MCM

In loving memory ...

Menu Plan Monday: June 27-July 3

There's really not a lot to the menu this week! We're finally getting red tomatoes from the garden, so I'm definitely incorporating them into a lot of meals - even if only as a side dish. 
So here's the plan:


Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, macaroni and cheese (this has been on the menu the past two weeks and we have never gotten around to grilling!)
Tuesday: Camping! We'll have grilled pork chops, potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes
Wednesday: We'll be floating the river, so likely grab some fast food on the way home :)
Thursday: Tostadas
Friday: Salmon patties with noodles cooked in tomato juice and fried potatoes
Saturday: July 3 party at my aunt and uncle's house. I'll take a veggie. 


For more meal planning ideas and recipes, go to I'm an Organizing Junkie!

A splash of color

For the past couple of weeks, I've been sporting an amazing tan from the waist up. All the swimming and work outside was paying off :)

The big mystery is why my legs were still white as a ghost — I was wearing shorts, shouldn't they be tan too? I'd contemplated all those sprays and lotions, even fake baking to get a little color (especially for my friends wedding last weekend), but fears of turning orange or developing cancer (plus the high price tags!) stopped me. 

One week ago, I caved and spent a whopping nine bucks on this:

Wow. Best money I ever spent. Yeah, I do have to wait a few minutes to put clothing on over it, but it has a fabulous smell and great color and results! Several people commented on the color as the week went by ... and although it's slightly off, it's pretty close to my real tan!

Jergens Natural Glow is definitely my new best friend - and not only does it take away the ghostly glare, it also promises to firm up skin and reduce the appearance of that lovely cottage cheese - hells yeah!

Even though it does seem kind of expensive, I think this bottle will last at least a month, and be well worth it.

No, Jergens didn't pay me a thing to write this! I just plain love the lotion and am singing its praises. Although, if Jergens decided to send me some product, I certainly wouldn't complain :)

Classy

A couple of my besties and I are the girls you don't want anywhere near your bachelorette party or wedding if you are wanting formal and elegant.
Seriously. Our friend Liz got married last weekend. When it came to planning the bach party, we had strict rules. 
For the wedding, we were given a task no one would think we could use to embarrass - cutting the cake. 
But we had to add our own little touch ... Jess, Chelle and Bel style:

Cheers, Josh and Liz!

Yum-o

I have a really bad habit of buying produce, eating about half, then letting it go bad.
Just ask my two super-mushy bananas I discovered Sunday. I told myself I wouldn't waste them, however, and remembered a muffin recipe I copied a while back. So I made them last night and let me tell you, they are DELISH!

I wish I could remember where I copied this so I could credit, but I can't for the life of me. But here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 egg

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas

• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Super easy and super good - just the way I like it :)


And by the way, the Farmhouse Chicken I made last night was a new recipe, but definitely a keeper. We both loved the flavor, and were full without eating half of it. Cheap, pretty healthy and filling - what's not to love?

This week's menu

Once again I was a Menu Plan Monday FAIL --- I tried to post from home, but the Internet was acting up. Plus I had been busy all day, but that's another story. 
Oh well. Here goes:


Sunday: Sandwiches and chips
Monday: Farmhouse chicken and green beans
Tuesday: Macaroni and cheese lasagna, garlic bread, salad
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, French Fries (made from fresh potatoes!)
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Homemade pizza, garlic bread/sticks


The garden is really starting to produce, so I'm planning to start incorporating more tomatoes and cucumbers into meals! Also there are potato farms nearby and we'll get a bag of fresh ones this week, so I'll not only have those to cook into chips and more, I also plan to try a recipe of freezing the potatoes into our own fries. 

Wordless Wednesday

Aren't my boys adorable?

I really do have it all!