Sunday, November 02, 2025
Menu Plan: November 2 - 8 (All Souls and End of Hallowtide)
On this final day of the feasts and commemorations of Hallowtide, we pray for all our friends and family who have passed, whether we know them to be in faith or not. We ask for God's mercy and justice and that He bring them to His throne. We have no other major feasts this week, and only one big event during the week, which makes our quotidian life a little easier.
Tonight at church, the bishop will be there, along with a priest from the Sudanese church and some of his parishioners, and our deacon. We are having a feast and the parish is really stepping up to bring a lovely spread to celebrate with our clergy.
This is the final week of our homeschool co-op, and we have a lovely potluck planned for our end of session. Since I am still making too much food with another bird out of the nest, I have two days of leftovers planned this week. Lately, it's been once a week, but I know I will be tired after the potluck and just going to use the leftovers for our dinner, and we can supplement with fruit and so on.
Our meals this week are mostly Arabic and Indian in style, but this morning's breakfast was all American. Well, Rich says that by sautéeing peppers and onions and garlic, using hot peppers at all, and fresh tomatoes made it a little less American, but we did eat it with tortilla chips and Doritos, so that saved it. Even if we actually used crema instead of sour cream.
My trip is coming up soon, and I am busy trying to plan meals for the whole time I am gone, so it is simpler for the kids and Rich. I have told him that he will have to make the Initial Cookies for St. Nicholas' Day that I normally make. I am going to miss nearly all of Advent with the family, though they said they would facetime me for morning prayers and our evening Advent wreath lighting and prayers. Please pray for us all, for my safe travel, for the family at home, and that all goes well and smoothly.
- Sunday - Memorial of All Souls
Breakfast: Nacho Breakfast, Milk, Coffee and Tea
Dinner: Garlic Rib Roast, Scalloped Potatoes, Arabic Style Rice Pilaf, Three Green Salads, Macaroni Salad, Fried Chicken, Brie and Crackers, Vegetable Plates, Fruit Plates, Spice Cake, Leftover Halloween Chocolate - Monday
Breakfast: Steak and Eggs, Sliced Watermelon, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Leftovers, Fruit Platter - Tuesday
Breakfast: Rice Pudding with Dried Cherries and Coconut, Milk, Tea and Coffee
Dinner: Saleeq, Steam Sautéed Carrots with Garlic and Dill, Pluots - Wednesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Raisins and Cinnamon, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Roasted Onion Curry, Basmati Rice, Sliced Watermelon - Thursday
Breakfast: Leftover Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins (Scrambled Eggs for Jerome), Bacon, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Mughlai Paneer Curry, Basmati Rice, Pluots - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast and Honey, Sliced Apples, (Fruit Yogurt for Jerome), Tea with Honey
Dinner: Leftovers from Co-Op Potluck - Saturday
Breakfast: Fried Eggs, Sausage Patties, Home Fries, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Lebanese Roasted Stuffed Onions, Basmati Rice, Duqqus, Mafrouka
Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, October 26, 2025
Menu Plan: October 26 - November 1 (All Hallow's Eve and Feast of All Saints)
We are entering the three day observance of Hallowtide. While there is fun with Halloween (Hallow's Even), we also remember those of our Christian brethren who have gone before us and are praying at the throne of God on the Feast of All Saints. We pray for the souls of all who have died and ask God to save them on the Commemoration of All Souls (on Sunday, November 2). The dates for these are different in the East than in the West, but that difference was observed even when the Church was unified.
We have had an extended fall here, so while we still have mornings below freezing, our daytime temperatures are still liveable, and our trees didn't get suddenly frozen before they could change colors. I am trying to appreciate that. Fall is difficult for me here, as it is a reminder of the impending misery of winter.
Because of that extended season, though, we have been able to continue putting more food up than we normally can at this time of year. That is a blessing. It is good to remember those blessings. In honor of that harvest time, we are hosting another Melting Pot-Luck as our way of propagating positive interactions with our neighbors. I'm not making the German food this time, just the Arabic food: Waraq 'Ounab, Baba Ghanooj, Khoubz Araby, Duqqus, and maybe Basbousa.
Jerome will be with some friends a state over this weekend, so we are a little freer to make foods with gluten and that don't need to be easily eaten by someone on a no-chew diet. I am also getting ready for a long trip. It is the longest I've ever been away from the kids and longer than Rich and I have been apart since we were married. I'm super excited, though sad that we couldn't manage to bring everyone. Anyway, I'm preparing the house, meal planning, showing Rich how I do the shopping and why, as well as trying to have things ready for the kids while I am gone. I will be home for Christmas, but Rich is taking care of a lot that I normally do. We are having our Thanksgiving dinner the Saturday before Thanksgiving, because of the preparations I need to make for my trip, though. Please pray for safe travel, for my family while I am gone, and that all goes well for everyone.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Breakfast Burritos, Plums, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Eggplant and Lamb Casserole with Yogurt Topping, Baba Ghanooj and Tamis, Sides/Salads/Desserts from Parish - Monday
Breakfast: Granola Bars and Yogurt, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Leftovers, Pineapple - Tuesday - Feast of Saints Simon and Jude
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Sausage, Toast, Grapefruit Halves, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Beef, Pepper and Eggplant Stir Fry, Jasmine Rice, Fruit Plate - Wednesday
Breakfast: Tomato Toast, Grapefruit Halves, Tea and Coffee
Dinner: Zaalouk*, Rice, Sliced Watermelon - Thursday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Spinach and Cheese, Home Fries, Plums, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Arabic Beef and Vegetable Soup, Tamis, Pluots - Friday - Vigil of All Hallows' Eve
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast and Honey, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Roasted Cauliflower and Eggplant, Mount Athos Tomato Rice, Pluots - Saturday - Feast of All Saints
Breakfast: Apple Bourbon French Toast, Sausage Patties, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pepperoni, Pepper, Pineapple, Olive, Red Onion and Tomato Pizzas (GF Pizza Soup for Jerome) and Leftovers from our Melting Pot-Luck
Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, October 29, 2023
Menu Plan: All Saints and All Souls
The hard freeze has arrived. We had temperatures in the teens the last two mornings, in the 20s the few days before that, and there was even a little snow in town last week. Rich and the kids harvested all the rest of the garden and we are eating loads of fresh food, and preserving some, so this week is a lot of garbage management in our meals.
