Menu Plan Monday

Last week we had leftovers instead of our Tomato Tortellini Soup, so that is back on the menu for this week.

Monday: Soft tacos

Tuesday: Runza Casserole (recipe below)

Wednesday: Tomato Tortellini Soup

Thursday: Salisbury Steak (I would like to provide this recipe as it is easy and made in the slow cooker, but my husband found it, told me what we needed to buy, and then put the cookbook back on the shelf. As soon as I locate it I'll post it here)

Friday: Parmesan Chicken with Spaghetti

Runza Casserole

2 lbs hamburger

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/4 c chopped onion

1 1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1 pkg mild shredded cheddar cheese

2 tubes crescent rolls

Brown hamburger, onion, salt, pepper. Drain and add chopped cabbage. Simmer 15 minutes. Stir in cream of mushroom soup. Grease 13x9 in pan. Layer 1 tube crescent rolls on bottom of pan. Top with hamburger mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover with remaining tube of crescent rolls. Bake 30 minutes at 350. I've also split this into 2 square pans, cooking one and freezing the other. This week though I'll cook the entire thing and use leftovers for lunches.

Surprise!

In early December Curt and I found out we were unexpectedly expecting our 2nd child. Yes this was a surprise, i.e. unplanned, pregnancy but it was a surprise on so many other levels as well.

1. When it takes 18 months, fertility drugs, and insemination to create your first born, it is hard to imagine you will just "get pregnant". Of course Curt and I both know people that faced obstacles when trying to conceive a first child that go on and easily get pregnant in the future, but we didn't think we'd be one of those people.
2. We did not have sex at anytime near when I ovulated. This is probably the one that gets me the most. It had to be at least 4 days on either side of ovulation. Even though I've had 2 dreams we're having a boy, given our (lack of good) timing I have a nagging feeling it is a girl. We will see in a few months.
3. Curt is taking methotrexate. We had been told by his doctor to not get pregnant until he is off of it for 3 months. Thankfully my OB was very reassuring. She said if the sperm survived him taking the medicine (which they obviously did) there is nothing to worry about.
4. Of all the times in my life I chose the month of November to visit a general practicioner. I had not visited a doctor, aside from my OBGYN, since I was in college (late 1990s). I was having a nagging pain in my upper abdomen and ended up having a CAT scan when I was probably 1 week pregnant. Of course this has nothing to do with us getting or not getting pregnant, just ironic I would choose this point to visit a doctor. (I ended up being diagnosed with a hemangioma on my liver - probably unrelated to my pain.) Again my OB was very reassuring, telling me that if the baby survived those doses of radiation it will be fine.
5. I was so freaking busy at work. Not only was I working all day, but once Bodie was in bed for the night I was working until late at night/early into the morning. I really didn't have time for extra curricular activities.

Even though this was a surprise, we are very excited to welcome a new addition to our family this August.

Menu Plan Monday

We managed to stick to our plan last week, and have a pretty easy plan for this week.

Monday: Round Steak baked with Cream of Mushroom Soup, Sweet Potato Chips

Tuesday: Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

Wednesday: Soft tacos

Thursday: Roast and Baked Potatoes

Friday: Blackened Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo (Schwans)

Head over to Orgjunkie.com for more Menu ideas.

Such a big boy

Last week Bodie had his 18 month doctor visit. I was hoping we'd be more successful than his 15 month visit, when he did nothing but cry the entire appointment. No luck...As soon as the nurse called his name in the waiting room he started crying, and never stopped until it was over. He did do some cute things during the appointment though (well cute to me anyway). The doctor started talking about his crackers (in a general way to Curt and I) and all of a sudden Bodie took a break from his sobs to put them in his mouth. I think he was afraid the doctor might take them from him. Also the doctor kept asking Bodie if he wanted to touch the instruments he was going to use during the exam and Bodie just kept shaking his head no. Right now I think it is (usually) funny when Bodie shakes his head at us. I'm sure as he gets more of an attitude I won't think it is quite as cute. Bodie tipped the scales at around 27 lbs. Since he was so upset he wouldn't sit on the scale so the nurse weighed herself and herself holding Bodie. This also happened at his 15 month visit and he ended up weighing 1 lb more at a visit we made a few weeks later. So maybe he is really up to 28 now? Hopefully Bodie stays healthy and we won't have to visit for a little while and find out. He is 34 3/4 inches tall which puts him at the 97th percentile. He must get this from Curt's side of the family as my family really isn't that tall. I don't remember the numbers on his head circumfrance except that he has been holding steady at 70th percentile for awhile on that one. It is kind of funny to me too because when you look at him it looks like he has a big head. It is more big length wise (oval) than around though.

Menu Plan Monday

Last week went according to plan except we skipped Little Joes and picked up Subway one night. We'll have the Little Joes tonight instead.

Monday: Little Joes (recipe on last week's post)
Tuesday: Eating out (got a gc to red lobster for Christmas)
Wednesday: Easy Chicken (recipe below)
Thursday: Oven baked pork chops
Friday: Turkey spinach cheese burgers (recipe below)

Easy Chicken
4 lbs chicken legs/thighs (we are using only half this though, I couldn't bring myself to pay for 4 lbs of chicken)
1 bottle bbq sauce
1 envelope onion soup mix

Put all ingredients in crockpot and cook on low 7-8 hrs.

Turkey spinach cheese burgers
2lbs ground turkey (also good with beef)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 c shredded cheese
1 10 oz pkg spinach, thawed and drained dry

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Press into 8 patties and cook to your liking. We've found they cook better on the Foreman grill and the regular grill.

Menu Plan Monday

Since my "theme" for 2008 is Organization, what better way to stay organized with dinners than trying to post MPM each week. I'm going to give it my best.

Sunday: Steak, Avocado, Bean Salad (Recipe Below)

Monday: Roasted Chicken Drumsticks and Garlic Mashed Potatoes (Schwan's)

Tuesday: I'm out to dinner with friends, the boys are having Fish Sticks and Tater Tots

Wednesday: Little Joe's on Brown Rice (Recipe Below)

Thursday: Hamburgers with Baked Beans

Friday: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Steak, Avocado, and Bean Salad (from Mexican Cookshelf Cookbook) Serves 4
12 oz tender steak
4 garlic cloves
juice of 1 lime
4 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
¼ t mild chili powder
¼ t ground cumin
½ t paprika
pinch of sugar (optional)
5 scallions, thinly sliced
about 7 oz crisp lettuce leaves, such as romaine
14 oz can pint, black or red kidney beans
1 avocado, pitted sliced and tossed with a little lime
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
¼ fresh green or red chili, chopped
3 T chopped fresh cilantro
8 oz can corn, drained
generous handful of crisp tortilla chips, broken into pieces
salt and pepper

Place the steak in a nonmetallic dish with the garlic and half the lime and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then leave to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.

To make the dressing, combine the remaining lime juice and olive oil with the vinegar, chili powder, cumin and paprika. Add a pinch of sugar to taste. Set aside.

Pan-fry the steak, or cook under a preheated broiler, until browned on the outside and cooked to your liking in the middle. Remove from the pan, cut into strips and reserve: keep warm or allow to cool.

Toss the scallions with the lettuce and arrange on a serving platter. Pour about half the dressing over the leaves, then arrange the beans, avocado, and tomatoes over the top. Sprinkle with the chili, cilantro, and corn.

Arrange the steak and tortilla chips on top, pour over the rest of the dressing, serve immediately.

Little Joes (from Weight Watcher's Light and Tasty Deluxe CDROM)
½ c canned whole Italian tomatoes chopped
1 T brown sugar firmly packed
1 T balsamic vinegar
15 oz lean ground beef
2 medium onions chopped
½ c spinach chopped, washed, trimmed
½ medium jalapeno pepper seeded, deveined and minced
1 t Dijon-style mustard
1 t cider vinegar
1 t granulated sugar
4 oz Kaiser rolls split (we are serving on rice instead)

In small bowl, combine tomatoes with juice, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar; set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, combine beef and onions; cook over medium heat, stirring to break up meat, 4-5 minutes, until beef is no longer pink.

Add spinach, pepper, mustard, cider vinegar, granulated sugar and reserved tomato mixture to beef mixture; stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, 20-30 minutes, until mixture is thickened and flavors are blended.

Place 1/4th of the beef mixture in each roll and serve.

That Crazy Cooky Kid

Yesterday Bodie ate so much food, I'm still in awe. He normally has a really good appetite, but he can be pretty picky. He likes his fruits and veggies, but doesn't care for meat. Yesterday morning my mom wanted to take him to the Children's Museum so I wanted him to have a good breakfast before we went. We made him oatmeal with applesauce (pretty much the breakfast we give him everyday he's at home). He wanted nothing to do with it - after a few bites he wanted out of his chair. Normally he gets what we make him and if he doesn't eat then he doesn't eat, but since we were headed to the Museum I wanted him to have something in his tummy. I tried giving him toast and pineapple, he had 4 or 5 bites of the pineapple and was done. I really had my doubts about his behavior at the Museum but he did great! He had so much fun, we really will have to go back sometime.

After the Museum my mom wanted to go to Noodles for lunch. Bodie is really hit and miss with pasta but we thought we'd take our chances. I ordered him a small Pasta Marinara and he ate the entire thing! Now I've had a small serving at Noodles before and it's made me full, I can't believe he ate every last drop.

Then we come to supper. Curt and I decided to grill out steaks and have baked potatoes with it, two things Bodie never eats. I made him some cooked carrots, and gave him a small bite of steak and potato. He loved the steak and potato! I think he ate more of those than he did of his beloved carrots. Of course his new love of variety came to an end today, but hopefully these small steps will help him have a varied diet as he gets older.