Month of Meals

*sorry it's small. I will work on making it larger*

This is one great tool I use to be able to buy my groceries once a month. As you can see it's in pencil. I don't follow it to a tee I adjust things depending on how I am feeling, But I do always know that I have things in stock. I usually pull things from the freezer two nights before so they are defrosted. Since it's so small I will list the meals below:

grill cheese, BLT's, pasta and meat sauce, pizza, chicken nuggets/tots, rib eyes/fries, calizones, chicken bake, lasagna, hamburgers/fires, taco's, mac-n-cheese, sausage/porgies, pork chops/rice, prime rib/potatoes
We eat out on Thursday's and if we decide not to I will bring something home. On Tuesday's we eat left overs I work until 7.

How long can you freeze food?

Here is a guide to how long you can freeze foods before you sacrifice quality. Keep in mind that quality does deteriorate the longer food sits in your freezer, so aim to defrost sooner rather than later.

Bacon: 1 to 2 months
Breads: 2 to 3 months
Casseroles: 2 to 3 months
Cooked beef and pork: 2 to 3 months
Cooked poultry: 4 months
Cookie dough: 3 months
Fruit: 8 to 12 months
Frozen dinners: 3 to 4 months
Hot dogs: 1 to 2 months
Lunch meats: 1 to 2 months
Sausage: 1 to 2 months
Soups and stews: 2 to 3 months
Uncooked chicken (parts): 9 months
Uncooked chicken (whole): 1 year
Uncooked steaks, chops, or roasts: 4 to 12 months
Uncooked ground meat: 3 to 4 months
Vegetables: 8 to 12 months

Basic tips for freezing food:
Freeze foods as close to purchase (or harvest if you have a garden) as possible. The fresher food is when you freeze it, the better the quality when you defrost it.
While most foods can be frozen, there are some foods you should keep out of the freezer. Don't freeze canned foods or eggs in shells (which can crack and allow bacteria to enter). Technically you can freeze mayonnaise, cream sauce, and lettuce, but the quality takes a big hit. Cool cooked foods down before freezing so they freeze faster, which helps preserve quality.
Packaging matters and varies depending on what you're freezing. If you choose glass over plastic containers, wrap, or bags, you'll need to make sure it's tempered so it doesn't break.
You can freeze meat in its original packaging, but if you want to store it for long periods of time, add an additional layer of packaging, such as plastic wrap or bags.
It's always a good idea to label items so you know what they are and how long they've been in the freezer.
Resist the temptation to defrost foods on your counter top. The three safest ways to thaw foods are in your fridge, in cold water, and in the microwave.

How to freeze fresh produce:
The key to freezing fresh fruit is to spread out the cleaned, dried, and prepared (cut up) pieces of fruit on cookie sheets. Once the individual pieces of fruit are frozen, you can combine and put in freezer bags.
Vegetables usually need to be blanched (boiled or steamed for a short time) before freezing to maintain flavor, color, and texture.

To do list

Month of August & September Goals:

Organize

• clean out my office- organize paperwork, get all files cleaned out, get rid of school books -1/2 done. I worked on this ALL weekend. I have thrown out all magazines, papers that I don't need. I have organized my card making supplies, wedding decor & organized my desk!!!!!! I still need to clean out my filing cabinet and finish organizing the closet (getting rid of text books that I haven't looked at in 10+years)


• prepare the office to paint- it is already light brown I am going to paint a horizontal stripe (like a chair rail) then paint the bottom half chocolate brown or sage green.
• organize all decorations- Christmas, Spring, Fall
• find curtains bathroom & bedroom (new shades)
• Organize the upstairs spare room
• re-organize upstairs furniture (move dressers, chair & desk)

It's a big list. I am out of town 2 weekends in August so I will need to schedule time to get this done during the week. I know I will feel so much better once everything is in order.

Plan of Action-List

I am a list maker! I love list, I love crossing things off once they are complete. It gives me joy! Surprise I have a list for my cupcake dream.

• find a great recipe-(in process) I have searched and searched for several flavors of cupcakes. Instead of over loading myself I am going to start with a basic vanilla cupcake.
• find a great recipe for butter cream base frosting. I want a true BUTTER cream. If I have a great base to expand to other flavors
• Set time aside for working on my cupcakes.
• Once I have a great base for the cupcake and frosting start exploring flavors. Everyone loves the basic but I want to make unique cupcakes.
• Decide how far I want to take this. If I want to expand I need to research health codes, prices, packaging and what I want to come from this.

Here is the first part of my plan. I have so many idea's and plans for this adventure.

I would like to have a recipe mastered by 8/13 to take to my family.

Week ahead

Thanks to a good friend I am on my way on making grandma's zucchini bread

The other day I found two zucchini's on my counter and what great timing!

On Saturday before heading out of town I shredded one and stuck it in the freezer and this week I am planning on making bread!!

I plan to use the other on the grill one night this week.

Already this week is filling up:

Monday- no plans (grocery shop)

Tuesday-work until 7:30 (not home until 8)

Wednesday- meeting up w/ a girlfriend to catch up

Thursday- going out w/ another couple to catch up

Friday- work until 2 then hopefully heading home to do things around the house

Saturday- have to work in the AM then off to a BBQ!!!!

WOW!!!

I did make PB/Chocolate chip cookies last week instead of the same old CC cookies

I am hoping tonight that I will clean out the pantry and frig and start my list to stock up on supplies.

Shout out to ALLY!!!

Happy Birthday friend!!!!!!

Wendy

looking ahead.....of lettuce

Well…. I have been slacking. I started this Blog to share my thoughts and recommendations with people and I have been doing a horrible job. I could think of excuses but I’m not so I’m thinking of ways to motivate myself to do a great job at this project. I’m thinking of electing every month with a subject for example: grilling, broiling, meat, vegetables, etc.
So for March I thought it would be nice to make my theme a healthy theme. Taking recipes I already know and making them healthy. I am NOT a health expert but I have so tricks to cut the fat/calories. It’s not about losing weight or hopping on the band wagon of diets it’s about eating great food with a health twist. Trying new things and discovering the good and bad ways to change the recipe.
I will finish February with my fudge recipe, sugar cookies and a couple more loves of mine. Since February is all about love!!!
I am also trying to figure out this posting pictures and Blog thing. I’m not very good at it. I also see so many Blogs that are beautiful! They have great backgrounds and themes I have NO idea how to do that. I will set sometime aside to explore.

I will post my fudge and sugar cookie recipe this week!

Wendy