We remember all the saints who have gone before us this week, as well as praying for the souls of all who have passed. As we get older, that list gets longer, and I ask you, in your mercy, to pray for my grandparents, uncles and aunts.
As we are still cooking our of our freezers, we are discovering some things that somehow were missed in inventorying, but that makes our busy week a little simpler. There was meat sauce in the freezer, and some chicken and rice from a meal some time back, and both are being used in meals to free up our time a bit. Our next butchering is in about three weeks, and Advent begins three weeks after that, so the meat is getting used to make room for more meat. We may have an opportunity to get two piglets to raise over winter, and then butcher in the late spring. We really hope that comes through, because home raised pork is so much better than what is at the store. We are waiting for some information about them to determine if we will butcher in the spring or use them as a breeding pair and butcher in the late fall.
There is so much preparation for the cold that is still not finished, so this week is also about putting plastic insulation over some of our windows, chopping more fire wood, and taking care of hoses, spigots, and so on outside.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Dirty Eggs with Veggies and French Fries, Toast, Stewed Plums, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Instant Pot Spaghetti with Best Meat Sauce Ever, Green Salad with Red Wine and Herb Vinaigrette, Garlic Bread - Monday>
Breakfast: Vegetable Hash, Soda Bread, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Meatloaf Train, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots, Corn on the Cob - Tuesday - Eve of the Feast of All Saints
Breakfast: Irish Potato Farls, Fried Eggs, Bacon, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Moroccan Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, Cous Cous, Fried Peppers and Onions - Wednesday - Feast of All Saints
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Apples and Pecans, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Layered Tortilla Casserole with Pinto Beans and Corn, Mexican Rice, Poblano Cashew Cream, Avocado Salsa - Thursday - Comemoration of All Souls
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Chicken and Rice from freezer, Roasted Corn on the Cob, Green Salad - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Slow Cooker Minestrone, Rolls, Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Biscuit Breakfast Bake with Ham, to break the fast after Liturgy
Dinner: Root Vegetable Gratin, Walnut, Bleu Cheese and Thyme Puff Pastry Twist, Arabic Pumpkin Pudding
Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen
Thursday, November 03, 2022
Menu Plan: Hallowtide
We have had such a busy time lately! So, you are getting our menu plan when we have eaten more than half of it.
Our neighborhood harvest dinner is this week, as is our co-op potluck, so we have a lot of outings and busy-ness. We also had three major commemorations this week, and just a lot happening with the family.
Two of our kids are out of town visiting friends, which has simultaneously made life more simple and more complicated (and also more quiet). I cooked a dinner using only a single recipe, with no doubling or anything, and had leftovers! We actually ate leftovers a lot this week, because I was still making enough for nine, and we only had seven, and the smaller of those seven, to boot. Please pray for our whole family, we've had some colds and other things come up this week. The hard freezes have arrived, also, later than normal, but hard as ever.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Dirty Eggs, Toast (Gluten-free Biscuits for Jerome), Apple Cider Doughnuts and Gluten-free Apple Fritters with Apple Cider Glaze, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Chicken Casserole à la Normande, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Raspberry Custard Pie with Hazelnut Crust (and made with tapioca starch) - Monday - Vigil of All Hallows' Eve
Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Leftovers, Fruit - Tuesday - Feast of All Saints
Breakfast: Tomato Toast with Za’atar and Olive Oil (Grain-free Granola and Coconut Milk for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Brudet (Croatian Seafood Stew), Ciabatta Rolls (Rosemary Almond Crackers for Jerome), Grapes - Wednesday - Memorial of All Souls
Breakfast: Scrambled Chickpea Wraps, Grapes, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Squash Soup with Lenten Pesto, Pepitas, Sliced Apples - Thursday
Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Excess Diced Apple Filling and Cider Glaze, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Korean Beef, Jasmine Rice, Stir Fried Garlic Chile Eggplant, Sliced Apples - Friday
Breakfast: Granola Bars, Pears, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Leftovers, Banadora Maghlieh, Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Chorizo Nacho Breakfast, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Hatch Chile Sausage and Bean Cassoulet, Indian Summer Gratin, Pear Almond Custard Pie
Labels: All Saints, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, November 28, 2021
Menu Plan: First Week of Advent - Hope
Happy New Year! It is the first Sunday of Advent, which is the Church's (in the West) New Year. In the West, we have a shorter fast and easier one than the East, so we will still be eating dairy and will have meat on Sundays.
Our Thanksgiving was fabulous thanks to my family pitching in, and several friends helping. One friend brought two pumpkin pies, which meant I only had to make one and the dairy-free one for Jerome, she also brought us a blackberry pie, stuffed mushrooms (including a few that were safe for Jerome), a breakfast casserole and sausages (that we had for breakfast today), a batch of homemade cranberry orange sauce, and a bag of homemade brownies. Another friend made a double batch of my sweet potato roll dough and refrigerated it so we wouldn't have to worry about it, and made us an apple pie and a chocolate silk pie, which also reduced the number of pies I had to make. Our friends' daughter (and our kids' friend), rolled out the pie crusts for me, and filled them, so all I had to do was seal and crimp them. Her mother had helped me make the pie crusts the day before, and both of them had helped prep vegetables for our meal. Amira invited a friend over at the last minute, and we were short a pie, but we had a bag of apple filling and a couple bags of pie crust still, so my friend and her daughter went to work rolling out dough and filling it so we would have the right number of pies. Our kids' godparents brought the cranberry horseradish relish, the friends who helped with the pies brought deviled eggs and a relish tray, another set of friends brought sautéed green beans. Someone misplaced (or broke in and stole only) our bag of wild rice, so we ended up with no dressing. Everyone was forgiving and full, however, so it was fine.
