Our yummy birds are in the freezer! Hooray! We still have more birds to butcher, but it turned out we had more than 15 excess roosters. So, the geese and turkeys get a reprieve until next month. There is just not time enough to do it this month. We will continue to eat from our freezers, and that will make more room, as well. I have to say that I am relieved at this, because the price of meat at the grocery store is ridiculous, and it isn't nearly as good a quality of what we produce here or get from our neighbors.

We have a busy weekend, so I have meals planned that can be made by just about anyone in the household, and don't take too much time to prepare. Either they cook a long time on their own, or they are both quick to make and cook.

Also, this week is Amelia's first birthday!!! We are so thrilled, and can't wait to give her presents and watch her eat cake! Actually, this is a week of birthdays. Our godson has his birthday on the Feast of Saint Luke, and a neighbor has a birthday this weekend.

Our kids have an opportunity to have a teen/young adult retreat with the Orthodox churches in our area coming up, and Nejat is the only one too young to go! That is a new phase of our lives. We will basically be on our own while the oldest five attend.

It is rather interesting to be at this stage of life, with half adult children, and more teens and young adults than littles. Some of the people I am friends with are younger than my oldest kids. Some people we do business with are. We don't have anyone under 10, we don't have anyone who is completely dependent (if anything, they are pushing for more independence than either they are ready for or we are). So much of what parenting meant to us is no longer applicable anymore, and we are having to learn a new way of being parents.

Last night, Rich and I went out for the anniversary of our first date. We could leave the kids with a couple recipes and basic instructions and then go with no trouble. Both of us were super exhausted, because he had spent the day butchering, and I had spent the day pattern writing and doing some food preparations. We went, ate delicious food (though Rich said the down side was that the kids were eating better food at home) and we talked and did some word games, and it was super low key, but it was good.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Crème Brûlée French Toast, Sausages, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Baked Potato Bar with Chili, Cheese, Sour Cream, Salsa, Red Onions, Avocado, Scallions, Cilantro, Fruit Plate
• Monday
  Breakfast: Mesfouf, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Indian Tomato and Coriander Chicken, Rice, Plums
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Feta, Tomatoes, Za’atar and Olive Oil, Toast, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Not Texas Chili, Cornbread, Chopped Red Onion, Cilantro, Avocado, Cheese, Sour Cream
• Wednesday - Feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Raisins, Brown Sugar and Coconut Milk, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Vegan Egyptian Mahshi, Turmeric Rice, Duqqus, Beet and Herb Salad
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Vegetable Potato Hash with Fried Eggs, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Thai Red Curry Chicken and Rice Casserole, Chopped Salad with Sesame Citrus Dressing, Fruit
• Friday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Slow Cooker Minestrone, Rolls, Fruit
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Baked French Toast, Peaches, Milk and Tea
  Dinner: Carnitas, Beans, Mexican Rice, Tortillas, Salsas

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Birthday, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen