Menu Plan Monday

Are you still feeling full? I know I am. And there's still pie to be eaten! Argh!

I made a batch of turkey salad today which we'll have for lunch this week in sandwiches. I put 2 1/2 c. of chopped turkey in the freezer for a later use and tonight we're having turkey nachos for dinner. That's it for the turkey unless you count the extra bird that's in my freezer. I bought two because they were on sale for such a good price. It will probably be January when I cook it as I've already promised the girls that we'll do ham for Christmas dinner.

This week I just made a list of main dishes that I had the ingredients on hand for. I haven't assigned them a day yet as I think I'll just wing it and make what sounds good. Friday night the girls will be having frozen pizza as Lawman and I will be attending my office's holidy open house. We host it each year for our clients but we benefit because the food is fabulous! It's catered by the Cox Brothers.

Turkey Nachos (recipe here, scroll to bottom)

Chicken & Broccoli Lo Mein

Tuna Patties with Fries

Taco Salad

Country Breakfast Pie or Quiche

Red Beans & Rice with Sausage (Zatarain's mix w/smoked sausage added)

For more menu ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday at http://www.orgjunkie.com/.

Love Lessons

I know I've talked about the spirit of Thanksgiving this month more than once but yet again, I have something to be thankful for. My parents. They are celebrating 63 years of marriage today. That's a long time by anyone's standards.

I've been around for 43 of those years and I've learned a thing or two about love & marriage from them along the way. I've probably learned more in the last year than the other 42.

Mom & Dad are both in their 80's now and not well in health. They've experienced a lot of changes this year, the biggest being that Dad lives in a nursing home and Mom is still at home. Mom still drives so each day she takes herself to Dad's place. I know she's the bright spot in his day.

Mom still wants to look her best for her man -- she wears her nice clothes out to visit him, puts on lipstick and perfume. Dad may not notice but others do because they tell him how nice his wife looks. I'm sure that makes him smile.

I've seen more love between those two this year. As a kid, I don't remember seeing a lot of affection between them. We've never been a touchy, feely kind of family. Now I see them holding hands and looking lovingly at each other. I've even seen a kiss or two and maybe even a tear.

I sometimes wonder why that is. I know they've always loved each other but why now are they more affectionate? Is it because they aren't together 24/7? Is it because now that they aren't always busy they have time to dote on each other? Did they take each other for granted for many years and now they realize just how precious the other one is? Let's face it, all couples take each other for granted to some extent. I know I'm guilty of it.

I've tried to focus on that in my own marriage. The not taking each other for granted. I know I still do sometimes but I've tried to be more aware of and acknowledge Lawman's efforts and actions. Simple things. Like saying thank you when he unloads the dishwasher or takes out the trash. Or telling him how nice the lawn looks after it's just been mowed. Or being appreciative of the extra time he spends washing my car on the weekend.

Mom & Dad have set the bar high at 63 years and counting. I pray that Lawman and I are able to share that many happy years together. Thanks for the lessons in love.

Menu Plan Monday

We all know what this week brings....lots of turkey and the fixing's, which leads to over-eating. Ha! Oh but it will be so good. Mmmm.

Considering that I'll be doing lots of cooking for Thursday, I'm keeping it simple early in the week.

Yesterday I made my (from scratch) dinner rolls for Thursday and put them in the freezer. I'll just heat them up in the oven and they'll taste like fresh baked. I'll be baking my pies on Tuesday night and doing the side dishes on Wednesday night. My plan is to do much of the cooking/preparation ahead of time so I can enjoy Thursday with my family rather than slaving away all morning.

It will be just the four of us on Thursday which I don't mind. A tradition of ours is going to a late afternoon movie. We've done this for about 10 years now and the girls really look forward to it. (I do too!) We'll be spending Friday with my folks.

Here's what's cookin' this week.

