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 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.

Yogurt_01_11July2013

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.

Yogurt_02_11July2013

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

Yogurt_03_11July2013

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

Yogurt_04_11July2013

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

Yogurt11July2013

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.


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Menu Plan Monday July 8

Did you have a nice 4th of July holiday?

I had all four days off.  Thursday to Sunday.

Monday is going to be a bitch going back to work.

We were supposed to go out-of-town, but decided not to.  While I am sad we didn’t, I am also glad because it is a lot of work to get ready to go and then unpack when we get home.

We had a great weekend right here at home.

Obviously this was not Ian’s first 4th of July, nor was it his first experience seeing fireworks, but it was his first time doing fireworks himself.

Ian's first time with sparklers

Ian’s first time with sparklers

(Please excuse the brown patch in my mom’s grass, it was from the slip n’ slide)

He did sparklers at my mom’s house with his cousins and after dark we set off some fountains at home.  He had a great time.

It was Baby Sid’s first 4th, but he didn’t partake in the fireworks.  He liked watching his cousins, but was in bed before we did the ones at home.

Baby Sid's first 4th

Baby Sid’s first 4th

Because I had made this months menu plan ahead of time I was able to do my shopping on Saturday night.

Yep.  Saturday night.  I really know how to have a good time.  Kids in bed and I am at the grocery store.

Rockin’ it.

Menu Plan 7/8-7/14

Mon: French Dip Sandwiches (From leftover Sunday roast)

Tue: Parmesan Crusted Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Basil Soup

Wed: Sweet & Spicy Bacon Chicken with garlic noodles 

Thr: Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

Fri: Easy Garlic Chicken with Creamy Bacon Pasta

Sat:

Sun: Cajun Chicken Stuffed with Spinach and Pepper Jack Cheese, Blistered Green Beans and Rice Pilaf 

Hopefully it won’t be too hot to cook this week.

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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Heat Wave Menu Plan Monday July 1-updated

Updated on July 2nd!

Baby Sid LOVES the pool.

menuplan01July2013

Update July 2nd!

So driving home last night I remembered it was a holiday weekend, so the menu plan I posted was completely wrong!

That’s what I get for trying to plan on the fly.  I have updated this weeks menu plan.

Menu Plan 7/1-7/7

Mon: We won’t be home, so I don’t know what we will end up doing

Buffalo Ranch Chicken wraps

Tue: Chicken Pesto Wraps (carry over from last week) with chips

Wine Glazed Steak with mashed potatoes

Wed: Pepper Jack Pulled Pork Sandwiches with salad

Take Out

Thr: Caesar Chicken Burgers with pasta salad (not sure what kind yet)

Fourth of July BBQ

Fri: Wine Glazed Steak with mashed potatoes

Camping

Sat: Left overs

Camping

Sun: Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes with tater tots

Coming home from camping

Happy Cooking & Happy 4th!

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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