Menu Plan Monday...

Welcome to Menu Plan Monday!

BREAKFASTS: turkey ham on English Muffins, oatmeal,Peanut Butter Granola, Toasted Breakfast Bread, eggs, applesauce

SATURDAY:

-Hamburger Soup, applesauce
-Banana Muesli 
Snacks: ice cream, sliced apples and oranges

SUNDAY:

-leftover Hamburger Soup, fried cornbread, fudge
-Butternut Squash Soup, banana nut bread 
Snacks: sliced apples, banana nut bread

MONDAY:

- Creamy Chicken and Noodles, brussel sprouts, salad, Apple Crisp
-Meatloaf, potato wedges, peas, leftover apple crisp
Snacks: almonds, apples,chili-cheese popcorn

TUESDAY:

-A Fun and Forkless Meal, raspberry smoothies
- Chicken Fajita-tacos, black bean salsa, cinnamon raisin muffins
Snacks:Applesauce Pudding, carrots and dip

WEDNESDAY:

- Baked lemon-pepper cod, green salad, speckled butter beans, leftover muffins
- Chicken Hollandaise, frozen (garden) green beans, maple-glazed carrots, plain cake with lemon sauce
Snacks:Banana Split Yogurt Smoothie, sliced apples

THURSDAY:

-Tossed Frugal Chicken-chickpea Salad, leftover plain cake w/ strawberry sauce
-Rice Crusted 'Pizza", succotash, green salad,
Snacks: toasted breakfast bread w/natural pb, sliced apples

FRIDAY:

-Mexi Beans & Cheese, ,Pita Pockets, carrot and celery sticks, Giant Peanut Butter Spelt Cookies
-Turkey Meatballs in Leek Sauce, Twisted Garlic Bread Sticks
Snacks: Frozen Lemon Cream Bars, sliced apples

WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY TO SPEND ON YOUR CHILD....

I KNOW SOMETHING EVEN BETTER!

SPEND YOUR TIME ON THEM!

It certainly is hard, to look at those precious little ones that you love so dearly, and wish you could buy certain things for them, but you can't. But, dear mother, I'm afraid that trouble may be worse for you than that child. You may  know what 'he might be missing' but he/she doesn't have to!

You see momma, you can spend your time on that child! Whatever measure of money you lack, give back that measure in your time!

We mothers can trouble ourselves plum silly, thinking our children are going to grow up so 'troubled' from the lack of 'things' we couldn't afford in their childhood. Ladies, that does NOT have to be true! (Trust me, they'll figure 'life' out sooner or later, just like you and I did!) But seriously, if you can keep reassuring them of your affection for them and that even though 'times are tough', they are still very much wanted and valued, they will be just fine.

I will say though, that there are times, especially with older children, who may have saw many 'better days', that they may have a harder time adjusting to 'rougher times'. But, I'm of the mind that if God allows this for your family, then it is for every member of them to learn something- not with bitterness and anger in their hearts- but rather thankfulness and contentment. He loves them and is more than capable of providing just what HE wants them to have.

Here's something I wrote the other day:
Driving back home...traffic was bad and I was looking at the parking lots of some of the restaurants...packed out.    Some do that every day. They get off work, go out to eat....eating, drinking, and making merry. But sometimes God puts us in a place, where every day, it is looking to Him- for provision for that day....for guidance, that day..... Living in such a way, that He is not forgotten, not even for a moment.   Our lives are built all the way around the Lord.We aren't living to get off work, grab the paycheck, go to eat, go to shop,
go to the movies, go go go go.....    Not that there is anything wrong with going out to eat etc.... just that some people's lives are ordered around the wrong things...and well... if we had lots of money (I speak for my family)...I'm not sure that we wouldn't forget the Lord a little more often! :-)
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1 Tim 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Tim 6:7  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1 Tim 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Oven Smores....

It's too cold, wet, and windy for them outside, so why not make them in the oven?

Turn the broiler on high.
Place marshmallow on graham and place under the broiler until marshmallow is lightly golden.
Take out of the oven, top with chocolate and graham cracker.

Very messy and very good! :-)

*These were a wonderful Christmas gift from our neighbors. They are super-sized Campfire marshmallows!

