My Monthly Meal Plan

Life got crazy busy (in a good way) after having baby boy #5 and I failed to keep up with my menu planning for awhile. Not only did it drive me nuts trying to figure out what to make for dinner at the last minute, but I felt so much more stress and we started eating more unhealthy because I didn't have as much time to plan or prepare our meals anymore. I'm so done with last minute dinner planning. It's time to break out my menu plan again!

I finally took the time to plan out our menus for the whole month so I could do my shopping trip to many different stores (to get the best prices available) over a two day period. It was fun, but very exhausting. This is the first time I have ever done something like that. We will see at the months end if it was worth doing it or just plan for 2 weeks like I previously did. I'm thinking it will all be worth it since our weeks just keep getting busier and busier with 5 boys. The older they get, the more activities keep coming! SO, here it goes...... 

My Monthly Meal Planning

Monday (Jan. 27th): Black & Blue Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Broccoli Au Gratin Rice

Tuesday: Taco Salad with Southwestern Chicken with a Ranch Bacon Dressing

Wednesday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Homemade Tomato Soup & Orange Slices

Thursday: Tilapia with a Mushroom Cream Sauce, Roasted Asparagus & Red Lobster Biscuits

Friday: Grand Parisian Salad with Breaded Chicken & Homemade Breadsticks

Saturday: Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches & Fresh Fruit

Sunday: Superbowl Party with Friends= Lots of yummy appetizers & food ;)
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Monday (Feb. 3rd): Meatloaf Parmigiana, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Sweet Corn

Tuesday: Homemade Chicken Pot Pies

Wednesday: Tri-Tip & Potatoes in the Crock Pot, Rice Pilaf & Sauteed Mushrooms

Thursday: Spaghetti & Meatballs, Garlic Bread & Sauteed Zucchini

Friday: Turkey Burgers, Tator Tots & Fresh Fruit

Saturday: Garlic Rosemary Chicken, Sauteed Green Beans & Roasted Ranch Potatoes w/ Bacon & Cheese

Sunday: Fish Tacos with a Cilantro Ranch Dressing and Fish Sticks for the Kiddos, Applesauce & Steamed Mixed Veggies
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Monday (Feb. 10th) Ground Turkey Tostadas, Refried Beans, Chips, Salsa & Guacamole

Tuesday: Homemade Orange Chicken, Fried Rice & Mixed Veggies

Wednesday: Cobb Salad with Ham & Homemade Breadsticks

Thursday: Ranch Pork Chops in the Crock Pot, Baked Potatoes & Corn

Friday: Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole, Corn Bread Muffins & Fresh Fruit

Saturday: Broccoli, Chicken Cheese Bake & Fresh Fruit

Sunday:  Tacos, Chips, Salsa & Guacamole
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Monday (17th): Chicken Enchiladas, Mexican Rice & Corn

Tuesday: Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup in the Crock-Pot, Melted Mozzarella Cheese Sandwiches

Wednesday: BBQ Chicken Salad & Garlic Bread

Thursday: Fish Stick Sandwiches & Fresh Fruit

Friday: Salmon, Green Beans & Baked Potatoes

Saturday: Chicken Alfredo, Broccoli & Rolls

Sunday: Tri-Tip in the Crock-Pot, Rice Pilaf & Beef Bouillon
 Green Beans

Delicious Sweet & Sour Chicken

As I was searching the internet for a good orange chicken recipe a few months back, I came across this one (I can't remember where I found it) and it has become one of our all time favorite meals. Even my kids LOVE it and they have been known to be pretty picky.

I've been asked for this recipe from several of you so here it is........

Sweet & Sour Chicken
Chicken breading:
3-5 chicken breasts
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
salt & pepper to taste
1/3 cup canola oil

Rinse chicken & cut into 1 inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet. Dip chicken into the cornstarch and coat well. Then dip it into the egg and place it in the skillet. Cook chicken until lightly browned on each side. Then place the chicken in a 9x13 baking dish. Time to prepare the sauce!

Sauce
3/4 cup white sugar
4 Tbsp ketchup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt

Add all the sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth. Pour evenly over the chicken. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Take the chicken out and turn it over so both sides will be well coated. Bake for another 15 minutes.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! :)

Baby Shower Fun!

I had the pleasure of hosting a baby shower for a good friend that's pregnant with twin boys this past weekend. The decorations turned out fabulous, the food was great and the company was fantastic. These babies sure got spoiled and are very LOVED already!

With the help of my talented friend Laurie, she made these adorable sugar cookies that were handed out to each guest as baby shower favors.

What a perfect idea to hang these cute monkey cookies from the tree for decoration. Monkey see, monkey do!

This cupcake pick design came with the invitation package I bought, so I printed these out at home and used a 2" scallop craft punch and made these cupcake picks myself. Not only did they turn out super cute, but it was much cheaper to make myself then to order some I didn't like as well. 

The cupcakes displayed in the baby shower colors green & brown. I got them from Sam's Club & they were delicious!

Diaper cakes can be pretty expensive, so what better way to save money and make one yourself. This was my most favorite homemade baby gift  (other than the sugar cookies of course). I haven't made a diaper cake in years, but I think it turned out FABULOUS!

We decorated in lime green & brown. Adding in polka dots just totally spruced it up. :)

My friends sister-in-law Jennifer made these super cute monkey clothespins that were used for our baby shower game & a take home token as well. She did a fabulous job.

We can't wait for these baby boys to arrive soon!

Addicting Homemade Caramel Popcorn

Ok.......I'm warning you all right now. This Caramel Popcorn is very addicting!!! I was given this recipe from a good friend several years ago and this has become our all time favorite. I make this every year around Christmas Time and all my family & friends look forward to it every year. It's super easy to make & it doesn't require much time either.

Many of my friends have requested this recipe, so here it is below:

Caramel Popcorn

10-12 cups airpopped popcorn
2 cups rice krispies
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbl. vanilla

Pop popcorn. Measure out the popcorn & add it to your bowl. Mix in rice krispies. In saucepan, melt butter and all ingredients except vanilla on medium to med-high heat. Boil for 5 minutes until it reaches the hardball stage. Pour in vanilla and stir. Dump mixture over popcorn & mix well until all popcorn is covered. Place on wax paper for about 20 minutes or longer. Store in zip-lock bags or an airtight container. Enjoy!

"Germs are Scary" Soap Dispenser

Every Holiday, I usually try to find a fun craft idea the boys can make for our family and close friends.We have made soap bottles in the past, but I came across this cute idea on Pinterest (yes, another Pinterest project) that works perfect for Halloween/Fall Decor. The boys and I made some this afternoon and they turned out so cute!

We got our soap bottles at Walmart (Equate orange soap .88 cents each) and peeled off the labels (goo-gone works fabulous). I printed out "Germs are Scary" label from here and I took it into Kinko's and had them copy it onto Transparency paper. Once you cut out the labels, I opened the top of the hand soap and rolled my label into a scroll then inserted it down into the soap.  I used a skewer to move my transparency label into place inside of the soap. I added a sparkly cool spider (hot glue gun) with some black tulle for ribbon and Walaaaa.....a perfect gift to giveaway for our loved ones!

Handmade Soap With a Toy Surprise Inside

The boys and I had fun making glycerin soap bars with toy trinkets inside for their friends that will be coming over later this week. It was super easy and the boys just got a kick out of it once the soap was finished. We put plastic spiders in the round ones and 3 bouncy balls (the clear balls are glow in the dark) in the oval ones.  

I thought this was a cool idea I found on Pinterest (have I mentioned how much I love Pinterest!) and something that is totally different than what kids normally get. It will be fun to watch my boys see how long the soap will last until it's used enough to get the toy out! :)

We put the toy trinkets inside the soap molds and poured the liquid soap over top.

The soap set and we took them out of the molds. How fun!

We wrapped them up to look pretty and festive.

Happy Fall everyone!

4th of July Food

 We had a wonderful 4th of July this year celebrating with good friends, good food & good fun! In honor of 4th of July, I thought I would make some fun food to go along with all the festivities!

 

White Chocolate Covered Strawberries with blue sprinkles. These were delicious!

  

Star Shaped Watermelon with Blueberries. Perfect bite size pieces!

Rice Krispie Treats dipped in white chocolate with red & blue sprinkles. These were oh so good! :)

I also made fruit skewers with grapes, strawberries & blueberries poking into the watermelon for a fun & easy way for a BBQ style picnic with everyone (I forgot to take a picture of that though).

We are very blessed to have good friends we can celebrate with, laugh with and just have good ole fashion fun with! My kids also had such a great time, they asked if they could go sit in the van when it was time to go & they fell asleep immediately before we even hit the road back home.

He's Got the Whole Wide World in His Hands

Since Earth Day was this past weekend, I wanted to find a fun project to do with the kids. As I searched some of my favorite blogs for ideas, I came across this "Stained Glass Earth" on www.icanteachmychild.com

that seemed pretty simple to make. She gives you step by step instructions on how to make it. I also liked the idea of explaining to the boys how God created the earth and everything in it. We sang the old bible song "He's Got the Whole Wide World in His Hands, He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" and the boys just loved it.

We hung it up in our window by the front door and the boys just love looking at it everyday. It's so cool when the light shines through and gives it that stained glass look. This is definitely one of their favorite projects so far!

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! :)

Ranch Oyster Crackers Recipe

We spent Christmas Day at my mom's house and one of our good friends came over and brought these delicious Ranch Oyster Crackers (warning: they may be addicting). I just had to have the recipe. This has to be one of my new favorite snack crackers! My kids love em and I can't stop eating them. So with that being said, I thought I would share the recipe with you all too.



Ranch Oyster Crackers

1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 box (16 ounces) oyster crackers
1 packet (3 Tbsp or 1 ounce) Hidden Valley Original Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (this is what I use) or 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper

Instructions:

Place crackers in a gallon-size Glad-Lock Zipper Storage Bag. Pour oil over crackers; seal bag and toss coat.
Add dressing mix and spice; seal bag and toss again until coated. Bake on ungreased baking sheet at 250 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown (I do not bake mine).

Enjoy! :)

Meal Plan Friday

Alright......I haven't posted my meal plan in several months or have been very good about keeping one with the holidays being here. Life has just been so crazy and now it's starting to settle back down and I'm ready to get back into the swing of things. It's time to get my normal routine back! :-)

Friday: New York Steaks, Sauteed Mushrooms, Salad, Garlic Bread & Homemade Cake (celebrating my little guys 1st Birthday)

Saturday: I'm Making Finger Foods & Dessert (celebrating New Years Eve with Good Friends)

Sunday: Pork Chops, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Sweet Corn

Monday: Homemade Loaded Baked Potato Soup Bread Bowls

Tuesday: Fish Tacos & Homemade Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Wednesday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & Homemade Tomato Soup

Thursday: Tri-Tip, Rice Pilaf & Peas

Friday: Turkey Burgers, Tator Tots & Fresh Fruit

Saturday: Marinated Salmon, Mixed Veggies & Homemade Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

Sunday: Tacos, Rice, Beans & Chips w/ Guacamole


This Weeks Make & Bakes:
Whole Wheat Bread
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (I got canned pumpkin on clearance for .80 this week)
Chocolate Zucchini Bread

And the Winners Are.........

It's time to announce the winners for the 25 Free Shutterfly Holiday Cards Giveaway!

And the winners are..............Katie, Heather & Laurie!

Congratulations girls! I will send you each a separate email with your Shutterfly codes.

Shutterfly Christmas Card Giveaway

I can't believe Christmas is just right around the corner. Seriously, where has the time gone!? Each year, I get so excited to send out Christmas cards to all our family and friends. One of my favorite photo companies is Shutterfly. I have used their services for years and I have always loved the products that I have ordered. We have a tradition each year of ordering personalized Photo Calendars for ourselves and both sets of Grandparents as an annual Christmas gift. Photo Books are also great too! Who wouldn't love seeing pictures of their Grand kids!?

Here is the Christmas card I ordered from Shutterfly last year. The print quality was amazing and I have never gotten so many comments and compliments (maybe because my boys are the cutest kids ever......ok, so I'm a little biased) on a Christmas card of all things.



Shutterfly just recently released their new Christmas cards for 2011. It's always so difficult to pick out which Christmas card I want to order because they have so many great designs to choose from. I was browsing through all the designs and here are the two I'm contemplating on ordering this year.






Now comes the fun part! Shutterfly is generously allowing me to give away a set of 25 free cards (of the winner’s choosing!) to three of my blog readers. Yay! To enter, leave a comment and I’ll choose a random winner on Friday, November 11th. So, head over to Shutterfly and start picking out your faves.