Monday, December 30, 2013

Weekly Meal Plan

Can you believe that ANOTHER Christmas has come and gone?! I feel like it was just Thanksgiving (which is kinda true since it fell so late this year!). Time to start up with the weekly meal plans again (by the way, I'm gonna ditch the number because it doesn't really matter that this is my 80-something meal plan.)

SUNDAY was...
Easy Shepherd's Pie

MONDAY
Chicken Boursin Bundles

TUESDAY
NYE - we still haven't narrowed it down... so... um.... I dunno

WEDNESDAY
Probably take-out, I know I'm not going to be up for going to the store and/or cooking!

THURSDAY
Some kind of soup :)

FRIDAY
Clemson's Bowl Game... I'm thinking we may need to meet up with the alumni club at a bar

SATURDAY
Pizza Night

Recap
Christmas Eve dinner! 

Pizza Night

Sausage Lentil Soup (yum!!!!!)

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Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Decorating the Tree

I know I've written on Christmas tree decorating before, but I just love doing it. Granted, it took me a little longer in the season to complete the decorating of our tree... but still... we are done (finally!)

I love decorating primarily because of the ornaments; they bring back memories of people, places, events, and more and countless times during the decorating process a smile is brought to my face simply from an ornament.

Our first Christmas | First Christmas Church
        Our year with Disney passes | My grandma's handpainted ornaments
Our trip to the Keys | Clemson Tigers, of course!
Baby's 1st Christmas | Our Canada Babymoon     


In our new house I am finally able to put our tree in front of a front facing window so that it can be seen from the outdoors (like ours was growing up!). I do have a bit of advice for other "front facing window tree putter-uppers"... if your tree is seen from the road, actually decorate the back of your tree.
Case in point, the girls and I were on a walk the other day to see the lights and we came across one such example: The lights on the tree were on, they just didn't go all the way around the tree so that I could see them. Such a waste of a "front facing window" tree location.
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Monday, December 16, 2013

Weekly Meal Plan #81

SUNDAY was...
Italian Sausage and Mushroom Pizza

MONDAY
Sausage and Lentil Soup

TUESDAY
Panko Crusted Tilapia

WEDNESDAY
Supporting our School with Chili's Takeout

THURSDAY
Pork Tenderloin

FRIDAY
Pizza Night

RECAP


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Monday, December 9, 2013

Weekly Meal Plan #80

Between Thanksgiving week and planning for my 7th Annual Christmas Cocktail party, I haven't cooked much (well, I did for the party, just not for the family, oops). Time to get back in the swing of things.

SUNDAY was...
Christmas cookie exchange party at my Mother-in-laws

MONDAY
Quick Potato Soup; Using the leftover ham from the party... moms recipe

TUESDAY
Salmon (sale) - Probably the Mustard Encrusted Salmon

WEDNESDAY
Chicken Taco Night

THURSDAY
Junior League Meeting for mama - haven't figured out the girls (and hubby's) plan

FRIDAY
Pizza Night

 baked Chicken, sweet potato, and zucchini cakes
 Chicken a la king
 Andoulli Sausage, red beans, and rice
 THANKSGIVING!
Quesadilla and tomato soup

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Friday, December 6, 2013

You might be a Christmas fan if...

As I was taking out my Christmas decorations the other day (in all 12 bins, plus some non-binned stuff) I re-realized what I've known for ever. I'm a HUGE Christmas fan.

First of all, I have like 12 bins of Christmas decorations, clothes, etc, not counting stuff that doesn't fit into bins and some wreaths. I LOVE the Christmas holiday.

There are many ways that show how much of a Christmas fan I am, but one of the first things that stuck out was when I was in my kitchen switching out some of my everyday stuff for Christmas stuff.

So to finish my post title Jeff Foxworthy style...

You might be a Christmas fan if... You have more Christmas mugs than everyday mugs.
17 Christmas mugs > 9 non-Christmas mugs



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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

11 months old!



What fun did Lizzie have during month 10?
Halloween party and trick or treating
Visit Mommy and Daddy's Alma Mater - Go Clemson!
Stay with Gigi and Popop in Georgia
Busch Gardens

How is Lizzie sleeping?
Same as usual, bed between 8:30 and 9, then up at 7/7:30
She has 1-2 naps a day

What is Lizzie eating?
100% formula, food pouches, ANYTHING she can get her hands on
Peanut butter (oops... thanks mimi; "She can have peanut butter right?" "um... no, not til like 2". Woops!)
Loves eggs and waffles

Major milestones!
Walking like it's her job!
5th tooth is popping through (her 3rd top front tooth)
Tries to follow her sisters by climbing up slides and she loves sliding down too (with help)
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Monday, November 25, 2013

Weekly Meal Plan... recap :D

These past 2 weeks have been pretty lazy when it comes to Meal Plans. Last week we had a bug make it's way through the house... so any given night of the week someone wasn't really in the mood to be eating. Then THIS week, of course, is THANKSGIVING!! So You all know what we're having Thursday (Turkey), And Friday (leftovers), and Saturday (leftovers, lol).

So since I'm not really doing a meal plan, here is a recap.

Oven Roast Chicken with zucchini cakes (meh...) and sweet potato
 Chicken A la King
 Andoulli Sausage, Red Beans, and Rice
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Sunday, November 17, 2013

Corn & Shrimp Chowder (Low Country Boil Leftovers)

After our Low Country Boil night we had WAY too many leftovers (hubby tends to get excited when cooking for a party and goes WAY overboard!)

I was at Busch Gardens for the day and was trying to figure out what to make with the leftoevers, without having to go to the store. So off to my phone to search for "low country boil leftover" recipes. Lo and behold I found one on The Non-Dairy Queen. It was for a Shrimp Corn Chowder that she made with her Low Country Boil leftovers.

Hubby gave it 2 thumbs up and told me to save this recipe for the next "we made too much Low Country Boil and now need to use up this food so we don't waste it but don't want just Low Country Boil again" time.

Below is the recipe from Non-Dairy Queen. (slightly adapted since I am NOT dairy Lactose)


Shrimp Corn Chowder

2 tablespoons Smart Balance Light  butter
1/2 cup chopped onion (left over from the boil)
2 tablespoons Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free all-purpose flour
4 cups dairy free milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk) milk
2 cups cooked potatoes (left over, diced small)
2 cups corn cut off the cob (leftover)
3 cups shrimp
salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
Add onion and cook until slightly browned.
Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Stir in milk slowly while whisking.
Next add the remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil; cook until thick (about 5 minutes).

*Make sure you bring it to a boil so it will thicken.


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Friday, November 15, 2013

The Low Country Boil

Low Country Boil, AKA Frogmore Stew, is the easiest meal to cook and clean up. No joke. Although it does take some time to cut all the ingredients.

We do this for tailgates and most recently, for our Hasbro Game Night party at the house. We use an outdoor boiling pot like the one pictured below.
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There's no real science to what hubby does, just timing....


Here are the instructions adapted from Paula Dean. Sorry there are no amounts... we made SO much last time and the hubs bought 2 bags of potatoes, 3 bags of frozen shrimp, 4 sausage, etc.

INGREDIENTS
Container of Old Bay (we're using a LARGE pot)
onion, quartered
lemon, cut in half (for flavor)
red potatoes, halved or quartered
Smoked sausage, cut into 2in pieces
corn, cut in half or third
shrimp, thawed

DIRECTIONS
Fill a large pot with enough water to cover all of the ingredients.

Add the Old Bay, lemon, and onion and bring to a boil.
After water is boiling at potatoes and sausage; cook for 20 min.
Add corn; cook for 10 minutes more.
Add shrimp; cook for 3 minutes.

Pull out the inner pot (the one with the holes) and dump food onto newspaper laid out on a table
(or drain if not using an outdoor boiler pot)

Don't forget some cocktail sauce for the shrimp.

Tada!

oh yeah, then for clean up... pick up the newspaper and throw away. (ok ok so you have to clean the pot, a cutting board and some knives)

Linking up: Shaken Together LifeTatertots and Jello , Crafty Moms Share
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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Weekly Meal Plan #79

SUNDAY was...
Out to Cracker Barrel with the mother in law

MONDAY was...
Corn and Shrimp Chowder (Low Country Boil leftovers)

TUESDAY
Hubby has an army dinner, so the girls and I are on our own

WEDNESDAY
I have a birthday party to go to .... so hubby and the girls are on their own

THURSDAY
CLEMSON FOOTBALL DAY!
Maybe some burgers or chili

FRIDAY
Taco Night

SATURDAY
Ranch Pork Chops

Recap




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Wednesday, November 6, 2013

10 months (like 3 weeks ago!)

Wow, so quite a bit has been going on so poor Lizzie didn't get her 10 month update :) Which, by the way, is more for myself so I know what to put in the baby book when I get around to it.

Ok... so month 10 was September 11 - October 10

What fun did Lizzie have during month 10?
Pizza nights
Busch Gardens
Birthday parties (sister Jillian's included)
1st Tampa Bay Rays baseball game
Friends baptism

How is Lizzie sleeping?
Same as usual, bed between 8:30 and 9, then up at 7/7:30
She has 1-2 naps a day

What is Lizzie eating?
100% formula, food pouches, ANYTHING she can get her hands on

Major milestones!

4 teeth popped through; top and bottom front 2
She's cruising on the furniture and walking with the help of her toys


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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Weekly Meal Plan #78

SUNDAY was...
Chili

MONDAY was...
Chinese food, I was at the car dealership late AND ended up with a rental (a whole new appreciation for my minivan!)

TUESDAY
Tilapia

WEDNESDAY
Easy Shepherd's Pie

THURSDAY
Flank Steak OR Pulled Pork

FRIDAY
Roast Chicken with veggies

SATURDAY
Low Country Boil Party

 Citrus and Herb Roast Chicken
 Chicken & Spinach Stuffed Shells
 Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Grits
Crab Boil
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Saturday, November 2, 2013

Halloween Recap ::. 2013

This was my first year decorating in my new house (yay! so exciting!).  So here was year #1:



For the past 5 years we have been taking Halloween pictures with the same few families. It started with 5 kids, but we've multiplied and the same 5 families now have 10 kids. Here are my girls in those shoots:

Lastly... this was the FIRST Halloween in our new neighborhood. and Oh. My. Gosh. it was AWESOME! So many families milling around all night, it was great. We did a quick trip of the neighborhood (and the street across the way) and then came back to our house, laid out a blanket, make popcorn, and handed out candy to the rest of the "customers" (as the kids called the Trick or Treaters).

What a great night!


On a side note, I managed to buy so much discounted Halloween decor this year that I have graduated from 2 Halloween boxes to.. 3?... plus maybe some shelf space in the garage for the larger items? Sheesh!


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