Menu Planning

Some things to do when planning weekly menus -

• check the weather I always check our ten day forecast before menu planning. If rain or a cool front is on the way I want to be ready with something warm and cozy on the menu.
• check the calendar I check to see what kind of outside activities we have planned for each day, how much time I'll have in the kitchen during the afternoons, and how much time the family will have to linger over supper each evening.
• check the sales circular It is especially helpful to see what meats are on special before planning main dishes.
• plan chicken, beef, pork, fish, and non-meat meals I try to spread out the types of main dishes we are going to have over the week to keep variety. For example - if we're going to have three chicken meals, I'll plan them for Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
• think about color I visualize how the meal will look on my family's plates as I chose side dishes, salads and breads. I think about what colors look appetizing together.
• don't repeat foods This is probably just me! But, I don't like to duplicate a food in one meal. For example - I have a hard time putting tomatoes in a salad when we have spaghetti sauce in the main dish. ;-) haha
• plan a special dessert once a week It's so fun to make a new or favorite dessert once a week. I like to do this on Saturdays.

Have fun planning menus for your sweet family!

Supper Menus
September 8th-13th

Monday
poppy seed chicken, sweet baby carrots, lettuce and tomato salad, dinner rolls
Tuesday
beef stew, biscuits, apple crisp
Wednesday
quesadillas, guacamole, pico di gallo, tortilla chips
Thursday
swiss steak, cheese potato puff, dinner rolls
Friday
chili, carrots and celery sticks, cornbread
Saturday
take out hot wings, autumn cheesecake

Please visit Menu Plan Monday for menu planning ideas.

"The question for each man

is not what he would do if he had

the means, time, influence,

and educational advantages,

but what he will do

with the things he has."

~Hamilton

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"Pond at Daybreak" by Jeffrey Leonard

You just have to make these! :-)

The Pioneer Woman's Apple Dumplings
16 servings (yeah right!)

2 granny smith apples
2 tubes refrigerator crescent rolls
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 can of mountain dew soft drink - really!
cinnamon

Peel, core and slice each apple into 8 slices. Unroll crescent rolls. Roll an apple slice in each crescent roll and place in a buttered 8x13 inch pan. Melt butter, add sugar and barely stir - you want the butter and sugar to be grainy and lumpy. Add vanilla; barely stir. Pour butter mixture over crescents. Pour mountain dew around the sides of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Enjoy!!!

These are so good they'll make you want to cry! To quote my husband, they're "redonkulous"! ;-) Go, run, make them now! Thank you Pioneer Woman!!!

Fall Nesting!

The calendar page has turned,

and September has arrived!

It's my favorite time of year...

let the nesting begin! :-)

To begin the day, a pot of coffee -

Folgers Flavors "Cinnamon Swirl"!

And we certainly need a treat from the kitchen! I just couldn't resist trying Sandra's Applesauce Puffs after I saw them on Kelli's blog. Yummy! :-)

September means it's time to get out my

favorite Susan Branch book,

Autumn!

And, find some things I bought end-of-season

last year...that I had forgotten all about!

You gotta have some apples on the hutch!
But, shhh! they're not real. ;-)
Don't tell!

I'll replace my summer time parfait glasses

with blue enamel mugs. They're just waiting
to serve up some hot cocoa...

I'll open the door and let some fall leaves
blow in on the bookshelves... ;-)

and place some Indian corn out
to enjoy their lovely colors.

It'll be a little while

until we need a fire in the fireplace,
so for the time being, candles on the hearth
will add a glow to our evenings.

I'll need to get the quilts freshly washed and ready,

and put out some puzzles 

and games for family fun nights.

Miss Daisy says,
"I'm ready for autumn, Mommy!"

And look, my sweet husband just rehung my

favorite clock! I love to hear it chime -
it sounds so homey! :-)

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn."
~Elizabeth Lawrence

Now please head on over to The Inspired Room and visit all the blogs that are participating in Fall Nesting Week!

Happy "Fall Nesting" from Heritage Schoolhouse! :-)

Perspective

"Here are some decorating tips with a little something extra tossed in for good measure! When you set out to decorate your home, keep this in mind: Give yourself some time. Know what you don't want. Don't be afraid of color. Look for ways to save money. Show off your collections, and create a homey atmosphere with flowers, candles, baskets. The most important tip today may be this one found in 2 Corinthians 9:3: "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed." Fill your home with a heart of goodness so that God's grace will abound. Kinda keeps everything else in perspective, doesn't it?"

~Emilie Barnes
The One-Minute Home Organizer

Stay Tuned...

