Menu 9/4-9/10

This week is so awesome. I have everything I need except maybe a pack of hamburger buns. Of course I have the regular milk and bread on my list but this week I’m looking for deals to spend my money on. I love weeks like this…I think I’m on a role!

Weekly Menu

Sunday 9/4
Sloppy Joes

Monday 9/5 – plan a cookout it is Labor Day(have everyone bring their meat for the grill and a side or dessert)
Hamburgers

Tuesday 9/6
Waffles & Sausage (remember breakfast each week saves your budget)

Wednesday 9/7
Cheeseburger Mac

Thursday 9/8
Italian Roast & Potatoes

Friday 9/9
Fried Rice (use left over roast)

Saturday 9/10
Chicken Tenders

This week is a simple menu. Remember having a change in schedules, like kids not being in school or a holiday can really turn you routine up side down. So make it simple and not worry yourself. If you have some extra time make a special dessert or cooka meal and freeze it for a crazy day you can't get it all done.

8/28-9/3/11 Weekly Menu

I had planned on getting this on here at 6:30 am but well life happens and it just didn’t happen…no need for excuses.

So I picked my menu from my pantry. I hardly have any items to get from the grocery store. This week would be a good week for me to use my budget for groceries to stock up on pantry and freezer items. I will only need to get the following from the store this week:

Bread (weekly staple)
Milk (weekly staple)
Sour Cream (menu needed)
Butter (monthly staple)

I haven't had time to review my sales ads so I don't know what esle I will be adding...hopefully some great deals.

It really helps to stock up when things are on sale. I figure I will spend no more that $10 at the store this week unless I find some great deals. Try to utilize what you have on hand and rotate your inventory so you don’t end up with out of date items. Remember the rule of thumb is that it will be on sale every 6 week on the average. So just plan for no more than 2 months unless you have the room.

Weekly Menu

Sunday 8/28
Potato Soup

Monday 8/29
Panini Burgers

Tuesday 8/30
Tuna Casserole

Wednesday 8/31
Omelets & Toast

Thursday 9/1
Pizza or Calzones

Friday 9/2
Crock Pot Chicken & Veggies

Saturday 9/3
Chicken Parmesan Spaghetti

Blueberry Topped Pancakes

So tonight is our breakfast night on the menu. It's always fun for the family to have breakfast at dinner. Pancakes and Turkey Bacon was what I had planned and then I happen to think I had peaches and blueberries and well as you can see the blueberries won. So I decided to make a compote for the top and Cameron requested whipped cream and I just happen to have some cool whip in the fridge that was still good (I always have one in the freezer just in case I need it and all I have to do is thaw it). As you can see the pancakes turned out yummy and we are all stuffed.

Blueberry Compote

1 bag of frozen blueberries (you can use fresh 1 pint)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp cornstarch

Just put blueberries, sugar and water in a pan on high and bring to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes and then mix your cornstarch with a small amount of water until blended and add to pot while stirring. Put on simmer until ready to serve if you want you let cool and place in fridge.

This works for all types of fruits and makes a quick topping at a moments notice. You may want to keep a pound cake in the freezer along with some fruit or berries for a quick company dessert or a last minute family snack. Hope you enjoy!

Tip on freezing

Well I was all about learning to can my fresh veggies this year but I have stumbled across a much easier and less expensive way to save them. I've always been told that using frozen veggies was just like picking them from your garden so when I read that some people just freeze everything they grow it made sense. I froze corn last year and I was told I had to shuck them and boil it and then dry and bag, same with green beans...so that was why I decide to learn to can. Luckily I figured out the alternative before I purchased all that canning equipment. This year I just invested in gallon freezer bags.

The best thing we added to our appliances was an upright freezer (I remember the digging through my granny's chest freezer and I know I probably won't risk falling in like I did when I was a kid, but upright is easier to see all you have stored up). This allows us to stock up on meat sales, especially helpful when Kevin is laid off through the winter months. So if you have the space and can afford a freezer it will pay off over time.

The two things I've got readily available in my freezer from my garden this year is tomatoes and bell peppers. With the peppers I just cut tops of, seeded them, rinsed and let dry. I put them in a freezer bag and straight in the freezer. My tomatoes rinsed and let dry, then in the freezer bag and in the freezer. If you have trouble getting the air out you can use a straw to suck out all the air and then seal that corner...I'm not lucky enough to own one of those expensive sealers you see on T.V. but this works just fine.

When you take the peppers out they thaw fast so I cut them while froze the size I want them, strips or diced. When you take the tomatoes out, just set out to thaw and the peeling with come right off and they are ready to use any way you want them. One thing I like about this is I can take out just what I plan to use and everything is as fresh as when I put it in. I'm still researching all of this and will keep you posted. Please feel free to comment on your experience and ideas.

Frozen Tomatoes and Bell Peppers

Weekly Menu 8/21-27/11

This week is going to be easy on me. As usual I have some pre-made items that will save me some time. I love making double batches and freezing so that I have quick access with a homemade flavor when I need it. I’m really making life easy for myself this week and my grocery bill just basically will be:

milk
bread
dry or canned red beans
hot dog buns
squash (my garden quit on this item)

I really like to keep my pantry stocked with grab items and so I never run out of stuff like ketchup. I’ll try to come up with a staple pantry and hopefully it will help you. If you do a monthly pantry budget and a weekly budget you will find your grocery budget will go a lot further. I hope you enjoy this week’s menu and it makes your life easier. I’d love to hear from you, feel free to comment below.


Weekly Menu

Sunday 8/21
Hot Dogs
Baked Beans

Monday 8/22
Chili Cheese Fries (left over chili from freezer, made before click on link below)
http://tennesseefamily.blogspot.com/2010/01/spicy-black-bean-chili.html

Tuesday 8/23
Tacos
Spanish Rice

Wednesday 8/24
Red Beans and Rice with Smoked Sausage (made this before, click on link below to my livestrong recipe box)
http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/red-beans-rice-w-cajun-sausage/

Thursday 8/25
Leftovers or Soup and Sandwich

Friday 8/26
Breakfast Sandwiches (remember breakfast for 1 dinner a week will save on your grocery bill)

Saturday 8/27
Chicken Squash Pasta (made this before, click on link below)
http://tennesseefamily.blogspot.com/2011/07/yummy-chicken-squash-pasta.html

Deals - Redbox Movie/Game 8/15-24/11

Click on the link for the next 10 days of deals with Redbox. Nothing like renting a movie or game for $0.10 - $1.00. The link gives you all the details and what a great way to have family movie or game night with hardly any expense. Hope you enjoy my Tuesday Deal of the Week...

http://www.redbox.com/10-days-of-deals

Weekly Menu 8/14-20/11

Decide to start posting some helpful things. Perhaps it will inspire you to create your own menu or just use mine as a quick help. I will start posting this on Wednesday for the next week to follow since the grocery sales ads hit on Wednesday and you can plan and adjust the upcomming weeks menu to suit sales or your panty and families need.

This last week was easy shopping for me. Here's what we are eating this week.

Sunday August 14th
Chicago Style Pizza (made a few weeks ago and just had to defrost and bake) see recipe below

Monday August 15th
Quesadilla Burgers & Chips (bought tortillas for 2 meals this week to save) see recipe below

Tuesday August 16th
Chicken Fried Steak & Gravy (purchased already breaded chicken in bulk for time and savings)
Mashed Potatoes
Peas
Biscuits

Wednesday August 17th
Beef Stroganof Helper
Salad

Thursday August 18th
Pancakes (having breakfast once a week can really save on your grocery budget)
Bacon

Friday August 19th
Chicken Fajitas (using tortillas from Monday)

Saturday August 20th
Southwest Chicken - see below for recipe
Roasted Potatoes
Salad (leftover from Wednesday)


RECIPES FOR THIS WEEKS MENU

Chicago Style Pizza
1 can Jumbo Biscuit (8ct)
Pizza Sauce
Cheese
Toppings

Roll out biscuits and lay in pie pan (4 biscuits per pan, cut to adjust and press seams together), add toppings (I use ground turkey, italian sausage and pepperoni), I cook my toppings first except pepperoni of course, top with cheese and then pizza sauce, bake according to biscuit directions. (I make a double batch and freeze 2, bake, freeze them in the pie pan and then pop them out of the pie pan and slip into a ziploc bag and remove all air, when it comes time to warm them up just pull them out of the freezer and place back in pie pan and thaw and bake to warm through-makes for a quick no mess meal on a busy day)


Quesadilla Burgers
Flour Tortillas (small)
Hamburger Patties (I try to keep premade patties in the freezer for quick access and no mess)
Shredded Cheese
Salsa

Cook hamburgers, spray fry pan with non-stick spray, layer in torilla, cheese, salsa, cooked pattie, cheese and top with another tortilla, cook until browned and flip, make sure all is melted and serve, great on the grill...why dirty the kitchen.


Southwest Chicken
Chicken Breast for each person
Pepper Jack Cheese Slices
BBQ Sauce

Grill Chicken Breast until done, spread BBQ sauce on top and lay a slice of Pepper Jack Cheese on top until melted and then ready to serve.

Thursday Tattler

Today started out with full of energy and I'm very optimistic about the upcoming week. Breanna will be home Sunday and Kevin is getting her computer all ready for her to become more knowledgeable. We are going to start to give her some daily computer time so that she is more comfortable with maneuvering and allow her to use the Disney website, since it is one of her favorite stations on TV.

Kevin is home and we are doing some planning. I'm amazed at how well we communicate. No matter what I throw his way he is always supportive. I have been really working on budgets and calendars this week. Bills are being paid on time and today one got paid early (this was a task we were concerned about since I quit my job). We never really worry because we know God always has is in his care and always comes through for us. Of course we are human and I'm OCD so a little planning never hurts, I think God wants it that way. We have decided to to a little tweaking and make the current computers in the house work for us. We have a ridiculous amount of computers...seriously. We have a family desk top that is older than dirt and with a $50 upgrade it should last us a couple more years. Kevin, Cameron and I all have laptops (mine being the oldest) and Breanna has a desk top that was refurbed. So we figured by spending just $50 that we can make them all stay in commission for a couple more years. Our goal is to buy a new all-in-one top of the line in 2013 for the family and then reaccess from there. So one big decision made.

For those who don't know my car has been on blocks now for...well I can't remember how long, I'd say a month. Finally the parts are supposed to be here today, coming UPS. Local shops didn't sell them and Kevin had to get them online. We are just on the other side of the green so to speak. Hopefully next weekend Kevin won't have to work and will be able to dedicate those days to repairing it. He's a bit stressed because this a new fix for him and from what he tells me if it doesn't line up right the engine won't crank...and that would be bad. He'd have to start over. But hey I have all the patience and faith in him. I told him don't rush, I don't need it, I've managed this long and well take your time and do it at a pace you are comfortable with so that you don't get frustrated. He is the best husband and father and I would never put too much on him on purpose.

I'm really excited about the upcoming changes at our house. Our storm door shattered a little while back and well we really didn't see the rush (wish we had), with all the rain this year and living on a hill (downhill) water leaked into our entry and well the floor is weakened. So we are going to fix that area and pull up the living room carpet and put matching kitchen flooring down since it is adjoining. We have the carpet to put in both the kids rooms. So the plan is to redecorate the living room. I've got browns and neutrals in mind. I'm just not sure really. I want to get two tall bookcases to match our TV stand and for both sides, possibly with some doors for hidden storage. We are going to really minimize our furniture, hoping to keep a more spacious look. I love my new wooden blinds so I don't really want a window treatment. I guess we shall see as the weeks go by.

I want to buy a new fridge and stove after the first of the year. I really been thinking about all the new fridges on the market and I think I want a double wide side by side top and freezer on the bottom. I guess we shall see if we win the lottery first and how much of a dent Christmas ends up being. Of course I've already made my shopping list and am slowly working on it. I have the kids birthdays in October so that will be on the top of the money spending list.

With all the August calendar planning complete (menu, activities, Dr. Appts., Bre's visitation, Bre's school schedule, Cameron's Homeschooling, work, etc.) I'm feeling very confident that this month will go smooth. I got Cameron into his old Psychologist for his therapy, doesn't start until September. I was so glad he could take us. It has been 2 years since we had him in regular therapy and I really didn't want him to have to get comfortable with someone new. Plus he is awesome. Nationally know and has wrote several books and workbooks for self-help. He is a Godly man and we always question that when we start treatment with anyone new.

So that's all the tattling I'm doing today. I'm sure there is more to tell but well I just may want to save some for later. I just have one last comment to add. Make time everyday to enjoy your family and never let a moment pass without telling them you love them.

Yellow Squash Bread

I found the recipe online a while back and couldn't wait to try it. I will put it on here just like I found it but I ended up turning the heat up to 400 and baking it 1 hour and 45 minutes. I'm not sure why I had to do this. My oven is very accurate. It caused it to be burn on the edges and the bottom, top was fine since I put foil over it when I turned the heat up. I think next time I'll make muffins and hopefully it will turn out better. The taste of the bread was awesome. I definitely will make it again, especially with all the squash growing in the garden this year.

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups unpeeled squash, shredded (it took about 3)
1 cup chopped nuts (I left these out since the kids don't care for them)

Beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla in mixing bowl until fluffy. Mix flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Add to egg mixture and stir until well blended.

Stir in squash and nuts. Turn into greased and floured (I just used non-stick spray, worked great) 9 x 15 x 3 loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until done (yeah). Wrap with foil when cool.

Red Beans and Rice with Cajun Sausage

Only 440 calories per serving. Click on my livestrong.com link for the recipe. This was an awesome throw together hit with the family. Enjoy.

http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/red-beans-rice-w-cajun-sausage/

Time to budget...

Okay just some free advice. I hear people talk about needing to be on a budget and always saying they don't know where their money went. Well I've come across yet another FREE site that can make this easy for you. Mint.com will help you set a budget and track your money as well as set goals. It can be used for many other things but in its simplest for form it can be use by everyone easily. Check it out and give it a try, I hope it is really helpful and if so pass it on.

click this link: https://www.mint.com/

250 Calorie...Quick Satisfying Lunch

This is my pick for a low calorie quick pick. I keep these on hand for when I just want a fast lunch. With only 250 calories you can still have a piece of fruit or yogurt if you like. I'm a kid and like to chop up the steak and mix all together like a mini shephards pie. YUMMO!

Italian Sausage Deep Dish Pizza

This was a quick spur of the moment meal. I had everything on hand and it was a huge hit with the whole family.


1 lb. Mild Italian Sausage
2 cups Shredded Cheese
2 cans Refrigerated Biscuits (I used Grands)
1 medium Onion sliced thin
Crushed Red Pepper
2 tsp. Minced Garlic
Olive Oil
Nonstick Spray
Italian Seasoning
Salt and Pepper
Ragu Garden Style Sauce (use whatever you like)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a fry pay fry onions until translucent then add Minced Garlic, Crushed Red Pepper, Italian Seasoning and Italian Sausage...fry until brown. I used 3 pie pans, spread biscuits on bottom and sides of pan, then brush with Olive Oil, spread half the cheese on bottom. Once meat mixture is done spread over cheese, then top with Ragu sauce and then the rest of the cheese. Bake in oven for 20 minutes and enjoy.

You could easily make this a special pizza night creation. Make all your toppings and layer in as each person wants...what a pizza party that would be. Everything was on hand in my pantry or freezer from coupon stock up. I don't even think I have $5 in this whole family meal...AWESOME!

Healthy Steps

Weight has been a struggle all my life. I can't remember when it wasn't ever an issue. As a child hearing about every little thing I put in my mouth and every little activity I did made me want to shut people (at least their voices) out. I don't want my children to have the same issues. Cameron never had to deal with weight until a few years ago when he started his psychotic medications. If anyone has ever had to take or knows someone who has had to take these medication you know that it can pack the weight on you. Cameron gained 60 lbs. on his first medication in this category in about 4 months time. We have battled it in so many ways. I think as a child you just don't see the necessity of worrying about weight and activity level. Well his weight and health was a huge concern and that was what led his doctor and me to take him of all medications and start from scratch so to speak. Any parent that deals with any ADHD or psychotic issue with their child will find that you need to do this every few years anyway to make sure they are really benefiting from the medication. I know it has reminded us of how bad things can get. You tend to only remember what recently happened and forget what it was like a few years back. This has been a trying time for the whole family, but we are committed to always help our children grow in the best way possible (even when it means we have to step into an uncomfortable zone). So now Cameron is only taking a medication that is a hormone replacement for his bladder (actually common) and a new medication called Intuniv (used for ADHD but also for impulsive behavior...since we have both), which is not a psychotic medication. His medication that was causing weight gain should be out of his system in about 2 weeks (can you believe a medication can stay in your system for so long). Well with Cameron you can't spring things on him and this summer has been filled with a lot of changes. I've just quit my job, got him in a Christian Home School, ordered his curriculum, planned his days, and worked on my lesson plans (all including Cameron, so it has been a slow process). We haven't conquered the weight loss as of yet but today was a first step to getting him on board. I found a wonderful site, seems like I heard about it before but never checked it out. Livestrong.com is where I found myself a few days ago. I looked around and it really reminded me of the Weight Watchers online site I had done a while back for a few months. Online is easy for me and Cameron is very interactive so I thought maybe I should think about this. After further investigation...IT"S FREE! Weight Watcher's cost $20+ per month (couldn't remember exactly what I paid) and this would allow Cameron to have his own login so he would be the one watching his food and activities instead of me asking (nagging). So today I set myself up and he set him up an account (had to fudge his year born so he could do this...of course I never told him, don't want to give him any ideas). So far we have logged breakfast and a few activities. I just want him to be aware that he has choices and has the power to control them. I will update every now and then on how its going. I know for the next few weeks I will have to remind him to go online and record things since new things are hard to make a habit but I am very hopeful. I know lots of people struggle with weight/health issues so why not join us and give it a try. I'd love to hear how you are doing.

General Tso Chicken

My family is a HUGE fan of Chinese food. One of our favorite dishes is General Tso Chicken. I've made it from scratch before and it took time and well I'm into quick dishes. I was in Walmart a while back and looked in the Oriental isle and looked around the sauces. The fact that I lived three years in Japan makes me a bit picky with certain flavors. I just can't help it. I found a sauce packet that I thought I'd like to try.

I of course didn't follow the recipe as it told me to but it really turned out good. Cameron had two helpings. This a definate purchase again for us.

GENERAL TSO CHICKEN

1 pkg Sunbird General Tso Chicken Seasoning Packet

1/4 cup sugar

3 Tbsp Soy Sauce (I used Bull Dog sauce, a Japanese sauce used in Yakisoba)

3/4 cup water

1 bag pre-breaded chicken pieces (makes this a quick and easy dish)

Directions: I put my chicken in the oven to bake following the package directions (use real chicken pieces not nuggets). When chicken was almost finished I mixed all other ingredients together in a sauce pan and brought to boil, stirring frequently (this doesn't take long). In a large bowl with lid I dumped all my chicken in it and poured my sauce over the top. Placed lid on top and shook until all chicken was coated. I served with steamed white rice. This was a real winner and I will definately make again. I had dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. I love it!

Just a good day, what can I say?!

