It never fails. Every time I load my cart with vodka so that I can start a new batch of Homemade Vanilla Extract, the cashier always asks, “Having a party?” I always answer, “Nope, I’m making vanilla extract.” It takes about three more questions from the cashier before they understand that I’m talking about vanilla extract, not some sort of vanilla flavored party drink. This happened over the weekend. And guess what? I got carded!!! My 41 year-old self loves it when that happens. :)
Once the guy had all my vodka rung up, he wrote down my website info so that he, too, could learn how to make vanilla extract. It was rather cute. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Laura at Heavenly Homemakers influences people all over the place to buy liquor. This is one time it is okay to give in to peer pressure. (Go ahead. Make vanilla. Everyone is doing it.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We had our first hard freeze, so we are officially finished picking produce from our garden. Wow, did we have a long growing season this year! We pulled in all of our spaghetti squash, green beans, tomatoes, peppers, and honey dew melon before the freeze, so we’ll enjoy eating our way through those this week.
My current menu planning system seems to be working quite nicely. I’ll stick with this for now, then change things up if and when this stops working. Here’s a bullet list of menu items I’ll be choosing from to make each day this week:
Breakfast
- Waffles with Peach Syrup
- Scrambled cheesy eggs
- Peanut Butter on homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread
- Instant Oatmeal Packets
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Pumpkin Donuts
- Poptarts
Lunch
- Spanish Rice (for today’s potluck after church)
- Bacon, Egg, and Avocado Salad
- BLT Wraps
- Salmon Patties
- Popcorn Chicken
- Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- Sweet Pepper Fritata
Dinner
- Potato Soup (for youth group Huddle tonight)
- Lasagna Casserole (doubling up on this so I can get one in the freezer for another day)
- Italian Cream Cheese Chicken
- Teriyaki Chicken and Veggies
- Shepherds Pie
- Flounder (Not sure what I’m doing with this yet, but found some “wild caught” and decided to go for it. Suggestions on how to cook it?)
- Orange Chicken
Fruit and Veggie Side Dishes (I always serve 1-4 fruits and veggies with each meal)
- Spaghetti Squash
- Ranch Potato Wedges
- Strawberries
- Applesauce
- Pears
- Peas
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Green Beans
- Steamed Broccoli
- Cheesy Cauliflower Cakes
- Mixed Greens
- Fresh Spinach
- Apples
- Fresh Pineapple
- Canned Peaches
- Raw Carrots and Cucumber Slices with Ranch
- Home Canned Dill Pickles
Are you still eating garden produce this time of year? If you have any ideas for cooking flounder, I’d love to hear!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don’t forget! Today’s the final day we’re offering our Holiday Hospitality eBooks for just $1 each!
Heavenly Homemakers Guide to Holiday Hospitality
$6.95
$1.00
Heavenly Homemakers Guide to Holiday Hospitality for Kids
$6.95
$1.00
If I have liquor in my cart I run into someone from church and that is very awkward! On the flounder- grease or spray a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle the fillets generously with lemon pepper and minced fresh garlic. Top each with some thin pats of butter and bake at 375 until just done, usually 12-15 minutes. Serve immediately because it gets cold quickly. Be very careful not to over cook flounder because it gets mushy. This is very good made with tilapia but with that one you have to guard against drying it out. This is the best baked fish and we have eaten it this way for 15 plus years. The key is enough lemon pepper and garlic. Make just enough because leftovers are disgusting.
We just had flounder for the first time last week. I just rinsed it, patted it dry and sprinkled it with salt. Then I tossed it lightly with flour and pan fried it about 3 minutes on both sides in a little bit of coconut oil and butter. It was delicious and my husband and boys thought it was the tastiest fish they have eaten! We will definitely have it again.
That is the way I cook flounder also, just some seasoned flour and a quick pan fry. Love it!
We eat flounder fairly often. I sprinkle with with olive oil, an herb spice blend, and Parmesan, then bake at 425 til it flakes with a fork. I usually serve with with butter noodles and broccoli.
I like fresh fish lightly sauted in olive oil with a little salt and pepper. Then I squeeze fresh lemon over the top just before eating. Served with rice and broccoli or green beans with fresh fruit, its a terrific meal:)
Frankly Laura, I buy vodka just to get carded, the homemade vanilla is just a bonus!
;) Tammy