God Wants Me to be Kind

Bible Verse: Acts 3:6

Monday: Errand Day – Doing one kind thing for somebody else at each store we go to.
Ask Alex what he thinks would be a kind thing to do for other people while we are out.  (Example: holding the door for others)
Tuesday: Bible Story: Acts 3: 1-10
Read the story and discuss: Why did the man ask for money? What did Peter do for the man?
Story Visual: Show what it would be like to not be able to walk. Sit in a circle, offer a treat, but explain that they cannot use their legs to reach the treat. How did this make you feel, happy or sad?
Coloring Page: based on story.
Wednesday: Library: Finding books about being kind. Learning how to ask Liberian for help nicely, and learning how to find books.
Thursday: Craft Day: Be Kind Flower
Friday: Lunch out and Sports Class: Continue to practice being kind to others.

Jason is going to be away this week for three days on a business trip. I really don’t like cooking for one person. While I am not technically cooking for just one person, the kids hardly ever eat what I cook, unless Alex is being bribed with Candy. So the days that he is going to be away I decided to make things that I know they like. I know they will eat, and it will help the days until Daddy comes home easier. Tuesday is family night at our local Chick-Fil-A, so I decided to go there for dinner on Tuesday, instead of going out for dinner on Friday night like we usually do.

Hope everyone has a good week.

Week 4:  Breakfast Meal Plan
Meal 1:  Old-Fashioned Potato Pancakes
Meal 2: Apple Bars
Meal 3: Cinnamon & Honey Apple
Meal 4: Sautéed Cinnamon Apple Crisp
Meal 5: Cinnamon-Raisin Bread
Meal 6: Cereal with Fresh Fruit

Week 4:  Dinner Meal Plan
Day 1: Tacos, Refried Beans, Mexican Corn
Day 2: Hot Dogs, French Fries
Day 3:  Chicken Teriyaki over Rice, Grilled Pineapple Slices
Day 4:  Pancakes, Fresh Fruit
Day 5:  Pizza, Salad

Thanks to my wonderful husband I was able to get my chart up this week. Mondays are always leftover days since I go to the grocery store on Tuesdays. My week, at least for menu planning purposes starts on Tuesday.

Wow, it is another week. And it is almost April. March flew by for our family. We are enjoying the warmer weather and are out and about more. This week is week 2 in our 12 week plan. A lot of the recipes that I have this week are from various places on the Internet. I am enjoying finding new things for breakfast. For the most part the kids are enjoying the new breakfasts as well. Although I haven’t been able to convince them that oatmeal is good yet. I figure it is a work in progress. I also use the same rules at breakfast that we have at dinner. I cook one meal and if you don’t want to eat it, that is fine, but I am not making anything else until the next meal. One of these days, we will be out of the picky toddler and preschooler age, and they will eventually be good eaters.

I have also switced to an all organic diet. We did this to help with some of Alex’s hyperactivity and innatention behaviors, and I have to say, he has made a complete turn around. He is a different child. We are still dairy and soy free, as well as no raw bananas.

As usual if I didn’t add a recipe that you would like, just leave me a comment and I will get it to you.

Week 2: Breakfast Meal Plan

Meal 1: Amish Baked Oatmeal

1/3-cup butter
2 large eggs
3/4-cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1-teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon
1/4-teaspoon salt
1-cup rice milk
2 tablespoons rice milk
3 cups oatmeal (regular or quick)

Melt butter. Grease 1 1/2 quart baking dish and drop in eggs and beat well.
Add brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon, and salt. Mix well, no lumps. Whisk in ghee and both measures of rice milk, and then add oats. Stir well, and refrigerate overnight. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 35-45 min, or until set in the middle. Serve hot with warm rice milk poured over.

Meal 2: Breakfast in a Mug

1-tablespoon ghee
1-tablespoon rice milk or water
1-2 eggs
1 dash pepper
1 dash salt
1 slice bacon, cooked (optional)
Shredded cheese (optional)

Place ghee in 12 oz. microwave safe mug or small bowl. Microwave on High 30-45 seconds, or until melted. Add egg (s), rice milk, salt and pepper. Stir or whip with a fork.
Microwave one egg on High 35 to 45 seconds; two eggs 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 minutes, or until eggs begin to set, stirring with fork to break apart after half of the time. Remove eggs when they are still soft and moist. (You may have to play with the time depending on your microwave) Let stand about 2 minutes. While eggs are standing crumble bacon and add to eggs. Eggs will firm up while standing. If desired sprinkle with shredded cheese during standing time.

