Jun 2

May’s Tasty Treats

This Summer the kitchen is my home sweet home. I’m either cleaning up, washing dishes, cooking ahead a meal, grabbing snacks, or baking something, a.k.a. I have become my Grandmother… Yesterday, I spent the entire day baking and preparing Sourdough dough, and I’ve already got bread in the oven this morning.

I have a few photos to share from my kitchen in May, and one seriously EPIC FAIL from my kitchen too…

Chocolate Chip Cookies…. Cookies, cookies, cookies. I keep asking my family if they would like me to bake anything else, and nope, just Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Cinnamon Rolls, breadmaker cheater batch. I’ve been stocking the fridge for grab and go breakfasts for James, and Cinnamon Rolls fit the bill. I take a little (well a lot) of help from the breadmaker with this recipe, and proof the dough with it instead. It really does cut down the time, but I feel a little guilty.

Homemade Chocolate Mousse. I made this for myself for Mother’s Day. I also froze half of the batch, and made some amazing ice cream out of it.

I made a big batch of Cherry Cheesecake Pudding. I’ve been making lots of cool desserts lately. This one was absolutely delicious, even though my family wouldn’t try it, because they don’t like cheesecake, and they are crazy…

Agnes and I made a batch of Sunbeam Cookies, the kids loved them!

Banana Muffins, I double the batch, and keep them in the fridge for fast breakfast. The kids even like them for dessert too.

We have been going through a lot of bread, so I’m making a few loaves from scratch for the kiddos lunches. It is so tasty, and makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches.

Depression Cake, Snack Cake, Wacky Cake, Crazy Cake, whatever you call it, throw some ice cream on top of it, and it is dessert.

So the tiny ones have been wanting to help me in the kitchen. They like to help prep ingredients, and make suggestions on what to make next. We were watching a cooking show on Food Network when they spotted Marshmallow Dream Brownies. The tiny ones said right away that we needed to make them.

To the internet, to obtain the recipe, and to the store for the extra ingredients, and then off to the kitchen to follow the direction step by step,

And I ended up with an entire pan of FAIL! O.k., so we called them spoon brownies, and they did taste pretty good. I’m going to try this recipe again, but this time, I’m using a bigger pan.

I hear my oven beeping, so it is time to take the Sourdough Rolls out of the oven. I had better get to it.

Jun 1

Monthly Dinner Menu For June

To me it still feels like March. The weather is cool and rainy, and it just doesn’t seem like it should be Summer just yet. It is the first day of June, and that means that it is time for another monthly dinner menu.

Here are a few little things that are going to be different with my Summer dinner menus.

While they are not going to be zero take-out months, I’m trying to stick to cooking in the kitchen. Lately every time we’ve grabbed take-out (no matter where it has been from) , it hasn’t been good… The food has been cold, gummy, or just iffy, even the kids are starting to complain about their favorite spots. So, I’m going to plan a meal, but opt for a meal out if we really feel like it.

Yes, there are a lot of repeats… I’m trying to stick to my weekly budget, and I’m having a hard time doing so. All three kids are home, and eating around the clock, so I need some budget friendly meals to fix in a hurry.

I’m still sticking with my lacto-ovo vegetarian ways, and so happy about it. I’ll post my meals after the first of the month, as I do not follow a daily menu.

So with all of that here we go. Hello June, and hello to another monthly dinner menu.

  • 6/1/15: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, and Tater Tots
  • 6/2/15: Chicken Soft Tacos, Tortilla Chips, and Homemade Salsa
  • 6/3/15: Panko Popcorn Chicken and Curly Fries
  • 6/4/15: Tacos, Tortilla Chips, and Homemade Salsa
  • 6/5/15: Take-out or Snack Dinner BBQ Lil’s Smokies, Veggie Sticks and Hummus, Chips and Dip
  • 6/6/15: Cinnamon Rolls, Bacon, Toast, and Breakfast Potatoes
  • 6/7/15: Chicken Noodles, Mashed Potatoes, and Dinner Rolls
  • 6/8/15: Panko Chicken Sandwiches and Curly Fries
  • 6/9/15: Tacos, Tortilla Chips, and Homemade Salsa
  • 6/10/15: Homemade Chicken Rice-a-Roni, Hominy, and Dinner Rolls
  • 6/11/15: Beef Soft Tacos, Tortilla Chips, and Homemade Salsa
  • 6/12/15: Take-out or Grilled Chicken, Rice, Corn, and Wheat Dinner Rolls
  • 6/13/15: Pancakes, Toast, Fruit, and Bacon
  • 6/14/15: Steaks and Steak Fries
  • 6/15/15: Salmon Bites, Salad, and Breadstick Dinner Rolls
  • 6/16/15: Tostadas, Tortills Chips, and Homemade Salsa
  • 6/17/15: Panko Popcorn Chicken and Tater Tots
  • 6/18/15: Tacos, Tortilla Chips, and Homemade Salsa
  • 6/19/15: Take-out or Salmon Cakes, Rice, Corn, and Dinner Rolls
  • 6/20/15: Waffles, Toast, Fresh Fruit, and Bacon
  • 6/21/15: Fried Chicken, Spaghetti, Hominy, Dinner Rolls, and Chocolate Bundt Cake
  • 6/22/15: Homemade Beef Rice-a-Roni, Hominy, and Homemade Bread
  • 6/23/15: Tacos, Tortilla Chips, and Homemade Salsa
  • 6/24/15: Grilled Chicken, Salad, and Breadstick Dinner Rolls
  • 6/25/15: Beef Soft Tacos, Tortilla Chips, and Homemade Salsa
  • 6/26/15: Take-out or Panko Chicken Sandwiches and Tater Tots
  • 6/27/15: Pancakes, Bacon, Toast, and Fresh Fruit
  • 6/28/15: Pot Roast with Potatoes, and Dinner Rolls
  • 6/29/15: Salmon Bites, Salad, and Breadstick Dinner Rolls
  • 6/30/15: Chicken Soft Tacos, Tortilla Chips, and Homemade Salsa

Time to get to it. Happy Monday everybody!

 

 

 

May 30

Summer Break (And I Mean Break)

The kids have been on Summer break for a full week now, and the rainy weather is still with us. My seasonal affective disorder is with me too. I’ve found myself stressed out with all of the extra cooking and cleaning, and kids fighting. I want to turn that around right now…

I’m tired of feeling as if I get through Summer, and I don’t truly enjoy it. I’m tired of over-planning, or under-planning, and having to explain that sometimes it is just best to stay home. I’m also tired of thinking about what August will bring, and the new stresses, and logistics with all three kids in school.

So I’m taking a deep breath, and treating Summer vacation, as if I am actually on vacation.

I’ve found that when I’ve been on vacation, I feel better mentally, and physically too. I don’t stick to a schedule, I nap when I can, I take time for extra walks, and eat better too. I also take the time to appreciate the beauty around me, and enjoy local fare too. I read, craft, relax, and enjoy the little moments.

So let’s make that happen everyday at home…

I’m taking time to craft. I work on little projects here and there whenever I have a minute to myself. Crochet calms my nerves, and keeps my mind positively busy too.

 

 

 

 

 

Spending more time with my family, and extended family too. We don’t have to have a plan, or an event to attend, spend a dime,  or even celebrate an obligated holiday for a visit. This Summer,  I hope to catch up with everyone, and enjoy quality time with loved ones.

 

 

 

 

 

Gardening from seed, or from help from the local nurseries. I’ve been  spending more time with my hands in the dirt. We have lots of plants indoors, and many outdoors. Time in the gardens is calming for me, and educational for the kids. We also get some fresh fruits and veggies too.

 

 

 

 

 

Appreciating the great outdoors, and all of the little creatures that call our backyard home. The kids have enjoyed taking care, and observing the little animals that share our home, and backyard. Dylan loves reptiles, and Agnes prefers the sweet wild rabbit that is hiding in the north garden. Both of the tiny kids love snuggling with the big kitty, and chasing Miss Mia around the backyard. I love to play fetch with Mia, or take her for a long walk in the evening.  I’m also looking forward to the lightning-bugs and butterflies of Summer.

 

 

 

 

Taking time to rest (when I actually need to). With seasonal affective disorder comes mental exhaustion, and constantly feeling tired… Instead of fighting it, I’m taking a bit of quiet time each day to rest. The kids have time to themselves, the little ones usually crash out for a bit too. The little bit of quiet time helps me regroup, and feel better in the late afternoon.

 

 

 

 

Taking time to get outside. Now I’m really going to sound like a mom… My oldest might not agree with me, but it is really good for the kiddos to get outdoors, and enjoy some free-play. He isn’t too happy when I say it is time to take a break from video-games, you-tube, and consuming the internets in general, but I make him get out there and do it anyway. They run, jump, play catch, or fetch with Mia. They also blow bubbles, draw with Chalk, or take a favorite book to read on the porch. Kids today (mom voice) really need the simple activities of our childhood’s past.

 

 

Baking more treats from scratch. This one might not apply to everyone, but I love to bake. Baking breads, cookies, cakes, pies, you name it, calms me down, and feeds my family too. I love to get my hands into dough, and make something delicious out of it. I’ve already spent a good deal of Summer break baking away in the kitchen.

 

 

 

 

Doing away with the daily to-do’s. When the kids are in school, I stick to my daily list. I pour over what to do, and where to be when. Now that it is Summer I’ve abandoned the to-do chores, and probably get more accomplished because it isn’t on my list.

 

 

 

 

Making weekends actual weekends. During the school year weekends stressed me out completely, they were indeed my work-ends. I was always playing catch-up, cleaning out backpacks, tending to school homework, and just generally being stressed out and waiting for Monday morning to arrive. Now, I’m taking time to relax with my family, catch-up on netflix, and not worry about planning out what comes next.

June is almost here, and I’m looking forward to warmer weather, and more time spent outdoors. I hope that you have a fun, and stress-free Summer too.