Whole Foods in a Hurry: Week 2--The Menu

Tricia's done such a good job outlining how to make a once-a-month-cooking menu there's no way I need to repeat her here! I used many of her steps in creating my Whole Foods in a Hurry Menu.

Here's what I took into consideration, though, that she doesn't: I wanted as much as possible to be fresh and unprocessed. No cream of mushroom soup. No canned crescent rolls or jarred pasta sauces. (Not that Tricia uses a ton of recipes with these. Many of her menu recipes are whole-food happy!)

Once I got into it, I found the hardest part was picking meals that would not be too labor-intensive on your Big Day for cooking. I wanted to bake too many things. Have too many pots on the stove.

So you will probably notice there is a lot of ground beef and chicken in this menu. That's for two reasons: it's just easier to brown a LOT of ground beef at one time and split it up, and those are things that most people like. Like I mentioned before, I probably won't be using grass-fed beef or free-range chicken unless I can find a great deal on it. But you're welcome to do so!

So without further adieu, here's the menu I'll be cooking at the end of the month! And I hope you'll be right in there with me, cooking up a storm.

Breakfasts:
Apricot Breakfast Bars
Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake (Blueberry or Raspberry)
Christmas Eggs

Lunches:
Sloppy Joes
Make-Ahead Wraps
Pizza Pockets
Baked Chicken Burgers

Dinners:
Gnocchi with Sausage and Swiss Chard (Rachael Ray 365)
Taco Bake
Italian Cream Cheese Chicken Casserole
Sweet Aromatic Chicken
Tuscan Lemon Chicken
Pork BBQ with Lexington Red Sauce
Unstuffed Cabbage
Tilapia and Pepper Packets

Some of these recipes will have slight adjustments for ease in the kitchen, but that gives you the basic idea! And if you want to start shopping, here's the grocery list I've compiled. Which is hopefully correct ...

Remember that you only have until Monday, February 15 to submit your own menu in the Once a Month Mom & DOLE Frozen Menu Contest for a chance to win $250 cash and some great prizes!

Stay tuned next week for how I'm going to budget this ... dun-dun-duh!!

For the first post in the series, see Week 1--Why?

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Whole Foods in a Hurry: Week 2--The Menu

I Love from V-Dub

I promise I will have a Blissdom recap post. Once I gather pictures from friends (since I took 19, and at least 5 were of Tricia's daughter Tessa, and another 2 were TheChattyMomma's Gabby--I like babies). And once I can get my head on straight again.

One of the things recommended to us was to send love to our top referrers each month. What a wonderful idea and a great way to pay back some of the love they've sent us.

So, according to Google Analytics, my top referrers for January 2010:

1. Once a Month Mom
2. Amy's Finer Things
3. Musings of a Housewife
4. The Nester
5. Mommy Snacks
6. Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
7. Cooking During Stolen Moments
8. I'm an Organizing Junkie
9. The MawMaw
10. The Other Mama

Thanks, ladies!

I hope you'll visit at least one of these sites and give them some comment love!

Linked up with Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda.

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I Love from V-Dub

Etsy Deliciousness

I miss my little Etsy favorites widget on the sidebar. With just one sidebar now, I try not to squeeze too much in there. But still ... I liked drooling over my Etsy loves on a daily basis!

So, anyway, here's some recent favorites from Etsy for you to ogle.

1. Green Cameo Bracelet

My friends from college, sisters Jen and Erin, started an Etsy store a few months ago to sell homemade jewelry, quilts, hair sticks, and purses. Everything's so cute! I especially love this bracelet, and for $9.50 WITH shipping I'm really considering snatching it up!

2. Bubble Gum Necklace

 Amy responded to me on Twitter one day and I followed her link to her Etsy store. LOVE her jewelry, especially this gorgeous pink necklace. So fun!

3. Aviary Personalized Stationery

I don't send out a ton of real mail, but I do still try to send thank-you notes and occasionally my best friend Michelle and I write each other real letters. Still, I can't resist beautiful stationery. And with your name stamped on it, it's just so Southern!

4. Purple Felt Scrolls Headband

I'm just into headbands lately. Cute!

5. Hula Hoop Print

Personalized! The sweetness!!

6. Tiered Peasant Dress

The little girl in this picture is Emma, daughter of the author of Life with the Ferrells. Amber (aka Mom) takes the pictures for this clothing maker, which is how I discovered them! Isn't the dress--and the girl--precious?

7. Wool Entrelac Scarf

I love the colors of this. I love the way it's woven together. Love the length. And I like to keep warm!

8. Black and Grey Reversible Headband

I love Michael Miller fabric. This is guitars. And it's reversible, so you can be black and sullen or zany and colorful! Again with the headbands ...

9. Wristlet in Little Birdies

Nowadays I carry a huge Vera Bradley purse so I can stick a diaper and wipes in there and just go without diaper bag (which I love). But this little wristlet would come in handy for a night out or for Blissdom this past weekend!

10. Vintagey Family Tree

I don't think I could leave out Sarahjanestudios, one of my favoritest Etsy sellers. I think OhAmanda introduced me to her, and I adore her prints! Love this sweet family tree that she will customize! How precious would it be in Libbie's room?

Well, now I'm in love with all these things. Want to share some of your favorite Etsy sellers with me so I can lust some more?

For more Top Ten Tuesday, visit OhAmanda.com.

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Etsy Deliciousness

Menu Plan Monday: The Mortified Edition

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

I am honestly ashamed to post this. But as I will reiterate again and again, I am nowhere near having my act together. I just got home from BlissDom and I am exhausted. I am also trying to clean out my freezer and pantry for my Whole Foods Once a Month Cooking (ironic?).

So, we're eating some junk this week that's in the pantry. Oh well!

Monday: Chicken Helper, sauteed bok choy from freezer
Tuesday: premade pizza from freezer
Wednesday: Macaroni Grill chicken alfredo linguine
Thursday: meatloaf, potato pancakes, peas
Friday: Honey-Ginger Baked Salmon with Jasmine Rice
Saturday: Mexican Unstuffed Shells
Sunday: leftovers

What's gracing your table this week?

For more menu plans, visit Organizing Junkie. 
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Menu Plan Monday: The Mortified Edition

DISQUS

As you might be able to see, I've decided to go back to regular Blogger comments. The feedback I've received is that DISQUS is hard to sign into, although it's great on the back end for responding to comments.

Unfortunately I think that means I've lost all the comments AND the ability to receive comments on my last 4 posts! Oh no! I'm so sorry. I appreciate your comments on the post about my grandmother so much.

What would be REALLY helpful though is going to your Blogger profile and changing it so your e-mail is shown and I can e-mail you back in response to your comments. No one who sees your comment will see your e-mail. Create one just for blog comments, if you want!

All you have to do is go to Blogger.com, click on "edit my profile," and then check the box for "show my e-mail address." PLEASE? Cause when you ask me questions I can't respond to, I feel so awful! But if I don't have your e-mail address and you don't come back to look at my response in the comments here, there's no way for me to find you!

I have lots of great feedback from Blissdom to share with you and I can't wait to do that this week!

Picture of the lovely Jo-Lynne at Blissdom from Dawn at My Home Sweet Home

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DISQUS