Peanut Chicken Stir Fry

I don't get to eat enough stir fry. I miss working down the street from a small Chinese restaurant where I could just drive down and pick up lunch once a week. I miss fried rice and saucy chicken and vegetables and since I don't get to make it often at home I have to compromise and make it for Yaya and Nana for our Monday night dinners.

Menu for 9/29/14-10/4/14

I kind of took this week off. I didn't cook, we ate out almost every night. That meant I didn't have to clean the kitchen except to wash a few glasses and plates from lunch. It was a nice, relaxing week of playing with Bailey and having family time in the evenings. I really enjoyed it.

I read a lot. I finished at least one book and I'm halfway through another. I'm still working on the Dresden Files series and I'm loving it! There's just so much action and of course I'm fascinated by the magic and the monsters.

I spent at least one nap time working on this new crochet pattern.

Skillet Pork Chops

This is a go-to meal for me when I need to make a quick substitution to my regular menu. On those days when I'm unexpectedly busy or just too tired to stand in the kitchen for an hour to cook dinner this is what I make.

Menu for 9/22/14-9/28/14

Since I have posted something every day for the past week I'm going to keep this short. No pictures, no update on how our week was, just the menu.

So here it is.

SNAP Challenge: Day 7

Another day of eggs for breakfast. We had some toast with it this morning, finishing off the loaf of bread and Bailey had some yogurt. Lunch was cheeseburgers using the last of the ground chuck. I made 3 (1/3 lb) burgers and since we only had 2 buns left Bailey ate her burger without a bun. We had some Doritos with the burgers and Bailey got some raspberries.

Dinner was crock pot chicken taco rice bowls at Admiral's house. I added an extra can of black beans to make it go further and used the last of the chicken in it. I had to buy another bag of rice yesterday to go with dinner tonight but that's only $1.00 so I'm still within budget.

SNAP Challenge: Day 6

After a busy day with Aaron home all day it's clear that I would not make it on SNAP benefits alone. I read an article (and don't ask me where because I can't remember) that said that most fights between couples were caused by hunger... or hanger as they called it. Apparently when someone's hunger reaches a certain point they become angry, causing them to lash out at anyone in the vicinity who irritates them. In couples it's generally the partner who takes the brunt of the frustration.

SNAP Challenge: Day 5

I feel like I'm really kicking butt at this challenge. Bailey and I both had breakfast and lunch today. She had some yogurt and I shared a bowl of cereal with her. (You know how it is with kids, you can't have anything to yourself.) At lunch she munched on some frozen peas and cheese cubes and ate the last hot dog. I finished off the chili with a tiny bit of rice and then had a peanut butter sandwich to go with it.

We had sloppy joes for dinner with some Doritos and everyone seemed full enough. I'm really proud of how well we've been doing this week. I added up all the food we have left for the next two days and it seems like we'll be okay as long as no one has a growth spurt or an empty day.

SNAP Challenge: Day 4

Man, I love chili dogs. We don't have hot dogs often, for a couple of reasons. One being that they're not particularly healthy but more importantly because they're kind of expensive. We don't eat the cheap hot dogs, the ones made with chicken, pork, and beef that remind you why you don't want to know how hot dogs are made. I only buy all beef hot dogs and they can be pricey, especially when you're used to getting by on $2-3 worth of protein per meal for a family of three.

SNAP Challenge: Day 3

This has been the easiest day of the challenge by far. First off, we woke up really late today, much later than I had intended but since we didn't have plans it wasn't a problem. But since it was so late we weren't really in the mood for breakfast.

SNAP Challenge: Day 2

Today was a little better than yesterday. I wasn't as hungry between lunch and dinner but I think Bailey might have been. We had some cereal for breakfast, about twice as much as yesterday because Bailey kept asking for more.

For lunch Bailey had a bowl of rice, some cheese cubes, and we broke out the Doritos. I had a peanut butter sandwich.

Perfect Brown Rice in the Oven

I'll admit I make some of the worst rice you've ever eaten. It comes out too sticky and starchy or it doesn't cook through and turns out crunchy or it runs out of liquid and sticks and burns on the bottom of the pot. I know the directions say you should cover it and not stir it but I worry that it will stick so I take the lid off and then the steam escapes and the liquid all evaporates too fast and I can't seem to get the stove temperature right so if I leave the lid on tight the water boils over... it's really just a horrible mess.

SNAP Challenge: Day 1

Day 1 went surprisingly well. Bailey and I shared some cereal for breakfast, I had a peanut butter sandwich for lunch and she had some raspberries and cheese cubes. Dinner with Yaya, Nana, and Senator was broccoli casserole with some chicken added in. I did find myself pretty hungry between lunch and dinner and resorted to snacking on some of the rice for the casserole. I've realized that I will probably need to cook some more rice to serve as snacks for the week. All of my meat except for a pound of the ground beef is spoken for so maybe I'll make some kind of beef and rice mixture.

Menu for 9/15/14-9/21/14

The SNAP challenge starts... well, about 45 minutes ago. I've spent three weeks preparing for this and so long as I don't have to run back to the store for anything I'm set. I did my shopping on Friday. My budget was $94.50 and I spent $89.55 leaving me only $4.95 for an emergency. Thankfully I think I've got everything I'll need.

Island Pork Tenderloin

Every few months my dad and I collaborate on dinner. Usually I'll take care of the meat and he will handle vegetables and sides. A couple of weeks ago we had decided on pork for dinner and I found this delightful recipe on Pinterest that I wanted to try.

Menu for 9/8/14-9/14/14

I have a recipe that I'm dying to share with you and I will just as soon as I get a new waffle iron.

A few weeks ago my brother texted me asking, "Are apple fritter waffles a thing?" So I hit Pinterest to find a recipe and Monday night we had apple fritter waffles.

Pizza Lasagna Roll-ups

Finally! After over two weeks without posting a recipe I'm back on track.

I've been trying to make this recipe for several weeks. It kept getting pushed back because I either wasn't in the mood to cook it or Aaron wasn't in the mood to eat it.

If you've never made lasagna roll-ups now is the time to try them.

Wishlist Wednesday September 2014

Is it fall yet? Can it be? Can we just say it's fall and cancel the hot weather and get back to comfy outdoor temperatures and sweaters and my cute fingerless gloves that I love so much?

I'm ready for fall and I think this month's Wishlist will prove it.

A Wish for Something Pumpkin:

Mini Pumpkin Sticky Buns from Iowa Girl Eats

It's been almost a year since I first saw this post on Kristin's blog and these sticky buns haven't left my mind since. These little delights are made with pumpkin butter and crescent rolls (well, the crescent sheets) making them super simple to make even at the last minute. I say that because I'm always remembering that we have nothing for dessert as I'm serving dinner. I promise you these are in my near future!

Menu for 9/1/14-9/7/14

What a great long weekend. We've spent time with family and relaxed together. It's been so nice to have Aaron home an extra day.