Monday, January 9, 2023

Master To Do List and Menu Plan Monday - January 9, 2023

It's Monday morning and, ready or not, here we are, off and running into a brand new week! How was your weekend? My weekend here was quiet. 

I worked Saturday. Everyone was out of town and I was the only employee on the park. The sky was gray with thick, dark clouds and it was windy and cold. I only had four visitors all day and they didn't come in until an hour or so before closing. It was strangely quiet. I saw no wildlife and there was no traffic on the road. I was glad when the day was over and I was in home, safe and snug, for the evening. 

Sunday was church in the morning, then resting and relaxing the rest of the day. I read, visited with family and friends, watched the latest episode of The Chosen, and made my plan for the week ahead. 

Let's take a look at it now...shall we?

This Lovely Honey Lavender Candle That I Received As 
a Christmas Gift Smells So Good and is So Bee-utiful!

This week's master to-do list...

I was well pleased with last week's progress. Not only did I get the bedroom finished, but I made a lot of headway throughout the rest of the house, too. I got all the Christmas items collected up, organized, and put away for another year AND I got a good head start on the Van Gogh room...which is great!

- Clean house
- Do laundry
- Continue cleaning and organizing the Van Gogh room (focus on sorting books and papers)
- Celebrate daughter, Amanda's, birthday
- Celebrate daughter-in-law, Nicole's birthday
- Walk 
- Write (and mail) a few letters and cards
- Figure mid-month budget
- Work

The Side of One of My Favorite Teapots
Can you tell? I'm getting spring fever.

This week's menu plan...

With the winter food challenge in full swing I continue to look for ways to use up food on hand. Over the weekend I thawed out a pound of turkey burger and turned it into four turkey burgers. I had one with oven fries Saturday night and froze the others for future meals. I also made a peach cobbler with canned peaches. My cousin stayed for lunch after church Sunday and together we polished off a jar of turkey bean soup and the last of the cornbread out of the freezer. 

Meal ideas this week include...

Breakfasts - Oatmeal, eggs and toast, THM pancakes

Lunches - Soups, sandwiches, salads served with breadsticks or slices of homemade bread.

Suppers - Broccoli, cheese, and rice casserole (made with frozen broccoli and cauliflower), turkey burger with rice, black beans, and cheese, sliced ham with potatoes, onion, and green pepper, homemade pizza, fish and chips.

Well, that's it for here today. What's the week ahead look like at your house?

Friday Night Sky

Until next time...
~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...


Posted by at 5 comments:
Labels:

Friday, January 6, 2023

Winter Food Challenge Update - Friday, January 6, 2023

Good morning! It's Friday!!! 

I was supposed to work today, but they ended up cancelling today's prescribed burn, so, here I am...trying to figure out which direction to head at home. I thought I'd start with an update on the winter food challenge, then tear into the Van Gogh room. It's a mess!



Okay...the winter food challenge...

I'm really pleased with the way it's going thus far. This week I've focused on using up fresh items and odds and ends that go along with them.

For example...I had open bags of croutons, bacon bits, sunflower seeds, and an open box of bread sticks. When I went shopping Sunday night I picked up salad makings and am using these items as additions and accompiments to chef salads (mixed greens, sliced deli meat, boiled egg, and shredded cheese) for lunches. 

For breakfasts I've been enjoying THM's "sweat pants" oatmeal almost every day, but, instead of adding frozen blueberries to it, as I usually do, I've been chopping up a whole apple and adding it instead. This has rapidly become one of my favorite breakfast foods of all-time!

To make, put one cup water, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil, and one apple (washed, cored and chopped, with skin on) into saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and leave to bubble for three minutes. Shut heat off and put a lid on the pan. Set timer and let sit for 12 minutes. Serve with cinnamon and sweetner of choice. I use THM's Super Sweet, which is a stevia-based sweetner (the closest thing to it at the store would be Pyure). I use 1 1/2 teaspoons of Super Sweet and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. 

This is, honestly, the creamiest, most delicous oatmeal I have ever eaten and, fortunately, I have a lot of rolled oats in freezer, so I will be eating this quite frequently.

This week's supper menus have looked like this...

Monday - Tuna and noodles with peas (canned and dry goods out of the cabinet)
Tuesday - Out
Wednesday - Tortellini (cabinet) with sauce (leftover from Christmas Eve lasagna, sealed, and in fridge), leftover canned peas, and garlic bread (freezer)
Thursday - Ham (freezer) with potatoes, onion, and green pepper (fresh)

Tonight's supper will be leftover tortellini with the last of the peas and homemade French bread from the freezer (turned into garlic bread, of course! I just toast it in the toaster, add a smear of butter, and sprinkle with garlic powder, parsley flakes, and dry basil...quick and easy with no fuss). 

Well, that's it for this week's update! Is anyone else out there joining me in this challenge? If so, I'd love to hear about your progress, as well. 

In the meantime, I hope your Friday is going great and that you have a wonderful weekend ahead! 

Until next time...
~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...




Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Monday, January 2, 2023

The First Master List and Menu Plan Monday of 2023 - January 2, 2023

It's the first Monday of 2023 and, even with all the ups, downs, twists, and turns that are sure to come, a bright, shiny new year lies stretched out before us, full of all kinds of wonderful possibilities! How did you ring it in?



I worked at the park on New Year's Eve, but that evening I was invited to ring in the New Year at Patrick and Amber's. Tony and Nicole and their family was there, as was my cousin, Dave. We were all of so tired that none of us were sure that we'd make it until midnight. We agreed early on that if it became too much we'd check out the world clock and find out where it was midnight and celebrate that country's New Year arrival and call it quits, but, in the end, it didn't come to that. We all made it to midnight! 🥳



We ordered in pizza, visited, and played games. As the clock neared midnight, Patrick read a scripture passage, prayed, and dedicated the new year to the Lord and His service.



At midnight the kids shot off a few fireworks and, soon after, we called it a night and went home.



Sunday morning was church, then, I had to be at work for our annual "First Day" bison hike. We're not normally open on Sundays, but Missouri State Park's "First Day" hikes are on January 1st no matter what day of the week it falls on. The weather was really nice and people were out enjoying it. We interacted with a total of sixty-seven visitors in a short three hours, and it turned out to be a great afternoon for everyone. The weather was absolutely gorgeous!

As soon as I got off work I picked my cousin up and we headed to Nevada to shop and meet my son-in-law and granddaughter for supper. We had a great visit and, even though they had already returned Kayla to her mother, somehow in the middle of it all, her mother brought her back to where we were eating, so that Kayla could say hello and see me for a minute. It was a nice surprise and I enjoyed getting to see her, too, even if it was only for a very short few minutes. 

Now, here it is Monday afternoon. I way overslept this morning, but that's okay. I needed it. Let's take a look at the week ahead...shall we?

A Christmas Gift From One
of Our Regular Visitors

This week's master "to-do" list...

- Clean house
- Deep clean the bedroom
- Clean and organize the fridge and freezer
- Do laundry
- Figure January's budget and bills
- Pay bills
- Go to the bank and post office
- Celebrate grandson, Silas's, 15th birthday
- Shop online for vitamins and suppliments
- Work
- Wish Tony and Nicole a Happy Anniversary

American Kestrel

This week's menu plan...

As previously posted, I've started the self-imposed winter food challenge and am already making progress towards using up foods on-hand. I did shop last night for fresh items and other things needed to round things out. 

Some of the foods that I'm going to focus on this week include leftover fresh items from the holidays (apples, oranges, potatoes, and onions) and items in the fridge and freezer that need cleaned up (leftover tuna and noodles, pasta sauce, canned peas, turkey/bean soup, shredded cheddar cheese, and a variety of homemade breads). 

Tallgrass Prairie Sunrise 

Meal ideas for this week include... 

Breakfasts - eggs and toast, oatmeal, THM pancakes (freezer) with fruit

Lunches - chef salad with bread sticks, soup and sandwich, homemade pizza, leftovers

Suppers - pasta with sauce, peas, and garlic bread, broiled salmon with a baked potato and oven-roasted carrots, broccoli, cheese, and rice casserole with a Good Earth Roll, turkey burger with oven fries

I'm going to stop here. I've worked at this off and on all afternoon in amongst other things and now we've got storms moving in. I think I'd be wise to get off the computer. 

I hope your first Monday of 2023 is going well. Have a nice evening and a great week ahead!

Until next time...
~Rebecca














 


Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels:

Sunday, January 1, 2023

Happy New Year 2023

I'm Wishing You and Yours A Very
Happy New Year 2023! 

Until next time...
Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...

Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Saturday, December 31, 2022

Taking A Look Back At That 2022 Bucket List

I almost didn't do a bucket list in 2022 and now I'm really wishing I hadn't. I always have big plans, but, then, things never work out the way I planned. 


BUT....I shouldn't be disappointed. I did so many other things in 2022 (that I didn't expect to do) that, surely somewhere along the way, it all balanced out. Right??? 😉

Okay...let's take a look and see how I did with this year's grandiose delusion...er...uh...I mean...bucket list and projected plans. 😆


1. Purpose to and sow daily towards gaining greater health in every area (spirit and soul and body - I Thessalonians 5:23; prosper and be in health - 3 John 2) ⌚

I didn't come anywhere near what I had hoped to achieve with this one, but, I think the problem is, that I try to do it on my own. In the days ahead I am going to try to slow up and let the Lord lead instead.

2. Keep up with daily scripture reading and Bible study 📖

I've missed a few days here and there, but, overall, I've done pretty well with this one. Even though it doesn't always happen, I try to remember to put time in the Word first.


3. Read at least 12 new books 📚

To be honest, I've not even counted. I've read a few books this year, but I don't think anywhere near that many. If I surprise myself and find that to be in error I will correct it later.

4. Focus on simple and nutritious foods 🥗

I tend to eat fairly simple anyway, but nutritious? Maybe early on, but most of the year...not so much. I need to do better in 2023.


5. Look for, and learn to appreciate, memory-making opportunities with friends and family and take full advantage of every one 👪

Yes. In 2022 I deliberately looked for and took advantage of every opportunity offered (the ones I could anyway) to spend time with family and friends, and, even though I had to push myself out of my comfort zone a couple of times, I tried to follow through with every plan and invitation that came along.

6. Share Christ's love and the gospel message with others at every opportunity 💓

In looking back, I didn't do as much as I would like to have done, but I did what I could when I had the opportunity to do so.

7. Make an attempt to use it up, make it do, wear it out, or do without before spending unnecessarily

In some areas, maybe, but not to the extent that I wanted to. I hope to be much more frugal...in some areas anyway...in 2023.

8. Get 30 minutes of some form of physical activity in, at least, three to five days a week (walking, hiking, dancing, gardening, yard work, etc.) 👟

Ya...whatever! Not even close! 🙄

9. Stay politically involved throughout the year by praying for, writing to, and encouraging government officials in every branch and every level as led by the Lord💓🤍💙

Nope. I sent a few emails here and there, but have not been consistant at all in praying for and encouraging government officials.

10. Post my weekly master to-do list and menu plan here on the blog 📜

Might have missed one or two...not sure...but pretty much kept up with this one.

11. Complete the 52 Week Money Challenge for the second year in a row 💵

Yep! Am hoping to do it again.

12. Attend a friend's wedding in April 👰

Sadly, the wedding was canceled, so, no, didn't make it to this one.

13. Welcome two new grandbabies into the family (one due in June; the other in August) 👶👶

Yes! Welcomed two beautiful new granddaughters into the world in 2022! I can't believe how fast they're both growing!

Kelly Margaret Anne

Bethany Annabelle Grace

14. Attend oldest granddaughter's wedding in September 👰

Yes! Heather and Corey had a beautiful wedding! It was a privelege and honor to be a part of it!


15. Deep-clean, purge, and reorganize the livingroom and Van Gogh room (a.k.a. my office) 🏡

I did, but it's time to do it again!

16. Plan, plant, keep up with, and harvest a productive vegetable garden 🌱

I started out okay, but, in the end, this year's garden was a total fail. The extreme drought didn't help, I'm sure.

17. Repair outside walls and paint house 🏠

Nope! Not even close!

18. Clean out the old shed and get a new one in it's place (or reroof and repair the old one) 🏘

Another big nope! Didn't happen! 

19. Explore at least one new-to-me trail 🥾

Not that I recall, but I did go a lot of places with different ones of the kids and their families, so, it's possible that I did and just don't remember.

20. Log at least 12 new geocache locations 🧭

Nope.

21. Visit at least one Missouri state park  that I've never been to before 🏞

Actually, I visited FIVE! Woo-hoo! Someday I hope to look back and see that actually visited all 92 of them! 

22. Visit a state that I've never been to before 🌄

No. Could have gone on a trip with Amanda and her family that would have taken me to a few new states, actually, but had a previously scheduled outing and couldn't make it. But that's okay! Maybe in 2023!)

Well, I guess that's it for now. I'll think about 2023 and, maybe, come up with a new list.



Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels:

Friday, December 30, 2022

Off and Running With the Winter Food Challenge and Sharing A Recipe For Turkey Bean Soup

I had posted in a previous post that black-eyed peas were on the menu for New Year's Day. 

Basic Dry Bean Mix

Well...that was before I remembered that I had used the last of the black-eyed peas in the Basic Dry Bean Mix that I put together last winter, which, fortunately, I still have some of left in the pantry.

In thinking about it, black-eyed peas are black-eyed peas. It doesn't matter if you eat a few or a lot (or any for that matter!), but, in keeping with the long-held New Year's tradition, I would like to say that I ate, at least, a few. 


I have to work New Year's Eve and part of New Year's Day, so I won't have a lot of extra time to cook. I decided to cook today for the weekend ahead.

Instead of rushing out and spending money unnecissarily to purchase, and serve, just plain ol' black-eyed peas, I decided to kick into gear on the Winter Food Challenge and use up some of what I have on hand and make a terrific bean soup. 

Wintery Day Bean Soup

I thought about making the Wintery Day Bean Soup that I discovered last winter, but, since I've got lots of chopped turkey leftover from Thanksgiving and plenty of bone broth in the cabinet, I decided to make a turkey bean soup instead. Here's what I came up with...

TURKEY BEAN SOUP

2 cups dry bean mix
1 large onion, diced
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
2 quarts of chicken bone broth
4 cups chopped turkey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
black pepper to taste

Note: You can use regular chicken broth or boullion cubes in place of the bone broth if you prefer and I rinsed, soaked, and precooked the dry bean mix in a dutch oven before making the soup. 

After cooking and draining the beans, saute the onion in butter and add it, along with the rest of the ingredients, to the dutch oven and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour. 

I plan to have some of this soup tonight with leftover cornbread from the freezer and plan to have some for lunch on New Year's Day. The rest will be separated out into freezer bags, frozen, and eaten for lunches on cold, wintery days.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)