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We're enjoying a cozy jammie morning after a busy weekend. I love homeschooling!
We received our official delivery date this past week. Baby Stumpf will be born around 8am on May 10th. Bryan really won that round with the doctor who was looking at 1-3 weeks before that date. He has an important meeting on May 7th, so he convinced the doctor to delay it.
Would I be out of line to insist on supreme pampering at the end for having to carry this child a week or so longer? Actually, Bryan treats me like a queen much of the time, so I think I'll be fine (huge, but fine!)
This week we will be enjoying:
Monday - Apple Kielbasa Coins, Florentine Crepe Cups
Tuesday (Mock Math Tournament, Bryan night meeting, Horse Judging) - Waffles, Fruit Syrup, Sausage
Wednesday (AWANA) - Corn Dogs, Chips
Thursday (Boy Dr. Appointments, Karate) - Black Beans & Smoked Sausage over Rice
Friday (Homeschool Convention!) - Stumpf Chili, Cornbread
Saturday (Homeschool Convention!) - Hamburgers, Potato Wedges
Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.
Nothing is safe around here. I'm in super-nesting mode. Today the laundry room and mud room submitted to the the organizing tornado. I had the children clean under one of the couches while I read to them this evening (in my defense, there were more papers under there than a filing cabinet!). I even put ripped books back together with packing tape.
We've got a busy week and weekend coming up. Par for the course for this time of year!
This week we will be enjoying:
Monday (Bryan Night Meeting) - Black Bean Quesadillas, Skillet Corn
Tuesday (Mom's Meeting, Horse Judging) - Hashbrown Casserole, Peach Cobbler
Wednesday (AWANA) - Chicken Nuggets, Popcorn
Thursday (Karate) - Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese
Friday - Greek Ham Wraps, Micro-Roasted Potatoes
Saturday (Awana Grand Prix, Horse Judging Contest, 4-H Aerospace) - Grilled Pizza Sandwiches, Salad
Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.
Tonight we enjoyed one of the children's favorite dinners - Brinner! Breakfast for dinner. A couple of my dinner chefs pick it every time it's their turn to cook.
For a special treat, we enjoy making fruit syrup for our pancakes and waffles. (Be sure to try the Homemade Pancake Mix. Double the oil amount for waffles.) This fruit syrup can also be used as jam if you refrigerate it.
Microwave Fruit Syrup
1.5 Cups fresh or frozen fruit (strawberry is our favorite)
1/4 Cup White Sugar
Mix fruit and sugar together in a microwave safe container (at least 6-cup capacity). Microwave on High for 6 minutes, stirring half-way through. Mash fruit to desired consistency (I love using the Pampered Chef Twist & Chop for this!). Enjoy it warm.
So I've been choosing sleep over blogging lately. Sorry about that. Hopefully once the baby's born, I'll be able to blog while nursing. There are posts in my head, just a lack of energy to get them out right now.
Meghan made our favorite tomato soup for dinner the other night (Heidi calls it orange soup). I posted the recipe a couple years ago, but it's worth repeating. It's a staple around here for lunch and dinner when paired with grilled cheese sandwiches.
Homemade Tomato
Soup
4 T Butter
1/2 C Flour
12 C Milk
64 oz. Tomato Sauce
salt & pepper to taste (about 2t and
1/2t respectively)
Parmesan Cheese
In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium
heat. Stir in flour until combined. Whisk in milk until smooth and creamy. Heat
until thickened, stirring frequently. Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Heat
through. We like it sprinkled with Parmesan Cheese.
This week we will be enjoying:
Monday (Bryan Night Meeting) - Chinese Salad, Fried Rice
Tuesday (Math Practice, Horse Judging) - Turkey Ranch Wraps, Jello, Potato Wedges
Wednesday (AWANA) - Hot Dogs, Popcorn
Thursday (Karate) - Black Beans, Cheese, Chips
Friday - BBQ Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Saturday - Stroganoff Meatballs, Noodles, Peas
Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.
Just got back from an OB check-up. We actually talked about delivery dates! Looks like 11 or 12 weeks from now - crazy!
Making dinner together is something that all my children look forward to. It's the one evening job that is always tackled enthusiastically. I let the child playing dinner chef pick their meal from our grid of meals I've planned for.
Some of my chefs are getting very proficient. Even when they can get dinner done on their own, I still hang around the kitchen. I like to use the fellowship time to also tidy the counters or straighten a drawer while being near if needed.
This week my children will be cooking:
Monday - Bean Burritos, Homemade Tortillas, Salad
Tuesday (Math Practice, Horse Judging) - Puffy Pancake, Sausage
Wednesday (AWANA) - Mac 'N Cheese, Frozen Pizza
Thursday (4-H Rabbit, Karate, Mom's Meeting) - Hamburgers & Fries
Friday - Tacos, Skillet Corn
Saturday - Broccoli Cheese Soup, Bread Bowls
Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.
Wow, January is about done! And yet we're enjoying Spring-like temps. To be able to send the children outside to play without umpteen layers of clothes is a beautiful thing.
We're less than two weeks away from our once-every-9-weeks-or-so grocery trip. My pantry is really showing it. So our some of our meals. While I love having supplies for 2 months of meals at my disposal, my tendency to substitute here and there results in some interesting dinnertime bedfellows.
Tonight, as Ted was cooking up dinner, it was "Well, here's a can of sliced pineapple. Don't know why I bought that. Let's have it as a side dish!"
Assuming I haven't used the ingredients for something else, this week we will be enjoying:
Monday - Homemade Pizza
Tuesday (Math Practice, Horse Judging) - Blueberry Pancakes, Eggs
Wednesday (AWANA) - Frozen Burritos, Corn Casserole
Thursday (Karate) - Franks & Beans, Ho Cakes
Friday - Dinner at Friends'
Saturday - Tamale Pie, fresh fruit
Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.
I was recently gifted with a large bag of baby carrots that had been frozen (thank you, Kristie!). As soon as I saw the bag, I knew exactly how those orange babies would end up.
I'm not a huge fan of cooked carrots, so that option's out. Since these were fresh carrots that were then frozen, they cannot be thawed and eaten "raw." They're soft and turn gray - yummy.
About once or twice a week I steam about 4 cups of the carrots until soft. Then I puree them until smooth, adding a bit of the steaming water to make a smooth puree. This makes about 2 cups of puree.
Then when I cook throughout the week, I slip in a cup of carrot puree. It's easy to hide the carrots like spaghetti sauce, hamburgers, BBQ sauce, and even sweet potato casserole.
Why go to this trouble (besides waste not, want not)?
Carrots are loaded with beta carotene. Carrots are very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. They are also a good source of thiamine, niacin, vitamin B6, folate and manganese, and a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K and potassium.
Carrots are also good at fighting inflammation in the body because they contain antioxidents and fiber. The amount of B vitamins present in carrots are especially good at regulating the body's circulation that the heart and lungs have nutrients available to do their job efficiently. Additionally, carrots also help lower high blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Raw is almost always the best option but, when looking at veggies, think outside the side dish, especially if you have picky eaters. What they don't know about can help them!
I'm pretty good at keeping a well stocked fridge and pantry, but there are times when I run out of a staple or two.
Here are a couple that have saved my bacon more than once. They also have the added benefit of being lower in fat than the original ingredients. If you don't keep dry milk in the pantry, I encourage you to pick up a box at the grocery. Not only for the recipes below, but also for Homemade Pancake Mix and Chai Tea Mix (I couldn't find this recipe posted. I'll remedy that!) - essentials around here!
Sour Cream Substitute (for 1 Cup sour cream for use in a casserole or soup - not to top a baked potato!)
1 C Evaporated Milk
1 Tblspn White Vinegar
Mix together and let sit in the fridge for as long as you can (hours not days). It will appear thick and curdled.
Evaporated Milk (for 12 oz can)
1-1/3 C Milk
1 C Dry Milk
Mix together until smooth.
Sweetened Condensed Milk (for a 14oz. can)
1 C. Dry Milk
2/3 C Sugar
1/3 C Very Hot Water
3 Tbsp. Melted Butter
In blender, combine instant dry milk, sugar, hot water and melted butter. Blend until smooth. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
What a great weekend of scrapbooking with friends and then celebrating my "baby girl's" 5th birthday! I'll post more on that, but before she went to be, she proclaimed it "the best birthday EVER!"
We've got a busy week going on, but that's the morn for this time of year. So long as the roads stay snow & ice free, I'm a happy girl. I'm posting the recipe for our Snickerdoodle Granola below since I was reminded yesterday that I've been remiss getting it to the favorite recipes page.
Bryan eats a cup of dry granola everyday on his way to work. We have it here for breakfast several times a week. My latest nighttime snack is to put some in a bowl, pour milk on, and microwave for a minute and a half. Yummy, warm, and comforting!
Snickerdoodle Granola
12 C Oats
2 C Sugar
1 C Oil
1 C Butter, Melted
2 tea. Cinnamon
2 tea. Vanilla
1 tea. Cream of Tartar
1 tea. Salt
Mix all together and spread into 2-3 pans. Bake at 350 for 18 minutes. Cool in pans while trying to keep little fingers from snitching it. Store in baggies or tubs. Can be frozen for longer storage.
This week we will be enjoying:
Monday - We actually had enough leftovers for a dinner buffet - unheard of!
Tuesday (Horse Judging) - Waffles with fruit syrup
Wednesday (AWANA, 4-H Council Mtg) - Corn Dogs, Chips
Thursday (Dentist Day, Karate, 4-H Rabbit Mtg) - Korean BBQ Beef, Ramen, Rice, Peas
Friday - Sausage Stroganoff Soup, Fresh Veggies
Saturday - Hamburgers, Fries
Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.
We're doing a happy dance around here. Our beloved bus, SUE, has been at the repair shop since last week. Bryan was fearing the diagnosis of rebuilding an engine and thousands of dollars. It looks to be not as bad as all that (an answer to our prayers!). While not cheap, I think we can still buy groceries!
Now I get to choose which children I love the most to go to this week's activities since only three can fit in Bryan's car. Hopefully SUE will be back on the road before Heidi's big birthday celebration this weekend!
Here's a recipe for Taco Salad. We enjoy several versions of Taco Salad, but this is an especially good one to bring to pitch-ins.
Taco Salad
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (16 ounce) bottle French dressing (start with 1/2 bottle, then add more as needed)
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 (14.5 ounce) package tortilla chips
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped tomatoes
4 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cup prepared salsa
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and drain excess fat. Stir in the taco seasoning, chili beans and French-style dressing. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add water if it gets too dry.
Crush the bag of chips, open the bag, and toss the broken chips into a large bowl with the lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. When the meat mixture is done, combine it with the lettuce, tomatoes, chips and mix well. Then, add salsa and sour cream.
This week we will be enjoying:
Monday - Baked Sandwiches, Fresh Fruit
Tuesday (Horse Judging & Homeschool Mom's Mtg) - Cheese Enchiladas, Spanish Rice
Wednesday (AWANA) - Smoked Sausage Sandwiches, Baked Potatoes
Thursday (Karate) - Taco Salad
Friday - Stumpf Chili, Cornbread
Saturday - Korean Egg Rolls, Asian Noodle Salad
Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.
The Christmas decorations are coming down. We've got a full week of school to do. The holidays are behind us. Sigh. We usually don't take much, if any, Spring Break (so we can finish by early May), so we feel like the marathon of four solid months of school is ahead of us.
We have been enjoying the beautiful weather of the last few days. Temps in the 50s in January! Do I still live in Indiana?
Below is one of our favorite easy dinners. If the tortillas are already made, even young ones can put this together. It's also a great way to get non-bean-eaters to try the "wonderful fruit!"
Black Bean Quesadillas
•2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
•1-2/3 cups salsa, divided
•10 flour tortillas (8 inches)
•2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
•2/3 cup sour cream
In a large bowl, mash beans; add 1 cup salsa. Place five tortillas on ungreased baking sheets; spread with bean mixture. Sprinkle with cheese; top with the remaining tortillas.
Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until crisp and heated through. Cut each quesadilla into six wedges. Serve with sour cream and remaining salsa. Yield: 30 wedges.
This week we will be enjoying:
Monday - Bryan picked up pizza from Sam's Club :-)
Tuesday - Black Bean Quesadillas, Skillet Corn
Wednesday (AWANA) - Chicken Nuggets, Popcorn
Thursday (Karate) - Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese
Friday - Greek Ham Wraps, Micro-Roasted Potatoes
Saturday - Grilled Pizza Sandwiches
Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.
This is one of those dishes that only gets trotted out once a year. Like our Christmas Eve soup, our arteries have to work the rest of the year to overcome the effects!
Nevertheless, it's delicious and can easily be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated, ready for baking just before Christmas dinner. Or mix together in the crockpot to save room in the oven. Heat on low for 4 hours.
Twice-Baked Potato Casserole
1-1/2 pounds red potatoes (about 6 medium), baked (We usually use white or gold potatoes)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 cups (24 ounces) sour cream (2 cups is just fine!)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, sliced
Cut baked potatoes into 1-in. cubes. Place half in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the salt, pepper and bacon. Top with half of the sour cream and cheeses. Repeat layers.
Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until cheeses are melted. Sprinkle with onions. Yield: 6-8 servings.
This soup is such a delight. A whole lot of comfort food in a bowl. And we serve them in bread bowls - even better!
Mom and I prepare this early on Christmas Eve. I think we're up to tripling the recipe. We've outgrown the crockpot and keep it warm in the roaster now! More soup means we can have it for lunch while putting the finishing touches on Christmas dinner.
When we get home from visiting the lights (again!) on Christmas Eve we have hot bowls of soup before launching into our tradition festivities - a.k.a. Christmas Eve jammies!
Cheeseburger Soup
1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery (we don't like celery and leave it out!)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1-3/4 pounds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups (8 ounces) process cheese (Velveeta)
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
In a 3-qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute the onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream. Yield: 8 servings (2-1/4 quarts).
This past weekend we groceried for the next 9 weeks. It was so cold! But at least we didn't have to worry about the frozen stuff thawing!
Next "big grocery" trip, I'm hoping to extend the shopping by another month. That will require a pantry overhaul to gain more space, but I love the thought of only grocerying four times a year!
Many of our meals this month are coming from the cookbook Family Feasts for $75 a Week. Some of our new favorites have come from this book (think Korean BBQ Beef and Asian Noodle Salad - Yum!).
Here's a standby from the Stumpf kitchen. This is the only way I prepare pinto beans. It works great for adding the beans to casseroles or mashing them up like refried beans. The flavor has won over several non-bean eaters.
Pinto Bean Mix
· 2-3 pounds of pinto beans
· ¼ cup dried onions
· 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
· 1 teaspoon cumin
· 2 tablespoons of butter
· 2 tablespoons of salt
Wash and sort beans. In a Dutch Oven combine beans and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for one hour.
Drain and discard water. Rinse and return to pot. Add enough water to cover, onions, cumin, garlic, and butter. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender. Add salt (this is crucial to flavor!). Cool the beans.
For refried beans,place in a blender and process. Easy to freeze flat in baggies.
If you have a pressure cooker, these can be done in less than 30 minutes. Read more.
This week we will be enjoying:
Monday - Bean Burritos, Homemade Flour Tortillas, Salad
Tuesday (Homeschool Meeting) - Puffy Pancake, Sausage
Wednesday (AWANA) - Mac & Cheese, Frozen Pizza
Thursday (Karate Tournament - Go Ted and Jacob!!) - Calzones, Green Beans
Friday - Tacos, Skillet Corn
Saturday - Broccoli Cheese Soup, Bread Bowls
Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! We had 25 around our table including 18 children. It was a fun time!
The older girls have already started to fill the freezer with treats for our Christmas "goodie table," a few presents have been wrapped, and I'm starting a list of things that need to be done. 'Tis the season. But I dearly love Christmas, and wouldn't change this brand of crazy for anything!
Here's a satisfying skillet meal that won't break your budget:
Brat Potato Skillet
3 medium red potatoes, cubed
1 cup beef broth
5 fully cooked bratwurst links, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 medium tart apples, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butterThis week we will be enjoying:
In a skillet, bring potatoes and broth to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add bratwurst, apples, onion and salt; cook for 5-10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and broth has evaporated.
Push bratwurst mixture to the sides of pan. Place sugar in the center of pan; cook until sugar is melted and golden brown. Add butter; cook and stir until butter is melted. Toss with the bratwurst mixture; serve immediately. Yield: 6-8 servings.
Stumpf Notes: We use smoked sausage instead of brats because they are so much more economical. Lately, the children prefer this without the apples cooked with, so I serve unsweetened applesauce on the side. We usually make about triple the amount of everything except the sausage, butter, and sugar.
Monday - Pinto Bean Casserole
Tuesday (Shalom House) - Brat Potato Skillet, Lemon Garlic Broccoli, Applesauce
Wednesday (AWANA) - Corn Dogs, Chips
Thursday (Karate) - Black Beans & Smoked Sausage over Rice
Friday - Sausage Stroganoff Soup, Fresh Veggies
Saturday - French Roast Beef Sandwiches, Salad
Our menus for past years can be found at our website. Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.
My first Menu Plan Monday in two months! We had a baby check-up this afternoon. I'm about 14 weeks along and heard the little punkin's heartbeat. Never gets old!
I'm glad I'm getting some energy back because this is a pretty busy week. And I can't believe next week is Thanksgiving! Excited but, phew, I can't figure out how this year has flown by!
Meghan is the chef this week, and the recipe below is one of her favorites. I grew up eating this easy skillet meal. My father called it by its unpoetic sailor’s name. This comfort food sends my children into shrieks of glee. It’s very rich, so we don’t have it very often, but with eggs and a loaf of whole wheat toast, it makes for an easy, frugal meal.
You can try stretching the gravy by adding a can of mixed veggies, but my children call that heresy. They would prefer that veggies were on the side.
Creamed Beef on Toast
3 Tbl Butter
3 Tbl Oil
1/2 C Flour
4 C Milk
1 tsp Salt
2 packs roast beef (those thin lunchmeat packs that are less than $1)
1/4 tsp pepper
Melt butter and oil in a large saucepan. Stir in flour. Add milk and keep stirring. Add salt & pepper. Cut beef into strips and stir in. If too thick, add a little more milk. Heat to boil and remove. Serve over warm toast.
This week we will be enjoying:
Monday (Bryan works late) - Beef Gravy, Toast, Scrambled Eggs
Tuesday (Homeschool Mom's Meeting) - Mexican Dinner, Sweet Potatoes
Wednesday (4-H Council Meeting, AWANA) - Cold Cuts, Chips
Thursday (Karate) - Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Edamame
Friday - Baked French Toast, Fruit, Sausage
Saturday - Swedish Meatballs, Rice, Noodles, Steamed Broccoli
Our menus for past years can be found at our website. Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.
While I'm not too happy about fall coming on, I am enjoying the return of soup weather. With the colds going around our family, we've enjoyed these two soup recipes. I've posted both before, but they are so good that they deserve another mention!
Cream Cheese Potato Soup
6 C water
7 tea. chicken bouillon (I like this kind)
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, cubed
1 package (30 oz.) frozen hash brown potatoes
1 1/2 C cubes cooked ham
1/2 C chopped onion
1 tea. dill weed
1 tea. garlic powder
1 tea. salt (taste before adding)
In a Dutch oven, combine the water and bouillon. Add the cream cheese; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 18-20 minuted or until vegetables are tender.
Yield: 12 servings (3 quarts). This was a perfect amount for my crew. Several had seconds and there was a bit left over for lunch.
Stumpf Chili
This is a very child-friendly chili. No offending chuncks of veggies (although I've been know to sneak in a veggie puree)!
1 lb. ground beef, browned with onion and drained
32 oz. tomato sauce
4 C water
2 - 15 oz. cans kidney beans
2 T chili powder
1 t cumin
1/2 t salt
2 t garlic powder
2 t dried basil
2 t dried oregano
Combine all and simmer for one hour, or cook in the Crockpot all day on low. Serve over cornbread and top with cheddar cheese and sour cream.
We double this recipe which exceeds my crockpot capacity. I simmer it all day in a 20 qt. roaster.
This is my go-to bread recipe. I make about four loaves every week or so. Sometimes I save some dough to freeze for Baked Sandwiches. You can use it in any recipe calling for frozen bread dough.
(Hint: I've been known to throw other things into the dough like leftover oatmeal, purred white beans, pureed cauliflower, or pureed squash. They'll never know unless you tell them...)
Here is the one-loaf version. Great to set for delay start on the bread machine (does anyone still have one of those?)
1 C warm water
1.5 teaspn yeast
1.5 Tblspn sugar
3 C Flour (can combine white & wheat so long as there is more white flour)
1.5 Tblspn Dry Milk
1.5 Tblspn Oil
1.5 teaspn salt
Put in bread machine in the order listed by your manufacturer (I think mine used to be water first and yeast last). Set for delay start on a regular or white bread cycle. If you’re making in a mixer or by hand, follow the directions below.
Here’s the version I use. This makes four loaves. The loaves freeze well after they are completely cooled.
4 C warm water
2T yeast
1/3 C sugar
12 C Flour (can combine white & wheat so long as there is more white flour)
1/3 C Dry Milk
1/3 C Oil
2 T salt
Combine warm water, yeast, sugar, and 6 C flour in bowl for big mixer. Mix until just combined. Let sit for 10-15 minutes (this is called “the sponge”). Add in the rest of the ingredients. Knead in mixer for 8 minutes. Chop into 4 equal sections. Put each section into a greased loaf pan. Let rise, covered in warm place for 45 minutes. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove immediately from pans. Cool completely on racks.
Only five more days until we leave for Disney World!! Or five more "sleeps" as the girlies are saying. We'll only school for two days this week and spend the rest of the week packing.
In honor of our trip, here are some of the snacks that we usually take into the parks:
- Peanuts (unsalted or children get too thirsty)
- Individual boxes of raisins
- Little gummie fruit snacks
- Individual bags of pretzels
- Dum Dums (keeps mouths quiet if you make it a contest to see whose lasts longest)
- Lots of water bottles (we refill them all day long)
This week we will be enjoying:
Monday - Bean Burritos (using Pinto Bean Mix), Salad
Tuesday - Puffy Pancake, Sausage
Wednesday (AWANA) - Sweet & Sour Sausage, Noodles, Green Beans
Thursday (Karate) - Mac 'n Cheese, Frozen Pizza
Friday - Tacos, Skillet Corn
Saturday - Leave on vacation!!
Our menus for past years can be found at our website. Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.
Here's a tasty recipe that tastes like fall. We love pumpkin so much that I buy a case or two each fall when it's cheap and eat it all year. This pumpkin dessert is an easy alternative to traditional pumpkin pie and great if you want to feed a crowd!
Pumpkin Pie Squares
1 can (29 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 package (18-1/2 ounces) butter recipe golden cake mix
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup chopped pecans
Whipped topping, optional
In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients; beat on medium speed until smooth. Pour into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with cake mix, then drizzle butter over top. Sprinkle with pecans.
Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 1 hour on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and garnish each serving with whipped topping. Yield: 12-16.
Monday - Korean Beef in Lettuce Leaves, Rice
Tuesday - Homemade Pizza
Wednesday (AWANA) - Frozen Burritos, Corn Casserole
Thursday (Karate) - Franks & Beans, Ho Cakes
Friday - BBQ Meatball Sandwiches, Sauteed Green Beans
Saturday - Tamale Pie, Fresh Fruit
Our menus for past years can be found at our website. Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.
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