Weekly Menu

We actually had a normal week last week - no surprises. I did not make the Apple Stuffed Pork Chops, I just was not feeling it at all, so instead I just marinaded them in Heinz 57 and baked them.  They were kind of bland - I think they really needed to be grilled! It might be time to break out our small gas grill and start doing some grilling on that until we can use the charcoal grill (it needs to be warmer to use it or the kettle stays cold and the food doesn't cook well).  I also did not make the Korean Taco's, I was already over budget so the roast did make it into the grocery cart!

I mentioned last week that I would share my updated Recipe Binders so here are the photos I know you were ALL waiting to see :-)

 What a mess right? This binder was so huge it was hard to use.

 The final product :-)


About three years ago I saw the brilliant idea to use a three ring binder as a recipe binder.  That way, when you print recipes, you don't have to re-size them to file them.  Talk about a time saver!!  Well, my binder was about 4 inches thick, and honestly, it was terrible to use.  I decided to divide it into two binders and I love the new red color!  One holds my "meal planning" recipes such as main dishes, salads, side dishes and breads.  Basically anything I would use to plan meals. The other holds "Treats and Drinks" so cookies, cakes, appetizers, and more. I already love this "break" because it makes it easier to manage the binders. The small white binder will be the holiday binder - I'm going to put our special holiday tradition reminders/recipes/plans in that binder.

I'm going to try and get back into the habit of linking back to recipes I've already posted so they are easy to find.  Also, I'm going to be cleaning out my recipe tab on the blog and getting rid of bad links and, well, bad recipes. When I first started posting recipes I linked everything but, really, there are quite a few I've never made again and, honestly,won't.  So, there will be some minor changes happening over the next week or so as I clean it all up!

Now, on to this weeks Menu which includes St Patrick's Day!  I love St. Patrick's Day - I just think it is fun to wear green (or orange) and do fun things with Fruit Loops :-)

Monday - Man- pleasing chicken, carrots, and creamy 5-cup fruit salad. 

Tuesday - Simple Perfect Enchiladas and Chips w/cheese

Wednesday - Stuffed Shells, Garlic Bread, and Roasted Green Beans

Thursday - Roasted Pork, Twice Baked Potatoes and Broccoli

Friday - Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos, Chips and Salsa and Savory Rice

Saturday - A Family Birthday Party - I think the plan is just cake and ice cream so I think we will just grab something on our way home.

Sunday - (St. Patrick's day) Cabbage Rolls, Crash Potatoes, Layered Jell-O, and biscuits


Snacks and Treats:
Snickerdoodle Muffins
Puffy Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips

And - for Ladies Meeting on Tuesday Night:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
Snickers Caramel Apple Salad

Food Friday - Fried Rice

Fried Rice
adapted from Life as a Lofthouse

  You may recall that last week I shared a great recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken.  Well, what do you need with good Chinese food?? Fried rice of course!!  I have (or should say had) another recipe that I usually used but this one was much more simple so I thought I would try it out.  Guess what?  It is great! I will say that I used "fresh" rice so it didn't have quite the "bite" that fried rice normally does but the flavor was really good and the left overs were wonderful.  You could turn this into a great lunch by adding a package of chopped ham or salad shrimp to it as well. 

 

Fried Rice                                                                                             

3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!)

3 tbs sesame oil

1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)

1 small onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup soy sauce

      On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok.  Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated!   **You could really play around with this rice too! Try adding some diced ham, or green onion :) Yum! 

Pinterest Plans - March

First of all, if you want to see what I did (or didn't) accomplish in February, just click HERE.  I did try some things, one even failed HA!

I'm starting to think about summer ideas so I want to make this game from This Old House.

Once again, after ready the description . .. well, I'm not making this HA!  I don't really do saws or anything.  Plus I got a magazine that has lots of fun stuff for outside that is CHEAP :-) 
 
Since St Patrick's Day and Easter hit in the same month . . my April wreath really needs to carry over to May also so I thought that this one from Polka Dot Chair would be perfect.

Watch for an upcoming post on the making of this wreath in April.
One of my goals this month is to take care of my feet to get ready for summer so here is one idea I'll be trying from Buzzle.

I'm also going to try this idea from Ehow.com to help my dry feet.

And, on the other foot, I'll try this idea from KSL.com :-)

Another thing on my goal list (again) is to get a coat rack hung up in our entry way so this is my inspiration from Little Daisy May.  (Ok, the photo is from pinterest and links back to this blog - but to the home page. I did not search for the actual post . . .)

I love this for the bathroom - for the price, I'll probably just order it instead of make it! Check it out over at this Etsy Shop.

I have this marked in Etsy.com to order - it will go into April's budget - I'll share a photo once I have it, and have it on the wall! 
This is something else I'm hoping to buy this month.  I first saw it over at Shannon Makes Stuff.  Maybe my kids will want to be potty trained if we have this cool seat!

As much as I want one - they are a little pricey . . .if I can budget it for it soon, I will order it!!  
 
I'm kinda getting tired of the art in my bathroom and want something more fun so I think I will maybe add this . ..it only links back to a board on  Pinterest as the link only goes to a photo anyway.

One last idea I want to make this month is this birthday calendar from Eighteen 25.  I used to be so good at sending cards but I've slacked off.  I know I love getting them so I want to get back into the routine and this would help me out!

I still need to work on cleaning out my boards.  As I've looked for ideas I want to do I've found lots of things I don't want to make or that are doubles.  I might even just delete my recipe board and start over HA  It is way to big to work with!

March Too Cute Plans

If you would like to check out what I completed in February, just click HERE .  I've updated what I'm doing, what I nixed, and what is on hold.

In going back through my February Too Cute Posts - this is what I want to accomplish this month and my plan on how I want to get it done since there are quite a few!  .

So, i have the supplies for this but haven't made it.  I think the whole idea, with the basic supplies, is going into my "Summer project bin".  Something to do on a rainy (or really hot) day. 

I want to make ONE, yep just one page for each of the boys for a quiet book.
I have supplies to do my first page - I'm actually starting with a farm page - I just have to take the time to do it.  A lot of cutting and some sewing to do - I think it needs to be a Saturday project :-)  

Still need to get the supplies and make this - it is on my goal list for our first camping trip in June.
Getting ready for camping and trips to the beach - I want to make one of these big beach blankets.

Sometimes I don't think through a process.  I am not making these -they will not work on my boys beds due to the set-up and the fact that one has drawers. 
 
The boys would love these to hang on their beds and keep their favorite animals close - this is a "bonus" project . .. not sure if I will get it done, if not it will move ahead a month.

 With spring coming- I want some rainy day things for inside the house - so I want these made :-)
I'm throwing around the idea of buying some others that I found so I haven't made these yet. 
 

Made these - fantastic.  Check out the post HERE
 
Yummy!  An easy recipe to add as a dessert one week.

 I have a bottle of foam soap to use up and then I'll make this and see if it works.
I have the stuff to make this but am waiting to use up the first bottle of soap -  the soap is ALMOST gone!!  Soon I can try this :-)  

 My goal is to make 3 of these muffin tin recipes.  There are quite a few I'd like to try (not all of them - some of them make my stomach turn HA!)
I have not made a single one - after re-reading them, they really didn't interest me. 

 This will be one of our Easter crafts for preschool.
I totally failed Easter Crafts HA  I still want to make this - I'm thinking in May would be good since the birds will all be back! Again, I think the supplies will go in the summer fun bin :-) 

 I will be ordering two of these :-)  These will be awesome for when we go away, go camping, or just travel to Nana's.
I have these marked in Etsy and will be ordering in May so we have them for camping!
 

 Planning to pick out our first chapter book to read with the boys.
We have started reading Little House in the Big Woods - but my boys are typical boys and sitting and listening to a book is not high on their list.  I'm trying though :-) 
 

 Another fun recipe to try :-)
So, I bought some lofthouse cookies a few weeks ago and said to myself, "Why try to imitate perfection?"  So nope, not even going to try. 
 

 This will be a craft for preschool this month.
The directions on this craft are so crazy that I decided not to try - if I can't follow the directions, how can I make it??? 

 This is one of those "iffy" ideas - I'd like to make at least one of the crafts but these might need to get pushed to next month.
They made one at church.  Does that count? 
 

Same with this one - it might be too early to put this out. 
This is back on the radar again :-)  Time to feed the birds!!!

Too Cute Not To Toot

Have you missed a "Too Cute" post recently? Just click HERE to review the posts from this year :-)

Every once in awhile - I run across a "dry" spot with ideas and this week that is what has happened.  A lot of the same ideas keep coming back up so I really did not find anything worth sharing!

Enjoy!

February Preschool

Did we do preschool in February?  Ummm No.  I was sick last week and, quite honestly, didn't do much.  Here's hoping March is better!!  :-)

So, nothing to share this week :-(

A Photo a Day for March and Update on 101 in 1001

A friend of mine posted this on facebook and I decided it looked like fun to try.  I tend to fail at these but this particular friend is a great cheerleader and is part of a Scrapbooking group I'm in so I figured she keep me accountable ;-)  Don't worry that I'm posting this after March 1st - just catch up (no one will ever know!).  I plan to post at the end of the month - a nice long post with just photos but here is a sneak peak.

March 1 - A Clock

The story: My watch.  It has sat on my desk awaiting a battery for about 2 years.  Yes, 2 years.  Why?  I would never remember to take it with me when I went to the mall.  Finally, on February 28th, I remembered and it is like I have an old friend back.  I have missed my watch - Time is my friend. 

On a different note - remember that 101 in 1001 goal list?  Just click on the link if you would like to see an update.