This weekend should have been called “The Weekend of the Great Zucchini Experiment”. I’ve been playing around with healthy versions of zucchini bread and muffins, created a chocolate chip zucchini cookie that we really liked, and got a bunch of other zucchini shredded and ready to put into zucchini casserole and whatever else I want to make or invent.

I’m thinking zucchini brownies are in order (no I’m not kidding). And zucchini cake.

There are several good zucchini ideas on Amy’s post here that were fun and inspiring (read through the comments!).

Here’s our menu for the week:

Sunday, July 19
Whole wheat zucchini bread, bananas
Chicken enchiladas, tossed salad
Hamburgers, watermelon

Monday, July 20
Simple sourdough pancakes
Tuna topped tomatoes, cottage cheese and peaches
Black beans and rice with salsa and kreme fresh

Tuesday, July 21
Fried eggs on toast, oranges
Homemade pizza, tossed salad
Beefy enchilada bake, strawberry-peach slushies

Wednesday, July 22
Chocolate chip zucchini bars, apples
Grilled cheese sandwiches, spicy avocado dip with chips,  fresh pineapple
Popcorn chicken, fried zucchini, tomatoes

Thursday, July 23
Fruit and yogurt delight
BLTs, green beans, watermelon
Beef garden casserole

Friday, July 24
Peanut butter honey toast, cantaloupe
Creamy mac and cheese, peas
Tacos, fruit salad

Saturday, July 25
Breakfast burritos, applesauce
Leftovers
Grilled steak, corn on the cob, zucchini casserole

If I start looking like a zucchini by the end of the week…I guess you’ll all know why. Be watching for some zucchini recipes to be posted in the next few days! (Because if I’m going to look like a zucchini…I think you should too.)
——————————————

Visit Organizing Junkie for more menu planning inspiration!

In case I ever really wondered how much I really rely on my menu plan…going without one last week proved it to me! Thanks for all your meal suggestions…they were super inspiring!

Here’s what we’ll be having this week:

Sunday, July 12
Oatmeal, fruit
Italian roast wraps, green beans
Quesadillas, watermelon

Monday, July 13
Whole wheat waffles, strawberries
Salmon patties, avocado dip with chips, strawberry peach slushies
Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas

Tuesday, July 14
Scrambled egg sandwiches, oranges
Corn dog muffins, watermelon
Roasted chicken, potatoes, carrots

Wednesday, July 15
Fruit-kefir smoothies, homemade honey-oat cereal
Sloppy joes, creamy cole slaw, grapes
Easy chicken alfredo, steamed broccoli and carrots

Thursday, July 16
Strawberry bread, bananas
Chicken tostadas, watermelon
Hearty bean casserole, tossed salad

Friday, July 17
Peanut butter honey toast, bananas
Spanish rice with chicken, zucchini
Grilled steak, ranch potato wedges, corn on the cob

Saturday, July 18
Homemade donuts
BLTs, angeled eggs, fruit salad
Hamburgers, homemade fries, watermelon

I have some fun posts lined up for this week…including a little more information on making homemade chocolate chips!

Start thinking about what you’re thankful for so you can join us for Gratituesday!

Be sure to head over to Organizing Junkie for more menu planning ideas!

As you could probably tell, we did some re-arranging around here this weekend. Undeniably,  by “we” I mean “Char” who is my very wonderful friend…and also my go-to person who knows about all things techie. I don’t know what I would do without her (on or offline). If you would all go over to her place and tell her how wonderful she is…I’d appreciate it.

Beyond computer work this weekend, I spent some time figuring out a few meals that don’t require much heat. I’ve got enough heat now that the one hundred and whatever degree days are upon us…and I don’t feel too much like adding to it with my oven. Even if it does remind me of Grandma. We may be going “breadless” for a while. I think I’ll be making a lot of tortillas instead.

Thankfully we’ve still got quite a bit of lettuce in our garden, so we can eat lots of salads. (If you live close-by, will you please call and ask if you can come get some, because I’ll say yes. Seriously…call me.) 

