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Menu of the Week: October 1

Happy Monday, everyone!
Here is my meal plan for the week. I am trying to work around what I have in the house, for the most part, and only buying minimal ingredients such as fresh produce at the supermarket.
Monday

Apricot chicken
Asparagus
Potato pancakes

Tuesday 

Chicken quesadillas
Salad (lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado)
Corn

Wednesday

Spinach quiche
Butternut squash soup

Thursday

Asian-style Tilapia
Mashed potatoes
 Salad

Friday

Sesame chicken
Garlicky broccoli

Happy Monday, everyone!

Here is my meal plan for the week. I am trying to work around what I have in the house, for the most part, and only buying minimal ingredients such as fresh produce at the supermarket.

Monday

• Apricot chicken
• Asparagus
• Potato pancakes

Tuesday 

• Chicken quesadillas
• Salad (lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado)
• Corn

Wednesday

• Spinach quiche
• Butternut squash soup

Thursday

• Asian-style Tilapia
• Mashed potatoes
•  Salad

Friday

• Sesame chicken
• Garlicky broccoli

Fifteen Kitchen Gadgets I Can’t Live Without

Alright, these aren’t all gadgets. In fact, most of them are not, but I am not a gadgety type person so much. Well, that’s not entirely true. I LOVE gadgets, but we don’t choose to spend our money on them. Yeah, that’s it. So anyway, here are fifteen kitchen “gadgets” I cannot live without:
1. [...]

Alright, these aren’t all gadgets. In fact, most of them are not, but I am not a gadgety type person so much. Well, that’s not entirely true. I LOVE gadgets, but we don’t choose to spend our money on them. Yeah, that’s it. So anyway, here are fifteen kitchen “gadgets” I cannot live without:

1. garlic press
2. food processor
3. mini food prep
4. whisk
5. silicone spatula
6. microwave
7. toaster
8. coffee press
9. sharp knives
10. corkscrew
11. tea kettle
12. oven
13. fridge/freezer (d’oh)
14. mixing bowls
15. pots and pans

What type of cool gadgets do you have in YOUR kitchen? …..since I have none. haha!

Private Practice Spoiler

Only a few more hours until the Season Premiere of Private Practice! It will be airing tonight at 9 pm on ABC.
As Addison Montgomery discusses her impending departure from Seattle with Dr. Richard Webber (the Chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital), she talks a bit about her new colleagues as a way of introducing [...]

Only a few more hours until the Season Premiere of Private Practice! It will be airing tonight at 9 pm on ABC.

As Addison Montgomery discusses her impending departure from Seattle with Dr. Richard Webber (the Chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital), she talks a bit about her new colleagues as a way of introducing them. Then she and Sam (Taye Diggs) have an interesting encounter………

Come back tonight after you’ve watched and discuss what you think of the new show. I can’t wait!

Lack of sleep may be deadly!

If your sleep life is anything like mine, you may be in danger! I suffer from serious sleep issues and have honestly not had a good night’s sleep in at least 3 years. Pregnancy and then parenthood is what did me in. I am chronically tired and lack energy. It’s awful. So is the news [...]

If your sleep life is anything like mine, you may be in danger! I suffer from serious sleep issues and have honestly not had a good night’s sleep in at least 3 years. Pregnancy and then parenthood is what did me in. I am chronically tired and lack energy. It’s awful. So is the news below……

According to a large British study just released, people who do not get enough sleep are more than twice as likely to die of heart disease.

Although the reasons are unclear, researchers said lack of sleep appeared to be linked to increased blood pressure, which is known to raise the risk of heart attacks and stroke.

A 17-year analysis of 10,000 government workers showed those who cut their sleeping from seven hours a night to five or less faced a 1.7-fold increased risk in mortality from all causes and more than double the risk of cardiovascular death.

A third of the population of the UK and over 40 percent in the U.S. regularly sleep less than five hours a night, so it is not a trivial problem.

The study looked at sleep patterns of participants aged 35-55 years at two points in their lives — 1985-88 and 1992-93 — and then tracked their mortality rates until 2004.

The results were adjusted to take account of other possible risk factors such as initial age, sex, smoking and alcohol consumption, body mass index, blood pressure and cholesterol.

In terms of prevention, the findings indicate that consistently sleeping around seven hours per night is optimal for health.

Source 

Menu of the Week: September 24

I’m trying to use up the stuff in my fridge this week.  You know how you buy stuff and it kinda just sits there forever?!? Yeah, well that is my fridge, freezer and pantry. I’ve noticed that since I started trying all these new recipes out that I just keep going to the grocery store [...]

I’m trying to use up the stuff in my fridge this week.  You know how you buy stuff and it kinda just sits there forever?!? Yeah, well that is my fridge, freezer and pantry. I’ve noticed that since I started trying all these new recipes out that I just keep going to the grocery store and spending A LOT of money on ingredients that are barely used. So, this week is a new challenge. I am going to try and stay far, far away from the store and just use what I have. I am also going to plan this week differently in that I am not assigning meals to a specific day. We’ll just go for whatever we’re in the mood for that day.

Last night I made meatballs and spaghetti. What I did was make a GIANT batch of sauce and I am going to freeze the leftovers for another time (or two).

Some other things we’ll be eating this week:

• Sesame chicken with garlicky broccoli
• Chicken burgers with corn and black bean salsa
• Spinach pizza and a salad

For the remainder, I’ll have to get back to you guys and let you know what I end up throwing together.

Menu of the Week: September 17

Monday

Terryaki Chicken
Fried Rice
Asian Salad

Tuesday

Shrimp Scampi w/ Angel Hair Pasta
Caeser Salad

Wednesday

Chicken Dijon
Sauteed Zucchini
French Bread

Thursday

 Tuna Nicoise

Friday

Spaghetti and Meatballs
Iceberg Wedge Salad

What’s cooking at your house this week?

Monday

• Terryaki Chicken
• Fried Rice
• Asian Salad

Tuesday

• Shrimp Scampi w/ Angel Hair Pasta
• Caeser Salad

Wednesday

• Chicken Dijon
• Sauteed Zucchini
• French Bread

Thursday

•  Tuna Nicoise

Friday

• Spaghetti and Meatballs
• Iceberg Wedge Salad

What’s cooking at your house this week?

Fifteen TV shows I watch

I used to be way more into television than I am now-a-days, but I still watch quite a bit. Here is a list of 15 TV shows I currently watch, not all my choice….as you will see.
1. Dora the Explorer
2. Go, Diego, Go
3. Little Einsteins
4. Big Brother 8
5. Days of Our Lives
6. House [...]

I used to be way more into television than I am now-a-days, but I still watch quite a bit. Here is a list of 15 TV shows I currently watch, not all my choice….as you will see.

1. Dora the Explorer

2. Go, Diego, Go

3. Little Einsteins

4. Big Brother 8

5. Days of Our Lives

6. House Hunters

7. Rescue Me

8. Curb Your Enthusiasm

9. Last Comic Standing

10.  What Not To Wear

11.  Rock of Love

12. Hogan Knows Best

13. Gene Simmons Family Jewels

14. The Two Coreys

15. MTV Cribs

Very intelligent choice of shows, I know. What can I say? I used to watch a better variety, but I don’t have the concentration to watch the serious dramas anymore. I’m sure when Fall Season of tv starts, my list will change and I will do another Friday Fifteen post on it. For now though, this is it.

Menu of the Week: September 10

This week we have some family stuff going on so I’m not sure how many nights I will be cooking. Just in case, I planned out four meals. I know I placed them under specific days, but that’s just for convenience sake. The first three are the ones I will make first and the last [...]

This week we have some family stuff going on so I’m not sure how many nights I will be cooking. Just in case, I planned out four meals. I know I placed them under specific days, but that’s just for convenience sake. The first three are the ones I will make first and the last is only if we’re home….

Monday

• Spinach and Cheddar Quiche
• Gazpacho Soup

Tuesday

• Marinated Salmon
• Sauteed Onions and Potatoes
• Garlicky Greenbeans

Wednesday

• Rustic Lasange
• Green Salad

Thursday

• Greek Salad w/ Chicken
• Toasted Pita w/ Hummus

Friday - Sunday

• up for grabs!!!!

What’s the plan at your house this week?

Keeping Your Electric Bill Down

I just received my electric bill for the month of August. My jaw dropped when I saw that it was close to $500. I guess it shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise considering the previous months were in the arena of $430 - $450. Why does it keep going up? Why is it [...]

I just received my electric bill for the month of August. My jaw dropped when I saw that it was close to $500. I guess it shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise considering the previous months were in the arena of $430 - $450. Why does it keep going up? Why is it so high in the first place? I know it’s hot here, but my parents’ bill is half the price and they live in the same area. So what’s the deal?

I’m thinking it has something to do with the high ceilings and Western exposure of my house with the sun blaring in through all the windows and sliding glass doors. I think something like acrylic windows might really help. They claim to keep out summer heat! To air condition, or not to air condition? That is the question. The insulating acrylic windows will reduce the summer heat no matter what your condition. The air tight acrylic window decreases conductive heat from entering your home. Also available in a tinted acrylic, both conductive and solar heat will be substantially reduced.

Another idea is steel roofing. Metal reflects 70% of the sun’s energy. This minimizes heat retention and as a result less heat is transferred into the buildings structure. Research shows that metal experience 34% less heat gain than asphalt shingles. Results indicate that metal roofing offers a similar effect of R-11 insulation on top of the roof during sunny day conditions.

Where do you find these things? At the Energy Doctor, of course. They are the North American leader in energy efficient products for your home.

One of their specialties are solariums, which can be used as an additional room for kids to play, an indoor garden or a private swimming pool enclosure. Although solariums are great for the winter (and all year round actually), they are wonderful for keeping the hot sun out during the summer months.

Another wonderful addition The Energy Doctor provides are patio enclosures. They help keep the house cool in the summer.

For now, we are thinking of getting some shades for the highest window panels in our house. However, if our electric bill keeps going up, I may just need to make a call to the “doctor”.

*This post is sponsored by The Energy Doctor. Check ‘em out for all of your energy efficient needs.

Menu of the Week: September 3

I’m a little late at making my plan this week due to the holiday weekend. However, I did work on it and finally got if finished. Here is the plan for this week:
Monday

Labor day BBQ   (it’s not at our house so I’m not sure of the menu)

Tuesday

pasta salad

Wednesday

chicken cacciatore
green salad
crusty bread

Thursday

black bean [...]

I’m a little late at making my plan this week due to the holiday weekend. However, I did work on it and finally got if finished. Here is the plan for this week:

Monday

• Labor day BBQ   (it’s not at our house so I’m not sure of the menu)

Tuesday

• pasta salad

Wednesday

• chicken cacciatore
• green salad
• crusty bread

Thursday

• black bean casserole with cornbread topping

Friday

• broccoli and sausage calzones
• mixed green salad

What’s the plan at your house this week?