New Week, New Month, Long Post (Sorry)

The days are getting longer and mid March usually signals the end to any possible cold weather. We might have a few cool days and cooler nights for a couple of weeks before true spring hits. However, the forecast for early March looks pretty favorable already.

Daffodils have sprung up and are in bloom, the tulip trees have bloomed out and some are already losing their blossoms, one variety of cherry trees are in full bloom, and the redbud trees are beginning to pop out. 

It is starting to be pretty outside, but it also means The Great
Pollenization is just around the corner. I am already seeing signs of its beginnings. Achoo!!!

Monday: After a whirlwind week the prior week, I needed some down time. I stayed at home all day Monday and used the day to clean out the refrigerator freezer.  The downside? It was filled to the gills. The upside? I found 3 steaks I didn't remember putting in there and have no idea why I put them there instead of the big freezer to begin with. 

What I learned: Though I know my refrigerator freezer should be used only for short term frozen foods, I obviously have not been doing that and that is something I need to change.

Dinner: Chili, toast

Tuesday: This was a good day to do a bit of food prep with some of the foods I found when cleaning the refrigerator freezer and inventorying the crisper drawer. 

I had a few partially used vegetables that need to be used. They were chopped for "garbage soup" which we had for lunch. As picky as TheHub can be, he never noticed I had put some leftover undressed salad in the soup. If he had known, I am pretty sure he would have eaten a sandwich instead.

What I learned: I learned not a lot because I was just not in a learning mood.

Dinner: Spaghetti with meat sauce, tossed salad

 

Wednesday: I had my regular Wednesday morning class then stopped by the grocery store to pick up the supplies needed for the IP cooking class. Nothing makes me happier than to go to my happy place. 

One of the participants has been vegetable resistant, but the last few times I have been there, she has tried everything. She was not crazy about the spinach and artichoke dip, but at least she gave it a go. I keep telling her, you don't really know what you don't like if you don't try it, but I am very proud of her for tasting different foods.

What I learned: I learned Priority Mail from a small post office about 2 hours away, takes over 4 days to get to my house.

Dinner:  TheHub and I got home at about the same time and neither of us were in the mood to cook (even though he can only make grilled cheese sandwiches, grits, and fried eggs). He had a hankering for Chinese, so we ordered from a nearby takeout place.

Moo shu pork

Thursday: I spent the morning doing several loads of laundry, and cleaning out and organizing my armoire (to have a place to put said clean clothes). I have no idea how my folded clothes get in such a disarray is such a short time, but they do. 

After I finished doing laundry I had to go do what I call big shopping. I had used nearly all of the produce in the house and was out of a few other things I keep on hand all the time.

Dinner: chicken Florentine, tossed salad

Friday: This was just an ordinary day with nothing exciting other than watching 2 Bama softball games. A double header gave us a chance to see many different players.

What I learned: I have been using a geography game GLOBAL and have discovered how many nations I had no idea existed. I don't think I had ever heard of São Tomé before.

Dinner: We had a minimum food purchase amount to use and as usual we waited until the last few days to think about it. We always get two different dishes and share them, but it is always too much food so we have leftovers for another night.

Halibut, steak, brussels sprouts salad

Saturday: We knew from the get go that our day was going to be spent around the house. We had things to do here as well as watch 2 Bama softball games aa well as men's basketball.

What I learned: We are meeting Son1's family in New Orleans for Pip's spring break. We were researching some things to do off the beaten path and discovered things to do at City Park. It has never been in our wheel house when we visited N.O. before.

Dinner: The basketball game came on and we had a planned ball game meal at halftime.

Hot dogs, coleslaw

Sunday: We did our usual Sunday routine of 2 services and Sunday school, getting home just in time to watch the first of two Alabama softball games. 

Afterward, I napped ( It was not intentional, but it did happen) while TheHub worked on setting up his new laptop. 

What I learned: We watched a couple of New Orleans youtube videos and I learned all about lesser known restaurants in the French Quarter. I doubt we will spend a lot of our trip there but it was good to find some of the places where native New Orleaners go when the are in the Quarters

Dinner: There was a half NY strip steak leftover from Friday along with a full container of the brussels sprouts.

1 pan meal of steak sprouts onions and mushrooms, 1/2 orange

Used from the freezer:

2 pack chicken salsa verde burritos

1 pack ground chuck

1 pack browned ground chuck

1 small container tomato paste

2 small container stewed tomatoes

1/3 loaf sourdough bread

3 links Italian sausage

1pint leftover spaghetti sauce

1 small pack cooked chicken

2 chicken breasts

Produce and proteins bought fourth for March:

1 cucumber
1 broccoli crown

1 head cauliflower

1 1/2 carton grape tomatoes

5 romaine lettuce hearts

1 lemon

2 onion

1/4 bunch celery

1/2 bag radishes

1 bag spinach

4 1/2 cartons mushrooms (most will be dehydrated)

2 turkey tenderloins (BOGO  freezer stock up)

2 ham steaks (BOGO  freezer stock up)

Wahl Burgers ( 2 frozen for later)

6 chicken breasts (frozen)

4 lb corned beef point

1 andouille sausage

1/2 loaf whole wheat bread

Lighter potential meals for March*:

 1.  Grilled steak, baked potato, tossed salad

 2.  Grilled steak, sautéed veggies, mashed potatoes, salad

 3.  BLT salad, toast

 4.  Taco salad, tortilla chips

 5.  White sauce bbq chicken, caulitato salad, coleslaw

 6.  Polynesian chicken, rice, broccoli

 7.  Green chili and chicken arepas, tossed salad

 8.  Squash casserole, coleslaw, green beans

 9.  Blackened shrimp, asparagus,  tossed salad, dinner rolls

10. Spinach salad w/ cheese and ham, dinner rolls

11. Corned beef, cabbage, potatoes

12. Hot Dogs, coleslaw (ball game meal)

13. Meatloaf, rice, cucumber onion and tomato salad, cornbread

14. Spaghetti w/meat sauce, tossed salad

15. Pork chops, collards, black eyed peas

16. Leftover chili, coleslaw

17. Crock pot beef brisket, mashed potatoes, green beans, coleslaw

18. Grilled tuna steaks, baked potato, tossed salad

19. Chicken caprese, tossed salad

20. Brussels sprouts casserole, dinner rolls

21. Kraut and franks, green beans, cornbread

22. Greek chicken, rice pilaf, greek green beans

Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all.

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

* We will be out of town some as well as going out to eat or incorporating leftovers into our meals. 22 ideas is probably more than enough