Menu for week of March 5th

Monday: Crock Pot Cajun Chicken (didn't get to this one yesterday), Noodles, Green Veg and Salad

Tuesday: Dinner out to celebrate Uncle's 85th birthday!

Wednesday: New recipe-Rice-A-Roni Salad, Deviled Eggs, Grapes

Rice A Roni Salad

2 pkgs of Rice A Roni - Fried Rice Flavor

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 or 4 cooked chicken breasts, cut into pieces/cubes

1 (4 oz.) pkg. slivered almonds ( I omitted these )

Paprika to taste

Miracle Whip Salad Dressing

Make rice according to pkg directions, then cool. When rice is cooled, add the onion, chicken breasts and almonds. Just before serving, stir in enough Miracle Whip Salad Dressing to hold the salad together. Sprinkle paprika over top. Serve chilled.

Delicious as is, you can also add a couple chopped, hard boiled eggs, chopped celery or other signature add-in.

Thursday: Pintos, Fried Taters, Mac and Cheese, Cornbread

Friday: Spaghetti Casserole (freeze one), Salad, Rolls

Saturday: Wild Rice Chicken Casserole (didn't get to this one last week either), (freeze one), Layered Salad

Sunday: Fish and Chips (chicken for me), leftover Layered Salad

That's my plan for this week. Hopefully I will get to everything on the menu this week. Have a terrific week.

Pam

Ah, quiet.

Well, almost quiet. I can hear the dishwasher doing it's thang. Hubs and Robs went to the cinema to see the Star Wars 3D picture. 3D gives me a headache, so I passed. I would much rather be doing laundry, dishes, cooking, and all that housewifey stuff. Not!

But really, if I don't do it, who does? Hmm??? l have some pots and pans soaking. Need to give the stove a really good cleaning, stove eyes and pans and all. One day I may even clean the oven! Yep, it needs it. It needed it about a month after we bought it. And the wooden floor, oh let's not go there please. Sigh...the kitchen of a cooking woman is never clean! But I'm not complaining. I like having a family to cook for. I like seeing them eat and enjoy their food. Cooking is how I show my love. I just wish the love didn't show so much on my hips, know what I mean? LOL

I'm going to get off this big hiney now and work in the kitchen, get dinner started, and then probably play on Pinterest a while, get up and do more housewifey things and then more Pinterest/Facebook perusing, etc. I also need to wash that gray right out of my hair. I have one hair color left at home to do my own coloring and after that, I'm hitting the beauty parlor again to get my hair did. Yep, I said hair did. LOL I don't like doing it myself, but when you're poor for a few years, and you have gray to cover, you do what you have to do. I am looking forward to getting my hair pampered once every six weeks again.

How about you? How is your Saturday coming along? Doing fun stuff, work stuff, a little in between?

Pam

The Homeschooling Mother's Journal

In my life this week…Friday night Hubby and I celebrated our birthdays at P.F. Chang's. It was so yummy. I think I could make a meal of just the chicken lettuce wraps. Oh my!

In our homeschool this week…things are going smoothly. Daughter was given two days of assignments this week to do on her own and she did them and did them well. Saturday she attended an all day Red Cross babysitters class at our church, taught by our parish nurse. I think she is still too young to babysit, but thought it would be a good class for her to take, if for nothing else, for her own benefit as we leave her at home some now, as she is too old for a babysitter. She enjoyed the class.

I am inspired by…my husband who is in class all day with his new job and studying hard in the evenings. He is making great grades and learning many new things in order to support his family. I am so proud of him.

My favorite thing this week was…P.F. Chang's. Can you tell I really like their food?

Things I’m working on…being a good mother and wife. I am trying really hard to cook good meals for my family and clean up all those dirty dishes. I keep wishing for a kitchen fairy to come in behind me and do those dishes for me. Daughter is now unloading the dishwasher for me but I have yet to teach her how to properly load it and help with the dishes that have to be hand washed. I think I'm long overdue on this.

I’m reading…my Bible and too many blogs :/

I’m cooking…check out my posts on Monday to read my menus.

I’m grateful for…a few sunny days that we had this week. I love God's Vitamin D! I'm also grateful that those strong storms and tornadoes that passed over our country this week died out before they got here. We just had a little rain and blustery winds.

I’m praying for…hubby to continue to do well on his tests.

What a beautiful day!

It's a beautiful day here in East Tennessee. Seems the storms missed us the last couple of days. The sun is shining and it is warm. I have a couple of windows open and am airing out the house. This beautiful weather is giving me the energy to get a few things done. I have Taco Soup simmering on the stove. I hear my dishwasher doing it's job. I'm handwashing some dishes too. I have folded some laundry. I've been surfing Pinterest. Oops, I wasn't supposed to mention that. LOL

I hope you have survived the storms and are having a wonderful day. Spring came in here like a lamb.

Blessings,

Pam

My most dreaded chore-groceries

I dread the trips to the grocery store. They wear me out. I do have foot pain, knee pain and back pain, so that is not unusual. It is my most dreaded chore.

Today, I went to our new Aldi's and then to Food City for some great bargains. I carry in about four sacks and then daughter and hubby bring in the rest. I figure if I plan the meals, cook the meals and buy the food, then they can carry in the groceries. ; 0

I am going to a couple more nearby stores tomorrow for some bargains and use some coupons. I try to do my "big" shopping every two or three weeks, depending on my energy and how I am feeling. My hubby is wonderful about picking up things that we run out of like bananas, milk, bread, cat food, etc. Now that he is working again, he can easily do this on his way home. I can't wait for my 12 year old to start driving! Won't that be wonderful?

What is your most dreaded chore?

Menu for week of February 27th

Monday: Chicken Tetrazzini (making an extra pan or two for the freezer), Salad

Chicken Tetrazzini

10 oz dry spaghetti -- (10 to 12)

3 cups grated cheese - Jack or Cheddar

3 Tbs. margarine

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion

1 can cream of mushroom soup -- (10 3/4 oz)

1 can cream of chicken soup -- (10 3/4 oz)

1 10 3/4 oz soup can milk

3 cups cooked -- diced chicken

salt & pepper

Cook spaghetti as directed until al dente; drain. Sauté onions in margarine.

Mix onions and remaining ingredients with spaghetti in a large bowl. Put

mixture in containers and freeze. To prepare for serving, thaw tetrazzini and put in a baking dish. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350* oven until bubbly, about 30-40 minutes. (or can microwave or heat on stove) For 2 people makes 5 casseroles.

Tuesday: Porcupine Meatballs, Corn on the Cob, Broccoli Cornbread

Wednesday: Taco Soup and Fritos

Thursday: Wild Rice Chicken (make an extra for the freezer), Layered Salad, Rolls

Wild Rice Chicken

(Freezer Friendly)

1 c. cooked, deboned, diced chicken

8 oz. water chestnuts, sliced, drained

1 c. finely chopped celery

1 c. finely chopped onion

6 ¼ oz. pkg. Uncle Ben's fast-cooking long grain and wild rice

¾ c. mayo (regular or light) used on serving day

1 can cream of mushroom soup, used on serving day

Cook rice. Mix with all ingredients except mayo and soup and freeze. When thawed, place in 11 x 7 inch dish. Stir together mayo and soup. Spread over mixture. Cook covered 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Friday: Pigs in Blankets, Layered Salad

Saturday: Sausage Casserole, Roasted Asparagus, Rolls

Sunday: Crock Pot Cajun Chicken, Noodles, Mixed Vegetables, Rolls

Homeschooling Mother's Journal

In my life this week…this week has flown by quickly. Having Monday as a holiday for hubby has thrown my whole week off.

In our homeschool this week…I think daughter has the winter blues. It's been harder this week to get her motivated to do her schooling. I think we need to shake things up a bit. I need to think on this.

I am inspired by…our warm weather. Spring is just around the corner.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…on Sunday, we went to my MIL's to visit and leave Robyn for an overnight visit. MIL prepared fresh croissants and strawberry preserves with cream. Oh my, was it good! We had a little tea party. It was a sweet time of fellowship. On Monday, hubby had an eye exam appointment and we started our day off early with that, breakfast at the Cracker Barrel and a nice countryside drive. We ended our drive with a sundae from DQ. We are fast, cheap and easy!

My favorite thing this week was…spending the day driving through the countryside with my better half.

What’s working/not working for us…I got to bed early last night. I do that on occasion, when I am just wiped out. But I was awake at 1:30 and didn't go back to bed until 4:30. Insomnia. I's got it! LOL

Things I’m working on…climbing Mount Laundry, forever doing dishes, forever cooking, forever putting off grocery shopping...

I’m reading…nothing new.

I’m cooking…check out my Monday posts to read my weekly menus.

I’m grateful for…a loving heavenly father, a hard working and intelligent hubby and a sweet almost teenage daughter. Also, some unemployed friends recently got work. So happy for them.

I’m praying for…some energy to do the things I need to do and for my insomnia to let up.

Thank you for stopping by Second Star Academy at Chaos Cottage. I always enjoy your visits. Come by and visit again. And today is my birthday! I will have a super duper day with the family and dinner out tonight. Yes!!!