Menu plan for the week of September 26

Whenever you see multiple repeats from the previous week in my menu plan, you know that we experienced menu plan breakdown the previous week.  Not that that happened last week, or anything.  OK, maybe it did.  But everyone ate.  Every day.  Multiple times per day, even.  And just when I was thinking we had those crazy days down.

On the bright side, the fact that I didn't make several of our planned meals last week means I've got a very light grocery shopping trip ahead of me this week. Which, of course, leaves room in my cart and in the budget to make things like cowboy candy.  A local girlfriend, by posting about this delicacy on Facebook, has convinced me that I need to make it, too. I know.  It sounds super strange, but I just have to.

The menu plan breakdown last week also means this week's menu plan is super easy to make.

Here it is:

Supper (in no particular order...or actually, in the order they were in last week):

• BLTs (I bake my bacon), carrots
• Tacos with taco fixings
• Pizza, salad
• Almond chicken tenders, green beans, fresh fruit
• Beef stroganoff (similar to this), corn, applesauce
• Chicken pot pie bubble up, mixed veggies, salad
• Hearty western casserole (using homemade condensed tomato soup), tortillas, salad
• Cheesy mini burgers, rice, roasted green vegetable

Cheesy Mini Burgers from Kraft

Breakfast/lunch/other (obviously, a menu plan breakdown makes me want to over-compensate):

• Warm me up sausage quiche
• Pressure canned pinto beans
• Taco bean soup
• Cowboy candy
• Reese's oatmeal cookies
• Cream puffs (my filling is different but similar, although I'm gonna have to try the peppermint whipped cream sometime)

Candied Jalapenos, aka Cowboy Candyfrom Foodie with Family

Menu plan for the week of September 19

Right now, as this is published, I am on my way back home after spending the weekend at a family wedding.  I left the boys at home because AKD had a race--his first of the season--and everybody had school.  Well, except Hubby, but somebody's gotta work around here.  Because, you know, food and teenagers, and clothing and housing and stuff.  And work, he did.  He didn't have to deal with any of the super crazy days solo (although that was the original plan), but he still had to schlep kids around for four days.  Bravo, Hubby, you made it!  At least, I assume you will/did, as I am typing this, a week in advance.

Anyway, I don't know what's for supper today--hopefully something good.  As for the rest of the week?  I've got a plan.  Here goes...

Almond Chicken Tenders from Hip2Save

Supper:

• Whatever Hubby comes up with, or perhaps, soup from the freezer
• BLTs (I bake my bacon), carrots
• Tacos with taco fixings
• Crock pot shepherd's pie
• Pizza
• Leftovers and/or fend for yourself
• Almond chicken tenders, green beans, fresh fruit
• Beef stroganoff (similar to this), corn, applesauce

Other:

• Gosh, I don't know, but I'm sure I'll come up with something.
• Pressure canned pinto beans.  See?  I came up with something.
• Taco seasoned beef & turkey for the freezer

Menu plan for the week of September 12

I know, I know.  Last week, on that so very Mondayish Tuesday, I told y'all I doubted there would be a menu post this week.  But later in the week, I was reminded just how much you depend on (is "depend on" too strongly worded?  Perhaps "anticipate" would be better?) the weekly inspiration afforded by these words on a screen (with links!).  I get that.  And I'm here for you, friends.

I'm doing some freezer cooking this week, despite the fact that my freezer is full.  That's right.  I've got 48 (that's forty-eight) pounds of ground turkey in my freezer, the one that my favorite brother in law lovingly refers to as my "starter freezer," right now, along will a lot of other stuff.  And somehow, my brain thinks it's a great idea to add more.  Oh, brain...

Yeah.  I've never been all that great with spatial analysis.

On to the meals!

Cheesy ham & bacon potato casserole from Sweet Basil

Supper:

• Kielbasa & cauliflower stir fry, applesauce, bread & butter
• Sausage pinwheels (I usually double the sausage and I always forget the chives), carrots, peaches
• Chicken pot pie bubble up, mixed veggies, salad
• Crock pot tamale bake, salad
• Pizza
• (freezer friendly) Shepherd's pie, bread & butter
• Cheesy ham & bacon potato casserole, applesauce
• Chicken & wild rice casserole, steamed veggies

Other:

• Zesty salsa?  Maybe?  I have some ripe tomatoes, and I need to do something with them.  My boys seem to think we don't have enough salsa to last until next tomato harvest...
• Chocolate chip zucchini muffins (yes, we still have zucchini coming, not to mention all that shredded zucchini in the freezer.  Good thing the boys love these muffins)
• Taco bean soup

Celebrate Recovery 365 Daily Devotional: A Review

Celebrate Recovery is a Bible-based ministry that helps people overcome their hurts, habits, and hang-ups.  Celebrate Recovery 365 Daily Devotional is a companion volume to this program, which aims to support folks in giving up their addictions.  I wanted to read this devotional because I, like many, have some destructive habits that I would like to break.

Written by Celebrate Recovery founder, John Baker, along with Johnny Baker and Mac Owen, this book contains 365 short, one page devotionals, consisting of a 1-3 verse snippet of scripture, a 2-3 paragraph meditation, and a 1-2 sentence prayer.  Each page takes just a couple of minutes to read.

As promised, the book is definitely geared toward recovery from addiction.  The devotions easy to read.  They are hopeful and true.  As with any devotional, the power comes from connecting, daily, with God's word.  The pages of this book do a great job reminding readers that nothing is impossible for God, even overcoming deep seated addictions.

I wasn't able to connect to the readings the way I thought I would, however.  I think it's probably because of the male perspective and tone of the writing.  All three of the authors are male, so while readers do get slightly different perspectives, they are all still male.

Bottom line: This is an excellent resource for keeping Christians on track with their recovery, especially those who are going through the Celebrate Recovery program, but it would have benefitted from a female perspective.

I received this book for free from the publisher through Book Look Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

Punderdome: A Review

I love puns--the cheesier, the better.  You might have noticed that about me.  My oldest boy shares my love of puns, so it was with great anticipation that we opened Punderdome--A Card Game for Pun Lovers.

Punderdome is based on the renowned live game show.  The renowned live game show that I had never heard of.  So...just in case you've never heard of it either, here's a clip.

Warning for sensitive viewers--adult topics.

In this clip, contestants are alternately coming up with as many TV show puns as they can.

In Punderdome the card game, the Prompter draws two prompt cards, then at least two contestants have a set amount of time to come up with one pun that combines the two prompt cards.  The prompter then chooses his favorite pun, and that punster receives the points for that round.  There's also a speed round, which rewards the winner by giving them extra time to come up with a winning pun in the following round.

The game includes 200 double-sided cards (100 White and 100 Green), 2 Mystery Envelopes with fill-in prize slips, 2 80-page pads for drafting puns, 1 instruction card and 1 pun example card, all in a sturdy box.  The box and cards are good quality, and the directions are clear and easy to understand.  The pads of paper are pretty small (2.5 x 3.5 inches), so I would suggest using a small dry erase board for brainstorming, as I saw in a few of the Punderdome clips I watched.

AKD and I opened the box and eagerly read the instructions.  Then we dutifully drew two cards, read them out...and stared blankly at each other.  I don't remember what those two prompts were, but both of us were at a complete loss as to how to incorporate them into one pun.  Maybe we're not good thinking on our feet, but I feel like this game is much too difficult if played according to the directions.  It was disappointing, because we had great hopes for this game.

I do think we could still have fun with Punderdome, especially adding additional pun-lovers to the mix (Hubby's family is full of 'em).  I would definitely play in teams, and I would allow puns based on just one of the prompts, with extra credit for combining the two.

Bottom line: while this game has great potential, it's just too difficult.

I received this game for free from the publisher through Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

A Mondayish Tuesday menu post

Amiright?  

Yes, well, here I am on this Mondayish Tuesday afternoon.  Haven't gotten a whole lot done today, and I have a headache.  In an effort to feel like I've accomplished something today (something besides making the bed, which, I will admit, is not nothing), I've decided to share our menu plan for the week.

I know.  It's not Monday, it's not even Friday, and it's no longer "summer" (and by no longer summer I mean after-labor-day-and-the-kids-have-started-school-so-summer-is-over), so I can't use summer's sporadicity as an excuse.  I just...didn't post the menu yet.  And I'm warning you now, I'm probably not going to post one next week, either.  But I've got ya covered (albeit a little late) for this week.  Without further ado, this weeks' menu:

Supper:

• Leftovers
• Slow cooker salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, green beans
• Southwest chicken bake, corn on the cob, salad, jello
• Crock pot tamale bake, salad
• Stuffed crust pizza (although I will use my own homemade pizza crust and sauce, this is the technique I will use to make the stuffed crust) or zucchini crust pizza, salad
• Spaghetti with meat sauce, green beans, garlic toast
• Grilled bone-in chicken breast, grilled potato packets, cooked carrots
• Kielbasa & cauliflower stir fry, applesauce, bread & butter

Other:

• Snickers rice krispie treats
• Cinnamon swirl bagels
• Low salt honey whole wheat bread (to make it low salt, decrease salt to 1 t, decrease honey to 1/4 c., and substitute vegetable oil for the shortening)

What's on your menu this week?