Meal Planning Printable

Grocery shopping is NOT my favorite thing, especially when I have to push that bulky, obnoxious car  cart... (after I frantically Lysol the car down and make sure everyone is buckled, I set off with the best intentions not to knock over a display full of something breakable or worse... a human being. Yep, it truly is a love/hate relationship.) It does become a bit more bearable when I am not wandering the aisle trying to decide what to make for dinner and know that I can be in and out with a week full of meals for my family.

Magnolia has just made my life easier. Instead of writing down my meals on random pieces of paper, that inevitable get thrown away, they have created a simple and beautiful place to write down what I need as well as the planned menu for the week. Then, before I head to the store, I can either snap a picture of the list or tear off the "market list" portion to take with me. I'm so excited.

image from: magnoliamarket.com

You can find the printable here.

Happy shopping (if there is such a thing...)

3 Ingredient Beer Bread

I love this recipe. It's super easy and perfect for 

Fall soups or just a yummy afternoon snack. Enjoy!

3 Ingredient Beer Bread                                                                                

Ingredients

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 12 oz beer
• Butter (melted), optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray a bread pan with cooking spray.
3. Gently mix together the flour, sugar, and beer until it is throughly combined. The batter will be thick. Make sure you like the kind of beer that you are cooking with. The flavors will come out once it is cooked.
4. Pour the batter into the bread pan and bake for 40 minutes.
5. When 5 minutes are remaining, drizzle with melted butter.
6. Take out of the oven and let sit for five minutes in the pan, remove and let cool completely before slicing.

Sinterklaas} St. Nicholas Eve and other Christmas Traditions

Thursday night, December 5th we put our wooden shoes out and hopped for cookies when we woke up on Friday morning, December 6th. This has been a family tradition since before I was born and it is one of the best days of the year. Who wouldn't want cookies for breakfast. The secret recipe that we use has been in the family for many generations. Excited to pass it down when our babies get older!

Last weekend we headed up to the mountains to pick the perfect tree. I'd say we found a good one. Levi loved putting up the lights with Daddy and enjoyed decorating the house with me. The snow globe is one of his favorites!

Looking forward to temperatures climbing above freezing this week. Not a fan of Siberian weather!

Day 5&6

Thankful for three hour naps and time to get a few things done!

Thankful for beautiful fall walks and friends to share meals with*.

I am making this dish for dinner tonight! Can't wait to try it. I tweaked it a little and added chicken and peppers. But, you get the idea. Super simple, healthy and a great meal for a chilly fall night!

Blow your MIND" Tomato Basil Pasta! - No Straining, just Stirring 

(Please click on pic then click SHARE so recipe saves to your timeline. You can refer back to it later!)

Pasta, Tomatoes, Veggie Broth, Olive Oil, and Seasonings (details below)

Throw it all in the pot, INCLUDING the uncooked Pasta, and cook! - Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. The starch leaches out of the pasta and makes a rich, warm sauce for the noodles. The other ingredients cook right along with the pasta

Ingredients

12 ounces pasta (I used Linguine)
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid ( I used zesty red pepper flavor)
1 large sweet onion, cut in julienne strips
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 large sprigs basil, chopped
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (regular broth and NOT low sodium)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions

Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth. Sprinkle on top the pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle top with oil.

Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – I left about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot – but you can reduce as desired .

Season to taste with salt and pepper , stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Cinnamon Rolls on a Snowy Day

There is nothing better than homemade cinnamon rolls and a cup of steaming coffee on a snowy, cold day. Here is my go to recipe when I need a little pick me up!

enjoy.

Ingredients
1 stick butter
1/4 c shortening
2 cups milk
2 cups warm water
1 TBL yeast
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
10-11 cups flour
 
Baking Directions
For dough.
Melt shortening, butter and milk in microwave. Balance the temperature by adding the warm water (I put
this into my glass pyrex measuring cup.) 
Put this mixture into your mixing bowl with the dough attachment.
Add the yeast, sugar and salt. Beat in eggs and add flour 2 cups at a time.
You will add all 11 cups. If dough still sticks to sides of mixing bowl add 1/2 c. 
flour not exceeding 12 cups.
Roll out the dough for cinnamon rolls (spreading dough with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.)
For toppings.
You can put syrup and nuts on bottom of pan or frost later with
2 Tbl butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, small amount of milk and vanilla. You can
make it the consistency you like. Too much milk will make it really runny.

Bake at 350 until light brown, about 25-30 minutes or so. Be careful not to overcook.

Where did August go?

I can't believe that August is almost behind us. What a crazy month it has been. Filled with fun adventures and hardships... it has flown by.

August began with County Fair. Jesse is cherishing these last years of showing (only a few more years to go...) her animals. I told Andy on the way home from the fair late one night that I have no idea what I am going to do when we aren't LIVING at the fairgrounds during the first week of August. It just won't seem right! I think as long as I live, we will continue our tradition of heading over to the livestock sale, rodeos, and bull riding. After 20 years... it's in my blood! And... you never know, our little guy may want to try his hand at showing an animal. Then, we will really be in the swing of it again. Until then, I cherish watching Jess and how well she does with her animals.

I started my third and final trimester last week! We are really on the home stretch now. Only 11 (or so...) more weeks until we meet our little boy! I am so excited to kiss and cuddle him, and I know his Daddy is too! Our Dr's appointments have went well and have nothing to report, which we are very thankful for. He is growing and moving like he should be. We also were blessed by two baby showers. We are so thankful for everyone who has prayed for and encouraged us through this journey.

Andy and a few of the guys from church headed up to Copper Mountain this past weekend to take part in the Warrior Dash. They had a blast but crossed the finish line COVERED in mud... Thankfully they rinsed off most of the mud before he got home, so my washer really didn't take a beating.

Here are a few pictures of the race.

before...

after...

MUD

half muddy... thank goodness for showers!

Lastly, my mom brought over a bag of apples a few days ago. They have been sitting on my counter staring at me to do something with them. So, today I mustered up enough energy to use most of them for an apple pie! Fruit pies are my absolute favorite, so I didn't have to talk myself into it that hard. I still have a few left over too, so maybe apple crisp is next...

apples... and more apples...

finished product! can't wait to eat it...

No more time for now. Better finish up all of the other not so fun duties (ironing, dishes... you get the point)


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Sweet Bedtime Snack!

There is nothing like a batch of warm cookies fresh out of the oven on a lazy summer night. Whether you eat them with a cold glass of milk or make them into an ice cream sandwich, they can’t be beat! Andy even takes some cookie dough and put it in his ice cream! Whatever works…

I got a burst of energy last night… so I decided to get out the mixer and bake a batch. Of course I pulled out the unhealthy recipe, full of Crisco, sugar and all of the other bad ingredients… but I had an excuse – the baby wanted it! J

So, if you are looking to splurge on a yummy but slightly unhealthy snack, I have included the recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1cup Crisco

¾ c sugar

¾ c brown sugar

2 eggs

1tsp baking soda

1tsp vanilla

2 ¼ c flour

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup nuts (optional)

Preheat your oven to 375. Add sugars, eggs, and Crisco together. Mix until fluffy. Stir in remaining ingredients (except nuts and chocolate chips). After ingredients are mixed well, add nuts and chocolate chips. Spoon mixture on cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Happy Summer!

(stay tuned for a baby update next week… when we find out if this little one is a boy or girl!!!)

One pot meal... well almost!

One of my most favorite, quick and healthy meal was first made by one of my good friends Dad while we were went to visit them in Seattle. The great thing about this dish is that you can add shrimp, ground beef, or chicken. Take a look at this great recipie. Enjoy!

Tomato Basil Pasta

cooked and drained pasta

2 garlic gloves, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tomatoes, diced (or 10 grape tomatoes)

2 teaspoons basil

cook pasta as directed. in a heated pan, brown garlic, tomato

and olive oil. once heated through and tomato juices start to run, add

pasta and mix together. let simmer for around 5 minutes. 

serve with green salad and bagget. top with parmesan cheese.

banana walnut muffins

like i mentioned at the beginning of the year, i am trying to put healthier foods in front of us this year and this is one way that i am making good out of that challenge i gave myself.

it is so easy to pull out the cereal box and pour yourself a big bowl of something sugary, or if not, something that states that it is full of whole grains and antioxidants... but when in all reality, it just might be another way for food manufacturers to convince you to buy something that is not at all good for you.... anyway, enough of my ranting.

so, after digging through my recipe box (yes i do still have one of those) I found a yummy banana walnut bread. Starbucks is actually the place that i got this from. awhile back they were handing out recipes in conjunction to the pastries that they served... to show that they were made with completely natural ingredients that anyone could go home and make for themselves.

The best part is.. i don't have to buy a piece of walnut bread at Starbucks for $3.75 when i can make a whole loaf for less!

again, in a effort to save time as we are rushing out the door to go to work. i decided to make muffins instead of the loaf. i can't wait to try them in the morning with a hot cup of... yes you guessed it... Starbucks French Roast (brewed at home too!).

finally time for a little baking...

Every year there are always certain cookie recipes that i pull out and make during Christmas. one of them, which is definetly up there on the list, is the Almond Crescent Cookie, one that my mom made every year when i was growing up. so... a Christmas without them just wouldn't be right. Tonight i finally had some time to pull out the mixer and whip up a batch (tough working 40 hrs a week during Christmas...)

here is the recipe if you are interested.

Almond Crescent Cookie
yields 3 dozen cookies


1 cup (2 sticks butter)
1 cup confectioners sugar (divided)
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup finely copped almonds

In a large bowl, beat butter with 1/2 cup confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Sift flour and gradually add to mixture, along with almonds, Blend together until it forms a dough. Shape dough into a ball, seal in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. heat over to 350 degrees. Divide dough into 8 pieces, Lightly flour hands and work surface. Shape each piece into a 1/2 inch thick roll. Cut each roll into 2 inch pieces. Arrange on un-greased cookies sheets and shape each into a crescent, tapering the ends by gently pinching them. Bake 18-20 minutes or until faintly brown.

When cookies are complete cooled, dust tops with sifted remaining sugar. Store in airtight container. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas! Happy Baking!