Menu Plan Monday

Our menu plan this week is simply an effort to use up the contents of the freezer.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday
Dinner at Rachel’s

Tuesday
Turkey Noodle Soup
Salad

Wednesday
Ravioli, Salad,

Thursday
Beef and Snow Peas, Fried Rice, Salad

Friday
Pizza, Salad

Saturday
Dinner
Pork Tenderloin, Black Eyed Peas, sautéed cabbage, Rice , rolls

Sunday
Chicken Apple Sausage Po-Boys, Ortega Potatoes, Green Beans

For more great menu ideas, visit www.orgjunkie.com

Food Storage

I found a great new link that will help you get the best prices in preparing your yearly food storage. http://www.grocerycouponguide.com/articles/guide-to-sales-cycles-for-rock-bottom-prices/

I've reposted December Sales/Deals to help you get started. When you can combine sale prices with coupons, stock up. I posted the complete list even though I wouldn't necessarily buy all these items. Each family is different. Buy what works for your family.

DECEMBER Sales/Deals
Christmas dinner/Holiday party foods
Party/Deli platters
Cold cuts
Sour cream, dips
Crackers, chips
soda
Ham
Stuffing mix
Potato mix
Butter
Fresh potatoes
Gravy
Bread/rolls
Frozen pies
Green beans
Fried onion
Cream soups
Broth
Pie filling
Egg nog
Christmas dinner/Holiday party supplies
wrapping paper
cards
ribbon
bows
tape
paper plates
napkins
Baking supplies
Flour
Sugar
Butter
Cream
Cake mix
Brownie mix
Muffin mix
Breads
Pie Crust
Marshmallow
Whipped cream
Clearance items:
Post Thanksgiving clearance
Fall décor and craft clearance
After Christmas clearance
Occasions:
Chanukah
Winter begins
Christmas
New Year’s Eve
Kwansaa
Produce in Season:
Anjou Pears
Bok Choy
Bosc Pears
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Dates
Grapefruit
Haas Avocados
Kale
Kiwi
Kumquat
Lemon
Napa Cabbage
Oranges
Quince
Potatoes, Sweet
Red Cabbage
Rutabaga
Savoy Cabbage
Spinach
Squash, Winter
Yams
Turnips
White Potato

A Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY
Outside my window...I had a late night last night, so I haven't even made it out of bed yet. Well...except to stumble to the coffee pot. We went to my sister's house to pick up a signed copy of her new cookbook. Jessica is giving it to her in-laws to be as an intro to our family. The book has family recipes as well as family history interwoven throughout.


I am thinking...about my plans for Christmas. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. We'll be opening gifts with Jess and Joey before heading to Church. After Church we'll enjoy our traditional Gumbo Supper with Potato Salad, Green Salad, rolls and Pannetone Bread Pudding with Buttermilk Sauce.

I am thankful for...Neil's new job. Even though it causes our family to be separated, I realize how God's hand is in this job. In a bad economy, we were very blessed that he was only out of work one month.

From the learning rooms...(if this applies)I'm no longer homeschooling as all of my children are now in college, but learning is still occurring. I'm working on an Intro to Computers book. It's time I moved beyond e-mail and word processing.

From the kitchen...I'll soon be up to grind wheat for bread and begin preps for tomorrows dinner. Today will be a simple food day.

I am wearing...I'm still in my jammies. Quite decadent for me.

I am creating...Christmas stockings. It's not going to be ready for this year, but hopefully it will be ready for our first Christmas in Kansas.

I am going...to run to the stores to purchase the cake pans for Jessica's wedding. Rachel wants to make the topsy turvy cake for her so I want to get them while I have a 50% off coupon.

I am reading...Wedding Planning for Dummies. http://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Planning-Dummies-Second-Marcy/dp/0764556851/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292998090&sr=1-1
Even though this is my second daughter to marry, I am finding this book helpful. We are not wealthy by any means. This is a budget wedding. This wedding will not cost anywhere near the median wedding cost in the US, but we want it to be a special day for our daughter.

I am hoping...For a peaceful, prayerful Christmas season. We have much to give thanks for. I am very blessed to have a wonderful family that continues to grow. We have many hopes for the near and distant future and are currently laying them at the feet of God for His divine guidance.


I am hearing...quiet. Neil and the kids have run out to get replacement phones for Jess and Logan.

Around the house...a little packing, a little purging, is happening as we slowly prepare for our big move back to Kansas.

One of my favorite things...is to enjoy quiet time with my family. This time is precious because my children will not be coming to Kansas with us in the near future. Their lives are here, for now.

A few plans for the rest of the week: It's Christmas week, so it's all about time together as a family. This year and next will be very eventful. We want to enjoy time with our entire family, both immediate and extended.

To visit other daybooks or to add your own, be sure to visit http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Cornbread

I don't like to cook using packaged items. I prefer scratch cooking where possible. I have fond memories of Jiffy cornbread and milk when I grew up. It was a favorite Sunday night meal. I've tried many cornbread recipes looking for a good substitute. This recipe is not at all like Jiffy, but I just love it. I'm told you can grind popping corn to make cornmeal using my wheat grinder, but I haven't tried that yet. I do like to keep a couple of bags of cornmeal in my food storage pantry. One day I will try grinding the popping corn.

Corn Bread

1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. oil
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (I generally use homemade)
2-3 Tbsp. honey (you can sub sugar, but I like honey best)

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Combine butter and oil in 9 inch baking pan and place in oven to melt the butter while oven is heating up.
3. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour into the hot baking dish. Return to the oven for 25 minutes

By the way, now is a good time to pick up extra baking supplies. The sales are best now and around Easter. You should purchase roughly 25 lbs/flour per person for your year's supply. Flour is on sale at Super Fresh for 1.38/5 lb. bag. I generally purchase my honey from Sam's. You should stock around 3 lbs/person in your family. You should stock around 1 lb/person of Baking Soda and Baking powder. You should purchase around 5-8 lbs of salt per person. I keep containers of Sea Salt in my pantry as well as a large sack of Mortons purchased from Sam's.

I hope this helps in your Food Storage preparations.

Chocolate in a Cup

Jessica and I started weight watchers a few weeks ago. It's been going really well. The weight is not falling off easily, but it is coming off. We hope to get to goal weight in the summer. That gives us ample time to take the weight off. It takes discipline, though. I tend to avoid dessert, but sometimes a girl just has to have chocolate. This fits the plan. For the black beans, just take a can and whir in the blender. Freeze the extras in 1 Tbsp. amounts in the freezer. If you aren't counting points, you can substitute 1 Tbsp. oil.

Into the mug you put

1 Tbsp. egg whites powder
2 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. mashed black beans
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
dash vanilla
1 tsp. instant coffee
3 Tbsp. cocoa

Mix together in mug and put mug in microwave. Cover and microwave 1 1/2 minutes. Take out and sprinkle with a sprinkle of chocolate chips or ff caramel sauce, or ff chocolate sauce. 4 points.