This Week's Plan 2-12-12

My little baby boy is going to be 11 months tomorrow!  I cannot believe it!  Where has the time gone?! For those who have been with me for the past year or more, it doesn't seem like I had him that long ago, does it!?  Oy!

Our "money diet" is going really well!  We're very proud of ourselves for controlling our spending the last 2 weeks.  We are keeping on!  So, we'll be using some of our freezer meals and using what we have in the freezer/pantry and buying as little as possible at the grocery store.  :)

I've made a plan for the next 2 weeks, but it may change slightly, as it usually does.  At least I have an outline and it will be easy to move things around as I need.  My grocery list this week is pretty short and I'm hoping next Sunday, I'll only need to buy milk and bread to get us through.  Yay us!

So, here's This Week and Next Week's Plan:

Monday: Vegetable and Lentil Soup (freezer meal)

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Peachy Pork Loin

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Saturday: Quiche - not slow cooker

Sunday: Tacos - not slow cooker

Monday: Beer Brats

Tuesday: Simple Chicken Thighs

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Shredded Pork Tortilla Soup 

Friday: WINE and CUPCAKE TASTING!!!!! Pizza for the Ella and my parents!

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Pork Roast with Potatoes, Carrots, Celery and Onions

This Week's Plan 1-29-12

My husband and I have put ourselves on a "Money Diet!"  We are each going to be giving up a couple of things and only grocery shop for necessities.  Last night, we went through our freezers and wrote down everything we have.  We have a TON of food!  LOL  We then came up with a menu plan based off of things we have pre-made and things we can make from what we have.  I'm thinking we probably have close to enough food in there for at least 2 months worth of dinners!  We'll have to buy a few things here and there, but I think this will help us get "back on track!"  If you haven't done this with your own freezer lately, I highly recommend it.  You will see how wasteful (or forgetful) you're being.  Use that stuff up before it's too late!!!!

With the Super Bowl coming this Sunday, I thought I'd make a couple of treats for us, but ones that won't break the bank!  If you're looking for other appetizers, click here.

Here's This Week's Plan:

Sunday: Beer Chili

Monday: The Best Bean and Ham Soup (this was in our freezer)

Tuesday: Leftover Beer Chili

Wednesday: BBQ Country Ribs

Thursday: Leftover Ribs

Friday: White Chicken Chili

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Apricot Glazed Wings and Cheesy Chorizo Dip

This Week's Plan 1-1-12

I cannot believe it's 2012!  Where did the last year go?!  One year ago, I was a family of 3, pregnant with Gavin and on bed rest, not working (due to the bed rest,) the mother of a 2.5 year old and just beginning to see my blog take off.  My, how time flies!

Fast forward to the present.....I'm a family of 4, the mother of a 9.5 month old AND 3.5 year old, back to work and incredibly grateful to the success of my blog!

I've been away from my "This Week's Plan"s for a while now.  I've been dealing with abdominal pain issues, which led to the discovery of kidney stones. :(  As my O.B. says, it's the closest pain to labor you experience.  Well, since it hasn't been all that long since I experienced labor, I remember exactly what that feels like and I agree!  My husband drove me to the emergency room a few weeks ago because I was in so much pain, I thought my appendix had burst or something.  I remember telling him it felt like labor. I thought it strange, but by the time I was admitted in the ER, the pain subsided and I pretty much just thought myself a crazy person with a bad UTI.  After several ultrasounds, kidney stone(s) it is!  Yay.  (Do you sense the sarcasm here?!)

Long story short, I haven't felt like my happy, perky self this past month or more.  I'm ready to feel better now!  I'm anxiously awaiting the plan to make that happen!

Meanwhile, I've put together a plan for this week.  It may or may not happen depending on what the doctor decides to do.  Personally, I'm hoping they admit me and zap these things so I can move on!  We shall see!

So, here is This Week's Plan:

Sunday - Leftover New Year's Eve Munchies!  YUM!

Monday - Italian Beef Sandwiches

Tuesday - Leftovers

Wednesday - Family Night at Buffalo Wild Wings (kids eat free and we're still on Winter Break!)

Thursday - Chicken and Chorizo (taking inspiration from Mamma Maria's La Cucina)

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Haven't decided yet!

This Week's Plan 11-20-11

Here we are, it's the Week of Thanksgiving!  I can't believe we're here already!  From here on out, the school year flies for me!  After Thanksgiving is Winter (Christmas) break, then Mid-Winter break comes shortly after that, then Spring Break.....then, the END OF THE YEAR!  Whoo hoo!

This week, we're going to be in and out of the house so much, I'm not going to make much of a plan.  Plus, I'm waiting hear what I'm supposed to bring to each Thanksgiving gathering, so it's hard to plan.  I know for sure I'll be making my Decadent Sweet Potato Casserole again as well as some Chocolate Bread Pudding (which I don't have a recipe for yet, but will after I make it!)  I bought Kahlua to put in it, so it can't possibly be bad!  LOL

I hope you have a very special Thanksgiving with your family!  I'm going to enjoy each and every moment with my family over the next week!  I have so very much to be thankful for!  Each of you give me yet another reason to be Thankful!  Thank you!

So far, here's what I have planned this week:

Sunday: Leftovers

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Something with Pork Chops?!

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Thanksgiving at my in-laws

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Thanksgiving at my mom's with Chocolate Bread Pudding and Decadent Sweet Potato Casserole

Happy Slow-Cooking!
Hope

This Week's Plan 11-5-11

It's been a heck of a week!  My husband has had 4 performances with his students in the past 7 days.  My house is a disaster area and I've been carting my poor tired kids in and out of the house a million times after we all scarf down some dinner.  I'm looking forward to Marching Band season coming to an end this Saturday!

Well, it's my birthday week.  It's both a happy and sad occasion.  LOL  My birthday used to be my favorite day of the year.  Now, it's just another day.  Life continues on as normal. I am happy I will be turning an "even" number again.  ;)  I'm a dork like that!  Maybe it's because my birth date is an even number that I have a dislike for "odd" numbers?!  Who knows?!  My husband was originally supposed to be out of town that day, so I agreed to sing a wedding that day.  Well, his plans changed, so he'll be in town!  Yay!  The wedding is still on though.  It's a 2 hour drive there, a 2 hour gig and then a 2 hour drive back.  Sigh......there goes my birthday!

This week kicks off what Ginger and I from Crock Pot Recipe Exchange are calling "Slow Cooking Through The Holidays!"  We'll be cooking up some awesome dishes you will be able to use during the Holidays.  I can't wait to share all the recipes with you and to cook them all!  My house is going to smell amazing!

So, here's This Week's Plan: (days may change slightly depending on when my Turkey breast thaws!)

Sunday: Dinner Out

Monday: Cranberry Glazed Turkey Breast, Stuffing and Sweet Potato Casserole

Tuesday: Turkey and "Dumplings" (using my leftover turkey)

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Salsa Ranch Chicken with Black Beans

Friday: Hope's Meatloaf  with Tomato, Bacon and Onion Green Beans

Saturday: Dinner out for my BIRTHDAY!!!!

I hope you all have a SPLENDID week!
Happy Slow-Cooking!
Hope

This Week's Plan 10-23-11

Well, the last two weeks were kind of a wash!  LOL  What I had planned 2 weeks ago, I finally got around to finishing....today.  LOL  Well, that's what happens when you're a BUSY MOM!

This week was so much fun!  Many of you participated in our Fall Virtual Crock Pot Party with Ginger from Crock Pot Recipe Exchange, but even if you didn't, there are 94 recipes posted there for you to try! That's amazing!!!!

A little update on my family (since it's been a while!).....Gavin is now 7 months old.  He started crawling a month ago.  He's everywhere!  He's also pulling himself up to standing.  Yeah, I know.  He's not supposed to be doing all of that yet, right?!  Yeah.......  We brought him for his 6 month check up a couple weeks ago and the doctor told us he's passed his 9 month well-visit!  LOL  He says "Mama" and can wave (backward) and uses sign language for milk sometimes.  We did Baby Signing Time with Ella and we never experienced the frustration of her not being able to communicate with us.  She could always just sign what she needed.  It was awesome!  We're working on the sign for "more," "food" and "all done" right now too.

Ella is saying the cutest things to us!  She's so "grown-up" these days.  She goes back and forth between wanting to be Belle and Cinderella for Halloween.  We'll see what she decided the day of I guess!  She loves her brother and is so proud to tell people she's his big sister!  About a month ago, she all of a sudden started coloring in the lines.  Isn't it amazing how that happens all of a sudden!?!!  Ella has taken up running with me!  I got her some "running shoes" so she wouldn't have to run in her pink sparkly shoes anymore!  LOL  (Not that she was complaining, but hey, I felt like a bad mom!)  So far, we've run/walked 1.5 miles together!  I'm so proud of her!

Now, on to this week.....my husband has his first band concert of the year this Thursday and next Sunday, I run a race through "Hell" (Hell, MI) with my best friend, Mandy (whom I met in first grade btw!)!  Excited to see all the crazy costumes.....on everyone else.  I will stick to running!  LOL

So, here is this week's plan:

Sunday: Lasagna Soup

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Easy Peasy Greek Chicken

Wednesday: White Chicken Chili

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Dinner out


Happy Slow-Cooking!
Hope

This Week's Plan 10-9-11

This past week was incredibly busy.  I seriously flew by the seat of my pants.  Between work and all of our after-school commitments this week, it was crazy!  I'm hoping for a much calmer week, filled with wonderful food!

You may have noticed I am holding a Giveaway for two Albertsons $25 Gift Cards!  If not, go here and enter!

I also did my first cook book review!  "The Vegan Slow Cooker" is an amazing cook book!  Even if you're not Vegan, this book is amazing!  Go here to check out that review.

This week, I'm planning to COOK!  Lord willing, I will get to everything I have planned.  Of course, it also depends on how many leftovers we're left, which will determine whether or not I decide to leave something off the list!  I don't like to waste food!

My neighbor Tracy stopped by this evening she suggested a Chicken Casserole her grandma used to make and I'm going to make it this week!  Of course, I'm going to "Busy-Momotize" it!  LOL

I saw a friend was making a Lasagna Soup this week, and that sounded good, so I'll throw something together like that as well.

And last but not least, I have a GIANT Zucchini sitting on my counter and 2 more growing in my garden, so I'm going to make Stuffed Zucchini.  I don't think I can go wrong here!

I'm hoping to have a  couple more reviews coming up this week as well for Kid Lok (which are amazing by the way) and for The Posh Pot (which are incredibly cool)!  I still have another cook book to review as well as a couple more products in the coming weeks!  Finding the time to type them up is another thing while working a full-time job and taking care of my kiddos!  They are all amazing products though and I want to share them with you!!

Lastly, The Crock Pot Recipe Exchange and I will be hosting a Virtual Crock-Pot Party very soon!  More details will be released asap!!!!!  I can't wait!

Ok, so here's This Week's Plan:

Sunday: Apple and Onion Pork Loin with Potatoes

Monday: Picante Queso Chicken Casserole

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Lasagna Soup

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Stuffed Zucchini

Saturday: Leftovers

Happy Slow-Cooking!
Hope

This Week's Plan 9-25-11

I've had a GREAT weekend!  Lots of quality time with my kiddos and some mommy time too!  It doesn't get much better than that!

This week I'm going to take it easy.  I've planned for 3 recipes, but may only get to two of them.  I'm still trying to get back in the swing of things here.  Feeling the stress a lot lately and I'm trying to leave a little more time for myself to relax.  I hope to back in FULL swing soon ;)

This week, I'm reviewing a couple of recipes from the "The Vegan Slow Cooker" by Kathie Hester.  I cannot wait to try some of her recipes!  They all sound absolutely delicious!

I hope you are all enjoying the first week of Fall.  I'll have some nice fall recipes coming your way soon!

Here's This Week's Plan:

Monday - Baked Potato Soup

Tuesday - Leftovers

Wednesday - "Acorn Squash Stuffed with Cranberry-Pecan Rice"

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday or Saturday - Citrus Black Bean Soup

Sunday - Leftovers


Happy Slow-Cooking!
Hope

This Week's Plan 9-18-11

Well, it was one heck of a week!  I wish I could share my fun crazy school stories with you, but I would totally lose my job! LOL  Let's just say, my Friday afternoon was DEFINITELY out of the ordinary. I can pretty much guarantee none of you experienced all of what I did in a 20 minute time span, ever before in your lives!  LOL Sigh......

This week, I feel like comfort food.  Let me rephrase that.....I NEED comfort food!  LOL  So, soup and Pot Roast are on the menu for the week!

I hope all of my fellow teachers out there are surviving!  It's tough to adjust back......especially after being off for a year.

Here's This Week's Plan:

Monday: Leftover Balsamic Chicken

Tuesday: Creamy Tomato Soup (with Grilled Cheese) - my husband says "why don't you just use Campbell's???????!!!!"  To which I replied "because I'm the Crock Pot lady and everyone's requesting it!" So, this better be good!  LOL

Wednesday: Pot Roast

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: I'm guessing Daddy and Ella will have Pizza night since I'll be out!

Sunday: Baked Potato Soup

Happy Slow-Cooking!
Hope

This Week's Plan 9-11-11

Today, we remember all of the men and woman who lost their lives in the extremely tragic events that happened on 9-11-01. We also remember those who who lost loved ones and volunteered their time in all of the 9-11 efforts.

Well, I'm not starting my week on a very good note.  I'm sick....a little worried it's strep throat.  I'll be heading to the doctor tomorrow after work.  :(

So, here is my plan this week.....which may or may not happen due to me feeling like poop!  LOL

This Week's Plan:

Sunday: Attempted Honey Mustard Chicken......it was a total flop :(

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Dinner at a friend's house

Wednesday: French Onion Soup

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Balsamic Chicken

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Greek Chicken

Happy Slow-Cooking!
Hope

This Week's Plan 8-5-11

I survived my first couple days back to work (sans kiddos), but this week will be the true test!  Starting Tuesday, every 50 minutes, I will have 25-35 kiddos staring me in the eyes and doing  "The Dinosaur Dance," "Concentration Idiodiation," "Draw A Bucket of Water," "The Shoemaker," "I Let Her Go, Go" and  "At the Bottom of the Sea!"  Doesn't that sound like fun?!  Well, it is.  I always love the first week back!  I get plenty of exercise, but not sure how my voice will hold up seeing as how I've been away from singing 5 days a week for a year now!  The one song at night with Ella is nothing compared to singing all day long, 5 days a week!

I'm going to try and keep things pretty simple this week!  I will have A LOT going on and it's going to take some getting used to.  I'm not gonna lie.....I may only get to 1-2 of these recipes this week.  We may decide to go with some of our freezer meals this week.  We shall see.  It all depends on how exhausted I am!

For all the teachers going back to work this week, I wish you tons of luck!

Here is This Week's Plan:

Monday: I think we're going to grill...

Tuesday: Peachy Chicken with Acorn Squash

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Meatball Sliders

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Balsamic Chicken

Sunday: Leftovers

This Week's Plan 8-28-11

Well, the kids and I survived a whole week without my husband here!  He works with a competitive marching band during the summer/fall and every summer, he goes away for a week way far away for band camp.  We managed to stay extremely busy (the way I like it!)!  This week starts my first week back to work.  No kids yet, just professional development stuff and I have to get into my classroom and get some things set up.  I'm not gonna lie, it's going to be very difficult to go back after having almost an entire year off! (For those of you who haven't been with me that long, I was on bed rest from 12 1/2 weeks with Gavin and home.  I only worked the first 6 days of the school year last year).  So, back to the grind this week!

I've been spending my last few days making baby food and freezing it into ice cube trays!  I've even managed to use my Slow Cooker to help in the process!  So far, I cooked my sweet potatoes and butternut squash in there!  I will post how I did it.  It's SUPER simple!  One of the things I'm most proud of that I did for Ella (well besides nursing her of course) was making all of her baby food.  She still LOVES veggies and fruits and I really think it's because she ate homemade baby food!  (At least that's what I'm going to believe!)  If you've never tried it, I urge you to give it a go!  You don't have to get fancy or follow any recipes (I don't!), all you have to do is cook some fruit or veggies (or not cook things like avocados or bananas), puree it, then freeze it in ice cube trays.  Gavin will begin eating my tasty treats in about 2 more weeks!

I have LOTS of leftovers from last week, so I won't have to do a lot of cooking this week.  I'm going to use some of that turkey I had leftover and freeze the rest for some soup or something else later.

Here's This Week's Plan:

Monday: Leftover Mac N' Cheese

Tuesday: Turkey and Dumplings

Wednesday: (First day back to work!) Leftover Turkey and Dumplings (because it will be a miracle if I get us all out of the house on time the first day back!!!!)

Thursday: Slow Cooker Carbonara (I'm gonna give this a go!  We shall see if it works!)

Friday: Leftover Carbonara

Saturday: Not sure yet.  We may grab something out of the freezer!

Happy Slow-Cooking!
Hope

This Week's Plan 8-21-11

This is my last FULL week before I go back to work!  Boo!  :(  All good things must come to an end!  I know I've said this before, but I've REALLY enjoyed my stay-at-home mom gig!  It's been a dream!  I'm so blessed to have done all I've done with my beautiful babies the last few months!

I'm not really sure where this week is going to take us, so I'm going to keep my plan this week kind of vague!  This is probably the last week I'll have this luxury!

Thank you to Jolyn at Bargains to Bounty for letting me know that Turkey Breasts were on sale at Kroger this week!  I picked up 2!  I'll make another one around Thanksgiving time!

So, here's this week's plan:

Creamy Mac N' Cheese (Yup!  With Velveeta this time per request! ;))
Turkey Breast (Not sure what I'm doing with this yet, but it was on SALE and I am going to make it!)
Some sort of Turkey Casserole (using leftovers from the turkey breast!)

This Week's Plan 8-15-11

Well, it's going to be an exciting week!  My sister is due to be induced this Wednesday, so the kids and I are packing up to go stay with them while my sister and brother-in-law stay at the hospital with the baby! It's going to be exciting for all the kids to be together for a few nights! (There will be 5 kids under 6 at the house with me! Yikes!)

So, my plan this week.....is to survive!  LOL  Seriously, I have no plan.  I did get a new deep freezer, so when I get home on Friday, I am going to start stocking up on some good meat sales!  I've been wanting to make some honey-mustard chicken for a while, so that might make an appearance late in the week!  We shall see!

I'm going to try and take my computer with me, but can't guarantee I'll be online much this week at all! I'm going to do my best to keep these 5 kids BUSY!!!!

Happy Slow-Cooking!
Hope

This Week's Plan 8-7-11

What a fun and busy week we've had!  On Monday, we went to a semi-local farm where we saw the cows get milked.  Ella and her friend Landon had more fun collecting rocks from the pathways though! We made a quick visit to my grandma and aunt after that and then Justin and I had a very nice date night!  Tuesday, we babysat our neighbor's little girl.  Ella and Lila had TONS of fun together!  Wednesday, we went to the zoo with my work friends and their kiddos.  Thursday, we went to another farm at a park, where we learned about goats!  Friday, we had our cousins from Florida over and all the girls played at a splash park!  Saturday, we went to my niece's third birthday party!  PHEW!!!  Lots of fun, like I said!

This is the last week of my husband's summer vacation really.  He works with a competitive marching band and next week, things pick up!  So, we're going to enjoy it with him while we have him home!  Plus, it's his birthday on Wednesday!  Happy Birthday Honey! :)

Did I also mention my sister is pregnant.....very pregnant?!!!  I'm going over there this week to cook her some food and help her with anything else she might need this week.  Next week, she'll be induced if she hasn't had the baby.  In either case, I'm packing up myself and the kids and staying there with her three kids while she's in the hospital.  It should be fun! ;)

So, with all that going on, I can't guarantee a lot of slow cooking and posting will be going on!  But, I'll do what I can! ;)

Here is this week's plan:

Sunday: Coffee Caramel Cake :)

Monday: BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Dinner out for my husband's birthday!

Thursday: Making Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers again at my Sister's house (she's vegetarian)

Friday: Dinner out since I'll be singing a wedding near my in-law's house

Saturday: Shredded Pork Tortilla Soup

Sunday: Something on the Grill

Happy Slow-Cooking!
Hope

This Week's Plan 8-1-11

I CANNOT believe it's August!  Wow does time fly!  In 30 days, I have my first day back to work in almost a year.  It's bittersweet really.  I LOVE my job as an elementary Music Teacher, but I LOVE being home with my babies even more!  Plus, it will leave me less time to chat with all of you over on Facebook!  Boo!!!  I'll make it through this, LOL!

This week's plan is vague.  LOL  We're SO busy and I have quite a bit of leftovers.  So, here it is!


This Week's Plan:

Monday - Date Night!  We're going out!

Tuesday - Leftovers

Wednesday - Leftovers

Thursday - Something Vegetarian.  We're having dinner guests!

Friday - BBQ Pulled Chicken

Saturday - Family Birthday Party!

Happy Slow-Cooking!
Hope