Today was a good day! I took the kids to school so Cameron could take his Science Project without breaking his neck on the bus. This was a treat for them, it amazes me how much a child looks forward to riding the bus until they have to ride it, lol. While driving to work, Kevin called me and he got called into work. I love it when God provides extra income. Since our income tax has been delayed due to the bio-mom thinking as usual the rules don't apply to her, my job situation has changed and I've moved to two days a week and hopefully this summer it will be three and Kevin has picked up a few extra hours here and there. Cameron called me while I was at work today to tell me that he only missed two on his spelling test and got and 86. I am so proud of him. There isn't a day that goes by that I'm not amazed. When I got home we took Breanna to get her picture made with the Easter Bunny. Of course Cameron didn't want his taken...he's thinks he is too old. We had a really good evening as a family hanging out together. I will be sad this weekend since Breanna has to go on her visit. I plan on keeping busy with Cameron and doing some Spring Cleaning.

Do you ever have leftover BBQ? When I do I usually freeze it for later. Here is an quick, easy, cheap and yummy recipe the whole family will love.

BBQ Pita Pizzas

Pita Bread

Leftover BBQ

BBQ Sauce

Shredded Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take Pita Bread and brush lightly with BBQ Sauce, add leftover BBQ and top with Shredded Cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes until Pita is crispy and cheese is melted.

This is a bargain meal. I buy the Pita Bread with the grocery store marks it down (paid $1.19 for a pack of 6) and keep it in the freezer until I get ready to use it. The BBQ was leftover and the BBQ Sauce was already in the fridge, so no extra cost involved there. I bought a pack of Shredded Cheese for $1.79 and didn't even use but half of the package (so some for another day). Basically we ate for less that $3.00 tonight....AWESOME!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Well last Saturday we made a deal with the kids that if they would help us kick off our spring cleaning then we would treat them to a movie and pizza. For the first step of our spring cleaning we started with the master bathroom and main bathroom. We emptied it out completely and cleaned it from top to bottom. Everything got done; ceilings, walls, floor, tub, toilet and cabinet for both bathrooms and it was reorganized. The kids hung in there and helped as best they could. Breanna and I got ready and went to a baby shower, while Kevin and Cameron got ready. We headed to check out the latest movie (bargain saver time) release; Diary of a Wimpy Kid. This was a cute movie and everyone in the family enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend going to see it, especially as a family. Afterwards we headed to Cici's for some unlimited pizza. After a few stops by the store we headed home for bed. It would have been a perfect day except Breanna woke up at 11 pm throwing up and continued to do so up until 6:30 am Sunday morning. Needless to say it wasn't a fun night. We went through 3 sets of bed clothes and numerous blanket. Don't you just love laundry???? Well after making her rest and slowly eat and drink, thankfully she was able to go to school on Monday.

Busy Day

Well I thought this morning that the day was going to be one of my worst. First waking to find we had over slept and only had 15 minutes to get the kids ready to meet the bus for school. I guess the excitement had just the opposite effect and kicked my butt in high gear. I started my Brunswick Stew on the stove, put a pre-divided pack of chicken leg quarters in one crock pot (thinking maybe some Chicken Tacos and a Casserole with that meat) and put the Pork Roast that was left over from my Brunswick Stew in the other crock pot (thinking some BBQ or Stuffed Potatoes) to plan for my weekend menu so I don't have to spend the whole time cooking. Made me some Coffee and Oatmeal with Splenda and sat down to enjoy my Breakfast. Loaded the dishwasher and made it work for me. Everything was all finished by 9 a.m. This is how I wish everyday would go. I should be so lucky.

Saw Cameron's Psychiatrist on Tuesday and we decided to up his ADHD medication to see if he might be able to stay on task a little better. We have talked about this a few visits ago but I decided I wanted to see how things went and well he needs some extra. We are doing a new technique of breaking down responsibilities. For instance when he has to clean his room I won't just say, " Go clean your room". That is just to big for him. So now we are breaking it down. I may send him in his room to pick 10 things off the floor. Then later tell him to make his bed. After a while passes I tell him to look in his closet and do 4 things to improve the look of his closet. WOW, this really worked. It took maybe 45 minutes in all to clean his room. This might seem like a long time to most people but usually I tell him about 20 times to clean his room over a course of 2 hours to all day (depends how worn out I become over the issue) and frankly it still isn't clean. Great Job Cameron!

Kevin and I went to Cameron's IEP meeting at the school today. It was a reevaluation meeting. Basically things are going as planned. Cameron is growing socially and fitting in. Grades are steady however the recent issues with his on task we decided to add the same technique that we are using at home to the classroom to avoid shut down. So when he seems overwhelmed or lost the teacher will have him just focus on one part of what he is doing at a time. And the other issue is related to his short term memory loss. I will work with him over the weekend to create a checklist he is responsible for every day and not forget homework items. We will meet in March or April to establish his IEP for Jr. High School. Our goal is to not hinder him in getting his diploma and graduating. All seems good at this moment. We will start the new medicine dosage this weekend since I like to keep and eye on him when anything changes. ADHD medicine can have a bad affect on someone with Bi-Polar sometimes, so you always need to keep a close eye just to be safe. Who can do this better than me?

Well looks like tonight will be filled with looking over grocery sales ads and coupons to plan my shopping for the weekend. I always enjoy saving money.

Something good is also going on in my life. With all the different medical and learning issues Cameron has had over the years I'm in the process of working with my Pastor to set up a support group that will help parents of children with various issues. I have to admit this has been on my mind for some time now and by the grace of God it will come to pass. I feel that there are many families that could benefit from such a group, probably more than we realize. So please keep me and my church in your prayers as we make this a reality to our community.

Brunswick Stew

Brunswick Stew

1 lb Pork Roast, cubed (I bought a 3 lb Pork Roast and cut a 1/3 of it up for this and reserved the other for BBQ to save money)
8 medium Potatoes, diced
1 can Corn, drained
1 can Peas, drained
2 cans Carrots, drained
1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 cans Tomato Sauce
Dash Pepper
3 Tbsp Minced Onion
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
4 cups Water (make sure everything is covered)

Brown Pork in pot, add all ingredients and bring to a boil for about 15 minutes and reduce heat to medium and cook for about 45 minutes. Make a wonderfully thick gravy for a satisfying meal.

Serves 10
247 Calories per Serving

I usually make this in the Crock Pot but today I really wanted to speed it up. I also have my meals planned or the weekend and had both Crock Pots busy at the time. This was very yummy and filling.

Munday Monday...

Well Kevin had to work on his day of today to cover for a couple guys. I got up and finished the laundry, straightened the house and made a pot of Chicken Vegetable Soup. My day was pretty mundane. I just got some computer files in order and deleted a million emails. Why don't we just delete them when we read them or open our email. It really can create a huge backlog.

I'm planning on working tomorrow and going to a coupon class at church tomorrow night. I love learning this savings stuff. You should see my pantry...it is really paying off.

Kevin got home just in time to walk to the bus stop to get Breanna. Cameron had math tutoring after school. I started Bre' on her homework, while Kevin went to get Cameron. They got home and started on his homework. We all just ate and the kids are showering. They plan to watch Ice Age 3 tonight. Kevin and I are going to just relax and watch Heros and maybe a movie of our own.

I bought a oven chicken roaster somewhere many years ago. It is a little 3 piece contraption that allows you to roast a chicken standing up in your oven. It took Kevin and I both to put the thing together. We just now put the chicken in the oven that I had forgotten I had thawed out. Should be ready around 8:30 p.m., it will be a good start for dinner tomorrow. All we will have to do is heat up the chicken, I know we are going to grill some corn and I was thinking of mac and cheese or stuffing (I'll leave that up to Kevin). I'll let you know how my little roaster does.

I just want to say that I am so thankful for the wonderful family I have. God has truly blessed us all and especially me.