Sunday, March 18, 2012
Menu Plan: March 18 - March 24
However, I have some pictures of our meals this week. I made some of our pancakes on Saturday in the shape of shamrocks (everyone's seconds were just regular round pancakes) and made green, peppermint steamers.
For dinner tonight, I recreated one of my favorite sandwiches.
It is a double decker, grilled reuben sandwich with turkey in one layer, corned beef in the other. I used our homemade sauerkraut in it, which was especially nice. I actually made our corned beef a little differently this year. A few recipes I saw suggested cooking the meat in beer, so that is what I did. It was very good and we'll definitely repeat it.
Today was Laetare Sunday, which is joy Sunday, milk joy Sunday, the Mother's Day of the Church. It was not nearly as restful as I would have liked. I did get a few minutes' nap, but when I went to take a bath, I had running and screaming brothers, sisters who were arguing over a picture and a son who exclaimed, wondering who had licked the icing off of the cake. You see, we had left the remaining birthday cake (from Amira's birthday party) on the counter to thaw to eat with dinner. It turns out that Yasmina had made the most of the time and taken quite a thorough turn with the cake. We have not often seen such a good job of removing frosting. I should have gotten a picture. We have yet another feast day this week, St. Joseph, so we will be celebrating and making some crafts and doing some study on him. He is one of the saints after whom we named Elijah. He is the patron of children, born and unborn, and we know prays especially for them.
There is one repeat on our menu this week, because last Friday was just exhausting and we had a throw together dinner. For the second week in a row, we have been able to get a 25 pound bag of organic navel oranges for $10, so they are in a lot of our meals this week.
- Sunday
Breakfast: St. Patty's Scramble with Leftovers from dinner (and I know that it's supposed to be St. Paddy's, but we Americans are shortening Patrick, not Padraig, and we have most of Ireland's population here anyway, more people of Irish descent than the entire nation of Ireland - just like we make corned beef here instead of boiled bacon, since the vast majority of the Irish who survived the famines to leave their country and come here could afford to eat beef here and did that as often as they could), Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Double Decker Reuben Sandwiches, Mustard and Dill Pickles - Monday - Feast of St. Joseph
Breakfast: Slow Cooker Rice Pudding with Coconut, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Sausage Spinach Stromboli with Marinara Dipping Sauce, Coconut Water and Blackberry Jello - Tuesday
Breakfast: Blueberry Lemon Baked Oatmeal (doubled, obviously), Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Bean & Cheese Enchiladas, Rice, Fruit Plate - Wednesday
Breakfast: Vegetable Hash, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino, Garlic Bread, Sliced Oranges - Thursday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Raisins & Brown Sugar, Milk & Coffee, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Fried Rice with Stir Fried Sesame Garlic Green Beans and Vegetarian Potstickers - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Oranges, Tea & Honey
Dinner: Indian Style Potatoes and Spinach (with Garbanzo Beans), Spiced Cous Cous, Sliced Oranges - Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Pepita Crusted Cod with Salsa, Potato Wedges, Sliced Oranges
Labels: Church Year, Family, Laetare, Lent, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
A Few FOs
I haven't had a chance to post my finished objects yet or the books I've read. I'll be updating the sidebar soon, too.
First dishcloth of the year - Finished January 16
This is just made of kitchen cotton, knit on the diagonal in garter stitch.
Striped mittens for our great nephew - Finished January 29
Made of 1824 wool in grey and two shades of green.
Stranded baby hat for a friend's baby - Finished February 1
This was made of some white cotton I've had in the stash for a while and some multi-colored cotton/rayon yarn I had leftover from making Mariam's dress.
Ponytail hat for Amira - Finished March 8
This is made of Patons Soy Wool Stripes in Natural Geranium. I modified this pattern to fit a little girl and made a buttonhole for her ponytail.
Closeup of the button closure for her ponytail.
Green headband for Amira - Finished March 9
I used some leftover yarn from Mariam's elf pants and hat to make this headband.
So, there you have it. Only five items knit in the first two and a half months of the year. I have a few things on needles that I would like to get finished soon and a few patterns I'd like to get written up for publication. I hope to have pictures and news soon.
First dishcloth of the year - Finished January 16
This is just made of kitchen cotton, knit on the diagonal in garter stitch.
Striped mittens for our great nephew - Finished January 29
Made of 1824 wool in grey and two shades of green.
Stranded baby hat for a friend's baby - Finished February 1
This was made of some white cotton I've had in the stash for a while and some multi-colored cotton/rayon yarn I had leftover from making Mariam's dress.
Ponytail hat for Amira - Finished March 8
This is made of Patons Soy Wool Stripes in Natural Geranium. I modified this pattern to fit a little girl and made a buttonhole for her ponytail.
Closeup of the button closure for her ponytail.
Green headband for Amira - Finished March 9
I used some leftover yarn from Mariam's elf pants and hat to make this headband.
So, there you have it. Only five items knit in the first two and a half months of the year. I have a few things on needles that I would like to get finished soon and a few patterns I'd like to get written up for publication. I hope to have pictures and news soon.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Something I Learned
If you turn off the timer and oven with your last pan of pita breads in it and forget about it for two days. This is what you will find:
(after you have eaten a couple)
They are sort of like the biggest oyster crackers in the world. And delicious.
They are sort of like the biggest oyster crackers in the world. And delicious.
Labels: Homemaking, Tales from the Kitchen
Monday, March 12, 2012
Menu Plan: March 11 - March 17
We had ribbon sandwiches, potato salad, princess punch, layer cake and tea. There was lots of laughter, loads of earrings, lip gloss, nail polish, pendants, tea sets. one of her friends even made her a pink and green pillow case. Dominic has been carving soap figures lately and made a whole menagerie for Amira. It was really all the things an eight year old girl could dream of. It was a lovely day, and I'm so glad we were able to make it happen for Amira. Rich took the boys off to eat sandwiches and watch the Incredibles so we ladies could have the house to ourselves.
We are entering the third week of Lent with a couple repeats and a day off from our Lenten fast with St. Patrick's Day this weekend. Our schedule and life this week threw off our meals a couple of the days, so we are trying again this week.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Leftover Cornbread and Honey Butter, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Leftover Ribbon Sandwiches, Cool & Creamy Potato and Pea Salad, Princess (we called it Royal for when the boys rejoined us) Punch, Devil's Food Cake with Raspberry Ganache Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting - Monday
Breakfast: Cornbread and Milk, Milky Tea
Dinner: Eggplant Gratin with Tomatoes and Feta, French Bread - Tuesday
Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Spanikopita Bread Pudding, Sliced Oranges - Wednesday
Breakfast: Vegetable Hash, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Vegetarian Ranchero Beans, Rice - Thursday
Breakfast: Leftover Baked Oatmeal with Milk, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Roasted Salmon with White Wine Sauce, Steamed Potatoes and Green Beans with Butter and Herbs - Friday
Breakfast: Banana and Dried Fruit Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Indian Style Potatoes and Spinach (with garbanzo beans), Spiced Cous Cous - Saturday - St. Patrick's Day
Breakfast: Yeasted Pancakes with Walnuts, Brie and Apples, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Mustard Glazed Corned Beef, Braised Cabbage, Colcannon, Creamed Carrots*, Soda Bread (the recipe is formatted a little oddly, the raisins are optional, not the buttermilk)
Labels: Birthday, Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Lent, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen
Monday, March 05, 2012
Menu Plan: March 4 - March 10
We are busy with preparations for our garden. Spring is on her way and we are eager to greet her. None of us are really fans of winter, so basically for half the year out here, we are sad and indoors. Now, we are planting seeds, repotting plants, getting ready to butcher turkeys, getting ready to buy some new fruit trees and trying to get the ground prepared for planting. We are hoping to buy a lamb that a friend will raise for us this next year, and possibly even go in with them on a milk cow to get fresh milk each day.
We've also been busy with house projects and organization. We have some trouble areas, and are trying to get on top of them, along with ongoing projects that need to be finished. The goal is to have our house as we want it within the next two years. That way, either we have a house we like and can continue living in it as we wish, or we can sell it and move on to another property that better suits us. So, we sort of have a hard deadline. What we're short of is time to work on the house. We're thinking Rich is going to have to take some vacation time and just stay home so we can get them finished.
In any case, here is the menu for the week. I don't think we have any repeats. There is a great deal of excitement this week, as we open birthday season in our family. Amira turns eight this weekend. Her birthday party will be Sunday, with her little lady friends arriving for a luncheon with fancy party sandwiches, potato salad, raspberry milk, a chocolate layer cake with raspberry filling and frosted with whipped cream and cream cheese frosting and tea to drink with it. Rich asked if he could come to the party, and I said he could if he wore a hat and white gloves. I believe there will be a viewing of Anne of Green Gables and much giggling as well.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Hard Boiled Eggs, Pita Bread, Satsumas, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Grilled Pizzas, Sliced Oranges - Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Dates, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Eggplant Gratin with Tomatoes and Feta - Tuesday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Sliced Oranges, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Four Cheese Lasagna, Garlic Bread - Wednesday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Sliced Oranges, Tea & Honey
Dinner: Winter Vegetable Pie, Fruit Plate - Thursday
Breakfast: Creamed Eggs with Toast Fingers, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Roasted Salmon with White Wine Sauce, Steamed Potatoes and Green Beans with Butter and Herbs - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Oranges, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Tomato Dal (using olive oil in place of butter), Brown Rice - Saturday
Breakfast: Whole Wheat and Oat Breakfast Cake, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Cashew and Bean Stew, Cornbread
Labels: Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Lent, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Ramblings
So far this Lent, we've seen one of our children grow incredibly already. Dominic chose to give up leisure reading for Lent. We have talked about how the things we give up for Lent are not bad or unlawful things (or we couldn't freely pick them up again at the end of Lent), but good things to which we have too strong an attachment. Things that draw us away from God, from the people we are to love and serve and that keep us from doing as we ought. Dominic is a great reader, as am I. He loves books. That is something we have in common. However, he is often distracted by his reading from doing the things he knows he ought, or from even hearing instruction. I did not ask him to do this, or even suggest it as one of a number of options, Rich never had that talk with him. All we said was to be thinking of what to give up for Lent, and a brief overview of the purpose and similar summary to what I wrote above.
As we were getting ready to leave last week, I was gathering library books to take back and asked if the children were finished reading a few of them. Dominic told me he wasn't, but to take them back anyway. I was a little surprised at this and asked why, since he hadn't read them yet, and he said that was what he had given up for Lent. He was able to make a good examination of self and determine that this is something that draws him from greater good. We were rather proud that he thought this through so well and came up with it on his own.
On the other hand, we have a child who is our little legalist. She is so concerned with the rules and the minutiae of the rules. This is not entirely bad. She wants to follow the rules and do what is right, which is more than admirable. She is the girl who was concerned that we were breaking the Lenten laws when her two year old sister gave out imaginary cookies to us all last year during Lent. So, this year, she told me she wanted to go a step further than she had last year. Instead of giving up only board games, she wanted to give up all the games. I understood her to mean that she was going to forgo board games, puzzles, etc, that were in our game boxes. We had a sad surprise this weekend when we were able to visit with some friends whose youngest son is about her age. She came down close to tears to ask Rich what to do about playing a game with him, as she had given it up for Lent. Further questions led us to understand that she intended to give up all games of play, video, tag, board, puzzles, all of it. She is seven. Rich told me to have a little theological chat with our daughter, once our friends had left. So, I did. I explained that while it was admirable and touching that she was willing to sacrifice so much and that she wanted to stretch herself that since she was so young, she wasn't required to give up anything, it was just a practice we wanted her to get used to doing, that it was too much for someone so young to give up playing entirely, that playing was part of how children learn, that neither God, nor we, wanted her to be miserable for seven weeks to prove anything. She replied tearfully that she thought we were supposed to do hard things. I told her we were supposed to challenge ourselves as a discipline, but that this was too strict. Our fasting and sacrifices were to model ourselves on the Lord and to remind us how we need God. We suggested that she back off and think of something else to give up, or specifically designate games she would give up, Rich suggested giving up riding her bike if she wanted to do something hard, but not overly taxing and demanding. She agreed to change her plan, and is now abstaining from bike riding instead.
As we were getting ready to leave last week, I was gathering library books to take back and asked if the children were finished reading a few of them. Dominic told me he wasn't, but to take them back anyway. I was a little surprised at this and asked why, since he hadn't read them yet, and he said that was what he had given up for Lent. He was able to make a good examination of self and determine that this is something that draws him from greater good. We were rather proud that he thought this through so well and came up with it on his own.
On the other hand, we have a child who is our little legalist. She is so concerned with the rules and the minutiae of the rules. This is not entirely bad. She wants to follow the rules and do what is right, which is more than admirable. She is the girl who was concerned that we were breaking the Lenten laws when her two year old sister gave out imaginary cookies to us all last year during Lent. So, this year, she told me she wanted to go a step further than she had last year. Instead of giving up only board games, she wanted to give up all the games. I understood her to mean that she was going to forgo board games, puzzles, etc, that were in our game boxes. We had a sad surprise this weekend when we were able to visit with some friends whose youngest son is about her age. She came down close to tears to ask Rich what to do about playing a game with him, as she had given it up for Lent. Further questions led us to understand that she intended to give up all games of play, video, tag, board, puzzles, all of it. She is seven. Rich told me to have a little theological chat with our daughter, once our friends had left. So, I did. I explained that while it was admirable and touching that she was willing to sacrifice so much and that she wanted to stretch herself that since she was so young, she wasn't required to give up anything, it was just a practice we wanted her to get used to doing, that it was too much for someone so young to give up playing entirely, that playing was part of how children learn, that neither God, nor we, wanted her to be miserable for seven weeks to prove anything. She replied tearfully that she thought we were supposed to do hard things. I told her we were supposed to challenge ourselves as a discipline, but that this was too strict. Our fasting and sacrifices were to model ourselves on the Lord and to remind us how we need God. We suggested that she back off and think of something else to give up, or specifically designate games she would give up, Rich suggested giving up riding her bike if she wanted to do something hard, but not overly taxing and demanding. She agreed to change her plan, and is now abstaining from bike riding instead.
Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Lent
Monday, February 27, 2012
Menu Plan: February 26 - March 3
In any case, this week has a couple repeats, as we were able to take a last minute trip to the west side and get a retreat (which is why I didn't really get to any menu planning until this morning). Rich had a couple meetings on that side of the mountains and we turned it into a weekend trip for all of us. This week, being our first full week of Lent, we are not eating any meat except for Sunday, though we're still eating fish, eggs and dairy. Since Wednesdays and Fridays are always meatless, we are eating no fish, eggs or dairy on those days during Lent. This is our first year of trying to observe a more traditional Lenten fast - we've been easing into it over the past several years.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Dirty Eggs with Sausage, Potatoes and Onions, Toast, Sliced Oranges, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Pepperoni Pizza with Sliced Tomatoes - Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Brown Sugar, Sliced Pears, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Torteggas, Pomelo - Tuesday
Breakfast: Feta with Za'atar and Olive Oil, Toast, Grapefruit Halves, Tea & Honey
Dinner: Potato Pancakes with Avocado Mash and Eggs, Sliced Oranges - Wednesday
Breakfast: Veggie Hash, Tea & Honey
Dinner: Rajma Bean Curry, Brown Rice, Fruit Plate - Thursday
Breakfast: Tunisian Shakshouka with Sweet Potatoes, Tea & Honey
Dinner: Creamy Vegetable Cheese Chowder, Spelt Rolls - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Oranges, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Falafel, Baba Ghanooj, Harissa, Pita Bread - Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Fish Tacos with Salsa and Guacamole, Sliced Oranges
Labels: Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Lent, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday
We had a great Mardi Gras at our house last night. We invited another family we know from homeschooling over (funny story, this other couple and I grew up in the same town, graduated in the same year, were friends with some of the same people and went to rival high schools, but did not know each other and met here) and we ate and ate and ate until we could eat no more. I actually had Rich pack up my last doughnut to freeze, because I just could not eat even one more. I made yeast risen potato doughnuts (recipe to follow) with lemon glaze and some Tunisian doughnuts some of which we rolled in cinnamon sugar and the rest we filled with strawberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar.
Rich got a little creative in the shaping of some of the doughnuts and we joked that we could tell our friends that they were the traditional Mardi Gras shape of the doughnuts and that they had to be eaten in a special, ritual manner, and since they did not come from a liturgical tradition, they'd have no idea. We didn't, because of the whole dishonesty issue and we thought it would be a mean trick. But we told them of our plan when they came in the door, they thought it was hilarious. So all of us gorged ourselves and the children were thrilled because they could eat as many doughnuts as they wanted and play outside even after it was late and stay up playing games with their friends.
Which brings us to today.
This is a more difficult Ash Wednesday for me than it has been in a long time. Maybe the most difficult. Normally, I look forward to Lent with its sacrifice, penance, self-examination and even the fast. It is a time to prepare for the resurrection, for judgment, a time set aside to pray and fast and be tempted as our Lord was. Even when I can't participate in the fast, I take it as a time of spiritual discipline, growth and learning, usually substituting some other penance for the fast. This year, I found myself resenting the idea of the fast. It finally occurred to me that it was because I wouldn't have been fasting if we hadn't lost Rayan. Even though I normally miss the fast when I don't do it, this year my participation is tied to losing our baby. It is just another way the grief sneaks up on me. On top of all of this, three of our children are pretty much down for the count (two were a bit lethargic yesterday, one improved, the other worsened and two more were down today), so we are not likely to make it to the Imposition of Ashes tonight. I may go by myself anyway; I think I need it.
However, since we take Lent (and Advent) as a time in our school year to focus more on our religious instruction, we are still doing several things to impart the meaning of Lent to the children and prepare them for the Paschal feast and mystery. We are again making our crown of thorns:
We will be planting our own Golgotha, which should be green by the time Pascha arrives. We're also using paint chips to count down the days until Pascha, matching the colors on the strand to the liturgical colors. This will be our second year of doing 40 bags in 40 days as well, by which we sort through our home to find a bag each day of things that can be given to others to bless them, while also doing a little Lenten cleaning and decluttering, helping us to detach from the things in this world.
God always teaches me something new, and usually not what I prepare myself for, each Lent. Please pray that my eyes and heart would be open to Him. If I have sinned against you or offended you in any way this year, please forgive me and pray for me, a sinner.
Labels: Ash Wednesday, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Lent
Monday, February 20, 2012
Menu Plan: Ash Wednesday & the First Week of Lent
- Sunday
Breakfast: Dirty Eggs with Hamburger, Potatoes and Onions, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Chocolate Chip Cookies and Milk (yes, really) - Monday
Breakfast: Waffles with Syrup, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Grilled Cheeseburgers with all the Fixings, Fresh Orange Cookies - Tuesday - Fat Tuesday
Breakfast: Fried Eggs with Bacon, Tea & Honey
Dinner: Enchiladas Blancas, Salsa Rice, Refried Black Beans, Doughnuts - Wednesday - Ash Wednesday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Grapefruit Halves, Tea & Honey
Dinner: Pea and Potato Soup, Spelt Rolls - Thursday
Breakfast: Veggie Hash, Sliced Apples, Tea & Honey
Dinner: Pasta et Fagioli, Sliced Oranges - Friday
Breakfast: Semolina Porridge with Dried Cranberries and Cranberry Syrup, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Falafel, Pita Bread, Veggies and Olives, Tabbouleh - Saturday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Raisins and Brown Sugar, Tea & Honey
Dinner: Rajma Bean Curry, Brown Rice, Fruit Plate
Labels: Ash Wednesday, Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Lent, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen
Monday, February 13, 2012
Menu Plan: February 12 - February 18
- Sunday
Breakfast: Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Corn and Chard Stacked Enchiladas, Salsa Rice - Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Raisins and Brown Sugar, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Indian Fry Bread Tacos with Slow Cooker Beef Machacas, Black Beans, Sliced Oranges - Tuesday
Breakfast: Heart Pancakes, Cranberry Syrup, Bacon Hearts, Milk & Coffee
Dinner: Chicken Fried Steak, Gravy, Biscuits, Roasted Broccoli, Baked Apples - Wednesday
Breakfast: Tunisian Shakshouka (using sweet potatoes), Grapefruit Halves, Tea & Honey
Dinner: Eggs in Purgatory, Linguine with Melted Onions, Roasted Asparagus - Thursday
Breakfast: Veggie & Sausage Hash, Sliced Apples, Tea & Honey
Dinner: Chicken and Prosciutto Tortelloni in Tomato Broth, Garlic Bread, Sliced Oranges - Friday
Breakfast: Cherry Almond Granola, Yogurt & Honey, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Vegetables Jalfrezi (using the veggies in the fridge and garbanzo beans), Cous Cous - Saturday
Breakfast: Creamed Eggs, Toast Fingers, Tea & Honey
Dinner: Turkey Tamal, Broccoli Salad
Labels: Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen
