This week's menu (March 9 - 15)

Monday, March 9: Joshua’s Birthday – Eat Out – Joshua’s Choice
Tuesday, March 10: Tacos w/refried beans
Wednesday, March 11: Walnut-Pesto-Crusted Turkey w/buttered egg noodles and salad
Thursday, March 12: Pineapple Pork Stew w/rice and baby carrots
Friday, March 13: Grilled Tuna w/baked potatoes
Saturday, March 14: Mexican Pizza
Sunday, March 15: Eat Out/Leftovers

Beef Tacos (note, I'll serve as burritos in soft flour tortillas b/c I like that better)
Ingredients:
12 oz lean ground beef
1/2 package taco seasoning mix
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheese(s)
shredded lettuce
diced tomato
sour cream
flour tortillas

Directions:
Brown beef over medium heat, breaking up into small chunks. Add taco seasoning mix and enough water to mix well (approx 3-6 tbsp). Stir in salsa. Spread over tortillas, top w/lettuce, tomato and sour cream.

Walnut-Pesto-Crusted Turkey (thank you, Rachael Ray!)
Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup store-bought pesto
1 cup walnuts, finely ground
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
4 turkey breast cutlets
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
lemon wedges, for serving

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the pesto to a second medium bowl. In a third bowl, mix the walnuts and breadcrumbs. Add the turkey cutlets to the pesto, turning to coat. Working with one at a time, dip the cutlets into the walnut mixture, then the eggs, then the walnut mixture again to coat.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the cutlets and lower the heat to low. Cook, turning once, until golden-brown, approximately 5-6 minutes per side. Serve w/lemon wedges

Pineapple Pork Stew is a repeat - see post below for recipe

Grilled Tuna:
Ingredients:
· 1 pound of tuna steaks
Marinade:
· 2 tablespoons dijon honey mustard
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 2 teaspoons soy sauce
· 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or white vinegar

Directions:
About 1 to 2 hours before grilling, place tuna in a glass bowl. Combine marinade ingredients; pour over tuna and turn to make sure all pieces are well coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it's time to grill. Spray a clean grill or grilling container with non-stick cooking spray. Grill over hot coals for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until nicely charred on the outside and still a bit pink in the middle.

Mexican Pizza
Ingredients:
homemade dough for one 12" to 14" pizza crust or one prepared pizza crust (such as Boboli)
1 cup vegetarian refried beans
1-1/2 cups salsa
1 cup black beans
8 oz. shredded Mexican cheese blend (cheddar, Monterey Jack) -- lowfat is okay
canned jalapeno peppers (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. If using homemade pizza dough, roll out enough for a 12- to 14-inch pizza.
3. Place pizza dough on a heavy baking sheet or pizza pan. (Hint: If using homemade pizza dough, scatter a little cornmeal over the baking sheet before placing the dough on it, to prevent sticking.)
4. In a small bowl, stir together the refried beans and salsa. Spread over the pizza dough or prepared pizza crust.
5. Scatter black beans evenly over the top.
6. Top with cheese and a few jalapeno peppers, if using.
7. Bake 12-18 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.

Menu/Recipes for February 23-March 1

I'll be out of town at the end of this week, so this week's menu is shorter than usual.

Menu (February 23 – March 1):
Monday, February 23: Pineapple Pork Stew w/rice and salad
Tuesday, February 24: Chicken Parmigiana w/whole grain pasta and salad
Wednesday, February 25: 1950s Style Meatloaf w/mashed potatoes and green beans
Thursday, February 26: Grilled Cocoa Spiced Salmon
Friday, February 27-Sunday March 1: Out of Town

Recipes:

Pineapple Pork Stew
Ingredients:
· 4 (1-inch thick) boneless pork loin chops
· 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
· 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
· 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
· Freshly ground black pepper
· 1 teaspoon olive oil
· 6 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
· 1/2 cup chicken broth
· 3 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce
· 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
· 1 (8 ounces) can of pineapple chunks, drained with juice retained
· 1 green bell pepper, core removed and cut into 1-inch chunks
· Cooked white rice

Preparation:
Sprinkle both sides of the pork chops with salt, sage, thyme, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet. Brown seasoned pork chops in batches. Transfer pork to the crockpot, along with any juices. Add carrots, chicken broth, and teriyaki sauce to the crock and stir to combine. Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours. When pork is done, mix pineapple juice with the cornstarch until smooth. Stir into the pork mixture, then add the pineapple and bell pepper. Switch to High setting and cook an additional 15 to 30 minutes until thickened. Serve Pineapple Pork Stew over cooked white rice. Yield: 4 servings

1950s Style Meatloaf
Ingredients:
· 1-1/2 pounds ground beef (chuck is best)
· 1/2 pound ground pork sausage (seasoned or not)
· 2 eggs, lightly beaten
· 1 cup fine bread crumbs
· 1 large clove of garlic, pressed
· 1/2 cup minced sweet onion
· 1/4 cup minced green bell pepper
· 1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
· 1 teaspoon kosher salt
· Freshly ground pepper to taste
· 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
· 1 package dry Lipton's Onion Soup mix
· 1/2 cup milk
· 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste, divided use
· 2 to 4 strips bacon, cut in half (optional)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ground beef, pork sausage, eggs, bread crumbs, garlic, sweet onion, bell pepper, oregano, kosher salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, onion soup mix, milk, and half of the tomato paste. Gently mix only until combined. Do not overwork the meat or it will become tough. Form into a loaf. Cover with the remaining half can of tomato paste. Weave the bacon strips over the top. Bake 1 hour. Let meatloaf rest 15 minutes before cutting to serve. Yield: 6 servings


Grilled Cocoa Spiced Salmon
Ingredients:
· 2 Tablespoons olive oil
· 1/4 cup sugar
· 1 teaspoon dry mustard
· 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
· 1 tablespoon paprika
· 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
· 1/4 cup chili powder
· 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
· 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
· 1-1/2 Tablespoons kosher salt
· 1 (16-ounces) large salmon filet

Mustard Sauce:
· 1/4 cup dry mustard
· 1/4 cup sugar
· 2 Tablespoons hot water

Preparation:
Heat a grill on medium-high heat. Smear 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over the bottom of a shallow aluminum pan. Whisk together sugar, dry mustard, cinnamon, paprika, cocoa, chili powder, cumin, pepper, and salt. Coat both sides of the salmon filet with remaining olive oil. Place in grill pan skin-side down. Sprinkle generously with the cocoa spice mixture and pat down. (You may have some spice mix left over. Store in a glass jar in a cool, dark place up to 6 months.) Grill salmon about 10 minutes per inch of thickness, until salmon flakes easily with a fork. Do not overcook or it will become dry. Mustard Sauce:Whisk together dry mustard, sugar, and hot water until smooth. Serve as a condiment with Grilled Cocoa Spiced Salmon.

Yield: 4 servings

Note: You may also broil this salmon dish in your oven if a grill is not available.

Tugging on my heartstrings...

These past few months have been particularly trying with Joshua. He's too smart for his own good, he's a natural negotiator, and he can really, really try my patience.

Tonight, as we prayed before I bed, I said "Lord, please help make me the best mommy I can be to Joshua." As soon as the prayer was over, he said, "Mommy, you don't have to pray that - you're already the best Mommy for me."

*sniffle sniffle* I love that boy.

Favorite hymns?

On one of the blogs I stalk, a friend recently wrote about their favorite hymn, which got me thinking about my favorite...or favorites. There are so many that I love: It Is Well With My Soul (preferably sung in 4 part acapella harmony), Fairest Lord Jesus (the first hymn to which I ever learned all the verses), Amazing Grace ('nuff said). The list could go on and on.

But if I had to choose just one, I'd have to pick "Love of God" by Frederick M. Lehman (1917). The third verse is my favorite. The picture it presents resonates deep in my heart.

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain: Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—The saints’ and angels’ song.

When hoary time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

So, what's your favorite hymn and why?

Heard around my house...

My son absolutely keeps me in stitches! Yesterday he talked and talked and talked and talked to the point that when my mom took him to the dentist for his six month check-up, she had the hygenist tell Joshua that he couldn't talk while the flouride dried on his teeth. This isn't true - but she had to help out poor Grammy. Well, Joshua was just floored by this and announced to me as soon as I arrived to pick him up last night, "Mommy, I couldn't talk and it really bothered me because" *insert great sigh and emphasis* "I didn't have any way to communicate!"

Or how about earlier today when I asked him to please come up with a different song or sing something other than the same phrase over and over and over. Finally, I told him to stop singing. He looked at me with these huge eyes, placed a hand over his heart, and said, "but, Mommy, when I can't sing, it actually kind of hurts my heart because I have these songs in me that I have to sing!"

Interestingly, he's adamant that he does not want to take piano lessons. However, if you know anyone offering cymbal lessons, he'd like to sign up.

That boy...

Love isn't always pretty...

On Friday, my mom and sister decided to take the kids on an impromptu garage sale trip. Joshua was out of school for teacher inservice, so he, Julia, Randall, and Ally joined in the fun. Mom gave each kid a bag with six or eight quarters in it, and that was their "budget" for the morning. They came home with hideous treasures - a painted pottery footprint dish with "OKLAHOMA" painted on it, a Nerf Laser gun that shoots really fast nerf bullets (Kyle almost shot my eye out!), and other obnoxious things.

Joshua can be very...well, very 5 years old. He likes to get things, horde things, collect things, refuse to part with things, and always, always, always collect more things. For himself.

However, he used one of his quarters to purchase a decorative item for me. I don't know if it's a paperweight or a knick-knack or what, but I know it's ugly. Hideous, actually. But he thought of me and he used one of his quarters for me instead of for himself, and my heart is full to overflowing because of his kindness.

Edited to add: It's going to work with me tomorrow and will be proudly displayed in my office.

A letter to my child....

When I was a kid, my parents and I had a notebook in which we wrote notes back and forth. Some things are easier to say in writing instead of face-to-face, you know? Sometimes I wish Joshua and Julia were old enough to read. Here's what today's entries would look like:

Dearest Joshua,

You are such a leader and so empathetic and your little friends absolutely love you - but seriously, stop talking. I do not need to know every single thought that crosses your mind. A filter between your brain and your mouth will bode you well in life. Let's practice now.

While we're on the subject of not talking, always remember that this household is a not a democracy but a benevolent dictatorship. I do not negotiate with terrorists - or 5 year olds. Stop trying to make a deal. You have two main choices: take it or leave it.

I love your "unusual self-confidence" (as one of your teachers put it), but please let me teach you at a young age that there's a fine line between self-confidence and obnoxious arrogance. You do not, in fact, have it all figured out. I still know more than you - I simply don't feel obligated to prove it.

I love you, son, a million times around the moon and back again.

Love, Mommy

***********************

Precious Julia,

I know that you know that you're the most adorable little girl in the whole wide world, but never ever forget that true beauty is on the inside. And being cute doesn't mean you have to act obnoxiously cutesy - please, please talk like a big girl. I truly hate trying to translate your baby talk!

There is such a special bond between us, and you're one of my most favorite people in the whole entire world - but, believe it or not, it would do wonders for our relationship if I could go to the bathroom without carrying on a conversation with you outside the door. Thank you for staying outside the door these days, but is a little silence too much to ask? Two minutes, that's all!

I love you, baby girl - best, most, high, low, and thiiiiiiiiiiiis much!

Love, Mommy


So, what would your letters look like? ;-)