Nutcracker went well, it was a little rough at first, but came together beautifully. The girls are both exhausted and exhilarated. I have to say that I am glad for the three week break between this one and the next, however.
This week, we have the feast of Saint Barbara, which is really all about wheat and bread in the food department, so I am trying to figure out how to do it so Jerome can partake.
- Sunday - First Sunday of Advent
Breakfast: French Toast Casserole, Sausages (Scrambled Eggs and Sausage for Jerome), Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Thanksgiving Leftover Potluck at Church - Monday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese (Dairy-free for Jerome), Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Mediterranean Braised Vegetables, Rice, Chopped Salad - Tuesday - Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle
Breakfast: Arabic Rice Pudding with Rosewater and Pistachios (Dairy-free for Jerome), Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Vegetarian Pizza (Gluten-free and Dairy-free for Jerome) and Dessert Potluck for Going Away Party for friends - Wednesday
Breakfast: Scrambled Chick Peas with Onions and Peppers, Toast, Fruit Plate, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Cuban Black Beans, Arepas, Fruit - Thursday
Breakfast: Ful, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Chopped Tomatoes and Onions, Kalamata Olives, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Vegan Dan Dan Noodles, Mandarin Oranges - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Apples, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Bissara, Salatat Zeitoun, Tamis (Gluten-free bread for Jerome), Fruit Plate - Saturday - Feast of Saint Barbara
Breakfast: Saffron Buns for St. Barbara's Day (Gluten and Dairy-free for Jerome), Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Creamy Avocado Pasta with Cashews (Gluten-free pasta for Jerome), Qamhiyeh for St. Barbara's Day (small batch - we are trying to figure out if there is something we can substitute for Jerome)
Labels: Advent, All Saints, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen
Monday, November 22, 2021
Menu Plan: Thanksgiving Week
Please accept my apologies for my multiple week absence. Dominic came home from work with some serious illness and, while I had it easier than everyone else at first, my arrogance caught me, and they all got better and I got far, far worse. The silver lining is that I have lost about 20 pounds. I wouldn't recommend this method of weight loss, however. Please pray for my continual healing, and that we are spared serious illness through the rest of the winter.
Because I am still a little weak and get tired easily, we are cutting back a little on our Thanksgiving feast. Other people are bringing things and I have dropped about three or four things that we normally would have. Rich and the kids are doing the bulk of the cleaning and cooking, with my direction. A friend from my Bible study group offered to help cook some of it, too. We are blessed. We are making as many of the dishes safe for Jerome as we can, and a few with alternatives for him, but he is going to have to miss some of the feast. Also, Jerome gets to have eggs like a normal human being now, as he had no ill effects from reintroducing it over the past month, and he gets to start having chocolate introduced, which means he can have chocolate in his Saint Nicholas stocking! Glory to God!
It is also Nutcracker this weekend, so pray that my strength holds up for that. I help the girls with steaming their costumes and doing their makeup, and I usually end up sick on performance weekends. I am seeking assistance this time
- Sunday - Feasts of Christ the King and the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple
Breakfast: Egg and Cheese Croissants (Gluten-free Wraps for Jerome), Bananas (Apples for Jerome), Tea and Honey
Dinner: Wine Braised Cross Rib Roast, Cumin Roasted Carrots, Baked Potatoes, Herbed Bread - Monday
Breakfast: Cheese Croissants (Gluten-free and dairy-free for Jerome), Bananas (Apples for Jerome), Tea with Honey
Dinner: Ham Sandwiches, Pickles, Veggie Sticks, Fruit - Tuesday - Feast of Saint Clement of Rome
Breakfast: Zucchini Bread (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Cream Cheese (Dairy-free for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Garlic Shrimp in Coconut Milk and Tomatoes, Rice, Fruit - Wednesday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Peach Butter, Sliced Apples, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Fried Fish Fillets, Baked Potatoes, Steam Sautéed Carrots - Thursday - Feast of Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Breakfast: Farmer Casserole, (Scrambled Eggs and Sausage for Jerome), Mandarin Oranges, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Herb Roasted Turkey, Bourbon Gravy (Some Gluten-free), Garlic Mashed Potatoes (made dairy-free), Cranberry Horseradish Relish, Sweet Potato Rolls (1 batch Gluten-free), Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans, Wild Rice Dressing, Roasted Vegetables, Pumpkin Pies (1 Gluten-Free), Cranberry Cherry Pies, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, Apple Pies, Pear Pies, Apple-Pear Gluten-Free Pie, Quince Pies, Nantucket Cranberry Pie - Friday
Breakfast: Pie, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Turkey Sandwiches with Chipotle Mayonnaise and Celery Seed Dressing, Sliced Fruit - Saturday
Breakfast: Pie, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Leftovers
Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen, Thanksgiving
Sunday, October 31, 2021
Menu Plan: October 31 - November 6
The weather turned last week. It went from barely winter cold to frigid. We are not okay. In any case, I apologize for my absence the last two weeks. We had several trips, some with the kids, some just Rich and I, and life was a bit more complicated during that time. It was easier to just recap now.
