Sunday, November 3
Dark chocolate almond granola, apples
Hearty green bean casserole (in Oh, For Real cookbook)
Fall Festival at church – taking Peanut Butter Apple Cookie Bars

Monday, November 4
Cinnamon bun muffins, peaches
Bacon, egg, and avocado salad, whole wheat toast
Alfredo sauce with pasta, steamed carrots and broccoli

Tuesday, November 5
Homemade instant oatmeal, dried fruit
Calico beans, applesauce, carrot sticks
Spicy cheesy chicken dip, grapes

Wednesday, November 6 (the day Matt finally joins me in being 40!)
Peach cobbler (the perfect birthday breakfast for him)
Salmon patties, sweet potato fries, peas
Cheesy turkey sausage stromboli, tossed salad

Thursday, November 7
Protein pancakes, blueberries
Rice and veggie stir-fry with broccoli and carrots
Italian roast wraps with lettuce, sweet peppers

Friday, November 8
Pumpkin scones
Shepherd’s pie, fruit salad
Smothered chicken pasta, tossed salad

Saturday, November 9
Pumpkin oatmeal bake, applesauce
Twice baked potatoes, green beans
Sloppy joes, ranch potato wedges, peas

This is a fun time of year for baking. My family thinks this is a fun time of year for eating. So it’s all good at our house. :)  Have you been doing any special baking lately?

Here’s what we’re eating this week:

Sunday, October 27
French toast using leftover cinnamon swirl bread, fruit
Cheesy beef and pasta casserole (from Make-Ahead Meals and Snacks eBook), green beans
Small Group potluck – Chili, peach crisp

Monday, October 28
Dark chocolate almond granola, apples
Chicken patty sandwiches, raspberries, baby carrots
Pizza party with Elias’ soccer team

Tuesday, October 29
Homemade grape nuts cereal, blueberries
Homemade corn dogs, peas, baby carrots
Fiesta chicken with lettuce and tomatoes on tortillas (tortilla recipe in Totally Tortillas eBook and Oh, For Real book)

Wednesday, October 30
No-knead overnight bread, clementines, scrambled eggs
Easy noodle stir-fry with carrots, broccoli, and asparagus
Crock-pot barbecue chicken, potato wedges, peas

Thursday, October 31
Pumpkin pancakes, bananas
Sloppy joes, baby carrots, apples
Lasagna casserole, tossed salad

Friday, November 1
Peanut butter honey toast, applesauce
Creamy mac and cheese, green beans
Baked potatoes in the crock pot – baked potato bar with whatever works from the fridge :)

Saturday, November 2
Pancake sausage muffins, apples
Leftovers
Calzones, fruit salad

We have had one FULL weekend. Our house was overflowing with company from Wednesday through Saturday. We got to see lots of friends on Saturday and Sunday who had come into town for York College Homecoming. We have had so much fun! Now it’s time to wash lots of sheets and towels and play catch-up. And yes, I had a nap this afternoon. :)

Freezer cooking proved to be a life-saver these past few days. Putting meals on the table for lots of people was super easy since I had made all of the main dishes and many of the baked goods ahead of time. I got to enjoy my company, and didn’t have to worry about trying to hold a sensible conversation while cooking since we all know that doesn’t work for me. :)

We have lots of soccer games this week, but otherwise, I think our schedule slows down just a little bit again. Here’s what we’ll be eating:

Monday, October 14
Oatmeal bars, apples
Potato soup, carrots
Italian pasta bake, tossed salad, green beans

Tuesday, October 15
Easy breakfast casserole, creamy orange cooler
Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, veggies
Chili on crock pot baked potatoes, veggies

Wednesday, October 16
Homemade instant oatmeal, oranges
Creamy mac and cheese, peas
Turkey sausage and red bean stew, tossed salad

Thursday, October 17
Homemade grape nuts cereal, blueberries
Pizza boats, applesauce, baby carrots
Chili mac, steamed broccoli and carrots

Friday, October 18
French toast, pears
Tuna salad on lettuce and tomatoes, fruit salad
Bacon cheeseburger casserole (in Make-Ahead Meals and Snacks ebook), tossed salad

Saturday, October 19
Scrambled egg sandwiches, oranges
Leftovers
Beefy vegetable soup, cornbread

Dark Chocolate Granola

We are so excited that this week we will be having a house full of company! Each year in October during York College Homecoming, we get to host quite a few friends and family. We fill the house and have so much fun. It’s one of my favorite weekends of the year.

I’ve been putting lots of homemade, prepared food in the freezer so that I can enjoy my company instead of cooking the whole time they are here. The first of our guests show up on Wednesday, and the fun continues from there. Here’s what we’ll be eating:

Sunday, October 6
Poppyseed bread (recipe in {Healthy Make-Ahead Meals and Snacks}), apples
Sandwich lunch meeting after church
Small group potluck – Black bean salsa and chips, Italian pasta bake, banana muffins

Monday, October 7
Giant breakfast cookies, pears
Potato soup, carrots
Spanish rice with chicken, tossed salad

Tuesday, October 8
Peanut Butter Pancakes, bananas
Pizza casserole, grapes
Taco potatoes, tomatoes and lettuce

Wednesday, October 9
Dark chocolate granola, apples
Creamy chicken and rice casserole, tossed salad
Cheddar ranch burgers, potato wedges, carrots

Thursday, October 10
Papa’s donuts, scrambled eggs, fruit
Hearty green bean casserole (in Oh, For Real), fruit salad
Sweet and sour meatballs (in Let’s Do This! ecourse), baked potatoes in the crock pot, tossed salad, peas

Friday, October 11
Crock pot breakfast casserole, cantaloupe
Sandwiches, chips, carrots, fruit, cookies
Lasagna (in Oh, For Real), tossed salad, French bread

Saturday, October 12
Whole wheat waffles, blueberries
Sloppy joes, veggie tray with homemade ranch dip, chips, fruit plate
Baked Italian chicken, baked potatoes in the crock pot, green beans, cream cheese corn, tossed salad

Happy First Day of Fall! That means it’s a holiday, right? And that I should take a nap to celebrate? Yes. Okay then. Right after I get my menu plan written. :)

I feel like I’m learning right along with you more ways to get ahead in the kitchen and more reasons that getting ahead is helpful. As much as I love cooking, I do not want it to be a full time job. I love being ahead, saving myself stress, and still putting great food on the table for my family.

I haven’t been able to do anything yet toward the Getting Ahead for Dinner Challenge. Have you? What I have done is take advantage of the meals I already had prepared and in the freezer. Such a life saver after a full day of soccer games. Hopefully during the next few days I can replenish my stock. Otherwise, I’ll actually have to cook a meal from start to finish at dinnertime. Can you imagine?! :)

Here’s what our menu looks like this week:

Sunday, September 22
Turkey sausage gravy over leftover bread, fruit
Italian pasta bake, tossed salad
Small group meeting potluck – bbq chicken sandwiches, fruit plate

Monday, September 23
Quick mix pancakes, peaches
Calzones, pears, baby carrots
Homemade tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches

Tuesday, September 24
Scrambled egg sandwiches, pears
Tuna casserole, peas
Beefy enchilada bake, tossed salad

Wednesday, September 25
Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, apples
Taco corn fritters, baby carrots, peaches
Three cheese garlic chicken pasta, tossed salad

Thursday, September 26
Quick mix biscuits with peanut butter and honey, applesauce
Homemade mini pizzas, pears
Bacon cheeseburger casserole (from Make-Ahead eBook), tossed salad

Friday, September 27
Dark chocolate almond granola, applesauce
Sloppy joes, fruit salad
Popcorn chicken, sweet potato fries, peas

Saturday, September 28
Fried eggs on toast, blueberries
Leftovers
Potato soup, carrots