YESTERDAY:
Sunday, March 29, 2009
answers
first off - skirt steak is something that mom cooks all the time. it is thin steak that you cut across the grain. you can also use london broil. its a mid-priced steak.
Second - the puff pastry recipe is so easy. Can of cream of chicken (add some milk), peas, chicken (use rotisserie for super simple), celery (sauted til softer), we add broccoli. warm through. pour over cooked pastry.
Third - i have a pretty well stocked pantry so i don't always need to buy the dry or canned stuff (pasta, corn salad, etc) but i always buy fresh meat (altho if chicken is on sale i'll buy and freeze). I usually plan one or two meals so i can have leftovers (usually chicken and ground beef in other forms). I made a resolution to spend less money and/or account for all the money i do spend. I realized i was wasting so much by shopping without a plan. I stick to a budget of about $300 a month on groceries and i'm doing a pretty good job sticking to that. something else i did was inventory my pantry. i took everything out, combined half boxes, and then put everything back in by category (dry, soup, canned veggies, baby, etc) which helps me realize what i need to restock and what i have to use.
Second - the puff pastry recipe is so easy. Can of cream of chicken (add some milk), peas, chicken (use rotisserie for super simple), celery (sauted til softer), we add broccoli. warm through. pour over cooked pastry.
Third - i have a pretty well stocked pantry so i don't always need to buy the dry or canned stuff (pasta, corn salad, etc) but i always buy fresh meat (altho if chicken is on sale i'll buy and freeze). I usually plan one or two meals so i can have leftovers (usually chicken and ground beef in other forms). I made a resolution to spend less money and/or account for all the money i do spend. I realized i was wasting so much by shopping without a plan. I stick to a budget of about $300 a month on groceries and i'm doing a pretty good job sticking to that. something else i did was inventory my pantry. i took everything out, combined half boxes, and then put everything back in by category (dry, soup, canned veggies, baby, etc) which helps me realize what i need to restock and what i have to use.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
For those following along at home, here's this week's menu and shopping list:
Saturday night - waffles (i know it seems strange but today is a strange day). I havfe a bunch of fruit that needs to be used up - strawberries, blueberries and raspberries - so i'll boil them to soften and make a syrup and top the waffles with fruit. Chandler will ask to have ice cream on his - i'll say no.
Sunday - Seared Tuna with cold corn salad and roasted mini potatoes. I'll marinate the tuna in soy sauce and sear in a skillet. Chandler and Cash will have their tuna cooked all the way through. Corn salad is really easy: can of corn, can of black beans (washed), purple onion chopped small (use slap chop or mini cuisenart). toss together with Italian salad dressing. cut mini potatoes in half, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, roast at 450 until soft and a little crisp on the outside.
Monday - Meatloaf Parmesean and green beans. Make meatloaf as you normally would (i usually only make a half recipe or we have too many leftovers) when it is done cut into thick slices cover with tomato sauce (not spaghetti sauce) and motzarella and broil until cheese bubbles. i like to saute greenbeans so they get a bit of a blister (toss with olive oil, salt, pepper). it will probably be nice to have garlic bread with this meal.
Tuesday - Skirt Steak with grilled asparagas (optional: orzo or wild rice - can't beat uncle bens 90 second rice). Marinate skirt steak in a little worchestershire and garlic salt and grill (you can also do in frying pan). throw asparagas on grill with steak. easy peasy
Wednesday - Chicken breast with couscous and zucchini. I'll probably coat chicken with panko breadcrumbs mixed with italian or greek seasoning (in the spice isle - a little spendy but worth the taste - it really makes a difference) and bake it. Roast zucchini in hot oven. make couscous with chicken stock not water. (you can combine the zucchini and couscous or serve separately (i combine to make sure everyone eats their veggies).
Thursday - Pasta with frozen peas (you can totally load this up with veggies like broc or asparagas), bacon and left over chicken. any pasta will do but we like bowtie. fry up bacon & chop up, set aside. boil pasta, right before you are done throw the peas into the boiling water and strain together (i use this technique all the time - use the pasta water - it is flavored and boiling already so just throw the veggies in with the pasta). You can do a couple things now, toss with butter, toss with olive oil or toss with heavy cream - just depends on how you are feeling. finish with garlic salt (if you want) grated parmesean.
Friday - Turkey burgers with all the fixins and whole wheat buns. (i find that these are even better with extra sharp white cheddar! since turkey can be a little dry sometimes i mix with an egg, breadcrumbs and worchestershire - but not always and usually never on weeknights.
Saturday - after all this i better get taken out to dinner!!
have a good week xoxo
Saturday night - waffles (i know it seems strange but today is a strange day). I havfe a bunch of fruit that needs to be used up - strawberries, blueberries and raspberries - so i'll boil them to soften and make a syrup and top the waffles with fruit. Chandler will ask to have ice cream on his - i'll say no.
Sunday - Seared Tuna with cold corn salad and roasted mini potatoes. I'll marinate the tuna in soy sauce and sear in a skillet. Chandler and Cash will have their tuna cooked all the way through. Corn salad is really easy: can of corn, can of black beans (washed), purple onion chopped small (use slap chop or mini cuisenart). toss together with Italian salad dressing. cut mini potatoes in half, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, roast at 450 until soft and a little crisp on the outside.
Monday - Meatloaf Parmesean and green beans. Make meatloaf as you normally would (i usually only make a half recipe or we have too many leftovers) when it is done cut into thick slices cover with tomato sauce (not spaghetti sauce) and motzarella and broil until cheese bubbles. i like to saute greenbeans so they get a bit of a blister (toss with olive oil, salt, pepper). it will probably be nice to have garlic bread with this meal.
Tuesday - Skirt Steak with grilled asparagas (optional: orzo or wild rice - can't beat uncle bens 90 second rice). Marinate skirt steak in a little worchestershire and garlic salt and grill (you can also do in frying pan). throw asparagas on grill with steak. easy peasy
Wednesday - Chicken breast with couscous and zucchini. I'll probably coat chicken with panko breadcrumbs mixed with italian or greek seasoning (in the spice isle - a little spendy but worth the taste - it really makes a difference) and bake it. Roast zucchini in hot oven. make couscous with chicken stock not water. (you can combine the zucchini and couscous or serve separately (i combine to make sure everyone eats their veggies).
Thursday - Pasta with frozen peas (you can totally load this up with veggies like broc or asparagas), bacon and left over chicken. any pasta will do but we like bowtie. fry up bacon & chop up, set aside. boil pasta, right before you are done throw the peas into the boiling water and strain together (i use this technique all the time - use the pasta water - it is flavored and boiling already so just throw the veggies in with the pasta). You can do a couple things now, toss with butter, toss with olive oil or toss with heavy cream - just depends on how you are feeling. finish with garlic salt (if you want) grated parmesean.
Friday - Turkey burgers with all the fixins and whole wheat buns. (i find that these are even better with extra sharp white cheddar! since turkey can be a little dry sometimes i mix with an egg, breadcrumbs and worchestershire - but not always and usually never on weeknights.
Saturday - after all this i better get taken out to dinner!!
have a good week xoxo
couple-a rough days
Cash is really battling with his molars right now. The past two nights have been horrible - 4am and 3am wake-up calls. He just screams and cries so intensly it breaks my heart. This is the hardest i've ever seen him cry (even more so than the 5th day of his life before my milk had come in and he was really, really hungry). I try to keep him on a motrin/tylenol rotation but he's so tough during the day that sometimes i wait to long and he gets really upset. He isn't interested in chewing on ice or apple slices or anything like that - just screaming.
Last night was particularly bad but i am lucky today is Saturday and i can just lay around and make up for the hours i lost last night while Cash is napping.
I know this will pass and we'll do whatever to make him feel ok, i just wish it would pass sooner than later for Cash's sake.
Now, onto more important issues - Sister Sarah...
I think i am mad at Rick but can't be too mad because i really think he doesn't realize that this is going to be really, really hard for him (harder for him than anyone else probably). if you ask Chandler he'd tell you that you go from 0-60 on the overwhelming love scale the moment you see your son (its hard for us to leave for work in the morning - and we get to come home at night). I see a lot of similarities between Rick and Chandler as first time parents. Particularly because they both have very little experience with babies (and before they joined our family i'd be willing to bet neither of them logged more than a single hour with anyone under the age of 10 - let alone held a newborn).
Personally and selfishly I wish Sarah would come live with us - it would be so much fun to have her and Bobby here and we'd take really good care of them. But i know she has to do what's best for her and her family.
Last night was particularly bad but i am lucky today is Saturday and i can just lay around and make up for the hours i lost last night while Cash is napping.
I know this will pass and we'll do whatever to make him feel ok, i just wish it would pass sooner than later for Cash's sake.
Now, onto more important issues - Sister Sarah...
I think i am mad at Rick but can't be too mad because i really think he doesn't realize that this is going to be really, really hard for him (harder for him than anyone else probably). if you ask Chandler he'd tell you that you go from 0-60 on the overwhelming love scale the moment you see your son (its hard for us to leave for work in the morning - and we get to come home at night). I see a lot of similarities between Rick and Chandler as first time parents. Particularly because they both have very little experience with babies (and before they joined our family i'd be willing to bet neither of them logged more than a single hour with anyone under the age of 10 - let alone held a newborn).
Personally and selfishly I wish Sarah would come live with us - it would be so much fun to have her and Bobby here and we'd take really good care of them. But i know she has to do what's best for her and her family.
Monday, March 23, 2009
another good dinner
for a quick and easy weeknight meal that uses up more leftovers try loaded baked potatoes.
when i got home from work i put 2 potatoes in the microwave for about 10 minutes and meanwhile heated up the oven to 400 degrees. then i fried up some bacon, grated some cheese, warmed up some leftover chicken breast and broccoli and cut up some green onion. pile them all up on a cutting board to make it more interesting like a salad bar. once the potatoes are soft from the microwave, throw them in the hot oven for another 10 minutes to crisp up the skins. load them up with all your favorites and enjoy.
Some variations are:
Mexican - use left over taco meat, sour cream, can of corn, can of black beans, salsa!
Vegetarian - broccoli, asparagas, shredded lettuce, onion, green onion, chickpeas or beans, italian salad dressing (although i like greek salad dressing with feta).
And the best part is that if you've got a "Chandler" around, save the skins (which he didn't eat on the first go 'round) and load them up with cheese and bacon, pop in the toaster over or broiler and it is a good snack (although in no way healthy).
I've really found that planning out meals for the week on Sunday is helping us save money and time. I've also become more organized in my pantry too. But the best part is that i don't ever have to have the "what do you want for dinner" conversation again!
This week:
Baked Potato - all i had to buy was the potato (the rest was leftover or alread in the fridge)
Salmon with grilled asparagas (toss with EVOO, S&P and put on hot grill) and wild rice - already have the rice
Italian Chicken - chicken breast covered with Italian Seasoning, salt, pepper and sauted veggies
Turkey Tacos - already have the soft taco shells
Shrimp Pasta - already have the frozen shrimp, use whatever pasta is in the pantry
next weekend i think i'll roast a chicken - just for fun because Chandler hates to eat meat with a bone in it.
when i got home from work i put 2 potatoes in the microwave for about 10 minutes and meanwhile heated up the oven to 400 degrees. then i fried up some bacon, grated some cheese, warmed up some leftover chicken breast and broccoli and cut up some green onion. pile them all up on a cutting board to make it more interesting like a salad bar. once the potatoes are soft from the microwave, throw them in the hot oven for another 10 minutes to crisp up the skins. load them up with all your favorites and enjoy.
Some variations are:
Mexican - use left over taco meat, sour cream, can of corn, can of black beans, salsa!
Vegetarian - broccoli, asparagas, shredded lettuce, onion, green onion, chickpeas or beans, italian salad dressing (although i like greek salad dressing with feta).
And the best part is that if you've got a "Chandler" around, save the skins (which he didn't eat on the first go 'round) and load them up with cheese and bacon, pop in the toaster over or broiler and it is a good snack (although in no way healthy).
I've really found that planning out meals for the week on Sunday is helping us save money and time. I've also become more organized in my pantry too. But the best part is that i don't ever have to have the "what do you want for dinner" conversation again!
This week:
Baked Potato - all i had to buy was the potato (the rest was leftover or alread in the fridge)
Salmon with grilled asparagas (toss with EVOO, S&P and put on hot grill) and wild rice - already have the rice
Italian Chicken - chicken breast covered with Italian Seasoning, salt, pepper and sauted veggies
Turkey Tacos - already have the soft taco shells
Shrimp Pasta - already have the frozen shrimp, use whatever pasta is in the pantry
next weekend i think i'll roast a chicken - just for fun because Chandler hates to eat meat with a bone in it.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Cash got his first taste of chocolate milk today - he didn't seem too impressed. He's sick so his taste buds may not be working as well. He has a really nasty cough and snotty nose. The snot doesn't worry me so much because he's always leaking fluid from somewhere but the cough is really bad. I've given him some medicine but it doesn't seem to be working. It is a very dry cough so i wonder if it is allergies (the allergy levels in Las Vegas have been really bad lately - levels above 100. anything above 10 is considered high.) He's really funny though because even when he's sick he doesn't want to slow down.
He has been experimenting with lots of noises and sounds lately. He's always talking to himself but now he is making different noises with his tounge and lips - its funny. He understands a lot more these days too. You can tell him to go pick out a book and he'll walk right over and bring a book back (then sit in your lap). You can also ask him to throw the ball for slider and he'll find her ball and chase her around with it.
We're really glad the weather is getting nicer (except for today, its windy and raining). we have been playing outside every evening after school/work. Cash loves to push his wagon around the back yard and throw the rocks. he's also learned how to loop Slider's leash around her neck and lead her all around. Playing out there keeps us busy keeping Slider's mess cleaned up!
He has been experimenting with lots of noises and sounds lately. He's always talking to himself but now he is making different noises with his tounge and lips - its funny. He understands a lot more these days too. You can tell him to go pick out a book and he'll walk right over and bring a book back (then sit in your lap). You can also ask him to throw the ball for slider and he'll find her ball and chase her around with it.
We're really glad the weather is getting nicer (except for today, its windy and raining). we have been playing outside every evening after school/work. Cash loves to push his wagon around the back yard and throw the rocks. he's also learned how to loop Slider's leash around her neck and lead her all around. Playing out there keeps us busy keeping Slider's mess cleaned up!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
fat lip
Cash has never really had any bad injuries. he stumbles here and there but has never really been hurt. He rarely cries when he falls down and amazes us at how tough he is. Tonight Cash got hurt. He was in the bathtub and stood up. I told him to sit down and when he did i cheered "yay" and clapped. He liked that so then he stood up again and then sat down and started clapping for himself. Yes, good boy. Then he stood up again and got a little too excited and slipped and fell. He hit his lip on the edge of the tub and his tooth cut his lip pretty bad. I quickly yanked him out of the tub and put pressure on the cut. Cash was screaming and crying huge tears. it was pretty scary. I got the bleeding to slow down but Cash wouldn't let me come near him with an ice cube. He stopped crying probably within 3 minutes and once he saw his nighttime bottle he asked to have it and drank it down like he never got hurt. He does have a swollen lip and it must be pretty sensitive because he wont let me touch it. He went to sleep without any problems so we'll see what he looks like when he wakes up. He really is a good boy and i feel bad i let him fall. now that i think about it the second time he stood up i should have removed him from the situation/bathtub to teach him what he was doing was wrong. oops.
independent man
Cash is so independent now that he can walk. When we take him to daycare we get him out of the car and let him walk up the driveway by himself. At first we did this because it was cute but now he wants to walk. It became sad when he walked up the driveway, straight through the door and into the playroom - without even looking back! I guess it is good that there is no separation anxiety on his part but the least he could do was look over his shoulder!
Cash talks a lot in his own language but has never said mamma intentionally. He says Daddy and doggie (and you have to really pay attnetion to differentiate between the two) plus some others but never mamma or mommy. I try to figure out why and today's reason is that i'm always around him so there is no need for him to call for me. He calls out "daddy" when i get him up in the morning and Chandler is downstairs and when Chandler goes out the door. That makes sense right?!
Cash talks a lot in his own language but has never said mamma intentionally. He says Daddy and doggie (and you have to really pay attnetion to differentiate between the two) plus some others but never mamma or mommy. I try to figure out why and today's reason is that i'm always around him so there is no need for him to call for me. He calls out "daddy" when i get him up in the morning and Chandler is downstairs and when Chandler goes out the door. That makes sense right?!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Cash likes to walk backwards and drag things (mostly the kitchen chairs) around backwards. I guess he thinks he's mastered walking forwards and needs a new challenge. He's also got a climbing bug right now. He climbs on everything and likes to try to get up on the sofa or chair by himself. Holding hands is another new thing. He likes to hold hands while walking and take you to things he wants to see.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)