That which is haunting me

Window seat cushions. I NEED to get these done and out of my sewing room. Look at them there. Just sitting there all mashed together, not getting sewn, threatening to take over the whole room...must. sew. cushions.

Morning Snacks

Crackers and cheese, sliced apple, and hidden under the cracker cup, a wrapped chocolate.

We are really working at eating out less- not so much a problem for me, but Michael is at work all day, often on the road. His day goes much better (and healthier) if he brings food from home. I used to feel too pressured and wierd about packing food for him- (He's a grown up can't he take care of himself?) Eventually I realized that, yes, he can take care of himself, and he will, but he will eat better and cheaper if I pack lunches or snacks for him. So I don't HAVE to do it, but it is one way I can say, "I love you." in a tangible way.

For this snack I thought it would be a nice little surprise for him to find the chocolate, but before he left James picked up the container, saw the chocolate through the bottom and said, "Oh Papa, you need to get this open and so then you can eat that chocolate!! Mama is there chocolate in there?!"
Oh well.

Free really fun graphics from Full Moon Graphics

This is part of a great set of graphics called kitty cooks from Kitty at Full Moon Graphics. So many other fun graphic and font goodies await you there!

Monday Menus

• Monday- Winter Squash Chowder, Crackers, Salad
• Tuesday-Asian Stir-fry, Rice
• Wednesday- Whole Roast Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Salad
• Thursday- Calabacitas, Tortillas
• Friday- Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce, Garlic Bread, Salad
• Saturday-Chicken Fajitas, Avocado (if on sale)
• Sunday- Beef Pot Roast, Veggies, Steamed Broccoli
  

• Breakfasts- Dutch Baby one day on Weekend, Cereal, Eggs, Pumpkin Pie!
• Lunches- Left Overs, Turkey Sandwiches (early in the weeks from same turkey as Asian Cx dinner)Chicken roll-ups
• Snacks- Hard Boiled Eggs, Apples, Bananas, PB&J
• Other Food Related Tasks- Make stock from Chicken carcass, Bake Pumpkin Pie to pay off bet.

Not-Very-Good Brownies

I have been sick the last few days and have done nothing useful. Two days ago I baked brownies that turned out to be a bit too cakey and overall pretty unimpressive. But since they've been around, and I've been feeling crummy all I've been doing is eating not-very-good brownies and sluggishly taking care of the kids. I know eating brownies is not the best thing to do when you're sick, but, well...they're here. This tells me a couple things:

1. I need to find a better brownie recipe.
2. Maybe I ought to realize I have no chocolate self control and make only a half batch?
3. MAYBE making chicken soup would be a better choice next time I'm starting to feel a cold coming on.
4. Maybe I shouldn't alter the recipe and should have all ingredients on hand if I want something to come out well. But hey, I can at least say that this recipe is too cakey dry and bland if you do not add the chocolate chips, only have 1/2 C of walnuts and replace 2 oz of unsweetened chocolate with 6 oz cocoa powder and a tablespoon of butter. ::shrug::
   

Come by for some muffins and...

Here's how I looked when I served muffins this morning...

hee hee- NO,

of course not. Actually I was still in my PJs with unbrushed hair when Husby unexpectedly dropped back by the house with a work colleague, and when I turned towards Jamie saying, "and this is our son James." I had to add, "Oh, who has peed all over his step stool." As James stood there in that awkward wet underpants pose. Seems I forgot to get him to the potty this morning.

Menus for the Week

I'm dragging a bit today, but I want to at least get this weeks menus planned. I plan on putting these up on the blog for the next month so I can look back on them for future inspiration:

• Monday- Meat Loaf, Peas with butter, Rolls went out for dinner while Kids #1 was at Grandmas
• Tuesday- Chicken & Veggie Curry, Rice
• Wednesday- Burgers, Rice & Salad cut up veggies
• Thursday- Pork Loin, Butternut Squash, Broccoli peas in butter & bread
• Friday-Chicken Enchiladas, Salad Left-overs
• Saturday-Green Chili Pork, Tortillas, Cut up Veggies Pesto Chicken, Salad
• Sunday- Spaghetti Squash with Marinara Sauce ( made with 1/2 that pre-cooked turkey breast I have in the freezer, reserve other half for Asian stir fry next week), Garlic Bread, Salad Green Chili Chicken, Cornmeal Spoon Bread

• Breakfasts- Cereal, Eggs, Bacon on one weekend day
• Lunches- Left Overs, Sliced Chicken Sandwiches
• Snacks- Need to eat more veggie/ fruit snacks this week: Apples or celery with peanut butter, banana rolled in nuts ( want to try crushed sunflower seeds) bell pepper with hummus, just plain veggies and fruit, etc.

Alright now I just need to put a few things on my grocery list. Well, that and actually go grocery shopping, and cook the meals and so on. But making the menus is a big help for me, the week just goes better if I've planned our meals.

Pumpkin Cakies

Last night I was going to make pumpkin pie without the shell and got a bit carried away singing about "pumkin custard cups" to Jamie and somehow the thing I was singing about turned into pumpkin cakies (maybe it was rhyming better with making...?) Anyhow, James got all excited about cakies, so we changed to making these from a recipe in my old Betty Crocker cook book. This is the first time I've used any shapes silicon baking cups and they came out very nicely. I sprayed them with a shot of Pam type baking spray, and had no trouble getting the muffins, errr- cakies out.

By the way. These muffin cups came from the dollar section at Target and they were all connected together like a muffin tray, but I wanted to be able to use them as a cup in Husby's lunches as well so I just cut around them. I'm so pleased at their usefulness. Now I want to get some in other shapes for other seasons.

And what better way to enjoy a cakie than in a giant cardboard box with your Papa?

Lunch for the Road

Chicken and avocado sandwich, cheese and crackers, broccoli florets, and a little chocolate.

Husby is on the road all day today so I wanted to pack him something so he wouldn't wind up eating fast food. I like it when I can pack him a tasty lunch for work, but I don't always manage to do it. One of my goals for this year is to make more of these- packing lunches is fun and feels like sending a little love note when I try to make them attractive. It turns something mundane into something creative- not that the lunch above is all that attractive, but it IS packed nicely together.