Here’s the menu for this week:

Sunday, June 28
Oatmeal, fruit
Steak on the grill, new potatoes, stir fried veggies
Chicken tostadas, tossed salad

Monday, June 29
Whole wheat waffles
Skillet meatballs, creamy mac and cheese, green beans
Bean dip with chips and salsa, grapes

Tuesday, June 30
Fried eggs, oranges
Black bean taco salad, strawberry-peach slushies
Grilled chicken, creamy cole slaw, fruit salad

Wednesday, July 1
Strawberry bread (from freezer!)
Tuna salad on tomatoes and lettuce, strawberry milkshakes
Turkey ham and cheese egg scramble, cantaloupe

Thursday, July 2
Kefir-fruit smoothies
Lasagna casserole, tossed salad
Quesadillas, grapes

Friday, July 3
Banana muffins (from freezer), apples
Pizza, tossed salad
Cookout

Saturday, July 4
Biscuits and gravy, eggs
Smoked turkey, potato salad, tossed salad
Hamburgers, the works

Here are a couple of FREE Fourth of July Menu Planner for ya! 

Click here for the download links!

Anyone have any special Fourth of July plans?
————————————————

Visit Organizing Junkie for more menu planning inspiration.

I have a confession to make. Even though I said I wouldn’t open my curriculum catalogs until July 1…I just couldn’t help myself. I got my house nice and clean…then I sat down under the ceiling fan and opened not one…but BOTH catalogs.

And I looked at them for hours. (It’s practically July, right?!)

It was delicious and delightful. I LOVE looking at all the great books available to us! It makes me SO excited for the upcoming school year. Okay…I’ll gush more about that another time.

Here’s our menu for the week:

Sunday, June 21
Strawberry ice cream (Father’s Day Breakfast of Champions!)
Honey mustard chicken, baked potatoes, steamed broccoli and carrots, pecan pie
Cheesy turkey sausage stromboli, tossed salad

Monday, June 22
Simple sourdough pancakes, applesauce
Pizza casserole, tossed salad, strawberry-peach slushies
Chicken stir fry with zucchini, and whatever other veggies make it in the pot

Tuesday, June 23
Scrambled eggs, oranges
Sloppy joes, creamy cole slaw, angeled eggs, strawberries and cream
Deer steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas

Wednesday, June 24
Banana muffins, apples
Salmon patties, creamy mac and cheese, carrot sticks
Italian roast wraps, tossed salad 

Thursday, June 25
Fruit-kefir smoothies
Grilled cheese sandwiches, fruit salad, chips and salsa
Beef and cheese burritoes, fruit

Friday, June 26
Breakfast cookies, pears
Bean dip with salsa and kreme fresh, fresh pineapple
Hamburgers, french fries, strawberry milkshakes

Saturday, June 27
Whole wheat cinnamon rolls, cantaloupe
Black bean taco salad
Chicken fajitas, tossed salad

There are just a few more hours to sign up for the giveaway for Heavenly Homemaker’s Guide to Gardening and Preserving ebook! Bright and early Monday morning, I’ll announce the winner and offer the ebook at a special sale price!!
——————————————

Find more menu planning inspiration at Organizing Junkie.

I actually don’t mind if Matt reads my menu plan. He’ll kind of figure out what we’re eating this week when I put the food on the table in front of him anyway. I’m just trying to keep a couple of Father’s Day surprises a secret, that’s all. :)

This week, I’ll be sharing a few fun Father’s Day gift/treat ideas for dad that you and your kids can make together. I’ll share one right now that I’m REALLY excited about…

I bought this very inexpensive Father’s Day Brag Book Album…digitally “slid” my own pictures into the pages…and sent it off to Walgreens to be made into a little book. Not even the boys know about this one…so I can’t wait to share this with all my men next Sunday! 

Here are a couple sample pages:

Won’t that be fun!?! Watch for a couple more fun Father’s Day gift ideas in the next few days!

Here’s what we’ll be eating this week:

Sunday, June 14
Strawberry bread, apple slices
Potluck:  We took hearty bean casserole and chocolate chip cookies
Leftovers

Monday, June 15
Whole wheat waffles, fruit 
Corn dog muffins, strawberries and cream
Lamb roast, carrots, potatoes, gravy

Tuesday, June 16
Turkey ham and cheese omelets, oranges
Pizza pockets, carrot sticks, tossed salad
I’m hosting bunco! menu:  popcorn chicken with homemade bbq sauce, black bean salsa with chips, pineapple/strawberries/cantaloupe plate, frosted brownies

Wednesday, June 17
Breakfast cake, applesauce
Chicken chef salad, cheese toast, strawberry-peach slushies
Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas

Thursday, June 18
Honey wheat bagels, pears
Skillet meatballs, creamy cole slaw, steamed broccoli
Beef and cheese burritos, fruit salad

Friday, June 19
Peanut butter honey toast, fruit/kefir smoothies
Tuna salad on tomatoes and lettuce, pineapple
Homemade pizza, tossed salad

Saturday, June 20
Crepes with strawberry jam
Chicken tostadas, fruit
Hamburgers, onion rings

And now…I’m happy to announce:  

I FINALLY finished my latest ebook, Heavenly Homemaker’s Guide to Gardening and Preserving!! I’ll tell you all about it Monday (and we’ll have a giveaway)!! Don’t miss it!

What a weekend! 

We took a bunch of boys on a camping trip Friday night and Saturday to celebrate Asa’s birthday. It was so much fun!  Except for the all night thunderstorm that pretty much kept all of us from sleeping and made us wonder if we should head back home in the middle of the night.  Other than that..it really was so much fun. Asa has a great bunch of friends. 

Back home again…today was going along just fine until Malachi flung himself into a metal bed frame. Lots of tears (Malachi cried too) and three stitches later…we’re back home from the ER with a new stuffed puppy and a very brave and happy four year old.

Ever notice that EVERY picture of Malachi shows him in a different costume? This kid likes to play dress-up. He even took his trip to the ER in his Transformer costume.

I’m hoping that this week will be a little less crazy and that the weekend will bring some out of town guests. (Michele…Jayme…I planned a yummy menu this weekend to make you work even harder to make your way north on Friday.)

If you notice a lot of strawberries on the menu this week…it’s because I have a LOT of them in my house right now. I’ll tell you all about it on Gratituesday! Strawberries make me so happy…

Sunday, June 7
Cereal, strawberries
Chicken stir fry with fresh broccoli and squash
Black bean salsa

Monday, June 8—Happy Birthday Asa!
Cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs
Nachos
Homemade pizza, strawberry chocolate cheesecake

Tuesday, June 9
Chocolate chip pancakes
Bean dip, strawberry milkshakes
Grilled talapia, ranch potato wedges, tossed salad

Wednesday, June 10
Sourdough biscuits, fried eggs, oranges
Hamburger patties, steamed broccoli, fruit salad
Italian roast wraps, tossed salad

Thursday, June 11
Scrambled egg sandwiches, apples
Tuna topped tomatoes, kefir fruit smoothies
Beefy enchilada bake, tossed salad

Friday, June 12
Banana bread, applesauce
Chicken nuggets and fries, carrot sticks
Tacos, homemade strawberry ice cream

Saturday, June 13
Homemade donuts
Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, veggie tray, fruit
Steak, fried zucchini, tossed salad, strawberry shortcake

I guess we’re having a lot of tossed salad this week too. Our garden is going nuts with lettuce right now! I’ll try to give you a garden tour this week!

Anyone else enjoying lots of strawberries and lettuce (and other great early garden produce) right now?
————————————————-

Visit Organizing Junkie for more menu planning ideas.

Check out this lettuce from our garden!! 
I was too excited not to share…
It made a great salad for our lunch today!

If you recall, last week I made the impromptu decision to take a trip to Kansas. I’m SO glad I did. It was a wonderful week. Matt obviously didn’t follow my menu plan last week while I was gone…but sort of scrounged around the fridge and freezers and made do with some things I had stashed away.