Kitchen Tip:

My Kitchen Tip for Tuesday is:
always keep an opened box of baking soda above (or beside) your oven!

During the holidays, I had a spill that flamed up in the oven....not all that unusual for me...
if you remember last year, I cooked til I burned the element in two in the oven ;-) ...
I'm just hoping now, that me and the oven aren't developing the same kind of crazy relationship
that I've had with the blender(s)!

But, if you ever have a fire, baking soda will put it right out!

And remember- never throw water on a grease fire...if you don't believe me, ask Mythbusters! ;-)

Twisted Garlic Bread Sticks

These are made from all whole wheat flour, but remain very light with a soft crust.

Dough, add in order:

1 cup warm water

2 t yeast

2 T softened butter

1 t cane sugar

1 t salt

2 to 2 1/4 cup wheat flour

Mix and knead well. Allow to rise for approx. 30 minutes.

For the garlic-butter spread, blend:

3 1/2 T softened, slightly melted butter

4 t minced garlic

Knead dough for 1 to 2 minutes.

Roll out into a large rectangle.

Spread garlic-butter on one half of the dough.

Fold dough in half, covering the butter-garlic spread. 

Use a pizza cutter to slice into sticks.

Twist sticks and place on lightly buttered baking pan.

Brush with egg white beaten with 1 T water.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds. (opt)

Allow to rise until doubled, approx. 30 minutes (depending on the temp in your kitchen).

Bake at 400 for 20 to 25 minutes.

-makes 12 large bread sticks-

*Served above with Italian Baked Chicken, salad, and succotash.

Peppermint Bark...

 During Christmas, a pack of this, pre-made, at the store was going for about $5 or $6!
But now that its after Christmas, I'm finding it very easy to make for about $1!
I've found packs of almond bark for $1 and candy canes for .40 (or less).
Its even almost effortless to make!

I melted 7 blocks of the bark, stirred in about 1/4 t peppermint oil, and spread in a pie plate.
I crushed 3 candy canes, sprinkled them across the top, pressed in lightly with the back of
a spoon, and chilled until it set up. Cut in pieces with a knife. (Hmmp! $5 or $6 a box!)

You can also make this with 1 bag of chocolate chips and crushed candy canes or peppermints.

Tip: I like it better after it has set out overnight. The candy canes loose some of their crunch.
*This also makes a nice gift!

MENU....

(fruit, plain yogurt, honey)

 Welcome to MENU PLAN MONDAY!

Below you will see our meal plans for lunch and dinner.

Here are breakfast choices: English Muffins, oatmeal, granola and milk, homemade pancakes from the freezer, toasted breakfast bread, eggs, applesauce

SATURDAY:

-sliced turkey ham, eggs, biscuits, applesauce, honey and butter
-Meatloaf, salad, hot fudge pudding cake
Snacks: sliced apples, Banana-berry muesli

SUNDAY:

- (turkey) Polish sausage skillet dish, bananas
- spaghetti, French Bread, Peppermint Bark
Snacks: sliced apples, fruity yogurt

MONDAY:

- Pizza Bites ( leftover French Bread),sliced cukes, green salad, fried apples
- Shredded Chicken Sandwiches, sliced cukes and tomatoes, homemade ice cream
Snacks: apple slices with PB yogurt dip, cream cheese on rice crackers

TUESDAY:

-Moist Rice and Salmon Loaf, spinach salad,Golden Cauliflower Salad, pl cake dusted w/ powdered sugar
-Taco Casserole, black bean salsa, green salad, cake with berry compote
Snacks: Maple Almond Granola, sliced oranges, bananas

WEDNESDAY:

- Lemon Pepper Salmon, spinach salad, sweet potatoes, slices oranges, cookie-press cookies
- Stuffed Peppers, layered salad, lima beans, Easy Cinnamon Rolls
Snacks: sliced apples, bananas, Cinnamon Rolls and milk

THURSDAY:

-White beans, cornbread, turnip greens, sauteed onions, fermented red cabbage, baked apples
-Italian Chicken, green salad, cauliflower, plain wheat muffins, jelly
Snacks: Real-pumpkin Pie, carrots and dip, sliced apples

FRIDAY:

-Frugal (shrimp) stir-fry with brown rice, leftover homemade ice cream
-Poor Man's Steak, salad, Refrigerator Spelt Rolls
Snacks: sliced oranges, buttered popcorn, sliced apples

Pureed Vegetable Soup..

This soup is very versatile, in that you can use whatever veggies that you have on hand!

And you can change out veggies to make each batch different!

This batch:

approx 3 quarts of chicken broth (or water)

1 parsnip*opt

1 lb of carrots

2 onions

6 potatoes, medium sized

1 stalk of celery

2 cups of peas

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t ground marjoram

1T salt

3/4 t pepper

1 t rosemary

1/4 t oregano

dash of cayenne

Peel and slice veggies into broth in large pot. Add remaining ingredients.

Simmer until all veggies are soft, adding more water or broth if necessary. But you want your broth to just barely cover the veggies, for a thicker soup.

Puree in batches of 2 cups at a time in blender.

BE CAREFUL! Since the soup is hot, it could cause the top on your blender to either pop off or leak!

*Most veggie soups are to the salty side, but depending on the ingredients you use, they could turn out to the sweet side. The sweeter soups are served best, topped with a dollop of sour cream! 

*Served here with sliced One Hour Loaves.

Low-sugar, Wacky Banana Oatmeal Cookies...

These don't make for the 'prettiest of cookies', but they are healthier and much lower in sugar!

1/4 c melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
2 bananas
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4t cloves
1/4t nutmeg
1t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1t baking soda
1c whole wheat flour
3c rolled oats
3/4 c raisins

Mash bananas, add remaining ingredients in order, stirring one in at a time.
Drop by teaspoons on a lightly buttered baking pan.
Bake at 375 approx. 12 minutes until golden.
Cookies will remain moist and chewy in the center, but not doughy.

Mock Cheese Sauce...

This is 'keeping with frugal' and it is lower in fat :-)

1 1/2 cups milk (can use skim)
1 T all purpose flour
2 T shredded cheese
1/2 t salt
1/4 t dry mustard

Shake milk and flour, in a jar until smooth.
Pour into small saucepan and heat, add cheese, stir until thickened, and remove from heat.
Stir in salt and dry mustard until smooth.

(May need extra salt to enhance flavor.)
*Dash of paprika or cayenne can be added for darker color.

*Served here over steamed cauliflower, with sliced cukes and oven-fried chicken thighs.

Menu...

  WELCOME TO MENU PLAN MONDAY!
I put up lots of links this week and hope you find some goody in there somewhere!

BREAKFASTS:(whole wheat) English Muffins, Breakfast Bread, Eggs, Applesauce, Oatmeal, etc

SATURDAY:

-Pureed Vegetable Soup, One Hour Loaves, honey
-Oven-fried Chicken Thighs, steamed cauliflower with Mock Cheese Sauce, sliced cukes, fig cookies
Snacks: yogurt, granola bars, carrots and dip

SUNDAY:

-Shredded Chicken Sandwiches on Homemade Buttermilk Buns, Raspberry Cream Shakes
- Cranberry Beans -n- Bacon, cornbread, relish, fermented cabbage, Applesauce Pudding
Snacks: chili-cheese popcorn (butter, parmesan, chili powder), carrots and dip

MONDAY:

- Hamburger Soup, Tri-flour Bread, homemade jelly
-Turkey Patties with Cheese, green salad, lima beans, cake
Snacks: Real Pumpkin-Pecan Cakes, boiled eggs and mustard

TUESDAY:
- (turkey) Ham and Cheese Frittata, green salad, sliced tomatoes, Banana Nut Muffins
- Taco Casserole, green salad, chili beans, chocolate pudding
Snacks: Berry Smoothie, sliced apples

WEDNESDAY:

- Butternut Squash Soup, French Bread, Buttermilk Pie
- Leeks-n-chicken, green salad with sliced tomatoes and cukes, brown rice, brownies
Snacks: raisins, pretzel sticks, buttered popcorn

THURSDAY:

- Moist Rice and Salmon Loaf, spiced sweet potatoes, green beans, cookies
- Turkey Meatballs and Leek Sauce over egg noodles, plain cake with berry sauce
Snacks: coated pretzel sticks, Maple-Walnut Muffin-Cakes

FRIDAY:
- Homemade Pizza, Dessert Marshmallow Pizza-Stevie B's style
-White Beans, cornbread, turnip greens, relish, slaw, leftover muffins
Snacks: applesauce, leftover pizza

Moist Rice and Salmon Loaf...

This makes for a great pantry recipe and is also a frugal way to get some fish into your diet and its light!

2 cans of salmon, undrained (leave in the bones, just crush them with your hands so little ones don't see them-extra calcium)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (or buttermilk)
2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 T dried minced onion
1 T lemon juice (opt)
1 1/2 t dried parsley
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Bake at 375. (I used a 9 3/4 x 9 3/4 glass baking dish.)
Bake for 30 minutes until lightly golden.
*Recipe can be halved, this made more than my family could eat in one setting.
*This dish could be made lower in fat by using egg whites,etc and skim milk.
*Served here with black strap sweet potatoes and green salad.

Coated Pretzel Sticks...

While I was cooking and getting things ready for our Christmas meal, I let the kids make this giant mess fix these yummy dipped and rolled pretzel sticks.

We dipped them in melted chocolate chips and almond bark.

They rolled them in- sprinkles, red and green sugar, coconut, and chopped nuts.

Once they 'set up', we stored them in a ziploc until time for sweets. We then set them, pretty side up, in Mason jars on the table.

Yummy 4 anytime of year!

Kiss Cookies..

 These little cuties is what I made this year for our neighbors. I even used some of those cute boxes that I had leftover from last year.

This cookie is made from Bisquick. Ordinarily, that wouldn't be the most frugal means of making a cookie, however, several times a year they will run specials on Bisquick and coupons at the same time...which makes it a frugal pantry-storage food. :-)

(And now that it's after Christmas, Kisses are on sale everywhere for half-off, and coupons have been running on them too!)

Recipe:

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
2 c. Bisquick
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix milk and peanut butter. Add Bisquick and vanilla. Mix and roll into 1 inch balls. Roll or shake balls in granulated sugar.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 6-8 minutes. Place kisses on top as soon as they come out of the oven.

 *This is not an original recipe..you can type it in and pull up numerous sites.

Strawberry-Banana Bagels...

A simple, but yummy snack!

(Can there be too many snack ideas for kids?)

All you need:

Whole grain bagels, homemade or store-bought, strawberry cream cheese (HM or SB), and sliced bananas.

3 food groups in one snack (or breakfast)!

You could also use English Muffins, and mix and match various spreads and fruits.

Menu Plan Monday...

 Welcome to Menu Plan Monday!
Tips below about (Once a Month) Shopping!

Saturday:
- Hamburger Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, dark chocolate kisses (Christmas markdown!)
- Turkey, dressing (on sale items this time of year;), cranberry sauce, green beans, pumpkin pie, rolls
Snacks: hot chocolate milk (yes! heated milk with chocolate), bananas, sliced oranges

Sunday:
- leftover turkey with gravy, brown rice, green beans w.onions, cranberry salad, pumpkin pie, rolls
- Turkey and rice with gravy, lima beans, cranberry salad, rolls, jelly
Snacks: sliced oranges, homemade pickles, carrots and dip

Monday:
-Corn-n-ham Chowder, Refrigerator Spelt Rolls, leftover pumpkin pie
-Oven-fried Chicken Thighs, Salad, speckled butter beans, Blueberry Muffins
Snacks: sliced apples, bananas, candy canes (another markdown special!)

