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.