Making Do Without Missing a Thing--Six Weeks of Inspiration in Meal Planning in Six posts--week Five

 Whew! Did ya get all that yesterday? I was trying to finish up the post while holding a twin away from the computer with one leg, shouting for my husband to come and grab the second who was trying to jump off the changing table, and meanwhile my 12 year old is sitting quietly at the table doing her school work. Just a regular day here in the Welcoming House. :) When I shared with them that Mom was healthy enough to go back to our regular meal plans, I got cheers, so you know it works around here! And with three kids, those recipes had better be kid tested and approved!

   I am writing this late at night while children are in bed and I can concentrate rather than having to leave the computer (and my train of thought) every six seconds. Do you have a crazy house like that too? Our Pastor this weekend was talking about how our blessings are already in our hands, waiting for us to recognize them, even when they don't fit our idea of what a "blessing" is. It really hit home for me, because for years I have wanted to publish my written music and get a CD out...even if it is just for my kids. It's true. I am not just a run-of-the-mill piano teacher. I really lead a secret life. HA.
   Music is my passion, and it regulates my day, soars through my thoughts at night....and comes out on the keyboard when I have a moment to spare during the day. Since having kids I have learned that getting up at 3 am and pounding on the piano is not such a great idea though....
   A few years ago I was blessed to record 10 of my songs onto a CD with a friend. I am busy copyrighting them, and then think they would be a wonderful addition to this blog! Wouldn't that be fun, listening to my music while you read? It would sure be fun for me to listen to it while I write!
  But anyhow, I realized that I have all the blessings in my hands that I really ever asked God for---my children, my husband, and my home. God uses those things every single day, even on the craziest ones, to point me right back to him and say gently to me: "THIS is the plan I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to bring you hope and a future". (Jeremiah 30:31). So rather than get frustrated that things aren't going the way I planned, I can just smile and thank him for the cup in my hands that is filled to overflowing with blessings.

   I feel the same way as we near the end of this series.

   I am blessed to be able to sit here and write this, to share with you all that I have learned, and pass on some tried and true things have made my family blessed in so many ways. My hands are full....and so is my heart. :)

   Without further prattling, here is the next Menu Plan for my family (we will start this next week)

Menu Planning--Week TWO

Monday
   Breakfast: breakfast burritos
   Lunch: French onion soup with toasted bread and mozzarella sandwiches, fruit
   Snack: Apples with fruit dip, toffee bars
   Dinner: kielbasa with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut, mixed veggies

Tuesday
   Breakfast: chocolate chip pancakes with strawberry chunk syrup
   Lunch: home made mac and cheese, salad and mandarin oranges
   Snack: Carrot sticks with ranch, bread with jam
   Dinner: Tacos with ground beef and black bean filling, spanish rice, and toppings. Rice pudding with Cinnamon for dessert

Wednesday
   Breakfast: wheat berry cereal with peaches and cream
   Lunch: mini pizzas, topped with whatever veggies kids want on them.
   Snack: granola with dried fruit, toffee bars
   Dinner: venison stew, dinner rolls, and pineapple upside down mini-cakes

Thursday
   Breakfast: scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and toast
   Lunch: chicken and cheese quesadillas,
   Snack: celery and cream cheese, chocolate chip cookies
   Dinner: veggie lasagna, garlic breadsticks

Friday
   Breakfast: dried cherry scones with cream
   Lunch: Lydia's green bean soup, and cornbread
   Snack: oranges, and cookies
   Dinner: Meatloaf, buttered corn, salad.

Saturday
   Breakfast: caramel french toast bake
   Lunch: tomato soup with tarragon, grilled cheese sandwiches and canned peaches
   Snack: apples with peanut butter, and popcorn
   Dinner: Chicken Zucchini Alfredo pizza

Sunday
   Breakfast: Egg bake
   Lunch: Split pea Soup, loaf of fresh bread, Toffee bars
   Snack:  any fruit or veggie available, and any baked good left
   Dinner: leftovers or waffles

   Hope this makes you hungry and ready to try it! Have fun trying all the new recipes. I was just thinking tonight that it sure would be fun to have a tab up top that just says recipes, and you can click on it to find all these! But, time will tell if that is something that will happen!

   Many blessings to you and yours!

