Sunday, September 20, 2026
Menu Plan: September 20 - 26
We are coming into the grinding time now. Our friends and family are taking such good care of us and supporting us in so many ways. This week is not the calm before the storm, but the busy before the busier. Please pray for us.
Again, our meal plan has a lot of meals that use leftovers, or things from our freezer so we can keep whittling away at our stores. From here on out, we will be doing as many slow cooker and quick meals as we can while we are busy with so much going on around us.
Our parish family is providing such a great meal for after church tonight. See how God blesses us! Not just with others taking on tasks for us, but with them providing so much that is good and delicious. We are blessed. We are looking for the blessings right now.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Leftovers, Coffee and Tea
Dinner: Smoked Beef Brisket, Baked Potatoes with Butter, Sour Cream and Shredded Cheese, Salad, Dessert - Monday - Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Peaches, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Chipotle Beef, Enchilada Rice, Sautéed Peppers, Onions and Summer Squash, Enchilada Rice, with Corn Tortillas and Diced Avocados, Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies - Tuesday
Breakfast: Fried Egg and Cheese Sandwiches, Sliced Apples, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: Egg Noodles in Turkey Broth, Peaches - Wednesday - Feast of the Conception of Saint John the Forerunner
Breakfast: Potato and Vegetable Hash, Plums, Tea with Mint, Rosewater and Honey
Dinner: Pasta with Tomato Sauce, Cucumber Salad, Sliced Apples - Thursday
Breakfast: Ful with Chopped Tomatoes and White Onions, Sah'awiq, Kalamata Olives, Toast, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey, Mint and Rosewater
Dinner: Leftovers, Peaches - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Fruit, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Sheet Pan Vegetable Chow Mein, Plums - Saturday - Feast of the Falling Asleep of Saint John the Evangelist and Theologian
Breakfast: Pancakes/Waffles with Buttermilk Syrup, Cottage Bacon, Sahlab and Coffee
Dinner: Hot Ham and Turkey Swiss Sandwiches on Rye, Half Sweet Bread and Butter Pickles, Chips, Fruit Plate
Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, September 13, 2026
Menu Plan: Feast of Holy Cross
So, last week was something else. I went down to Eugene to try to help my aging mother who is having more health problems. That didn't go over well, and she needs your prayers. We do, too. We are truly the sandwich generation, taking care of kids, parents, and also grandparents. While it is a good duty, it was another thing added when I am already fielding a lot, and being responsible for two and a half households.
Without saying too much, things are quite difficult in that quarter, but God knows the need. On the plus side, I was also able to visit with our dear friends who are godparents to half our kids and guardians to our kids should we pass away, and see Dominic and Shawn and Winnie every full day I was there. Arthur and Michelle really spoiled me while I was there, because they know how much I am carrying right now. I am so grateful for that time with all of them.
While I was gone, Rich and the kids were making all the meals, but I forgot to have them cut one of the recipes in half, so between that and me not being here to eat any of the things they made, we have a LOT of leftovers this week. We have two leftover meals this week, but one is specifically the remainder of that extra large dinner from last week. Even still, we are using up things from our freezers, and making ready for mutton and a steer.
This week is the first semi-week of school for our girls. We are easing into it this year, with all the turmoil around us. The next four to eight weeks are incredibly busy, then we basically have to try to start in with normal life again. The girls are doing chemistry and earth science this year, so we are starting that this week, then in a couple weeks, our co-op begins, and we will be gradually adding everything else in as we go.
Our parish family is coming through for us in so many ways, and I cannot thank God enough for them. We had turkeys in the freezer to use, both to feed the church and to free up room in our freezer, so while I was gone, Rich seasoned the turkeys for the meal at church, and I cooked them today and made the gravy, while the our parish brought all the other things. Because of our hectic life for the next two months, they are basically handling all the Sunday dinners through the end of October. They have done so much for us, and I am so grateful for them.
- Sunday - Feast of Saint Cyprian of Carthage
Breakfast: Kousa bi Laban*, Bread, Sliced Watermelon, Coffee and Tea with Milk
Dinner: Herb Roasted Turkey, Bourbon Gravy, Parish Bringing Mashed Potatoes, Salads, Apple Honey Cake - Monday - Feasts of Saint John Chrysostom and the Elevation of the Holy Cross
Breakfast: Hard Boiled Eggs, Cottage Cheese, Sliced Cucumbers and Brined Olives, Mint Tea with Honey and Rosewater
Dinner: King Ranch Turkey, Roasted Tomato Salsa Rice, Sliced Watermelon - Tuesday
Breakfast: Raisin Bread with Cream Cheese, Peaches, Milky Tea and Coffee
Dinner: Pork Chile Verde, Chipotle Tomato Rice, Sour Cream, Avocados, Corn Tortillas, Plums - Wednesday
Breakfast: Potato and Vegetable Hash Burritos with Salsa, Sliced Apples, Tea with Mint, Rosewater and Honeyy
Dinner: Leftover Florida Style Black Beans and Rice, Plums - Thursday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Plums, Milky Tea
Dinner: Leftovers or Turkey Vegetable Soup, Peaches - Friday
Breakfast: Lenten Apple Oatmeal Muffins* with Cashew Butter, Tea and Coffee
Dinner: Black Bean and Potato Enchiladas, Salsa Rice, Plum Sorbet - Saturday - Feast of Saint Theodore
Breakfast: 'Aish Baladi ou Joubneh, Sliced Cucumbers, Brined Olives, Fruit, Milk, Tea and Coffee
Dinner: Cheese Zombies, Tomato Soup, Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen
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, September 21, 2025
Menu Plan: September 21 - 27
This is a super busy week for us. We have our homeschool co-op beginning, plus getting ready for Winnie's baptism.
Jerome has had a health setback, as a piece of the hardware in his jaw has popped out and he will need more surgery. It is not as extensive, but is still fairly serious. This also means he is back to a no-chew diet. Please pray for him and for us.
In fact, pray for us in general. There is a lot going on here.
- Sunday - Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
Breakfast: Leftovers, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Ranchero Beans, Quick and Dirty Mexican Rice, Garlic Bread, Sliced Watermelon - Monday
Breakfast: Breakfast Hash, Fruit Plate, Tea and Coffee
Dinner: Leftovers - Tuesday
Breakfast: Ful, Toast, Chopped Tomatoes and Onions, Fruit, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Beef, Tomato and Eggplant Skillet, Rice, Moroccan Beet Salad, Fruit Plate - Wednesday
Breakfast: Toast with Tomatoes, Za'atar and Olive Oil, Fruit, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Potato Hash, Blueberry Smoothies - Thursday
Breakfast: Cereal with Milk, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Leftovers - Friday
Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Dinner Out at a Lebanese Restaurant - Saturday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Cheese, Roasted Rosemary Potatoes, Sausages, Toasted Bagels, Hot Chocolate and Coffee
Dinner: Pizza and Salads, Leftovers from Lebanese Restaurant
Labels: Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Menu Plan: September 14 - 20
The day after that, I left on a bus for Dominic and Shawn's to make meals, clean up, and hold Winnie. It was a delight, but exhausting. Also, I learned a lot about people on the bus rides to and from their home. While I was gone, Rich was doing a lot, while also trying to be at work, and the kids at home helped with much around the house and with Jerome. Then, Rich and I had a trip to Canon Beach to be there for our godson's wedding, which was also kind of an early anniversary trip for us, because this year won't be an anniversary trip year. Also, a one night work trip the same week.
We are exhausted. In the meantime, some of the kids' classes have started, and we are easing into our school year beginning (which is the end of September). However, their group science class has started, and our co-op begins soon. So, yes, it's a little busy around here.
Our church family has been amazing, making meals, taking care of things while we are gone, looking out for our kids. They are doing so much to relieve pressure and stress for us. They even provided the dinner tonight, so I didn't have to cook any of the things I had planned and could rest on our day of rest.
We have a couple weeks without too much, but Winnie's baptism is coming up, and that will be exciting and beautiful. Please pray for her, her parents, and her godparents. Also, please keep Jerome in prayer. After a month of good recovery, he may have overdone it and has an infection. It is being treated, but that is now his second round of antibiotics in a month.
- Sunday - Feasts of the Elevation of the Holy Cross and Saint John Chrystostom
Breakfast: Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, Nectarines, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pork Street Tacos, Caprese Salad, Custard Puddings, Almond Cookies and Peanut Butter Brownies, Plums - Monday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Veggies, Toast, Cantaloupe Balls, Coffee and Milk
Dinner: Pork Chile Verde, Mexican Tomato Rice, Pears, Apple Cider Doughnuts and GF Pear Fritters with Cider Glaze - Tuesday
Breakfast: Feta, Tomatoes, Za’atar and Olive Oil, Toast, Plums, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Zurbiyan with Lamb, Duqqus, Mutawam Kusa, Sliced Watermelon - Wednesday
Breakfast: Potato and Vegetable Hash with Salsa, Pluots, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Baba Ghanooj, Hummus, Tamis, Sliced Cucumbers, Olives, Moroccan Beet Salad, Sliced Watermelon - Thursday
Breakfast: Salatat Battatas ou Bayd, Plums, Tea and Coffee
Dinner: Leftovers, Pears, Sliced Watermelon - Friday - Feast of Saint Theodore
Breakfast: Egyptian Style Ful, Duqqus, Toast, Sliced Cucumbers, Fruit Plate, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Vegetarian Ranchero Beans, Quick and Dirty Mexican Rice, Sliced Watermelon - Saturday
Breakfast: Turkish Menemen, Shawerma Spiced Sausage Patties, Toast, Sliced Cantaloupe, Mint Tea with Honey and Coffee
Dinner: Lebanese Roasted Stuffed Onions, Rice, Mafrouka
Labels: Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, October 01, 2023
Menu Plan: October 1 - 7
What's that proverb that man plans and God laughs? Well, so much for getting back to normal last week. We had a sick week instead.
We continue apace with the freezer and shelf cooking, however. This week, a huge ham, a fairly large turkey, some pre-made dishes, and some beef for soup are all coming out for our meals. Next week, the plan is to pull a pork loin out, too, which helps free up more room for turkeys, chickens, and geese, who are on the last couple weeks of death row, here. We have a lot more fruit drying going on and we should do some fruit and tomato canning, but we will see how we can fit it in this week.
Normally, I plan week by week. Actually, it's more like one week with a tentative plan for the second week, which then gets a little modified depending on what didn't get made or what schedules were shifted, what fresh produce was in need of use or was available in our garden or from our gleaning group, and so on and so forth. This month, I have tried to plan for the whole month, with some room for vegetables and fruit that we get through sales, our garden and fruit trees, and our gleaning club. I even planned all the breakfasts. There is room to move things around, and to add the produce that is fresh and available. We're trying to keep cooking from what is home to bulk up our Thanksgiving and Christmas budget, as well as rotate stock at home.
All of us are on the tail end of illness, but are feeling much better now. We are praying for a more normal week this week. Please keep us in your prayers. God is so good to us.
This past week, I ended up only buying half the eggplant we needed for the next two weeks, because the price was ridiculous for small, sad eggplant. I figured I could watch for sales or better ones and make an extra trip to the store in time for the following week, and instead our gleaning group leaders remembered how we are always on board for eggplant, and saved aside some especially for us that were given to the club. So, for the old price of two large eggplant, I received the two small ones we bought and three more. The Lord takes care of us.
We have finally had two or three mornings below freezing here. Just, but still below freezing. It is cold. The fires have been going this week. We are hoping that we have watered our maple enough that it will turn lovely colors before the leaves all freeze off of it. Our mornings are forecast to be below freezing just about all of this week. The heat is on in our bedroom, and sweet Rich put the heated mattress pad on our bed so I won't die. Winter is coming. I'm trying to be grateful that our fall lasted longer than it normally does.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Ham, Summer Squash Casserole, Salad, Green Tomato Dill Relish, Green Tomato Chutney, Peaches and Nectarines - Monday - Feast of Saint James of Jerusalem
Breakfast: Ful, Duqqus, Sliced Cucumbers, Toast, Sliced Peaches, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Herb Roasted Turkey, Bourbon Gravy, Potatoes Au Gratin from Freezer, Cranberry Horseradish Relish from Freezer, Cornbread, Roasted Mixed Vegetables - Tuesday
Breakfast: Labneh with Diced Tomatoes, Za'atar and Olive Oil, Toast, Nectarines, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Leftover Casserole, Cranberry Horseradish Relish, Salad/Fruit/Dessert brought by Bible study members - Wednesday
Breakfast: Wheatena with Raisins, Brown Sugar and Coconut Milk, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Lentil and Eggplant Curry, Arabic Style Rice Pilaf (made with oil and water), Beet and Herb Salad with Grapefruit and Lemon Dressing, Nectarines - Thursday
Breakfast: Ham, Potato and Vegetable Hash, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: After Thanksgiving Soup, Challah Bread*, Peaches - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Creamy Avocado Pasta with Cashews, Green Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, Fruit Plate - Saturday - Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles
Breakfast: Savory Parmesan French Toast with Hollandaise Sauce, Sausages, Fried Ham Slices, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Arabic Beef and Vegetable Soup, Tamis, Peaches
Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, September 24, 2023
Menu Plan: September 24 - 30
It is back to reality this week. We have lots of catching up and lots of trying to do our normal routine. We will begin schoolwork for real, dance has been going for a couple weeks, co-op started last week, we are back on track for the fall. This past week, Rich and I were up in British Columbia, in Kelowna, and the fires seemed under control, the smoke was not too bad, and we enjoyed a beautiful and relaxing time while there. Our church family is really caring for us by providing dinner tonight, so all we have to do is bring fruit to share.
