Meal Planning 101: Week 40

I know I skipped last week! I went out of town Thursday, so there wasn't much of a meal plan. But this week I'm on call! I couldn't leave if I wanted to, and thus, there is a meal plan. Keeping in short and sweet for you, just the meals!

Monday:

Fiesta Rice Bowls with Chips and Salsa

Tuesday:

OWLs Potluck (bringing wilted spinach and roasted brussel sprouts)

Wednesday: 

Church Meal (Was bringing pumpkin cookies, but found out it wasn't my team's week to cook, so I'll make these for something else!)

Thursday: 

Savory Waffles and Fancy Eggs

Friday: 

Fried Chicken and Waffle Sandwiches with Breakfast Potatoes

Saturday: 

Leftovers

Sunday: 

Crock Pot French Onion Soup and Grilled Cheese


Last week I made a crock pot rotisserie chicken using the balled up tinfoil trick and it was excellent! Also used leftover chicken to make a big fall chopped spinach salad that was delicious!

#31Days of Food for Thought

I kept hearing (seeing?) about this #31days all day today on Twitter. That little thing started to happen to my insides. That excitement/bubbling/nervous/freaking out/scared challenging fear thing. You know, the feeling when you're terrified, but you know it's the good kind of fear that pushes you to do something you know you can do but are scared to do?

I was already feeling pretty inspired by all my blogging world friends, but when my real life blogging friend Jessica over at Meet the Magnolias decided to do it, it was just the push I needed to jump off the diving board.

And so it's official! I'm linking up with thenester.com and probably over a thousand other bloggers (Literally! They had 1,200 last year.) to participate in the 31 day writing challenge. It's a challenge to write about a specific (ish) topic every day for 31 days. My mind started to rush with a million different things I could specifically write about, but I just couldn't decided between two!

After helping with a women's conference this weekend and being  completed challenged to dare to believe that God really, wholeheartedly, absolutely loves me, I couldn't get the idea out of my head to walk through that journey with you, a journey of believing.

Being primarily a food blogger, I also sort of felt like I was cheating on my blog if I went 31 days without posting about food! So I keep thinking of ideas/tips for the kitchen to make being in the kitchen more simple. How does a girl chose between the two?!

Well, she doesn't! As I was having a freak out moment with Jess about wanting to do it but being unable to decide, she encouraged me to do both and even suggested a title that worked perfectly with combining the two. And so, for the next 31 days (I HOPE), I will be blogging about "Food for Thought," alternating between talking about God's love, and ways to make the kitchen "easier."

I'd also like to add, I'm doing this for a few reasons! 1. I've been out of the blogging pattern. I want to be more consistent. 2. I'm supposed to be helping Total Woman U (the non-profit women's ministry team I'm on the faculty for) write a book and blog! Key work on SUPPOSED. I've not been as good about blogging about specific things, I tend to be a seat of the pants kind of topic blogger. 3. I challenged myself this weekend to really dwell in daring to believe that God loves me unconditionally, and what better way to follow through on that challenge than the accountability of writing about it. 4. Writing is therapeutic for me! I want to be better about developing the daily pattern of doing it. 5. If I want to write a book one day, I need practice! 6. It ill be a fun way to play catch up on my goal to post 100 times this year (I'm WAY behind). 7. It's for the month of October! My favorite month of the entire year. What better time to believe I can do something than now.

And so join me on this journey! Let's learn a lot together.

Day 1: Why Love?
Day 2: Making the Kitchen Manageable Part 1 - Meal Planning
Day 3: Love and Bad Moods
Day 4: Fall To-Do List
Day 5: Love Defined
Day 6: Meal Planning 101: Week 41
Day 7: My Favorite Day
Day 8: Confession: Sometimes You Need a Break (and sleep)

Getting to Know You (Part 2): A Mississippi Women Bloggers' Link-Up

1.  What is your favorite thing to do in your hometown?

I consider Clinton my hometown now, even though I was born and lived my childhood in Monticello. My favorite thing to do in Clinton is anything on the Olde Towne brick streets! I love the Olde Towne Courtyard on the brick streets. I love attending any event they host on the brick streets like our movie nights and farmer's market. I just love being there! 

