The news about Kennedy and Menu Planning Monday

We took Kennedy to the ENT on Friday. Dr. Boone was lovely. I thought she was smart and confident. She answered all my questions and def. gave me an understanding of why Kennedy has some of the symptoms she has and what our options are. She gave us some choices as to what to do with K in the near future. While we were there Kennedy had x-rays taken of her skull, so they could see her adenoids. She did great while we were there. Here is a picture of her getting her x-ray.

When Dr. Boone showed us Kennedy's x-rays she explained that K's adenoids are in fact enlarged and they are at a 75% blockage. This is one of the main reasons she has such trouble being sick so frequently. Her tonsils are also enlarged but not to that point. She explained that K's allergy meds have not been working cause her adenoids are so swollen, hence the constant runny nose and watery eyes. So we have two options remove just the adenoids and see how that helps or remove both the adenoids and the tonsils and be rid of the whole problem.

We have not had much problem with K and soar throats and such so I am unsure about what to do regarding the tonsils. I am just praying about it right now. I am just praying that God will lead me to the right decision and will not rest my mind if I make the wrong one...please pray for us during this time of uncertainty. I do realize this is a pretty run of the mil thing...but it is still scary for me..she is my only child...

anyway on to meal planning

Monday March 9th
B-Pop Tarts/Cereal

L-Beefy Mac-Leftovers

Maple/Apple Pork Tenderloin and adaptation from this recipe

Rice Pilaf

peas

Tuesday March 10th

B-Oatmeal

L-Cheese Burgers and Edamae with Apple Slices

D- Pecan Crusted Chicken, Green Salad and Carrots with Cherry

Pecan Crusted Chicken Recipe

Pecan Crusted Chicken
(I made strips for this because they are more kid friendly, however you could do the full breast or nuggets)
**** Three separate meals to be frozen in gallon size bags
6 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
1 cup Dijon mustard or spicy mustard
2 cups clover honey
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
3 cups crushed rice checks (i used my food processor to make a fine crush for a very crunchy coating)
2 cups crushed pecans (use your food processor for a quick crush)
3 gallon freezer bags
3 snack or quart size freezer bags
1. Prepare your chicken how ever you please (full breast, nuggets, or strips) Divide evenly among your 3 gallon sized freezer bags.
2. Combine honey, mustard (just use what you have..but NOT yellow mustard) oil. salt, garlic, and pepper in a large bowl. Divide evenly over the chicken. PRESS AIR OUT OF BAGS AND SEAL.
3.Mix your Rice chex and pecans mix together. Divide evenly between three of the small bags. PRESS AIR OUT OF BAGS AND SEAL.
4. Freeze (if you are serving one that night for dinner throw it in the fridge and let in marinate for at least 2 hours)
To Cook:
1. Thaw in fridge.
2. Preheat oven @ 350.
3. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray.
4.Put breadcrumbs in a pie plate or large bowl.
5. Take chicken from bag and roll each piece and roll in crumb mixture.
6. Bake for 3o min. or until NO LONGER PINK.
***IF you have extra chicken leftover, it is very very yummy in salad!!!!!!!

Wed March 11th (making dinner with a family at church)

B-Cereal

L- Chicken Snack Wraps, Fruit and Carrot Sticks

D- Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad and Cheesy French Bread


Thurs March 12th (making dinner for a family at church)

B-Poptarts

L-Chicken nuggets, Corn, and Mashed potatoes

D-Taco Soup

Corn Bread

Friday March 13th

B-Cinnamon Toast and Yogurt

L-Peanut Butter and Jelly with veggies and dip

D-Fish Fry /Game night at our Church

Hashbrown Casserole

Apple Pie

Sat March 14th

B-Oatmeal

L- leftovers

D- Chicken cordon blue Sammies, oven Fries, and Carrot Sticks


Sunday-

B-Muffins or Donuts from the new donut shop

L/D Eating @ JT's moms house.

Thankful Thursday and BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe


I have so much to be grateful for daily ...

This week I am grateful for....

1. That God has heard and answered my feeble prayers. I have really been conscious about lifting up every worry to Him and every burden to Him. He has heard and answered each prayer. I can not say how grateful I am for the health he has granted us.

2. I am grateful that we are getting some answers about my niece and her belly problems. Though they are answers I am not necessarily ready for, I am grateful for finding the problems, I am grateful for how God has blessed and blessed even in this time of stress. I am grateful she has parents who are dedicated to making her life amazing no matter what aliment she has...and I am just grateful for her.

3. I am grateful for my new camera that I was able to buy. This is one of the first things I have really saved for and actually achieved getting. I hated the saving and waiting but I love the result of my being diligent in saving.

4. I am grateful for my extremely sweet daughter. She is just the fullness of my heart. I am grateful for the time I get to hold her on the couch and just snuggle. I am grateful for the time we have everyday to read together. I am grateful for our chats.

5. I am grateful for the opportunity to search God through our youth group at church. We have such cool kids. It is truly a blessing for me.

What do you have that God has blessed you with?


So I have been doing a different approach to our grocery shopping. In years past I would go once and we would eat all month. I at the time thought this was a very economical way to shop, but have since changed my mind. Now I am going once a week and trying to plan our menu around things we have in the freezer and left from the days and weeks before. This is going very well for us and is causing me to channel my kitchen creativity in new ways.

Last night I made Barbecue Chicken Pizza. I tried my best to copy others that I had tasted and recipes I had seen all over the Internet. Here is what I came up with.

I made the dough myself by adapting this recipe from Chaos in the Kitchen

Basic Pizza Dough
makes 1 recipe pizza dough, prep 10 min, rise time 1 hour
1 pkg active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp loose yeast)
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 3/4 cup flour
Combine yeast and warm water, stir to dissolve.
Add oil, salt, and flour. Stir to combine.
Once dough starts to come together, turn out onto a floured counter and knead to thoroughly combine-until dough is smooth and elastic. If it is uncooperative let it rest for a few minutes and come back to it.
Place dough ball in a greased bowl and cover loosely. Allow dough to rise until doubled, approximately an hour.

**i used half whole wheat flour and added two tablespoons of honey.

So I started that in the morning and then when dinner time came I spread it out on a greased pizza pan.

Next I gathered all my ingredients from the pantry and fridge.

1. Mozzarella Cheese (a lot of recipes call for Gouda, but we don't have any!)
2. BBQ Sauce
3. Pizza Sauce
4. Leftover BBQ Chicken
5. 1/2 a red onion
6. Bacon (not pictured)


Preheat your oven to 350.

Mix your pizza sauce (about 1/2 a cup..I have to admit I eyeballed it) and BBQ sauce and mix to combine.


Spread the sauce all over your pizza evenly.

Add cheese.

Add pre cooked bacon (you can slightly under cook if you are cooking it at home, cause it will be going in the oven.)

Chop your red onion and then sprinkle over the pizza

Chop the left over chicken and the then sprinkle on top.

Through that bad boy in the over for about 20 minutes....

and enjoy!!!!

I was really happy with how this turned out. I was even happier with how very few items it took that I didn't have on hand...actually there was none. My husband raved about how good it was...Kennedy however would not eat it because it was not peperoni...but when she did finally try it she said it was pretty good...Kids!!!

Menu Planning Monday-Prayer Request-and Scripture Memory

Welcome to another Menu Planning Post...very exciting stuff huh?

Monday
B Cereal
L Peanut Butter and Jelly with apple slices
D- Salisbury Steak (I never got around to making it last week) Yellow Squash with Carrot and Mashed potoatoes

Tuesday
B Cereal
L BBQ Beef Cups and Carrot Sticks
D-BBQ Chicken (already made ahead in freezer---this is the easiest thing ever you literally use your fave bbq sauce and pour it over chicken breast and freeze..you can use lots of cooking methods with this one) Green Beans and Mushrooms and Corn

Wednesday
B Cinnamon Toast and yogurt
L Beefy Mac and salad
D BBQ Chicken Pizza I use this dough Recipe ( I will be using leftover chicken to make this tasty pizza) and 7 layer Salad

Thursday
B Oatmeal
L Macaroni and Cheese and Grapes
D Crock Pot Sloppy Joe's
3 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red or green bell pepper, chopped
1-1/4 cups ketchup
5 TB Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 TB white wine vinegar OR cider vinegar
3 TB prepared yellow mustard
2 tsp. chili powder
8 to 10 hamburger buns
( I will freeze half of this for a meal later in the month)
with oven fries and Corn

Friday
B Eggs in a Nest and Fruit Salad
L We will prob be grabbing Lunch out some place. Kennedy has a doctors appointment on this day. We will be seeing a specialist and hopefully will finally get some answers about her sinus/allergy/nasal issues. Please pray for her and us, that she will remain healthy enough to see this doctor and that the doctor will be able to help her begin to feel better.
D This really depends on the news we get and what time we get out of the doctors office...I may feel to sad to cook or I may finally have relief over the whole ordeal....
Spaghetti and Meatballs

Saturday
B Egg Burritos with Bacon
L Leftovers
D Cheesy Chicken with Bacon and Mushrooms (this is soooo yummy!) Sweet Potatoes and Apple Salad

Sunday
B Cereal
L/D @ JT's moms house

So this week at the Grocery Store I will need to buy
1. Sweet Potatoes
2. Mushrooms
3. Cheddar Cheese
4. Apples
5. Plain Yougurt
6. red onion
7. Guda Cheese
8. lettuce
9. Hamburger Buns
10. Bananas

Like I posted please be in prayer for Kennedy this week and Jeremy and I. Just pray that we all stay healthy in this very germy season so we can all meet with this doctor. I also ask that you will ask God to allow us to find the root problem of Kennedy's on going issues. Please lift up my extended family as well, for reasons I wont say...but God knows.


Today is also the time where I will be choosing a new scripture to commit to memory (I do this every two weeks) I have decided to do one about worry, because I just need a verse to really hold onto right now..and to help me remember to give my worries to God.

So here is the verse I have chose to commit to memory

Philippians 4:6-7 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (NLT)