Menu for week of March 28th

Monday: Tuna Egg Foo Yung (a hubby favorite), don't know what I am going to make for me, daughter is eating with grandmother

Tuesday: Picnic Casserole, Salad

Wednesday: Baked Chicken Parmesan, Spaghetti with Sauce

Thursday: Sausage Quiche, Biscuits, Fruit

Friday: Favorite Beans and Rice (Sour Cream and Cheese for topping)

Saturday: Potato Flake Chicken (new recipe), Broccoli-Rice Casserole, Corn, Rolls

Potato Flake Chicken

2/3 c. mashed potato flakes
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 t. garlic salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (8 oz. Each)
1/3 c. butter, melted

In a shallow bowl, combine the potato flakes, parmesan cheese and garlic salt. Dip chicken in butter, then coat with potato flake mixture.

Place in greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Bake, uncovered 350 degrees 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear. Broil 4 minutes from heat 3-5 minutes until lightly browned. 4 servings.


Sunday: Potluck at church (taking Macaroni and Cheese and Deviled Eggs), Supper-Hot Dogs and Paula Deen's Chili Cheese Dip and Tortilla Chips and a movie!

I'm trying to use up my pantry and freezer stock and this week, it looks like I won't need to buy very much at the store.

Pam

Menu for week of March 21st

Monday: Hamburger Helper made with ground chicken and green veggie (peas and carrots)

Tuesday: Frank and Cheese Casserole, Veggie or Salad

Wednesday: Freezer Meal - Bake Ziti, Salad, Garlic Bread

Thursday: Lovely Leftovers for family - me going to Ladies Night Out

Friday: Fried Cabbage with Pasta and Sausage (new recipe), Pintos from the freezer

Fried Cabbage with Pasta and Sausage

8 c. (about 2 lb) chopped cabbage
1 c. chopped onion
6 T margarine or butter
1/2 t salt
1/8 t pepper
3c bite-size lasagna or bow-tie egg noodles
1 lb kielbasa, bologna ring, polish sausage links or other smoked sausage (I use turkey smoked sausage)

In lg. skillet, cook cabbage and onion in 4 T margerine (reserve remaining for noodles), stirring occasionally, until browned (about 15 mins). Cook noodles according to pkg. directions. Drain and rinse under hot water. Add noodles and reserved margerine to cabbage mixture; mix well. Place sausage on top of mixture and cook covered until sausage is hot and flavors have blended, about 15 to 20 mins. To serve, arrange sausages around cabbage.

Saturday: Chicken Stir-Fry, Asian Veggies, Rice

Sunday: Breakfast for Lunch, Dinner at Friend's house

Menu for week of March 14th

Monday: New recipe-Black Bean Lasagna, Salad

Black Bean Lasagna

May freeze filling or entire casserole. (I'm making two 9x9 square pans and freezing one for another time)

9 lasagna noodles
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
30 ounces seasoned tomato sauce (like spaghetti sauce)
12 ounces cottage cheese (low-fat)
8 ounces cream cheese (fat free or low-fat)
1/4 cup sour cream

1. Cook noodles.
2. Cook onion, green pepper, and garlic in the oil. Add one can of beans mashed, the other can whole, tomato sauce, and cilantro if using; heat through.
3. In a separate bowl, combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream.
4. Layer pasta, beans, cheese twice (in a 13x9-inch pan). The third time only layer pasta and beans. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Add final layer of cheese mixture and let stand 10 minutes.


Tuesday: Picnic Casserole, Salad

Picnic Casserole

1 lb. ground beef (I use natural ground chicken)
chopped onions
sliced potatoes
1 can pork and beans
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 c. shredded cheese

Press beef into bottom of 9 inch pan. Salt and pepper liberally. Chop onions over all. Thinly slice potatoes overall. Cover with can of pork and beans. Top with tomato sauce. Cover with foil and bake 350 degrees 1 hr. 15 minutes. Remove foil and top with shredded cheese. Return to oven to melt.

Wednesday: Date Night - Chinese Take Out and a movie in with a free Red Box coupon

Thursday: Date Night - dinner out with Gift Card (anniversary gift from last month)

Friday: Freezer Meal - Chicken Taco Casserole, Tortillas

Saturday: Freezer Meal - Mr. Food's Chicken Kiev, Rice-a-Roni, Green Vegetable

Sunday: Leftovers

Daughter is going to her grandparents on Wednesday and will be spending several nights there. We are taking advantage of that and having a couple of date nights. That means two nights of no cooking for me! Yippee! And with, I'm hoping, plenty of leftovers to eat on Sunday, and a couple of freezer meals, that's three more days of no dinner fixing for me. This is just what we've needed with all the illnesses and ailments that have plagued our family for the last month of so. PTL!

Go to orgjunkie.com to see hundreds of other menu plans.

Pam

Homemaking Schedule

How many of you ladies out there in blog land have a schedule for your day? I think some of us keep them in our heads. Others of us just fly by the seat of our pants. Unfortunately, for some of us, we don't get a lot accomplished without a to-do list. Some of us wifes have housework ADD and are always finding other things to do and getting off track. I have good days and bad days when it comes to getting things accomplished. This has a lot to do with my energy level and my health. But if I could have an "ideal" day and an "ideal" schedule, this is what it would look like:

My Schedule

Morning Routine:

7:00 Rise and Shine (well, try to shine)
Coffee and Bible
7:30 Shower and Dress
8:00 Treadmill
8:30 reboot dw and washer and dryer
Check email/blogs, etc.
9:00 Breakfast/Vitamins
Start School with dear daughter
Shine Kitchen sink
Make bed (bedrooms are upstairs and it seems we rarely do this)
Swish toliets
Spray down showers
Wipe sinks and counters
Replace hand towels

Lunch/Vitamins
Check Email
Read
Craft-Scrapbooking, crochet, etc. (You know, a little "me" time)

Dinner/Vitamins
Time with Family

Evening Routine:

Get Coffee pot ready for A.M.
Clean up dishes/run dw
Wipe down stove
Wipe down tables
Sweep kitchen floor
Replace hand towels
Shine sink

Straighten up house – 15 minutes max

Lay out clothes for tomorrow
Put away any clean clothes
floss/brush/gargle
Meds/vitamins
Wash face/moisturize
Check Calendar
Bible/prayer
Snuggle time


Daily Chores:

Monday – Groceries, Errands, Ironing/mending, if any (does anyone really iron any longer?)

Tuesday – Kitchen day-wipe down appliances, clean and organize one drawer, clean and organize one cupboard, clean and organize one pantry shelf, remove counter clutter and clean counter, clean out fridge of all science projects, wash one shelf or drawer, windex windows, scrub sink and faucet, dust, vac and mop, clean trash can, empty all household trash baskets, take trash and/or recyclables to curb

Movies 7 Night if appropriate (that's our local cheapie theater where we get a good break on price and an even better break on tickets and refreshments on Tuesdays)

Wednesday – Sweep porch and deck, clean deck furniture, wipe down doors with windex, water plants, clean mirrors and glass surfaces, shake out rugs/wash, clean kitchen desk area

Church Night - something in the Hub for dd and sometimes a new life training class for us. We are considering attending a small group on this night in the future.

Thursday – Upstairs Day-vac and dust, mop baths, clean showers, tubs, sinks, and toilets, change bed linens, wash rugs?

Family Fun Night-Movie and Popcorn, Board Games, Wii, Walk in neighborhood or park,

Friday – Main Floor Day-vac and dust, mop, dust cabinets, clean main bath and laundry, pick up foyer clutter, dd to vacuum both stairs

Borders or BAM night (we love hanging out at the bookstore, enjoying a cup of joe and socializing with each other and friends)

Saturday – Media Room/Basement Day-clean basement bath, pick up and vac media room, yardwork?

Sunday – The Lord's Day-ABF and church, Meal planning/grocery list/coupons, time with family



Monthly Chores:

Week One: Clean fridge, clean baths
Week Two: Clean oven, main windows (My oven is badly neglected)
Week Three: Clean upstairs windows
Week Four: Dust and clean baseboards, chair rails, trim, etc.

Quarterly Chores:

1. Clean dresser drawers (rid of unneeded items)
2. Clean out closets (rid of unneeded items)
3. Vacuum under furniture
4. Clean china cabinet
5. Clean, rearrange and organize cupboards and pantry (rid of unneeded items)
6. Dust Study shelving
7. Dust alcove shelving
8. Clean entertainment centers of all dust
9. Clean craft room

Bi-annually:

1. Hose off/vacuum window screens and clean window tracks
2. Clean/change furnace filters
3. Clean dryer vents
4. Clean garage

Annually:

1. Wash curtains
2. Shampoo/steam clean carpets
3. Wash walls/woodwork
4. Touch up with paint
5. Pressure wash sidewalk, porch, steps, driveway, deck, house, fence, outside furniture
6. Rake yard of leaves and debris


Does my life operate this way? No way. But there is hope for this Chaos Cottage. Downsizing to a smaller home will make keeping house a lot simpler. We are decluttering our lives of a lot of junk that takes up a lot of space. We have to do this for a smaller home, but it will also make homemaking so much easier for me.

Do you have a schedule? Please share.

Pam

Dinner Menu week of March 7th

I'm just gonna post my dinner menus. We tend to rotate the same breakfasts and lunches are normally leftovers or soup and sammies or some such thing. Sorta boring really. But here is what I have planned to feed my family for dinner this week:

Monday:

Breakfast for Dinner (probably eggs, biscuits, bacon and fruit)

Tuesday:

Favorite Beans and Rice (this recipe is yummy and I have made it several times in the last six months. It's also pretty frugal.)

Wednesday:

Freezer Meal-Cranberry Dump Chicken, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole

Thursday:

Freezer Meal-Cavatini, Salad

Friday:

Pigs in Blankets, Oven Fries, Salad

Saturday:

Freezer Meal-Taco Soup

Sunday:

Pancake Sausage Wedges, Scrambled Eggs, Fruit

Pancake-Sausage Wedges

12 brown and serve sausage links
1 ½ c. plain flour
2 t. b. powder
½ t. salt
2 large eggs
1 c. milk
3 T vegetable oil

Cook sausage according to package directions; drain well, pressing between paper towels. Place sausage, spoke fashion, in a lightly greased 9 inch quiche dish; set aside. Combine flour, b. powder and salt in a mixing bowl; make a well in center. Combine eggs, milk and oil; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon over sausages. Bake 350 degrees 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve with butter and syrup. 12 servings.

Fill my cup and my plate please.

Life is hard.

I've been having a really difficult time lately. My knee is still "not right". I'm taking a product called Move Free and it is supposed to help me. I need to give it time. Old age is taking it's toll on me. I really feel my age lately. I feel blah...

I'm also very depressed for a number of reasons. Many things are out of my control. This is very hard for a woman who likes to "control" things. OUCH! But God is in control. I must believe this and rely on him for my happiness and my future. I cannot rely on anyone to make me happy. Maybe this season I am going through is just for that reason alone. To force me to my knees and give Him all my cares and woes. Let Him provide for me. He wants to and He cares for me. He wants to fill my cup to overflowing. Right now I need to feel His loving arms around me, reassuring me, and telling me that this too will pass and soon this season will be over.

I want to know what it is He wants from me during this time, what does He want me to learn, and what does He want me to change. I cannot change anyone. He can change people, if it's His will. He can help me to change too, if I ask.

I also need patience. A large does of that please. And a side of trust would be good too. So, Dear Lord, I need you not only to fill my cup, but fill my plate as well.

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for Him." Lamentations 3:22-24

A little funny for you.