menu plan monday / july 7

After a hectic but happy week of having six other people in the house, we are back to our usual routine of cooking for three. We have some busyness this week as well, that needs to be figured into the menu.

Monday / My sister and her dh are coming for supper and to “shop” the yard for plants.
BBQ pork steaks
Crash Hot potatoes
green beans, steamed
corn on the cob
green salad

Tuesday / softball this evening
choice of ham sandwiches or hotdogs
chips / veggies

softball

Wednesday / Plant sale from 1-7pm (raising money for missions), so I’m preparing a meal that can sit on the counter. Our helpers (mission team members) will be able to run in and get something to eat any time they like.
BBQ beef in the crockpot / buns
chips / veggies
grapes
cookie bars
lemonade

Thursday
spaghetti
garlic bread
peas / corn
spinach salad

Friday / DH is participating in RAIN this weekend, so meals will be leftovers for today.

Saturday
eat out

Sunday / church dinner
pork chop and potato casserole
spinach salad

Another busy week ahead of us, not to mention all the projects hanging over my head…I want to remodel and redecorate DD’s room, clean up the scrapbook room so I can work on some projects, start quilts for DD and the three grands…

You can find more menu ideas at Laura’s place.

~~Rhonda

the grands

We had to say goodbye to DS and his family today, including the babies. 🙁

my grands

Unless I can swing a trip to their house before then, we won’t see them until October.

~~Rhonda

menu plan monday ~ june 30, 2008

I made this post last week, but forgot to post it on Monday. We have six extra people in the house, so I put more detail into the menu than usual.

Monday lunch
turkey or ham sandwiches
chips / veggies / dip

Monday supper
Fuss-Free Ravioli and Cheese Bake
garlic bread
corn
Snappy Green Beans
salad

Tuesday lunch
pizza

Tuesday supper
sloppy joes / buns
corn
chips
celery / carrots

Wednesday lunch
zoo trip

Wednesday supper
roasted hotdogs / buns
veggies / chips / dip
S’mores

Thursday lunch
Dairy Queen

Thursday supper
fried chicken
Crash Hot Potatoes
biscuits
corn on the cob
asparagus
spinach salad

Friday lunch
parade / lunch at the park

Friday supper
potluck with friends
potato / sausage casserole
2 apple pies

Saturday / Family Potluck at our house
BBQ ribs / BBQ chicken
hotdogs / hamburgers / buns
pickles
Cowboy Beans
2 cookie sheet pies (apple / peach)

Sunday
roast beef
mashed potatoes
green beans
corn
salad

I made the baked ravioli for supper Monday evening, but used tortellini instead of ravioli. The store we shopped had no ravioli, fresh or frozen. Everyone liked the tortellini and I will be making it again, though I will make a few changes. I’ll mix in some cheese before it’s baked and I made my own sauce instead of using store-bought. It’s too easy not to. I may just leave out the can of diced tomatoes altogether because I used crushed tomatoes in my sauce.

baked tortellini

You can find more menu ideas and recipes here.

~~Rhonda ::who is having great fun with babies in the house::

apricot, anyone?

Grandpa picked apricots for Great-grandma and decided to let Tab try one.

Wanna try an apricot?

wanna try an apricot?

Ewwwwww!!

ewwwww!

What did grandpa give me?

what did grandpa give me??

::cough, cough, gag!::

::cough, cough, gag::

That was yucky!

that was yucky!

It’s a good thing Grandpa loves me.

it's a good thing grandpa loves me.

baby fun

Entertaining Grandpa after her bath…

baby fresh

Great-grandma was very happy to meet great-grandbabies number eight and number nine.

Great-grandma

Not quite crawling yet. The softsquatch was made by their Aunt Julie. She made one for each and they *love* them!

it's MY softsquatch

While DH and I helped pot plants for a mission sale, the girls helped by babysitting. They did a great job and kept the babies happy.

babysitters' club

How cute is this??

fireworks in her hair

baby grins

baby blues

daddy's eyes

We’re having lots of baby fun! ~~Rhonda 🙂

there be babies here

DS and his family are here to visit for a week. We’ve been able to visit them twice since the babies were born, so are glad to have them under our roof for a week.

We expected them around 8AM but they were able to leave earlier than planned so arrived around 6:00. I’d been awake since 4:30, so was glad to see them come early!

Grandma time

Hi, Grandpa

Just look at that face…

baby blue eyes

Right now they are napping, as well as their mom and dad. Our DD10 and their DD10 have been flitting from one activity to another and haven’t lit in one place long enough for pictures yet. We’ll catch them later. 🙂

~~Rhonda

anniversary day

DH and I celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary this week by visiting Wine Country Gardens. We’ve been there several times in the past seven or eight years. We’ve purchased quite a few daylilies from them. This year we picked up only two new ones, but it’s hard to find something different when you have more daylily varieties in your yard than the nursery carries. 🙂

We had lunch at the nursery which has a nice cafe. The food was delicious (I had a great chicken salad on wonderful herb bread). I must say, their creamy coleslaw with apples was also delicious. I’d love to have that recipe. The dressing had a tiny bit of a spicy bite to it. I couldn’t put my finger on it. The view from the restaurant is supreme! The nursery is located at the top of a hill and overlooks a wide valley.

the view

The veranda used to hold all kinds of unique containers filled with beautiful flowers and greenery. I was disappointed to find they no longer make those, as I had planned to take some pictures for ideas. The veranda and terrace are still beautiful places to rest and enjoy the wonderful view.

the terrace

in the garden

The nursery has a few golf carts the customers may use to visit the daylily fields. I drove, DH got in and out to check out the names of ones we liked. The nursery needs to do a better job of labeling them. There were four or five we did not purchase as we didn’t know the names.

row by row

We enjoyed our visit there. On the way home we stopped at Red Lobster for supper. We haven’t eaten there for probably 20 years. The meal was good and we’re glad we tried it. I’ve made “Red Lobster” Cheddar Bay biscuits at home in the past, using this recipe.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits
2 cups Bisquick baking mix
2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (not garlic salt)
parsley flakes

Combine the biscuit mix, milk and cheese and stir for about 30 seconds.
Spoon onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake 450*F for 8-10 minutes.
Combine butter and garlic powder and brush over hot biscuits. Sprinkle with parsley.

I have to say, the biscuits at Red Lobster last night were NOT even close to being as good as the ones I made at home. I couldn’t find a trace of cheddar cheese in the biscuits we had last night and they were not as dense as I thought they should be. But overall, the meal was quite good. Not like having fresh seafood in Florida, but good. 🙂

We crossed the Mississippi River coming and going. The flooding is supposed to be cresting about now, though more rain to the north could send another crest next week.

Mississippi river

Mississippi River

In our own garden, it was fitting that the first flower out on the daylily ‘Forever Loving You’ opened on our anniversary. 🙂

DH is the best. He’s hard working, loving, kind and considerate, sacrificing for me and for our family. I thank God for him every day. Thirty one years encompasses a lot…good and bad, easy and hard…but we wouldn’t have it any other way. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) The perspective of thirty-plus years is a great vantage point from which to see the truth in that verse.

~~Rhonda

Menu Plan Monday

It’s the week of VBS, which means supper has to be quick and easy.

Monday
sloppy joes
veggies / chips / dip

Tuesday
chicken / noodles
green salad
corn / peas

Wednesday
leftovers

Thursday
turkey sandwiches
veggies / chips / dip

Friday
spaghetti
garlic bread
green salad
corn
zucchini / yellow squash stir-fry

Saturday lunch
BBQ beef / buns
chips / veggies / dip
We tried this BBQ beef recipe last week and everyone loved it. Gonna have it again. 🙂

Saturday supper
brats / hotdogs
buns / pickles / mustard / ketchup / relish
Cowboy Beans
coleslaw
chips / veggies / dip

Sunday
pork chops
mashed potatoes
salad
corn on the cob
sugar snap peas / cherry tomatoes

On Saturday, DS and his family arrive for a week, so it will be a big week, menu-wise. I’m giving it some thought ahead of time. I’ll need to include some lunch ideas, which I usually don’t do as we just have leftovers or a sandwich, etc. But we’ll have five extra people in the house, as well as DD who is home for two weeks, so lunch needs to be planned for and not “catch as catch can.” But more about that next week. 🙂

More menu ideas here.

~~Rhonda

menu plan monday

I’m trying two new recipes this week. Last week I made Crash Hot Potatoes and they were a huge hit with DH and DD. Crispy and delicious. I’ll be making those again, soon.

Monday
Sloppy Joes / buns
veggies / chips / dip

Tuesday
spaghetti
garlic bread
sauted peapods
corn
spinach salad

Wednesday
leftovers

Thursday
Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu
steamed broccoli
corn
spinach salad

Friday
BBQ Beef / buns
veggies / chips / dip

Saturday
leftovers

Sunday
turkey in the crockpot
mashed potatoes
carrots
peas
salad

“Turkey in the crockpot” is a frozen boneless turkey (thawed) with a can of cream of chicken soup over it. So good. Tender and moist. I use the leftover liquid to add to the gravy packet for flavorful gravy. It’s a great dish for Sunday as I can put it on early and it’s ready when we get home from church.

More menu ideas here.

~~Rhonda

father’s day

The day started with gifts for Dad. DD gave him three daylilies, an artemisia, a shovel, garden gloves, and his favorite candy…York mints.

Happy Father's Day!

Then I made a bouquet for church. The hydrangeas are just coming on, so I used them.

bouquet for church

The young people hosted breakfast for dads…pancakes, sausage, tater tots, peaches…delish!

have you hugged a presbyterian today?

Have you hugged a presbyterian today?

kitchen crew

We’re proud of our young people. They’re the best!

they're the best!

Herschel favored us with hymns and songs on his harmonica, including one of my favorites, “Faith of Our Fathers.”

Herschel

It was fun to have breakfast served to us by such willing servants of Christ. The young people did a great job, as usual. 🙂

After church, we had Russell’s favorite meat dish for lunch. He loves marinated pork tenderloin. I made the marinade last night and left the meat in it in the fridge overnight.

Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Saute until golden brown and caramelized:
1 yellow onion, diced
2 T. olive oil
4 T. sugar

Place the following ingredients into a gallon-sized plastic zippered bag and marinate at least six hours or overnight.
3/4 c. apple juice
1/3 c. light soy sauce
2 T. cider vinegar
8 slices fresh ginger root
1 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
freshly ground black pepper
the caramelized onions (above)
2 pork tenderloins

In the past, I’ve baked the tenderloin on a rack in the oven until done. Today I put them in a crockpot and cooked them on high for three hours. It was SO tender and delicious. Yum! The marinade can be used on chicken, too.

In the afternoon, DD and I made an apple pie for DH. He loves pie. The pie making is fodder for another post, coming soon. 🙂

~~Rhonda