We have four of the kids out of the house this week. I am already anticipating that we will be pushing aside several of these meals because I don't know how to cook for only four people. Yasmina is at camp for her birthday, which delights her, but makes me a little sad to miss her on that day.

It is also Vacation Bible School week, so I will be shuttling back and forth to that. It also means that I won't have lunchtime for eating up leftovers, as they serve lunch there.

Aside from all that, I will be trying to catch up on decluttering, stock making, and canning. With most of the kids gone from home this week, it will be quiet here, but I hope that allows me some rest and work that I really need.

Our church family is really wonderful. All I had to provide for dinner tonight, after a challenging week, which included me cutting off part of the tip of my left index finger, and loads of extra cooking, was a simple, slow baked beef dish. Everyone else took care of the rest. I cannot express how grateful I am for how they take care of us.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Leftover Blackberry Cobbler, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Slow Cooked Chuck Roast, Rice, Roasted Vegetables, Potato Salad, Apricot Crisp
• Monday
  Breakfast: Leftover Apricot Crisp, Sliced Cantaloupe, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Chipotle Beef, Polenta Stuffed Poblanos with Tomato Sauce, Cuban Salad, Leftover Desserts
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Yogurt and Rhubarb Preserves, Sliced Honeydew, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Shrimp Burgers, Steam Sautéed Zucchini and Corn, Limoncello Crème Brûlée
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Lenten French Toast, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey, and Coffee
  Dinner: East African Pilau, Portuguese Marinated Carrots, Sliced Honeydew
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Cherries, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Red Chile Chicken, Cilantro Garlic Lime Rice, Spicy Refried Beans, Fried Peppers and Onions, Tortillas, Salsa, Crema, Lime Cookies
• Friday - Feast of Saint Benedict of Nursia
  Breakfast: Tomato Toast, Cherries, Tea with Honeybr> Dinner: Spanish Poor Man's Potatoes, Spanish Farmer's Rice, Green Salad, Fruit Plate
• Saturday - Feast of Saint Paisios of Mount Athos
  Breakfast: Bacon Stuffed Savory Griddle Cakes, Oranges, Sahlab, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Duck Shawerma, Saj, Lettuce, Sumac Onions, French Fries, Tourshi, Toum, Taratoor, Duqqus, Turkish Stuffed Apricots

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, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen