We got a little bit more on track this past week, and are looking to be more so this week. We begin with Alexander's birthday and end with the anniversary of Rich and my first date. It's a good week.

The geese, turkeys, and roosters are on death row this week. We have cleared out the freezer a bit, made room, and are getting ready to fill it with delicious birds. We even moved things around so the meats I will need for the next month will be closer to the top of our chest freezer. Poor Rich will spend part of our anniversary day on the butchering, but we will get to have a lovely evening that night. We were able to go to a wedding last night, and there was dancing, so that was lovely.

I know that times are tight for folks. My hope is that these menu plans, and how I choose meals and cook from our freezers and pantries will give you ideas on how to provide well for your families with what you have and little expense. This is the first time I have tried to plan meals over a month, and I think it probably wouldn't work that well in the late spring and summer, just because of how we get so much fresh produce and so on, but in the fall and winter, it's really not too bad. I'm leaving room for side dishes and other elements to change, but mostly I am looking at what is in our freezers and pantries and planning from there. Now, I'm looking to November, and getting a start on my planning for next month, as well.

So, I am making a meal on Saturday that almost makes me hang my head in shame. It is not Mexican in any way. My kids call them white people enchiladas. That is not untrue. The recipe I first started with included cream of something soup. They do have chile in the sauce, and they are filled tortillas, but that is all that ties them to enchiladas. Likewise, the rice I am making is just similar to some of the flavors in Mexican food, it's not actually Mexican, but there you have it. They are tasty dishes, even if they aren't Mexican. I just don't know what to call them. Usually, I try to make things at least close to how they should be made, and I made these closer to real Mexican and real food than the recipe I was given.

Anyway, we are trucking right along on the property and in life, and enjoying the fall weather while we have it (I'm ignoring the fact that the mornings and nights are closer to winter). Next week, Amelia turns one, and we are so excited! May your week be as joyous.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Savory Parmesan French Toast with Hollandaise Sauce, Bananas (Apples for Jerome), Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Roast Pork Loin, Roasted Potatoes, Salad, Apple Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Drizzle
• Monday
  Breakfast: Yogurt and Preserves, Toast, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Ham and Beans, Baked Potatoes, Grapes
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Fried Halloum, Sliced Tomatoes, Rolls, Grapes, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Creamy Chicken Poblano, Quick and Dirty Mexican Rice, Salad/Fruit/Dessert brought by Bible study members
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Chopped Apples, Cinnamon, Brown Sugar and Coconut Milk, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Thai Red Curry Noodles with Shrimp and Vegetables, Fruit Plate
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Greek Grilled Cheese Toast, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Indian Tomato and Coriander Chicken, Jasmine Rice, Plums
• Friday - Feast of Saint Edward the Confessor
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Green Split Pea Curry, Jasmine Rice, Salad, Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Crème Brûlée French Toast, Sausages, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: White Enchiladas, "Mexican" Rice Pilaf, Fruit Plate

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, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Romance and Relationship, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen