Butter Braid: Savory or Sweet

Sweet - Strawberry Mango Braid

A few years back, my sister introduced me to butter braids. The school my nieces attend was selling them as a fundraiser and they were delicious! But...they made for an expensive breakfast. My sister decided there had to be an alternative and came up with her own recipe. I wanted to try her recipe but she was out of town so I just winged it. This recipe make 3 loaves (each loaf cuts nicely into 8-10 pieces) and my sister usually freezes 1 or 2 of them but I still need to get her freezer instructions...

Multi-Grain Pretzel Dogs

Mutli-grain Pretzel Dog

I LOVE soft pretzels (they are one of my favorite foods), so when the hubby told me that I should try to make "pig's in a blanket but with pretzel dough" he didn't need to ask twice. I looked at all my soft pretzel recipes and picked one that I thought would work. Then I just jumped in head first (I generally don't fight my creative urges when it comes to cooking). I was glad that I did because these were DELISH! The kids loved them and we did, too. They are better than hot dogs in a bun and you could do a lot of playing around with dipping sauces, such as cheese, queso, ketchup, mustard, or chili. They take less than an hour to make and I think I may attempt freezing them (like their store-bought cousins by Super Pretzel but cheaper and hopefully better).

Menu 2013: April 29-June 2

The last five weeks have been crazy busy and I am really looking forward to things settling down in the near future. We are still unpacking and organizing things in the new house as well as traveling back and forth to work on the old house. We are hoping that the house will be ready to list by the middle of May.

I am trying to settle into a routine again as far as meal planning goes so here is my new format:

• Quick and light 
• Spicy (Tex-Mex, Cajun, etc.)
• Grilled
• Pizza / Italian
• Sandwiches/Wraps
• Brinner
• Misc. Dish

April 29-May 5

• Hot dogs/brats, sweet corn, sauteed asparagus, and baked beans
• Pancakes, eggs, and unsweetened applesauce 
• Grilled pork chops, pasta salad, and fresh fruit
• Hot ham and cheese, fresh fruit, and corn on the cob (can you tell that I am super excited about fresh fruits and veggies coming back into season?)
• Loaded potato soup and multi-grain dinner rolls

May 6-12

• Chicken pasta prima vera and garlic bread 
• Tacos with black beans and rice
• Cheeseburgers, fruit salad, and veggie tray
• Ham and turkey sub sandwiches and fruit salad
• Happy Mother's Day - Grilled chicken/steak, mac'n'cheese, green beans, bean dip and chips

May 13-19

• Spaghetti, glazed carrots, side salad, and French bread
• Grilled Chicken Chef's Salad
• Steak fajitas and black beans
• Tuna salad sandwiches, fruit salad, and chips
• [Crockpot] Peppery beef sandwiches, glazed carrots, and side salad

May 20-26

• Ham and turkey sub sandwiches and fruit salad
• White chicken chili
• Homemade Pizza (probably sausage and black olive, caprese, and Canadian bacon and pineapple)
• Pretzel-wrapped hot dogs, mac'n'cheese, and fruit salad
• Pancakes and scrambled eggs

May 27-June 2

• Happy Memorial Day [Grilling] - Burgers, grilled veggies, grilled potatoes, and maybe some corn on the cob with a fruit and jello salad for dessert
• Chicken cordon bleu, garlic herb pasta, and green beans
• Jambalaya
• Grilled chicken salad
• Ham and cheese wraps, fresh veggies, and fruit salad
• Lasagna rollups, mixed veggies, and French bread

Tub Time: A Cinderella Story (of sorts)

Over the last few months we've been working to get our house ready to sell. We've taken down wallpaper and repainted almost ever room in the house, which has been a feat in it's own right with 4 kiddos under foot.  We decided to have our realtor stop by a couple of months ago to get an idea of what projects we should make a priority and what projects should get nixed. He pointed out that the worked we'd done so far was great but mentioned that the bathroom tub needed some attention. It was a good solid tub but had that worn out look. You know, the look that reminds you of Cinderella before the fairy godmother showed up. We agreed but didn't have the time or money to search for a new one that would fit our current space. Our realtor mentioned refinishing it so we decided to give it a try.

We've moved!

We made the move safely and have been in the new place for a little over a week now. I've got most of the boxes unpacked and we're starting to settle in nicely. We still do not have internet at the house and I have been a little busier than usual so I will be late posting this month's menu. I do have lots of posting to do once we do have internet so stay tuned.

Temperance: Eating for Weight Control (Health Matters)

It has been many months since I posted any updates on our weight loss progress so I figured that I should share.
I had gotten down around 200-202 by mid-summer 2012 and was working really hard at it. Then by late July I just stopped losing even when I was monitoring my calories and getting in the needed exercise time. By the end of August, I started gaining again no matter what I did. There were many other issues that began to develop throughout the fall but I just chalked it up to being a WAHM of 4 kids and the additional stress of homeschooling. In early December, I went in for my annual physical and had to schedule my first cholesterol/thyroid labs for the end of the month since I'm closing in a 30. Less than a week after the labs were done, my doctor called me and informed me that I had developed postpartum hypothyroidism (meaning my thyroid had stopped producing the proper hormone levels due to pregnancy). Normal thyroid numbers range between .5 and 5, mine were over 40. Hypothyroidism explained all the issues I'd been having and I am starting to get better now that I'm on a thyroid hormone replacement. We're still working to get the right dosage and with moving/selling our current home I haven't really started losing but at least now I'm maintaining. Hoping to start focusing more on calorie intake and exercise once we get settled in the new house.

This is one of the reasons that I make the disclaimer to discuss weight issues with your doctor! Check out my original post on temperance here.

Tater Tot Casserole Skillet

One dish version with NO cream of mushroom soup

There's so much to like about tater tot casserole. It's fast, easy, comforting, and most of all, there is no fuss from the kiddos as they usually eat 1-2 full helpings without any complaints! I know it's nothing fancy but our family enjoys it. Most people don't even need a recipe as I'm fairly sure they've eaten it at least once in there lifetime. However, I decided to attempt something different when I made it this time and thus the following recipe.

Moving: Friends

Time continues on it's 24 hour day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year (unless it's the 366 day leap year) schedule. It thinks not of my labor - painting, parenting, cleaning, parenting, packing, parenting, visiting, and on and on the list goes. I am reminded while packing up kitchen cupboards that time races by all too quickly from one day to the next. I reach for the unopened box of pasta salad mix at the very back of the pantry that I'm sure I bought in the last few months only to look at the expiration date and see that it was probably purchased closer to 18 months ago. I think about how often we plan to make time for others and all too quickly the time passes and we've gone weeks, months or years without seeing or talking to them. We're so wrapped up in our own lives and busy-ness that we don't realize how long it has truly been since we shared with them how much they are wanted, needed, loved. As each hour draws closer to the move, I become a little more sensitive to the fact that I am leaving behind so many people who have meant so much. They are people who have shared the weight of my burdens and the revelry of my joys. They have helped me to grow in so many ways. They have sacrificed of their time, effort, and money to bring me to where I am today. I cannot voice in words how much they have meant to me as a young wife and mother. Their examples, experience, and wise counsel have saved me from myself on many an occasion. I am so incredibly thankful for them and I wish there was some way that I could just add them to the boxes I'm packing up to take with me.

This move has helped me learn to importance of living IN the present. Don't put people off for another day. You may not have that day. Be thankful for those that God has so graciously allowed to bless you and minister to those around you now, while you have the opportunity.

Menu 2013: A Dinner Party

Eeek! Can you tell I'm excited?

My dear friend, Sarah, and I are plotting and planning an adults-only dinner party as a sort of going away gift. It's not going to be some big event, just something small with our closest friends who've been there for us almost since Jared and I got married. We decided that we wanted to go formal with centerpieces, borrowed china, etc. as I doubt either of us will host something like this for a VERY long time. One disclaimer is that we've got some GF and DF friends that will be attending so we're trying to accommodate both groups with our food choices. Here is the menu for the evening.

Menu 2013: March 4-31

We're painting, cleaning, and packing, because we're moving. Anyone who has gone through moving (with 4 small kids under foot) will understand what I am going through this month. We've been working diligently to finish up some projects here to get the house ready to list. All but three rooms have been freshly painted or touched-up, and I even refinished our bathtub. Speaking of which, I'll have to do a product review on here as I was just amazed by how well it turned out for being as inexpensive as it was to do.

Unfortunately, we have had a couple of setbacks on prepping the house for sale so we didn't get to celebrate listing the house last weekend as we'd originally planned. We discovered that the basement footings are cracked in one corner of the house and it will need to be fixed before we list the house. After getting some estimates we found out that the work will have to be done from the outside of the house, which means we have to wait for the ground to thaw in order to fix the basement. Well, at this very moment we are getting dumped on by snow, again. Sigh...sometimes it is hard to remember that the Lord knows exactly what is going on. I often wonder if He is working things so that only He can get the praise.

I am trying to use up a few things from my freezer and pantry this month so that we have less to take with us when we move (and then I have less shopping to do). I am also trying to keep the meals simple and easy, which can be difficult when you're trying to keep them healthy as well. I'm sure there will be more days this month than usual where we'll be eating leftovers or grabbing a bite while out and about.

March 4-10

• Chicken Alfredo Pizza and fresh fruit
• Chicken with spaghetti, and glazed carrots
• Freezer Ham Sammies and a side salad

March 11-17

• Salsa Chicken, rice, and black beans
• Breakfast for supper - Ham and Cheese Omelet Roll with fresh fruit and American fries
• Chicken Pot Pie (I made two last month and froze the second one)
• My dear friend, Sarah, is helping me plan (and host) an adults-only formal dinner party as a going away gift of sorts. We will greatly miss all of our friends here and are looking forward to the break in painting, packing, and cleaning. Here is a full menu post so you can see what delicacies we are planning to create.

March 18-24 - We're moving, AHHHHHHH! ;)

• Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches with tomato soup
• Chicken and Rice Enchiladas (from the leftover salsa chicken), shredded lettuce, and black beans
• Venison Stir-Fry
• Pizza, fruit salad, and fresh veggie tray

March 25-31 - Wishing you a Blessed Resurrection Sunday!

• Turkey Subs, chips and salsa, and fruit salad
• Red beans and rice
• Venison Steak Fajitas with black beans and rice
• Peppery Beef Sandwiches, a side salad, and fresh fruit
• Still deciding on the final dinner as we'll be trying to get settled in but I'd still like to do something special for the Holiday.