What Was For Dinner This Week?

Cooking wise, it was a very adventurous week.  We tried out a couple new recipes, my husband thought the quinoa burgers were the most sketchy.  He did end up giving it a thumbs up and gave the go-ahead to move them into rotation as long as it's just once a month.  I agree.  You just can't beat the taste of a real burger.  But it is a healthy option. Also the cauliflower mash which turned out great.  We will be making that for sure again. 

On Monday though, I had major problems with the puff pastry pizza.  Obviously I did not plan ahead a did not defrost the puff pastry.  Terrible idea. I tried to defrost it in the microwave which I knew was a bad idea... but still I gave it a try, and sure enough it melted together after my lack of watching it carefully.  I managed to salvage it and rolled it out to make a chocolate pastry with some marshmallows and chocolate chips and just started over with another box.  Good thing I had two!  Next time, defrost ahead of time! Lesson learned.

http://www.eat-yourself-skinny.com

Monday: Puff Pastry Pizza (Potato and Chicken)
Tuesday: Stuffed Shells
Wednesday: I cannot remember for the life of me = (
Thursday: Quinoa Burgers + Sweet potatoes
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Lemon Chicken + Cauliflower Mash
Sunday: Breakfast Hash

Happy Valentines Day!

Valentines day is my number two most favorite holiday after the Fourth of July.  How can you not love everyone celebrating each other?  It's the perfect way to remind yourself to send a little extra love to your friends and family.  This year, unfortunately Jeff is working, but I get to hang out with Noah so we'll celebrate and exchange gifts in this morning. 

And for a festive breakfast I'm checking out these Valentines Day pancakes.  They look super easy but I'm thinking it'll be even easier to just make round pancakes and use a cookie cutter to cut the shape out... plus that way I get the scraps to eat as a snack while I'm waiting for the rest to be done!

Or how about another super easy option, these Heart Cinnamon Rolls!  Pinterest, you rock my world and make me the most creative mom ever in the kitchen. =)  And finally, for another tasty treat this Valentines Day how about trying these Strawberry Nutella PopTarts we made last year? I can say for sure they were a hit at this house.

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So of course I wanted to document Noah's first Valentines day.... and failed miserably.  I should have probably done it right after I fed him when he's the most happy, but I didn't so this is what I got.

Thanks kid, I guess this is what's going in your baby book. I'm sure your future wife will enjoy these though.

What Was For Dinner This Week?

I never plan my meals too far ahead.  I usually have Jeff pull something out of the freezer in the morning and I figure out a recipe to make when I get home from work.  We also are super big into leftovers too so we're always making way more food than we need for a dinner of two and then we save it for either lunches at work or sometimes, if I'm feeling really lazy, then we'll also have leftovers for dinner.

The dinners I make are honestly very rarely from recipes so when I do write them out for you guys it's just a general guideline.  I'm always switching ingredients around depending on what I have around the house.  I never measure unless I'm baking.  And even then sometimes I wing it... which is probably why sometimes my baked goods turn out a little sketchy. Haha.  I do however love to get inspiration for my dinner from Pinterest and other food blogs so I'll try and link up some of these dinners if I can so you can make your own version too.  

Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday:  Grilled Chicken, Cheesy Polenta, Steamed Broccoli
Wednesday: Chicken Fried Rice
Thursday: Sunday Night Mac & Cheese
Friday: Chicken Bacon Panini + Grapes
Saturday: Shredded Chicken Wraps + Onion Rings
Sunday: Grilled Steak + Grilled Asparagus

So there it is, now, time to get inspired for some more yummy dinners this week. So far I have thoughts of stuffed shells and something with quinoa which I had Jeff buy this week to try out for the first time.

Things I Want to Teach my Kids Before They Leave Home

I came across this article today while doing my daily blog reading,  "What do kids need to know in the kitchen before they leave home?" and thought, "geez, I aughtta make a list like that so I don't forget!"  What I great idea this is! Obviously, I've got a super long time, but why not start my list now and have it ready as Noah and my other future kids grow up?! So here goes my list and I have a feeling it's gonna be mega long.  I'm also adding things I know Jeff would like to teach our kids although I'm sure he's got a huge list of his own.

Basics:

Do your own laundry/sort it/clean stains, etc.

Make your bed properly

Good home/apartment cleaning skills

How to organize your life and your home

Cooking - see below

Cleaning maintenance like, how often to clean your sheets, towels, bathrooms, etc. 

Set a budget, stick to it and make it work with what you have

Basic sewing skills

Maintain and address book

Organize your important documents/medical/car insurance, etc.

Manners

What to do when you're sick

Basic vehicle care/changing a tire

Cooking:

Dice an onion

Boil eggs

Improvise when cooking

How to properly cook different types of meat

What not to fry in oil unless you want a giant grease mess/fire

Choosing the right knifes

How to make all their favorite meals

Stock a fridge/pantry for cooking

Grocery shopping (hubby)

Use a crock pot

 We're already working on the sports stuff. =)

Random:

How to start a bonfire

How to put out a fire outside and in the kitchen

How to buy a basic wardrobe for not a lot of money

Good studying skills

Mow the lawn properly (hubby)

How to be adventurous

How to be thankful for what they have

Sports stuff (hubby)

Parallel park and drive in the snow

Take care of a young child

Learn how to get around/read a map/ask for directions

People Skills:

How to be a good friend

How to do nice things for others just because
Plan a good thoughtful date for your significant other 
Good gift giving skills
How to share and give to others
Properly introduce guests to friends (both hubby & I need to work on this one =)

Obviously this is just a start to a list.  I can't imagine how many other things will pop up as my kids grow older and get closer to leaving the house. There are however things that I can start doing soon and I'm excited!  Especially once we get into the kitchen; things are gonna get fun real fast.