Heather

recipes for each day:
Monday:
   Breakfast burritos are scrambled eggs, chorizo or sausage, peppers and onions (I often use dried in this recipe)with a touch of taco seasoning placed into warmed tortillas and served with shredded cheese and salsa.
   French Onion soup is made of one pint of carmelized onions (onions that are left in the crockpot on low for up to ten hours after being topped with butter and a little brown sugar, then canned) mixed with two quarts of beef stock (same as six cups of beef stock), and let to cook down. I have a friend who puts steak sauce in his for more flavoring, but we tend to do things simply around our house. Once heated, serve with rounds of french bread made into open sandwiches by being topped with garlic butter and mozzarella, then heated under the broiler. My kids will eat some of the soup, but love the sandwiches, so we just let them dip away.
Tuesday: for the pancake syrup I powder/chunk up dried strawberries in a coffee grinder and then add to a simple syrup of sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat to boiling, then turn off heat to let cool some. If you want it thicker, you can add a couple TBS of strawberry jam to the syrup. The kids love this over chocolate chip pancakes, and while it isn't totally healthy, I know they are getting a dose of fruit along with the whole wheat fiber in the pancakes.
For the magic mix recipe to make home made Mac and Cheese click here. This is the same recipe I use to make any cream soups or pudding bases. I shred sharp cheddar into my sauce for mac and cheese, as well as one TBS of mustard, and onion salt. I always make two pans at a time so I have one for unexpected guests or to take along with us on a trip for home school co-op or something. I top it with more shredded cheese, and paprika.
Spanish rice is rice cooked with tomato and chicken broth, combined with garlic, onion, and chili powder. The beef and bean seasoning is made with 3/4 lb ground beef, and one pint home-canned black beans, drained. I season with my mexican store seasoning. I mash up some of the beans in the pan with an old fashioned potato masher.
 HERE  is the basic recipe we use for rice pudding. I often use my home-dried "minute rice" made in my dehydrator for this as it takes much less time for the pudding to thicken and become creamy. We do not, however, add raisins, as my kids dont like that as much. We do top it with cinnamon or nutmeg.
Wednesday:
Wheat Berry Cereal is something new-er around here, and you need a lot of patience or a pressure cooker to make it (or pressure canner). I put 2 cups of wheat berries into my pressure cooker with  cups of water and a pat of butter. I cook it on high pressure for one hour. If you were doing this without a pressure cooker, you need to soak the grain overnight and then cook on the stove for around 5 hours. After it is done I make condensed milk from powdered full fat milk (you just use more of the milk powder to less water), sweeten it, and add in the peaches. If you have had any fruit earlier in the week, you can save the syrup and add that in when the cereal is cooked to add the fruity flavor the kids will love. If this sounds like too much work for you, substitute another cereal. :) But it is wonderful-nutty and creamy, and when you add fruit to it, or maple syrup with cream, it is a great stick-to-your-ribs kind of breakfast. Any leftovers go into the freezer for muffin batter add-ins later. Mini Pizza dough can be found on this post and can be topped with a couple spoonfuls of homecanned spaghetti sauce, mozzarella cheese and whatever topping the kids want to throw on there. If you click on Venison/Beef Stew it will take you directly to the page the recipe is already on. The recipe for Pineapple Upsidedown Minicakes is right here, and while we make our own cake mix from home, this is how we go through the baking process.
Thursday:
I told you that I make up a couple batches of cookie dough and just freeze "cookie pucks" right? Since my surgery my kids have not gotten that unless I just make up a batch. (so GLAD for the Master Cookie Mix)
I would encourage you to try it as it makes homemade treats so much easier. I do this with all sorts of things, but my kids' favorite is the muffins and cookies. Makes my prep time so much shorter in the long run. And less dishes is ALWAYS good around here at The Welcoming House!
Veggie Lasagna: Make up a batch of pasta, and roll into sheets. Grease a 9X13 pan. This is a great recipe for those dried veggies you have from your dehydrator. :) I use cottage cheese or homemade cottage cheese if I have a fresh batch ready (click here if you want to learn just how easy it is to make from home with a gallon of milk and some lemon juice), mix the cheese with two eggs, and seasonings (I use oregano, basil, pasrley and thyme, as well as garlic salt.) The veggies I normally add in that are dried are onions, green onions, zucchini and yellow squash, (these are sliced and look so beautiful when the lasagna is done). Get out a quart of home canned tomatoes with little to no spice to them. I often use my stewed tomatoes because I love the taste and the hint of sweet with them, plus they include celery.
In the pan, layer in this way: pasta sheet, cottage cheese mix, tomatoes, veggies. I sprinkle each layer with mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers until you run out of ingredients, then top with more cheese and bake. I always make two of these up and freeze one so I have an extra casserole if needed for someone in need, or even for company or a Sunday where we are tired and just want to pull something out and eat it. :) This bakes at 325* for 1 1/2 hours. The little lower temps make this develop almost a "crust" with the pasta on the bottom. Awesome.
Friday:
Dried Cherry Scones: before making batter, put 1/2 cup dried yellow cherries into a small bowl and add one cup boiling water, then top bowl with a plate. Let sit for ten minutes. Meanwhile make batter. In  bowl of mixer combine the following ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsps baking powder, 1 tsp salt, cut in six TBS butter (it really has to be butter, or your scones will be tough). To this batter add the dried cherries, and taking a 2 cup measuring cup, add the cherry liquid from rehydrating. To this add enough water and 1 full cup full-fat milk powder. Then add 1 TBS of lemon juice and let this sit for about 3 minutes. Add to the batter and stir just until combined. Scrape out of bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8-10 times gently, then pat into a large circle about 1-2 inches thick on a greased cookie sheet. Cut into 8-10 triangles and carefully slide apart on the sheet. With a brush or your fingers wash the tops with a little milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350* for 12-15 minutes until tops are golden brown. *you can use any dried fruit, and many dehydrating people actually buy canned fruit and run it through their machines to have dried fruit on hand. The store bought fruit is much sweeter, but that is an easy way to build up a shelf stable store to bake with for muffins and things such as this recipe. I also wanted to say these are very filling, and you will most likely have one per child and possibly two per adult. I personally can only eat one because they are so filling and rich, but amazing. You can also make this recipe's dry ingredients up into bags and have it waiting for you so all you have to do is add the wet ingredients to pull it together faster. :)
Lydia's Green Bean Soup: This is a canning recipe, and you can make this on your stove, but once it is pressure canned the flavors are so intense and yummy that you will never make it on the stove again. In each Quart jar layer the following: 3 sprigs of oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1 leaf basil/ 3 garlic chips or one whole clove/ 3/4 cup chopped cooked ham/ 3/4 cup diced onions/ 3/4 cup green beans and wax beans mixed/ 3/4 chopped potatoes with the skin on. Pour boiling water to the shoulders of the jar (1" head space), wipe rim with rag dipped in vinegar, cap with warmed lid and ring, process for 90 minutes at 12 lbs pressure. I normally make 30 jars or so at a time. The broth becomes really "hamm-ie and potato-ey", and this soup is just plain amazing when you serve it with biscuts or cornbread.
 Meatloaf: in a bowl combine the following ingredients: 3/4 lb ground beef, one cup oatmeal run through a blender/ or one cup bread crumbs, 2 eggs,and one can of black beans pureed with their liquid from the jar. To this add 1 tsp sea salt, 1/4 cup worchestershire sauce, a touch of steak sauce (we use A-1), and basil. I also add dried celery and onion. Bake at 350* for one hour. Top with tomato sauce or ketchup.
Buttered corn: use 1/3 cup per family member. Place dried corn in greased crockpot and top with equal amount of water or chicken stock. Top with 3 TBS of butter, cut into small chunks, and season with oregano and garlic.  Turn on low and cook for 4-5 hours.