I think we have finally figured out how to make enough for us, including some leftovers for lunch, but not so much that our fridge can barely hold them. This week, I am making a huge batch of the hamburger stew on Tuesday, though, so we can eat it again on Thursday. It doesn't seem to matter how much chili I make, we never have leftovers of that. Also, Jerome has started testing egg, with no trouble whatsoever! We are thrilled! It will make all meals easier and make his baked goods so much better, too. We're doing it by the books, and so it will be another three weeks before he starts eating them like normal. However, that will also make Thanksgiving much simpler for us all - and tastier for him. Speaking of Thanksgiving, we are doing a mini-Thanksgiving meal this week. Some friends of ours brokered the delivery of two large turkeys that needed some rehabilitation. To be honest, they hadn't been cared for that well, and had been kept in a cramped and confined space and showed it. Rich ended up butchering one right away, but we tried to see if we could save the other. After a week or so of trying and seeing some improvement, she started to decline again, and we had to put her in the freezer. Well, we are having the friends over who worked out the rescue deal on these turkeys, so they can enjoy the meal, as well.
- Sunday - Solemnity of the Eve of All Saints
Breakfast: Leftover Pancakes and Maple Syrup, Bacon, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Baked Potato Bar, Fruit Plate - Monday - Feast of All Saints
Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam (Coconut Milk Yogurt for Jerome), Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Tea with Honey
Dinner: Not Texas Chili, Cheese, Sour Cream, Onions, Gluten-free Vegan Cornbread, Fruit - Tuesday - Feast of All Souls
Breakfast: Polenta with Apples and Cinnamon Sugar, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Hamburger Stew, Shredded Cabbage and Carrot Slaw with Cumin Lime Dressing, Bread (Gluten-free Bread for Jerome), Fruit Plate - Wednesday
Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Bissara, Green Olive Salad, Tamis (Gluten-free Bread for Jerome), Fruit Plate - Thursday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Cheese (Scrambled Chickpeas for Jerome), Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Leftover Hamburger Stew, Bread, Fruit - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter and Honey on Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Garlic Shrimp in Coconut Milk and Tomatoes, Jasmine Rice, Fruit - Saturday
Breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Waffles (Gluten-free and Vegan for Jerome), Apple Cider Syrup, Bacon, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Cranberry Relish, Steam Sautéed Carrots, Quince Pie* (Gluten-free crust for Jerome)
Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, November 15, 2020
Menu Plan: November 15 - 21
We were able to have our lantern walk last week, which was wonderful! We did not knock on any doors, because our neighbors wouldn't have known what to do with us. But, we were able to talk about Saint Martin and the traditions around his feast, and take that walk with the kids, which was great.
This past week and this week are a hard time in our house. Today is the anniversary of the loss of Rayan, and while we rejoice to have a family saint praying for us and the world, it is still a grief we have, and Rich and I live always as expectant parents. This past Sunday was also the anniversary of my best friend's death, and Monday, we found out that my father had been hospitalized, a couple weeks after being diagnosed with Covid (despite isolating and masking constantly), for pneumonia, and then Wednesday, we found he had been moved to the ICU. We have heard no worse news, so we are hoping no news is good news right now. Please, in your mercy, keep him in your prayers.
In this last week before the big cooking week of Thanksgiving, we are enjoying a lot of things we won't after Thanksgiving, because of the Advent fast. We still haven't been able to find fresh pressed apple cider, which I use to make apple cider doughnuts, that I was hoping to make before the fast. I will make an extra batch for anyone who can get me some fresh pressed cider! Our family does not keep a very strict fast during Advent, but we struggle in our strength with the family of small children and life we have. You will see more vegetarian and fish meals over the weeks past Thanksgiving. We are also heading into more restrictions, so we have stocked up and are preparing. I am so grateful for the work of my husband and children in the garden and at the farm so we can have such a well stocked pantry and freezer. We are still eating garden tomatoes because of Rich storing all the ripe and nearly ripe ones in cold spots on our property where they won't freeze. Whatever we cannnot eat goes to the animals, but we are still able to make fresh salsas, eat tomato sandwiches for lunch, and more.
Because our life has been a bit harder lately, and the winter weather and darkness has brought with it some more exhaustion and stress, I have not been good at posting all the recipes here. I am sorry for that, and should have a couple posts up by tonight. Please keep your eyes open for them, but also please be patient with me. Thank you.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Croissants and Cheese, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Pomegranates - Monday
Breakfast: Toast with Labneh, Za'atar and Olive Oil, Kalamata Olives, Sliced Tomatoes, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Hot Dogs with Sauerkraut and Mustard, Baked Potatoes, Fruit Plate - Tuesday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Duck, Sausage and Bacon Cassoulet, Salad, Ciabatta Rolls, Sliced Melon - Wednesday
Breakfast: Ful, Duqqus, Toast, Fruit Plate, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Chili Cheese Fries, Fruit Salad - Thursday
Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Cinnamon Sugar, Chopped Apples and Raisins, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Layered Mexican Casserole, Salsa Rice, Chopped Pineapple - Friday
Breakfast: Zucchini Bread, Fruit, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Soparnik, Grilled Potato and Spring Onion Salad, Fruit Salad - Saturday - Feast of the Entrance of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Breakfast: Waffles with Maple Syrup, Bacon, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Leftover Meatloaf, Garlic Green Beans, Tater Tots
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. Linking to Menu Plan Monday
Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Quarantine, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, November 08, 2020
November 8 - 14
This past week was rather interesting, wasn't it? We are doing fine here, warm house, and some good news for me as a designer. Our oldest two boys both have jobs now, and we are trucking along on our schooling, though everything seems to be taking a lot more time than it should, and the blog has suffered because of it. I'm trying to catch up on recipes, as well as re-inserting photos. Since we moved the shakshouka to this week, I will post that recipe this week, along with one for taratoor. That one really is a guideline, and is made largely to taste.
We have had some great deals on some fun foods at our grocery stores, and I am looking forward to using them in our menus over the next few weeks. I am also really excited about Thanksgiving, even if it will be a little smaller this year. This is a great time to stock up on inexpensive or free turkeys and hams, and we already have two in our freezer (plus one we butchered of our own). I expect to get at least two or three more this month, and maybe some whole turkey breasts and hams. Even if you can't get a free one, the discounted prices often offered are usually around $0.25 - $0.50 per pound, and it is pretty hard to find any protein at that price, so we always fill our freezers at this time of year. If you can get multiples for free, I would encourage you to also see if you can donate to a food bank or a friend or neighbor in need, or a family that needs encouragement. The sale prices are so good, you might even be able to provide an entire meal for a family or two.
We will be home on Wednesday, and Rich has the day off of work, so we might actually be able to finally do a Saint Martin's lantern walk in our neighborhood. If you would like to make a special treat for that day, please take a look at the recipe for the rolls I am making for breakfast that morning.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese, Hard Boiled Eggs, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Greek Style Pizzas, Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette, Fruit Salad, Peppermint Mocha Ice Cream - Monday
Breakfast: Shakshouka*, Toast, Sliced Pears, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Cornmeal Waffles with Bacon, Scallions, Sour Cream, Cheese, and Salsa, Fruit - Tuesday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey and Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Mahshi Squash, Rice, Duqqus, Fruit Plate - Wednesday - Feast of Saint Martin of Tours
Breakfast: St. Martin's Day Almond Crescents, Fruit Plate, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Fresh Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Fruit - Thursday
Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Cinnamon Sugar, Chopped Apples and Raisins, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Macarona bi Béchamel*, Mashed Garlic Winter Squash, Sautéed Peppers, Onions, and Garlic, Fruit - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Cream of Poblano Soup with Crisp Fried Tortilla Strips, Cucumber Tomato and Onion Salad - Saturday
Breakfast: Fried Eggs, Tater Tots, Avocado and Toast, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Leftover Night
Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Quarantine, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, November 01, 2020
Menu Plan: November 1 - 7
Since Rich and I fell in love with Croatia, and especially the Dalmatian region, I have been trying to cook more of their food. I have been looking at a particular cookbook, but didn't buy it for ages. However, a cooking friend strongly recommended it, so I finally ordered it and it came Friday! We may be cooking through Dalmatia for quite a while. There were very few recipes that I thought we might not be able to get the ingredients for easily or that we wouldn't like. Their food is like the best of Mediterranean, Central European, and Central and Southwest Asian cooking all mixed together. I also have Croatian Desserts and I have been enjoying that for a little while, and will probably be trying some of those treats for All Saints, too.
We tried to have our All Hallow's Eve movie night, but were thwarted by the movies not coming to us in time, and none of the ones we wanted were available for streaming anywhere. So, the oldest kids set up a candy scavenger hunt for our youngest three, and we gorged ourselves on candy and spent a little time at the Grocery Outlet, with their generous fun, and had a few friends over for an easy dinner.
As today is the Feast of All Saints in the west, we are spending our day in prayer and remembrance, but also using it as a good excuse to eat some more treats. It is also the anniversary of Nejat's baptism Monday, on the day after the Feast of All Souls. We have a lot of blessings in our home this week. The weather warmed up a tiny bit just before the big cold hits us again. We are bundling up and preparing here. I wish you a blessed week!
Just an administrative note: I am going back through my posts from this year to re-enter photos that cannot be hotlinked from Instagram any longer. I'm starting with more recent posts and going backward.
- Sunday - Feast of All Saints
Breakfast: Biscuit, Egg, Cheese and Sausage Breakfast Casserole, Raspberries and Cream, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Rouz Bedoui, Duqqus, Lentil, Apple and Pomegranate Salad, Spiced Roasted Squash Slices, Key Lime Pie* with Coconut Macadamia Crust and Chantilly Cream - Monday - Feast of All Souls
Breakfast: Shakshouka*, Toast, Sliced Pears, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: BLT Sandwiches, Pickles, Veggie Sticks, Pomegranates - Tuesday
Breakfast: Fried Ham and Potato Hash, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Lemon Za'atar Chicken and Potatoes, Summer Squash Fritters, Marinated Beets and Onions, Duqqus, Fruit Salad - Wednesday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Tomato Fritters, Battatas Harra, Roasted Squash with Tahina and Pine Nuts - Thursday
Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Cinnamon Sugar, Chopped Apples and Raisins, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Cornbread with Sausage and Sausage Gravy, Mashed Garlic Winter Squash - Friday
Breakfast: Zucchini Bread with Cream Cheese, Sliced Pears, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Loaded Black Bean Nachos with Mixed Greens, Salsa, Sour Cream and Guacamole, Melon Salad - Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Sausages, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Poached Chicken with Olives, Croatian Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cranberry Pear Tart with Almond Cream
Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Quarantine, Tales from the Kitchen
Tuesday, November 01, 2016
Menu Along: Thriller, Saint Nicholas and All Saints
While I wish I could say I finished Nejat's blanket, all I've been working on is Saint Nicholas. Aside from the fact that I need to get a finished photo to the editor, I realized that I wanted to include this design in the 2016 Indie Designer Gift-a-Long, and that means it needs to be published no later than November 12. Yikes! So, I'm hustling. In between taking care of the eleventy billion things going on at home, with the kids, in our neighborhood, and so on. This also means that my photo is from this past Saturday instead of yesterday or today, so there is actually more knit now.
Rich and I are still reading Hillbilly Elegy. It's slow going, because we are reading it aloud in bed, and only when we are not too exhausted to read.
After finishing Persuasion with the kids for their literature, we took another turn at Life, the Universe, and Everything
for fun. We're just about finished, and will move on to the fifth book of the increasingly ill named trilogy.
Also posting to Keep Calm and Craft On and Yarn Fanatic.
