Wow it is hard to believe it has been a month since I have been around.  I have had a couple of life changing events in my home and it feels almost as if all normal activity has been on hold.  My youngest son moved in with his father for a few months.  My husband has been diagnosed with Parkinsons and I tried to electrocute myself while doing dishes but those are all stories for another day.

In attempts to get back to real life and settle down we took the boys and girlfriends to see a movie last night.  While the movie wasn’t the best ever it was all in good company and we were pleased to make it home safely in white out road conditions on the way home.

I have been working on some daily routines and so far laundry and dishes seem to be moderately kept up.  Next on the list is to get back on my menu planning so here goes.

I am going to start off by featuring our Easy French Dip Sandwiches this week.  These are loaded with yummy carmelized onions which are canned by myself and always on our shelf ready to add great flavor to a meal.

Easy French Dip Sandwiches

• 16 oz sliced deli roast beef
• 1 pint carmelized onions
• 2 teaspoons beef boullion powder
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon browning sauce (optional but it enhances the flavor)

Monday: Easy French Dip Sandwiches and Glazed Carrot Coins

Tuesday: Homemade Potato Soup with Oatmeal Rolls

Wednesday: Philly Steak Calzones and Baby Taters

Thursday:  We are eating out with Boy Scouts at a planning meeting

Friday:  Creamy Crockpot Chicken Ala King

Saturday: Fajita Bean & Rice Bowls

Sunday: Italian Chicken Pasta with Olive Garden Breadsticks

What is on  your menu this week?  Does menu planning help you feel on track?

Linked to: Org Junkie

Sometimes the Christmas season can be difficult to deal with.  My husband was laid off of work a few weeks ago and it felt somewhat frustrating at the time knowing Christmas was coming.  However I do feel blessed and I thought I would take a week to show you how even through the tough times I can find some joy in the season.  My hope is that someone out there will be encouraged to find some joy in their season even if their situation isn’t ideal this year.

My first blessing is my full freezers.  I have some wonderful friends and an awesome mother who over the years have taught me how to stock a freezer with meat bought only at a discount or produce from the garden of those who love the soil.  I have two chest freezers and the standard above the fride freezer.  They are full to the top and will bring us through the winter with meals.  If my husband doesn’t get a recall from being laid off soon I do not need to worry about my family being able to eat.

So today I am very thankful for the blessing of full freezers.  I will have the ability to menu plan for weeks.  We will have full bellies and delighted taste buds.  I am thankful for the friends and family that have taught me the lessons of stock piling and how to do it on a budget.

This weeks menu:

• MONDAY: Pigs in a Blanket with freezer corn
• TUESDAY: Sausage pizza
• WEDNESDAY:  We are feeding the hungry at church and will eat with them as well.
• THURSDAY: Swedish Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes with Carrots
• FRIDAY:  Feliz Navidad it is the Christmas Fiesta with the boys and their girlfriends  We have quite the variety of mexican dishes on our menu from tacos to chili relanos to nachos.
• SATURDAY:  We will be with my mom celebrating Christmas.
• SUNDAY: We will be with my grandparents celebrating yet again!

Wow it has been a very busy past couple months with everything between summer camps and hospital stays.  I am desperately seeking some organization and calm atmosphere.  So this week I am planning my meals to avoid the what is for supper rush.

Monday: Biscuits & Gravy

Tuesday: Paninis and Salad

Wednesday: Eggs & Hashbrowns

Thursday: Pizza

Friday: Enchiladas

Saturday: Brats & Grilled Mushrooms

Sunday: Roast Beef & Veggies

Sometimes just having one small thing planned each day takes the pressure off and allows me to adjust easier.  This week planning my meals will allow me to clean out the fridge and enjoy some time with my family.

What are you eating this week?  Visit Org Junkie for more ideas.

Sometimes it is hard to believe it is Monday again already.  Today is one of those days. We are still working on eating out of the freezer around here.

We have a few convenience foods stashed in the freezer which will be eaten this week since just two of us are around.  Summers are so crazy with comings and goings.  We will definitely be enjoying a grilled sandwich this week on a hot evening.

Ciabatta Paninis for Two

• 2 multigrain ciabatta buns
• spicy brown mustard
• 2 ounces sliced roasted chicken breast
• 1 slice swiss cheese

Slice buns and spread with mustard.  Top with chicken and cheese.  Place buns in a panini grill and clamp shut.  Toast sandwiches and serve.

This past week has been somewhat of a reality call to me. My friend Esther is preparing for a man made flood along the Missouri River in Nebraska. FEMA told her to empty her basement and get things to higher ground.

My blog has ceased to exist on a temporary basis as I did my best to help her round up boxes, provide support via long phone calls and to start canning her meat so that it wouldn’t spoil. Oh and I baked a ton of cookies from frozen dough!

So anyway after moving things around in my freezer to make room for Esther’s cheese I decided to start working on eating a little more of our freezer content.  So this week we will pare down.

We have chicken, hotdogs, roast beef, and a variety of deli meats.  We will also be using up some frozen bread, cheese and it is about time to take out some coffee creamer again.  Stir fry is bound to happen with the veggies we have stocked up.

I don’t have a plan yet but I intend to take requests from the two men that are around this week and work with what I have.  Today we will be having french dip sandwiches with leftover fruit salad.

Don’t get me wrong I absolutely love having two freezers.  It allows me to stock up when something great comes along.  However there is a point where it is good to pare down and enjoy the blessings you have been given.  We have some home repairs upcoming and this might be a way for us to save a little on the grocery budget and put it towards the projects we want to complete before the snow flies.

I want to challenge you to evaluate your pantry and freezer just to see if you could avoid buying ingredients for one meal this week and eat it strictly from what you have.  How much would that really save you?  With a family of five here that would easily be $5-10 for our main meal of the day.