I Tri and Craft

thoughts from a mother of boys, a marathoner, a triathlete, a crafter, a wife, and a scientist


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Menu Plan Monday July 29

What happened to July?

This week is our trifecta of wedding anniversaries.  My sister got married on Aug 1st, then I got married on July 31st, then my cousin got married on July 30th.

 

So go ahead.  Party hard this week and celebrate this week with us.
Sometimes I think Monday should be Food-Photo Day.

I love taking pictures of Baby Sid eating.  I think cause he loves to eat so much.

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Here is a picture of the boys getting really excited about spaghetti and broccoli

 

Menu Plan 7/29-8/4

Mon: Carne Bistec (Steak with Onion and Tomatoes) served over rice

Tue: Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas and Mac & Cheese for the kiddos

Wed: Lowcountry Smothered Pork Chops with Roasted Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese (Our Wedding Anniversary)

Thr: Three Chicken Alfredo Bake with french bread

Fri: Garden Basil Soup made with Tortallini 

Sat: Kitchen is closed

Sun: Cajun Chicken Sandwiches 

Happy Cooking

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Need something to help plan your meals?  I use the Plan to Eat online meal planner.  Try it free for 30 days

Simple Meal Planning - Plan to Eat

Find more recipes at I’m an Organizing Junkie


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Menu Plan Monday July 22

I learned a lot about bee stings this weekend.

I had planned to share what happened, but the day got away from me and now I am tired, that post will come later.

Here is what I am cooking this week and I plan on using my crock pot. A lot.  At least four times this week.

I am hoping I don’t have to turn my oven on at all!

I am also going to make some banana-avocado baby food. Yum!

Menu Plan 7/22-7/28

Mon: Cajun Chicken Sandwiches with chips and salad Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

Tue: Pork Taquitos 

Wed: General Tso’s Chicken

Thr: Sloppy Joes with fries or tater tots

Fri: Crock Pot Beer Chicken with Slow Cooker Brown Rice Risotto

Sat: Kitchen is closed

Sun: Lowcountry Smothered Pork Chops with Roasted Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese  Tortellini Bake with Meat Sauce

Happy Cooking

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Need something to help plan your meals?  I use the Plan to Eat online meal planner.  Try it free for 30 days

Simple Meal Planning - Plan to Eat

Find more recipes at I’m an Organizing Junkie

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Menu Plan Monday May 27

On Saturday I was walking in from the garage and threw out my back.

I wasn’t even carrying any laundry!

I would try to stretch my back out, trying to put things back, doing some yoga.

Every time I would lie on the floor I would have some visitors.

Ian asks “canna I sit on your back an put my feets on your arms?”

There was a point when I had to crawl down the hall pushing a laundry basket.  It was pathetic.

But alas, life goes on as does motherhood.  Ian keeps asking if my back is better, but then forgets and asks me to pick him up.  He then has sympathy pains and tells me his back hurts too.  He is such a great kid!

Mr Hubby is leaving town on Wed to do some fishing with Da Boys.  So I decided to cook things I know Ian will eat.  Hopefully this will make my life a little easier.

Menu Plan 7/15-721

Mon: Spaghetti with garlic bread

Tue: Easy Beer Mac & Cheese with chicken

Wed: Baked Ravioli 

Thr: Tacos

Fri: Caesar Chicken Burgers with pasta salad 

Sat:

Sun: Garlic & Rum Grilled Pork Chops with Pepper Jack Potatoes 

Happy Cooking

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Need something to help plan your meals?  I use the Plan to Eat online meal planner.  Try it free for 30 days

Simple Meal Planning - Plan to Eat

Find more recipes at I’m an Organizing Junkie


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Homemade Baby Food ~ Berry Yogurt Smoothie Pouch

My toddler loves those baby food pouches that are all the rage now.

The food pouches started coming out when he was about a year and a half.  I thought they were fantastic!

They were easy for him to eat himself and they wouldn’t break in my bag.

Since then they have come out with a slew of food combinations.  Ones that are just fruits or veggies and fruit/veggie combinations.  They also have ones with yogurt and ones with grains.

But have you ever bought any of them?  They are about $1.50 each.  I usually try to get them only on sale, but they are still over a dollar each.

I had thought about ways to make my own reusable bags.  But alas, before I could make a design someone else did.  Well, now really multiple companies have ones.

As I talk about in this post, I purchased a system to fill up pouches with my own cooking.

This time I decided to make a yogurt smoothie.

I had a bunch of berries and a big carton of yogurt.

 

 

Homemade Berry Yogurt Smoothie Pouch

I cooked about 2 pints of berries with some sugar to draw out and concentrate the flavor.

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Then I blended whole milk yogurt, the drained berries, dry milk powder, & baby oatmeal cereal.  I use the baby oatmeal cereal because it is designed to be used with a liquid, without additional cooking.  Plus it is a fine powder, so it will add nutrients and thicken the smoothie without any grit.

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The berries can water down the yogurt so I would also recommend adding some dried milk powder.

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I made about seven 4oz pouches, filled a couple of jars then froze the rest.

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Of course Ian was excited, because he still loves to eat food out of the pouches.

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He said “mmm…dat was delicious”

If the pouches won’t be consumed before the yogurt’s expiration date, then it should be frozen.

You can freeze the yogurt as drops for snacks, in ice-cube trays or in baby food jars.

 

 

Homemade Berry Yogurt Smoothie Pouch

2 pints of berries

1 tbsp sugar

3 cups whole milk yogurt

1/2 cup baby oatmeal cereal (or other milled grain)

1/4-1/2 cup powdered milk (for thinking)

Heat berries over low heat with sugar for approximately 10 minutes or toss with sugar and let stand at room temperature for about an hour.

Drain the berries, reserving the juice.

Blend berries, yogurt and cereal or powdered grains.  If too thick add juice from berries, if too thin add powdered milk, until desired consistency is reached.

Here are some reusable food pouch resources (I have only used the Infantino product, so I know nothing about the others)

The Squeeze Station (this is what I have)

Keeper Squeeze Pouch

The Sili Squeeze 

Go Fresh Baby

U-Fill Snack Pack

Little Green Pouch

Yummi Pouch

Squooshi

Happy Squeezing

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I was not asked to write this post, nor was I compensated in any way for it and the opinions expressed are all my own.  I bought the products I have, and enjoy using them.