HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY

GOOD MORNING! I had a great weekend and today is my birthday so I’m feeling pretty good – not that I really celebrate anymore, but it does feel like an accomplishment!  
HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY 
is hosted BY SANDRA at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom .  
Be sure and stop by to see what it’s all about!

BREAKFAST TIME & MAKING MY TO DO LIST

  • A big cup of coffee and then out to breakfast – no gym today – my birthday present to myself, but I will do the pool and some water aerobics.  
  • DOING WHATEVER I WANT TODAY! Probably going to lunch and bowling and then BBQing.
CURRENTLY READING

TV SHOWS THIS WEEK
A few new TV shows start this week, but it will mainly be whatever strikes our fancy off the DVR.  I try not to plan this in advance and just go with the flow at least until the NEW Fall schedule starts for real though Haven did begin this past week and the fall season is getting close enough I should start programing the DVR.

WEATHER OUTSIDE MY WINDOW
Hot as usual! New hurricane warnings for Mexico and it is still monsoon season so the humidity is really high and making it miserable as we wait for the next round of thunder storms. COME ON FALL! COME ON MOVE to cooler climate!

ON THE MENU
Hubby is taking me on a little getaway next month for my birthday.  Yeah, I know today is my birthday, but I really didn’t want to go while the weather was still so warm, so we compromised on October.  Now in the meantime he wanted to take me out for dinner tonight, but it’s football!  He’d skip football, but I don’t want to and am really looking to grilling at home and watching the game.  He thinks it’s silly for me to be cooking, but like I told him, at least I’ll be able to get EXACTLY what I want.  I’m tried a new recipe for a carrot cheesecake too that so far looks great and smelled amazing as it was baking – can’t wait to cut into it.  So here’s a sneak peek at tomorrow’s dinner.

I made the marinade yesterday so all the flavors would meld together.  This is one of our favorite grill meals.  I’ll share the recipe tomorrow.

 
 Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

DATE BREAKFAST

DINNER
MONDAY 9/15 YOGURT
SEX on a Stick revised
 and Carrot Cake Cheesecake
(recipes to follow)
TUESDAY 9/16 TOAST
Baked Spaghetti & Meatballs 
WEDNESDAY 9/17 YOGURT
Chicken Fried Chicken
THURSDAY 9/18 FRUIT
Fritos Nachos
FRIDAY 9/19 CEREAL
Hot Chicken Salad
SATURDAY 9/20 Shirred Eggs
Macho Chicken Rojo
SUNDAY 9/21 S#*% on a Shingle
Chile Verde Carnitas Fries

 PLAY TIME (if I can find any)
I’m hoping to do a little photography this week to get caught up with some Instagrams and do a little quilting and finish a few older projects though I have yet to have a few minutes to myself LOL like that’s going to happen.

NEW RECIPES TO TRY 
As I combine all my old blogs into this new one I’m also keeping a list of those recipes that I cannot in good conscience bring over until I remake them and take some decent pictures LOL.  This week is Red Neck Tacos – Corn Pancakes topped with Pulled pork, tangy crispy coleslaw topped with Dixie BBQ sauce.

In the meantime I’m trying to concentrate on some football food for tailgating time which starts on Thursday.  Be sure and stop by to link up.

 Links are open!

IN THE GARDEN
Absolutely nothing until the end of the month!

FAVORITE PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
Beautiful clouds this past week after the round horrendous thunder storms.
HELPFUL HINTS FOR FRUITS & VEGETABLES

  • Never store carrots and apples together. Apples release a gas that gives carrots a bitter taste.
  • Don’t slice onions for soup. Peel and put onion in whole to make a sweeter soup.
  • Always slice tomatoes vertically so they retain their shape and keeping the pulp together.
  • Add a potato to soups or stews to reduce saltiness.
  • To get more juice from your lemons (or any citrus) roll the fruit between your palm and the counter top to soften before cutting to squeeze.
  • To clean fresh mushrooms just add 3-4 tablespoons flour to a medium bowl of cold water.  Wash the mushrooms in the water and the dirt will adhere to the flour particles.  The mushrooms will come out clean.

I’m finding that more and more of my favorite blogs are posting less and less, if at all, but I have found a few new ones that I’ve added to my feed.  Check out A Beautiful Mess.  They have some great food photography, everyday life, interesting crafts and recipes.


ON MY MIND LATELY
What I can do to make a real difference in the world.  I’m looking for new volunteer opportunities.

Continued guidance as we work on the research on our new adventure and home search.  We are having so much fun just researching via the internet and can’t wait until we do it in person.

Tamy Bollar

Why thank you! You're not late as I'm celebrating through next month this year. Hubs is taking me on a trip to the Queen Mary before we leave this god forsaken place for good and it's not until it cools down a bit so I've decided to celebrate until the trip is over!

Sandra

I haven't read those two books, but they certainly peeked my interest.

I wanted to wish you a very very verryyyyyy happy birthday, and I know I'm totally late on this, but I still wanted to let you know that I'm thinking of you.

Much love to you,
Sandra
xoxoxox