Five On Friday

 

Five Catholic Podcasts That I Listen To:

1.  Bible In A Year Podcast

2.  Girlfriends Podcast with Danielle Bean

3.  Catholic Momcast

4.  Catholic Answers Focus Podcast

5. Question of Faith Podcast

What are you listening to?  Share with me any of your favorite podcasts.  

Wednesday Words

 We are well into Lent.  How are you doing?  I know that I could use a reset and I need to reaffirm my Lenten affirmations.  I have gotten a bit off track.  How about you?

Weekly Meal Plan 3/25 to 3/31: Feeding The Family

 I tried to update the last meal plan with photos, but some I accidently deleted and one day, I completely forgot what I cooked.  The two-week meal plan didn't really make things easier or save me any money.  The only bonus there was that I had more food on hand and could switch up my meal plan when I needed to, and I seemed to need to quite often the last 2 weeks.  

The oldest was home from college, so I tried to stay off the computer and just enjoy his company.  He leaves for school again tomorrow.  I know he'll be home again in a few months, but I will miss him.

This week I'm going back to a one-week meal plan as that is the system that seems to work best for me.

Friday:  Pierogi, Hot Dogs, and left-over Clam Chowder (the Pierogi were from a Ukranian church in our area and were for a fundraiser organized by the high school to benefit the people of Ukraine.  They raised over $22,000 for Ukraine). Today is the Solemnity of Annunciation which makes it a "meat" Friday, even during Lent.

Saturday:  Tacos

These are blue corn taco shells.  I didn't burn them.

Sunday:  gf pasta with chicken Italian sausage and mushrooms, rolls

Jovial foods gluten free pasta

Monday:  gf Mac N Cheese and veg (meatless Monday)

Tuesday:  BBQ Chicken Salad, rolls (pg 177 of The Food Nanny Saves Dinner...Again cookbook)

I made homemade ranch because my egg allergic son can't eat prepackaged ranch.  I just used sour cream, ranch seasoning, and thinned with milk.

Wednesday:  Tamale Casserole, rolls, salad (pg 71 of the same cookbook)  I ran out of butter (shame on me) so I had to regroup and I made Mongolian Beef bowls, but I only had 1.33 pounds of beef which wasn't going to feed everyone so I mixed the beef in with rice and veggies.

Thursday:  Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Have a blessed week!!

Happy St. Joseph's Day

 Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.

Oh St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your divine son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

Oh St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while he reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss his fine head for me, and ask him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen

Happy St. Patrick's Day

 

Wednesday Words

 "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." And Peter fell asleep. And the other apostles. And you, little friend, fell asleep ... and I too was another sleepy-headed Peter.

Jesus, alone and sad, suffers and soaks the earth with his blood.

Kneeling on the hard ground, he perseveres in prayer .... He weeps for you ... and for me. The weight of the sins of men overwhelms him.

Weekly Meal Plan 3/11/22 to 3/24/22: Feeding the Family

 I tried something new this week.  I did a 2-week meal plan vs a 1 week.  I was hoping to save money, but I'm not sure that is going to be the case.  I guess the good news is that it cuts down on my meal prep time. The bad news is that my family eats too much and I'm not sure I'm saving time and money.  But we shall see.

Friday:  Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup  and grilled cheese (on Aldi Sourdough Bread... so good!  GF flat bread grilled cheese for J)

Saturday:  General Tso's Chicken from Skinny Taste.  I modified this for our family and our food allergies.  I left out the egg and made sure the soy sauce and hoisin sauce were gluten free.  J has never had Chinese takeout, so I really wanted to do something special.  I also used jasmine rice, because my guys are not a fan of cauli rice.

Sunday:  Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

Monday:  Baked Salmon, Garlic Roasted Potatoes, and Green Beans

Tuesday:  Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Wednesday:  Hamburgers on the grill, Vegetables  Clam Chowder 

Thursday:  Slow Cooker Corned Beef, Sauteed Cabbage, Potatoes

Friday:  St Patrick Irish Cheddar Soup, baked fish, and rolls

Saturday:  Eating Out (It's a surprise for the kids)   We were going to eat out, but we called the restaurant that we had eaten at last time we were downtown (pre-Covid) and they can no longer cook for food allergies.  No problem.  We had burgers on the grill before we headed out to the Cavs game.

Sunday:  Easy White Wine Sunday Chicken (from The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner...Again cookbook.  I want to buy these books, but I can't find them reasonably priced, so I got this one from the library), Vegetable, Salad

Monday:  Old School Hamburger Stew (Same Food Nanny cookbook)

Tuesday:  Chicken Parm, vegetable, salad

Wednesday:  Clam Chowder, salad, rolls  😂 I can't remember 

Thursday:  Tamale Casserole (from the Food Nanny)  Chick Fil A takeout.

The second week, I'm making several recipes from the Food Nanny cookbook because I just got it from the library (after a 2 month wait list).  I will try and come back and post "after" photos of all the meals I make.  The oldest will be home from college for spring break so I'm trying to make filling, comfort food.  

I really want to get our grocery prices down, but I spent $291 at Aldi last week and I HAVE NEVER spent that much at Aldi...not even at Christmas time.  Prices have skyrocketed and I'm trying to work with that.  I know that if you are reading this, you are in the same boat.  All we can do it try to feed our families the best we can, within our budgets.  

Have a blessed and wonderful week!!

Wednesday Words

 

Weekly Meal Plan 3/4/22 to 3/10/22: Feeding the Family

 

Happy first week of Lent!  I hope your Lent is off to a great start.  I got my Lenten free up over this weekend.  I wanted to do on Wednesday, but this week was busier than normal, so it had to wait.

Weekly Meal Plan (including meatless Mondays and Fridays for Lent)

Friday:  Mediterranean Tuna Salad, rolls

Saturday:  Garlic Butter Chicken Bites and Asparagus  I did not plan on making this.  I planned on making sweet and sour chicken but by dinner time, I just didn't feel like frying chicken.  I just wanted something I could throw in the oven.  The family loved this.  It probably went over better, than the original recipe I was going to use.

Sunday:  Creamy Tomato Gnocchi Oh my was this good!  I used gluten free gnocchi to keep it was for allergies.  This was a belly bomber of a dinner and perfect for Sunday family dinners.  I served it was a salad and rolls.

Monday:  Baked fish with greek salad, rolls

Tuesday:  Turkey Tacos

Wednesday:  Korean Ground Beef Bowls

Thursday:  Clean-up Day. 

 There was nothing to clean up, so I made Jose Guevara's Gallo Pinto from The Blue Zones Kitchen cookbook by Dan Buettner and I added in a pound of mild Italian sausage to give it some "oomph" for my guys.

Do you have any favorite meatless recipe that you can share? 

Have a blessed week!!  

Five On Friday

 

5 Things that I will be doing (or not doing) for Lent 2022

1.  I will be reading Grace In Tension: Discover Peace with Martha and Mary.  The story of Martha and Mary resignates with me so much.  When I saw this book, I knew I found my Lenten reading.  I am totally a Martha, working on becoming more like Mary.

2.  I will be saying my morning prayers in bed.  Before my feet hit that floor, my prayers will be said.  That's not to say that I won't be praying throughout the day too, but if I don't say my morning prayers right away, the chaos of the morning, the news, something stupid on social media, or anything else that is not important takes my attention away and I either don't say my morning prayers or I try to fit them in later in the day sometimes to no avail.  

3.  Spring Cleaning!  I need to do this.  I started last year, but only got part of the way done.  This year, I have a plan.  I'm working in sections of the house (a room or two at a time) and I'm giving myself a few days to get each section done.  Lent is 40 days.  Why do I try to cram in all the cleaning in one week?  I started to today and I have the foyer, the downstairs powder room, and the hall to the kitchen completely done.  I also washed the walls going up the stairs and in the upstairs hallway.  That was enough for today.  I'm trying something new this year too.  I have the O-Cedar Spin Mop and I love it for my wood floors.  I follow Go Clean Co on Instagram and she recommended it.  And she uses it with hot water and 1 tsp. of powdered Tide.  I've seen people (and maybe her too??) use the same solution and mop combo to wash walls. I did that today, and folks, it was a game changer.  No up and down the ladder and it seemed to do a really good job.  I don't know if powdered Tide is safe for all wall types so you may want to do a test spot before you do an entire wall.  Our walls are painted with Sherwin Williams paint, and it worked great for us.  

4.  NO SNACKING after 7 pm.  This is a hard one for me.  But I can do it for Lent.

5.  Praying the Litany of Humility daily.

I also plan on giving more to the local food pantry.  Our budget will determine what that looks like.

So that's it.  That's what I'm doing for Lent 2022.  I think it's totally doable and I'm praying that it brings me closer to God.

What are you doing this year for Lent? 

Wednesday Words