a calendar I love...

I just love this downloadable calendar!

Getting a grip on dinner..Week 3&4

The new calendar is here! Congratulation on completing your first two week of your "getting a grip on dinner" meal plan. The hardest weeks are behind you and come FANTASTIC recipes are before you. Enjoy! This system has made such a big difference in my family I am excited to hear if you enjoy it too. Happy mealtime!

getting a grip on dinner...pre-made shopping list

Walking through the grocery store collecting stares the friendly "boy, you have your hands full" greeting is no place to be making decisions or organizing a list. So that should be done in the peace and quiet (chuckle) of my home. The grocery list are organized to include the following categories: produce, dairy, meat, frozen, beauty/paper, and other. If you keep a list on the fridge, divide it into the same categories. As you fill in the items, you will be making your shopping trip more pleasant with each pen stroke. The grocery store is divided into departments, make your list fit the store. It is much easier standing in the dairy department knowing you need cheddar cheese and milk than figuring out you forgot the cheese when you are at the check-out line. Or, even worse making the discovery when you are preparing a meal. Bringing a pen helps if you mark things as you buy, but scanning the entire list in each department waste precious time. The best foods are in the perimeter of the store. Wendy Boswell says is well, "That's where all the fresh foods are. The less you find yourself in the central aisles of the grocery store, the healthier your shopping trip will be. Make it a habit—work the perimeter of the store for the bulk of your groceries, then dip into the aisles for staples that you know you need." By using the divided list, it is evident when when I am taking to many dips into the aisles. The meal system shopping list for the first week looks like this: Please remember the first two weeks may be a little more expensive and time consuming than the other weeks because we are beginning to stock our dinner arsenal (freezer). Stick with the program, the reward is great! As a little bonus... this is the matching fridge list. Simply cut in half and use a magnetic clip to keep in on the fridge. Enjoy! P.S. I am excited to share this system. Please leave me a comment, let me know if you have any suggestions to make it better or what part you enjoy the most. Tell a friend, too.

Tasty pork chops...

This is one of our family favorites. It is so easy and my kiddos love to help. I always make extras to freeze.:)

Cranberry Pork Chops

12 thick cut pork chops (with or without bone)

2 small bottles of catalina salad dressing

2 cans of cranberry sauce (I like the whole cranberry sauce)

2 packets onion soup mix

Spray bottom of casserole dish, and place pork chops in a single layer. Let the kiddos mix all the other ingredients and enjoy letting the little hands spoon the mixture over the chops. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes for boneless or 50 minutes with bone.

If you are freezing them line a cookie sheet and lay pork chops in a single layer. Let the kiddos mix all the other ingredients and enjoy letting the little hands spoon the mixture over the chops. Freeze them for appox. three hours (on until they are firm) and place in a ziploc. Remove as much air as possible and freeze. Label: Bake at 350 for 40 minutes for boneless or 50 minutes with bone. Thaw the pork chops in the fridge overnight before cooking. 

Enjoy!!

Getting a grip on dinner...

When the clock strikes 4:00 and dinner isn't "in the works" restaurants begin looking more appealing than they should. Back in the day when we had five little ones three years old and under, necessity required that I think about dinner before that daunting "4:00 'til daddy gets home" window. I am very passionate about my meal system because it has had such a positive impact in my life. My sweet friend Alyson took time to start me on the right path in the kitchen and for that I am forever grateful. There are a few basic truths that I built my meal system on: 1. It isn't much more work to double or triple a recipe that I am already making. 2. Some nights all I want to do is boil water or open the oven door but still have a great meal 3. Well planned meals make me feel successful as a wife and mommy 4. When I am using my meal system I cut my grocery bills by about 50%!! The calendar, shopping list, and recipes work together to make it oh so easy. This is the calendar for the first two weeks of the six week program: Coming Soon: shopping list, recipes, and extras