Hey Everyone –  How are you???  I have plenty of updating to do around here, but life is keeping me too busy lately.  I did start a new book review blog that I now have up and running.   Please stop by and check it out.  I will be posting all my book reviews there.  Xanga will still be my main blog as soon as I have time to blog more again. 

Reading In White Bear Lake……………….

Jen C

I just got back from the Dr and have a new diagnosis, but it is one I have suspected I had for the last 5 years or so.  I am diagnosed with IBS.   I am happy as I knew this was not normal and I was sick of living like this.  Annoyed, because I have had this since I was probably 5 years old.  Trust me this is alot of years to be annoyed and embarassed with the symptoms.   I wish I would have pursued this more to see if there was something to be done earlier in life.   The last time I spoke to a Dr about it was about 15 years ago.   I love my Dr, she is wonderful and very helpful. 

I do have to agree to having some tests done.  One in particular I have been avoiding for YEARS!!  But time to get serious about this and take control of this.  Maybe some day I will be able to surpise my hubby and go for a long walk with him instead of being scared to be too far from a bathroom. 

I am hopeful………………………………………………………

Jen C   

April 13 – April 18, 2009

Monday  – Crab Alfredo

Tuesday – Breakfast – Pancakes, Sausage and Eggs

Wednesday – Baked Pork Chops with Rice

Thursday – Pork Roast – Rice and Veggie

Friday – Sloppy Joes and Seasoned Tater Tots

Saturday – Easy Grilled Chicken/Baked Beans/Coleslaw

It is a easy and quick menu this week.  I haven’t been feeling very well, so am taking it easy.

Hope you all had a blessed and Happy Easter!

Jen C

March 27 – April 11, 2009

If you haven’t taken the plunge…..start today by planning a few meals for the upcoming week.  Trust me, menu planning will save you TIME and MONEY.   As a working mom/wife I couldn’t function without meal planning.  I never come home and stare at the fridge wondering what to make.  I do struggle with that twice a month when I plan my menus but that is all.   Twice is enough for me!!  

Saving money….my goal is to be debt free.  We hope to have our mortgage and all other bills paid off in 10 more years.  So saving money is important to reaching my goal and FUN!!!   I budget about $200 for two weeks, but never spend that much.  I usually keep my grocery bill to under $80 a week.   I will let you know later how I did as I will be going shopping for this menu today!  

Struggling with what to make for supper???  For more menu ideas go to orgjunkie.com.  Laura at Organizing Junkie hosts Menu Plan Monday each week with 300+ participants!  Many of my ideas come from other Menu Plan Monday particpants!

Friday – French Bread Pizza  (Movie Night)

Saturday – Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole / Cookies and Cream Cake

Sunday – Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing/ Veggie 

Monday – Taco Mac & Chesse

Tuesday – Frozen Pizza

Wed – Quesadillas

Thurs – Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Bake

1 pkg (6oz) Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken
1-1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pkg (16 oz) frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ lb Velveeta, cut in 1/2 “ cubes

HEAT over to 400.  Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package; set aside.  COMBINE remaining ingredients; spoon into 13×9 baking dish.  Top with stuffing.  BAKE 40 minutes or until chicken is done. 

Fri – 4/3 – Hot/chili Dogs and Chips (Movie Night)

Sat – Lasagna Roll Ups/ Garlic Break  

Sun – Company Chicken Casserole –

Mon – Late = Spaghetti and meatballs/ Garlic Bread

Tues – Egg Bake

Wed – French Toast/Eggs/ Bacon

Thurs – Impossible Cheeseburger Pie /Salad

 Fri – Corn Dogs and Fries (Movie Night)

Sat – Chicken Taquitos – Spanish Rice

Recipes to Try from This weeks Menu Plan Monday:

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Pasta-Meatball-Soup  – Orgjunkie
General Tso Chicken  – Homemaker Barbi
Oven Fried Fish and Chips – Homemaker Barbi
Flash in Pan SwissSteak – Homemaker Barbi
Unstuffed Cabbage – Homemaker Barbi
Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings  – AYear of Crockpotting
Kickin Creamy Chicken Crockpot Stew – What’s for Dinner
Tuna Noodle Casserole – What’s for Dinner **Made before and liked!
Bourbon Chicken – What’s for Dinner
Basil Sesame Green Beans – What’s For Dinner
Crockpot Golden Mushroom Pork Chops – What’s For Dinner
Bowtie pasta Bake – Savin It Up
Crockpot Sloppy Joes – Movie Night
Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal Mix – Grocery Cart Challenge
Biscuit and Gravy – Grocy Cart Challenge
Baked Ziti – The Grocery Chart Challenge
Skillet Taco Macaroni –
Chicken Taco Casserole – My Grocery Plan
Hoisin and Honey Pork Tenderloin – iSalty

Sites to Check Out : 
Heart(h) Management : http://www.hearthmanagement.com/
The Grocery Cart Challenge  Has Recipe Swap for Mixes;  http://grocerycartchallenge.blogspot.com/2009/03/grocery-cart-challenge-recipe-swap_26.html

Hello everyone – sorry to be gone so much.   Finally, I am finishing up my budgets at work, but of course now I am getting sick.   Hopefully life will be getting back to normal for a while.   We have alot of things coming up that I need to be planning for.  But right now I just need to relax a bit, take a breath and get my home routine back on schedule.

Since we have the DVR, I have to admit I have started to watch TV.   I love American Idol.  I was really impressed with Adam Lambert last night.  He definitely is my pic to win!   I have been able to keep up with Brothers and Sisters and The Secret Life of an American Teenager.   Tonight there is a new show I want to check out, In the Motherhood.   It looked funny.   I have book group tonight so I won’t be able to watch it until later. 

 I of course have much more to say, but want to see how this posts via email so I hopefully will post more often.  They block access to xanga at my work.   Which is why I post less, I used to post while having my lunch at my desk.   Oh Well…….

Budget for the year… * Calendar organization * notebook idea!!! * Need to categorize my site * Website – need to revamp recipes * Book Group  – update schedule and add ratings * cell phones and kids * money skills – job skills  

Made this healthier version of boxed rice a roni and it was a hit.  Would have been even better if I had some low sodium chicken broth.  

Rice and Roni

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 pound pasta, vermicelli or spaghetti
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 2 cups chicken or beef broth

Begin by placing the oil in a pot and breaking the dried noodles into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces. Turn on the heat and stir the noodles in the oil until they begin to brown slightly. Add the rice, onion, parsley, and broth. Stir mixture, cover tightly, and cook as you would regular rice, approximately 20 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and serve.

Amy’s Tips:

To avoid an overdose on sodium, make sure to purchase the sodium-free chicken broth for both the rice and the pork chops.

http://momadvice.com/food/slow_cooker_recipes2.aspx

For more menu ideas go to orgjunkie.com.

Sunday 15th – Chicken Burritos/ Chip and Cheese Dip /Guacomole

Monday 16th – Pot Pies

Tueday 17th – St Patty’s Day – Slow Cooker Corned Beef  & Cabbage  – Green Pudding

Wednesday – 18th – Grilled Cheese and Soup

Thus  19th – French Toast/Eggs/ Bacon

Friday – 20th – Mom in Duluth – Frozen Pizzas

Sat -21st – Seafood Alfredo

Sun – 22nd – Steak/Pots/ Veggies

Mon – 23rd – MPTP – Chicken Salad Crossiants/ Garbanzo Bean Salad

Tues – Northfield – Slow Cooked Pork Chops / Rice/ Veggie

Wed 25th – Chineese/ Egg Rolls

Thurs – 26th – Easy Chicken and Rice

Friday – BBQ Rib Sandwiches – Chip/dip

Sat 28th – Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing

Recipes to Try from Menu Plan Monday Posts:

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Linguine-with-Garlic-Sauce – Laura

http://feelingscrappyclasses.blogspot.com/2009/02/chicken-tortilla-soup.html – Laura

http://food.yahoo.com/recipes/taste-of-home/114567/honey-barbecue-meat-loaf – laura

http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/30-minute-almond-chicken-88580.aspx – Laura

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/print?id=9836 – Crockpot Cheesy Chicken

http://www.unorganizedmomma.com/2009/03/egg-bake/ – Egg Bake (check out this blog)

http://gettingfreedom.blogspot.com/2009/03/recipe-porcupine-meatballs.html – Cents to Get DebtFree