Sunday - Homemade Pizza, Salad

Monday - Salsa Chicken (recipe from the back of the Pace Salsa jar, made in crockpot) with Rice, Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday - Sausage Gravy & Biscuits

Wednesday - Grilled Cheese, Campbell's Soup (Bean & Bacon)

Thursday - Turkey, Dressing, Mashed Potatoes, Creamed Corn, 7-Layer Salad, Dinner Rolls, Pumpkin Pie, Coconut Macaroon Pie

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Turkey Nachos (recipe follows)

This is a favorite recipe of ours to use up the leftover holiday bird.

Turkey Nachos

• 3 T lime juice
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 c. leftover turkey, chopped
• 1-10oz. bag large-size white, yellow or blue tortilla chips
• 1-16 oz. can refried beans
• 2 c. shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese
• 1-16 oz. jar salsa
• Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• Sour cream, guacamole & cilantro to garnish (optional)

Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, cumin and garlic powder; toss with turkey in a small bowl and season with salt & pepper. Let sit for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator to marinate for extra flavor.

Heat oven to 425. Make a layer of tortilla chips to cover the bottom of a large 12 to 14 inch round or oval baking dish. Evenly spoon refried beans over chips. Top with turkey and sprinkle with 1 c. shredded cheese.

Make another layer of tortilla chips. Spoon half the salsa evenly over chips. Top with remaining cup of cheese.

Bake nachos until heated through and cheese melts and begins to bubble, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot with remaining salsa, sour cream, guacamoli and cilantro, if desired.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

For more menu ideas, please visit Organizing Junkie and Menu Plan Monday.

Lawman Cooks, Family Eats

I came home to a ready-made dinner tonight. By ready-made, I mean that it was ready to eat. And, it was homemade. Best part is that it wasn't made by me. Lawman was in charge of dinner tonight.

He made a variation of this recipe.

It was very good and definitely hit the spot. Served with a hunk of crusty french bread it was a perfect meal on a cold evening. Unfortunately I am not able to show you a picture; my card reader has disappeared.

Here's Lawman's recipe for Pasta Fagioli Soup in a crock pot.

1 lb. ground turkey
1 onion chopped
2 sm. carrots, chopped
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 oz.) can great northern beans, undrained
1 can beef stock + 1/2 can water
1 1/2 t. oregano
1 t. pepper
2 1/2 t. parsley
1/2 t. Tobasco sauce
1/2 jar spaghetti sauce
1 1/4 c. elbo macaroni
1 handful chopped spinach, frozen

Brown ground turkey. Add turkey and all other ingredients except pasta and spinach to crock pot. Cook on low for 7 hours. During the last 30-45 minutes, add pasta and spinach.

It was so nice to come home to dinner. So nice that I suggested Lawman might want to consider making dinner every Thursday.

Book of Lessons

"Miss Jeanette Bivens, one of the high school English teachers, was the Wave's faculty adviser. She was a quiet, precise woman who had been at Welch High School so long that she had also been Dad's English teacher. She was the first person in his life, he once told me, who'd showed any faith in him. She thought he was a talented writer and encouraged him to submit a twenty-four-line poem called "Summer Storm" to a statewide poetry competition. When it won first prize, one of Dad's other teachers wondered aloud if the son of two lowlife alcoholics like Ted and Erma Walls could have written it himself. Dad was so insulted that he walked out of school. It was Miss Bivens who convinced him to return and earn his diploma, telling him he had what it took to be somebody. Dad had named me after her; Mom suggested adding the second N to make it more elegant and French."

The above is a quote from the memoir of Jeannette Walls called The Glass Castle. It's a story filled with pain, poverty, and despair. It's also one of survival and overcoming difficulties. I'd venture to say she (Jeannette) would tell you Miss Blivens was a very positive influence in her life as well.

I found her story to be amazing. One that I couldn't put down. As I read this book, what I saw was the shortcomings of her parents. So talented and smart yet totally unable to be a responsible adult and parent. It was easy for me to see that because I've had a pretty easy life. I had a warm place to sleep, clothes to wear and food to eat. My hardships look like a day at the beach compared to what this family endured.

