December 29, 2014
by Dawn Marie Leave a comment

Menu Plan Monday Dec 29th

Oh my goodness. This week’s menu plan goes into the new year. It is hard to believe this year will be done and we will be on a new one when I do my next plan.

When I did my meal plan last week I went ahead and wrote out this weeks too and boy was I happy I took the time. Who knows, maybe this upcoming year I will start planning a whole month of meals at a time

The other night was one heck of a night with the kids. They were coming down from all the Christmas activities and just fighting constantly. Especially over new toys. So it was a beer kind of night. I had this wonderful 22oz bottle of Vanilla Porter in the fridge that I cracked open, but only ended up drinking one glass of it….

Since it went flat, I wanted to use the rest for a pork roast. Last night I made this Balsamic Beer Braised Pork and it was absolutely wonderful. I actually had a pork tenderloin, not a butt roast, so I turned the oven temp down and only cooked it for about 45 minutes. I then thickened the sauce to make a gravy. Wonderful.

On Christmas Eve my sister makes Cioppino for dinner. I don’t like it but my husband loves it, and as it turns out so does Sid.

He did his happy food dance when he was eating the leftovers on Friday.

Menu Plan 12/29-1/4

Mon: Bowtie Skillet Lasagna

Tues: Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Bacon and One Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Wed: New Years Eve dinner at a friend’s house

Thr: Ham & Cheese Gnocchi

Fri: Leftovers

Sat: Kitchen is closed

Sun: Italian Crumb Topped Cod and rice pilaf

Happy Cooking

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

Find more recipes at I’m an Organizing Junkie

June 10, 2014
by Dawn Marie Leave a comment

Menu Plan Monday June 9th

Here it is again, time to plan some meals.

Yes, yes, I know, it’s Tuesday not Monday….I had wanted to put my meal plan out on Sunday night, so it wouldn’t interfere with the Silhouette Challenge post yesterday, but the best laid plans of mice. Right?

Why is dinner time so trying for my children?

Sid is such a little copycat, he does everything his brother does. So when Ian doesn’t stay in his seat at dinner, neither does Sid. Sunday was one of those nights. I got the boys their plates and Ian informed me they wanted to eat outside. So I put the plates down on their little table outside and proceeded to get mine ready.

Twice I had to go out to tell them to sit down. On the benches, not the table. And no, they don’t need to ‘just go get a toy’ or a stick or a ball or a blanket or anything else. I hadn’t even gotten food on my plate by this time. I turn back to the kitchen when I hear that distinct sound of a plastic plate hitting the ground.

Ian had gotten up, again, and Sid decided brother’s identical dinner looked better than his own. So he reached for it, and Ian rushed back to save it and somehow Sid’s plate got knocked to the ground.

Mama lost it, and so did dad. OK. We didn’t really flip out that much, but we did have to raise our voices, to which a very tired Sid responded with loud bawling and refusal to eat at all. After I finally got my dinner plate ready I relented and let Sid sit on my lap, and he still wouldn’t eat, but at least he wasn’t screaming any more. I somehow tricked him into taking a bite and he was hooked after that. But who could resist pulled pork slowly cooked in beer?

Both boys finally ate their dinner, I still had to remind Ian to keep eating, and to stay sitting but we got through it.

This was not taken on Sunday, they just love to eat outside

Menu Plan 6/9-6/15

Mon: Pasta Carbonara Frittata

Tue: Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak and Potatoes

Wed: Cauliflower Crust Stromboli

Thr: Garlic Pesto Chicken with Tomato Cream Penne

Fri: Leftovers

Sat: Kitchen is Closed!

Sun: Father’s Day ~ so hubbs will be picking but I guess it will have some beef in it

Happy Cooking

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

Find more recipes at I’m an Organizing Junkie

June 2, 2014
by Dawn Marie Leave a comment

Menu Plan Monday June 2nd ~ Tomato Soup Recipe

I have finally found a non-condensed, organic tomato soup that I like.

Let me clarify something: I DO NOT like tomatoes. At all. They totally gross me out, and I can’t stand the smell.

But I have always like Campbell’s Tomato soup, because it doesn’t taste like tomatoes. (I will eat tomato based stuff like marinara sauce, but I don’t like the chunks of tomatoes in it)

I am trying to get away from the canned soup with the high sodium, because I don’t want the boys eating it. I finally found one that I like, it is not condensed, so you don’t need to add anything to it. But I found it is the perfect ingredient to this wonderful Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup with Tortellini.

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup with Tortellini

What you will need:

1 20 0z package of refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 32 0z box of Pacific (or any brand) tomato soup*
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
pepper to taste

How to make it:

In a large pot boil pasta according to package directions

In another pot melt butter, blend in flour and cook on low till thick and bubbly. Stir in milk, cook on low stirring constantly, add grated Parmesan cheese. You may use shredded cheese but the smaller the cheese pieces the easier it will melt and incorporate into roux.