Menu Monday Dec 28-Jan 3

What a wonderful Christmas! No where to be except church in the morning, the kids behaved, the gifts were loved, I was spoiled as usual, and the Eggs Benedict were heavenly. We have one more week of being at home together, I only wish the weather was just a bit more conducive to being outside. Can't have it all, I guess.
Here is what we are eating this week. I got a new cookbook for Christmas (hence the black eyed peas), so next week will be a bit more exciting...

Monday
Breakfast-Cold cereal
Lunch-Spaghetti
Supper-Roast chicken, fried potatoes, onions and apples, salad

Tuesday
Breakfast-Oatmeal with brown sugar
Lunch-Grilled cheese, tomato soup
Supper-Black eyed peas, cornbread and rice

Wednesday
Breakfast-Eggs and toast or omelets
Lunch-Bagels with turkey and cheese
Supper-Chicken pot pie, salad, cottage cheese

Thursday
Breakfast-Soaked pancakes
Lunch-Creamy mac and cheese and fruit cups
Supper-Nacho bar, meat and cheese tray, fruit

Friday
Breakfast-Muffins and fruit smoothies
Lunch-Creamed chicken on toast, peas
Supper-Pizza

Saturday
Breakfast-Kids choice
Lunch-Maid-rites, chips
Supper-Sweet and sour chicken, rice, salad

Sunday
Brunch-Sausage egg skillets or waffles
Supper-Leftovers or chicken noodle soup

Menu Monday Dec 20-26

Wow has Christmas snuck up on me! Don't get me wrong, I spread out my shopping over a couple of very organized days and did some online, but sitting in church yesterday and looking at the huge trees behind the priest reminded me how December has flown. Here is our menu for this week, again shopping from the freezer since the $65 I spent last week mostly went to Saturday night's party.

Monday
Breakfast-Cold cereal (mom is baking while they are eating)
Lunch-Grilled beef sandwiches, carrots and celery
Supper-Philly steak pizza

Tuesday
Breakfast-Eggs and toast
Lunch-Ham and cheese paninis
Supper-Pork roast, oven fries, green beans

Wednesday
Breakfast-Oatmeal and peaches
Lunch-Cheeseburger rolls and apples
Supper-Multi-bean soup, rolls

Thursday
Breakfast-Fruit smoothies and pb toast
Lunch-Popcorn chicken, ff, applesauce
Supper-Chili and oyster stew, no-kneed bread, cheese

Friday-8:30 Mass (oldest serving, Mom nervous)
Brunch-Waffles, whipped cream, fruit, Eggs Benedict
Supper-Frozen pizza

Saturday
Breakfast-Sticky buns

Lunch-Roast chicken, potatoes, beets, salad

Supper-Potato soup, chicken salad sandwiches

Sunday
Brunch-Kids choice, egg skillets
Supper-Ham, corn casserole, salad

Frugal gift giving

"Happy birthday, Mom!" This was my greeting this morning from the usually grouchy #2 as she got ready for school. "My gift to you is Love." How appropriate is that, on a frugal Friday, love? Easy to give, no need to wrap, always in stock, and free.
At least for her...
How many of us give love with a price tag? I know that I have been guilty of it's not fair thoughts, I give so much and what do I get back thoughts, I deserve something too thoughts.
Oooo, Satan is tricky, huh?
Whispering in my ear. Telling me to give my love to others, at a price.
Dear Lord, thank you for the lesson from my beautiful daughter. Help me to always give the ultimate gift that I was given.
Thank you for the quiet lesson.

Menu Monday Dec 7-13

Well, the soup and sandwich as a lighter supper option has gone over fairly well. Hubby and I loved last nights ham and beans made with the leftover ham bone from Thanksgiving. We poured it over some homemade cornbread and it was so rich and creamy, I had a second helping. Here is the menu plan for this week, with high hopes that we can avoid going out to eat, although that never seems to happen with Tuesday's craziness.

Monday
Breakfast-Morning muffins, bananas
Lunch-Creamy Mac n cheese, raw veggies
Supper-Popcorn chicken, egg rolls, rice

Tuesday
Breakfast-Oatmeal, peaches
Lunch-Hot lunch at school (mini corn dogs, yuck)
Supper-Sub sandwiches, chips, dried fruit

Wednesday (snowed in)
Breakfast-Banana bread, warm vanilla soothers
Lunch-Pb and j, bananas
Supper-Baked chicken, rice and garlic green beans

Thursday
Breakfast-Cereal and toast
Lunch-Chicken salad, fruit slushy, carrots and celery
Supper-Cheese soup, Blue cheese and bacon roast beef panini

Friday
Breakfast-Eggs and toast
Lunch-Hot lunch (tacos)
Supper-Pizza (Dad gone)

Saturday
Breakfast-Pancakes with jam
Lunch-Spaghetti, salad and garlic toast
Supper-Chicken nuggets and ff

Sunday
Brunch- Kid's choice
Supper-Grilled cheese, tomato soup

Enchilada Casserole

Since no day of the week starts with R, I guess Friday will have to continue to be my place for adding new recipes to the blog. This is my version of, "Ratfarts, the tortillas didn't come out near big enough or round enough for enchiladas", enchiladas. I love Mexico and its food, but I don't like to take kids to a restaurant, and certainly don't like to pay the bill. This is a go to recipe when I have a bunch of leftover things in the freezer, you know, a little beans here, a little rice here, end of a bag of corn, type thing. All these measurements are approximate. If you don't have an ingredient, no biggie, just makes the casserole a bit smaller. The rice and meat are interchangeable, so if you have a vegetarian (not here) or just a little bit of meat left over and you are tired of chicken salad, this is a very easy way to use it. Kinda reminds me of when we were kids an leftovers got added to white sauce and poured over toast... only way better...

Enchilada Casserole
One batch of homemade corn tortillas (or about 16 store bought ones)
2 cans enchilada sauce
1-2 c cooked chicken, turkey, or beef
1 c corn
1 c beans- black, pinto, whatever
1-2 c brown rice
1 1/2 c sharp cheddar, or your favorite cheese blend

To assemble
Pour 1/2 can sauce into the pan you are baking this in. I am using the same pan that I made my tortillas in because I hate to do dishes. Shred 5 tortillas on top of the sauce layer. In the bowl I mixed up my tortilla dough in and still have not washed, mix meat, corn, beans and rice. My beans and corn are even still a bit frozen at this point. Spread 1/2 of this mixture on the shredded tortillas, pour the other half of the can of sauce over that and top with a bit of the cheese. Repeat process with 5 more tortillas, other half of mixture and 1/2 can of sauce. Shred last 5 tortillas and pour last 1/2 can sauce over that. Now top with cheese. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes, or until bubbling and your family has asked you for the thousandth time if supper is done yet! We top this with plain yogurt and Cholula hot sauce. Typically I serve lettuce on the side as well.

Shopping trip for Nov 30

Downtown Grocery
Cereal 5.69
Fruit bars 4.49
Mayo 7.29
O's 3.19
Cabbage 1.19
Swiss 4.77
Eggs 4.99
Tomatoes 2.69
Apples 6.85
Zucchini 1.20
Total 42.35

Quality Foods
Buttermilk 2.23
Bacon 2.94
Total 5.17

Grand Total $47.52
This is what I will be making this week from my shopping trip.