MPM 5-31-6-6

This week is a little odd. The doc has been honored and was requested to 'hood' someone at her Med School graduation! We will be traveling a bit, so 1. I am cleaning out the fridge, and 2. a few days, I have no IDEA what we're having for dinner!!!

Sunday Orange Chicken

Monday Empanadas, salad

Tuesday BBQ Grilled Chicken Rollers, salad

Wednesday Grilled Shrimp

Thursday

Friday traveling...

Saturday traveling...

And visit $5 Dinners for a chance to win some yummy spices or pasta!

And see more menus....

It was the best of salads and the worst of salads

Tonight was Ladies' Night IN at our church. A volunteer from the local 'University Co-op' came to teach us about Container Gardening (perfect for my soon-to-be patio, in the backyard!). We learned about the importance of a portable container in the harsh weather!! Herbs, veggies, fruit, flowers, trees.... Anything except a potato! I hope to grow a pico de gallo garden soon! Or maybe a lasagna garden! How fun does that sound?

We always have a 'potluck' night at our 'in church' nights out, tonight's theme was the garden, so we all brought salads! I made a deLICIOUS blackened chicken salad with a creamy honey mustard dressing, the best taco salad, and a strawberry pretzel salad for dessert. But that blackened chicken was awesome! And the spicy and creamy mix? To die for!!!

Have I mentioned I love food???

Oh, and I forgot to tell you we went golfing this weekend! Well, not really golfing, just to the driving range.
And biking.

Grilled Carne Asada

GOOOOOOD Mexican food has been hard to come by, since we left SoCal! I've taken to MAKING MY OWN!!!

This Memorial Day, we're having Grilled Carne Asada with Pico de Gallo and the rest of the good stuff!!

Carne Asada

1. If you can't find skirt steak, find a nice roast with almost NO fat. Stand it on its side and slice WITH the grain. You should have quite a few flat steaks with long lines running through it. (It's easier to cut when partially frozen, but your fingers will pay for that later!!!)
2. Add meat in glass bowl with minced garlic and onion, S&P, and lots of cilantro. Pour Squirt soda over the top. Stir every hour or so.
3. Remove pieces of meat and grill to desired doneness. Serve with tortillas, pico de gallo, sour cream, etc....

And here's my Pico de Gallo!!!

1. Dice 4-6 Roma tomatoes, 1 onion, 2 jalapenos, and 1 bunch cilantro.
2. Stir with S&P and drizzle with 1 lime, juice. Don't forget to zest the lime! There's SO much flavor there!
3. Cover or use ASAP. This stuff doesn't keep well in the fridge.

MPM 5-24-5-30

Sunday
Lunch
"Tiffany Sandwiches" with Pastrami, Balogna, mustard, lettuce, tomato, provolone cheese on french bread, served with T marzetti's Honey French Dressing to dip in.
Dinner
Chimichurri Beef, Pasta Salad, Roasted Potatoes, Strawberry and Kiwi

Monday Grilled Carne Asada, salad

Tuesday Ham and Cheese Stromboli, salad

Wednesday Fajita Kebabs, salad

Thursday Bruscetta Bake, salad

Friday Homemade Mac n Cheese, salad

Saturday Orange Chicken, salad

Check out more ideas....

Stay awake for this late-breaking news!

I DO have a menu for the week! It takes me so long (I rolled my eyes there) to get my menu posted!!!! But here it is...

☺ Sunday Domino’s!

☺ Monday Tomato Soup and grilled cheese

☺ Tuesday Brinner: biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs,

☺ Wednesday Chicken Stir Fry

Thursday King Ranch Chicken

Friday no school
Grilled Carne Asada

Saturday BBQ Grilled Chicken Rollers
Taco Salad

J, this one's for you!

Cilantro Crusted Roast

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Rinse roast, pat dry, and season with S&P.
3. In food processor, process 1 bunch cilantro, ½C walnuts or pine nuts, 6T minced garlic, 1t celery seed, S&P, and divide in half.
4. Rub ½ of pesto all over roast. Place in roasting pan and roast 1½ hours at 325.
5. To 2nd half of pesto, whisk in 1t horseradish, salt, and ¼C EVOO. Chill til needed.
6. Remove roast when finished, let rest on counter.
7. Slice VERY THIN against grain.
8. Spread pesto on sandwich rolls and add slice of meat!

MPM 5-10-5-16

This week's Menu

Sunday-Tico's Mexican Grill
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....

Monday-Cobb Salad
Layer bowl with lettuce.
In 'sections,' add chopped tomatoes, chopped hard boiled egg, chopped avocado, crumbled bacon, sliced olives, and sliced green onions.
Serve with your favorite dressing!

Tuesday-Fajitas

Wednesday-Taco Salad

Thursday-Chicken that Makes Its Own Gravy (called Chix MIOG)
Bake cubed chicken breasts at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with sliced mushrooms and canned pearl onions (drained).
Combine sour cream and cr chix soup, and shredded cheddar.
Spread over chicken and sprinkle with paprika.
Place back in oven to melt cheese and meld flavors.
Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, noodles, etc.....
Even better as leftovers!!!

Friday-Philly Cheesesteaks

Saturday-Cilantro Crusted Beef



Need more menu ideas?

Visit Orgjunkie's Menu Plan Monday!

A Brilliant Girl!

This is Teacher Appreciation Week. Nicole and I decided to make a jar filled with reasons she loves her teacher, plus some chocolate! Nicole came up with this awesome list!

50 Reasons I love Mrs. Roux
1. She shares
2. She helps us
3. She inspires us
4. She reads to us
5. She makes us laugh
6. She loves learning
7. She loves teaching
8. She loves kids
9. She plays games with us
10. She knows everything
11. She knows everyone in our class
12. She loves books
13. She’s good at teaching
14. She listens to us
15. She guides us
16. She gives us information
17. She smiles a lot
18. She is creative
19. She is a kind person
20. She wears pretty skirts
21. She is fair
22. She is fun!
23. She tells the best stories
24. She is never bored
25. She does fun projects
26. She is nice
27. She is kind
28. She gives us something other than homework
29. She believes in us
30. She is a leader
31. She respects us
32. She works with us
33. She is patient
34. She is a good friend
35. She is happy
36. She is good at her job
37. She is confident
38. She is prepared
39. She makes learning interesting
40. She is organized
41. She likes teaching
42. She is easy to talk to
43. She makes me feel important
44. She shares with us
45. She remembers a lot!
46. She is firm
47. She is calm
48. She makes me want to do my best
49. She is a blessing
50. She is AWESOME!

Lee gets the best sunsets!

Afterall, she's right on the water!

Here's our new yard!

Well, kinda new. A little... Not really.

Okay, a bit of landscaping!

Home Improvement

Since last summer... Or maybe the summer before, I have been dreaming of putting in an outdoor-bistro-like-patio in my backyard. Somewhere with a table and chairs with big flower pots and an oversized patio umbrella. My first thought was to put it in an obscure corner, near the garage, but it would be next to nothing.

THEN the doc pointed out a corner behind that house where grass doesn't grow and the sun doesn't come near it!

I also wanted to plant a 'hedge' in the front yard with flowers, stepping stones, and a border of some sort to separate it from the lawn.

Well yesterday we began these two projects!

Mmm, not so much, the patio!

We purchased 5 cherry blosson trees that will stand up to -40 degree weather (for some reason our hibiscus trees didn't make it through the winter!) and some daisies and other potted plants to pant inbetween. Plus soil and mulch (my preschool kids used to call it munch!).

Last night the doc ripped out the grass (in a neat and orderly fashion) and I brought in the baby trees! I can really imagine them near the front picket fence with mulch all around and stepping stones inbetween!

We also visualized our plans for the backyard and 'eyed' some of the products at Home Depot! This summer we will accomplish more!!!