2. What is the best vacation spot in Mississippi?

Hmm, my favorite place to vacation is visiting friends. But the coast does have a fun, relaxed atmosphere for vacation. 

3. Tell us about the most fun date night idea in Mississippi.

Currently, my ideal date idea would be to take a picnic to the Olde Towne Courtyard in Clinton at night under the string lights on a cool autumn night. 

4.  What is one fun fact that very few people know about you?

Hard one... I'm such an open share-y person, everyone always knows everything about me! I guess not everyone knows that I was in dance for 4 years growing up. I hate dancing and am NOT good at it. But I was in dance class for 4 years. 

5.  Who is your favorite sports team (if you have one) and how did it start?

Nope. Don't do sports. I mean it's in my blood to support the New Orleans Saints, and I'm happy when I hear (or read from social media) that they won, but you won't catch me watching a game. If cooking can be a sport my favorite team is Team Food Network. 

6.  What are your top three “Best Eats” in Mississippi?

I'll say in my part of Mississippi, because there is so much in our great state! My my local top three are 303 Jefferson (Clinton), Blue Rooster (Clinton), and any of the many Mexican restaurants in the Clinton/Jackson area. 

7.  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Well, I truly believe God is in control of my life and next steps, so though I can dream about it, I have no idea! But my dream would be to have my bakery up, running, and thriving in Clinton and be married! I'm not dating anyone haha, but a lot can happen in 5 years right?? 

8.  If you could choose an actress to play you in real life, who would you choose and why?

Drew Barrymore! I've always love the characters she plays and feel like I can relate to them. I think she's the perfect amount of awkward, class, girlishness and quirkiness to represent me. 

9.  What is a southern tradition you and your family have?(Note: Get your guest posts on “Traditions” ready for December!)

Does food count? I feel like all of our traditions are based around food! We don't do them as much anymore, be we used to have family fish frys a lot growing up! My other side of the family loves a crawfish boil, as do I! We do holidays right with all the southern classics. 

10.  List 5 things on your Bucket List you hope to do before you die.

Well, I think my first two are cheating, but they are the two things I want to do more than anything before I die! 1. GET MARRIED! 2. Have kids. 3. Write a book. 4. Go to London. 5. Got to Harry Potter world in Orlando. 

Crock Pot Boiled Peanuts

Today I'm a guest blogger over at Mississippi Women Bloggers for Foodie Friday! 

This month we're talking about football food! What football game is complete without boiled peanuts?! 

Check out my super easy crock pot recipe over on their site: http://www.mississippiwomenbloggers.com/foodie-friday-link-up/. 

Peanuts are in season now too and in most of our grocery stores. 

Meal Planning 101: Week 39

Would you believe me if I said I forgot yesterday was Monday?? I totally did! I had this post prepped and ready to go but forgot to post it because it didn't feel like a Monday! Due to my lateness, I'll keep it short and sweet, no rambling, just the meal plan. One note... Last week I had to bake a million things so cooking dinner took a seat on the bench.  I mostly ate boiled peanuts or snacks for dinner! So there is a repeat meal from last week that I never got to.

Monday: 

Easy Garlic Pasta and Sauteed Garlic Kale

Tuesday:

OWLs (Older Wiser Ladies) Dinner Party - We're eating out this week! 

Wednesday: 

Dinner at Missional Community

Thursday: 

Fiesta Bowls (lime rice + fiesta lime chicken + black beans + salsa + anything else that fits from my fridge/cabinet) with Blue Corn Chips & Peach Mango Chipotle Salsa

Friday: 

Leftovers

Saturday:

Cheesy Bacon Waffles, Cheese Grits, Fancy Scrambled Eggs, and Sauteed Pears (Never got to it! Crazy busy week of baking last week.)

Sunday:

Fried Chicken and Waffle Sandwich and Roasted Rosemary Brussel Sprouts (And therefore never got to this day two recipe.)

What are you eating this week? Post your weekly meal plan in the comment section below! You can also link your meal plan up over at Organizing Junkie and see even more people who are meal planning. 

Meal Planning 101: Week CATCH UP (38-ish)

I'm back! I think. I hope. Gotta get back into the rhythm of posting, but I'm pretty sure I'm back! Or that I want to be at least. Brief little update of what you missed since I've been gone: 1 plus month of CRAZY (called RD training, RA training, move in day, and the first couple of weeks of school), a back injury (resulting in a shot, three medicines, and a couple weeks of physical therapy, still not totally recovered but know what stupid careless things not to do now), and now I'm sick! Full blown cold, icky, feel like I have been hit by a truck kind of cold. Is it just me or do colds feel worse the older you get? Oh and I got two new tattoos. Oh and I got obsessed with a book series, Divergent. I'd totes be in Amity with their bright colors, but I'd be a rule breaker and set on falling in love with a tattooed dauntless boy with a bad boy exterior and gentlemen huggable interior. Just saying. It's true. Well now that you're all caught up.

Guess what's back?! PUMPKIN! By September 1st I had already used three cans of pumpkin and had three pumpkin spiced lattes. All in one week. It's still ridiculously scorching hot, so it's putting a damper on my fall mood, but I'm clinging to the pumpkin! Pumpkin love will bring on the fall. And until it gets cool enough, I'll just have my pumpkin coffees iced!

Now to the meal plan! I will admit meal planning has a been a struggle lately! I made a deal with myself that I wouldn't say no to friends wanting to hang out with me even if it interrupted my meal plan and/or tv watching schedule. YES! I actually had to make that deal with myself. I'm a shy routine loving extrovert (get energy from being with people, drained by too much alone tome). So I need people, but I avoid chaos at all cost and therefore love my routines. But, while living in peopleless routines, I'm not as happy! I've happily said yes to a few weekly things, which is great! But just means less of a meal plan. BUT thankfully the way people connect is over food, so most of these things are potluck situations. Therefore, I think I'll still be able to work up a meal plan for us (for my sanity and your enjoyment - meal plan posts steal continue to be my most viewed). 

Monday: 

Kale Bleu Chopped Salad (Pizza was planned too, but my sickness only wanted salad!) 

Tuesday:

OWLs (Older Wiser Ladies) Dinner Party - Bringing individual Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifles. 

Wednesday: 

Dinner at Missional Community - Bringing Iced Sugar Cookies (tea party themed). 

Thursday: 

Cheesy Bacon Waffles, Cheese Grits, Fancy Scrambled Eggs, and Sauteed Pears

Friday: 

Leftovers

Saturday:

Tailgate Snacks - Bringing Iced Sugar Cookies (football themed). 

Sunday:

Fried Chicken and Waffle Sandwich and Roasted Rosemary Brussel Sprouts

Some other meals I made while away: 

Chicken Tortilla Soup and Southwest Chopped Salad

Pumpkin Pancakes and Maple Bacon

Lunches: 

I have a happy/sad update about lunches... The university I work for decided to give the RDs (my job) another benefit... A meal plan! At first it stressed me out. I like cooking! I wanted to be able to take advantage of the benefit in some way to allow it to help my budget without missing out on cooking (And blogging! If I don't cook, what will I blog?!). My favorite part of my job is getting to meet one on one with RAs. I meet with each of them every other week, so half one week and half the next. I used to do these meetings in the late afternoon/early evening, but decided a good practical compromise was meeting with them over lunch. So the happy news is... budget saved! With only purchasing stuff for my planned meals and breakfast (which is mostly 10 for $10 yogurts), so far the last two grocery bills have been $50-$70 less! The sand news is that meals I can't give you take to work lunch ideas! One day, when I have a job without this benefit, lunch ideas will return. But for now, I'm going to attempt to use this as an accountability tool to make healthy lunch choices in an "out" to eat setting and possibly post pictures. We'll see how it goes! 

Did I mention it's pumpkin season?? This as one of my pumpkin creations, a pumpkin cake with cinnamon pumpkin butter cream for a friend's birthday. Also made two pumpkin bread puddings with caramel sauce.

What are you eating this week? Post your weekly meal plan in the comment section below! You can also link your meal plan up over at Organizing Junkie and see even more people who are meal planning.