Last night, I heard Jeannette speak. She was wonderful. She was wise. She was funny. She was a teacher and a story-teller.

I was struck by a comment she made. I'll paraphrase.....every difficult situation has a gift wrapped inside if we will only allow ourselves to receive it.

Think about that. I can speak from experience and say that every difficult situation has taught me something. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, right?

She has come to terms with her past. She does not hold a grudge against her parents about what they did or didn't do during her childhood. She has learned how to find positives among all the negatives (a trait she might possibly get from her very optimistic mother).

(left to right: B2, B3, Jeannette Walls, me -- She's tall!)

[left to right: The Bookclub -- (Honorary Members B2, B3), Rechelle, Jeannette Walls, Kim, Dina, Jenny, me]

Photos courtesy of Rechelle

Daily Thanksgiving

Last week I shared that I am going to make an effort to change my attitude and find something in every day that I can and should be thankful about. (If you missed this the first time and you're interested, you can read it here.)

I was asked if I would be sharing what I am thankful for each day. Sure I will. You all can hold me accountable.

Here's my list to date.

Friday - Laughter. We attended a 40th bday party for a friend. There was much laughing.

Saturday - The moon. On our way home from the movies one of our girls mentioned how big, bright and close the moon was. If you haven't looked at it in a while, check it out tonight.

Sunday - Sunny autumn weather and the aroma of bread baking in the oven. The early part of today was beautiful and I took advantage of it to get the last of our outdoor winterizing done. When I was done outside and the sun disappeared, I made 2 loaves of cinnamon bread. Can you say YUMMY?

Menu Plan Monday

I did my grocery shopping this weekend and started purchasing the basics for the Thanksgiving Day feast. Too man years I've waited until the week of Thanksgiving to do my shopping for the big day and the lines/crowd have made it unbearable. No more. I learned my lesson.

We have a couple of extra activities on the calendar this week so I'm keeping it pretty simple. Trying one new soup recipe this week that is crock-pot friendly.

Here's what we've got on the menu --

Sunday - Grilled Cheese, Chicken Noodle Soup

Monday - Baked Ziti, Salad, Bread

Tuesday - dinner at ZenZero before we go listen to Jeannette Walls speak at KU

Wednesday - Enchiladas, Seasoned Rice, Tortilla Chips w/Guacamole (oldest daughter is having company)

Thursday - Pasta Fagioli Soup (Olive Garden style)

Friday - Homemade Pizza

Saturday - to be determined

Visit Organizing Junkie to see what others have on their menu.

Changing My Attitude

As the Thanksgiving holiday is fast approaching, I've been giving much thought to what I am thankful for.

When I take the time to actually think about this, my list is long. However, I find that as I go through my day, I don't always have an attitude of thankfulness.

I get frustrated. With things that don't even matter.

no parking place

waiting in line

crazy drivers

not getting a return phone call

children not doing what they are asked (the first time)

not as much fun money left in the budget as I would like

etc.

In reviewing that brief list above, it's pretty obvious that in the grand scheme of things, none of the items on my list matter. At all.

So, if they don't matter, why do I expend the effort to be frustrated by them?

I've challenged myself to make a conscious effort to have an attitude of thankfulness for the remainder of the month and to thank my Maker for the bounty He provides. I always remember to thank Him for the BIG things but there are many little things I fail to give thanks for and maybe that's because I take them for granted.

Starting today, I'm going to find something to be thankful for each and every day. They may be big, they may be small, but either way I am going to give thanks.

It has been said that it takes 21 days to create a new habit. I'm already behind for the month but I'm willing to start now and maybe, just maybe by early December my new attitude will be habit. Will you join me? Or at least hold me accountable.

The Economics of Pizza

It was one of those days. You know the kind....long day at work, brain is fried by 5:00 and you arrive home with no energy yet everyone wants dinner. Not only that but it was a gray and wet day which does not afford oneself to large energy reserves.

My drive home was filled with contemplation. Do I go home and make dinner or order out? It turns out that what I had on today's menu wouldn't work because I didn't have all the ingredients and I did not want a last-minutetrip to the grocery store. What could I make?

