Menu:

BREAKFASTS:

brown rice, oatmeal, eggs, pancakes, waffles

LUNCHES:

1) quesadillas with a bowl of beans and spinach salad 2) Zucchini Pizza Bites, green salad, potato salad 3)tuna sandwiches spinach salad smoothies 4) soup and bread 5) Spaghetti or goulash -people's choice:-)

SUPPERS:

1) Chicken-n-Rice Casserole corn sauteed zucchini 2) White Chili and fry bread 3) Beef-n-TVP patties rice brussels 4) Beefy Noodles (with marinated round steak) cabbage 5) Baked Crispy Light Chicken Easy Broc. Pasta Salad

SNACKS:

yogurt pops, popcorn, carrots, apples, raisins, grahams, whole grain marshmallow treats, pretzels, Whole Wheat Blueberry Cake, lettuce roll-ups (stuffed with leftover chicken, cheese, etc), celery sticks, etc

To see more meal plans visit Laura's!

Beef, Barley, and Lentil Stew

(click to enlarge)

4 to 5 quarts water or broth
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 medium onions
3 stalks celery
1 cup barley
1 cup of lentils
5 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 large carrots sliced
1 to 1.5 lbs cubed beef
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 t garlic
2 bay leaves
1 T seasoning salt
black ground pepper
3 T cooking wine (opt. but this helps tenderize the meat)

Cook the meat in the Worcestershire sauce, garlic, black pepper, and cooking wine.
Meanwhile bring water and bouillon cubes to a boil. Toss in barley.

Allow meat to simmer 5 to 10 minutes after it has browned.

Toss meat and broth and remaining ingredients into the pot and simmer for approx. 1 hour.

Very tasty!

Snack Bowl

What's for snack?

At our house, we have 2 to 3 snack-times a day and trying to make them quick and healthy can be fun!

Here you see Romaine lettuce leaves with a little creamy cheese, carrots with a little dip, and popcorn and pretzels.

The kids loved them!

PINK POPS

These were a great treat! A little homemade yogurt mixed with Cranberry-Grape Juice and a dash of cane sugar. Frozen for fun!

Soft Tacos and Spanish Rice

The meat mixture is a little ground turkey, a little lean beef, and TVP with taco seasoning.

Cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes (if you like) will complete these soft tacos.

The Rice was made with some leftover brown rice from the freezer and salsa.

Can't get any easier!

Easy Homemade Yogurt

Yesterday, I made my yogurt the lazy way.

I knew my kitchen would be fairly warm for a big portion of the day so I simply took my old, clean, applesauce jar and scooped in my remnant yogurt; about 1/2 cup, and some powdered milk-hmm- didn't measure but probably about 1/3 cup--and filled my jar the rest of the way up with milk. I started it early morning, left it on the stove, and by bedtime--YOGURT!

We used it today for blueberry-mango smoothies!

Look at this beautiful blossom...

....wanna guess what it is?

Latest Garden Picture

or should I say jungle?

Our First Zucchini

We cut our first zucchini tonight and I made Zucchini Pizza Bites with them, yummy!

I served them with Broccoli Normandy and Olive Oil and Herbed Pasta with mushrooms and yellow peppers.

LIMES (citrus fruits)--3 ways to use 'em

First I grated the zest from the limes. Then I heated them in the microwave for a few seconds, about 20 and juiced them for some Limeade. (5 limes) Mix in 2 cups of sugar in a gallon container, top with cold water, chill and serve.

Then I took the remnants and tossed them into a jar of vinegar to make homemade cleaner.
(Just toss in several, top with vinegar, steep for at least a week or more, strain, pour into spray bottle, top with water and a drop or two of essential oil if desired.)

I had burned something on my flattop the other day and sprayed this on and let it soak and it took it off without much scrubbing at all!

How's that for frugal?!?

Tammy's Chicken Alfredo

For supper we tried another one of Tammy's Recipes, her Chicken Alfredo.

I made it pretty close to her recipe, but doubling it and I served it over whole wheat noodles.

Notice the green stuff? More goodies from the garden! Praise the Lord!

BBQ BEEF SANDWICHES- with leftovers

What else can you do with leftover roast?

Beef BBQ!

I had some .46 cent BBQ sauce that I just reheated the meat in.

I made up some Homemade Buttermilk Buns (except I used 1/2 cup ground flax in the place of 1/2 cup of the wheat flour).

I then spread on some Homemade Cole Slaw --cabbage, carrots, salt and pepper, dill, mayo, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and caraway seeds.

I also sliced up some cucumbers.

A very frugal meal!

Food for the Day

For Lunch we had Turkey Polish Sausage Skillet Dish and Baked Beans from the crock pot. I had sweet brown rice for those who wanted dessert.

Supper was a new recipe that I based on THIS one called Cream Cheese Chicken. I didn't follow the recipe exactly and I didn't cook it in the crock. I simmered the chicken in broth in a big pot and then added the remaining ingredients and I also doubled her basics. (I used whole wheat noodles and veggies too.) A good recipe, easy on the salt!---If you love Crock-pot cookin'; she's got a recipe for everyday of the year! (or rather plans to!)

And for dessert: WHOLE WHEAT BLUEBERRY CAKE! One of my favorite cakes of all time! My kids gobble this up --and boy am I glad they do, cuz I would if they didn't!

In spite of 2 dentist appts. today, I still pulled it off! Another day of frugal home cookin'!

Roast, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Carrots

I ran through Kroger last night and couldn't pass up a real deal on some grain-fed beef. Here you see some of the roast, yummy!

-I cooked the roast in the crock last night, took it out today and placed it in a 9x13 and took some of the juices and made a gravy. I coated the meat in the gravy, covered the dish and stuck it in the oven until it was time to get it nice and hot for supper.

-About the mashed potatoes.....my poor family...they never know what I am going to do to their food! lol I added some chopped garlic to the potatoes as they boiled and just mashed them in when they were all done. I used about 1/4 stick of light butter along with some homemade buttermilk in the potatoes....yummy! Better than sour cream! (I sometimes toss in some chopped parsley but I didn't have any fresh or frozen, bummer.)

-DH thought he was going to get by without carrots, HA! I did try to make them different and as pleasant as possible. A little butter, brown sugar, ginger, and a dash of cayenne. Yummy! Cayenne can enhance your flavors if you use just a dash, and no one will ever know that it's in there!

Blueberry-Dew

- 1/2 honeydew melon
-2 cups blueberries
-ice
-(milk or yogurt opt. if you want it more like a smoothie texture, we just like it as a fruit slush)
-sweetened to taste with cane sugar and/or brown sugar

Whirl in your blender or smoothie maker!

Smoothies and slushies are a great way to get those fruit (and sometimes veggie) servings in everyday!

TEA TIME

It felt almost like Christmas today when these arrived; herb teas! I love tea (and coffee)!

DH heard a radio commentator praising Passionflower about the time I ran out of my usual bedtime tea. Fortunately, I had read THIS article at Tammy's.

I couldn't wait to contact the Bulk Herb Store!

I bought these 3 large bags for what the amount in one would have cost me at a local store--and they are excellent quality!

Here's the first cup, made for DD with a little honey....which lured in a few DS's to give it a try too!
Yummy!

Tuna Helper Scratch

1/2 pkg of noodles
2 cans tuna
1 pkg of frozen peas and carrots
1 can cream of chicken
1 can milk
3/4 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt pepper and onion powder to taste

I used vegetable pasta in the lower picture and egg noodles in the one above.

Cream of Beef-n-Noodles

A quick, pantry-style meal that's good and filling!

1 lb lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 large tomato, diced

1 can mushrooms, drained

1 T garlic

2 t onion powder

1 t parsley

2 cans cream of mushroom

2 cans of milk

1/2 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk

salt and pepper

1 package of noodles

Cook noodles.

Brown meat, toss in veggies. Cook 3 to 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Toss in noodles.

Gratituesday

This week has held several blessings! I hope yours has too!

This week, we are learning first hand about reaping and sowing; and God's faithfulness to His Word and His people. SEE BELOW? First salad from the garden!

Gal 6:9 .......... for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Gen 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

For more Gratituesday gratitude, visit LAURA'S!

For the Love of Beans

I am plain ole lucky when it comes to beans--my whole crew loves them! Any kind, any way, anytime! They love plain white beans, Split Pea Soup with Turkey Ham, Hoppin John in Wacky Bread Bowls, Butter Beans with Turkey Sausage, Bean and Cheese Pitas, Crunchy Chick Peas (and I season them all sorts of ways; Chili Cheese, Pizza, Italian, etc), but nothing brings more excitement than Pinto beans, because pinto beans mean chili is coming!!

