Meal Planning

I am TRYING to get a handle on meal planning. I've done dinner planning for some time now, but as we started homeschooling, it became very apparent I needed to stay on top of breakfast, lunch and especially snacks! With two growing boys they want to eat a LOT but they don't want my options. However, they are pretty good at sticking to things that are planned out, so I'm attempting the BLS Meal Plan, so they know exactly what is for each meal and snack. Right now I've only done one week that repeats, because they are very picky and have a very limited palette! I'm attempting to change that as we do, I will expand the menu.

They are always welcome to have more fruits and veggies not listed on the menu if they are not satisfied with what's available.
Here is the menu if you wish to use it for inspiration. I used Open Office to create it as I could not find one I was satisfied with to edit online!
If you cannot see the PDF, click the link here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/142582682/Monthly-BLS-Meal-Plan

Monthly BLS Meal Plan

Imbibing and Debauchery....Summer Style

I saw this fabulous recipe on Pinterest and knew I HAD to try it. Originally from this blog, Keep It Simple Foods...I had to give it a go.

It was DELICIOUS!

                                                   ©Amy Dutsch 2012

Tasty Tuesday: Thanksgiving Ideas!

It's almost turkey day!!! Can you feel it? Can you SMELL IT!? I'm so ready! My turkey is thawing in the fridge, I purchased my gluten free pie crust, I'm ready to start a-cooking!
I'll share a few of my Gluten Free alterations to our Thanksgiving dinner.

Pie:
Really only my father-in-law and I really like pie, so I don't bother making a crust. I purchased a GF crust from Whole Foods (their brand). Use your canned pumpkin as directed to make your pie.

Stuffing/Dressing:
I found a recipe once upon a time for a dressing made in a baking dish in the oven. Again, trusty 'ol Whole Foods helps, I buy their brand of GF Stuffing Cubes....viola...use in whatever stuffing recipe you have.

Everything else on Thanksgiving is generally Gluten Free. I do make crescent rolls for the rest of the family, but other than that, most turkey day fare, is easily modified to GF....turkey, cranberry, veggies, etc. All, easily made GF.

So, I hope you have a great Thanksgiving and I'll see you, full and fat on Friday! :)

~~Amy

Tasty Tuesday: Chicken Broccolli Casserole

Well gang, I made this dish. It wasn't my favorite ever, but it was pretty good. I made a few alternations.

The Recipe is HERE: http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2008/11/chicken-mushroom-broccoli-and-rice.html

I omitted:
the celery and the water chesnuts.

I used regular rice and a store bought chicken. I also accidentally bought Cream of Mushroom soup instead of Cream of celery soup...but it worked fine.
If you are Gluten Free, you'll need to look harder for soups without wheat but they are available, usually in the specialty section of your grocery.

I also added a layer of cheese on top prior to baking, because really, is there ever a bad time for cheese?
Overall, I liked it, husband ate it without complaint. Kids didn't eat it, but that is no judgement of good food.

 Enjoy!

Photo Credit

Poppy Chow---Pinterest Inspired

I've been slowly working my way through the awesome things I find on Pinterest! Today I was in a mood. No real reason, just bleh, meh, uninspired, feeling whiny. No real reason, just a case of the meh's.

So I decided to make something yummy for a treat. The recipe came from HERE and someone had pinned it of course. (If only I got paid to use pinterest....)

It was messy but not hard to make, and I just happened to have a giant box of popcorn on hand! Apparently you only need 1-2 bags to make 9 cups of popcorn, so I now have an extra giant bowl of popcorn to let the boys make art with...

I used Kettle Korn because that's what I had on hand. But let me tell you, DELISH!! Totally worth the mess!!

It was awesome! I could eat it til I puke....

~~amy

Meanie Mommy Cooking

That's IT. I'm DONE. I'm tired of attempting to please the masses. I think I live with one of the pickiest families on the face of this earth.

The youngest, HAH, I'd do better listing what he DOES eat than what he doesn't.
The oldest, he's slowly learning but still dinner is a battle.
The oldest, who-should-know-better-and-should-be-legally-obligated-to-like-what-I-cook-no-matter-what-because-he-married-me-damnit, is pretty picky himself. As a good friend says, my husband has an "untested palate."

So, perhaps I should not try to appease them anymore. I find tons of great recipes and I don't bother because I know they won't like them.
NO MORE. I am the one buying the groceries, putting them away, planning the menu, cooking, prepping, storing, blah blah blah, it's MY turn to cook what I want. (deju vu again, I feel like I've written this post before...oh well...if I can't remember, surely you can't...)

Since I am addicted to Pinterest, I'm going to continue to try more of those recipes. Now, if you know me, or have read this at all, you realize I am NOT a huge cook. I LOVE to bake, but hate to cook. Like I say, it's way more fun to do it when the end results has chocolate. But, we do need to eat and eat relatively healthy. So, here's the new rules:

*You have two choices:
1. Eat it and be grateful there is food on your plate.

2. Don't eat it and be grateful you were offered food on your plate. Then leave the room without complaint. Kitchen is closed after you leave the room.

That's it. Plain and simple. I may very well just write these rules on a sign in the kitchen.
Now I admit sometimes even the stuff I make, *I* don't like. That's cool. When it's an epic fail we can all eat cereal. But for the most part, it's not half bad.

So eat it, or get out my kitchen and shut up.

Meanie Mommy Menu is ON like donkey kong.

~~mama