Menu Monday-On The Lunch Plate/Dinner Plate

Hello Welcome to Menu Monday

Today before I 'talk' about menus I am sharing what is on my luncheon plate . . . . 

Sometimes a Chili Dog just sounds good.  I cooked a Texas Style Chili Dog.  

What is Texas Style you ask?

My hot dog was a Nolan Ryan hot dog.  He's famous in Texas.

I was not so enchanted with the bun though. 

The Cowboy loves hot dogs, kielbasa, sausages and hot links Yes I know all those things that are not on his diet. It is what it is and I deal with it....opps TMI back to my Chili Dog

Not a keeper in my opinion.  I normally like P.F. products but I don't buy them often.  Give me a good 'ole cheap hot dog bun and I am happy.  P.F.'s was not very fresh and it was heavy kind of dense the cut top was o.k. I guess but not worth the price for me.  

Let's talk a bit about menus.  Do you plan menus for your meals?

I have always been a menu planner.  I started back when the kids were young and it was easier for me to keep up with things to make plans. 

A menu plan helps me stay on track and keep up with what is in the pantry and freezer.  Our freezer is usually full and unorganized.  It bothers me.  


I have a goal to clean,defrost and organize it as soon as we have some good weather.

Yep it's a mess and I am tired of thinking about LOL let's shut the door and check out the dinner plate!

We had a super simple dinner the other night.  Kielbasa cooked with cabbage at The Boys request.  It was odd to me because normally he wants it on the rotisserie or grill pan not cooked with the cabbage.  A simple baked potato with bacon bits I found on sale.

A yummy chocolaty dessert.  The Cowboy opted for nuts .....
no nuts for me.  Look at those Chocolate Chips.  Yum

Another simple meal smoked pork loin, black eyes peas corn bread and salad.

Last night was that cat fish I have been planning ...

Shrimp Cocktail

I cut potatoes in chunks and put in pan with diced onions, garlic and olive oil and tossed then roasted in the oven.  At the last minute I put on grated cheese and stuck under the broiler.

Homemade Cole Slaw from the rest of the cabbage.
Since I don't have menu plan I am clueless what dinner will be.  I guess I can just pretend it's a fun surprise

Whatever it is I am sure it will be yummy

I have some yellow squash I breaded a few weeks ago and put in freezer.

They are callin my name!

Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday-Book Review-I Read Book Tour

About the book 

A “Mom’s Choice Award Winner”! Alycat’s brother, Bugsy, is playing in a golf tournament with some of his friends, and wants to use his lucky ball to win the game. But when Alycat forgets his lucky ball at home, Bugsy learns what luck is really all about. Can Bugsy win the tournament without his lucky ball? Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday is part of the Alycat Series: alycatseries.com.

And I thought

I loved this charming little book that told a fun story with a message for children. 
The illustrations are just as charming as the story.  I loved the clothes the kitties wore.  And all the different kitties was also cute and charming and part of the story.  The facial expressions of the kitties throughout the story were delightful.
This a great book for families.  Parents can read to younger children.  
This one is a keeper and going on my book shelf.  
My thanks to I Read Book Tours and the author Alysson Foti 
Bourque for providing me with a copy of the book. 

I received a complimentary copy. 
My review will appear on Amazon and Good Reads
Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday will be promoted on 
social media. 

Buy the book 

Amazon.com

Visit the tour

Enter the Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Simple Sunday

Have A Blessed Day

Happy Homemaker In Texas

Welcome to Happy Homemaker the day I share a few plans and few things that are going on with me.  

Are you new here?

I join Sandra at Family Corner for the HHM party

Sandra provides prompts...I add a few of my own

The weather (Sandra's)
Springtime in Texas is my favorite season.  Although the calendar says it's spring we had hopefully our last cold front.  I have had 
to cuddle under a blanket while 'the girls' play outside a bit.

Today it is cloudy and cold.  BRR.

Outside my window (Sandra's)

Quiet and Green (it's not grass.)

I am thinking 

Even though it was a long ordeal yesterday we had a treat.  We had to drive across town to the pharmacy.  Look what was on the way.  

I am wearing (Sandra's)

Warm clothes.  My working outside pants a wornout t-shirt and socks.  

On the breakfast plate  (Sandra's)

Haven't even thought of breakfast.  The Cowboy bought frozen waffles yesterday.  Maybe he'll be satisfied with that and I can have cereal.  Sounds like a plan to me!

On my reading pile (Sandra's)

   

What I am reading now (mine)

This one is on my phone.  It's a page turner I am enjoying. 
It is available for pre-order on Amazon.  Click here. 

Something fun to share (mine)

A fun package I received in the mail.  It was filled with all kinds of green paper.  These pieces I chose to keep.  I am in a FaceBook group and we decided to send out a package filled with paper.  
The administrator started and choose the theme "Green"  she filled a large envelope and sent it out.  It made the rounds to everyone who signed up. I was the last to get it.  Now I return to the administrator.  It is fun to get mail!

In the craft room (Sandra's I tweeked)

A new project for a SWAP we were to make Spring Theme 14" long Snippets.  Basically it is a length of fabric paper and you fill it with small pieces that can be cut apart and used in a Junk Journal.  Next week I will write a post about making and using a 
Snippet Roll.  Come by and learn to make one!

Another new project is a 'Real' Junk Journal made out of trash or junk.  This page is made from a magazine page.  I liked the theme of the page so I really did not do anything to it.  I am just covering a bit with some paper to journal on.  
I save a cereal box to put into the journal.  I am trying to figure out how to use it.  It might be the cover.  We'll see. 

On the menu (Sandra's) ...
What we ate last week (mine)

Because of my husbands condition I have forgone planning a real menu.  Some days he just does not feel like eating. I fly by the seat of my pants trying to find or figure out what to cook he can eat.  Last night we had . . . 
A simple super of Kielbasa and Cabbage and a Baked Potato and then we had this . . . 

Yumm.  We have not had Kielbasa since November.  

We had a pork loin.  I made one meal of Green Chili Stew.  It's not too green.  Actually I guess it was just pork stew I didn't have any green chili's but we had a jar of On The Border Green Chili Verde Salsa that was yummy.  I served with Blue Corn Tortilla's it was a yummy meal.

In the garden

I have green peas sprouting and ready to transplant! 
I have celery growing! 
I think I have 2 peppers growing I didn't mark the pot!
I have red cabbage and broccoli plants in the garden plot A neighbor bought more than she had room for so she shared.
I planted corn and green beans but it might have been too earlier but I bought more seeds yesterday.
I bought a few Sun Flower seeds all they had. I hope I can get more. 

On my To Do List

I really only have 1 thing on my list...well 2.  One always leads to another.  I need to clean my kitchen table.  I do not know what it is with me right now.  I can't keep it clean! I have never been this way.  And #2 I need to clean my kitchen counter. 

And

We won't even mention the 'fridge!

My 'Ta Da' Moment (mine)

Sounds simple but I managed to get the Cowboys meds. straightened out and ordered.  They are now mailing them but a couple were too low so I was able to have them sent to a pharmacy closer than downtown to pick up. 

From the camera

A blast from the past.  Back in the day when you could eat inside In/Out Burger!

Scripture/Devo.

Linking with Sandra.  Click here

Have A Blessed Day 

First line Friday feat. Saving The Captain

The 1st line
Rosa Garcia pulled up on the shoulder of a quiet, unpaved neighborhood road on the outskirts of Jackson Hole, one that lead to a mountain trial within minutes.

And one more line from 
Chapter 7 . . .His hand was warm and strong and felt just right.

Flower themed Journal finished flip through

I completed the Junk Journal project I was working on.  I was so super pleased how it turned out.  Actually it is the first J.J. with a cover that I have completed.  

I hope you enjoying flipping through it with me today!

I am having to load pics from my phone and can't quite get them in the correct order.  (insert pout)  this photo is the last page of the Journal.  Just a simple pocket I made out of a piece of heavy paper.  It's not really a tag.  I am not sure what it was meant for. 
I cut it in half.  The scalloped edge was on top and bottom.  The corners were cut out so I put pale green paper behind them so the 
foundation paper would not show through.  I made a simple Journaling folded card for the pocket. 

This is the closed cover.  Isn't she pretty.  I love the satiny ribbon and the flower shaped button.  I have been saving this button for just the right project.  The floral fabric I have had for years.  I used it for napkins for a garden party years ago.  It was perfect for this project. 

This is the first page.  I was so happy how it turned out.  

The pocked is a scrapbook paper I cut.  The Garden Party 

is a layered piece that I made.  The word Garden was cut from the cover of a quilt pattern and the 'Party' is a ticket that was in a birthday party scrap book kit.  I inked the edges in hot pink.

The first inside page spread.  On the right a simple pocket made from a Muffy Bear journaling page.  Sticking out of the top is a simple journal card. 

Both pages are Pink Avacado dyed copy paper.  The right was much lighter than the left.  On the left page I made a pocket from the pink paper and glued a butterfly cut out to the bottom.  

Sticking out from the pocket is a stack of dyed papers (I think they were tea dyed).  I used a small doily as a timplet.  They are held 

together with an altered paper clip.  I had a butterfly image stamped on a book page I put a smalled butterfly on top and inked the edges. 

This page was so simple It is hard to decide which on I like the best.  This on is in the running for my Favorite.  I used old very wide eyelet.  It is a pinkish orange color.  I sewed it on to make a pocket.  Inside is the stack of papers you seen fanned on top.  

I chose different dyed papers in pink, green and tea stained.  The top piece is a paper I bought at Hobby Lobby it is white with flowers embossed into the paper.  I love the flower brad holding them together.  The flower brad I was holding onto also waiting for the right project. 

Another tag I made stuck in a tuck spot that is a flower die cut.  I have the process photo's from making the tag.  I'll try to add them to the post.  

I saw the example for this one on youtube.  It is a tag made with a cover that holds journaling paper.   It is attached into the Journal with a belly band.  I cut out a butterfly out of the belly band since it was a simple piece of pale green dyed paper.  

The inside has several different dyed and stained papers to write on,

Another favorite page.  This one is the center of the Journal.  the Journal is bound together with waxed thread.  I added beads to the ends of 3 and a hot pink butterfly to the last one.  I took another one of the doily papers I cut and put a seed packet on it.  It is glued onto the page to form another tuck spot.  It is holder another one of my favorite parts of the journal.  I layered the paper and stitched a square of fabric that was actually part of a quilt.  It is sticheed one one edge so it opens . . . 

Inside is a piece of paper folded into 3rd's it can be written on when it is unfolded it reveals a dragon fly.  The dragon fly paper I got in a paper SWAP last year.  It came from somewhere in Europe.  I sure wish I had more of it!

Another favorite piece.  I made a mini journal book I bound it with fabric that I glued on.  I love the bunnies. 

The inside of the back part of the cover.  The inside of the cover I used plain muslin fabric and covered it with different pieces of laces.  

I had a super fun time making this journal for a SWAP partner. 

I hope she enjoys it.

You'll be seeing more as I share a few more photo's of how I made the different parts.  

Off to play with glue and paper!

Have A Great Day

Happy Friday

Staying Out Of The Market/On The Dinner Plate

Good Morning. Welcome to my little space.  I am Happy to invite you to share a few of my dinner plates

We have had a hectic week. I found a produce store over 45 minutes away but I talked them into bringing me a box of produce 
for me to pick up on my side of town.  I waited all day Monday
and Tuesday working out details. 

On the dinner plate I did simple . . . 

Bar b Que Ribs from the freezer, Fried Veggies and the cold stuff
Asparagus, half a slice of tomato, cucumber and salad.  The Romaine was on it's last leg but I got a beautiful head yesterday when the produce I ordered finally arrived. 

The Cowboy likes Blue Cheese dressing on his Asparagus.  I like the smaller stalks.  These were tasty.

We also got a Pineapple.  I tossed a slice in the batter and added to the fried veggies.   

Although we got beautiful produce making the process work just will not fit into our lifestyle.  The store does not normally do delivery and it just does not fit into their system. 

So now I am back at square 1 trying to figure out how to get food on the table that The Cowboy can eat.  

I have my garden planted though.  

Grow Garden Grow

So how are you managing to keep food on the table?

Wishing You a Blessed Day

Wednesday Filled With Words Dog Days- A Day In The Life of Lola

Hello and Welcome 

Today we are celebrating 

Lola

She has been with us for a year now

Here's how our day started

 

MaMa is breakfast ready Yet?

I cook all the girls food so they have to wait ever so patiently. 

Sometimes it helps to have your Dragon wait with you. 

Oh boy a car ride.  Dude did you see that pick up truck over there?  

MaMa wait did you see that it's Dairy Queen!  But oh bother! 

They closed the Dairy Queen in our town!  Why do they still show it on t.v. sure makes me want an ice cream.

I think that lizard is here under the fire pit.

Or is it over there? 

Nope I really think it is under here.