Menu Planning Monday - 7/26/10

I'm BAACK! :)
Sorry about the major MIA-ness on my part.. lots of reasons and excuses, but none that I will bother to go into at the moment. Instead, I'm here to reunite myself with the blogging world and post my menu for the coming week. :) Recipe posts will follow at some point.. I've got some yummy stuff to share!

Here we go...

Monday - Bean and Cheese Burritos, Green Salad, Fresh Pineapple, S'mores for dessert
Tuesday - Spaghetti, Green Beans, Grapes
Wednesday - Roasted Pork Loin, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Zucchini and Summer Squash, Plums
Thursday - Homemade Mac and Cheese, Steamed Broccoli-flower, Watermelon
Friday - Basil Chicken, Rice, Steamed Broccoli, Grapes
Saturday - Caesar Pasta Salad with Chicken and Tomatoes, Grapes
Sunday - Baked Chicken, Butternut Squash, Green Salad, Rice, Carrot Cupcakes for dessert

Still Alive

I have to apologize. I started a blog and then fell off of the face of the earth. Well, not so much. Just opened a day care. Been VERY busy! But, I have learned that through balancing my time wisely - and waking up at 5:30 every morning - it is possible to squeeze everything in.

I AM still cooking and am getting a little more ambitious with my recipe testing. I will post only the truly extraordinary finds on here - just so I don't waste time for either of us.

I am also trying to work off all of the holiday weight gain. It's never been this bad. What took months to get off took a week or two to get back on. So, I'm working out daily, eating vegetables nonstop throughout the day, and only eating a little of the truly bad stuff that I make. I'm trying to keep most of my meals healthy, but there are several recipes out there that just intrigue me and I can't help myself. The only difference is that I won't hoard on the outcomes, just savor a few bites and that's it! And workout a little bit more after the kids are in bed...

My amazing husband smuggled in a copy of Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and sneakily placed it on my recipe book shelf - where it's always belonged. I found it the next morning and let out the most massive gasp. He made my day. Isn't it funny.. most women want a dozen roses or something of the the like, but nothing says love to me like the random act of bringing in an extraordinary cookbook (or remodeling my kitchen). I love that man! If you don't have a copy of the cookbook, get it! It's AWESOME - she truly walks you through the recipes step by step - it feels like she's there in the kitchen with you.
I won't be pulling a Julie and Julia (though my name's appropriate..), but I will begin exploring the recipes very soon.

Bon Appetite!