I remembered that I had a box of Jiffy Pizza Crust Mix in the pantry and I knew I had some pepperoni in the freezer. Maybe I could make pizza rather than order out...

Yep.

I arrived at home and immediately donned my apron. Time to mix pizza crust - 2 minutes; Pull other ingredients from pantry, fridge & freezer and let dough set - 5 minutes; pre-bake crust - 4 minutes; add toppings & bake - 20 minutes. In just over 30 minutes I had a fresh baked from the oven pizza for my family. Same amount of time I would have waited for the delivery guy to show up at my front door.

My pizza saved me some cash -- pizza cost $3.10 to make; theirs would have been at least $20 plus tip. For less than $6.00 I had pizza, sides (veggies, sliced peaches) and dessert (chocolate pudding).

Oh yeah. I win. Shake your booty. Shake your apron. (Say it like a cheer!)

And the girls were thrilled to have pizza.

A Girls Day Out

I share my birthday with The Country Doctor's Wife, a.k.a. Rechelle. It was just another day for me but Rechelle finally joined us this year in the "40 and up Club."

Rechelle had an olive lodged in her throat. I just gave her a good whack between the shoulder blades.

Rechelle and I are lucky to have friends like Kim and Jenny. They treated us to a girls day.

They took us to the town of McPherson where we did what girls do best.

Shop...talk...eat...shop...talk...you get the idea.

Our friend, Katie showed up too. Katie and her family moved to another town about 3 years ago so we don't get to see her nearly as often as we would like but McPherson was an easy place for her to meet us. What a special treat!


We made our way up and down the street to check out the local shops.

We stopped at The Cake Lady. Check out http://www.oldmuffinfactory.com/. Wonderful, locally made baking mixes.

Blood sugar levels started hitting rock bottom so we knew it was time to find some lunch. There was a local cafe that served Mediterranean fare. Talk about a good sandwich -- the Greco -- turkey, hummus, sun dried tomatoes, cucumbers and spinach or field greens. Mmm.


We sat down for lunch about 1:00. Shortly after, the lunch line crew joined us in this back room with their sandwiches. They were all young, twenty-somethings (if that) and I'm sure we sounded like a bunch of old hens to them. They may have referred to us as the gossipy future blue-hairs. I hope we didn't sound as bad to them as I think we did.

We took in a few more stops and then decided we better have an afternoon drink. Chai tea for me please.

This little coffee shop was a great place to sit and talk awhile. Our topics of discussion covered the gammet. Not sure they were all appropriate. The lady sitting behind our group heard every word we said. I'm sure of it because when someone mentioned they were going to go find the restroom, she immediately turned around and offered directions. I bet she wanted to weigh in on our conversation at some point during the afternoon.

Must be time to head home. Rechelle overloaded on the caffine. Can't you tell that it's killing her to stay on that couch. Jenny on the other hand looks quite comfy. Just close your eyes, dear.

It was a good day. Any day is a good day when you get to spend it with friends. Thanks girls!

Another Perspective

I spent Saturday with my girlfriends. You can see it from one of their perspectives here.

I'll be posting about it too but I'm not as efficient as the CDW.

Menu Plan Monday

We are busy with extra activities by mid-week this week -- dr. appt., reception to attend for work and a 40th bday party for a friend on Friday. I'm keeping the end of the week easy and/or open-ended; I'll play it by ear depending upon how crunched we are for time.

Sunday - ChiliMac (leftover chili served on elbo macaroni w/shredded cheese & sour cream), corn muffins (from freezer)

Monday - Orange Chicken Rice Bowls, Eggrolls

Tuesday - Baked Ziti, Salad

Wednesday - Corn & Potato Chowder, Cheesy Beer Bread

Thursday - grilled cheese for girls; Lawman and I will eat at the reception

Friday - 40th Birthday Party for The Country Doctor's Wife - there will be lots of party food so we may just make a meal of it there

For more menu ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie.

It was my birthday and I can ask for it if I want...

Update - I had a request to show my birthday apron. Scroll to the bottom and you'll find it.

Several weeks ago, Lawman asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I had one thing on my list.

An apron.

Ok, pick yourself up off the floor. Are you done laughing yet? Lawman got a good laugh out of it too. So did my girls. An apron?

Was June Cleaver the first thing you thought of? Be honest.

I know that several decades ago aprons were part of the daily wardrobe for many housewives. Somewhere during the sexual revolution they were discarded. As were many other things. But, I do think they (aprons) are making a comeback although it may be more for the sake of a fun kitchen accessory than a functional item. My mom and grandma used to wear an apron.

During the late 60's my mom could be seen busy in the kitchen with an apron around her middle. She'd use it to dry her hands, wipe off the counter, etc. Granted, she spent an awful lot of time in the kitchen in those days. More than I do. She had hired men to feed at lunch. Her meals didn't consist of sandwiches either. It was a full blown meal -- meatloaf, pork chops or chopped steak with all the fixin's. Did I mention that she also made homemade bread and desserts? For lunch. Then she'd do a repeat for dinner. It's a wonder the gal ever had time to sit or sleep. Maybe she didn't. I don't know. I was a kid; I didn't pay attention to that sort of thing.

During the 70's and early 80's she wore what is called a cobbler's apron. It was a sleeveless top that snapped up the front. During these years she was working outside of the home but would don the apron to prepare lunch so she didn't get her work clothes dirty. Cooking was much easier too as it was just 3 of us; no more hired men. I don't recall her wearing aprons once I left home. I guess she didn't cook much at this point as it was just her and Dad.

Back to my apron.

I wanted it because I thought it would be fun. Yes, fun. Laugh if you want but I enjoy being in the kitchen. Puttering around, mixing, stirring, chopping, etc. is therapeutic for me. I like to cook. And more than cooking, I like eating. So does my family. They may laugh because I spend so much time in the kitchen but they sure do benefit from it.

(Look at these fun aprons.)

I guess I thought having an apron would inspire me to be productive. Sound crazy? I think it's something like getting up in the morning and getting dressed. Putting on the right attire so to speak.

I haven't had an opportunity to don my apron since I got it but I hope to be wearing it/using it on Sunday.

No, I won't be wearing pearls and heels like June either. Maybe just the apron. Ha.

What You Should Have Seen Yesterday

Yesterday I mentioned that the camera and the memory card had disappeared. Well, they've been found. I do thank you for using your imaginations though as you read this post. Let's see how close you were, shall we?


So, here is what you should have seen yesterday.


The girl's bling...






...that goes with the new wheels...





...and my birthday pie.

And just for kicks, here's my birthday pie recipe. Does it not look scrumptious? I swear it's about the easiest pie you can ever make. Trust me.

Coconut Macaroon Pie

• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. margarine, softened
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 c. milk
• 1 1/2 c. coconut, divided

Beat all ingredients but 1/2 c. coconut (keep aside for the topping). Pour into unbaked pie shell and top with remaining 1/2 c. coconut. Bake slowly at 325 for about 1 hour or until set and lightly toasted on top. Note: The pie crust will be very full. I place a cookie sheet in my oven as it is preheating. Once the oven is ready, I place the pie crust on the cookie sheet, pull out the oven rack and pour the filling into the pie crust. Carefully put the oven rack back in place and bake. I always have a little spill but let the cookie sheet soak and clean up is easy.

Bling and Wheels, Exercising My Right and a Birthday

I've got lots to share today. Can you tell by the title? Nothing that's related but newsworthy. Guess the newsworthy part depends on who you are; not everyone would think so.

B3 got some bling this weekend. (This is her new keychain -- it's her initial with lots of crystals/rhinestones. My intention was to show you a photo of it but someone has borrowed my camera's memory card and now they can't find the camera. Use your imagination.)

Wheels too. (Again, this was to be a picture of her car. Not a new one but used. Again, imagination required.)

Yep. The girl has transportation.