Produce is still coming in well, both from our gleaning group and our garden and fruit trees. We will be harvesting turkeys, geese, and some roosters for our freezer in a few weeks. In the meantime, we are eating a lot out of our freezers to make room, and have some rather large roasts and birds planned for church dinners and family meals to make the room we need in there. Because of the abundance of produce, really we are trying to stay on top of all the good things we have right now. There is so much in our refrigerators and pantries that we want to use or preserve before it has to go to the poultry, and I'm keeping a pretty good list of all of the produce to help me with meal planning. This helps me with our annual shelf cooking period, too.
We are drying plums from our trees, and will be canning peaches soon. There is some cherry juice in the freezer that I think needs to become jelly, and we have some sweet cherries in there from a couple years ago that I am thinking of experimenting with to see if my technique for butters and jellies will work with them. That may be a game changer for us.
Autumn has technically begun. It began here in the last week of August, but now the calendar agrees. The mornings are quite cool, but we haven't had any below freezing mornings or evenings yet, which is a good sign. We have already had more than a month of autumn, which is better than the two or three weeks we usually get before we see below freezing temperatures at our house. I will take it. My hope is that we have watered our maple tree enough for it to change color, and that it changes color before the hard freeze comes to kill all the leaves.
We had quite a bit of pumpkin purée leftover from last week, so we are using the last of it in an autumnal breakfast of pumpkin pancakes this morning, and we also are trying the cherry cake recipe I made a few weeks ago, to see if I can improve on it a little. Unfortunately, a lot of kids got a cold that was going around last week, so we had to postpone a birthday party that was already later than the birthday. We also had tons of leftovers from the week, because appetites were low, even in the people who weren't really showing as ill. So Saturday's dinner has been pushed to another week this next month. I am mostly in denial about this cold which certainly did not start making itself be felt and known yesterday. We are taking loads of vitamins, drinking gallons of herbal tea, and resting a bit this weekend.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Home Cured Bacon, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Soup and Bread, Chicken, Salad, Fruit Plate - Monday
Breakfast: Battatas ou Bayd, Toast, Sliced Pears, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: One Pan Autumn Chicken Dinner, Sautéed Mushrooms, Green Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, Rolls, Sliced Peaches - Tuesday
Breakfast: Fried Egg, Sausage and Cheese Sandwiches, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Fassoulia and Beef, Duqqus, Rice, Salad/Fruit/Dessert brought by Bible study members - Wednesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Raisins and Brown Sugar, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Vegan Egyptian Mahshi, Turmeric Rice, Duqqus, Beet and Herb Salad with Grapefruit and Lemon Dressing - Thursday
Breakfast: Leftover Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins, Sausage Patties, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Bacon Cheeseburgers on Light Bread Buns, Tatertots, Fried Peppers and Yellow Crookneck Squash, Pickles, Sliced Oranges - Friday - Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Mediterranean Braised Vegetables, Arabic Style Rice Pilaf (made with oil and water), Nectarine and Blackberry Filled Dragon Bread - Saturday - Feast of Saint Jerome
Breakfast: Cherry Coffee Cake to break the fast after Liturgy
Dinner: Penne Gorgonzola with Chicken and Broccoli, Fried Olive Bites, Green Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, Lion Cupcakes
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world -- he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. -- Revelation 12:7-9
| Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits, who roam through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. | Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in praelio. Contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur. Tuque princeps militiae caelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo divina virtute in infernum detrude. Amen. |
Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Michaelmas, Prayer Requests, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, September 25, 2022
Menu Plan: September 25 - October 1
I cannot believe that we are already approaching October and it is officially fall! Last weekend, we had our first morning approaching freezing, it was 34˚F. This month has gone by so quickly. We are getting ready to start official school work for the year, and to ramp up in our other activities. Next week would have ended our family birthday season, but now that we have added Autumn and she and Alexander are expecting their new little one's arrival at the end of October or beginning of November, we are going to have one more birthday before the year is finished.
Jerome had a little scare with the bananas, but it seems to be settling down, and we think it might have had to do with either the plants or climate near his grandmother's house (he and Elijah and Rich went down there to help her out a bit last week), or the chemicals he was using while sanding, sealing and painting a fence. He seems to be doing well now. Since they were gone for part of last week, I rearranged our meal plan to include things that either Rich didn't care for or that Jerome couldn't have, since it was just us girls and Dominic at home. We had a blast. The girls really wanted to watch a chick flick and do facials and hair and nails, but ballet and life schedules and some exhaustion shut that down, so we are going to try again soon. Rich said he would take the boys somewhere so we could do it.
The blackberry sweetrolls we made for Mariam were fantastic. I should have made the cream cheese a little less sweet, but nobody complained about that. They were super simple to make, too. I just used my cinnamon roll dough with vanilla and loganberry liqueur in place of the almond extract, spread it with a cup of seedless blackberry jam, baked as normal and made the cream cheese frosting with vanilla and a little loganberry liqueur. They were so good!
We had so many leftovers this week, that we still have some that were either put in the fridge or freezer, so we are pulling them out in different ways this week. Harvest was also delayed by our weird spring and summer, like I said before, so we have a ton of fresh produce that needs to be eaten before it becomes either chicken feed or compost. If we manage it well this week, it will be fine, though. We have the feasts of Saint Michael and Jerome this week, so some fun family traditions, as well as Jerome's name day to celebrate.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Fried Eggs and Sausage, Bananas, Coffee and Tea
Dinner: Provided by our wonderful church family - Beef and Squash Stew, Salad, and other lovely things - Monday
Breakfast: Nacho Breakfast, Peaches, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pasta (Gluten-free for Jerome) Cooked in Choucroute Garnie Sauce, Sautéed Summer Squash with Garlic and Fresh Dill, Peaches - Tuesday
Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Peaches and Cream, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Hamburger Stew, Salad, Fruit Plate - Wednesday
Breakfast: Scrambled Chickpeas with Onions, Cucuzza Squash and Garlic, Plums, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Vegetarian Ranchero Bean Tacos, Cabbage Salad with Cumin Citrus Dressing - Thursday - Feast of Saints Michael and All Angels
Breakfast: Shakshouka, Grapefruit Halves, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pasta Carbonara (Gluten-free pasta for Jerome), Dragon Bread filled with Pears and Dried Cranberries - Friday - Feast of Saint Jerome
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Honey, Bananas, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Pasta (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Caponata, Lion Face Salad, Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Potluck after Liturgy
Dinner: Papas con Chorizo with Sliced Avocados, Salsa and Sour Cream, Fruit Plate
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world -- he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. -- Revelation 12:7-9
| Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits, who roam through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. | Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in praelio. Contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur. Tuque princeps militiae caelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo divina virtute in infernum detrude. Amen. |
Labels: Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Michaelmas, Name Day, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, September 18, 2022
Menu Plan: September 18 - 24
What a wonderful week we have had! I was able to talk to my remaining maternal aunt, two of my cousins, and my father. They got to talk to our kids, and Rich was able to talk to my father. My family is funny and smart and our real sorrow is that because of distance between us, our kids have not grown up spending a lot of time with them. However, two of my cousins and I are talking about having a meeting somewhere. Rich and I are talking about making our next savings goal to put away enough money to get the family to Croatia, so we can rent a house and have my family come join us there, where we can spend some time somewhere beautiful, and eat wonderful food. It's still a dream, but one we can work toward even now.
My kids didn't get to experience the laughter and sense of fun my family has the way I did, and I really treasure every time they get to meet with them, in person or over the phone/internet. I am so grateful for how video chat has made these visits possible.
Aside from the visiting with family, we had another highlight and a couple lowlights of the week: Bananas are going better than we thought they would, especially because Jerome had a weird flare up this weekend that we thought might have had something to do with his latex bands in his braces, and latex and banana allergies/sensitivities are often related. So far, so good, though. The service people from A & E cancelled on us a second time. Which means that it has been more than two months since we called on this and they still haven't fixed the machine, which is actually against our warranty contract, which we are taking up with Lowe's. We are also dealing with some external distress from someone who is trying to cause trouble for me and for us. Please pray for this person, that her plans are thwarted and that she finds peace. Honestly, we're not all that worried about her plans, because they are based on rank falsehood and it is so obvious, it would be laughable, but she is unsettled and that makes me sad.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Egg and Veggie Burritos (Gluten-free for Jerome), Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Slow Cooker Choucroute Garnie, Dark Rye Bread (Gluten-free Bread for Jerome), Mustard, Cornichons and Pickled Onions, Fruit Plate - Monday - Feast of Saint Theodore
Breakfast: Sausage, Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole, Bananas, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Chile Verde, Rice, Black Beans and Corn, Corn Tortillas, Fruit Plate - Tuesday
Breakfast: Shakshouka, Bananas, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Chicken and Gravy over Stuffing, Chopped Salad, Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust - Wednesday - Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Peanut Butter Drizzle, Tea with Honey
Dinner: West African Stew, Rice, Peri-peri Sauce, Fruit Plate - Thursday
Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Brown Sugar and Raisins, Grapefruit Halves, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Leftovers - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Honey, Sliced Apples, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Vegetarian Ranchero Beans, Rice, Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Blackberry Jam Sweetrolls with Cream Cheese Frosting (Gluten-free Blackberry Scones for Jerome), Farmer Breakfast Casserole, Coffee and Hot Chocolate for a Crowd with Vanilla Ice Cream
Dinner: Pizza Party (Gluten-free Pizza for Jerome)
Labels: Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, September 11, 2022
Menu Plan: September 11 - 17
Well, the ducks' stay of execution held because we ran out of butchering time last week. But not for long. We will have a freezer full of duck soon enough. Fall is harvest time not only for produce, but for meat, as well. The harvest of produce is finally coming in to our area, after a strange and late spring and summer. So, we have lots of tomatoes, peppers and summer squash this week. We still have plums, too. It's a little too early for apples still, just because of the late summer weather, and the new potatoes aren't in, so we are still seeing storage potatoes most of the time. I am so grateful that oats are back on the menu, though this week we start trying out bananas for Jerome, and a reaction he had this weekend, possibly to his latex rubber bands for his braces, makes us a little more wary.
Rich and I had a fantastic time at the dance on Friday, and got to attend with another couple we know. They drove home that night, but we stayed the night at a hotel, and made a stop at Trader Joe's before heading home to grab the kids so we could go to the gyro and kebab fest. We were planning on staying for vespers after the festival, but we were all so exhausted, that we went home just after it ended. We were home about half an hour before the vespers service even began, and all of us were ready to rest. We are sorry to have missed it, but at least we have the services tonight.
As we slowly head back into our normal school year, we are adding more activity. This week, my Bible study begins again, after a short summer break. I am so grateful for these women, who study and learn and pray with and for me. Speaking of prayers, please pray for our appliances. We have a (delayed) appliance call that is supposed to happen this week (it was supposed to happen a month ago, but they rescheduled) for our fridge, and since then, the power button on our washing machine has also decided to go wonky. So, now we have to deal with both. And, the thermostat on our convection oven has also decided to do something weird. There is never a time for the oven to have trouble, nor the washing machine, but in a big family, it is a real problem. The fridge issue is fairly minor, and we just want it fixed to make our lives easier, but if either the oven or washing machine are out of service, we are in trouble.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Toasted Croissants with Fried Eggs and Cheese, (Gluten-free Wrap for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Kofta Mkaouara (Moroccan Kofta with Egg Tagine), Rice, Sliced Tomatoes, Fruit Plate - Monday
Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Brown Sugar and Raisins, Bananas, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Beef, Pepper and Summer Squash Stir Fry, Jasmine Rice, Plums - Tuesday - Feast of Saint Cyprian of Carthage
Breakfast: Fried Eggs, Bacon, Bananas, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: French Farmer's Soup with Fresh Herbs, Croutons, Salad and Fruit Plate or Dessert brought by Bible Study members - Wednesday - Feasts of Saint John Chrysostom and the Elevation of the Most Holy Cross
Breakfast: Vegetable Hash Burritos (Gluten-free for Jerome), Grapefruit Halves, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Chickpea Salad Wraps, Sautéed Peppers and Garlic with Fresh Herbs, Fruit Plate - Thursday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Grapefruit Halves, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Cornbread with Sausage Gravy (Gluten-free), Summer Squash Casserole (Gluten-free), Sliced Tomatoes - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Honey, Grapefruit Halves, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Chinese Eggplant in Garlic Sauce, Jasmine Rice, Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Potluck after Liturgy
Dinner: Chicken and Andouille Gumbo, Rice, Chopped Scallions, Pepper Sauce
Labels: Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Romance and Relationship, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, September 04, 2022
Menu Plan: September 4 - 10
Rich and I had an opportunity to go on a movie date and then to have dinner at a new Italian restaurant in town yesterday. We have a hangar dance to go to this week, and in a couple weeks a fancy pants banquet event, so we are getting to enjoy some time out with each other more frequently than normal. Today is the anniversary of our engagement. Or coming to terms, as we call it. We spent a month in negotiations, considering whether or not we should go forward with our plan to wait another three and a half years to get married, or just go for it and do it that year. We went from three and a half years to plan to four and a half months, and it was the best decision we ever made. It's true that we started out with less than we would have had if we had waited, but we also grew up together and grew together into the one flesh marriage we have.
Since Rich has Labor Day off, we get to do some more things around our house that have been on hold too long. It also means that our roosters' and ducks' stay of execution is over, and they are heading to the freezer. There is so much that didn't get done in our garden, but Rich is going to try to get a few fall crops ready for us before the freezes kill everything.
