well as, turkeys, manx cats (they don't have tails, but sure are cute), donkeys, and sheep.

The higlight of the adventure (after a little coaxing) were the pony rides!  Both girls had "permagrin" the whole time.  Macie saddled right up, grabbed hold of the reins (or whatever that knobby thing is called), and was ready to gallop away.  Mia, in her "Mia-self" was a bit more timid at first, but was very brave to let the "Horse Lady" help her on and walk along side of her, as we rode into the wind (really in a circle, but no need to get too technical, right? :) ).

We enjoyed a picnic lunch (amongst more flies than I even want to recall- yuck!), climbed up in the treehouse, played a little Bingo, and finished up our trip with a lollipop treat. 

All in all, it was an absolutely wonderful day enjoying the beautiful weather!  Thank you Katherine, Lucy, and Miss Whitney for joining us on our adventure to the farm....

Who knows, you may have been witness to the start of an exciting future career in farming for one particular little girlie! 

Menu Plan Monday

Yes I know it is Tuesday and am aware that this is "Menu Plan Monday", but you know how it goes...had the menu planned and shopped for last week, but just did not get to finish the post up until now. :) 


I am going to try to start doing this each week.  I have planned meals for a while now (with exception to part of this summer- I think I forgot that planning meals out ahead of time actually saves time, money, and headaches).  I am back on the "bandwagon" and thought it may be helpful to share what we're having each night, as I've had many a conversations with friends and family about "What do you make for dinner?", "How do you make your dinners varied without much prep/cook time?", or "How do you decide what to make?".  As you may know, I am not a very good cook (at all!), nor can I say I even know what I am doing in the kitchen, but a girl's gotta feed her family right?! :)


This week's menu, as most are, were based on what was on sale at Kroger and Publix last week.  Hope you enjoy week one's menu (a day late)!! 


Monday- Gingered Chicken with Fried Rice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

1lb. chicken breats- sliced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger ( I would add another tablespoon for more flavor)

1/2 C. water

2 large carrots, chopped or sliced

2 tablespoons water

1 14.8oz. package cooked long grain rice

8oz. fresh sugar snap peas

1/2 C. sweet red pepper

4 eggs, beaten

sliced green onion (optional)

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken, the 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of ginger.  Brown the chicken, turning to brown on all sides.  Add the 1/2 C. water.  Cover and cook about 15 min. or until chicken is cooked through. 

2.  Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, comine the remaining 1 tablespoon of ginger, the carrots, and 2 tablespoons of water.  Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 4 minutes.  Then add sweet peppers and sugar snap peas and cook in micro for another 4-5 minutes. 

3. Make the rice and add the cooked veggies. 

4.  Remove chicken and juices from skillet, set aside.  For fried rice, wipe skillet clean; return to heat.  Add eggs, cook and stir gently for 30 seconds to scramble.  Stir in rice mixture, chicken, and juices; heat through.  Serve with a garnish of green onion, if desired.   

Tuesday- Stir Fry Shrimp with Cheesy Grits

1 1/2 lbs. fresh or frozen peeled and deveined medium shrimp

13/4 C. water

2 red/and or yellow sweet peppers, coarsely chopped

1/2 C. quick-cooking grits

1/2 C. shredded Mexican cheese blend (2oz.)

Salt and ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 C. olive oil

1 C. cilantro sprigs

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 tablespoons water

lemon wedges (optional)

1. Thaw shrimp, if frozen.  In a medium saucepan, heat the 13/4 C. water to boiling.  Stir in sweet peppers and grits.  Return to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer about 5 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed and the grits are tender.  Stir in cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.   Cover and keep warm. 

2. Rinse shrimp.  Pat dry with towels.  IN a bowl, toss shrimp with chili powder.  In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over med-high heat.  Add shrimp; cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until shrimp is opaque.  Divide shrimp and grits amongst the plates. 

3. In a food processor, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, the 1 c. of cilantro, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of water; pulse several times.  Drizzle over shrimp and grits.  If desired, serve with lemon wedges. 

Wednesday- Chicken with Parmesan Noodles

1 9oz. package of angel hair pasta

2tablespoons butter or margarine

4 large carrots, thinly sliced

1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breats, cut into 1-inch cubes.

1/4 C basil pesto

1/4 C. finely shredded parmesan cheese (1oz.)

Ground pepper

Olive oil (optional)

Fresh basil leaves (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to pasta directions.  Meanwhile, in an extra-large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.  Add carrots, cook and stir for 3 minutes. 

2. Add chicken; cook and stir for 4-5 minutes more or until chicken is no longer pink.  Add pesto; toss to coat. 

3. Drain pasta.  Return to pan and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon butter.  Divide pasta among plates.  Add chicken to plates.  Top chicken with parmesan cheese and black pepper.  If desired drizzle with olive oil and garnish with basil leaves. 

Thursday- Italian Turkey Meatloaf

1 lb. mild turkey sausage, casings removed

1 lb. ground turkey (or chicken- adds a little more flavor)

2 eggs, beaten

 1 1/2 C rolled oats

1/2 C. chopped onion

1/2 C. milk

1 tablespoon Worscesterhire sauce

1 teaspoon italian-style seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 C. spaghetti sauce

1 C. BBQ sauce

1 tablespoon Worcertershire Sauce

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

5-10 dashes hot pepper sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, sausage, eggs, oats, onion, and milk.  Season with 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt.  Mix well. and form a loaf.  Place in 9x13 inch baking dish.  

3. In a separate small bowl, mix together the spaghetti sauce, BBQ sauce, hot sauce, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke.  Smooth over enitre meatloaf. 

4. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes. 

Friday- Leftovers or take-out

Success

As you know, this week began our new adventure at The Robertsons'- I begin keeping two little munchkins 3 days a week.  We had a very successful first week together, in my opinion anyway.  The kids all got along very well- there were very few "disputes" over who would play with which toy, for example.  The biggest snafu was the "jealousy factor"- Macie D had a little trouble adjusting to the fact that I was not all hers, all the time (something she had gotten very comfortable with in these past weeks since my "retirement").  I would say the most monumental success was Wednesday afternoon- all four kids slept peacefully for two hours...at the SAME time!  It was such a gift- silence in the house for that short period of time, enabled me to catch my breath, clean up for "part two" of the day, and even do a load of laundry!!  If week one is any indication of what our future weeks will look like, well I may just be the luckiest mom and babysitter around!! 

Look at us- we were all sitting in the same place at the same time- AND looked at the camera at the same time. :) 

Macie and Chad enjoyed many hours parallel playing! 

 It has been so intriguing to me to watch all four of the kids interacting in their day - such immense developmental differences and to think there is only 3 years that separates the youngest (Chad) to the oldest (Mia). 

We can't wait for tomorrow to get here to enjoy another week together! 

Aunt Kate Comes to Visit

This past week one of my sisters, Kate, was in town.  An International Tax Conference brought her down here, but I would say that no one in her office had to ask her twice if she'd like to attend- "A week in Atlanta with my nieces...I'm in!". 

We made sure to fill our week with as many fun activities as we could possibly squeeze in...

We played at the soft play area at the mall (the first of many rainy day activities while Kate was here)...

We had our nails painted (probably Mia's favorite part of "my aunt's" visit!)...

We played in the sand at Imaginations at Play...

We painted and created pretty pictures with markers (a favorite with Macie D)...

We made beautiful music...

And we, of course, we shopped till we dropped (something my sisters and I do very well together!)!

We had an absolutely fabulous time with Aunt Kate and are so grateful to have had an entire week to spend with her!  Thank you, Kate Marie, for spending a wonderful week with us- the girls night, the dinners, the "late night" talks, and the great laughs have definitely reenergized this mom who has been yearning for a "sister fix".  We love you and miss you already!!!

Celebration

This week began a new adventure in the Robertson household.  On Monday I began taking care of two little kiddos, Cari and Chad, three days a week.  Their parents are friends of ours and were seeking out new childcare due to the fact that their old sitter had moved out of the Atlanta area.  I was delighted at the prospect of watching these little sweeties!  M and M have enjoyed many playdates with them, especially this summer, and I knew the girls would love sharing their home with our friends. 

We spent this week getting into the "swing of things" and celebrating this new beginning!  On Tuesday Cari brought over party hats, so we threw a birthday party for Macie's Monks!  What better way to celebrate than with party hats, "birthday cake", and a little singing! 

Welcome to the Robertson Craziness, Cari and Chad!!  We're so excited to have you here. :) 

Smoothie Time

There was a great sale on strawberries this week so we stocked up!  The girls love this yummy fruit so I decided we should freeze a container of them.  We took a portion of this container, along with bananas, peaches, and plain yogurt, to create smoothie packets.  So now when the girls are in the mood for a tasty treat to cool them off, all we have to do is grab a packet from the freezer, put it all in the blender, and in no time the sweet smoothie will be ready to taste!!  We sampled one this afternoon after a morning at the pool (H-O-T!)... and I think they were a big hit! 

  Here's the ingredients we put into each freezer bag.

Yummy!! 

March, March, March

March, March, March.  March to the beat of the drum!  Mia and Macie spent the morning at the Old Soliders Day Parade (B and I joined them too :) )...it was their first parade ever!  Now to most moms, this would be fairly anticlimactic, but for this mom, well, it was pretty darn exciting.  As a little history, I spent my early childhood in a very small town in Southeast Michigan.  And if you know anything about small towns, you know that there is ALWAYS a reason to have a parade....4th of July, Santa Coming to Town, Johnny Smith got an A on his spelling test, maybe Uncle Claude having the best crop to date....there is always a reason. :)  So needless to say, my sisters and I were parade pros by the time we could walk.  My sisters even got right into the mix of the marching celebrations by joining the local baton twirling association (oh yeah, Keds with nylons and all!).  If you ask our cousins who would often come for a visit from the "big city", they would tell you if they came to Saline, there would be a parade involved, no questions asked.


So when I discovered we were going to be home to attend this particular parade, I jumped all over it!  Surely, my girls would love parades as much as their mom and aunts did growing up!!  As I had hoped, they LOVED it!!

Enjoying a little breakfast as they await the start of the big event! 

Here they come!!!!

She loved the Marching Bands.

She was in awe of all the loud noises.

They both enjoyed the thrill of running after candy that fell from the sky. 

Mia, taking in the spectacle of it all.  Macie, hoarding her sweet finds. :)

Motorcycles everywhere and she loved pointing and waving to them. 

It was a special morning shared with both my girls.  They will probably never know how much it meant to have them next to me as I watched my childhood pass in front of me, as I savored this moment with them, observing my girls doing what I had done with my sisters all those years ago. 

Paint Bags

Once in a while Mia will wake up a bit before her little sis, which allows us to have a a few special minutes to spend together.  This was the case this afternoon; we were able to use our Paint Bags for the first time. 

To make them (super easy):  
In whatever sized Ziploc you prefer, squeeze in equal parts of finger paint and washable paint.  Mix it together and seal it up.  For added "protection" from leakage, tape the top together. 

Once they are made, it's time to have some fun!  I got out some letter cards and we practiced writing letters (our favorite ones :) ): 

 We also played a letter naming game (I pick a letter and say it then Mia does the same thing), as well as spelling other special people's names.  It was tons of fun spending some time working on our handwriting and letter recall!  Can't wait to do it again soon! 

When Little Sis woke up, Big Sis requested a photo with her partner in crime.  Here it is: 

...And boy, am I happy she had this idea- I LOVE this shot of them (it's a rarity to get them both looking and smiling at the camera!). 

Let's Make Pancakes

Breakfast has become a bit of a challenge with a certain 17 month old; Macie is not a fan of most breakfast foods.  Now this is something new because previously she would eat just about anything as her first meal- and lots of it, at that.  So for the past month or so I have been experimenting with new foods, "reinvented" foods, most of the time relying on my fall-back, Nutrigrain Bars (healthy right?!). 

You may remember that last year I used to spend a weekend morning about once a month making large supplies of various flavored pancakes.  I haven't done this in a long while so thought, "What do I have to lose?  Let's see if Macie will eat homemade pancakes since she won't eat the store bought ones to save her life".  (Mia is a fan of pancakes and cooking anything, so I knew this would be a hit in her book).  

I gathered all we needed and this morning we went to work making two batches of pancakes- blueberry and banana.  

I called in my two chefs and we got right to work...

 

Viola! 

The result of our efforts.... 

  

...rave reviews by both hungry girls! 

With the remaining flapjacks, we wrapped them up in single serving sizes, put them in a Ziploc, and stuck them in the freezer for future morning meals (And in the hopes that Little M will eat them and not pass them along to the dog awaiting any morsel of food that drops from her tray! :)  ).