7.23.2012

Missing Menu

I know...its only week 2 of my menus...
But my fridge needs to be emptied this week.
We're moving in with my in-laws for a few months while our house gets worked on.  And I do not want to come home to a stinky fridge or messing around with loading everything up to haul to their house.

So the menu this week looks something like this:
Monday - subs
Tuesday - leftovers
Wednesday - ravioli (we didn't get to that last week)
Thursday - leftovers
Friday - pickles/olives/condiments
Saturday - milk and eggs
Sunday - yogurt and jello

I'll try to do better than that...only for my kids though.  If it were just my husband and I...that's totally what we'd be eating.

So since I don't have a real menu to share...I'll share the recipe for the chocolate zucchini bread I made last night.  It was a last ditch effort to use up the zucchini that was dying a slow death in my fridge and it turned out delicious.

Super moist, semi-healthy (yes, I consider something with whole-what to be healthy-er), a full of delicious dark chocolate.

The original recipe comes from my kitchen addiction.  I didn't get pictures, but you can click here to check out   her pictures (they're gorgeous).

Health-ier Double Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake
2 1/2 c. white whole wheat flour
1/2 c. dark cocoa powder
2 tsp. instant coffee
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. buttermilk
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. shredded zucchini (about 2 medium)
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
powdered sugar


  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugars and olive oil.  Add the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla.  Stir in the zucchini.  Add the dry ingredients, stirring until they are just incorporated and evenly moistened.  Fold in the chocolate chips.
  4. Pour the batter into the bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs (this will help keep it moist).  Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert onto cooling rack to cool completely.  Dust with powdered sugar before serving.


Enjoy!

7.15.2012

Vacation Pics and a Menu

Six loads of laundry done...two left to fold...and work tomorrow...
You'd think after a weekend home I'd be all caught up...not so much.  

In no particular order:  Wall Drug, Flinstones Bedrock City, The Corn Palace & 4 Mile Old West Town

Here's just a few pictures from our trip.  We filled up the days with lots of sight-seeing and enjoyed relaxing at the hotel (usually in the pool) in the evening.  The kids did great and enjoyed just about everything we did.  

We asked them both what their favorite parts were...

   Annika:  "Everything but the donkeys.  They were creepy!!!"  She felt a little violated 
by the burro's shoving their faces in her window when we visited  Custer State Park.

Henry:  "I like it all, but next time you guys can go and I'll stay 
home with Maggie.  I sure miss her...."

Again in no order:  Custer State Park, Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore, Jewel Cave &
the Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park

As much as I enjoyed being away with the kids and Ryan, its good to be home.  Vacations are exhausting!!!

I need some routine and structure back in my life and what better way than by planning my week's menu.

Sunday - Hamburgers with green bean salad (we finally have some produce in our garden!)
Tuesday - Homemade Wonton Ravioli (using this recipe as basic how-to) with lettuce salad 
Wednesday - Taco Rice Bowls
Thursday - sandwiches for the road (The kids and I are off to visit my parents in their new city!  Eeek...can't wait!)

Enjoy the last few hours of your Sunday...I'll be finishing laundry and catching up on my Food Network shows.  :)

7.12.2012

Knock, Knock

Knock, Knock
Who's there?
Chicka
Chicka who?
Chicka, you are stupid!

We just got home from vacation.  And that joke was told over and over and over again in the back seat (with a few different variations replacing "stupid")...and it never failed to amuse my two kiddos.  I really have no clue where it came from.  Henry finds himself HI-larious and loves to make up jokes.  After we were sick of listening to it and decided we probably should make sure they realize its not okay to call someone stupid, they moved on to other things.  



I promise to share more about our trip later.  I'm too drained to think straight right now (it just took me nearly 30 seconds to remember how to spell the word *straight*).  Also look for some more recipes (I have fresh garden produce!) and weekly supper menus.

7.02.2012

Overnight Oatmeal

I'm a morning person.  I always have been.  At sleepovers in high school, I was the one sitting upstairs with the parents for hours watching the morning news while my friends all slept.

There are very few things in this world that sound more appealing to me than a cup of coffee in the quiet hours of the morning with my book of choice (this week it would be "Look Me In the Eye").


But let's be honest...those days are long gone.  I'm lucky to get 15 minutes of quiet before the kids are up and running, the dog wants to go outside and the laundry is begging to be done.  And that's on a Saturday!! 

Let's not even talk about Monday through Thursday when I'm working.  My kids have learned to give Momma her space until the coffee is going and she's had a shower (and yes...in that order).

I'm trying to be better about eating something healthy in the morning.  It really does set the tone for what the rest of my meals will end up like for the day.  Needless to say, I was so excited when I came across Overnight Oatmeal in a Jar from Amber over at Sprinkled With Flour.  This recipe is so delicious.  And you can get a work-week's worth of breakfast in one shot.  Love it!


Overnight Oatmeal
{makes approx. 6 cups}

1 2/3 cups steel cut oats
4 cups water
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups mixed berries
milk, as desired
sugar, to taste (optional)

1.  Gather your jars.  I used pint sized jars and filled them about half full.
2.  In a large pot, bring the oats, water and salt to a boil.  Simmer for about 3 minutes, then turn off heat.
3.  Ladle the oats and water into the jars.  Cover the jars tightly with lids.  Leave on the counter overnight.
4.  The next morning, put all but one jar in the refrigerator.  Take the cap off the remaining jar and stir up the oatmeal.  Microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until nicely warmed.  Add in your milk, sugar and berries (or whatever toppings sound good that day).  Serve and enjoy!

{I've also eaten this cold with the milk and sugar and it was delicious as well.}


If you want to add a little extra special-ness (Yes, I know its not a word...):
Cut 4 Tbsp butter into 3/4 cups flour, 2 Tbsp brown sugar and 2 Tbsp granulated sugar.  After stirring your oats (and before heating), sprinkle a few tablespoons of crumble on top of your oats.  Place jar on a cookie sheet and bake in a 400F oven for about 10 minutes, or until crumble is toasted and oats are warm.

{Original recipe from Sprinkled With Flour}


I'm linking up with Tasty Tuesday @ Naptime Creations