This is not our first week of school, but it is our first week of school related activities. We have registration for our homeschool co-op, ballet and gymnastics begin again, and so our schedules are now a little more regulated. It helps us to ease into the school year this way, and gets our morning schedule a little earlier at a slower pace. We do get to go to a gyro and kebab festival and vespers at a church in our area this week, which is a fun treat for the whole family.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Cheesy Egg English Muffin Sandwiches (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Saleeq, Stewed Okra and Tomatoes, Turkish Stuffed Apricots - Monday
Breakfast: Ful, Bread (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sah’awiq, Chopped Tomatoes, Sliced Oranges, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: Grilled Feta Burgers, Garlic Scape French Fries, Pickles and Veggie Sticks - Tuesday
Breakfast: Harvest Pancakes, Grapefruit Halves, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Meatloaf*, Lyonnaise Potatoes, Salad, Fruit Plate - Wednesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal (Grain-free for Jerome) with Raisins and Brown Sugar, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Lebanese Lentil Salad, Eggplant and Pepper Salad, Sliced Plums - Thursday - Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Theotokos
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Dan Dan Noodles with Cabbage, Sliced Oranges - Friday - Feast of the Righteous Parents of the Theotokos, Anna and Joachim
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Honey, Fruit, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Creamy Avocado Pasta with Cashews (Gluten-free for Jerome), Salad, Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Kids Make Breakfast
Dinner: Snack Tray
Labels: Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Romance and Relationship, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, September 05, 2021
Menu Plan: September 5 - 11
It is September, and I am doing Shelftember again. My cooking style is very different than the woman who organizes this, and I include all our household supplies and animal supplies in my grocery budget, but I do like to try to eat as much from our freezers and pantries, and save money at the beginning of all school and co-op and dance and all of that. Plus, we have to buy both snow tires and regular tires for my van. This will give us more cushion for that, too.
Since we belong to that wonderful gleaning club I mention here so often, though, we are still flush with produce. Also, I have a pretty big Fred Meyer reward rebate that we will be using in a couple weeks, which I don't count against our lowered budget. Normally, we spend about $1600 a month on our groceries, including toiletries, paper products, cleaning products, and animal feed/supplies. This month, I have reduced that to $550 and we are eating out of what we have here. With the way prices have gone up, though, I think it will be a little harder to do this year even than it was last year. When I went to the grocery store for my bi-weekly trip, many prices that have been stable for a long time had gone up significantly. Thank God for our gleaning group and friends at the Grocery Outlet.
We have had a few changes this past week. One of those is that the local Orthodox Mission has set up Divine Liturgy twice a month, and the first was yesterday. We were able to join them, and will be going every other week. Rich will still be leading the Anglican Evening Prayer service Sunday nights, so I think we will just be alternating which weekends we go to either the Catholic or Orthodox Church in the morning. It has been the biggest challenge since we have come here not to have a home parish. We love each of these churches, but we miss our own. However, it is beautiful and our boys, especially, love the Orthodox liturgy, and they are so glad to be going. It has been good for our youngest girls, as well. They see the icons and ask about them, and they "read" the history of our faith in them. That has been wonderful. We are always trying to see the great blessings God has given us here in our desert place.
It has been downright cold in the mornings here. I'm trying not to complain, but instead be grateful for our warm house and bed, but it is hard. Also hard is that Alexander finally moved out on his own this weekend. It is time and we are happy for him, but it is hard, too. I imagine, he will find some things harder than he expects, also, because while he won't have to work around nine other people or do dishes for nine other people, he also doesn't have those nine other people doing all the things they do for him here. He's still in town and working here, too, so we will see him; he goes to church with us, and he already plans to be here for some dinners and such, but he is the first to leave the nest.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Blackberry Pancakes (Gluten and dairy-free for Jerome) with Maple Syrup, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Borschty, Egg Noodles (Gluten-free pasta for Jerome), Sour Cream (Cashew Cream for Jerome), Green Salad, Sliced Peacock Melon - Monday
Breakfast: Biscuits and Sausage Gravy (Gluten and dairy free for Jerome), Cantaloupe, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Grilled Kofta, Turkish Ezme Salad, Fried Tomatoes, Quick Pilaf, Sliced Watermelon - Tuesday
Breakfast: Vanilla Yogurt with and Diced Peaches (Strawberry Coconut Milk Yogurt for Jerome), Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Lubia Polo with Beef, Persian Salad, Sliced Watermelon - Wednesday - Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Breakfast: Peanut Butter and Blueberry Peach Jam on Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Tea and Honey
Dinner: Loaded Vegetable Nachos with Salsa and Cheese (Vegan-alternative for Jerome), Sliced Watermelon - Thursday - Feast of the Parents of the Theotokos, Joachim and Anna
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Peppers, Onions and Corn Chips (Dairy-free Sausage Gravy and Gluten-free Toast for Jerome), Fruit, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Leftovers, Fruit Plate - Friday
Breakfast: Ful, Moroccan Olives, Chopped Tomatoes and Onions, Toast (gluten-free for Jerome), Nectarines, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Quesadillas (Faux Cheese for Jerome), Sliced Peppers, Salsa, Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Yogurt (Dairy-free for Jerome) and Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Shared Meal after Vespers
Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Shelftember, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, August 22, 2021
Menu Plan: August 22 - 28
"Holy Spirit, inspire me. Love of God, consume me, on the true path, lead me. Mary, my Mother, look upon me, with Jesus, bless me. From all evil, from all illusion, from all danger, preserve me."
"Always remember to love your neighbor; always prefer the person who tries your patience, who tests your virtue, because with them you can always gain merit."
"It is sweet to think of Jesus; but it is sweeter to do His will."
~ Saint Mariam Baouardy (Mary of Jesus Crucified) ~
Another fair week has come and gone, and just like clockwork, fall is here. Every year since we have lived here, fall winds come after fair and the Monday following it is the first day of autumn. I love the fall, but here, it is just a sign that winter is on its way. We can look forward to about two to four weeks of fall weather before we will see below freezing nights most years. You'll notice that we have started including more fall type meals this week, too.
Fair week, even with planning for people being all over the place at all hours still wreaked havoc on our meal schedule, so we have a couple repeats this week. This week, we have Mariam's birthday, and though we won't be able to have her party on her birthday, we will be able to have some of her friends over for a party. Yasmina is still waiting for her birthday party, but we are hoping to put it together for another weekend, since it is a little more complicated to put into action.
We begin Jerome's fifth month on his allergy diet. Two months to go before we start re-introducing foods, and we are so excited! If you have any food allergies and have hints for us, we would appreciate it, or are looking for ideas, I hope our menu plans help.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Bacon and Home Fries, Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Alicia Ybarra's Beans, Rice, Green Salad with Italian Herbs and Red Wine Vinaigrette - Monday
Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Pumpkin (Grain-free Granola with Coconut Milk for Jerome), Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder, Chickpea Pilaf, Green Salad - Tuesday- Feast of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle
Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam (Coconut Yogurt for Jerome), Figs, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Chicken and Vegetable Ragout, Egg Noodles with Lemon and Herbs (Gluten-free pasta for Jerome), Fruit Plate - Wednesday
Breakfast: Ful, Moroccan Olives, Chopped Tomatoes and Onions, Toast (gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Vegetarian Ranchero Beans (made with Black Beans), Quick and Dirty Mexican Rice (made with sunflower oil and water), Fruit Plate - Thursday - Feast of Mariam Baouardy
Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Honey Peanut Butter, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Slow Cooked Coconut Chicken and Vegetables, Jasmine Rice, Green Salad - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter and Blueberry Peach Jam on Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Tea and Honey
Dinner: Tomato Soup, Oyster Crackers (Blue Corn Chips for Jerome), Green Salad, Watermelon, Vegan and Gluten-free Pumpkin Cake with Maple Glaze - Saturday - Feasts of Saint Augustine of Hippo and Saint Moses the Black
Breakfast: Pancakes (Gluten and dairy-free for Jerome) with Maple Syrup, Bacon, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Slow Cooked Chuck Roast, Baked Potatoes, Chopped Salad, Fruit Plate
Labels: Birthday, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, August 15, 2021
Menu Plan: Feast of the Dormition
Shudder, O ye heavens! and, O earth, give ear unto these words: God descended once before for our sake; He descends again today for His Mother.
So many times, when people deny the honor to the Theotokos, it is really a dishonor to the Lord. Even denying her the title Theotokos ends up declaring that Christ was either not God in her womb, or that He is not God incarnate. It is not intentional, but I think a good question to ask oneself when putting her "in her place" is what does this mean about Christ and His divinity? If it ends up dishonoring Him, calling His divinity into question, or lessening Him, it isn't a good thing. Likewise, so many people say that there is too much honor given her, without actually considering whether or not they honor her enough or even at all. What is just the right amount of honor? Surely it isn't debasing the woman who bore and raised our Lord? Jesus was born a Jew and fulfilled the law. He loved and honored His mother, and as we could not have had Him without her, why would we want that, instead of following His example?
Since it was the feast of Saint Laurence last week, Rich said that we should grill the kofta. So, we did. And he shaped them like little men. Also, while we ended up moving a few things around, because it is a busy fair week this week, we will probably not see them until next week. We ended up with a ton of lettuce, so I am making loads of salads this week, too. It will be great in sandwiches and wraps when we need to run for fair, also.
Jerome's diet means that I am not going to try to do the fair food night this year. There are just too many things that he can't eat involved, I don't know that I can figure them all out for that whole meal, and I don't want him to be left out of the festivities, so we will put it off and eat it at a later date. However, that doesn't mean that we aren't baking up a storm. Two of the girls, Jerome and I are all entering things into the fair. So, today and tomorrow, there is a lot of baking going on. We will have to do our family celebration on Sunday.
- Sunday- Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Blessed Virgin Mary
Breakfast: Omelet with Taco Meat, Cheese, and Salsa (Scrambled Chickpeas for Jerome), Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Bananas (Pears for Jerome), Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Baked Pasta with Meat Sauce Fresh Herbs (Gluten-free for Jerome), Chopped Salad with Fresh Herbs - Monday
Breakfast: Potato Pancakes, Fried Ham, Sliced Radishes, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Tender and Crisp Chicken with Sweet Tomatoes, Artisan Bread (Gluten-free for Jerome), Green Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette - Tuesday
Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Pumpkin (Grain-free Granola with Coconut Milk for Jerome), Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Spiced Chicken with Tomatoes and Onions, Rice, Green Salad - Wednesday
Breakfast: Cream Cheese and Toast (Gluten-free Toast and Faux Cheese for Jerome) with Sliced Cucumbers, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Mediterranean Pasta Salad on a Bed of Lettuce, Fruit Plate, Dairy-free Coffee Ice Cream - Thursday
Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Honey Peanut Butter, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Slow Cooked Coconut Chicken and Vegetables, Rice, Green Salad - Friday - Feast of Saint Bernard
Breakfast: Peanut Butter and Peach Jelly on Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Tea and Honey
Dinner: Chinese Chickpea Salad (no sesame oil), Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes (Gluten and dairy-free for Jerome) with Maple Syrup, Bacon, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder, Chickpea Pilaf, Chopped Salad
Dominic said that when we pray this prayer, or any other Marian prayers like the Hail Mary, which are based on the text of Luke, we are placing ourselves in the prophecy from Mary's own lips: "For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed" Luke 1:48
Labels: Birthday, Blessed Virgin, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen, Theotokos
Sunday, August 08, 2021
Menu Plan: August 8 - 14
We have an abundance of cucumbers and peaches this week. My goal is to pickle a whole lot this week and eat a ton of peaches.
Fair is nearly here, which means that our brief autumn is nearly upon us. I have always loved the fall, and here it just makes me sad because it is only a couple/few weeks, then it is below freezing at night. So now fall just anticipates cold and sorrow for me. I'm trying not to think about that, and instead focus on that last fun of summer.
The meals this week might shift, because I am not sure how much of the turkey we will have left. If we have a lot of it, I will make a red chile sauce to mix with it and stuff some arepas with that. Also, we have a repeat meal from last week, because we ended up having something else for the feast of the Transfiguration.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs (Scrambled Chickpeas for Jerome), Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Doughnut Peaches, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pepper Beef, Rice, Stir Fried Green Beans, Peaches - Monday
Breakfast: Potato Pancakes, Fried Ham, Plums, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: After Thanksgiving Soup, Pumpkin Rolls (Gluten-free Rolls for Jerome), Sautéed Kale with Garlic and Balsamic Vinegar - Tuesday - Feast of Saint Laurence
Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam (Coconut Yogurt for Jerome), Figs, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Baked Kofta (leaving out the coriander) with Potatoes and Tomatoes, Rice, Chopped Salad, Sliced Watermelon - Wednesday
Breakfast: Cream Cheese and Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Sliced Cucumbers, Grapefruit Halves, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Tuna Bean Salad, Gluten-free, Vegan Summer Squash Fritters, Sliced Watermelon - Thursday
Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Honey Peanut Butter, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Korean Beef with Scallions, Rice, Massaged Kale Salad, Fruit Plate - Friday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter and Peach Jelly on Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Grapefruit Halves, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Cauliflower and Chickpea Masala with Kale, Rice, Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes (Gluten and dairy-free for Jerome) with Maple Syrup, Bacon, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Lengua Tacos, Salsa, Marinated Cucumbers, Beets and Onions with Cumin, Sliced Oranges
Labels: Blessed Virgin, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen, Theotokos
Sunday, August 01, 2021
Menu Plan: August 1 - 7
Here we are in August, and I need to get planning for school this fall. It has snuck up on me. Preparation for the Dormition Feast has also snuck up on me. I can't believe that the feast of the Transfiguration is this Friday and that the feast of the Dormition is in only two weeks!
Last week brought some unexpected, but actually timely, heat and we had a ton of leftovers, so I have moved some meals to this week and we are trying to fit some of the meals in later. We do have a couple hot days this week, too, so I am planning meals that can be grilled or cooked earlier in the day and eaten reheated or cold.