It was a complete surprise to her. Her dad told her he was "going down the road" with one of his buddies and when he returned, he was driving her vehicle. Oh the smile on that girl's face. Lasted for days. I would imagine her cheeks are quite sore because of it.

She drove herself to school today. Lawman gave her instructions to "park in the boonies." I also recall a couple of last minute instructions this morning from him. Something to the effect of, "Today's a big day. Don't screw it up."

She's driving on a restricted license which means she is legal to drive herself to/from work and to/from school. No more. That's the law in our State and our house. I would imagine the girl will abide by the rules considering that Lawman wears a uniform, packs heat and has sirens on his office, um, I mean patrol car. Not to mention the fact that every other patrol car in the area knows who Lawman's daughter is. Word of wrong doing travels fast in our neck of the woods.

Now, on to the 2nd item of today's title....Exercising my right. My right to vote and yes I did. This morning before work. I decided that if I was going to have to wait in line it would probably be shorter this morning than it would be at 5:30 this evening. I did have to wait. It took about 35 minutes to get to the voting booth. I would have never thought that possible in my little town. I'm not going to discuss my choices but I will say that regardless of who is our next President, history is in the making today and I was part of it.

Another thing that surprised me about our election was that the world is watching. Yes, the world. We had an exchange student from Germany living with us 2 years ago. Yesterday I received an email from her father which mentioned how they are "anxious to see the results of our election because it will effect them too." Guess I haven't thought outside the box. I've been watching our political and economic situation unfold from the American point of view. Makes me wonder if I shouldn't be paying more attention to the politics and economy of the world.

And last but not least, the birthday. It's mine. Today. And I get to share it with politicians. How lovely. It's not a big milestone, just another notch in the belt so to speak.

I was laying in bed this morning after my alarm went off, trying to force myself to get up. I heard a noise in the kitchen. It wasn't the cat because I could see him laying on the floor next to the bed. I asked Lawman if he heard it. Yes he did but he didn't move. I got out of bed to go see what it was and he said, "You better just get in the shower." What? There's an unusual noise in the house at 5:50 a.m. and you want me to get in the shower? Turns out that the noise was B2 making breakfast for me in the kitchen. She served me in bed. How sweet is that? Especially considering that she was up about 40 minutes earlier than usual. Bless her heart. B3 wanted nothing to do with it. B2 tried to wake her up and the noise errupting from the bedroom sounded like a cat fight!

Tonight I'll be having my birthday dessert. Coconut Macaroon Pie. My mother made it for me every year rather than a cake. Well, most years and if I did have a cake it was German Chocolate. I have a thing for coconut apparently. I'm gonna go get a slice right now.

Menu Plan Monday

Usually I am a creature of habit. This weekend I ventured from my norm. I spent Saturday with a girlfriend doing some shopping and then went to the KSU volleyball game on Saturday night with Lawman, B3 and several of her teammates. I enjoyed the entire day. What I don't enjoy is how off-track one day of fun can make me.

Knowing I would need to go get groceries today, I quickly planned my menu and threw together my shopping list. What I didn't do was check the cupboards for what I already had. I discovered that when I got home I had duplicate and in some cases triple items. I found this to be very frustrating as I spent a lot of money at the grocery store, some of which wasn't necessary. I know that in the long run it will all even out but it still irritates me that I just made unnecessary purchases. That's what happens when I get in a rush and don't do a thorough job of planning. And, because I was tired when I did the menu, there's no new recipes to be tried this week.

Here's our weekly menu.

Sunday - Pork Stir-fry with Rice and Eggrolls

Monday - Tuna Patties, Seasoned Microwaved Potatoes, Veggies

Tuesday - Spaghetti, Salad, Bread

Wednesday - Breakfast Casserole, Applesauce, Toast

Thursday - Chili (crockpot) w/crackers, Cinnamon Rolls

Friday - Mexican Pizza, Chips w/Queso

Saturday - To be determined.

For more Menu Plan Monday visit Laura at http://www.orgjunkie.com/