March 22-25, 2017

Hello!!  We are back from our travels, so here's our menu from half of last week.


Wednesday:  Breakfast for Dinner - Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, & Toast

When you've been out of town for 5 days, there's not much in your fridge when you return.  Thankfully, we have the chickens.  So, breakfast for dinner made for a simple meal for all 5 of us to enjoy around the table together.  We even brought the kids their own little jars of jelly from the hotel, so they were pretty excited about using it on their toast.  :-)


Thursday:  Grilled Chicken with Roasted Veggies

A delicious meal of grilled chicken and roasted veggies is perfect after eating out for so many days!


Friday:  Pizza & Movie Night

A family MUST!


Saturday:  Turkey Parmesan Meatballs with Spinach Salad

Meatballs are a pretty quick thing to whip up when you want a healthy meal.  For these, I used lean, ground turkey, an egg, seasonings, oatmeal, and parmesan cheese.  I baked them at 400 for about 30 minutes.  Then I topped them with a small slice of monterrey jack cheese and broiled them for just a minute or two.  I actually meant to thaw some marinara to pour over them, but I completely forgot!!  It was still delicious!

Just a Little Break...

Hi there!

Because of our schedule over the next few weeks, I'll be taking a little time off from posting our menus.  There should be a new post on March 26th...or a date around that!  ;-)

Happy March!

February 26 - March 4, 2017

Sunday:  Chicken, Cheese & Spinach Omelettes

  We had some grilled chicken left over from the night before, so Chad made us some wonderful omelettes after church!

Monday:  Hot Dogs, Brussels Sprouts & Pineapple

 I'm really loving Brussels sprouts right now, so I roasted some with a little zucchini to add to our hot dog dinner.  Since I was feeling kind, I only gave the kids zucchini and left the Brussels sprouts for Chad and me.  And, I actually felt really hungry while I was preparing dinner, so I ate my hot dog bun (I did buy whole wheat for us on this night) with a little dipping sauce of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and pepper while I cooked.  :-)  Our hot dogs were scrumptious and nitrate free.  

Tuesday:  Breakfast for Dinner - Crepes with Strawberries & Cream, Scrambled Eggs, & Bacon

  No picture...I'm pretty bummed because it looked gorgeous!  And, before you start thinking I'm amazing, the crepes were store-bought.  ;-)  I just added in fresh strawberries and whipped cream.


Wednesday:  Chicken Nuggets with Fruit & Veggies

  Chad was gone, and I had exchanged Callen for my niece, Mabel, for a few days.  I made kid food for their dinner, and a salad for myself.

Thursday:  BBQ Sausage, Roasted Broccoli, & Sweet Potatoes

Turkey sausage with a little BBQ sauce & roasted veggies make for a simple, healthy, kid-friendly dinner.  All 3 kids cleaned their plates!

Friday:  Pizza & Movie Night

  It was our usual Friday night pizza and movie night, but I wanted to make my portion of our Costco pizza a bit healthier, so I added spinach and tomatoes and drizzled that with a little olive oil before baking.  I also take off about half of the pepperoni they add on because it seems a tad excessive.  The kids had their pizza with fresh fruit.

Saturday:  Sheet Pan Steak & Veggies

  Since Chad was home after being gone for several days, I wanted us to have a delicious meal that felt fancy without all the fancy work on my part.  ;-)  This recipe from DamnDelicious for Sheet Pan Steak & Veggies seemed like a good one to give a shot!  I actually really love her recipes, even though her blog name is a little crass.  I also truly love a meal where clean up takes less time than actually eating the meal.  :-)  And, it was quite delicious!  I still prefer my steaks grilled, but this is a fun change.

February 19-25, 2017

Sunday:  Hamburgers, Fries & Fresh Fruit & Veggies

  We had some friends over for dinner, so Chad grilled up some tasty burgers!


Monday:  Leftovers


Tuesday:  Taco Tuesday!

My Plate:

 Chad's plate:

  I made taco meat with ground turkey and had some fresh, whole wheat tortillas from Kroger on hand for a quick dinner before small group at 6:30.  I love how different my plate often looks from Chad's.  :-)


Wednesday:  Fish & Salad

  Wednesdays are busy afternoons for us this month, so I needed a simple dinner.  Thankfully, I had some tortilla-crusted tilapia from Costco in the freezer, so dinner was ready in a snap.


Thursday:  Palio's Pizza & Pasta

  Chad was out of town for work, but I had it pretty easy because my mom picked up some take-out and brought it over for dinner!  Yay!


Friday:  Baked Sweet Potatoes Topped with Ground Turkey, Black Beans, & Whatever Else We Wanted

  Since the kids had pizza on Thursday, we changed up our usual Friday night meal.  They had a simple but healthy "kid friendly" meal, and Chad and I had baked sweet potatoes.  We topped them with ground turkey, black beans, feta cheese, & salsa for a truly delicious meal!!


Saturday:  Grilled Chicken with Roasted Green Beans & Carrots

Chad's thumb photo bomb...

  It was a perfect night for grilling!

February 12-18, 2017

Sunday:  Early Valentine's Date Night

  Chad and I went out for dinner for an early Valentine's Day date; my mom had the kids!


Monday:  Crockpot Turkey Tenderloin with Fresh Fruit & Veggies

  This was a busy day, and I knew the kids and I would be coming home just in time for a quick dinner with Chad before he left for a meeting at church.  I found a seasoned turkey tenderloin from Jenny O at Tom Thumb, and I stuck it in the crockpot around lunchtime and cooked it on low all day. When we arrived back home, dinner was ready in a snap!  I just sliced up the turkey and added some fruits and veggies already cut and washed and ready in the fridge.


Tuesday:  Heart Pasta with Turkey & Homemade Marinara

  I found some heart-shaped pasta at Aldi a few weeks ago, and I grabbed it for our family Valentine's Day dinner.  My mom also came over.  We had quite a bit of turkey left over from the night before, so I added that some some homemade marinara.  I also roasted some Brussels sprouts in a little olive oil, salt, & pepper at 425 for 20 minutes or so.  Once I pulled it out, I topped it with a mixture of 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar.  It's so, so yummy on roasted veggies....our Aunt Suzanne shared the recipe with us a few years ago, and we've loved it ever since!  I also made garlic toast using whole wheat bread from the pantry.  Happy Valentine's Day to us!


Wednesday:  Dinner Out

  February 15th is my Daddy's birthday, and while he's now celebrating every day in Heaven, we still get together with my mom to honor his birthday.  Palio's was the perfect spot!


Thursday:  Breakfast for Dinner

  Chad was traveling, so breakfast for dinner hit the spot for the kids and me.


Friday:  Pizza & Movie Night


Saturday:  Dinner Out with Daddy

  I was at a ladies retreat over the weekend, so the kids had fun with Daddy!

February 5-11, 2017

Better late than never!!

Sunday:  Grilled BBQ Chicken with Baked Sweet Potato Fries & Fresh Guacamole

  Our family had our own little Super Bowl party!


Monday:  Chicken, Rice, & Veggie Stir Fry

  We had leftover chicken from the night before, and also the Chili Lime Chicken from late last week.  So, I sauteed some sliced carrots and zucchini in a little olive oil and a tablespoon of butter.  Once those were brown, I added in the diced chicken from both leftover meals, and also the sauce from the Chili Lime Chicken.  I splashed in a bit of rice wine vinegar and soy sauce to add some Asian flavorings, and then I tossed it all together with brown rice and a few diced bell peppers.  It was a one-pan meal that was ready in no time, and as a bonus, it was truly delicious!


Tuesday:  Breakfast For Dinner

  Enjoying eggs from our chickens makes breakfast for dinner even more satisfying.  :-)


Wednesday:  Hot Dogs for the Kids, Taco Soup for Me

  Chad was on a work trip for a few days, so the kids enjoyed hot dogs while I ate taco soup my mom made.  Wednesdays are a little busy with a dance class for Payton and baseball practice for Callen, so quick meals are a MUST!


Thursday:  Dinner Out


Friday:  Pizza & Movie Night!

  Instead of ordering pizza out, I made cheese and pepperoni pizzas out of leftover hot dog buns for the kids, and I made a salad for myself.  Use what you have available!!!


Saturday:  Grilled Cheeses with Fresh Fruit & Veggies

January 29 - February 4, 2017

Sunday:  "10 Chicken" in Crockpot, Roasted Green Beans, & Brown Rice

  "10 Chicken" is a recipe from my cousin, Britney, and it is excellent on the grill or crockpot.  Typically, I buy a huge package of chicken and marinate it.  For the first meal I grill it, then I put the remainder of the marinated, raw chicken, I freeze. Then when I am in need of an easy meal, I pull the frozen chicken out and dump the whole frozen contents into my crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  It is tender and delicious!  We used boneless, skinless thighs this time around.

"10 Chicken"

Chicken Breasts/Thighs
Italian Dressing
Soy Sauce
Garlic Powder

-I don't measure anything, so just use your judgement!  :-)  I pour it all in a bag and marinate a few hours, all day, overnight, or for weeks or months in the freezer!


Monday:  Lemon Garlic Baked Tilapia with Steamed Broccoli & Roasted Veggie "Chips"

Lemon Garlic Baked Tilapia
  I had some tilapia in the freezer, and I needed a quick meal, so I went to good ole' reliable Pinterest and found this simple recipe Shruti's Delectable Delights.  It was truly delicious!  I also sliced thin a huge sweet potato and drizzled it with a little olive oil and sprinkled some season salt.  I roasted these on a foil lined baking sheet for about 20-25 minutes, turning them over halfway through.  While the tilapia and sweet potato chips were in the oven, I steamed some broccoli.  This simple, healthy dinner was incredibly easy and also quite tasty.


Tuesday:  Breakfast for Dinner

  We enjoyed a breakfast of bacon and eggs...the eggs were the first ones from our very own chickens!!  I added a little sauteed spinach to mine, but they kids don't love that combo.  :-)


Wednesday:  Dinner Out

  The kids earned some free kids meals at Chipotle, and Chad left that morning for a business trip, so eating out was a treat for everyone!  Nonnie even met us for dinner!


Thursday:  Chicken & Cheese Quesadillas

  We had plenty of chicken leftover from last night's dinner at Chipotle, so I made quesadillas for us.  Throwing leftovers into a tortilla is always a hit at our house.


Friday:  Pizza & Movie Night


Saturday:  Amber's Garlic Lime Chicken with Roasted Zucchini & Tomatoes, Rice, & Chips

Amber's Garlic Lime Chicken 
  This recipe is fast and full of flavor!  I keep the spice to a minimum for my kids, but you could make this a spicy as you like.

1 t salt

¾ t pepper

¼ t cayenne pepper

¼ t paprika

1 t garlic powder

½ t onion powder 

½ t thyme

Chicken breasts 

2 T butter

2T olive oil

4 T lime juice

½ cup chicken broth

Mix the first 7 ingredients. Pound out the chicken in a Ziploc bag until thin.  Sprinkle mixture on both sides of the chicken. Heat butter and olive oil over medium high heat. Cook chicken 5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and add lime juice and chicken broth to pan.  Whisk the mixture around until it is reduced, mixing up the brown bits.  Pour over the chicken. Enjoy!