Time to take control!!!!!

Hi y'all!!!   Have you ever gotten so crazy-busy that you feel like a little hamster running round and round, working feverishly but never seeing any progress?

That’s how I’ve been in my kitchen for the last two months…

So what happened, you might ask???  Well, high school started, and I feel like someone hit me over the head with my favorite big cast iron frying pan!  I walk around seeing stars all the time, wondering what the heck happened???!!!

Life with teenagers who love being involved in EVERYTHING has been a little hectic, to say the least...  We seem to go from activity to activity, from sun up to sun down!!   On top of working full time, my extra-curricular activities include driving kids to and from athletics, marching band, and FFA animal duties, FFA judging contest practices, and so on and so on....  Then there’s out of town volleyball games and Friday football games…. 

In case I didn’t have enough to do, I also became an officer in our Band Boosters club and was put in charge of a very busy concession stand, AND I signed up for a BOOT CAMP at my favorite gym!!!!  (www.nessasgym.com)

  

Thank goodness for Menu Maker Mom’s Make-a-Menu System, which has kept my family fed with yummy, budget friendly, healthy food!

This system is so easy, and anytime you make this Mama's job easy, it makes this Mama happy!  And everybody around here knows that  IF MAMA AIN’T HAPPY, AIN'T NOBODY HAPPY!!!

So without further adieu, I give you …..  {{{drumroll, please}}}

MY MENU  (for the next 2 weeks)

Oct. 3 - Monday -  Crockpot night - EASY Sirloin tips in savory brown gravy with roasted carrots and potatoes, pear crisp for dessert

Oct. 4 - Tuesday - Crockpot night - Spaghetti and homemade meatballs, salad, garlic bread sticks

Oct. 5 - Wednesday - Crockpot night - Mexican frijoles with cast iron skillet cornbread

Oct. 6 - Thursday  - Grilled chicken fajitas (thanks, HEB, for marinating these and pricing them at $1.00/lb. through Tuesday!), guacamole, and all the fixin's, tortillas (corn and flour), chopped salad

Oct. 7 - Friday - FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS!!! - Will be looking for some burgers in Natalia, Texas!

Oct. 8 - Saturday - Menu Maker Mama's Pizzaria!!!, soda and ice cream floats

Oct. 9 - Sunday - Annual FFA bbq fundraiser!  YUMMM!!!!

 
Oct. 10 - Monday - Herbed oven roasted chicken with gravy, steamed rice, sauteed green beans, angel fruit salad

Oct. 11 - Tuesday - Crockpot night - Mama's chicken and rice soup

Oct. 12 - Wednesday - Roasted pork loin with fresh sage and root vegetables, baked apples with raising and cinnamon

Oct. 13 - Thursday - SUPER EASY Southwest chicken, rice, and black bean tortilla wraps.  YUMMM!!!

Oct. 14 - Friday - VOLLEYBALL AND FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS!!! - Concession stand hot dogs!

Oct. 15 - Saturday - AREA BAND MARCHING COMPETITION! - Out to eat at a local steakhouse, Hermann Sons Steakhouse, with a fab reputation for good old fashioned yummy food!  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please drop me a line and let me know how your cookin' is coming along!

Love y'all!

Menu Maker Mom

BARGAIN MEAL OF THE WEEK!

On Sale at HEB this week: Pork for Carnitas at $1.49/lb. I can't wait to make Carnitas and serve on Homemade Tortillas!

2 lb. Pork for Carnitas, cut in cubes - $3.00 (or use pork butt, shoulder roast, country pork ribs, etc.)
3 garlic cloaves, peeled and mashed
3/4 cup orange juice - .25
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano, dried
1 tsp chili powder
~~~~~~~~~~~
1 avacado - $1.00
2 tomatoes - .50
Shredded lettuce for tacos - $1.00
Picante sauce to taste
Homemade tortillas (storebought will do too! If you use storebought, try using corn!)

STEP #1: Dump the pork, garlic, orange juice, water, salt, pepper, oregano, and chili powder in the crockpot. Cook on low at least 7 hours.

STEP #2: Drain the pork, put into a shallow pan, sprinkle with a little of the broth, and bake at 350 until browned and crispy on edges.

STEP #3: Spoon pork into tortillas, top with chopped avacado, lettuce, tomatoes, and picante sauce.

This is so good, it will make you cry. Yes, I said you will cry.