Menu Plan for 12/21-12/27

I am feeling a little like the rabbit from "Alice in Wonderland" lately. Time is running out and I have barely made a dent in all of the things that I want to do!

So it's time to reevaluate my priorities and go in a different direction.

Hopefully, all of my body parts will go in the same direction, at the same time! At least, that's the new plan.

I already missed making an advent calendar with my children. Didn't get to the countdown to Christmas chain either. I have obsessed over the Chex mix and underestimated the amount of time it takes to bring refrigerated cookie dough back up to room temperature. Someone forgot to pull the frozen turkey out of the freezer and put it into the fridge, while someone else ate all of the Chex mix that I had obsessed over.

As my favorite character, Dory, from "Finding Nemo" said, "Swimming, swimming, just keep swimming"....

Here's the new plan...we are building our gingerbread barn this afternoon. I have shortbread cookie dough that needs baked and dipped in chocolate. (Of course!) My candy cane cookie dough is waiting in the fridge and I am going to attempt to make Chocolate Thumbprint cookies (Thanks Kym!). I will make more Chex mix (and hide it from my son Cody), and will have my daughters whip up some truffle candies.

And during all of that, I will try to remember to breathe.

Did I mention that this is my favorite time of the year? Good thing too...it could've gotten ugly around here if I didn't enjoy it all!

Here's what's cookin'...

Monday: Soaked oatmeal w/fruit
Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, sliced apples
Tater tot casserole, salad (carried over from last week, and while not the healthiest dinner, I do use organic tater tots!)

Tuesday: English muffins, poached eggs
Pita pockets with turkey, hummus and sprouts, sliced oranges
Lasagna, green salad (from last week)

Wednesday: Granola/fruit/yogurt parfaits
Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup
Elk steak, mashed taters & gravy, salad

Thursday: Soaked oatmeal w/fruit
Whole wheat bagels w/yogurt cheese & turkey
Mexican Pasta Skillet, cottage cheese & pineapple slices

Happy Birthday Jesus!
*Monkey bread
Cheese & crackers, fruit (keeping it light!)
*Christmas dinner*

Saturday: Scrambled eggs, toast
Leftovers

Sunday: Granola
Leftovers!

*Christmas Dinner*: Turkey (cooked on Thursday), mashed taters & gravy, Green bean casserole, candied yams, brussel sprouts (Yes, most of my kids LOVE brussel sprouts!), Rosemary rolls, **Honeybun jello salad, **Key Lime pie, Apple pie, **Holiday Layered Surprise

Recipes

Monkey bread

1 package Rhodes rolls
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tb. cinnamon
1 stick butter, melted
1 box butterscotch pudding, dry (not instant!)

Place rolls in bundt pan. Mix dry ingredients. Pour over rolls. Pour melted butter over rolls. Let rise overnight. Bake at 350F. for 30 minutes. Turn over onto cookie sheet and dig in! It is a good idea to place bundt pan on a cookie sheet while rising...it can spill over depending on the size of your pan! (If in doubt, divide into 2 bundt pans.)

**These desserts can be found in "MaryJane's Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook", by MaryJane Butters. They call for an ingredient called Chillover Powder that is used for gelling. It is from a red sea vegetable called agar-agar kanten, that is used in Japanese cooking. Chillover Powder can be purchased here.

Check back tomorrow to see pictures of our gingerbread barn!

For more menu planning ideas, visit Organizing Junkie.