But one of my fave's is Bean with Turkey Bacon Soup!
Here's my recipe:

1 16 OZ BAG OF WHITE BEANS (RINSED, SORTED, SOAKED, AND COOKED FOR 1 1/2 HOURS)

TOSS IN THE FOLLOWING AND SIMMER 30 MINUTES MORE:

1 PACKAGE OF TURKEY BACON CUT INTO SMALL PIECES, COOKED
1 MEDIUM ONION CHOPPED
1/4 CUP GREEN PEPPERS, CHOPPED
4 STALKS OF CELERY, CHOPPED FINELY
4 CARROTS, CHOPPED FINE OR SHREDDED
2 TEASPOONS GARLIC
1 CAN OF TOMATO PASTE
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

FOR MORE BEAN RECIPES, VISIT:http://frugalupstate.blogspot.com/

Monday's Menu

Just in case some of you don't know; Laura has made some printable Menu Planners that are just adorable! My family loves it when I post my plans for their meals and I don't have to answer "What are you fixin'?"--7 times!!! ;-)

BREAKFASTS:
Oatmeal, Millet, Grits, Waffles, Eggs
SNACKS:
Banana Bran Muffins, Juice Pops, Popcorn, Apples, Cherries, Smoothies, Poppy Seed Muffins

MONDAY:
(L) Tuna Noodle Cass + veggies
(S) Chicken Fried Rice + veggies
TUESDAY:
(L) Pita Sandwich + veggies
(S) Cabbage Rolls + veggies
WEDNESDAY:
(L) Baked Beans + veggies
(S) Cream Cheese Chicken
THURSDAY:
(L) Round Steak Stew + bread
(S) Turkey Patties + veggies
FRIDAY:
(L) Crock Tortilla Soup + bread
(S) Chicken Alfredo + veggies

FOR MORE MENU PLAN MONDAY VISIT: http://orgjunkie.com/

Banana Bran Muffins

2 CUPS WHEAT FLOUR

1 CUP RAW BRAN

2 1/2 T BAKING POWDER

1 t SALT

2 YARD EGGS

1 1/2 CUP MILK

1/2 CUP YOGURT

2 (FREEZER) BANANAS, MASHED

1/3 CUP APPLESAUCE

1/3 CUP MOLASSES

1/3 CUP CANE SUGAR

*OPTIONAL- 1/2 CUP CHOPPED PRUNES, RAISINS, ETC

MIX WELL.

BAKE AT 400 12 TO 15 MINUTES.

MAKES 2 DOZEN.

From the garden.........

Our first salad from the garden!

Yummy!

Intro

The following is a great article pertaining to home-schooling. It brings to light many issues that are never considered by some who oppose home-school.....like how some colleges are recognizing the higher scores of HS's and actually seeking them out. It also deals with how much money we HS's save our beloved country--a whopping 4 to 9 billion $$$!!!

Please read! It's worth your time if you can follow this fellow's humor!

An Article about home-schooling...

