I normally like to have my menu planned out for the week. Most times I sit down Sunday afternoon or Monday mornings and write out my next weeks food list. I choose my meals and then grocery shop according. This week I didn't sit down and write out my meals, so I am having to decide everyday as we go. The weather was sunny today (and I was happy to see that sunshine and cloudless skies again!). After I finished working outside this afternoon, I was chilled. My thoughts went to my healthier version of pork and sour kraut.
My supper went like this for tonight. My main meal will consist of my own canned Boneless, Skinless Turkey Thighs. Open one jar (you can use chicken too) and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar (about 1/2 cup). Top with sour kraut. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour! A lady from church shared this idea with a few years ago. I love it and would much rather prefer it this way then with the traditional "pork and sour kraut"!
I also had about 2 cups of left over mashed potatoes in the fridge that I wanted to use up. This meat dish goes great with regular mashed potatoes, but tonight I mixed things up a bit. I took my mashed potatoes and mixed them with 1 egg, 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and a dash of onion salt. I crushed Ritz crackers and put them in a bowl and then rolled a ball of my mashed potato mixture in it. Put the balls in a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Recently, I have been thinking about baked apples. The kind as a hot fruit and not a dessert. I searched online for a quick and easy recipe. Of course, there are tons and tons to try but I just picked one and found this: Peel and cut 4 small tart apples into slices and place in a zip lock bag. Toss them with 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 Tb. cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg. Gently toss the apples with the spices inside the bag. Put into a dish (or into individual dishes). Top with very thin slices of butter and 1 tsp. water. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until soft!
I am a big fan of individual plates and servings. It just adds some class and fun. I have these small Longaberger dishes that we use every single day. Tonight, the apples went into them. I put a few slices in each dish, a small amount of water in each and then topped it with a very thin slice of butter.
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Supper is over. The mashed potato patties were a big hit!!! Everyone loved them. The apples not so much of a hit. This was not a huge surprise to me because when the kids see something 'new' on the dinner table, they automatically turn up their noses. I wish they would not do that! They were told to try at least one slice. However, I do have some leftover now in the fridge for my lunch tomorrow. The meat and sour kraut suited well with the family too! :)
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This is me today. It's Friday and my post is again a day late. Oh well. When the supper is ready and the family is hungry ... we drop what we are doing to eat!
Thursday nights around here are focused on school work. Hadassah and Matthew learn their school Bible Verses. We review all the spelling words. Hadassah had two other tests to go over. I am the one that always quizzes her for her test. The time together usually goes well and fast. Last night, we went from one sheet to the next. Mike took the challenge of helping the the kids learn their verses! They like the way daddy makes them learn. He gets them to quote parts of the verses out loud for about 5 times. All the while they are to be walking around the house. Mike thinks that memorizing and walking around go hand in hand! After they quote one small piece five times, they move to the next part of the verse. When they are able to quote the entire verse correctly, they go 'on our stage' (the small ledge by the picture window) and say the entire verse(s) to all of us listening. (Moms way of learning usually consists of them going to their rooms ... a quiet escape ... and 'study' the verse. :) )
Our evenings at home are much to look forward to lately! The shorter days of sunlight makes us all ready for an early to bed! Love that!
The sun is shining again!!! I am praising the Lord for that this morning! I keep thinking of some quotes I heard this week ... "Emotions are meant to be felt. God gave them to us to feel."
Be a blessing today!
