Mellow Monday - Long Time No "See"

Wow...it's been a "hot" minute since I wrote anything here. I've been busy. Busy with kids, with the hubs and with life in general.

Today as I was working on the computer I suddenly felt the urge to check out my blog. Curious about it. Curious as if something had happened to it while I was away. Funny thing (insert sarcasm here) ...it is exactly as I left it several months ... a'hem years ago. The Mellow Monday post from June 2014 sitting alone on the page due to the lack of posting. A post, that seems a lifetime ago, that talked about our menu for that week and how hot it was going to be and the water park visit we were taking that day. And that family picture of us!!!!!!! Wow....my babies aren't those babies any more!!!!

These days our Mondays are not so mellow. My kids have grown sooooooo much since 2014. Tobin (Brother Goose) is in 2nd grade and Samantha (Lil' Miss Goose) is in Pre-Kindergarten. Our Mondays are one of the busiest days of our week. Of course it is the first day of the school week for Brother, back to work for Daddy Goose while Lil' Miss Goose and I attending parent support group called Gift of Blessings. We try to catch up on house work from the weekend during the afternoon. However, there ALWAYS seems to be something else we've got to do that day, whether it's sports programs or grocery shopping.

I am still menu planning and trying my best to stay organized. I recently bought a new calendar, The Mom on the Go Planner from (intheleafytreetops.com) and I LOVE IT! It is super cute and it has pages for every.thing. Including menu planning. Because of my new planner I'm even temped to plan and shop for the whole month! I am usually pretty good about planning for the whole month, but usually grocery shop once a week. We'll see if I ever tackle the once a month shopping trip.

Today has been such a productive day. I am feeling more ready for our week than I have in a while. Church, brunch with my little family, played outside in the beautiful weather, laundry done, kitchen sparkling, prepared for my parent support group, a new chore chart printed and filled out for the week, now pizza is ordered and to top it off...I'm writing a blog post.

A good day indeed.

Another change in my life...my weight. About 12 years ago I lost 30 pounds with Weight Watchers and have really done a great job of keeping it off between working out and eating pretty healthy. Until now. Since September, I have gained it all back. So, I'm back to my point counting and working out. It was a painful eye opener when I stepped on that scale the first week of February, but it was a good swift kick in the pants to get me Fit Before 40! (Eeekkkk...yup that's this year for me.)

Well, in case you've missed my menu, here's what we're eating this week.

• Monday: Crockpot Pulled Pork with mixed veggies and fruit salad
• Tuesday: Burrito Bake (ryleegrover.blogspot.com) with green beans and salad
  Everyone in my house LOOOOOOOOVES this one!) 
• Wednesday: Mini Turkey Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and peas
• Thursday: Trader Joes Corn Dogs with Alexa Criss-Cut Fries
• Friday: Sloppy Joe Bake (Drizzlemeskinny.com)
• Saturday: Family Date Night
• Sunday: Pizza

I've got all of my points calculated for our dinners will input dinner points into my Ultimate Food Value Diary the morning of so I know how many points are left over for the rest of my meals. It works well for me. 

Do you menu plan? I do because it saves me time, money and answers that daily, "What's for dinner?" question. Now that you've seen my meal plan, head on over to Orgjunkie.com and see some others.

Always ~ Momma Goose

Mellow Monday & Menu Plan

Happy Mellow Monday...late night edition!

It has been a very. busy. Monday.  Started at 7:00 a.m. with a good workout, continued with breakfast and kid "stuff" here at the house, then Lil' Miss and I headed into town for some errands.  Nails/toes done, oil changed, transmission flushed, car washed, Target shopped and Macy's shopped.  After which we rushed home for Brother's first soccer practice of 2013.  Home, dinner, showers, and bedtime for the goslings.  Are you exhausted?? I am!

Thankfully, dinner was ready when we got home.  Slow cooker to the rescue AGAIN!  I seriously love this kitchen appliance for days like today.  BUT...do you want to hear the awesome-est part of this dinner...I totally made up the recipe!  Yup, that's right!  I'm a full-fledged recipe creator! :)

Both Daddy Goose and the goslings loved my dish and I absolutely know that you'all will too.

Slow Cooker Tri-Tip

Ingredients:

• 2-3 pounds tri-tip roast (untrimmed)
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1/2 white onion chopped
• Lawry's seasoning salt & Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning
• 2 TBSP red wine vinegar
• 2 cups (+/-) water (Amount depends on the size of your slow cooker.  Cover tri-tip)
• Salt & pepper

Instructions:

Generously spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour olive oil into slow cooker.  Season, to taste, bottom of slow cooker with Lawry's and Mrs. Dash.  Place tri-tip and onions into slow cooker.  Again, season, to taste, the top of the beef with Lawry's and Mrs. Dash.  As with any meat, season with salt and pepper.  Add red wine vinegar and enough water to cover the tri-tip.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

I used my tri-tip to make sandwiches.  You'll see below how else I plan to use it this week.  Sooo delicious!  I cannot wait to hear whether you like it or not!

Here's what else we're eating this week:

Monday:  Slow Cooker Tri-tip sandwiches with corn and potato chips
Tuesday:  Slow Cooker Tri-tip burritos
Wednesday:  Spaghetti with green salad
Thursday:  Frozen burritos and/or leftovers
Friday:  Calazone and cesear salad
Saturday:  Mac & Cheese with hot dogs and applesauce (kids pick :)  (I'll make the noodles and then pull some out for Lil' Miss due to her milk allergy)
Sunday:  Chicken & stuffing

Do you meal plan?  I do because it saves me time, money, and answers the never ending "What's for dinner?" question.  After you've checked out my menu plan and then see others at Orgjunkie.com.

What are you eating this week?

Always ~ Momma Goose

Mellow Monday & Menu Plan

Happy Mellow Monday to you'all!


We are starting a busy week in our house.  VBS at my momma's church starts today, a couple of afternoon dates and then it's Lil' Miss's 2nd birthday on Thursday!  Woo-hoo...my baby's TWO!  It is going to be really important for us to be organized and ready for the week ahead, so I've gotten my meal plan down and I'm ready to share.

Our Mellow Monday meal is a super duper yummy easy-peasy and versatile chicken dish that a good friend of ours made us while we were on vacation.  I'm making a big pot of it so we can use it several times throughout the week to save on time and money.  Check it out...

Lemon Pepper Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 to 6 boneless chicken breast halves, skin removed, or other chicken parts
• lemon pepper seasoning
• 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

Instructions:  Put chicken in slow cooker. Sprinkle generously with lemon pepper seasoning. Drizzle butter or margarine over chicken. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or until chicken is tender.  I'm going then shred the chicken so it can be used in various ways.  I'm also going to double the recipe so that it will take us farther this week. :)

I totally wish I had a picture of this cooking...but I'm writing my blog a day early...sorry! 

It's kind of looks like this when it's all done:

 Check out my FB page later this week to see how it turns out...but trust me...you'll love it!

Here's what we're eating the rest of the week:

Monday:  Lemon Pepper Chicken over brown rice
Tuesday:  Lemon Pepper Chicken quesadillas
Wednesday:   Meatball sub sandwiches
Thursday:  Lil' Miss's birthday party at the waterpark...so I'm thinking Lemon Pepper Chicken on a green salad and snacks if we're still hungry.
Friday:  BBQ Hamburgers with green salad and frozen french fries made on the grill
Saturday:  Date Night!
Sunday:  Pizza!

Do you meal plan?  I do because it saves me time, money, and answers the never ending "What's for dinner?" question.  After you've checked out my menu plan and then see others at Orgjunkie.com.

What are you eating this week?

Always ~ Momma Goose

Menu Plan Monday & (Not so) Mellow Monday

Wow...here we are almost 3 months since my last post!  Phew, time is flying by!

We are busy, busy, BUSY!  Our lives have changed so much since April.  Nothing that a little adjustment can't fix...but it's been just that...an adjustment.

Daddy Goose hurt his back in March and has been home with us since.  (We love having him here.  He usually works a lot, so we're taking advantage of his time. Hence the lack of blogging.)  Brother Goose finished his last year of pre-school, which means KINDERGARTEN in the fall!  EEEEEKKKK!!!!  Lil' Miss Goose is growing like a weed and says new words everyday.  (Including..."Uhhhh, no!"  Not my favorite! LOL)

So, all four of us are now home together. Every. Day.  It has been a whirlwind.  All my routines have been thrown out the window.  Everything from menu planning to daily house chores to exercise.  The only thing we want to do is hang with Daddy Goose.

W have settled into a new routine.  The go with the flow routine.  The take advantage of Daddy being home routine.  The clean the house once a week and do laundry only when needed routine.  The sit by the pool, go to the water park, spend extra time with family and friends routine.

I am still very much a Type A kinda girl, so there are plenty of days when I can't stand the "go-with-the-flow," but I am really trying to deal with that slowly.  I have my days.  And today is one of those days.  I am fed up with the mess in my house and need a menu plan for the week.  There will be no mellow-ness in our house today.  We are doing laundry, deep cleaning the kitchen, scrubbing bathrooms and washing floors.

I have figured out what we're eating this week and I figured, if I am doing a little work, you should be able to get the benefit too!  So, here ya go!

Monday:  Frozen Bean & Cheese burritos
Tuesday:  BBQ Chicken with Brown Rice Pasta Salad
Wednesday:  Ground turkey "sloppy joes"
Thursday:  Leftovers
Friday:  Camping!
Saturday:  Camping!
Sunday:  Camping!

With Lil' Miss's egg & milk allergy I adjust recipes or provide her with something else to eat. 

It takes a little more planning and caution, but it's just another reason why I meal plan!

Do you meal plan?  I do because it saves me time, money, and answers the never ending "What's for dinner?" question.  After you've checked out my menu plan and then see others at Orgjunkie.com.

What are you eating this week?

Always ~ Momma Goose

Mellow Monday & Meal Plan

Happy Monday, friends!

How many of you are dragging today because of the time change?  We can't drag because we have a busy day and week ahead of us.  Who knew sports for an almost 5 year old little boy would take up so much time.  He is, however, having a great time.  (And so are we.)

We did have a pretty mellow weekend.  I spent most of the day yesterday catching up on my housekeeping like laundry and floors, etc.  I also tackled a long overdue project...my home office!

I've been using my office as a "catch-all" place for the last couple months.  One night last week I "wigged" out because I couldn't even pay bills at the computer because it was piling up so much.  Surprisingly, it only took me 1.5 hours or so. It was mostly dealing with paperwork, putting seasonal decorations into their "home," and other general tidy'ing.  After all was picked up I dusted everything, steam mopped the floors and was so happy with myself.

I am super excited about my new bill pay, home management, organization system that I'm putting together now that my office is clean and ready.  I'm hoping to be able to share these with you later.

After all of my cleaning yesterday, we ended the day with our new tradition, Taco Sunday with Brother & Sister-in-law Goose and Cuz Goose!

Here's what we're eating this week:

Monday:  Leftovers (I did a lot of cooking last week and didn't have a leftover night)
Tuesday: Spaghetti
Wednesday:  Crescent hot dogs with baked onion rings (from The Daily Happenings of a Stay at Home Mom) and veggies
Thursday:  Baked chicken breasts and sweet potatoes with spinach
Friday: Take & Bake Pizza (Papa Murphy's - my new favorite!)
Saturday:  Date Night! :)
Sunday: Tacos

With Lil' Miss's egg & milk allergy I adjust recipes or provide her with something else to eat.  It takes a little more planning and caution, but it's just another reason why I meal plan!

Do you meal plan?  I do because it saves me time, money, and answers the never ending "What's for dinner?" question.  After you've checked out my menu plan and then see others at Orgjunkie.com.

What are you eating this week?

Always ~ Momma Goose

Mellow Monday & Menu Plan

Happy Monday my friends!

Today is such a great Monday.  Daddy is home (due to a dentist apt.), we hit it hard at the gym, Lil' Miss is taking nap number two of the day and...

Brother starts baseball!

I am so excited!!!  Baseball has been such a tradition in my family.  My brother still plays on several leagues.  The best news - Brother's team colors are orange and black!  As long time Giants fans, you know how happy that makes this Momma and Uncle and Grandparents and Auntie. :)

We're starting the season off with a bang.  Practice every night this week and a scrimmage on Saturday.  I cannot wait to watch several 4-5 year old boys running around the bases.  I will definitely keep you posted on the season.

On a side note - do you know how adorable my sweet boy is going to look in his uniform?!  If he'd let me take a picture of him today in his practice clothes I would have had it here for you to see.  (Maybe I'll sneak one in tonight.)

With today's crazy activities I am so happy we have a crockpot and a self cooking meal for tonight.  Courtesy of Pinterest, we are eating Creamy Chicken & Noodles.  It really is a toss and go kinda' meal.

Source: healthymealpins.com via Buffy on Pinterest

Creamy Chicken & Noodles

Ingredients:

4 Chicken breasts
1 8oz block cream cheese
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
1 packet of Zesty Italian dressing mix

Instructions:

Place all ingredients into slow cooker and cook on high for four hours.  Cook noodles (we're using bow tie) according to package directions.  Cover noodles with creamy chicken.  Enjoy!

We're indulging a little tonight with the Texas toast!

Here's what else we're eating this week:

Monday:  Creamy Chicken & Noodles with Texas toast and green salad.
Tuesday:  Tacos with lime-cilantro rice and fruit
Wednesday:  Lasagna with a broccoli slaw salad
Thursday:  Leftovers
Friday:  Winco calazone with green salad
Saturday:  Family Date Night - Mexican Food!!
Sunday:  Enchiladas

Do you meal plan?  I do because it saves me time, money, and answers the never ending "What's for dinner?" question.  After you've checked out my menu plan and then see others at Orgjunkie.com.

Always ~ Momma Goose

Mellow Monday & Menu Plan

Happy Monday my friends!

What were you up to this weekend?  We got to spend time with my family, Daddy Goose's family AND even had a little time for just the four of us for pancake breakfast on Sunday morning!

This week I'm thinking all comfort - comfortable clothes, comfortable shoes and comfortable food!  (Look at my menu plan below to see what comfort foods we'll be eating this week.) Not much says comfort like Beef Stew.  Especially on a cold winter's day.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Image & Recipe from: Taste of Home

Ingredients:


1-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch slices
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon browning sauce


Instructions:

Layer the potatoes, carrots, onion and celery in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Place flour in a large resealable plastic bag. Add stew meat; seal and toss to coat evenly. In a large skillet, brown meat in oil in batches. Place over vegetables.

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, broth, mustard, salt, pepper, thyme and browning sauce. Pour over beef. Cover and cook on high for 1-1/2 hours. Reduce heat to low; cook 7-8 hours longer or until the meat and vegetables are tender.

Monday: Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Tuesday:  Spaghetti (made with ground turkey), green salad and garlic bread
Wednesday:  Chicken Enchiladas with Southwest Chopped Salad
Thursday:  Leftovers
Friday:  Calazone from Winco with green salad
Saturday:  Hoping for a Anniversary Date Night - dinner out! ;)
Sunday: Super Bowl Football Foods! (TBA)

This week I'll be drinking Pinapple/Orange and Mango infused waters.  Do you have any tastey fruit infused water flavors for me to try?

Do you meal plan?  I do because it saves me time, money, and answers the never ending "What's for dinner?" question.  After you've checked out my menu plan and then see others at Orgjunkie.com.

Always ~ Momma Goose

Mellow Monday & Menu Plan

We are enjoying the beautiful sunny day here in Central California.  This is myyyy kind of weather, high 50s during the day and cold enough (low 40s) at night for a cozy fire and fluffy blanket.

My goslings have worn me out this morning with wrestling, swinging, a long game of 'I spy with my little eye' out on the front patio while eating our morning snack as well as an hour of laundry "sorting" with Lil' Miss.

I have a little bit of sad news today...no slow cooker recipe to share. (Boo!  Hiss! I know.)  To make it up to you, I thought I'd share my mid-morning snack recipe. (Yay!  Hooray! I hope.)

I found the link on Pinterest for the recipe and lemme tell 'ya...wow, you're gonna love it!

Creamy Peanut Butter Dip

Courtesy of: FitSugar.com

Ingredients:

1 5 to 6 ounce container of Greek yogurt (I used plain, but will probably use vanilla or honey in the future)
2 tbsp. of peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
1/2 tbsp. of honey
1/8 t. of cinnamon

Instructions:

Mix everything together.  Serve with apples and/or bananas.  I thought it was a tad bit tart due to the plain Greek yogurt, so I added a cap-ful of vanilla extract.   It made all the difference, but I will definitely use the flavored yogurt next time.

Here's what else we're eating this week:

Monday: Subway - Playdate night with one of my BFFs and her mini-me
Tuesday: Garlic Lemon Chicken with green beans & red potatoes
Wednesday:  Slow Cooker Chicken & Stuffing (Yup again, we love this one!) with green salad & fruit
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Calazone with green salad
Saturday: Birthday dinner for my sister!  Yay!
Sunday: Your On Your Own - whatever we can find in the house.

This week I'm drinking Apple & Cinnamon and Strawberry & Orange infused waters.  What refreshing flavors have you found?  Plus...try your water hot!  It brings out the flavors even more and is perfect for an evening treat.

Do you meal plan?  I do because it saves me time, money, and answers the never ending "What's for dinner?" question.  After you've checked out my menu plan and then see others at Orgjunkie.com.

Happy Monday!

Always ~ Momma Goose

Mellow Monday & Menu Plan

Cheers to our first Mellow Monday of 2013!

We're off to a great start today - gym, lunch date with the kids and naps!  Now, to see what the rest of the day holds.  I'm hoping for a little more fun with a block building session and then a yummy dinner to warm us up.

Speaking of that warm dinner...tonight's recipe is one I pinned on Pinterest last week and it was such a hit, Daddy Goose asked me to make it again tonight.  (If you're interested, check out my Pinterest boards and follow along here!)

Chicken & Stuffing in the Slow Cooker

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
1 box of stuffing mix
1 can of cream of chicken soup (or other cream soup)
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of water

Instructions:

Generously spray slow cooker with non-stick spray.  Place chicken breasts in slow cooker and cover with box of stuffing. In a separate bowl, combine cream soup and sour cream, add in 1/2 cup of water.  Pour mixture over chicken and stuffing.  Cook on high 4 hours.  Fluff with fork and serve.

Here's what else we're eating this week:

Monday:  Chicken & Stuffing in the Slow Cooker with a chopped salad and fruit
Tuesday:  Oven Baked Tacos beans and tossed salad (with "zesty" ranch dressing)
Wednesday:  Easy Mac & Cheese with vegetables and fruit salad
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday:  Calazone with salad (with homemade dressing)
Saturday:  Family date night - dinner out!
Sunday:  Football food - play offs edition - Meatball Sub bake with ceasar salad

You might notice that I've changed our leftovers night to Thursday.  Our Wednesday is really busy, so I used to plan that night as an easy meal, but I always grocery shop on Fridays so its just easier to get rid of all of our leftovers on Thursday so I have a clearer picture of the refrigerator and our food needs.  Do you have a leftover night?

Do you meal plan?  I do because it saves me time, money, and answers the "What's for dinner?" question.  After you've checked out my menu plan and then see others at Orgjunkie.com.

Always ~ Momma Goose

Mellow Monday & Menu Plan

Are you having a post-holiday hangover?  We were go, go, go this holiday.  It has been nice to be in my pjs all morning!  Yet, because of all of our go, go, go we were able to spend time with my husband's family, have a lunch date with close friends, a dinner date with other close friends AND we made it to church yesterday!  We definitely enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday break - go, go, go and all.

Back to reality this week!  Daddy Goose is back to work, Brother goes back to school and the goslings and I go back to our Bible study group on Wednesday.  Ahhh...the comfort of routine!  What are you up to this week?

We woke up to fog this morning!  I love this type of weather - especially, when none of us have to go out in it - and Daddy Goose lives for this.

With the fog and cold, home made chili is calling our names and I'm a'answerin!   I found this yummy, fun recipe from the Crock Pot Girl at Get Crocked.  She is a gal after my own heart...she loves her crock pot.  I'm sure that I'll be using her website plenty to find great recipes. (I've already pinned a couple!)

Slow Cooker Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of ground meat (I used ground beef today, but turkey would be my first choice)
• 3 cans of kidney beans, rinsed & drained
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes
• 3 cans of tomato sauce (4-8 oz cans)
• 1-2 tbsp. of ketchup
• 1 can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 medium onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic (I used garlic powder)
• 2 tbsp. of chili powder (I used a little less because of my goslings)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Brown meat, chop onion and bell pepper, mince garlic, and add all to slow cooker.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4 hours.  Add your favorite chili toppings.  We are having ours in bread bowls with chopped green onions, shredded cheese and sour cream added on top. (I'll post a picture of the finished product as soon as its done. :)

Enjoy!

Do you still have Thanksgiving leftovers?  Check out this Pinterest board to get some ideas on what to do with them!

Here's what else we're eating this week:

Monday:  Crock Pot Chili in bread bowls
Tuesday:  Tacos with refried beans and rice
Wednesday:  Soup, salad and bread sticks
Thursday:  Spaghetti with salad and bread sticks
Friday:  Freeto Boats using leftover crock pot chili
Saturday:  Birthday dinner for Uncle Goose
Sunday:  Football food - Pizza!

Do you like to menu plan? It helps me to stay on budget, stay on track with food choices and frankly, just makes life easier. If you'd like to see more menu plans, head over to OrgJunkie.com.

Always ~ Momma Goose

This post can also be seen at:
Stone Gable Blog
Couponing & Cooking
Erin Branscom

Mellow Monday & Menu Plan

After a fun and exciting adult weekend getaway with Daddy Goose, I am revamped and ready for the busy holiday week ahead.

Lovin' my hubby! 

With holidays comes a. lot. of. food - it's just part of our culture and society.  Thankfully, this holiday season I won't be doing a lot of cooking of that holiday food.  However, Brother Goose is on vacation from Pre-K, so we have some extra activities planned to keep us happy and keep this Momma sane!  So, to make sure I am enjoying all of my time with Brother, I am taking the easy road with lunches & dinners this week.  My first stop on easy street is my slow cooker.  I am using it to cook a couple pounds of chicken that I'll use in three meals this week.  Here's how:  (Check out our meal plan below.)

Juicy Slow Cooker Chicken

• 3-4 pounds of chicken breasts (you can use any part of the chicken you'd like, this is just what I usually have)
• 2-3 cans of chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Enough water to cover the chicken
• Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients into slow cooker and season with salt and pepper.  Cook on low for 2-4 hours.  (Your slow cooker time might be different than mine, refer to your manufacturer's suggestions or other chicken recipes you might have.)  Rearrange your chicken midway through cooking time.  You can even use frozen chicken in your slow cooker.  Just add 2-3 more hours to the cooking time.

This week, I'll be pulling the chicken out and shredding a little and cutting up a little for each of my recipes.  Once, cooked and cut place a little leftover juice and chicken into individual containers to be used on the appropriate day.

Have you been filling your sink before starting to cook?

It makes life sooo much easier at clean up time. One of my Auntie's gave me this tip a long time ago, and it has been one of my favorite tricks.

Here's what I'll be using the chicken for:

Monday:  Chicken Philly Sandwiches (chopped chicken, sauteed onions/bell peppers/mushrooms, provolone cheese on a sandwich roll)
Tuesday:  Nachos (shredded chicken, cheese, refried beans - on tortilla chips placed under the broiler - topped with: avocado, sour cream, black olives, and salsa)
Wednesday:  Buffalo Chicken Wraps (shredded chicken, buffalo wing sauce, blue cheese crumbles, ranch dressing, lettuce and shredded carrots wrapped in a tortilla.  Our goslings will probably not have the buffalo wing sauce on their wraps.)
Thursday:  Thanksgiving with family!
Friday:  Adult dinner date with friends - eating out.
Saturday:  Family dinner BBQ at friend's house.
Sunday:  Football food - PIZZA!

What do you eat on holiday weeks like this one?

Do you like to menu plan? It helps me to stay on budget, stay on track with food choices and frankly, just makes life easier. If you'd like to see more menu plans, head over to OrgJunkie.com.

Always ~ Momma Goose

This post can also be seen at:
Stone Gable Blog
Couponing & Cooking
Erin Branscom

Mellow Monday & Menu Plan

It is turning out to be a great Mellow Monday in our house. While I thoroughly enjoyed my 31 Day Challenge, I am excited to getting back to sharing slow cooker recipes on Mondays.

Our weather has finally changed and we enjoyed our first fire of the season over the weekend. Daddy Goose loves to build fires and I love the warmth and ambiance it provides our home.

With the weather changing, it is time for hearty, warm-me-up, comfort me kind of dishes. I heart stew! It ALWAYS makes me feel better. Even when I’m not feeling all that bad. Originally I found this stew on Ziplist, but when I got into it I found that I needed a smoker, which I don't have. So, I had to improvise and make it fit my tools and capabilities.

Slow-Cooker Beef & Black Bean Stew

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs of beef stew meat
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
2 cloves of minced garlic
4 cans of black beans (15 ounces each)

Instructions:
As always - start by filling your sink with hot water and dish soap so that you can just plop your used dishes into the sink once you're done with them. It makes for easy clean up.

Heat olive oil in skillet. Season beef, with salt and pepper. Drag pieces through a bowl of flour until  lightly covered. Brown in warmed pan.

While beef is browning, mince garlic and chop onion. I use this tool:

If you don't have one...get one...it makes cutting onions tear-less! I love it and use it for everything.

Once meat is browned, place into slow-cooker along with onions and garlic. Take one can of black beans and puree. Add-in the pureed black beans as well as the other three cans. Add in all seasonings. Cook for 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low. (This is the time frame for my slow cooker, yours may be different. Use your judgment.) Serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese and other condiments you'd like.

Enjoy!

I usually have helpers in the kitchen, but today this sweet Lil’ Miss was looking especially cute while she was “helping!”

Always ~ Momma Goose

Here's what we're eating the rest of the week.

Monday: Slow Cooker Beef & Black Bean Stew
Tuesday: Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers (I'm using green chilies instead of jalapenos.)
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Pizza
Friday: Date Night (Woo-hoo!)
Saturday: Date Night #2! (Double Woo-hoo!)
Sunday: Football Food - Meatball Subs

Do you like to menu plan? It helps me to stay on budget, stay on track with food choices and frankly, just makes life easier. If you'd like to see more menu plans, head over to OrgJunkie.com.

What are you eating this week?

31 Days - Day 8

My usual post on Mondays is about our Mellow Monday, including a slow cooker recipe and my menu plan for the week.  It's our usual day to stay in pajamas, catch up on missed weekend chores and hopefully catch an extra nap.  Due to my 31 Day Challenge, I've decided to forego the regular Mellow Monday recipe post and continue to concentrate on my challenge.

Did you know that there is actually some research that suggests that cancer can be prevented and/or slowed based on your diet?  While I am a firm believer that your body will gives you accurate responses based on your food choices, but whether cancer can be prevented based on what you eat is a hard one to swallow.  (Har, har, har!)

What kind of foods should I or shouldn't I be eating you ask.  There are plenty of websites, doctors and researchers out there who will give you many different answers.  Here is what I've come up with as most common in their findings:

1. Fiber.  (Bring out that oatmeal bowl every morning.)
2. Omega 3s.  Foods such as fatty fish, white chia seeds, flaxseed and walnuts. (Add some of these Omega-3s to your morning oatmeal...two birds one stone kind of effect.)
3. Cruciferous Vegetables.  Arugula, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, bok choy and kale.  (All very delicious, right? - here's a recipe that actually makes brussels sprouts look yummy.)
4. Folate.  Good sources include lentils, beans, certain fruits, leafy greens and fortified cereals.  (Here's an easy recipe to prepare a Lentil Quinoa Salad.)

How many of those things do you have in your daily diet now?  Now that you know they can help prevent breast cancer, how many of you will be adding them?

Always ~ Momma Goose

Go to Day 9.

Mellow Monday: Crock-Pot Teriyaki Wings

Mellow Monday is here!  Naps, jammies and slow cooker are all that is on my agenda for this morning and afternoon.  It is back up into the 100s today (I know...crazy weather seeing as it is October 1st!!), so staying cool and maybe even a run through the sprinklers are high priorities as well!

I'm cookin' up a finger food for dinner - Crock-Pot Teriyaki Chicken Wings.  Brother Goose might need a little help figuring it out and Lil' Miss Goose will not be getting the wings with bone-in, but I think it will be a fun, messy-face, get in the shower right after, type of dinner.

This is another great recipe from Ziplist.com, that led me to another great website, Crock-Pot Ladies.  If you like to use your crock-pot/slow cooker, there is no way you can pass up visiting this website!

Ingredients:

• 3 Pounds Chicken Wings
• 1 Cup Honey
• 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Ketchup
• 1 Garlic Clove, Minced
• Salt And Pepper To Taste

Instructions:

Place chicken wings in the crock-pot and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.  Pour sauce over wings and toss to coat.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.

Read more at: Crock-Pot Ladies.com

I am on-call for jury duty this week (BOO!), so I've decided that quick and easy is the name of the game when it comes to dinner this week.  Check out what we're having this week.

Monday: Crock-Pot Teriyaki Wings with rice and steamed carrots
Tuesday:  Baked Ravioli Bites with cesar salad
Wednesday: Heat'in up leftovers for Hump-Day
Thursday:  Chicken Cordon Blue Crescents with corn and fruit
Friday:  Taco Quesadilla "Pizzas" with salad
Saturday: Headed to a barbeque birthday party - no need to make dinner
Sunday:  Dinner at the fair with friends

Do you like to menu plan?  It helps me to stay on budget, stay on track with food choices and frankly, just makes life easier.  If you'd like to see more menu plans, head over to OrgJunkie.com.

What are you eating this week?

Always ~ Momma Goose

Mellow Monday: Mexican Lasagna

Happy Mellow Monday my friends!

We are enjoying a fun Mellow Monday in our nest.  The goslings slept-in until 8:30 a.m. and I enjoyed my hot coffee in the quiet, cool morning air.  We are looking forward to a cooler day and hopefully the beginning of fall weather!  The afternoon may not be as mellow as I usually like, but we are taking naps, headed to soccer practice and getting ready for school and a busy week.  What are you up to today?

Today's slow cooker recipe comes from one of my Favorite & Useful websites, Ziplist.com.  If you haven't already checked it out, be sure to do so.  I have the app on my phone and check it many times a week to get inspiration and recipes for my menu plan.  Ziplist pulled the recipe from Weelicious.com.  I haven't had a chance to fully check-out Weelicious, but you better bet I will be soon.

Mexican Lasagna in the Crockpot

Source

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 large egg, whisked
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and grated (about 2 carrots)
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 12 oz pkg. corn tortillas (12 tortillas) - (I'm using flour, so you may not need as many)
• 2 cups Mexican cheese blend
• 2 16 oz jar mild chunky salsa

Instructions:

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large sauté pan and cook the onions for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté an additional minute. Add the ground turkey meat, cumin, salt and chili powder and cook for 6-7 minutes until cooked through. Place turkey mixture aside and cool.  In a large bowl, whisk the egg and sour cream together. Add the cooled turkey mixture, carrots, corn and cilantro and mix to combine. Spread a 1 cup of salsa on the bottom of the crock pot.  Layer 5 tortillas on top of the salsa, cutting them if necessary to fit the crock pot and covering the salsa completely. Place half the turkey mixture on top of the tortillas and top with 1 cups of salsa and 1/2 cup of cheese. Add another layer of 3 tortillas on top of the cheese. Pour the remaining turkey mixture on top of the tortillas and top with another 1/2 cup of cheese. Top the lasagna with another layer of tortillas, pour the remaining salsa on top and cover with 1 cup of cheese.  Cook on low for 2 1/2 hours.  Enjoy!

Monday: Mexican Lasagna in the Crockpot with FF refried beans and rice
Tuesday:  Slow cooker Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps with watermelon (we missed this last week)
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday:  Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese with carrots and celery (Using my leftovers from Tuesday) (we missed this one last week, too!)
Friday:  Brother Goose's pick (Chicken "nuggets," or hot dogs with mac-n-cheese and fruit)
Saturday: Crescent Chicken with steamed Broccoli and fruit salad
Sunday:  Football food - Corn Dog Muffins with curly fries and fruit salad

Do you like to menu plan?  It helps me to stay on budget, stay on track with food choices and frankly, just makes life easier.  If you'd like to see more menu plans, head over to OrgJunkie.com.

What are you eating this week?

Have a happy Mellow Monday!

Always ~ Momma Goose

Mellow Monday: Take & Bake Pizza

After a fun, jam packed weekend with my siblings and parents, it is nice to be mellow at home today.  In the last two days we enjoyed two days at the lake, a beautiful wedding and a big breakfast outing with the whole fam!  Today, we are washing sheets, vacuuming and catching up with naps.  The treat of our day will come later when our favorite team, the Denver Broncos play Monday Night Football!

To celebrate and keep with a football tradition, our dinner today will be a little different than the usual slow cooker meal...we're having a take and bake pizza.  I bought the pizzas on my usual grocery shopping trip on Friday in anticipation of my brother's visit with us over the weekend.  However, we didn't end up using them, so as a bonus for today, I'll cook them up as an easy dinner so we can enjoy the game tonight.  Is there much better than football, pizza and beer?

I will use my slow cooker this week to make a recipe I've made a couple of times from SkinnyTaste.com  I've highlighted her recipes before and everything I've ever made always turns out super yummy.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

• 24 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 celery stalk
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic
• 16 oz fat free low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup hot cayenne pepper sauce (I used Frank's)

For the wraps:

• 6 large lettuce leaves, Bibb or Iceberg
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
• 2 large celery stalks, cut into 2 inch matchsticks

Directions:

In a crock pot, combine chicken, onions, celery stalk, garlic and broth (enough to cover your chicken, use water if the can of broth isn't enough). Cover and cook on high 4 hours.  Remove the chicken from pot, reserve 1/2 cup broth and discard the rest. Shred the chicken with two forks, return to the slow cooker with the 1/2 cup broth and the hot sauce and set to on high for an additional 30 minutes. Makes 3 cups chicken.  To prepare lettuce cups, place 1/2 cup buffalo chicken in each leaf, top with 1/4 cup shredded carrots, celery and dressing of your choice. Wrap up and start eating!

Check out my meal plan for the rest of the week below.

Monday: Take & Bake Pizza
Tuesday:  Slow cooker Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps with watermelon
Wednesday:  Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese  with carrots and celery (Using my leftovers from Tuesday)
Thursday:  "Pigs" in a Blanket with pears and frozen corn (Using turkey hot dogs)
Friday:  Brother Goose's pick (Chicken "nuggets," or hot dogs with mac-n-cheese and fruit)
Saturday: BBQ Hot Dogs with BBQ Beans and watermelon and grapes
Sunday:  Last Lake Day :( - Quick take out

Do you like to menu plan?  It helps me to stay on budget, stay on track with food choices and frankly, just makes life easier.  If you'd like to see more menu plans, head over to OrgJunkie.com.

Happy Mellow Monday and GOOOOO Broncos!

Source

Always ~ Momma Goose

Mellow Monday...on a Tuesday?

Happy Tuesday friends!

Yesterday was anything but a "Mellow Monday!"  Three of the four of us had doctors appointments starting at 8:30 a.m.  It was great to get them out of the way and to be able to spend some time with my parents while we were in town, but phew I was exhausted by the time we got home at 4:00 p.m.!

The funny thing is, I had my menu planned by Friday of last week!  I was definitely more prepared than I usually am.  I didn't want to waste my preparedness, so I decided that I'd share my Mellow Monday Slow Cooker Recipe and Menu Plan today. :)

I got this recipe from I'm an Organizing Junkie's Slow Cooker section.  Not only does she have great organizing ideas, menu planning ideas, but she's also got amazing recipes!

Lemon Chicken & Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 2 cubes or packets low-sodium bouillon
• 1 whole chicken (3-4 lb), fat-trimmed, rinsed and dried, giblets discarded
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 3 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 large onion, cut into wedges
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp light soy sauce
• 8 small Yukon Gold or baby potatoes, scrubbed
• 6 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/2″ thick

Put one bouillon cube (or contents of packet) inside chicken. Squeeze lemon, reserving juice, and put rinds inside chicken. Place chicken in cooker breast side up. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley. Add onion and garlic, then pour soy sauce and reserved lemon juice over chicken. Crumble remaining bouillon cube (or sprinkle packet) over chicken. Line sides of cooker with potatoes and mushrooms.  Cover. Cook on high 3.5 to 4 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reaches 180 degrees F.
Discard lemon rinds. Divide potatoes, mushrooms, onions, and chicken pieces among 6 bowls, discarding skin and bones.

Monday:  Leftovers...it was a  loooong day!
Tuesday:  Lemon Chicken & Potatoes
Wednesday:  Meatball Subs & green salad with italian dressing
Thursday:  BLT Grilled Cheese
Friday:  Brother Goose's pick
Saturday:  BBQ Hamburgers & Hot Dogs
Sunday:  Lake Day - Pizza!

Do you like to menu plan?  It helps me to stay on budget, stay on track with food choices and frankly, just makes life easier.  If you'd like to see more menu plans, head over to OrgJunkie.com.

Have a great Tuesday!

Always ~ Momma Goose