Since we are now counting down until Jerome gets to add things back to his diet, our world at home has gotten a little brighter. He gets to try eggs again at the end of October. I don't know who is more excited about him getting back to normal again, he or I.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam (Coconut Yogurt for Jerome), Figs, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Beef Stew, Green Salad, Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies (Orange Glazed Gluten-free Vegan Cake for Jerome) - Monday
Breakfast: Potato Pancakes, Fried Ham, Sliced Oranges, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pašticada, Gnocchi (Gluten and dairy-free for Jerome), Beet and Cucumber Salad, Sliced Watermelon - Tuesday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs (Scrambled Chickpeas for Jerome), Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Bruschetta Tomato Topping, Garlic Chard, Simple Rice Pilaf, Sliced Watermelon - Wednesday - Feast of Saint Dominic
Breakfast: Ful, Green Olives, Chopped Cucumbers and Onions, Toast (gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas, Cabbage, Carrot and Onion Slaw with Cumin, Sliced Oranges - Thursday
Breakfast: Apple-Coconut Breakfast Bowl* with Honey Peanut Butter, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Slow Cooked Curried Lamb with Apricots, Rice, Sumac Roasted Cauliflower, Marinated Cucumbers and Onions - Friday - Feast of the Transfiguration
Breakfast: Peanut Butter and Peach Jelly* on Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit Plate, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Tuna Bean Salad, Gluten-free, Vegan Summer Squash Fritters, Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes (Gluten and dairy-free for Jerome) with Maple Syrup, Bacon, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Herb Roasted Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Mashed Potatoes (dairy free), Gravy (gluten-free), Fried Corn, Peppers and Onions, Salad
Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen
Monday, July 19, 2021
Menu Plan: July 18 - 24
After a whirlwind trip down to Oregon to visit family and friends, we are back home and recovering from our vacation. This was our second trip with one of our kids at home while the rest were with us, but the first that the oldest two and Amira were home while we had only the other five. We realized we have to get used to that. Much of this week is down time and catching up at home and work. However, my birthday is this week, too, and while the Jazz in the Valley folks got the date wrong this year (we can forgive them because of the confusion of last year), so we can't go to that this weekend, it will be on next weekend and they have made it free, I think, so we might take some more kids with us.
We have a large amount of cucumbers and summer squash, plus two boxes of pie cherries that we are going to make into pies and pie filling for the freezer. Rich's aunt sent us home with a few bags of marionberries from her yard, so I have a pie and some marionberry lemonade planned. I am so excited because we were able to get some coconut aminos, so I can start to make a semblance of Asian foods for Jerome now. Also, we are so happy with Banza pasta. It is a bit pricey, but it feels like real pasta and holds up, even in a pasta salad for four days in a cooler/fridge, without turning to mush. It has allowed Jerome to have something approaching normal pasta. If you can get it, I highly recommend it.
We are almost in the fourth of six months of Jerome's allergy diet, and the blessing in our trip was how well and how much the restaurant staff were willing not only to accommodate his needs. Often, they went far above and beyond the necessary, as well, making sure he not only had food he could eat, but delicious food, as well. We so appreciated that. It made our trip much easier than it could have been, though we did bring foods with us that he could eat, for those occasions when he couldn't be accommodated, or for times we were not eating out at restaurants.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Fried Egg and Steak Bagel Sandwiches (Scrambled Chickpeas with Ham on Gluten-free Bread for Jerome), Potato Pancakes, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Beef and Chicken Loaded Taco Salad - Monday - Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul
Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Chipotle Beef, Mexican Rice, Sautéed Peppers, Summer Squash, Onions and Corn - Tuesday - Feast of Saint Elijah the Prophet
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs (Scrambled Chickpeas for Jerome), Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Not Texas Chili with Chopped Avocados and Sour Cream (a dairy free herbed cream "cheese" for Jerome), Gluten-free Vegan Cornbread - Wednesday
Breakfast: Feta and Red Pepper Spread on Toast (Dairy-free Cream "Cheese" on Gluten-free Toast for Jerome), Sliced Cucumbers, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Arepas and Pinto Beans, Sautéed Summer Squash, Peppers and Spring Onions, Marionberry Pie with Cinnamon-Pecan Crust - Thursday - Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, Myrrh-Bearer and Equal to the Apostles
Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam (Coconut Yogurt for Jerome), Fruit Plate, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Grilled Chipotle Rubbed Flank Steak, Sautéed Summer Squash and Spring Onions, Chopped Salad, Fresh Cherry Pie with Almond Crust - Friday
Breakfast: Ful with Chopped Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Onions, Harissa (Boss Sauce for Jerome), Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Tea and Honey
Dinner: Pasta (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Olive Oil, Garlic, Aleppo Flakes and Toasted Pine Nuts, Chopped Salad - Saturday
Breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Waffles (Gluten and dairy-free for Jerome) with Maple Syrup, Bacon, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Grilled Ribeye Steaks, Seared Scallops with Cauliflower and Basil, Chopped Salad, Black Forest Cake (Maybe. I feel weird making a cake Jerome can't have at all, and I also feel weird getting just a cake for me.)
Labels: Birthday, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, July 11, 2021
Menu Plan: July 11 - 17
This is a big week at our house. Rich was finally able to take some vacation time, less than we initially hoped, but enough that we can take a little break. We also celebrate our 27th anniversary of our first meeting on Thursday. We only know that date, because we met at a dance on a Friday that was the Friday week before my birthday. However, we celebrate it every year. This year, Rich has something special planned, and I am excited about that.
We are in the third of six months of Jerome's allergy diet, which is the only wrench in the works. It makes eating out much more challenging and even eating with others is challenging. In general, I have just been planning on cooking every meal or bringing food he can eat wherever we go. The folks at church have been awesome about checking with us on what he can eat, and have brought meals a couple times. They are so careful to include him, even though I said to make whatever was easiest for them and that we would bring food for Jerome, so they didn't have to worry about it. That is a blessing in our struggle.
- Sunday - Feast of Saint Benedict of Nursia
Breakfast: Croissant Egg and Cheese Sandwiches (Gluten-free Pastries with Dairy-free Faux Cheese for Jerome), Bananas (Apricots for Jerome), Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Kusheri (in parts so Jerome can eat what he is able), Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette, Fruit Plate - Monday
Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam (Coconut Yogurt for Jerome), Croissants, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Thai Coconut Green Chile Chicken with Vegetables and Rice Noodles, Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette - Tuesday - Feast of Saint Veronica
Breakfast: Granola Bars (Grain-free Granola for Jerome), Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Clam Chowder (Crab Cakes for Jerome), Salad - Wednesday
Breakfast: English Muffins with Cream Cheese and Jam (Gluten-free Bread with Herbed Faux Cream Cheese for Jerome), Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Seafood Salad, Fruit Plate - Thursday - Feasts of Saints Bonaventure and Swithun
Breakfast: Bacon and Egg Sandwiches (No Egg and Gluten-free Bread for Jerome), Fruit Plate, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Dinner Out with Friends, Kids Make Their Own - Friday
Breakfast: Smoked Salmon, Home Fries, Fruit, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Mixed Seafood Grill, Roasted Potatoes, Salad, Fruit - Saturday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs (Scrambled Chickpeas for Jerome), Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Kids Make Dinner
Labels: Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Romance and Relationship, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, July 04, 2021
Menu Plan: July 4 - 10
We had another busy, but good, week, and between the heat, and the extra work, Rich took Friday off, only to spend nearly the entire day doing work via phone/text/laptop instead of in the garden. At least he has tomorrow off for Independence Day. Now, we just hope and pray that everyone else does, too. Our Independence Day celebrations will include music and fireworks on the lake.
