Last Week of September

I am still feeling under the weather, this just seems to be hanging on which means we are still having a lot of comfort foods. This is coupled with the fact that it is the end of the month so we are working with the end of the groceries on hand.

This week's CSA share. I traded off the cucumbers and gave away the squash and pepper.

Third Week of September

Saturday I was feeling ok and had some time on my own while the boys were getting haircuts. Most of the time I spent cleaning up at the house but I also used the time to pick up my CSA share. Minus the onions this is what I picked up

After the pickup I started feeling a bit icky and by Sunday was full on sick so I did not work on a menu plan. I have been going with easy comfort foods since then.

Sunday Sept 16th:
Breakfast: Donuts and kaloches
Lunch: grilled cheese
Dinner:  chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese

Monday Sept 17th:
Breakfast: biscuits
Lunch: biscuits
Dinner: Carne Guisada from The Food Charlatan which I served as soft tacos with steamed rice and refried beans. 

Tuesday Sept 18th:
Breakfast: leftover biscuits
Lunch: turkey and cheese sandwich
Dinner: Spaghetti with buttered bread

Wednesday Sept 19th:
Breakfast: Biscuit
Lunch: pizza with friend
Dinner: Chicken Enchilada Rice Casserole from Jo Cooks. I used leftovers from the week thus far to make the casserole. It tasted a bit different than normal as I used the leftover Carne Guisada instead of unseasoned chicken.

Thursday Sept 20th:
Breakfast: biscuit
Lunch: Wendy's
Dinner: Bacon, eggs, biscuits and watermelon

Friday Sept 21st:
Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: Sub and soup
Dinner: Homemade chicken noodle soup

Saturday Sept 22nd:
Breakfast: Biscuits
Lunch: sandwich
Dinner: Homemade pepperoni pizza

Second Week of September

This past weekend was full of activity which has made this Monday extra hard. I am really longing for another weekend. The jumping from one activity to the next is why my CSA photo is just a box shot. I gave the bell peppers and lettuce you see peeking through away.

With the veggies/fruit left from last week and this box I came up with this menu plan:

Sunday Sept 9th:
Breakfast: donuts
Lunch: chicken with friends
Dinner: Grilled cheese and turkey sandwiches

Monday Sept 10th:
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: Arby's on the run to meet someone for an offerup sale
Dinner: Got home last night and realized we still had leftover sausage to use up so I made Jolean's Cheese Potato and Smoked Sausage Casserole from Genius Kitchen instead and will just bump Monday to Wednesday and go from there.

Tuesday Sept 11th:
Breakfast: Part of a kolache that the birthday boy did not finish
Lunch: The biscuit I had purchased myself for breakfast and a plum
Dinner: Met friends for fast food at the birthday boy's favorite place

Wednesday Sept 12th:
Breakfast: Honey Nut Cheerios
Lunch: Chicken strip kid's meal at Wendy's with friends
Dinner:Chicken Pasta with Bacon and Spinach in Creamy Tomato Sauce by What's in the Pan. The sauce separated on me ( I was cooking it in a separate pot) and so I just dumped it and served the dish without it. Even without the sauce this was a really tasty dish.

Thursday Sept 13th:
Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: Chinese buffet with friend
Dinner: Peppery Beef and Broccoli from Cooking Light with steamed rice

Friday Sept 14th:
Breakfast: Kaloche and chocolate iced coconut do-nut
Lunch: Pepper chicken and Lo Mein
Dinner: Stir fry using some leftover steak and noodles

Saturday Sept 15th:
Breakfast: biscuits
Lunch: whatburger on the run
Dinner: Homemade Beef Stew Recipe from Ciao Florentina using leftover steak

Truth for Today

This falls into the truth category, my goal to recognize and sit with my feelings instead of running from them or pretending they are not there.

Today I am feeling a deep sadness that started after I dropped my kids at school. My younger son has been crying when I drop him off at school and today it really hit me. I sat in the parking lot for a bit before heading to work.

Once at work I realized yesterday would have been my granny's 100th birthday and tomorrow would be my dad's 71st. My granny died 6 months before my dad did and as sad as that made me I am glad she did not live through another child dying. She had already lost too much. I really, really miss my dad and wish my son's would have known him.

Not sure how long I will sit with these feelings but this is my truth for today

September Shopping and the First Week's Menu!

September! Here in Texas we are hoping for fall but still topping out over 90 degrees. The beauty of the extended summer is great produce still showing up at the farmer's market and in our CSA share. I also have just ignored the temps and have put soup on the menu plan for the week using up some leftovers.

Breakdown: $100 total
Bacon: $12
Whole chicken: $16
Pork cutlets: $6
Ground Water Buffalo: $9
Beef Jerky: $12
Cantaloupe: $2
Watermelon: $4
2 heads butter lettuce: $4
Cookies (4): $4
Sourdough bread: $5
tomatoes: $4
Purple hulled peas: $7
Black eyed peas: $4
Gouda cheese: $9
2 bath bombs: $2

This week's CSA share which was a $12.50 investment because I pre-paid for 42 weeks at the beginning of the season.

This plus 2 cases of water came up to $205.71 so my total for the month is $305.71 as I am not counting the cost of the CSA share. 


This week's menu plan:

Sunday Sept 2nd
Breakfast: donuts
Lunch: potluck at church ( I made pea salad, bread pudding and took watermelon. Phillip smoked a pork butt)
Dinner: Spanish Potato Soup from A Little and A Lot served with toasted sourdough. I made the soup using the leftover pork butt from lunch. This is one of our favorites and despite it's monochromatic appearance it is really good. 

Monday Sept 3rd: 
Breakfast: cinnamon rolls
Lunch: birthday lunch out with family
Dinner: little smokies in BBQ sauce and homemade mac-n-cheese

Tuesday Sept 4th:
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: subs out with coworkers
Dinner: Italian marinated pork loin served with roasted potatoes and fresh green beans

Wednesday Sept 5th:
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: working lunch of nachos and watermelon
Dinner: Pulled Pork Rigatoni from Life's Ambrosia served with a garden salad and toasted sourdough. I used leftover pork to make the rigatoni and the one adjustment I would make is to cut the amount of cumin. It initially did not seem like that much in the recipe but it was a bit strong. 

Thursday Sept 6th:
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: Gyro with fries ( Lunch with a friend)
Dinner:Easy Garlic Ginger Glazed Sticky Pork from Foodie with Family using leftover pork served with steamed rice. 

Friday Sept 7th:
Breakfast: biscuit with butter and strawberry jelly
Lunch:Pizza out with coworkers
Dinner: smoked sausage, steamed corn and leftover rice

Saturday Sept 8th:
Breakfast: Biscuits
Lunch: Salami and cheese
Dinner: Pizza at birthday party