Monday.. Day one snow day... UGH!

School was called off  Sunday.. FOR 2 DAYS.. Frigid temperatures  and winds.. I had told  friend that if school was called off she could drop her 2 kids off with me since she would still have to work.. and I was on her way to work anyway.

So today's menu included 5 kids for breakfast and lunch!
Breakfast was 11 home made cinnamon rolls I had in the freezer from my Christmas gift making endeavors. Served with some oranges and bananas, juice and milk.

The temperature dropped by the hour today.. so I used that opportunity to bake some cookies!  I made a batch of white chocolate, macadamia and coconut bar.. SOO decadent and yummy!
  http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2013/02/28/macadamia-nut-coconut-white-chocolate-blondies/

I also made a batch of chocolate chip cookies with white chips and pb chips.

I cooked 2 boxes of Kraft mac and cheese and 5 corn dogs from the freezer for lunch.. offered some more oranges.

For dinner I pulled out leftovers and baked some potatoes and steamed the cauliflower in the fridge.  I also cooked up a package of bacon from the freezer to put on potatoes.

Sunday... Snow on the Way...

Last minute plans were made and we were going to  meet grandparents for Breakfast at Bob Evans. I decided last minute to toss a pork shoulder into the crock pot to cook while we were gone. While Andrew went to the deep freeze for it I pulled out the crock and flavorings.. Worcestershire, garlic, onion S&P.. Turned it on and left.  We had breakfast, hit the toy store really quick then tried to deal with Husbands flight cancellations and rescheduling for his work this week..It was decided that we needed to get him to Cleveland ASAP to avoid me traveling in poor conditions .. so snacks were grabbed for a quick lunch while he packed.. then we left.  The roast was done when we got home so I turned it off and let it cool for a while... Shredded pork was served with some canned corn and re-heated leftover rice from the other night.. Easy Peasy.. I made a box of Cook Chocolate pudding I found in the pantry.. I know it was not old but it just did not set up or taste right.. Oh well.. that was the only one so no worries.. Maybe I am just more appreciative of my homemade pudding!

Saturday...

Kids and husband had TKD today so breakfast had to be early.. I pulled some buttermilk oatmeal pancakes out of the freezer and thawed and toasted them for the kids... They had OJ with them.  Husband had a banana and coffee.. I had 1 slice of toast with chocolate almond spread and sliced banana and a grapefruit.. of course there was coffee!  

I cleaned the house and did laundry while they were gone.. Since it is cold and blustery out I decided soup and sandwiches sounded good!  I had a pouch of Lipton in the cupboard above the stove so I made that and I made a can of Tomato soup.  I made grilled cheese sandwiches and served a bowl of oyster crackers.  People who were still hungry were directed to the Fruit bowls... there are 4 overflowing bowls right now.. help yourselves!  

We were possibly going to go out to dinner with the inlaws but they never called.. (not shocking)....So when I got home from shopping I decided to start pulling together dinner.. I looked in the freezer and found a freezer bag with meaty tomato sauce from November.. I tossed that in a pan to defrost.. Served with a box of thin spaghetti and a box of garlic bread from the freezer.  I don't recall the sauce tasting THAT awesome originally.. but tonight it was so yummy!  It was just about an hour start to served for dinner...and cost almost nothing.. compared to ordering in from the pizza shop!  I LOVE not wasting things!  

There is enough pasta and sauce left for husband and I to lunch on tomorrow.. and 1 slice of garlic bread to share!   

Moving it out...

Maddie had her first friend over-nighter last night.. so she was next door this morning...The boys requested bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches for breakfast.  Easy!
Lunch was straight off the shelf.. Aldi Rings and Meatballs.. which they much prefer to name brand Spaghetti O's...
Dinner was Orange Chicken.... I pulled a package of thin cut chicken breasts from the freezer.. used a bunch of Clementines for the marinade and served with Jasmine Rice and steamed carrots and broccoli from the fridge.  I followed this recipe...http://damndelicious.net/2013/10/19/chinese-orange-chicken/

I did hit up Aldi and the grocery outlet today for a few items... Being that we have some insanely cold weather coming our way I wanted to be prepared and have some more basics and necessities on hand.. especially if I will be baking to add heat to the house!  I already have started to line up my recipes for items on hand.. I am assuming we will not be having school a few days next week.. so we will spend time making some snacks and lunch treats to use up stuff I have and help supplement the heat in the house!

New Year.. Let's do this for a few weeks ( days!) HA!

I am horrible at keeping up with this but I like keeping a log of what I am doing.. for a short time anyway!

Start of the year, start of the month!  Pantry Challenge!

http://goodcheapeats.com/2013/12/pantry-challenge-2014/

I love this blog and I love cleaning out the freezer and pantry!
Husband and I are working towards getting back to healthier eating and back on the weight loss plan.. so I NEED to get the junk out of the house.. and I want to use up stuff around here before I shop.. especially  since my coupon holder is SO empty... End of year expiration's and all...

So for New Years Eve we have a friend and kids over.. I cooked up a box of Bagel Bites, a box of Potato Skins, Mozzarella sticks and 2 packs of frozen cookie dough!  GONE!

For New Years Day kids had mini bagels and fruit for breakfast.. Ate on the random lunch meat and chips for lunch.. For dinner I roasted a Turkey Breast I had in the freezer, cooked a jar of Sauerkraut with an apple for sweetening, steamed some fresh broccoli and we ate the rest of the non wilted salad mix.

