The Simple Life at Home

Back to menu planning!!! I don't know about you all, but I thrive on list-making. I love the feeling of knowing what I am doing, what I need, what's next. Even though it sounds as though you are being constrained, in reality I find it very freeing. Having a plan allows me to accomplish my goals in a timely fashion and move on to more spontaneous things, while still feeling good that those "must-do's" are already done.

Here's our menu for this week:

Sunday - Country Corn Chowder (recipe below), cheese biscuits

Monday - Seared salmon with garlic aioli, brussel sprouts, couscous and a tossed salad

Tuesday - Koosa mahshi (stuffed squash) and a chopped salad

Wednesday - Roasted Chicken, BLT potatoes, garlic green beans and a tossed salad

Thursday - Hamburgers, potato salad and chips

Friday - Tuna Casserole and a tossed salad

Saturday - Homemade pizza

Country Corn Chowder

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups water
• 2 vegetable boullion cubes (chicken is ok too!)
• 1/2 t. sea salt
• 1/2 t. sage
• 1/2 t. oregano
• 1/2 t. thyme
• 1/2 t. pepper
• 3-4 cups corn
• 1 T. butter
• 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped

Bring water to boil and add potatoes, onions, celery and onions. Add seasonings and let simmer until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, saute peppers and scallions in the butter. Set aside. Once potatoes are tender, remove about 2 cups of the vegetables from the soup. Puree what's left (a stick blender is great for this!) and then add back in the vegetables you removed. Add the corn and the sauteed peppers and scallions. Allow to simmer, stirring often, until corn is heated through.

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So that's it around here. Simple, good food. Yum!!

In other news, after starting school last week, the kids have now been on a four day weekend. Not bad, huh? 4 days last week of camp-like fun, a four day weekend and when they go back tomorrow they will only have a three day week! A pretty nice introduction to school, I'd say!!

I'm off to start my "list" that I mentioned in yesterday's No Regrets post. No more computer for me till it's done!!