*SONNY SCOTT:Home-schooler s threaten our cultural comfort *6/8/20089:39:01 AMDaily JournalYou see them at the grocery, or in a discount store. It's a big family bytoday's standards - "just like stair steps," as the old folks say. Freshlyscrubbed boys with neatly trimmed hair and girls with braids, in clean butunfashionable clothes follow mom through the store as she fills her no-frillsshopping list.There's no begging for gimcracks, no fretting, and no threats from mom. Theolder watch the younger, freeing mom to go peacefully about her task.You are looking at some of the estimated 2 million children beinghomeschooled in the U.S., and the number is growing. Their reputation foracademic achievement has caused colleges to begin aggressively recruiting them.Savings to the taxpayers in instructional costs are conservatively estimated at$4 billion, and some place the figure as high as $9 billion. When you considerthat these families pay taxes tosupport public schools, but demand nothing fromthem, it seems quite a deal for the public.Home schooling parents are usually better educated than the norm, and aremore likely to attend worship services. Their motives are many and varied. Somefear contagion from the anti-clericalism, coarse speech, suggestive behavior andhedonistic values that characterize secular schools. Others are concerned fortheir children's safety. Some want their children to be challenged beyond theminimal competencies of the public schools. Concern for a theistic world viewlargely permeates the movement.Indications are that home schooling is working well for the kids, and theparents are pleased with their choice, but the practice is coming underincreasing suspicion, and even official attack, as in California.Why do we hate (or at least distrust) these people so much?Me thinks American middle-class people are uncomfortable around thehomeschooled for the same reason the alcoholic is uneasy around theteetotaler.Their very existence represents a rejection of our values, and anindictment of our lifestyles. Those families are willing to render unto Caesarthe things that Caesar's be, but they draw the line at their children. Those ofus who have put our trust in the secular state (and effectively surrendered ourchildren to it) recognize this act of defiance as a rejection of our values, andwe reject them in return.Just as the jealous Chaldeans schemed to bring the wrath of the king uponthe Hebrew eunuchs, we are happy to sic the state's bureaucrats on these"trouble makers." Their implicit rejection of America's most venerated idol,Materialism, (a.k.a. "Individualism" ) spurs us to heat the furnace and feed thelions.Young families must make the decision: Will junior go to day care anddayschool, or will mom stay home and raise him? The rationalizations begin. "Afamily just can't make it on one income." (Our parents did.)"It just costs somuch to raise a child nowadays." (Yeah, if you buy brand-name clothing,pre-prepared food, join every club and activity,and spend half the cost of ahouse on the daughter's wedding, it does.) And so, the decision is made. We giveup the bulk of our waking hours with our children, as well as the formation oftheir minds, philosophies, and attitudes, to strangers. We compensate by gettinga boat to take them to the river, a van to carry them to Little League, a2,800-square- foot house, an ATV, a zero-turn Cub Cadet, and a fund to finance abrand-name college education. And most significantly, we claim"our right" topursue a career for our own "self-fulfillment. "Deep down, however, we know that our generation has eaten its seed corn. Welack the discipline and the vision to deny ourselves in the hope of somethingenduring and worthy for our posterity. We are tired from working extra jobs, andthe looming depression threatens our 401k's. Credit cards are nearly maxed, andit costs a $100 to fuel the Suburban. Now the kid is raising hell again,demanding the latest Play Station as his price for doing his school work ... andthere goes that modest young woman in the home-made dress with her fourbright-eyed, well-behaved home-schooled children in tow. Wouldn't you just loveto wipe that serene look right off her smug face?Is it any wonder we hate her so?Sonny Scott a community columnist, lives on Sparta Road in Chickasaw Countyand his e-mail address is sonnyscott@yahoo.com.

Cheesy Chicken Noodles and Broccoli

Dinner is served!

Remember my post about Laura's Baked Potatoes with Broccoli Cheese Sauce?

Well, I took the recipe for her sauce and double it, tossed in a whole bag of frozen, chopped broccoli and about 2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken, about 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (along with the cheddar as per her recipe) poured it over some whole wheat noodles-and here's the yummy dish that I got!

*Served here with red kidney beans and brussel sprouts.

LUNCH BOWL

Grab the blanket, let's have another indoor picnic lunch!

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on whole wheat and flax bread.

Pretzels, OHs, apples, carrots, cheese sticks, and granola bites.

LEMON SPONGE CAKE

MY PICTURES BLURRED A BIT AND DON'T DO THIS CAKE JUSTICE, BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL AND VERY (VERY) RICH!


INGREDIENTS:
With or in your mixer:
5 egg yolks
1 cup cane sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice (I used bottled)
5 egg whites
Beat egg yolks well; gradually adding sugar. With mixer at high speed alternately add dry and liquid ingredients. EXCEPT egg whites. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them in last, by hand.
Bake in tube pan for 55 minutes at 350.
Invert and cool in pan.

FROSTING:
1 1/2 sticks of butter (you can go with just one if you want it a little less rich)
6 cups (approx.) powdered sugar
4 T lemon juice (I used real lemon juice here)
2 T lemon rind
Cream butter well. Alternately add sugar and juice. Beat until fluffy and add lemon rind.
Frost your cake!

TIP:
You can use orange or lime in the place of the lemon rind and juice for a different flavor!
TIP:
When I buy lemons and limes, I often store juice and zest/grated rind, in the freezer reading to thaw and dump into my recipe. Saves time when you need it most!

Look Who was in the Garden...

Yeppers, Peter Rabbit!

The poor thing just panicked at all my kids running after it and froze under the zucchini plant. We made everyone get out and leave it alone. When we went back later, he was gone. Hope he didn't eat much!

WANNA SEE THE GARDEN?

HERE'S A SHOT FROM THE UPPER CORNER. AND YES, THOSE ARE SOME OF MY YOUNGENS PLAYING IN THE YARD.

