Meal Plan for 7/10-7/16

Last week, taking a "hiatus" from blogging wasn't the only thing I took a break from. I also did away with the meal plan, which in retrospect, was not one of my better ideas. Instead of cooked breakfasts, we relied on coupon-inspired morning meals of Cheerios and granola, and dinners were courtesy of Oscar Meyer and Mr. Ball Park.

I learned a few things about myself though. I like order. I rely heavily on my lists, even if half the time they don't make any sense to anyone else but me. I like having a plan so that when our natural order of chaos takes over, I have a base in which to come back to. And I really hate waste~especially when it's produce that I forgot about and have to toss to the chickens!

That said, I needed that time to remind me why I do the things I do. To some, it may seem complicated, but wandering around in the desert isn't a joy either. I am finding that life is considerably easier when certain things are planned out. It frees me to have time to be spontaneous!

Even if my spontaneity is somewhat planned.☺

This week marks the beginning of our fresh garden produce. The lettuce, spinach, radishes, and broccoli are ready to harvest, with the beets and Swiss chard not far behind. It's also raspberry season, so I'm sure that we'll be heading to the "island" this week to plump up our freezer's smoothie repetoire.

In case it's not clear, I LOVE SUMMER!!!! 

Here's what's cooking....finally...

~Sunday~

Soaked Oatmeal, blueberries

Pork Broccoli Stir-fry

~Monday~

Peanut Butter Muffins, Yogurt Smoothies

Grilled Chicken w/ Black Beans & Rice (new)

~Tuesday~

Pennsylvania Dutch Baked Oatmeal w/ peaches

Marinated Grilled Shrimp (new), Leftover Pork/Chicken Egg Rolls (new), garden salad, Sourdough bread

~Wednesday~

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins (new), Strawberry/Peach Slushies

Fried elk steak, Roasted Potato Salad (new), garden salad w/ Ranch dressing

~Thursday~

Appley Apple Muffins (new), scrambled eggs

Taco Salad

~Friday~

Taco Omelette's (with leftover taco meat, black beans, cheese, green onions, salsa, & sour cream)

3 Cheese Baked Ziti, Caesar Salad

~Saturday~

Sourdough Pancakes w/warmed peach "syrup" (new)

Home-Baked Beans, Kim's Kornbread, garden salad

~Desserts~

Mixed Berry Cobbler (new)

Rhubarb Crispy Pie

For more meal planning ideas, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.

A Staycation Hiatus

Photo credit

I am taking a brief hiatus from blogging. Not to worry though, I'll be back on Sunday and share some pictures of what we've been up to on our little "staycation". The photo above is an anniversary trip we are currently planning for next year.

Any ideas as to where we are headed for our 25th?

Before I forget, I am having a difficult time leaving comments on some favorite blogs. The problem seems to be with blogger itself. If you have a comment form that is below your post, many people are unable to leave a little love with you. By switching over to a "pop-up" comment box, this seems to alleviate the problem. It can be changed by going to SETTINGS, then COMMENTS, then COMMENTS FORM PLACEMENT. Check the pop-up version and you should start seeing more comments on your blogs!

And, if you live near me, the salmon are biting and strawberry season is almost over.

What are you waiting for?

Get outside and enjoy the sunshine!

Sweet & Spicy Pickles

Once upon a time, there was a dill pickle. The dill pickle was always comfortable being a dill, but had aspirations to be more than just a condiment on top of grilled burger.

It had dreams of topping egg salad.

And in a perfect world, just being eaten straight out of the jar.

A couple of years ago, my in-laws decided to pull us out of our dill pickle comfort zone. Initially, I declined to try one of their newly discovered pickles, but after hearing the "ooohs and ahhhs" of my Mister, I relented.

Since then, not a day has gone by that we've been without having these dill pickle converts in our fridge.

This is by far the easiest "canning" recipe I have ever used. It requires no canning and uses dill pickles that can be picked up at Walmart for just a couple of dollars. Within 3 days, what once was dill is now sweet & spicy.

It's magic.

~Sweet & Spicy Pickles~

I had these on hand, but prefer the Vlasic from Walmart.

~The Players~

1/2 gallon kosher dill pickles

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2-1 cup sliced, canned jalapenos

4 cups organic sugar

1/2 gallon jar with a tight-fitting lid

Drain the dill pickles in a colander for about 2 hours.

Cut pickles into 1/4" slices.  Put into a half-gallon jar.

Shake the jar to help settle the pickle chips. In order, add jalapenos, sugar, then the vinegar. You may need to add the sugar slowly and allow it time to fall down into the jar. I used a butter knife to create little "canals" for the sugar to drop into. Do not add the vinegar until all of the sugar is in the jar though.

After the vinegar is added, cover top of jar with plastic wrap before screwing the lid down tight.

Turn the jar upside down and set in a pie plate. (Just in case the jar leaks!)

Flip the jar 2-3 times a day for 3 days. The sugar will dissolve and you will be left with a sweet pickle that has a little "kick" to it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some egg salad to make!

Enjoy!



Chicken Tamale Pie

As most people know, I'm a huge fan of Bob's Redmill. Okay, I'm a fan of Bob too, but I don't want to come across as "stalker-ish", so I try to control that admiration as much as possible.

Can't have Bob calling the authorities now, can I?

Even though the Redmill is a mere hour away from us, I still stock up like I'm waiting for Armageddon. Or the Zombie Apocalypse. Or something equally as epic.

Needless to say, I have at least 500#'s of grain in my possession. Of those 500 pounds, at least 20 different grains are unidentifiable. In my rush to fill bags at the bulk bins, sometimes I forget to write the contents next to the bulk bin number.

This makes cooking a true adventure.

It also leaves me making comments like, "Eat at your own risk." Or, "This is a test~I'll give $5 to the first one who can identify the grain/spice. Yes, I already know what it is, but I want to know if you know what it is!"

Now you know, I'm a big, fat liar.

One of the grains that I was finally able to identify was polenta. Funny thing, I actually bough a 25# bag of the stuff, poured it into a large storage container, and stuffed it to the back of the closet. But, don't you grind your own cornmeal? Why yes, I do. My grainmill only does a fine grind, so the course grind of the polenta kind of threw me off. Since I've only made polenta from scratch once, and from a marked bag, it took awhile to identify this little surprise.

I actually thought for a brief moment that someone, and by someone I mean other than me, had dumped the chicken feed into the kitchen storage bin!

So, what does one do with 25#'s of polenta? Well, I'm sure I don't know, but if Chicken Tamale Pie is a way to use it up, we'll be having this quite often.

And that makes my children very happy to have a momma who is obsessed with everything Redmill.

~Chicken Tamale Pie~

A Bob's Redmill Original (with a little "tweaking" by yours truly!)

~The Players~

2-1/2 t. sea salt, divided

1 cup dry polenta (medium-grind cornmeal)

1 Tb. butter

1 Tb. olive oil

1 large sweet onion, chopped

1/2 sweet red pepper, diced

1/2 sweet orange pepper, diced (can use green if you prefer)

1 lb. chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 clove garlic, minced

1 t. ground cumin

1 Tb. chili powder

1/4 t. dried oregano

freshly ground black pepper

1 cup canned, diced tomatoes (I used home-canned)

1/2-3/4 cup grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (or a combination of both)

Sour cream

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350F. and grease a 9-inch pie dish.

In a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water and 2 teaspoons sea salt to a boil. Gradually add the cornmeal, whisking to prevent clumping. Lower the heat and continue cooking and stirring until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Spread 2/3 of the corn mush across the bottom and up the sides of the buttered pie dish and set aside. Keep the rest of the mush warm by placing a lid on saucepan.

Sorry about the lighting~I make no claims to fame with my photography skills. Or lack of.

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers; cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the chicken, garlic, cumin, chili powder, remaining 1/2 t. sea salt, oregano, and pepper and cook until meat is done, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and reduce heat to simmer, cooking uncovered for about 5 minutes, or until liquid has reduced some.

Spoon the filling into the pie dish, spreading evenly.

Top with an even layer of the remaining mush and sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

*It is very important to let the pie rest for 10 minutes before cutting. The pie needs a chance to set up a little before cutting. Unless you like your pie in a bowl...☺



Menu Plan 6/27

I wasn't going to make a meal plan this week. My plan was to wing it using the pantry and freezers for inspiration.

This morning, my inspiration failed me.

Blame it on the weather. Blame it on the obnoxious guinea fowl making nighttime noises. Blame it on the hot flashes. Blame it on Rio.

Isn't there a movie called, "Blame it on Rio"?

It must be Rio's fault.

Wherever the fault lies, the lack of plan left me in complete panic mode. Then I popped my thumb in my mouth and tried to find my happy place.

When that didn't work, I went back to what I know. Planning.

So, after careful consideration, and a thumb-sucking intervention by my children, here's what's cookin' this week...

~Monday~(Coupon shopping day)

Pancakes

Grilled hot dogs, baked beans, chips (kid's choice)

~Tuesday~

Cheese & Chive Omelette's

Spaghetti & Meatballs, Caesar Salad

~Wednesday~

Toast w/ cream cheese, Yogurt Smoothies

Crockpot Salsa Chicken, green salad

~Thursday~

Sourdough Pancakes, spiced pears

Fried deer steak, Sweet potato fries, Broccoli salad

~Friday~

Golden Potato Bake

Sweet & Smoky Salmon, Broccoli salad, European Peasant Bread

~Saturday~

Granola w/ yogurt 

Spinach Chicken Pasta Salad, European Peasant Bread

~Sunday~

Granola w/ blueberries

Juicy Grilled Burgers, Salmon Dip, tortilla chips



Peeps & Chocolate

They're here....

We've been invaded by chickens.

At least, I think they're chickens.

They look more like "Peeps".

We brought home twenty-five Cornish X chicks that will eventually grow into 25 very lovely chicken dinners.

But right now I can't think about how delicious Buttermilk Fried Chicken and biscuits will taste.

Or how many gallons of broth I'll get from the leftover bits.

All I really want to think about is how cute those 25 lil' Peepers are.

Especially the one that thinks he's a duck. I may name him Daffy and build him a pond.

Leave it to the kindly people at the farm store to keep things in perspective for me though.

This is the box that the Peeps came home in.

Seriously.

While I was picking up my Peeps, I overheard one of the farmgirls say something about chocolate. Of course, I had to investigate.

Because it was chocolate.

Meet Hershey and Nestle. They are Chocolate turkeys.

Thanks to the farm store for keepin' it real.

This post is linked to The Barn Hop.

Country Folk and Their "Issues"

Disclaimer: Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Seriously. 

 

Dear Mr. Mailman,

     Maybe you and I got off on the wrong foot. I know that sometimes I forget to stand my outgoing mail up in the box, or fail to raise the flag, or even inform you of my up-coming vacation plans. I understand the spot you are in working for the federal government and all, but out here in the country, mailboxes share the responsibility of delivering goods to us. You are part of the USPS. We country folk are part of the JBNDS, or the "Just Being Neighborly Delivery System".

     In the summer, a mailbox doubles as a neighborhood delivery system, sans the postage. A large enough box can hold a couple of dozen farm fresh chicken eggs or a basketful of sun-ripened tomatoes. It can hold the still warm-from-the-oven cinnamon rolls that the neighbor placed in the box as payment for the honey she received the day before. It's a convenient place to leave a note for the farmer who is in the middle of haying his fields, and a mailbox is just the right size to hold a  bouquet of dandelions that a 10 year old boy might want to surprise his momma with.

     In the winter, a mailbox is great way to dole out those last minute Christmas cards. And it keeps the fancy government "decorations" off the front so one can actually enjoy the pretty stickers that the kids decorated the envelopes with. Of course, the no-postage cards usually have a tray of home-baked Christmas cookies attached to them, and really, it's the only way to guarantee a before-Christmas delivery what with the last minute rushing and all. (It also shaves a little time off your already busy schedule!)

     I realize that mailboxes were only meant to house mail that has gone through the proper channels. But out here in the country, a mailbox is like a big, metal present just waiting to be opened. See, we're pretty excited to see a truck or tractor pull up next to the mailbox. Us country folk know that it is unlikely we'll run to the box, only to discover our neighbors have left us with bills or late notices for the 'lectricity. It's just as unlikely that they'll have dropped off their junk mail for us to plunder through. The anticipation of what goodie might be waiting is almost too much to bear as we make the long walk to the box.

    I understand that to city folk, leaving something other than mail in the box might be considered a criminal act. And having seen those teensy, tiny wall-mounted boxes, one would be hard-pressed to fit anything other than a couple of envelopes into them anyway. I'm supposin' it might leave a mess if the wrong thing were to be stuffed in there, hence the reason to impose such rules regarding the contents of said box. But I don't live in the city. Nor do I have a teensy, tiny wall-mounted mailbox. I have an extra large box, to hold an extra large amount of tomatoes, and I purchased it with my Mister's very own money.

     As a citizen of this here country, I appreciate it when criminals are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. But, I don't think you are aware of what constitutes a criminal offense out here. A teenager taking a baseball bat to my mailbox would be considered a criminal act. A person using the mailbox as a dumping ground for his/her empty Starbucks cup, would be a criminal act in my book. And as any up-standing, true-blue, country person will tell you, it is downright criminal for anyone to leave their extra zucchini's in a neighbor's mailbox. It just ain't considered neighborly at all! Real country folk know to leave extra zucchini's inside a stranger's parked car at the grocery store (and RUN!) anyway! I will support you prosecuting those dastardly zucchini dumpers as far as the law will allow!

     What I don't consider a criminal act is when the paperman, of whose job is a lot like yours (minus the health benefits and 401K), places my newspaper inside my mailbox, while it's raining.

     We country folk just call that being kind.

     But because we appreciate you Mr. Mailman, we have listened. And we have conformed. Maybe not willingly, but it is done.

You may not know this Mr. Mailman, but gone are the days when the local newspaper provided a box for the paper. Also gone, is the ability to purchase a box from the local hardware store. So, Mr. Mailman, we built our own country kind of paperbox from a drain pipe, a cap, 2 screws, and leftover spray paint. For free.

I understand the rivalry between delivery systems, but since the mail vs. paper dilemma is now resolved,  I'd really appreciate it if you could just scoot the mail towards the back of the mailbox tomorrow.

This farmgirl is expecting a delivery of honey from the JBNDS and I'd hate to get honey on my mail.

Sincerely, Me

P.S. If you find a steaming cup of cocoa in the mailbox on our first snowy day of winter, that's for you Mr. Mailman. But maybe we should just keep that between us.☺

This post is linked to Farmgirl Fridays.