Lucky Me and a Book Review

I've been reading Mary's adventures in parenting at Owlhaven for about a year. A few weeks ago she was hosting a giveaway. A giveaway for one of her books. Yes, hers. It was my lucky day! I won.

There's always an abundance of activity in Mary's home with ten children ~ some are biological, some are adopted from Korea and Ethiopia. All are hers and all are loved. She has a big heart. (Not to mention the size of her garden.)

She has the same issues every mother does, just on a larger scale than the 'average' family. She's expected to have a meal on the table at a reasonable hour, her laundry can turn into a mountain if she doesn't keep on top of it and yes, she even has kids who don't want to go to bed or clean their room without a fuss.

In her book she shares insights into her family and how they manage. Organization, money, bed times, activities, schooling, friendships ~ these are issues that all mothers deal with. Mary shares tips, tricks and methods that she and her husband have found to work for them. I have a much smaller family than the Ostyn's yet much of what she shares applies to our family as well.

If we're honest, don't all mother's have the same desires for their children? We want what is best for our children no matter where we live, no matter what our socio-economic status, no matter the language we speak. To be loved, healthy, confident, well educated and successful are things every mother wants for her children. So whether you have a family of 1, 2, 6, or more, I'm sure you can relate to what Mary says and find a common thread.

There's more to come. She's recently written a cookbook to be published in the coming months.

(Update: Mary's got a giveaway up today for another copy of her book. Get yourself over there now and sign up! You can thank me later if you win.)

Menu Plan Monday

We did a great job last week of sticking to our menu plan. I feel so good when that happens. No trips to the drive-thru. No 5:00 panic because I didn't know what I was doing for dinner. That right there is the whole reason why I do menu planning.


However, my creative juices aren't flowing tonight. Lawman will be gone for 2 evening meals this week which means I can manage w/out a plan. When it's just the girls and me, I can make do with grilled cheese, pancakes or something else that doesn't require any planning ahead. Don't tell, but we've been known to eat a bowl of cereal for dinner when he's gone.


Here's what I do have planned, in no particular order.




Bagel Pizzas, Salad
(I made these tonight. One-third of them went into the freezer for a quick meal for the girls. They are so good; much better than the boxed ones from the grocery freezer.)

Thai Style Ground Beef with rice


Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower, Spinach Salad


Chicken Pepper Steak with rice




We had nasty weather on Saturday so I spent part of the day in the kitchen. I had a batch of white chili and a cookie jar full of homemade peanut butter cookies to show for my effort. I also had one very happy girl. I even managed to get extra points because I left a bit more dough in the bowl than usual. For her, life is good.


For more menu ideas, visit Organizing Junkie.

DIY: Fish Tacos

One of my favorite meals at a favorite joint is fish tacos. And, since we don't eat out very often, I don't get to order it very often. Tonight I made my own.

Cilantro is my friend. In my opinion, it's like fresh garlic ~ makes a big difference. It's well worth it to use the fresh stuff for this sauce. Oh, and I had a sous chef tonight. Lawman strapped on an apron and went to work. He's great at breading fish.


Here's the players:

These little fishies are about to take a swim in some hot oil. Here fishie, fishie.


Here they are after that swim. Aren't they pretty? Mmmm.

And finally, wala ~ dinner is served.

Here's my recipe (adapted from Taste of Home).

Fish Tacos

3/4 c. sour cream

4oz. chopped green chilies

1 T fresh cilantro, chopped

1 T lime juice

1 lb. tilapia fillets

1/2 c. flour

2 egg whites, beaten

3/4 c. panko bread crumbs

4 T canola oil

1/2 tsp each ~ salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika

8-10 flour tortillas (fajita size)

Chopped lettuce

Place the sour cream, chilies, cilantro and lime juice in a food processor; cover and process until blended. Set aside. Cut each tilapia fillet lengthwise into two portions. Place the flour, egg white and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip tilapia in flour, then egg white, then crumbs. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook tilapia in oil in batches for 4-5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Combine the seasonings and sprinkle over fish. Place a portion of fish on each tortilla; top with about 2 T of sour cream mixture. Add lettuce and additional toppings of your choice. Makes 8-10 servings, 2 tacos each.

