Monday, October 17, 2011

Monday Musings and Menu Planning . . .

Well, here it is - Monday again!  I hope that everyone had a wonderful week-end!  My Monday started with my husband going to work . . . in the morning!!  I am so happy to be done with night-shift... :0)  I just talked to him and he said he's really tired - it will take a few days to get back in the rhythm of sleeping at night, instead of during the day!

Last week I stopped at the local pumpkin patch, just down the road from our house.  The pumpkins were kind of high priced this year, but the lady who sells them puts all of the money in a fund for her grandson, who was  injured in an automobile accident a few years ago, and still has lots of problems, so I don't mind paying a little more.




Am I the only one who has problems trying to decide what to have for dinner?!  I am making another attempt at a weekly menu - wish me luck!

Monday - Ham and Beans, with homemade rolls


Ham and Beans
  • 1 lb of white beans - Great Northern - about 2 1/2 cups
  • 2 quarts of water
  • 2-3 lbs of ham hocks or shanks ( I like lots of ham in mine)
  • 1 cup of diced onions (about 1 small onion)
  • 2-3 ribs celery chopped
  • 2 med.  chopped carrots
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, diced
  • Salt and pepper
Soak your beans overnight , by covering the beans with water (about two inches above beans).  Drain and rinse the beans the next morning.  Put the ham hocks or shanks in a large pot with the beans and cover with 2 quarts of water. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about an hour or so, until the beans are tender. Add the chopped vegetables. Cook for another hour, until the vegetables are soft and the ham meat easily pulls away from the bone. Pull the meat off the bone and discard the bones.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  This soup freezes well.

Tuesday -Eating out

Wednesday - Halushki (Cabbage and Noodles) This is one of my daughter's new, favorite recipes, go check out her blog!

Thursday - Breakfast for dinner - Waffles, bacon and scrambled eggs

Friday - We will be out of town until Saturday night

Sunday - Pot roast, potatoes, broccoli

Off to run errands - Have a wonderful Day!!

Hugs,

14 comments:

Vee said...

It's hodge-podge night here. I have never been able to commit to a menu. Too much of a fly by the seat of my pants kind of gal, I guess. Thank goodness there was chicken and that acorn squash I bought at the farm stand.

Oh I do get happy hearing about folks going on day shifts. It just makes life easier. John's daughter is the only gal I know who prefers to work nights. Hope that your husband transitions with no troubles at all.

Gina said...

Barb,

I have been looking to try a new recipe and this sounds so delicious that I am going to try it soon. Thank you so much for sharing it! :)

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Haven't been to our local *Pumpkin' Patch,* to take pics this year. Your pictures remind me to remedy that situation. :-)

Gentle hugs,
"October, here’s to you. Here’s to the heady aroma of the frost-kissed apples, the wine-y spell of ripened grapes, the wild-as-the-wind smell of hickory nuts and the nostalgic whiff of that first wood smoke."
~ Ken Weber

Kimmie said...

Always love stopping by your blog :]

*Happy Sigh*

Shug said...

Hi Barb...
I love your picture of the pumpkins...Adorable and bright..
You certainly are organized...I really need to be more organized when it comes to planning my meals. Of course, all the recipes sound good and I do love the one called Eating Out!!
Blessings,
shug

Cheryl @ TFD said...

Hi Barb, I am mostly a fly by the seat of my pants cook. I had a chicken thawed in the refrigerator that I intended to use to make a pot of chicken soup. Then my son called to say he had a job tomorrow in St Louis and would be leaving KC to spend the night and would be here for dinner. Knowing he doesn't care much for soup, I revised my plan and fixed a chicken and rice casserole. He loved it!

I have the inside of the house decorated for fall, but have pretty much ignored the outside since all the flowers are still going strong. At least in the front of the house. I really need to get a pumpkin or two.

So glad your hubby is now working his usual schedule and will be home with you at night. I hope he gets adjusted quickly. I remember it took me awhile last year when I quit working.

Have a good week!

Ladybug said...

Hi Barb

So enjoy your posts, good to hear your hubby
is working a normal schedule once again.
Fall Harvest photos are very nice...
Have a Special week...
Hugs
Ladybug

Saimi said...

I'm so impressed that you have a weekly meal schedule! Wow to be so organized is GREAT!!

Love the pumpkins, I still need to get some for my doorsteps.

LeAnn said...

I couldn't resist the Pumpkin pictures and the sweet feeling from your posts. I was on my way to bed and I saw you had a post. Your menu sounds yummy now if I just had you to cook it for me. I really need to have a cooking class from you. Tonight I made a scambled egg mixture in a green pepper. Usually I cook the egg mixture before I put them in the green peppers to bake for a while. The egg mixture did not cook at all in the oven. I finally just threw it all in the frying pan and cut the peppers up. It was good; but where did I go wrong. I know you are laughing about now; I am very lame.
Love and hugs to you!

lesa said...

I struggle every night with what to have for dinner. My husband makes awesome buttermilk biscuits so tonight we are have those and a cheese omelet. Nothing fancy here.

Have a good day!

Vickie said...

Know what we started doing? I work Monday-Wednesday every week and I am really too tired to cook when I get home. So Saturday a couple of weeks ago, we decided to try something new. My husband likes to grill, so he grilled a bunch of chicken breasts, hamburgers and I made a big pot of vegetable/beef soup and some peas. We were able to eat on that most all week and all I had to do was open a couple of cans of veggies or get a bagged salad ready. It worked great and I'm gonna try to keep doing this - whether HE cookes or I cook. Sure saved me time and effort!

Glad your hubby is on the day shift now - we used to have to tip-toe around so my dad could sleep. Boy would he get mad when we got too loud and woke him up!!!

Gina said...

Barb,

While I was at the market today, I looked for ham hocks. The butcher looked at me like I was an alien. No, they didn't have any. I didn't even see any ham shanks. I did get 2 ham butt steaks (1 lb each). I am hoping they will do the trick. I am planning on making your ham and beans for Thursday's dinner. :)

Gina said...

I am back, sweet Barb - to invite you and all your friends to join my giveaway! Hope to see you then. {{HUGS}}

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

That soup has to be my favorite with a big slice of homemade bread.

Glad the hubs is off the night shift. I did that for 8 years. Made me bonkers.

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