Menu Plan Monday 6/15-6/21

**Another week is upon us so that means it is time for another menu plan! This is just a plan and it could change on the cook’s whim!

Last week’s menus went well. I have plenty of leftovers to use for lunches for the next few days! We ended up going out to Checkers rather than having homemade pizza and breadsticks on Friday. We enjoyed our Father’s Day meal/cookout (grilled New York Strip--hubby and I, burgers—kids, potato pockets, and corn) on Saturday instead of waiting till Sunday because the weather was not looking promising for Sunday.

I did my shopping for this week already so I should be set other than getting more milk and soda pop(hubby’s “morning coffee’) in the house! I found some awesome deals on markdown meat that I will be using for my menus this week! I am hoping to pick some strawberries in the next couple of weeks so that I can make strawberry goodness!! :)

Lunches listed are for the kids and me. Hubby usually takes dinner leftovers each day.

A special thanks to Laura-Organizing Junkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday! Need help with your menus, go check other delicious meal plans that have been linked at her site! **

Sunday (6-15)
Breakfast: eggs, bacon, hash browns, and biscuits
Lunch: pizza rolls
Dinner: chicken rice casserole and crescent rolls
Snack: banana muffins

Monday (6-16)
Breakfast: cereal and toast
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: “Italian Night” chicken parmesan/spaghetti, and garlic bread
Snack: snack basket

Tuesday (6-17)
Breakfast: pancakes and sausage
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: roast, potatoes, carrots and honey oatmeal rolls
Snack: snack basket

Wednesday (6-18)
Breakfast: bagels and cereal
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: bacon cheeseburgers, fries, and corn
Snack: “mystery snack”

Thursday (6-19)
Breakfast: waffles
Lunch: pizza
Dinner: saucy pork chops, mashed potatoes, and green beans
Snack: snack basket

Friday (6-20)
Breakfast: cereal and muffins
Lunch: sandwich, chips, applesauce and carrot sticks
Dinner: homemade pizza and breadsticks
Snack: homemade chocolate shakes

Saturday (6-21)
Breakfast: “Cook’s Choice”
Lunch: ?????(it’s the weekend anything goes!)
Dinner: “Homemade Long John Silvers Night” grilled chicken/fish/shrimp, fries, and corn
Snack: popcorn

Singing Sunday

Everything Glorious
by David Crowder Band

The day is brighter here with You
The night is lighter than it's hue
Would lead me to believe
Which leads me to believe

(chorus)
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours
What does that make me?

My eyes are small but they have seen
the beauty of enormous things
Which leads me to believe
there's light enough to see that

(chorus)
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours

From glory to glory
You are glorious You are glorious
From glory to glory
You are glorious. You are glorious
Which leads me to believe
why I can believe that


You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours

From glory to glory From glory to glory
You are glorious. You are glorious.
You are glorious. You are glorious.

You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours

Weekly Shopping Trip--Saved $92.71

IF I had purchased everything that I bought at full price it would have cost me....$222.87!! However, I walked away this week with only spending $130.16!! AND to top it off I didn't have any coupons or gift cards to use for anything that I purchased! I know that it seems like a lot of $$$ to be spending for one week but my freezer was bare so I needed to get meats for meals! So how did I pull this shopping trip off with no coupons and still come under my $150/weekly total. Here is how....sales and meat markdowns!!!

I went to Meijer and Family Fare this week!

At Meijer I purchased...

• 3 pkgs 1# bacon--$5.67 ($1.89/lb)
• 4-4# bags of quick frozen boneless/skinless chicken breasts--$29.96 (B1 bag G1bag FREE)
• 1 bag Cheetos--$2.69
• 1 bag Fritos--FREE (Cheetos, Fritos, and Rold Gold Pretzels--B1G1)
• 2 gallons Hawaiian Punch--$4.00
• 3 pkgs Handi Snacks--$5.00

Total--$47.32
Total Savings--$39.71


At Family Fare I purchased...

• 6 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups--$1.98
• 2 Snickers' bars--$1.00
• 2 King Size M&Ms--$2.00
• 6 boxes Kleenex--$10.00
• 2.90lbs Family pack NY Strip Steak--$17.37 (Father's Day meal!)
• 3.61lbs Beef Roast--$7.32(50% markdown)
• 3.10lbs Top Round Steak--$7.79(40% markdown)
• 1.44lbs Sirloin Tip Steak--$4.30(40% markdown)
• 1.64lbs Pork Loin Chops--$4.90(40% markdown)
• 3 pkgs Azteca Tortillas--$3.73
• 4 pkgs Eckrich Smoky Links---$8.00
• 2 loaves Aunt Millie's Old Fashioned MultiGrain Bread--$3.19 (B1G1 Free)
• 3 lbs stick margarine--$1.95
• 10lbs potatoes--$4.49
• 3.41lbs bananas--$2.01
• 2.51lbs red grapes--$2.21

Total--$82.84
Total Savings--$53.00

Grand Total--$130.16
Grand Total Savings--$92.71

To see how much others saved this week, head over to MoneySavingMom's Super Savings Saturday and BeCentsAble's Show N' Tell!!

Strawberries Galore!

Here in the upper Midwest, it is starting to be strawberry season, finally!! I love strawberries! I love strawberry jam, strawberries and ice cream, strawberry muffins, strawberry desserts, chocolate dipped strawberries and even strawberry smoothies!

Since strawberries are now the "in season" fruit around here, I am going to share a few tried and true strawberry recipes.

First off, my friend, Marcy posted some strawberry recipes that she has tried, like her "Berry Freezer Jam". I haven't tried making strawberry jam myself but her recipe looks very similar to the one that my Mother used to make when I was growing up! It looks yummy, so do the other two recipes! Thanks Marcy for sharing!

One of my favorite magazines, Taste of Home, has several cool summer treats linked on their homepage! The treats are all some that I have done and they are very good!!

Another recipe that I have tried from Taste of Home is Strawberry Muffins...

Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled (I have even used canola oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries

Directions: In a small bowl, combine the first four ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, yogurt, butter and vanilla. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in strawberries. Fill muffin cups coated with cooking spray or lined with paper liners two-thirds full. Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. Yield: 1 dozen.

One other muffin recipe that I have tried that my kids seem to enjoy is these fun Strawberry Muffin Cones...

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 carton (6 ounces) strawberry yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
15 ice cream cake cones (about 3 inches tall)
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening
Colored sprinkles

Directions: In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, beat eggs, yogurt, oil and strawberries; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Place the ice cream cones in muffin cups; spoon about 3 tablespoon batter into each cone. Bake at 375° for 19-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely. In a saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip muffin tops in chocolate; decorate with sprinkles. Yield: 15 servings.

Notes: These muffin cones are best served the same day they're prepared. Muffins can be baked in paper liners instead of ice cream cones.

Don't have time to make strawberry jam, what about making some strawberry butter!! Yummy on some wheat english muffins!

The best dessert using strawberries is my no-bake cheesecake instead of using pie filling for the topping using fresh sliced strawberries! I recommend that you make the cheesecake and then serve the fresh strawberries on the side or put the strawberries on the cheesecake when you are ready to serve it.

Lastly, a dessert that I am going to be making this year is my friend, MJ's Strawberry Trifle!! It sounds sooo yummy and it is also a no bake type dessert for the "dog days of summer"!

For other frugal tips, recipes, or resources, head over to Biblical Womanhood!!

Works for Me Wednesday--Quiet Time

Being the mother of five(11 and under) and homeschooling, there is nothing more wonderful than having peace and quiet in the middle of the day!!

How do I accomplish that middle of the day peacefulness??

I have trained my munchkins from a very early age that the first two hours AFTER lunch is "Quiet Time" every day(including the days in the summer when we are not doing school)!

When my munchkins are infants and toddlers(usually up to age 3) that is when their afternoon nap is every day.

When my munchkins are about 3 1/2 years old to about 6 years old that is when I would tell them to go into their rooms and unto their beds with a stack of books to look through til the timer goes off. The timer is only set for a 1/2 hour because that is about how long they stay put in their beds before coming out and asking "Can I get up?". I am still working with my almost 5 yo dd in staying put til Mommy comes in to get her! The rest of the two hours is spent playing quietly in the playroom. There is to be no banging of drums or any other objects! If there is talking that is necessary we use a quiet "library voice". NO yelling at anyone!

When my munchkins are 7 years old to teens, I instruct them to find a book and read for at least a 1/2 hour after lunch. Yes, I have a couple of avid readers and they read the afternoon away or at least complete a book from beginning to end in one afternoon! But I do not care because reading is good and it is quiet! After they are done reading their 1/2 hour they are able to get on their computer for a 1/2 hour and play games.(There is no arguing over "the" computer because my hubby has built a computer for each of the four older ones.) Once they are done with reading and the computer, then it is time to find other things that are quiet while the little ones finish up their naps! This is when they usually will pull out board games or find other quiet games to play.

I love having this "Quiet Time" each day!! Here are some things that *I* do for my "Quiet Time"!!

1. read a book
2. read the Bible
3. pray
4. make phone calls
5. write blog posts
6. get my shopping lists done, coupons cut, and menus planned
7. plan weekly school schedules
8. grade papers
9. bake goodies
10. balance the checkbook
11. laundry
12. nap
13. think

Daily "Quiet Time" is what works for me! To read about what works for others, head over to Shannon's--Rocks in My Dryer!!