Meal of the Week

I decided instead of boring you with my thoughts on every meal I cook during the week, I would post my favorite meal of the week. To be honest, I just dread admitting how I changed our menu plan and which meals were just ok. So there. Please feel free to leave a comment if you really enjoyed this weekly post and I will continue it. I imagine it will not be missed.

This week's winner is the Garlic Soba Noodles. Yummy. Besides tasting good, it was easy. I also served it to the whole family. No meat substitutions for my husband. Luckily, he likes tofu. I did set aside some noodles for the kids before I jazzed them up with Chard, Garlic, and Onions. The kids are not crazy about the soba noodles, but I really like them.

Going with the Flow

I finally settled on a low flow showerhead. I decided I had mulled it over long enough. Action was necessary. I kept going back and forth between the Delta Fluidics Adjustable Showerhead and the Roadrunner. I chose the Delta Fluidics mainly because of all of the reviews on Amazon.com. It also only cost $25.00. The water flow is 1.85 gpm or 2.5 gpm depending on the setting you chose. You don't save water with the 2.5 gpm option, but it is nice that you can switch between the two. I used the higher setting to rinse my hair. I would say that it took half the time to rinse my hair because the water pressure is really high. The lower setting still out performs our old showerhead. Of course, I think our old showerhead was original to our house built in 1973.

The Roadrunner does have some really cool features. You turn on the shower and once it reaches 95 degrees it slows to a trickle. You flip a switch and hop on in. The water flow is 1.59 gpm. I believe you can also flip the switch to slow the water to a trickle while lathering up or shaving. It retails for $39.95.

Since we are talking showers, I thought I would mention the challenge that The Crunchy Domestic Goddess is doing this summer. It is called the Five Minute Shower Challenge, which is pretty self explanatory. I am trying to decide if I can really do it. Pretty sad, huh? Anyone want to join me? Leave a comment here that you are in and I will sign up too. I just need a little incentive.

Theme Thursday- Flowering

Stacy over at The Land of K.A. hosts Theme Thursday each week and this week's theme is Flowering. This would have been a perfect theme for me a few weeks ago, but not much is in bloom in my yard right now. It shouldn't be long before the daylilies bloom though. I went around the yard and found a couple of flowers. I also thought I would take this opportunity to show some photos of my herb garden. It is still growing. Amazing.

I hope everyone has a fabulous Thursday.

My Son's Green-ish Birthday Party

We celebrated my son's 2nd birthday yesterday. Since we were having the party at our house and only family was invited, I knew it would be easier to make the party "green-ish". I knew that I would not be able to avoid the typical birthday cake. We were browsing Publix.com looking for a cake for my daughter's birthday cake and my son saw the one above and freaked out. He has a slight obsession with trucks. So I did not even try to change that aspect of the party. Here are a few of the things that we did to make our birthday party a little greener.

• I bought some fabric for a tablecloth, which cost me $8.00. I plan to reuse the fabric to make a pillow case and maybe something else for my son. I could also sew gift bags with the leftover fabric.
• We used biodegradeable and compostable paper plates.
• I had a stash of plastic forks and napkins from previous parties that we used.
• We dug out these really cool glasses that we got as a wedding gift as well as my grandma's wine glasses, instead of using plastic ones.
• I tried to keep the food fairly healthy. We served Cottage Cheese Egg Muffins, fruit with a yogurt dip, apples and bananas with a chocolate peanut butter dip, and ham biscuits.
• I only had to do 2 party favor bags so that made things a little less complicated. I purchased 2 felt bags that had a dump truck on the front. I filled each bag with a matchbox truck, bubbles, and a package of fruit snacks.

Overall the party was a success and I feel pretty good about it. My daugther's party will be a different story, but that is for another post.

Menu Monday May 26-29

Monday (Memorial Day):Pesto Turkey Burgers (veggie burger for me), French Fries, and Green Beans

Tuesday: Garlic Soba Noodles

Wednesday: Basil-Balsamic Pork Chops, Baked Potatoes, Salad (spinach, mandarin oranges, pecans, feta cheese, with a raspberry vinagraitte dressing)

Thursday: Gourmet PB & A (adapted from a sandwich I like to order at Bread & Company. The sandwich consists of peanut butter, cinnamon cream cheese, and thin slices of apple)

Menu Monday May 18-22 Recipe Review

Monday: Margarita Pork Chops and Taco Salad

Quick, easy meal. I did not have any chips so I sliced up some flour tortillas into strips, sprayed them with some olive oil, sprinkled with salt and baked until golden brown. I also bought dry pinto beans with intentions of cooking them for the salad, but it didn't happen. I used a can of refried beans that had been sitting in the pantry for awhile instead . Not a bad meal.

Tuesday: Pasta with Wilted Spinach

This is my new favorite meal. This is the second time I have made it and I think it is very yummy. The dried apricots and pine nuts give it a very interesting taste. The meal seems light, but filling and satisfying at the same time.

Wednesday: Salmon, Portabello Mushrooms, Brown Rice, and Sugar Snap Peas

I ended up making a stir-fry adapted from Mark Bittman's Cookbook How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. I used sugar snap peas, portabello mushrooms, carrots, and celery. I thought it turned out pretty well. I used a little too much soy sauce, but it had a good taste.

Thursday: Kashi Pizza

You just can't go wrong with pizza you just pop in the oven. I have to admit it is a huge relief to not have to do any preparation for dinner. I do prefer Amy's Pizza.

Not All Sunscreens Are Created Equally

I never put much thought into sunscreen before now. I usually picked up whatever was on sale and only looked at the SPF. After doing some research and reading the information on EWG.org (which I guess you can tell I rely on heavily), I have realized there is a lot more to it. Just like all other skincare products there are ingredients and chemicals that are safer and more effective than others. EWG.org uses a rating system to come up with a hazard score, so it is easy to look up a product and know how safe it is to use. They also have very handy guides that tell you the best products to use.

I will summarize what I have learned so far. When buying sunscreen, look for the ingredients zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These ingredients stay on the skin's surface and they provide protection against UVB and UVA radiation. UVB radition causes sunburn, whereas UVA radiation causes skin damage, aging, and cancer. Coverage for both are labeled as broad spectrum coverage. You also want to use SPF 15 or higher.

Here are the ingredients to avoid:
Oxybenzone - In sunlight, can produce allergy- and cancer-causing chemicals
DMDM Hydantoin - Allergen and irritant that can form cancer-causing contaminants
Triethanolamine - Allergen and irritant that can form cancer-causing contaminants

I purchased some Blue Lizard Sensitive Sunscreen, but all of the California Baby products have high ratings and can be found at places like Whole Foods and Target. I am also going to try the California Baby Sunscreen Stick to use for our faces.


Of course, there are also other steps you should take besides wearing sunscreen. Wear a shirt, hat, and sunglasses and try to stay in the shade. If at all possible, try to limit the amount of time you are in the sun between 10:00 am-2:00 pm. I know this is a lot easier said than done, especially when you have children begging to play outside. All we can do is our best and being aware of the dangers is a good first step.

Cuisinart's Green Gourmet Cookware

As I type this post, I can hear my husband's voice in my head saying, "It would be a lot greener to use what we have and not buy a bunch of new stuff." This is true, unless what you are currently using is unsafe.

Several months ago we stopped using our badly scratched teflon skillets. According to the Environment Working Group, non-sticks pans can contain PFCs, many of which breakdown into PFOA (also known as C8) in the environment and your body. Once in the body, PFOAs can circulate for years. PFOA is considered a carcinogen causing testicular, pancreatic, mammary, and liver tumors in rats. Evidence has shown that scratched teflon when heated has the potential to kill birds because of the chemicals released. Plus if the pan is scratched, you will inevitably ingest some of those teflon bits.

I know it seems like EVERYTHING causes cancer. My rational is why risk it? So I purchased a 12 " stainless steel skillet. You do have to use lots of oil and food still ends up sticking sometimes. I do not regret buying the skillet, but a non-stick skillet is really nice.

On my search to find a low flow showerhead, I stopped by Bed Bath & Beyond. When I walked through the door, the first thing I saw was a big display of Green Gourmet cookware. I had read about the new cookware somewhere and evidently you can only find it at Bed Bath & Beyond. After browsing the display for awhile, I continued my search for a new showerhead. They do not have a very good selection of showerheads so I gravitated back to the Green Gourmet display. I did have a 20% off coupon. Hmmm. Then I thought this would make a great Mother's Day gift to myself. We can justify just about anything, huh? I bought the Green Gourmet 10" skillet, since I already had the 12" stainless steel one. I really wanted to get the grill pan, but decided that I would try the skillet first to make sure I liked it.

Here are the specs on the skillet. If you want to read them from the packaging, just click on the picture above. The skillet is scratch resistant, the ceramic based coating makes it non-stick. It is petroleum free, PTFE (teflon) free, and PFOA-free.

I have not cooked with it extensively, but the few times I have I really liked it. The skillet is very heavy and the surface is very slick. There was no sticking. The verdict is in....I love my new Green Gourmet skillet. Now I just need to find an excuse to get the grill pan and maybe one more small skillet.

More Snack Reviews- Cereal, Crackers, and Bars

We have reduced the amount of packaged foods that we eat, but we do still have a few staples around our house. We have switched to organic brands and look for items that have no preservatives, artificial sweeteners or flavoring, and no trans fat. I thought I would share with you which ones we have found tasty.

Kashi TLC Country Cheddar Crackers

My husband likes to take this instead of chips in his lunch. I think they taste way better than cheezits or goldfish. Country Cheddar is our favorite. It definitely satisfies a salty craving.

Cascadian Farm Clifford Crunch

My daughter loves to eat cereal for breakfast and Clifford Crunch is usually her first choice. She might just like saying Clifford Crunch, but I don't feel guilty giving it to her. It only has 6 grams of sugar compared to 9 grams in Honey Nut Cheerios. In the book Superfoods Rx Diet the author recommends this cereal as a good choice for individuals who like cereal.

Clif Kid ZBar

This is by far my favorite snack. I will grab one for breakfast on the go or eat one as a midafternoon snack. The kids will only eat the Honey Graham flavor, but my favorite is Peanut Butter. Each bar contains between 120-140 calories depending on the flavor. They contain no hydrogenated oils, no high fructose corn syrup, no preservatives, and no artificial flavors or colors. They also are very filling.


If you have any products that you have found that are yummy, please share.

Best Shot Monday- What a weekend!!

We had a great weekend. It was jam packed with activities so I have lots of photos. I am picking the first one as my Best Shot Monday.

Sprinkler Tree at the park for the Touch a Truck Event.

My little girl painting a truck.

My son driving a lawnmower.

Sprinkler fun in the backyard.

My son helps daddy do some digging.



We took our first canoe trip as a family!!!

Check out Tracey's blog for some more great shots.

Menu Monday May 18-22

I know I am late getting this week's menu out. I was very disorganized last week and went to the store with no idea of what I was going to make. Shhhh....don't tell anyone. In case I have not mentioned it before. We usually eat out with family on Friday nights and eat out or throw something together on Saturday nights. This Sunday we went out after my husband's softball game. I guess you can tell I have been slacking a bit in the meal prepartion category. Well, here it is anyway.

Monday: Margarita Pork Chops and Taco Salad
Tuesday: Pasta with Wilted Spinach
Wednesday: Salmon, Portabello Mushrooms, Brown Rice, and Sugar Snap Peas
Thursday: Kashi Pizza

My New Scrapblog Header

I told you that I was addicted to Scrapblog.com. So I had to create a new header for my blog. What do you think? Cool? Too much? Did you like my last one better? I know I keep changing the way it looks. I can't seem to make up my mind.

I want feedback. Please leave a comment.

Menu Monday Recipe Review- May 11-15

We decided to eat Mexican food on Sunday night so everything was pushed back a night. Mexican food is my favorite and it was Mother's Day after all. So it was completely justified.

Monday- Manicotti, Salad, Garlic Bread

I finally used up my stash. This was the last one so my freezer is happier now. Good meal.

Tuesday- Greek Shrimp with Feta, Roasted Asparagus & Baked Sweet Potatoes

I liked that it was seafood, but had a different twist to it. There were no leftovers so I guess that was a good sign.

Wednesday- Spinach Frittata and fruit

This was my favorite meal of the week. The frittata turned out really well. Be sure to, as stated in the recipe, rub an ice cube over the handle of the skillet after it comes out of the oven. Like a big dummy, I grabbed it to move it out of the way and burned my thumb and finger. OUCH!

Thursday- Teriyaki Chicken Thighs (baked potato for me), Macaroni & Cheese, and Steamed Broccoli

Hubby said the Teriyaki chicken isn't as good as the honey glazed ones. It was super easy. I just threw it in the oven. My kind of meal. I was going to have rice, but decided on mac & cheese at the last minute. Mainly to appease the kids.

For some reason (probably because I discovered scrapblog.com), I am way behind this week. I have not even started planning our meals for next week. So beware, it may be simple and not very thought out.

I will post more on scrapblog.com. I liked to scrapbook in a past life. So this is like the best of both worlds for me.

I would love to hear from you. If you have tried any of the recipes or meal plans I have posted, leave a comment and let me know what you thought. Suggestions and input are always welcome as well.

Have a great weekend everyone.

My ray of sunshine when the rain finally clears

Here is a shot I took last week of my kids finally getting to play outside after being inside all day.

The sun was just starting to peak out and so the lighting was perfect. I also loved how the rain droplets were still on the newly sealed deck.

Bailey joins us.

The sun is really shining. It is rainy here today and I would love to see a little bit of this sunshine.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thursday.

Head over to The Land of K.A. for some more great photos.

Plastic safety has my head spinning

All of this talk about safe versus toxic plastics has my head spinning. It is almost impossible to avoid plastic. It is everywhere. I have become more aware of the "safe" and "unsafe" plastics. I now check the bottom of plastic containers before buying something, but it is still confusing to me. I knew the only way for me to get it straight in my head was to type up a post. So here we are.

Here is a breakdown by number according to healthychild.org.

Safer Choices:

#1, #2, #4 (which use polythylene) and # 5 (which is polypropylene)
They use less toxic additives and are non-chlorinated.
Avoid:

#3 (Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC), #6 (polystyrene), and # 7 (includes polycarbonate- containing BISPHENOL A or BPA when a plastic is made of different layers with different plastics it falls into this category too)

Why are #3, #6, and # 7 considered unsafe?

#3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)- Over the course of its lifecycle PVC releases the toxic chemicals dioxin, mercury, and phthalates. When produced or burned, dioxin is released. Dioxin can cause cancer and harm the immune and reproductive system. Phthalates are added to PVC to make it soft and flexible. This is often used in childrens toys. These chemicals can leach out of the PVC when chewed on by children. It is suspected to be a carcinogen and reproductive toxicant. PVC also can not be recycled, so it poses environmental concerns as well.

#6 Polystyrene- Otherwise known as Styrofoam. Styrene, the fundamental building block, is classified as a possible human carcinogen. Toxic chemicals leach out of these products into food especially when heated in the microwave. There are many environmental concerns with this product as well. It is able to be recycled, but there is limited availability of these resources.

# 7 Polycarbonate- Many Nalgene bottles and baby bottles are made of polycarbonate containing Bisphenol A(BPA) , which can disrupt the hormonal system. It can mimic human estrogen and is linked to breast cancer and early puberty in women. BPA is also found in the epoxy lining of many canned foods. According to the Environmental Working Group, of all the foods tested chicken soup, ravioli, and infant formula had BPA levels of the highest concern. The danger of BPA has been making the news more and more lately so many companies are offering BPA-free products now.

Check out Z Recommends. It is a great resource and has some very interesting articles to read. They also have a very extensive report regarding BPA in Children's Feeding Products.

Green & Clean Mom also has some great posts on BPA. They contain several resources and links so it is very informative.

Please note I am in no way an expert and compiled this information from sources on the internet. This is the way I understand it. The information provided is a summary for people like me who need it broken down simply. Now that I have a grasp of this information, hopefully I can dive in deeper. I will keep you posted.

Best Shot Monday- Life through his eyes

We went to the Zoo this weekend. Last year my son was not quite old enough to appreciate the visit. This year we all had a blast. The picture above was my favorite shot of the day.

I wish that I could see life through his eyes for just one day. The little things that make him so excited. The wonder in his eyes when he sees something new. I love this age. He is still so sweet and innocent. When he looks at me with those big blue eyes, my heart just melts.

My daughter was so excited to give me the card and bracelet she made at school. Those handmade gifts mean so much more than any gift you can buy. I want to freeze time and keep my kids this age forever. I had the perfect Mother's Day weekend. Thank you everyone!!!

Head over to Mother May I for some more great shots.

Menu Monday May 11-15

I know we have been having tons of salad lately. We have a bunch in the fridge and I do not want it to be wasted. I didn't cook anything from the freezer last week so I am making up for it this week.

Sunday- Manicotti, Salad, Garlic Bread

Monday- Greek Shrimp with Feta, Roasted Asparagus & Sweet Potatoes

Tuesday- Spinach Frittata and fruit

Wednesday- Teriyaki Chicken Thighs (tofu for me), Brown Rice, and Steamed Broccoli

Thursday- leftovers

Monday Menu Recipe Review May 4-7

Sunday: Ribeye Steak (from Farmers Market), Portobello Mushrooms and Foil Wrapped Veggies- Everything was cooked on the grill. The veggies were my favorite part. Of course, I don't eat meat so I guess that is obvious.

Monday: (Cinco de Mayo) Fish Tacos with white sauce and all the fixins plus pinto beans
I put all the fixins (can you tell I am from the south?) in bowls and let the kids make their own tacos. They really enjoyed it. It was a bit messy, but good. The white sauce gave the tacos a subtle little kick. I mixed one part sour cream with 1 part mayo, half a lime, and some chopped up fresh cilantro. I love Mexican food so this was my favorite meal this week.

Tuesday: Pesto Burgers (the recipe calls for ground pork, but I use ground turkey instead), Baked Potatoes, Green Beans

This was a nice dinner. I ate a leftover portobello mushroom on a bun with some fresh lettuce from the farmer's Market and some Muenster cheese. It hit the spot.

Wednesday: Whole Wheat Ravioli and Sweet Italian Sausage, Caesar Salad

I decided to save the Sweet Italian Sausage for Thursday night. The ravioli was quick and easy.

Thursday: Calzones using Whole Wheat Honey Pizza Dough

The dough came together very well. I was a little skeptical since the directions made it sound so easy. The dough was sticky so I had to use a lot of flour on my hands, rolling surface, and rolling pin. I was nervous about making the calzones so I just went for pizzas. I made the kids 2 little pizzas and let them put the sauce and cheese on. I still had enough dough leftover for a good sized pizza. The crust was definitely dense, but had a nice whole wheat taste to it. I will use this recipe again. I would like to try making it ahead and having it ready in the fridge or maybe freezing some to see how it goes.

Love Thursday- Ode to Spring

Today's theme for Love Thursday is hearts that occur in nature. I have been wanting to put together a photo ode to spring. Today seemed like a good day, since it is rainy and gloomy out. I love walking around the yard and discovering new plants and flowers that have emerged what seems like overnight. The one above is my favorite.





Thanks for indulging me. Head on over to the Shutter Sister's Love Thursday for more great shots.

Mamarazzi Before and After Photos

I have been trying to improve the photos that I have been taking. After I got my new camera (2 years ago), I never took the time to figure out all of the settings and play with editing software. So for the last couple of weeks, that is what I have been doing. I have been reading a bunch of blogs lately that have some beautiful photos. I am a bit jealous that a DSLR purchase is not in my near future, but I do feel greener making due with what I already have. I thought I would share some of my photos. I have been using Microsoft Digital Image Pro to edit the photos.

Here's the before photo.

Here's the after photo.

What do you think? I haven't used Photoshop before so I am not sure how they compare, but Digital Image Pro has some really cool features. My biggest problem now is figuring out what really looks good.

Here's another one: Before

After

Before

After- notice the watering can is now gone

Pretty cool, huh? I used these photos as examples because they were ones I would normally just delete.

Anyone have any photo tips? What kind of camera and editing software do you use?

No Impact Man meets Dori & Val Coffee Cup

I have been searching for the perfect on the go reusable coffee mug. I didn't want it to be too big. I really prefer to drink from a ceramic mug, but I don't want spills in the car on the way to work. Stainless steel would be ok, but the ones I have seen are enormous and expensive. I would prefer no handle. I know it is a lot to expect out of a coffee mug. Regardless, it has been driving me crazy. I read about No Impact Man's reusable coffee cup, which is a reused glass jar. That seemed like a good idea, but I do not have any jars at my house that would work or that are empty.

While I was at the store, I noticed that the POM Tea comes in a really cool jar. Ok, I know it would be much greener to reuse a jar I was going to recycle instead of buying a new jar of tea just to use the container. I never claimed to be perfect. So I bought two jars. One for me and one for my husband. If I was going to splurge, someone else might as well enjoy it with me, right? Plus, I wanted to butter him up so he did not think I was totally crazy. (probably too late for that though). BTW, the tea is really yummy. I considered it a win win situation. I got a new coffee cup and a nice treat.

You may now be asking who is Dori & Val? Well, they host a podcast called More Hip than Hippie. I have been listening to their podcast for several months now and look forward to it every week. They drink beer and eat chocolate during each show even when they tape in the morning and provide tons of great information. Especially to people like me, who are trying to figure out all this going green business. They have a teenie weenie greenie each week. In this episode, they suggest reusing a section of an old sweater sleeve as a coffee cozy. You will notice in the photo below that I am listening to their podcast on the way to work.

I really had intentions to do this to use with my new coffee cup, but just have not gotten around to it. So I had to improvise. Instead, I used one of my daughter's Baby Legs (leg warmers for babies and kids) as a cozy. It worked perfectly. Thanks No Impact Man and Dori & Val. My morning coffee is now complete. Doesn't it look so cute?

New Greener Mama Update

On April 7th I listed some goals that I would like to accomplish in April to make me a New Greener Mama. I thought I would give everyone an update on my progress. You know something to keep me honest.

1. Take shorter showers (this is probably going to be the hardest for me)- I am down to 10 minutes most of the time. I am not sure if I will be able to get to 5 minutes.

2. Install a low flow showerhead in our bathroom.- Put this on my list for next month. I have been looking, but have not found one I am completely sold on.

3. Start unplugging appliances such as coffee maker and toaster when not in use. (maybe install a power strip that can be turned off)- I now unplug these items when not in use.

4. Constistently turn off the power strip for the computer and accessories.- I actually bought a Smart Power Strip hoping to simplify this whole process. Well, it does not work right. I think it is because we have a laptop. I am going to try it on our entertainment system next.

5. Turn off the lights in the rooms not in use.- No extra lights on in our house any more.

6. Start recycling cardboard, cereal boxes, etc. (I am not sure why we don't do this already)- Done

7. Only wash my clothes if they are truly dirty. ( I have a tendency to wear something once and throw it in the laundry)- I have been trying to wear things more than once, but with toddlers it is difficult. I am more aware of what I throw into the laundry though.

8. Mix up some more homemade cleaners to have on hand for cleaning- I have been using homemade cleaners to clean. This is still a work in progress though.

9. Drink more water (means less bottles, cans, etc.)-I am doing better.

10. Plug the TV, DVD player, Wii, etc into a power strip and turn it off when not in use.- I have not done this yet. We have a VERY large entertainment center and I have procrastinated on this one. I want to try the Smart Strip on it so I will do it soon.

Overall, I feel pretty good about my progress. I still have some things to do, but we are getting there.

Does anyone else have any green goals they would like to share? Don't be afraid. Leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.

Best Shot Monday- Ouch that hurt

Here's my shot for this week. I took this picture last week when I was messing around with the settings on my camera. I have been trying to figure out how to use the camera that I have to take better photos. I have also been using some editing software to tweak some of my shots. I used Microsoft Digital Pro 10 on this one. I have also been playing around with Photoshop Express. The site has some pretty cool features and is good for amateurs like me.

Anyway, back to the photo. Honestly, I can't remember what happened right before I took this shot, but thought it was a good classic moment. Miller probably poked her with a stick or hit her.

My Garden's Growing

My garden is really growing. We have had just enough sunshine and rain to get my herb garden growing. The Nasturtium has reached the point where it needs to be thinned out. This is the point I have been dreading. I was so happy to see the little plants emerge. I don't want to pluck them out, but it has to be done. The instructions on the seed package say to gradually thin to 18 inches apart once the seedling reaches 1 inch tall. So for the last couple of days I have been looking at my little plants and thinking about what I should do next.

I finally did it. I concentrated on the ones that were growing right next to each other. When I pulled them up, I could see how they sprouted from the seed that I planted. It was so cool. I couldn't just throw them out, so I replanted them around the yard. I am not sure if they will actually grow, but it will be interesting to see what happens. I know I will have more thinning to do and it will get easier.

Menu Monday May 4-8

I guess by now you can see that there is a pattern to my menus. I am too methodical to just wing it. On Sunday we usually eat something that may have to cook a little longer or something grilled. I don't grill. We have fish on Mondays because I shop on Sunday and want to cook it early in the week. Tuesday's meal usually includes pork or chicken. Wednesday is pasta night and Thursday is leftovers or pizza. For now it works for us.

Here's this weeks menu:

Sunday: Ribeye Steak (from Farmers Market), Portobello Mushrooms and Foil Wrapped Veggies

Monday: (Cinco de Mayo) Fish Tacos with white sauce and all the fixins plus pinto beans

Tuesday: Pesto Burgers (the recipe calls for ground pork, but I use ground turkey instead), Baked Potatoes, Green Beans

Wednesday: Whole Wheat Ravioli and Sweet Italian Sausage, Caesar Salad

Thursday: Calzones using Whole Wheat Honey Pizza Dough