Saturday:

Caramel Baked French Toast: in a greased 9X13 pan, layer eight slices of thick cut homemade bread. You can cut them in half if you have smaller children. in a bowl combine 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 tsp almond flavoring. whisk really well until completely blended. Pour over bread in pan. Sprinkle top of pan with cinnamon, and brown sugar. Melt one stick of butter and slowly drizzle over top of pan. Cover with plastic wrap or a metal lid (if you have one of these 9X13 pans that have one, they are awesome), and refrigerate overnight. Take out about ten minutes before baking in the morning. If you use a glass pan, take out and set on top of stove while oven is heating for up to 30 minutes before baking. You dont want the pan exploding all over the oven because the glass cant handle the heat. Be sure to remove the plastic wrap (hey, we have all been there---it all depends on whether you have had enough coffee or not, right?)
Tomato soup is home-canned around here and is a blend of tomatoes, carrots, and celery, with a touch of onion and sucanat, as well as a dash of chili powder. I make it in huge batches at the end of the summer and can it up with my pressure canner, sometimes 30 quarts at a time. It is a great way to use up my end of summer tomatoes that arent quite perfect for salsa. When I prepare it for a meal, I open a can, add a couple TBS of my magic mix, and some dried tarragon, which has a slight sweet licorice flavor to it. Served with grilled cheese, my kiddos love it. And I know they are getting some good veggies in their tummies.
Pizza is made the same way as last week except we use jarred alfredo sauce from the store (yes I know I can make it, but this is way more simple for Saturdays), I soak our zucchini for about 30 minutes in boiling water to re-hydrate it for the pizza, and open a can of canned chicken from our pantry for the meal. If I have shredded parmesan that goes on the pizza as well as the mozzarella. Layer the alfredo sauce, then a slight layer of cheese, the zucchini, the chicken, do a shake of garlic salt, then top with the rest of the cheese. Big favorite around here, but hey, we love pizza!

Sunday:
Egg Bake: fry up one lb of sausage, add to it one diced onion and one diced green pepper. Cube 1/2 loaf of stale bread (I lay out the slices on the counter overnight so I know it is stale), add everything to a large bowl and toss with sage, thyme and oregano. 1 tsp each, and 1 tsp garlic salt. Put in greased 9X13 pan, and press down until it is well packed together. In same bowl combine six eggs and 2 cups milk, 1 tsp powdered mustard, and pepper. When well whisked, then pour over the bread, trying to make sure all cubes of bread are covered. Cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge overnight. In morning, take out, take off wrap, shred cheese for top, sprinkle with a little celery or onion salt, and stick in oven for an hour at 350*. Cut into 12 pieces and serve for breakfast.
My husband makes the split pea soup with bagged split peas, carrots and onions, and his own special mix of seasonings. I cant even begin to duplicate it, so sorry about that. It is all up to him. :) It is nice having a break from the cooking once in a while, right? You can find the recipe for the Toffee Bars right here.They are another family favorite and are always asked for after chocolate chip cookies.
Have fun trying all the recipes out on this week! I am going to be posting these every other day because of the amount of time it takes to write each one up, and with two almost two year olds, it becomes almost impossible to get them out in time! Blessings to you, dear reader!