It's another birthday week here. Yasmina turns 13 this week! It is exciting having another young adult in our house. This week is a little cooler than last week, so we aren't sweltering, and we can have more normal meals. It's only supposed to be in the 90s most of the week, with a few days that the over-eager weather shamans are predicting to be just over 100˚. Since they were off by at least four to six degrees all of last week, I think it is safe to assume we won't get to 100˚.
Our beef was delivered, and we have beef for quite a while. Since we didn't order this butchering, specifically, we couldn't ask for specific cuts or roasts, so it is missing some of the things we would have asked for, like the beef cheeks, oxtails, shanks, shin bones, and rib roasts. However, we have a few tenderloin roasts, which will become our Christmas dinner this year, instead of the rib roast, and loads of other roasts and steaks, plus all the ground beef. Since we had to rearrange the freezer to fit it, we found some things that were on my inventory lists, but that nobody seemed to be able to find, though we are missing a package of rack of lamb that we only got two months ago. That was supposed to be for a date night for Rich and me, so I'm hoping it turns up soon.
We are in the third of six months of Jerome's allergy diet. Even when it is over, it will be another year of slowly adding the ingredients back, so it will be a year and a half before he is completely through it. He is going to have Thanksgiving without a lot of his favorite foods, which is why I made a Thanksgiving dinner for him on his week of reprieve. He should have egg back, by then, and I can modify some of the dishes to use dairy free and gluten-free substitutes. It has been rough, and I didn't realize just how much I depended on egg and dairy, lentils, peas, sesame, cilantro/coriander, and even soy (sauce), for our meals - especially the vegetarian ones. I knew the gluten, wheat and oats would be hard, and I knew that dairy would be a challenge, but this has been more than I expected. He can't eat ketchup, for instance, unless we make it at home. He can't have a lot of things like sausages and bacon, simply because their ingredient list simply says "spices" and doesn't articulate which ones, and the company customer service doesn't get back to us (I'm looking at you Kroger!). I have become best friends and a penpal to several companies (even some in other countries, who reply better than Kroger, by the way) to ask about their cured meats/sausages/sauerkraut/etc. and talk to them on a weekly basis. Every can or package we buy, which is a small quantity, means scrutiny. Mustard might be safe, or not, depending on how well they list their ingredients. We hardly buy pre-made foods, so I cannot imagine what this would have been like for people who do. We are doing the best we can, and trying hard for Jerome's sake, but I really, really pray that we get through this well and that he doesn't have to give up anything permanently. His doctor only really thought that bananas might be a permanent loss, but he doesn't love them, so that is no big deal.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Dirty Eggs (Vegetable and Chicken Hash for Jerome), Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Chicken Caccciatore, Polenta, Green Salad, Watermelon - Monday
Breakfast: Vegetable Hash with Ham, Strawberries, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Cold Cut Sandwiches, Green Salad, Red Potato Salad, Pickles, Fruit - Tuesday
Breakfast: Cereal and Milk (Grain-free Granola with Coconut Milk for Jerome), Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Eggplant Kofta Bake with Tomatoes, Peppers and Onions, Zucchini Mahshi (without cilantro or coriander), Rice, Citrus Beet Salad - Wednesday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit Plate, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Raclette (modified for Jerome) with Potatoes, Pickled Vegetables and Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Chopped Salad, Fruit - Thursday
Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam (Coconut Yogurt for Jerome), Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Loaded Nachos, Guacamole, Lemon Almond Cake - Friday
Breakfast: Labneh (Faux Cream Cheese for Jerome) with Tomatoes, Dill and Olive Oil, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Caribbean Seafood Stew, Rice, Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs (Scrambled Chickpeas for Jerome), Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Graduation Party
Labels: Birthday, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, June 27, 2021
Menu Plan: June 27 - July 3
Rich didn't get to take tomorrow off, because of necessary meetings, but was able to get Thursday off, though he still had to do work at home, not only Thursday, but Friday and Saturday, though he still had his four day weekend to "rest." He didn't really rest, because he worked on the air conditioners, planted in the garden, and worked on his CFII renewal, however, he got to do so on his own schedule. Because of a lot of the responsibilities we had to the airshow, we ended up pushing our end of schoolyear work to this week, so we are finishing up our school term this past week. We will take a break to just rest and read, and then we will pick up some science and history and a little math for the summer.
It is another scorcher this week, so again we are trying to eat cool things or things that can be grilled, cooked in the pressure or slow cooker, made ahead, or made quickly. Some of the meals from last week have been moved because of this. Our whole week is supposed to be in the 100˚ - 115˚ range. We are also getting one and a quarter beef delivered this week, which means we are rearranging freezers (at least that is cold work) and eating as much as we can from our freezers.
We still have quite a lot of asparagus, so we are eating a bit of that. There was no time for pickling, between the airshow and the ballet recital. The girls' recital (sans audience) went well, and all the dancers worked so hard. We are immensely proud of them. However, we are hoping that these next couple weeks of rest, even in the heat, will help get us moving for summer fun and projects. This weekend, some newer, but dear, friends are coming into town, and we are planning on spending a bit of time with them. Their kids are friends with ours, and haven't seen each other since the middle of April.
We are still making meals that are safe for Jerome, so if you have allergies and need ideas, I hope that helps. If you have ideas for us, please share them! We are also keeping the Wednesday and Friday abstinent fasts, though not perfectly strictly. Also, if you didn't see my announcement, please note that I am working through the comments of the last year and a half, now that I know they are there.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs (Scrambled Chickpeas for Jerome), Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives, Rustic Bread (Gluten-free for Jerome), Green Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette, Gluten-Free Blackberry Cobbler with Whipped Cream (Coconut Cream for Jerome) - Monday - Feast of Saint Irenaeus of Lyons
Breakfast: Ham with Potatoes O'Brien, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Grilled Pork and Lamb Chops, Green Salad, Fruit Plate - Tuesday - Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam (Coconut Yogurt for Jerome), Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Greek Lamb Ribs, Loaded Vegetable Pasta Salad, Sorbet - Wednesday
Breakfast: Apple-Coconut Breakfast Bowl with Honey Peanut Butter, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Raclette with Potatoes and Toast (Gluten-Free for Jerome), Chopped Salad, Fruit - Thursday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit Plate, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Salad, Fruit - Friday
Breakfast: Labneh (Faux Cream Cheese for Jerome) with Tomatoes, Radishes, Dill and Olive Oil, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Tuna Pasta Salad (Gluten-free pasta for Jerome), Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes with Maple Syrup (Gluten-free Pancakes for Jerome), Bacon, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Grilled Sausages and Burgers, Coleslaw, Pickles, Chips, Ice Cream
Labels: Blog Info, Church Year, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen
