Menu Plan Monday: April 30th

I had a hard time coming up with ideas for this week, especially since Hubby is working nights this week and we have to eat dinner at 4:00 in the afternoon before he leaves! But here is the final list; I'm trying FOUR new recipes this week!

Monday: polish sausage, cabbage

Tuesday: Dad's Spaghetti, garlic bread

Wednesday: chicken divan, peaches

Thursday: Appetizer Nite--chili cheese fries

Friday: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Saturday: meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn

Sunday: Apricot Glazed Pork Roast, steamed carrots

Visit Laura at Org Junkie for more great menu ideas! Have a great week, friends!

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 136

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His love endures forever.
to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
who made the great lights--
His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
with a mighty hand and outstreched arm;
His love endures forever.
to him who divided the Red Sea asunder
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.
to him who led his people through the desert,
His love endures forever.
who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.
and killed mighty kings--
His love endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.
and Og king of Bashan--
His love endures forever.
and give their land as inheritance,
His love endures forever.
an inheritance to his servant Israel;
His love endures forever.
to the One who remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
and freed us from our enemies,
His love endures forever.
and who gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.

Weekly Memory Verse

Last week I decided I need to start memorizing a Bible verse every week, strengthening my knowledge so I can better raise up my son in the Lord. My first "power verse" as I also like to call it was Luke 10:27 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself."

This week's verse: Colossians 2:6-7
So then just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

If you'd like to join me this week in putting this verse to memory, just sign your name below. I may even drop in on you to see how you're doing sometime during the week! And don't forget to come back next week for a new verse!

Thankful Thursday

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”
Colossians 3:16

I am thankful for the quiet nights at home this week while Hubby is working night shift.

I am thankful for the beautiful weather!!

I am thankful for my new "Stroller Stride" group that just started up this week and getting to meet other mommies WHILE getting exercise!

I am thankful for a friend's baby news!

I am thankful for all our easy meals this week.

I am thankful for my Hubby and that he was able to fix our washing machine so we didn't have to pay for a mechanic.

I am thankful for my son and the joy he brings to my life!!

I am thankful for the sun rising earlier, helping me to get up earlier, so I can have quiet time before I start my day.

I am thankful that it's warm enough we can shut off our air and open the doors and windows.

I am thankful that Baby has actually slept past 6:30 the last two mornings...


To read more blessings, visit other Thankful Thursday participants at Sting My Heart.

If you'd like to join me in this week's memory verse, click HERE.

Tackle it Tuesday: The Fridge

If there were actually a perfect day for cleaning the fridge, I suppose today would be it. I haven't gotten groceries for the week yet and usually I would have, so the fridge is relatively empty and today is my tackle day. And our fridge is in desperate need of a wipe-down. There's spilled strawberry juice, spilled soda, and a pile of mysterious white crumbles that definitely need cleaned! So that's today's tackle, one shelf at a time. Yay, huh?

Go to 5 Minutes for Mom to see other tackles. Happy Tuesday!

Menu Plan Monday

Last week I tried to be really simple and cheap with my menu, but this week I'm going SUPER SIMPLE! I'm digging through our freezer and using up all the meats we have in there. And I'm so excited that I only have 5 things on my grocery list for the entire week. 5 things! So here's my menu...

Monday: hot dogs, potato salad, oranges
Tuesday: pork chops, applesauce, tator tots
Wednesday: salads deluxe, carrot cake for dessert of the week
Thursday: Appetizer Nite-- pizza bagel bites (didn't get to these last week)
Friday: Chicken Italiano, mixed veggies, apples
Saturday: ham steaks, cheesy rolls, corn
Sunday: biscuits 'n gravy

To get recipes for my top 5 all-time favorite recipes see Friday's post.

For more menu ideas visit Laura! Have a good week, friends!

Sunday Psalm

PSALM 8

O Lord, our God
how majestic is your name
in all the earth!

You have set your glory
above the heavens.
From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower
than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:
all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name
in all the earth!

Fun Photos

I'm no great photographer, but here are some of my favorite pictures I've snapped this past week...

Friday Five: Favorite Recipes

Today is my 5 all-time FAVORITE recipes, recipes that I recommend anyone and everyone to try!! These aren't recipes I've made up, but they're recipes I've come across one way or another and I just LOVE them!! And they're way easy to make which makes 'em even better!

1. Barbecued Baby Back Ribs
2. Dad's Spaghetti (recipe below)
   
3. Chicken Kiev (recipe below)
   
4. Broccoli Cheese Soup
5. Strawberry Angel Food Delight (recipe below)

Dad's Spaghetti aka Spaghetti Sauce w. Ripe Olives

1 lb ground beef
1/4 c. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 green pepper, chopped
1 can (3 1/2 c.) tomatoes (pureed in blender)
1/2 bay leaf
2 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 c. pitted sliced ripe olives

1. Brown meat in olive oil.
2. Add onion, garlic, and green pepper to meat and cook until lightly browned.
3. Stir in tomatoes and seasons and simmer 1 hr.
4. Add olives to sauce a few minutes before serving, heating thoroughly.

Chicken Kiev

2/3 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 Tbl grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast
1/4 c. white whine

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Melt butter in saucepan.
3. In bowl combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, basil, oregano, garlic salt, and salt.
4. Cut chicken breasts in half (the short way so it's two chunks, not two long strips), dip in butter, the roll in crumbs.
5. Place in 9x13 pan and bake 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
6. While that's baking, add wine to remaining melted butter and warm on simmer.
7. When chicken is done, pour spoonfuls of butter mixture over chicken and bake another 5 minutes.

Strawberry Angel Food Delight

(I don't really know what it's actually called and I don't actually have this written out in a recipe so I'll just do my best to explain how to make it. Everyone loves it, and it's perfect for a fun, easy summer treat!!!)

1 box instant vanilla pudding
1 tub whipped cream
fresh strawberries (or bananas), sliced
1 angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes

1. Make pudding as directed on box. Fold in the entire tub of whipped cream. Swipe finger through it and give it a good taste.
2. In a large bowl, start layering using half at a time: cut-up angel food cake, strawberries/bananas, spread pudding mix, angel food cake, strawberries/bananas, spread pudding mix. OR you can layer it so your fruit is on top: angel food cake, pudding mix, strawberries, angel food cake, pudding mix, strawberries. (if I use bananas, I do it the first way. But if it's strawberries, I like the colorful strawberries on top arranged nice and perty! haha)
3. Store in refrigerator.
4. Lick clean the bowl with any remaining pudding mix, and enjoy!

Thankful Thursday

“Be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
EPHESIANS 5:18-20

I am thankful for the great response to Heather's love offering yesterday! See the total HERE.

I am thankful for this baby shower I'm helping to plan and the opportunity it gives me to get to know others more personally.

I am thankful for these 9 wonderful months we've been blessed by our son! (he turns 9 months old today)

I am thankful for our church.

I am thankful for a letter I received from a friend in the mail yesterday.

I am thankful that my aunt and uncle are safe, as they work both work at Virginia Tech.

I am thankful for good Bible time last night and getting to dig through my Bible picking out "power verses" that I'm going to start memorizing. Click to HERE to read about it.

I am thankful for the new book that I've started reading and all that I will learn from it.

I am thankful for my husband and all that he does for our family.

Go to Sting My Heart to visit other Thankful Thursday participants! Have a blessed day!