Menu Planning

Hello friends. I am finally glad to have a system that is working for me when it comes to menu planning, cooking dinner and grocery shopping for this season of my life. I have done a similar system for years but with ever changing seasons of life, numbers of people eating fluctuating as well, the system has changed off and on. I keep an eye out all week for any new recipes I would like to try. Then on Friday and Saturday I finalize the menu, make a grocery list, purchase online and schedule pick up for Saturday or Sunday afternoon. My husband goes with me & we pick up the items and then he unloads and I put away. 

This is majorly different from the past. In the past, I made a general list of meals I wanted to make and then headed to the store on Mondays or Tuesdays and shopped and took care of it all on my own weekly. I like the new system. I have noticed I have been saving more money as well by not going inside. Don't worry.... I do make a stop in the store weekly or biweekly to pick up my own produce because I do like having a time out in my community and I like to pick out most of my own produce. 

For the last three weeks I have made every single meal I planned. Most of them have been very good expect for two. Last week I did not care for the Pasta Fiesta, but the family loved it. I also made a pizza recipe off Pinterest using the Red Lobster Biscuit Mix. I do not recommend it. We ate it and it was okay, but we all agree it was not our favorite recipe or style of "pizza."

This week I am really looking forward to trying the Crispy Chicken Tender Tacos. I am following a recipe I found but tweaking it to our liking. We are going to omit the Cilantro Lime dressing sauce because we do not like cilantro.

Check out the recipe here

I usually try a couple of new recipes a week. I like variety now that I have more time on my hands to try new recipes more often. When the kids were younger, we were on a very tight budget, and I made the same simple frugal meals over and over and over. As I learned more about cooking and budgeting as well as time went on in my homemaking journey I ventured out and tried at least one new recipe a week. This helped me build up an arsenal of meals over the years, but even so I still like to try new recipes all the time. 

Do you all like trying new recipes often? I guess everyone's seasons in life could make a difference when it comes to that answer.

When it comes to finding recipes are you a cookbook person, online cooking sites or Pinterest person or both?

Finally, Some Rain ~ Weekly This and That

Hello friends. We finally got some much needed rain in our area today!! Oh, it was so lovely. These 100 plus degree weeks have about killed most things. All my plants look a little shabby, but it is about 96 degrees at 9 in the morning in our area and then all the way until 8:00 at night it is in the high 80's still. The grass was getting several "crispy" spots. 

I actually took a nap during the rain. It was so nice!! This picture is looking out of my front door.  I have been getting up early this past week and attending water aerobics and walking laps in the pool at the gym. It has been tiring but a good starting place to rebuild strength safely and slowly after surgery. I have been taking my evening walks as well. It is simply too hot in the morning here to walk. 

I have been a little quiet here on my blog this week. Well, I posted the tea experience from last week and some quotes I have been pondering. As far as anything really fascinating to post about here there really hasn't been. I am trying to get back into a rhythm of sorts since I was released from surgery on the most part last week. 

I have to say I feel all of kilter when it comes to my daily routine and rhythms because I have been off and down with my health since the spring. Things have changed and even "some" roles I served in at church have been taken off my plate (thankfully) and now I feel like I am trying to find my footing. I have been doing a lot of praying and listening about THIS NEW STRANGE SEASON in my life. 

Anyway.... here is a little of THIS AND THAT from this week....

I have been cooking a lot and really enjoying it. I have been sharing our menu on Saturdays here.

I made my homemade sloppy joes that my family loves. I do not cook them as often anymore since the kids are all grown but when we do family dinner night or on occasion or if I need a quick meal this is a go to. 

I have personally started back on Weight Watchers again to reset myself after all my health issues. I started last week after my doctor gave me the go ahead. I have done WW for years and it is always a good thing for me when I need to reset or a jumpstart to kick things back in gear. I eat very low points during the day and then enjoy a portion-controlled dinner with my family. I don't really cook anything different for myself. I enjoy cooking and eating with my husband and family.  

This apple was delicious today! I am allergic to nuts, so I drizzled a little sunflower butter and sugar free dark chocolate chips melted on top. This was a fun and filling lunch/snack for me. 

I actually ate a later breakfast of eggs and blueberries after swim class and really wasn't hungry for lunch so I had the drizzled apple around 3 for snack/lunch. 

My daughter and I met for our bi-monthly pedicure date! We enjoyed it. It was nice to catch up and chat!!!

Monday, I took a little visit to the library to donate some books and a puzzle to the puzzle exchange. They have a nice simple nature trail. I took a little walk and had a grilled chicken sandwich and relaxed under the trees in my car.

I love doing simple little things like this to break up the ho-hum and monotony of the days. Although, I am thankful for mundane days. There is still purpose, beauty and blessing in the monotony of life. 

I hope you all have a wonderful end of your week and weekend ahead. I will hopefully pop back in on Saturday to share my menu! I am going to be taking a slower approach with blogging this month as I am getting back into the swing of daily life, but I will be around. :) 

Blessings,

Chrissy T

Seasons... One Season to the Next... Some Things on my Heart and Mind....

                                                          All images from Pinterest. 

With Love,

Chrissy T

Tea Room Experience Part 2 ~ Manners

Hello friends. I want to share for my memories part two of my wonderful experience at CW Organics Tea Room. This was a sweet time and a refreshing day out! I am very grateful for the sweet moment.

Oh, yes, the tiered tray had flowers on it too!!! Because it was a special theme day!! :) Floral Friday! I thought it was a lovely idea. THERE IS NEVER SUCH A THING AS TOO MANY FLOWERS. Sorry, but that is my opinion. :) 

The scones were savory and simple. The jam served with the scones (USA type) were delish. I enjoyed the savory ones so much!

This little BLT mini sandwich was cute and it was super yum.

Here is a picture of my friend (Cindy) and myself. You all I am very swollen still from surgery and coming off hormone medications. It is what it is! I did try to pretty up still. :)  Although, when I left the house, I felt super nice looking but seeing myself in pictures made me second guess. Haha! Isn't it funny how hard we can be on ourselves?! :) 

The little bouquet station. The flowers so beautiful and we had a wonderful time creating our own to take home.

Here is mine that I made. When I got home I out them in a mason jar for my kitchen counter. They make me smile every single time I look at them.

Here is our traditional selfie. It is a tradition we always do! LIKE ALWAYS!!!  There is a 20 year age gap between us. I am so thankful for her example of being a well-mannered, lovely, gracious, humble, well knowledgeable soul. These are the type of ladies that I listen to. These are the examples I hope I can grow into. These types of ladies are the ones I let speak into my life. 

I will wrap up these pictures with the door!!! I just loved the little hidden doors throughout the place. It was whimsical and sweet. 

Chrissy T

CW Organics Tea Room Experience (Part 1)

Hello everyone. I wanted to share about my tea room experience from last Friday. A friend/mentor and I went to a beautiful place called CW Organics Tea Room. We had such a lovely time. We did a tea for two which included a tray of goodies and one pot of tea to share. We chose Vanilla Rose because I had tasted it at the Celtic Festival Tea Experience last year and it was delicious and new I had to have some if I ever visited the Tea Room. It did not disappoint. All of the teas are organic and they have an apothecary section with medicinal teas and body products. 

One of the reserved tables all set up! This was not our table. 

This was our sweet table!!! I loved the pressed flowers on it!!!

The place was filled with so many fresh flowers and then this really neat piece of dried flowers was so neat and different. I loved it!

There were so many little areas that had neat things tucked here and there. From art around light switches, little mini decorated doors throughout the building on the baseboards and in corners. Made me think of some hidden whimsical world that gets to roam around the tea room at night. :) Of course, there has to be tearoom fairies! :) 

Real dried flowers pressed as part of the tables we sat at. I loved this!!!!

You all know I love my Blue and White. 

 

I loved the glassware. The water was delicious with the added fruit and lemon. It was perfect for the 100 degree day. Don't worry we enjoyed this alongside our hot delish tea.

My sweet friend (Cindy) enjoying her water. We also matched!! We both wore navy and white dresses. It was not planned!! The funny thing is every single time we meet we match. ALWAYS. Never has been a time we haven't. We usually bust out in laughter as soon as we see each other because it always happens. We are kindred spirits I suppose! :) 

This is my cup. I am preparing my tea. I will say that after the first cup I decided to not add a splash of milk anymore. The tea was so good it really didn't need it. The Vanilla Rose tea is very light, and you cannot taste the rose much. It is a delicious tea. My favorite I have ever tasted. I enjoyed about 3 and half cups of the tea throughout the time. We were there about 90 minutes. My cup was just an average teacup, so it was not big at all. 

I had a little God wink as my plate they placed at my seat was this beautiful blue and white. If you have been a reader friend of mine for long you know that Blue and White pattern chinaware is my favorite.

Our sweet little tray frilled with so many little tasty things. From chicken salad crostini, pimento pepper  jelly sandwiches (BEST I EVER HAD) to so much more. I will share in the next post all the food and our floral experience we didn't expect as well as more of the inside and outside of this special place.

Driving Around ~ Sprucing Outside Lighting ~ Weekly Menu Plan

 Hello friends. I hope you are having a good weekend. Today was a nice day. After a much needed slow morning the hubs and I went to have a lunch date and do our weekly drive. It has become a weekly thing we are doing now. I remember when our children were little and when we first got married, we used to drive some back roads and go get ice cream on Sundays after church. As time goes, schedules get busy and life changes. When my hubby became a pastor and the children got older Sundays became harder to do those drives. I sure miss them. Now, me and the hubby drive around on back roads and in neighborhoods just looking at different landscaping. We see such beautiful flowers and trees. It has been nice to do this over the last few weeks since my activity has been limited, and it is a nice way to get out and spend some time together. 

Speaking of landscaping and etc. We have been slowly doing tiny simple projects outside. We as in my husband currently 😆. We have a gas lamp post that had seen better days due to the 8 years of weather. We spruced it up when we bought our home 8 years ago, but it needed some sprucing again. We decided to switch out the lamp with a solar lamp. It will save us $13-15 a month in gas cost and the inconvenience of lighting it all the time after windy days. 

The hubs after he finished installing it. He sent a picture to our family chat! :) 

Here it is in the daytime! It is so pretty lit and even during the day. We love it. He also painted a fresh coat of paint on the pole. 

We had an address number sign that was attached but it was looking pretty rough as well. We replaced it with a new on that I found off Esty. 

I am so thankful he did it and it looks so much better. Our neighborhood is entering that stage of getting older. The homes are all about 23-28 years old. So, not terribly old but this is where things are beginning to need upkeep regularly at this stage to keep things up. Our home ia 25 years old as of this year. We had replaced the roof three years after we purchased, install a new fence, buy a new dishwasher and put up gutters. We have had to cut down HUGE 65-foot trees ($$$$) for safety reasons as well. THIS YEAR we had to purchase a new air condition unit. Ohhhh, and we had to get all new flooring 5 years ago. We have only lived here 8 years. Wow, thinking of all that makes me realize we have done more than I thought. This isn't counting small little replacements. 

I thought I would share the little upgrade. Mainly for my memories. :) 

As I mentioned last week I have been doing my menu planning on Friday. I thought I would share our menu for next week.

I will be taking a break tomorrow from posting here. I hope to spend the day besides writing my own posts catching up visiting with the blogs I visit. :) 

Come visit Monday for the Pantry $5 Challenge post hosted by Mrs. Patsi at The Working Pantry, then on Tuesday I will be sharing all about my Tea Room experience I had on Friday!

With Love, 

Chrissy Townsend