Fall nesting at

Heritage Schoolhouse is on the way!

"Delicious autumn!

My very soul is wedded to it,

and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth

seeking the successive autumns."

~George Eliot

illustration courtesy of www.allposter.com

"Apple Pie Harvest" by Janet Kruskamp

Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese

Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese
8 servings

1 ½ cups macaroni noodles
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup milk

8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain, pour into a casserole dish and set aside. Melt butter in skillet. Stir in flour, salt and pepper; whisk until smooth. Add milk gradually. Cook and whisk until thickened. Add the cheese, reserving a bit to put on the top. Stir until cheese is melted. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and mix thoroughly. Top with extra cheddar cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Put macaroni under the broiler for just a minute to brown. Enjoy!

Linked to Down Home Cookin' Recipe Linkup, Gooseberry Patch Recipe Round Up.

Crock Pot Pot Roast

Pot Roast
8 servings

1 onion
4 potatoes
4 carrots
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup flour
2 to 3 pound chuck roast
salt and pepper

Half onion and slice. Place onion slices in bottom of crock pot. Peel and cut potatoes and carrots. Add potatoes and carrots to pot.  Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Coat roast with flour and brown in oil on all sides.  Place roast on top of vegetables. Add ½ cup water to skillet. Stir to loosen browned bits. Pour skillet juices over roast and vegetables. Season. Cover and cook on low for 9 to 11 hours or high for 4½ to 5½ hours. Enjoy your afternoon - supper is already made!

Mrs. Wilt's Saucy Chicken Sandwiches

Mrs. Wilt’s Saucy Chicken Sandwiches
6 servings

2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
celery seed to taste
6 hearty rolls

In a saucepan, melt butter on low heat. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Gradually add chicken broth; bring to a boil. Lower heat and stir until mixture thickens into a sauce. Add chicken and celery to saucepan. Season with salt, pepper, and celery seed. Spoon onto rolls and wrap in aluminum foil. Heat at 250° for 15 minutes. Carefully unwrap hot sandwiches and enjoy!

These sandwiches are one of our favorite school day lunches. The recipe comes from Mrs. Wilt at The Sparrow's Nest. We enjoy them, as Mrs. Wilt suggests, with pretzels and apple slices.

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Round Up, Jam Hands Recipe Roundup August.

September

"The golden rod is yellow;
The corn is turning brown;
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.

The gentian's bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun;
In dusky pods the milkweed
Its hidden silk has spun.

The sedges flaunt their harvest
In every meadow-nook;
And asters by the brookside
Make asters in the brook.

From dewy lanes at morning
The grapes' sweet odors rise;
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.

By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather,
And autumn's best of cheer."

~Helen Hunt Jackson
from my daughter's Pathway reader

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"Autumn Grazing" by Bill Saunders

Where has the camera been?

On a 4-wheeling trip to the mountains!

This should be the end of traveling for a bit!
I think the "camera" might be getting tired. ;-)

Welcome home Daddy!!!

First Day!

Supper Menus
September 1st-6th

Monday
marlboro man's favorite sandwich, crash hot potatoes - both recipes from The Pioneer Woman
Tuesday
pot roast with potatoes, onions, and carrots, home style macaroni and cheese, lettuce and tomato salad, dinner rolls
Wednesday
venison jalapeno cheese sausage, potato salad, baked beans, sliced cheddar cheese, pickles, onions
Thursday
cheese lasagna, caesar salad, bread sticks
Friday
chicken fajitas, spanish rice, pinto beans, guacamole, pico di gallo, salsa, tortilla chips
Saturday
grilled steaks, corn and peppers, baked potatoes, lettuce and tomato salad, texas toast, apple dumplings from The Pioneer Woman

For more menu plans, please visit Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie.

Home School Helps

While looking to print out some certificates for my Bible class students this evening, I found this wonderful, free website - 123 Certificates. You can print out awards for Bible class, home school, sports teams, etc.

Chocolate Glazed Mint Brownies
12 servings

2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
for filling
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 to 4 drops green food coloring
for glaze
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter

In microwave, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and flour until blended. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Pour into a greased 9 inch square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. In a small mixing bowl, beat the filling ingredients until creamy. Spread over brownies; refrigerate. For glaze, in a microwave, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Spread over filling. Refrigerate until filling and glaze are set.

These were for my chocolate and mint loving children. :-) I might get a picture of one when my camera returns...if there are any left!

