#flatschallenge

So, I'm taking the Flats Challenge.  I'm not concerned about using flats at all. Not even worried about pins!  I used flats and pins exclusively for my (now 5yo) daughter. My concern is not so much with the washing either.  It's the drying. Thankfully this is the appropriate time of year to line dry. However, I've decided to make this as much of a challenge as I can.

How you ask? I'm mostly going to use things that can be found local to me. Either cheap or free.

Diapers:

• Gerber (trash) flats
• scrap fabric flat
• WalMart flour sack towels (buying tomorrow)
• homemade detergent (will post recipe tomorrow)
• clothesline and pins from dollar store
• well used (donated to me) covers
• homemade ($2.00) wool longies
• pins bought at dollar store
• rubber gloves bought at hannaford

Menu Plan Monday!

Monday: BLT's and chips (simple for just me and the DH as the kids are having supper elsewhere)
Tuesday: Lettuce Tacos (the teens fave. He has requested this be a weekly meal)
Wednesday: Spaghetti and sauce
Thursday: French Toast Sandwiches
Friday: Salad
Saturday: BBQ Chicken on the grill
Sunday: Stir-fry

Menu Plan Monday!

I took a long hiatus from blogging and haven't the foggiest idea why. Sorry to the four of you who follow me. I'll try to blog more. But I make no guarantees. K?

This week I wanted to try to stick to using what we already have as much as possible. Trying to save a bit of money on the grocery bill. (Please pray this works!)

Monday: Jenn's Out Of This World Spaghetti and Meatballs
 
Tuesday: Black Beans and Rice

Wednesday: Lettuce Tacos

Thursday: Vegetarian Brown Rice Sushi Rolls and something... Any ideas?

Friday: Macaroni Pizza Casserole

Saturday: Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers and tossed salad

Sunday: Grilled Cheese and Rice, tomato and cumin soup

I'll have to buy a couple things like fresh veggies but the budget should work if I can bring myself to STICK TO THE PLAN!!!   (again- please pray...)

So I'm pregnant...

Wow...



Baby is due on Oct 17th. And I'm gonna need to get some maternity clothes really soon. ACK!

Re-Use, Re-Purpose, Up-Cycle! (part one)

So, I wanted to do some re-organizing in my house so things wouldn't be all over the place (namely the floor).  I thought at first that I might have to buy some storage bins and new bookshelves.  But I was wrong.  *Hooray!*

First up- This is 4yo dd's old toybox-

It has been emptied out, turned around, and placed in the living room for it's new purpose.

It's now shoe storage! I had origionally had all the shoes in individual baskets. But they were hard to get to (under the computer desk) and people forgot which basket was theirs. ugh. So they now go in this box under the window. And if they can't find their shoes- no longer my problem.

But what to do with the baskets that used to hold the shoes???

Well, here's what I did with one of them.

As far as dd's toys- She got a new, larger toybox made by her Pepere for Christmas. Normally I despise toyboxes as my kiddos tend to acquire small toys with many pieces. Those don't do well with a large toybox. So I used a small cubbie from another room to try to organize the toybox. See?

I did more than just this, but I have errands to run, so I'll have to post the rest tomorrow.

Menu Plan Monday- Jan 25

I flubbed but I fixed it. I forgot to defrost the chicken. So Rubber Chicken has been moved from Monday-Wednesday to Wednesday-Friday. Also we were supposed to have pizza last night but the kids and I went to my bff house for her dd's birthday party. (*sniff* My baby is EIGHT!) Anyway- we ended up staying for supper so pizza was not had. And ~*BONUS*~ I got a new recipe from my bff that we will be possibly using next week. It had no name, so I decided to call it "Tuffy-Mac". Is very much yum. Anyhow- on to this weeks menu!

Monday: Better'n Manwich (recipe at bottom of post), green beans and garlic bread

Tuesday: Chicken Broccoli Bake

Wednesday: Rubber Chicken Day 1 (scroll to bottom of page)

Thursday: Rubber Chicken Day 2

Friday: Rubber Chicken Day 3

Saturday: Pull apart Pizza

Sunday: Spaghetti




Better'n Manwich

1lb ground meat
½C bbq sauce
Salsa

Brown meat. Drain if you wish.
Add bbq sauce and enough salsa to make the consistency you like your sloppy joes.
Serve on buns and enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday- Jan 18

   
HOORAY!!!  It's



I actually have meals planned for the next few weeks.  All centered around stuff we already have here.  This way we will only have to replenish supplies.


Monday- Breakfast for supper

Tuesday- Tuna Pea Wiggle  (recipe below)

Wednesday- Kielbasa, pierogies, and green beans

Thursday- Veggie nuggets and Sweet potato fries

Friday- Amanda's "Famous" Meatloaf (recipe below), mashed potatoes and corn

Saturday- Chop Suey (recipe below)

Sunday- Pizza (most likely homemade- if so I'll post the recipe)



Tuna Pea Wiggle

1 can tuna (drained)
1 can peas (drained)
2T butter
1T (heaping) flour
½C milk (more if needed)
salt & pepper

Melt butter in skillet.  Add flour.  Mix til smooth and simmer 1 min.  Add milk, salt & pepper.  Stir.
Mix and add more milk til it reaches the consistency of gravy.  Stir in tuna and peas.  Cook til tuna is flaked well and topping is warm.
Serve over mashed potatoes, noodles, rice, or whatever you choose.


Amanda's "Famous" Meatloaf

I came up with this recipe accidentally.  I had run out of crackers and needed to find a replacement.  I have had people all over the area ask for this recipe.  Hope you like it!

1 lb ground meat
1C dry stuffing mix
1 egg
1 can tomato soup


Mix together meat, stuffing, egg and half a can of soup.  (put the other half on the fridge)
Plop mixture into loaf pan and cook at 350° for 1 hour.  My dad likes to mix the drippings with the leftover soup and pour that over his meatloaf. 


Chop Suey (Dads recipe he got from my aunt)

1 lb hamburg
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato soup
black pepper
1 box casserole elbows

Cook elbows as directed.  Drain.  Brown hamburg in same pot you used for elbows.  Do not drain. Add soup, tomatoes and pepper.  Simmer and stir until hot.  Mix in elbows.  Serve.

Apparently I use this recipe A LOT.  The poor index card it's written on is full of grease stains and is severely warped.  But as long as I can read it- I'm calling it good.  Someday soon I'll have to write it on a new card. *sniff*  This recipe has gotten me through many a teary night.  I don't eat ice cream when I'm upset.  I make chop suey.