Menu Plan Monday~ August 27, 2012

* I didn't get to a couple of my recipes last week because we had lots of leftovers and some days where we were at the park and just brought sandwiches, so there are a few repeats this week :)

Monday~ Grilled Chicken with Roasted Brussel Sprouts

48.8 calories, 3.5 g of fat, 3.9 g of carbohydrates, 1.7 of fiber, 1.5 g of protein

Tuesday~ Spaghetti and Meatballs - I'm actually just using the small swedish meatballs from Costco and making some homemade sauce :) Easy Peasy!

Wednesday~ Lemon Chicken Rice Soup (275 calories a serving), bread

Thursday~ Linguine with Turkey Meatballs and Roasted Peppers (639 for 1/2 of recipe - I will lessen my portion!) * I never got to this one last week and it looks so yummy, I REALLY want to try it! 

150g dried linguine

50g streaky bacon (just regular bacon for those in the US), finely chopped 

250g lean thigh turkey mince (ground turkey)

2 pinches of crushed dried chili

1 tsp fennel seeds

2tbsp olive oil

2 roasted peppers from a jar, sliced

100 g spinach

zest of 1 lemon (optional)

1. For the pasta, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. in a bowl mix together the bacon, turkey, chili, fennel seeds, and a pinch of salt. Form into 16 small balls. 

2. In a large nonstick frying pan, fry the meatballs in half the oil in batches for 7-8 minutes until golden and cooked through, shaking the pan frequentl. Meanwhile , cook the linguine to pack instructions

3. Drain the pasta, return to the pan and toss over a low heat with the rest of the oil , the peppers, spinach, lemon zest, and some seasoning. Mix with the meatballs and divide between 2 bowls. 

Friday~ Whole Chicken in the Crockpot, salad

I have some new recipe reviews to do, but I just don't have the time this week. Maybe next week :)
Hope you have a happy week!

I'm linked up with Orgjunkie

#010 You Might Live in Scotland If...

... your butter comes in a 250 gram rectangular block instead of a 1/2 cup pre-measured "stick".

This is what it looks like and I have found my food scale to be a life saver here. 

1 stick of butter = 4oz.  So I slice it up and weigh it.

 But I have started using more UK recipes that call for a certain number of grams of butter. So I like that my scale switches easily between ounces and grams! It's been SO helpful with my cooking and baking here! And I daresay I'm more accurate. I even weigh my flour now instead of measuring it by hand!

For my UK friends, this is what our "stick of butter" looks like if you see that term on my recipes from time to time :)

1 stick of butter = 8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup = 4oz. = 113g

Maddy Loves School!

The teacher in me could not be happier to write that title :)

Tuesday was just a 1 hour session where we all got to be together in her classroom to meet her teachers, ask questions and play with just 5 other students who are new to the school as well! She of course did well for that. Her response to Tim and I when we asked her if she liked her new school was, "It is SOOOOOO good!" I LOVE that girl's spunk!

Walking to school with Daddy!

Wednesday Rose and I went and dropped her off for her 2 hour session and Maddy said, "bye mom!" and walked right over a learning center. I won't lie - I was a little sad to see her not miss me, but I am infinitely more happy that she feels comfortable and confident to "take on the world". That's our girl!

When Rose and I arrived to pick her up, they were finishing story time. She was sitting at the teacher's feet with her legs crossed and hands folded listening intently! It was a little while before she even noticed me! She smiled, put her finger over her lips as if to say, "it's quiet time mom", and then gave me a thumbs up. Sweetness! I could not have been more proud of my little lady! 

Sitting under her hook where she will hang her coat and back pack ;)

When they were finished, she ran out to us and yelled, "Rosie! Rosie! and gave her sister a BIG HUG (which I of course jumped in on)! It was just precious! She chatted the whole way home about her teachers, her classmates, and her learning experiences! I'm feeling blessed and excited that we have this opportunity. I can't wait to continue to see her grow and talk through each and every experience as she arrives home each day!

Wearing a princess dress while rolling play dough -right at home!

I know that nursery (preschool) is not a necessity and not the best choice for every child. I am all for each family making the decision that is best for their child and their family concerning education - whether it be homeschooling, public education, or private education.

Scottish looking, isn't it? Especially with the grey sky :)

At this stage of the game and this place in the world (ha!), I really think Maddy is going to thrive in this environment.

I think the centers, the structure, the friends, and the teachers will all aid in her growth. I love that the learning is play based, especially at this age. I also think allowing kids to discover as they play is a wonderful opportunity and the fact that teachers guide the students and lead other learning activities like number and letter walks through the community) are all a plus.

I love the lay out of the room. 

I look forward to Maddy interacting with other children of many different personalities, nationalities, home lives etc and learning to get along in a harmonious way with them even if she doesn't feel like it. Probably my greatest excitement though comes from the prospect of her learning to be respectful and obedient to another authority other than Tim and myself. I think that is just a valuable lesson in life as we will all have a boss one day and have to respond in a respectful manner. I think she's at the stage where this kind of respectful interaction with leadership will be really good for her. She does have that in Church Sunday School, but I think she could use the extra practice if you know what I mean :)

Reading Corner

All in all it was a good first day on her own and she is THRILLED about tomorrow! I'm counting my blessings and praising the Lord for His kindness.

~ For even more pictures - check out this album :)

Menu Plan Monday + Maddy's First Day Tomorrow!

It's a busy week here in the Baylor household. Madison Hope starts her first day of nursery (preschool) tomorrow! She and I both are excited and yet a bit nervous. Ok - I'm a bit sad. It's hard to believe she's growing up so quickly! But I'm just so proud of her. She is becoming such a beautiful little lady inside and out. 
She said to Tim and I, "But I don't know anyone! How will I have friends?!" It broke our hearts! I went into full comfort mode, but Tim was really great to encourage her by saying that all she has to say is, "Hi, my name is Maddy. Do you want to be my friend?" - I tell you what, she just perked up with a look that said, "I can totally do THAT! I do it every day on the playground".  Love that girl. 

Her session is just from 9am-11am each day. It's a center based and play based method including centers such as: dress up, play dough, sand and water, writing, outdoor play, kitchen/cooking, reading, etc. She's going to love it! The whole program is provided free of charge by the city council. I think she is going to learn so much and enjoy her time!

Tomorrow, she only goes for an hour and Tim, Rose and I will be with her the whole time along with 5 other students. It's a time for us to get to know the classroom and her teachers while she becomes comfortable with her classmates, teachers and surroundings. What a relief!

I am sure she will do great though. Tim and I have spent time talking and praying about this option and feel like it's the best choice for her. The hardest part is letting my firstborn go out of my sight and immediate care and trusting that God will care for her and give us wisdom about how to best guide her through this new phase in her life. Having to trust the Lord again is a good thing. I'm thankful that the He has blessed us with such a confident, energetic girl - so full of LIFE! We think she's ready!

On the Menu this week: 

Monday~  Roasted Tomato BLT Sandwiches (around 350 cals) with fruit salad

Tuesday~ Shredded Beef Tacos, Guacamole
* Big shout out to Casey for this one. SO looking forward to trying it!

Wednesday~  Linguine with Turkey Meatballs and Roasted Peppers (639 for 1/2 of recipe - I will lessen my portion!)

(I got this one from a cooking magazine that my neighbor gave me. So you might have to pull out your cooking scale or google the equivalents :)

150g dried linguine

50g streaky bacon (just regular bacon for those in the US), finely chopped 

250g lean thigh turkey mince (ground turkey)

2 pinches of crushed dried chili

1 tsp fennel seeds

2tbsp olive oil

2 roasted peppers from a jar, sliced

100 g spinach

zest of 1 lemon (optional)

1. For the pasta, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. in a bowl mix together the bacon, turkey, chili, fennel seeds, and a pinch of salt. Form into 16 small balls. 

2. In a large nonstick frying pan, fry the meatballs in half the oil in batches for 7-8 minutes until golden and cooked through, shaking the pan frequentl. Meanwhile , cook the linguine to pack instructions

3. Drain the pasta, return to the pan and toss over a low heat with the rest of the oil , the peppers, spinach, lemon zest, and some seasoning. Mix with the meatballs and divide between 2 bowls. 

Thursday~ Baked Chicken, Grilled Asparagus

Friday~  Lemon Chicken Rice Soup (275 Calories a serving), salad

I'm linked up with Orgjunkie

Scripture Memory ~ Love is...

I Corinthians 13:4

..."Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

Menu Plan Monday + 1st Highland Games!

We went to our first Highland Games event last weekend and had so much fun! Here are a few pictures. It was a gorgeous day for it!

Girls and I ready to head into the games

Caber Toss - very cool!

All the important people walking out to get the games started

The pipe band

Watching the pipe band go by!

Look at those gorgeous clouds and green grass :0)

The girls were waving, "Hi Daddy!" as we went by him on the tea cups :) It was their first time. So fun!

And on tap for food in the Baylor house this week...

Monday~ Grilled Chicken, Bacon, and Shredded Cheddar on spinach greens

Tuesday~ Quinoa and Black Beans (153 calories for 1/10 of the recipe)
- I swear I will make it this week! The problem is that I bought dried black beans to save money and keep forgetting to soak them in water the night before! I need to just do a bunch and then freeze them. Why is it so hard to remember?!

Wednesday~ Grilled Salmon with Citrus Salsa Verde (236 calories)
* I'm just going to use the regular cheapest cut of salmon with the skin on and remove the skin before cooking instead of the center cut squares Giada calls for. And I am using honey instead of Agave Nectar. I'm also just going to use a sauté pan since I don't have a grill :)

Thursday~ Lentil Salad (222 calories for 1 cup) - ok. ok. I haven't made this one either even though I think I have posted it twice. I'm not super excited about it, but I have all of the ingredients and just need to try it!

Friday~ Beefy Chuckwagon Soup (317 calories for 1/6 of the soup), bread

Recipe Reviews: 
Curry Chicken Sandwiches~ Tim -7.5/10, Julie 8/10, Ease to Make 8/10. This was so easy to make and light, crunchy, sweet and savory all at the same time! I LOVED all of the fruit, nuts etc in with the chicken. It gave it a nice kick and was filling :) It's a GO!

I'm linked up with orgjunkie

Menu Plan Monday~ August 6, 2012

Monday~  Curry Salad Sandwiches, fruit

Tuesday~ Pizza, salad - we've tried 3 or 4 different recipe and we we like this one the best so far. It's crispy and yet still chewy. YUM! A Big shout out to our friend James :)

Wednesday~ Spaghetti with meatballs and salad

Thursday~ Crispy Chicken Salad

Friday~ Quinoa and Black Beans


Recipe Reviews

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs  Tim and Julie- 8.5/10, Ease to make- 8/10. Easy to make and very tasty! It's a GO!

Easy Taco Salad Tim -7/10, Julie 7.5/10, Ease to make 9/10. It was so easy to make but a bit bland. I would add green chiles, jalepeno peppers, and black beens. With changes, It's a GO!

Chicken Stir Fry Tim-8/10, Julie 8.5, Ease to make 9/10. It was so easy to make and yummy too! I might add something to give it a bit more zing. Danielle, do you have any suggestions with your stir fry expertise? It's a GO!


I'm linked up with Orgjunkie

1st Scripture Memory for August 2012

Psalm 73:26 - "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."