Menu Plan (and Met) Monday

(scroll down for Met Monday)

Now that I'm taking part in Mary's $75 Challenge, it's a must that I plan our meals for the week. If I'm planning them then I thought I would join in with Laura's Menu Plan Monday over at Orgjunkie.com and share my plans with you :-)

I wrote out my meal plan last Thursday because I am now going grocery shopping on Fridays. So here is what I'm making for this week (some of these recipes are from the new Simple & Delicious magazine out this month and are not shown on their website (you actually have to subscribe to the magazine to get access). However, to give you some ideas for meals, I thought I'd link my dishes to something similar and that way you can try something along those lines too - if indeed you're needing some meal ideas).

Monday - Shrimp and Zucchini w/Sundried Tomato Alfredo , Garlic bread

Tuesday - Sloppy Joes and salad (Tuesday is piano day so we don't get home until 5.30pm. I always want something quick and easy that night).

Wednesday - Easy Chicken Strips, green beans, Au Gratin Potatoes. (the recipe I'm making is from S&D using cornflakes(see pic) but I've linked to a good one from Ellie Krieger off Foodnetwork).








Thursday - Creamy Enchiladas & Salad (again from S&D magazine, it uses Campbell's mushroom soup with the beef , so here's a similar recipe from the Campbell's Kitchen site).









Friday - Pizza! Yes, nice and easy (I will buy a fresh made one from the grocery store, $6 and we'll probably have left over for Saturday lunch!).

Saturday and Sundays right now are up in the air. When the weather gets cooler I think I'll get out the crock pot on Sundays and have a yummy pot of chili or thick soup on the go. Saturdays are just a free day, I might cook, but then again I might not. Sometimes I bake and we just grab a meal as and when we feel like it!

I've been busy this week as usual doing some 'housey stuff'. Remember a few months ago I repainted the dining room ready for my sister coming, well it's still not quite a 'finished room'. It's been needing some new window treatments but I didn't know what I wanted up at the window. I had heavy curtains and valance up before which really blocked a lot of the light out and also hid the nice curve at the top of the window. I found a great idea from a blog (and I can't remember who's it was now, (oh, I remember now, it was at the Nester's Place! GO HERE to see her lovely window treatment).

I bought some matching material (to that in my kitchen) and simply sewed up two narrow panels (I actually cut the material in half, I didn't want fullness for this look). And I turned this. . . . .

empty looking window, in to this . . . . .

As you can see it's just a panel tied at the top, then hung on a hook in the wall (at least that's how I did mine) What I love about this look is that it doesn't stop any of the light coming in and you can still see the pretty curve at the top. It gives the room just enough of that 'lived in' cozy look that I wanted. The orange ribbon will not be staying, I'll be looking for something perhaps in gold at Hobby Lobby this week!

I still don't think the room is finished though. I need a buffet table or something on the wall opposite the window to serve food on and perhaps have shelves above it.

I'm linking this to Susan's Met Monday, over at Between Naps on the Porch.

Book Worm!

Just recently I've started reading more and knitting more (two things I didn't do much of at all over the summer!). I think it's the time of year that gets me in the mood for both of these hobbies - you know, Fall ;-) I joined Shelfari.com a few months ago and I have a list on there of some books I'd like to read soon. Then that got me to thinking. . . . I remember Katrina from Callapidder Days used to do reading challenges in the Spring and Fall (I think even in the Summer). I used to enjoy visiting the participating blogs and seeing what everyone was reading, but I never joined in because I didn't have a clue what I wanted to read or if I could even read however many books I chose in the given time.

Browsing my library website last week I realized that a lot of the books on my Shelfari list were in the libaray! I thought I'd pop along and get them out.... and here they are

The Julie and Julia book I was sent as a gift from a friend after she had read it. I wanted to see the movie as soon as it came out but then realized there was a book, so I decided I would read that first. I know I wouldn't read the book after seeing the movie, but I often will watch a movie after reading the book.  I started the book last week, and I'm wondering if I should just have gone to see the movie after all!  It's a little slow going for me, and to be honest not that much about cooking so far?  I will try to read more but I've also started reading The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society, which is a little lighter reading.

The other books in my pile right now as you can see, are Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs (she wrote The Friday Night Knitting Club which I enjoyed, and she has another Knitting novel already out 'Knit Two' and a Christmas knit novel coming out soon). Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon (I still have a couple of her Mitford series to finish too), and Shopaholic and Baby by Sophie Kinsella. I loved the Shopaholic series but haven't read this one. I just found out that Kinsella has a new book out called Twenties Girl, about a girl who sees the ghost of her aunt, I think? Sounds a fun read, so that is on my list also, I'm just waiting for it to come in to the librar.

For Katrina's book challenge I may add more to this list, or I might just leave it this big and see how much I read between now and December.

If anyone is also signed up withShelfari.com you can add me as a friend by visiting my page here... http://www.shelfari.com/knittingden

What are YOU reading right now?

A Challenge for September

Mary at OwlHaven is having a challenge for the month of September. Can you feed your family for $75 a week? Mary has 10 children! And she's taking up this challenge also. When I questioned whether that $75 would be just for food, or include toiletries etc, Mary said each individual could and should set their own parameters. It didn't have to be exactly $75, some might like to start out at $100. Well as you know we are a small family anyway (me, hubby, daughter and dog) so if Mary can do it, then I told myself, so can I.

I'm always trying to be frugal. Hubby makes a good wage, but I always find myself trying to cut back on spending at the grocery store, or seeking out bargains for around the house (I hate to pay full price for things) so I thought this challenge would be good to try. I must say though, that we often have a lot of non-perishable foods in like canned goods, toilet rolls, ziploc bags (we shop at Sams club a couple of times a year), so really cutting my grocery bill down should be pretty easy for me!At least that's what I'm hoping.

Last week (before I knew about the challenge) I went to the store on Friday (my new day to go, so that we have things to eat over the weekend too!) and spent $136. If I'm honest, I have enough food in the house to easily eat for another week, with the exception of fresh produce like salads and milk, bread etc. But what I've often done in the past is just gone to the store anyway and stocked up on more food, the likes of which I already have in the cupboard or freezer - with no thought to what is on sale or not! So that changes this week. Last night I sat with a pencil and note pad and made a list of essentials that I know I need (I write them on a note pad that is stuck to the freezer as and when I run out of stuff) and also wrote out a meal plan for next week :-)

This morning I'm off to the grocery store after dropping Kristen off at school (I love how quiet it is in there at 7.40am in the morning), and when I get back I'll show you what I bought. This is a month long challenge so I will update weekly on how I'm doing and how much I spend.

One other thought/idea I had..... if I usually spent about $100 per week on groceries, but I only spend $75 for the challenge, AND if I did this not just for the month of September but right on through December, AND if I put the $25 per week that I save on food in a savings jar - do you know I would have nearly $400 by Christmas! Now imagine what I can spend that on, the week before Christmas!!!! Just a thought ;-)

Added + + + 9.40am. I just got back from the grocery store! Wow, this challenge may be harder than I thought. It's amazing how much more aware I am of the cost of food. And I really thought twice about just popping things in the cart that weren't on my list - I didn' t pick up a magazine like I often do just to browse through when I get home. I stuck to what was on my list, and my bill came to . . . . . . $78. 24

Here's what I got :

I won't list everything out, suffice to say most of it is what I needed this week, included were things like toothpaste, Swiffer floor cleaner, canola oil - all items I shouldn't need again next week.

I'm already thinking of ways to keep the cost of my food shopping down. I'll be making pancakes and cookies for a while and not buying Pilsbury frozen stuff! I'll be blogging on and off about some of the changes I'm making as and when I do them.

Hope you all have a fun Labor Day Weekend. We have no specific plans here, just the usual relaxing around the home.

Feeling Fall-ish

I wasn't going to join in with Tablescape Thursday this week, but after a quick jaunt up to Kohls this morning, I just had to show off my lovely bargain buys (you all know how I like a bargain). I went out walking around the neighborhood again this morning (boy can my leg muscles feel it!), and as a reward I allowed myself to run up to Kohls and see if I could find anything in the sales. Housewares were what I had in mind. . . . what with all this talk about fall and decorating, I am really in a 'nesting' kind of mood.

So, without further ado, I give you my 'Feeling Fall-ish' tablescape for this week :-)


Here's what my bargains were. . . . I bought 4 place mats, 4 yellow napkins, 4 terracotta napkins and 4 napkin rings. Wanna know the price?

The green woven placemats were $1.69 each! Not only can I use them for this time of year, but I also can see how well they will look for a Spring look, with daffodils and tulips (perhaps even for Easter).

The 4 terracotta napkins. . . . .79c each! You heard right, 79c. Keep that number in your head ;-)

The yellow napkins - take a guess . . . . . yup! 79c each. And the pretty napkin rings, you guessed it. . . . . 79c each!!!!

Everything else I already had in the house. The sunflowers are those I used last week (from the dollar store). The ivy plant usually sits on my kitchen counter, and the candles are usually on the kitchen windowsill or near the fireplace.

I tried following Susan's advice by not using a flash to take photos and used my tripod instead. It's hard to get the lighting right, but I see how not using a flash can make the room look warm and cozy in some shots.

Ok, so it's off to do housework for me. If you'd like to see more lovely tablescapes hop on over to Susan's blog at Between Naps on the Porch. Y ou won't be short on some great ideas for your table, whatever the occasion.

Nesting

Is it really Thursday already? Another week nearly over with! I don't know where the time goes. It's not like I've been overly busy this week or anything, but boy, the days sure still fly by. Did you know on Sept 16th there will be 100 days left til Christmas! I started a 3 ring binder a few weeks ago to start planning for the holidays. I need to get it out again and start thinking of what needs doing. I just know September will be gone before we know it!

I am itching to get my Fall decor out. All over blogland people are posting about how the weather is changing and they are already decorating for Fall. Melissa at The Inspired Room is hosting 'Fall Nesting 2009'. She did this last year too (but I didn't know her blog back then). I can't help but visit all the blogs linked to her post to see their Fall decorations. I want to decorate too, but part of me is holding back a few more days because despite the lovely cool mornings this week, the temps are still getting up to the high 90's and my a/c is still on! Shhhhh! don't tell anyone, but I lit my Yankee 'Harvest' Candle this week to get in the 'fall mood' and the house has been smelling very Autumnal.

Because I don't have any decorations out yet I thought I'd share this pretty picture from a couple of years ago.

I've decorated the living room since then, have a big picture above the fireplace now, and have different curtains up. I'll be sure to take pictures when I get my fall decor out (which the way I'm feeling might just be this weekend :-)

Hump Day!

The 'Know Your Machine' class I went to yesterday was pretty good, I learned a lot and feel a lot more confident with my sewing machine. I still want to take more classes too and learn more about actually following a sewing pattern (something I really can't do right now!).

This past week I've seen a recipe for 'no flour peanut butter cookies' on two different blogs. I was intrigued with the ingredients, no flour or butter! So last night I decided to give them a try. These were THE quickest cookies I've ever made. In less than 10 minutes I had the ingredients out and mixed in a bowl . . . . 11 minutes later and they were coming out of the oven.

I was really surprised at how nice these were. The recipe only makes about 18, so I might make more again today, OR I may try a the other recipe which had chocolate chips in.

You can find the recipe HERE at the Newlyweds blog. This is the recipe I tried. The other one, a slight variation which has the choc chips in it  (perhaps I'll try this one tomorrow) is over at Real Mom Kitchen.  If you try making either one, let me know what you think. I know I could have eaten a dozen of them easily, but I restrained myself and had just one!

I feel a bit unorganized this week and haven't got pictures to share for 'Outdoor Wednesday'. There's not much happening in our yards right now anyway, all the veggies are gone, nothing left but rotting leaves and we can't water our yards because of restrictions so flowers are just about non-existent too.

Can you smell it?

Fall! It's just around the corner. . . .  I can smell it! Yesterday morning was only 65 degrees when I took Kristen out to school. OH MY GOODNESS, it felt SO good. That crisp morning air, it's what I've been longing for for weeks. When I came home from dropping Kristen off I got Boo's leash and we went out walking around the neighborhood instead of me rushing out to the gym. I was home by 8.30 after a good 30 minute walk :-)  It should be just as cool this morning, exactly the kind of morning I expect for September 1st!

I might get got out again this morning . I'm starting to think about letting my gym membership end when the year is up in October. I always seem to be making an excuse not to drive up there! I've tried going straight after I drop Kristen off at school, but I really have no energy then because I haven't eaten a breakfast. I'm just not one of those people who 'love' exercising once they get in to it! 

I also have to go out later this morning to another sewing class. It's not actually a sewing class, but a class on how to use my new Brother sewing machine. The class is offered free at the store where I bought it (if you didn't buy your machine there it would cost you $50).  I bought the machine a year ago, so it's about time I learned how to use it to it's full potential ;-)

This is just a quick post to let you know I won't be around much today and I won't be joining in with any recipe post for 'Tempt My Tummy Tuesday' or 'Tasty Tuesday'. Although I did do some cooking over the weekend for my inlaws and I made some yummy Mexican won tons for appetizers, I forgot to take pictures! Hope you all have a great day.