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Serve It Up Sunday: I'm Goin' To Miami!

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I'd first like to wish all of you a very happy Easter! I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful day with friends and family close to your heart!

This coming week is CUH-RAZEE busy for my peeps and me.  First off, the kids are home from school this Monday (perks of Catholic school) so I'll be trying to very hard to cram in some quality time with them before I get to LEAVE FOR MIAMI bright and early on Tuesday morning!  I cannot wait!! Just this past weekend I was also invited to take part in one of the session panels hosted by Latina Mom Bloggers, to talk about the impact and rise of Latina mom bloggers in the blogosphere.  EEEK! Good thing I totally dig public speaking!  I'm uber-excited for this opportunity and very grateful.

So, with that said, the hubs will be on dinner patrol for most of the week.  I am picturing pizza boxes littered about the house.  Good thing he'll probably make sure it's all cleaned up before I return on Friday night.

I, on the other hand, am looking forward to lots of yummy seafood and Cuban cuisine during my visit to Miami this weekend!  Other than that, here's what the basic plan for us is:

Monday:  Taking the kids to BD's Mongolian BBQ - kids eat for $1.99 and hubs and I LOVE that place!

Tuesday:  I'll be having cupcakes & cocktails with Latina Mom Bloggers in Miami.  Hubs will probably order pizza for the kids.

Wednesday:  I'll be on a yacht off the bay, taking part in the McDonald's sponsored yacht party.  Hubs will probably heat up the spaghetti casserole I left for them.

Thursday:  I'll be at the BlackBerry "Black Carpet" event dinner/reception in Miami.  Hubs will probably pick something up for the kids.

Friday:  I will be heading back home from my whilwind trip.  Perhaps airport food?

Saturday: Attending a mother/son event with my oldest two kiddos at a soccers stadium - we'll have dinner while there at the pre-party.

Sunday:  My middle baby turns SIX!! We'll take him where ever he wants to go for his birthday!

Got a menu to share? I'd LOVE your ideas on what to make for dinner! Link it up here:

Serve It Up Sunday: Easter week

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I cannot even believe it is Easter week already!  I am usually way on top of things but this year I've been extremely busy and so I'll be doing the mad dash to put together the kids' Easter baskets.  Thankfully, I've got some fun ideas brewing so now it's just a matter of making time to hit the stores for the few things I still need.  I am SO glad this is a short school week.  My kids are out on Thursday, Friday and then on Monday after Easter.  Perks of a Catholic school, I guess!  I've got some fun in store for us to take part in this week during their days off so we should stay plenty busy. 

I hope you all have a fabulous Easter holiday with family and friends!  Here's what is on tap for the menu this week:

Monday:  Beef soft tacos with homemade flour tortillas.

Tuesday:  Breaded pork chops, rice, steamed broccoli.

Wednesday:  Italian chicken pasta skillet.

Thursday:  BBQ brisket, ranch style beans (I LOVE these!), baked potatoes.

Friday:  Build-your-own-pizzas.

Saturday: Out.

Sunday:  Easter Sunday meal - we still haven't finalized but will probably be something like a roast or something hearty and yummy!

Got a menu to share? I'd LOVE your ideas on what to make for dinner! Link it up here:

Serve It Up Sunday: Kitchen cleaning

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This week I am excited about deep cleaning my kitchen.  I'm normally a kitchen nazi as it is but the next few weekends we are completely booked and busy so I need to maximize my time during the week for cleaning!  We're gearing up for another fun week of soccer, baseball, piano, choir, scouts, birthday parties, and more -- and here's what we'll be scarfing down on our way out:

Monday:  BBQ grilled chicken (we didn't get to this last week because of the rain!), rice, carrot sticks & ranch dressing.

Tuesday:  Grilled burgers, chips, deviled eggs.

Wednesday:  Cheesy chicken & broccoli pasta, breadsticks.

Thursday:  Baked spaghetti.

Friday:  The hubs is making veggie lo mein!

Saturday:  Out or pizza.

Sunday:  Out.

Got a menu to share? I'd LOVE your ideas on what to make for dinner! Link it up here:

Serve It Up Sunday: Back on the wagon

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Spring break has come and gone and it was quite possibly the BEST spring break we've ever had!  My mom and stepdad came up from Texas to visit for part of the week and it was a whirlwind!  The kids stayed busy all week long with fun playdates and activities.  They got to go bowling, go to the movies, the zoo, parks, playgrounds, friends' houses, go roller skating, and so much more.  We are all truly blessed.

Needless to say, there was virtually NO time (or desire) to cook this past week and my mom treated us to a few nice meals.  So, this week I am excited to get back on track with the menu plans.  Here's how it's shaping up:

Monday:  BBQ grilled chicken, sunbelt salads, rolls.

Tuesday:  Baked spaghetti, garlic bread.

Wednesday:  Crockpot Chinese pork ribs, steamed rice.

Thursday:  Beef soft tacos, guacamole, Spanish rice.

Friday:  Shrimp carbonara (minus the bacon), cheddar baked biscuits.

Saturday:  Pizza night.

Sunday:  Out.

Got a menu to share? I'd LOVE your ideas on what to make for dinner! Link it up here:

Serve It Up Sunday: Ready for grilling season again.

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All of this gorgeous spring-like weather has me itching to send hubs out on the back deck to grill every night for dinner.  Maybe that's the reason I've been so meal-planning-challenged lately.  I've not been feeling much like planning to cook, much less COOK!  I do, however, feel like eating.  Yes, very much so.

I am hoping this weather holds out and that we can slide right into a warm and toasty summer!  This week, here's what I'm planning on serving up to my clan:

Monday:  Meatloaf, potatoes, steamed broccoli.

Tuesday:  Still up in the air.  We've potentially got baseball practice on top of our already busy afterschool commitments so this dinner will be a game-time decision.

Wednesday:  Seasoned boneless pork chops, rice, corn, rolls + butter {lots and lots of butter!}.

Thursday:  Chicken fettucine alfredo, salad.

Friday:  Homemade shrimp fried rice.

Saturday:  Pizza night.

Sunday:  Out.

Got a menu to share? I'd LOVE your ideas on what to make for dinner! Link it up here:

Serve It Up Sunday: New Kitchen Gadget

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This week I picked up a hella good deal on a new Cuisinart Immersion Blender.  I'd had one before but it was cheap and broke.  Although, in hindsight, I'm kinda glad because that gave me the opportunity to jump on this deal when I saw it:

That's right folks, just under $29 to have this beauty shipped straight to my door.  Can you say "winning"?!  It's amazing how fun it is to buy new kitchen gadgets, especially ones that are great deals.  I am hoping to get it by mid-week and use it for some smoothies.  Until then, here's what's on tap for another busy week of dinners . . .

 Monday:  Pork chops, stuffing, steamed broccoli

Tuesday:  Baked spaghetti, salad.

Wednesday:  Pizza.

Thursday:  Meatloaf, rice, veggies, rolls.

Friday:  Herb-crusted salmon, rice, sauteed spinach, rolls.

Saturday:  Hot dogs, chips, beans.

Sunday:  Out.

Got a menu to share? I'd LOVE your ideas on what to make for dinner! Link it up here:

Serve It Up Sunday: Beginning of Lent

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I'm excited to begin this season of Lent this week.  We've actually got dinner plans for a couple of nights this {holy} week which will prevent me from cooking at home.  Gasp!  I'm so torn about it...can you tell?

I will be sharing my favorite recipe for herb crusted salmon sometime next week since this week, I won't be making it since we already have plans elsewhere.  It is hands-down my "go to" recipe for the Lenten season!  So, here's what we're eating this week:

Monday:  Taking the kids to eat FREE at a local sub shop with some of my friends and their kiddos.  The kids have off for President's Day so we're doing a movie then an early dinner out!

{Fat} Tuesday:  My kids' favorite thing to gorge on - Beef Stroganoff! And I'll be whipping up a fun dessert for Fat Tuesday!

Wednesday:  Sausage & spinach pizza rolls; Ranch dipping sauce

Thursday:  Eating out at a family event.  My son has his annual Cub Scouts Blue & Gold Banquet.  I think bbq is on the menu so I am very excited about that part!

Friday:  Out for a pizza party -- celebrating a wonderful Kindergarten basketball season!

Saturday:  Grilled burgers; chips, deviled eggs.

Sunday:  Pulled pork sandwiches

Got a menu to share? I'd LOVE your ideas on what to make for dinner! Link it up here:

Serve It Up Sunday: Unusual weather we're havin', ain't it?

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Yes, I do so love the cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz.  But, I love this almost 70 degree weather we're expected to be blessed with at least one day this week even MORE!!  God is finally listening to me!!  I SO loathe the winter, cold, and snow.  I am so very grateful for the mild winter we've had this season.  I do know that the worst is probably yet to come since February (although it's my birthday month) is usually quite a depressing sight -- weatherwise, at least.  But maybe, just maybe we can make it 29 days with no snow.  Hmm....that'd be awesome!

You know what else is awesome?  Meal planning when the weather is mild outside!! There are so many more options!  How's the weather in your neck of the woods?  Here's what we're feasting on to celebrate this week:

 Monday: Burgers grilled out, seasoned fries, deviled eggs.

Tuesday:  Slow-cooked pot roast with potatoes and veggies, rolls

Wednesday:  My oven baked chicken, rice, cheddar baked biscuits. (Bumped from last week since we went out for dinner instead).

Thursday:  Tacos, Spanish rice.

Friday:  Pizza or out.

Saturday: Out.

Sunday - Headed to a Superbowl party with friends (probably).

Got a menu to share with the world? Link it up here:

 

Serve It Up Sunday: It will be a "trying" week.

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I'm sure I've made it painfully obvious up to this point that I am *not* a fan of cooking.  I cook because my family (i.e., the kids) have to eat.  Let's face it - the hubs and I could get take out or swing through the drive-thru at Taco Bell if it were just us two.  Kinda like in the olden days--before we had kids.  But seeing as how we actually relish family dinnertime, meals must be planned, groceries must be bought, and dinner must be made. 

So, you may find it quite surprising that this week I will be trying {drumroll} not one.....but TWO new recipes.  Both of them will be simply tweaks to current recipes in my repertoire, but I am nervous nonetheless.  I guess it's a good thing there are several backup plans (i.e., fast food joints) just around the corner.

Here goes nuthin'!

 Monday: Happy Chinese New Year!  2012 is the Year of the Dragon!  I'll be making some chicken lo mein and picking up a few takeout crab rangoons from a local Chinese restaurant! 

Tuesday:  Baked spaghetti, garlic bread.

Wednesday:  Ground turkey and beef meatloaf {this is one of the new recipes I am giving a go!}, rice, steamed broccoli.  I should mention that it was actually on last week's menu but was bumped and we made something else instead.

Thursday:  Slow cooker barbecue country style pork ribs  {this is the second of the new recipes I am trying this week. Hoping to share the yumminess with you soon!}, baked potato, veggies.

Friday:  My oven baked chicken, rice, cheddar baked biscuits

Saturday: We've been invited over for a casual dinner at a friend's house.  Looking forward to heading there right after a basketball game!

Sunday - Out.

Got a menu to share with the world? Link it up here:

Serve It Up Sunday: Got the meat!

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I've worked long and hard to try and build up a frozen inventory of meats and I'm proud to say I will not be buying any meat this week for any of our meals.  Hooray!  It's so nice to be able to look in the freezer, see what I have, and then build meals around that.  I even have some extra country style pork ribs in there that we won't get to use this week so I've already got a menu idea for NEXT week to use those!

Since the kids are out of school on Monday this week, a few of my friends and I are taking our kids to open play gym late afternoon and then heading out for an early dinner for a fun Monday night kids eat free at a local restaurant.  Fun!  Then afterwards, I'm excited to be heading to a friend's house for our weekly Bachelor watching party.  Always a blast!  So here's what we're eating this week:

Monday: Kids eat FREE after a local open gym playdate with friends!  Love it when I don't have to cook!

Tuesday: Beef tostadas and cheese quesadillas, Spanish rice.  {Never got to make this last week, so I bumped it.}

Wednesday:  Chicken fettucine alfredo, salad.

Thursday:  Turkey + beef meatloaf, rice, steamed broccoli.

Friday:  French dip sandwiches, chips, deviled eggs.

Saturday: Pizza or out.

Sunday - Out.

Got a menu to share with the world? Link it up here: