Meal Planning (week of 24 July 2011)

I realized I should mention that while I plan each week's meals, things don't always go according to plan. Things frequently don't go according to plan. I will switch days around, or insert a take out meal if the day gets bad. Sometimes there are bad days if you know what I mean.

For example, last week I forgot I had to go to Colorado and back on Tuesday so I didn't get home until around 6:45 that night. Since I left the house at 4:30 am I didn't start the pork in the crock pot :) So instead of pulled pork sandwiches on Tuesday Kevin made the kids hamburgers. That meant we didn't have sliders on Wednesday. Instead I made BLTs and the corn tomato avocado side from Tuesday's plan. I think we had the chicken parmesan earlier in the week rather than later. Bottom line - we didn't have the grean bean side at all and we didn't have the pulled pork sandwiches until yesterday (Sunday of this week)

All of the recipes were okay. Would I make any of them again? Probably not. I find that with most recipes I make. They aren't bad. They just aren't amazing. At least they are something different.

I had high hopes for the pulled pork. It was good but it was hard to pull it. Kevin said that meant it probably got too hot too fast. The coleslaw was good on the sandwich but I wouldn't eat it by itself. With a tablespoon of tobasco it tasted too much like tobasco by itself to me.

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This week's menu has already had an adjustment :)

Sunday - those pulled pork sandwiches planned for last week
Monday - planned steak salad (leftover from steak with Kevin's parents when they visited on Saturday) but I had to go to an appointment and didn't get home until after 7. My mom picked up and fed the kids and Kevin made frozen pizza for us
Tuesday - will actually have the steak salad
Wednesday - Chicken enchiladas + guac
Thursday - spaghetti with sausage sauce

Friday we always eat out. Saturday we usually grill with friends. Those are my standing weekend meals :)

What are you eating this week? Do you have any great sites you use for recipes?

Meal Planning

I think I will start posting my meal planning recipes as a blog entry on Sunday and then keep it on the side of the blog to follow along for the week. This could be a recurring Sunday post then and I could follow up on recipes from the previous week. I'll try it and see how it goes :)

Sunday
Steak Salad (using leftover grilled steak from late last week)

Monday
Roasted corn quesadillas

Tuesday
Pulled pork sandwiches
+
Corn tomato avocado salad

Wednesday
Sliders + Green bean salad


Thursday
Chicken Parmesan but I will use some breaded chicken tenders I have from Schwanns to save time

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Found and saved for later
BLT Pasta side
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/blt-pasta-salad-recipe/index.html

Annual BFF Outlet Mall Shopping Trip

Every year Candi and I make a spring trip to the Osage Beach outlet mall in Missouri. It takes about three hours to get there from KC but is so worth the road trip. It's also good for 6 hours of girl time in the car! This year's trip was captured on video. Let's just say we're good for the economy.
(note: the beginning is dark because I'm driving. and it's so early the sun isn't up. no, i'm not holding the camera while I drive :)

Annual BFF Outlet Mall Shopping Trip from Cara on Vimeo.

(includes the Starbucks video clip at the end. if you watch this version there's no need to watch the stand-alone version in the following post)

Starbucks - Beloved Cake Pop

Candi and I were headed back after getting up very early for our annual BFF road trip to the outlet mall where we shopped till we almost dropped. It was time for a pick-me-up... we may have been a little slap happy.

Starbucks and the beloved cake pop from Cara on Vimeo.

B2 Flyover - Royals Opening Day 2011

Their timing was off - came long after the anthem was over. We had decided they weren't going to have one since it was cloudy - but alas it arrived. A great benefit of being so close to Whiteman Airforce base that I cherish every year on opening day.

B2 bomber fly over on Royals openind day 2011 from Cara on Vimeo.

Baxter in the garden

This is from March I think, when Baxter discovered compost is buried in the garden. "Mom, these eggshells are delicious, especially in the rain."

Baxter in the garden from Cara on Vimeo.

Who wants to read more blog posts?

Apparently working five days a week makes it nearly impossible for me to blog. I'm such a slacker. So much to post. I plugged in the Flip and realized I haven't video edited since last year. Here's what's on the Flip

Baxter in the garden
Royals opening day
BFF trip to the outlet mall
Trip to San Antonio including Sea World

The Flip was so dead it took 30 minutes to charge up before I could even look at the videos.

Some are short and some are long and a few really made me laugh out loud. So look for new posts including videos and pictures and more scans of the kids art.