I intended to provide the cost of this and compare it with the cost of ordering it at my fave restaurant like I did here. But it's Friday, the list of ingredients is long, my little brain is tired after a week at the office, and the CDW has been waiting for this all week.

DIY: Taquitos

It's a rare occassion that you can find a frozen convenience food in my freezer other than pizza that the youngest girl likes. She loves Taquitos but she won't get them at home. She considers it a real treat when she gets them at a friend's house.

Recently I found Katie's site. The subject on that first day was Blogging the Recession. Ok, so I was intrigued and decided I'd check back later to see what recipes she was sharing. Last week she did sliders, which I love, and hers looked good. Earlier she did Mini Bagel Pizzas which I'm including on my menu here very soon. Again, that would be a favorite of the youngest. (Sounds like she has an addiction to frozen convenience foods, huh?)

Well, I decided if Katie could do it, I could too so I tried my luck with homemade taquitos last night. Huge hit. Can you say yummm? Note to self: double the recipe next time and freeze half.

DIY: Taquitos: adapted from this recipe

1 T. canola oil: $0.02

1/2 onion, finely chopped: $0.15

1 clove garlic, minced: $0.03

3/4 lb. shredded seasoned chicken: $1.50

1/2 c. salsa: $0.48

10 - 6" flour tortillas: $1.52

1/2 c. shredded Montery Jack cheese: $1.70

Sour cream & salsa for dipping: not included in pricing as these are optional

Total: $5.48 for 4 or $1.37 per person

(I didn't include the instructions here; go to the link above and use the step by step instructions provided.)

Since I haven't bought the frozen Taquitos in eons, I have no idea how it compares in price, however, I've got to think that even if it was a bit more expensive it's worth it because I know what went into them. Good logic, huh?

I know that the taquitos by themselves won't feed a family of four; it would easily take double. I served ours with veggies & dip, skillet corn and chips & salsa.

Menu Plan Monday ~ March 22 - 28

My week away from my blog 'responsiblities' was so nice. So nice that I may be tempted to do it again relatively soon.

We've been eating out of the pantry/freezer for the past 2 weeks which meant that I was out of everything by this weekend. That produced a very large bill at the check-out today. Not only did we buy groceries but we had many toiletry items on our list which always adds up in a hurry, even with coupons. Fortunately, I didn't pass out as I paid my bill and I'm glad to say that our fridge/freezer and pantry are fully-stocked and can easily see us through 2+ weeks. For me that is such a good feeling.

We've had beautiful spring weather recently which has turned my thoughts for menu planning to foods such as fresh asparagus and the need to fire up the bbq grill which we did both yesterday and today.

~WEEKLY MENU~

Bratwurst on the grill, baked beans, hashbrowns (tonight)

Spinach Pie (a quiche w/out the crust), Toast, Fruit

Taquitos (a variation of this recipe using shredded chicken meat instead of ground beef), chips & salsa, veggies & dip

Cuban Beans & Rice (crockpot)

Fish Tacos ~ a new recipe I saw on a recent Taste of Home email

Lemon Linguine with Shrimp, sauteed green beans, garlic bread

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

A Sense of Accomplishment

Today's weather has been gorgeous. Lots of sunshine and warmth. Just what I've been needing.

The nice weather motivated Lawman and I to take care of a job that needed to be done. One that we'd been putting off. Cleaning the garage.

When we moved into this house 7 years ago, Lawman was in Germany which meant I was the one that did the moving. I didn't spend much time on the garage.

Today we took everything out, threw away the trash and junk and put it back in an organized fashion. What a difference! Everything has a home.

We also hosed it down. Eliminated all the winter grit. The sand and dirt that came in on our vehicles is no more.

Getting that big job done gave us motivation to do more. All of the vehicles got a wash job and a good cleaning out.

So now the clean garage houses clean cars. I am so tired but it was well worth it. What an accomplishment.

Does the change in seasons motivate you?

Hiatus

I'm still here, I've just been on hiatus this week. Honestly, it's been nice. I haven't felt pressured to post. Not sure why I ever feel pressured to post because I do this for fun. Guess it's just self-induced, huh?

There's been lots of family time this week. The girls have enjoyed sleeping late, plenty of time with friends, sleepovers and watching movies. Not having evening activities or homework has been a tremendous relief.

Spring ~ In the Air

Today is the first official day of spring break for the girls. They've been looking forward to this for weeks. And, they kicked it off in their normal fashion ~ a movie and sleepover, just the 2 of them.

I don't get a full week for spring break but I did take today and Monday off work. Lawman is working today ~ not patrolling but completing a defensive tactics instruction class. Believe me, we'll both be glad when it's over. He's tired of being sore and I'm tired of being the practice dummy. The guy comes home and practices his new moves everyday.

I've been a busy bee this morning. By the way, this is my favorite way to spend my day. It's amazing how much I can get done when I'm the only one awake. I've got laundry going, cleaned the top of the refrigerator, mixed up 'green windex' (vinegar and water) and used it on everything in my kitchen, unloaded and loaded the dishwasher and washed all my little chotskies. Madison is going to help me clean out her closet today and I'd like to get through the basement coat closet as well.

Tomorrow we'll be loading up and heading to the city for a little weekend getaway. We're planning to go to a couple of museums (here and here) and a bit of shopping. I know I'm really looking forward to a change of pace and scenery. The girls are looking forward to some time in a heated pool.

So, if I'm MIA next week, it's because I'm allowing myself a week off from the blog as well. Maybe if I give myself permission to not post 3-4 times next week I won't suffer from the guilt I feel when I don't get that done.

Happy Spring!

Breakfast ~ a good way to end your day

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals. A big breakfast. Like most families, we don't have time for this on a typical weekday morning. Instead, I make breakfast for dinner 2 or 3 times a month.

Tonight I made a Ginger Peach Sauce to go with our pancakes. Quite tasty. Easy peasey too.

Ginger Peach Sauce
1-1lb. pkg of frozen peaches (no sugar added)
1/2 c. sugar (I used organic)
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a 4c. glass measuring cup. Cover with wax paper and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Gently stir. Microwave for another 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and the peaches are cooked.

Cool slightly. Transfer about half of the mixture to a blender and puree it. Stir the puree back into the container. You can refrigerate it to allow the flavors to blend and then heat it when you're ready to eat or eat it right away. That's what we did.

I've got a little leftover so I think I'll try it in my oatmeal tommorow morning.

Does your family ever eat breakfast for dinner? What's your favorite breakfast dish?

Dressing for Prom

2 daughters = 5 proms, minimum considering Alison is going as a Sophomore

Dress worn one time in the color of Alison's choice = $50

Add in alterations, dry cleaning, shoes and accessories and I'm still below the $190 price tag on the new dress we liked.

Using co-worker's daughter as a resource? Priceless.

Menu Plan Monday | March 8-14

Last week was anything but smooth. We had something extra every night but Thursday. And, as you might expect, my menu didn't go as planned. The good news is that we ate at home and did not venture to the drive-thru.

Each week I like to do a bit of baking so that we have breakfast foods and snacks/treats available throughout the week. Last weekend I made a pan of toll house bar cookies and a loaf of lemon bread. Neither one lasted very long. That seems to be the case with all baked goods around here.

This weekend I made Floresville Coffee Cake and Oatmeal Caramel Bars. The coffee cake recipe made 2 cakes. My plan was to leave one out for this morning's breakfast and I would pull the 2nd one out later in the week. Not gonna happen. The first one is gone and the 2nd one is out for tomorrow morning's breakfast. I know the bar cookies won't last through the week.

Here's what I have on the menu this week, in no particular order.

Grilled Steak, Baked Potato & Green Beans (had this tonight)

Baked Tilapia with Lots of Spice, potato wedges, steamed veggies

Spaghetti with Sauce (adding ground turkey & spinach to the sauce), garlic bread

Burrito Bowls (using seasoned black beans from the freezer)

Breakfast Meal of some sort; either a multi-grain pancake with fruit or a potato and egg casserole

Chicken Cacciatore (crockpot)

For more menu ideas, please stop by Menu Plan Monday hosted by Organizing Junkie.

Between Sisters

As we were leaving this morning for work & school, here's what I heard the youngest say to her big sister.

"I love you. My life would suck without you."

How's that for some sister love?

Love / Hate

I've found myself struggling with a couple of love/hate relationships today.

I love my lunch hour.

I hate spending my lunch hour running errands -- dropping off shoes for repair, going to the bank, paying a bill, picking up a book I requested, picking up a prescription.

I hate eating in a hurry at my desk with 5 minutes left in my lunch hour.

I love hearing my child play her instrument.

I hate sitting through a junior high band & choir concert for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

I love going to get ice cream after the concert.

I hate getting home late and feeling like I've lost my entire evening.

I hate helping with homework at 9pm.

I love the feeling of knowing it's ok to get in bed with my book because it's too late to start anything.

Good night.

Menu Plan Monday | March 1 - 7

Even the best laid plans have to be flexible in order for them to work. That was the case with last week's menu.

I couldn't find my recipe for chicken spaghetti on Monday so I went with another recipe by the same name but with less than stellar results. It was edible though and was eaten but didn't get the same oooh's and aaah's that I had anticipated. Tuesday's shrimp stir-fry was good but didn't have quite as much flavor as I was hoping for. Apparently I had misread a bag of frozen potatoes as I made plans for Wednesday's Eggs for Dinner Casserole; I had a bag of frozen french fries, not hashbrowns. Thursday's Philly Chicken sandwiches went off without a hitch and Friday's Bubble Pizza turned into pancakes as we needed to get out of the house pretty quick to make it to a ballgame.

So I'll give it another whirl and see if this week can turn out better. Here's what we'll be eating, in no particlar order. I don't usually plan the sides but I always have salad, fruit, steamed veggies and bread available to fill in/round out the meal.

Bubble Pizza

Impossible Tuna Pie (I'll be improvising this recipe)

Beans and Rice Con Queso

Pasta with Vegetables and Cheese

Chicken Pepper Steak with Rice

There was a bit of baking in our kitchen this weekend. Although it never seems to last very long. A 15 x 10 pan of toll house bar cookies baked yesterday is more than half gone. Alison loves lemon so I baked a Lemon Loaf today (new recipe). I think it will be good as a breakfast bread or a dessert. I bet it doesn't last longer than two days. The recipe came from this book. I checked it out after reading that it was one of Jill's favorites.

Hope you all have a great week. For hundreds of menu ideas, visit Organizing Junkie every Monday.

My Heart is Full

Weekends. I love them. This one has been good.

Madison went to Winter Jam Fest yesterday with our youth group. A very affordable and positive experience for her. $20 paid for transportation, dinner and a ticket to great music, including Toby Mac and Barlow Girl. At 10pm I sent her a text and asked how the concert was. Her response? "It was amazing!" That brought a smile to my face and reaffirmed that we had made the right choice in sending her. Even at 1am when I picked her up she had a big smile on her face as she told me about her evening. Then as we pulled into the garage the days activities caught up with her and she said, "I'm tired." I went to bed with a full heart knowing that our little girl had had a wonderful experience centered around the things of God.

This morning Alison woke to find a text from a male friend waiting for her on her phone. It was a positive message, yet one that causes turmoil in a young girl. To those of us that have left those days behind it may seem trivial, but if we remember back to our youthful days we probably would have had the same reaction. Without sharing details, let me just say that she was quite troubled this morning as we were readying ourselves for church. During the sermon, I noticed that she was writing in her journal. Her prayer journal. I didn't want to invade her privacy, yet I wondered just what she was doing. I read just enough to know that she was having a chat with the good Lord. Again, my heart was full. It pleases me to know that she takes her troubles to the Lord in prayer.

My heart is full.