So….if it seems like this week’s menu looks an awful lot like last week’s menu…that’s because it is. (Easiest menu I ever planned)  :)

Sunday, May 31
Baked oatmeal, peaches
Big chef salad with chicken (with homemade ranch dressing!)
Corn dog muffins, apples, carrots

Monday, June 1
Fried eggs, hashbrowns, grapes
Grilled cheese sandwiches, watermelon, sliced sweet peppers
Beefy enchilada bake, tossed salad, grapes

Tuesday, June 2
Whole wheat waffles
Cheeseburger mac (using this recipe, just with ground beef and chili powder added), steamed carrots
Chicken and rice, mixed veggies

Wednesday, June 3
Fruit-kefir smoothies, homemade oat cereal
Hummus on crispy cheese crackers, strawberry-peach slushies
BBQ meatballs, baked potatoes, green beans

Thursday, June 4
Breakfast cake
Chicken tostadas, fruit salad
Black bean taco salad, apple slices with strawberry yogurt dip

Friday, June 5
Barbara’s puffy pancake
Calzones, tossed salad
Grilled hot dogs, chips fruit

Saturday, June 6
Pancakes, bacon, eggs
Sloppy Joes, chips, fruit
Homemade pizza pockets, grapes, carrot sticks

You may notice that our Friday night and Saturday menu is a little heavy on the junk food (whoa…chips two meals in a row?). Asa’s birthday party is this weekend…and let’s just say that I would rather feed a bunch of adolescent boys chips as a side dish instead of baked beans. Ya know what I mean? ;)

Make plans to join us Thursday for the Eat More Fruits and Veggies Link-Up. Read about it here!
———————————————-

Find more menu plans at Organizing Junkie.

Here’s what we’ll be eating this week… 

Sunday, May 24
Sliced bananas and cream, toast
Lasagna casserole, tossed salad
Big cookout with friends at our house:  Grilled chicken, hot dogs, angeled eggs, cream cheese salsa dip with chips…and whatever our friends bring

Monday, May 25
Scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, cantaloupe
Grilled cheese sandwiches, watermelon, sliced sweet peppers
Beefy enchilada bake, tossed salad, grapes

Tuesday, May 26
Whole wheat waffles
Cheeseburger mac (using this recipe, just with ground beef and chili powder added), steamed carrots
Chicken and rice, mixed veggies

Wednesday, May 27
Fruit-kefir smoothies, homemade oat cereal
Hummus on crispy cheese crackers, strawberry-peach slushies
BBQ meatballs, baked potatoes, green beans

Thursday, May 28
Breakfast cake
Chicken tostadas, fruit salad
Black bean taco salad, apple slices with strawberry yogurt dip

Friday, May 29
Fried eggs, hashbrowns
Sloppy joes on homemade buns, potato salad, raw veggies
Calzones, tossed salad

Saturday, May 30
Barbara’s puffy pancake
Homemade pizza pockets, grapes, carrot sticks
Salmon patties, Justus’ shaved ice

At least…this is what I had planned to eat this week.  Here’s the thing…

A bunch of my aunts and uncles and cousins…and my brother and his family are all meeting in Kansas at my Dad’s tomorrow. Matt had work all weekend and starts on someone’s roof tomorrow, so we just didn’t make plans to join them. (Work has been sporadic…if only Memorial Day would have been last Monday…) 

BUT…now that I keep hearing from people saying, “We’ll sure miss you tomorrow”…I can hardly stand it. I’ve been weepy all weekend anyway. It’s been exactly one year since my cousins’ deaths…and well…I just need to hug some family.

I may do something really spontaneous and hop in the van with the kids early in the morning to be in KS by lunchtime. Am I crazy?

Yeah, I think I’ll go talk to Matt…

Stay tuned.

P.S. Be sure to get your new free menu planners here…and sign up for the giveaway!

Visit Organizing Junkie for menu planning inspiration.

Shew. We partied all weekend. Matt performed a wedding ceremony on Saturday and of course there was cake. Then we went to a graduation reception that afternoon…where there was cake.