I LOVE seeing the shelves as I empty the fridge!

Jan 2 I have a work party tonight and kids will be at TKD.. So for breakfast I pulled out my stash of frozen pancakes.. Kids had those with the rest of the fresh berries in the fridge.
I whipped up a dessert for tonight.. using the last chocolate cake mix, some frozen cooked pumpkin, the remaining pecans from the freezer and my last brick of cream cheese!  We will see if it tastes good!

Lunch will be whatever husband and I pick out and kids will get some of the frozen corn dogs and whatever fruit and chips I toss at them!

Lost in the busyness...

These past months have flown by with so many things going on. It feels like I am on autopilot some days...Today the weather is beautiful so I have the windows and doors open.. partly for the breeze.. mainly to wash out the stink of bacon...While kids are outside and I am the energy and creativity, I am trying to cook and meal plan as much as possible.. before the kids have to go to a birthday party.
So far..
I made a huge batch of Buttermilk Pancakes.. Kids ate their fill and the rest are frozen for later breakfasts.
I had a lb of bacon in the fridge to I baked it in the oven( hence the stink).. to be reheated through the week.. Who am I kidding.. it will be demolished by Tuesday.. if it lasts that long.
I asked hubby about what he wants for dinner.. if he said lets go out I would have jumped.. But he said whatever.. I will be hungry though..( he is doing a lot of landscaping right now...) so I checked the shelves and freezer and pulled a meal together...I tossed 2 frozen chicken breasts into a pot with some chicken broth and veggies and am poaching them.. I will shred them and toss them with some jarred salsa and taco sauce and will wrap those in tortillas and bake under layer of enchilada sauce and cheese.. I grabbed some creamed corn and corn muffin mix and those will be mixed to make a corn cake.  Kids will likely have cheese quesadillas.
I dropped 2 boxes of cream cheese into a pan to melt down and added buffalo and ranch.  Stirred that into 2 cans of chicken and a bunch of cheddar cheese.  That will be my offering at a meeting tomorrow night! Just needs tossed into a crock to warm!
.....

Sunday Again...

The start to a new week just comes way too fast.  The end of last week was a bit crazed and chaotic with the hubby traveling home and getting delayed on Thursday... thankfully he got his final delay just before 5pm and they put him up in a hotel.  If you have to get a major delay at least let it be earlier and in your favor.. So we were told he would be home by dinner Friday.  Great!  I pulled a roast out to thaw while I worked in the morning.. Ran an errand after work and then made it home alive and unscathed- roads were HORRID with the first major snow of the season... I ran in the house, heated a pan and seared off my roast, seasoned, added broth and water, lidded it and tossed into the oven before I layered up and went out to shovel 3+ inches off the driveway... I had the meat on slightly lower then usual since I figured we would have a later dinner.. I tossed carrots in and attended to the kids when they finally arrived home, about 20min later due to bus delays....

OF COURSE, I get that text of delays.. then they are boarding!  Then they are delayed for deicing.. Then longer delay.. I figured we were not having dinner with daddy.. I checked on my roast and it seemed a little tough still. GREAT!  I pulled the carrots out since they were done and tossed that dish into the fridge.  I turned off the oven and told kids to get dressed.. they were getting haircuts!  Just then hubby texted me to order pizza for dinner.. Fine by me!  I ordered pizza when the haircuts were finishing and we drove to get our order.. (Hubby was going to expense dinner so I chose the pizza shop I love that is slightly pricier then I care for).. Awesomely enough hubby
s cousin, who works at said pizza shop, was at the counter and gave us a killer discount so that made it all better! 

Hubby made it home and was there to hype the kids up, give them lots of his *gifts*.. shampoo, soap, lotion and flavored teas he pilfers for me!  lol

Saturday kids had basketball and we picked up more groceries/stockpile at ALDI...I had put the cold roast on low in the crock when we left at 1130a, so when we got home it was PERFECTLY tender!  I poured the hot broth into a sauce pan with the carrots to rewarm them and then make gravy.  Dinner was rounded out with some egg noddles,the leftover corn in the fridge and some Sourdough rolls I bought from the freezer section earlier in the week(sale/coupon deal). 

Sunday, Oh Lazy, Sunday.  Kids were in charge of themselves for breakfast so they decided on yogurt and pop tarts.. Lunch was leftover pizza from Friday night, carrots, cucumbers, hummus and pretzels. 

Snacks today were cookies (defrosted from the freezer), pumpkin muffins( defrosted from the freezer) and fruit smoothies... Maddie liked these, the boy were less impressed.  I used frozen blueberries and peaches, a few chunks of frozen banana and coconut milk.. I used too much coconut milk and it tasted a bit watered down...

Dinner was some Italian marinated chicken, frozen peas, baked sweet potatoes and green salad.  Since today is National Chocolate Cake Day.. I whipped up a half recipe of Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake... I skipped the icing and just sifted some powdered sugar on top...

Since it is Sunday night it is time to re-assess the contents of the fridge and counters.. I do not like to make lunches the night before, I have issues with sandwiches that sit for too long, so I just make sure I don't have to go looking for stuff at 630am!  Do i have enough juice boxes or do I need to full the Rubbermaid containers? Make sure there is bread, chips/pretzels, fruit/veggies for packing.  Are the reusable containers clean?  Just having these things in order make Monday that much easier.. It goes without saying that I also make sure there are K-Cups on the spinner, water in the machine and sweetener in the dish for my wake up call!