Still having 99 problems, including not having my lap top back yet AND we’ve not even managed to mail it out yet, which means from today it will still be gone for two weeks, but I’m kicked Big Daddy out of his big comfy chair in the office and have taken over!

Sort of.

After I begged for the password.

As with most people, with the start of the new year, we’re working on being more healthy.  We’re trying to exercise more (I have a goal of 20 days this month and it looks like I’m going to make it!) and eat better.  After the gluttony of the holidays, simple light fare in January seems to taste that much better.

In December, Baby Bee and I hit the Scholastic Warehouse Sale (Have you been?  If not, you should go.  You can sign up on-line at Scholastic.com to be notified of the sales).  At the sale, I picked up a Cooking Light compilation entitled Fresh Food Fast: Weeknight Meals.  For the past three weeks, 90% of our at home cooked meals have come from this book, and I’m betting we can try new things we like for several more weeks as well.  I’ve never had such good like from stem to stern with any other cookbook except for maybe the old Betty Crocker standby.

This cookbook is available on Amazon (I get no kick back.  Full disclosure and all that stuff).

Two weeks ago, Big Daddy and I had the Smokey Black Bean Soup with Avocado-Lime Salsa for lunch

It was so good, we’re having it for lunch again this week.  I would like to enter in the statement that neither Big Daddy nor I are big bean eaters, but this soup was really very good AND fast.

The long and short of all this, is that the most of these meals will be coming from Cooking Light and the aforementioned cookbook.

Monday Pressed Italian Sandwiches with Pesto and oven baked potato chips

Tuesday Grilled Romaine Chicken Caesar Salad (more disclosure.  We’ve already had and enjoyed these recipes over the last few weeks.  Since I haven’t done a menu plan I’m able to blog things we’ve actually eaten and give my opinion.  The dressing for this salad was very good, but the recipe calls for you to GRILL your lettuce.  I get the point, but I thought it just made it wilty and soggy. SO, use the dressing recipe, skip the grilling of the lettuce)

Wednesday Zucchini-Potato Pancakes with Eggs and Spinach Salad with Strawberries

Thursday Panko Pan-Fried Talapia with Dijon Green Beans and Crash Hot Potatoes

Friday Pork Chops with Mustard Cream Sauce and Roasted Potato Wedges

Saturday Out!

Sunday Lasagna Cups, garlic bread and salad A Pinterest Find

What’s on your menu this week?  Have you been eating healthier this year?  Trying to?  What’s working for you?

I’m feeling better.

It took a while. I’m not 100%, but I’m close. I decided not to blog during the holidays. I considered it, but I decided not to add any more balls to the load I was juggling and things here stayed quiet.

But, it’s a new year AND it’s Monday! HOLLA! Who missed the menu plan?

Monday Pork tenderloin, crash hot potatoes and asparagus.

TuesdayBlack Bean Soup with avocado lime salsa

WednesdayFalafel with Tzatziki sauce. I can’t find the recipe I’m using on-line and I’m blogging from my phone as my laptop is on the fritz. If it’s good, I’ll share when the laptop is operational again.

Thursday Pistou Halibut and Sautéed Garlicky Spinach

FridaySmoked pizza. 90 minutes on the smoker = delicious.

SaturdayCowboy flank steak Mini Cheddar Potatoes

I’m trying to introduce more meatless dishes into our weekly menu. It’s not a resolution, per se, but a small change. What changes are you making this year?

Sorry about the weird publishing on Saturday night.  I was trying to use the iPad to blog and obviously it’s not a very good idea.

As of writing this, my new iPhone 4S is out of commission. Baby Bee managed to shatter the screen despite the phone being inside an otterbox case. We have an appointment at the genius bar tomorrow, but I’m crazy sad. And, that’s just the tip of them iceberg lately.

From laptop problems to cat problems to family problemsn, I’ve had a rough couple of weeks. However, this is my favorite time of year and I’m not letting things get me down.

Well, except for the iPhone. I’m totally bummed about that.

We’ve signed up for a new activity on Monday evenings, so for the next six weeks, we’ll crock potting two nights a week; Monday’s and Thursday’s.

Monday Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Tuesday Baked chicken with Dijon and Lime

Wednesday Lemon Feta Chicken with Oregano

Thursday Beef Stroganoff

Friday Lemon Herb Chipotle Roasted chicken, Rio Bravo Rice and Beans a la Charra

Saturday A Smoked Meat Extravaganza!

Sunday Chicken and Dumpling soup

Hoping for a problem free week.  Happy Monday!

Last night, the five of us gathered in the kitchen to carve pumpkins. A tradition that Big Daddy and I love sharing with our girls. A tradition that we followed with our own families as children and that some day, our children will pass on to their children.

I found, for me, that Fall and Winter are the seasons of tradition. Spring and Summer are about new things, but Fall and Winter are about the comforts of tradition and the warmth of doing things the way they’ve always been done.  Carved pumpkins and soups.  Sugar cookies and a well worn pop-up book from which we read the same story every Christmas Eve.  Like I was read to and like I expect they’ll read to their babies someday.

I’m looking forward to sharing our Halloween pictures with you tomorrow, but for now?  A Monday Tradition.  The Menu Plan!

Monday

Carrying on our traditional theme, we’re having our traditional Halloween dinner of Halloweenie Winks and tater tots.  I’m sure most of you have made and eaten these and call them different things, but my Mom always called them weenie winks.  When the Princess was a baby, we added the Halloween twist and they’re our traditional pre-Trick or Treat dinner.

Tuesday

Double Dinner and a carry over.  Mama’s Meatballs and gravy over egg noodles with veggies

Wednesday

Double Dinner! Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Thursday

Slow cooker Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork with couscous and veggies

Friday

Date Night!  If I can confirm with Auntie.  ;)

Saturday

Family Movie Night (and probably the easiest one yet!)

Sunday

Penne with Chicken Thighs, garlic bread and salad

What are some of your favorite Fall and Winter traditions??

And I slid in with one hour left in Monday.  At leat, on the East Coast of the United States.

We had a lovely fall weekend with my Dad and some very good friends in Northern Michigan.  Have I posted about how much I love Michigan?  I think I might have mentioned it in my birthday post from this past year, but if I haven’t let me tell you know.

I love Michigan.

But I never want to live there again. Which is a totally different story.

Anyhow, I usually need to take Mondays for myself to recuperate from what we’ve done over the weekend and that means I’m late with the menu plan.  BUT, never fear.

We are having an insanely busy week this week.  Tonight was our only free night this week and we had to take our poor old kitty cat to the vet.

She’s the white kitty.  On the right.  The kitty on the far left passed away four years ago.  The large annoying one in the middle is still going strong.  Kitty goes back to the vet for surgery tomorrow and I’m not sure the news is going to be good and I’m afraid we may not have her longer.  She was mine and Big Daddy’s first baby and despite people asserting that she’s “the devil” or “evil” she’s really just the perfect cat and they’re jealous and don’t appreciate her unique personality.

So, if you can spare a good thought for my kitty, I’d appreciate it.  She’s 12 but I’m pretty sure she has another 10 years of spunk in her.

And on that depressing note, how about the menu plan!

From now on, I’m referring to meals we’re making for the freezer as double dinners.  I’m not once a month cooking and freezer cooking doesn’t sound very descriptive or snappy.  I’ll use a * to denote which dinners will be double dinners (doubled, with the extra batch frozen).

Monday

Sausage Potato Casserole

Tuesday

Mama’s meatballs and gravy over egg noodles*

Wednesday

White Chicken Chili*

Thursday

Cider Braised Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes and Sage

Friday

We’ll be prepping for our big party, so it will probably be pizza night

Saturday

We’re having a Halloween Spooktacular and I’ll be serving from traditional cool weather fare along with some yummy, spooky goodies

Sunday

TBD-based upon how tired we are.

I’m also planning on making up a few loaves of Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread for breakfast eatings as well.