Getting an Early Start for Valentine's Day

Can you guess what we are doing with all these crayon pieces?

The kids and I are making heart shaped crayons.

The boys loved how the crayons turned out being multicolored. It's neat to see how different each one turns out.

We were getting a head start on making gifts for Valentine's Day. Jeremiah is excited to take these for all his Puggles friends at church.

We made soap dispensers last year for Valentine's Day and this was one of my kids favorite projects. I had my daycare kids make them this week so they can enjoy using it before Valentine's Day. The girls had so much fun and they loved it! We have some friends coming at the end of this week to make more soap dispensers and my boys will decorate one for their Nana & Great Grandma too. These make the perfect gifts for family! :-)'

Meal Plan Monday

Alright, so I'm super excited about my Meal Plan Calendar form I printed out from www.faithfulprovisions.com. I usually only meal plan for dinners, but I have decided to start planning for breakfast. lunch & snacks too!

I'm implementing this Meal Plan starting this week and I can't wait to see how much more efficient and smooth our day will run having all our meals planned out. I have our meal plan posted right on our refrigerator door so it's visible to see whenever necessary. :)

Breakfast:
Cold Cereal, Bananas x2
Cinnamon Toast, Fruit Smoothies
Banana Chocolate Chip Bread, Fruit
Chocolate Chip Waffles, Strawberries
French Toast, Strawberries, Blueberries


Lunch:
PB& J Sandwiches, Carrots, Mandarin Oranges x2
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Green Beans, Peaches
Alfredo Pasta, Peas, Pineapple
Turkey/Ham Sandwiches, Celery w/ Peanut Butter, Raisins
Mac & Cheese, Hot Dogs, Peas, Apples
Cheese Quesadilla, Carrots w/ Ranch, Apples
(Corned Beef Sandwiches for Daddy)


Dinner:
Turkey & Pepper Jack Cheese Pinwheel Sandwiches, Buffalo Wings
Kids: Hot Dogs, String Cheese, Peaches
Breakfast for Dinner: Chocolate Chip Waffles, Turkey Bacon, Scrambled Eggs w/ Sausage & Cheese
Meatloaf Parmigiana, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Zucchini
Marinated Salmon, Baked Potato, Roasted Asparagus
Cream of Mushroom Chicken, Broccoli Au-Gratin Rice-A-Roni, Mixed Veggies, Rosemary Focaccia Rolls 
Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Baked Potato, Corn
Buffalo Shrimp, ?

Snacks:
Yogurt w/ Apples
Fish/Animal Crackers
Homemade Granola Bars
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
String Cheese, Snack Crackers 

12 Do-It-Yourself Projects I Plan to Attempt in 2012

I made several Do-It-Yourself Projects last year and I have been very happy with the results (laundry detergent, glycerin soap, wheat bread, cinnamon rolls, yogurt, etc.). As a matter of fact, I have continued making these items on a regular basis because they have become our new favorites!

I decided to challenge myself to try 12 new things again in 2012. I have set a goal of only doing 1 per month so it's more realistic for me to actually complete the task I start. I always get side tracked and start doing so many other projects at the same time, but just to find I never complete half of what I start. The purpose for posting this list on my blog is to hold myself accountable! :-)

January- Homemade Granola Bars (I made them already and they are delicious)
        
February- Sew Heart Shaped Rice Heat Packs for Valentine's Gifts
                Homemade Heart Shaped Crayons (Valentine's gift for my sons friends)

March- Homemade Poptarts

April- Homemade French Bread

May- Homemade Wheat Thins

June- Homemade Vanilla Extract (making it now so it will be ready by Christmas)

July- Sew Big Floor Pillows for the Kids (I'm hoping to find pillow forms at yard sales or thrift store)

August-Homemade Bubble Bath

September- Eczema Fighting Lotion

October- Homemade Chapstick

November- Homemade Vick's Vapor Rub

December- Homemade Chai Tea Mix

Everlasting Cole Slaw

I got a bag of shredded cabbage at the 99 cent store the other day and I was looking for a way to use it. I came across a recipe that my Grandma used to make when I was younger and it was a family favorite. I'm not a fan of creamy cole slaw, but I do like a good vinegar based cole slaw. I made this recipe tonight and it brought back many memories. It tasted just like how I remembered. I thought I would share this recipe. My Grandma was a great cook!




Everlasting Cole Slaw

1 med. head of cabbage (shredded)
1 green pepper (diced)
1 cup diced celery
1 diced onion

Toss together and then add this dressing

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 cup oil

Heat together & cool. Add to cabbage and let set for several hours. This recipe keeps well at least 1 week. Enjoy!

Delicious Granola Bar Recipe

Thanks to my friend Sonna for telling me about this delicious recipe of Homemade Granola Bars. After hearing how easy it was to make them and how good they tasted, I just knew I had to try them out for myself. I made the granola bars for the first time today and oh my goodness, they are fabulous! My kids loved them and I had issues with self control to not eat half the pan (it probably didn't help that I skipped eating lunch today).

This recipe will easily be added as a new family favorite for snack time! :)






Homemade Granola Bar Recipe:

2 1/2 cups rice cereal
2 cups oats
1/2 cup raisins (optional-I used dried cranberries & I also added some mini chocolate chips)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup or honey (I used honey)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix cereal, oats & raisins together and set aside. Heat sugar and syrup or honey just to boiling point, add peanut butter and vanilla and stir until smooth. Pour over cereal and mix well. Press into a 9x13 greased or foil lined pan. Allow to cool. Cut & Enjoy!

Note: You can add any fruits, nuts or whatever you like. The possibilities are endless with this recipe!






Kid tested, mother approved! hahaha

Meal Plan Monday

Last week ended up being a busy week for us so I didn't end up making a couple dinners I had on our menu plan, so I'm adding them back on for this week.

I hope you all have a blessed week! :)

Sunday: Pork Chops, Corn & Salad

Monday: Tri-Tip, Baked Potatoes, Green Beans & Garlic Bread

Tuesday: Chicken Salads w/ all the Fixings

Wednesday: Turkey Burgers, Tator Tots & Fresh Fruit

Thursday: Salmon, Mixed Vegetables & Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

Friday: Cream of Mushroom Chicken, Rice & Broccoli

Saturday: Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza/Canadian Bacon & Pineapple


This weeks make & bakes:
Homemade Granola Bars
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Honey Whole Wheat Bread
English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches (these freeze great and it's easy for my hubby to take to work)

Meal Plan Monday

Now that the Holiday's are over it's been nice getting back into my normal routine of things. I've started off the year right and we have had a good home cooked meal every night since. We will see how long this lasts! :)

Monday: Breaded Chicken, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Corn

Tuesday: Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, Green Peas & Rosemary Focaccia Rolls

Wednesday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches w/ Homemade Tomato Soup

Thursday: Chicken Salad w/ all the Fixings

Friday: Tri-Tip, Broccoli Rice-A-Roni & Salad (I'm making a lava turtle cake for dessert)

Saturday: Crock Pot Pork Chops, Salad & Cheesy Biscuit Rolls

Sunday: Turkey Burgers, Tator Tots & Fresh Fruit

Yummy French Toast

I went to the 99 cent store this weekend and picked up a loaf of Texas Toast Bread. I wanted to make french toast this week and I didn't want to pay the grocery store price of $3.58. That's why I love the 99 cent store. They carry lots of items & fresh produce for much cheaper than the grocery store. :)

This recipe is a replica from International House of Pancakes. I got the recipe out of my cookbook called Top Secret Restaurant Recipes by Todd Wilbur.

French Toast Recipe:
Serves 2 (can be doubled)

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons butter
6 slices thick-sliced French bread
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1. Beat the eggs in a large shallow bowl.
2. Add the milk, vanilla, flour, and salt to the eggs. Beat the mixture with an electric mixer. Be sure all the flour is well combined.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When the surface is hot, add about a teaspoon of butter.
4. Dip the bread, a slice at a time, into the batter, being sure to coat each side well. Drop the bread into the hot pan (as many as will fit at one time) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until the surface is golden brown. Repeat with the remaining pieces of bread.
5. Cut each piece of toast in half diagonally. Arrange six halves of the toast on two plates by neatly overlapping the slices. Sprinkle about 1/2 tablespoon of powdered sugar over the tops on the toast slices on each plate. Serve with butter and syrup on the side.

Enjoy!

*The kids and I enjoyed this breakfast this morning served with fresh strawberries & blueberries. Yummy! :)