Making A Home And Family

Since a new baby arrived in our family last week, our meal plan was a little out of whack.  We ate a little less big meals and went out once, so you may see some repeats.

We did, however; stock up on groceries so you will see some new meals popping into the menu as well.

Breakfasts ~ Smoothies, juices, toast, hot/cold cereal, eggs, toads in a hole, french toast

Monday~ L: Hot dogs  D: Shrimp stirfry

Tuesday~  L: Boiled eggs, nuts, fruit  D: Enchiladas and green beans on the side

Wednesday~ L: Leftovers  D: Rustic pasta, garlic toast, and broccoli

Thursday~  L: Leftovers  D: Tex mex quinoa and tortilla chips

Friday~  L: Leftovers with cauliflower  D: Hamburgers with homemade buns, fries, and ice cream sundaes

Saturday~  L: BLTs  D: Thai

Sunday~  L: Leftovers  D:  Tacos

For more meal ideas from awesome ladies, visit The Organizing Junkie!

Breakfasts ~ Smoothies, eggs, toast, hot/cold cereal with homemade almond milk, with a big Sunday breakfast (eggs or french toast with bacon)

Monday~ L: Out or packing a lunch since we’ll be out of town  D: Meatloaf cups, mashed potatoes, peas

Tuesday~ L: Tortellini soup and salad  D:  Pepperoni pizza with broccoli on the side

Wednesday~ L: Tuna salad and any leftovers  D:  Spaghetti with salad

Thursday~ L: Leftovers  D: Tacos

Friday~  L:  Leftovers or egg salad sandwiches  D: Veggie pizza

Saturday~  L: Orzo pasta and boiled eggs  D: Enchiladas with homemade sauce

Sunday~  L: Leftovers and/or tuna melts  D: Steaks, corn on the cob, and diced baked and herbed potatoes

For more meal ideas – check out The Organizing Junkie!

Have I mentioned that our summer has been busy?  We have spent a lot of time “up north,” spent time with friends and family, and had time to play as well.  What a great summer it has been!  So if you see me slacking on the ole blog, it’s because I’m outside and trying to stay above water with my chores.

Monday~ L: Out to lunch  D: Stir fry and fridge clean out

Tuesday~  L: PB & Js  D:  Chicken, rice, and corn

Wednesday~  L:  Hamburgers  D:  Pedro’s Special

Thursday~ L:  Leftovers  D:  Lentil and veggie stew

Friday~  L: Leftovers  D:  Pizza

Saturday~ L: Curry  D:  Crockpot bean dish

Visit Organizing Junkie for more meal plans!

I thought I’d share some wonderful reads with all of you ~

A Note on Relationships – From The Middle Finger Project.

Everywhere – The little moments in parenting that are amazing and they are everywhere.

Taking It In – Being real with your emotions and your children.

Dreadlock Inspiration – Rockin’ dreads with curls at the ends like mine.

What blogs or articles are you reading that you’d like to share?

Monday – B: Sautéed apples and scrambled eggs  L: Sweet potatoes from The Kind Diet  D: Ragout

Tuesday – B: Chai muffins L: Fried Rice  D: Healing Soup from the Kind Diet

Wednesday – B: Smoothies  L:  Leftovers  D:  Dinner with friends

Thursday – B:  Cereal  L:  Egg salad sandwiches  D: Burgers and fries

Friday – B: Boiled eggs and fruit  L: Black beans and rice from Nourishing Traditions  D: Pizza

Saturday – B: Smoothies  L:  Soup and crackers  D: Tacos

Sunday – B: Bacon and eggs  L: Tuna salad  D: Chili

For more meal plan Monday ideas, visit The Organizing Junkie.

a Happy Mother’s Day from Making a Home and Family!

V came into my life a little over a year ago and continues to bless me and make me a better person each passing day.  I hope that your day is filled with smiles, laughter, and time spent together as a family.

Much love!

Breakfasts ~ Juices, Smoothies, Cereal

Lunches ~ Egg salad sandwhiches, avacado tomato sandwhiches, nachoes, and leftovers

Sunday ~ Spaghetti and garlic bread

Monday ~  Tacoes


Tuesday ~ Vegan pizzas


Wednesday ~ Veggie burgers and roasted sweet potatoes


Thursday ~ I will be packing up the RV for a weekend trip.  This will include a grocery shopping trip and an easy dinner – like soup or something.


For more meal plan ideas, visit The Organizing Junkie.

I was asked for my recipe for spicy rice and black beans, so I thought I would make a new post for it.

Ingredients:

1 cup organic brown rice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped scallions

1 medium pepper (your color of choice)

1/2 cup diced celery

3 garlic cloves, medium

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 15 ounce can of red kidney beans or black beans

2 cups canned Italian tomatoes, chopped

Directions:

1.  Cook the rice according to package.

2.  Coat skillet with oil over medium heat.  Add scallions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and paprika.  Saute until veggies are softened.

3.  Add beans and tomatoes.  Simmer until beans are heated through and most of the liquid has evaporated – about 10 minutes.

4.  Remove bay leaf.  Transfre rice to a large serving platter and spoon the beans over the rice.  Serve.

Recipe from Yogi in the Kitchen

Monday ~ Spaghetti with asparagus on the side

Tuesday ~ Nachoes with black bean salsa

Wednesday ~ Cheeseburgers on the grill and homemade fries

Thursday ~  Quiona and black beans

Friday ~ Frozen pizza

Saturday ~ Veggie kabobs and corn on the cob

Sunday ~ Porkchops on rice in the slow cooker

 For more meal plan ideas, visit Org Junkie.

 DH and I wholeheartedly believe that we should learn tradeskills that make us independent of the “outside world.”  Just in case we ever need to care for ourselves – as in feeding ourselves from our land.  As of right now, we don’t own land but that’s for another post and another venture.

For now, we are working with what we have and who we know.   My parents own quite a bit of land and have offered to share a garden with us and to house chickens!  How exciting is this!  We are using a building that is already on their land and equipping it with a fence and some nesting boxes (which DH’s father is going to make for us out of scrap wood).  Then we are going to fill the coop with sawdust from the nesting box project.  Our chickens will be arriving in the beginning of May.  We are pretty sure we will only be using our chickens for eggs at this point and not for meat.

Then the garden!  My mom  has already started planting – the onions and garlic that were planted last fall and covered with hay are now sprouting.  She even started some tomatoes and peppers in the house and we are awaiting warm weather to put them into the earth.

I am also part of a community garden this year.  When James and I put in our work hours each week, we will receive our share of food.  Isn’t that amazing!?!  We get to work with friends and earn vegetables.  If you are interested in the concept, please check out the garden blog here.

So we are taking a few big steps to tread a little lighter, grow our own food, and learn independence in feeding ourselves.  Are any of you growing your own food this season?

Picture courtesy of ~ http://www.greenestcity.net/resources/Aerial+Garden.jpg