Week #52 Happy Birthday

The Real Reason For The Season

It is so easy this time of year to get caught up in rushing to stores and parties and what not. It is easy to forget that I am free to love those around me without trying to "buy" their love because God loved me so much he sent His son to live among us and erase all our debts.

Wow, This Looks Like One Hop'n Party!

What an idea, give to others on your birthday! I don't believe I have ever given anyone anything on my birthday. Honestly, I hold my breath in anticipation for what my DH might give me. I couldn't find a picture on my birthday but I found one of my Aunts. I believe I had the same expression in my Sweet 16 birthday picture

From 3 to Sweet 16

 On the day of her birth this young lady gave me the precious gift of a new start at life. I hadn't yet developed a relationship with God but looking back I realize now that He was there all along.

It seems like family tradition to have a birthday dinner with all your nearest relatives. Let's hope she appears to have more fun on her Sweet 16 then the rest of us had on ours.

Nana's Oyster Stew

Oyster stew always seemed to show up around Christmas or New Years. I don't know if it was just a favorite of Nana's but it defiantly became a favorite of mine, than my husband, and now even our children. Keeping this tradition alive for as long as I can!

What Kind Of Recipe Is This?

 It's the kind of recipe Nana uses, a pinch of this, a bit of that. Let me see if I can clarify a bit for you. Drain the juice and save - only add at the end if you want a more "fishy" flavor. I prefer 1/2 n 1/2 and I use the whole pint but unlike Nana I use less butter so only 1/2 the stick. The corn starch depends on how thick you like your "Stew", if you like it soupy'er than 1 heaping tablespoon dissolved in a bit of water (this is called a slurry) if you like it thicker than up to 3 tablespoons. Hope the "Nana Translation" helps.

This Week We Purchased The Following: 

This week feels kinda like a cheat.
We had some unexpected invites and I just happened to have plenty
of treats to take ready and on hand. That adds up to very 
little shopping. Just rolled over the unused meals from last week.

 The total spent was $73.65

Our allotted budget is $130 but the goal is to stay under $100

So last week we were invited to some parties.
That means I didn't cook several of the meals I
had planned, which means, we roll them over
and make them this week.

Breakfast Options For The Week

• Pumpkin Cranberry Bread (LO Last week)
• Peaches & Cream Instant Oatmeal (MYO)
• Banana Nut Muffins
• Cinnamon Raisin French Toast                                                                                                             ****(use any bread left from last week - freeze what you don't eat and you have instant breakfast before school or work)
• Dunkin Donuts Honey Glaze                                                      **everyone loved these so much I did'um again
• Banana Walnut Instant Oatmeal (MYO)

This breakfast prep may not seem minimal, but
the oatmeal's take about 10 min to make 30 or 40
packets. The French toast is easy on the fly.
The Bread and muffins are just as easy as 
from the box, so really I only had to make the 
donuts and well lets be honest - 
that was more for me than them.

Monday:

Lunch - LO Ham & Broccoli Mac-N-Cz

Dinner - Birthday Girl - Dinner Out
** Happy Sweet 16 **

Tuesday:

Lunch - LO's or Ham N CZ Sandwiches

Dinner - Savory Meatloaf, Baked Potatoes, Side Salad

Wednesday:

Lunch - Tapas snacks with the Grandparents

Dinner - Crock pot Split Pea Soup with Ham, Biscuits (Make N FZ)

Thursday: Merry Christmas

Lunch - "Nana's" Oyster Stew

Dinner - Rosemary Roasted Turkey, Mashed Rutabaga, Green Bean Casserole, Cranberry-Orange Sauce, Yeast Rolls (FZ), Apple Pie, Cookies N Milk!

Friday:

Lunch - Roasted Turkey Club Sandwich with Cranberry Sauce

Dinner - Turkey & Vegg Soup, LO Yeast Rolls

Saturday:

Lunch - Leftover Turkey Cesar Salad

Dinner - Amish Poor Mans Steak (whew, no more turkey), Mashed Potato (or rutabaga) pancakes

Sunday:

Lunch:  Split Pea Soup with Ham (Crock pot), Biscuts

Dinner: Simple Crock pot Beef Stew, Loaf of Bread or Yeast Rolls and Butter
Dinner At Friends House - My Turn To Bring

Snacks:

• Oranges, Bananas, Apples
• Popcorn
• Granola Bars
• Honey Crunch Granola Bars
• Ice Cream Sammies

Drinks:

• Coffee and Hot Tea
• Better Than Starbucks Frappicinos
• Water - that's a biggie here
• MYO Arizona Green Tea
• MYO Lemonade Concentrate

I Don't Leave Home Without It

I generally plan on Wed when I have 30 minutes  before mass chos begins.

I shop on Fri so our family menus (posted on the fridge) run from Fri to Thur.

How do I keep it all straight without pulling my hair out? I use Pepperplate.   

This site/App keeps all my recipes, super easy to upload from other sites, 

my shopping list which automatically uploads, my weekly/monthly planner, 

AAAND  (with best infomercial voice I can muster)   So Much More! (Nope I 

didn't get paid to say that either.)

1. John 3:16 (The Message) 
   16 "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.