Menu Plan Monday: Living on the kindness of strangers!!

So ......I am a proud parent to a beautiful baby girl! I have not been posting due to wanting to do nothing but stare at my beautiful princess.

I am blessed to have an awesome husband who has been doing the cooking and this week the ladies from church has been feeding us. (Can you say THANKFUL !!!)

My hubs came up with an awesome chicken bruschetta recipe that would knock your socks off and I will be sharing that this week.

Next week I hope to be back in the kitchen....or at least have a menu plan to be :)

Happy eating !!!

Kroger changed their Fuel Savings!

I just got word that Kroger has changed their fuel savings and I thought I would pass it on to all your Kroger shoppers out there. Here are the basics:

* Beginning May 1, Kroger and Shell will team up to help Columbus area customers save on fuel.

* Kroger customers will receive instant savings with Kroger’s new Fuel Rewards program at Kroger, Turkey Mini Market and participating Shell stations.

* Customers have the opportunity to instantly redeem 100 Fuel Points for a 10 cent per gallon price savings at the pump, or up to 1,000 Fuel Points per visit to save up to $1.00 per gallon.

For more info on this exciting new fuel savings (and who couldn't use savings on fuel?!) , please visit www.shell.us/kroger or www.kroger.com/fuel.

Menu Plan Monday- that baby isn't here yet?!?!

When I walked into my OB's office this morning the first thing she said to me was "I cannot believe you have not had that baby yet !!!". This should tell you about my mental state of cooking this week. :) Its easy and simple this week until Sunday and I am soooooo hoping that I will not be around to see that meal! Happy eating y'all!

Monday: Grilled cheese and soup

Tuesday: Rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad

Wednesday: Leftover buffet- daddy's in charge!

Thursday: Chicken enchiladas on whole wheat tortillas, refried beans

Friday: Pizza and wing night

Saturday: Burgers and dogs, baked beans, corn on the cob

Sunday: Beef roast, roasted carrots, asparagus

Free Bowling - Central Ohio !!!

Its about 2 weeks into summer vacation (ok, so maybe less) that the kids start whining that they are bored.

My son decided his birthday activity this year would be for the whole fam to go bowling. I would like to stop and interject here that its sad when you still bowl bad as an adult.....with the bumpers out but that is another post.

Anywho, I picked up a little pamphlet that promised free bowling all summer long to kids 16 and under. Here is the skinny......

AMF is offering a program where kids under 16 score free bowling all summer long.

Just visit freebowling.amf.com to sign up and learn more.

Each week you will be e-mailed coupons for 2 free games per day, per child.

They can bowl for free and also enjoy activities, contests and more!

Just thought I would pass it along :)

Menu Plan Monday: Bring on the HEAT !!

I am not sure if its a craving or the fact that I am willing to try anything to help this baby find "the light", but I am craving spicy!! I found several diabetic, healthy recipes that promise the spice that I need and I am excited to try them!!! I hope they are as good as they sound....happy eating, y'all!!!

Monday: Sloppy joes with cheese, mixed veggies

Tuesday: 3 alarm chili, salad

Wednesday: Buffalo tenders, green beans, baked fries

Thursday: Leftover night...BIG mama is not cookin!

Friday: Pizza night!

Saturday: Slow cooker shrimp Jambalaya

Sunday: Quesedillas with green pepper, onions and cheese, re fried beans

Pregnancy makes you crazy

Since this blog is my therapy I would like to just get some things off my chest. Mostly some crazy things that this pregnancy has made me do...

** Wake up in the middle of the night unable to sleep because some things have been bugging me. So what do I do? I make of list of people to call the next day to tell them all the things that they are doing that bug me....and then I actually do it. Yikes!

** Re- paper and organize every single cabinet and shelf in my kitchen in a week.

** Put a giant anaconda shaped pillow between me and my love at night so that I throw my arms, belly and legs over it. Leaving him exactly 4 inches to sleep....like he is in a coffin. (I may have squinted my eyes at him, daring him to say one word but I'll never talk.)

** I have the worst case of non filtered verbal vomit a prego has ever seen. If it runs through my mind, it slides out my mouth. Often with me slamming my hand over my mouth in disbelief that I just said what I said.

** Deciding I need to tear out my pantry and totally reorganize it, go through 25 totes of kids clothes and pack away my winter clothes.....3 days before I have 40 people come over for my son's birthday party. No pressure.

** Go through 2 whole days of enduring kidney stones because I had stuff to do.

** Getting mad at hubs because he had the audacity to not have kidney stones and a pregnant belly and he was whistling. I started to get out both the big shovel and hefty bags.....it was a close call that day.

Resurrection Rolls

I love the idea of making these rolls at Easter time! It really is a physical reminder that the tomb is empty!!!! (Kids seem to love them too) I especially like a recipe like this since its store bought crescent rolls and this pregnant, contracting, kidney stone dropping mama is all about easy :) Ii hope you enjoy them this resurrection Sunday!!

1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
8 large marshmallows
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons white sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Separate crescent rolls into individual triangles.

In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar.

Dip a marshmallow into melted butter, then roll in sugar mixture. Place marshmallow into the center of a dough triangle. Carefully wrap the dough around the marshmallow. Pinch the seams together tightly to seal in marshmallow as it melts. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat.

Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Find the original recipe here !

Menu plan for the week!

I must admit that this weekend has put me through ringer! I had my sons 5th birthday extravaganza, hospitalized with multiple kidney stones and having contractions like crazy. You can imagine my enthusiasm for cooking at this point. :) But......my family still insists on eating. (They are needs in that way.. ) so the menu planning continues. Its just we are keeping things as stress free and simple as possible. So here it is...happy eating y'all!!!

Monday: Leftover Monday- mama is tired.

Tuesday: Club sandwiches and homemade chicken noodle soup (from freezer)

Wednesday: Grilled marinated chicken, salad and baked potatoes

Thursday: Ravioli lasagna (frozen from previously), spinach salad, garlic bread

Friday: Pizza Night!

Saturday: Grilled Delmonico steak, corn on the cob, steamed broccoli

Sunday: Ham and fancy Easter Fixins (That I did not have to cook!)- HE IS RISEN !!!!!

Keeping under the sink, under control!

In keeping with my nesting theme, I thought I would share how I got under my kitchen sink under control. I had everything....well but the sink under there ! :) (Some of the stuff, I wonder how in the world it got there!!! )

I found this 3 pack of baskets at Walmart for $2. I then divided my hand soaps, sponges, dishwasher detergent, dish soaps, gloves and anything else I might need.

It works for me because it stays neat and I can pull the whole thing out if need be....and that works for this crazy mama!!

Menu Plan Monday: Recipes under 20 minutes!

I have a confession to make. The closer I get to birthin this baby.....the less I want to cook. I usually love to cook but these days I am just not feeling it! Which would be fine if I didn't have to eat perfectly balanced due to the gestational diabetes. ~sigh~ So, I have made it my quest to find some EASY diabetic/healthy recipes that won't leave me tired or more importantly, grumpy! I hope you enjoy...happy eating y'all!!

Monday: Stuffed burgers, salad, corn on the cob

Tuesday: Chicken Tacos, re fried beans

Wednesday: Leftover night- yeah!!!

Thursday: Pork kabobs with fresh veggies, green beans, tomato salad

Friday: Pizza and salad night!

Saturday: Tequila honey shrimp, sauteed summer squash and zucchini, brown rice

Sunday: Beef roast, roasted Brussel sprouts and carrots, salad

Works for me Wednesday: Keeping bakeware organized

I am in the midst of hot and heavy nesting. I know this baby will not care that I have re-lined all the cabinets in the kitchen and gotten rid of the Tupperware without matching lids, but somehow the need drives me on.

I have a cabinet for all things baking. It frequently gets cluttered with measuring cups, spoons and tools. (It always seems to happen when I am in the middle of baking something too :( )

While in this most recent nesting kick, I have found the best solution for this.

I used hooks to hang both the measuring cups and spoons. They are out of the way and very easily assessable. And that totally works for me !!!!

For more great WFMW ideas visit We are That Family!

Menu Plan Monday

Hey all !!! I am still trying new diabetic recipes and I have not tried one that my family and I have not loved!! I may just stick with this new way of eating. I have included a new one I want to try. :) I hope y'all have a yummy week!

Monday: Club sandwiches, green beans, carrot sticks with dip

Tuesday: Spicy linguine with chicken, salad

Wednesday: Stuffed green peppers

Thursday: Leftover buffet...if its not movin.....

Friday: Pizza night!

Saturday: Steak kabobs with peppers, mushrooms, onions, over brown rice

Sunday: BBQ ribs, lemon broccoli stir fry, corn on the cob

I need me a sister wife.....

I was sitting on the couch the other night in all my bloated belly glory, watching a show about polygamy. ((I know what your thinking but I could not turn my eyes away from it.)) It was fascinating to me.

My hubs who was getting some work done in the same room, turned to me with a smirk and asked how I would like it if he took another wife on. He was sort of smirking like "my pregnant wife would kill her and then come after me" type thing.

I looked down at my belly and my charlie horse ridden legs and then I made a quick sweep of my living room. My perfectly picked up room 3 hours before was now littered with coloring books and My Pretty Ponies.

I looked at him with all sincerity and said " I would love it."

He looked at me with shock.

I thought about how everyones laundry just shows up clean and folded in their drawers, healthy dinners show up at the table, the house is cleaned and picked up a million times a day and the all the shopping gets done. This isn't counting the books read to children, building a lincoln log homes, candy land, hugs, medical care, T-ball games....the list goes on and on.

So I have decided that I need a wife.

I would love someone to tell me when they have scheduled my dentist appointment for me, prepare a balanced yet delicious lunch, or clean out the pantry. I could get sick and not worry that the house will fall apart....wow. To simply have the luxury to not remember things because I know someone is there to remember for me, remind me, take care of things.....what would that be like?

I snapped back into reality that I will be the one and only wife in this home...but its tempting, isn't it?

An easy and low cal recipe!

I didn't do a Menu plan this week because, well...... I am tired and just plain got behind. Which is ok. I am giving myself an out and doing lots of pulling from the freezer. :)

That being said, I am sharing another diabetic recipe that I have found that is easy and yummy. (Not to mention low calorie, low fat and balanced.)

Enjoy!!!

Beef Vegetable Soup

1 beef shank bone with 1lb. meat
2-1/2 quarts water
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup chopped celery leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp Morton Lite Salt ® Mixture
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 envelope (1oz.) onion soup mix
1 can (15oz.) stewed tomatoes with juice
1 package (10oz.) frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup peeled, diced potatoes
1 cup sliced celery

Remove any fat from the beef.

In a large, covered soup pot, simmer the beef bone with meat in water with bay leaves, celery leaves, parsley, Morton Lite ® Salt Mixture, pepper, and onion soup mix until meat is tender, about 2-1/2 hours.

Remove the one, meat and bay leaves. Chill broth and remove any fat. Cut meat into bite size pieces and return to broth. Discard bone and bay leaves.

Add tomatoes, frozen vegetables, potatoes, and celery.

Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Serve hot.

See the nutritional info and the original recipe here!