Menus and thoughts

Spring is such a wonderful time of year. I love seeing the flowers in bloom. Here is Utah, we've had rain in the valley and everything is lush. This is set against a backdrop of snow topped mountains. Our rain meant fresh powder around us. I am awed by the beauty and drama of it-and I'll share if I ever get a digital camera.

Today is Flag Day. There are lots of things wrong with the United States, just as there are with any country. But there are so many more things right-things we aspire to even if we do not always succeed with the execution. Our ideals of justice and equity, diversity, and fairness would make our world so much better if adhered to. I fly the flag proudly today to remind me how blessed I am to live here.

Tomorrow is Father's day, so most of the menus this week are at my husband's choosing. Luckily, he is willing to eat leftovers even then. And I still get to pick lots of things from the garden.

• Sunday
  Pot roast with carrots and new potatoes
  Gravy
  Chard
  Bread pudding with strawberries and chocolate chips
• Monday
  Hot open faced roast beef sandwiches
  Mashed potatoes
  Green salad
• Tuesday
  Bisquick easy beef pot pie
  Broccoli salad
• Wednesday
  Chicken stir fry
  Brown rice
• Thursday
  French bread pizzas-one pepperoni, one veggie
  Green salad
• Friday
  Hamburgers
  Chips
• Saturday
  Grilled salmon
  Grilled veggies
  

Menus 6/8-6/14

Spring is here and it's nice to take advantage of it. Much of this comes from my garden this week. It's so exciting to pick asparagus and strawberries at the same time as lettuce, chard, and spinach. Peas will be coming soon.

• Sunday
  Baked chicken with asparagus
  Green salad
  Fresh strawberries
• Monday
  American chop suey
  Green salad
• Tuesday
  Calzones
  Green beans
• Wednesday
  Chicken vegetable soup
• Thursday
  Tuna macaroni salad
• Friday
  Cream of broccoli soup
  Multi-grain rolls
• Saturday
  Salad greens with strawberries, pralines, feta, and grapes

Menus 6/1-6/7

• Sunday
  Baked chicken in mushroom sauce
  Asparagus
  Whole wheat rolls
  Easy strawberry shortcake
• Monday
  Chili verde
  Green salad
• Tuesday
  Leftover baked chicken
  Three bean salad
• Wednesday
  Leftover chili verde
  Green salad
• Thursday
  Gypsy salad on chard and romaine
• Friday
  Hot dogs in buns
  Baked beans
  Green salad
• Saturday
  Apple pancakes
  Chicken sausages
  Fruit salad

Mushroom sauce: place 1/4 c olive oil in saucepan. Add 1/4 c flour and stir well. Add 1 can chicken broth and stir until smooth. Cook stirring continually over low heat until thick. Add 1/2 milk or cream, 1 4oz can mushroom pieces, chopped parsley (2Tbsp fresh or 2tsp dried). Serve over baked chicken.

Gypsy salad:
2 c diced turkey ham
2 c diced cheddar or other cheese
2 c diced dill pickles
2 c diced tomatoes
Mix all together with about 2 Tbsp prepared mustard and 1 Tbsp mayonnaise. Adjust the mustard and mayonnaise dressing to taste.

Easy strawberry shortcake: Mash 4 cups strawberries and mix with 1/2 c sugar. Serve over slices of Angel food cake.

Sorry I've been gone

A lot has happened in my life since I last posted. I started working in a new position with much longer days. It is a challenging and very rewarding position, but I haven't had long commutes in many years. It took a while for my body to adjust! In spite of that, I absolutely love my new job.

Now it is more imperative that I plan the meals well-so I'll be picking that up here again.

Also, while I was interviewing and starting the new job, I also started a new business. That seriously decreased any available time for fun things like reading and blogging. You can see my new business at Home Learning Coach. It is designed to help parents promote learning in their homes. I create weekly activities designed for families to do together. Sometimes they are focused on specific cultural activities, sometimes on sports, sometimes on service. I hope you will take a look. The activities are designed for families with children between the ages of about 4 and 16. There are often books or stories to read as well.

Spring is truly here and it has been fun and challenging to get the garden planted with everything else that is going on. However, my chard from last year survived the winter and it has been pleasant to use. We've picked some asparagus as well. Lettuce and peas are up. Warmer weather things like tomatoes are in. Unfortunately, the weeds are doing well too, so I must keep after them.

I've been reading some books by Alexander McCall Smith while riding the bus to work. I love the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Precious Ramotswe is such a wonderful character. I have also become a fan of Isabel Dalhousie. It is so fun to read mysteries that are really mysteries-puzzles to solve-rather than murder mysteries and who-dun-its. When I was a child and became a mystery fan, I liked the puzzle solving. Most adult mysteries involve murder and these are a refreshing change. His characters are quite fun and the puzzles engaging. I highly recommend these.

True sportsmanship

At this time when we're looking at the final 4 for NCAA basketball, it is a good time to think about what sportsmanship is. Ostensibly, this is why we have sports as part of education-because of what it can teach us. Unfortunately, many of the things it teaches are negative due to choices of some coaches and athletes. Then there are those who teach just the opposite.

I read the weekly commentaries at Character Counts (http://charactercounts.org/michael/). One of the recent commentaries really moved me-about Olympian Eugenio Monti, http://charactercounts.org/michael/2008/04/the_essence_of_sportsmanship_5.html. This is what is true sportsmanship. How rare it is and how wonderful.

I participated in sports until just a few years ago (age caught up with me) and did my best to be a good sport and teammate. It isn't always easy, but it is always worth it.