My First Post

I am in the process of switching over from my Xanga-blog! This is my first post on Blogger, so please be patient.

I am a mommy to 2 little ones so too often my blog gets neglected while I am in the midst of being a SAHM to the 2 lil bugs while also working my home-based business. Since my work is in front of the computer, many times, when work is finished, I just don't want to sit in front of it any more to blog! I will try to transition smoothly and slowly to this blog and see how it goes!

Today I joined in with Menu Plan Mondays at my Xanga blog...perhaps I will start the transition by posting it here as well!

Okay, I have been following along with "Organizing Junkie" and her Menu Plan Mondays for quite some time now! I even incorporated her ideas on sitting down and writing a menu for the week and going to the store to only buy the items to complete my menu, and guess what?...It works AND saves us money on our grocery bill!

I find as my littlest one is getting bigger... ...too quickly I might add...that I find more time to add to my blog. I get around to a few really great blogs, but between my at-home business and taking care of the monkeys, I neglect my blog many times. Well today, I am going to join in with Menu Planning. That should motivate me to really stick to my working out our week's menu and keep saving us the $$$ on our grocery bill!

I tend to stick to a lower carb lifestyle, not just as a fad, but for the long-term health of my family and me. It has worked for us for the last few years now and so most of my menu will incorporate lean meats, veggies, and whole grains.
So here goes!

MONDAY: Cheese Topped Chicken & Mashed Cauliflower
(Calories 334) (Carbs 12g)5 oz (140g) (raw weight) boneless, skinless chicken breast (162)2 tbsp (1 oz/28g) shredded/grated low-fat cheese (70)1 medium tomato, sliced (35)1/4 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp olive or canola oil (45)4 oz (110g) cauliflower flowerets (florets) (25)1 tsp (5g) light butter (17)

Recipe Instructions
1. Beat the chicken breast to flatten, place in oven dish and drizzle oil over.2. Cook, covered in foil, in oven preheated to 180 degrees, for 20 minutes.3. Remove chicken from oven, top with sliced tomato, cheese, grill until cheese melts.4. Boil or microwave cauliflower until soft, mash with butter and pepper.
My family is somewhat finicky...although I will try anything once, so for them, I will bake the chicken and let everyone top with the other ingredients as we serve.

TUESDAY: Pinto beans and Low-Fat Smoked Sausages with taco seasoning, cornbread

WEDNESDAY: Salmon Fantasia with grilled asparagus/mushrooms/onions over brown rice. (Fish sticks for the kiddos)
Recipe Instructions:
1 pound Salmon Fillets 8 Tbsp. Honey 3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce 3 Tbsp. Fresh Ginger, grated 8 Tbsp. Olive Oil 3 Tbsp. Mustard 3 Tbsp. Chopped Chives 3 Tbsp. Lemon Juice 4 Tbsp. Butter
Mix first 5 ingredients (after the salmon) in a shallow bowl. Add salmon fillets and turn several times to coat well. Transfer salmon and marinade to a plastic zipper bag. Squeeze the air out of the bag before sealing. Marinate for 30 minutes (or longer). Remove from bag. Grill 3-4 minutes per side, or until the salmon is flaky.
In a saucepan, melt the butter over high heat. Add lemon juice and chives. Pour over the cooked salmon and serve.

THURSDAY: Hubby's birthday!!! Grilled steak, baked sweet potatoes, salad, whole wheat rolls and a homemade Snickerdoodle cake to celebrate!

Recipe Instructions:
Snickerdoodle Cake
1 pck plain white cake mix1 cup whole milk8 T (1 stick) butter, melted3 large eggs1 t vanilla extract2 t ground cinnamonCinnamon Buttercream frosting (recipe follows)Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.Generously grease 2 round 9 inch cake pans with solid shortening and then duct with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set pans aside. Place the cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look well combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side. Bake the cakes until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger 27-29 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert them again so that the cakes are right side up. Allow them to cool completely, 30 minutes more.

Meanwhile, prepare the Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting. Place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with clean, smooth strokes.

Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
8 T (1 stick) butter; at room temperature3-3/4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted3-4 T milk1 t vanilla extract1 t ground cinnamon Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the confectioner's sugar, 3 T milk, and vanilla. Then add cinnamon. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute more. Blend in up to 1 T milk if the frosting seems too stiff.

FRIDAY: Leftovers or Sandwiches