Mexican Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna 
(from The Pioneer Woman)
approximately 12 servings

1 1/2 cups white rice
2 cups water
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup butter
1 tomato, diced
1 garlic clove, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 tablespoons chili powder, divided
2 teaspoons cumin, divided
2 teaspoons paprika, divided
1 can black beans, drained
1 pound ground beef
1 8 ounce jar salsa verde
10 flour tortillas
1 8 ounce bag mexican blend cheese
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can corn, drained
sour cream
cilantro

Bring rice, water and chicken broth to a boil; lower heat and simmer 20 minutes. Meanwhile, saute tomato, onion, and garlic in butter until soft. Add 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon paprika to tomato mixture. Combine rice, tomato mixture and beans. Cook ground beef and add remaining spices. In a 13x9x2 pyrex dish pour 1/2 of the salsa verde. Place 5 tortillas on the salsa - they will overlap some. Spread 1/2 the rice and bean mixture over the tortillas. Top with half the cheese. Place the remaining 5 tortillas on the cheese and pour the enchilada sauce over them. Spread the ground beef and corn over the enchilada sauce. Top with the remaining rice mixture, salsa verde and remaining cheese. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Broil for a few minutes until cheese browns - watch carefully. Serve with sour cream and cilantro and enjoy!

This yummy meal is from The Pioneer Woman. The original recipe makes enough to feed a small army, so I fiddled with the amounts to ensure it would fit in my pan! :-)

Edited to add -
After making this many, many times over the years, I have changed the recipe to suit the taste of my family.  This is how I make this wonderful recipe now, our way, and we enjoy it even more!

Mexican Lasagna Our Way
1/4 cup butter
1/2 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, diced
1 can black beans
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika

1 small can of salsa verde (I use the kind found in the International Foods section of the store, not the salsa verde found with the salsa/picante sauces - it's in a can instead of a jar, cheaper, and better)
16 fresh flour tortillas
1 box Uncle Ben's Mexican Fiesta rice, prepared according to package directions
2 packages Mexican blend shredded cheese, 8 ounces each
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 can corn
sour cream
cilantro

Melt butter in saucepan and sauté onion and garlic in butter until soft. Add beans and seasonings to the pan, stir to combine and set aside.  In a large pyrex casserole pour half the salsa verde. Lay 4 tortillas in the pan, they will overlap some.  Spread prepared rice over tortillas and top with the 1/2 of one package of cheese. Layer 4 more tortillas.  Pour enchilada sauce over tortillas and then spread bean mixture over sauce and top with the rest of the first package of cheese.  Layer 4 more tortillas.  Spread corn over tortillas and top with  1/2 of the second package of cheese.  Layer the last 4 tortillas.  Spread the rest of the salsa verde over the tortillas and top with the last of the cheese.  Bake uncovered at 375 for 30 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is starting to brown.  Serve with sour cream and cilantro and enjoy!

"Everybody, everywhere

seeks happiness, it's true.

But finding it and keeping it

seems difficult to do,

Difficult because we think

that happiness is found

Only in the places where wealth and fame abound

And so we go on searching

in "palaces of pleasure"

Seeking recognition

and monetary treasure,

Unaware that happiness

is just a "state of mind"

Within the reach of everyone

who takes time to be kind

For in making Others Happy

we will be happy, too,

For the happiness you give away

Returns to "shine on you."

~Helen Steiner Rice

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"White and Yellow Daisies" by Cuca Garcia

Lip Smackin' Snackin' :-)

Inspiration for kid friendly home school snack time.

Fruit
fruit kabobs
dried apple rings
apple sauce with graham cracker dippers
apple slices with peanut butter and honey dip
strawberry and banana slices with chocolate dip
orange slices
grapes

Veggies
celery sticks with peanut butter, cream cheese, or pimento cheese
carrot sticks with ranch dip
broccoli and cauliflower with cheese dip

Sweet
homemade cookies and milk
oatmeal fruit bars
granola bars
peanut butter balls
trail mix

Savory
bagels with cream cheese
crackers with cheese slices
pretzels with honey mustard dip
tortilla roll ups
pita pizzas
mini bagel pizzas
string cheese with pizza sauce
tortilla crisps with salsa
flavored popcorn

I will be adding to this list and posting recipes as I prepare snacks this school year. This inspiration reminds me to keep fruits, veggies and homemade goodness in our daily snack routine. If I don't, there is a slight chance that my children could turn into "Little Debbies" before May. ;-)

Today

"Nothing is worth more than this day. "

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"Forever is composed of nows."

~Emily Dickinson

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"So Many Daisies" by Kate McRostie