Advent Calendar

Decided to make an advent calendar for Cooper this year. I searched the web until I found something I felt I could take on and do cheaply and without having to make a trip to Michael's. This is what I found: http://craftastica.blogspot.com/2008/11/recycle-bin-advent-calendar.html

And this is how mine turned out!

Initially I was using brown Trader Joe's bags, but when we dropped Thanksgiving dinner off to our friends, they in turn sent us home with a pumpkin pie, salad and bottle of wine. These pretty white grocery store bags were what those contents were in, so I scrapped the work I did with the TJ's bags and started over (all I had done was cut the bags and tape them together.)

I admit I didn't cut the pockets as the crafty blog lady advised. I was either too tired or it was too mind boggling, so I figured out a way around it, which was probably more time consuming than had I followed her instruction.

I had recently picked up 3 rolls of $1 wrapping paper at Target and repeated those 3 papers throughout the calendar, instead of (ideally) a different print every day. There's always next year for these improvements ;)

Cooper loves it and looks forward to what he's going to get every day. He says in a sing-songy voice, "What's in theeerrrreeee????" Chocolate snowmen and hand stamps are so far his favorite advent prizes. 

ange and rob are almost here!

i can hardly believe it and am excited beyond excitement!! hoping to share many of these dinners with them this week ;) wow, three from eat live run. she has some great recipes, especially the meatballs and enchiladas. very very tasty. i use trader joe's enchilada sauce.

s  chicken enchiladas, big green salad
m  steak and potatoes, green beans
t  chicken tortilla soup
w  turkey meatballs, spaghetti, salad
th  naan pizza, salad
f  tofu, steamed veggies over rice
s  chicken, quinoa, green beans
s  leftovers

din din dinnnnnerrrrrs

hello blog readers! ie, hi ange! ;) looking forward to planning dinners with you...you guys are going to come over every night, right?!?!?

trying new recipes...here's what's on this week:

m  apple and fennel pork tenderloin, quinoa, delicata squash
t  butternut squash shepherd's pie
w  chicken cordon bleu, ravioli (repeat of last week; it was that good)
th  salmon burgers, fries
f  chicken peanut soba noodles, edamame
s  arancini (going to bake instead of fry them), salad
s  leftovers

week of 11/6

a little chicken heavy, but such is life. full of chickens?

s  chicken pesto pasta, salad
m  chicken pot pie pockets
t  pasta with sausage, salad (i'm using chicken sausage, go figure)
w  tamale pie
th  chicken cordon bleu, green beans
f  pomodoro pasta with white beans, olives
s  leftovers

chocolate pb cookies...

i want to make these...
http://www.theppk.com/2009/03/peanut-butter-pillows/

update--i made them and they were definitely hard to put together...i also overcooked them a bit but all in all they taste pretty good. not my fave tho.

nothing too new...

lots of old standbys, but good fairly easy-to-cook dinners.

s  pesto chicken gnocci, salad
m  peasant soup
t  spaghetti and turkey meatballs, salad
w  polenta with chicken, mushrooms
th  naan pizza, salad
f  happy hour at ztejas??
s  salmon burgers, fries
s  leftovers

dinners, week of 9/25

s  mango chicken w/ rice
m  pork and cous cous, salad
t  salmon burgers, salad
w  ground turkey with rice, zucchini
th  chicken and mushroom pasta
f  leftovers

new diet

wes went to the naturopath again and will be eliminating a lot of foods for a month. the big ones are peanut butter, soy, dairy. it won't be as difficult as it was previously (he can have wheat!), but there weren't many veggies on the list :/ i'll be having some on my own.

m  ground turkey over quinoa with cuke and red pepper salad
t  burgers, corn, pasta
w  polenta with chicken and mushrooms
th  helen out for book club
f  mango chicken and rice (edamame for helen)
s  salmon burgers and salad
s  pork, quinoa (spinach salad for helen)

vegan peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal cookies

they're in the oven as i type; we'll see how they turn out!

1/2 c applesauce
1/2 c peanut butter
1 flax egg (1 T ground flaxmeal and 4 T warm water)
1/4 c agave nectar
1/4 c evaporated cane juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c oats
1 T baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 to 3/4 c chocolate chips

makes about a dozen and a half.

mix togther applesauce and peanut butter. make flax egg in a separate bowl. let sit a few minutes and stir. add to the pb mixture along with sugars and vanilla. in a separate bowl, whisk together flour, oats, soda and salt. add to wet mixture. stir in chocolate chips. drop spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet or silpat and bake for 10-12 minutes.

this week:

s  salmon burgs, fries
m  grilled chicken and pesto gnocci, salad
t  stuffed shells with ground turkey, salad
w  chicken sausage and cannellini beans with quinoa, veggies
th  chicken stir fry, rice
f  sweet potato tian
s  leftovers


last week:
s  turkey burgers
m  israeli cous cous with zucchini and lentils
t  spaghetti and turkey meatballs
w  leftover cous cous with garlic herb chicken sausage
th  ???
f  ???
s  leftovers

dinners, 8/15

m  turkey burgers, salad
t  jambalaya, salad
w  cod with red pepper salsa, quinoa, edamame
th  jamie's here! chicken peanut soba noodles
f  zucchini+lentil israeli cous cous, salad
s  leftovers
s  leftovers

dinners (and lunch) this week

meals from last week created a lot of leftovers, so we ended up not having the grilled chicken w/ the caprese salad or the salmon burgs. so they return this week! made mexican hot chocolate popsicles for our dessert last week. may make a peanut butter pie this week.

also, i'm pretty tired of turkey sandwiches for lunch, so i'm going to try to make a lunch menu, too, so i don't get burned out. also going to try to go veggie for lunches so as to not overdo it with meat.

dinners
m  garlic basil grilled chicken, pasta, salad
t  salmon burgers, fries or salad
w  two bean chili, cornbread
th  chicken teriyaki stir fry, rice
f  victoria!
s  pea and bacon risotto, salad
s  leftovers

lunches
m  turkey burger
t  lunch pita
w  veggie ragout
t  olive and jarlsberg sandwich
f  victoria
s  black bean wrap
s  quinoa salad bowl

it's been awhile

back to meal plans.

m  cannellini bean and italian sausage stew with rice
t  chicken enchiladas
w  lasagna, spinach salad
th  wes playing golf
f  garlic basil grilled chicken, pasta, salad
s  steak, roasted potatoes, green beans
s  salmon burgers, fries

dinners, last week + first week of june

went camping last week, so only 2 dinners were at home. here's what we had (lots of pasta):

m  arugula and parmesan ravioli, salad
t  veggie burger + fries
w  chicken noodle soup, homemade bread (at friend lara's house)
th  burgers + pasta salad (camping)
f  chicken pesto pasta (camping)
s  out to dinner at "south" in leavenworth. had sweet potato enchiladas. pretty tasty.
s  chicken pesto pasta (back home)

here's what's on this week (can't believe it'll be june already!):

m  leftovers from lunch
t  chicken tortilla soup (the hominy makes this taste so authentic. it's delish!)
w  spaghetti + turkey meatballs, salad
th  sweet potato black bean enchiladas (did i mention how i sub greek yog for the sour cream + it tastes fantastic?)
f  chicken quinoa broccoli
s  leftovers
s  leftovers

week of 5/15

wes's golf game was cancelled due to rain, so i didn't have a chance to make those lasagna rolls last week. therrrefore they reappear on this week's menu :) not sure what i'm going to fix myself that night--i'll tell you next week!

m  lasagna rolls, salad
t  chicken veggie stir fry, rice
w  golf night
th  tacos, rice + beans
f  israeli cous cous + lentils 
s  leftovers
s  leftovers