I have one word for you from here in Nebraska:
BRR.
It is freezing, the snow doesn’t ever stop, the wind chill is painful and ice is everywhere. I’m cold. I’m coping by doing a lot of baking. That, and doing a lot of dishes in very hot water. Both are great ways to keep warm.
The kids keep asking when I’m going to make snow ice cream. There certainly is plenty of snow for it. I just can’t make myself do it yet. Maybe as soon it warms up to double digits?
Here’s our menu this week:
Sunday, January 3
Breakfast cookies, applesauce
Venison stew, cornbread
Hamburgers, baby carrots, ranch potato wedges
Monday, January 4
Chocolate chocolate chip muffins, bananas
Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup
Taco potatoes, fruit salad
Tuesday, January 5
Fried eggs on toast, oranges
Salmon patties, creamy mac and cheese, peas
Roasted chicken, carrots and potatoes, gravy
Wednesday, January 6
Simple soaked pancakes
Bean dip and chips, fresh pineapple
Three cheese garlic chicken pasta, green beans
Thursday, January 7
Warm vanilla soother, sourdough toast, pears
Potato soup, baby carrots
Chicken fried steak strips, mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed broccoli
Friday, January 8
Scrambled eggs with cheese, clementines
Beef and cheese burritoes, peaches
Feeding the YC Track Team: Lasagna, tossed salad, garlic bread, cookie tray
Saturday, January 9
Whole wheat funnel cakes
Leftover buffet
Beefy vegetable soup, homemade soft pretzels
Now for the little announcement:
Our family works to eat a pretty healthy diet. We have four kids (some of whom are picky) and we live on a modest income. We are asked all the time, “How do you afford to eat these healthy foods?!”
If you’re looking to eat healthier this year but feel overwhelmed with where to start and how you can afford healthier foods…I hope you’ll join me beginning this week when I begin sharing how our family started on the road toward healthier eating in a series called, “Our Healthy Eating Journey”.
Psst…tonight, I announced another new series I’m prayerfully considering! Be sure to check it out!
Find more menu planning inspiration at Organizing Junkie.
I AM going to start planning my meals more carefully NOW!
I am looking forward to hear about this. I am slowly working towards changing our way of eating, and becoming debt free. So I would love to hear how you do this.
I love how your family enjoys a variety for breakfast. How early do you get up to cook? Have you always done this or is this since they have gotten bigger? Just wondering if I can look forward to days where I can make a good breakfast every morning (dd is 18 months). I usually make a big batch of pancakes and freeze them along with muffins, etc. Blessings!
Julie
ugh, I don’t get up early AT ALL. Especially in the winter when it is SO COLD and getting out of bed means getting up out of the covers!
I often make breakfast the night before…like muffins and such. Also, like you, I make extra pancakes and waffles and put them in the freezer so the boys just have to toast them. We do sit down and eat breakfast together so I can read the Bible to us, but I don’t have to do a lot of cooking before we eat…usually!
I am looking forward to this series. Ever since I stopped working and we went to one income, things have been tight, but we are very resourceful and frugal. I’m sure your ideas will help me and I can share them with others. Love you site!
I’m looking forward to this new series, Laura! I always find such helpful info on your blog… can’t wait to learn more!
It’s BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR here as well. I’m looking forward to your series. Just wanted to stop by and wish you a Happy New Year and to invite you over for Crock Pot Wednesday. I hope to see you there this week.
I am super excited about this!! I am always trying things from here. And I am very curious about how you can do all this cooking and homeschooling. I am totally tuning in. :)
I am excited for the new series! We try to eat healthy, too but I love to see how other families do it, too.
This sounds like a great series! Can’t wait to read more!
My family and I have been on the journey to eating healthier for awhile now. My husband and I are diligently reading topics on health and nutrition.
During the holidays we were faced with eating a lot junk food from all the family get togethers. Most of us quickly became ill despite the fact that we’ve been so healthy all year long…
It convinced my boys that eating healthy really is important. Next year, I’m bringing a veggie tray to all the family get togethers so that we can enjoy some healthy eating choices to munch on.
Looking forward to your series!
We have been discussing this in our family just this week. We do well, but as we learn more, we want to do even better. Looking forward to some insights from your experiences!
Those soft pretzels sound delish! Can you freeze them and reheat easily? I think I’m going to try to make them this week. YUM! Thanks for the recipe!!
Yep, I have some in my freezer right now. I’ll just rewarm them in the oven before serving and they taste fresh!
I smiled in agreement at your statement that it is so cold you are coping by cooking. Now that my handy husband fixed the kitchen window- I am in there about 6 times a day. The kitchen is never clean b/c as soon as I clean up from one project, I begin another immediately:-) It has been -25 for the last week or so here in AK- and we barely stick our noses out of the door these days! Keep on cooking! (check out home-made egg roll wrappers- my newest fun project- SO FUN!)
I can’t wait for this! You have been a real inspiration to me as I have tried even harder to make healthy, whole food choices.
Good morning!
How many breakfast cookies does the recipes make?
Thank you they sound yummy!!
Kelley
Laura,
I just wanted to warn you since I didn’t ask permission before that you are, uh sorta kinda.. uh.. I topic on my blog today!
Surprise!
Jodi
Hi Laura. I LOVE your website and have followed you for a while. Everything I have re-created from your menu plans & recipes have always turned out great! I was wondering if you could share your venison stew recipes and other suggestions for venison. My husband just got his first deer over our Christmas vacation so we have lots in the freezer! Thanks!
I am so glad you are starting this series! I have been reading Nourishing Traditions and am completely overwhelmed by all the changes I should be making. It would be so helpful to know where to start. Thank you Laura!
I’m looking forward to this series! Yay!
help! i was so excited about making the breakfast cookies….i mixed up the recipe to soak the grains, BUT… i put the bowl in the refrigerator and now this morning my mix is STIFF. Is there something i can do to make the mix workable, or do i just need to start from scratch?
thanks
Ooh, yeah that happens. I should have mentioned that you leave the bowl soaking on the countertop overnight, not in tne fridge. BUT, that’s okay. Mine still gets stiff when I leave it on the counter.
When it’s just too stiff to do anything with, I put chunks of it into my food processor…add the remaining ingredients and let the processor do the hard part. If you don’t have a food processor, you just have to use a wooden spoon and a LOT of muscle to try and break up all the pieces.
Hope they work out okay for you!