A Few Fun Things

Posted by BJ and Shalene in Freebies, Kiddos' Threads, Shopping

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Since I clearly dropped the ball on Meal-Planning Mondays this week, we're going to simply pick it up next week. So in the meantime, here are a few fun things to peruse. Enjoy your Thursday afternoon ... Memorial Day weekend is on the way! Hope it's filled with moments a little like this:

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A few fun thngs:

KenziePoo - a sweet blog with great nursery decor ideas

La Petite Mag - a fun kiddo-inspired read, edited by the author of KenziePoo

Little Lovely - another fun blog, discovered while searching for girl's nursery ideas

IS*LY - crafty and inspiring

Style Me Gorgeous - design ideas from a graphic designer

Sarah Jane Studios - lovely children's illustrations

The Long Thread - crafting and sewing

Prudent Baby - another crafting blog with great nursery decor tutorials and inspiration

Shabby Apple Swimsuit Giveaway - enter this giveaway via Grosgrain Fabulous

Vintage Fringe - a sweet boutique currently offering 20% off

Smallable - covet-worthy clothing for the little ones (via DesignMom)

Lisa Leonard - a site with beautiful imagery and a jewelry store to match

Meal-Planning Monday Delay

Posted by BJ and Shalene in

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Greetings lovely readers! I apologize for the delay, but Meal-Planning Mondays will run tomorrow, due to a busy schedule and a toddler who decided NOT to nap the past few days today! Hope you had a great Monday/Tuesday, and hopefully tomorrow, the little man will take some time to do this ...

Image: mpisti

Summer Blues

Posted by BJ and Shalene in Domestic Ease

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Morning lovely readers! It's Wednesday, so I'm over at Domestic Ease today. This week I'm sharing blue-themed fun finds to help families make the most of summer. So click here to hop on over there and check it out.

Have a blessed day!

Meal-Planning Mondays

Posted by BJ and Shalene in Meal-Planning Monday, Recipes

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Good afternoon lovely readers. I hope each of is having a great day! It's hot here ... hot, hot, hot. I guess it's the start of summer! In usual Monday fashion, here are a week's worth of menus for this week. I hope you find at least a few recipes to enjoy!

MONDAY

Grilled Chicken

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

Image: Whole Foods

GRILLED CHICKEN

Fire up the grill and cook some organic chicken breasts. This recipe by Real Simple for Grilled Garlic Chicken is one of my summer favorites. Grill 2-3 extra chicken breasts for tomorrow's dinner.

SPINACH AND STRAWBERRY SALAD

Recipe by Whole Foods. Get it here.

TUESDAY

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Image: Better Homes & Gardens

This recipe came courtesy of a friend of a friend, so I don't know the original source. (If that friend happens to be reading, please let me know so I can credit appropriately.) It is satisfying as a meal on its own, but serve with corn bread and a green salad if you want something even heartier. In our family, we like to top the soup with Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream and sliced avocado. This also makes a generous portion, so enjoy the left-overs for lunch on Wednesday.

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

2 - 3 cooked chicken breasts, meat shredded or diced

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1 can stewed tomatoes, dices

1 box chicken broth

1 can tomato soup

1 can black beans (I use dry beans that I've prepared ahead of time)

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. cumin

Combine onion, jalapeno and garlic cloves with a little of the chicken broth in a large pot. Let it simmer for a couple minutes, then add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour.

WEDNESDAY

Chicken Recuerdos De Tucson

There isn't an image for this ... my apologies! If you make this dish, photograph it and we'll run the image next week!

This recipe is courtesy of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Get it here.

THURSDAY

Corn & Summer Vegetable Saute

Spinach and Cheese Quesadillas

Image: Cooking Light

This saute is a great way to take advantage of summer's fresh bounty. Cooking Light suggests adding diced cooked chicken to it at the end for a complete meal. Here we've simply paired it with spinach and cheese quesadillas.

CORN AND SUMMER VEGETABLE SAUTE

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light. Get it here.

SPINACH AND CHEESE QUESADILLAS

Top whole wheat quesadillas with shredded monterey jack cheese and fresh spinach. Fold over. Press in a heated panini press or heat stovetop in a griddle.

FRIDAY

Homemade Pizza

Image: Eating Well

Ahh ... Fridays are pizza days! And though we usually stick to the same tried-and-true recipe (click here and scroll down to Friday for my favorite pizza dough recipe), I do like to mix it up one way or another.

This week, try this homemade pizza sauce and top with your favorite toppings.

SATURDAY

Corn and Potato Chowder

Green Salad

Image: Cooking Light

Perfect for a weekend dinner, you can make this ahead of time if you're busy and reheat before serving. Serve with a green salad.

CORN AND POTATO CHOWDER

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light. Get it here.

SUNDAY

Left overs or dine out! Enjoy your Sunday evening!

Whole Wheat Pancakes - A Weekend Breakfast Treat

Posted by BJ and Shalene in Breakfast, Recipes

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Photo credit

For your weekend, here's a delicious recipe for whole wheat pancakes. Enjoy these on a weekend morning with some fresh berries and real maple syrup drizzled on top. The recipe made plenty of left overs for a family of three, so I froze the extras, and my husband can take them out and toast them this week for his breakfast.

One note: I cannot remember where I found this recipe, so if anyone by chance happens to know of the original source, please leave a comment and let me know so I can attribute correctly!

WHOLE WHEAT BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

2 1/4 cups buttermilk*

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Butter to grease the pan or skillet

Whisk dry ingredients together. Make a well and add buttermilk and eggs. Stir until just combined, leaving some lumps. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat (or use a griddle). Pour 1/4 cup of batter into pan and wait until bubbles form, then flip and cook on the other side. (Makes about 16 four-inch pancakes.)

*I used powdered buttermilk (with water added as recommended to liquefy it), but I found this made the batter too runny, so I had to add approx. 1/4 cup more of flour.

Photo credit

Enjoy your weekend!

We're Seeing Pink

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On Wednesday, we discovered that our little babe-on-the-way is a girl. So needless to say, I'm now seeing pink. Here are a few things that are inspiring me.

This newborn pettiskirt.

These charming bloomers.

These sweet, simplistic birth announcements.

This book to sew her homespun threads.

It won't fit baby girl for several years (smallest size available is a 3), but I love this dress.

This sweet nursery.

This butterfly mobile.

These fabric-covered magnets (via Angela Hardison) would be sweet on a magnetic, chalkboard wall.

This bubble suit by Sarah Waldo.

This anchor onesie pays homage to my Delta Gamma sisterhood.

This whimsical wall decal.

This charming newborn set perfect for going home from the hospital.

How sweet it is! Where do you love to shop or find inspiration for your little girls?

Sunshine State of Mind

Posted by BJ and Shalene in Activities, Bath, Domestic Ease, Kiddos' Threads, Recipes, Yellow

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Hello there lovely readers! Want some sunny inspiration? Head over to Domestic Ease, where I'm blogging about 9 summer must-haves in sunshine-inspired yellow. Click here to read more. Hope to see you there!

Have a blessed Wednesday!

Meal-Planning Mondays

Posted by BJ and Shalene in

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Image: DisneyMike

Greetings lovely Moms Dish readers! I hope each of you had a blessed Mother's Day! Unfortunately I was battling an all day migraine, but the day was as nice as it could have been under the circumstances! The hubby kept the little one occupied so I could get some rest, which was perhaps the best gift of all considering the shape I was in. I hope each of you were appreciated and loved!

Now, it's Monday, so onto meal planning!

MONDAY

Grilled Chicken

Corn on the cob

Green salad

Image: Smitten Kitchen

Yes, grilled chicken and corn on the cob were on the menu last week, so please forgive me for my lack of originality. But with fresh corn starting to come into season and the weather luring us outdoors, I just felt like having this meal again.

GRILLED CHICKEN

For a little variety, try this recipe by Ina Garten posted on Smitten Kitchen. Or simply rub your chicken with whatever spice rub you like and fire up that grill. Be sure to make enough to yield left overs. You'll use them in Tuesday's dinner.

GRILLED CORN ON THE COB

Click here and scroll down to Wednesday for last week's grilled corn on the cob recipe.

TUESDAY

Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas

Black Beans

Image: Real Simple.

Quesadillas are a pretty frequent staple in our household. They're easy to whip up for lunch, and I'm always certain my little one will love them. And sometimes when I just don't feel like making what's on the menu, I'll settle on these. (No ... we don't stick to our menu plan every single day. Though we are pretty consistent with it, I use it more as a guide than an absolute rule. There has to be some grace!) This week, though, they're on the menu!

CHICKEN AND SPINACH QUESADILLAS

I typically just shred left over chicken and top store-bought whole wheat tortillas with the chicken, some fresh spinach and monterey jack. Then grill these on a panini press or stovetop. If you want to follow a recipe, try this one. Serve with avocado slices. Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking also has a great recipe for soaked whole wheat tortillas if you want to make your own.

BLACK BEANS

I buy my black beans in bulk, and prepare them as needed. Soak them for 24 hours prior to cooking. Rinse the beans and add fresh water. Add a few pinches of salt, then bring to a boil. I let mine cook at a rolling boil for 10-15 minutes, then turn the beans down to simmer for a few hours. Check to make sure they're cooked before serving.

WEDNESDAY

Spaghetti with Homemade Sauce

Fresh bread

Image: DisneyMike

SPAGHETTI WITH HOMEMADE SAUCE

We like spaghetti for it's simplicity--it's a great, quick meal to prepare for hump night--as well as for it's general likability. Try to use whole grain spaghetti noodles, and add organic ground beef or diced organic chicken. But this week, don't skimp on the sauce. We're trying this slow-cooked homemade pasta sauce compliments of DigginFood.

HOMEMADE BREAD

I generally advocate using whole grains instead of bleached flour, but sometimes I just like bread prepared with white flour. For this meal, try this braided bread recipe. Be warned though, it won't last long.

THURSDAY

Tex Mex Beef Tacos

Green Salad

Image: Cooking Light

Organic ground beef was on sale this week, so I bought a couple pounds and needed to incorporate ground beef into this week's menu. These tacos look like they'll do the trick quite nicely!

TEX MEX BEEF TACOS

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light. Get it here. Serve with a green salad on the side, using Nourishing Gourmet's Everyday Salad Dressing.

FRIDAY

Homemade Pizza

Image: Smitten Kitchen

You know what Friday means ... homemade pizza night. Though we love our old standby pizza dough recipe (click here for the recipe and scroll down to Friday), I still enjoy experimenting with new finds. This week we'll be trying this recipe, courtesy of Smitten Kitchen. Top with your favorite toppings.

SATURDAY

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard and White Beans

Image: Eating Well

Ever since I had my first bite of gnocchi (Italian potato dumplings), I've loved it. The gnocchi seems to melt in your mouth along with whatever other flavors the dish may include. It's delightful! This recipe from Eating Well takes advantage of seasonal greens, and you can sub bulk white beans for the canned. Serve with a green salad and homemade vinaigrette.

SKILLET GNOCCHI WITH CHARD AND WHITE BEANS

Recipe courtesy of Eating Well. Get it here.

SUNDAY

Left overs or treat yourself to dinner out before the beginning of next week.