But the main reason I’m make this list here is to that at three o’clock each day, when I think “what should I make for dinner?” and I have my inevitable brain freeze and can’t think of a single thing, I can pull this list up and figure something out!!

Dinner Ideas:

• Homemade Pizza
• Sweet & Sour Hawaiian Haystacks
• Minestrone soup & sandwiches
• lemon chicken pasta
• garlic chicken
• ranch chicken
• stir fry
• enchiladas
• fajitas
• homemade chili
• corn chowder
• food storage stoup
• lasagna
• tomato basil pasta
• chicken alfredo
• penne rosa
• baked ziti
• stroganoff
• chicken cordon bleu
• tuna casserole
• shepherds pie
• ribs
• pot roast
• steak
• chicken curry
• barbacoa burritos
• parmesean crusted tilapia
• hamburgers
• sloppy joes
• chicken wraps
• stuffing casserole
• homemade mac n cheese
• lime chicken tacos
• pulled pork sandwiches
• manicotti
• meat loaf
• balsamic chicken
• morrocoan chicken
• thai pineapple chicken curry
• chicken divan
• quiche

Sides

• baked squash
• muffins
• cornbread
• refried beans
• garlic bread
• green salad
• tomato cuke salad
• stuffed grape leaves
• summer salsa
• corn on the cob
• mashed potatoes
• twice baked potatoes
• potato salad
• cous cous
• steamed veggies

Desserts

• banana cream pie
• red velvet cake
• cake bites
• cheese cake
• brownies
• zucchini bread
• choco chip cookies
• oatmeal raisin cookies
• pumpkin bread
• pumpkin choco chip cookies
• pears & cheese

So, one of the things I’m pretty good at in life is making dinner. Laundry – not so much (although I am on load #2 for the day as I type this).

Dinner is easier for me because:

1) I don’t mind cooking (usually)

2) I like to eat (always)

But I’m always scratching my head, trying to think: “What should I make for dinner tonight?!”

There are the staples that show up regularly at our house: Lemon Chicken Pasta, Chicken Enchiladas, Stroganoff, and in the summer, hamburgers – easy, have everything in the cupboard sort of meals. We eat those like once every two weeks. But for some reason, if I go more than that, I feel bad. Like I’m not giving my poor family enough variety.

It should be said I cook according to what sounds good to me. I know there are some things Wyatt doesn’t love. I know there are things the kids just plain don’t like. But I make it, so I make what I want to eat. I have tried to tone it down a little over the years – last fall I went on a curry kick, and we were having curry like once a week. Now it’s only once in a while, and I try to make it very mild so the kids don’t have to cry through dinner.

This is getting mo’ rambling.

So in an effort to try and curb the brain effort that goes into “making dinner” I’m creating a little menu for myself. I’m going to list 10 menu plans, with a good mix of slightly complicated to super easy meals so that depending on my mood/time/schedule I will be able to choose seven of these through out the week, have the ingredients on hand, and be able to make dinner without having to worry about it.

Menu #1

Meal 1:
Hamburgers
Corn on the Cob
Watermelon

Meal 2:
Marinated Chicken
Marinated BBQ Veggies
Barbequed Bananas

Meal 3:
Ranch Chicken
Rice
Steamed Veggies

Meal 4:
Pasta Primavera
Steamed Veggies
Eclair Dessert

Meal 5:
Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
Steamed Veggies

Meal 6:
Shepherd’s Pie
Steamed Veggies

Meal 7:
Braised Balsamic Chicken
Rosemary Red Potatoes
Green Salad

Meal 8:
Chicken Fajitas
Mint Brownies

Meal 9:
Chicken Tagine
Couscous

Meal 10:
Pot Roast
Potatoes, Carrots, Onions & Celery
Salad

Well, I’m not throwing up daily anymore. Thank you to everyone who kept me in your prayers. I attended Wyatt’s Sunday School class a couple weeks ago, and Wyatt said something I hadn’t considered before:

The topic was prayer, and we were talking about why we pray when our Heavenly Father already knows what we need, and we cannot change the will of God regardless.

Wyatt said there are some blessings that God does WANT to give us. It is his will that we have those blessings. But those blessings are dependent upon us asking for them. It is a relationship we must maintain. This made me think of being sick and the blessing of getting better sooner than I ever have before.

Now to task at hand:

Dinner for my family.

Last night I made (drumroll please) dinner! (Ta da!) Lemon chicken pasta to be exact, which is an easy and delicious meal, and a great way to get back into “I can do this” mode.

It’s the first time I’ve made a real dinner in almost three months.

Today I sat down to plan out a menu for the week (I am ambitious!). The trouble is – it’s Spring. And I’m expecting. And winter food is too heavy for both. But summer food isn’t right either. And the inbetween food of fall isn’t in harvest this time of year.

This made it very challenging.

But after some looking through my recipe box, and some internet searches, here is my game plan.

Monday:
Broiled Tilapia Parmesan
Steamed Asparagus
Salad
Wild Rice

Tuesday:
Chicken Picatta
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Steamed Broccoli

Wednesday:
Corn Chowder
Bran Muffins

Thursday:
Leftovers

Friday:
Baked Ziti
Garlic Bread
Salad

Saturday:
Wyatt’s night to cook. *This is a new development in the Christensen household. Last week was Wyatt’s first time. He told me to go get a pizza AND bake it. I don’t think that counts. I cut him some slack because of March Madness. But this week he better come up with something good!

Sunday:
Something in the crock-pot: Pot roast?

My question for you is: What do you eat this time of year?

This bread is super moist, and “not too pumpkin-y.” It’s at least as good as what one might get at the local Great Harvest. And it’s even better the next day!

House Seasoning:

• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months

3 T EVOO
1 1/2 T Lemon Juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t  dried oregano
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 red onion – sliced into thin rings
1/2 cucumber – sliced into thick half moons
1/2 green pepper – julienned
4 oz. feta cheese – cubed or crumbled
16 calamata olives

PLACE the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano in a small jar with a screw-top lid and shake to combine. PLACE the salad ingredients in a large bowl. POUR the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine just before serving. GARNISH the Greek salad with a little freshly ground black pepper.

Slaw:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup diced red peppers (roasted preferred)
• 1/4 cup diced green peppers
• 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 1/4 cup diced carrots
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 head green cabbage, quartered and sliced into thin strips

BBQ Sauce:

• 1/2 cup mango chunks
• 2 roasted red bell peppers, (roasted at 400 degrees F, seeds and skin removed)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon Caribbean jerk seasoning
• 1/4 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup BBQ sauce

Cilantro White Sauce:

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon blackening spice

Guacamole:

• 2 fresh avocados, halved, pitted and flesh diced
• 2 fresh jalapenos, diced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 cup diced red onion diced
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Tacos:

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds mahi mahi, skinned and cleaned
• Blackening seasoning
• Olive oil
• 1 dozen (6-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded cheese of choice
• 1 cup diced tomatoes

Directions

For the Slaw:

In mixing bowl mix all ingredients together except the cabbage. Once evenly mixed add the cabbage and turn with your hands or spoons until the cabbage is evenly coated. Cover and store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Should be made 24 hours in advance.

BBQ Sauce:

Mix all of the ingredients in food processor and puree. Pour into a bowl or jar and refrigerate.

Cilantro White Sauce:

Mix all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl until thoroughly combined. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Guacamole:

Mix all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl. HINT: Use a potato masher first to crush the avocados then use spoon to combine the mixture. Cover and refrigerate.

Tacos:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Coat the mahi mahi with blackening seasoning. Add some olive oil to a saute pan and add the mahi mahi. Cook until flaky, about 3 to 5 minutes. Shred the fish with a fork or a spoon. When the fish is no longer pink in the center, add 1/2 cup BBQ sauce and mix together. Heat the tortillas in the oven for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

To serve:

Spoon the guacamole down the center of each tortilla then add a layer of shredded cheese and diced tomatoes. Add the slaw and the mahi mahi. Top with the white cilantro sauce. Arrange on a serving platter, get a napkin and dig in.

Want confirmation? Just ask this guy.

Now, here’s the thing that is so exciting to me:

It’s my first very own recipe. My very first very own recipe.

That’s right. I took the little I know about baking, put it into the mixer, and out of the oven came these beauties.

What makes them better than other cookies in the universe:

1) They’re chewy. Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies – can you really argue with that?

2) They’re chocolatey, but not too chocolatey.

3) Now here’s the secret – I don’t add the salt until the very end – even after the chocolate chips. This gives the cookies these little sparkles of saline – total surprise. You get that salty sweetness that is neither overwhelming or underplayed. Try it, try it, you will see! You will like them, Sam-I-Am.

Andrea’s Mo’Yum Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pre-heat oven to 375°

3/4 C sugar
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C butter
1/2 C shortening
1 egg
2 1/4 C flour
1 t vanilla
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 bag (2 C) chocolate chips

In a large bowl mix sugars, butter, shortening, egg & vanilla. Add flour & baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips. Add salt at the very end. Roll onto ungreased cookie sheet, flatten each cookie slightly with the palm of your hand. Bake 8-10 minutes @ 375°