In My Home This Week: Menus and Job Plans

It was Wednesday this past week before we had a full day at home and I was more than ready for it.  I piddled about doing homely things all day long.  At the end of the day, I was tired but very satisfied.  It felt good to slip back into my home routines.  I found myself humming happily as I washed dishes.  Nothing like a good day's work doing something you love, is there?

This week I don't have big plans.  John will work two days.  I'll have one of those home alone and one out with Mama.  I am done with Phase I of the Guest/Craft Room, finally.  Now to look for items needed for Phase II.  I'd like to work on the front porch paint and decor, have bulbs and rhizomes to plant and roses to prune back hard now that cold weather is here.  I don't have any major projects ongoing indoors at present so I may actually make it out to the shed and start to really organize that area if it stays nice and cool.

In the kitchen I want to stretch out my meats to last until late December/early January.  I have enough room to purchase a couple of turkeys when I see a good price at the groceries which will help me reach that goal of stretching out meat.



Which leads nicely into meal plans doesn't it?

Breakfast:  Waffles, Turkey Bacon
                  Fried Eggs/Toast (for John x2)
                  Biscuits with Hamburger Gravy (no sausage but hamburger will work fine and be just as tasty)
                  Omelets with Mushrooms, Peppers and Onions, Grits, Toast
                  Baked Oatmeal with cream and fruit, Toast
                  French Toast Sticks, Beef Sausage Links

Suppers:  Meatloaf Sandwiches
               Black Bean Soup with Cheese Quesadilla
               Chicken Salad Sandwiches
               Leftovers
               Roast Beef Sandwiches
               Yogurt/Cereal Parfait (x2 for me)

Dinners:  Roast Beef with Brabant Potatoes, Cauliflower Au gratin, Green Peas, Strawberry Crisp
I've had the meat market cut bigger roasts into smaller pieces so that there isn't so much cooked at one time for just John and I.  I kind of miss having a nice big cut of meat though...Maybe I will rethink this strategy next time we buy meat.  Bonus is that generally a Rump or Round Roast will cook in just 1 hour which is perfect for adding potatoes to the roasting pan to brown in the drippings.

               BBQ Wings, Stir Fried Rice, Steamed Broccoli, Egg Rolls, Tangerines
We didn't get to this meal this past week.  I thought it would make a great meal for the start of our week.  Any leftovers will be combined for supper one evening.

Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Black eyed peas, Pineapple Salad, Corn Muffins
I'm combining equal amounts of ground beef and ground turkey with some chopped apples, mushrooms and onions, all of which add moistness, some homemade bread crumbs.  We should net enough for our dinner today and sandwiches twice over the coming week.

Black Bean Soup, Mexican Cornbread, Salad with Tri-colored Bell Peppers, Baked Apples  
I haven't made black bean soup in a long time.  My excuse is that I don't have a ham bone to season but I realized this week that a dash of liquid smoke and some summer sausage will make a great substitute for that smoky meatiness that the ham bone always gave the soup.  I serve our soup with a dish of lemon wedges, some chopped green onion and dollops of sour cream on top.  It adds richness and flavor to this delicious soup.

Lunch out with Mama

Roasted Chicken, Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad, Wild Rice Pilaf, Rolls
I'll be making Challah this week and figured I might as well stir up a batch of Angel Rolls.  I'll find that recipe to share with you all.  It's a refrigerator dough and will keep a bit over a week in the fridge.  I'll half the recipe for the two of us.    This pilaf is delicious, comes out something like a risotto.  I brown wild rice mixture in butter, adding in celery and onions, then a dash of sherry and some broth.  I check it often and stir which makes it a creamy mixture.  Yummy!  Any leftovers I'll turn into broccoli rice casserole.

Twice Baked Potatoes, Butter Beans, 24 hour layered salad, Cupcakes
I baked the potatoes with the Roast beef dinner.  I might bury a beef sausage in the potatoes (from an old recipe book) simply because it adds flavor, but we'll see.  I'll make up a dozen cupcakes and do a variety of things.  Pineapple upside down, Boston Cream, jelly filled and powdered sugar...I'm gonna have fun making these a variety mix for future meals.

Jobs This Week:

                                                  Blurry proof that something got done!
Last week's work:
Hang guest room pictures.
Repair and adjust the chair cover (bottom portion). On sewing table awaiting me

Get room neatened up so that it is company ready.

Plant the bulbs, iris rhizomes (I was given more).

Make a wreath for the front door. The wreath is on my sewing table awaiting me.

Tag Christmas items for booth.  Pricing is worked out so just need to tag...stuff is on the sewing table! 

Some booth work.  I want a major amount of time, but it isn't going to happen this week either, so I'll do it in bits and pieces.

This Week:

Clean off the sewing table and deal with the projects on it.

Clean and wipe out the baking cupboard and organize.

Take stuff into booth and arrange.

Plant daffodils and iris, at least some of them.

Start working on shopping lists for upcoming holidays, parties, and gatherings.

Get Christmas tree out of shed and let sit on porch for a few days to that there are absolutely positively NO mice coming in with it.   

Decide just how I want to decorate this year and gather my inspiration photos, my materials and such.