I love the time in the morning when everyone is still sleeping and I have some quiet time alone...sipping coffee, reading a book or newspaper, looking outside and not having to do anything!
It makes me think back to when I was little and I would walk into the kitchen and see my mom gazing into the backyard sipping her coffee. I think I would call her name 3 times until she would look up and say, "good morning!" Now I can relate Mom!!
Today is my third child's 10th birthday and I have been wondering where the time goes. I hate how quickly things change. I realize more then ever to make the best of each day! His birthday breakfast is in the oven and the house smells amazing. I found a recipe in the November issue of
Better Home and Gardens for a Dark Chocolate and Pumpkin Swirl Cake. He will be very happy when he wakes!
Last week's new recipes were a big hit. Everyone loved the tortilla pie & the Greek meatballs. The noodle dish and chili were my old dishes and are always crowd pleasers. Kids asked for a few repeats this week....
Monday; Farro risotto with zucchini and scallions-trying Grant's recipe from Culinary class
Tuesday: Grilled chicken Caesar salad
Wednesday; Pasta shells with sauteed kale, tomatoes, white beans and goat cheese
Thursday: Homemade chicken tenders, sweet potato fries and spaghetti squash
Friday: HALLOWEEN!!! Big pot of chili so we can eat it before trick- or- treating and after. Making Barefoot Contessa's chicken chili.
Saturday: Hoping for another beautiful fall weekend and will grill hamburgers and have a fire in the fire pit. All the fixings with the burgers--sauteed onions, mushrooms, cheese, lettuce, etc. with a tossed salad and roasted potatoes.
Sunday: fish night -Will buy whatever fish is wild and on sale! Side dish of brown Basmati rice and roasted brussel sprouts, butternut squash, and cauliflower
Someone asked for some breakfast ideas for kids during the busy week mornings. I'll add some of our favorites during this week.
Have a Happy and safe Halloween all! Shout out if you would like any recipes. Thank you again for sharing.
Donna
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Meals at a glance...
Its hard for me to believe that Halloween is around the corner! Fall is flying by. I indulged this week and bought fall colored M & M's. I filled some decorative bowls and the kids are thrilled. I have learned though that I do not have such great willpower! I transferred all candy to a big mason jar with a lid and now it's not so easy to grab a few chocolates every now and then!
We had many orthodontist visits last week and while waiting in the office I read the November issue of Good Housekeeping. I found some new recipes to try and am hoping that they may be keepers!
Full week of games and activities so this week's meals need to be healthy and easy. The recipes in Good Housekeeping claim to be 20 minute meals. I'll let you know next week if that was the case.
Last week's dinners had a few hits...the rice bowl for sure was a success as was the creamy baked pasta and kale. The walnut crusted chicken was not loved by all. I think I'll stick to panko for a breading.
On to this week's plan...
Monday: Mexican night-Triple-Decker Tortilla Pie, a Good Housekeeping recipe. I'm going to "health" it up a bit and use whole grain tortillas and also add some beans in addition to the chicken, cheese and avocado.
Tuesday: Chicken, snow pea & broccoli stir fry with soba noodles and a homemade peanut sauce.
Wednesday: Greek style meatballs with roasted red potatoes and a big Greek salad. Meatball recipe from GH.
Thursday: Turkey & black bean chili. During class this week, a friend mentioned that she used pumpkin puree in her chili instead of tomato paste. Since we all love pumpkin here, I'm going to give this a try.
Friday: grilled chicken & pesto pizza on whole wheat crust with a mixed green salad.
Saturday: grilled pork tenderloin, crispy kale and Israeli couscous
Sunday: Johnny's birthday dinner. He has not chosen his meal yet, but my guess is it will be something like this--sushi for an appetizer (his sister will make the rolls), dumplings filled with ground pork and veggies, and his uncle Brad's spicy grilled shrimp. "Dirt" for dessert.
I love that people are sending me links to various sites with more recipe ideas! Keep it coming! Please share what's on your table and let me know if there are any recipes you'd like to try.
Enjoy!
Donna
We had many orthodontist visits last week and while waiting in the office I read the November issue of Good Housekeeping. I found some new recipes to try and am hoping that they may be keepers!
Full week of games and activities so this week's meals need to be healthy and easy. The recipes in Good Housekeeping claim to be 20 minute meals. I'll let you know next week if that was the case.
Last week's dinners had a few hits...the rice bowl for sure was a success as was the creamy baked pasta and kale. The walnut crusted chicken was not loved by all. I think I'll stick to panko for a breading.
On to this week's plan...
Monday: Mexican night-Triple-Decker Tortilla Pie, a Good Housekeeping recipe. I'm going to "health" it up a bit and use whole grain tortillas and also add some beans in addition to the chicken, cheese and avocado.
Tuesday: Chicken, snow pea & broccoli stir fry with soba noodles and a homemade peanut sauce.
Wednesday: Greek style meatballs with roasted red potatoes and a big Greek salad. Meatball recipe from GH.
Thursday: Turkey & black bean chili. During class this week, a friend mentioned that she used pumpkin puree in her chili instead of tomato paste. Since we all love pumpkin here, I'm going to give this a try.
Friday: grilled chicken & pesto pizza on whole wheat crust with a mixed green salad.
Saturday: grilled pork tenderloin, crispy kale and Israeli couscous
Sunday: Johnny's birthday dinner. He has not chosen his meal yet, but my guess is it will be something like this--sushi for an appetizer (his sister will make the rolls), dumplings filled with ground pork and veggies, and his uncle Brad's spicy grilled shrimp. "Dirt" for dessert.
I love that people are sending me links to various sites with more recipe ideas! Keep it coming! Please share what's on your table and let me know if there are any recipes you'd like to try.
Enjoy!
Donna
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Meals at a glance...
Fall is my favorite time of the year. Yet, as October moves along I find myself at times feeling sad. My father was born in October and died in October. I think of him daily wondering how he'd handle certain situations, what he'd think about what's happening in our world, his reactions to watching his grandkids play sports, and remembering his smiles as he enjoyed a good meal with his family.
I grew up having incredible home cooked meals, sitting at the table with both parents and all four sisters. Dinner time was when we shared our stories about our day. A meeting time, laughing time, and eating time! Once a week my grandparents would visit and bring special treats from my grandfather's store (he was a butcher and owned a market). We never wanted for food that was for sure! I have wonderful memories and many are of my family seated around a big table.
I have tried to create this experience for my children. In this day and age it is a challenge for us to all be able to sit at the table together because of the different activities and because of my husband's commute. Meal time is sometimes rushed, but we do manage to all eat together at least 5 days out of the week. My kids have developed an interest in cooking and enjoy food. I feel very lucky! During a soccer tournament yesterday, we were able to take a break in between games and warm up in an Italian market. I felt like I was with my dad. The smells brought back so many fond memories. Too many choices so we had to sample a few items! I was inspired looking at all the prepared meals and bought some sweet Italian sausage to use in this week's menu.
Our meals for the week...
Monday: Creamy baked pasta with kale, Parmesan and sausage (going for a healthier version and using brown rice pasta)
Tuesday: Steak sandwiches with a health slaw salad and home made sweet potato wedges
Wednesday; Walnut crusted chicken breasts with quinoa and salad
Thursday; Vegetable rice bowls (trying something different for Teddy-he always chooses risotto so we're branching out!! Kind of like potato bar night, but with brown rice as the main ingredient and lots of toppings. ill let you know how it goes.)
Friday; Pizza night and big salad-trying a new recipe--arugula with maple-roasted pumpkin
Saturday: Busy weekend so making a big pot of meatball soup with good bread for dipping. A favorite here on cold days.
Sunday: Curry rubbed salmon with napa slaw ( recipe from a favorite cook book-power foods)
On my dad's birthday I'm going to try and bake an Orange-walnut olive oil cake with sweet yogurt. Looks delicious! Another recipe from Power foods. Just hope I can pull it off!
Enjoy your week! Take time and enjoy your meals with your loved ones.
Donna
I grew up having incredible home cooked meals, sitting at the table with both parents and all four sisters. Dinner time was when we shared our stories about our day. A meeting time, laughing time, and eating time! Once a week my grandparents would visit and bring special treats from my grandfather's store (he was a butcher and owned a market). We never wanted for food that was for sure! I have wonderful memories and many are of my family seated around a big table.
I have tried to create this experience for my children. In this day and age it is a challenge for us to all be able to sit at the table together because of the different activities and because of my husband's commute. Meal time is sometimes rushed, but we do manage to all eat together at least 5 days out of the week. My kids have developed an interest in cooking and enjoy food. I feel very lucky! During a soccer tournament yesterday, we were able to take a break in between games and warm up in an Italian market. I felt like I was with my dad. The smells brought back so many fond memories. Too many choices so we had to sample a few items! I was inspired looking at all the prepared meals and bought some sweet Italian sausage to use in this week's menu.
Our meals for the week...
Monday: Creamy baked pasta with kale, Parmesan and sausage (going for a healthier version and using brown rice pasta)
Tuesday: Steak sandwiches with a health slaw salad and home made sweet potato wedges
Wednesday; Walnut crusted chicken breasts with quinoa and salad
Thursday; Vegetable rice bowls (trying something different for Teddy-he always chooses risotto so we're branching out!! Kind of like potato bar night, but with brown rice as the main ingredient and lots of toppings. ill let you know how it goes.)
Friday; Pizza night and big salad-trying a new recipe--arugula with maple-roasted pumpkin
Saturday: Busy weekend so making a big pot of meatball soup with good bread for dipping. A favorite here on cold days.
Sunday: Curry rubbed salmon with napa slaw ( recipe from a favorite cook book-power foods)
On my dad's birthday I'm going to try and bake an Orange-walnut olive oil cake with sweet yogurt. Looks delicious! Another recipe from Power foods. Just hope I can pull it off!
Enjoy your week! Take time and enjoy your meals with your loved ones.
Donna
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Meals at a glance...
Time flies and another week has come to an end, and I find myself trying to get ahead of the madness by planning ahead, looking at my calendar at work, appointments and kids' stuff. Easy to become overwhelmed but I remind myself to breathe, enjoy, and break things down into small tasks. Sometimes easier said then done, but talking to myself helps! Do any of you do that?! Hoping I'm not the only one!!
If you've seen any of my face book posts, you know that my family and I rescued a 4-5 month old puppy. Vet thinks around that age because of her teeth. She is very sweet & is beginning to feel like a part of the family. It's funny how something like a puppy makes me stop and reassess things. I'm always in a rush, but Sadie has made me slow down. I never paid attention before to the sounds, sights and smells in my yard. Now about 4 times a day I am outside with her teaching the spots in the yard where she can eliminate and I have plenty of time to take in my surroundings. I love that my 4 kids are sharing responsibilities, loving their new puppy, and respecting their old 14 year dog who needs just as much love and attention in different ways! All devices have been put down for awhile. No one wakes up and grabs their ipod touch to play a game! The TV is not calling their names either which is great. I'm hoping the newness and excitement stays forever! Well, at least for awhile:) More time has even been spent with me in the market, mostly looking for puppy toys and treats!
My oldest son in high school is in a culinary class as a special. He loves it and has asked to make some meals that he has prepared in class. Loving that!! Keeping things in perspective this week and making some easy repeats as well as some new recipes.
A peek at this week's meals...
Monday: Loaded baked potato soup and tossed green salad
Tuesday: Beef and broccoli stir fry served over brown rice
Wednesday: White chicken chili with tomato & cucumber salad
Thursday: Butternut squash risotto with a side salad
Friday: Tailgating food before USA vs. Ecuador soccer game. Landon Donovan's last game!!! Super excited. Most likely will pack subs, fruit, hummus, veggies, & chips. Sure we will have some treats in the stands too.
Saturday: Request from all--rib eye steaks and Gorgonzola salad. In- laws visiting and they love steak. Repeat from this week, but it was a crowd pleaser!
Sunday: Homemade clam chowder, good loaf or loaves of bread and mixed greens
That's my week at a glance. Things sometimes change around here, but shopping is done, fridge and cabinets stocked, so now I can enjoy my time with my husband, kids, and dogs!
Enjoy all. Take time and take pleasure in the small things. Don't let life pass you by without noticing.
Donna
If you've seen any of my face book posts, you know that my family and I rescued a 4-5 month old puppy. Vet thinks around that age because of her teeth. She is very sweet & is beginning to feel like a part of the family. It's funny how something like a puppy makes me stop and reassess things. I'm always in a rush, but Sadie has made me slow down. I never paid attention before to the sounds, sights and smells in my yard. Now about 4 times a day I am outside with her teaching the spots in the yard where she can eliminate and I have plenty of time to take in my surroundings. I love that my 4 kids are sharing responsibilities, loving their new puppy, and respecting their old 14 year dog who needs just as much love and attention in different ways! All devices have been put down for awhile. No one wakes up and grabs their ipod touch to play a game! The TV is not calling their names either which is great. I'm hoping the newness and excitement stays forever! Well, at least for awhile:) More time has even been spent with me in the market, mostly looking for puppy toys and treats!
My oldest son in high school is in a culinary class as a special. He loves it and has asked to make some meals that he has prepared in class. Loving that!! Keeping things in perspective this week and making some easy repeats as well as some new recipes.
A peek at this week's meals...
Monday: Loaded baked potato soup and tossed green salad
Tuesday: Beef and broccoli stir fry served over brown rice
Wednesday: White chicken chili with tomato & cucumber salad
Thursday: Butternut squash risotto with a side salad
Friday: Tailgating food before USA vs. Ecuador soccer game. Landon Donovan's last game!!! Super excited. Most likely will pack subs, fruit, hummus, veggies, & chips. Sure we will have some treats in the stands too.
Saturday: Request from all--rib eye steaks and Gorgonzola salad. In- laws visiting and they love steak. Repeat from this week, but it was a crowd pleaser!
Sunday: Homemade clam chowder, good loaf or loaves of bread and mixed greens
That's my week at a glance. Things sometimes change around here, but shopping is done, fridge and cabinets stocked, so now I can enjoy my time with my husband, kids, and dogs!
Enjoy all. Take time and take pleasure in the small things. Don't let life pass you by without noticing.
Donna
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