Friday
Short version: Grilled chicken, rice, salad, cookies
Long version: This was the day I left with the younger two children to drive to Phoenix. We arrived around 2 p.m. to the house my parents had rented. My mom and dad made dinner. It was simple, but delicious.
The cookies were like a store version of Girl Scout Samoas that my mom bought because Poppy loves coconut. They were not as good as Samoas, but no one had any trouble eating them.
Saturday
Short version: Hawaiian barbecue, cake
Long version: This was the night of my niece's graduation party, which was the whole reason we were in Phoenix. The graduate's favorite food is Hawaiian barbecue, so they got takeout from a restaurant for the party. I was not familiar with this food, but it was very good. Both beef and chicken in a sweet marinade of some kind--kind of like teriyaki--rice, pasta salad, and Spam and rice rolled up in seaweed. Oh, and Hawaiian rolls, which my children had never had an predictably liked.
Sunday
Short version: Reuben sandwiches, leftover vegetables, potato chips, ice cream
Long version: We went to Mass in Phoenix at 11:30 a.m. before starting the drive to Tucson to stay with my parents.
We had eaten party leftovers with my brother's family for lunch, so I just had some of the vegetables from the corned beef for my dinner. Plus whatever was left from my children's sandwiches, because there's always something.
Monday
Short version: Cheeseburgers, broccoli salad, oven fries, spinach
Long version: We went to see A.'s family this day and swim in the pool at his dad's apartment complex.
Tuesday
Short version: Brisket, roasted vegetables, leftover rice, ice cream
Long version: My mom made an entire brisket, like eight pounds of meat. We ate about half of it this night. Both children had multiple helpings. They certainly burned enough calories with all the swimming and running around we did.
Wednesday
Short version: Jiggety jig soft tacos
Long version: Home again, home again. We arrived home at 4:15 p.m. A. had been eating hamburgers pretty much exclusively since the older boys had left for their FFA convention, and there was still a little ground beef in the refrigerator. There wasn't enough for all of us, but I added a can of pinto beans to it, plus salsa and spices, and that was enough in corn tortillas with cheese.
The children had eaten large quantities of raw vegetables and fruit in the car, so I didn't bother with anything but the tacos.
Thursday
Short version: Italian sausage links, roasted potatoes, canned peas
Long version: A. had defrosted some Italian sausage, which I put right on the pan with the roasted potatoes.
Your mom is a trooper! I never keep track of my dinners, but I do know that I had a Spanish Tortilla last night and asparagus, and the night before that a mixture of macquechou from the freezer, black beans from a can, and rice, with a little extra salsa. Tuesday I had a potato and cheese, plus a bit of asparagus. And that is the end of my memory!
ReplyDeleteUnderachiever week:
ReplyDeleteFri- rotisserie chicken- I shouldn't shop when I'm tired of cooking. But it's cheap! Rolls, peas, broccoli, rice.
Sat- I spent the day driving daughter and friend back to school with an extra hour added on because she forgot her apt keys at home. We turned around, Her brothers grabbed the keys and met us half way. Thank goodness.
We I got home in the evening, boys had made grilled cheese. So we all had whatever.
Sun- graduation day for my reluctant scholar! And it got hot. So chicken strips and fries ( his favorite) and a walmart cake ( too busy to bake). The boy is not fond of thick frosting, so the whipped frosting on the cake was appreciated.
Mon- very hot, so rotisserie chicken again. All but one kid loves it. And it's cheap. Rice . Veg. Pineapple.
Tues- leftover chicken, leftover taco meat. Assemble your own taco ir sandwich.
Wed- last day of school! Chicken strips, fish sticks to use them up. Fries ,fruit.
Thurs- grilled Italian sausage, hot dogs, chips, fruit.
So my summer menu of very low expectations begins!
What a nice trip! I can see the pool being a highlight- as a kid, it never mattered where we went on vacation as long as there was a pool!
Enjoy the weekend.
There were a total of four pools. Everywhere we went, there was a pool. So much swimming.
DeleteAnd congratulations to your graduate! And to you, getting him through.
DeleteI love that you got in such a fun trip to see family!
ReplyDeleteOur food can be called “mostly Philadelphia” although we were there for the Children’s Hospital and not something fun at all. So, we ate out a lot (as is my rule when we travel but especially for hospital trips)
Fri- Greek/Italian restaurant. Most kids got burgers though oddly. Then we went to a Rolled Ice cream place in Chinatown because everyone loves watching them make the ice cream.
Sat- Reading Terminal Market which meant everyone could just pick something. My favorite was a large cup of strawberries smothered in fresh chocolate and cream.
Sun- Swedish food! But everyone was still hungry after a very long Byzantine Divine Liturgy for Pentecost so we got cheesesteaks after the Swedish food (I blame teenage boys).
Mon- Mexican restaurant. Most kids got steak tacos with cilantro. Then we let everyone get ice cream from an ice cream truck which none of them had ever done before.
Tues- sandwiches and such at the hospital, not a great day all around
Wed- we finally got home in the middle of the night (it's a roughly 12 hour drive for us) and just had pizzas
Thurs- a goodbye party with a friend- coq au vin, roasted potatoes, flan, and chocolate pavlova with cream and berries. No sides or vegetables because we didn’t eat until 9pm- 5 kids had baseball and one game was in a different time zone.
I don't know why it was so funny to me that you had a baseball game in a different time zone, except it just somehow increases the insanity that is sports season.
DeleteI was intrigued by your need to use the canned peas from commodities. Canned peas are not my favorite, but I do like to use them in stews or meat pies and add at the last minute. I couldn’t help myself and ended up searching on what to do with canned peas. It reminded me that in the last century, I used to make creamed peas and potatoes, which were a favorite. I haven’t made them in this century! Ha! I’ll have to do that at some point, although I’ll probably use frozen peas. The other suggestion was to use them as the base for a quick split pea soup, which I know we would like.
ReplyDeleteWe’ve been on the road, staying with family or camping so our meals have been what other people planned or pretty simple. It was good to see our family, but it will be good to get home.
It's so nice to get home from a trip and into your own kitchen. Well, nice for me, anyway. :-)
DeleteFriday-baked beans and hamburger, coleslaw
ReplyDeleteSaturday-sausages and cheesy potatoes, coleslaw, blackberry cake
Sunday-leftover baked beans, applesauce
Monday-stirfried chicken and vegetables, fresh sourdough bread
Tuesday-scrambled eggs, leftover sausages, toast, peas
Wednesday-pot stickers, broccoli
Thursday-meat pies, coleslaw
I remember as a child feeling so confused why sometimes peas were delicious and sometimes they were disgusting. Eventually I learned that sometimes they were frozen (yum) and sometimes they were canned (blech). I am fine with many other canned vegetables, but not peas!!
ReplyDeleteHi, Kristin! It's JD
ReplyDeleteI finally got a laptop and came here to peruse your blog. I have almost stopped making menus. Being at home all the time, I basically plan the night or so before and set things out to thaw if needed then, so I don't have a menu to reference for my meals. I remember that I made salmon patties served over fresh greens with thawed frozen peas and capers, a mix of seasoned black beans and ground beef with salsa and a side of sliced bell peppers, and hot dogs with cole slaw and fresh fruit. There was more, of course, but I don't remember what.
Re: your question about eggs in the middle of bread - my mother's family, going back to my great-grandmother, called them Egyptian Eyewinkers. I have no idea why. The area I was raised in was called (and still is called) LIttle Egypt, so maybe that's it?
It sounds like you all have started your summer out with a lot of fun. We have been having a lot of summer heat plus drought, but the last couple of weeks have finally brought some rain. We need it. I have been so tired of watering the garden every day. Now I have to hope the rains don't flood my garden. It's always something, but I've been able to get some squash, zucchini, berries, kohlrabi, green beans and now cucumbers, so far.
Hi JD! How nice to not have to plan ahead much. Retirement has many benefits. Egyptian Eyewinkers is a new one for me. I'll have to tell my kids that one.
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