Meal 3: Apple French Toast Casserole

Apple French Toast Casserole
4 tablespoons butter
3 large apples, peeled and sliced thinly (I use Cortland or Empire)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons water
1-teaspoon cinnamon
8 slices Italian bread, 1 inch thick
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups rice milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Melt the ghee in a large skillet and add apples. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add brown sugar, water, and cinnamon and continue to cook and stir for 10 minutes until apples are tender. Spoon mixture into 13×9 baking dish. Cover apples with bread slices, making sure to cover the entire surface. Trim the bread to fit if you must. Beat eggs until foamy, then beat in rice milk and vanilla. Pour egg mixture over the bread slices. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove the dish from the refrigerator and let it stand while oven is preheated to 375 F. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until bread is golden and firm. Let sit 10 minutes before serving. To serve on a platter, run a knife around the edges of the casserole, place platter on top of casserole, and carefully flip. To serve individually, use a spatula to remove serving, place serving plate on top of serving and carefully flip so apple side is up.

Meal 4: Everything Breakfast Bar

4 cups oatmeal
1-tablespoon baking powder
1-teaspoon salt
1-tablespoon cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1-cup pumpkin
1-cup rice milk
1-tablespoon maple syrup
1 cup Splenda sugar substitute
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1-tablespoon vanilla
1-cup raisins

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In large bowl combine oatmeal, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix in remaining ingredients. Spread in greased 9×13 pan. Bake for 40 minute.

Meal 5: Smoothies
Meal 6: Cereal with Fresh Fruit

Week 2:  Dinner Meal Plan

Day 1: Corn Chowder, Poppy seed Muffins

Corn Chowder
1 10oz package frozen sweet corn
1 potato, peeled and cubed
½ cup diced onion
½ cup water
2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
Dash salt and pepper
1 ¾ cup rice milk
1 Tbsp. Margarine
2 Tbsp. flour

In a saucepan, combine the corn, potato, onion, water, bouillon and salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the potato is tender. Stir in 1 ½ cups milk with margarine. Mix the remaining ¼ cup milk with the flour and add to the chowder. Cook and stir until thickened.

Variation: Toss in some diced, cooked chicken or ham during the last few minutes of cooking.

(Serves 4)

Poppy seed Muffins
2 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. poppy seed
2 Eggs
1-cup rice milk with 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
½ cup margarine softened
1 or 2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients. Spoon the batter into a greased 12-muffin tin. Bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes.

(Serves 6-8)

Day 2: BBQ Chicken, Baked Rice Pilaf, Green Beans

BBQ Chicken
1 lb. Chicken Breasts
1 or 2 cups BBQ Sauce

Marinate Chicken in BBQ Sauce for at least 1 hour. Grill chicken until done, basting with additional BBQ Sauce as needed.

Green Beans
1 bag fresh or frozen green beans

Steam Green beans for about 5-10 minutes or until they are tender.

Baked Rice Pilaf
1 ¾ cup water
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
¾ cup white rice
3 Tbsp. parsley
2 Tbsp. margarine
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
1 Celery Stalk, diced
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon granules

Melt the butter in a saucepan, and briefly sauté the diced onion and celery in it. Then combine sautéed mixture with all other ingredients in a 2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake at 375 for 45 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.

(Serves 6)

Day 3: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Garden Salad, French bread
Day 4: Chicken Quesadillas, Spanish rice
Day 5: Hamburgers, Baked Beans, Chips

Have a great week.

This is the first time that I have participated in a round-up. I have been doing the Menu Plan Monday for a few months now and have found it to be wonderful. So when the round-up this month was organizing recipies I knew I had to take part.

I actually have several different ways that I organize my recipies. I have a shelf full of cookbooks, a small Lonengberger recipe basket, and my menu planning recipies.

When Laura from Organizing Junkie challanged us to sort through and get rid of cookbooks that we no longer use I went to my shelf and took a look. I was actually susprised that there were only two or three cookbooks that I don’t use on a weekly basis. Of those three there was only one that I never use. So that one went. The other two that I don’t use much, are barbeque cookbooks that I use a lot in the summer. So I decided to wait until after the spring and summer to decide wether or not to get rid of it. I did straighten up my cookbook shelf so now it looks much neater.

Before, Doesn't look too bad, but if you look close you can see that it occasionally becomes a resting place for other things.

The stuff that sometimes ends up on the wrong shelf

After, not much different, but looks a little bit neater

I don’t use a lot of loose recipies, so my recipe basket does not get much use. Over the years however I have accumulated quite a number of loose recipies that had filled up my basket and made it a mess. So I went through all the recipies and weeded out the ones that I don’t use, which were most of them. I then typed up the ones I was keeping on the computer if they were handwritten ones or on a page that was bigger than 4″x6″. I made my own dividers out of index cards and post it note tabs. On each index card I have written what is in that catigory so that I can easily find something.  There is not much there now, but at least it is organized so I can easily add to it as needed.

Recipie basket before, notice there is no lid.

Before

After, look I can use the lid again

After

Recipies to be filed go on top

My menu planning is my big organizational project that has been going on for a few months now. I work on a 12 week rotating basis for my menus. To keep everything in order I use a binder system. I have two binders, one for breakfast and one for dinner. Each week has a front page that shows the meals for that week, next comes the shopping list for that week and then each meal has a page with all the recipies for that meal. This way anybody can pick up my binder, find what week I am on and then find the meal they are cooking and cook it without any problems. This is especially helpful with my kids food allergies. If my husband and I are away they person watching the kids doesn’t have to worry about what they are going to cook and how to cook it. I made some covers for the binders so that I know which one is which without having to open them up. I also put each days recipies in a plastic page cover to keep them protected while I cook, since I tend to be a messy cooker. I also have a pad that I found at Target that is my central shopping list. I keep that on my fridge and check things off as I need them. When I am getting ready to go shopping I take out my meal plan shopping list and add what I need to my central shopping list. This way my shopping list only takes a few minutes to get together.

Menu planning binders

Breakfast

Dinner

Front Page of Week

Central Shopping List

this is my whole menu plan for week 1 so you can see what it looks like.

Week 1: Meal Plan
Day 1: Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Mixed Vegetables.
Day 2: Chicken Fajitas, Tortilla Chips and Salsa
Day 3: Chicken Sandwiches, Tater Tots, Fruit Salad
Day 4: Beef Stew over Rice
Day 5: Meatloaf, Baked Potatoes, Green Beans

Week One Grocery List

Produce
2 Onions
2 Tomatoes
Orange -1
Apple – 1
Grapes – 1 bag
Pineapple
Potatoes – 5lb bag
Carrots – 1lb bag
Green Beans
Green Pepper – 1
Lettuce – 1 Head

Meat & Fish
3-4 lb beef roast
2 Chicken Breasts
4 Chicken Patties
1 lb. Ground Beef

Refrigerated
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Shredded Cheddar Rice Cheese
Eggs
Frozen
Tater Tots

Dry Goods
Salt
Pepper
Worcestershire Sauce
Thyme
Oregano
Flour
Italian Salad Dressing
Salsa
Canola Oil
Tortilla Chips
Bread Crumbs
Steak Sauce
Ketchup
Onion Flakes
Chicken Stock
Bread Crumbs
Active Dry Yeast – 1 package
Sugar

Baked Goods
Flour Tortillas

Week 1, Meal 1
Roast Beef
3-4 lb. beef roast
½ cup water
¼ cup chopped onion (or 1 Tbsp. onion flakes)
Dash of salt and pepper
1tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. thyme
½ tsp. oregano

Place all ingredients in a crock-pot and cook on high for 5-6 hours, or on low for 8-9 hours.
Just before serving, remove the roast to a platter and slice. Cover with a little gravy or pan juices. Keep warm until served.
(Serves 6)
[Save leftover roast and gravy for meal 4: Beef Stew]

Mashed Potatoes
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
½ cup chicken stock

Cook potatoes in boiling (slightly salted) water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain off the water and save it for the gravy.  Use an electric mixer or potato masher to whip the potatoes smooth. Add the chicken stock until the potatoes are the desired consistency.

Gravy
Pan juices from roast
Potato water from mashed potatoes
½ cup water
2 Tbsp. flour

In a skillet, reheat the pan juices, and add 1 cup reserved potato water. Mix together the water and flour, and then add a bit at a time to the gravy, until it is the desired consistency when bubbling.

Mixed Vegetables
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables

Empty bag into a steamer. Steam vegetables until tender. Serve with salt and pepper.

Week 1, Meal 2
Chicken Fajitas
2 Chicken breasts, grilled and sliced
1 Onion, sliced
1 Green Pepper, sliced
1 Tomato, diced
1 Cup shredded cheddar rice cheese
8-10 small flour tortillas
Salsa

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Grill and slice chicken. Either grill or Saute the pepper and onion.  To serve put chicken, pepper and onions, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, and tortillas on the table. Allow everyone to make his or her own fajitas.
(Serves 4)
Tortilla Chips and Salsa
1 bag favorite tortilla chips
1 jar favorite salsa

Open the bag of tortilla chips and arrange on a plate with a bowl of salsa in the middle.
(Serves 4-6)

Week 1, Meal 3
Chicken Sandwiches
4-6 chicken patties
4-6 hamburger buns
Lettuce leaves, torn
1 Tomato, thinly sliced
Optional Toppings:
Mayonnaise
Ranch Salad Dressing
Bacon Strips, cooked
Rice Cheese Slices

Cook the chicken patties according to package directions.  Serve chicken patties on hamburger buns and place toppings on table.
(Serves 4-6)

Hamburger Buns
1-cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
¾ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. canola oil
About 2 ½ cups flour

Pour the warm water into a warmed mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water, and then sprinkle the sugar and salt over the yeast. Let set a minute or two to proof the yeast. Add the oil, and stir in as much of the flour as you easily can, about 2 cups.  Work in enough of the rest of the flour to give you dough that is easy to handle, turn it out onto a floured counter top and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Round the dough up into a ball, cover it with the upturned mixing bowl, and let set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk, about 45 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and form each part into a ball. Set the balls of dough slightly apart on a greased baking sheet and let rise until doubled in bulk, again about 45 minutes. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes, until done.
(Makes 8 Hamburger Buns)

Tater Tots.
1-package tater tots.

Cook according to package directions.
(Serves 4-6)

Fruit Salad
1 Orange, peeled and diced
1 Apple, cored, peeled, peeled and diced
2 Cups seedless grapes
1 Can pineapple chunks
Any other fruit of your choice

Mix all ingredients; chill for at least 30 minutes.
(Serves 4)

Week 1, Meal 4
Beef Stew
Leftover beef roast from meal 1
Leftover gravy from meal 1
2 Potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
½ cup diced onion
1 or 2 cups water
Dash each of salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano

Cook potatoes, carrots, and onion in the water (1 cup for a thick stew, 2 cups for a thinner stew) with salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano for 15 minutes. Drain off a bit of the water (if desired) and stir in the leftover gravy and beef roast. Cook and stir until everything is heated through.
(Serves 4)

Brown Rice
1-cup brown rice
2-½ cups water

Cook Rice according to package directions.

Week 1, Meal 5
Meatloaf
1 Lb. Ground Beef
1 Egg
¾ cup Bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. onion flakes
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. Steak Sauce
¼ cup Ketchup
Dash salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients. Shape into a loaf in a 9”x9” pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 75 minutes or until it is done. Serve with additional ketchup.
(Serves 6)

Green Beans
1 package frozen green beans or fresh green beans

Steam Green beans in a steamer for 5 – 10 minutes or microwave on high for 4 minutes.

Baked Potatoes
4 – 6 Baking potatoes

Wash and wrap potatoes in tin foil. Bake at 450 for 1 hour.  Serve with margarine and salt and pepper.

This is how I organize my recipes. Enjoy.