Sunday afternoon we were invited to about five more graduation receptions. Five parties…five cakes. You’d think instead of the Eat More Fruits and Veggies Challenge…I’d put my family up to the Eat More Cake and Also More Cake Challenge. 

No, we didn’t eat cake at every reception…not that the boys didn’t ask. Actually, by the end of the day, I don’t think their little punch stained faces wanted to see another piece of cake either. :)

Here’s our very cakeless yet very fruit and veggie full menu for the week:

Sunday, May 17
Pumpkin muffins, bananas
Roasted chicken, potatoes, carrots
Graduation parties (cake for dinner?)

Monday, May 18
Simple sourdough pancakes, fruit
Skillet meatballs, stir fried asparagus, fresh pineapple
Tuna casserole, peas

Tuesday, May 19
Scrambled eggs, toast, oranges
Quesadillas, fruit-kefir smoothies
Lamb chops, baked potatoes, green beans

Wednesday, May 20
Baked oatmeal, apples
Hummus on crispy cheese crackers, fruit salad
Popcorn chicken to go, carrot sticks, apples (Hershey Track meet day…anyone else participating in a Hershey Track meet in your area?!)

Thursday, May 21
Potato, egg and pepper scramble, clementines
Homemade pizza, raw veggies
Lamb burgers, creamy scalloped potatoes, steamed mixed veggies

Friday, May 22
Apricot breakfast bars, applesauce
Chicken chef salad, garlic toast
Cheesy beef and rice, green beans

Saturday, May 23
Biscuits and gravy
Grilled burgers, baked beans, fruit salad
Spaghetti, tossed salad

I hope you’re going a little crazy with all the wonderful fruits and veggies available this time of year!

Hey, I have a question. As you understand it…is corn a vegetable…or a grain? 

(and while you’re at it…which came first the chicken or the egg?)
———————————–

Visit Organizing Junkie for more menu planning ideas.

Happy Mother’s Day! I’ve had quite a lazy day, because my men wouldn’t let me cook all day. Or do dishes. Ah. So nice! 

Instead of cooking and washing dishes, I had extra time to work on and finalize an idea that’s been brewing in my brain for a while. Wanna know what it is? You’ll have to come back Monday for that! It’s not a huge big deal. It’s just a simple something that I’ve been wanting to do for my own family…and if it helps you too, then YAY! 

Here are a few hints: 

• Anyone can do it
• It’s nothing weird
• It’s the most basic, simple, easy thing I can think of to launch us all toward being healthier!

And that’s all I’ll tell you today. ;) 

On that note, here’s our menu for the week….  

Sunday, May 10
Cereal (because I wasn’t allowed to cook…but we wanted to be at church on time!)
Steak on the grill, ranch potato wedges, green beans, corn, cheesecake
Chicken alfredo, peas

Monday, May 11
Whole wheat waffles with strawberries and whipped cream
Sloppy joes, creamy cole slaw, sweet bell peppers
Chicken enchiladas, taco salad

Tuesday, May 12
Scrambled egg sandwiches, oranges
Homemade corn dogs (recipe experiment!), carrot sticks, strawberry-peach slushies
Roast, potatoes, carrots, gravy

Wednesday, May 13
Honey whole wheat bagels, applesauce
BBQ beef (from leftover roast), potato salad, steamed mixed veggies
Bean and rice bowls with salsa and kreme fresh, grapes

Thursday, May 14
Applesauce bread, bananas
Hamburger patties, creamy mac and cheese, raw veggies, watermelon
Honey mustard chicken, rice and veggie stir fry

Friday, May 15 (Track meet all day!)
Peanut butter honey toast sandwiches, clementines
Tortilla wraps, baby carrots, fruit leather, apples, cookie bars
Salmon patties, fried potatoes, fruit-kefir smoothies

Saturday, May 16
Homemade donuts
Tuna salad, cottage cheese and peaches, raw veggies
Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas

I hope you’ll join us for Gratituesday! And, be sure to come back Monday to find out what this “simple, healthier” thing is all about!
————————————-

Join Organizing Junkie for more great menu planning ideas!