Week 20 Menu (August 30-September 5)

Sunday - Chicken Enchiladas with salsa, sour cream, and chopped lettuce.

Monday - Chicken Cordon Bleu and Ratatouille

Tuesday - Burgers, Dogs, Potatoes, and Corn on the grill.

Wednesday - Roast Chicken, Garlic and Herb Roasted Baby Red Potatoes, Veggies, and a Side Salad.

Thursday - Chicken & Pasta (I haven't decided for sure what sauce I am going to do, probably either alfredo or garlic and basil pesto).

Friday - We are going to my cousin's wedding and will be having dinner there. :)

Saturday - My husband has his Fantasy Football draft and hasn't determined yet if any of the guys will be at our house or if the draft will occur solely online. So I'm still trying to decide what we will have for dinner...

Kitchen Makeover

The hubby decided to redo the kitchen while I was in the hospital with baby #3. He figured it would be easier to get the kitchen done while our two toddlers were away at Grandpa and Grandma's for the week. I LOVE how it turned out. Take a look for yourself!

Here is our kitchen before the redo. It had dark stained cabinets with copper hardware, butcher block countertops, off-white walls, a busy floral print paneling backsplash, and tanish/peach and cream lanoleum flooring.

Can you see the pair of potholders hanging above the stove amidst the camouflage of the paneling?

This is the door between our kitchen and dining room. It is on a swinging hinge, which would be great if it weren't for the shag carpet in the dining room that keeps the door from swinging smoothly open. It was constantly getting stuck and then required some good pushing to get it unstuck. (I don't have any pics of it yet, but the door was removed during the makeover!)

Here is a picture of the final paint job. I am still in the midst of putting everything back in its proper place, but love how bright the kitchen looks now. We used a semi-gloss paint in Bermuda Sand on the cabinets. My husband cleaned and polished all of the hardware so the copper looks nice and shiny. The walls were done in satin finish, Montpelier Wedgewood was the color.

Week 19 Menu (August 23-29)

I know I'm posting this after the fact, but figured that it might be helpful. Being I was still recouping from the birth of #3, meals may be more quick fix items for a little while.

• Sunday - We went out for lunch with some friends from church.
• Monday - Our neighbor brought dinner over for us - Swiss Steak, mashed potatoes, and a veggie casserole.
• Tuesday - Tuscan Chicken Pasta (Grilled chicken, zucchini, onions, peppers, and cherry tomatoes in a light tomato basil sauce with Penne)
• Wednesday - Chicken sandwiches and french fries
• Thursday - We had a dinner meeting at church.
• Friday - Corn Dogs, french fries, and a side salad
• Saturday - Went to Pizzaville for a late lunch/early supper. We ordered the 14" Pan with Italian sausage, mushrooms, and black olives. I think it was one of the best pizzas that I've had from a restaurant! It was also pretty inexpensive and we had half the pizza leftover.

Week 18 Menu (August 16-22) & Quick Fix Ideas

This really won't be much of a menu as I am being induced with #3 today. Sorry for any inconvenience. Well, I'm not really too terribly sorry;)

I have a few "quick fix" things at home for the hubby and then my church usually tries to have different families provide meals for the first week that you are home after having a baby. Here is a list of "quick fix" things that I have in the freezer:

• Chicken Enchiladas (I made a double batch a couple of weeks ago and stuck one in the freezer)
• Corn Dogs
• Tyson's Skillet Creations "Tuscan Chicken" (I'm usually not a fan of frozen "dinner in a bag" kits, but got this for really cheap - sale+coupons)
• Chicken Patties and Nuggets
• I usually stock up on boneless, skinless chicken breast when it is on sale, so I have a good 5-6 pounds in the freezer. I also picked up some Lipton Pasta and Rice sides, which work well with the chicken breast.
• The hubby is a big fan of Tuna Pasta Salad (yes, he knows how and enjoys to cook), so I picked up all the ingredients for this dish.
• I also have a few balls of pizza dough in the freezer.

I think that is a pretty comprehensive list of things that I have on hand. I usually try to keep one or two "quick fixes" on hand so that we don't end up eating out if my schedule gets goofed up.

Main dishes that I want to try...

I have a few dishes that I would just love to try but haven't had a chance or seen a recipe that just screams "Try Me." If anyone has a recipe for the following dishe(s) that they absolutely love, please share:)

• Ratatouille
• Savory Crepes (something that would make a good dinner entree)
• Souffle
• Scallops

Ratatouille

So, the hubby and I are HUGE Food Network junkies, I know such a guilty pleasure.
I have always been a fan of cooking shows, but the hubby has only gotten hooked within the last few years. Because he watches FN, he has begun to really enjoy cooking. What's not to love about that:) Lately, he will make breakfast on Saturday mornings and will even experiment with one or two meals a week (yes, I know it messes with my menu, but I have no problem with that when I'm not the one cooking).
Getting back on subject, we got hooked on the last 6-8 episodes of FN's "The Next Food Network Star." (Usually we are not reality TV fans.) In the 2nd to the last episode, Melissa d'Arabian made Ratatouille and now we are both very excited to attempt it. Because we have small children, we had already seen the Disney/Pixar movie "Ratatouille." Anyway, I will be adding this dish to our menu on a Friday or Saturday night sometime in the very near future. Here are a few links to different recipes for Ratatouille (I couldn't find one for Melissa's version, can only remember the EZ POT tip and not what it stands for, bummer):

• Rachael Ray's Roast Ratatouille
• "Remy's" Ratatouille
• John Ratzenberger's Ratatouille

We also intend to watch the movie "Ratatouille" again for some ideas;)
If you have a recipe for this dish, please include the link/recipe in a comment.

Week 17 Menu (August 9-15)

Monday marks my due date with #3. I'm doubtful that I will actually go naturally with this one. I have an appointment today and they will probably set up a date for me to be induced, but I figured that I should still post a menu for the week just in case they decide to wait another week before inducing.

• Sunday - Crockpot Chicken, Rice and Broccoli
• Monday - Tuna Pasta Salad (tuna, macaroni, Miracle Whip, minced onion, salt, pepper, parsley, peas)
• Tuesday - Corn Dogs, Salad, and Fruit
• Wednesday - Leftovers
• Thursday - Chicken & Stuffing Bake (Chicken Breast covered in a cream soup, topped with cheese and prepared stuffing) with Veggies
• Friday - Meatloaf, Baked Potatoes, & Corn
• Saturday - Venison Stroganoff

Week 16 Menu (August 2-8)

Well, Sunday I spent 6 hours at the hospital with false labor, which is one of the reasons my menu is so late getting posted. :( Monday marked only one week till my due date with #3. I'm hoping that I actually go naturally with this one and that I don't have to be induced next week. But I'm still glad to know that I've only got a maximum of 2 weeks:) One of the few blessings of having 9lb.+ babies! Anyway, here is my menu for the week.

• Sunday - We did leftovers.
• Monday – Chicken Sandwiches (chicken, lettuce, bacon, cheese, & mayo) served with home cooked French fries
• Tuesday – Ham & Cheese Loaf (Pizza dough braided around sliced ham, Monterey Jack cheese, and sometimes broccoli)
• Wednesday - Pizza
• Thursday – Baked Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Veggies
• Friday – Chicken Enchiladas
• Saturday - Chicken & Pasta with Mushrooms and Pesto Sauce