Menu Plan Monday–Week of June 6

I drove the kiddos and myself nine driving hours (which translates into 12+ when you are doing it solo with three young ones!) up to Indiana last week to visit family.  A wonderful time was had by all–perfect 80 degree weather throughout the week, two cook outs, watching the kidlets and cousins run around in the evening air for hours, soaking up the sights of farmland all around, crisp nights and beautiful sunsets.  With the military keeping us at a distance from family, I soak up every minute of it that I can.  I am so very blessed with extended family that loves my kids as much as if they saw them every week.

Benjamin, my three year old, doesn’t do so hot with sleeping places that aren’t his home.  Since he was a tiny baby, he’s needed that, despite my hope every trip that this one would be different.  This trip proved no different, however.  After four nights of not sleeping well and then another fitful night after arriving home, throw in a birthday party today, and he was tuckered out.  Playing in the dining room this evening, we noticed him quickly slowing down.  Silence.  And we found this.  Shoes still on, even.  Sweet boy.  And not yet a peep out of him, sleeping quite soundly. One quick wake-up asking to be tucked into bed and he was out again.  His eyes were shut before I even got the blanket pulled up around him.

Last week I got off easy with menus.  SoldierBoy requested a few simple meals that I was able to freeze and, upon pulling into the garage Saturday evening, I found him prepping Sicilian-style pizzas to bake and pulling garlic breadsticks out of the oven.  Yum!  And, after too many fast-food meals that week, a home-cooked meal sounded even better.

A cool front is coming through this week–we’re supposed to get down to 94! one day, even.  Needless to say, I’m going to limit the use of the oven as much as I can!!  Time to pull out summer recipes!

Breakfasts
Toast and fruit
Smoothies
Oatmeal
Orange streusel cinnamon muffins (new recipe!)
Cereal

Dinners
Sunday–Maple smokehouse chicken sandwiches with maple bourbon barbecue sauce, fresh fruit
Monday–Skillet pasta, garlic bread cooked on the griddle
Tuesday–Arrachera in corn tortillas, lime rice, pineapple, tortilla chips with roasted salsa
Wednesday–Sloppy joes, crispy oven fries, cole slaw (cabbage from the garden!)
Thursday–General Tso’s chicken, stir-fried veggies, rice
Friday–Mystery meal (a.k.a. nothing sounded good while menu planning, so I’ll decide later in the week!)
Saturday–Chipotle-crusted pork tenderloin, roasted white & sweet potatoes, salad, rolls