12 Days of Snacks

So snacks come and go around here. If we get up earlier than normal, we are needing snacks. Usually around 10:30am and 3pmish we're all ready to gnaw on something. I bought these plates on clearance for $1.78 for a set of two! So welcome the snack plates. Yogurt, cheerios and ham. I love the sections, it helps me mix things up. Follow the next 12 weekdays of snacks!

Homeschool Lunches

Have I told you that we started homeschooling this year? My son is 11 and daughter is 8 next week. So when we started homeschooling, I realized we would need LUNCHES at home, too. Another meal to plan! I've tried planning lunches, but it seems to just work better to have several "staples" on hand and make whatever I feel like each afternoon. My thing is "soup and sandwiches" for lunch for the kids. That can take on many faces! I try to have a fruit and veggie and sandwich and soup. It rarely works that way! I often eat leftovers from dinner for my lunch.

I LOVE my dinnerware pattern from 1990. It is Dansk "Fransk" (nice that it rhymes!) in Blanc. I would choose it all over again 20+ years later. Of course, my pattern was discontinued years ago. A new cereal bowl at replacements.com is $59.99. Sigh. We've broken several dishes in the past few months so I was looking at prices online to replace those that have passed on. (I practically have a funeral when they break!! Sick.) It is getting to the point that by the time we're eating dinner, there aren't enough dishes because I've used them all up during a busy day at home.

In an effort to reduce the use on my dishes, I found these at Target yesterday. My new LUNCH DISHES! I love them-plastic and indestructable! I bought 2 floral and 2 stripe (they actually came with a lid). This will save on several plates used during the day. :)

So today's lunch was a SOUR nectarine (so disappointing!), sandwich (Sarah gets a CHOCOLATE Nutella sandwich on Fridays, but the other days she chooses between PB&J and meat-n-cheese). Daniel only eats PB&J. He likes noodle soup and she doesn't. We don't have chips very often but this week they get a serving with lunch.

I just want you to know that I sound organized only out of necessity!! The things I do everyday need some kind of systemization...for sanity. And every little thing that gets systemized isn't a problem anymore and then I systematize something else and now I have a home of systems! I love that!

SO-I have a question for you-what do YOU do with your broken dishes? I keep thinking someone out there might want the gorgeous materials for mosaics or something. I could toss it all in a flat rate box and mail it to someone. How do you recycle broken dishes? Please leave comments below, thanks!

Dijon Chicken & Broccoli

Presenting dinner: TSG's Dijon Chicken & Broccoli. Top pic is what me and the kids ate and the second photo is what John ate (no pasta). This was ok...about a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10.

Broiled Ginger Salmon with Lime Butter

I like this recipe but I didn't like it broiled. It was kinda dry. I think a pan fry or poaching would give better flavor. Besides, this is frozen salmon which isn't the same as fresh! Of course, we have fresh Copper River Salmon at Costco for $10/lb. I plan one fish and one turkey meal per week so maybe we'll indulge since it is in season.

John ate a green salad, green beans and salmon. I added pasta w/ parmesan and butter for the rest of us. I think it super weird that my plate is hanging off the edge of the table in the top photo...was I in a hurry or what!? I like the flavor from this recipe though I really need to get a zester.

Beef Burgundy and Green Salad

TSG's Beef Burgundy recipe was great (I added carrots)! John liked it enough to have it again but the kids didn't care for the flavors. I reserved the sauce from yesterday's asparagus for salad dressing plus cold roasted asparagus for the salad. I made baked potatoes for the rest of the family.

One of the challenges of making new meals is deciding how to actually serve them...what plates to put them on...we've gone through a lot dishes because of this issue!

Free Grocery Shopping Planner-Sheet 2

Since I'm now "starting over" with meal planning, I've made a new grocery shopping list for us. John shops now on Wednesday nights and Sundays. I work on getting my list done on Tuesdays. I plan for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday (he shops for these things on Wednesday). I write in the meals in the boxes and under the boxes write what ingredients I need. Then on the lower half of the sheet I neatly write out his grocery list. Click here for PDF Grocery Planner Sheet.

This is a help because he'll often say, "purple, watermelon flavored diced tomatoes"?? What are those for? Now with the meals at the top written in the boxes, I can say, "oh, that's for Thursday night, the watermelon lasagna" (for a silly example).

Chicken Green Salad & Roasted Asparagus

Costco has ready to go salad greens-half baby spinach & half green lettuces. Tossed chicken in hot olive oil seasoned with Mrs. Dash, Montreal Steak Grill Spice with salt and pepper. Roasted asparagus as usual-click here for recipe. Used store bought salad dressings, mixed italian and caesar low-fat. Kids ate leftover macaroni & cheese. I can't believe we're eating food that is GREEN!