YOU SEE THE WILLOW? WE PLANTED THAT LAST YEAR WHEN IT WAS A TWIG AND THE FROST TOOK IT ALL THE WAY TO THE GROUND. IT CAME BACK UP BUT WAS ONLY ABOUT 1/2 INCH ROUND--NOW IT LOOKS LIKE IT BELONGS IN A JUNGLE! WHY TELL THIS? WELL, WE ACTUALLY PRAYED OVER OUR TREES WHEN WE PLANTED THEM. WE WANTED OUR WILLOWS TO PROVIDE SHADE FOR OUR BEAGLES! LOOK HOW FAITHFUL GOD IS TO PROVIDE, EVEN FOR 2 BEAGLES!:-)AND YOU SEE THIS BIG GUY? WELL, THAT'S MY OLDEST, HE'S 15. HE BOARDS A PLANE TOMORROW TO FLY HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY FROM HIS MOM! I MEAN --HE'S GOING ON A MISSION TRIP TO SERVE THE LORD!

HIM AND I HAD BEEN BENT OVER TRYING TO FIX THE FENCE WHEN WE WERE CAUGHT BY A FLASHING CAMERA!

WHAT'S IN THE POT?

WELCOME TO ANOTHER EPISODE OF "WHAT'S IN THE POT?"!THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A SOUTHERN MEAL AROUND HERE!

NO ONE EVER COMPLAINS ABOUT HAVING GOOD OLE BEANS!

THE GIANT POT ABOVE WAS FULL OF WHITE BEANS TODAY.
SEEN HERE OVER CORNBREAD AND WITH SLAW, CORN, AND GREEN ONIONS.
THIS IS A SUPER FRUGAL MEAL, ONLY A COUPLE OF BUCKS.
AND A POT OF BEANS, LIKE THIS ONE, GIVES SEVERAL MEALS.
TOMORROW WE WILL HAVE BEAN SOUP (MADE WITH SOME OF THESE BEANS AND LEFTOVERS FROM THE ROAST AT SUPPER) AND 2 LARGE CONTAINERS WERE FROZEN FOR ANOTHER DAY.

LAURA'S CINNAMON ROLLS

TODAY I MADE A BATCH OF LAURA'S CINNAMON ROLLS, WHAT A TREAT!THIS RECIPE MADE 2 OF THESE PANS OF SWEET, BUTTERY ROLLS AND...
I ALSO HAD ENOUGH TO LET THE KIDS SHAPE A NICE PRETZEL, SINCE THIS IS LAURA'S PRETZEL DOUGH RECIPE TOO!


THIS IS A GREAT RECIPE. THE BUTTER REALLY GIVES THIS A HEARTY FLAVOR AND THE USE OF CANE SUGAR GIVES A NICE TEXTURE TO EVERY BITE!

GRATITUESDAY

(MEXICO)

Gratituesday is such a good thing! It makes me stop and reflect on what the Lord has been doing ...and whether I have remembered to sincerely thank Him.

This week, I am SO thankful for His provision for my oldest son. My oldest son, Keenan, will be going on his second Mission Trip and God (not Mom) has given him everything that he needs to go! Now, he has had to work hard for a big portion of it-but our gracious God provided every one of those opportunities! (Again, not Mom!)

He went last year and had the privilege of praying with 2 little boys. One to be saved and when he asked the other if he wanted to be saved, he replied, "I already am saved. I just been having trouble lying." :-)

God is precious!

--and to anyone who reads-it'd be a blessing to have a few of your prayers for him and the group that he will be going with!

For more Gratituesday gratitude, visit LAURA'S!!!!

*The above pic was taken when they went across the border last year.

GREEN BEAN DREAM CASSEROLE

1 PKG OF WHOLE WHEAT PENNE, COOKED

1 CAN OR 1/2 PKG LIGHTLY STEAMED GREEN BEANS

2 1/2 CUPS SHREDDED COOKED CHICKEN

1 SMALL CAN OF MUSHROOMS, DRAINED OR FRESH

1 CAN CREAM OF CHICKEN

1 CAN OF MILK

1 CAN OF BUTTERMILK

3/4 CUP SHREDDED CHEDDAR CHEESE

SALT AND PEPPER

COMBINE ALL AND BAKE AT 375 UNTIL HOT AND BUBBLY.

YOU MAY WISH TO COVER AND/OR STIR SO THE EDGES OF NOODLES DO NOT OVERCOOK OR BECOME DRY.

SERVED HERE WITH SPECKLED BUTTER BEANS AND CORN

BUBBLE YUM BERRY SMOOTHIE

1 16oz bag frozen strawberries

1 mango

1 banana, very ripe or from the freezer

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

1/2 cup cane sugar

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups Cranberry-Grape juice

Whirl and serve! Tastes like Grape Bubble Yum!

PASTA FLOWERS AND RED BEAN SOUP

(please click to enlarge-you can see the pretty pasta that way!)

This soup was whipped up in just minutes with a few leftovers and convenient foods.
4qts or so of water or leftover broth
2 cans rinsed and drained kidney beans (could use home-cooked)
1 1/2 cups corn (frozen or canned)
1 cup leftover shredded chicken
2 large finely chopped carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 package of pasta stars (they look like flowers, and they are only .25)
*secret ingredient -about 3/4 cup leftover ham broth shhhh, I know- but the ham was a surprise for DH on Father's Day!

Toss in the pot and cook until carrots are soft and pasta is done!
*Served here with German Rye Bread
*meal cost was probably under $2.50 to serve 8

Menu for the Week

MONDAY: breakfast-cereal and milk*lunch-Soup with Rye Bread, Whole Wheat and Flax Chocolate Chip Cookies, juice pops * supper-Green Bean Dream Casserole, speckled butter beans and corn, Rye Bread with Honey (snacks: Matzo with Laughing Cow Double -Bubble Yum Berry Smoothies- crunchy seasoned garbanzo beans)
TUESDAY: breakfast-millet and juice*lunch-leftover Green Bean Dream, Sweet Potato Strings, another veggie maybe slaw, juice pops*supper-Turkey Hashbrown Dish, lima beans, slaw muffins (snacks: popcorn apples yogurt)
WEDNESDAY:breakfast-oatmeal and juice*lunch- white beans, cornbread, corn, slaw muffins*supper-roast potatoes carrots green beans cornbread muffins juice pops (snacks- cheese sticks pretzels sliced apples graham crackers)
THURSDAY: breakfast-brown rice* lunch-Bean Soup 7-grain muffins cake*supper- Beef-n-TVP patties potatoes turnip greens rolls (snacks-homemade pretzels smoothies mudballs)
FRIDAY: breakfast-waffles *lunch-Enchilada Bake Spanish Rice juice pops*Supper-Turkey meatballs (subs or spaghetti) green salad (snacks- turkey hot dogs celery and carrot sticks with dip pumpkin muffins)

Simple Sunday- Beef-n-Beans

Sunday is my craziest day of the week sometimes, well, most times!

I try to keep things simple for lunch and plan ahead for supper, by cooking something in the crock pot or slow-baking in the oven.

Today's lunch was a choice of 3 (since there was leftovers from the week):

The pic above was first choice and it is simply;

3/4 lb extra lean beef-browned with-

1 large onion chopped

and 3 cans of pork-n-beans (or leftover white beans or BBQ baked beans)

Choice 2 was;
leftover Rotini

Choice 3 was;
leftover Butter Beans with Turkey Polish Sausage with Fried Cornbread

Dessert was Whole Wheat and Flax Chocolate Chip Cookies

Butter Beans with Turkey Sausage

A simple Southern supper!

Butter Beans (large Lima beans) with Turkey Polish Sausage- and its just that simple!

Soak your beans overnight. Drain soaking water and cover with fresh water. Cook until tender, toss in your sausage and salt and pepper. Heat through!

-A lot of folks down here throw a stick of butter in them once they are about done. I prefer them with the turkey sausage!-

*Served here with leftover slaw, leftover potato salad, sauteed red onions and yellow squash with whole wheat bread stick.

Cost of the meal; about $3.50 (leftovers are not included because their cost is figured in with the original meal they were fixed with;-)

WHOLE WHEAT AND FLAX CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

BIG BATCH! CAN FREEZE!

2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE OR UNBLEACHED FLOUR
3 CUPS WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR
2 t BAKING SODA
2 t SALT
1 1/2 CUPS WHITE SUGAR
1 1/2 CUPS CANE SUGAR
2 STICKS BUTTER
1/2 CUP UNSW. APPLESAUCE
3 YARD EGGS
3 t VANILLA
1 PKG CHOCOLATE CHIPS
1/2 CUP GROUND FLAX

MIX BUTTER AND SUGARS, THEN ADD EGGS AND VANILLA.

BLEND IN DRY INGREDIENTS.

BAKE ON LIGHTLY GREASED COOKIE SHEET 13-18 MINUTES IN PREHEATED 375 OVEN.

*Tips: You can add extra flour in place of ground flax. You can also sub out flours like spelt for wheat, etc.