Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to my sweet husband, Kurt! Thanks for being such a wonderful father to our son!
We love you!

Also, Happy Father's Day to our dads, Liam's Papa D and Poppy! We are so glad to have had you as fathers and now for Liam to have you as grandfathers. We love you both!

Menu Plan Monday: Nov. 15 - 21

This week is all about using what we have! Next week, we'll be traveling for Thanksgiving with my family and we don't want leftovers hanging around in the fridge. We're also having a Thanksgiving dinner this week with Kurt's family. Here's the plan:

• Chicken tacos, rice and beans, lettuce, sour cream
• Broiled Tilapia Parmesan, oven roasted new potatoes, salad
• Grilled cheese and soup (not sure what kind yet...gotta check the freezer)
• Uncle Mike Pork Chops on the George Foreman, rice, brussel sprouts with bacon
• Thanksgiving Dinner: turkey and gravy, ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing, squash casserole (from The All New Good Housekeeping Cook Book), Pumpkin Pie, and butterhorns
• leftovers for the remaining nights

Menu Plan Monday: November 8-14

I am so proud of myself this week. I made my menu plan on Saturday, instead of this morning. And I went to the grocery store alone last night instead of waiting until today and having to take Liam with me.  I even wrote this post last night and scheduled it for this morning! Woot!

• Pioneer Woman's White Chicken Enchiladas, rice and refried beans
• Baked Ziti with sausage and veggies
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup, French Bread
• Ritz chicken, mashed red potatoes, green beans
• Crockpot Baked Beans and Sausage, salad (probably with hard-boiled eggs and bacon, our favorite!)
• leftovers for the remaining nights

I'm planning to make these Chicken and Veggie Nuggets for Liam's lunch this week. For dinner, he usually just eats whatever we're having, so I don't have to make him a separate meal. But, he has been very picky and uninterested in lunch these days, so I've been trying to get creative about what I serve him. I bought some Whole Grain Sandwich Thins that I'm planning to use for mini pizzas. I also bought flour tortillas because he loves quesadillas. Yesterday, he had his first almond butter and strawberry jam sandwich and was a huge fan. So I think we'll be having those more often!

If you have any ideas for toddler food, please share!

Also, if you need help getting starting on menu planning or just need some new ideas, go visit Laura!

Menu Plan Monday: November 1-7

We had a great time this past week with my mom visiting. Liam really enjoyed all the extra attention from his Grandy. I think he was sad to see her go. And I know she was sad to leave him. While Mom was here, we didn't end up cooking everything from last week's menu plan, so you might see some repeats this week.

• Baked potatoes with BBQ Boston Butt, sour cream, cheese, and steamed veggies on the side
• Main course salad: chicken, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, almonds, apples, croutons (and whatever else Kurt wants on his!)
• Chicken Parmesan Bake
• Burgers on the George Foreman, Sweet Potato Fries, and Burger Buns
• Taco Salad with beef or chicken, beans, cheese, sour cream, salsa, and tortilla chips
• Black Bean Soup (from The All New Good Housekeeping Cook Book) with French bread

Ten Can Soup

Lately, we have been workin' the crock pot dinners! On Sunday night, we had some friends over and we ate pot roast with carrots, potatoes, and onions in the crock pot. Earlier in the week, we had corned beef with cabbage in the crock pot. I just love the convenience of throwing some stuff in, turning it on, and coming back a few hours later to an amazing dinner. Doesn't that sound nice?! I think we'll be doing this pretty often now that the weather is getting chilly!

On Menu Plan Monday, I said we would be having Ten Can Soup this week. Yet another crock pot meal! It's got a catchy name, but it's just Brunswick Stew. And I do so love a good Brunswick Stew (RIP, Old South BBQ. You are missed!).

Oh, by the way, I have this thing about canned meat. I hate it. But for this recipe, I just temporarily suspend my abhorrence. And it's worth it. But, if you can't do that, you can most certainly substitute meat that you've cooked yourself. Although that would take this easy recipe into a whole new realm of difficulty. I just don't want to go there...because I'm lazy!


Ten Can Soup


2 cans stewed tomatoes*
1 can creamed corn
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can English peas
1 can lima beans
1 can bbq pork
1 can bbq beef
1 can chicken
1 can Castleberry's Brunswick Stew**
1 T white vinegar
1 T lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste


Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low for about 3 hours.

* I used fire-roasted diced. Kurt's favorite!
** I couldn't find this, so I left it out. I guess I'm really making 9 can soup?!