Category: Recipes

Weekly Menu Plan – It’s Football Time In Tennessee

Posted on by Sarah Marshall

I’ve got quite the streak going, huh? Well when the neighbor dog woke me up at 5am this morning, I figured that was a good time to get some planning done.

Football season is in full swing now and that means Keith’s hours during the week are a little more unpredictable. All the more reason to have a plan in place so I’m not scrambling to make dinner with Leah literally clinging to my legs. I should be able to have prep done over the long weekend and/or a plan for what needs to be done each night before bed.

Since we’ve got a home game this week, I’m making sure to think ahead to weekend meals too. I don’t typically plan too much for the weekend but having easy meals in mind while I’m on my own with the girls can only help.

So here goes for this week:

Breakfast

Brooke and I made a double batch of blueberry pancakes yesterday morning. We’ll eat those throughout the week along with our usual french toast bites and waffles. I also still have a few pumpkin pie steel cut oats in the fridge to grab if needed.

Lunch

Brooke & Keith will have their usuals.
Me – leftovers or sandwiches

We’ll do paninis and/or leftovers over the weekend.

Dinner

Burgers, fries, corn on the cob
Crock Pot Mexican Stuffed Peppers
Cheeseburger Pie
Grilled Cheese & Popcorn
Pizza Night
Quesadillas
Leftover Buffet!! (Like how I try to make that sound like a fun, exciting thing)

Menu Plan Monday
This menu plan is linked to Org Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday link up.

Simple Meal Planning - Plan to Eat

Menu Plan for the Week – Here We Go Again

Posted on by Sarah Marshall

Menu Plan Monday
I’m linking up with Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

Let’s not count how many times I’ve posted a meal plan and spewed on about how I’m back on the wagon and its going to be different from here on out. I’m just gonna be thankful that I got a plan done for this week and let’s see how next goes – because there is no doubt, life is much nicer when there’s a plan. Even if you change it 14 times by Wednesday. (Who me?)

My go-to tool for menu planning for the longest time has been Ziplist. It’s free, it has an easy recipe clipper for my favorites bar, it organizes my recipes into a nice little shopping list…it worked great for me. But recently they did some work to their site and I don’t like it. It’s not intuitive to me and although I’d probably be just fine after awhile of using it, I have no desire to. Weird but oh well.

So I decided to get on board with Plan To Eat. I’ve seen lots of bloggers rave about them and did the trial once but blew it and let it lapse without really giving it a good try. So I decided to get just a one month subscription and give it a really good effort this time. I’ve been adding some of our favorite recipes, playing with the menu planner and shopping list features. So far I like it quite a bit. I’ve got a week left on my month subscription and I see giving it another month or two before I make a final decision. If you want to try it out, go here.

So our plan for this week:

Breakfast
For Mom – I made a big batch of Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oats last week so I’m still working my way through them
For Brooke – French toast bites & waffles, need to come up with some healthier, make-ahead options she’ll eat
For Dad – Protein shakes after the gym

Lunch
For Mom – I will probably get stuck with leftovers again, days that I don’t turkey or PB&J sandwiches
For Brooke – turkey or PB&J sandwiches, popcorn, grapes, blueberries, carrot sticks, cheese crackers,
For Dad – salad

Dinner-
Slow Cooker Meatballs & Noodles
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Grilled Cheese & Popcorn (our standing Thursday night dinner)

We’re hoping the weather and everyone’s immune systems hold out for a third attempt to go to King’s Island in Ohio this weekend. We’re hoping to save some money on food by bringing a cooler and avoiding eating out much. So we’ll have lots of sandwiches and snacky lunches and dinners over the weekend and hoping breakfast will be provided Saturday morning at whatever hotel we stay in.

St. Patrick’s Day Snack Mix {Recipe}

Posted on by Sarah Marshall

UPDATE 2016: Check out the video of Brooke, Leah and I making this fun St. Patrick’s Day snack mix!!

St Patrick's Day Snack Mix

We made this St. Patrick’s Day snack mix for the first time in 2011 when Brooke was 2.5. I happened across the recipe last week and thought it would be fun to make with her again. It will also be a great addition to Pajama Day and Leprechaun Hunt at her school today!!

If I look at these pictures too long, I just might cry. She’s so grown up!!

M&Ms    Sorting M&Ms w/ watermark

As you can see, sorting the green M&Ms is a great job for all ages of kiddos as well as crushing the pretzels and measuring out the cereals. This year Brooke was also a big help making the sugar/butter/syrup mixture and spreading the finished snack mix onto the wire racks for cooling.

St. Patrick's Day Snack Mix

Print Recipe
Course Snacks & Dips
Servings 20

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups Lucky Charms cereal
  • 2 cups Corn Chex cereal
  • 1.5 cups broken mini-pretzel twists (about 65 twists)
  • 1 cup dry-roasted peanuts
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 Tbsp corn syrup
  • 1/8 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 cup green M&Ms

Instructions
 

  • In a large microwavable bowl, mix the cereals, pretzels & peanuts; set aside.
  • In a 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, butter and corn syrup on High about 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until melted and smooth.
  • Stir in baking soda until dissolved.
  • Pour brown sugar, butter, corn syrup mixture over the cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated.
  • Microwave uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring and scraping bowl every 30 seconds, just until cereal begins to brown.
  • Cool 5 minutes; stir in M&M candies.
  • Spread on waxed paper to cool; break into bite-sized pieces.
  • Store in an airtight container.

Do you cook or bake anything special for St. Patrick’s Day?