Tuesday:
- Ham and Onion Frittata, mapled baby carrots, spinach salad, candy canes
- Lemon Pepper Salmon, purple and white potatoes and onions, green salad, light chocolate cake with glaze
Snacks: Raspberry Creamy Shake, almonds, sliced oranges

Wednesday:
- Salmon Loaf, green peas, sliced cukes and tomatoes, Spelt Rolls, jelly
- Turkey patties, green salad, brussel sprouts in butter sauce, Blackberry Crisp
Snacks: yogurt, sliced apples and oranges, almonds

Thursday:
- Butternut Squash Soup, (Swirly)Wheat Rolls, sliced cukes, jelly
- Turkey meatloaf, seasoned brown rice, slaw, lemonade
Snacks: boiled eggs with mustard, raisins, sliced oranges

Friday:
- Polish Sausage in Cranberry Beans, slaw, cornbread, spinach, fruit salad
- leftovers, cream cheese bars
Snacks: carrots and dip, salsa and chips

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This is an exciting time of year if you want to store up as you're grocery shopping!
Pumpkin, hams, turkeys, candy, baking supplies, etc. are all on sale- time to stock the pantry!
Also, don't forget the fresh foods that run at good prices too. Those would be sweet potatoes, celery,
often cabbage, oranges, grapefruits, and cranberries which can be tossed right in the freezer to store.
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If you do once-a-month-shopping, be sure to keep track of the fresh foods that you've bought.
Use the most perishable in the earlier weeks of your shopping cycle (grapes, cherries, lettuce, spinach, etc), saving the longer lasting foods until the later part of the cycle, such as carrots, potatoes, apples, etc and your frozen fruits and veggies.

Did you eat the 'good luck' food for New Year's?

Black-eyed peas w/ leftover ham/bone over buttermilk cornbread and greens topped with fermented purple cabbage. (Its from the batch I made during the summer. Amazingly fresh!)

..I don't really believe in 'luck' but I do like traditions.

This is one for New Year's here in the South.

Yummy!

Happy B-day to DD!!!

What else would one girl among many brothers want?

--- pink cake, pink icing, and homemade pink ice cream :-)

All strawberry flavored!

Baklava Bites

Baklava is ONE of my favorite treats!

This recipe is from the site for Athens Phyllo Dough. I'm a huge fan of Baklava and this was a fairly frugal way to make them for Christmas...catching these mini cups on sale after Thanksgiving!


BAKLAVA BITES
Ingredients
1 ½ cups walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
30 Mini Fillo Shells

Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice


In a food processor, add walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves and pulse to combine. Spoon 1 tablespoon of nut mixture into each shell filling 30 mini shells. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the water, sugar honey and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Cool slightly and pour a teaspoon of warm syrup over each shell.

Refrigerate filled shells for 4 to 5 hours, then thaw shells for 15 minutes before serving.

* Desserts can be frozen and then thawed for future use.

Yield: 30 desserts

MENU PLAN MONDAY...

Welcome to Menu Plan Monday 2011!!!

SATURDAY:
-Black-eyed peas with ham, turnip greens, buttermilk cornbread, leftover chicken and dumplings
-Coconut-pecan pancakes from the freezer
snacks: chocolate pudding, homemade wheat crackers

SUNDAY:
-Simple spaghetti; pink b-day cake with homemade strawberry(pink) ice cream
-leftover black-eyed peas-n-ham, greens, buttermilk cornbread, cake
snacks: homemade crackers and cream cheese, carrot sticks, almonds, leftover b-day ice cream

MONDAY:
-beef-n-leeks, leftover peas, sweet potatoes, leftover ice cream
-Creamy chicken spaghetti, asparagus, peas and carrots, fudge
snacks:buttered popcorn, dried pears, homemade pickles

TUESDAY:
-creamed veggie soup, French Bread, Chocolate-Carob Custard
-Creamy Chicken Enchiladas, corn salsa, apple crisp
snacks: creamy strawberry shakes, homemade wheat-n-onion crackers with cream cheese

WEDNESDAY:
-Pizza Bread from leftover French Bread, Applesauce Pudding
-cheeseburgers with all the fixin's, yogurt
snacks: dried pineapple, carrots and dip, Butterscotch cookies

THURSDAY:
-Sammy's, green salad, pudding
-Oven-fried Chicken legs, potato wedges, green salad, sour gummy worms
snacks: peanut cracker candy, boiled eggs and mustard

FRIDAY:
-Frittata, green salad, apple-cherry crisp
-Italian baked chicken, layered salad, mapled carrots, leftover fruit crisp
snacks: poppy seed muffins, raisins, nuts