We have been slammed over the past couple
Today, though, Kim is on my mind. Along with all the people we love who have died to this world in the love and faith of God, she is on my mind especially on this All Saints' Feast. We are thankful for all those who have gone before us, who lived as examples of the life of Christ, and whose work continues as they pray for us in the presence of God. We also pray for all those who have passed that they might find eternal rest and joy in the resurrection. One thing we always try to do is to listen to the Litany of the Saints. Our children love to listen for their names. They usually hear the litany at three liturgies of the year, unless there is a funeral mass. But each year we play it on the feast of All Saints.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon Sugar, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Penne with Meat Sauce, Caesar Salad, Italian Bread, Pumpkin Cupcakes - Monday
Breakfast: Toast with Feta, Tomatoes, Za'atar and Olive Oil, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Takeout Pizza (We had two vouchers for a free giant sized that we used, since we knew we'd be late with the whole Thriller performance thing), Salad - Tuesday - Feast of All Saints
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Leftover Poundcake, Sliced Asian Pears, Coffee and Milk
Dinner: Fancy Hot Dogs, Egg Noodles, Salad - Wednesday - Commemoration of All Souls Departed
Breakfast: Chilaquiles with Poblanos and Onions, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: Cream of Onion Soup, Herbed Biscuits, Winter Carrot Slaw - Thursday
Breakfast: BLTs, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Arabian Spaghetti (with Lamb), Slow Sauteed Green Beans - Friday
Breakfast: Cold Cereal and Milk, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pasta with Sardines, Leftover Slaw - Saturday
Breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Waffles with Butter, Bacon, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Enchiladas Blancas, Black Beans, Salsa Rice, Salad, Ice Cream
Labels: All Saints, Books, Church Year, Design, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Knitting, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen, Yarn Along
Monday, November 02, 2015
Menu Plan: November 1 - 7
We had a wonderful All Saints' celebration with a couple other homeschool families we know. There were 18! kids at our house carving pumpkins and turnips and eating tons of food and candy and apples as vehicles for caramel. There were six adults. I love that. Mostly the kids chose saint symbols and other such things for their saint-o-lanterns, but I forgot to take any pictures at all. We have a little less than three weeks until Advent begins again, and we're beginning to think of our reading and study and projects that will go on during that time.
Rich was able to finally find the right sized things (I don't know what they were) to stabilize our upper shelves in three of our cabinets in the kitchen, so we were able to take our holiday dishes from their little containers in the living room and actually put them away on the shelves. SO happy! He also pulled the last of our tomato plants out of the ground to hang upside down in the barn to see if we can ripen any more of the tomatoes before they go bad. We're still getting some summer squash and he found some peppers we'd missed, but last night was below freezing and, according to the weather shaman, there will be no more nights above freezing at our house through the end of the year.
Below, I include our daily Bible readings which we use to read through the entire Bible each year. We read through all of the Old Testament and New Testament, reading the Psalms and Proverbs twice. Remember that the Psalms are according to eastern numbering in our daily Bible reading, also I Kings is the original designation, it is I Samuel in western Bibles (II Kings is II Samuel in the west, III Kings is I Kings, and IV Kings is II Kings, I Ezra is also called I Esdras in other translations, II Ezra is often translated as Ezra or II Esdras).
- Sunday - Feast of All Saints Wisdom of Sirach 41-42, Psalms 77:18–37, Proverbs 16:11–15, Ephesians 3
Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Garlicky Shredded Pork, Baked Potatoes, Green Salad, Potato Kale Salad, Apple Crumble, Apple Pie, Sliced Apples with Caramel, Pumpkin Spice Cookies, Candy - Monday - Feast of All Souls Wisdom of Sirach 43:1-44:18, Psalms 77:38–55, Proverbs 16:16–20, Ephesians 4:1–24
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Brown Sugar, Mint Tea
Dinner: Shredded Pork Tacos (with the leftover pork - I made three times the recipe posted), Black Beans, Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa - Tuesday Wisdom of Sirach 44:19-45:26, Psalms 77:56–72, Proverbs 16:21–25, Ephesians 4:25-5:14
Breakfast: Apple Cake, Hot Chocolate for a Crowd and Coffee
Dinner: Pasta with Pepperoni and Roasted Vegetables, Salad - Wednesday Wisdom of Sirach 46-47, Psalms 78, Proverbs 16:26–31, Ephesians 5:15–33
Breakfast: Labneh, Diced Tomatoes and Za'atar with Olive Oil on Toast, Mint Tea
Dinner: Green Herb Soup, Rolls - Thursday Wisdom of Sirach 48-49, Psalms 79, Proverbs 17:1–5, Ephesians 6
Breakfast: Pastrami and Eggs, Toast, Bananas, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Chicken and Rice, Crookneck Squash Fritters with Dill - Friday Wisdom of Sirach 50, Psalms 80, Proverbs 17:6–10, Philippians 1
Breakfast: Toast with Cream Cheese and Jam, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Potato Kibbeh, Fried Eggplant, Crookneck Squash & Shallots - Saturday Wisdom of Sirach 51, Psalms 81, Proverbs 17:11–15, Philippians 2
Breakfast: Cinnamon Rolls, Bacon, Hot Chocolate for a Crowd and Coffee
Dinner: Stromboli with Marinara Dipping Sauce, Salad
Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, House, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Menu Plan: October 26 - November 1
So, I forgot to post the ful recipe. I will be making it again this week, and I'll post the recipe on Saturday. I'm just calling it a do over at this point. There are a lot of breakfast repeats this week, but I think no repeats for any of the dinners. The jalapeño macaroni and cheese was a winner last week, but I think I can improve it. Also, though I completely messed up the ingredients in the Greek pea stew (we had to substitute more than I planned or cared to do), it was still delicious, so we'll see how it is made the right way one of these days.
This is a busier than normal week for us, but I think I can manage the meals anyway. Nobody was injured seriously this past week, so I feel like we did pretty well. A few things are up in the air for us this week, but I think it will still be alright.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Brown Sugar, Milky Tea
Dinner: Papas con Chorizo, Salsa, Sour Cream - Monday
Breakfast: Leftover Papas con Chorizo with Poached Eggs, Sliced Honeydew, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Hamburger Stew, Rolls - Tuesday
Breakfast: Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole, Sliced Pears, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Shredded Beef Quesadillas with Peppers and Onions, Black Beans - Wednesday
Breakfast: Ful*, Harissa, Toast, Sliced Honeydew, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: Gnocchi alla Romana (doubling everything but the nutmeg and just cutting into squares) with Tomato Butter Sauce and Parmesan, Roasted Delicata Squash, Pomegranates - Thursday
Breakfast: Baked French Toast, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Not Texas Chili, Cornbread - Friday
Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Falafel, Khoubz Araby (Pita Bread), Harissa, Veggies, Kalamata Olives, Yeasted Potato Doughnuts with Cinnamon Apple Cider Glaze - Saturday - Feast of All Saints
Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Bacon, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Grilled Lamb Chops, Spiced Cous Cous, Slow Sauteed Green Beans, Roasted Squash, Apple Pie
Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen
Thursday, July 03, 2014
Crafty Mother Fail
Anyway. I like to modify Along the Alphabet Path for our kindergarten and first grade work, substituting pre-schism saints and so on to make it more fitting for our family. Part of her suggested ideas includes making felt saints for the children to look at and play a little - give the child something tangible to help solidify the story and lesson about the saint, and another way to remember the person. Sounds good, right? Remember what I wrote above.
In the tutorial for the Alphabet Path, she mentioned that you might want to paint peg dolls like Jessica did here. Jessica said that she wasn't very good at painting or drawing, but that she was able to make them reasonably well, and did them over a weekend. I thought to myself, "Well, I am reasonably skilled with my hands, and I can get acrylic paints." I found another post with some suggestions, so I bought some spray acrylic clear coat to seal the paint on when I finished. How hard could this be?
In the meantime, I found that there were some shops with some exquisite examples of these painted peg saints (there are lots of other shops on etsy selling similar items, some soft dolls which would be great for an infant at church, too). They were beautiful work, but I couldn't afford to get 52+ of them at the prices they were. It wasn't that I didn't think their work was worth it, it was just out of our budget. So, off to work I went.
First of all, it took me a whole weekend to make these:
Angel of God
Saint Anne with the Blessed Virgin Mary as a child
I got quick enough at them to make these in one day:
Saint Barbara
Check out Saint Barbara's hair! No wonder she had suitors lined up for her!
Saint Benedict
But I never even finished poor Saints Christopher and Saint Catherine of Alexandria. I never even started them except for getting out their pegs:
I figured with the time I put into making them, the paints, the peg dolls, the brushes, the sealant, I easily surpassed the cost of the dolls in the stores. And mine didn't even look as nice as the non-crafty mom versions I saw online. I still have hopes to finish the set. Because I am an eternal optimist, even in the face of all opposition and reality. I have not only Saints Christopher and Catherine of Alexandria to finish, but also a male and female saint from the letter D to the letter Z. That's 48 for those of you keeping score at home. And it takes me about a day to complete two.
My friend Katherine's daughter Emily made these:
Myrrh Bearers
At the Empty Tomb
She is setting up an etsy shop, and as soon as she has a link, I will pass it on to you.
Here is another way to make these peg saints, using felt. These were also beautiful. Perhaps you can do this better than I. Please share if you have.
Labels: All Saints, Blessed Virgin, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Humor, St. Anne, St. Barbara, St. Benedict, St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Christopher, Theotokos
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Menu Plan: October 30 - November 4
We are also celebrating All Saints and All Souls this week, so we have a busy time ahead of us. We are thankful for all those who have gone before us, who lived as examples of the life of Christ, and whose work continues as they pray for us in the presence of God. We also pray for all those who have passed that they might find eternal rest and joy in the resurrection.
O Almighty God, who has knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord; Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which thou has prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Brown Sugar, Coffee and Milk
Dinner: Shredded Beef, Baked Potatoes, Sliced Tomatoes - Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Cinnamon Sugar, Coffee and Milk
Dinner: Crock Pot Sticky Chicken, Italian Bread, Pears, All the Candy We Can Eat - Tuesday - All Saints' Day
Breakfast: Dirty Eggs with Whole Wheat Toast, Pears, Spice Tea with Honey
Dinner: Chili and Cornbread - Wednesday - All Souls' Day
Breakfast: Potato and Veggie Hash with Poached Eggs, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Tomato and Eggplant Pasta (I'm going to double the recipe and freeze half of the sauce for later), Baked Apples - Thursday
Breakfast: Baked French Toast (filled with sliced plums), Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Indian Summer Gratin, Sliced Pears - Friday
Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pumpkin Gratin, Braised Red Cabbage with Pears - Saturday
Breakfast: Coconut Sugar Cake, Hard Boiled Eggs, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Bolognese Sauce, Pasta, Garlic Bread,
Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Family, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen
Friday, November 06, 2009
Seven Quick Takes Friday: November 6
1. We spent Halloween gorging on candy, drinking cider and watching movies. We watched Wallace and Grommit A Matter of Loaf and Death (which was great!) and the old, black and white, Godzilla. This week, the children were discussing what color Godzilla was. The boys settled on green or almost black green. Amira piped up to say that they didn't know that. "The movie was grey!"
2. On All Saints, we carved our pumpkins. Rich and I never got to ours, but I'm sure they would have been wonderful. I was torn between the Sacred Heart, an Alpha and Omega or the Blessed Virgin.
The children's, though, were great. Elijah wanted a happy Jack o' Lantern, so we did that for him. Dominic went for his namesake. We thought Jerome would, or a lion as his symbol, especially since he wanted a lion on a leash or to ride when he dressed up as Saint Jerome, but he decided on St. Nicholas. Amira chose a simple cross, making her dad's night after the complicated few he did. Alexander carved his own, choosing on his own the four symbols of the four evangelists. For Yasmina, Rich scaled down this design to fit her pumpkin. Here they are:
Yasmina's punky
Saint Nicholas
Amira's cross
Elijah's happy Jack
Saint Dominic. He is the patron of astronomers and astronomy and is often depicted with stars. Rich couldn't get the traditional monastic profile with the lily staff and rosary that Dominic wanted initially. Dominic was satisfied with this.
Alexander carved these primitive images. We are encouraging him to sell his art work, as we've seen many similar paintings and sculptures in art shows selling for a lot of money. College fund anyone?
Other views:
3. Yasmina had a great time marching around the back yard while Rich was gutting the pumpkins trying to find a "punky" (her word) that she could lift.
4. Poor Amira is doing really well with learning to read. Poor Amira? Well, you see, she is learning how to sound out words, and for the most part, this helps her. She came to me this week, though, to tell me she knew how to spell phonics: F-O-N-I-X. We had a discussion about the Greek word phone and how English gets most of her words from Latin and Greek and sometimes sounding things out doesn't work unless you know the sounds from those languages as well.
5. What I Heard, What She Said:
Amira was in the bathroom and called out to me wanting to know why there was a kangaroo on the moose. ???? Turns out she was looking at the mousse bottle which was that Aussie brand, thus the kangaroo.
6. What He Said, What He Meant:
Dominic read our Old Testament readings this week. On All Saints, his was from the book of Wisdom 3:1-9. In it he read that "For though in the sight of others they were punished,
their hope is full of immorality." Immortality. It's amazing what one letter can change.
7. I found this satire hilarious and sad all at the same time.
7b. (Yes, I know this makes eight, but it was in a similar theme) Mark Shea addressed a very common confusion about praying to the saints. The comments are especially good, I think. I was reminded of the story, I think about Mark, when someone insisted that Catholics worshiped statues. He explained the difference, made clear that they didn't, gave biblical examples, the whole deal. The fellow would have none of it. "You don't know that's what you are doing, but you are worshiping statues." Finally realizing that there was no reasoning with this person, he replied "No, since Vatican II, we worship banners." I think I've posted this before, but it bears repeating, if you are going to accuse me of something at least get it right. The comments about bearing false witness in Mark's blog post were sobering, and ought to be.
Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Humor, Seven Quick Takes
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Menu Plan: November 1 - November 7
Since today is the feast of All Saints, our children are preparing to dress up as their favorite saints, carve pumpkins with images of the saints and to eat even more candy and drink lots of hot chocolate. We aren't able to have our big church party this year, but we were determined to allow them to have it anyway, even on a smaller scale. No doughnuts on a string or apple bobbing, but still fun.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Cracked Wheat Cereal with Molasses and Milk, Bananas, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Slow Roasted Chuck Steak, Herbed Rice Pilaf*, Roasted Acorn Squash & Red Onion Wedges, Candy - Monday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Potatoes & Cheese, Whole Wheat Toast, Sliced Tomatoes,Riesling Grape JuiceLeftover Hot Chocolate
Dinner: Fried Rice (using leftover beef), Fall Fruit Salad (using Apples, Pears and Pomegranate Pips) - Tuesday
Breakfast: Puffed Pancake with Pomegranate Jelly, Sliced Pears, Milk, Coffee
Dinner: Irish Stew*, Soda Bread, Plums - Wednesday
Breakfast: Toasted Sprouted Whole Wheat Bagels with Cream Cheese, Plums, Mint Tea & Honey
Dinner: Herbed Tomato Pie, Egg Custards, Sliced Watermelon - Thursday
Breakfast: Chorizo & Egg Burritos with Salsa, Blackberry Tea and Honey
Dinner: Baked Pasta, Creamed Spinach, Sliced Plums - Friday
Breakfast: Granola and Milk, Milk, Coffee
Dinner: Tex Mex Skillet with Pinquito Beans* & Salsa, Sliced Pears - Saturday
Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes with Spiced Whipped Cream, Milk, Coffee
Dinner: Muffaletta Sandwiches, Mixed Bean Soup with Bacon, Sliced Watermelon
Here is the list of foods from the freezer, fridge and pantry that I'm using this week. Anything from the freezer, pantry or fridge that was not bought specifically for this meal or this past week will be included in my lists.
Freezer:
Chuck Roast
Lamb Stew Meat
Chorizo
Bacon Ends
Sprouted Whole Wheat Bagels
Cooked Mixed Beans
Sliced Peppers
Peas
Whole Spinach
Fridge:
Eggs
Butter
Milk (& Cream from the Top)
Parmesan
Cheddar
Celery
Carrots
Pickled Jalapenos & Carrots
Scallions
Ginger
Salsa
Pantry:
All Herbs & Spices
Salts
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Olive Oil
Hard White Wheat Berries
Soft White Wheat Berries
Cracked Wheat
Granola
Pastry Flour
Basmati Rice
Brown Rice
Pinquito Beans
Penne
Yeast
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Soy Sauce
Oyster Sauce
Sesame Oil
Olives
Capers
Homemade Tortillas
Coffee
Tea
Vanilla Extract
All Sugars
Honey
Molasses
Pomegranate Jelly
Raisins
Apples
Pears
Plums
Pomegranate
Watermelon
Acorn Squash
Sugar Pumpkin
Riesling Grape Juice
Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen
